Tarabuco Sunday Market

Local markets are always an attraction for me in my travels, and in South America, the local Andean markets make wonderful photographic (and shopping) excursions since they're typically very lively and colourful.

Just 1-2 hrs away by bus from Sucre Bolivia, Tarabuco hosts such a market. Every Sunday, tourists and locals alike would converge into this small Bolivian town. Aside from the permanent shops in town, locals from nearby villages also arrive to set up stalls. The town is home to the Yampara culture, one of the ethnic groups around the region, and so designs belonging to the Yampara on textiles, handicrafts etc can be found aplenty in the market.

In fact, Yampara attire, and especially their headgear, are apparent everywhere, being worn and sold by the locals. While textiles, weavings and handicrafts dominate the market square, more mundane stuff can be found as you move further away from the square - food produce, safety pins, kettles etc, the daily livelihood of the community.

Besides getting photos of indigenous people in their traditional attire, the Sunday market is a great place to get your souvenirs as well! There is relatively little harassing on tourists, and if you're looking to get ponchos or similar textiles, the designs in the market are beautiful! And perhaps you may even get an authentic handwoven one from the village! 

Muang Sing, Laos

Lounging in the northwestern corner of Laos, Muang Sing is a sleepy little town that seems to be prodded awake due to its proximity to the infamous Golden Triangle. But with the exposure given in the guidebooks and the warning of rapid development, the town greeted me with a somewhat sluggish demeonor, and hopefully, the authenticity of the town have remained intact! For travellers on a northern Laos trip, Muang Sing is a convenient stop along the way to Xiang Kok, the port of call for a boat trip down the Mekong to Houayxai and downward to northern Thailand. When it became known for its easy access to opium, the town came into prominence. Perhaps it was low season, or perhaps I looked the decent sort (:p), but I was not harassed, and was generally left alone most of the time. (I hear that the Lao government had a clamp down on the opium thingy)

Like its bigger brother Luang Namtha on the east, Muang Sing makes an excellent base for trekking trips to see some of the ethnic tribes of northern Laos. These include the Hmong, Ankha, Tai Lue and Tai Dam. In fact, Muang Sing is known for its morning market where the various tribal communities gather on the edge of the town for commerce, wearing their colourful attire. This was my main aim for coming to town. However, the morning that I went to see the market, the turnout seems alittle disappointing. Perhaps it was the dismal rainy morning but nevertheless, the visit to Muang Sing was still a good one. The lush green rice fields of the Laos countryside is really pretty, and I enjoyed walking around town. There is also a Tribal Museum in town, which shows the history of the various hill tribes, including the different types of tribal costumes! You should also take the opportunity for a relaxing traditional Laos massage or herbal sauna in a wooden hut! The transport options to Muang Sing were really basic (sawngthaew), but I'm sure the massage will help you forget it. From here, there are transport to Boten if you do want to exit to China. Otherwise, it will be sawngthaew to Xiang Kok and beyond.

This part of Laos is wonderful for photography indeed. For photography learning material, read more about Mastering the Exposure Triangle at Pixpa.com!

Kashgar

Kashgar, or Kashi in Chinese, is an important city along the silk roads during the days of old. Inevitably, today, it is now one of the major stops for tourists/backpackers travelling the Silk Road route. However, most people on a tour package would only have a day or two here, which is a shame really, as I think here is place which you should savour at a slower pace.




Two widely known attractions in Kashgar would be its Sunday Market and Abakh Khoja's Tomb. The latter, one of the holiest place in Xinjiang, houses the remains of Abakh Khoja, who was a powerful ruler of Kashgar, and the leader of the White Hat Sect of Islam. However, it is his grand-daughter, who was also entombed here (as was 71 other relatives/descendants), that has gained more fame than him today. She is supposed to be the Fragrance Concubine of the Qing emperor QianLong, and so most people know this attraction as Xiang Fei Mu (tomb)!

As for the Sunday Market, it is indeed an eye opener for many. However, certain parts of the market have succumbed to the tourist boom, and there is now a huge mall-like structure that houses scores of stalls selling the same stuff. Better to stick to the stalls outside, where you see all kinds of foodstuff and services being marketed. In particular, the livestock market should not be missed. Apparently, it has been moved further away and separated from the main market (possibly for hygiene reasons?). But it sure is far more interesting, as you can literally see the locals selecting/haggling over sheep, horses, cows and the like! Definitely one of the highlights of Kashgar!

The other highlight for me, is a walk into the Old Town of Kashgar. Here, away from the bustle of commerce and other tourists, you can see the real daily life of the locals. What's more, if you wander around at the right time, you can catch a glimpse of the children going/leaving school, and they are a delight to capture! They just love to have their pictures taken (and shown to them)! I could spend a day walking around just like that!



It certainly helps that Kashgar is also the start/end point of the Karakoram Highway, which attracts lots of travellers. But even if it's not, this city is worth a visit in its own right.

Mekong Delta

The Mekong Delta is a region in south Vietnam where the mighty Mekong River empties into the sea. Millions of Vietnamese call this area home. They build their houses along the river edge and their "backyard" is their livelihood. For some, their boats are their home...


A trip through the delta will open up your eyes, and is a highly recommended side trip from Ho Chi Minh. In fact, my suggestion is to go for at least a 2-day trip. This is because one of the highlights of the trip is to see and experience the early morning floating markets. For the single day-trip, you will miss this highlight.


The Mekong Delta marketeers do their transactions on "floating markets". Their merchandise are brought along in their boats, and they scour around a large area, or hang around an area. Residents on the banks of the Mekong who need to buy something will just take their small boats to these areas - essentially "going to market". Those living in the boats just bring their "home" to market!!

Among the things you'll see along the delta and its tributeries, are "factories" which produces various kinds of snacks that are rice-based. One of them, known as poprice, is certainly interesting to see them made. They take rice grains, after being de-husked, and throw them into hot sand where they will be "popped" (like pop corn). Then they are mixed with a concoction of maple syrup, coconut milk etc. Then they are put into a mold, and cut into blocks of sweet nice snacks! Yummy!

The people of the Mekong Delta are among the friendliest in Vietnam, especially if compared to city folks in Ho Chi Minh. I really enjoyed the Mekong Delta.

Hoi An, Vietnam

For those making a trip to Vietnam, esp when you're flying in to Danang, here's a recommendation. Visit Hoi An.

Hoi An is a lovely town north of Danang. Declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the old town has a charming ambience with a more relaxed feel than the bigger towns like Hue. The section by the Thu Bon river is very nice and is my favourite part of the town. 

Hoi An is also home to many art galleries and tailors. So, besides just relaxing in town, you can have your shopping fix. Guesthouses are plentiful, and if you have the budget, there're more upmarket "boutique hotels" being built as well. Besides spending a couple of days here to chill out, you could also arrange day tours out to another UNESCO site : My Son (pronounced Mee Sawn). It is basically a site containing Cham ruins dating back to the 7th century. The Cham are a race that inhabited these areas then. If you're into historical and cultural stuff, this should be interesting.

In Hoi An itself, my favourite  part be the morning wet market. Here, it is a true local market, and nobody bothered a tourist like me. So it's great to see and experience a true authentic scene. 

Overall, Hoi An is an excellent place to just relax and enjoy a slow pace break from work/citylife. Well, before it gets overrun by tourists!