For our first full weekend in Thailand, we decided to get away. Most of our new acquaintances were heading northwest, to popular rural tourist town, Pai. We felt that joining them would be a blunder. Since we see them on a regular basis, we thought we should disembark, detox, and detour to some other remote Thai location. We wanted a place where we could experience the natural and fierce beauty of the north, a place we could be the only farang, a place away from the sound of traffic, we wanted Chiang Dao.

Now, I don’t want to give off the impression that this was a well thought out trip, an insightful choice. It was a) luck and b) just the product of being bad-asses (random success comes with the territory). We woke up Saturday morning to a knock on the door. It was Tom, our new amigo and fellow bad ass. “Get up, we are getting motorcycles” was all that was said, but it lit the fire. We packed a backpack, took a shower, and headed out. After securing motorcycles we headed to the nearest book store for inspiration and perhaps a map. Someone had a vague recollection of a particularly beautiful stretch of road that led to some picturesque villages that would be a perfect mission for our new biker gang. We hoped seeing some names on a map would help, it didn’t. So, Cengiz bought a map of the golden triangle, since it seemed to cover the immediate area north of Chiang Mai and we went to lunch, determined to figure out the itinerary while we fueled up for the day.

During lunch, we threw out the name of just about every city on the map and futilely debated over which to choose (since no one had any idea about any of them, I can’t believe this lasted as long as it did). Meanwhile, I shuffled through Gina’s Thailand guide (we were a foursome) and found mention of a “Pai without the party” (Pai is the popular “rural” get away, not too far from Chiang Mai, that now offers nightlife and any number of organized “adventures”) called Chiang Dao, directly north of Chiang Mai and situated under an impressive mountain. This sounded just as good as any other place we brainstormed and even had a recommendation to back it up, so the choice was easy, the bill was paid and we were off.

WAIT. Not quite. Cengiz just dumped the motorbike. OK, no blood or permanent damage? Now we’re off. It was tough getting out of the city. Thailand doesn’t do traffic lights very often, so there are lots of one way streets and turnarounds that make navigation difficult for a non-native. When you also add the adaptation of driving on the other side of the road and the lack of traffic laws in general, there is enough fear, adrenaline, and information thrown at a driver to freak out any first timer. So, being the overachiever that he is, Cengiz dumped it, AGAIN. This time there was blood, broken glass, and snapped metal, so we had to stop. After buying some really hilariously frivolous band aids, we were back on the road again (somehow the dangling break from the left handlebar was not a successful deterrent). To make sure the blood had as long as possible to ruin his socks and shorts, we were proceeding with extreme caution (and lack of speed), for the rest of the 3 hr. trip. To be honest, we were all a little rattled with the events (Cengiz was, after all, the only one of us to have been on a motorcycle) so the 45 km/hr cruising speed was widely accepted and actually turned out to be a great pace for cruising to the iPod speakers blaring UGK out of my cup holder.

The trip was going very well before our caravan was overcome by a true South East Asian rainstorm. As we were in the middle of nowhere when it hit, we have very few options and elected to brave the elements and press on. After about 20 minutes, the rain subsided, and we found ourselves cruising through a rain forest, rapidly drying in the wind. This is what we came for. The scenery was so beautiful that it was dangerous. It was difficult to keep your eyes on the road, which was also wet, and winding through a precipitous mountainside. Looking out over the trees, we saw mile upon mile of the lushest vegetation on the planet. At one point I found myself counting shades of greens as I scanned the canopy for monkeys. We slowed our pace to a crawl, the curves were intimidating and there was no reason to rush this stretch of road, especially once we found ourselves following a crooked river on our left.

Almost as soon as the picturesque stretch ended, we saw the signs we were looking for, so we followed with a right hand turn and enjoyed the 2 km to Chiang Dao. The city isn’t much. Which, I guess is the point. I ran into a Dutch Pirate (no joke) and he couldn’t recommend anywhere to stay or eat so we grabbed a beer at a local shop to rest our soar necks and hash out a plan for accommodations. I saw a sign for a home stay who’s name seemed familiar, so we scoured the Lonely Planet to confirm. They agreed, “Malee’s” was the place to go, 4 km back up the road we had come, situated right under the mountain.

The home stay was perfect. When we pulled in, we weren’t sure we had the right place, it seemed abandoned. Then, we were greeted by the hounds and a “receptionist.” After being showed some bungalow’s right out of a movie, we quickly payed the man for the night and got started on his refreshingly cold Chang beer collection. It was already pitch black, I could barely see Tom across the table, and after 3+ hrs en route, we were exhausted. Dinner was a distant thought, but one we thought should be heeded none the less. We hesitatingly asked if there would be dinner served that night, it was so dark we were sure it was going to be a difficult request. It was 6:00. Of course there would be dinner, if we could just wait for them to prepare the grill, it would be served within the hour.

The fresh local coals sparked like a pile of flint; the deep reds flying through the air against the pitch black were mesmorizing, like projectile magma from a personal volcano. Exhausted, the four of us faded into the dark silence, entranced by the visuals. We were broken from this moment of rest by a small creature scurrying round behind us in the dark. It jumped up and bit tom. It was a “Peter.” Now “Peters” are the rarest creature I have encountered. They resemble your standard 8 year old Germanic Thai, but they also speak French and English and are fluent in snake hissing, barking, and tiger growling. They climb with the agility of a chimp, can identify any vegetable in the garden, but particularly prefer bananas, and (as any cold blooded creature) enjoy curling up to warm bodies, specifically homestay guests. Peter was our entertainment for much of the night, biting bottles, bodies, and bananas and showing off his mastery of Muay Thai and genital crushing to anyone in his path, no matter the size. Peter’s mom, the unbelievable Malee, is unbelievably amazing. She not only speaks several languages, has a nack for decorating, runs the most efficient guest house I have ever been to, knows first aid, knows everything about the area, and makes friends with other people FOR you, she also has jokes. As she was brutally cleaning Cengiz’s wounds, she would remind him that there would be “no loving tonight, you have to stay off your knees” or that he should go to the hospital, not for medical care, but for “a sexy young nurse.”

After the wounds were cleaned up, we were served with heaping portions of pork cuts, chicken wings, fresh shrimp, squid, salad, pineapple, and a variety of magnificent, home made condiments. It was absolutely delicious. We spent the rest of the evening eating, drinking, meeting some fellow visitors, and figuring out that we should hit the sack so that we could be up and chipper for the 5:45 sunrise from Thailand’s most sacred place, the Wat atop the overshadowing mountain next to (and above) us.

Cengiz and I made it up the 500 stairs to the mountain, in pitch black, which was not easy. Most of the climbing was just keeping a rhythm. We couldn’t see the steps but knew the pace and length of each stride so as not to miss the next. Once up the steps we came to a wat, dug into the side of the rocks, with a look out tower lined with and guarded by Thai basilisks. We patiently waited for the sun to show, but were let down. The overcast skies left us with a gradual glow rather than any kind of “breaking of dawn.” However, we were alerted to the exact moment of the sunrise as we were lucky enough to hear th monk alarm clock. At exactly 5:45, when the sun started its rise, a loud high pitch sound crashed out of the jungle. Unwaveringly, it held its note as a symphony of other jungle sounds -chirps, croaks, howls, clicks- joined the note, like an orchestra tuning to the oboe. The morning went from a deafening silence, to an even more astounding roar of sound.

