Long Day on the Bike

Well today I didn't have to teach and the weather was not nearly as hot as it's been lately so I decided to hit the gym and had a bite to eat. Afterwards I decided to see if couldn't get myself lost a little bit.
First I ended up down by this river walk. Kind of like the one in Indy but not in the middle of town.
Here's a statue...It looks like bronze but it was fiberglass.
I saw this man and his son fishing.

After that I headed into town were I saw this guy making these little fried things in the street. They're called "yo -bings". I stopped for a minute and watched him pull a ball of rice dough out of a bucket and flatten it out.
Then he put some red past on it and some greens.
His daughter came up to us with a smile on her face and I could just tell she spoke English.
I asked her questions about what he was making and he asked her questions about me.
They then insisted that I try one...So i did. Then I tried to pay for it and they wouldn't hear of it.


By then quite a crowd had gathered.
May Gwa (American) I kept hearing. Louw Shr(teacher). That's not how you spell those words...Just how they sound.


Down the road a bit I saw this man polishing something on a buffer...He was finishing some tea pots that he had made.


Nice!

He took me into his shop and showed me his collection...It was very impressive.
And they were very expensive.


These are my favorite little allies to ride down.



Then I came across a beautiful little park.






Two minutes into the park and I heard the usual "Hello".
I gave the usual "Hello" back. The I heard "Can we take your picture"?
I said "Only if I can take yours too".
The girl in front of me became my park interpreter later.


After I parked the bike and made my way across a bridge I found this great little pagoda with some nice little old Chinese ladies having a chat. By the look on their faces you would have thought they saw a ghost walk up as I approached them. They had obviously never seen a May Gwa before. I used my few words of Chinese on them then went strait to the old "Ti bu dong".
"I don't understand'. That didn't stop us. We jabbered on and made signs with our hands and before long we were taking pictures like old friends.

And a crowd began to gather...as usual.


Everybody wanted their pictures taken...I have a problem saying no.


Who could resist taking their picture with such lovely people?


The group from earlier showed up and the girl began to answer every body's questions.
The first old lady kept repeating something to me and was almost getting upset.
The girl said the woman wanted a copy of the pictures...She insisted that I get her a copy.
So I agreed to meet her back at the pagoda at 3 o'clock next Saturday with her copies.
I just can't say no to a pretty face.
I got them made on the way home.


These two little hams insisted I take their picture too.


After I left the park I found myself in the industrial area of town.


Life was a bit harder for these folks. You could see it in their faces and smell it in the air. They cook and run the machinery with coal and it was thick in the air...No EPA here!


Like most cities around the world you will find industry near the water.
Both large and small.


I love this shot!


In town I see these boats going up and down the river all day...This is were they drop their goods.


You can see the power plant in the background.


Next I wondered into a lumberyard. Don't ask me why...I just do these things.

I saw this old man...old as dirt and strong as an ox.


Door maker.


Then I saw this boy sitting with his mother...She kept saying something to him in Chinese...I knew what it was..."Say something in English". So I stopped and asked him his name...That usually breaks the ice. Before long there was about 20 people standing around and he was our translator. I think his mom was proud....Those English classes finally were put to good use.


By now the sun is beginning to set so I high tailed it back to the city. As I was going past Peoples Square I saw a bunch of people and heard some loud music.
I'm totally beat but can't resist.
It seems there was a fashion show and art festival going on. I snapped a few shots and by then the low battery signal was flashing on my camera.


Fashion Show.


Art


On my way home I needed a cold refreshment to cool me off...You know it...The ice cream shop.



Well it's been a long day...As you can see.
Just remember,
"Wherever you go becomes a part of who you are".

Jim