Monday, May 17, 2010
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Tai Dan
...about 3 hours of walking.... about 11km...and i can barely stand up straight.... Aviv sugguested a massage at Tai Dan...why didn't i think of that? On returning to the hotel, i asked the attendant manning the hotel door, and he smiles and says yes, I know Tai Dan. He also says i can call someone to my room for a massage. I am sure that's going to be an arm and a leg...at the 5 Star Shangri La in Downtown Dalian.... So Tai Dan it will be... I come up stairs to rest for a bit before heading out for my massage... Found out the concierge's desk has a binder with places of interest, so they write down the information for me. It's right across the street, to the right. Of course, i am trying to compare Chinese characters, and think i spot it down this side street... Nope...wrong street....Not like my instructions didn't say across the street and to the right...why did i turn left off the main? I showed the car attendant the name of the place in Chinese, and he points in the direction. He took it one step further, signalling to his coworker to cover him, and he proceeds to escort me... These are the moments i live for in China...custome servcie.... but they are few and far between, so i enjoy them when they roll around... We walk for a bit, and then i see the sign and i smile and point... He smiles too and nods his head....I thank him and i am off....
Inside Tai Dan.... Awesome ambience.... dark wooden structures....furniture pieces.... water screen running... i am ready for my massage.... they bring me a list of the services and slippers to change into.... Chinese massage or oil aromatherapy massage? what's the difference? English...barely.... so I speak, she speaks...and neither one of us has a clue what the other said.... Chinese and foot massage bundled in a package... let's try that.... Boy or girl? Boy.... I am lead to a room and told to change.... I think i better find out from Steve which one to get... Turns out chinese massage is with the shirt on and no direct skin contact....i think i want the oil aromatherapy... I wait for the guy to return to tell him....Oh....1 hour of each? Yup.... I am lead to another room, and given a bucket of hot water to place my feet in... Rest rooms? bathroom? He hasn't a clue....light bulb goes off and he says...Toilet...Yes... Which reminds me, everywhere u go, the signs says Toilet....so krass...I get back to the room, put feet in welcomed warm water....Ummmmmhh? when do i change? WHile my feet soaks, he massages my upper shoulders...actually...tries to remove the inner layers of my muscles... hurt? Gentle...anyone???.... That torture is over....he leaves....and i am told to change and lay face down on the bed.... ah.... about time....
English really is golden.... which he speaks a tad bit... he returns and the massage is underway.... He reaches for the button in th back...only thing is, i am wearing the buttons in the front...lol....That was not part of the instructions... Had a good laugh to myself.... I wish i would have asked for a girl, cause i think he is on a mission to remove my skin....so i keep wincing and he keeps apologizing...finally, i think he gets it now....At one point he is straddling me on the table... Strange massage manoever....but nothing inappropriate, so i relax.... My feet really needs it, and i am getting one hr for body and one hour for feet....Either my feet are still sore from the walk, or he's renewed his mission to take the layers off, as this hurts....I manage to dose on and off..2 hrs later...i am somwehat relaxed...somewhat enjoyed the experience, despite the torture at times... Funny thing is, for a full body massage, my arms weren't touched.... Everyone swears by this place....so maybe it's just me today...
I drink my orange juice I opted for, and am escorted to the front....where i pay...and get him to write down Archie Square in Chinese... That's key to getting directions... Some people will speak a few works of English, but i'd be darned if they can read it...Archie square is about 15 mins down the street.... i mentioned taxi and he laughs and says 2 mins....i guess i can walk....something i have been doing a lot of in China...of course i talk myself into it, as it's a form of exercise...got to do something to balance my food intake...
Inside Tai Dan.... Awesome ambience.... dark wooden structures....furniture pieces.... water screen running... i am ready for my massage.... they bring me a list of the services and slippers to change into.... Chinese massage or oil aromatherapy massage? what's the difference? English...barely.... so I speak, she speaks...and neither one of us has a clue what the other said.... Chinese and foot massage bundled in a package... let's try that.... Boy or girl? Boy.... I am lead to a room and told to change.... I think i better find out from Steve which one to get... Turns out chinese massage is with the shirt on and no direct skin contact....i think i want the oil aromatherapy... I wait for the guy to return to tell him....Oh....1 hour of each? Yup.... I am lead to another room, and given a bucket of hot water to place my feet in... Rest rooms? bathroom? He hasn't a clue....light bulb goes off and he says...Toilet...Yes... Which reminds me, everywhere u go, the signs says Toilet....so krass...I get back to the room, put feet in welcomed warm water....Ummmmmhh? when do i change? WHile my feet soaks, he massages my upper shoulders...actually...tries to remove the inner layers of my muscles... hurt? Gentle...anyone???.... That torture is over....he leaves....and i am told to change and lay face down on the bed.... ah.... about time....
English really is golden.... which he speaks a tad bit... he returns and the massage is underway.... He reaches for the button in th back...only thing is, i am wearing the buttons in the front...lol....That was not part of the instructions... Had a good laugh to myself.... I wish i would have asked for a girl, cause i think he is on a mission to remove my skin....so i keep wincing and he keeps apologizing...finally, i think he gets it now....At one point he is straddling me on the table... Strange massage manoever....but nothing inappropriate, so i relax.... My feet really needs it, and i am getting one hr for body and one hour for feet....Either my feet are still sore from the walk, or he's renewed his mission to take the layers off, as this hurts....I manage to dose on and off..2 hrs later...i am somwehat relaxed...somewhat enjoyed the experience, despite the torture at times... Funny thing is, for a full body massage, my arms weren't touched.... Everyone swears by this place....so maybe it's just me today...
I drink my orange juice I opted for, and am escorted to the front....where i pay...and get him to write down Archie Square in Chinese... That's key to getting directions... Some people will speak a few works of English, but i'd be darned if they can read it...Archie square is about 15 mins down the street.... i mentioned taxi and he laughs and says 2 mins....i guess i can walk....something i have been doing a lot of in China...of course i talk myself into it, as it's a form of exercise...got to do something to balance my food intake...
At the Seamstress Again
...Wednesday..May 12th, is the day my stuff should be ready... the navy blue jacket and the black linen pants... Sky called and confirmed they were ready.... Not wanting to miss the Fat club lunch walk, i plan on leaving around 3pm to go pick up the stuff...Everywhere closes at 5, even on the weekends....How do they expect you to shop? The department stores are open till 8:30, but who cares, as you can't bargain there.... My boss suggests leaving at 2 as this will give me more time, as i need to order another Chinese dress... I need a dress for Kelz graduation and won't have time when i get home to go shopping...
2 pm and the driver is here, so i am off to New Mart..He comes in with me, so he can be the translator...There's an elevator operator sitting in the elevator... not sure what's the need for an operator, as there are only 6 floors....so she selects the floors...reads her newspaper, and talks on the phone... The first time we caught it, the alarm went off as it was overweight... the driver had to get off... I thought she and her chair could get off...and we could fit like 2 more people....
The seamstress is this petite woman...really snazzy dresser...always wearing what she makes...usually fancy skirt suits...with heels.... her sister is also a seamstress...i think they work together.... my jacket is ready...and so is the linen pants... I try on the jacket...the pant can wait until i get home...there's no fitting room, and she proceeds to hand me a sheet to cover up with and try it on...LOL...these people are craaaazy! It's near my aprt so not a problem for me to take it back another time... the loops are missing on the pant, so she says to wait while she does it...i have time and need to go order my dress, so i tell her 4:30... off to the next seamstress....
As usual...they are happy to see me....It's a group of older ladies..actually two different stalls, but they work together.... i am ordering a long traditional chinese dress for my daughter's graduation.... now i can't seem to find the style i had in mind... they are giving me all the books they have, and somehow they look different from the last time.... I finally decide on a style....now for the fabric.... decided on the blue, but then when time to choose the piping, i wasn't buying the blue with the purple, even though it matched....so i switched back to the lavender...I made sure to have the driver explain that i needed it loose, not like the other one that fit like a second skin...I want to be able to breathe in this one...and sit down without the seams ripping... I think they finally got it, so we will see when i pick it up..
Time for the driver to go get my boss, so i bid him farewell, as i was going to do some shopping downstairs.... I totally missed the shoe floor when i was here the other couple of times... I have never seen so many converses in my life.... I ended up getting Kelsea a black pair...for about $4.50 US...lol.... I see a red plaid high top one, but need to make sure she wants high top before i buy it. This is not America, where i can return/exchange...hehe... Everyone is calling me to come to their stall... And who is not calling is staring and pointing to my hair.... I am out of shoes now...into custome jewelry.... looking for rings...not really finding the ones i am looking for.... Lavender...this will work...i can wear it with the chinese dress..... Now it's on to hair pins.... I must be opening an hair pin store, as i already bought so many.... This bargaining is like a game to me now... They write a price, I study it, slash it in less than half...and smile...they laugh, and think i am kidding, when i am dead serious...few minutes later, it's mine for my asking price...What am i going to do when i get back home and can no longer bargain?
4:30 now...time to pick up my pants and head home.... Can't pass up a trip to MacDonald's...the fried chicken looks so inviting, so that's what i get... Back at the hotel, i dig in....OMG...it's spicy chicken wings...just like KFC...and taste soooo good.... Must go back and try it again... I need to find out from Kelz if MacDonald's in the states sells chicken wings... If not, they need to start....
2 pm and the driver is here, so i am off to New Mart..He comes in with me, so he can be the translator...There's an elevator operator sitting in the elevator... not sure what's the need for an operator, as there are only 6 floors....so she selects the floors...reads her newspaper, and talks on the phone... The first time we caught it, the alarm went off as it was overweight... the driver had to get off... I thought she and her chair could get off...and we could fit like 2 more people....
The seamstress is this petite woman...really snazzy dresser...always wearing what she makes...usually fancy skirt suits...with heels.... her sister is also a seamstress...i think they work together.... my jacket is ready...and so is the linen pants... I try on the jacket...the pant can wait until i get home...there's no fitting room, and she proceeds to hand me a sheet to cover up with and try it on...LOL...these people are craaaazy! It's near my aprt so not a problem for me to take it back another time... the loops are missing on the pant, so she says to wait while she does it...i have time and need to go order my dress, so i tell her 4:30... off to the next seamstress....
As usual...they are happy to see me....It's a group of older ladies..actually two different stalls, but they work together.... i am ordering a long traditional chinese dress for my daughter's graduation.... now i can't seem to find the style i had in mind... they are giving me all the books they have, and somehow they look different from the last time.... I finally decide on a style....now for the fabric.... decided on the blue, but then when time to choose the piping, i wasn't buying the blue with the purple, even though it matched....so i switched back to the lavender...I made sure to have the driver explain that i needed it loose, not like the other one that fit like a second skin...I want to be able to breathe in this one...and sit down without the seams ripping... I think they finally got it, so we will see when i pick it up..
Time for the driver to go get my boss, so i bid him farewell, as i was going to do some shopping downstairs.... I totally missed the shoe floor when i was here the other couple of times... I have never seen so many converses in my life.... I ended up getting Kelsea a black pair...for about $4.50 US...lol.... I see a red plaid high top one, but need to make sure she wants high top before i buy it. This is not America, where i can return/exchange...hehe... Everyone is calling me to come to their stall... And who is not calling is staring and pointing to my hair.... I am out of shoes now...into custome jewelry.... looking for rings...not really finding the ones i am looking for.... Lavender...this will work...i can wear it with the chinese dress..... Now it's on to hair pins.... I must be opening an hair pin store, as i already bought so many.... This bargaining is like a game to me now... They write a price, I study it, slash it in less than half...and smile...they laugh, and think i am kidding, when i am dead serious...few minutes later, it's mine for my asking price...What am i going to do when i get back home and can no longer bargain?
4:30 now...time to pick up my pants and head home.... Can't pass up a trip to MacDonald's...the fried chicken looks so inviting, so that's what i get... Back at the hotel, i dig in....OMG...it's spicy chicken wings...just like KFC...and taste soooo good.... Must go back and try it again... I need to find out from Kelz if MacDonald's in the states sells chicken wings... If not, they need to start....
