Pattern Repetition

China likes its patterns.  China likes repeating those patterns.  Often this makes for some pleasing landscaping and architecture.  It also makes for some disappointing touring.  Here are two examples.

Suzhou Street in the Summer Palace.  A replication of a canal city, this tourist trap (one entrance, one exit, one way walking) had 5 stores repeated 6 times.  The restaurants had the exact same menus.  I mean that the menu cover, pages, and items were identical, not that just the food they served was similar.  Benjie and I did eat at one, by the way, as it was the only source of non-packaged food in the park that we were able to locate.

Dong’anmen Night Market (东安门夜市).  A street that the guide book depicted as having much promise: “…the red-canopied stalls here offer xiao chi – litterally, “little eats” – from all over China.”  Either all of China eats salty noodles, wontons, xiao shu bao, and various meats on a stick, or the selection was the same 4 stalls repeated 4 times.  I suspect the latter.

If it seems I’m a little grumpy, its because I didn’t get much to eat last night…