The not so crazy Crazy kim Bar of Nha Trang

While sampling the beach stores and multiple bars in Nha Trang, we came across a very special lady owner of a very special bar and restaurant.

The Crazy Kim bar is named after its owner, Kim Le. Kim first left Vietnam in the early 80’s looking for a better life. Her journey brought her all the way to Canada where she lived and studied at Concordia University in Montreal for twelve years. Having studied in education, she decided to come back to her roots for a temporary teaching position in Nha Trang.

It’s not long before Kim realise the booming city has a very dark secret of which Nha Trang’s street children are the most numerous victim : like many other popular asian beach destination, Nha Trang was dealing with it’s own child prostitution issues.

Appalled by the children abuse, she embarks on a sexual predator chase, helping authorities to catch a few offenders. Rumour has it that the name ‘Crazy Kim’ came around that time…

But investigation and procedures are long and the arrest minimal. So in 1992 she decided to open her café and use it as a base for her operations. Knowing that poverty and lack of education are roots to this problem, Mrs Le decided to use the backyard adjacent to her restaurant to give a basic education to the children of Nha Trang.

Six days a week and completely free of charge, Kim takes in children and young teenager and teaches them Vietnamese, English, and computer science for half a day. The kids are also given a free hot meal after each class. The operation is volunteer operated – tourists can donate time and thus participate to the kids education – and partly founded by the bar and merchandising profits. Her ‘Hands off kids’ t-shirt are indeed quiet popular!

From only a few in the beginning, Crazy Kim’s school now welcomes close to fifty kids each day. In addition of this basic education, the kids are also taken on a monthly half-day field trip in the region. As Kim Le says herself: ‘These kids families are so poor that they can’t afford a proper education, let alone some fun time outside this town. I have the means to help them takes to the profit coming in from the bar so it’s only natural that I offer them these chance of just having fun. They are, after all, a bit like my own children.’


How can anyone resist? H.
Crazy Kim Bar
19 Biet Thu st, Nha Trang, phone : 816 072

Talking pictures (2)

This is part two of a little interview I did with Nha Trang's photographer Long Thanh. Enjoye it and have a sunday evening! H.

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H : In Canada, we’re constantly bombarded with images of all sort and this rises our tolerance to harsher images. To the point where nothing seems sacred or ‘tabou’ anymore. Are there any subjects or things that you wouldn’t allow yourself to shoot?

L.T In theory you can shoot everything. In reality, things are a bit different… That being said though, I never think about that when I go out to shoot. Am just open to what I see.

H. Which bring me to your favourites subjects. You have a marked preference for the countryside and the rural way of life. Do you define yourself as a witness of Vietnam traditional ways?

L.T It’s all very intuitive for me. I just basically shoot when I see something that I like. I don’t think my pictures are proof of anything or should be label as ‘expressions’ of specific ideas. Some like to shoot rock star of models, I like to shoot a woman walking in a field. This is more beautiful, more natural to me. Genuine. Vietnam’s reality is still very rural. And besides you, it’s in the simplest things that you truly understand the essence of a culture.

H. But there is a lot of sadness in you pictures. They very often talk about aging, expectation…

L.T. I simply adore talking about life. And life is complicated. You sometimes have to go through very difficult moment. And all of this to return to dust in the end! (Laugh) I like to shoot elderly people because they have seen so much and just experienced so many things. And you can see this in there bodies, the way they old themselves, the look in there eyes. For me, an elderly woman is a much more accurate incarnation of life then a baby. I know some people are touched by my pictures but sadden? I don’t really know but… if you think about it they wouldn’t buy my pictures and they were making them sad!

Seeing the light in Nha Trang

While in Nha Trang, I had the opportunity to meet with Long Thanh, one of town most renown photographer. His work has won many prizes and is a perfect illustration of the genuin nature of photography.

In my next post you'll have the opportunity to read the interview I was lucky enough to do with Mr. Thanh. In the mean time, here's a little tease... Hope you like them! H.

Sea and Cham in Nha Trang

All right, back to Vietnam after another photographic intermission. I have to think about setting up a timetable for this blog update. Could be a neat thing to have.

Anyhow.

After the visit to the north counter we started to make our way south. Our first stop was in Nha Trang where I had to go to meet a photographer I wanted to interview for another project. An interview that will be posted most probably this week.

Nha Trang is the capital city of Khan Hoa Province. Located right in the middle of the country, the city is well know for its beautiful beach leading to the China sea. Of course we had a storm and the sea was too agitated for us to even try to make a dipp but I if you're there on a sunny day, the public beaches are great spot to loung around.

Nha Trang is an interesting mix between a pastel hotel/party bar beachfront city and your average middle class Vietnamese town. Party lover will enjoy the endless bars and restaurants and walk in the city. There are also a few nice temples in the area, one of the most popular being the Cham towers of Po Nagar.

In Vietnam, Cham architecture doesn’t have building of impressive scale like you are bound to find in Cambodia or Lao. Rather, Vietnamese Cham temples generally consist of a sanctuary towers surrounded with a few smaller building, like the one in Po Nagar. The lack of grandeur makes way for details and more intimate visit.

Another highly recommended stunt is to rent scooters and drive around the city. The fisher villages are a must if you like to get close to the people. You’ll have to get up early though to catch the man getting ready to set sail! The Bo Ho falls and the fairy spring will please nature lovers as they both offer nice short hikes. The 20 or so km ride up there is also pretty neat!

H.