After taking some video and pictures, we headed back down to base camp. Tom was still struggling with the local stomach bug he picked up the evening before and Gina was playing with Peter. We mounted the bikes, loaded up some emergency TP, and took off for home. Cengiz regained his confidence so we ripped through the country side at nearly twice our previous speed. The rush was incredible and the weather couldn’t be more perfect. Along the way we randomly came upon an elephant, grazing near the side of the road. The beast’s hunger and resounding sense of power was intimidating and though it was docile and obliging to our attention, my heart was pounding and my spider senses activated to a state of hyper-alertness. After taking off again at breakneck speed, we found ourselves making ridiculously good time, good enough to warrant a detour at Shri Lanna National Park. We didn’t get to boat out into the lake to the floating house or uncover the park’s waterfalls, but it was a beautiful backdrop for some lunch and a break for our bike sore backs.

When we finally were getting into the city area, we reduces speed with the increased danger of the traffic and things stayed well… for a while. Rain once again started pounding the troupe as we were just entering the city’s center. It was uncomfortable, but we had ridden in it before so we pressed on. The city’s moat, which is now the center of the city’s main avenue, is easily the most difficult traffic for a first time rider. We cautiously entered the avenue and I made the turn to enter our final stretch before dropping the biks off. When I looked in my mirror, no one was following. I pulled over and waited for 5 minutes, hoping my comrades would be following shortly. Nothing. I assumed they took a different route, we had said “if all else fails, meet at the shop.” So, I headed there to drop my bike off and meet them. I was waiting long enough to get a table next door and order a beer. My stomach was beset with a pit the size of a watermelon- Cengiz dumped it on the wet turn and was in the hospital, I knew it. I waited for a solid 20 minutes until they finally rolled up. As Tom and Cengiz went to go settle up, Gina explained to me that Tom T-Boned a Tuk Tuk and flipped it. He was ok, and the tuk tuk driver survived with minor scrapes. A quick 1,000 baht bribe was sufficient to keep the police out of things. The damages to the two bikes cost a total of 600 baht, so financially it was no big deal. And, with everyone safe, we walked back to the hotel, laughing at the absurdity of our 50% casualty rate and enjoying the sheer sensation of relief that we made it back. Nostalgic musings about the paradise we enjoyed at “Malee’s” didn’t hinder the cloud 9 high either.

This is the name of a mobile exhibition organized by 15 agencies in Laos, Cambodia, Sweden and Vietnam that will open at the Vietnam Ethnology Museum in Hanoi from November 25, 2009 to February 25, 2010. The exhibition will then travel on to An Giang province, Cambodia, Laos and finally Sweden in 2012.

The photo “Fishing on Mekong River” is on the display (SGGP)

The exhibition reflects life along the Mekong River through nine stories. The materials used in this show are from the Cultural Heritage for Sustainable Development in Southeast Asia.

Fifteen agencies in Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam joined the World Cultural Museum of Sweden to organize this exhibition. Vietnamese agencies participating in this project are the Vietnam Ethnology Museum, the Cultural Heritage Agency, the Vietnam History Museum and An Giang Province Museum.

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El año pasado, tras pasar algo más de dos semanas en la Provincia de Chiang Mai a base de visitar templos, patear la jungla, rafting, hacerme amigo de varios monos, serpientes, tigres, elefantes… y compartir cama con toda clase de bichos, pude al fin realizar una pequeña aventura que me rondaba por la cabeza desde varias visitas atrás: pasar a Laos y viajar hasta Louang Phrabang en barco por el río Mekong.

La última semana en Chiang Mai fue bastante especial. Pui había tenido que volver a Bangkok para hacer algunos exámenes, así que aproveché para hacer todo lo que sabía que a ella le echaba para atrás, en general actividades de aventura. Así que tras aprovechar bien mis últimos días en la antigua capital Lanna, cogimos el bus para Chiang Khong desde la Estación Arcade de Chiang Mai. Fueron aproximadamente unas 8 horas en bus desde Chiang Mai hasta Chiang Khong, un pueblecito a orillas del río Mekong que es a la vez paso fronterizo con Laos a través de la “Indochina Gate”.

El viaje fue horrible. Los asientos eran duros, parecidos a los de un autobús urbano, por supuesto no eran ni reclinables, nada que ver con los cómodos VIP que hacen los traslados desde Bangkok a Chiang Mai u otras ciudades. Para colmo el bus estaba lleno de mochileros, esto no tiene por qué suponer ningún problema, a no ser por “aquel maldito grupo de israelíes”.

No me gusta generalizar, no me parece justo, y no puedo opinar sobre un pueblo entero únicamente por una mala experiencia con un grupo de personas, pero fueron sin duda los viajeros más desagradables con los que me he podido cruzar nunca. Que te huelan los pies es algo normal si abandonas la higiene durante varias semanas, aunque considero que Tailandia tiene infraestructuras suficientes como para no tener que abandonar tu aseo personal durante tanto tiempo. Aún así, si eres consciente del hedor, por educación lo normal es evitar descalzarte en un bus, y mucho más apoyar los pies desnudos en el asiento de otro pasajero. En este caso fue el asiento de Pui, la cual se sentía incomodísima pues eso mismo es un a gran falta de respeto en la cultura Tai. Al fin el problema se zanjó rociando sus hedientes pies con Nestea, aunque por desgracia nos volvimos a encontrar en otras etapas del viaje. Cuando llegamos a Chiang Khong, sus pies eran pestosos y pringosos, me imagino que por la noche al fin se lavaría.

Llegamos a la frontera por la noche, pasadas las 8, así que buscamos una Guesthouse (hay decenas), cenamos, y al día siguiente nos levantamos temprano para ir al paso fronterizo, que se encontraba a unos 100 metros de la Guesthouse. A la llegada a la aduana tienes que presentar el pasaporte para que te pongan el sello con la fecha de salida y te quiten la tarjeta que te grapan en el aeropuerto a la llegada a Tailandia. Con mi habitual despiste, cuando llegué me di cuenta que por narices tenía que salir ese día, pues se cumplía un mes desde mi llegada a Bangkok y de haber salido más tarde hubiera tenido que pagar una penalización por pasarme de los 30 días de visado turista.

indochina gate, paso fronterizo Thai-Lao en Chiang Khong

Una vez pasas este control, debes coger un barquito hasta Huai Xai, al otro lado del Mekong y ya en territorio Lao. Al llegar allí, debes pasar el control del paso fronterizo en Laos, donde presentas el visado (yo lo saqué en Bangkok, en Khao San Road), o bien tramitarlo allí y pagarlo sobre la marcha. Suele salir por unos 35-40 $, dependiendo de la nacionalidad. Si lo tramitáis en alguna agencia de viajes de Khao San suele salir más o menos por el mismo precio, os van a pedir dos fotografías y te lo hacen de un día para otro.

