Sharing Chengdu: Life of the Chinese

I always want to carry my camera everywhere because so many interesting sights always appear. We went to the "Lotus Market", a huge wholesale district where you can buy all the Chinese junk you want, and clothes, shoes, electronics, school supplies, tennis racquets, games, etc. You name it--they've got it. And the shopkeepers from around town will come buy things cheap, carry them in unimaginable ways back to their shops, and resell them for a markup.

This guy is walking, but some are strapped down like this and ride a bike that way!

The crowds at the Lotus Market are unimaginable. And people have their carts parked in the streets with all kinds of "snacks" cooking for your purchase and consumption--if you dare!

We had fun wandering around and went back a couple of weeks later to buy some souvenirs. It's almost like Chinatown in San Francisco, but add about 2 million more people!

Cleaning her daughter's ear with a wooden "scoop"

Could YOU pedal a bike with that load on it?


Kirk pedaling Karen 20 years from now.

Everyone's an entrepreneur. We hear a man calling out to us each week in a loud voice outside. He wants to sharpen your knives. Kirk has hired him a couple of times. People park their "carts" on any side of any road to sell their goods until the police come and move them along.

I doubt you'd see a load like this in the US!

Cardboard recycling--and he's pedaling the bike!

This is how packages are delivered!! They spread them out on the sidewalk, call you on the phone, and you come pick it up!

This man will let you weigh yourself on his scale--for a price.

The white cloth 'covers' the raw meat. The black dots are flies.

In our neighborhood, there is an alley where you can buy your dinner. Uh, we don't usually shop here, although we have bought some vegetables. We go home, soak them in water with bleach, then peel them and cook them. It's always a risk!!

Fresh meat.

See the ducks below the table and the chickens in cages in back? At least it's fresh!

This alleyway looks like a dump heap where an old building was torn down.

My favorite thing to take pictures of are the children. We learned a short phrase to say in Chinese which means "adoreable", and we shake their little hands. Their grandmas always tell them to say "hello" and the children stare at us. (Older kids will always say hello.) I can make the babies smile. But when we leave and say "Bye Bye" (which the Chinese have adopted), they will wave their little hands. Pretty cute.