An unusual skill
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (381960)
Rockingham, Australia
February 21, 2020 5:47pm CST
While in Kathmandu, Nepal, we stayed in a hotel in the Thamel area. It was reached by walking down a narrow lane. There were shops either side of the lane. Each one was locked up at night by pulling down a roller-door and padlocking it. The shop frontages were very narrow.
So many of the shops seemed to have no customers – just young men or women sitting all day; some trying to entice customers, others just playing on their phones. There were dozens of clothing and hiking shops. Also dozens selling pashminas or cashmere scarves. You have to wonder how much they actually make in a day.
The young man was engraving, if that’s the right word, on slate, just a few doors down from our hotel. He sat there cross-legged all day, chipping away with a hammer and chisel. His work was beautiful but I rarely saw anyone in the shop. It was the only shop of this type that I saw.
11 people like this
13 responses
@Alexandoy (65302)
• Cainta, Philippines
21 Feb 20
Artists have the passion to do their art even if there is no sale or no admirer. There are art galleries in one big mall here that are always empty and the attendant or curator is just sitting there with his phone. I wonder if they sell because the galleries are big and the rental is not cheap.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (381960)
• Rockingham, Australia
22 Feb 20
You would have to wonder about the viability of such places. There were dozens of places offering hiking tours, mountain climbing, paragliding etc. I guess when there are a lot of tourists they all might make a living but you do have to wonder about it.
1 person likes this
@Alexandoy (65302)
• Cainta, Philippines
22 Feb 20
@JudyEv as you said before in another discussion, Nepal is relying on the Chinese tourists for their tourism industry. It would be a bleak year for that.
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@JudyEv (381960)
• Rockingham, Australia
23 Feb 20
@Alexandoy It will indeed. Their big slogan was 'Visit Nepal 2020' but the virus has really taken its toll on tourist numbers.
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@oahuwriter (26773)
• United States
22 Feb 20
Looks very difficult to do an art work like this. Reminds me of fresco art.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (381960)
• Rockingham, Australia
23 Feb 20
@oahuwriter Not really but I used to crochet a lot - and still do some. I am a bit cynical about all the new crafts they come up with. Mostly I see them as a way for businesses to get people to part with their money.
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@oahuwriter (26773)
• United States
22 Feb 20
@JudyEv
Interesting. Craftsman are worldwide and specialize in country's crafts too. Before at Ala Moan Shirokiya, before now when they are a little restaurant place, they had special Prefecture of Japan's craftspeople come to Hawaii to exhibit their crafts, like the picture you took, and we could watch them and buy if we like. It's interesting what people do with their hands. These days, I got so little time to hand knit, and retired almost my knitting needles. How about you...crafter too?
1 person likes this
@much2say (57760)
• Los Angeles, California
22 Feb 20
Those are so beautiful and quite intricate! I wonder where the bigger ones actually go on (walls - gardens?). Yah, I can't imagine how one could make a living with no one buying. I wonder if they are hoping to catch the tourists.
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (135664)
• Marion, Ohio
22 Feb 20
@JudyEv He could make some good money if he could sell them online I think.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (381960)
• Rockingham, Australia
22 Feb 20
@wolfgirl569 He had some lovely designs in the shop.
1 person likes this
Perhaps they can sell it as the souvenir.
@allen0187 (59704)
• Philippines
22 Feb 20
That looks like a lot of hard and back-breaking work.
I wonder how much he sells those for?
1 person likes this
@allen0187 (59704)
• Philippines
25 Feb 20
@JudyEv never really thought of that.
1 person likes this
@nonersays (3344)
• United States
22 Feb 20
That is a rare talent indeed. It is sad to think of so many people not making sales in their shops. How badly might they need them?
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (381960)
• Rockingham, Australia
22 Feb 20
There are dozens and dozens of shops selling all the same sorts of things.
@averygirl72 (38849)
• Philippines
28 Feb 20
I'm impressed with the talent of this young man engraving
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (381960)
• Rockingham, Australia
28 Feb 20
He is very clever to be able to do such lovely work.
