Saturday, September 22, 2007

Paper (This week's Photo Hunt theme)






In my Photo Hunt entry last week, I wrote that plastic seems to be everywhere we look (and photograph). While this may be true, even a cursory survey got me realizing that I nonetheless turn out to have more photos of paper products and items in my digital photo collection. And so much so that it took some discipline to not go overboard with this particular entry! ;S

Instead, I'm just putting up three pictures for people to have a look at: with the top-most photograph being a close-up shot of some of what's on sale at the type of mini open-air newspaper and magazine shop, pictured in the middle photograph, that can be found on many a busy street over here in Hong Kong; and the bottom-most picture being of one of the more traditional of Hong Kong's shops -- that which sells joss sticks throughout the year but, during the days leading up to that festive time of the year variously known as the Mid-Autumn, Mooncake and Lantern Festival, also takes to offering up some paper lanterns for sale.

On a trivia note: Something which I've found to be an amusing as well as endearing commercial practice over here in Hong Kong is that when you buy a newspaper from a set-up like in picture number two, you almost invariably will be given a free mini-packet of tissue paper to go with your purchase. Consequently, I have accumulated quite the stock of these mini-packets and don't think that I will ever have to buy tissue paper again for as long as I am resident in this part of the world!

On a cultural note: When I was young, I read a charming Chinese story about a father with two daughters who, one day, bade one daughter to present to him wind in a piece of paper and the other to give him fire in a piece of a paper. After giving these tasks much thought, the former cleverly realized that she could do so in the form of a fan while the latter fulfilled her father's request by presenting him with... what else but a lantern! :)

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

nice entry..like the idea of having freebies of mini pocket tissue paper...nice story of 2 daughters....
mine is up too.

Anonymous said...

love magazines..nice paper entry..like asian myth...happy weekend.
mine is up as well.

A. said...

Well, we didn't think alike at all this week, except that I too felt there was a lot of scope!

Your mention of your free tissue mountain, reminds me of when my husband used to fly long haul frequently and was always given a complimentary bag of toiletries. We accumulated a huge store of them - lip salves, toothpaste, shaving cream, face cloths.

I love the Chinese story!

YTSL said...

Hi johaniquing and aniquanik --

Am glad you like my entry! :)

Hi a. --

Yeah, it'll be interesting to see when, if ever, we'll come up with similar-themed photos for the photo hunt again... ;)

Chen said...

Yeah, we come across paper everyday. It is an essential element in our daily life :)

giving out free pocket tissue paper along with the newspaper? wow..

Michele said...

I love pictures of magazines and books. I love the arrays of colors. It's neat.
The Rocky Mountain Retreat

YTSL said...

Hi again Chen --

Yeah, it's amazing the amount of stuff (paper and plastic) that gets given away free over here in Hong Kong... ;)

Hi Michelle --

Agreed that the magazine, etc. covers make for a colorful array. :)

Carver said...

What an interesting post and photographs. Good take on the paper theme.

Anonymous said...

Always an interesting read. Interesting tidbits on the story of the two daughters. I do like those paper lanterns.

I think it's kind of excessive to give away tissue paper at the newsstand - are they the nice kinds or those harsh paper kind?

SabineM said...

Your Chinese story was very nice! i have read many great Chinese children's story!
Lovely photos!

jmb said...

You always have the best entries here ytsl. You must have enormous photo archives.
Thanks for visiting See you next week

Anonymous said...

Great photos of all that paper. Good choice for this weeks theme. Have a good weekend

YTSL said...

Hi Carver --

Thanks! :)

Hi Lissa --

Believe it or not, the free tissue paper is the nice kind -- soft and in large pieces besides! :)

Hi SabineM --

I actually haven't read too many Chinese stories. Maybe that's why that one stuck with me all these years! ;b

Hi jmb --

*Blush* and actually, I don't have enormous photo archives at all since I only started using a digital camera fairly recently and haven't digitalized my non-digital photos! :)

Hi kissedalotatoads --

Hope you have a good weekend too! :)

Paulie said...

Those are all great paper photos entries! I also enjoyed the story at the end of your post. Tahnks for sharing!

Come and see mine.

YTSL said...

Hi Paulie --

Thanks for visiting and sharing yourself! :)