Street Art Chinatown San Francisco.
In the central park in Chinatown these elderly people gather for games of skill and chance, and conversation with their neighbors. Children play in the park next door. These elderly are not hidden away in “assisted living” centers. Where would you rather be when you get old? I know where I would prefer to be….They look like they are having a lot more fun than the people I visit in assisted living……I bet these games of chance keep their minds sharp too. Put it this way, I wouldn’t bet against them!
This gentleman likes to feed the pigeons. At first he was shocked that someone was taking his photo, but he relaxed when he saw I enjoyed the birds as much as he did.
Some wise people a long time ago planted gorgeous flowering trees all over The Chinatown Park for people to enjoy today.
Traditional Asian cultures are known for their respect of their elders. This seems like a smart idea to me, because after all, we all will be old much sooner than we would like!
Cheers to you from Chinatown. I like it here. Somehow it seems so much better than our carefully “planned communities”…
I like the mural pictures and the people playing Chinese chase too.
I didn’t know the game…What is Chinese chase?????
Opps. My mistake
It should be “Chinese Chess”.
Great photos, Cindy. I love San Francisco’s Chinatown and all the hub bub and life going on there all the time. What a wonderful place to spend one’s days in the older years.
Yes, but truly, if I lived near Chinatown, I would be broke. I cannot resist the art!
These photos are so beautiful Cindy, The murals truly show art too. Yeah, I definitely wouldn’t want to bet against those folks playing chinese chess
No way……They would tan my hide!!!
lol they really know their chess
Hi Cindy, Great pics.., again!!! As for the communities, they base theirs on expierience and ancestral knowledge. In this countries we base communities on politics. Which do you think works best ??
rhetroical question, of course).
Paul
So sad for us isn’t it….we are the losers. I ran into a man from Italy in the grocery store several weeks ago, he wanted to know where all the old people were???? He says in Italy they are everywhere…..Good question, no?
Fabulous – I’ll follow you everywhere you go…
Please, and I You. “Oh the places we will go…” (Mr Geisel). Where do you want to go next? I’ll follow you…..
Great photos ! I love photos of everyday life.
Cheers !
I do too! Thank you~
Beautiful trees and inspiration everywhere. Some assisted living centres are wonderful but what I find sad is that our society has made the elderly feel that is the only place where they can be secure.I don’t think my grandparents ever felt insecure or unsafe in their own homes and community.
So well put….We have created a sense of need that is often not necessary. I have had many conversations with my mother who thought she “should” go into assisted living because her friends did…she is more active than I am……..
Good for her for being so active. That is an issue too; peer pressure.
I would add that those of us, like my dear sister, who cares for our parents in her own home, are sometimes made to feel that we ‘should’ be putting our elders in assisted care, for our good and that of the elders. Oh dear, the ‘shoulds” of the world!
YES!!! One much not let themselves be “should upon!” So much easier said than done. The decision to place a relative in assisted living is an indivual one based on the unique needs of each person. Bottom line is whether or not a person is safe in their current living situation. If they are not safe then someone needs to look after them, preferably in their own home, or if not possible, in some type of assisted lving program. I also worry about the burden on caretakers like your sister. Sometimes it can help to have home health aides visit the home to take some of the load off the main caretaker…….Such complicated, painful and difficult decisions to make. You, your sister, and your parents, have my complete empathy. Hugs to all of you!
Amazing photos as always Cindy! I love your blog.
Thank you, as I do yours~
Thank you!
Very kind & much appreciated. Thank you~
Beautiful murals, fabulous magnolias, and I must get myself one of those hats! What a wonderful environment.
Yes the hats rocked!!!!! It was so nice…I could have hung out all day! Cheers to you~
What a great place, Cindy! You really captured the falavor of the area
To top off my wonderful visit, happened by a gallery in Chinatown that was closing yesterday and got a Ming Dynasty vase and 300 year old embroidered piece of an empress’s robe for a song…..I love Chinatown!!!
this looks like a very special place to visit Cindy, of course your photos show it wonderfully…another spot to put on my wish list…someday maybe!
Thanks for the kind comments & cheers to you~
San Francisco is the jewel of Northern California. As you so aptly express in images, Chinatown is a kaleidoscope that brings culture and food and wares and colors and so much more to the forefront. Happy Springtime in a fabulously gracious city.
