The Alfresco Nap

So... I was scrolling through some of our pictures from past summers in QD to find a great cover photo for our summer issue of the Qingdao Expat Magazine, and came across these pics from last summer that would seem so random from a Western perspective, yet so completely normal from a Chinese one. These were taken along the seaside walkway in the west end of QD last June. (They will not grace the cover of QEM!)

I was actually reminded of this outdoor napping phenomenon again when I left my morning Chinese lesson yesterday @ noon. Maggie Lao Shi (teacher) has a beautiful new office in one of two new, glass state-of-the-art twin towers that but up against one of the "in-town" mountains. (Don't get me started on the fact that there was probably plenty of jackhammers and dynamite involved in creating the footings, and that probably much of the base of the mountain was destroyed in the process.)

As I said, it was noon... typical siesta time for workers. So, as I exited the building from the rear, and walked down the driveway that leads from the underground car park, I passed at least three construction workers, laying on concrete, shoes & flimsy helmets off, basking in the glorious May sunshine. No cares about dirty toenails or sleeping in broad daylight in front of anyone who passed by. In a way its refreshing... when was the last time you saw someone take a nap on the sidewalk, or garden wall, or the craggy rocks @ the beach?