WORKING Sorting reeds - to make brooms? - - Summer Palace, Beijing
Her job is to dust the mythical Qilin - at the Hall of Benevolence & Longevity in the Summer Palace, Beijing. - - It must be the easiest job in all of China.
He takes tickets to one of the halls at the Summer Palace, Beijing. - - Since he's dressed up every tourist wants a photo with him.
At Hua Jia Yi Yuan in Beijing, this contortionist pours tea (or fakes it) as part of the 8:30 show.
Finally some skilled labor: the chief noodle maker at the Noodle Loft, Beijing.
Charcoal vendor, just south of Tienamen Square
Outside our hotel in Xi'an. - - What does her sign say?
Well, *'ll tell you! - - She's selling a sandwich of vegetable in pita - or something like that. - - Xi'an.
Also in Xian, caramels with lots of walnut. - - Walnuts are in season, so they are fresh and very good. - - Xi'an allows street vendors, though the other cities don't.
Another (Mexican?) vendor in Xi'an, carrying his scales.
"Settle accounts" here, if she wakes up. - - Top of Solitary Beauty Peak, Guilin.
Long-haired Yao woman selling something to the cars approaching the Longji Rice Terraces, NE of Guilin.
Splitting bamboo to be stuffed with sticky rice for our lunch! - - Longji.
Sedan chair, Longji
The usual practice if you want to stay overnight way up in Longji is to send your backpack or suitcase up with one of the women, so that you have an easier climb.
Another woman who has just picked up her load.
Up in Longji, a guide is talking to the man with two baskets of broom straw. - - See the broom or duster in his left hand. - - They are next to a souvenir store in this tourist town.
As we cruised down the Li river, several of these two-man bamboo rafts poled to the boat to sell souvenirs.
Li river - a fisherman cleans his traps?
Li river - 3 fishermen, the closest one with a long-tail motor
On the Yu Long river, between Guilin and Yangshuo, another old trade now practiced for tourists. - - Two cormorants dive for fish but there's a ring around their necks so they can't swallow; the fisherman gets the fish. - - But he's too busy with an urgent call to do his show for us.
He has just picked the pomelo (they're like grapefruit, but bigger and coarser) and is carrying them to his bicycle sidecar cart. - - In the country near Yangshuo
We toured the countryside around Yangshuo: Gloria on the back of the motorcycle, me on the bike which you can see behind it. - - The motorcycle broke down somewhere in water-buffalo country with me fearing we'll be late for our plane, but the man with the blue-shirt and a toolbox fixed it for 75 cents and we made the plane.
Ritz-Carlton hotel, Sanya, Hainan island, in southern China. - - Taking a break from spraying the lush planting.
Shanghai
TOURING outside Yangshuo, wearing a garland of fresh flowers instead of a helmet.
One of zillions of tour groups in the Forbidden City. - - This one in their usual ethnic clothes.
In the center a proper tourist: sun hat, camera, cell phone, camera, water, jeans. - - Forbidden City.
Deluxe touring on a calm Li river
They are studying the maps that explain the tee shirts. - - Shanghai Biennial
In Longji, uphill from the long-haired Yao women vendors, this tourist with even longer hair
Shooting the dam on the Yu Long river, photo #1
photo #2. Legs raised as instructed
photo #3. There are a dozen dams on the river, but the rafts are long and take them without getting the tourists very wet.
As Gloria rides behind Chou Alan, they are chased by a flock of goslings. - - Their owner wants to be paid for the photo but isn't.
POSING & SHOOTING - - She's doing both at once. - - At the Olympic stadium, called the Birdcage.
There are many sites where the tourist can rent court attire and have a friend take a picture. - - This one is the Bell Tower in Xi'an, which also has one of the huge ancient bells that you can ring for a fee.
This tourist poses as the emperor on a real throne in the Summer Palace. - - Chinese people can now afford the time and the Yuan to go to the tourist sites, and they want to see themselves as courtiers.
Sometimes the costumes are funny. - - This one in the Temple of Heaven probably looks better from the front, where her jeans don't show.
Posing their child (only one allowed per family) in front of the Ming Prince Mansion in Guilin. - - Note the woman posing with a heart-shaped scepter in the top right.
A combination pose, fashion show, and informational sign at the Summer Palace.
These students from Nanning, who were climbing Moon Hill in Yangshuo, admired my Adidas Olympic Volunteer shirt and had me sit for several photos. - - The shirt might even be the official one!
POSING - - Shanghai Biennial
SHOOTING
Our raft driver on the Yu Long river. - - We've stopped so he can pay the fee for rafting the river. - - The rafting is run by the government, since there was too much crime when it was run in the capitalist (or was it gangster?) way.
Summer Palace
Even tour guides pose. - - Forbidden City.
And shoes pose too. - - Summer Palace.
Standing in front of the Olympic Torch to take a shot, perhaps of me.
Upright and formal. - - Olympic stadium.
Taking a photo on the winners podium. - - The fee includes use of the torch and wearing the jackets.
. . . and flower girls.
Young girl, an only child, dressed better than anyone else at the Ritz Carlton, Sanya .
Young boy, an only child, dressed warmly in Shanghai.
Touring the Forbidden City
Shooting his father, Beijing.
Dolled up on a summery day at the Summer Palace.
EATING, PRAYING, EXERCISING - - A bowl of noodles for lunch at the bones counter of a butcher shop. - - Moslem quarter of Xi'an.
Resting and eating persimmons at the Great Mosque in Xi'an. - - It's the biggest mosque in China, with building maintenance subsidized by the government. - - I caught her in mid-blink.
PRAYING - - incense and rain, Longhua Temple, Shanghai. - - Incense is not permitted inside - it's a fire hazard in wood temples. - - Most of them have burned down more than once.
EXERCISE in Renmin (peoples's) Square. - - Taken through the window of the Shanghai Museum of Contemporary Art.
