I also visited another reconstructed ancient town named Kuangzai Xiangzi and I liked this much more than Jinli Jie. The streets here were filled with shops, food and drink just like Jinli but this place had a far better feel to it. This woman was selling popular “shou kou” or small snacks. Some are steamed,...
In an age where trees are felled regularly and nature receives the worst treatment at our hands, this was a heartwarming sight once I learnt the reason. I asked my Chinese friend why these trees were wrapped with cloth. She said it was to protect them from the harsh cold of the winter and they...
The most interesting sight in Chunxi Lu was the various Wedding Photography shops that were lined up. The Chinese have a process where the bride and the groom shoot pictures in different clothes before the wedding. These pictures are then compiled as a wedding album. This is one of the most important steps before a...
Last weekend I went to Chunxi Lu, which is supposed to be THE place to visit for shopping. A Chengdu tourist brochure that I have says that “if New York has Times Square, Chengdu has Chunxi Lu.” I wandered through the glitzy malls that sold high-priced brands and some of the other shops that had...
Another favorite pastime here. Drinking tea. And I don’t mean the milky, sugary tea that we Indians are used to. This is green, flowery tea. Yi bei cha (one glass of tea) costs 10 RMB (Rs 50 $1.5). Half the price of a coffee I pay in a Barista or Coffee Day back home. Continuously...
It’s not just Tai Chi that moves the Chinese. Slow dancing to loud but catchy Chinese songs are a rage here. Every morning, from 9.00 am to 10.30, when I am in class, I am treated to some lovely music coming from across the road as women dance to the tunes in a huge square....
If you don’t enjoy calligraphy much, just sing! These were a band of men singing in the park, complete with an orchestra behind them and loudspeakers. The parks here are fun, especially on weekends, as I discovered. Everybody comes to play, sing, dance, chat or just sit and watch all the activity. In India, the...
Apparently, this is one of the ways to pass time. Writing calligraphy in the park, using water. I saw this a few times when I was walking around in a couple of parks. This old man was the first one I saw. He was dipping this sponge tipped stick in a bucket of water kept...
One of the funny things I saw in Jin Li Street. There were “ear cleaners” standing with local earbuds, cotton swirled around two steel tongs, calling out to people to clean their ears. I was mighty skeptical of their skills, but these two brave men ventured to get their ears cleaned.
