Our group entered the apartment to meet our delightful hostess. I was very happy that she has opened her home to foreigners so that we could get just a small glimpse of life in China. This presented a picture outside of the tours to the famous places and added a human touch to the experience.
We walked in to the house and sat on the twin sized beds in one of the rooms. This was the best seating area for a group our size. She had prepared some cool tea and snacks for the group. The wooden furniture piece in the background was an clothing closet and the draping on the right side of the photo covered a television.
She brought the tea in from the kitchen and filled our cups. Then she sat down with us to answer questions and tell about her life.
This video is in another post. Click here to see part of her conversation. After our conversation, we were invited to walk through the apartment and look around.
These large windows look out in to the street. She has bars on the window because they are on the ground floor and this is protection. This is the kitchen sink.
This is the unit used for cooking, the stove area. I now see why woks are the best way to prepare a meal.
This is the kitchen counter and cabinets.
The apartment also has a Western style toilet and we were welcome to use it. One of the women in the group decided to be adventuresome, or it was a necessity. She went in and locked the door. When she tried to exit, she discovered that she could not get the door to release. Our hostess went to her aid, and with everyone in the group offering suggestions, we were stuck for a solution for a few minutes. It then hit us that the best thing to do to release the tension was just to laugh and we all saw the humor in the situation. See the videos of all of the action:
Click here to see Locked Lock Video Part 1
Click here to see Locked Lock Video Part 2
This is the bedroom of the husband and wife.
This is the washer and dryer.
This is the room where we sat for our conversation. The grandmother and daughter share this room.
We finally figured out how to unlock the door and release the woman. (Yes, I was busy taking photographs while she was in peril. But the group did not need one more person with good advice.) We then gathered and left the apartment, showering our hostess with gifts. She received kitchen towels, key chains, and other articles of appreciation.
Outside the apartment, and further down the street, I saw the trash staged for collection. Looks very neat and orderly.
This is the back view of one of the vendor carts.
The street vendors were ready for Saturday shoppers.
This photo is reassurance that the woman locked in the bathroom was freed and returned to the bus.
This was a delightful adventure. I am glad to have selected this tour option.
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