Chronicle of Lac village (Bản Lác)

It is pretty cold in Hoa Binh (Hòa Bình) though spring has set in with some sunlight. I came to visit Hoa Binh right at blooming season of flowers with green trees. It was really an interesting journey. I always felt to be in deep passion of this fragrant land. Really strange.

I could immediately experienced fragrances as soon as I stepped foots onto this land when it was strongly foggy. I reached Lac village right after the sun was just shining with sweet lights, aroma of fresh rice, smoke spreading from a simple house on stilts in the village. I enjoyed bamboo-tube rice, drank a cup of hot tea, while admiring surroundings with feelings of peace and comfort. Lac village, though being a village for tourism, was not in mess or at least it has not been messy, not been commercialized to city residences for their return to countryside to relax. It was probably the plainness of local people that brought about friendliness and good nature.

Strolling around the village, aroma clung to me every step that I made. Hence, I really wanted to stop for long whenever I had to, just long enough to deeply inhale the village's spiritual values. I was invited to a local house which was full of females. A little girl was prettily threading courbary beads into nice rings which were then sold to tourists at several thousands for each. The landlady gently smiled, showing off her dyed teeth. She was pretty old, poured out a bowl of clear tea covered with smoke on its surface.

I have never seen any residences at a tourism village of such hospitability and adorability. It is these characters that also attract a lot of overseas tourists since they always expect to experience a really pure Vietnam, which is not affected by development plans as these plans may frame and automate all kinds of daily activities like a machine system, which can not be of great attraction. Lac village did avoid those concerns since local residences naturally live their lives as the way they are. That is really a great attraction.

The village was in peace even when it was receiving a great deal of tourists. Sounds of bamboo-made wind-bells were sometimes heard somewhere. Sounds of wooden bell for buffalo, of guitar of a musician, pealing laughter of a girl of awkward age; all seem to be harmoniously mixed up. An overseas family with a little girl of pink lips, fair complexion, who bustled on large rice fields. Cows leisurely grazed grass at mountain foot, which really attracted kids' curiosity. Some photographers selected a nice corner for their works. I did not belong to artistic world, only strolled to discover a new place. I am not also fastidious to select angles. I therefore snapped every landscape anywhere at the village.

Nothing was more interesting than relaxing and enjoying simple dishes of the village at bamboo table arranged at the entrance of village. Feeling of amazingly strong attachment was flooding my mind when I sat to enjoy evening shadow behind mountains, the feeling that might not cling to me everywhere. I seemed to have returned to my childhood without any concerns.

The blind was lowered at night; the whole village sank in quietness. Somewhere twinkled fire, no matter you grilled bamboo-tube rice or lighted fire for bamboo-pole dance, you might feel a very cozy atmosphere. It was so cold outside with lots of fog; people might sit side by side close to camp-fire at fields, baked sweet potatoes with great interest. In here, there seemed to have no distance among tourists and between tourists and local residences. This was actually considered to be another attraction to tourists. Additionally, it was fragrances of rice, corn, potato, tapioca, of entire field, straw, and firewood smoke.

I looked for a house on stilts to sleep overnight. This kind of house was so large that it may hold several tens of people at night. That was really a noisy and crowded sleep, If you are not for that kind of sleep, you may ask for sleeping with the host whose house on stilts is not that big, that would be much more interesting. Thick buffer, soft blanket and mosquito net should be carefully prepared to prevent attack of mosquitoes. It is a greatly natural deed at mountainous areas like this village.

I had a very good sleep thanks to actually pleasant atmosphere. A good sleep may work in the sense that you may have a very good start next morning.

Leaving Lac village, I had feelings of tough to part this village because of its charming peacefulness. I will memorize for ever hot bamboo-tube rice before leaving the village, brilliant smiles and gentle glints of local residences. They will be in my mind for ever. It is still very vivid in my mind with an image of a nice Lac village, its affection, and picturesque orchids in Spring which are in bright bloom at the village.

Hai Luu
Photo source: TTVNO