A group of Pà Tiẻn (sometimes Pá Hưng) women in their famously bright clothes. The name of this small (there are only some 8,000 of them) ethnic group's language, Pa-Hng, indicates that they are closely related to the H'mông people of whom there are about one million in Vietnam
The River Chừng valley, just north of Quang Bình...
The following pages have photographs from the districts around Xín Mần (sometimes called Cốc Pài) in the south-western part of Hà Giang Province - northern Vietnam. The collection has pages from the west of the town, but first three pages introducing the country to the south and east of Xín Mần. There is a square of roads with Xín Mần in the top left corner, which runs south to Quang Bình, passing the ancient rock art remains, then east to Việt Quang, where it turns north for Vinh Quang (Hoàng Su Phì), and then west back to Xín Mần. This page picks up that square just south of the rock art (on a page to come), takes you south, then east and north where the page leaves you on the road to Vinh Quang near the Pan Hau Retreat. Some of the people met along this road are given space below which I hope helps situate them in their own countryside.
...where the countryside is fully clothed in terraces and woods
Bamboo
The bamboo above - in context
The river near Quang Bình
The folk in the cafe, where we had lunch by...
Hân gets a portrait; here with the body language of social facilitator
...Quang Bình, take the opportunity to assess some strangers quietly
Difficult not to be engaged, with such good company - especially with the aid of a descent interpreter in the shape of Hân
Photogenic...
...and I'm sure mother thinks the infant is no less so
Along the road another friendly group - being in a Jeep, left over from the American war, does please the crowds.
Go to more Jeep
crowd pleasing at the far end of Hà Giang Province
The Pà Tiẻn women clearly enjoy seeing, and been seen, by the roadside on a lazy Thursday evening in mid December
Driving towards Vinh Quang, off the 'main' (only) road, a Pan Hau Retreat chalet can be seen over the river...
...and access to those, and the other chalets, is across this suspension bridge. The shapely curve of these
cables are lost on most visitors who keep 100% of their concentration on their feet!
By some standards this is a bridge in immaculate order
Pan Hau retreat occupies an up market position attracting foreigners who want a sense of the...
...remoter parts of Vietnam, but have limited time - you can arrive here in less than a day from Hà Nội
Neat thatched houses, rich gardens, and constant attention to the quality of the experience made this (fourteen years ago) a desirable hide-away for well heeled tourists
The remains of lunch at a typically good value cafe...
...and a distinctly less inviting cafe for a quick drink
The interplay of mist, trees and terraces
in the Hoàng Su Phì Disrict
An occasion when two men on a motorbike stopped and chatted - curious, I suspect, to see my binoculars
The terraces on this hillside are well grown, and attended, judging by the hat that can just be seen
And from those fields, although...
...unattached to that conical hat, two women appeared
By early April, when this was taken, the young paddy in a valley towards Vinh Quang, is turning the landscape from dry brown to shimmering verdancy
Trailers...
The next Picture Posting
page is to take you to the Vinh Quang area of Xin Man District in northern Viet Nam.
The next page
of the Mosaic Section is to be headed 'Individualism & Collectivism'.
Or go to the contents Go to the contents of the Mosaic Section. of the Mosaic Section.
The last page's photos were from near Scaur Water in Dumfriesshire
To countryside in north west Scotland with few trees and no terraces
To a page of more serious eating in Vietnam
...guide to this site