Dear friends, I'd let
for Part 19, "Cao Bang after my meeting with a generous family ... The adventure continues, and small Vinh is taking root in Cao Bang.
Good reading, good trip!
"Houses collapsed,
Vacant stares.
Red Bricks hopes"
Monette March 3
March 3, 2011, Cao Bang
the black line at the top left of the viewfinder serves to indicate the parallax compensation and compensation for exposure
the street from my hotel, just before the entrance
they sell the pig every morning (and the other day, buffalo meat)
This afternoon, after sending the by 19, I'm hungry and stop at my favorite booth supplies, I ordered a "pho bo xao", a variant of mid xao (fried noodles) with rice noodles, much better. Usually, the pasta is cooked in a broth, but this time I am entitled to the real pho xao bo, that is to say that the pasta is cooked with only a few spoonfuls of water and oil in the pot over a wood fire. It takes longer, we must Stir constantly to avoid it hanging, but cooking is al dente!
This woman and her two daughters, with whom I eat every day, work hard. I guess since 5 or 6 am, up to 19h. It serves continuously til 13h, nap time for everyone.
Here al break time
These wooden logs, some of which are 30cm thick make me dream, but we can not reduce everything!
(selling birds)
past few days I think after the trip. If I want to cross the border to Laos before March 25 (end of validity of my current residence) it means that I must leave fast enough and Cao Bang can not stay very long in the cities between Cao Bang and Laos.
I still have two options: either I request an extension of my "visa" (in fact I have a visa waiver, but my stay must not exceed 3 months) and I must therefore go to Hanoi to 280km; either I cross the border here ... China!
And that was not foreseen in the program. If I leave the country even for one day I'll come back with a new permit free 3 months. Which would allow me to continue my journey in complete tranquility, regardless of possible hazards or delays. It remains to inquire the price for the buses, the conditions of Chinese visa ... never thought about the possibility of a fast passage to China!
(in front of the hotel)
March 4, 2011, Cao Bang
This morning I discovered a street where there are a dozen barbers lined street.
As they are only men I do not expect to be especially well received (men are more reserved and suspicious). But soon after a first digital camera shy, everyone relaxes and soon everyone wants to be photographed. Like a portrait in old, I am proudly put on their barber chair. Then d
First, I show the example
people take the game
This one is particularly nice and quiet. We spend 20 minutes sitting on the bench without speaking, in a great relaxing time!
I double numerical order (Without promising them) bring their prints.
notice the small stool on the chair for kids!
Accessories are, scissors, razors, clippers, mirror, water bottle and bike!
You're not dreaming: hairdressers use a headlamp when they curent ears of customers with a kind of big hand with a paddle at the end!!
Yesterday, I went three times in the Fuji lab in the day they start to know me! I feel d'être un filmeur (terme désignant les photographes qui prennent en photos les gens, qui viennent ensuite acheter les tirages). Dans ce pays, comme lorsque j'étais allé au Mozambique, on voit souvent (selon les villes ; notamment Dalat et Hué)des photographes de rue qui vous prendront en photo devant des monuments ou tout simplement avec votre petite amie. Vous pouvez même demander au labo une incrustation de votre portait dans un faux paysage ou autre représentation kitsch au possible. I.E des photos de bebes dans une citrouille. ou dans une fontaine. ou dans un saladier. (tout ceci arrange sur photoshop)
Du coup, les tirages que je donne sont très appréciés car la photo remains a luxury reserved for special occasions: weddings, deaths, family outings.
course, it's not going to give everything, for one thing it would eventually cost me (in force), and especially it has to remain occasional and not systematic. I do not want to be it in exchange for a shooting which is why I give these prints also people I have not even photographed in black and white, just people with whom I ' I spent time, or people who have been touched by their kindness.
I spend more time with people, to "discuss". What makes them laugh the most is when they ask me if I speak Vietnamese, and I say, quite naturally in Vietnamese "no no, I do not speak Vietnamese" which obviously is not very logical !
Since my arrival I found a blacksmith who makes kitchen knives, axes and gardening tools from truck leaf springs (like most of the blacksmiths in the world and is a steel with high carbon content ). I told myself that I would visit one of these four. In real blacksmith, is a bearded man with long hair ...!
Physics pretty amazing in this country. For large parts (axes, chisels ...) he gets help from his wife, who hammered the steel while keeping them on the anvil.
Finally, all the smiths of the world will look like ...
Out of curiosity, I showed him my knife and draws highest boss to see if he can do.
