Fields on a wide flat valley floor. The hydrological works, for which Vietnam is famous, depend on these simple low dykes. Walking such narrow banks is not a casual matter
A man carrying a basket and rod is walking...
This page continues the sequence based on Quốc Lộ/National Highway 32. Here the photographs concern those characteristic field edges seen on previous pages. These slight edgings offer workers the only dry paths to their fields, and offer the photographer the patterns of light falling between walker and water. In the evening light these motions may be mesmerising, but even without movement, the stills can catch the complex reflections. Below the sets of pictures follow people as they progress along a bank. The fields they are walking beside, are about to be, or have newly been, planted with paddy. More on the planting of paddy on the next two pages.
...by newly planted...
...fields of paddy...
...As the sun sinks his figure almost...
...becomes a silhouette, passing a ploughed, but unplanted, field...
...and here approaching a nursery bed for paddy...
...from which the seedings have been partly lifted
Another field-scape with a number of workers (toward the top left) planting seedlings
Another man steps out over a drainage gap...
...and on between fields sparkling with green shoots...
...the green of the bamboo trees beyond, echoing the water...
...which offers perfect still reflections
In another valley on Route 32, the same activity is seen in early spring every year - no noisy machinery, just the chatter of workers - with sore backs!
Here a man has a pannier of seedings...
...and a shovel, and is moving from one of the nursery beds...
...to the main fields with his not inconsiderable burden...
...but...
...well maybe it was better to get down anyway! However, getting up will not be easy...
...he manages; and now is using his shovel to assist his passage
Buffalo being allowed to enjoy the mud of unplanted fields; below them the contrasting green of planted fields
And two non-locals. A Vietnamese man steps cautiously onto a narrow bank, followed by a western visitor...
The paddy by later March, at the southern end of Route 32, is now over six inches (15 cms) high
The path is only sandal width...
...the visitor follows...
...and topples?
No. Not documented, but it was not a problem.
Next, to the point of all that walking - planting seedlings, like the ones in this photo -
and that takes you to the next page
Trailers...
The next Picture Posting
page offers photographs of the preparation of the fields for the planting of the paddy.
The next page
of the Mosaic Section is to be headed 'Gossip'.
Or go to the contents Go to the contents of the Mosaic Section. of the Mosaic Section.
The last page had photos of fields along Route 32
A walk reaching 12,000 feet above such verdant fields
...guide to this site