Floods in Central Việt Nam

[Comanche]

November starts the rainy season in Central Việt Nam, and this year’s rains have been tough. The city of Huê has had five floods since the end of October. The slow steady rain isn’t heavy, but there’s more water than the flat countryside can handle and the overflowing Perfume River flows through the middle of the city.

Streets are swift flowing rivers. In some places, the only way to travel is by boat.



The main thoroughfare on the north side of the river is under three to five feet of water. Pedestrians can walk across an intersection, but only at the risk of having their legs swept from under them by the current. A xich lo driver has the weight of his pedal-driven machine to keep him from ending up in the river.



Many Huê residents earn their living on the river, and small boats are common place. The enterprising Vietnamese are always looking for ways to make an extra dông, so when a walker gets to the end of the pavement, there is always a boat available – for hire, of course. Nobody gets upset and thinks the boat owners are taking advantage of the situation – they’re just happy to be able to get home from the market.



The main marketplace is on the river’s banks and is flooded out. However, the food vendors know people have to eat and an impromptu market place was set up on the slope of a nearby bridge. Most Vietnamese women buy food twice each day owing to the lack of refrigeration in poor people’s homes. The families need to eat and the vendors need to sell. A friend who buys food for a small cafe told me the price of an egg doubled.




The Vietnamese are a coping people. Floods are so common they are almost considered normal.. When the waters get into your business, its time to stack up furniture, keep dry, and watch the world go by. Floods are not as disastrous in Viet Nam as they are in the west because the buildings are intended to cope with dampness and water. There are no heavy carpets – they wouldn’t last in the high humidity – there are no thick drapes or overstuffed sofas. Just tile (or cement) floors, plastic tables and chairs, and some nicer wood chairs that can be moved upstairs easily. The walls are solid brick or concrete – there is no drywall in a Vietnamese home.



Not all people are so lucky. Some have had their flimsy shacks washed away and are now homeless. At the moment, there is no other place to go than the steps in the front of the city auditorium. There is some shelter from the rain, and one’s bag of belongings makes a pillow.



There is no sense fighting nature – many people find a little sidewalk café, order a cup of coffee of tea, and chat with friends until the world dries out.



It’s the Vietnamese way.

(Sorry for the poor quality - I know a real craftsman does not blame his tools. However, I am editing on an old laptop. I shot in the rain and was terrified of ruining my 30D. Rain covers are so much of a hassle as to be unusable. Sure wish I had the Mk III that's on order!

[bburton]

Wonderful picture story as always, Doug. Your respect and admiration for this people and their culture really shines through in your photos and words. Keep us posted.

[ngoduyviet]

Haven't been to Huế, your lively pictures remind me of Việt Nam. Hopefully, one day I can come back to visit again.

[LanceJ]

what a trip. looks more like a photo essay than a picture story though.

[MarcoFromHouston]

top notch reporting. thanks for sharing!

[AllenAyres]

Yes, thank you Doug

[JohnT]

Thanks for posting, Doug! I always look forward to your Viet Nam photo essays. :-)

[Comanche]

Thanx, everyone. I'll have something on cleanup efforst shortly.

[Texentric]

Excellent series Doug.

[jon_k]

I didn't say anything earlier, here I go.

This was a good series. I really enjoyed reading it. If you had 100 more images or so you could have even made a book it was so good.

[lhdvies]

Doug, I must comment again on how really good you do this. This series may be your best, which is really saying something because all your VN series are great. I remember your post on the Lexington sometime back which made it evident that you could portray a story very well with your photos and commentary. Well done and keep this up I really enjoy it.

[Comanche]

Originally Posted by jon_k

I didn't say anything earlier, here I go.

This was a good series. I really enjoyed reading it. If you had 100 more images or so you could have even made a book it was so good.

Jon - thanx for the kudos.

Well - it isn't a hundred, but will 90 images do? I did indeed publish a book through Blurb. Take a look at a preview at Blurb. I lived and taught English at the university in the city of Hue (say whey) for 1 1/2 years. The book has images from that time as well as subsequent trips. The book has no accompanying text, but I also blogged about my time there at www.virtual-doug.com.

The photographers on the TPF are more than kind - I think of myself as a snap shooter with a big camera, but you folks boost my ego!

[Patti Edens]

Originally Posted by Comanche

Jon - thanx for the kudos.

Well - it isn't a hundred, but will 90 images do? I did indeed publish a book through Blurb. Take a look at a preview at Blurb. I lived and taught English at the university in the city of Hue (say whey) for 1 1/2 years. The book has images from that time as well as subsequent trips. The book has no accompanying text, but I also blogged about my time there at www.virtual-doug.com.

The photographers on the TPF are more than kind - I think of myself as a snap shooter with a big camera, but you folks boost my ego!

Doug, 90 will do. Please put another book together! I have thoroughly enjoyed your first one, Views of Viet Nam! Now I want the series. Greedy, huh?

Seriously, UPS delivered the book last night and I spent most of the evening perusing the pages. I think a book with several of your TPF essays would be awesome. Your words are as powerful as your photos, so you might consider that as an option.

Wonderful stuff! Thanks for sharing with us.

[Comanche]

Patti - you are so very kind. Thank you.

I kinda sorta already did something as you suggested. After returning from teaching last spring, I needed a job, so I put together a small book of writings and photos to show to local editors with the hope of doing some freelance work. I did that on Blurb as well (click here) but it includes essays on a variety of topics. One of those short pieces is about the Alleys of Huê. During the time I lived in Huê and taught at the university there, I blogged. Many of those posts were about living in the country and would be easy to put in a book.

Thanx for the tip, Patti - I may just do another Blurb book.