Fireworks Shop Day Before 2011 Lunar New Year in Changsha, China

 

2011 January 30 Metro Before Lunar New Year 003, originally uploaded by Serenity in China.

Julianne and I saw this firework’s store while riding a bus to Metro just before the Lunar New Year in China. Usually fireworks are not on display so far out onto the sidewalk . . . this was definitely a sign that Julianne and I were going to be in for a New Year’s Eve fireworks display that we could not begin to imagine in scope and volume.

I’d have to say how fireworks are used in China has been one of my bigger culture shock experiences, lol.

J

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2011 Martyr’s Park, Changsha – Most Snow in 40 Years

 

2011 Martyr’s Park, Changsha – Most Snow in 40 Years 170, originally uploaded by Serenity in China.

During the warmer weather these boats take people out on the lake on little tours.

I never expected to see them covered in snow.

This is one of my favorite pictures from the day Julianne and I walked around in the snow storm.

J

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2011 Martyr’s Park, Changsha – Most Snow in 40 Years

 

2011 Martyr’s Park, Changsha – Most Snow in 40 Years 097, originally uploaded by Serenity in China.

I’m not really sure why there’s a Pharaoh statue in the middle of Martyr’s Park but it sure does look out of place with the snow on it too.

J

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2011 Martyr’s Park, Changsha – Most Snow in 40 Years

2011 Martyr’s Park, Changsha – Most Snow in 40 Years 165, originally uploaded by Serenity in China.

One of the best pics I took that illustrates how much it was snowing in Changsha last week.

J

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2011 Martyr’s Park Snow Pics Snow Storm Day II

2011 Martyr’s Park Snow Pics Snow Storm Day II 078, originally uploaded by Serenity in China.

When Julianne and I first arrived in Changsha, Hunan, China to live and teach English we asked about the weather.

Chinese teachers and students all told us the following, “It doesn’t snow in Changsha.”

Uhm, apparently this is THE year for that to change!

Heaviest snowfall in 40 years hits Changsha (http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/98649/7266016.html)

Check out my flickr page for more pics of the snow fall.

I took this shot while walking around Martyr’s Park the day after the heavy snow. Workers with long bamboo poles were walking around trying to knock the heavy snow out of trees and bushes.

This was definitely a good idea cause the night before Julianne and I were woken up by the sounds of tree branches cracking and falling off of the trees outside our apartment.

It doesn’t snow in Changsha–maybe most of the time, but not this year!

J

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Meat Shop in China and Fish Chopping on the Sidewalk

Meat Shop I, originally uploaded by Serenity in China.

While walking around with my camera I came across this meat shop with fish on the ground in front of it being chopped up for sale.

Definitely an authentic cultural sight in China for a foreigner. And a reminder that not every part of the world follows all of the cultural red tape modernity forces on people.

J

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Meat Shop on a Bike in China

Meat Shop on a Bike in China II, originally uploaded by Serenity in China.

The picture pretty much says it all, lol.

And I’ll repeat what I said on my flickr page for this photo, “I’d love to see people I know back in Canada when they look at this picture, lol. I’d love to also see a police officer’s face, and a butcher shop owner’s face, if they saw this picture back in Canada!”

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Speedlite 580EXII and landscape shots — Martyr’s Park Snow Pics I

 

Martyr’s Park Snow Pics I, originally uploaded by Serenity in China.

During a walk I took in Martyr’s Park, Changsha, Hunan, China I took this picture with my Canon 400D (aka Rebel Xti or Digital Kiss X), a Sigma 10-20mm wide angle lens, and Speedlite 580EXII flash.

I have almost no experience using the Speedlite for landscape shots, and it was VERY exciting to play with the settings as I tried to light this semi-shaded wall and tree that sit along a path through the park.

I like the result, and think I’ll try to use the Speedlite more often when I’m out taking landscape and other kinds of outdoor shots.

J

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Garbage Cart and Brooms in China

 

Garbage Cart and Brooms in China, originally uploaded by Serenity in China.

Every single street I’ve walked down in China, or been on a bus and driving down, has a street cleaner walking along with a wheeled cart.

The streets are quite clean of litter, leaves, and for the most part clean of OBJECTS. Other kinds of ‘dirty,’ however, are present (I shudder as I type this because a day or two ago I walked past a mom holding her toddler as she peed on the sidewalk–hopefully this behavior will soon end as public awareness and hygiene education increase).

Anyways, I liked how the snow accentuates the lines of the cart, and snapped this shot.

I want to try and get a picture of a cart and street cleaner because many of them wear the stereotypical cone-shaped straw hats that are so often seen in war movies.

Plus, the human side of this job should be given a face too.

J

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Martyr’s Park Winter Skyline

Martyr’s Park Winter Skyline, originally uploaded by Serenity in China.

Julianne and I had cabin fever a while ago and decided to get out of the house in spite of it feeling pretty cold (in Changsha, the high humidity really makes the cold seep into your bones).

We walked up to Martyr’s Park which is only a short distance from our apartment.

In spite of the skies being overcast, grey, and gloomy (very normal for Changsha), it was a nice day to walk around and take some pictures because of the fresh snow fall.

I snapped this shot of the lake and skyline. It’s one of my favorite pics so far of 2011.

J

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