The photo that (almost) got away...

A surreal moment from last winter, from the archives...

I was going into Chengdu with the kids on the first fast train one Saturday morning.  We lingered around for a bit to watch the other trains coming and going on other platforms - still one of Zekey's favorite things to do.  As we were about to exit the station, the crowd leaving another arriving train caught up with us in the corridor leading out of the station.

Leading the charge were fifteen or twenty people carrying large baskets of vegetables and huge burlap bags.  They were running so fast, I was almost worried that their combined momentum might knock the kids over, especially since many of their bags and baskets were blocking their view.  I moved the kids over to the side, partly out of safety, but mostly because it was so interesting.  It soon became obvious that most of the people leading the charge were vendors, and were hustling out of the station as quickly as possible to grab the best places to set up shop in the plaza outside of the station.

The next wave, however?  Much more puzzling. Again about fifteen or twenty people carrying baskets suspended on shoulder poles, but this time the baskets were full to overflowing cuts of uncooked meat - some still steaming in the cold December air.  It all went by very quickly, and by the time I thought to dig my camera out of my pocket, the last of them was fast approaching.  I snapped one shot, and then they all were gone.  We got out of the station in time to see the last of the meat carriers disappear into the crowds of people waiting for their trains in the plaza outside...