Hồ Pa Khoang

Enjoyed a couple coffees and steam buns with noodle, mushroom and meat filling again for breakfast, then headed to a local historical point of interest. The old prison of Son La was built by the French around the turn of the 20th century. It was a somber and enlightening experience learning that this location housed political prisoners. Many of the Communist leaders that help overthrow French occupied Vietnam were held here, and escaped in 1943.
https://www.vietnamonline.com/attraction/son-la…

Although Vietnam is a Communist country, it appears the tenets of the socialist political establishment aligns with the traditional way of life. You could almost consider Vietnam very liberal from the portrayed idea of an authoritive regeme and military police state you'd associate with North Korea.

We mainly stayed on the highways and concrete road ways today, only detouring onto a couple sections of dirt track. Earlier on in the day, we passed through a cave that was roughly a kilometre long near Pan Na, labeled on Google Maps as Hang Bản Thẳm. Video is below! It was very dark and fun! And later, we passed through endless valley bottoms of terraced rice fields while the slopes higher up boasted row upon row of coffee and tea plantations. J even slightly rode into a rooster that cut him off 🐓😅 it limped a bit, but I'm sure will be fine. A almost flattened a chick, which would have been the end of it 🐥😱

Though we are travelling outside larger cities the air isn't very fresh. Lots of burning is happening to clear fields, warm people, cook, poorly maintained vehicles and remove garbage 😥. There's an omnipresent odor and haze to the air as it mixes with moisture. Our riding gear is well marinated in it 😵‍💫

Our route took us over three passes, with the highest on the main road; the cloud was so thick you could barely see much in front of you. It was also very cold and moist... S opted for another hotel stay to avoid spending the night in the cold at a homestay.

The last stretch of the route took us through a tranquil forest park where we crossed three narrow bridges as the road criss-crossed the narrow and winding lake, Ho Pa Khoang.

After zig-zagging down to the valley below, and taking the most crazy back alley and road route possible we arrived late afternoon in Muong Thanh, and relaxed a bit in our hotel room. No heat in our house room, but the concrete low highrise warm enough. https://maps.app.goo.gl/xTjisaZogrLTbR799

Today's ride was almost 6hrs. 2730m of elevation gain with a maximum height of 1425m.
https://calimoto.com/calimotour/t-1Vqltt5znIRead more