Leave the hustle and bustle of Hanoi and in about four hours you’ll find yourself in the peaceful and tranquil valley of Mai Chau…filled with rice fields and surrounded by breathtaking mountains. It’s like going from one hundred mph to zero…the pace suddenly comes to a screeching halt upon arrival. Chirping birds, the clinking of water buffalo bells and the occasional conversation flowing across the rice fields fills the air…
The Mai Chau Ecolodge was home for an entire week. An entire week? After reading so much about the distance to the famous Halong Bay or the popular mountainous town of Sapa…the amount of travel time to and from just wasn’t worth the extra time for this particular trip. To me travel is all about digging in…and experiencing…and not hurriedly running from place to place just to say…”I’ve been there and done that.”
So for six days…this was always waiting out the front door…
The image above -my eye level view – as seen from the patio relaxing from the wooden lounge chairs…taking in daily life. I loved sitting out in the late afternoons watching the village farmers tending to their rice paddies or taking their water buffalo out for an evening walk…
Days were filled with…
exploring the small villages…
checking out the goods for sale…hand loomed dress fabric textiles and jugs of rice wine…
giving away balloons…trying to match the outfit of course…
tossing in a bracelet (below) because of the high adorability factor
and
because kisses were free…
making and giving away photos…
checking out the local transportation and tools of the trade…
seeing firsthand how hard the people work…
confirming that family images are important regardless of where you are in the world…
witnessing the care and love between siblings…
and of course a trip to a new country isn’t complete…
without visiting a cemetery….
And there were a couple of visits to areas outside of Mai Chau that filled the time…
and one being the trip to the school with all the loot from shopping carport! Up next!
xo,gg
P.S. I love the New York Times and specifically the section…Metropolitan Diary where New Yorkers can share odd fleeting moments. I just have to share this one from Dani…
Dear Diary:
It happened less than 40 hours after the Paris attacks and, at the time, I was still nervous about taking the subway.
“The wheels on the bus go round and round,” murmured a little girl sitting next to me on the train. She was dutifully practicing her nursery school songs, much to the amusement of the entire subway car. It was your standard New York City mix of people, languages, accents and smells. But we were all mesmerized by a little girl innocently practicing her ABCs.
Then she started to sing a classic: “If you are happy and you know it, clap your hands…clap! clap!” Without hesitation, we — the random New York City subway car passengers — all joined in for the chorus, dutifully clapping and stomping at the behest of our conductor.
She was so tickled she almost cried. But she giggled her way to the grand finale: “If you’re happy and you know it and you really want to show it/ If you’re happy and you know it, shout Hurray.” And we bellowed, “Hurray!”
As she exited, we eyed each other awkwardly with smiles still plastered to our faces. Though our leader was lost, our moment of solidarity lingered.
moved to tears…….what a precious happening!
So precious! Thank you Pat!!
So much beauty to behold … your view, your strolls ( or were you riding bikes?) through the villages, so many sweet and smiling little ones and the wonderful cemeteries and ending with such an uplifting NYC subway story. I’m always so grateful with all that you do and share.
Thanks my dear! Yes…walks…our time went so fast we didn’t even get to the bikes!! Next time!! So appreciate you!!
Those family photos, all lined up, just like so many of us do in other ways and other places…this touched my heart. And to see the woman carrying that load on her back, working so hard, I can’t begin to tell you what I felt inside when I saw this.
I am so grateful to you for sharing the world through all your fabulous photos. And that I find the world in my inbox!
So good to hear from you Deborah! Thank you so much for visiting!
OH-OH-OH. So many images to ooh and aah over, and then the finale NYC subway story. THIS is what I’ve been waiting for, Robin. It’s a part of the world we rarely see, if at all, so it’s like seeing the whole wide world for the first time. Thank you for keeping this story/trip alive. Of course, it will always stay alive for you!
Absolutely! Thank you Ginnie…always! More to come soon!
Beautiful and serene. Yes, such a contrast to Hanoi. Lovely captures if the essence and beauty of nature, the people and oh those adorable children.
Such interesting cemeteries with pagodas?
I agree with you about enjoying the experience and not rushing around like a crazy tourist. One of the reasons why the few times we’ve traveled, we chose to go off on our own and explore, rather than take the pre-planned tours.
Loved the story from the Times.
Thank you for sharing.