Monday, May 10, 2010
And the weekend has started
I have two weekends left in China, as i fly out on the 3rd weekend, back to the US. I actually toyed with the idea of extending my stay for one more weekend, but how close could I cut it to my daughter's graduation? I get home the saturday before her Wednesday graduation, so i don't think i can cut it any closer...
Even though i have been shopping since i got here, i still have more souvenirs to get. It seems that everytime i think i am done, i remember someone else, and of course, it's always someone that would kill me if i got home without a souvenir for them. I would never hear the end of it. So I decide to forego anymore weekend trips, and just dedicate these two last weekends to getting the remaining souvenirs, and anything else in China, I might want to bring home for myself.
My plan to sleep in on Saturday morning was soon thwarted, as the trip my boss and i planned to the seamstress was earlier than i thought...she was picking me up at 8:30... No problem... at least i will get to sleep a hour later....Since i would be coming back to the hotel after the trip the seamstress, and before the real shopping, i didn't put much thought into dressing for breakfast...so i donned a tank top and shorts...uummmh....I can just imagine the stares, as so far, i haven't seen any chinese women with shoulders and legs bare... they are always wearing sleeves, and tights, opaque tights/pantyhose no doubt, even with short shorts...apparently they either don't mind or don't care, if the top of their panty hose is visible or not....perhaps i should educate them?..haha.... I make my way to the hotel restaraunt, and as expected, the staring is on... Oh well, I am used to it by now, as just being me, causes them to stare.... I actually showed the chef how to
make my omelette, as i was not in the mood for another runny one.... I know he wont' forget next time.... I get done breakfast with 15 mins to spare, but then my boss calls and she is already downstairs... I donned my long skirt, as i need to be able to try on pants when i get there, and i don't remember seeing a fitting room....
We arrive 5 mins before the building opens, and there is a crowd already. 5 mins later, we are in the store... It's quite an undertaking making it to the 6h floor to the seamstress, not because of the crowd, which there isn't, we just can't seem to bypass the merchandise... so we spend 45 mins buying makeup and facial products... While we are browsing, the sale staff is having their morning meeting, which concludes with an exercise session, complete with music and dancing... this is fun, i have joined in the dancing... lol...
Ok...we have 45 mins to go, as my boss has to be home by 10.. we get to the seamstress, and i try on my jeans, with the heels i brought...the seamstress marks where it should be shortened... I show her the linen pants i brought to use as a
sample for the one i ordered few days back... She says i have to pay extra to make the legs wider, as it's more fabric... she says 30RMB, i say 20RMB....and she laughs and sayscheap...YUP, that's me...lol... It's costing me 15RMB to cut the jean...that's $2!!! In the US, it would cost me like $20... I wish i had brought more stuff to be altered....ah...next trip.....I can't seem to get away...now i am
ordering a jacket..in navy blue.... ..I swear...i am addicted.... Wednesday is my pickup date...It's almost 10, so we have to leave....but not before the ladies near the elevator, the ones that made me the traditional chinese dress, try to interest me in some silks... I have the driver explain to them that i will be back...
Even though i have been shopping since i got here, i still have more souvenirs to get. It seems that everytime i think i am done, i remember someone else, and of course, it's always someone that would kill me if i got home without a souvenir for them. I would never hear the end of it. So I decide to forego anymore weekend trips, and just dedicate these two last weekends to getting the remaining souvenirs, and anything else in China, I might want to bring home for myself.
My plan to sleep in on Saturday morning was soon thwarted, as the trip my boss and i planned to the seamstress was earlier than i thought...she was picking me up at 8:30... No problem... at least i will get to sleep a hour later....Since i would be coming back to the hotel after the trip the seamstress, and before the real shopping, i didn't put much thought into dressing for breakfast...so i donned a tank top and shorts...uummmh....I can just imagine the stares, as so far, i haven't seen any chinese women with shoulders and legs bare... they are always wearing sleeves, and tights, opaque tights/pantyhose no doubt, even with short shorts...apparently they either don't mind or don't care, if the top of their panty hose is visible or not....perhaps i should educate them?..haha.... I make my way to the hotel restaraunt, and as expected, the staring is on... Oh well, I am used to it by now, as just being me, causes them to stare.... I actually showed the chef how to
make my omelette, as i was not in the mood for another runny one.... I know he wont' forget next time.... I get done breakfast with 15 mins to spare, but then my boss calls and she is already downstairs... I donned my long skirt, as i need to be able to try on pants when i get there, and i don't remember seeing a fitting room....
We arrive 5 mins before the building opens, and there is a crowd already. 5 mins later, we are in the store... It's quite an undertaking making it to the 6h floor to the seamstress, not because of the crowd, which there isn't, we just can't seem to bypass the merchandise... so we spend 45 mins buying makeup and facial products... While we are browsing, the sale staff is having their morning meeting, which concludes with an exercise session, complete with music and dancing... this is fun, i have joined in the dancing... lol...
Ok...we have 45 mins to go, as my boss has to be home by 10.. we get to the seamstress, and i try on my jeans, with the heels i brought...the seamstress marks where it should be shortened... I show her the linen pants i brought to use as a
sample for the one i ordered few days back... She says i have to pay extra to make the legs wider, as it's more fabric... she says 30RMB, i say 20RMB....and she laughs and sayscheap...YUP, that's me...lol... It's costing me 15RMB to cut the jean...that's $2!!! In the US, it would cost me like $20... I wish i had brought more stuff to be altered....ah...next trip.....I can't seem to get away...now i am
ordering a jacket..in navy blue.... ..I swear...i am addicted.... Wednesday is my pickup date...It's almost 10, so we have to leave....but not before the ladies near the elevator, the ones that made me the traditional chinese dress, try to interest me in some silks... I have the driver explain to them that i will be back...
The Silk Market - Evening 1
The tour finishes at 6 and then i will get dropped off to my hotel..leaves me 3 hours to shop at the Silk Market....If only there was no traffic..or we didn't have to traipse all through Bejing to drop of the Vietnamese/french family at the train station, and the other travellers to their respective hotels... Must make it the Silk Market with enough time to shop...after all...what is a trip without shopping? I ask Lilly if I can get dropped off at the train station, and also for directions to the market....Line One will take me there... I am estactic to hear the Silk Market is actually one of the train stops.... and it's only 2RMB to ride the train...Lilly writes the train stop in English (Yonganli) and Chinese, and off I go...She even gives me change in case the machine wouldn't take large bills.... such a great tour guide...
I wonder around on the wrong side of the street, trying to find the train station... she said it was right across the street...I see buildings, stores, but no train station....who can i ask? I don't even get the chance to ask...someone approaches me and says May i help? Apparently, Beijing is more developed than Dalian, and the people are eager to practice English....I am directed across the street... Finally.... I am in the train station...have to go through security check first...all bags must be put on the belt and scanned...just like going through the airport security... Ok...now to tackle the ticket machine... Ok,...what am i doing? How to buy the ticket? How do i figure out from where to where? Crap..i am not understanding this machine at all... And the people are not making matters any better... They are just crowding around and waiting for their chance to buy their ticket... I put the paper money in, and the machine spits it out...twice.... Arrrgh!! I step back, frustrated.... This one guy looks at me and says he will buy my ticket... He buys mine and his ticket, i give him my paper money, and then he directs me down the stairs for my train... he must be used to lost foreigners....
Here comes my train.... the train is very modern and i am impressed... Unlike Philly and probably other big cities i am familiar with, you can't really see the train tracks. There is like a shell of a building for the train platform... when the train comes, the shell opens up and you get on. On the train, there is a color coded map with all the stops... There is a voice that tells you the next stop, in addition, it's light up on the map, so you can basically watch your travel path.... Two stops later, and it Yonganli...Silk Market here I come... Despite Beijing being way more modern than Dalian, I was still the one man freak show on the train....
The security guard in the train station directs me to take the left pathway to go to the Silk Market... There's vendor selling cd's and the like, along the path.... I am here!!! The restaurant is the first thing i see...Ok...who needs food? Let the shopping begin.... I make my way up the stairs... Chinese craft vendors line the first stairwell... I quickly browse...and keep going up... Ah..clothes... Polo shirts, Columbia Jackets....nope not interested...keep going...3rd floor...silks...scarves, robes, fabrics...uummmh....where to begin? I think I want to do handbag shopping first...I spot the elevator and I jump on....5th floor ...luxury handbags....Next destination.....
On the 5th floor, I am greeted by a jewelry store... Looks pretty expensive too... am I interested in real jewelry? Nah.... men's shoes...Gucci, Coach... looks soooo real...but you got it... made in china!.... On this floor, there are actually stores, as opposed to vendors....and the setting is really upscale... i find the handbags but these are not any names i know... So i approach a sales person, and she motions me into 'the back room'... Now this is the spot....hahaha...There are business men back there, buying watches...I am guessing Rolex wannabes, and the likes...lol.... Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Channel, Jimmy Cho....all great names, but I swear they still look fake..they even feel fake...I really don't see anything of that great quality... so I spin around some more..then I make my exit...Maybe I will have better luck on the first floor with the regular handbags....
There are handbag vendor everywhere....everyone is motioning me to come into their stall...mostly young girls manning the stalls, and they speak a little English... I don't see anything I like...one offers me a seat...and whips out a catalog...a Louis catalog at that.. She says whatever i want.. I say i don't see it in the store...she says...that's ok.. I get it for you.... I pick one...she makes a phone call and says wait here.... Few minutes later, a young man comes running with the bag.... They seriously have their system down pack... I look over the bag... bargain some...but then walk away, as i wasn't really interested... The whole time I am walking away, she is still calling me, and the price is steady going down.... I wonder around and around, looking at all kinds of bags... One girl does the 'leather test' for me. She burns the bag...if it's leather it won't burn... Really? i have no clue... My belt is leather, so i take it off, and tell her to burn that... I am calling her bluff....lol.. My belt doesn't burn..but does that proove anything? I have no idea if leather burns or not... I am so indecisive...I can't make up my mind... I think I want a bright color, but not red... or baby blue...or baby pink.... whenever i see a bag i think i like, it's a color i don't want... Tons of Jimmy Cho, Channel and all the top names, but they have huge silver or gold buckles or huge metallic name plates.... i don't want to get any of these, as in no time, the metal will turn black..or worse yet, someone will spot me with the bag, and think to themself..OMG, what a bad imitation...lol...I finally find a D&G...no signs, no logo...for all purposes, it's just a leather or wanna be leather bag.... I bargain down from 360RM to 100...the whole way she is convincing me that she can't go so low... but then I go to walk away, and it's OK...OK...your price....hahaha...the smell of victory.... Funny how time flies when you are having fun... it's almost 8:30 and they close at 9, and i have only bought ONE item... I got to get moving....
I make a mad dash for the other floors again....still not interested in clothes... I end up on the 3rd floor looking at silk robes.... I want to get like 4...all souvenirs....she starts the bargaining at 1200RM for one... Maybe i didn't hear her right.... she goes into this dialogue about it's real quality silk.... which might e the case, but not for that price... i say Tekwila (too expensive)..she says how much, and i say 300RMB for all 4...I know..i am really under cutting her, but I don't care..... she says I am crazy and she is not budging..so I walk away... in search of the next vendor.... I guess there isn't another one with the robes... but I found scarves instead... a nice one with chinese girls on it...perfect for my mom... 360RMB.... yeah right.... I say 50 and it's deja vu again.... few minutes later, I walk away with it for 50.....Back to the robes..... this time I want one, and i am only paying 100RMB.. It's 5 minutes to closing...so she caves in seconds....and I walk away smiling...... Who knows what their profit margin is? Or maybe they can go really low for some customers, as they might enough money off the ones that are bargaining challenged...
