Market food

March 28th

E-Shan Market

We went to wangba last night and watched a movie called Sid and Nancy that was about the Sex pistols. The sex pistols were these young boys in Britain who were pro-Anarchists. It reminded me of a book I read about the red hot chillipeppers lead singer anthony that i read. drugs, sex, random stuff. We camped in E-Shan(locals pronounced it WoShan) last night in a park next to a stream. Across the street was the town market so that was perfect, we didn't have to go far to buy our food. we've each been spending 10 kwai a day on food. Alex brought me a breakfast of bananas, strawberries and sweetened condensed milk on top. What a treat!! Then I went to the market and bought the vegetables for the next few days. Alex wanted me to go because the chinese think that I'm a local sometimes. I love going to the markets. They're so fresh and full of colourful, fresh food. I don't like walking through the meat
section because there are dog heads, cow heads, pig feet and all types of horrible things. Toads in baskets, swimming eels, snakes in baskets, chickens in small cages piled on top of each other... but this was the first time I bought raw meat in China and it's an experience in itself.

Shock of a city

We're in Yuxi now. It's way bigger than I imagined it would be. It reminds me of Vancouver, but more dirty. It's been so long since I've been in a big city. Maybe Jinghong had 1 million people living it, and we were there 24 days ago. We've been biking through countryside, hitting the occasional small village or small town on our way. Nothing like this. It's so different, there are so many nice cars, shopping stores with nice tempting clothes, nice shoes, so many people. I don't like being tempted to buy clothes, it makes me feel guilty and a bit sad. The city reality and mindset is so different than in the countryside. I could spend all of my money on pretty dresses and shoes...but I'd rather travel...necessities...it has a better feeling to it.


Alex's playground

We stopped at a bike shop and the owners were so nice. They had a daughter my age and I spent the time talking to her and exchanging music with the computer and my mp3. Alex is always so happy to find a bike shop, like a kid on a playground. The street that the shop was on was so busy, everyone going everywhere, noisy, small like an alleyway, and so many little shops...a real 'China town'. I bought used handle bars that go up vertically for 10 kwai(yuan) and , a gold plastic mud guard for 3 kwai and they gave me a free kickstand which Alex installed but it's really shit, oh and I bought a little red lock for my bike that is really just there for looking at than protecting it for 8 kwai.