XO
So welcome!! Yes, the cemeteries were very interesting. A high percentage of Vietnamese are not religious, however there are a couple of types of Buddhism within some of the ethnic groups within this region. As tourists/travelers – I think there are times that pre-planned tours are good depending on your interest level in learning – such as history etc…but I personally like to go off and explore too. But one particular day we did have a tour which was very much needed within the village that we went to. More on that soon. Thanks always for your support and kind words! xo
Yes …
Tears …
If only …
… the media would offer what you have given me this morning: fathomless beauty, peace, culture, love, and the absolute belief that people are good … waiting to be good! and wanting to make the world better. I don’t know how to contain the joy you give me and keep giving me in your story telling, travels, generosity, photographs and worldview.
xoxoxox
Thanks Ruth! I think that’s why I so enjoy connecting with people and their blogs or viewing instagram accounts. There’s a lot of beauty out there if we only take the time to look and quit watching so much TV! xo
What an experience! If I traveled to somewhere so different than home, I’d be drawn to doing the same thing as you, staying in one place for awhile so I could take it all in rather than skimming the surface. I’ve always thought it would be wonderful to spend months living somewhere else since I’ve only lived in one state my whole life.
Oh I want to do the same…find a place that really resonates within you and just dig in for a few months!! Thank you!!
There is nothing like slow travel and why we loved living abroad…. so much easier to do. Fantastic photos. You have a such a way of making us feel like we are there. You are also inspiring me to get in and finish the 8 trips for my blog I have yet to do!!!
I can’t even begin to imagine what you were exposed to during those years of living abroad. How fortunate you were to have that opportunity! Yep…still waiting for those blog updates! Can’t wait to see and hear!! Thank you!
Amazing photographs! I imagine the food was fantastic as well.
Thanks Sal! Yes…awesome!!
Thanks for sharing such a beautiful and moving post of your travel experience to Mai Chau. Bro and I are so happy we get to see the world through your travels because we most likely will never leave the United States, except for going to Canada in our travels… But when I saw the photo of the woman with the load on her back, I’m sure they are use to it.., and perhaps they don’t want help, but knowing you, like me, I’m sure when you took the photo of the woman with what looks like a heavy load on her back, you wanted to just go help her carry that load… Thanks for sharing yet another beautiful and moving post of your travels. XoXo
So true…yes, I’m sure she goes to the fields everyday and carries those kinds of loads…I have so much admiration for the people here. The entire time I thought of my time on the farm…it brought back so many wonderful memories. Very hard work…but oh so enjoyable and so very memorable…love you! xoxo
Those pictures tell more than a thousand words…..and the little girl singing in the Subway said in that little moment also more than a thousand words.
Try to be happy, try to be content, don’t let these ba****ds get under your skin, because that is what they want. FEAR…
No way, your pictures and the article in the NYT show that there are good people all around and they outnumber the evil.
I hope they keep outnumbering the evil.
Again, very impressive pictures, you are blessed to be able to travel and give away.
Love and hugs.
We will keep outnumbering the evil! Thanks always Astrid for your thoughts and visits! Love and hugs back at ya!
Phenomenal photos. I love how you take the time to truly visit a place. Not the rushing around. The appreciation of it all. Well, our guest bedroom is all set up…hope you’ll visit us before too long. Stay as long as you’d like!
Thanks so much Julia! Oh…just can not wait to come and visit!!! Thanks for the offer!! I hope you all are getting all settled in. Your place looks gorgeous from the few photos from Sal! Big hugs!!!
Robin, Your version of travel is my favorite, too. I love that you permit yourself to sink into the places and that the glory comes from knowing more than going. Every image transports me on a journey of discovery and delight. Beautiful photographs!
And thank you for including the story from the NY Times. I taught children from many years in many capacities, and these sweet songs will always be dear to my heart. The chorus of singing on that subway seems in some way to be our way of sharing our experiences and whispering to the child with hope, ‘we have each other.’
Thank you Donna! So much for your visits and wonderful words!
You’re an ambassador of curiosity and kindness. Such a valuable thing you are doing. Being.
Thank you. Thanks for seeing and sharing with the heart of a gatherer.
In a divisive world, you are a healer.
I appreciate you more than I can say.
Love and yes,
Jennifer
Thanks so much Jennifer!
Your photos are so interesting, Robin, showing a different world to me than I’m used to… I like your travelling attitude. 🙂
The story published in New York Times almost moved me to tears, it must have been very spontaneous. There is so much negative and sad in newspapers nowadays, I welcome stories like this. Thank you for sharing!
I so welcome stories like this too! It keeps ones spirits high with all the negativity that’s out there! Thanks so much!!
You know I simply love your Blog and the clever way you mix the photographs and words to bring us right inside the experience of your trips. Once again, your photographs are a joy and the timeless faces a wonder to behold. That old lady carrying that burden speaks volumes about a different sense of life and culture to our own. Wonderful stuff. Because I’ve got quite a small brain, I often can’t quite work out which is your latest post from the newer layout, so this may or may not be your last post, but it is a beautiful one anyway 🙂
Marvelous. Simply marvelous.
Love your serene photos of Mai Chau.
Superbe. Magnifique série de photos. Les portraits sont adorables…