Shopping Mall

I was invited to join our neighbor as she went shopping 'downtown.' She was on a mission to find fabric, and I happily joined her for an outing. Maybe because it was a holiday week, or perhaps just because this is a large city, there were a lot of people milling around the shopping district where we headed. After a nourishing bowl of noodles, we were ready. Shopping malls conjure up a specific structure, layout, and look in my mind, and all of these ideas were quickly shattered. Although multi-level each floor has a specialty  (such as home decor, stationery, or toys) and rather than one big store, there are smaller stores, each selling similar items. It appears more akin to a flee market than a mall. We had fun scurrying around the fabric floor. After the mission was complete, my friend graciously took me up and down the mall so that I could get the 'full' experience.
I continue to be amazed by the extreme contrasts - lots of imported expensive cars, large apartment building, continual construction and expansion, and corrugated tin huts with blue tarps as well as street cleaners gathering up recyclables from the trash cans.  It is far from a homogeneous city or country.

Not a fruit, but a sweet candy

Local eateries on the sidewalk - pull up a plastic stool and enjoy!

Nothing seems too heavy to be carried

Ultra modern apartment buildings under construction, everywhere

one of the few guns I have seen since we arrived

In New York City, it's not uncommon to see large rolling racks being moved down the street. Here things are moved on people's backs or necks

All things needed for parties and decorations

Calligraphy pencils  which one can purchase using a cell phone

A proud Chinese dog ready to celebrate National Day

Is this where left-over US stock land?

Interesting masks

These must be Pier One rejects...

blue tarps cover over a multitude of troubles

Walking across the Yangtze River 

Modern skyscrapers and primitive cobbled together living quarters coexists in this city