Realizados todos los trámites para pasar a Laos, y una vez que sales de la aduana, hay que ir hasta el embarcadero desde donde salen los barcos hacia Louang Phrabang. Hay cierta distancia teniendo en cuenta que normalmente vas a ir cargado con una gran mochila, así que lo mejor es coger un tuk tuk, el cual puedes pagar en Baths tailandeses o en Kips, la moneda de Laos (si no recuerdo mal, 1 euro = casi 14.000 Kips). Normalmente en Laos hay muchos sitios donde aceptan dólares.

En el barco camino a Pak Beng

Hay varios tipos de barcos que realizan este trayecto: el rapido, que te lleva en un viaje de un dia ; el Slow Boat, que tarda dos dias, haciendo escala en Pak Beng; el crucero y las Heua Wai, lanchas de unas 6 plazas, que tarda unas 3-4 horas. Este ultimo es una pequeña embarcacion de unos 3 metros, con un motor de camion. En todas la guias te desaconsejan hacer este viaje, pues es el medio de transporte mas peligroso de Laos (y en Laos, por lo que pude comprobar, no hay transporte seguro). En el camino nos cruzamos con algun Heua Wai y la velocidad que alcanza es impresionante, los conductores y los pasajeros tienen que ir con chaleco salvavidas y casco, y aun asi cualquier encuentro con un tronco, arbol o piedra puede costar muy caro.

Nosotros decidimos coger el Slow Boat, por eso de disfrutar un par de dias de paseo por el rio Mekong. El paisaje de este pais es muy parecido al del Norte de Tailandia, sobre todo al de la provincia de Mae Hong Son. Es todo montañoso, verde, si no es bosque o jungla, son campos de arroz. Los pueblos son aldeas, con casitas de madera sin electricidad. Desde estos poblados, cuando pasabamos con el barco, nos saludaban afectuosamente los niños, que normalmente se encuentran en la orilla, bien jugando o pescando.

El Mekong es un rio que impresiona. Cuando hicimos el trayecto, a finales de julio, coincidió con la estacion lluviosa, asi que el caudal del rio llegaba casi al maximo. Tenía un color marron oscuro, que mezclado con el verde agresivo de la jungla provoca sensaciones diferentes, pues a veces impresiona, y hasta asusta; y otras veces te relaja. Cruzas con olas, remolinos, troncos, arboles, islas… y el capitan, sin que yo le encontrara explicacion, durante todo el viaje zigzagueaba el barco de orilla a orilla (hay momentos en que puede haber mas de 300 metros de distancia). El barco, bastante curioso. Los asientos eran de madera, asi que antes nos compramos unos cojines pues con siete horas por delante cada dia el viaje se podia hacer bastante pesado. Al poco de embarcar, hubo una rebelion a bordo: en un barco de 40 plazas estabamos ya unos 60, y el capitan seguía admitiendo pasajeros, hasta que todos nos negamos y exigimos otro barco. Al final, la solucion: no permitio embarcar a mas pasajeros y sí metio mas bancos de madera. A las dos horas de viaje decidimos echar los cojines al suelo y tumbarnos, buscando la posicion mas comoda.

Paisaje Lao a orillas del Mekong

Pui se toma la travesía con buen humor

 Sobre las 5 de la tarde llegamos a Pak Beng. Es una aldea en la que solo hay una calle, y en ella restaurantes y Guesthouses. Aqui cenamos y pasamos la noche. El ambiente bastante curioso. Nada mas llegar te asaltan los propietarios de los alojamientos mostrando cada uno su oferta, algunos los acompañaban, otros preferimos ver las habitaciones y comparar. Cuando por fin encontramos un sitio en condiciones, te asomabas a la calle y seguias viendo mochileros deambulando como zombis buscando un sitio economico y que mereciera la pena. A las 7 ya es de noche, asi que antes de las 8 estabamos cenando, despues nos fuimos a relajarnos y tomar algo tranquilamente, pues el viaje en barco había sido todo una aventura, y en el bar donde nos tomamos algo, el camarero nos preguntó pícaramente si queríamos « something to smoke ». A las 10:30 nos quedamos sin luz, los generadores no daban para mas. Intentamos dormir, pero un Lao borracho nos tuvo en vela hasta pasadas las 12, pues no se debio de dar cuenta que no habia luz y siguió cantando karaoke durante casi dos horas.

Inmersión en la cultura Lao con la Beerlao

Al dia siguiente mas de lo mismo, pero nos cambiaron a un barco bastante mas comodo. Es importante levantarse temprano y llegar al barco a buena hora para coger un buen asiento. Salimos a las 9, con sólo una hora de retraso, asi que no llegamos demasiado tarde a Luang Prabang, serian las 4 :30 pm, pero estuvimos caminando hasta cerca de las 6 buscando alojamiento.

La verdad es que el caracter lao es muy diferente a todo lo que he visto antes. Conducen tuk tuks, juegan a la petanca, beben Beer Lao, y todos sonrien, me recuerdan a el Fary, son muy graciosos. Habia leido que es el pueblo mas tranquilo de toda Asia, y me lo creo. Por otro lado, Luang Phrabang es de las ciudades más bonitas que he visto por la zona, de hecho es Patrimonio de la Humanidad. Nunca esperas encontrarte eso allí, la epoca colonial parace que apenas termino hace unos meses cuando realmente alcanzo la independencia total en 1953. Aun así todavía encuentras bastantes cafés, creperías y carteles en ambos idiomas: lao y francés.

Paisaje kárstico llegando a Louang Phrabang

Pues ya tengo idea para otro Post. Os debo uno sobre Chiang Mai y otro sobre Louang Phrabang.

