Hey Hey and a Big G'Day to you all

Today was a day mainly walking around with an old Chinese Map of Baiyan checking out some of the sights and adding to and changing some of the streets names. It turned out to be an awesome day indeed. We got to see so much in one day. From the modern riches of the city centre to the outer streets ending in the squalor where families live in houses made of mud, who walk in mud and have not much more than a mud floor. They sat outside their doors warming themselves in the afternoon sunshine. Some just stared into the distance and others offered such huge rich happy smiles as if they weren't surrounded by mud at all.

In the market place (that runs beneath my apartment) we found the most awesome snack. It was made from a Pita Bread type bread but crustier and it was filled with a mixture of pork and veggies. It was the most awesome snack I have tasted in a long time and all for 1 Yuan.

Later in the day we checked out the supermarket. Within minutes I felt the need to run outside to make sure we were still in the same city. Inside the supermarket there was a new world. We were not on the edge of the desert at all. In fact we were in another country. It was so well stocked that upon the shelves we found two types of Fosters Beer and Nestle Milo. Neither of these had we found in any other city or in any Walmart in China.

Oh, and there was a shelf full of Tiger Beer.
Why here on the edge of the bloody desert?
It was a sign that I would be comfortable here in Baiyin!
Well, it was a comforting thought anyhow!

Before we left we purchased a Fosters Ice each, a Tiger Beer and a Jack and Cola. A Chinese version of Jack Daniels and Cola. Believe me, typical Chinese almost perfect copy, even use the same bottle.

Not as good, but near enough when you are on the edge of a bloody desert mate!

Bread and Noodles to ya...shane