It's a risky bet because of the thick blades of this type do not exist here. And the blade can be soaked in error by finishing in the grinder. Let's see!
my knife at the beginning of its manufacture
I 2euros trades, I could have easily but I respect a lot less work to forge! In France, a forged blade of this size costs between 80 and 130 euros.
A sorting of plastic and cardboard, which purchafe s per kilo.
I hoped that this will make people think that do not have time to sort out in France ...
I think much of this waste plastic j avoided whenever possible, extra plastic bags when purchased j take away. I sincerely believe m buying a shopping bag fabric if I find one.
A week ago, I've bought my second bottle of water a month. In general, I was filled with water from the thermos that hotels provide, or I drink when I'm out (stalls or in people) or I drink tap water when for example it is 23h and I don t more water (by city - Hai Phong has it was undrinkable).
Why, you say?
The answer is simple. I travel for two months in vietnam. I see local people throw 95% of their waste into rivers and streams (and thus ultimately into the sea). Although, honestly, I think cities are pretty clean (excluding rivers) I am a little reluctant to add plastic bottles is that.
So, I did a search on the internet.
I've learned on the site Vietnamtourism, I quote:
" In December 2010, the number of foreign visitors to Vietnam is 449,570 people. Total of 2010, this number reached 5,049,855 foreign visitors, an increase of 34.8% over the same period of 2009. "
So, assuming that each tourist is 15 days left and that he had bought 10 bottles of water ... and even if it is assumed that half either recycled or used (let's be optimistic), I'll let you calculate ... I don t want to calculate, it depresses me. C
Africa was different, at each stop, the children missed the empty bottles for recovering and reselling them.
Tonight, disassembly and cleaning mamiya
He begins to show some signs of wear! ...
and I am self-awarded a license certifying that I can now load a movie in 15 seconds lap top in all possible conditions of dust!
March 4, 2011, Following
the afternoon I take my "breakfast", a pho xao as yesterday but by dividing the amount by two! Phew! In fact, the cook let me choose what I want to put inside. I choose chicken, tripe lacquered (yes, really! Another delicious discovery) and fermented mustard leaves (my favorite, especially for mixed dishes). Since I dare ask 20000vnd 15000 in place, I finally get to finish my plate!
I pass quickly in Fuji to print the photos of the hairdressers this morning and a few other games.
"Lady carp
In the pocket
End in the plate"
Late afternoon, I (re-re-re-re) going to market now I often have some prints in the pocket waiting to be given, and I show them to anyone who wants to see them. The problem is that it is now four times that of girls that I "know" want to keep in remembrance the self-portrait of me that I printed for my notebook paper!
Whose daughter of a fish vendor, to whom I gave her picture this morning.
Since that time his mother tried to sell me his carp (1.80 euro per kg) 4 times a day, I've always been tempted but I dare not ask the manager of the hotel cook for me. So, let's be crazy! I choose a fishtail 300g, I've never eaten carp in my life.
I have my own idea. Carp in the pocket, I go to my shop of record and extend my fishtail to cook fun!
Meanwhile, I'll see the blacksmith at his beard. Luckily, it just started forging my knife!
"for my other passion,
A sandwich
Or two."
I confess that this morning by commissioning him the knife was more of curiosity (and on principle, J would be ashamed to tell my friends that I've spend five months in Vietnam without bringing a knife): I ' there just too much, because the blades are rough forging local (but functional).
Now, having met and talked with Fabrizio, artist Cutler (who gave me three knives made), who explained the nuances of steel, heat treatments, hardening, tempering, I know that forging a knife anything but simple! But nothing ventured, nothing gained!
same time appearances are deceiving: I brought Fabrice several African heads of axes and he said he saw a lot of technical mastery that he did not necessarily.
However, I am pleasantly surprised that the blacksmith work done on the future knife. After cutting a piece of hot spring leaf thickness and matured, he began to forge me a blade "Sandwick or sandwich! As its name implies, the method used for certain blades (including the brand Helle Nordisk) is splitting into two (in thickness) that will form part of the blade, to include a slice of the steel, and close to everything. Like a sandwich! (I have owned only one knife in Sandwick).
The advantage of the method is to use a relatively soft steel (stronger, as an alder that folds into the wind) for the whole knife, a steel and harder in the middle of the edge (harder, longer brittle, like an oak that will break in the storm). = Cut steel harder longer, but break more easily! Easy, right?
