Basic HTML Version
timeout
17
Along the trip up to the town I met
a lot of horses packed with goods, fire-
wood and drunken men. After an hour
driving at a snail’s pace, I arrived at the
Border Martyrs’ Cemetery on the out-
skirts of Simacai. Here the brave border
soldiers who laid down their lives to de-
fend their country in 1979 are buried.
Different to how I imagined such
an out-of-the-way town would look,
Simacai is rather spacious and tidy.
Between modern concrete and brick
houses are thatch-roofed, wooden or
earthen houses of the Mong people.
Also merging with Western-styled
shirts and trousers are the colour-
ful traditional outfits worn by Mong
women. The town seems to be a point
where western and traditional worlds
rub shoulders.
The town centre is positively stately
with modern governmental and admin-
istrative buildings standing against the
mountain backdrop. Shops providing
internet cards and cable TV services line
the streets along with coffee shops, ka-
raoke bars, and restaurants.Hotels and
guesthouses can be easy to find here,
though tourism is low key and foreign-
ers need to have a permit to stay. So,
most foreign tourists drive from Bac Ha
in the morning to catch the market in
the early morning.
With little to do in the evening af-
ter a good dinner at a local food spot,
we had a good sleep in a clean room.
Lucky for me, I had such a deep sleep
that the ungodly alarm call of noise at
five in the morning was no problem.
I woke up rather befuddled but then I
remembered – the noise was the Sun-
day market.
Outside the guesthouse, members
of Mong, La Chi, Phu La and Nung Hill
Tribes in colourful costumes passed by
holding black umbrellas. Others carried
their babies as well as baskets of veg-
etables on their back. Others had black
pigs or small dogs on a leash, or horses
loaded with goods.
Opposite the market entrance, by
the Simacai Frontier Post, a band of
horses fidgeted in the rain as traders
quietly negotiated. Though the mar-
ket was muddy underfoot and rather
crowded, we got in amongst it. You can
find stacks of embroidery, traditional
tools, electric home utensils, accesso-
ries, food and drink. Just like at other
mountainous weekend markets, ice
cream is everywhere. Even a toothless
old woman with a chicken under her
arm is enjoying one.
Taking a well earned break
Buffalos are on one of the many mountain passes
border town