The Wooden Snake Has Arrived!

January 28^th The snake arrives tonight so we spent all day preparing. Actually, Huan did all the work I just went and sat in the bath for a while. Here we are just before eating wishing you once again all the best for the New Year.

And what did we sit down to? Well the head chef surpassed all expectation using just the one hob and a rice cooker; here are a couple of views for you to make sure you see it all. One thing is for certain, I will not have to cook at all this week!

We had planned an after dinner stroll but laziness set in so relaxation was the outcome.

January 29^th The snake arrived at midnight so Happy New Year once again! As expected, it was very quiet outside but the municipality were already working.

Not expected was the traffic. When we got to the lights it was quite busy although you wouldn’t think so from this little panorama.

When I got back down the steps more municipality activity could be seen.

These two were a nice surprise when we got home. I knew I had taken them of course but I wasn’t sure how much we would be able to see through the leaves.

This New Year seems very different to previous New Years. I didn’t expect to see the usual crowd of snowbirds practicing in the square but there they were.

Turning towards the market we found more people. In the first photo I am chatting with the mother and daughter of a family of five. There was the Mum, her son and daughter and then Mum’s Mum, Grandma. Four of them spoke perfect English. Only Grandma didn’t.

Not many four legged friends were found today although this cat and I did have a chat.

Down by the river we found even more snowbirds. I guess slowly China is changing too.

It turned out to be a lovely day for a walk.

Heading home we thought something was different and then we realised that they had finished the paving stones and also created new flower beds around the trees. It will look even better once the flowers have been planted after the holidays.

Approaching Little Island Park we saw many more people, this time a lot of families with children too. New Year’s Day here is very much like our Boxing Day in the UK. Everybody gets out for a bit of fresh air and to walk off yesterday’s feasting!

Life still goes on though and the cows were busy chewing the cud down on the river.

That’s not to say that it was all families; there were still snowbirds here too.

Finally, let’s have a look at our traffic lights from the other side before we go home.

No cooking for either of us today so just a restful day, very enjoyable.

January 30^th Our first photo for today is not one of mine, Doctor Ma sent it to me. I think it was taken way back on the 12^th of October but it is not clear enough for me to be 100% sure. I’m now on display somewhere!

Back to the present and two tired and lazy people. We didn’t go anywhere all day today but decided we had no choice but to go out after dinner.  We went off along the road to somewhere heading for a brief walk in the countryside. We didn’t turn off here; this is just a more complete view of some muriels that you have seen before individually.

Although we were late the weather was still fine.

The last photo above was not our route but a little lane that we went down to try and get in the right position to catch the sunset. We didn’t get it right!

Remember the Kingfisher? Is this the same one or is it the baby?

All the New Year market stuff had disappeared from the town streets, as was to be expected. The town square was busy with children though.

To our surprise we had walked six kilometres by the time we got home. No time for updating the Blog file, only for uploading and editing the photographs. We were both in need of the knackers yard again but we had needed the exercise and fresh air.

January 31^st Yet again we didn’t get out before lunch. In fact we almost didn’t get out after lunch either! I decided I really needed a nap and ended up napping too long. However, we still managed to get out. I don’t know why I am so tired; I think it may be the antibiotics I’m on. This one is here because the boss said it should be. I’m not impressed with it, too far away.

This one is not too brilliant either but I do like it. It has the cow, its shadow, its reflection, the bird and its reflection too.

Because it was still a holiday still and therefore there was nobody to shout at us we decided to cross the new construction site and go down the other side of the river for a change.

Our plan was still to go back to the original side so that we could walk through Luobote village. Because it is the ‘not so wet’ season, it would be easy enough to cross the river. Also because of where we crossed to one side, it would also be easier to get to the ford to go back again. You can just about see it smack bang in the middle of this photo.

With is being the winter season there are some small farms here and there. This is one of them. I took this photo because I didn’t know what vegetable the small flowers were on. Huan tells me that they are what we call “long onions” here and you call “green onions” there. They are not what we call spring onions in the UK; they look more like leeks but don’t taste like them.

Back to the ford, you can see it much more clearly here, and the steps at the other side.

This route was to take us to Luobote village via the back way. As you can see by the photos, the weather was yet again very good today. In fact it was so good that I was wearing my shorts and short sleeved shirt, the first time for quite a while. It felt very good!

We interrupt these scenic photos to show you something unusual, for me anyway. Have you ever seen a camouflaged butterfly before?

And then we revert back to those scenery pics again.

In the village we met an unusual four legged friend who even tried to follow us home.

Another friend found me too, a new one, one who had imbibed rather too much New Year celebratory juice! Luckily, he didn’t want to follow me home.

