Sai Gon's Black Water

Everyday, Ho Chi Minh City dumps 700,000 cubic meters of sewage into the Saigon River, according to Doan Thi Toi, head of the city's environment control division. The sewage is drawn from four canal systems running across the city, giving the river a foul smell even during the rainy season. Another 100,000 cubic meters of raw sewage water is pumped into the Tham Luong canal each day from more than 400 factories. The waterway that runs across Ho Chi Minh City contains water so polluted and foul-smelling that locals call it the "stinking canal". (source: irrawady.org)
Actually, we came upon one of these "arroyos" or canals as they are called quite accidentally; we had just left a restaurant around District 8 where not only did we enjoy the best pho around, but we were also privy to war memorabilia from the owner's son. That's a good story to tell on its own. As we were staying in District 1 in Saigon, we decided to hop a cab to get back to our hotel. And the driver must have taken the back streets, unless he wanted us to see this eyesore. The water is literally black, and you can see it glistening in the photos. This is severely polluted water, which is several times higher than the "norm", which is apparently is the result of rapid industrialization and poor drainage systems.
This is a picture taken of the stink and black Tau Hu arroyo from the Nhi Thien Duong Bridge in District 8, Ho Chi Minh City. There are several others which all converge into the Sai Gon River. Chuck had asked our cab driver to stop so that he could capture some of the life alongside this river; it was hard to imagine how people could have their homes right on top of this noxious sludge. This is certainly not water you'd want to drink, use for your bath, or wash your clothes. The government, despite imposing certain rules on companies which are irresponsible polluters, has begun moving the citizens that live alongside these areas to other districts.

The water/canal system is fundamental in the life of the Viet Namese people in that it has played an enormously important role in their livelihood. Not only do some inhabit the waterways, but this is a major means of getting goods to market and therefore earning one's keep. As an aside, we never did drink the water from the tap, anywhere that we went. And we were just about all over the country. Nevertheless, officials report that Sai Gon's drinking water does not rely on its river at all, but rather comes from the Dong Nai River for the most part. As late as March of 2008, it was reported in the Viet Namese press that officials were reacting to alerts that the Dong Nai River, was in fact, severely polluted. In fact, a doctor in Sai Gon had told us, when he made a house call to our hotel (that's another hilarious post to look forward to) that the water from the tap was perfectly safe to drink. Neither Chuck nor I were convinced.

This is very unfortunate, as it seems that garbage begets garbage. We are photographing from behind a barbed-wire fence. It looks very much like a dumping ground and it's hard to tell whether they were cleaning it up, or scavenging through it. This area is also vulnerable to flooding which exacerbates the pollution problems; notice that the housing is built in stilts as a precautionary measure. It is also difficult to measure how much of the problem is caused by the people who live on the water, as they are accustomed to dumping their own waste at the back side of their homes.

The government seems to have rated these waterways in terms of severity of pollution, and findings reveal that the Thi Vai, which has a brownish-black color and unpleasant smell caused by high concentration of solid waste such as mercury and zinc, was “uninhabitable” to all forms of life.

The Vam Co had the highest concentration of organic waste, which made its water unsafe for consumption.The HCMC section of the Saigon River was heavily polluted by organic waste such as oil and coliform bacteria, usually found in feces.

An in-depth study of the phenomenon can be found here.

Day Trip to Bac Ha

start walking....

You must have surmised at this point that this blog is not going in any particular order. If not, let me preview then by saying that in order to get to Bac Ha, you would most likely be coming from another town, like Sa Pa, for instance. Sa Pa serves as the nexus for many day excursions, such as this one, and others for trekkers, which you'll never hear about from me as climbing is out of the question. We are now in the northwest part of Viet Nam, and this is a gem of a place for rubbing elbows with tribal people. Very much like Thailand, where we did see tribes as we went north of Bangkok, into Chiang Mai, and further north. There are striking similarities between those tribes, owing to the fact that they all are groups split from the original southern Chinese miao tribes.

People usually herd when they travel together...here I am with some newfound friends; I was very surprised to see many young women travelling alone.

