Going down the highway, a photo from Quang Tri, North Central Coast

Photographer's Note

April 1995, somewhere in the highlands of central Vietnam, a short distance south of the former border between South and North Vietnam.

I was on a day tour collecting material for a story about the war that had ended 20 years earlier. We had stopped here briefly (myself, a guide, a driver and a couple of girlfriends who thought we were going on an ordinary sightseeing tour) so I could have a look down into the valley. You can see here why we stopped.

While we were standing here this bus drove past us. (Please note: this is not my time machine, it is an ordinary local bus.) The boy standing at the door is the driver's assistant, handling all luggage, collecting the fares and calling out the destination to people waiting along the road.

Here is a larger version.

We had spent part of the day at Khe Sanh, the largest battlefield of the Vietnam war, where fierce fighting took place during the first half of 1968. The US had a huge base there, but it was evacuated after the battle and everything pulled down or taken away. Today nothing remains.

Several years ago I posted this photo (and workshops) from Khe Sanh, and a note that describes the battle and the circumstances. The main photo was very badly processed, but you can see a new version in this workshop.

All photos were scanned from Kodachrome slides.

pajaran, Royaldevon, ktanska, pierrefonds, Fis2, Ilonka1974, jhm, johnjmoe, jean113, everlasting, ChrisJ, COSTANTINO, PiotrF, mcmtanyel, papagolf21, PaulVDV, annjackman, macjake, clic, cornejo, CLODO, ikeharel έχουν(ει) επιλέξει αυτή τη σημείωση ως χρήσιμη

Critiques | Translate

pajaran (116065) 2019-07-14 0:16

Dobar dan.
Lep pogled i trenutak, dobar tekst ...
Dobar rad sa lepom fotografijom u radionici, lepo pokazano, dobar kontrast, lepe boje, dobro uhvacen trenutak.
Lep stari kamion prepravljen u autobus.
Zelim vam lep dan za odmor, sve njabolje.
Paja.

Good day.
Nice look and a moment, good text ...
Good work with nice photo in the workshop, beautifully shown, good contrast, nice colors, well-caught moment.
A nice old truck was refurbished to the bus.
I wish you a nice day for rest, all the better.

ifege (48253) 2019-07-14 0:24

Hi Gert
A good one from the archives. A fabulous old bus!
Cheers
Ian

lousat (139362) 2019-07-14 0:39

Hi Gert.It is a pity that he found nothing from the battlefields and everything was taken away. However, even these scenes of everyday life are magnificent. Excellent choice of the main one, this old bus, full and colorful, is a magical memory. The view of the village where minorities live is also very beautiful. Have a nice Sunday and thanks,Luciano

Royaldevon (85932) 2019-07-14 1:23

Hello Gert,

I can honestly say I was surprised as I read your notes - to learn this was a bus! I thought it was truck carrying articles to market or maybe, people moving house! It's a wonderful vehicle! It could be a time machine for, as a bus, it looks as if it has been left behind in time!
I wonder how much drops off the top or is that something that would cost the boy his job!

Love the w/s, too. The village definitely looks like something from the past. There have been archaeological digs in the UK, discovering post holes and materials, and reconstructions of the long houses have been made following the discoveries. They bear a resemblance to these houses!
What an exciting journey you must have had, though there must also have been some extreme sadness, researching what happened during the war!

Have a good day,
Bev :-)

Nicou (193806) 2019-07-14 3:55

Hello

quel chargement sur ce petit camions quelle image et vue superbe captage un tout ancien vιhicule avec cette personnes qui ouvre la porte et regarde ΰ l'extιrieur superbe vue de tes archives
Bravo et amitiι
Nicou

ktanska (44838) 2019-07-14 4:08

Hej Gert,
Quite special looking little bus. It is pretty easy to guess that it was not new and technology on it was even older. The assistant adds local colour and all that luggage on top is an impressive load.
Kari

BennyV (34748) 2019-07-14 4:27

Hello Gert

Lovely oldtimer that looks like it goes all the way back to old Indochina even! Colourful, but not the kind of ride I'd look forward to. The baskets on the roof bring back memories of a busride in the Mekong Delta I once was on. In the baskets were dogs and the whole ride long their p*ss was dripping, running down the sides of the bus. Oh, the joys of travelling off the beaten path...

Great to see the time machine in tip top shape!!

Benny

pierrefonds (114608) 2019-07-14 4:32

Hi Gert,

The bus is well placed in the frame. The point of view is showing the details of the bus. You have captured well the person leaning out the window. The light is enhancng the colors. Have a nice day.

Pierre

GyurMaster (24840) 2019-07-14 4:41

Dear Gert,

I hope that your time machine looks better and much safe. :) Joking, apart a nice glimpse from the past. The colours of the truck really sells the picture. And of course the safe traveling method, what the woman chose.

