Street scenes

Here are a few snapshots from the nearby streets:

A stonecarver's shop, note the newspaper hat and the detailed work.










Ox pulled cart on a very busy street.

Here are some typical construction workers mixing and carrying concrete. I have yet to see a
wheel barrow, everything including piles of bricks are balanced on top of the women's head.





On an outing today a came across an incredible sight. Unfortunately, I was not able to get very good pictures of this procession, so I will try to describe it. The parade was led by small boys beating on drums in no particular rhythm, followed by a man sounding his long brass horn. Leading the parade was a man with a very long rod which pierced through his cheeks to hang out either side about four feet. His back was pierced with many rods, pointing to the sky which made him look rather like a peacock. Some of these rods held pots that were smoking with incense. If that weren't enough he pulled a small cart that was tied to these rods on his back which carried a figure of what I suppose is some god they worship.










He was followed by a similarly adorned man, without the cart, and successively by men with fewer piercings, until the last had only the long rod through their mouths. All of these men seemed completely relaxed, without the slightest hint they were in pain. Last came a group of women and children wearing garlands of flowers and carrying pots full of lemons on their heads. As I have read about, this seemed to be a spontaneous type of affair, with the parade taking up the whole street, and traffic backed up, horns blowing, trying to maneuver around the marchers.


We'll have to see what tomorrow brings...............