Getting ready to go to work - 01 | One of the houses on the Red River in Hanoi. A man is getting ready to start working on the construction site on the other side of the river
Getting ready to go to work - 02 | Mother and daughter are busy getting ready to go to work in the near market over the bridge about 2 miles away. As you can see, everything that is part of their life, from small objects, to animals, to tools is kept in these small dwellings which appeared to me like micro universes of memories.
Getting ready to go to work - 03 | A young man is getting ready for, hopefully, a long hard day work in the construction site nearby. He was going outside to wash his face and brush his teeth, and no... he was not using the water from the river but from bottles.
Getting ready to go to work - 04 | While mom is getting ready for work in the market above the bridge her daughter is finishing some homework. She will be dropped off to a nearby school and will come back by herself in the early afternoon.
Getting ready to go to work - 05 | A woman is going to the washroom before heading to the nearby plantation.
Watch dogs | Every family here has one or more dogs that keep watch over their home while they are away during the day. They become extremely aggressive and very protective when the owners are not there. I did experience it personally.
Macrocosm and microcosm | With this image I wanted to show the micro universe of the Red River community within the macro universe of the massive city of Hanoi. The large river, the construction site on one side, the plantation and fields on the other side, the bridge in the middle which, like an artery, takes them to work and back home. The lucky ones own a scooter. The market is on this side of the bridge. Mostly only bikes and the train in the middle are allowed through this bridge.
Working in the field | As you can see the bridge is on the left... the Red River village is below the bridge and while most of the men work in the construction site in the background the women go to the market on the other side or to the small plantation on the river banks.
Working in the nearby market | An old woman doing some work in the market area.
Like a ghost | During the day these houses are completely empty and, except for the very aggressive dogs, it feels like a ghost abandoned village. Until late afternoon when the children come back from school, just a few old or sick people disappear inside. Everyone else is busy working.
The gym | The people of the Red River village built their own gym and after work young men meet here to train and discuss the events of the day.
Back home | The sun is setting and for this community the day is almost over. For those without electricity in a few minutes there will be very little light. Some will go straight to sleep others will meet in a 'wealthier' neighbor home to watch some tv or discuss the events of the day.
Recreation and distraction | Incredibly it has become easier to have a television set, a smartphone (see the younger boy) and electronic devices than good living conditions and proper food on the table. I've seen this in other tough realities around Africa and Asia.
An intimate moment | This couple did not have children. The wife stayed at home during the day. When the man came back from work in the evening she took care of him and prepared some tea... I was invited too. Later they told me their story. This was one of the cleanest and better kept dwellings I visited.
Time to go to sleep | Behind the moskito net is the bedroom. For these people privacy is a luxury they can not afford and they share a few square meters even with the animals. I was told that if there is more than a dog/cat it is because they might be eaten during difficult times.
... another day | The next morning everything starts again... some men (in the highly polluted waters of the red River) go out for a swim before heading to work.
