74-year-old woman and a lifetime of clams on Cua Lo beach
(Baonghean.vn) - 74 years old, living alone. For nearly 40 years, a 5km walk to the most beautiful beach in the Central region is not for enjoyment but to make a living with a bamboo rake, a bamboo basket and a small bottle of water. She is the one who draws the rails on the sand waves of Cua Lo.
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| Amidst the hustle and bustle of tourists rushing down to the beach to swim and splash around, there is still an old woman working hard on the sand to make a living. Photo: Hai Vuong |
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Occasionally, on the beach, when curious tourists pass by and ask questions, she stops and answers in a slow voice, saying that her house is in Nghi Tan, about 5 kilometers from Cua Lo beach; she lives alone, without relatives. Every day, she walks from 3 or 4 am from her house to here to rake clams. She also said that her name is Bong, she is 74 years old this year and has been making a living by raking clams on Cua Lo beach for nearly 40 years, since the days when the sea was still wild with the appearance of a poor fishing village nestled at the foot of the waves, not yet a bustling tourist city like now. Photo: Hai Vuong. |
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| The "tools" she brings with her every day: a rake made from bamboo, a bamboo basket, a bottle of water, and a pair of plastic sandals neatly tied to the handle of the rake. She works tirelessly on the beach from early morning until the sun rises high, her shadow casts a long shadow on the sand, and she is all alone. Photo: Hai Vuong |
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| She said she just kept raking like that, and when she felt a little heavy in her hand, she bent down to pick it up. That was when she touched clams, but sometimes it was pebbles. Just like that on the beach, she seemed oblivious to the hustle and bustle around her. When her basket was full of clams, she would return, or when she felt tired, she would return. Photo: Hai Vuong. |
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| For tourists, this old woman alone raking clams creates a unique impression; for example, when she is engrossed in her work, she draws interesting "rails" on the sand... For her, simply, these raking lines bring her an income of about 15,000 - 20,000 VND per day. Photo: Hai Vuong. |
