November 10, 2010

Q is for Quartz

Quartz eyeglasses is what I offer for ABC Wednesday's Q day.

This may be a case of "you had to be there" - because I ended up with only one photo to share with you. But we sure got a giggle from all the over-sized glasses worn by the menfolk in Gansu, a northwest province of China. I've not seen these anywhere else.

Gansu, 2007

20 comments:

tapirgal said...

Regional style, pretty interesting, and I actually like the look! Is that a Nehru hat?

Kay L. Davies said...

The sun won't bother his eyes, that's for sure.
Quartz is a good Q word, isn't it? Not at all the same thing as Quarts.
Of course I had to look up Gansu. Alternate spelling: Ganzhou, a province in northwest China.
Now I know.
Your posts are always interesting, well illustrated, and just a teeny-tiny trifle Quirky.
-- K

Kay, Alberta, Canada
An Unfittie's Guide to Adventurous Travel

Unknown said...

All chinese men (not the tibetans) were wearing king sized glasses when I visited Tibet! :-) Great portrait, Francisca.

Sylvia K said...

Terrific post and photo, Francisca and perfect for the Q Day! That is really interesting! Wonder if there's something special about BIG glasses! Hope your week is going well! Enjoy!

Sylvia

photowannabe said...

They almost look like aviator goggles. Great photo none the less. its always fun to visit to see what you have posted.

EG CameraGirl said...

Quartz is a great Q word! So the glasses are made of quartz? Or are they called that because the lenses appear to be made of smoky quartz?

Shooting Parrots said...

ha! Giggles from the goggles!

Roger Owen Green said...

he be stylin'!
ROG, ABC Wednesday team

Wanda said...

HaHa I wore a pair of glasses that looked a lot like that in the 60's.

Good choice for Q.

Tumblewords: said...

I think I have an old pair almost like that - Laughing! Great shot...

Dina said...

Practical for on a scooter at least.

Erika B said...

Excellent "Q" word and great photo.

Erika B

Anonymous said...

They missed an export order, and then had to sell all cheap local ;-)

Francisca said...

@tapirgal - no, it's not a Nehru cap, which signifies Indian independence. But it's similar, it's a taqiyah worn by Muslim men. Don't quote me on this, but I'd say about half of the population of Gansu province is Muslim.

Francisca said...

@EGWow - these eyeglasses really are made of quartz crystal, not glass. They come in clear or smoky. Apparently their powers to magnify are not very precise, but I did find modern quartz glasses sold on the internet, so I am not so sure about this.

Francisca said...

@Kay - I'm not sure what you found, but no, the only Ganzhou I know is what I call a "county" - but the Chinese call city (prefecture level) - in the southwest Jiangxi province. close to the coast. Look up Lanzhou (the capital), Gansu, to find it on the map. It's on the edge of the Tibetan Plateau. There is no alternate spelling for Chinese in Pinyin, which is all I use. :-)

VioletSky said...

glasses made of quatz - that is anew one! at least these will also protect his eyebrows from the sun.

Unknown said...

:) yes, pretty big.

Ann, Chen Jie Xue 陈洁雪 said...

I know there are quartz watches, but didn't know about glasses.

The reason i told D not to use it because parts of the joints were coming apart. I told her, if she wasn't to preserve it, she should use it like the way Radhi's quilts were for decor, and not to be use.

Misfit in Paradise said...

Quartz glasses. I can't imagine they would be very clear. Thanks for sharing with us.
Donna - ABC Wednesday