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This is the second part of the Street Sences of Nayang Series. This is the first part:
At the corner of Qiyi Road (July 1 Road), and Gongye Road (Industry Road), I saw a giant blue high-voltage electronic tower. This is pretty rare in China cities, since the high-voltage lines go just in the middle of road, along the road. The other thing I noticed is the traffic light. Nanyang completely abandoned pure traffic lights, and replace them with left, forward and right signs. However, the traffic is still a mess, even in Shanghai standard. I will talk about it later.
The low head jam is a common practice in many cities in China. In Luoyang, for example, people built the jam to keep the water there, and for a bigger "lake" on the river. The jam's only propose is to hold the water a little bit, without stopping it. The jam on the White River (Bai He) looks successful from the scenery perspective, but I am not sure about the impact for environment.
This is a typical "unit apartment". These types of apartment building is pretty popular since 1980s in China. People who were able to live in these apartments are regarded as "rich people" already. One of Wendy's uncle has one such apartment. The 70 sq. meters apartment cost him 3000 RMB (400 USD) to buy back in 1980s. (The price is not per sq. meter, it is for the whole apartment)
This kind of electricity-powered motor is very popular. You can see them everywhere. This afternoon, Wendy and I was very happy to ride one (borrowed from family members), and traveled on two bridges in Nanyang. I rode it, and Wendy sat at the back - it was an adventure. We finally got back safely after 1 hour, and used up all the electricity in the battery.
Glass shop: most shops are randomly opened on the pedestrian, and those shops with fixed room are more luxurious.
This is the traffic on the road. I told Wendy, Nanyang reminded me of a city outside China - the capital of Cambodia. I am not kidding. Traffic in Luoyang is the same, and for most cities I have been to in China are like this. Shanghai has one of the best traffic rules in China, although it is still often described as "Scary" by my foreign friends.
Pineapple vendor on the street. A tri-cycle, a knife, and some relationship with the local Administration of Industry and Commerce will do the job.
Another noodle shop - many people eat there. We had wonderful dinner in another shop, similar to this. I am still completely full after 4 hours. The noodle is really tasty! "Is it clean?" Good question... That is all I can tell you.
What you call it in other places? BBQ?
On the street, food are everywhere, and you can always pick something you like, provided you are OK with the hygiene standard.
Crazy Taxi on the street.
As other cities, fashion business always get up-to-date to what is most trendy in coastal cities. They label them as Guangzhou, Shanghai, or Hong Kong fashion stores.
Why I Spent Time to Post These Photos?
Because of the picture I saw here. Pictures are so powerful (if well taken). They can help people to understand a country, and to reserve the smell, the feeling for the future.
As I stated at the beginning of Nayang Series:
I don't think I know China. Although I lived in this country for 30 years, and lived in Luoyang for 17 years, in Tongchuan of Shaanxi Province for one year (when I was very young), and in Shanghai for 13 years, and traveled to all major cities frequently, and even stayed in city like Beijing for 2 months, there are still so many places I haven't been too. The even bigger challenge for me to understand my own country is, to visit a place physically does not mean to understand the life there. I know Luoyang much better than any other city since I lived there, and of cause, Shanghai. Nanyang is the third city in China that I have a chance to get closer to learn because of Wendy.
...
Hopefully, the 6 days will contribute to this blog, so people will see another part of China, and add more Nanyang flavor to people's perception of China, other than the strong flavor of Shanghai, on this blog.
I just want to record the "fact" which is the basis of understanding.
Posted by Jian Shuo Wang at April 20, 2008 10:33 PM
Copyright: You are free to redistribute this work, as long as you keep this disclaimer
and this link: http://home.wangjianshuo.com/archives/20080420_street_scenes_of_nayang_part_ii.htm
Shanghai has one of the best traffic rules in China
I disagree
Are these scenes really all that unusual in Shanghai now? Any of these pictures could easy be a back street here in Nanjing, except maybe the power wires everywhere, Nanjing seems to also burry most of them.
Posted by: ZL on April 21, 2008 6:55 PM@ZL, any scene can be found similiar in almost any other city or country, especially "not so developed" scene. The difference, whether the scene is the main stream in one city or it is the "backstreet" scene in another city.
There are also scenes like what I posted in Shanghai, but pretty rare, but in Nanyang, it is the main stream. Meixi Road is one of the best roads in the city in old times, and still keep the prosperity of shops and eateries. To be honest, i enjoy the scene a lot.
Posted by: Jian Shuo Wang (external link) on April 21, 2008 9:45 PMJS, it is the "inflatable rubber dam" not robbery jam.
Posted by: stephen on April 21, 2008 11:47 PMstephen: I hardly think these dams are inflatable or rubber. They are called low head dams.
http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=low+head+dam&btnG=Search+Images&gbv=2
Posted by: Давид on April 22, 2008 10:00 AMDamn, your pictures make me home-sick! I miss Henan so much...Thanks for uploading!
Posted by: 小虎 on April 23, 2008 12:58 PMThanks. I am changing the wrong term I used to call the jam.
Posted by: Jian Shuo Wang (external link) on April 23, 2008 10:34 PM