Best Wishes,
Gy

Fis2 (170945) 2019-07-14 4:49

Witaj Gert!
Your archival images are impressive.
Excellent scene from daily life.
I like framing and colors, WS too.
A very curious car.
Well done.
Nice afternoon.
Krzysztof

kasianowak (17676) 2019-07-14 5:21

Hi Gert
Great daily life shot of this colourful vehicle. The bus looks tiny, no wonder the space on the roof is filled to the brim with luggage. The driver's assistant is a popular job across Central and South East Asia and brings back memories from my travels.
I love the village in WS, I wonder if it is still there after a quarter of a century.
It was good to refresh my memory of your Khe Sanh story (thanks for the link) now I've just finished reading Blood on the Tracks (a book, written by a peace activist who is a Vietnam veteran, naturally full of references to that war)
Best wishes
Kasia

Silvio1953 (221781) 2019-07-14 5:36

Ciao GERT, lovely composition with VERY OLD BUS, WONDERFUL COLORS, fine details, excellent clarity and splendid light, very well done, my friend, ciao Silvio

Ilonka1974 (10307) 2019-07-14 6:04

Hi Gert,
Wonderful old bus. Original colours. Good contrast. Nice sharpness. Good work.
Best regards
Janusz

jhm (211736) 2019-07-14 6:40

Hello Gert,

I think for a westerner this must are very rare, people on and around the lorry.
But we must learn life 25 year ago in Vietnam.
Nice light and appropriate colours
Very well done, TFS.

Have a nice Sunday,
John

jmdias (115342) 2019-07-14 7:48

gert

a curious mini-bus, looks more like a miniature. interesting details of the daily life and I liked the general view of the straw village too.

take care

jorge

jean113 (27899) 2019-07-14 8:02

Hello Gert, transport such as this are always worthy of a shot.
I guess that the bus was full? The roof rack looks as if it is weighing the bus down.
Interesting additional pictures.
I always enjoy reading your notes, they are short stories in themselves.
Thanks for sharing, kind regards Jean.

everlasting (19680) 2019-07-14 9:54

another fine image scanned from your archives. I am sure there were not too many westerners travelling these roads at this time. unlike today when imo Vietnam is overrun with tourists

ChrisJ (171888) 2019-07-14 10:50

Hi Gert

This must be around the Danang to Dalat stretch of central Vietnam. Good sharpness and a pleasant, diffused light. The roof rack is literally jammed to the gunwales. Tfs!

Tue (92548) 2019-07-14 11:15

Hej Gert,
Et meget godt billede af denne her meget gamle og faldefζrdige minibus. Den var helt proppet bεde med mennesker og med deres bagage oppe pε taget. De grψnne, gule og orange farver er meget attraktive pε den grε dag.
Lars

Miguel82 (47110) 2019-07-14 11:31

Gert, that old van is a dinosaur but reliable, it's a patched up vehicule running on the winding roads in Vietnam central highlands. Instructive text explaining the young boy work. The passengers lugages have been stored on the van roof. Good memory, excellent pov.

COSTANTINO (116674) 2019-07-14 12:22

Hello dear Gert and have a nice time
and a happy new week
scenes from the past with the old bus
and a boy standing at the door
handling all luggage!!!!
the bus is well placed into the
framing
regards
Costantino

PiotrF (54882) 2019-07-14 15:17

Hello Gert,
A very nice a series of photos from your archives.
Interesting scenes from Vietnam
The picture in the workshop is also very good.
Beautiful colors, nice presentation.
Regards
Piotr

mcmtanyel (68707) 2019-07-14 22:41

Hello Gert,
Oh, I love that old Citroen minibus. 😲 I am surprised they lingered on that long. 👍🏻👍🏻
Regards,
MT
PS. I have been posting photos of life-size resin models.

papagolf21 (152607) 2019-07-15 2:24

Bonjour, cher Gert,
Comment rester insensible ΰ vos images et ΰ l'historique s'y rattachant.
Mκme si l'on est pas un grand voyageur comme moi, j'apprιcie d'aller de dιcouverte en dιcouverte et apprιcier des pιriodes entendues, mais rarement vues in situ.
Amitiιs.
Philippe

rychem (72187) 2019-07-15 8:07

A very nice photo from almost a quarter of a century ago :)
In Asia, you can still see such curious vehicles, but rare, usually overloaded, very good picture
Best regards, Ryszard

