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Pingyao II
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Pingyao II

(Intro from Pingyao I)

When I got to Pingyao, I thought to myself, Now this is fucking exotic. I’ve traveled to many cities but this is different.

It looks just like the travel books I’ve seen all my life, but it’s the real thing. I’m really in an exotic place.

It’s a very small town, for China, about 50,000 people, a walled city, not so many tourists. Nobody speaks English. Everyone is friendly. There is nobody saying “no pictures.”

Beautiful young women performers, entertainers, wonderful food.

I try to remember that I came here to give a talk at a photographic festival, but all I really wanted to do is shoot.

When I finally gave my talk, there are about 600 people attending– biggest audience I’ve ever had.

One of the organizers, who spoke English, came up to me afterwards and apologized for the crowd. I asked why. He said we scheduled too many things for tonight. You would normally have had about 2,000 people.

One story I have about photo #2 of the old man who always greeted me when I came back to the hotel, exhausted at the end of the day, with the phrase, "You want a massage?" I always said no. On the afternoon I left I saw him, he said bye-bye, pointed to the young woman (photo #3) and said, "This lady massage lady."

Welcome Sign, Pingyao
Welcome Sign, Pingyao
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Not so Welcome Sign, Pingyao
Not so Welcome Sign, Pingyao
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Self Portrait in Elevator, Pingyao
Self Portrait in Elevator, Pingyao
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Three Children in Red Costumes, Pingyao
Three Children in Red Costumes, Pingyao
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Three Young Women, Two Smiling, Pingyao
Three Young Women, Two Smiling, Pingyao
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Close-up, Girl in Red Adjusting Hair, Pingyao
Close-up, Girl in Red Adjusting Hair, Pingyao
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Door with Red and Gold Sticker, Pingyao
Door with Red and Gold Sticker, Pingyao
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Man Looking Up, Pingyao
Man Looking Up, Pingyao
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Performing Monkey, Pingyao
Performing Monkey, Pingyao
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Looking Through Old Door at Pink Chairs, Pingyao
Looking Through Old Door at Pink Chairs, Pingyao
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Light Coming Through Greenish Cloth, Pingyao
Light Coming Through Greenish Cloth, Pingyao
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Older Man, Head, Wearing Blue, Pingyao
Older Man, Head, Wearing Blue, Pingyao
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Alert Baby, Stroller, Pingyao
Alert Baby, Stroller, Pingyao
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Young Girl Doing Makeup, Pingyao
Young Girl Doing Makeup, Pingyao
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Two Young Girls Doing Makeup, Pingyao
Two Young Girls Doing Makeup, Pingyao
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Woman in Black, Yellow Wall, Pingyao
Woman in Black, Yellow Wall, Pingyao
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Exhibit of Photos at Printing Plant, Pingyao
Exhibit of Photos at Printing Plant, Pingyao
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My Rickshaw Driver, Night, Pingyao
My Rickshaw Driver, Night, Pingyao
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Carrying Bikes Over, Pingyao
Carrying Bikes Over, Pingyao
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Sliding Motorcycle Under, Pingyao
Sliding Motorcycle Under, Pingyao
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Girl Asleep at Table, Pingyao
Girl Asleep at Table, Pingyao
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Two Women at Tollbooth, Pingyao
Two Women at Tollbooth, Pingyao
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Two Young Girls, Yellow Wall, Pingyao
Two Young Girls, Yellow Wall, Pingyao
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Two in Doorway, Pingyao
Two in Doorway, Pingyao
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Three on Motor Scooter
Three on Motor Scooter
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Ruins with Blue, Pingyao
Ruins with Blue, Pingyao
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Silhouette Figures with Building, Pingyao
Silhouette Figures with Building, Pingyao
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Two Bicyclists through Beaded Curtain, Pingyao
Two Bicyclists through Beaded Curtain, Pingyao
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Woman with Arm around Child, Pingyao
Woman with Arm around Child, Pingyao
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Three People, Two Bikes, Pingyao
Three People, Two Bikes, Pingyao
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Man on Bike with Megaphone, Pingyao
Man on Bike with Megaphone, Pingyao
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Three on One Bike, Pingyao
Three on One Bike, Pingyao
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Bicycle Reading! Pingyao
Bicycle Reading! Pingyao
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Cop with Red Dancers in Background, Pingyao
Cop with Red Dancers in Background, Pingyao
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Figure in Black with Red in Background, Pingyao
Figure in Black with Red in Background, Pingyao
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Guy with Green Fan, Pingyao
Guy with Green Fan, Pingyao
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Mask on Entire Head, Pingyao
Mask on Entire Head, Pingyao
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Woman through Vinyl Strip Door, Pingyao
Woman through Vinyl Strip Door, Pingyao
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Young Girl, Hands at Chest Level, Pingyao
Young Girl, Hands at Chest Level, Pingyao
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Man with Odd Hand Gesture, Pingyao
Man with Odd Hand Gesture, Pingyao
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Man with Leg Up, Pingyao
Man with Leg Up, Pingyao
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Woman with Leg Up, Pingyao
Woman with Leg Up, Pingyao
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Dog with Both Legs Up, Pingyao
Dog with Both Legs Up, Pingyao
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Incense Candles, Pingyao
Incense Candles, Pingyao
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Boy Walking Down Alley, Pingyao
Boy Walking Down Alley, Pingyao
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Toll Booth, Pingyao
Toll Booth, Pingyao
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Road to Airport, Pingyao
Road to Airport, Pingyao
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End of Pingyao Pt 2_pingyao1
End of Pingyao Pt 2_pingyao1
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