The first 75 of 130 steps it takes to get to Chris's house (side path).
The last 50 of 170 steps it takes to leave Chris's house (front path).
The 20 foot drop along the front path from Chris's house. You DO NOT want to be drunk when coming home at night. *grin*
View of Chris's neighborhood from his house. Note the hawks (or small eagles) on the poles near his back window.
Retention walls are used to keep the hillside from collapsing onto houses. Most of them have drain pipes to allow water through. Retention walls of various materials, colors, and designs can be found all over the place.
Police stations all have red lights to identify them (find it in the photo). Police stations are more numerous than in the US but smaller. In the next photo, you see everything in the neighborhood children's playground except the one bench behind me. The playground is at the back side of the police station.
Smokers are sometimes required to congregate in closed off cubicles (outside) or rooms (inside) like this smoking room in the airport. Note that the doors open by pushing button where a doorknob usually rests and watching as the door slides open.
Smoking is taken less seriously in some places than others. Subway restaurant had a smoking room separated by a draped cloth which, by the way, was left open while someone smoked. *grin*
Front yards are scarce unless you are comfortable middle class or rich. Some houses have little to no dirt to call a yard. Some yards are just a narrow strip. Other yards are concrete covered by potted plants. Below is the nicest looking front yard I saw in Chris's neighborhood.
Cemetaries. The bigger stone structures in the second picture indicate middle-class or well-respected individuals. Rich people have even bigger stone structures.
Food and drinks are often placed at cemetaries and shrines for the departed spirits, so that tea bottle in the second picture is not litter, it's respect.
Construction sites for buildings, bridges, etc. were often covered with netting, tarps, etc., probably as a safety precaution (since I have not seen anything that leads me to think it is for asthetics).
A mix of old style and new style buildings.
