Faces of the Children

A dear friend of mine often comments when I post photos of kids. She and her husband are the blessed parents of 2 beautiful (now grown) children from Korea. She has a very special place in her heart for Asian children, which shouldn't be a bit surprising. So Theresa, you inspired this blog and I so hope you enjoy seeing it as much as I enjoyed putting it together!

darling twin boys at Pasar Baru - both sporting their newly purchased watches

I do love to photograph children, but it’s sometimes a little difficult because they are generally with their parents and I'm never quite sure what kind of response my asking to take a photograph will be met with. Being a very obvious “outsider” I would expect them to be somewhat distrustful of me, a total stranger, wanting to photograph their child. My guess is that most young parents in the US would definitely be wary! But even though I stick out like a sore thumb, most of the time if I make eye contact and smile, I can win a smile in return. And more often than not, a parent will act flattered and give approval if they realize you think their child is cute and want to photograph them. In fact, the mother of the twins above actually said “terima kasih” (thank you) after I snapped the photo above. She didn’t ask me to send her a copy or anything; she just thanked me for taking a photo of her adorable boys!

shy guy (keeping an eye on me while dad purchases a t-shirt)

stranger danger

But no matter where you are, it’s always a good policy to ask the parent for permission and that is what I usually do, unless I am lucky enough to find a group of children playing (no parents around) in which case I only have to ask the kids themselves. Children are fun to photograph because they typically don’t get self conscious or try to pose or do anything except whatever they’re already doing. Most of the time it’s pretty easy to read their expressions and they will often look right at me (or my camera) because they are naturally curious. And children and adults alike love the instant feedback of seeing themselves on the back of my camera.

shy girl waits patiently while her mother makes a fabric purchase

best friends forever

This morning we went to Pasar Baru (a huge market place) and while Ronnie was on a mission to find a particular item he was looking for, I waited outside the store on a busy sidewalk with my camera. Since I try not to be offensive, that means watching for the right opportunity to either “sneak” a photo without being noticed or actually get to ask permission. Most of the photos on this post were made at the market today but I’ll round it out with a few others that I hope I haven't posted before.

happy girl on makeshift seesaw

totally concerned about bule

snack/play time

check out the purse and boots (close-up above)

a 76 cent haircut?!

open for business

Well, Ronnie has managed to beat his own record this time, and by quite a bit! He’s long prided himself in finding cheap haircuts and it’s been a point of contention between us for years. I’ve never advocated him getting a stylist or getting his hair cut at some high-end salon. But I always thought he could do better than the Asian “walk-in welcome” businesses along 1960 that are his normal MO. There has to be something in between pricey cuts and the $3.99 Vietnamese special!!

 

barber asked him to choose style

It’s not that I’m against bargains; in fact I love a bargain as much as the next person. But the truth of the matter is, some things you just don’t need to get bargains on. Keep in mind, too, that Ronnie has enough hair on his head for 3 people! It’s very thick, which is one thing, and extremely fine, which is another. Together, they are a barber’s nightmare. This is why I’ve urged him for years not to let “just anyone” cut his hair. Sometimes he’s had better luck than others and at home his haircuts typically range from fairly decent to disastrous (IMHO). He never seems to be upset no matter which way it goes. He comes home, combs it and shrugs while I fuss.

we suspect the barber lives (sleeps) behind the curtain

 

Since we’ve been in Indonesia I’ve talked him into getting his hair cut at my salon a few times. By standards here, it is really quite nice and there is a young man who works there who has done what I think has been an excellent job at a reasonable price. Though he doesn’t charge $3.99 (I think his price is more like $12 US) he’s done a good job so it’s been a win/win for both of us.

little boy watches bule through storefront glass

But a week or so ago, Ronnie noticed that a new “barber shop” has opened down at the end of our street. So all week he’s been threatening to get his hair cut there. I guess at this point in my life, I’m just tired of fighting it. I tell myself that we are on the opposite side of the world and no one who knows us will see him anyway. And he is the one, after all, who has to stand in front of a room full of college students and lecture through their stares. And last but not least, I always console myself with “it’s just hair and it will grow back.”

