Out and About in Lin'an, China – Writer. Traveler. Tea Drinker.

My blog focuses on places that I travel to and interesting things I see. But the truth is I spend most of my town in the small city of Lin’an, China. (Pop: approx. 1million–small for China’s standards.) Considering the amount of time I spend here, it gets very small mention on my blog. Perhaps precisely because it is where I spend most of my time, I consider things here ‘normal’ and therefore not interesting. I’ve been walking around a bit and talking pictures as I go. So, here is a small view of the everyday happenings in Lin’an.

A car outside a florist getting prepared for a wedding. Quite complex and the sidewalk was littered with stalks, leaves, flower petals and bushery.

This is a Japanese restaurant which has been closed on and off recently due to anti-Japanese protests and general ill-will due to the Diaoyu/Senekka Island dispute. The red banner says that the islands belong to China and there are about 4 Chinese flags plastered all over the outside. The restaurant was closed for a few weeks (to avoid being vandalized) and then I saw it open, but recently it has looked closed again. Maybe they didn't have any business and went bankrupt? I'm not sure. The sign is still up though. — This is a Japanese restaurant which has been closed on and off recently due to anti-Japanese protests and general ill-will due to the Diaoyu/Senekka Island dispute. The red banner says that the restaurant is owned by Chinese people who believe the islands belong to China. There are about 4 Chinese flags plastered all over the outside. The restaurant was closed for a few weeks (to avoid being vandalized) and then I saw it open, but recently it has looked closed again. Maybe they didn’t have any business and went bankrupt? I’m not sure. The sign is still up though.

Some of my co-workers enjoying a little late night BBQ. The food, all skewered on sticks, is sitting out in the open and you just pick what you want and the seller grills it up for you. In addition to the normal stuff, chicken legs, beef strips etc, there are a ton of veggie options including bok choy on a stick, mushrooms, and even bananas.

This semester both me and my favorite students are especially busy so we haven’t hung out too much outside of class. Luckily I often run into them both outside the school gates and in town. They are cute as ever.

Sunset behind the school buildings. Beautiful to look at, but a pain in my western-facing classroom because the setting sun blinds about half the students.

Creepy Mickey stalking from the shadowy storefront. It was especially spooky as the store seemed abandoned and no one was out and about on the sidewalk (an extremely rare phenomena in China. There is usually SOMEONE out and about.)

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