Laoximen is a tremendous place, full of old lanes and fantastic communities its lanes full of little businesses like pavement barber shops, mending workshops, corner shops and fruit and veg markets which line the main street. Here fish flap about and struggle to breathe in the shallow water of the washing up bowl they’re held in until they get chucked unceremoniously into a plastic bag and swung back and fro down the lanes until they gasp their last.
There’s no place for sentiment though, after all who really cares about fish welfare when people are living in sub-standard housing in such close proximity and with so little light. I was on a little guided tour for a few friends and as we walked through the market we met a man who wanted to show us something. I thought it was a particularly interesting building so was quite excited. He took us left and right and left and right until we came to a group of bystanders and he gave a signal to be quiet.
As we approached the crowd we could see what all the commotion was about – a fire had destroyed several of the lane houses. Firemen, having put out the flames were not gathering up their hoses and getting ready to move out.
Fortunately it seemed that nobody died in the fire but ten families were displaced and I can’t imagine where they wold sleep that night. I hope that their neighbours took them in or perhaps the government put them up somewhere until they found alternative accommodation. But all their possessions will have gone up in flames. All those old photos and reminders of happy times, gifts received from loved ones and all those priceless artifacts which anchor us in our world. For ten families, all that’s left is charred remains of a home.
At a time of disaster such as this, it is so much better to live in a community like this, even one which is on the very bottom rung of the housing ladder. Living in a modern tower block you never know your neighbours and there is little chance of people rallying to your aid.