7 September 2012
Almost missed the best bit
My hotel is near Wulin square which as I have repeatedly mentioned, is now a meteor sized crater.
At the other end of a trench you can surely see from space is Wushan square. This evening I went there.
Turns out its awesome, the internet undersells it. It is the 'old' street for tourists, but its not like other such streets.
Theres very little touristy crap, lots of interesting real stores including a sword maker, lots of big restaurants as well as the snack street.
All this is amongst real old buildings and at least 3 temples, I think its the nicest part of China I have seen yet, in any city.
Looks can be deceiving, the map shows just the temple. I didnt see much else around but its all hidden beind residential apartments.
My first glimpse of the old area, dorky guy with cool hair posing with buddah. I especially like how he didnt take his front mounted back pack off for the photo.
Theres a heap of streets like this around, as you go up the hill a bit the streets get narrower and the stores less commercial. There were places actually making pottery and like I said earlier, what looked at least like someone heating metal to make swords.
There was a super impressive sword shop but I especially obeyed the no photo sign in there. The guy behind the counter looked like he was a master swordsman.
The silk lantern burn your house down special.
One of the many temples dotted around the area. There were people everywhere, including quite a few western tourists, many of whom seemed to be German. You can tell by their high pants and silly moustaches.
The snack street goes at least for a mile. I had my dinner along here in bits and pieces. I havent died yet despite people folding parts of pig into dough and then steaming it in the streets. As well as xiao long bao I had a scallion pie which was great, but very fattening!
There are a lot of statues and carvings like this around. No one seems to pay much attention to them despite their impressive size.
Another view of the general area now that its dark.
Go towards the city a couple of streets and theres lots of restaurants. However I had already had enough snacks. I wouldnt have been able to get in anyway, they are all giant round table places, and I am Nigel no friends.
I forget what they call these, they are as tall as I am. Just off in an alley way somewhere. I have seen them depicted in cartoon form.
The actual cultural square part of Wushan square has an art gallery and a big open area. There was a threatening thunderstorm that never eventuated and just a few drops of rain.
This had the usual effect of people screaming in terror at the risk of getting but a single drop of water on their heads. Those without umbrellas were upturning the buckets they were eating snacks out of and wearing them as hats!
The grandmas line dancing came prepared though. They line dance through rain, hail or tsunami, just add an umbrella to the routine.
Check out the awesome carving on this ivory! Its huge, I think it came off a mammoth.
I didnt eat too many snacks, so I thought I would have dessert. All kinds of beans soaked in no idea what floating in something. It was very nice, not too sweet. The lady that ran this independent shop (not one of the 20 or so chains) sat and chatted to me paitently in Chinese, in exchange I then had to do the same in English.
She dreams of visiting Orr-Day-Lee-Ya and wishes for her children to move there.
Tomorrow I go back to Shanghai. Hangzhou was excellent. I bookended my trip with Shanghai as thats where the plane comes and goes from. Had I of known Nanjing and Hangzhou would both be so much fun I would have had an extra night in each and a couple less nights in Shanghai.