The old town Ciqikou and Shapingba district
October 2011
Ciqikou (磁器口 - Cíqìkǒu) – this is, by and large, half a kilometer tourist street, which is not much different from any other similar streets in China, crammed full with shops with similar trinkets merchandise. A sort of Chongqing Fair in Izmailovo.
Exceptions to the universal similarity still exist. This, for example, is a shop-studio of artist Yao Xuzhang (姚叙章 - Yáo Xùzhāng), where you can buy both the reproductions of his work pleasant to the eye within 10 yuans (50 roub/$1.5) and originals – large wall paintings, scrolls of 6,000 yuans (30000 roub/$945). Or the neighboring shop with the original ceramics, which by its grace immediately stands out of the dull colored junk.
Soon metro will come to Ciqikou. The concrete flyover is ready, the station is halfway built, the work is in full swing. While the construction is in progress, Ciqikou can be reached by a taxi and by numerous buses from the terminal subway station Shapingba (沙坪坝 - Shāpíngbà) of the first line and, incidentally, not only from there. I've seen the buses bound to Ciqikou in remote parts of the city. If you are pretty good at the new location or have a navigator, you can also take a walk, though it is not close, about 3 km.
In the background on the mountain is the temple Baolunsi (宝轮寺 - Bǎolúnsì).
