Photographs I Wish I Could Take

This is the first installment of "Photographs I Wish I Could Take"

1. Walking down by the river the men (mostly older) sit around benches, tables or any flat surface they can find and play poker all day long. If they are not playing they are actively involved non the less and are even more actively smoking. But it is an insiders only club. Unlike most Chinese they are completely uninterested and unaware of me, the foreigner. I walk by and wish I could capture the mood and the image but it seems too private, too personal, too intrusive even though they are doing it completely in open, public space.
2. I sit by the pond in the mornings to read and write. It is a very comforting familiar every morning. All of the old women will sit on a bench and tell the lasted gossip and the old men sit on the bench on the other side (three to a bench) and sit quietly enjoying each other's company! There are benches around the pond and bamboo plants fill in around the benches. But through the bamboo I can see a few older people doing tichi or kongfu for their excersise! This morning a older gentlemen was fasinating to me with his sword and Chinese fan doing his kongfu rutine. He was showing off for his granddaughter who was adoring him. I was listening to a soundtrack and he seemed to be listening to it too because all of the moves were sincronized, beautiful, and purposeful! It was a pleasant surprise that early in the morning.
   

BTW... I can not see the comments on the blog so please just send your comments to jnllwright@yahoo.com. They are comforting and help me stay close to my friends and family. Do not assume that because I'm in another country that I've dropped off the face of the world or that I do not have time. I love to hear from you!