Lunch today in Danba involved a hysterical conversation between Mr. Wang and order taker, “Foo-yen” (the word for “Staff”), over what this little restaurant offered. Their specialities were heavy on rabbit, yak’s liver, tripe and other assorted delicicies that “me no like.” Consultations over, and decision made, lunch was – “foot mushrooms” in broth (these had already been dried and I like the fresh “foot mushrooms” better); good old reliable sweet & sour pork, pork with onions and chilis and the Sichuan version of a large potato pancake all in this video.

The rest of the afternoon had free time to walk around Danba…View image, watch mah jong games (they use very big mah jong tiles)…View image,and replenish the “wind horses” supply for the remainder of the trip, Gyarong people with distinctive apparel were everywhere on the crowded streets…View image. The Chinese sit outside their shops unless they have a customer, talking to neighboring shopkeepers, friends and passerbys.

beautiful little Danba girl on her way to school, China
The fastest way to worm into people’s hearts while traveling is… admire and play with their children. As long as the gorgeous children aren’t scared to death when they see “foreign devils.” This isn’t forced or a hardship for me. I am crazy about small children (that aren’t mine to care for) and parents are thrilled to show them off. This also allows you a chance to photograph without antagonizing. The Danba children sightings made my day. Immaculately dressed little girls with pony tails sprouting in different directions going off to school….

…Two toddlers standing outside a shop playing with dolls that were almost as big as they were…View image. Chattering to each other in Chinese, undressing and dressing their “babies”, upending them and occasionally dragging one on the street…

toddlers with their big dolls in Danba, China 

turning a doll upside down for a better view in Danba, China
…A group of woman coochie-cooing over the happiest little baby… with a drooly, round, smiling face, were thrilled when I joined in with my English coochie-coos. What an adorable baby… Eventually mother picked up her baby, waved goodbye, and set off for home while another woman passing by watched with her child and big smiles.

Sheila and a Gyarong family showing off baby in Danba, China 

friendly people of Danba, Kham Sichuan region of China
The women and men in this area wear baskets on their backs to carry goods and even their children up the narrow and steep streets. And there was one last Danba photo. A older Chinese man wearing the rarely seen traditional clothing and a Fu Manchu beard made his way past us..

family carrying child in a basket, Danba, China 

a typical Danba street, China 

man dressed in traditional Chinese clothes in Danba, China
We’d leave Danba and the Kham region of Sichuan, bright and early tomorrow morning heading to Hailuogou National Park, through historic Luding on the way.

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