Hiking with the H’mong

Sapa, Vietnam.

We escaped the heat of Hanoi and headed for the highlands of northern Vietnam where we met a H’mong woman named Zhi who invited us on a hike to her home for lunch.

“Zhi,” I asked. “Are you married?”

“Yes,” she said.

“What does your husband do for work?”

“He drive motorbike. Look for girlfriend.”

“Girlfriends? He has girlfriends?”

“Yes, many girlfriend.”

“For Brian, it’s just me. No girlfriends.”

“Yes, your country good. No girlfriend for husband. Not here. My husband, many girlfriends.”

“Zhi, do you have any boyfriends.”

“Yes,” she said. “A few.”

 

After lunch, she served us rice wine. She told us and the French couple we hiked with:

“See me? Me, three children. You? No children. Me? Full glass wine. You? You full glass wine, too. Cheers!”