Wash Day

There is something about hanging laundry from a line in the open air that is so pleasant for me. I feel so domestic. I find myself searching the house for laundry to wash and counting the minutes for the washer to finish it's cycle. The fresh smell, the stiffness of the clothes, and the feeling of a job well done. Call me crazy, but I love my retro clothes dryer.

China Life

This is part of the kitchen of a home in China. We were able to go into one of the local homes and to see what it is like. They fed about 15 of us dinner. This family happened to be well off because they owned their home and their own court yard. Mrs. Wong was a very beautiful woman. She had retired from working in a tea house to take care of her mother. Taking care of all the generations is very important to them. Many times we would see grandparents with the young children while the parents were working.

The beginning of the dinner they fed us. Everyone drinks Coke or Beer over there. We had to ask for water. We didn't eat much that night especially after we saw the snake wine on the counter with a real snake in it.
Almost everyone owns washing machines but not dryers. This is an example of a apartment building with the wash hanging out side. Even the nicest apartment buildings would have laundry hanging out.
More Laundry in Shanghai

This is what the public toilets look like. Most of the time this is what they have in their homes. Some of the older communities have only a public toilet.. The first time was an interesting experience. Tip for travel in China: Bring your own toilet paper and make sure you have it with you at all times.
It sure is good to be home.