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Street Food And The Hemp House

Typical street food stand in Chengdu


Charlie makes his living as a DJ which allows him to have a more flexible schedule than your average suit. As a result, he's a big time night owl, staying up until 3…4…5am and not rising the next day until around 4pm. I tend to adapt the habits of the people I'm staying with so it wasn't long before I was on his night-oriented schedule.

A little before midnight on the evening I had consumed gizzards for the first time, he suggested we dine on some food from the street vendors outside his apartment complex. These guys often have their whole setup running on the back of a modified tricycle. It's quite amazing, and Charlie said they can earn A LOT of money given there isn't the kind of overhead restaurants assume. Besides our late night feast, it's common to see locals walking down the street with a variety of food items on a skewer, meats, pineapple, etc. (but still no scorpions).

Tiny plastic stool

So we picked out a variety of skewers from one vendor, ordered fried rice from another, and sat down at a make shift table to eat it all. As anyone to Asia can attest, little plastic stools are part of the restaurant and street culture. I know us Westerners can be taller on average than Asians, however I saw what had to be the tiniest plastic stool ever! I snapped the photo with it near a teapot to help give you a sense of scale.

Inside the Hemp House (camera flash

 

After our meal, we headed to The Hemp House which was quiet given they yield to Cafe Panam(e) (aka the French cafe) on Friday nights. Charlie's old roommate (” coffee”?) bartends there, and he was friendly with the owners (a nice Chinese couple). We hung out there for a bit, and eventually Eli and ” Softy”? arrived with a few other English guys. Eli is another American living in Chengdu, trying to earn a living as a Hip Hop artist. He had a paid gig with Softy earlier in the night, and apparently it went quite well. All of the guys were English teachers, a more common vocation for Westerners in China.

Planning a trip? Go Backpacking recommends:

Geo Meepo

Friday 27th of August 2010

cool

Flode FMS

Monday 7th of April 2008

HEMP HOUSE CHENGDU, I did the graff in the background. Mushrooms with faces. Lots of stensil effects. They paid my and My Best frind from Thailand " FUNE" ( who painted the character in the entrance part of hemp house ) 1000 rmeinbee each, free food and drink, the time we where there. The good life of a traveling artist. FLODE NORWAY

Dave

Friday 11th of April 2008

Hey Flode - cool!!!!

Thanks for dropping a comment. I really liked the mushrooms with faces. :)

Flode FMS

Monday 7th of April 2008

HEMP HOUSE CHENGDU, I did the graff in the background. Mushrooms with faces. Lots of stensil effects. They paid my and My Best frind from Thailand " FUNE" ( who painted the character in the entrance part of hemp house ) 1000 rmeinbee each, free food and drink, the time we where there. The good life of a traveling artist. FLODE NORWAY

Dave

Saturday 12th of April 2008

Hey Flode - cool!!!!

Thanks for dropping a comment. I really liked the mushrooms with faces. :)

Livvylove

Monday 31st of March 2008

Those skewers look so yummy. The photos in your blog look beautiful as well.

Dave

Saturday 12th of April 2008

Thank you Livvy! The food gave me a bit of a problem the next day though.

Livvylove

Monday 31st of March 2008

Those skewers look so yummy. The photos in your blog look beautiful as well.

Dave

Friday 11th of April 2008

Thank you Livvy! The food gave me a bit of a problem the next day though.

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