We also had a chat with three little girls, maybe sisters, I don’t know. Huan took this photo just a few seconds before the youngest one ran off after seeing my beard!

Before too long we were back at the entrance to “Little Island Park”.

On the way out we showed you an egret and a cow. The rest of the cow’s family are all here.

And there you have it, another day, another six kilometres, another few photographs, another two quite tired old teddy bears!

February 1st This morning we forced ourselves to go out, it is Saturday and we wanted to check on the market. Our feeling was that it would not be there today. First, here’s a view down the main street into town, just for you.

And then when we came to cross the road, found another view for you in the opposite direction. It’s just as well we hadn’t gone that way; I had no camera bag today.

For the first market, our normal sausage and bap market, we were correct in that it was open again. Not only that, it was reasonably busy although not as much as usual.

Down on the riverside we were rather surprised to find that some market stalls had opened.

I am assuming that they were using the free of cost areas though because when we got to the normal ‘very busy stretch’ we found it completely empty.

This morning I felt very queasy, in fact it seems to be a regular occurrence these days. It is one of the side effects of the antibiotics I am taking. The sooner they are done the better! Anyway, I had to stop for some water which of course meant Huan had to record it.

When we got to Tea Street we were ambushed by a couple from Haitangwan, they were just visiting for a day. I suspect they had not seen as foreigner, at least not recently. More photos had to be taken, by all sides; here are some of Huan’s.

Still on the same street, these are a couple of the buildings that they have already improved. We both hope that ‘they’ will also replace the plastic awnings with beautiful wooden ones sometime in the future. It would make a big difference.

Approaching Little Island on the way home we could see more of whatever they are doing at this side. Maybe they will add some greenery once they are done, they usually do.

It looks as though they will definitely be giving us some light shows.

We decided to walk on the lower riverside path and go into our apartment complex via the back gate. Huan was a little worried that my leg would not make it!

All that was left was for me to cook the weekend stew which was very easy. We still had a whole cooked chicken from last week and some cooked potatoes. All I had to do was find a big pan and add some vegetables and voila, another three days food!

February 2^nd The mutual decision today was to go out after lunch as the weather forecast was for much warmer weather then. I am still far too tired most of the time; these antibiotics are really taking it out of me. I had to have a rest on the main road.

We were headed down the old three legged dog route, I guess we will never see him again. Huan was happy though, I found her a lizard, the first one for quite some time.

When we reached the old three legged dog stop, I needed another rest!

Slowly the riverside improvements are coming on; the pedestrian bridge is almost complete and the landscaping is coming on well too.

Huan found birds, too far away as usual.

She also insisted I take photos of fishermen.

She did then find me a good lizard shot though.

This guy drove past, just to make me jealous I think.

I’m sure you would like to see just how good the weather was this afternoon too.

And then it was my turn to find yet another lizard. Normally I would miss them all and it would be Huan doing the finding. Maybe she is under the weather too.

This part of the riverside walkway has now been finished, at least on the upper walkway. The lower one is still not accessible quite yet. It looks good although personally I would have chosen a different colour, a more rural one I think.

At the testing platform I was able to take a photo almost centrally, down the river. Don’t you think it looks beautiful? Of course Huan caught me coming back out.

Our first vehicle of the day, do you fancy a banana?

Our last birds of the day were marginally too far again but they don’t look too bad.

Let’s finish the day with yet another vehicle. This one has a whole book written on the rear side window. Hopefully it makes more sense to you than it does to me. 错把陈醋当成墨, Cuò bǎ chéncù dàngchéng mò - Mistakenly taking vinegar for ink, 写尽半生都是酸, xiě jǐn bànshēng dōu shì suān - writing about half of my life is all about sourness

February 3^rd Only shopping was on the agenda today, my stomach still feels a little queasy. I have stopped the antibiotics now so I’m hoping that soon I will be back to normal, or at least as normal as it gets for me! Once that happens of course it will be time for the annual PSA tests, the annual heart tests and then time to see the doctor about my legs. Oh I just love the aging process!

We have only one photo today. When I saw this I had to take the photo, curiosity had me wondering what on earth they were selling. I’m sure you know that amino acids are "the building blocks of life" but what food, especially for babies, includes them? Well the name of this product is 氨基酸, Ānjīsuān which translates as plain old ‘Amino Acids’. Underneath it says 滴滴浓情健康相伴, Dī dī nóng qíng jiànkāng xiāngbàn which translates as ‘Every drop of love and health accompanies you’. I’m none the wiser as to exactly what the product is!

So, it is time to say goodbye again, only for a week though so you won’t miss us too much. Don’t forget to “click to enlarge”, “click to comment” and “click to subscribe”. Bye for now!