Pudding and Chopsticks

Well today is the last day of the year. Western year that is. The real party starts in Feb with the lunar year coming to a close. Fireworks here I come.

I just wanted to post something about really nothing. Here are some photographs. Not many. One of photos is of some water and trees that are lit green. The other is of some hellish alcohol. Trust me.

I have to say that I am surprised that this photo even came out. Considering I almost couldn’t walk by then.. Consider it the ramifications of another business meeting. If you know what I mean.

Ah, the local palate wetter. Or moped petrol. Whatever you prefer to call it, sure does the trick.

So tonight I don’t think much is going on. The Chinese do celebrate New Years, but not to the extent that the western world does. Probably some beer drinking and walking around the night market. Good stuff.

So I got off my lazy butt and went out and did something. That something wasn’t that interesting but hey, what can you expect when you are alone in a place that, well, I tried to find dvds, and hell I couldn’t even find those.. F. oh well.

I got in a cab, told him to take me to Starbucks, got stuck behind a car that was not moving, drove over the curb, and got a flat tire, all in 100 yards. Good start. Got out and got another taxi, which was awesome because it was dumping a wet mix of midwest slush from the sky. Nevertheless it was good to see that it actually snowed. Made my day better. Real coffee made the day better too. Also got me all jacked up. I don’t have a coffee maker. Not really something they sell all over here. Tea yes, coffee, well, I suppose that it’s starting to pick up. So usually I am stuck with instant crap. Today I treated myself to some chain store coffee. Awesome.

I then walked through the streets which were packed with people, I was looking like a dumb ass because I was the only one without an umbrella. Go fig. Oh well.

Here are some photographs.

This city is much more picturesque then what I am used to.. I like it.

So I thought that I would share some photographs from today. I got invited to go to one of the tourist attractions in the city. The East Lake. I for one am always up for adventure. So let’s do this. I was a little let down, but you know. You can’t always go out and be Indiana Jones. At first I thought that it was all fake. Just made to make money. I then found out that this “tourist attraction” is actually a by product of quarried rock. I found some info online.

“The crescent lake is hemmed in by a hill formed of bluestone, a kind of material widely used in building houses, bridges and roads. Stoneworkers had quarried stones from this hill since the Han Dynasty (206 BC-220AD). In later times the hill hollowed out, leaving only steep cliffs and a deep pool. During the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), banks were set up to separate the river outside from the lake inside; the lake was then beautified with diverse bridges, cute pavilions, willows on the banks in an uneven and intriguing pattern. The end-product is this charming lake. New embellishments like a corridor and a tea garden have been added.”

So it wasn’t made to make money. But it’s in China, and looks pretty so.. Gate it off and start to make money off it. Someday I will get to do some real Indiana Jones type stunts. Someday.

Old gate. I suppose that everything here isn’t really that old. So. yeah, older gate?

Rock steps with real actual hand rail.

I am guessing that this is tea. At first we thought that the cartels had already moved in and we would find a shed with poppy seeds in it. But nope.

A path.

Vine door deal.

So, I guess instead of carving things in trees, you carve things in bamboo. Makes sense, I suppose. Something about something, Feb 9, 2004.

Ah so pretty. Bungee jumping comes to mind.

Again, steps, hand rail, town.

Looking up to steps and said hand rail. With boats.

Boat ride back. We hiked up the mountain big hill thing and then coped a lift back in one of these sweet canoe deals. These dudes paddle with their feet and steer with the other paddle. I think we might even of got the ol girl up on plane.

Dudes just chilling.

We headed back into the city to walk around and eat. Here you can see, underwear, apartments, fish hang to dry with a little duck or chicken thrown in .. Nothing new.

This is most of China, the old with the new. Sad really. Someday I will be able to travel to some remote mythical place where barely anyone gets to travel, meet some special dude there that teaching me kungfu and then take some cool photos.

One can only hope.

This was my first Christmas what wasn’t white. Well, I suppose that if you count when I was born, it would be my second Christmas. For sure it was the farthest away from home. Weird too. Here Christmas is not an official Holiday. Pretty much a normal Friday night. I mean there was some decorations and sales but nothing compared to the States. So, here is what I did.

Instead of roasting chestnuts I was roasting some meat. Man style. Christmas Eve.

Chicken, beef, some thing that’s kinda like a potato.

