We set off on the motorbike once again after a breakfast consisting of banana pancakes, bananas and hot, green tea at the lovely homestay at Mai Chau. Our destination that day - first Moc Chau and then to Pu Luong Park.
The narrow roads twisted and turned through mountainous scenery. We stopped now and then to admire the lakes and mountains. Timber trade appears to be important in the Mai Chau area.
A dam high up in the mountain is responsible for water management.
We rode over little bridges crossing the river, where the boulders formed speed breakers for the water going downhill.
Rainfall had made the roads slushy and slippery, needing a careful bit of riding to negotiate.
A large waterfall showed up along the way as we passed the large mountain lake.
In many stretches along the mountains, the road surface varied between dry mud and stones to slush.
Steep drops looking over the misty valleys added to the magic of the ride.
Some stretches were well surfaced, though.
In keeping with the general atmosphere, village dogs are extremely well behaved and let us go without quite peacefully.
Sometimes we had to get off and push the bike. At some points the road had been reinforced with bamboo poles.
At some other points, the road barely existed. A biker's delight, indeed!
We followed mountain streams for kilometers.
After a couple of hours of mountains, steep drops and valleys with dense vegetation, the landscape changed a little to high altitude rice fields. December is past the rice harvest season, so most fields were fallow. Yet, the misty mountain scenes were lovely, indeed.
In Moc Chau, the tea plantations were a pleasant sight. Clambering up to the top of the plantations, the sight was that of roads stretching away far below and mountains all around.
After walking around the tea plantations, it was time for a well deserved lunch washed down with beer.
Yummy tofu and greens, very healthy and does not feel heavy, either.
All this washed down with hot, green tea.
Now, it was time to head to Pu Luong Park.
This series of my adventures in North Vietnam is pictured here:
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