While Xuemei and I were getting groceries at the Chinese market the other day, something clicked as I made my usual uncomprehending rounds among the various foodstuffs. I was thinking of trips with my mom to the Arab market; to be more specific; at the Arab market, there was always pretty much uniformly Arabs of various stripes, usually Lebanese or Syrian browsing the bins of olives and dates. If there was anyone of any other ethnicity around, they were very obvious just by being an exception. Of course, my brother and I were included in that category, and were probably a little bit extra odd for being attached to our mom and saying thank you in Arabic.
      Aaand back to the Chinese market. There one can find a kind of even mix of Hispanic and Asian customers, and perhaps one grizzled white dude buying his liquor and smokes. I guess after having only been to a Middle Eastern-centered store for so long I must have unconsciously expected there to be another homogenous group of people. Why the disparity, I wonder?

-Asia Food - useful for a trip to the Chinese market

-La Terre vue du Ciel - gorgeous photography of places all over the world from height, France was the best section in my opinion

-this must have taken skill, effort, and raw talent