Starving...time to go home... I didn't get directions to take the train back...so it will have to be a cab... The cabbie don't want to use the meter, so they can overcharge you... I need them to use the meter, as i need a receipt.... And some flatout say no, the hotel is too far.... I don't get it...who cares how far it is? The farther, the more money you make! Ok...so 15 minutes later...i am still waiting...so are other people...groups of people.... Please don't tell me I am stranded in Beijing at the Silk Market... There's a police vehicle here, but they dont' give two hoots abuot us stranded tourists.... A lady goes to seek their help with a cabbie she is having issues with... Sounds like she is from Germany...and i know the cops are understanding a word she is saying... I am trying not to laugh.... Now everyone is trying to jump into the same cab...different groups of people... please don't tell me we are going to start fighting over the cabs now....Finally, i get a cab.... i show him my hotel confirmation letter, and he says he knows where...Use the meter, he says no... I say yes.... Then he tries to tell me the hotel is far, so it's going to be 120... I agree as i just want to go home. Then he asks for directions. I thought you just told me you now where it is??? I give him the number to call the hotel.. I have no clue what he does, and then tries to tell me he is not getting through. Not to worry... I dial on my phone and hands him the phone... Let's see him get out of that one now... Finally, we are settled on where the hotel is... He wants me to pay him now. I say nope..not till I get there. He insists, and I insists on no... On top of that, i make no effort to get out the cab... After what seemed like ages, he finally says, I go, Ok, I go...lol.....Like seriously dude, as tired as I am tonight, you would have to drag me kicking and screaming out of the cab...Before we pull off, a lady with a baby comes begging to the car, and I gave her some money. Wrong thing to do, another one comes and when I wouldn't respond, she got more insistent, almost pushing the baby in the car... The driver had to close the window to get rid of her...We pull off... WHen Ibooked the hotel, the information I saw showed the hotel being 8 miles from the silk market... 1/2 hour later, i am still riding around in the cab... I guess he was trying to justify what he was charging me....I had to ask if we were almost there... of course he said yes... 5 mins later, I saw the Crowne Plaza...home sweet home!
I wonder around on the wrong side of the street, trying to find the train station... she said it was right across the street...I see buildings, stores, but no train station....who can i ask? I don't even get the chance to ask...someone approaches me and says May i help? Apparently, Beijing is more developed than Dalian, and the people are eager to practice English....I am directed across the street... Finally.... I am in the train station...have to go through security check first...all bags must be put on the belt and scanned...just like going through the airport security... Ok...now to tackle the ticket machine... Ok,...what am i doing? How to buy the ticket? How do i figure out from where to where? Crap..i am not understanding this machine at all... And the people are not making matters any better... They are just crowding around and waiting for their chance to buy their ticket... I put the paper money in, and the machine spits it out...twice.... Arrrgh!! I step back, frustrated.... This one guy looks at me and says he will buy my ticket... He buys mine and his ticket, i give him my paper money, and then he directs me down the stairs for my train... he must be used to lost foreigners....
Here comes my train.... the train is very modern and i am impressed... Unlike Philly and probably other big cities i am familiar with, you can't really see the train tracks. There is like a shell of a building for the train platform... when the train comes, the shell opens up and you get on. On the train, there is a color coded map with all the stops... There is a voice that tells you the next stop, in addition, it's light up on the map, so you can basically watch your travel path.... Two stops later, and it Yonganli...Silk Market here I come... Despite Beijing being way more modern than Dalian, I was still the one man freak show on the train....
The security guard in the train station directs me to take the left pathway to go to the Silk Market... There's vendor selling cd's and the like, along the path.... I am here!!! The restaurant is the first thing i see...Ok...who needs food? Let the shopping begin.... I make my way up the stairs... Chinese craft vendors line the first stairwell... I quickly browse...and keep going up... Ah..clothes... Polo shirts, Columbia Jackets....nope not interested...keep going...3rd floor...silks...scarves, robes, fabrics...uummmh....where to begin? I think I want to do handbag shopping first...I spot the elevator and I jump on....5th floor ...luxury handbags....Next destination.....
On the 5th floor, I am greeted by a jewelry store... Looks pretty expensive too... am I interested in real jewelry? Nah.... men's shoes...Gucci, Coach... looks soooo real...but you got it... made in china!.... On this floor, there are actually stores, as opposed to vendors....and the setting is really upscale... i find the handbags but these are not any names i know... So i approach a sales person, and she motions me into 'the back room'... Now this is the spot....hahaha...There are business men back there, buying watches...I am guessing Rolex wannabes, and the likes...lol.... Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Channel, Jimmy Cho....all great names, but I swear they still look fake..they even feel fake...I really don't see anything of that great quality... so I spin around some more..then I make my exit...Maybe I will have better luck on the first floor with the regular handbags....
There are handbag vendor everywhere....everyone is motioning me to come into their stall...mostly young girls manning the stalls, and they speak a little English... I don't see anything I like...one offers me a seat...and whips out a catalog...a Louis catalog at that.. She says whatever i want.. I say i don't see it in the store...she says...that's ok.. I get it for you.... I pick one...she makes a phone call and says wait here.... Few minutes later, a young man comes running with the bag.... They seriously have their system down pack... I look over the bag... bargain some...but then walk away, as i wasn't really interested... The whole time I am walking away, she is still calling me, and the price is steady going down.... I wonder around and around, looking at all kinds of bags... One girl does the 'leather test' for me. She burns the bag...if it's leather it won't burn... Really? i have no clue... My belt is leather, so i take it off, and tell her to burn that... I am calling her bluff....lol.. My belt doesn't burn..but does that proove anything? I have no idea if leather burns or not... I am so indecisive...I can't make up my mind... I think I want a bright color, but not red... or baby blue...or baby pink.... whenever i see a bag i think i like, it's a color i don't want... Tons of Jimmy Cho, Channel and all the top names, but they have huge silver or gold buckles or huge metallic name plates.... i don't want to get any of these, as in no time, the metal will turn black..or worse yet, someone will spot me with the bag, and think to themself..OMG, what a bad imitation...lol...I finally find a D&G...no signs, no logo...for all purposes, it's just a leather or wanna be leather bag.... I bargain down from 360RM to 100...the whole way she is convincing me that she can't go so low... but then I go to walk away, and it's OK...OK...your price....hahaha...the smell of victory.... Funny how time flies when you are having fun... it's almost 8:30 and they close at 9, and i have only bought ONE item... I got to get moving....
I make a mad dash for the other floors again....still not interested in clothes... I end up on the 3rd floor looking at silk robes.... I want to get like 4...all souvenirs....she starts the bargaining at 1200RM for one... Maybe i didn't hear her right.... she goes into this dialogue about it's real quality silk.... which might e the case, but not for that price... i say Tekwila (too expensive)..she says how much, and i say 300RMB for all 4...I know..i am really under cutting her, but I don't care..... she says I am crazy and she is not budging..so I walk away... in search of the next vendor.... I guess there isn't another one with the robes... but I found scarves instead... a nice one with chinese girls on it...perfect for my mom... 360RMB.... yeah right.... I say 50 and it's deja vu again.... few minutes later, I walk away with it for 50.....Back to the robes..... this time I want one, and i am only paying 100RMB.. It's 5 minutes to closing...so she caves in seconds....and I walk away smiling...... Who knows what their profit margin is? Or maybe they can go really low for some customers, as they might enough money off the ones that are bargaining challenged...
Starving...time to go home... I didn't get directions to take the train back...so it will have to be a cab... The cabbie don't want to use the meter, so they can overcharge you... I need them to use the meter, as i need a receipt.... And some flatout say no, the hotel is too far.... I don't get it...who cares how far it is? The farther, the more money you make! Ok...so 15 minutes later...i am still waiting...so are other people...groups of people.... Please don't tell me I am stranded in Beijing at the Silk Market... There's a police vehicle here, but they dont' give two hoots abuot us stranded tourists.... A lady goes to seek their help with a cabbie she is having issues with... Sounds like she is from Germany...and i know the cops are understanding a word she is saying... I am trying not to laugh.... Now everyone is trying to jump into the same cab...different groups of people... please don't tell me we are going to start fighting over the cabs now....Finally, i get a cab.... i show him my hotel confirmation letter, and he says he knows where...Use the meter, he says no... I say yes.... Then he tries to tell me the hotel is far, so it's going to be 120... I agree as i just want to go home. Then he asks for directions. I thought you just told me you now where it is??? I give him the number to call the hotel.. I have no clue what he does, and then tries to tell me he is not getting through. Not to worry... I dial on my phone and hands him the phone... Let's see him get out of that one now... Finally, we are settled on where the hotel is... He wants me to pay him now. I say nope..not till I get there. He insists, and I insists on no... On top of that, i make no effort to get out the cab... After what seemed like ages, he finally says, I go, Ok, I go...lol.....Like seriously dude, as tired as I am tonight, you would have to drag me kicking and screaming out of the cab...Before we pull off, a lady with a baby comes begging to the car, and I gave her some money. Wrong thing to do, another one comes and when I wouldn't respond, she got more insistent, almost pushing the baby in the car... The driver had to close the window to get rid of her...We pull off... WHen Ibooked the hotel, the information I saw showed the hotel being 8 miles from the silk market... 1/2 hour later, i am still riding around in the cab... I guess he was trying to justify what he was charging me....I had to ask if we were almost there... of course he said yes... 5 mins later, I saw the Crowne Plaza...home sweet home!
Beijing Day 2 - The Ming Tombs
Today my tour guide is Michael... Quite the opposite of yesterday, i was the last one picked up this morning..which i was pleased with, as I was soo tired from Day 1 of touring, topped off with bargaining at the Silk Market... As I make my way to the back of the minibus, i scanned the other passengers: Two Indian gentlemen, an Asian couple (found out later they were Japanese, and quite young), another Asian couple (definitely chinese) and can't remember who else we had with us. Today we are only doing 2 places..Ming Tomb and The Great Wall...and of course two stops to places the tour company has a contract with for bringing them customers.... the Jade and the Silk Market.
Off we go to the Ming Tombs... Nice drive into the countryside...the tour guide points out the traffic on the other side of the road...the traffic going to the Great Wall... Now I am beginning to understand what my coworkers meant when they said it would be crowded... New York or California traffic is nothing compared to this. Oh well...I will deal with that later, when we are actually in that traffic....
We get to the Ming Tombs, and I am about to die of thirst... The day I forget to bring my own water... A 1RMB bottle of water is now 10RMB. I give her 20 and she hands me two bottles of water....Noooooo....I want one water, and my 10RMB back in change.... These people are so slick.....
The Ming Tombs is where the Emperors are buried. I forget how many TOmbs there are, but only 2 are open to the public. WHen an emperor dies, any childless concubine of his, kills herself, and her ashes are burned in a Urn... Great place for a picture...only my tour guide says the Chinese frowns upon that, as it's bad luck....Great, thanks for telling me, after I took the picture....
Inside the tomb is a replica of an Emperor....huge big belly man sitting on a thrown... i think his stomach actually has a place on the chair....No one is sure if the Emperor really looks like the replica, as these were made years or maybe even centuries after they died....The emperor's as well as the empresses headpieces are displaced. Evidently, these were very short people as these headpieces are so high...and heavy... THey must have had necks of steel to wear those things for long periods of time on their heads.
My group is looking at the gold implements such as cutlery, pots and pans, the emperors were buried with... i guess they planned to do a lot of cooking in the grave.... All of sudden, we are about to be trampled! A group of about 50 chinese tourists, comes stampeding around the corner... in a second, it was all over.... Our tour guide, skinny as he was, was trying to shield us from the stampeding locals...They have no concept or order or one at a time, and no one wants to be last, so as soon as their tour guide raised his flag for them to move on, all 50 proceeded to move at the SAME TIME!!!....Looking back now, I am dying with laughter.....
By now, we should all be familiar with the Chinese custom of Feng Shui...so all the doorways or entrances to all their buildings are about 2 feet high..You have to lift up your feet to cross over. These high entrances are to keep the evil spirt out and keep the wealth in... Ummmmmh... I guess the spirits don't know how to lift their feet up..... Everydoorway msut be crossed in this order: A lady enters first with her right foot, then the left...men do the opposite....When you are leaving the tombs...you chant (in chinese) something to the effect of 'material world i have returned'...And as you are saying it, you are jumping over the doorway... i guess trampling the spirits, or making sure you don't take any home with you....It sure was a comical sight to hear all the commotion from all the groups chanting and jumping over the entrance, as they exited the Ming Tombs.....