Banfan. Rice pot, whatever you want to call it. Nice.

Tend the meat. It’s very important so that you don’t burn the h out of it. Universal around the world.

This is a fish.

39元 all you can eat. Oh, I forgot, all you can drink too.

Afterward we walked around a bit. Strawberries.

A church. This is the first church that I have seen here in the PRC. It was packed too.

Christmas night we went to eat some dumplings. It was Friday night, apparently everyone else had the same idea.

Food on stick. Boiling in water.

The night market.

A fruit cart. Sugar cane, watermelon, pineapple, etc…

We stopped off at a place that has, well, we’re regulars now. Here the dude is making our food. 粘糕。 Something like sticky cake or, well, hell maybe it doesn’t translate.

But it was good. Christmas dinner. Chinese food and beer. Actually this is what I do most nights. So not that special really. But awesome nonetheless.

More hot steamy food action.

We saw a vendor with some make-up. I found this especially interesting since, most of my family work at this brands factory in the States. At least I think they do. I don’t know much about the manufacturing of there, however I am guessing that these are either made where my relatives work or here. Either way, these are fake, stolen, or fell off the back of a truck. Guy didn’t like me taking a photo. Guessing they weren’t too legit. But maybe, who really knows.

I am starting to learn how to do business here in the PRC. The Chinese usually develop friendships before doing business and Americans are the other way around. The Chinese also use this excuse to get close to you also. I’ll write an that topic later. So, the major thing in doing business here is that, I’ve said it before, you got to drink.. Yes you can refuse, say you have a condition, but really you have to. So this is what went down last night. A little set up. I freelance for this company.

My buddy and I are told that we are going to dinner. This means drinking. We go to a sketchy place on the river. 12 Chinese, 2 Americans. Whiskey. My buddy starts drinking beer, I drink the whiskey. About two glasses or 4 shots or so in I am handed a small bottle of real whiskey by the big boss. We drink. Everyone drinks. It’s pretty good whiskey. We’re all merry. We drink more. I switch to beer. I smoke the workers at downing glasses. The fish tastes like a bad river. The clams like blah… not good. I drunk Chinese text.. We get in car and go somewhere. We arrive at KTV. We drink more, sing songs, eat onions rings. Leave. End up at roller skating rink. Walk around. Somehow I am back home sleeping. They come pick us up this morning.

Time to go to work.

Drink coffee and bask in the brownie points that I accumulated last night, and my new title: Internet King..

I think today is world snowboard day. It’s funny to think that for the last three winters I have snowboarded just about everyday. Going from that to not snowboarding at all in the PRC. I’m ok with it. Don’t get me wrong I love snowboarding but I can’t live in the mountains. Nothing to do but drink and shred. Anyway I did get the chance to go shredding today. Not because it was world snowboard day but just because some Chinese took me. Funny coincidence that it actually was world snowboard day. Huh. Fate? Maybe. Everyone there sucks at this indoor place so I was pretty much boss. It didn’t hook me any ladies though. Bummer.

Think of it like a hockey rink but slanted with snow. It’s cold.

Get some..

There was a little roller on the bigger run. We had to huff it up a bit because this side was closed. I did the best method I could with 4 meters of air. Instant fame..

Peace.

I received a package today. A little bit ago I asked my beloved mother to mail me some of my favorite sweaters. Yes, I like them that much. Well, I received them today. I opened the box to find that she sent, most of my favorite sweaters. It doesn’t matter though. It’s the thought that counts. That she would take time out of her day and spend money on mailing me something half-way around the world. Thanks mom.

There was something else in the box. I didn’t realize it at first. But then it hit me. I held one of the sweaters up to my nose and took a big whiff. It was home, it was my Grandmothers house. The fragrant smell of the candles, nick knacks, mice figurines, the doilies, and her sewing room. My clothes have been stored at my Grandmother’s house. I thank her for that.

That wasn’t all that the package contained. I had to take a second whiff of the sweater to find it. I did. It was another smell. A hug. It reminded me of coming home after being in Colorado for a year, surprising my Grandma and her giving me a great big hug.

That’s all I needed for Christmas this year.

