Ci Qi Kou Pictures

There's a restored neighborhood/tourist trap in Chongqing called Ci Qi Kou (pronounced 'sih chee ko'). This past week was my first trip there since I moved to CQ last year. I took these pictures more toward the outskirts of the neighborhood, where the shops end and the homes begins; this part is not as restored, but I thought it was more interesting. As always, click to enlarge!

Ci Qi Kou hillside view:

Little boys playing hide and seek in an alleyway:

I covet this chest!

My friends:

Dragon decorations:

Please don't ask me what this means, I have no idea!:

Btw, Chongqing is pronounced 'chong ching', so whenever I read about people imitating the Chinese language by saying, 'Ching Chong China' I always think, 'No, but there is Chongqing, China!'

Firehouses

Firehouses are beautiful to me for their unique architectural and historical place in society. Unlike office buildings, restaurants, and sometimes even churches, no two firehouses are exactly alike even though most of them provide the same services. Pretty cool!

 

Many firehouses in NYC are listed on the historic register. Using a historical register guide, I took myself on a walking tour, taking photographs along the way. (The picture at left is one of them.)  Once or twice someone working inside saw me taking pictures and talked with me about the history of the fire companies and the firehouse in that neighborhood. I loved hearing more about the neighborhoods and the people who have lived in these houses. 

If you want to see more of my pictures of NYC firehouses, click here. 

Haunted Walks

I hate being scared, but I love historical ghost walks or "haunted walks". Several U.S. cities have them (Boston, New Orleans) and I went on a great haunted walk in Ottawa when I was there last year.

On a haunted walk, a guide takes a group on a walking tour of buildings and places that have haunted ghost stories. It's a great way to see the city you are visiting, as well as hear history about the buildings and people.

Next time you are traveling to a major city, check and see if they offer a haunted walk. Really fun!

Also, the Bowery Boys ( my favorite podcasters) have several podcasts about haunted and creepy places in NYC. Check them out on iTunes the next time you are there.