17 agosto 2009

Dopo una settimana di vagabondaggio tra una risaia, un tempio, un trekking in elefante piuttosto che una visita ad un villaggio H-Mong è giunta l’ora di far rientro in terra Siamese.
La nostra permanenza in suolo Laotiano però è tuttaltro che finita dato che ci spettano ancora un lungo tragitto sul fiume Mekong prima di raggiungere il confine a Chiang Khong.
Le opzioni sono 2 o la speed-boat che arriva a destinazione in circa 8 ore oppure la slow-boat, barca sicuramente più comoda ma viaggio della durata di 2 giorni con pernottamento nel piccolo villaggio di Pak Beng.
Siccome di stare otto ore con un casco in testa, in equilibrio precario su una minuscola quanto sottile imbarcazione che vola a pelo d’acqua non ci passa neanche nell’anticamera del cervello, optiamo x la tranquilla navigazione da pensionati.
Partenza dal porto fluviale di LuangPrabang ore 8.00 ma sveglia ore 5.00 per vedere l’ultima processione dei monaci e per fare un’abbondante colazione dato che non sappiamo cosa ci attenderà durante il risalire del fiume!
Siamo tra i primi a salire a bordo e quindi siamo tra i fortunati che riescono a sistemarsi nei pochi sedili morbidi a disposizione, lasciando le panche di legno e le stuoie a terra agli ultimi arrivati.
L’imbarcazione lunga una ventina di metri e larga circa 3, fondo piatto, funge anche da casa per la famiglia che la gestisce, papà timoniere, figlie addette allo pseudo-bar e mamma tuttofare.
La partenza non è delle migliori dato che andiamo a sbattere subito contro un’altra barca, ma niente di grave, la lenta risalita ha inizio!
Quello che scorre sotto le assi che ci sorreggono è il 12° fiume al mondo per lunghezza e il 10° per portata, oltre 4000 km di anse, dall’altopiano Tibetano alle foreste pluviali di Myanmar, Thailandia, Laos e Cambogia per poi arrivare in Vietnam e sfiociare nel mar Cinese.
Pensavo di sentirmi un pò come Martin Sheen alla ricerca del colonnello Kurtz ma fortunatamente l’atmosfera non è la stessa, di nebbiolina neanche l’ombra, il sole è a picco sulle nostre teste e la compagnia e tutt’altro che ostile.
L’equipaggio è composto per metà da selvaggi (termine amichevole e scherzoso con cui definisco gli abitanti del luogo) e per metà da farang (per par condicio userò il termine con cui loro definiscono noi) tra cui spiccano una allegra famiglia giapponese guidata dal nonno geometra (eletto all’unanimità idolo di bordo!).
Il tempo scorre lento, ma il paesaggio che stiamo precorrendo è un ottimo compagno di viaggio, una lunga lingua marrone serpeggia tra le colline fitte di vegetazione, qui il disboscamento fortunatamente non è ancora arrivato e le tonalità di verde che invadono questo meraviglioso paesaggio sono praticamente infinite e in perfetta sintonia con l’acqua limacciosa del fiume e l’azzurro intenso del cielo non ancora intaccato dallo smog.

Le ore passano e di fermarsi a riempire lo stomaco neanche a parlarne le uniche e sporadiche tappe sono solo per scaricare di tanto in tanto alcuni selvaggi in punti indefinibili della foresta.

Patatine e zuppe liofilizzate sono gli unici alimenti reperibili al baretto della barca e noi di provviste neanche a parlarne ottimisti fin dall’inizio su qualche sosta ristoro durante il viaggio.
Siamo costretti allora di assumere le uniche calorie attraverso qualche lattina di BeerLao (Fortunatamente  la ghiacciaia del bar era ben provvisto di questo genere di prima necessità!)

Il tempo cambia in fretta tra le montagne laotiane, il sole intenso che fa risplendere il paesaggio si alterna a qualche sporadico scroscio monsonico e ad un cielo basso e plumbeo.
La fame galoppa…tutti mangiano e noi gli unici idioti che non abbiamo fatto provviste prima della partenza, e allora giù con la birra e con la speranza è che l’arrivo sia dietro la prossima ansa…
..ma dopo una ansa ce ne stà sempre un altra! maledizione…
Verso le 18.00 finalmente approdiamo non facilmente, facendoci spazio tra le altre imbarcazioni, al piccolo porticciolo di Pak Beng dopo ben 10 rilassanti quanto interminabili ore.
Che posto Pak Beng! Fuori dal mondo sia geograficamente parlando sia per l’atmosfera che si respira in questo allegro villaggio, tutti “fulminati” uno più dell’altro, gente che prova a vendere sacchetti di “Ganja” ad ogni passo, anziani con pipe lunghe un metro che fumano oppio in mezzo alla strada, il tutto in un atmosfera tranquilla e rarefatta sovrastata dal rumore continuo dei vari generatori di corrente che alimentano l’intero villaggio.
Solo il tempo di trovare un modesto alloggio (20000kip a testa=poco più di 1euro) e già siamo in strada alla ricerca di un lauto pasto, la doccia può aspettare, dopotutto è dall’alba che non mettiamo niente sotto i denti e lo stomaco reclama sonoramente.
Il villaggio si sviluppa in un unica strada sterrata tutta in salita costeggiante il Mekong e più per il panorama che per qualsiasi altro criterio la nostra scelta cade su di un caratteristico ristorantino quasi alla fine del paese a picco sul fiume, subito però ci rendiamo conto del grave errore commesso.
Il gestore nonchè cameriere che si occupa di noi è completamente stravolto, capace addirittura di sbagliare 3 portate su 4, fortunatamente la fame è a livelli cannibaleschi quindi qualsiasi cibaria passi sopra ai nostri piatti è trippa per gatti!
Cosa si desidera poi dopo una lunga giornata in un paese tropicale a più di 30° e con un umidità a livelli prossimi alla terza cifra ??
“Una bella birra ghiacciata!”
Quella che ci viene stappata viene identificata come birra solo per il fatto che è in bottiglietta, altrimenti poteva essere tranquillamente scambiata per un brodino data la temperatura.
La ciliegina sulla torta arriva a metà cena quando il generatore del ristorante si spegne e si resta completamente al buio, non si vede a una spanna ma una luna quasi piena illumina il Mekong lasciandoci ammirare uno splendido panorama.
Pagato il conto…
“grazie e arrivederci”
“Do you want ganja??”…
“No grazie continua a fumartela tu che vai bene!”
Doccia rigenerante e poi alla ricerca di un altro ristorantino, questa sera doppio pasto, un pò per la fame accumulata durante il giorno e un pò per l’insoddisfacente cena consumata, fatto stà che siamo di nuovo a tavola.
Finalmente siamo sazi e ci rimane solo il tempo di per un’ultima bevuta prima del coprifuoco.
Alle 22.00 i generatori vengono spenti nell’intero paese per poi essere riaccesi solo all’alba del giorno seguente, con la conseguente mancanza di corrente in un atmosfera quasi surreale, un ritorno indietro nel tempo e a condizioni per noi occidentali delle nuove generazioni completamente sconosciute, peccato che la stanchezza è tanta e non riusciamo a goderci appieno questa tranquilla quiete di una notte di mezza estate.

