CY Tung Maritime Museum, Flower Markets (4/1,3,6/2012)

Sunday, April 1, 2012
I was thinking there were no April Fool's jokes today, but wait!

We headed to Tianzifang, a warren of lanes full of shops, cafes, and galleries, that we have visited a couple times already. This time we wanted to see an exhibit of photographs from the Cultural Revolution.

We entered Tianzifang on a lane between buildings marked 200 and 220, which was Lane 210! Then we had to find building 5 then the 5th floor, then the room number for Beau Geste Gallery. But the door was locked, despite the hours showing as open Sat & Sun at 10:00.

I guess that was our April Fool. It was still closed when we returned after brunch.

Buddha and Mao side by side in a shop:

Who is Mr. Comma?

A typical lane:

Tamiko holds up the doorframe:

A dried gourd plant:

A miniature koi pond:

Cats on the roof:

We had brunch at the Kommune Cafe. The set-up:

Besides eating utensils and napkins, it contained tubes of salt, pepper and sugar:

Is this the latest western fashion?

Soup is served with bread in a retro thermos:

No spoons, so we slurped cups of minestrone.

The famous Big Daddy breakfast: 

Including a spoon of butter!

Later we walked over to Jiaotong University with its old library:

Viola sp./Violets:

Kent and a rusty anchor:

The C. Y. Tung Maritime Museum:

In a building constructed in 1910 as a student residence.
After much research, we have decided these are plum blossoms:

Please correct us if we are wrong!
Flowering Quince shrub:

Chaenomeles sp./Flowering Quince blossoms:

University quad - big balls:

This makes more sense when you have to watch the TV series "Wipeout" because there is nothing else to watch.

Following the rules, not:

There's lawn bowling going on in the background.
Cherry blossom buds:

How many water bottles can you carry on a motor scooter?

Eleven.

Tuesday, April 3, 2012
In search of a flower market, passed this hotel:

The Cercis chinensis/Redbuds are in full bloom:

A park along Qinzhou Road at Tianlin Road: 

Can we call this reverse planking?

A bunker?

Vinca major/Big Periwinkle:

Iris confusa/Bamboo Iris:

Cotoneaster:

The Qinqing Flower Market:

Those tree trunks looked like petrified wood.
A bear bouquet:

Bears in a bouquet:

Chinese bouquets:

What did they do with the cacti?

A stonescape with a rolling lighted ball:

Fungi:

Sign of a busy florist:

Friday, April 6, 2012
Looking for another flower market.
A park along the power line right-of-way:

A barber in the park: 

Welcome to the Lanling Flower Market:

Market entrance:

Porcelain shop:

The flower market often is combined with the pet market.
Bichon frise puppies for sale:

Goldfish of all kinds:

Dog booties:

Aquariums:

Aquarium decorations: 

Including Chinese mannekin pis.

A florist at work: 

Wrapping each rose in tissue paper.
There was also an antique market: