streets

there is a huge difference between chinese streets and american streets. in america, streets are something for cars, trucks, anything with a CO2 exhaust. in china this is not the case. there are cars and trucks, of course, but pedestrians, bicycles, scooters, pedicabs, farm animals have a right of way as well.

here, every street is its own marketplace. the store owners sit outside, perhaps cooking their lunch on a wok over a gas stove. in the afternoons you will find people playing mahjong outside or perhaps cards or chinese chess. at night, kids run throughout the street, playing kick the can or hide and seek. the streets are alive.

now while all this is happening, the chinese are spitting, dropping trash, shooting snot rockets. dogs are meeting each other in the bibilical sense, while i eat dinner watching it all.

there is a sterility that comes with development, and while that is can be a bit more hygenic, it's certainly not as fun.