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Our last day in the fresh green hills of Cao Bang. Early morning bike ride around took us along the river with morning clouds clinging to the steep hillside trees. We used the newly laid cement roads and riverside trails. I followed an old boy on a motorbike down a steep mud track and along a stream to a friendly family farmer who introduced us to their small herd of cows, reared for beef sales with nearby China. Its poor soil not good for crops. They’d bought the hillside for 3m VND ten years ago, created their trackway, houses and barn by extensive levelling.
Some buildings definately escaped planning permission and are defying gravity. Right in the centre of town there are the usual fertile veggie smallholdings plus pretty flower and blossom nursuries. Giang was unaware of the full meaning of Bang Giang Hotel. I informed her after taking the photo.
A late breakfast of duck noodles then almost immediately lunch with Giangs father the Iron Chef. Bloated, the three of us crammed into the smaller than expected 7 seater car, luckily there was a roof-rack ready for the picturesque ride down the windy QL3 pass-road for 6 hours. At the pee & food stop I bought some of their family made brandy, decanted from a huge stoneware lidded vessel. The liquor has 4 generations of producers all of whom won accolades; it’s good for the kidneys!
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