Nothing can prepare for a true 'Wet Market' as they are called. Peta would feint En masse. I was on a business trip to several cities in China. While in Guangzhou, on that same Yangtze River, our contingent stayed at an extremely nice hotel named the White Swan. One night after several drinks, okay a few more than several, an associate of mine joined me for a walk to explore a little. Not four blocks away from this five-star hotel, was what started out as a narrow side street, then turned into a very long alley and of course, we headed down it. It was fairly dark but bustling, almost noisy. Earlier on the trip, our translator had already given us the do's and don'ts, one of them being if you are being stared or glared at and make eye contact, make it short and we certainly did in that particular place and time. Down the middle ran what I'm pretty sure was raw sewage along with blood and guts. I can only guess that you didn't see the type of market that I saw - or you're providing a community service by not going into detail. Dogs, cats, rodents, snakes you name it, basically anything that walked or slithered - was hanging on display or live, in cages. I'm not squeamish by a long shot but it was something that I'll never, ever, forget and while understanding that alleys can be interesting and show the other side of things/people/life, sometimes there is an alley you should not have gone down. I'm not judging another culture that I know very little about or questioning customs here - or anything really, just telling a short alley story that your post reminded me of. Enjoyed the read Martin. - Jim
100% true, no fiction, no stretched or exaggerated truth. It was a scene that I can still see clearly, over 20 years later. Sorry to have rambled on at such length.
Your initial description of sidewalks and alleyways reminds me of some of the older neighborhoods in Colorado Springs. I like the comparison of sidewalks and social media. I would go so far as to compare social media to picture windows that display a carefully cultivated image as opposed to reality.
I like the picture window analogy, too. Seeing the "home" as an extension of the physical place we live, toward all the intangible stuff we build, helps me understand what I'm doing here in life.
Nothing can prepare for a true 'Wet Market' as they are called. Peta would feint En masse. I was on a business trip to several cities in China. While in Guangzhou, on that same Yangtze River, our contingent stayed at an extremely nice hotel named the White Swan. One night after several drinks, okay a few more than several, an associate of mine joined me for a walk to explore a little. Not four blocks away from this five-star hotel, was what started out as a narrow side street, then turned into a very long alley and of course, we headed down it. It was fairly dark but bustling, almost noisy. Earlier on the trip, our translator had already given us the do's and don'ts, one of them being if you are being stared or glared at and make eye contact, make it short and we certainly did in that particular place and time. Down the middle ran what I'm pretty sure was raw sewage along with blood and guts. I can only guess that you didn't see the type of market that I saw - or you're providing a community service by not going into detail. Dogs, cats, rodents, snakes you name it, basically anything that walked or slithered - was hanging on display or live, in cages. I'm not squeamish by a long shot but it was something that I'll never, ever, forget and while understanding that alleys can be interesting and show the other side of things/people/life, sometimes there is an alley you should not have gone down. I'm not judging another culture that I know very little about or questioning customs here - or anything really, just telling a short alley story that your post reminded me of. Enjoyed the read Martin. - Jim
Incredible story, Jim. It's always enlightening when you end up in some place you shouldn't be (so long as you get out in one piece).
100% true, no fiction, no stretched or exaggerated truth. It was a scene that I can still see clearly, over 20 years later. Sorry to have rambled on at such length.
No, I loved it. You set it up and knocked it down in a couple hundred words, you got the gift, I’d say.
Your initial description of sidewalks and alleyways reminds me of some of the older neighborhoods in Colorado Springs. I like the comparison of sidewalks and social media. I would go so far as to compare social media to picture windows that display a carefully cultivated image as opposed to reality.
I like the picture window analogy, too. Seeing the "home" as an extension of the physical place we live, toward all the intangible stuff we build, helps me understand what I'm doing here in life.
I enjoyed the piece! Keeps it going!
Thanks, Drake! I definitely will