One morning soon after the kids left to catch the school bus, I began hearing firecrackers. They went on for quite some time. I have gotten used to this phenomenon since I’ve learned that in a Chinese funeral procession, there are multitudes of fireworks set off. The particular time this funeral procession occurred happened to be right at peak morning traffic. I looked out the window to see multitudes of people, smoke and sparks from fireworks, following the casket onto the hearse (a flat bed pick-up truck). The crowds of people, dressed in funeral garb, loaded onto about five large charter buses (what looks similar to a Greyhound bus to us) which proceeded to drive past our apartment windows. Being eight floors up, I was able to see the big picture. A huge traffic jam occurred, as is normal when traffic is stopped. Drivers will enter the oncoming lane to get ahead of other cars, which causes gridlock. These two cars outlined in blue are inching their way out of the entrance to our apartments. The large buses are carrying mourners of the funeral procession.

Below, guys are directing traffic, trying to clear the way.

The Jeep Cherokee, in red, is leading the hearse, but look at the cars in blue. They have changed lanes, into the oncoming lane, to try to get ahead…Gridlock

Here the hearse finally passes by our window