CHINA

guizhou

Another province. To the West. We stand now in tribal territory. We find loads of Chinese minorities. There are less tourists. The province is not open, at least not in practice. Problems with the police. I've been accompanied to the border by a fellow who did not speak a word of English. Confusing. He didn't leave alone a second. The secret police. He tried to be diplomatic. I've done the trip round the tribal areas. Guiyang, everybody eats in the street until late in the night. The costumes and habits differ. People are taller. You can eat everything that you are able to imagine. The Chinese are famous for that. A nuclear power plant appears in the morning mist.

rongjiang

One of my firsts pictures taken on the back of a motorcycle. A favourite. A foreground, a first plane and two other distinct scenes in the background. The women wear the habits of the minority to which they belong. Dong and Miao. The man who carries a burden is a constant in my pictures, also and perhaps for being present everywhere. I remember the emigrants from the XIX century, over exploitation and absence of any rights. This situation still exists nowadays.

huanping

Once again, the man with the burden. This time, acompanied. I'd like to drive those Chinese trucks.

kaili

The morning mist always offers interesting cenarios. The lines are curved. Guizhou is considered a poor region and may be for that reason not so welcoming to foreigners. I've been accompanied to the border, a bit further. I should have stopped in the villages instead of doing non-stop marathons. Stopped and rested, in order to make a better contact. Little English is spoken here, it turns out to be more dificult.

kaili

In Kaili, I was denied a few guesthouses, some places don't take westeners. Not because of racism, but by fear to show a certain level of poverty that could contrast with or even deny the socialist paradise. Nevertheless the relationship between people is something without pair in other kinds of Asian feudal societies and others.

guizhou

More etnic minorities, somewhere in the mountains. A not so really touristic area, nonetheless quite interesting for its different people and types.

liping

shibing