PaulVDV (63024) 2019-07-15 11:19

Hello Gert,
Good that everybody could sit inside (probably very tight) and nobody had to look for a place on top of the goods on the roof.
I like your picture of the village down the hill very much. The kind of place I would like to go to.
I searched for more persons ... but no, only two near the third house. The other residents were hiding in the forest when they noticed a photographer :)
Best regards, Paul

emka (158204) 2019-07-15 11:32

Hello Gert, The Asian (and South American) transportation is something that I love. And not only seeing it but also riding with a lot of luggage and sometimes animals. This one is quite civilized - no people or chicken on the roof. Such drivers assistance are typical for instance in Peru. The most picturesque buses I saw were in Guatemala.
What a pity I have only videos. Interesting picture in a new version. And also the place you stopped was worth taking a photo.
Kind regards Malgo

annjackman (23019) 2019-07-16 11:28

Hello Gert,
An interesting set of photos. I can imagine how crowded the colourful bus was inside and I am not sure that I would want to travel in it!
Kind Regards, Ann

mesutilgim (0) 2019-07-16 11:29

Hello Gert,
Another perfect "oldie" in your gallery.
Perfect pov and timing as well as sharpness.
Many good and usefull notes.
TFS and best regards
MESUT ILGIM

fabianoleite (13575) 2019-07-16 12:15

Interesting and peculiar vehicle, very colorful, well placed, and very full of people and objects. Nice smoky atmosphere, it adds to the composition.

rbassin (27472) 2019-07-16 12:42

hello Gert,
une composition intιressante, un genre de transport que l'on ne vois plus par ici.
C'est bien fait, merci de nous montre ce genre de scθne
Bonne soirιe
Roland

macjake (98486) 2019-07-17 3:57

Hi Gert
you sneaky little devil you - googling my car post and seeing the final result already :) I'll be posting the new photo in a few minutes. as for this post...Oh My Goodness, this is the same car i drive to work every day! what a coincidence hahahaha. Its funny to hear you say "I was collecting material for a story about the war that ended 20 years earlier" - funny because I think you're 20 years late on that one. Keep in mind Gert, i'm just joking :) It sounds funny thats all :) and i actually laughed OUT LOUD to myself like a crazy person when you said this isn't your time machine! Imagine it was hahahaha
this post has made my day, i love the truck and the guy sticking out of the window...one of my all time favourite shots of yours. cheers
Craig

clic (76) 2019-07-18 7:43

Hallo Gert There were 'sparkles' in your brain when you wrote about the time machine; what a funny reference to some of your previous notes!! I would assume that travelers had to make a reservation before getting on board, in relation to the lack of facilities on the roof top! Thanks for the exotic oddity related to a generation that made efforts to go through an intense calamity with a lack of means. Halsningar

gervaso (28177) 2019-07-19 16:54

Hello, Gert!

It must be very interesting to travel in this interesting local bus, but it's only for the brave people! Do you know if there are still buses like that now in Vietnam? Very interesting vehicle you show us here! Excellent job!

carlo62 (81265) 2019-07-22 10:35

Ciao Gert
voglio sperare che questo mezzo non sia piω in circolazione!!!
Eccellente il tuo racconto fotografico, ottimi i risultati anche dopo la scansione, anche se gli anni passano inesorabili.
Saluti

cornejo (61504) 2019-09-03 2:10

Hi Gert, good photo of this interesting scene of everyday life with the old transport, very well captured in this interesting image with good sharpness, light, color and quality. A great job perfectly done, my congratulations my friend. Thank you for sharing this interesting work.

Good afternoon and happy week.
All the best from southern Spain.
Angel.

CLODO (45116) 2019-11-12 4:11

Hi Gert

No new picture now, only some coming from your archives. This seems crazy to travel in such a bus, but it was close to 25 years ago and the world has changed a lot. The bus is full, heavy loaded with the many "luggage" on the roof, and the assistant can also guide the driver in case of difficult roads mean with mud and narrow.
have a nice day
CLODO

ikeharel (113501) 2020-11-27 5:57

Just a colorful local bus, Gert, but what a load it carries, looks as not everyone had a comfortable seat...
A one minute swift snapshot superbly executed.
Good afternoon,
Ike

Photo Information

Copyright: Gert Holmertz (holmertz) (102846)
Genre: ’νθρωποι
Medium: Έγχρωμο
Date Taken: 1995-04-00
Categories: Καθημερινότητα, Μετακίνηση
Έκδοση φωτογραφίας: Πρωτότυπη έκδοση, Workshop
Date Submitted: 2019-07-14 0:04

Viewed: 642

Points: 76

Discussions

To BennyV: surprise (2)
by holmertz, last updated 2019-07-14 02:08
To kasianowak: literature (4)
by holmertz, last updated 2019-07-17 12:41
To ChrisJ: further north (1)
by holmertz, last updated 2019-07-14 11:19

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::: Going down the highway by holmertz (102846)

Photographer's Note

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