Now we are off to lunch, but not before a stop at the Jade Market first.... We get a tour of how Jade is made... actually see workers through the class, cutting the jade with these antiquated machinery, looking like a sewing machine.... The jade is in water, as i guess it's easier to work with wet.... There are tons of sales people ready to sell us different jade items...necklaces, ring, the family ball- three intertwined circles which represent a family unit (can't remember the real name), jade carvings, and tons of other grossly overpriced jade items...I was about to purchase a necklace for my mom, when one of the other passengers on my bus said you can get that cheaper in Shanghai.. I already had the receipt the sales lady gave me to go pay for the item with the cashier...so you know she was mad when i never came back to pick it up...lol.... I opted instead for a ball (intertwined circle)...Imagine my disappointment when i got home to the states, and it was in pieces. It was in a box, in my hand luggage, and still broke...great...what a waste of my 120RMB. Evidently there is a minimum time for us to remain in the Jade Market (give them enough time to hoodwink us), as it wasn't till about 1/2 hour later before our tour guide surfaced.... Finally, off to lunch and then Great Wall....
Off we go to the Ming Tombs... Nice drive into the countryside...the tour guide points out the traffic on the other side of the road...the traffic going to the Great Wall... Now I am beginning to understand what my coworkers meant when they said it would be crowded... New York or California traffic is nothing compared to this. Oh well...I will deal with that later, when we are actually in that traffic....
We get to the Ming Tombs, and I am about to die of thirst... The day I forget to bring my own water... A 1RMB bottle of water is now 10RMB. I give her 20 and she hands me two bottles of water....Noooooo....I want one water, and my 10RMB back in change.... These people are so slick.....
The Ming Tombs is where the Emperors are buried. I forget how many TOmbs there are, but only 2 are open to the public. WHen an emperor dies, any childless concubine of his, kills herself, and her ashes are burned in a Urn... Great place for a picture...only my tour guide says the Chinese frowns upon that, as it's bad luck....Great, thanks for telling me, after I took the picture....
Inside the tomb is a replica of an Emperor....huge big belly man sitting on a thrown... i think his stomach actually has a place on the chair....No one is sure if the Emperor really looks like the replica, as these were made years or maybe even centuries after they died....The emperor's as well as the empresses headpieces are displaced. Evidently, these were very short people as these headpieces are so high...and heavy... THey must have had necks of steel to wear those things for long periods of time on their heads.
My group is looking at the gold implements such as cutlery, pots and pans, the emperors were buried with... i guess they planned to do a lot of cooking in the grave.... All of sudden, we are about to be trampled! A group of about 50 chinese tourists, comes stampeding around the corner... in a second, it was all over.... Our tour guide, skinny as he was, was trying to shield us from the stampeding locals...They have no concept or order or one at a time, and no one wants to be last, so as soon as their tour guide raised his flag for them to move on, all 50 proceeded to move at the SAME TIME!!!....Looking back now, I am dying with laughter.....
By now, we should all be familiar with the Chinese custom of Feng Shui...so all the doorways or entrances to all their buildings are about 2 feet high..You have to lift up your feet to cross over. These high entrances are to keep the evil spirt out and keep the wealth in... Ummmmmh... I guess the spirits don't know how to lift their feet up..... Everydoorway msut be crossed in this order: A lady enters first with her right foot, then the left...men do the opposite....When you are leaving the tombs...you chant (in chinese) something to the effect of 'material world i have returned'...And as you are saying it, you are jumping over the doorway... i guess trampling the spirits, or making sure you don't take any home with you....It sure was a comical sight to hear all the commotion from all the groups chanting and jumping over the entrance, as they exited the Ming Tombs.....
Now we are off to lunch, but not before a stop at the Jade Market first.... We get a tour of how Jade is made... actually see workers through the class, cutting the jade with these antiquated machinery, looking like a sewing machine.... The jade is in water, as i guess it's easier to work with wet.... There are tons of sales people ready to sell us different jade items...necklaces, ring, the family ball- three intertwined circles which represent a family unit (can't remember the real name), jade carvings, and tons of other grossly overpriced jade items...I was about to purchase a necklace for my mom, when one of the other passengers on my bus said you can get that cheaper in Shanghai.. I already had the receipt the sales lady gave me to go pay for the item with the cashier...so you know she was mad when i never came back to pick it up...lol.... I opted instead for a ball (intertwined circle)...Imagine my disappointment when i got home to the states, and it was in pieces. It was in a box, in my hand luggage, and still broke...great...what a waste of my 120RMB. Evidently there is a minimum time for us to remain in the Jade Market (give them enough time to hoodwink us), as it wasn't till about 1/2 hour later before our tour guide surfaced.... Finally, off to lunch and then Great Wall....
Beijing Day 1
...It's the weekend, and i am up at the crack of dawn... no rest for the weary... The bus is coming at 7:30, but i have to get breakfast first. Just as i get to the lobby, this chinese girl in a black sweatsuit approaches me... It's Lili..my tour guide...Man, she is on time... We head outside to a minibus... i thought the tour information packet said a 22 seater...this can probably seat like 10...I hope it only plans on seating 10...I am the first one...Enroute to pick up the next set of passengers, I hear Lili says there's no room as we have a full bus. Please don't tell me someone is planning on bringing some unplanned for guests...We reach pick up spot...a woman and her two kids....and their suitcases....Lili tries to make room for their suitcases...the unplanned guests.... Seems we need to drop them at the airport or nearest subway when the tour is done...I thought this tour was all Americans...but now we just picked up some Chinese people...Found out later, she is Korean, married to a French man...Next stop...the 67year old lady, on a trip around the world...Little miss petite, rocking her skinnies and a winter sweater... uummmm...evidently she didn't get the summer memo....Lastly, we pick up a retired American couple from MA....tall gentleman, and blonde hair woman.... I already know the staring will be on...All aboard...we are off to Forbidden city....
The driver lets us off on a side street, and we begin our walk to Forbidden City. Lili has a blue umbrella, and we are told to make sure we follow the umbrella.
Forbidden city is so called, as it's where the Emperor, Empresses and his 200 or so concubines lived. The cocubines and the Empress were not allowed out of Forbidden CIty, and the common people were not allowed inside. The city was self contained..so they had all they needed inside...The Emperor had 3 office buildings inside and the other government officials would meet him there in the days. They loved outside the forbidden city. The buildings were all handmade and handcrafted. They city has actually been rebuilt a few times, due to fires. Inside, there are huge urns that were used to hold water for fighting fires. Huge incense burners were also common. Everything in the Forbidden city is symbolic. The number 9 was symbolic, so the door to the city, had 9 rows, 9 columns of gold balls..there were 9 animals on the roofs of the buildings, etc.. Each animal was symbolic, but without a tape recorder, i didn't stand a chance of remembering why. The rooftops colors were also symbolic.. The buildings the emperor lived in was gold for power. The empress building was red, for beauty. Some rooftops were bell shaped and some were flat...a think bell shaped for going up to heaven?...Look it up as i can't remember....So enough history...
The crowd is unbelievable...and i do believe every single inhabitant of Beijing is on tour today. There are huge tour groups...Unlike us, each group is easily identified...some are wearing orange hats, some yellow hats, some burberry hats, some same Tshirts, some following tourguides with huge flags...and it seems they came by the bus loads....May 1 is their labour day and the start of their holiday season, so everybody making use of the 3 day weekend.... Taking pictures without people in it, is not possible, so you just have to take your pictures and hope that you succeed in capturing the right thing. Being crowded is not too bad, but it's the pushing that sucks. I think it's just their culture...they don't form lines...they just push and force their way through....unbelievable....
Lili says we can wait for the driver to pick us up or we can walk to Tian'anmen Square... we decide to walk...so did tons of other people.... From what i gather, it's just a big square, with a huge picture of the Emperor..This is where i thought i was about to be trampled.. At one point, we were moving from spot to spot by the crowd just pushing up through. Then we had to go down steps as if we were going into the subway..I thought for sure this was the end...Crowded, dark...and all in the name of sightseeing...
Next stop, Chinese School of Medicine...Of course this part is a freebie from the tour company. We get to attend a lecture by Chinese doctors, and have them take our pulse and summarize our medical conditions based on that...Hopefully you will buy the medicine they recommend...hence the tour companies make money... The old lady in my group seems to think she is at a real doctor, as she keeps trying to make them understand the problems she is having with her feet. The medication she is on, isn't working, it's hurts to walk, and she has a lot of walking in store as she is on a world tour. So, the rest of us, wait, and wait, and wait, while she keeps going, on and on and on...It doesn't look like we will be leaving here anytime soon. SHe is done? It's only been 1/2 hour!!! The rest of us breeze through in like 5 mins. I buy the red fruit (antioxidant), and the chrysanta flowers (forget what it's good for now)... Now the old lady is complaining, as the medicine they propose cost her $78 US!! I told her that she didn't have to buy it...and don't forget, they are not medical doctors...And she has the nerve to apologize for taking long!!!
Pearl Market...another commission stop for the tour company. We get a brief talk on how pearls are gotten from Oysters.... We have to guess how many pearls are in this one oyster and whoever comes the closets, gets a pearl. I won...and she dug the pearl out of the oyster and placed in my palm. Great, now my hand is stink...I think i put the miniature pearl in my pocket...have no idea where it is now...Now we get to buy the finished products.. I was all ready to buy my mom a pearl bracelet, and the Korean lady says you can get them so much cheaper in Shanghai... so i cancelled the transaction. I know the saleslady was livid... Oh well....
We are off to lunch...again, organized by the tour... The restaurant has a gift shop...another chance for the tour company to make more commission... Lunch is awesome... I finally tried fish in China and it was great.. Crispy, in an orange sauce, and can't even explain it, so see for yourself...
The gift shop was small, and not much of interest to me...i bought a bangle was all... We are off again...heading to the Temple of Heaven..... This is where the Emperor would come and pray for the harvest... The top of these buildings are blue...signifing the heavens...and they are round shape...going up to heaven, is the significance if i remember... The buildings are a lot like the ones from Forbidden City, so not much new to marvel at... The crowds are unreal...
Summer Palace.....the last tour stop....
The driver lets us off on a side street, and we begin our walk to Forbidden City. Lili has a blue umbrella, and we are told to make sure we follow the umbrella.
Forbidden city is so called, as it's where the Emperor, Empresses and his 200 or so concubines lived. The cocubines and the Empress were not allowed out of Forbidden CIty, and the common people were not allowed inside. The city was self contained..so they had all they needed inside...The Emperor had 3 office buildings inside and the other government officials would meet him there in the days. They loved outside the forbidden city. The buildings were all handmade and handcrafted. They city has actually been rebuilt a few times, due to fires. Inside, there are huge urns that were used to hold water for fighting fires. Huge incense burners were also common. Everything in the Forbidden city is symbolic. The number 9 was symbolic, so the door to the city, had 9 rows, 9 columns of gold balls..there were 9 animals on the roofs of the buildings, etc.. Each animal was symbolic, but without a tape recorder, i didn't stand a chance of remembering why. The rooftops colors were also symbolic.. The buildings the emperor lived in was gold for power. The empress building was red, for beauty. Some rooftops were bell shaped and some were flat...a think bell shaped for going up to heaven?...Look it up as i can't remember....So enough history...
The crowd is unbelievable...and i do believe every single inhabitant of Beijing is on tour today. There are huge tour groups...Unlike us, each group is easily identified...some are wearing orange hats, some yellow hats, some burberry hats, some same Tshirts, some following tourguides with huge flags...and it seems they came by the bus loads....May 1 is their labour day and the start of their holiday season, so everybody making use of the 3 day weekend.... Taking pictures without people in it, is not possible, so you just have to take your pictures and hope that you succeed in capturing the right thing. Being crowded is not too bad, but it's the pushing that sucks. I think it's just their culture...they don't form lines...they just push and force their way through....unbelievable....
Lili says we can wait for the driver to pick us up or we can walk to Tian'anmen Square... we decide to walk...so did tons of other people.... From what i gather, it's just a big square, with a huge picture of the Emperor..This is where i thought i was about to be trampled.. At one point, we were moving from spot to spot by the crowd just pushing up through. Then we had to go down steps as if we were going into the subway..I thought for sure this was the end...Crowded, dark...and all in the name of sightseeing...
