From Grits to Chopsticks

In a previous post, we shared some photos of the walk along the river that runs through our city.  We are still amazed that we can walk such a long distance through a major city, enjoying parkland almost the entire way.

Of the numerous bridges that cross the river, some are old and ornate:

while some are high and surrounded by new construction:

Along the riverside, there’s always something happening.  If you want a cheap haircut, this is the place:

There are locations for people to play Mahjong:

Kids try to scoop up minnows while men swim against the flow (click Swimmer to see):

People bring their birds to sing together:

and people bring their instruments to play and sing (click River Singers to watch):

Recently, we saw people burning paper money (for dead relatives) on a windy day.  We wondered if they ever catch the adjacent leaves on fire:

As we walked in a different section yesterday, our suspicion was confirmed:

Last year, the river became stagnant and toxic, killing most of the fish.  The flow is cleaner and better now, attracting fishermen:

I suspect, however, that most of the fish, frogs, and snakes are in the markets along the riverside:

Our daily life is extremely busy, so we try to spend Sunday afternoon walking, talking, and decompressing.  Walking along the river provides a wonderful balance of interesting things to see and a quiet time of rest together.