18 agosto 2009

La partenza per la seconda giornata di risalita del Mekong è prevista per le 08.30, ma la sveglia è programmata per le 06.00.
American brekfast e per non rimanere a bocca asciutta come ieri, baguette da asporto con pollo e cetrioli, (probabilmente la casa migliore rimasta da anni di colonialismo francese) e un casco di banane.
Fatti gli ultimi acquisti per sopravvivere al viaggio decidiamo con largo anticipo di salire a bordo per  riuscire a sistemarci decentemente sui pochi sedili morbidi a disposizione.
Notiamo la nostra barca incastonata tra almeno un’altra decina di simili natanti, ma per nostro grande stupore al momento di salire veniamo allontanati e indirizzati ad un’altra imbarcazione.
“Stic..zi questa non cià manco i sedili!!”
Carenatura di legno logorato dal tempo e dall’acqua, seggiolini anch’essi rigorosamente di legno, zoppi e traballanti, e il bar ?
“Azz mancherà mica il bar eh ????”
Patita la fame il giorno precedente abbiamo fatto ingente scorta di solidi ma in quanto a liquidi scarseggiamo parecchio!
“Volevamo l’avventura, e allora che avventura sia!”
La ciurma farang è la stessa del primo tratto mentre la metà selvaggia sono tutte faccie nuove.
Partenzaaaaa…la risalita ricomincia e il paesaggio scorre lento ai nostri fianchi, spettacolare come al solito ma dopo tutte queste ore lungo il fiume anche anche un pò monotono, fortunatamente ogni tanto la monotonia viene spezzata da qualche branco di bufali immersi fino alle orecchie nelle marroni acque del Mekong, da gruppi di ragazzini che giocano spensierati e si tuffano dalla riva e da lunghe e snelle
imbarcazioni che scivolano sul fiume.
Ogni 5 minuti bisogna cambiare posizione perchè su queste assi di legno il fondo schiena è dolorante!
Dopo circa un’ora dalla partenza, a bordo regna l’anarchia,chi dorme per terra, chi costruisce una sottospecie di letto unendo 3 o 4 seggiolini, chi si siede sulle sponde della barca e chi vaga avanti e indietro in cerca di chissà che cosa.
Arriva mezzogiorno e la mia baguette se nè andata già da un pezzo, per fortuna uno strano cassone blu di plastica si è rivelato essere un frigorifiero pieno di giaccio e birra…quindi la navigazione procede liscia come l’olio!
Penso che in una viaggio pieno di emozioni e tantissime cose nuove vissute in brevissimo tempo, una pausa per rilassarsi e riorganizzare le idee bisogna prendersela.
Si legge, si scrive, si dipinge, si riflette e si fantastica, e quale posto migliore di una barca nel bel mezzo di un fiume tropicale?

Mi sembra di essere nel leggendario e visionario film “Fitzcarraldo” di Herzog quando Klaus Kinsky naviga con il suo battello da un fiume all’altro attraverso le montagne per completare la sua folle impresa di costruire un teatro dell’opera in mezzo alle foreste vergini del Perù.

Foresta…bufalo…foresta…foresta…selvaggio…foresta…bufalo…foresta
Il tempo passa e il mio casco si fa sempre più scarno…della 15 banane di partenza ora ne rimangono soltanto 6, per fortuna che il viaggio è ormai agli sgoccioli altrimenti probabilmente il mio stomaco avrebbe ingurgitato anche le restanti con gravi danni al mio sistema digerente!
Mancano circa due ore all’arrivo, almeno secondo la tabella di marcia, il fiume si fa più ampio e sulla sponda sinistra si intravedono le prime bandieri Thailandesi, in quest’ultimo tratto infatti il Mekong divide le due nazioni amiche.
I telefoni riprendono il segnale, perso ormai dal nostro ingresso in suolo Laotiano, facendoci rornare a poco a poco alla “civiltà”.
Huay Xai è ormai alle porte e già il dispiacere di lasciare questa terra è grande, consapevole di aver goduto solo in piccola parte dei luoghi e dei piaceri che questo paese può offrire.
Arrivati nella cittadina di confine non ci resta che cambiare imbarcazione, completare tutto l’iter doganale e attraversare il fiume.
Au revoir Laos !!!

The Mirror, Vol. 13, No. 639

“Phnom Penh: A high ranking official of the Japanese Embassy to Cambodia told the Minister of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries that some Japanese big companies plan to invest in Cambodia to plant trees, and one company has already conducted a study for such an investment.

“This information was shared by the Japanese Ambassador to Cambodia, Mr. Kuroki Masafumi, when he met with the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, Mr. Chan Sarun, in the evening of 12 November 2009. The chief of cabinet of the Ministry of Agriculture, Mr. Hong Narith, told Rasmei Kampuchea on 13 November 2009, during the cordial meeting, that Mr. Masafumi told the minister that following the results from the first Mekong-Japan meeting in Japan recently, where the Action 63 projects, includes the Green Mekong project, had been mentioned, some big investment companies of Japan are interested in investing in tree plantations, and one company had already studied this in three provinces – Kompong Chhnang, Kampot, and Ratanakiri. The study was finished, and implementation will follow soon. The ambassador asked for support from the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries in this field.

“The chief of cabinet said that the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries had expressed full support for this crucial project. Also, he said that there is no problem with land in Kompong Chhnang, as it is state land. In the meantime, the minister asked the ambassador to help attract investors to invest in manufacturing agricultural products for export, as there are not many investments in that sector.

“During the meeting, the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries expressed his gratitude towards Japan for assisting Cambodia so far, also a lot in the field of agriculture. Practically, at present, Japan is creating an aquaculture development center in Sihanoukville, amounting US$10 million.

“A project of capacity building to monitor agricultural quality standards is very important for addressing food security, and for attracting other projects that help to deal with Cambodian agricultural market problems and to promote public health.” Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.17, #50, 15-16.11.2009

Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Monday, 16 November 2009

Deum Ampil, Vol.3, #3, 15-16.11.2009

• [Thai ousted prime minister] Thaksin Shinawatra Left Cambodia Safely while [Thai Prime Minister] Abhisit Vijjajiva Failed to Get Him Arrested
• US$11 Million Is Provided to the National Disaster Committee for Three Years [2009-2011; aid from the Japanese government, the European Union, and the World Bank]
• The Director of a Water Filter Company Was Shot Dead by [anonymous] Gunmen [police concluded it is a case of rancor and seeks to arrest the perpetrators - Phnom Penh]
• A Foreign [Swedish] Man Was Assaulted and Killed, and His Body Was Found in Kandal Stung District [the perpetrators are not yet identified - Kandal]

Kampuchea Thmey, Vol.8, #20, 15-16.11.2009

• Three Big Banks [the Bank for Investment and Development of Cambodia (BIDC), the Canadia Bank, and the Foreign Trade Bank] Joined to Provide US$33 Million in Loans to the Rural Development Bank for Paddy Rice Purchasing in 2009-2010
• Cambodian and Laotian Deputy Prime Ministers [Mr. Hor Namhong and Mr. Thoung Loun Sisoulith] Had a Friendly Meeting to Talk about the Setting of Border Markers [both countries want to make the 121 temporary border markers already set - covering to 86% of the border, officially designated border markers]
• A Cambodia Youth [Mr. Em Chanmakara] Won the Southeast Asian Awards for 2009 for Producing a Television Program with the Topic ‘Everybody Supports Children’
• Because His Father Got Drunk [and committed domestic violence], a Son Attacked Him [together with two cousins] with a Knife with a Long Handle [and killed him - the son was arrested - Pursat]

Khmer Amatak, Vol.3, #675, 16.11.2009

• Some Businesspeople in Phnom Penh Live with Fear because [Phnom Penh police chief] Touch Naruth Is Incompetent [to prevent murder crimes against businesspeople]

Khmer Machas Srok, Vol.3, #530, 15-16.11.2009

• [The spokesperson of the Sam Rainsy Party] Mr. Yim Sovann: Thaksin Shinawatra Has Nothing New to Say [about economic reforms for Cambodia, like the organizing of an investment atmosphere with competitors that obey the law]

