Neighborhood

Welcome to our neighborhood, called 高家坪 Gao Jia Ping, a cluster of 20 buildings including about 1,120 units located on a hillside just off the university commons.

We took these pictures on a sunny Saturday morning about three weeks ago, on the way to and back from the vegetable market.

The lady in red frames is our next-door neighbor.

Cages on windows prevent laundry and people from falling out; and discourage theives from breaking in. Buildings are 6-8 stories tall and have 4 stairwell entrances.

One awesome thing about our 'hood is the swings! However, China has yet to enforce a 'clean up after your doggie in public areas' campaign. Thumbs down about that.


 

Across from the swing is a dinky snack shop run by this nice auntie. Mike knows that this is where we buy french-fry flavored snack sticks. Auntie gives the kids free oranges every time.

I've never met this woman (below), but in true paparazzi fashion, I stealthily captured her on camera so I could show you her astounding hairdo.
The other ladies over there are sitting outside the snack shop. There's usually a good crowd of people snapping green beans, holding babies, smoking and chewing beetle nut and selling sweet potatoes.

The buildings in our neighborhood were constructed in the 90s. A retaining wall separates us from the mountainside, where there are much older rural style homes.
Can you imagine living here ?

 

I think that there is interesting color and character in our area.

Here's our acutal buildling. We are on the top floor, second to the far end.
One school cafeteria and restaurant is directly to the northwest, so I always know when to start cooking supper as the kitchen sounds and smells drift in our window. There's also a Bank of China conveniently located 10 feet west of our building, if you jump down the 20 ft retaining wall. 

The entrance to our stairwell.

Windows on the top, from left to right: study, bathroom, kitchen.
The pipes coming out of the wall next to the bathroom window are leading up to the solar water heater on the roof. You'll have to ask Drew what the other stuff is... by the way Drew is feeling much better, eating better but still sleeping more than anybody else in the family.

neighborhood:

附近

fùjìn

This word literally means 'vicinity' but I find it's the most commonly used word for neighborhood.