Anyi Ancient Village

Yesterday our guide took us and our travel mates, the Wongs, to an ancient village about an hour outside of Nanchang.  I'm not sure we heard exactly how old the village is, but I'm guessing at least 1,000 years old. I'll have to ask Jim if he knows.  People still live there, which is amazing.  Here are some photos from our day:

 Pretty dress - check.  Glasses - check.  Wawa (dolly) - check.  Yep, she's ready for the day.  :D

 Our friend's baby was a little unhappy, so Caylie held her hand.  Sweet girl!

Keelan is a good gege, wearing the Hello Kitty backpack.  ;)

The first time we put Caylie in the stroller, she screamed bloody murder, but she's since decided it isn't so bad.

 Entryway to the village.

Rice farmers.

Rice and strawberry fields.

More farming outside the village.

School and playground just outside the village.

Hay stacks to feed the water buffalo.

Hey, Brittany.  Everybody's got a water buffalo.

Apartment building just outside the village.  A lady got mad at us because we were blocking her chickens from crossing the road.  

Another apartment building.  Every day is laundry in China, it seems.

This is a family's apartment just inside the village.  They keep a shrine to their ancestors.  

 A house just inside the village.  This is one of the "newer" ones.  

Chinese New Year wishes on the sides of every doorway.  

A chicken in someone's house.

And more chickens outside.

 Keelan and Justin with our friends, the Wongs.

Buildings in the main village.

A squatty potty.  Our guide took Caylie to use one of these, and she knew just what to do!

This is a seat used to carry the bride to her wedding.

Inside one of the buildings they were filming some sort of documentary about the food they prepare for Dragon Festival.

Dried squid.  

Old bicycle wagon.

Inside a home in the village.

Caylie took a liking to this little bao bao.

Keelan, Justin, and Caylie in one of the village buildings.

 Some sculpture in the stone.

This room had all sorts of ancient things in it.  We were talking about how many treasures of the world are in places like this, never to be seen or sold to a museum.  But these people are content with what they have, and their history is very important to them.  They would not trade these things for money.

And this isn't like a museum, with the artifacts cordoned off or behind glass.  They're just right there.  These people live there.  We're walking through their "home".  Well, we didn't walk through anyone's actual house, but we could see right in to them, as the doors are wide open.  This part, as with most of it, is more of a common area.

More village.

Taking a rest.

This old man was very happy to see visitors.  He smiled and waved and smiled and waved.  He told our guide he was 90 years old.