Koh Santepheap, Vol.42, #6803, 16.11.2009

• The National Assembly Rejected The Request [of the Sam Rainsy Party] to Delay the Meeting to Suspend Mr. Sam Rainsy’s Immunity [to make way for the Svay Rieng Municipal Court to open an investigation regarding his participation in the removal of six temporary wooden border markers on the Cambodian-Vietnamese Border]
• The Apsara Authority Removed More Than 600 Big and Small Buildings, Accusing Them of Violating the Angkor Resorts Area [Siem Reap]

Phnom Penh Post [Khmer Edition], Vol.1, #46, 16.11.2009

• The Cambodian Stock Market Building Will Be Opened on a Small Scale in Early 2010 [according to the Ministry of Economy and Finance]
• Now Cambodia Should Be Included as a Member of APEC [a news source from Singapore said that Cambodia will become a member of APEC, if delaying measures by other members are not allowed]
• ASEAN and the USA Asked Burma to Conduct Free Elections

Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.17, #50, 15-16.11.2009

• Japan Plans to Invest to Plant Trees in Cambodia
• The Thai Embassy Is Worried about Security, but Cambodia Said It Should Not Worry about That [Cambodia will fulfill its obligation to protect the Thai Embassy in Phnom Penh]
• Embassy Delegation of the “ASEAN plus 3″ [India and Australia] Who Came to Play Golf Were Warmly Welcomed at the Poipet Border Crossing
• [Forty two] Cambodian Security Forces Set to Move to Fulfill a UN Mission [as peace keepers] to Chad and to the Republic of Central Africa

Have a look at the last editorial – you can access it directly from the main page of the Mirror.
And please recommend us also to your colleagues and friends.

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Mon Papa m’a transmis son gène de la photographie. Il m’a transmis son nez, ses mollets, son côté collectionneur, son perfectionnisme. Et sa passion pour la photographie.

D’aussi loin que je me souvienne je l’ai toujours vu avec un appareil photo entre les mains et un oeil derrière le viseur. D’aussi loin que je me souvienne j’ai toujours vu des agrandissements de ses photos dans la maison.
Des portraits de ma Maman, de ma soeur et moi. Des paysages de montagne ou de rizières. Un nounours de neige. En couleurs ou en noir et blanc.

Alors très vite j’ai voulu avoir un appareil pour faire moi aussi des photos. Très vite j’ai aimé voir des expositions photos et découvrir des photographes.
La Maison Européenne de la Photographie est l’un de mes temples parisiens. J’essaie de ne pas louper les expositions de l’Hôtel de Ville. Et j’aime profondément les accrochages du Jardin du Luxembourg.

En ce moment l’un des plus beaux et mythiques fleuves de notre jolie planète coule au Luxembourg: Lâm Duc Hiên expose son Mékong, photographié entre Chine, Laos, Vietnam et Birmanie.
80 photographies nous montrent le fleuve sous tous ses aspects: le fleuve lui-même, ses effets et méfaits, les gens qui en vivent ou y vivent. Ces photos nous parlent d’Histoire, de familles, de conflits, d’aventures.
Ces 80 magnifiques images nous emmènent en voyage très loin de Paris, nous rappellent la beauté et la violence de notre monde, nous offrent de nous plonger dans des regards d’enfants.

L’immensité de ce fleuve m’a presque effrayée lorsque j’ai découvert ces photos.

Mais ce ne sont pas tant les paysages que j’ai aimés que les portraits: beaux, vivants, émouvants. C’est bien simple, depuis que je les ai vus, je rêve d’en accorcher un dans notre salon…

“Mékong”, jusqu’au 6 janvier 2010 sur les grilles du Jardin du Luxembourg.

The Mekong Delta is a “hot spot” for climate change, which is a concern for Vietnam, as well as the world, so relevant agencies should focus on the situation, the Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment, Pham Khoi Nguyen, has said.

Farmers work in a rice paddy in the Mekong Delta. The region has recently seen a rise in problems caused by climate change.

Speaking at the first forum of “Climate change in the Mekong Delta,” which wrapped up November 13 in Can Tho City, Mr. Nguyen said the impacts of climate change have already been seen in the delta, with an increase of high tides, storms, floods, droughts and sea-water infiltration.

Therefore, he said, scientists and relevant agencies should choose the delta as a center for their research and help create solutions to ease those negative impacts.

The result of research in the delta will serve as experiences for other regions around the world to deal with the climate change, he said.

There should be a specific plan of action following the forum to improve the public’s knowledge of climate change and to cope with developments of climate change.

The region’s social and economic development plan should also be re-considered so that it can adapt to climate change, he said.

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Food baskets for year 2050; (Nov. 14, 2009)

I decided to combine and edit four posts into a comprehensive essay that might forecast the world’s agricultural state in the year 2050 as it will be inhabited by 10 billion people. The posts are: The long-term “Revenge of Geography”; “Food BANG, not the Big One”; “The world’s food basket: Africa is heaven for agro-business investments”; and “Africa is targeted to be exclusively the world’s food basket”

We are barely feeding the current world population and millions are dying of famine related malnutrition. In 1960, many developed nations had surpluses of food stuff; this is no longer the case.  Funny Mark Twain said “Buy lands; we are no more manufacturing those kinds of things”. The UN branch for Food and Agriculture Organization predicted that agricultural products will witness increases in prices over 50% by the year 2017 and predicted that famine will be the lot of 70 impoverished States harming 1.2 billion human.

Global problems for water shortages

We are witnessing the era of “Anthropocene” which means man is doing more damages to the environment than nature can stabilize; the main reality to account for is acute shortages in sources of water. “It is man who has the power to create; it is nature that commands to a large extent” said Harold Mackinder in 1904.

The main problems cannot be summarized in population explosion.  Modern problems are exacerbating the conditions. First, just in China and India the number of middle class “well off people” are four times the combined numbers in the USA, Europe, and Japan. These newly created classes in the last two decades demand equal standards of living that the developed nations have been enjoying for a century. Consequently, water has to be diverted from agriculture to urban centers that are fast increasing in numbers and in size.  Huge investments are being spent to building dams, diverting rivers, and constructing thousands of miles of water canals.

Second, most rivers are heavily polluted from mass industrializations, a process that has been going on for many decades. Fertile lands are deteriorating as they are irrigated with toxic and highly saline water.  Third, climatic changes are affecting rain delivery in sufficient amount. Deserts are expanding and sub-terrene water sources are dwindling in numbers and quantities.

Fourth, the USA and Europe are planting agro-energy products that are transformed into non-fossils sources for energy. The EU is shooting for a 10% sufficiency by the year 2010 from these agro sources.  Thus, vast fields of wheat and corn are being converted to agro products rich in sugar contents. This policy might resolve EU internal problems in the short run in several ways: first, instead of subsidizing agriculture for competitive exportation the EU could invest in land development in the large States of Poland and Ukraine; this alternative might enhance the internal food trade with adequate return for the poorer EU member Sates; second, the constant stream of law suits against infringements on Global Free Trade will be reduced; and third, experiments on alternative energy substitutes will be encouraged.

