A Roaring Time

I find it strange that most banks have lions out the front, they are impressive looking and would certainly put off potential robbers, if they were real.

Not all banks have one as impressive as these, some are "just" stone, all are big though.

This bank sits on a corner and it used to be a round about but the traffic has become so busy that it is now controlled by traffic lights. There are two hotels on opposite corners and a park on the other corner.
Half way from our apartment to the big shopping centre which is 4.6 kms away, it has become a regular thing to walk past.
I havent been in to a bank since we have been here as we no longer have a bank account. Apparently one needs to be a resident for 2 months or more to be able to open an account. Back when we did have accounts, it would take so long with all the paperwork to be filled out that it was take a number and wait and there were banks of chairs.
Alipay and wechatpay have taken over from cash here, not much cash is used anymore.

Always a first

Today on our trek around, we are walking between 4 and 8 kms a day and ut was awful weather again but we put on coats and grabbed umbrellas and set off. It was very light misty rain and although it settled on our jackets we didnt see or feel the need to put up the umbrellas.

Walking along though we saw something that we have never seen in China before.
Drum roll please, a caravan!

Large as life it was and parked outside an apartment block which we saw being built a few years ago. The block has the usual drive way into it,  complete with electric gates and guards. The caravan was not attached to a car but there were cars either side of it.

Maybe caravans are coming to China for recreational use. People and students when we tell them about our caravan are amazed as they do not know about them.

Fog!

Oh boy we woke up to fog today, not often it js foggy here but today was the day. Many people were using umbrellas but it was only fog, althligh we did hab ve our umbrellas in the back pack just in case.

Buses were very busy as we are having a long weekend due to New Year.

We caught a bus with lots of kids and luggage and got off early to do a walk.

these photos were taken from almost the same spot at about noon. It did clear a little later ready fir us to walk the 5 kms home.fog

Temples

We visited here a few days ago. Nice walking paths and well sign posted.
A little further along was a sign to the toilets so we went there as well. Just outside the toilets in  a pavilion were a group having a sing song.  Warren stayed outside and enjoyed the music while I used the facilities. An interesting thing that I found in China is the mens toilets are on one side and womens on the other, nothing different there but the wash area is bewteen the two outside. It makes a lot of sense but I have never seen that anywhere else but here. These toilets had toilet paper and a hand blower to dry your hands.

Warren told that he had been asked to sing a song for them, he had declined!

An electric car?

This was outside on the footpath, it is new. We looked all around it and even in it. There was no price, I even grabbed a paper that was rolled up in the front and no price on that either. How am I or anyone supposed to budget with no price showing.

Unlike at home, there was no one rushing out to sell it to us. It is like an electric bike but with a body built around it. I wanted to know how much it was so I headed into the store. There was absolutely noone in sight, so I couldnt ask. Warren told I was nuts but I was confident I could ask and tell them that I was just looking.

There was room for the driver and a small seat at the back plenty of room for me. Warren seemed to think that it would have to be registered but we dont know. I am determined to find out though.  It does have three wheels like Mr beans the ones that he hates and runs off the road.

Rubbish Street

This was a street across from where we lived. Just about anything could be bought there cheaply. Lots of food vendors for lunch and dinner, many carts used to come just at meal times. It was a busy place and many students used to go there. There was a great market for fruit and vegetables at the end. Butchers with their meat at one end, ebikes and bicycles riding through the throng of customers trying to get the best price for their purchases.

It was also a short cut through to the bottom of the main streets.

Sadly like many places in China, it has been demolished both ends have been sealed off. We visited the new f @v market further along the street and we think that many of the vendors have moved in there. Although we did not see our friendly butcher who more often that not would be chopping up fresh meat with a cigarette dangling from his mouth. Ahhh, those were the good old days.

Here is Rubbish street today, I dare say that new apartment blocks will soon raise from the depths. A subway/metro is being built within the city and it will be a quick trip to Hangzhou and even Shanghai so more housing being built is normal. I miss the quirky little street and wonder where the people who lived there have gone.

Merry Christmas

We went to our fav pizza place today for our Christmas lunch, it was less busy than last week thank goodness.
We ordered an Aussie steak, med rare and some nibbles beforehand. As it was cold we also got a milk tea with bits for Warren's and I got a hot cocoa. Cost was 198rmb just under $40. Steak was very nice.

We were told that Christmas was to be a non event here but I think some one forgot to tell the shops. There are Christmas trees and decorations galore, Christmas songs being played in shops and malls, not really the carols but songs like All I want for Christmas etc. Shop assistants wearing reindeer ears etc, even saw a bus yesterday painted in red and green stripes.sab