Next stop, Chinese School of Medicine...Of course this part is a freebie from the tour company. We get to attend a lecture by Chinese doctors, and have them take our pulse and summarize our medical conditions based on that...Hopefully you will buy the medicine they recommend...hence the tour companies make money... The old lady in my group seems to think she is at a real doctor, as she keeps trying to make them understand the problems she is having with her feet. The medication she is on, isn't working, it's hurts to walk, and she has a lot of walking in store as she is on a world tour. So, the rest of us, wait, and wait, and wait, while she keeps going, on and on and on...It doesn't look like we will be leaving here anytime soon. SHe is done? It's only been 1/2 hour!!! The rest of us breeze through in like 5 mins. I buy the red fruit (antioxidant), and the chrysanta flowers (forget what it's good for now)... Now the old lady is complaining, as the medicine they propose cost her $78 US!! I told her that she didn't have to buy it...and don't forget, they are not medical doctors...And she has the nerve to apologize for taking long!!!
Pearl Market...another commission stop for the tour company. We get a brief talk on how pearls are gotten from Oysters.... We have to guess how many pearls are in this one oyster and whoever comes the closets, gets a pearl. I won...and she dug the pearl out of the oyster and placed in my palm. Great, now my hand is stink...I think i put the miniature pearl in my pocket...have no idea where it is now...Now we get to buy the finished products.. I was all ready to buy my mom a pearl bracelet, and the Korean lady says you can get them so much cheaper in Shanghai... so i cancelled the transaction. I know the saleslady was livid... Oh well....
We are off to lunch...again, organized by the tour... The restaurant has a gift shop...another chance for the tour company to make more commission... Lunch is awesome... I finally tried fish in China and it was great.. Crispy, in an orange sauce, and can't even explain it, so see for yourself...
The gift shop was small, and not much of interest to me...i bought a bangle was all... We are off again...heading to the Temple of Heaven..... This is where the Emperor would come and pray for the harvest... The top of these buildings are blue...signifing the heavens...and they are round shape...going up to heaven, is the significance if i remember... The buildings are a lot like the ones from Forbidden City, so not much new to marvel at... The crowds are unreal...
Summer Palace.....the last tour stop....
Heading to Beijing
The timing couldn't have been better... It's May 1st..Labour Day in China... which means 3 day weekend..what better time to go touring in Beijing..Or so i thought... my chinese coworkers quickly set me straight... it's the worst time to go, as it's going to be crowded... Not wanting to pass up the 3 day weekend, i decided to stick to my original plan..
My flight leaves at like 7;30, so i get a ride straight from the office to the airport... Checkin close 30 mins before departure, and they are serious with their time, so i rather sit in the airport, than be late, and miss my flight...Thankfully, i flew with my coworkers last weekend, so i knew how to navigate my way around the airport...There are tons of chinese airlines...The monitor overhead scrolls with the check in counter information, based on your airline... China Air is 38 - 41. You do have to pay attention to the line you are in, and move when it moves, as the natives are so unorderly, and have no problems just jumping in front of you.. They are so used to 'bungling up' and pushing their way through, but mi deh yah fi dem today.... Most in lines have boxes sealed with duct tape, some boxes coated in a layer of clear tape...bags taped up...nothing refined about them luggage...
All checked in, and going through security... Same problem... pay attention or you will be in line forever...Somehow i always seem to get the electronic wand pat downn...i strike the pose, and enjoy the special attention... All done, and early, so i stop in the coffee shop... Weird coffee shop, as the also sell Chinese soup and noodles... I kid myself into thinking i am enjoying the coffee.... I guess it was more the warm liquid that i needed to combat the cold temperature...
I am off to my terminal and my flight is boarding...this sure is a short runway... a bus? Did i make a wrong turn...naw, there was no turns... i checked with a stewardess and yes, i am on the right bus... Please don't tell me i am being bussed to Beijing...It seems like we are waiting forever for the rest of the passengers keeping coming one by one... Why can't we just leave them? We are finally moving, and please tell me, we are on our way to meet a plane... Yup... there's the plane.... For the first time, i am like in the first group...oh wait, the part she tears off is missing, so she hands me back my boarding pass... Now everyone else is going infront of me, and i can't find the missing part. Darn it! I keep telling her that is all i have, and she keeps taking other passengers... It dawns on me to look in my purse, and i found it...must have came apart when i tucked the passport in the pocket... Back in business... on the plane now...
I approach my aisle, and look up just in time to see the pillsbury dough boy i am sitting beside touch his girlfriend and point to me. I have had enough of this staring, so my face is sour now, and i am fuming. I stare him dead in the face... The girlfriend is trying to be discreet. Then from behind, his mom or someone tives him a cell phone, and maybe it's just my imaginatin, but he is fumbling, as if he is trying to sneak and take my picture. Oh hell no...all hell is about to break loose, as if he takes my picture, i am taking his. I don't stop staring at him, so he is uncomfortable now, and the whole time i am still standing. I finally sit, and keep watching him and the camera....I think he got the message... As soon as the plane takes off, he gets up to go to the bathroom... I just sit there and don't even budge...until i feel like giving him way... 2 minutes later he is back...and i roll my eyes, utter some choice words, and he says 'I am so sorry'....I bet u he dont' get up for the remainder of the flight...
The rest of the flight is uneventful and i arrive in Beijing like 1 1/2 later... Get a cab to the Crowne Plaza, which is right across from the Bird's nest stadium... Can't wait to get to my room... She can't find my reservation, so i give her the confirmation letter. Despite my calling, and having my chinese coworker calling, my reservation still got cancelled, as i didn't check it by 5.. This is all thanks to booking through the company's travel tool..This really sucks, as there is also no messages from the tour guide, who i am sure called and was told that i cancelled..Someone else comes over to help, and few minutes later, i am on my way to my room, on the Executive floor... Sure enough, i have a phone message from the travel agent...tour guide can't find me, so they can't pick me up and tour is nonrefundable... I call her back, and she says to check my email for contact information.. Thank God, i always walk with my computer... few phone calls later, it's a done deal.. i am being picked up at 7:30.... I like this room... chaise, couch, king bed, desk... i could see being here for days.... I am tired and need to get some rest... long day ahead tomorrow...
My flight leaves at like 7;30, so i get a ride straight from the office to the airport... Checkin close 30 mins before departure, and they are serious with their time, so i rather sit in the airport, than be late, and miss my flight...Thankfully, i flew with my coworkers last weekend, so i knew how to navigate my way around the airport...There are tons of chinese airlines...The monitor overhead scrolls with the check in counter information, based on your airline... China Air is 38 - 41. You do have to pay attention to the line you are in, and move when it moves, as the natives are so unorderly, and have no problems just jumping in front of you.. They are so used to 'bungling up' and pushing their way through, but mi deh yah fi dem today.... Most in lines have boxes sealed with duct tape, some boxes coated in a layer of clear tape...bags taped up...nothing refined about them luggage...
All checked in, and going through security... Same problem... pay attention or you will be in line forever...Somehow i always seem to get the electronic wand pat downn...i strike the pose, and enjoy the special attention... All done, and early, so i stop in the coffee shop... Weird coffee shop, as the also sell Chinese soup and noodles... I kid myself into thinking i am enjoying the coffee.... I guess it was more the warm liquid that i needed to combat the cold temperature...
I am off to my terminal and my flight is boarding...this sure is a short runway... a bus? Did i make a wrong turn...naw, there was no turns... i checked with a stewardess and yes, i am on the right bus... Please don't tell me i am being bussed to Beijing...It seems like we are waiting forever for the rest of the passengers keeping coming one by one... Why can't we just leave them? We are finally moving, and please tell me, we are on our way to meet a plane... Yup... there's the plane.... For the first time, i am like in the first group...oh wait, the part she tears off is missing, so she hands me back my boarding pass... Now everyone else is going infront of me, and i can't find the missing part. Darn it! I keep telling her that is all i have, and she keeps taking other passengers... It dawns on me to look in my purse, and i found it...must have came apart when i tucked the passport in the pocket... Back in business... on the plane now...
I approach my aisle, and look up just in time to see the pillsbury dough boy i am sitting beside touch his girlfriend and point to me. I have had enough of this staring, so my face is sour now, and i am fuming. I stare him dead in the face... The girlfriend is trying to be discreet. Then from behind, his mom or someone tives him a cell phone, and maybe it's just my imaginatin, but he is fumbling, as if he is trying to sneak and take my picture. Oh hell no...all hell is about to break loose, as if he takes my picture, i am taking his. I don't stop staring at him, so he is uncomfortable now, and the whole time i am still standing. I finally sit, and keep watching him and the camera....I think he got the message... As soon as the plane takes off, he gets up to go to the bathroom... I just sit there and don't even budge...until i feel like giving him way... 2 minutes later he is back...and i roll my eyes, utter some choice words, and he says 'I am so sorry'....I bet u he dont' get up for the remainder of the flight...
The rest of the flight is uneventful and i arrive in Beijing like 1 1/2 later... Get a cab to the Crowne Plaza, which is right across from the Bird's nest stadium... Can't wait to get to my room... She can't find my reservation, so i give her the confirmation letter. Despite my calling, and having my chinese coworker calling, my reservation still got cancelled, as i didn't check it by 5.. This is all thanks to booking through the company's travel tool..This really sucks, as there is also no messages from the tour guide, who i am sure called and was told that i cancelled..Someone else comes over to help, and few minutes later, i am on my way to my room, on the Executive floor... Sure enough, i have a phone message from the travel agent...tour guide can't find me, so they can't pick me up and tour is nonrefundable... I call her back, and she says to check my email for contact information.. Thank God, i always walk with my computer... few phone calls later, it's a done deal.. i am being picked up at 7:30.... I like this room... chaise, couch, king bed, desk... i could see being here for days.... I am tired and need to get some rest... long day ahead tomorrow...
Back to Shenzhen
Awwwww... so my time in Hong Kong is up.. We are heading back to Shenzhen today to catch our flight back to Dalian. I can only hope that after all this good weather we had in Hong Kong, that it's the same in Dalian... We are off to an early start, as we have to get a taxi to the Hom Lu train station. Thanks to our tour guide, Sinead, who figured out that we could take the cab to this train station, which would cut out all the other train transfers we did on our way into Hong Kong. This train will take us to Shenzhen, where we will get a cab to the airport. This is the part I hate about travelling..making all these connections....
With 5 of us travelling and all our suitcases, we need 2 cabs...Some big convention started in Hong Kong today, so cabs are scarce. The concierge calls for two cabs and one arrive...Regina and I get in, and are off the train station. Hopefully the others will meet us there soon. We actually had to wait a good 15 mins before they showed up. Everyone is here now...so let the adventure begin!
Inside the train station, Audrey purchases all our tickets.. Trying to get rid of all our Hong Kong money, she uses all coins for the purchase... How did we get so many coins in the first place? The ride is uneventful...the train isnt' crowded... In Shenzhen, we have to go through customs... WHile waiting in line, i notice this man trying to jump ahead of us. What is it with Chinese? Do they think they are going to miss something if they stand in line? At the first opportunity, he makes his move, and Regina blocks him.. I am dying with laughter. Now that he realizes he can't get by us, he holds his place in line...We finally clear customs..now for a cab...
A driver approaches us to offer us a vanride, as no cab will take 5 people and our bags... He quotes like 400RMB and we say no. He is not even with a reputable company, it's a private van.. OMG, he is so persistent..he is still following us, and telling us why we should use him, and how we are foolish not to. What the hell? He is going to walk with us all the way? He is still talking? This guy is crazy...OK..this is serious... 5 mins later, and he is still following us... Now he is calling us stupid! I wish I knew some choice Chinese words!!!! He finally threw in the towel and is off in search of other victims... We are walking from the train station to the Shangri La, which is across the street..... They will get us cabs.....
A young man approaches me with a business card. Do we want to buy some handbags? Any kind we want.. Louis, Gucci, Fendi, ..... The store is in a building across the street... Man, where were you on Sunday, when I had a few hours to spare? I can't squeeze in a shopping trip now... I might miss my plane... His name is Mr. Bean...his business card is so authentic....I have to give it them, as they take the business of knockoffs to the next level. We tell him we are going to the hotel...and sure enough we can see him from the hotel lobby waiting outside.....Who would have ever thought there were stalkers in China?..lol...