I agree with everything you say. I could spend everyday alone in Chinatown and never feel lonely. SF rocks! Cheeers to you~
Someday …. someday …. I hope to walk the streets of San Francisco. Great photos!!
Oh please!! You must. It California’s most wonderful big city….sorry San Diego. I was born and still live here but SF is special………
Chinatown is close from my home. Sometimes I walk there for having fun.
If it was close to my house, I would walk there everyday and I would be completely broke because I cannot resist buying the lovely Chinese art! Thanks for visiting & commenting & cheers to you~
Thank you very much too.
I also took some pictures about Chinatown in my hometown and hopefully you enjoy’em too.
I will!!!
Superb photos. I’ve watched the residents play those games many times but not had the nerve to take their photo – well done!
Thank you so much!! I think the community they create for themselves is remarkable and enviable. Plus I am simply in love with Chinatown!! Thank you for your kind comments & cheers~
Beautiful art works!!! Those flowers are awesome!!! Great captures!!!
Merci beau coup!
Fantastic photos as always
Now that I’ve finally found you again!! It’s not just you but once again I’m missing important blog updates…I see I have missed a lot here! I’m not ignoring your posts, they’re great but I’m genuinely not getting the emails/reader updates – I struck lucky on this one. I’ve bookmarked it for now and hope to catch up with the ones I’ve missed tomorrow – if my course allows enough free time to get online!
No worries! I missed a lot too as I was gone….One can’t be expected to catch EVERY post!! Cheers to you & thanks for stopping by!
Thousand times beautiful!!
A thousand thanks to you!
I Nominate you in for an award,
please choose any one of them
please accept and oblige
http://ajaytao2010.wordpress.com/2013/03/20/a-bouquet-of-awards/
So kind…..too little time….too many awards……I have no idea how to retrieve them all, but am humbled and honored that you continue to appreciate my blog which is really all that is important. Many, many thanks!
thanks a lot it means to me
Pingback: A Bouquet of Awards – 10 Nominations | Ajaytao 2010
Marvelous photos and insights, Cindy. A special thanks to your visits to my space as well
Love your space & cheers to you!
Thanks for more of Chinatown – wonderful photos! And thanks for your recent visit to my blog.
You are more than welcome on both scores. Thank you!
I have family in the Marina Del Rey area. Haven’t been to San Francisco. Lovely photos.
Thanks for sharing them.
Hope you can visit soon. It is a place I have always been drawn too and now my daughter is living there so I have an excuse to visit more often!
I’ve never been, so thanks for sharing the view with me. Wonderful photos, Cindy.
Very kind….you must come to San Francisco and “wear some flowers in your hair”…….even if it isn’t the 1960′s!!!
Yep, that’s our San Francisco China Town. GREAT photos!
Love it, love it, love it, and never tire of it!
Thank You for liking my drawings !!!! *Cynthia
That is a no brainer my dear. They are brilliant~
One of the things we so enjoyed when we, as older people, visited asian countries was the respect we were shown. They definately look after their elders better than western countries
Oh yes!! I really have been thinking about this because the scene in the park was so unusual. Why should it be unusual? All parks should be like this, with young and old at leisure together. The answer dawned on me…We segregate our elderly, into retirement communities, old age homes, assisted living centers. Even if the elderly are healthy, they somehow feel unwelcome or out of place now-a-days.
This is why I have such admiration for you and Jack….You are living life to the fullest and are OUT THERE!!! And people love to be around you two….I can tell. Bosh to old age segregation and kudos to you both~
I agree. When I was in China in 1989 I loved the way all public space was always full of people. In Xian I wandered into a park and stopped to watch a group ballroom dancing, next thing I knew a Chinese gentleman came over to indicate he would like to dance with me, all sign language. It was a lovely experience. Then I joined in with a group doing a type of tai chi, what great memories
You my dear could write a most fascinating book…..What a lovely story! I want to hear more~
Great photos, Cindy. Those flowers are really stunning.
Aren’t they though. They took years to mature to this full beauty and some wise people planned this ahead for the common good….How nice is that?
I must commend you on balance of prose to photos==you have that down to a Tee!!
And stunning reds!!
Well thank you!! So very kind of you! Cheers~