..31.. sapa

after being absolutely blown away by the most delicious bowl of pho that could possibly exist, we boarded the night train to sapa. our arrival the next morning was greeted by a shroud of mist and the best temperatures we've felt in months! we had breakfast on the deck as we watched the mist burn off slightly and listened to kenny g :) the ethnic minorities that live here (similar to those in longshen, china) wear funky outfits of jacket/skirts with legwarmers, and smile curiously. the atmosphere here is so relaxed i don't know what to do - like when you touch a surface so soft that you're compelled to keep petting it. mount fansipan stands tall over sapa, staring in our bedroom window and calling us to climb it. what it is about human nature that demands to get to the top of anything high?

we went motorbiking today! the bike was hard to drive, with foot shifters, foot brakes, and hand brakes. it took a lot of getting used to, and i can't say i ever got fully comfortable with it, but it was a thrilling way to see the countryside and a fun thing to learn with amy. we saw piglets and puppies everywhere, mixed in together, with the occassional water buffalo. the misty landscape is nothing less than magnificent, so big and all-encompassing, that my photos are bound to turn out wimpy. i'll definitely dream of motorcycling tonight - splashing through 6-in ponds creeping across the road, dodging pigs and kids that aren't paying attention, and keeping the handlebars steady as we barge through off-road conditions on our street bike. what a wild fun day.