In the Shangri La (5 star hotel), we make a bee line for the restrooms... and freshenup... Do we have to leave? It is sooo nice in here... so relaxing... All these businessmen in the lounge area...so many potential prospects...my timing sure is off...Outside, the attendants grab us two cabs and we are off to the airport....Back to old dreary Dalian....
With 5 of us travelling and all our suitcases, we need 2 cabs...Some big convention started in Hong Kong today, so cabs are scarce. The concierge calls for two cabs and one arrive...Regina and I get in, and are off the train station. Hopefully the others will meet us there soon. We actually had to wait a good 15 mins before they showed up. Everyone is here now...so let the adventure begin!
Inside the train station, Audrey purchases all our tickets.. Trying to get rid of all our Hong Kong money, she uses all coins for the purchase... How did we get so many coins in the first place? The ride is uneventful...the train isnt' crowded... In Shenzhen, we have to go through customs... WHile waiting in line, i notice this man trying to jump ahead of us. What is it with Chinese? Do they think they are going to miss something if they stand in line? At the first opportunity, he makes his move, and Regina blocks him.. I am dying with laughter. Now that he realizes he can't get by us, he holds his place in line...We finally clear customs..now for a cab...
A driver approaches us to offer us a vanride, as no cab will take 5 people and our bags... He quotes like 400RMB and we say no. He is not even with a reputable company, it's a private van.. OMG, he is so persistent..he is still following us, and telling us why we should use him, and how we are foolish not to. What the hell? He is going to walk with us all the way? He is still talking? This guy is crazy...OK..this is serious... 5 mins later, and he is still following us... Now he is calling us stupid! I wish I knew some choice Chinese words!!!! He finally threw in the towel and is off in search of other victims... We are walking from the train station to the Shangri La, which is across the street..... They will get us cabs.....
A young man approaches me with a business card. Do we want to buy some handbags? Any kind we want.. Louis, Gucci, Fendi, ..... The store is in a building across the street... Man, where were you on Sunday, when I had a few hours to spare? I can't squeeze in a shopping trip now... I might miss my plane... His name is Mr. Bean...his business card is so authentic....I have to give it them, as they take the business of knockoffs to the next level. We tell him we are going to the hotel...and sure enough we can see him from the hotel lobby waiting outside.....Who would have ever thought there were stalkers in China?..lol...
In the Shangri La (5 star hotel), we make a bee line for the restrooms... and freshenup... Do we have to leave? It is sooo nice in here... so relaxing... All these businessmen in the lounge area...so many potential prospects...my timing sure is off...Outside, the attendants grab us two cabs and we are off to the airport....Back to old dreary Dalian....
Sightseeing in Hong Kong
You know me...all about the shopping...but the rest of the crew wants to do some sightseeing...We decided we didn't all have to do the same things, we could go on our own, and then meet up later...The one must do thing they had on their list, was seeing the Peak..it would suck for me to come all the way to Hong Kong and not sight see, so i decided to go along....Armed with our map, we asked directions of the concierge...the #15 bus would take us there...and for 9.50 hong kong dollars.... The bus stop is right across from the hotel..can't get any better than this... 15 mins later, and all #10's passin by, i look up and the there is the concierge telling us we are at the wrong bus stop..If only we could read....the sign was also in English but we too busy being tourist fi did realize we at the wrong bus stop....
The British influence is still prevalent in Hong Kong. The only cars i saw on the road were BMW's, BENZ's, and LEXUS's, all brand new...didn't see much SUV's though... Finally at the right bus stop, here comes a #15 bus...double decker...never been on one of those before... We made our way to the upper level..of course, amidst the stares. It was cool riding on the top level..even though at times, i swear the bus was going into the wall, the trees, the bushes...at least that's how it appears from the top. We meandered our way up hill, reminding me of the country buses in the Jamaica, making their way through the countryside...Our stop was the bus terminus, and 1/2 hour later, we were at the Peak. We ran into some other tourists on the bus as 9.50 sure was cheaper than catching a cab.
There was an observation tower from which we could take cable from one end to the other, viewing the city below. We opted not to and decided to walk to the observation deck and uphill..God knows we needed the exercise... And it was good that we walked, as i finally got to buy postcards!! Hopefully, they will reach the US before i get back home... Just in front of the observation deck/landing, i spotted this old man in what looks like a 3 wheel cart...this will make for a great pic...I take his picture, he offers me a ride, and i sure was game..Next thing i know, he is twirling the cart in circles and i am thinking, please don't let me fall out... He is having a ball, as he is laughing up a storm... He finally stops, and i get out...only to have him whip out his sign from where he was sitting...20RMB for the ride....LOL... I had to laugh, but willingly forked over the money....pure genialship...lol...
The view is awesome...You could see the entire city from the Peak...even the original airport.... It definitely was worth coming....
On our way back down, we stopped to get artwork. A tourguide taps me on my shoulder...his guests would like to take a picture with me....sure..why not? Pose, snap, pose, snap...on, and on....every single person in the party wants a picture...Of course, they wait until one is done and i start to walk away, before they ask...5 mins later, i am still taking pics...now we are taking group pics.... i hand them my camera too...why not? My friends say i should start charging for my picture taking sessions....
They had some really nice art pieces, supposedly originals paintings done by the guy selling them...but then again, this is China... Time for an icecream treat... Hagen Daas... i was actually good, and just had a fruit smoothie and skipped Hagen Das...The shop where i got my smoothie actually had 2 computers with internet access and i thought of jumping on to update my facebook status...but they were in use.....We head back to the bus terminal.... time to hit Time Square....
The British influence is still prevalent in Hong Kong. The only cars i saw on the road were BMW's, BENZ's, and LEXUS's, all brand new...didn't see much SUV's though... Finally at the right bus stop, here comes a #15 bus...double decker...never been on one of those before... We made our way to the upper level..of course, amidst the stares. It was cool riding on the top level..even though at times, i swear the bus was going into the wall, the trees, the bushes...at least that's how it appears from the top. We meandered our way up hill, reminding me of the country buses in the Jamaica, making their way through the countryside...Our stop was the bus terminus, and 1/2 hour later, we were at the Peak. We ran into some other tourists on the bus as 9.50 sure was cheaper than catching a cab.
There was an observation tower from which we could take cable from one end to the other, viewing the city below. We opted not to and decided to walk to the observation deck and uphill..God knows we needed the exercise... And it was good that we walked, as i finally got to buy postcards!! Hopefully, they will reach the US before i get back home... Just in front of the observation deck/landing, i spotted this old man in what looks like a 3 wheel cart...this will make for a great pic...I take his picture, he offers me a ride, and i sure was game..Next thing i know, he is twirling the cart in circles and i am thinking, please don't let me fall out... He is having a ball, as he is laughing up a storm... He finally stops, and i get out...only to have him whip out his sign from where he was sitting...20RMB for the ride....LOL... I had to laugh, but willingly forked over the money....pure genialship...lol...
The view is awesome...You could see the entire city from the Peak...even the original airport.... It definitely was worth coming....
On our way back down, we stopped to get artwork. A tourguide taps me on my shoulder...his guests would like to take a picture with me....sure..why not? Pose, snap, pose, snap...on, and on....every single person in the party wants a picture...Of course, they wait until one is done and i start to walk away, before they ask...5 mins later, i am still taking pics...now we are taking group pics.... i hand them my camera too...why not? My friends say i should start charging for my picture taking sessions....
They had some really nice art pieces, supposedly originals paintings done by the guy selling them...but then again, this is China... Time for an icecream treat... Hagen Daas... i was actually good, and just had a fruit smoothie and skipped Hagen Das...The shop where i got my smoothie actually had 2 computers with internet access and i thought of jumping on to update my facebook status...but they were in use.....We head back to the bus terminal.... time to hit Time Square....
Friday, May 7, 2010
Dispelling the Myth
...Made in China is not cheaper here! And neither is electronics...Mi come prepared to scrape up all the electronics mi could find, and had nuff orders from friends fi dual sim card, 3G WIFI phones... Mi tell uuno from now, mi coming back empty handed...so try buy uuno phone a de US...lol..China and Jamaica woulda do good together, cause when it comes to bandoloo and knockoffs, dem have the market cornered...lol..lol..You can find cheap electronics here, if you looking for the imitation IPHONE, or imitation anything else...but know say it going to work for a few months, and when it done, it done...there is no fixing, no returns, no technical support...And if you nuh buy the electronics at a reputable store, all when the box have the real name, label, etc, you still no guarantee fi get the real thing. The real electronics here, cost more dan in the US...sometimes all double...Mi hear say all memory sticks which is cheaper here, you need fi open the box and make sure that if it says 4g on the box, that is what it says on the sticks....A hope mi memba tomorrow when mi go buy some...
As fi the clothes and bag dem, dis is knockoff central...as long as you know u a buy knockoff and willing to accept whatever, you good to go... When mi was in Beijing, mi a bargain fi one Prada bag...fi mi daughter...get it down to 60RMB (bout $10 US), only fi see the 'leather' have a hole...Mi tell her no bada but no tell her bout the hole...all when mi reach dung the hallway, she still a call me fi come fi the back and the price keep on a drop...lol... And nuh ask if dem nuh thief too.... one gal did give me a fake 50 and good thing mi try spend it right next to har stall... when the other woman wouldn't tek it, she a try convince her say nothing nuh wrong wid it... Mi finally tell her say mi not leaving the merchandise, and mi not giving her any more money, so Ms thief better exchange the fake 50....
Yes, there are FAT chinese people.... dem definitely getting bigger...no get mi wrong, de malnourished ones still deh bout, but mi see nuh round ones....there's one working in the cafeteria at work... mi need fi ask her where she buy her clothes, cause mi coulda hit up the spot before me come home....
Is not that the food them eat is not fattening, as every expat here gain weight...nuff weight....lol...lol.. mi a think a more dem way of life....nuff no have car, so nuff walking, nuff bicycling....And nuh ask if dem nuh ramp fi eat... sometime when mi watch them ina restaurants or the cafeteria, mi shame fi dem... Dem nyam like it a go outa style... nuff slurping...and dem head nuh lef the bowl or come up fi air....lol....Mi had to ask some a de coworkers dem what dem do if them want loose weight, especially when dem put dung dem deh kinda eating...... the answer dem just no eat...
As fi the clothes and bag dem, dis is knockoff central...as long as you know u a buy knockoff and willing to accept whatever, you good to go... When mi was in Beijing, mi a bargain fi one Prada bag...fi mi daughter...get it down to 60RMB (bout $10 US), only fi see the 'leather' have a hole...Mi tell her no bada but no tell her bout the hole...all when mi reach dung the hallway, she still a call me fi come fi the back and the price keep on a drop...lol... And nuh ask if dem nuh thief too.... one gal did give me a fake 50 and good thing mi try spend it right next to har stall... when the other woman wouldn't tek it, she a try convince her say nothing nuh wrong wid it... Mi finally tell her say mi not leaving the merchandise, and mi not giving her any more money, so Ms thief better exchange the fake 50....
Yes, there are FAT chinese people.... dem definitely getting bigger...no get mi wrong, de malnourished ones still deh bout, but mi see nuh round ones....there's one working in the cafeteria at work... mi need fi ask her where she buy her clothes, cause mi coulda hit up the spot before me come home....
Is not that the food them eat is not fattening, as every expat here gain weight...nuff weight....lol...lol.. mi a think a more dem way of life....nuff no have car, so nuff walking, nuff bicycling....And nuh ask if dem nuh ramp fi eat... sometime when mi watch them ina restaurants or the cafeteria, mi shame fi dem... Dem nyam like it a go outa style... nuff slurping...and dem head nuh lef the bowl or come up fi air....lol....Mi had to ask some a de coworkers dem what dem do if them want loose weight, especially when dem put dung dem deh kinda eating...... the answer dem just no eat...
