October 2012

Korla, August 18th 2012

The breakfast in Jinyue Hotel was much more to my liking than in previous Grand Turpan Hotel. And yesss, white fried rice! I am a big fan of fried rice but biggest for white fried rice. The one on the right was like skin tofu, the best of all. I returned to the buffet for another serving but got so full that I couldn't finish it all. I drank soyu milk from a bowl and this time I didn't look everywhere for a glass. People in Xinjiang drink from a bowl, I get that.

After the morning feast, I went for a walk again. At the place where an exercise was conducted yesterday, there was a man writing Chinese characters on the ground using a giant brush like a broom. A pail of black ink was next to him. I had no guts to take a picture of him. Let alone making a recording. I have always admired people who can write beautiful Chinese or Japanese characters. It's like dancing with a brush.

In the afternoon when I passed by this place again, his writings were completely gone. It impresses me when people practice their skill just for the sake of one's own pleasure, like the musicians at Peacock River yesterday. It's just such a joy enjoying doing what you do. It's a child's way of being happy.

It was almost 10:00 AM Beijing time, but the shops weren't opened yet. It seems that people here starts the day late and stays up late. What a pattern I wish I could have in my home country. The only reason: I hate waking up early. Furthermore, the later the better my brain works.

Nevertheless, back at my hotel, the place was full of life.

A team of bicyclers filled Jinyue's parking lot and appeared ready to venture out.

Off they went. But... I wonder. Are they going out for sport, or... something related to...

... this? The bikes had same pink balloons on their steering handles like the ones on these cars.

When I realized what was happening, I ran to my room, grabbed my camera, and found a place from upstairs to make a shot. There's a wedding! It's not a good quality, I know. I couldn't find a place with opened windows. Sounds like an excuse, huh?

While still wondering what the bicycle parade were going to do, another thing displayed below my eyes. What are these people making?

Oh yes, a heart-shape from red ribbon is cute for a wedding. But wouldn't the wind soon blow the ribbon away and destroy the heart form?

Indeed, the heart-shape is intended to be destroyed. Because it is a set of firecrackers. What's seen in this photo is the remnants after the firecrackers have been burned. So someone would lid fire on one end of the heart, and then the fire would run through the ribbon drawing a heart while a loud cracking voice filled the air. The people didn't burn only one or two. Too bad I couldn't get a capture while he 'heart' was still burning. Once I saw a swirl of wind exactly in the middle of the heart-shape blowing up the remnants into the sky right after the 'heart' burnt. A prophecy of one heart living happily ever after?