The hardness of the steel expressed in HRC. The knife that I forged Fabrice 90MCV8 are a theoretical hardness of 61 to 63HRC, which is a lot. But it depends on the quenching (water, steel is harder but can crack; oil shock is less violent) and income (cool the room off the forge). In short, it does not just happen!
So I go to any stage of forging. The artist is careful: the temperature of the steel feels its color, and it heats up very quickly. Moreover it should not work too long to avoid memory effect.
I think he really wants to make me happy: he wants the result to be perfect, and refers to the paper pattern for each step.
At the same time he understood that I am very demanding in terms of blades (to my friends: Do not offer me no knife or camera).
For me, buying a forged knife is also buying its history, work the artist, etc., it is not just a blade. The kiridashi that made me Fabrice in April 2010 took six months before it decides on its design!
Much the same goes for photos. This morning, I referenced the films of the day, it was strange to write the number 95 (!) On film! I remembered all that weight, the constraints of money, these em ... bêtements these costs, the job monster return (with all the will in the world I can develop 5 films per hour at 120 max 35mmsousterre ), the risk of X-rays, etc. ...
And then I thought about the fact that some of you have often said it was important for them to buy beyond my photos, the history that goes with it! Galleys, hours of walking, weight images, culinary adventures, stories of encounters in real time, my books are also used to that, you tell the story of hope and future photos make you want! By purchasing a print you buy also (by the end) 150 days of travel and perhaps 7000 or 8000km bus!
Those who know me know that my only drugs are food, fishing, gardening, photography and lab ( if you want a lab rat, come to 35mmsousterre in midsummer, I even installed a bell in the lab for the rest of the world can connect with me day and night ).
The first three do not report anything other than the (beautiful) vegetables, (nice) and fish (more) big belly. The last two, truth is, do not yield much, or at least not enough. It is likely that sales returns will be insufficient to offset the cost of the trip ... (well, at worst I'll sell my vegetables).
In fact, if I write this is because those who have not had the opportunity to follow my journey these past 4 years did not realize that the sales of prints (and the eventual drawing courses) return travel is the only way to continue the adventure and possibly from new power (and the same time you travel). (d m addition to those who have spoken of course, try to have dates as soon as my back was gonna be ... a lab full time)
back to our sheep at the forge, the blade takes form quickly. Having no belt sander, the following steps are done on a grinder stone, wetting the blade frequently to prevent it overheating.
It was almost dark and the rest will be tomorrow!
That makes six days that I'm here. Increasingly often, people pied ou en moto me font des signes amicaux ou m'appelent de loin. N'étant pas du tout observateur et physionomiste, dans 95% des cas je ne les reconnais pas. Comme ce soir, lorsqu'une femme s'arrête à mon niveau pour me parler. Avec le casque moto et le foulard, je ne reconnais pas tout de suite ...la mère de Vui, qui m'ont accueilli hier et avant-hier. (En fait, depuis son départ Vui m'a envoyé une bonne vingtaine de messages dont le tiers me disant que ses parents veulent me revoir, le deuxième tiers pour me présenter ses sœurs et le troisième tiers pour me demander de répondre).
Donc, sa mère me présente une autre de ses filles (Vui a quatre frères et soeurs) qui s'appele Van (and another sister that I never saw but who invited me to Lang Son, called Vi), and invites me to eat tonight. But I dare not tell them that I have an appointment with a half-carp, and tell them I'm seeing someone. I will visit them tomorrow!
I returned to the hotel without forgetting to get my fish, cooked and seasoned. This nice lady would not let me pay. I am therefore 5000d cabbage with ginger. I bought some fruit I've ever eaten: it looks like mini apples, it has a consistency of apple un gout de pomme, et...un énorme noyau au milieu!
Je mange beaucoup de fruits (1kg par jour), privilégiant ceux qui me semblent les plus courants ici : ananas (15c les deux petits), canne à sucre et mangues essentiellement (j'ai vu des jacques, mais à 80 000vnd le kilo c'est 4 fois plus qu'à Sa Déc!). Et c'est également ici que j'aurai mangé le plus de légumes.
Jamais, dans tous les 12 ou 15 pays que j'ai traversés, je n'ai vécu une telle sympathie spontanée dans une ville.
