Bac Ha is one of the most colorful ethnic markets of all Northwest Vietnam.
It is a fusion of the many different hill tribes that inhabit the Bac Ha mountain district and here you can easily distinguish them by their different colourful traditional clothing.
I was in seventh heaven surrounded by the colourful typical traditional costumes of local tribes including the Tay, the Dzay, the Red Dzao and the Black H’mong.
The market is set out in distinct areas, one for handicrafts, art and fabric, others for fresh vegetables, others for meat and fish.
Let’s take a wander to the visceral end of the market first shall we . . .
A stall holder singes the hairs off a leg of pork, she’s wielding that blow torch like a seasoned pro!
Whether it crawls, gallops, squirms or swims, it is probably to be found in this section of the market.
You don’t want to mess with this tiny but fierce lady!
As a lifelong vegetarian, I am always appalled, yet also strangely intrigued, by the bloodier aspects of other culture’s cuisine.
In the UK people have a very sanitised approach to the meat on their plate, they rarely see it butchered or make the connection between the live animal and the tasty end product.
Here however it is unavoidable, grisly and rather stomach turning!