Our first encounter with the tribes of Viet Nam happened during our visit to Ha Noi a year earlier, as I had a check mark next to the Museum of Ethnology. Had we known what was in store for us there, we would have planned for an entire day at the Museum, rather than a couple of hours. The collection they have put together is nothing short of amazing, and on the second floor, we began to learn about the tribes, their habitats, their origins, and their vibrant colored garbs. I think we decided at the moment, subconsciously, that a trip to the north had to be on the agenda at some point. You'd be amazed to see how many people they can load in this little bus

We'll stick to the people of Bac Ha and their little corner of the world for now. From Sa Pa, if you are going on a "guided" tour, which really means someone who knows how to get there is driving, and you have a mini-bus filled beyond capacity making its way. Not all minibuses are created equal; some are old and in dire need of new shocks, and as the road is mostly unpaved and quite rocky, prepare to be jolted for 100 miles or so. To help with orientation, here's a little map of Northwest Viet Nam; you can then see that from Sa Pa, you are moving northeast.

The day to go to Bac Ha should be Sunday, as this is when everyone gets all dolled up to shop and mingle and gossip etc..Your tour will start early, around 7:00 am or so, as it takes about 3 hours to arrive. The predominant tribe in the area is called the H'mong Flower Tribe, and they are instantly recognized by the head dress which consists of a headscarf tied in the back, with mostly pastel colors, but some with red as well. It can get more complicated with two scarves: one tied to the back, and the other, in a different pattern, tied under the chin. (no it's not that cold there). The scarves are usually woven in a crisscross pattern, and here I'm tempted to call it scotch plaid, but that's too somber. Have a look at the pictures which will save 1000 more words, at least.

these young women wear no headgear whatsoever; perhaps a new generation?

All buses have a specific drop off and pick up point which is smack center of the village. As you get out, you find yourself immersed in long ribbons of winding color in call directions. Everything is sold here, from jewelry, to wovens, to meat (pigs especially), to tobacco and humongous joss sticks, which I had to have. The scent is very Ha Noi, and every time I use one at home, what immediately comes to mind is the ride from Noi Bai airport to the city. Also quite interesting to watch were the men who were smoking tobacco (at first we didn't think it was tobacco!) through hollow bamboo reeds. Also, tobacco is sold loose at the market and I suppose it's easier to inhale through the reed than to have to roll it in paper. We must have gone back and forth in the food tobacco area, where a communal lunch seemed to have been taking place. They were all sitting on small plastic chairs and passing bowls around. Nearby the vendors' lunch area were kitchen utensils, pots and pans, home goods not geared to the tourists, but for the inhabitants of the area.

feeding baby with chopsticks!!

For those who stay here for a few days, though for the life of me, I can't imagine why, there are small hotels that will accommodate. Make sure you reserve in advance. Bac Ha is not by any means "gentrified" as is perhaps Sa Pa, but it should remain the way it is, otherwise its charm and genuine character will be lost, like all things that are overexposed. Yes, there are eyesores, but nothing you can't get through with a good pair of hiking shoes. Most everything costs the same, so don't knock yourself out looking for the "bargain" of the day. We made the mistake when we first came to Viet Nam of thinking that going from VDN 30,000 to VDN 15,000 was a big deal. It's not; we're just talking about a US dollar difference.

One thing is noticeable almost instantly: the women are doing all the work. They are carrying heavy loads, selling the goods, feeding the children, and still smiling. It's amazing. It's almost as if the men blended into the background. You'll find them wearing the green army helmets most of the time, riding donkey carriages.

The H'mong Flower tribe is one of about 55 different ethnicities in Viet Nam. Because most of the tribes live in the mountainous north, they were given the name "montagnards" by the French. As with most Viet Namese, they made their way here from Southern China for socio-political reasons. They are, for the most part, an agrarian society with skills in textile dyeing, weaving, and fashioning silver jewelry. The more than quarter million Viet Namese who inhabit the U.S. are from the H'mong tribes.

The video below, which is about 3 minutes long, spotlights Sunday Market in Bac Ha. Though the color is a bit faded, I have compensated with the pictures that we have taken which show the vividness and joy of the clothing and people.