Hong Kong Nite Life
...It's 5 of us, so we have 2 rooms, one with an extra bed. Turns out there is a special on, and Regina and I can upgrade to the Executive suite for 30Hong Kong dollars..and our breakfast would be included... Sounds like a sweet deal... 27th floor...here we go... WHAT??? we have to be in the wrong room...my walkin closet at home is bigger than this! There are two single beds side by side, a desk, and a bathroom that's about 12 inches wide and 36 inches long...This can't be the Executive suite... We take a look at the other girl's room, and it's about the same size, with another hidden room for the 3rd bed... Ok...so we need to see what the regular room looks like, cause it doesn't look like it's worth our while upgrading... We head down to the front desk and they get someone to show us a regular room...LOL...LOl.... yes, the Executive suite is a GREAT improvement!... We are laughing so hard, our stomach hurts...Audrey mentions that she heard the rooms in Hong Kong are really small...I guess we didn't realize how small....
We are starving, so we get dressed and head out to find the Irish pub... WHy am i not surprised?... We have to get 2 cabs as we all can't fit in one... We arrive at the strip, and we stroll around, deciding where we want to eat...The city is very modern, a lot like Shenzhen. Tons of foreign (westerners) around..mostly men... i guess there aren't too many foreign business women... A little bit of history...Until 1997, Hong Kong was owned by the British, before being handed back to china... So English is most often the spoken word here, and the people don't even look that Chinese to me... They are friendlier, girls are prettier, and way better dressers than in Dalian...and yes, they are all about their Western men... I also realized we must be in the red light district, as it's soon becomes apparent that these pretty girls, are ladies of the night... There are tons of clubs on the strip..with girls sitting outfront in black knee boots with stiletto heels....and lingerie...sitting in front of doors with black or red velvet curtains... I am so tempted to try to go inside, but sure they wont' let me in... A curtain is parted, and i see red velvet covered benches in row.....Ummmmmmh..... i guess the action behind the curtains requires seats...lol.... It is very open here....i wasn't brave enough to take a picture of the working girls...but sure wished i did...
We settle on this Mexican restaurant....even the waitresses are Mexican..this is so different from Dalian.... we all order fajitas...heaven...no chinese food...we can read the menus....life.....The conversation turns to Weight Watchers...and everyone is onboard for losing weight... We are forming our own little group, and the session starts Wednesday, 2 days after we return to Dalian..so eat to our hearts content tonight....The food is really good and i am stuffed...probably shouldn't have gotten the icecream..... ahhh.......
We are starving, so we get dressed and head out to find the Irish pub... WHy am i not surprised?... We have to get 2 cabs as we all can't fit in one... We arrive at the strip, and we stroll around, deciding where we want to eat...The city is very modern, a lot like Shenzhen. Tons of foreign (westerners) around..mostly men... i guess there aren't too many foreign business women... A little bit of history...Until 1997, Hong Kong was owned by the British, before being handed back to china... So English is most often the spoken word here, and the people don't even look that Chinese to me... They are friendlier, girls are prettier, and way better dressers than in Dalian...and yes, they are all about their Western men... I also realized we must be in the red light district, as it's soon becomes apparent that these pretty girls, are ladies of the night... There are tons of clubs on the strip..with girls sitting outfront in black knee boots with stiletto heels....and lingerie...sitting in front of doors with black or red velvet curtains... I am so tempted to try to go inside, but sure they wont' let me in... A curtain is parted, and i see red velvet covered benches in row.....Ummmmmmh..... i guess the action behind the curtains requires seats...lol.... It is very open here....i wasn't brave enough to take a picture of the working girls...but sure wished i did...
We settle on this Mexican restaurant....even the waitresses are Mexican..this is so different from Dalian.... we all order fajitas...heaven...no chinese food...we can read the menus....life.....The conversation turns to Weight Watchers...and everyone is onboard for losing weight... We are forming our own little group, and the session starts Wednesday, 2 days after we return to Dalian..so eat to our hearts content tonight....The food is really good and i am stuffed...probably shouldn't have gotten the icecream..... ahhh.......
Off to Hong Kong
I think it's daylight, but i am so tired... I hear my roommate moving around, trying not to wake me up... What time is it? It's 10:30 and breakfast is done at 11:000....Ahhh.... I need to get up, so i can get something to eat... 10 mins to spare.... Let's skip the omelette, as this chef might take 10 mins just to finish the one he is making... scrambled eggs are ready...some bread..i won't even toast it, as not trying to start another fire today.... piece of bacon... tea...time to eat.....
We are all packed up and ready to check out...I should have known, the crew is heading to McCawley's one last time..except for those that went on the 10:30am flight... We leave our luggage with the concierge, and head off to McCawley's....This is so relaxing...do we have to leave? I ordered a basket of fries...not realizing it was enough to feed a small army.... Hopefully, i won't be the small army...
Chris and his wife are planning on going shopping for handbags...Hong Kong? or handbag shopping?... tough decision... i will have to pass on the handbags, and hope i won't regret the decision...
We are back at the hotel picking up our bags, and run into Chris and Olwin.. Back already? Yeah, it wasn't as great as they thought, and the vendor wasn't budging on the one bag she really liked...Good to know i didn't miss out...Where's the train station? So, we are totally winging it now? Yeah....we get directions from the concierge..so we are off in a cab to the train station... Time to figure out where to buy the tickets for Hong Kong... Let's just follow the people...but where to go up or down? Let's try down.... now what? We are directed upstairs..different set of escalators... if only we didn't have our suitcases in tow...once again we are following the crowd...we see signs saying welcome to Hong Kong....So we don't catch a train? Hong Kong was just a cab ride and a walk away? Hmmmmh.... now we are filling out custom declaration forms indicating what we are taking out of the county...going through custom...getting my passport reviewed... Very strange indeed..t we keep going.... walk down the hallway..welcome to Hong Kong... ..now we are declaring what we brought into the country....I guess our directions were wrong...there is no train involved.... customs again...we join the Foreigners line, but we are now being ushered way to the left...wrong line...lol.... we are visitors.... ok...hope this is the last time going through customs.....ahhh....now we get to buy our train tickets..but we are actually in Hong Kong...i think.... we need Hong Kong dollars to buy the tickets....here's an ATM machine.... This sucks...my money still is not being released.... so i can't get any money out with the one debit card that will refund my fees.... not to worry, someone offered to buy my ticket and i can pay them back later.... We head to Starbucks (you've guessed it), and next door is a currency exchange...so i trade my RMB's for Hong Kong dollars....
Sinead has taken lead, and she is reading the map and trying to figure out where to catch the train.... We set off again down the long hallway with the walking escalator.... following the crowd.... no doubt lugging our suitcases....finally there...waiting on the train... great... we are not at the first class doors, and making our way through the people is proving difficult...thanks to the suitcases... we make it to the first class car, and it's empty... we lay our suitcases down, put our feet up, and we are off in luxury! Few stops later, and the car is geting full..i hope we don't have to give up our foot rests... wishful thinking...a few stops later, footrests are gone...We reached our destination and hopefully it's the final one... We trek through the train station trying to decipher our connection... couple stops later, it's another connection...We need to buy new tickets now, as we have to get on a different line... There's no way around it, as you swipe your ticket to get in and out of each station, and at the end of each, the ticket is not returned... We get our tickets and we are on what's hopefully the last connection... FINALLY...Time Square in Hong Kong... in the subway that is...upstairs, we join the taxi line, and mins later, we are on our way to the Cosmopolitan Hotel... Can't wait to come back to Time Square Mall tomorrow, as i like what i see.. TOns of stores, tons of high end stores, as well as average priced ones, billboards, advertisments are everywhere....THis is definitely a happening city....
We are all packed up and ready to check out...I should have known, the crew is heading to McCawley's one last time..except for those that went on the 10:30am flight... We leave our luggage with the concierge, and head off to McCawley's....This is so relaxing...do we have to leave? I ordered a basket of fries...not realizing it was enough to feed a small army.... Hopefully, i won't be the small army...
Chris and his wife are planning on going shopping for handbags...Hong Kong? or handbag shopping?... tough decision... i will have to pass on the handbags, and hope i won't regret the decision...
We are back at the hotel picking up our bags, and run into Chris and Olwin.. Back already? Yeah, it wasn't as great as they thought, and the vendor wasn't budging on the one bag she really liked...Good to know i didn't miss out...Where's the train station? So, we are totally winging it now? Yeah....we get directions from the concierge..so we are off in a cab to the train station... Time to figure out where to buy the tickets for Hong Kong... Let's just follow the people...but where to go up or down? Let's try down.... now what? We are directed upstairs..different set of escalators... if only we didn't have our suitcases in tow...once again we are following the crowd...we see signs saying welcome to Hong Kong....So we don't catch a train? Hong Kong was just a cab ride and a walk away? Hmmmmh.... now we are filling out custom declaration forms indicating what we are taking out of the county...going through custom...getting my passport reviewed... Very strange indeed..t we keep going.... walk down the hallway..welcome to Hong Kong... ..now we are declaring what we brought into the country....I guess our directions were wrong...there is no train involved.... customs again...we join the Foreigners line, but we are now being ushered way to the left...wrong line...lol.... we are visitors.... ok...hope this is the last time going through customs.....ahhh....now we get to buy our train tickets..but we are actually in Hong Kong...i think.... we need Hong Kong dollars to buy the tickets....here's an ATM machine.... This sucks...my money still is not being released.... so i can't get any money out with the one debit card that will refund my fees.... not to worry, someone offered to buy my ticket and i can pay them back later.... We head to Starbucks (you've guessed it), and next door is a currency exchange...so i trade my RMB's for Hong Kong dollars....
Sinead has taken lead, and she is reading the map and trying to figure out where to catch the train.... We set off again down the long hallway with the walking escalator.... following the crowd.... no doubt lugging our suitcases....finally there...waiting on the train... great... we are not at the first class doors, and making our way through the people is proving difficult...thanks to the suitcases... we make it to the first class car, and it's empty... we lay our suitcases down, put our feet up, and we are off in luxury! Few stops later, and the car is geting full..i hope we don't have to give up our foot rests... wishful thinking...a few stops later, footrests are gone...We reached our destination and hopefully it's the final one... We trek through the train station trying to decipher our connection... couple stops later, it's another connection...We need to buy new tickets now, as we have to get on a different line... There's no way around it, as you swipe your ticket to get in and out of each station, and at the end of each, the ticket is not returned... We get our tickets and we are on what's hopefully the last connection... FINALLY...Time Square in Hong Kong... in the subway that is...upstairs, we join the taxi line, and mins later, we are on our way to the Cosmopolitan Hotel... Can't wait to come back to Time Square Mall tomorrow, as i like what i see.. TOns of stores, tons of high end stores, as well as average priced ones, billboards, advertisments are everywhere....THis is definitely a happening city....
Friday, April 30, 2010
Nite Cap
Let's get this party started... we are off to McCawley's and then to a club for dancing... Seems everyone in the pub is from the Gaelic games.. nothing but
customed revellers... an awful lot of the devils are here...and there's no shortage of beer..We get a booth...
Gary is fiddling with his fake moustache...there are loud voices...why is Regina tellig the guy at the next table to mind his business? h...he is not part of the crew either? This is serious..i think there's about to be a fight... What the heck is going on? Ahhhh..... evidently one of the 3 guys sitting at the next table, ups and tells Gary to take off the moustache...LOL... Is he for real? What a loser! He is Jewish...his family was wiped out...and he thinks they are making fun of his jewish heritage!! ..LOL..LOL.. You have got to be kidding me??? What are the chances of total strangers, strangers no doubt in costumes, that would for no reason out of the blue, decide to mock his culture....what the dickens is this idiot smoking???? And he's got to be really out of his mind to be taking on an entire bar of drunk Irish people...Can somebody please split his head open and put some senses in it? Now Gary is splitting his moustache into pieces, and giving us each a piece to wear, to incense this idiot even more...LOL...
They argue back and forth....the bar manager, and some of our more sober people, try to forcibly stop our group from further confrontation... everytime i think it's over, it start again... i think someone has now either thrown a bottle at him, or something. Now he is not talking about Chris's wife. What man picks a fight with a woman? Hell, he deserves an ass whopping now.... 2 hours later..he's apologizing and shaking hands...lol...lol....
