Pingyao Wandering

So we wandered on to South Street aiming to look at tourist tat and debate lunch. All of a sudden we were mobbed a party of 30-something (rather than easily amused teen) Chinese people grabbed us and used us as their photo prop. Swapping people in and out as they clicked away. No idea what it was about, it made them laugh a lot though! Weird but funny.

After that we needed lunch, the rejected but recommended restaurant from last night. Very good, shrimp and cashew nuts for dad, I had chicken in a sharp sauce with peanuts. We got a bonus dessert... Something fried... A sweet bean filled dumpling and one that might have been sweet potato....
We had to share our table - with the cat. After some fuss he curled up on my jacket whilst we ate. As soon as our chopsticks went down though it was a game to keep him from being all over the remains of our dinner.
Next we aimed to wander to the Temple of the Household Gods via tat. I had lots of fun haggling over a brass bust of Chairman Mao. The place is fascinating; the very centre is tourist oriented but outside that you get a sense of a normal life being lived. When doors are open you can peer into courtyards and glimpse real life; cabbages, electric scooters, and drying washing.
The sun disappeared by early afternoon today it has been very still and so the air quality has dropped considerably. Visibility is significantly reduced and back here in the hotel now I can taste dust and smoke. Pingyao may be pretty but the surrounding area is full of industry and it is notoriously dry so the air quality is poor. All the cars have a film of dust on them and the Temple Gods are filthy.
Post Mao we went to the Temple of Household Gods. This includes the land God, three gods of wealth, a kitchen God and a door God amongst others. All the gods looked like they hadn't been cleaned ever but it was a working temple incense in the burners, candles were lit and offerings of fruit were stacked in front of the gods. One of the gods seemed a little neglected - the God of project managers.... (See the photo), I need to hunt now for the God of Application Engineers....
A brief sit in the grounds watching leaves being diligently swept off the grass (in China grass is not for walking on or picnicking on apparently - it is there to be looked at!) and then we were back on the wander... I want a tasteful fridge magnet. I found one but the vendor and I could not agree a price.... But I was confident that I would soon find more. Unfortunately though the evidence suggests he has a monopoly on the fridge magnet market... I may have to go back and renegotiate.Read more