getting down to business

Ferry with 2nd barber

all done - 87 cents including tip

7,000 rupiah = 76 cents (US)

So today we did our part to support the local economy. Ferry drove us to the barber shop which was handy since the barber spoke no English. Ronnie’s bahasa Indonesia is good enough for basic conversation but I thought it safer to have Ferry do most of the talking and ask him to take off about 1½ centimeters. Of course there was no shampoo bowl in sight – just 2 barbers, 2 chairs that were not a day under 50 years old, a comb, some scissors, 2 small bottles of oil and a spray bottle. I had my doubts and prepared myself for the worst. Fifteen minutes later, I breathed a sigh of relief. His hair didn’t look half bad. He’s gotten far worse cuts in some of the shops he frequents at home. I just hope this doesn’t mean that he will never pay more than 76 cents for a haircut again!

sms me?

Indonesians seem to be just as dependent on cell phones (or "hand phones" as they call them) as Americans are. We see them being used all the time, by kids and adults alike. It's not uncommon to see people checking their messages in traffic. 

The preferred method of communication here seems to be sms (short message service) vs speaking voice to voice. When someone wants to communicate further on something, they just say "sms me" (where Americans use the word "text"). 

school girls using hand phones

pulsa scratch off cards

Cellular phone systems in Indonesia are operated by 8 different private companies, all of whom are partially owned by the government phone company. We use Telkom and they constantly  send us "junk" sms messages in bahasa Indonesia (of course) which I promptly delete without trying to figure out. I hope they haven't told me I've won thousands of dollars which I've failed to collect!

checking messages on back of motor

In the states, one typically chooses a service provider, purchases a phone and then selects a plan that allows a certain number of minutes per month for a fixed amount. Here, it's not so simple. There are no shortage of places to buy phones, but one does not have to be loyal to any particular provider. Rather than purchase a plan with a fixed number of minutes, one only needs to purchase pulsa. Almost everyone sells pulsa! It's a way to make a little money on the side of whatever else they're doing. For instance, if you are riding in a cab and realize you need pulsa, you can ask your cab driver to sell you some!

To me this is a major nuisance, because it's easy to forget to check it and run out, only to find that your phone is incapacitated and worthless at the moment. There's also the sim (subscriber identity module) cards that have to be purchased, depending on where you plan to use your phone. These contain all your data so they are interchangeable between phones.

adding pulsa

pulsa for sale

young people love their hand phones!

and older folks as well

Last Day in Hanoi

Vietnam, 2012

Since our trip to Halong Bay didn’t pan out, we decided to use our last day in the city to do a little sightseeing. Along with another Fulbrighter from CA (serving in Singapore) we decided on the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, a 20 minute or so cab ride from our hotel. We learned that Vietnam has 54 distinct ethnic groups that are recognized by the Vietnamese government, each with its own language and lifestyle so there was a lot to see there. I wisely decided not to pay the camera fee because I knew most of it would be behind glass. We spent maybe 2 hours touring the building and grounds. All I can say is I never knew that bamboo could be used in so many different ways!

Next we headed to the oldest university in Vietnam (1076) the Temple of Literature. It consisted of 5 courtyards with well-manicured gardens, walls inscribed with the names of scholars and several altars to Confucius and his disciples. It was crowded – anything but serene.

Temple of Literature, Hanoi

 

one of five different courtyards

joss sticks (type of incense) upon entering shrine

Since I can’t read Vietnamese, I have no idea what most of the flower “writing” meant. I did learn that the giant stone tortoises were inscribed with the names of 1306 men who were awarded doctor laureates. The Vietnamese regard the turtle, dragon, unicorn and phoenix as holy (?) creatures and symbols of long life. 

Confucius himself

giant tortoises bear the names of many scholars

this thinker says "gig 'em!"

