Last summer, I worked with excellent English teachers in Feicheng, Shandong Province, China. This city of nearly a million people has a small-town feel for me. Each evening, after dinner, the town becomes alive as its citizens walk along the river, amidst the parks, and on the city streets, which become alive with buyers and sellers, with the enticing aromas from the food vendors, and with friends sharing their daily joys and woes. On one of my last nights in the city, I took my camera out to capture some of the city’s essence and culture before I returned to the United States.

I purposefully did not “clean up” the white balance on these images because I want to show the warm glow created by the lights of the city.

Thanks to my well-loved Nikon, I was able to take a small part of this family culture home with me.

A major ingredient of the culture: the ubiquitous bike in its various forms

Aromas wafting from the street vendors enticed us, but I did not indulge because we had just finished a delicious dinner with our hosts.

The streets are lined with people and merchandise ranging from lingerie and linens to hardware, automotive parts, and jewelry.

The streets are vibrant with life.

Because I plan to spend tomorrow with my family and to not touch my laptop, I am posting my JAKESPRINTER SUNDAY POST today (Saturday)