Fifth, the USA and the EU are leasing fertile lands overseas not to produce edible condiments for the famished population but products for their energy substitutes.

Political end games

The main power in the coming decades will reside in the States who control the sources of the major rivers.  China has conquered Tibet because three main rivers take their sources from the Himalaya mountain chains; mainly the Mekong (that flow into the South East), the Indus (that flow in Pakistan), and the Brahmapoutre that flow in India and join the Ganges River.

Thus, if China decided to use water as weapon it can disturb all the States from Pakistan, India, Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and Viet Nam. China has already built 86,000 dams along the Blue and Yellow Rivers that take sources on the western plateaus; China has not consulted with the South East countries and has already built four mega dams on the Mekong, including two huge lakes that will take about 10 years to fill in order to generate hydraulic power.

Turkey controls two huge rivers: the Euphrates and the Tiger that flow in Syria and Iraq.  Turkey has been building dams on these rivers without consulting with the southern neighboring States.  Ethiopia is in control of the Nile if it wishes to.  The US has been building dams along rivers that flow into Mexico.

China, Turkey, Russia, USA, and Brazil control sources of major rivers.  Latin America has enough water, except Argentina. The main struggle in the medium-term is who will control the Nile, the Niger, and the Congo Rivers in Africa.

There are four basic alternatives for securing water that can be used concomitantly. First, desalination of Oceans and the towing of icebergs will do for a while but cannot resolve a long-term problem in water shortages.  Second, genetically modified seeds that can withstand many kinds of “natural enemies” may diminish the need for pesticides and herbicides and increase production. Third, leasing or acquiring vast “fertile” lands by foreign agro-businesses in the under-developed States that have shortages in trained manpower for land development, or lacking the technological investment capabilities, or suffering from outdated modern institutions. Four, enacting policies for large displacement of people from mega-polis to near water sources; that alternative will save on huge investment of supplying water to big urban cities and in order to recover sub-terrain naps and natural ecosystems.  This essay will focus on the second and third alternatives.

Genetically modified seeds

Antitrust laws are so far not being applied to the six industries for organically modified seeds that share scientific discoveries and have sole monopoly of 90% of organic seeds.  Monsano, Dow Agrosciences, BASF, Syngena, Bayer, and Dupont have deposited more than 500 patents on genes “adapting to climatic changes”: they are figuring out how to profit from degradation of the environment.  In 2008, Monsato has increased by 35% the prices on organically modified seeds that it has exclusive rights to produce and distribute.  Monsano and Dow Agrosciences are associated to produce in genetically modified wheat seeds that can withstand 8 kinds of “natural enemies” of mainly herbicides and insecticides in year 2010.  Thus, 87% of modified seeds used around the world bear the label Monsano.

The multinational oil companies of BP, Shell, Chevron, and Cargill are linking up with companies of nano-sciences of agro-technologies to transform biological matters such as (agricultural harvest, forests, algae…) into industrial sugar. Sugar is then converting into chemical products and nano-products with high added values. Chemistry linked to oil products could now be adapted to vegetable carbon.  Entire countries such as Madagascar and Angola are now being leased to cultivate modified breeds of harvests.

The scientific counselor to Barak Obama, John Holdren, is encouraging the application of geo-engineering to fighting atmospheric changes.  Among such engineering techniques is sprinkling the atmosphere with nano-particles of sulfates to veil the sunrays.  Monster farms of phytoplankton are created to absorb or capture CO2.

The UN views these geo-engineering projects as purely speculative in nature with unknown risks for collateral damages. A joint Indo-German oceanographic Institute discarded the decision of the Conference of the UN and carried on its project: it “fertilized” a large zone in the Antarctic Ocean by dumping tons of iron sulfates; the microscopic unicellular algae were meant to grow in abundance and capture CO2.  The zooplankton ate the algae and the experiment was not conclusive; this temporary failure is encouraging other multinationals such as Climos Inc. or (Planktos Science) to resume these kinds of projects under the name of “eco-restoration” for substantial financial returns.

Leasing or acquiring vast “fertile” lands by foreign agro-businesses

If you have lands with no water, if you have water and no fertile land, if you have accumulated enough in your Sovereign Fund then the way to go is to invest in foreign fertile lands for agricultural “self-sufficiency”, which means import food at much lower prices.  Japan, South Korea, China, India, and Saudi Arabia are leading these kinds of joint ventures. Many under-developed States with vast “fertile” lands are leased or acquired by foreign agro-businesses.  So far, 30 millions hectares (the size of 30 Lebanon or the size of the Philippines) are already in use for mass agricultural production. China, rich in water and fertile lands, is leading this policy of “getting out of the borders” since 2004.

Africa is the prime target continent because it has four large and long rivers such as the Nile, the Congo, and the Niger Rivers and the lands are barely worked.  The Sudan, Mozambique, and the Democratic Congo are prime targets in the medium-term.

Vast fertile lands are left unproductive for lack of investment and manpower.  Theoretically, we should have win-win situations but the facts are that the contracts of the multinational agro-businesses are not transparent; there are no clauses on specificities that might benefit the population either in technology or land development.

Most of the contracts are barely three pages long and contain no precisions on investors’ obligations toward investing in infrastructures, durable management of the natural resources, or the training of the local peasants for developing small parcels of land and applying the technology.  The President of Earth Policy Institute, Lester Brown, “Essentially, the technologies used by these agro-investments are meant for massive commercial production and not adaptable to the concerned small local farmers.  There is basically no transfer of technology or training. Thus, what the foreign investors are acquiring in lands is not going to feed the local population as we might hope.

Let us consider the case of the oil rich Arab Gulf States: rice is their main staple and it has to be imported in totality. These States imported a third from India and then India had to curtail its exportation of rice due to climatic problems in order to feed its citizens.  These States imported 10% from Thailand (the first exporter of rice in the world) but then Thailand doubled the price of its rice to $1,000 the ton.  How the Arab Gulf States were to counter this difficulty?  Their Sovereign Funds could be invested in rice fields in Thailand and that what they started to do. You could have a win-win situation: there are vast lands in Thailand that are not cultivated; increasing rice production should not hurt Thailand since rice prices are increasing and Thailand needs to secure oil provision.

Instead of purchasing 10% of its need in rice from Thailand, then the Arab Gulf States might increase it to 40%. One happier story: Thailand needs to establish a rice warehouse in the Arab Gulf to distribute rice at affordable prices.  Things should look pretty promising.  Joint-ventures in agro-businesses where Sovereign Funds invest the money and the Thai peasants got to work in jobs they are proficient in should not raise so much fuss: should it? The problem is that internal politics in Thailand want a scapegoat: Arabs buying lands in Thailand; or rice production is a strictly national occupation and should be 100% reserved for citizens (as if the Arab is going to relocate to plant rice in Thailand!); or Thailand is not Africa and we are a developed nation.