Well, I finally dived in and bought a watch. Not just any watch, a copy watch. Why, well they’re cheap. What else do you want. I bought a copy of a Bell & Ross BR01-92 Phantom. Retail around 6000$. I got mine for 40$. Nice huh. Now some my say that I bought a copy of a expensive watch to look like I have money. That would be wrong. At this specific store that I go too they can get any, and I mean any, watch. I chose mine because I admire the design. That’s basically all the hype is about expensive watches, right? Some my have very accurate movements, and what not but you can’t actually see a movement. Really I don’t need a watch that counts the decay of atoms to be within a nano second after a million years. I’m fine with having Casio insides with a good design copied from an expensive watch.

Square. I like. Also black on black. Which is mysterious. All the foreigners here buy all the gaudy big, gold ridden, watches anyway.

Swiss made, well, i suppose now it’s Swiss designed Chinese copied..

For shizzle.

I have massive arms which makes me big and tough. They allow me to also carry multiple bags from the store into the house at once. Oh. Yeah. I can get away with a bigger watch too.

So as a copy it’s pretty good. The back isn’t engraved exactly the same. It’s also not quite straight. But hey, I didn’t purchase it because it’s a copy of something expensive I bought it because I like it.

While I walk around, whether it be on the sidewalk, a store, back alley, I usually write down my thoughts in my phone. Carrying a notebook doesn’t seem too logistical. But I do have to carry a phone. Here is the list of things from the past week or so.

Pooping in the streets.

Kids. They poop on the sidewalk. Yep. I thought that down here had that under control. But nope. The other day I saw a kid squatting near a curb. No big deal I thought. A lot of kids look like there are squatting. If leaning on a shovel is what Americans do, then squatting is what Asians do. Well the kid was actually pinching of a loaf. How lovely.

Why do Chinese celebrate Christmas? Not a religious state.

I thought that China was a Atheist state. I think it is, officially. Damn I still can’t get away from the Christmas music. All the stores play it. In some aspects, I haven’t left America.

Girls that look good are out for the kill, in American they don’t stand out as much.. Ha ha

There is a massive gap between the rich and poor here. Much more than in the States. So, if a girl looks good, fashionable, she has a “sponsor.” A boy friend, husband, whatever. This also means she loves money, and if she is single. You don’t have a chance.

People speaking English, today was pineapple.

I hate when people try to speak English to me. One, I want to learn Chinese. Yes I know. Selfish. But hey. Two, I speak better Chinese than you do English. So we speak in Chinese. This little snippet of a comment was made while I was at the Golden Arches. I was getting me an ice-cream cone when the cute girl behind the counter pointed to a menu item after I ordered and asked what it was. I was like, um, pie. She said something in terrible English. I then said. Pineapple pie. She was like Oh.. ok. Ok my turn to ask you what that is in Chinese.. If you want English lesson, your going to have to pay me.

Hard hat one piece clothes do work but rubber shoes.

Construction guys, uniforms, hard hats, rubber slip on shoes, working with steel.

Why are stores grouped. All sell the same thing and buy from the same supplier? How make money, price fixing?

There is a mini market going on right now down near the computer center, or actually in the computer center this applies, really anywhere in China this applies. All stores are grouped into one area. You want computers, fishing gear, clothes. It’s all in a mini economic zone. All the computer stuff is in one place. And so on. They also charge the same price and buy from the same supplier. So how do these stores make money? There are 4-5 booths with the same selection of sweater for the same price. I don’t get it. I guess that’s the next thing I am going to have to Google.

Not roping off new concrete or paint

Lucky I am actually smart and know what wet concrete looks like. The person who trenched it with a bike. Not so smart.

Do not look anyone with fliers in the eyes

Word of advice. When you see someone with a stack of fliers in their had. Don’t look, less you want a HELLO.. bad, English, bad English.. NO I don’t need one.

I have yet to see a car seat or cradle thing

There is no such thing as a car seat in China. There are so many cars, but none of these are anywhere to be found. Hence you see the kids bouncing all over the car, playing on the dash, between the seats. Not good. They’re learn.

Guy gets out of car and leaves it there.

I saw a Mercedes roll up to a curb on a busy street, I mean really busy. 28th street busy. Or, um, Frontage road. 3 lane road, guy pulls up in one lane, stops hes gets out, the passenger gets out, trunk opens, they grab briefcases and leave the car in the middle of the lane and head to some store to, I am assuming do biznass. Man, this is awesome.