A pleasant break between lessons.

I currently teach sixteen lessons a week.  These lessons are.spread more or less randomly throughout the week.  Sometimes there are small gaps between lessons, sometimes large gaps.  Yesterday there was a six hour gap!  Usually I go home and sleep.  Today I decided to go for a walk and explore a little.  So off I popped into Jiangkou, and wandered off from the main streets.  I walked through the little street market which has mysteriously re-appeared after the 70th Celebration 'street clear up'. As I wandered more deeply into the market, the two kids in the picture saw me and looked really excited "It's the foreigner, it's the foreigner!" They said.  I smiled and walked past.  I talked to a few of the locals who although I'd never met them, knew who I was!  I then went back to the meat stall.

I spoke some.Chi~ese to them.amdmthey seemed even more fascinated.  I told the little girl to hold out her hand and I'd give her a small gift.  Her parents encouraged her and she slowly came forward.  I gave her a pound coin.  I told her it was for her and her brother as I only had one!  She smiled and ran back to her parents who thanked me.  They wanted photos!  Photos were taken.

I gave my phone to Dad who managed to take a photo of us.  When I got my phone back, a small crowd had gathered.  I told them.it was my turn to take photos.  They ran off....perhaps the market is an illegal one that is tolerated for most of the time, I don't know, but I do know that they didn't like to be photographed!  Results below!  As soon as my camera was ready, they had gone.