De plus, jamais (à part lorsque j'ai passé six ms dans une ferme en afrique du sud) je n'ai ressenti une telle liberté ; liberté de rester, de partir, sleep, come back, to flee ... Part
North Central has not been very funny, especially as I can tell you now, my family had quite HCM recommended that part of the country, making me even list of cities to avoid (where I stopped anyway because I hate that I dictate my career), especially because, it seems, the problems of theft with violence and scams to Thanh Hoa.
I'm glad I found my own haven of peace! This does not mean, moreover, that this city as much as you please me, and everyone has their own expectations et intérêts dans un voyage.
Tout à l'heure je me posais la question de savoir pourquoi je restais ici, mais la question est plutôt : pourquoi partir?
Bien sûr, il y a encore plein de lieux et découvertes qui m'attendent dans le nord-ouest. Mais lors de mes précédents voyages j'ai appris que l'on a la chance de se plaire quelque part, on a tout intérêt à y rester. Surtout quand on commence à construire des relations avec les gens. Pour le nord-ouest, je ne m'en fais pas, j'ai tout mon temps. D'ailleurs, j'avais au départ prévu 6 mois pour explorer Vietnam and possibly to neighboring countries. If I set back to May 25 instead of June 25 is primarily for home in time for planting (hopefully spring is just shifted to Barre des Cevennes)!
But I looked for China, and it is easy for Vietnamese to obtain a visa at the border post is now impossible for the French. So we have to try the "visa extension to Hanoi," alas!
February 5, 2011, Cao Bang
This morning, I go see the blacksmith, he sided with the knife in the stone grinding wheel and water, as well a special tool to remove the excess metal before quenching. I weigh the blade is a little too heavy on the handle.
I ask him to drill three holes in the punch to balance a bit. Either way it will do more when I have done a round ...
I observe, he can make tempers water selective (to harden the edge and keep the rest of the knife soft).
I take his water stones to sharpen le mien (faute de poids, j'ai laissé ma pierre à HCM). Quoi de mieux qu'aiguiser sous la pluie sur une pierre à eau?
en plus, ca fait une photo naturelle et authentique.
Je le laisse faire les finitions, je reviendrai cet après-midi. L'énergie qu'il met dans son travail est étonnante : il martèle à longueur de journée. Il sait tout faire : couteaux, hachoirs, machettes, pieds de biche...
Et il est très perfectionniste.
(ici on voit la piece rapportee qui a servi dans le sandvick)
Je rejoins la famille de Vui vers 11h (ils habitent à 15mn à pied). J'amène des ananas et les petites pommes. La mère proteste à chaque fois que j'amène quelque chose (la prochaine fois j'amènerai un poisson). Le problème, comme toujours, est que je ne sais toujours pas qui est qui.
Apparemment nous mangeons avec cinq oncles et tantes de Vui. Ils travaillent tous dans la ferronnerie ou le batiment.
Je reste un peu avec les femmes qui préparent à manger. Il n'y a aucune fille ; elles sont dispersées à Lang Son et Hanoi. Vui m'écrit beaucoup; la plupart du temps je ne comprends pas et dois demander à Lan Anh ou Phuong de me traduire à distance.
Comme les autres fois, la mère de famille s'asseoit à coté de moi et me montre qu'il est impossible de faire baisser le niveau dans mon bol pendant plus de 3 secondes.
Voila une famille (comme tant d autres ici) simple et genereuse.
Je leur montre les photos de Cao Bang qui trainent dans ma poche ; et comme je le prévoyais, la mère veut garder une photo de moi en souvenir. Avec plaisir, je lui donne un des portraits avec le mamiya, et la photo trouve sa place avec les photos de famille que je leur ai imprimees... C'est très touching.
Vui writes that I can consider his parents as my family ... they want to call my parents to know and talk to them (and by polite I think) ... I ask my father to call with Skype.
This piece serves as a garage, warehouse, kitchen and dining room ...
Bathroom.
Strange, how to speak Vietnamese. Very unsettling. Why, for example, vui she writes me as much as she barely spoke to when she was there (36h J received 154 text messages Lan, Hai Phong, Hanoi and Vui Thao Sa Dec combined), and even his family who loves me, do not show at all in the same way they would in France (for example, when I come or I go, they are almost indifferent). Perhaps some meetings that I thought were insignificant may be important to the other side?
In one week, I made half of my trip, and I still can not identify these differences.
I asked Lan me translate two sentences explaining my visa problem. Parents are willing to take me to the Immigration Section of Cao Bang (assuming there is one) Monday morning we'll see!
