Naxi grandpas chat on the steps at the market. One of them is having his turn at minding the baby, a common sight. The babies must love being held all the time like that! In the afternoons especially it was common to see grandparents playing with and fussing over their grandchildren on their front steps.

This nice man invited me over to lunch with his wife. On the menu as an extra treat were fried bumble bees. I have to admit they tasted good with a nutty flavor, however I had a hard time getting over the crunch. He drew some lovely sketches of his wife and I which I have sent home to mum. It was nice chatting with them although I wish I could have afforded one of his paintings. His house is typical of the area.

Another day at the market. These ladies vend chilis and chunks of um.. molasses?

These famous landmarks are set against stunning mountain scenery outside the town of Dali, China

This girl was dressed in her traditional attire. The tour groups shuffle through and they give you the hard sell on the local specialty teas. At least that's what it seemed like, fortunately I couldn't understand a word. So I just got to drink the tea. Teeheehee. But the girls did look elegant in their outfits.

Another good idea. The soup ingredients are laid out in bowls on the table. You point to whatever you want in your soup and the ladies put it in a basket at the end of a long wooden stick with your number on it. They lower it into the boiling water to simmer with everyone elses and in a few minutes your own personal hot fresh soup with a couple ladles of community broth is ready! Yum. The key ingredient in Asian street stall cooking is freshness.

These men took their kiting seriously. It was fun to watch the experts as they chewed their cigars and discussed the positions of their various craft.

All the locals were hanging out in the park. It was a great atmosphere with old people, couples, and families all mingling. The musicians would play their music together while the old ladies knitted and listened. I was looking for the hat I was supposed to put the money in and then realized there wasn't any, they gathered together in the park to play their music and act out skits just for the fun of it. What a great idea!

Normal traffic in the bright and shiny city of Kunming - the most pleasant big city I encountered in China - I would highly recommend it!

This younger lady was interested in making a sale. Isn't she gorgeous!