Pudding and Chopsticks

You can get just about anything you want in China done pretty damn quick.

Take this for example.

I got the protective screen on my phone replaced outside on the sidewalk in front of a store for about 3USD. Took 5 minutes and all I had to do is look rich.

Sometimes you just have to wonder what’s wrong with America.

I planned the trip to Munich so that I would have a day off. To do what you might ask. To visit a car factory that’s what.

I love cars. I grew up in an atmosphere where I was around cars, tools, engines, etc. I love the smell of a cold started diesel in the morning. The smell of starter fluid shot into a crab.

So when I figured what better place to go other than the BMW factory. And that is just what I did.

I got there and the tours were all booked for the day. You are supposed to make a reservation. But the lovely women at the counter said to come back at 11:15am. So I walked around the showroom where BMW displays all there tech.

I was a minority. Figure that. I was in Germany, white guy, looks German and I was surrounded by CHINESE people. Get that. Very odd. But just fits with my notion that they will take over the world.

I got into the tour and it was worth it. Robots, tech, parts, brought me back to my machinist days. I will buy a BMW or Audi or another German made car. Because they make their cars right. At least it seems that way.

So here are some photos of the showrooms and what not. Not allowed to take a camera in the factory so it’s all I got.

Next year Audi.. and perhaps some Autobahn driving?       Yes please.

I went to Shanghai yesterday to hit up the dentist again to work on my root canal. My first one. But I must say that this dentist guy I go to is awesome.

The place is like a 5 star hotel, has the latest gadgetry, and he works fast, painless, and precise. Just the way I like it. But there is one draw back, in fact it’s not really a draw back. This place is expensive. If not one of the most expensive places in Shanghai. But compared to America it’s super damn cheap.

My root canal, 2500元， the most expensive 3M crown will be 8000元 if I choose that one.

In the States dental doesn’t cover crowns and root canals for whatever reason. Some do some don’t. But the cost can range from 1500USD to 3500 USD. I’m paying 400$ for the root canal and about 1100$ for the crown.

Actually cheaper then the States and I would say that this guy is better then the podunk places where I grew up. The latest materials, digital x-rays, computer network, and what nots. I have to say, I like it. Anyway, compared to the local places this place is only for the rich. but compared to America it’s Walmart.

Either way, I’m stoked and will be getting everything I can done before, well, just in case I have to come back to America the home of the ass raping for dental work.

Forgot to mention that he is either Taiwanese, or a Chinese guy that went to America or some place. Speaks English and is all good. I wold rather have this then some dude chain smoking and speaking Chinese that I can’t understand in a unairconditioned back room somewhere.

Anyway here is a photo I took on the way back.

Chinese New Year means exploding things. YES!. How did I ever miss this. Anyway I was about to buy the guys entire stock and show them how to do fireworks American country style, but, I thought that I would probably burn something down. Seems to me something always burned at my house on Fourth of July. I don’t want to have a bunch of angry Chinese old women come after me. So I settled for some mellower items.

8,000 black cats or something. Each 1000 is 1.80USD.

Here’s my haul. I paid about 8 USD for this lot. No I.D. required. In fact I could buy as many motar shells as I wanted, but I didn’t. Maybe next year.

That’s right, I said it. They’re corn looking things made of heaven. Inside it a blast of the angels themselves. All for 90 cents.

Ba bam.

They come in a kind of popcorn bag of sorts. But don’t let that fool you.

Hello there sweet sweet goodness.

Prepare for taste busting awesomeness.

I’m going to use almost in a very loose way and say that they are almost as awesome as my mother’s creampuffs. But really I shouldn’t kid myself. It’s going to be sometime before I get some creampuffs from her, so, I suppose that these will do for now.

On the way back from lunch we spotted this little gem. An electric scooter on fire. Everyone was just sitting around watching it burn. I doubt the fire department even came. Why go to all the trouble when it was just going to burn itself out anyway. Buy hey I could be wrong. We drove past the same spot today and saw a black spot on the pavement. Awesome.

I’ve been lazy and haven’t blogged about anything of real value. Or really even blogged at all. I have so much to talk about from America.

Until I can start a fire under my proverbial A, I leave you with this awesome parking job.

Enjoy.

I got a new toy. The photos should speak for themselves.. Awesome.. It actually works too..

Booya…

I love it.. Take a minute to admire the perfectly written English.

