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My World: Street?

fahim mohammed

Well-known member
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Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief

Hold it, traveler! I am still on this intriguing image. What kinds of purposes are these boats for? Is this a waterway or a flooded road? Where is it? The Philippines?

If so what Island?

Is this a native or tourist spot?

Did you meet with the folks. Dont Rush. There’s such a lot of bustling real life here and I am left wondering and ignorant beyond unusual boats and beautiful dignified decay, behind!

Asher
 

fahim mohammed

Well-known member
Asher, I shall respond, as soon as I have located the original folders and my notes!
Old age has its blessings and some nuances!

Thanks.
 

fahim mohammed

Well-known member
Asher.

I am in a small village and local market town on the Mekong river. Far away from Ho Chi Minh City.
Although, I did see a few tourists ( from the west ), this particular place is very local.

This was not a group tour and hence I was lucky to determine my own schedule and places after discussions.

These boats fulfill various roles in the daily life. They can be floating houses, sale boats carrying a larger
amount of articles for sale. Food, household stuff etc. If the boats are multi purpose they are generally much larger than the ones I shall post. Those are trading boats where the owners go from place to place selling various items.

The house you see is indeed a house. Simple, decayed, bare. Families live together. Not uncommon to find brothers, sisters, their children, in laws etc, all occupying the same house.

I met the folks, but found that English was almost non existent in these parts.
But one does not need language to initiate a conversation..although to maintain such it becomes indispensable. Sign language has to fill in.

But a smile does wonders. And more so if you can sit on the floor ( e.g ) without hesitation or can follow their customs without too much of a pretense.

Remember, I am not the guy with the dollars! I don't look like one, act, or behave like one either!
And, generally, I don't dress like the others either!!

Their life revolves around the river, and the floating marketplace on it....

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Hold it, traveler! I am still on this intriguing image. What kinds of purposes are these boats for? Is this a waterway or a flooded road? Where is it? The Philippines?

If so what Island?

Is this a native or tourist spot?

Did you meet with the folks. Dont Rush. There’s such a lot of bustling real life here and I am left wondering and ignorant beyond unusual boats and beautiful dignified decay, behind!

Asher
 

fahim mohammed

Well-known member
I stayed with a local family for 2 nights here. The entrance to the house was via a small stream inlet along the Mekong...

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This is beautiful, Fahim!

I hope the “Digs” across the way had at least 0.5 of a Michelin star, LOL!

Tell us about the boats and how much water is there there?

Asher
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Come evening, they return to their moorings alongside the land or the floating house!!

p2831470595-5.jpg

Wonderful folk to meet.

Some of the perpetual lineages of all day and night houseboat fishermen of centuries traditon, spend many hours a day free diving to incredible depths. It turns out they have 50% larger spleens, which act as natural oxygen tanks. These gradually squeeze out oxygenated red blood cells at depth, allowing the incredible divers to sustain effortless underwater fishing that no other human could achieve.

Asher
 
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