Travel ~
the great way to discover how much alike,
yet different, we all are.
The world is a book and those who do not travel
read only one page.
St. Augustine
read only one page.
St. Augustine
Mothers all over the world, including in
China,
prepare meals for their families using
ingredients found in their home-grown vegetable gardens.
With pots of bamboo in the background of this open air
preparation table,
Squash Blossom Soup
was on the menu for supper that evening.
While Mom prepared dinner,
her little girl was kept nearby and safe in a rustic, home-made playpen/stroller.
Look at those adorable ruffles on her pants and sleeves!
China has always been an exotic, far away place to me.
A place on my great unwritten list of dream places to see.
As is the case most often to places I travel,
I did not even realize all the beauty
to be seen.
The Guilin, China area known for its unusual mountain formations
rising above the Li River
inspired the other-worldly hanging mountains landscape of Avatar.
Bamboo rafts powered by pushing long poles into the riverbed
transport both western tourists and
Chinese people on vacation down the Li River.
We were sights to see for the Chinese who asked
us everywhere to practice English with them and asked to have
their pictures taken with us.
Growing up during the Cold War,
China was a foreboding, scary country
to the western world.
Yet, the Chinese people go about their daily lives
doing all the things we do,
just differently.
Transporting goods within the Imperial Palace grounds
is like moving materials between buildings where we work...
Just in a more beautiful setting with an older mode of transportation.
Finding a parking place for her vehicle as she arrives at her workplace...
Working with a water buffalo is somewhat like working with
a reluctant co-worker who sometimes needs to be cajoled into doing his part.
Baskets are used world-wide. For what these two are used is not clear to me,
but it is not always clear for what purpose baskets serve in my house.
They just look good in the room.
These two look absolutely fantastic on the river bank.
Everything needs sweeping now and then.
This is a serious broom that needs a police cone to warn others it's in use.
Yes, I have seen cones in our country warning others of road equipment in use and
warning of workers on the road.
Hard at work, cleaning the highway.
Highway crews clean our streets with shovels when they finish a job.
Hmmm...does anyone clean our streets after that?
Farmers grow grain crops here at home.
The Chinese grow rice in small family plots about three acres in size per family.
A selection of work hats found at the local street market...
Beautiful flowers for decorating Chinese homes...
Do you suppose the Chinese have a Trader Joe's?
Or perhaps it would be called Trader Lee's?
Beautiful flowers that inspire...
Baskets of seed pods for sale at the local street market...
Maybe this is Trader Lee's place...
A beautiful sink in a hotel room was inspired by lotus plants.
This was the water source for the mom making Squash Blossom Soup.
Fighting traffic at the end of a long workday...
~~~~~~~~~~
We are all alike.
Living, loving, working, worshipping.
If the world is a book, perhaps there is only one page of content,
with all the other pages translations of that page.
Judith Stringham
❦
~~~~~~~~~~
My blogiversary Give-Away is
going on through Sept. 2, 2013.
If you would like to win a ceramic message board,
see how to enter at the link below.
 |
| Blogiversary Give-Away |
Some lucky reader is going to win
the fleur-de-lis decorated board
just in time to write fall messages.
~~~~~~~~~~
the fleur-de-lis decorated board
just in time to write fall messages.
~~~~~~~~~~
Please join me at these inspiring sites...
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thanks for the lovely little virtual vacation this morning.
ReplyDeleteWe all have an innate desire to work, cook and take care of our families and worship. I really enjoyed all of your beautiful photos. You are so fortunate to see this in person.
ReplyDeleteAnn
Judith, thanks for sharing more of your beautiful images from your trip to China. It is amazing to see how other cultures live so simply at times. Love your quote! ~ Sarah
ReplyDeleteOh, Judith! I had no idea of the beauty to be found in China! Other than photos of the Great Wall, we most often see photos of the inner city, overcrowded areas where poverty and starvation seem to live just as they do in our own cities. How nice to see a different view of the country. I love your quote, too! Thank you for sharing a glimpse of the beauty of China!
ReplyDeleteOh my, what a fabulous trip. I love all of your pics and thanks so much for giving us a virtual tour. Thanks also for linking to Inspire Me. Hugs, marty
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tour of your vacation, lovely place, great photos.
ReplyDeleteMichele
These pictures are amazing and beautiful, and you are so right, we are all carry the same needs, wants and desires. Such a beautiful place. I found your post through, "Our Home Away From Home," where, (lucky me) was also featured this week. I think I need to look at your wonderful pictures some more. Thanks so much for sharing.
ReplyDeletePatty at Home and Lifestyle Design
I love your book "saying!"
ReplyDelete