Another case is Madagascar, a vast Island in East Africa.  The standard of living has fallen below the one in 1960.  Why Independence pride has to be highly correlated with miseries in the former colonial States?  Major deforestation is the norm in Madagascar: people need to cook their meals! The South Korean Daewoo wanted to lease 1.3 million hectares for 99 years. What it is with this taboo of 99 years lease of lands? Does every investor has in the back of his head to let his grand child witness his greatness and pray for his great spirit? The deal fell apart after the President of Madagascar, Marc Ravalomanana, fell out of power. Apparently, not much transparency and communication were accompanied to that deal. In the meanwhile cattle thieves “dahalo” are on rampage. Even the tiny Maurice Island acquired lands (10,000 ha) in Mozambique for the island food sufficiency. Ramakrishna Karuturi (the king of rose production in 4 millions hectares) is leasing the hectare for two dollars a year in Ethiopia! Now, there can be no doubt that the Ethiopian government had received a fat bribe for such a lousy deal.

The Congo with Capital Brazzaville is half the size of France with barely 4 million citizens concentrated in the capital and the other city Pointe-Noire on the coast. This African States was a French colony and is rich in minerals and uranium.  It cultivates potatoes.  South Afrikaners who lost 30% of their agricultural lands for redistribution programs to the black citizens want to acquire or lease lands in this Congo; the Agri SA (South Africa) has 1,700 agro-businesses interested in producing soja, sugar cane, and corn. Ten million hectares were literally offered to the Afrikaners (a land stretching 500 by 200 km, twice the size of Switzerland) and its location is not yet decided upon; maybe entire virgin forests might be burned for agriculture. The Agri SA is promising to build agro villages with ready made houses contracted to Israeli firms.  What if the deal demanded that thousands of Congolese be trained to develop and grow lands after two years of working in the Afrikaners’ lands?  This deal is a striking political and ecological scandal because the terms of the deal are fishy and not communicated to the citizens.

Kazakhstan is practically a continent in size and barely 1% of the land is privately owned.  This rich and newly independent State imports 40% of milk, 30% of meat, and 45% of fruits and vegetables. The population is mostly rural. The States lease lands for 49 years.  The State of Kazakhstan has set aside 35,000 square-kilometers to lease to foreign investors but only China is interested. The main States vying for foreign fertile lands are:

South Korea has acquired a total of 3 millions hectares (three times the superficies of the State of Lebanon); it is growing fields in Russia (500,000 ha), Sudan (700,000 ha), Madagascar (1.3 million ha), Mongolia (300,000 ha), Philippines (100,000 ha), and Indonesia (25, 000 ha).  The Korean agency for international cooperation (State owned) is creating private and public enterprises to invest into agro-businesses by loans or direct governmental investments. Leases of fertile lands are for 60 years and an extension of another 40 years. In return, Korea will extend technologies and development planning.  It appears that South Korea is projecting unification with North Korea and the flooding of North Korean refugees soon. South Korea is interested in the “krai of Primorie” in Russia with 2.5 millions of arable land.

China has invested for a total of 2 millions hectares.  It has 1.25 millions in South East Asia (Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, and Laos), in Mozambique (800,000 ha), in Australia (45,000), and in Cuba (5,000 ha). China acquired (80,000 ha) in Russia for just $22 millions.

Japan has acquired a total of one million hectares in Philippines (600,000 ha), USA (225,000 ha), and Brazil (100,000 ha).

India has acquired a total of 1.7 millions hectares in Argentina (600,000 ha), Ethiopia (370,000 ha), Malaysia (300,000 ha), Madagascar (250,000 ha), Indonesia (70,000 ha), and in Laos (50,000 ha).  The Indian government has extended loans to 80 agro-businesses to purchase 350,000 ha in Africa.

Saudi Arabia has invested in Indonesia (one million ha), Senegal (500,000 ha), and in Mali (200,000 ha).  The Arab Emirates has invested in Pakistan (325,000 ha), and in Sudan (400,000 ha). Egypt has invested in Uganda (850,000 ha).  Libya has invested in Ukraine (250,000 ha), and Liberia (5,000 ha).  Qatar invested in the Philippines (100,000 ha).

Global Resolutions

Africa is the remaining poorest continent with vast fertile lands and plenty of manpower to exploit for agro-business enterprises. Africa is targeted to be exclusively the world’s food basket in this century. The UN, the EU, economic superpower States, and private institutions and organizations need to step in to plan, organize, administer, inspect, and enforce appropriate deals for the best management and control of food and water resources.

Since the citizens of independent States that have experienced colonialism are weary of camouflaged colonialism in other forms then their governments are circumventing land laws by enacting laws of mixed private enterprises with lease or acquisition contracts that are not transparent to the public. The UN has to step in and write standard contracts leases that preserve peoples rights to training, sustainable resources, technology know-how, human dignity, right to work, right to share in the management and decisions at community levels, and that these contracts supersede what any other two parties agree on that lack the standard rights and responsibilities.  It is unconscionable that “privatization version” to colonizing Africa infiltrate from the windows. The fact is State funds are loaning money to their own agro-businesses to invading African fertile lands. This neo-colonial pact among State and agro-businesses has to be made clear and restrictions be implemented by world communities.  Territories are changing hands and are no longer under the control of the people and peasants.

The UN has to set up a special fund to purchasing organically modified seeds that have proven not to constitute health hazard; it has to limit the exclusive life duration for exploitation by multinationals that are escaping antitrust laws.

The UN is burdened by countless military conflicts that are interrelated with people seeking better life conditions for survival. An independent branch in the UN needs to be established that would link the causative factors that are generating constant conflicts among neighboring States.  Fair share for water resources is a right that supercede which country control the sources of the rivers.

We hope that the world community will pressure these investors to grow food slowly: resuming the old practices of mass production techniques will ruin the remaining land with fertilizers and pesticides.

The most memorable part of Saigon for me is the traffic… imagine trying to cross a road with 15 motorbikes in a row traveling one direction, and another 15 forming a row going the other direction.  If I wasn’t hiding behind locals, I waited for 20, 30 minutes and held my breath while crossing, too afraid to look.

Luang Prabang is a gorgeous UNESCO city with temples everywhere.  While I was eating breakfast one day, a Laos girl walked up to me and tried to sell me a bracelet.  I’m a pretty hard sell, but she sat down and I started asking questions about her life.  In the end, she got me to buy her a mango shake, and I ended up getting a bracelet… but I did get a little insight into her everyday life, which made it well worth it.

From Chiang Khong in Thailand, I took a 2-minute boat ride over the Mekong to the Laos border.  Then I took a minivan to Luang Nam Tha, which is a one-road town that has the best Laos coffee ever (coffee to condensed milk ratio was perfect).  Then I took a chicken bus (there was a live chicken in a bag on the top of the ‘82 Toyota van) for the bumpiest, most harrowing ride I’ve ever been on.  The driver stopped in random towns the whole way to cram more people in.  14 people + a baby + a chicken should never be stuffed into a van meant to hold 8.