Scenes from the Seedy Part of Wujin's College Town

Most of the post secondary institutions  in Changzhou are in the south of the city, and they are clustered together -- six of them altogether. That would be five vocational colleges and one university. I lived in this area for two years before I packed up and moved north to be at my current university. When I lived in this area, there were parts that I were afraid to walk through.  Keep in mind that I come from New Jersey, and poor and impoverished areas are often crime filled places. Only, China is not the USA, and Changzhou doesn't have the crime rate of cities like Atlantic City or Newark. One of my 2017 New Years resolutions was to go places I was afraid of and do things I am uncomfortable with. So, count this as me checking a task off that list. 

Okay, so prostitution is heavy in this area. I had cruised through here on a bike, but I was afraid to walk through here  because it's kind of a red light district. What if I got hustled? As it turns out, nobody cares. I drew more looks of curiosity. Plus, I also realized that I was still looking at this place from  New Jersey place of mind. Nobody can hustle you if you are a six foot two guy who can't speak Chinese and they can't speak English. 

The sex trade is so rampant here, I actually lost count of the sex shops I passed. And, the condom and sex toy vending machines, too. Yes, you read that right. Sex toy vending machines.  That's what is behind the hanging meat that's being cured and dried in the above picture. The other was a display case of dildos out on the street.  Then, there is this problem, and it's common in the poorer parts of town. 

Trash everywhere. The black marks are soot. The poor people in this city set the garbage on fire. 

You do find industrial workshops here, but the spaces are not well maintained. 

You can find small tattoo shops here, but in this city, tattoo shops are spread across socioeconomic classes and neighborhoods.  But, keep in mind, that despite all the hookers and what have you, people actually live here. 

This is a water dispenser. Nobody in China really drinks the tap water. It's not safe. 

Also, China doesn't seem to have laundromats. This is closest thing I have seen -- outside machines, and no dryers, either. Everybody hangs up their clothes to dry. 

You do see some gambling here, but its usually over pool or mahjong. 

And then here is a drop claw game where your choice are stuffed animals or packs of cigarettes. I do not come to these places to laugh or to judge. Some foreigners in China are usually filled with delusions and misconceptions about how the locals live. Those people tend to care more about making money than understanding the country that is providing you a comfortable life It's easy to judge other people when you are rich, when you have money.  Me? I just want to understand the totality of China. The good, the bad, the delicious food, the things that look disgusting. Everything. Part of that process is acknowledging that places other than your favorite expat bar actually exist.