With spring comes the resumption of English corner, the weekly gathering of foreigners and Chinese at a teahouse near our housing complex. The gathering is dominated by Chinese college students from a nearby language university, and for much of January and February, they were away on holiday. Now, the fun begins again! This Friday was the first real meeting we attended since the Christmas celebration in December.
Weather dependent, we meet in this courtyard, which is surrounded by a half-dozen teahouses.
During the weekdays, this place is filled with people sitting around the tables, playing cards and sipping piping glasses of Chengdu's famous teas. Immediately behind Rachel is an apartment building that brings back memories of Chicago:
This building is a dead ringer for a large Federal prison located on the south end of downtown - tall, thin, and tiny windows offering no hope of escape.On the opposite end of the teahouses is another small square, which is taken over at night by older Chinese women who dance to music blared over portable speakers. These trees just went through an early spring bloom of pretty pink flowers. We took a few pictures!
But, we were not the only ones interested in seeing the flowers. There were plenty of families out - mothers and fathers bringing their padded toddlers out to see the trees.
But one more unusual group of visitors to the trees was a pair of waitresses from a restaurant across the street. We walked up to the sight of one of them standing on a large stone, having her picture taken using a camera phone. She got down and traded places with her friend - who, after climbing onto the stone, proceeded to climb UP INTO the tree. 
I suppose for a city-dwelling Chinese person, that is as close to nature as you are going to get!-alan
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1 comment:
It makes me feel all warm inside to see your smile, Rachel! I miss you! Enjoy the pretty flowers.
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