The Ching Ping Market

Today, just for giggles, we visted a local outdoor market called the Ching Ping Market. What an experience that was. On the menu at just about every shop was: live and/or dried scorpions, mushrooms, dried sea horse, dried starfish, turtles of all sizes, chickens, snake skin, tiger claws, many forms of animal horns, mountain goat heads, and so much more. Most of these things considered edible or medicinal. Each store front carried exactly the same things. When we got to the heart of market their was a plaza with many department stores and specialty shops. The women folk were excited about this part of the trip, and were it not for the great photo taking opportunities, I could have just as easily stayed back the hotel.

As a group we were accosted by many of the areas panhandlers. They know the "rich" westerners when they see them. It is sad that we are encouraged not to give them money, but like our tour guides explained, they will not leave you alone even after you give them money. We saw an old man literally eating out of the garbage can. I couldn't watch this knowing that in my hand was a few pieces of pizza I was likely not going to eat. Dan (Dan and Debbie are another couple we've been getting to know here- they are getting twins) and I took the pizza and "threw it away".

All and all, I really like the people here. They are kind. They are very curious. We had to have had dozens of people look us over, point, even laugh. A young girl in our group gets her head rubbed often because she has blond hair. I could imagine the line that would be around us had we brought Lilly.

Well it is 9pm our time now and it feels like 2am. I'll post more tomorrow on Gotcha Day!!!