China Ethnographic Expedition II. Part III. Fenghuang

Map

November 13, 2015

Fenghuang

Map

Three graces with their iPhones. The observant reader will have noticed that whenever there are three people in a photo, I always caption it “three graces”. I don’t intend to break the habit anytime soon.

We’re in Fenghuang, a city located in the back of beyond, far from any trunk roads. There’s no airport here, no railway station, no highways. The closest transport hub (aside from the bus station) is several hours drive away. It’s a backwater. A splendid backwater.

An old Chinese town, preserved by some stroke of luck, which they haven’t yet had time to ruin.

The city is touristy, of course. But the intention is to attract Chinese tourists (don’t forget that there are more tourists in China than there are people in Russia).

Even the dumpsters are built in the traditional Chinese style.

The rubbish collectors also look traditional.

Pedestrian street.

Alley.

Stunning.

Hey, there goes Liza.

Meat vendors. Three Chinese graces.

It’s chilly out, so all of the locals are trying to keep warm. Some of them put heaters in birdcages on their laps.

Some stay warm by sharing a blanket.

Pagoda.

All of the buildings by the water are hotels. Every balcony leads to a twin room, complete with cocoon swing — a must-have.

The old and the newly built are all heaped up on top of one another. Let it be said that the city is not a Unesco cultural heritage site, although it deserves to be on that list more than most.