Sunday Morning

Outside our window, there is a hive of activity. It must be cleaning day. Many of the neighbours across the way are hanging out their windows cleaning the outside of the glass. Don is sitting by the window describing the various precarious positions to me. One guy has climbed up a ladder on the outside of the building and is scraping through the caked on cooking residue from the vent. He's using the wires for support as he climbs. Some of the other neighbours are just standing around chatting. Maybe they're discussing the possibility of cleaning their own windows.

We also hear a stir-fry sizzling sound from a lady who is making breakfast. Yum. I'm getting hungry. The beauty of living here is that I'm going to put 4 yuan (70 cents Cdn) in my pocket, grab my keys and be back in 10 minutes with breakfast. We are constantly amazed at how we can leave the house with only $1!

Now, the exercise music has started up. EVERY morning, a group of senior citizens gather in the courtyard at the side of our building to do exercises. They play a recording that must have been made during the revolution. The voice of a lady is telling them what to do, I guess. They rub their knees, their face, their earlobes, nothing too strenuous but good for their health, I guess. The seniors here seem quite healthy. They are walking everywhere or also ride their bikes. They socialize all the time, sitting on small chairs or playing board games outside. They spend a lot of time outside, sometimes just sitting and watching the world go by. Many are raising their grandchildren. Every day, we see groups of them gathered with their toddler grandchildren. When we walk by, it's hilarious. We try to get the children to say Hi to us while the grandmothers encourage them to say Hi to us too. Oh, and to call me "Yee Yee" or auntie. Don, they just stare at :)

I'm off to buy breakfast now. More soon. J