I have no idea what this means. If you fly the heli the wrong way, it could make the rotors change shape thus it would be a bad influence on the right side of the foam package. Of course, because we all know that the left side of the foam package is the tougher one.

They’re so cute.

The business innards.

Flying photos to come soon.

Sorry it’s taken so long. I’ve been working on another website. But with out further delay here are some photos from my lovely sight seeing trip to Hong Kong.

So here we have a panorama of the island. There is Hong Kong island and then there is the part that attaches to China. Either way it still looks way awesome. The lights from the building are amazing. I’m sure that I wouldn’t want to pay the power bill, but watch, yes. Speaking of power, it’s hot down there. Really hot. But everywhere has air. I’m not talking about oh I got a little air going, I’m talking about when people open the door to leave, if you’re on the sidewalk walking past you can feel it. You think Chanel skimps on air. No way. Which is pretty rad because whenever you get hot you can just roll in to a store and hang for a bit. I would totally live in Hong Kong, the only problem. They speak Cantonese. However awesome that is you can’t really use it except in HK or Canton. Is that bad, well, no but I can use Chinese all over China. It’s also expensive. It costs just about as much as Vail. Pretty sure that your not going to make that much to start. So it would just be an up hill battle. In any case, I dug HK and want to go back after  obtain a large sum of money. Custom suits here I come… oh, and copy watches.. I’m coming for you too..

HK money. Plastic, paper, see through, totally boss.

These my friends are two holy grails of cars. The Nissan Skyline. Can’t get them in the states. Dang politics. However in HK, you can have them all you want providing you have the dough and can drive drive stick left handed. I forgot to mention that the drive on the other side of the road. Remember, HK was owned by the British up until a few years ago. Japan spec car here I come.

So there you have it. There was a ton more I wanted to talk about but I don’t remember what I wanted to say. There are tons of people from India trying to get you to buy a suit, a watch, a camera. It gets annoying. At night there are tons of hookers at 7/11. Not all 7/11′s have a Slurpee machine. Walking around is cool. No one really stares at you because there are so many foreigners there already it doesn’t matter. Tons of people. Some good food. Water, working girls. Um. fish. Every major brand has two stores. Or it seems that way. So much fashion. Which I liked, but the lack of a job leads to a lack of money and thus I couldn’t buy anything. Bummer. Next time.

I’m sitting here, it’s 11:18pm on Monday. I helped move a friend into a new place. It’s pretty awesome. But more importantly I am watching something like American Idol but with karaoke, in Chinese. I don’t understand 90 percent but what I do understand is well, maybe I shouldn’t say. I will be watching much more of this. So Friday I head down to the south of China for a vacation or a permanent move, providing I can find a job. I’ve been looking but it seems here in China everyone is daydreaming. What do I mean, well, they want a creative person with 10 yrs experience, speaks, reads, and writes English and Mandarin, along with knowing everything about everything. No, I’m not kidding. This is pretty much every ad I have seen online. I suppose I should go ahead and let it rip anyway. Oh, I just passed a Steven Seagul movie dubbed in Chinese. That’s single handedly made my year. Glorious.

The other day I got another chance to head out, go to dinner, and walk around with a friend. It was a good time. So here are some photos.

Lots of lights at night here in Shenyang. I wonder what Hong Kong or a major city in China looks light. Probably like a alien space craft. I can’t wait.

Hi mom, Hi dad.

A museum.

Most of these photos, actually all these photo were taken at a massive city square. It’s a pretty neat place. This was a Monday night. Loaded with people. Just think I was the only white guy there. I don’t know what that means but it makes me feel special. On weekends this baby is like Cedar Point times ten or seventeen.

On a side note, I can actually hold up a conversation in Chinese. Providing it has to do with a picture of a guy model, why he’s my younger brother, he is handsome because he is my younger brother, and my parents are really happy, so that’s why girls like me. Don’t ask how I know to say most of this but, you never know when you might have to bust this one out someday.

On another side note. I had a bad habit. I have bitten my nails for um, lets just say a long time. But coming here to China, listening to a friend and having him remind me of what my grandma always said, I have come to the conclusion that China is dirty. Putting dirty things in your mouth is bad. Touching all kinds of junk here in China makes your hands dirty, thus sticking them in your mouth is not that awesome. So I quit. It’s been kinda hard. But whatever. One has to do what they can. Me, I just remember what finger nails are for, scratching man itches, and that puts my mind to rest.