Otherwise, I plan to contact a great uncle in Hanoi to take the steps there.
the afternoon, I explained that I want to buy a dictionary Vietnamese-English. It's raining ... the father took me on a motorcycle and stopped in a store "military", where he buys the same great waterproof than him! In addition he gave me (or loan) a matching hat, fearing that I get cold with my bald head. Unable to pay, it's a gift ...
Funny, 50% of men are exactly the same proof in this city!
Explosion of heart
Cao Bang!
A Mac away "
Monette, March 5
It then takes me in another house and introduce myself (I think) another of his daughters, who a beauty salon and gives me pictures of another sister (Van, I think). Me, I'm starting to lose some, and even a picture I confuse!
Then we go into a small bookstore. This is an opportunity to bike, to see that this city is much bigger than I thought, off I'll never see the end.
I choose the smallest possible dictionary, which will still add to my bag 500g. I let perhaps starting with Cao Bang (if I go one day). I bought it for understanding family Vui (they soon realized that I understand better when they write).
For texting is impossible because il n'y a pas d'accents. Par exemple si quelqu'un m'écrit " muon" sans accent cela peut vouloir dire "vouloir, tard, 10 000, louer, emprunter..."(sans compter la douzaine de mots composés utilisant muon). Un vrai casse-tete, j'ai renoncé!! Parfois Vui essaye de m'écrire en anglais mais c'est encore pire, on se comprend encore moins.
Bon toujours pour est-il que au service immigration, si personne ne parle anglais, ça va être folklo.
Je finis par rentrer à l'hotel. Je ressors sous la pluie, tout le monde me reconnaît et remarque mes nouveaux vetements. (ça les avait amusés lorsqu'ils ont vu mon crane tondu, ils ont tous peur que j'attrape froid - les Vietnamiens do not like the cold, even in the delta were girls anorak).
I put pictures to print. I note with amusement that two days ago, employees Lecao wrote on the cover of command, and now they write Vinh!
The manager of the lab is very, very, very intrigued by my mamiya. At one point he looks at me, eyes wide and said, "but!? You use dandruff??"
Me, I like that people get used to me, offers me the cook spring rolls or make me cook my fish (besides she asked me where I was at lunch), or the fruit vendor consistently put me mangoes aside.
I know it takes advantage of these relationships that are built for seven days.
This guy, for example, smiles at me all the days of an air of curiosity, but for some reason I have never dared to photograph. This morning, he accepts with pleasure ... I'm going to print his picture.
I get my blade, it is over, and rather pas mal!
Comme tous les forgerons, il se rase les poils de mollet avec pour me montrer qu'elle est rasoir. Il ne restera qu'à trouver du papier verre très fin (pas évident) pour polir le tout...pour le manche en cuir, c'est introuvable ici. Je n'en ai jamais vu, il faudra attendre mon retour (ce n'est pas étonnant, puisque même la peau de bœuf se mange ici).
Je réfléchis à un patron pour une autre lame .
A ce propos, un ami passionne de couteaux, Sebastien, a fait un article pour presenter mon couteau. Je vous invite a voir son blog tres fourni...
http://les-couteaux-et-moi.over-blog.com/article-le-couteau-de-vinh-68644013.html
I going to transfer my photos and cyber begin the layout from the 20: it is better to spend one hour per day rather than three at once!
The minutes of yesterday alone, took me 3 hours at night: 1800 words, 8500 characters (ie 8500 stylus strokes!). And like tonight. ca m and above c is occupied more relaxing than being in cyber, smokes (mostly J have an ashtray under his nose and smoke in the ears) and in an infernal racket (young Vietnamese, crying like ca pigs, c is scary.). All c is to avoid the peak hours (weekends and evenings).
March 6, 2011, Cao Bang. 70th day, 99th movie ...
This morning is sunny and warm, I have made 4 movies, I went back to the hairdressers and have given their photos, the opportunity to take new ones! Sometimes, men seem a little gruff, but here in Cao Bang, when we talk a little with them, it s wiser!
I stop my cyber hand to finish this 20. I've made a stop in stand supplies. long, j'd want to eat fresh bamboo but impossible to cook. Now, since the fishtail, I dare! J So I bought a bamboo shoot 5000D and I asked him to cook for me. I'll taste it all al hour, reward!
And obviously, I haven t been able to prevent m of the smith to see him this morning and ordered two new smaller blades, with a Sebastien D for a further promote his blog ... Results in a few days!
soon friends! I will let you travel, and am guided by my stomach.
Ps for next time I booked a small puzzle game ...
