Can you Pingle?

15-17.11.11

Took a bus from Chengdu to a smaller city and a minibus to Pingle, small ancient town. We heard it was a really touristy place but for our luck it was low season and absolutely no tourists to be seen anywhere! In fact we were wondering how the people make their living because as sure as hell the locals were’nt buying the ridiculous tourist crap on sale…

I love bamboo and I want YOU to love bamboo too! Grows fast, is durable, edible, easily made to fabrics, great for construction and beautiful!

The side alleys (not like on the picture) were really enticing and by the two days we spent in Pingle, I think we went through all of them. It is a really small place. Hate the fact that much of the place is re-done in the name of promoting tourism which in my opinion should have the opposite effect 😦

The atmosphere was ally calming and almost serene.

There was no capturing the beauty of the night with my equipment. Here’s my attempt.

Even here in a small town the construction workers are moonlighting (night working, not the other one, that’s only us fat-ass westerners)

Creepyish

This granny served us with some amazing spicy potatoes and some fresh pomelo, that has now become my new favorite fruit. Yum!

What an awesome way to make awful tasting candy!

Sacrifice

Took a walk outside the tourist cent to find very authentic rural lifestyle, of course relying on bringing the food for tourists, I’d imagine.

Not fat enough! Back in the pen! (organic, luomu ftw)

After two days of pretty much doing nothing, it suddenly dawned on me. I only had one more week left on my visa. Time to start thinking about leaving China 😥 The only sensible route to Hanoi, Vietnam for me was through Nanning, guanxi. Also got to read a bulk of my latest book purchase, the Steve Jobs autobiography, downloaded appropriately on my iDevices. (awesome book, you should read it!)

Before hitting the road, we still had time to meet up with Summer one last time for some dinner and drinks (for lunch we had KFC, naturally). Thanks Summer!

88 Chengdu!

Stop selling those tickets! Assholes.