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Glimpsing Life in a Single Square Mile in Bac Ha, Vietnam
Bac Ha Market is a dense, riotous square mile or so of vibrant color, competing sounds, fragrant and not-so-pleasant smells. It is a gigantic jolt for the senses, and a a window into the lives of the hill tribe people, mostly Hmong, of northern Vietnam. Here they pay their bills, buy staples, get a hair cut, pore over lengths of wildly printed fabric, have knives sharpened, bring plows for repair, taste tobacco, meet their sweethearts, show off their babies, trade livestock, fill plastic water bottles with local spirits, buy bright, pretend bills to burn for the gods, rub elbows at long, rustic tables, sharing meals with friends and relatives they only have an opportunity to see on market day.
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