SKETCH OF NORTH INDOCHINA- Day 2: 100324-Hanoi, BaBe Lake

After a simple breakfast in Hotel, we start today journey to the north side of Vietnam. The most exciting events is having local French Toast with local dish like meat and egg with parsley leaf. If you see the appearance, this French toast is just like ordinary bread, but if you put in your mouth, the crunchy surface, soft texture of the inner toast and the fragrance form the parsley and the taste from the minched pork meat meet up to be a super delicious bread.

After 7 hours driving, we reach the Nang River jetty about 3pm. The scenery along the river cruise to the Tay Village beside the Ba Be Lake is amazing. Padi field, bamboo stalks, buffalo, famer, fisherman, natural hills, lake water add up to be a nice scenery. It is beautiful than Gui Lin of China.

Ba Bể National Park is located in Bac Kan Province, about 240 kilometers north of Hanoi. Ba Bể Lake (Vietnamese: Ho Ba Bê, Ba Bê meaning "Three Lakes" in the local Tay language) is the largest natural fresh water lake, stretching about 8 kilometers in the north-south direction.

After 30 minutes cruising, we flow into a cave. The cave is up to 50 meters high and about 300 meters long. It is inhabited by a population of 5 to 10 000 bats belonging to 18 species. The cold wind start to blow when we trekking inside the cave. And Nice sunset view is start to catch our eye when we past the limestone cave.

Now Babe Lake is a part of the Ba Bể National Park was established in 1992, it covers an area of 100.48 km².

The Tay village is built on the cliff. The delta of the lake is use for plantation for padi and vegetable. Most of the resident here is work as famer and fisherman. However, many houses are convert into homestay. Their condition is good as mosquito net, hot shower is well equip. The family members are very friendly, although they not very rich but they are happier than city people. It makes me think again, should I work until sacrifice my family? This question is always rising on my mind when I enjoy the simple but comfortable life without internet and television.

After dinner, we have chat between each other include Sam. He told me that I look like his friend… hahahhaa I never notice that Panda is so common in appearance.

The night in BaBe Lake is very cold. Natural air conditional flow from five direction into your body. The gap on the wooden floor is good for ventilation. I thought I couldn’t sleep in such place without air cond but the fact is I slept so well that night with flows of fresh air.