What I didn’t realize is how Confucius is revered almost as a god! We actually saw people praying to him! The temple was like most others – over-the-top ornate with incense burning and even money thrown on the roof outside the window where Confucius and his disciples are enshrined. I read that Confucius “championed strong familial loyalty, ancestor worship, respect of elders by their children (and, according to later interpreters, of husbands by their wives), and the family as a basis for an ideal government.” He also expressed the well-known principle "Do not do to others what you do not want done to yourself." Hmm…seems like I’ve heard that somewhere before…

praying to Confucius?

After the 2 museums we took a cab to another part of the city where mountains of fabrics were sold, then ate a late lunch in a vegetarian cafe and enjoyed a fattening dessert at a different restaurant on our way back to the hotel. The sun never came out during our week in Vietnam, but we enjoyed what will probably be our first and last time to this famous city. Another popular tourist attraction which we decided not to see is the other “Hanoi Hilton” - the prison camp where John McCain spent 5 ½ years as a POW in captivity in 1967. 

wish I had a nickel for every scooter in Hanoi

intense foursome

Below are a few photos I snapped as we walked around the streets of Hanoi and drove to the airport the following morning.

more sidewalk dish washing (this is why you don't want to eat sidewalk food)

conversational riding (hang up and drive!)

department store on wheels

through the rear window

The Trip That Wasn't

Vietnamese young man (deaf)

The cruise to Halong Bay had been highly recommended to us before our trip to Hanoi. So we and another Fulbright couple booked a one night trip to see Halong Bay after the conference. The four of us were picked up at our hotel for a 3-4 hour drive to Halong Bay. On the way there, we had one really nice rest break at a place where literally any kind of handcrafted item from Vietnam could be purchased. I especially enjoyed the area where disabled Vietnamese worked tediously on needlework “paintings.” Framed and under glass, they looked like paintings but upon close examination one could see the careful embroidery work. Even though a sign read “no cameras” they gave me permission to take photos. As in all Asian retail outlets, several salespeople followed us closely, eager to make a sell.

handicapped Vietnamese "painting" with needle and thread

the stitching is very detailed and tedious

Tom & Anne Weeks (Ohio)

The drive itself was harrowing. The weather was foggy and drizzly. As in Indonesia, the middle line on a Vietnamese highway seems to be mostly a suggestion and our driver spent lots of time driving on it. It was only when we drove on the wrong side of the road (even the shoulder of the wrong side at one point!) that my stomach did flip flops. I sat behind the driver so I could see all too well. Visualize traveling at a high rate of speed while vehicles from oncoming traffic are doing the same. Throw trucks, bicycles, motorscooters and cars into the mix and you start to get the idea…

Baichay Tourist Wharf

welcoming guests

After our arrival at Baichay Tourist Wharf, we were greeted by our guide and held in a reception area while ours along with hundreds of other passengers luggage were loaded onto one of the many Chinese junks docked there. After a relatively short wait, we were ferried out to our junk which was surprisingly beautiful and clean (only 1 year old). We were welcomed aboard with ginger tea and seated for orientation. As with any cruise, we were shown the correct way to wear our life jackets and the “if there is not time” way.

one of many junks owned by Indochina Sails

Chinese junks socked in by fog

view from junk's bow

modern bath with huge shower

cabins were spacier than I expected

view from front deck

inside sitting and dining

ferry back to wharf

Our first clue that we would not be sailing should have been when we were served lunch before being allowed to settle into our cabins. As we were completing a 4 course meal (linen tablecloths and all), our host informed us he that he was afraid he had “a little bit of bad news” and that we would not be sailing. This explained why there were so many ships around us, none of them leaving. The ship’s personnel was very kind to contact our driver for us (since we had no way of communicating), book a new hotel reservation and ferry us and our luggage back to shore, while assuring us that credit cards would be refunded. We learned that this happens on average once a month.

While we were disappointed that we weren’t able to cruise, we did get to see the countryside between Hanoi and Halong Bay (many rice paddies), an array of local handicrafts and enjoy one meal aboard a Chinese junk. After a drizzly 4 hour drive back (the last half after dark) we were happy to see the hotel again.

Here’s a beautiful video of what we would have seen, had the fog not thwarted our trip.