Nghe An guy and his journey of 'paving stone on the top of the sky' Fansipan

(Baonghea.vn) – Admiring the beauty of the flagpole on the "roof of Indochina" and the sophisticated stone staircase system leading to the "sky peak" of Fansipan, few people know that it is the work of a Thai man from the Quy Hop mountain region.

These days, the flagpole and more than 700 stairs and railing system leading from the station to the Fansipan peak are almost complete. Behind this achievement is not only the talent but also the will to overcome difficulties of Nghe An workers to leave their mark on the great work of the country.

Recalling the first days of being accepted to take on the project in 2014, the young man Quan Vi Ba (born in 1986, Don Mong hamlet, Chau Quang, Quy Hop) still cannot forget the feeling of both pride and anxiety when there were many hardships waiting ahead.

The team of workers led by Quan Vi Ba is making railings and stone cladding for more than 700 steps leading to the top of Fansipan. Photo: TQ

At that time, he mobilized more than 30 skilled workers from Quy Hop to go with him to the North. Those were also the days when Sapa welcomed the first cold spell of the year, the temperature at the top of Fansipan always fluctuated between -10 degrees Celsius and -30 degrees Celsius. Frost and fog always covered the area day and night.

Originally from the hot and windy Lao region, he and his team of workers seemed unable to adapt to the conditions. Even though they wore 5 or 6 sweaters and coats at the same time, they were still shivering with cold. Hands are the most important part of a stonemason, but touching any part of them made them feel numb and cold. Therefore, after working for about 20 minutes, the workers had to run in to warm their hands to reduce the cold before they could continue their work.

It took nearly 2 years to pave more than 700 stone steps with nearly 5,000 monolithic stepping stones from Fansipan station to the top of the mountain. Human strength is limited, each monolithic stone pillar of the railing weighs nearly 300 kg, but everyone had to carry it themselves, make their own levers without any machinery support.

Things became easier with the introduction of public cable cars, but they didn't help much either, it was still mainly manual labor.

Working conditions at Fansipan peak are extremely harsh. Photo: TQ

Continuing his story, the young man from Quan Vi Ba did not forget the hardships that he and his team had to go through: “Although the working conditions were harsh, we never had a proper meal. The regular breakfast menu was instant noodles. On normal days, we only had boiled vegetables, fried eggs, and meat that we cooked ourselves because no housekeeper could stand that kind of weather and stay home to cook for everyone.

The cold often causes everyone to catch a fever, have a sore throat, and especially cough. Taking antibiotics more than eating rice, overcoming illness also depends on faith because where can we get delicious food and sweet soup to nourish ourselves.

At that time, bathing was also a luxury concept, because of the lack of water, and in that sub-zero cold, no one dared to think of taking off layers of clothes to bathe in that ice-cold water, even if they mustered up all their courage. They only went down the mountain once every one or two months to rest, regain strength and buy necessary supplies for themselves.

In the summer, the weather conditions did not improve much. The temperature remained low, and the occasional rain and strong winds made the paths slippery, and one could fall into the abyss, putting the group in danger many times.

Construction of the flagpole on Fansipan peak is underway. Photo: TQ

After the staircase and railing system was completed, everyone started making the flagpole.

The flagpole has a total height of 25m, made of monolithic green stone, with four sides carved with reliefs of the country's landmarks such as Ha Long, Northwest, Central Highlands...

Because the tower was built at an altitude of 3,141m, the men had to work in conditions lacking oxygen. Along with that, working away from home for dozens of months without internet, no phone signal, the most modern device to communicate with each other was a walkie-talkie. Missing home, missing wife and children made even the toughest men cry.

"There are also many people who have to give up, but I am the leader so I must always be steadfast to set an example for my brothers. More importantly, because of the efforts I have put in, and also for my own honor and that of my homeland, I continue to work. When the project is completed, my happiness explodes. It is the feeling of conquering, of living and contributing to building a great project for the country," said Mr. Ba.

Vi Ba Restaurant (left) in its stone processing area. Photo: TQ

Quan Vi Ba is a Thai ethnic, born into a family with a tradition of carpentry, so from a young age he inherited the skills of shaping, cutting and assembling... However, unlike other family members, he loves creating shapes on stone.

Over time, that passion grew stronger every day. So, after graduating from high school, he went to Vinh to study at the Small Industry Vocational School.

After completing the course, he left Nghe An to work for hire in stone factories from Ninh Binh to Thanh Hoa and then to Da Nang. During the 4 long years of wandering, he accumulated a lot of valuable experience from practice.

Then he opened a small workshop to do stone carving. Over time, his workshop gained a foothold in the domestic market, became well-known and he and his team of workers were chosen to build the "road to the top of heaven".

He shared: “Myself and my brothers in the team are not only attached to the profession for a living, but also to pursue our passion. Every time we make a finished product, we consider it our child, our flesh and blood because all our effort and passion are put into it. When we finish, we sell it to customers who appreciate and understand the meaning behind the products, then we can be completely happy, not all for profit.”

Thanh Quynh