Inner Mongolia is part of China but not created equal; it's kind of like Puerto Rico to the USA. Mongolia is, of course another country. The Chinese built the great wall to keep the Mongols out. If you look at a map of I.M. it looks like an eagle and Jun Jun was born in the far north around the eagles head. This gives him his adourable round cheeks. Huhhot is further south so when they see Jun they see a beautiful northern Mongolian child, at least that's what we think they are saying. The local people in this area fall into these groups. First: the girls and women that walk around with umbrellas, high heels (navigating some dirt roads is fun to watch), nice silk dresses and designer bags. These women keep their skin porcinlin white and they are the only ones to wear sun glasses. Second: The kids that want to be American. They look like any kid you would see in your town that is Asian but some times their American style t-shirts don't make sense if you read them. Third: everyday people. Around here they have hard tans and usually squat down then they smoke. They are usually nice but when they get behind the wheel they can't help but honk the horn at what appears to be nothing then vear in the next lane; somehow the car next to them moves just in time. But it doesn't matter what group they fall into when they get old they goto the park everyday and play a vicious game of cards, excercise, dance, sing, and chat with freinds.
Today on our drive to this weird mill, we past a small town where native people live. It was a little more dirty then the center of Huhhot but their were street vendors selling produce a mile long (no lie) The apartments were close to the road and their is no river or lake close so the Chinese people consider this a place of no fortune. Just like all of China the majority of people still use the bike to get around. They don't wear helmets because they are for "sissys" some do wear face masks though. some girls ride their bikes with silk lace arm sleeves to shield the sun.
The mill we went to made all sorts of different items including: lether products, cashmere clothes, hand painted cashmere scarfs hugh swords, and combs made out of billy goat horns. It's a maze to get thru so you have a hard time leaving. you first go thru the factory that in no way pass any kind of safty inspection. Almost all of the items made in China that we saw were truly hand made by very skilled artists that don't get paid much. After you tour the factory you get channled into the sales floor and unlike america if you want items in different parts of the floor you have to go pay, then return with the receipt to pick up what you bought then go to shop some more. You get personal shopping assistants everywhere you go.
-Todd-
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