Who needs to go clubbing for good dance music... they are playing it right here... touching every genre... oh, yes...even reggae.... did i mention, we are all still in costumes? these wings seem to be bumping into everything, but we are dancing nonetheless...the guys are even trading wings...wigs...halos...pretty comical sight.. i think i got some of this on film...Tom in an halo...lol...blackmail material....
Everyone (but me) is beyond wasted... we dance to whatever...even got a soul train line going...The Chinese guy on our team, after dancing with me, says i should live here for 30 yrs...think i just got an invite to move here...There's an older Irish guy with silver gray hair, who thinks he's found a dance teacher....I think the bar is going to be wrecked before we leave... the devils are now standing on the tables and dancing....
The workers are now leaving for the night..and we are still here... Regina is going home to change her shoes as she is going dancing with the guys... i am tired... i think i need to go to bed... We get to the hotel room, and i change my mind...and my shoes....back out we go.... The Chinese guys here are really friendly...they are all smiling at us as we pass on the street... they are even saying 'Ni how' and 'hello'.... There are a few really nice clubs on the way from the hotel to the pub... outdoor seating areas..nice music... all western stuff... not surprising as this area is all foreigners.... We get back to the pub and everyone is gone except for like 5 people..including these two boys that seemed to have joined our party... looking mighty 'sweet' too...We turn left and left...there is no club... we don't even hear music... where the heck are we? We see the signs for Club Viva..but no club... Linda calls her husband who is there, and insists we make a left and a left...then again, he is drunk and has no idea where he is... i say we go to one of the clubs that we passed on the way, as i am not about to venture down this alleyway in a strange city.... Our new sweet friends try asking for directions...but noone knows.... so i am about to go bak to the hotel, as this is crazy...we make a right and a right..about to head into one of the clubs on the front, and what do you know? in the back..it says Club Viva!!
Nothing but foreigners...tons of Americans/Europeans with chinese women....chinese women dressed like they are in America...i can see they are in heaven...Is that our wings i see those men taking turns to take pics with? where did they get them from? The music is ok... here we go with that house music again...this is nuts...people are stepping on my toes, like it's the ground they are walking on... i know this is not going to last.... Gary's wings are knocking over bottles...now i have to be careful so i don't get cut... the cleaning crew have now cleaned up all the broken bottles...and u've guessed it... he knocked over some more glasses off another table... You know what..it's time i went home...The hotel is only like 5 mins away, so i make my exit.....
customed revellers... an awful lot of the devils are here...and there's no shortage of beer..We get a booth...
Gary is fiddling with his fake moustache...there are loud voices...why is Regina tellig the guy at the next table to mind his business? h...he is not part of the crew either? This is serious..i think there's about to be a fight... What the heck is going on? Ahhhh..... evidently one of the 3 guys sitting at the next table, ups and tells Gary to take off the moustache...LOL... Is he for real? What a loser! He is Jewish...his family was wiped out...and he thinks they are making fun of his jewish heritage!! ..LOL..LOL.. You have got to be kidding me??? What are the chances of total strangers, strangers no doubt in costumes, that would for no reason out of the blue, decide to mock his culture....what the dickens is this idiot smoking???? And he's got to be really out of his mind to be taking on an entire bar of drunk Irish people...Can somebody please split his head open and put some senses in it? Now Gary is splitting his moustache into pieces, and giving us each a piece to wear, to incense this idiot even more...LOL...
They argue back and forth....the bar manager, and some of our more sober people, try to forcibly stop our group from further confrontation... everytime i think it's over, it start again... i think someone has now either thrown a bottle at him, or something. Now he is not talking about Chris's wife. What man picks a fight with a woman? Hell, he deserves an ass whopping now.... 2 hours later..he's apologizing and shaking hands...lol...lol....
Who needs to go clubbing for good dance music... they are playing it right here... touching every genre... oh, yes...even reggae.... did i mention, we are all still in costumes? these wings seem to be bumping into everything, but we are dancing nonetheless...the guys are even trading wings...wigs...halos...pretty comical sight.. i think i got some of this on film...Tom in an halo...lol...blackmail material....
Everyone (but me) is beyond wasted... we dance to whatever...even got a soul train line going...The Chinese guy on our team, after dancing with me, says i should live here for 30 yrs...think i just got an invite to move here...There's an older Irish guy with silver gray hair, who thinks he's found a dance teacher....I think the bar is going to be wrecked before we leave... the devils are now standing on the tables and dancing....
The workers are now leaving for the night..and we are still here... Regina is going home to change her shoes as she is going dancing with the guys... i am tired... i think i need to go to bed... We get to the hotel room, and i change my mind...and my shoes....back out we go.... The Chinese guys here are really friendly...they are all smiling at us as we pass on the street... they are even saying 'Ni how' and 'hello'.... There are a few really nice clubs on the way from the hotel to the pub... outdoor seating areas..nice music... all western stuff... not surprising as this area is all foreigners.... We get back to the pub and everyone is gone except for like 5 people..including these two boys that seemed to have joined our party... looking mighty 'sweet' too...We turn left and left...there is no club... we don't even hear music... where the heck are we? We see the signs for Club Viva..but no club... Linda calls her husband who is there, and insists we make a left and a left...then again, he is drunk and has no idea where he is... i say we go to one of the clubs that we passed on the way, as i am not about to venture down this alleyway in a strange city.... Our new sweet friends try asking for directions...but noone knows.... so i am about to go bak to the hotel, as this is crazy...we make a right and a right..about to head into one of the clubs on the front, and what do you know? in the back..it says Club Viva!!
Nothing but foreigners...tons of Americans/Europeans with chinese women....chinese women dressed like they are in America...i can see they are in heaven...Is that our wings i see those men taking turns to take pics with? where did they get them from? The music is ok... here we go with that house music again...this is nuts...people are stepping on my toes, like it's the ground they are walking on... i know this is not going to last.... Gary's wings are knocking over bottles...now i have to be careful so i don't get cut... the cleaning crew have now cleaned up all the broken bottles...and u've guessed it... he knocked over some more glasses off another table... You know what..it's time i went home...The hotel is only like 5 mins away, so i make my exit.....
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Culmination of China Gaelic Games 2010
So i am getting ready for dinner, and trying to decide on outfits... jeans and top or black pants and top? Ah...i think i will go for the black pants with top...my roommate is back from the pool late, so i decide to head on out without her....Oh yeah...my wings....where's Audrey with my wings? No answer to her hotel room, so i head on downstairs..i am sure she will bring it to the restaurant.... I thought we were meeting at 8, but there's noone in the lobby.... not for long...here comes a guy dressed as the devil... OMG..he went all out... this is too funny... black tights, red briefs over the tights and i am sure stuffing in the front....face painted red...cape.. glowing horns...i am dying...
here's another one..and another one... the poor hotel staff must be wondering what the heck is going on.... I sure didn't realize all the teams were going to be dressed up... I thought it was just us deciding to be angels...Now there are cops coming down... cop uniforms complete with hats, guns, holsters, handcuffs...tsomehow i don't remember seeing lady officers in mini skirts....man, they went all out.... there's no way i am walking to the restaurant by myself without custome.... I take a few pics, and then i head back upstairs to wait on my roommate....
We are on our way to the restaurant... with blue, black, and white wings...some are wearing halos.... we see some cowgirls/boys...and indians... these customes are so authentic.... man, these Irish people sure do go all out..... It's a little walk to the restaurant and you guessed it, everyone is looking at us like what the heck is going on... i am sure this is not a signt they see often.... We get to restaurant, and apparently we rented out the entire restaurant.... some of our group is sitting on the balcony, so we head on upstairs....Let the food begin as we are starving....
Oh yeah, and we need beer...Irish can't do anything without beer....Where's Stephen, Vincent and others? Ahhh...they are already at McCawley's.... geting an early start on the drinking....
The restaurant is bustling with activity, as the rest of the customed guests arrive... we have tables of cowgirls, cowboys, cops, indians, angels and devils..These are all the teams that participated in the Gaelic games...all teams from parts of China...Didn't know until tonight there are so many Irish folks in China...also found out, that tons of Chinese people also did stints living in Ireland...i think someone mentioned different countries in Europe giving visas to the Chinese to come to their country...Some of the members of our football teams are actually in China teaching English..some fresh out of college...others are grownups still trying to figure out what they want to do in life.... The food starts coming, and must say, most of it is good... the lazy susan in the middle of the table keeps spinning as we dive into each plate that we are served...
We had a great time...eating, drinking (not me), taking pics... Looking downstairs, i spotted a cowboy..is that a mini skirt he is wearing..with a tie front shirt? Oh no, he can't be that brave... damn... i sure need a pic of this...
I am talking to someone, and two workers came up, each grabbing an arm, and when i looked up, the third had a camera.... no escape for the freak...picture with the freak...lol...Too bad i didn't have my camera handy to get a pic of them....
Belly full now... heaps of food left on the tables...it's time to head to McCawley's for the after party...
here's another one..and another one... the poor hotel staff must be wondering what the heck is going on.... I sure didn't realize all the teams were going to be dressed up... I thought it was just us deciding to be angels...Now there are cops coming down... cop uniforms complete with hats, guns, holsters, handcuffs...tsomehow i don't remember seeing lady officers in mini skirts....man, they went all out.... there's no way i am walking to the restaurant by myself without custome.... I take a few pics, and then i head back upstairs to wait on my roommate....
We are on our way to the restaurant... with blue, black, and white wings...some are wearing halos.... we see some cowgirls/boys...and indians... these customes are so authentic.... man, these Irish people sure do go all out..... It's a little walk to the restaurant and you guessed it, everyone is looking at us like what the heck is going on... i am sure this is not a signt they see often.... We get to restaurant, and apparently we rented out the entire restaurant.... some of our group is sitting on the balcony, so we head on upstairs....Let the food begin as we are starving....
Oh yeah, and we need beer...Irish can't do anything without beer....Where's Stephen, Vincent and others? Ahhh...they are already at McCawley's.... geting an early start on the drinking....
The restaurant is bustling with activity, as the rest of the customed guests arrive... we have tables of cowgirls, cowboys, cops, indians, angels and devils..These are all the teams that participated in the Gaelic games...all teams from parts of China...Didn't know until tonight there are so many Irish folks in China...also found out, that tons of Chinese people also did stints living in Ireland...i think someone mentioned different countries in Europe giving visas to the Chinese to come to their country...Some of the members of our football teams are actually in China teaching English..some fresh out of college...others are grownups still trying to figure out what they want to do in life.... The food starts coming, and must say, most of it is good... the lazy susan in the middle of the table keeps spinning as we dive into each plate that we are served...
We had a great time...eating, drinking (not me), taking pics... Looking downstairs, i spotted a cowboy..is that a mini skirt he is wearing..with a tie front shirt? Oh no, he can't be that brave... damn... i sure need a pic of this...
I am talking to someone, and two workers came up, each grabbing an arm, and when i looked up, the third had a camera.... no escape for the freak...picture with the freak...lol...Too bad i didn't have my camera handy to get a pic of them....
Belly full now... heaps of food left on the tables...it's time to head to McCawley's for the after party...
Saturday, April 24, 2010
China Gaelic Games Shenzhen 2010
Our flight is leaving at 16:40 so we need to be at the airport an hr before departure... our driver is racing to get us there in time, as we were off to a late start... and yes, this is like jamaica...the check in counter will be closed if you are 1 minute late... we make a phone call and find out it's 30 mins...we can relax..we will make it...
Who would have ever thought that there would be so many Irish soccer teams in China? I had no idea how big soccer was here... Thanks to the companies doing business in China, there are are tons of American and European expats here, and they bring their culture with them...
I came along with the football team, as from Shenzhen, it's 1 1/2 hr train ride to Hong Kong.. I was so looking forward to Shenzhen, and packed all shorts and summer attire, as finally, i was going to be warm....Shenzhen is in South China, and the weather report showed temperatures of high 70's....a great improvement over Dalian's low 50's....Apparently, all the other teams arrived at the same thing, as we ran into them checking into the Marco Polo hotel last night. The hotel was fully booked. Even though they had games the next day, the Irish stayed true to their culture, and headed out to McCawley's Irish Pub, for some pregame festivities. The pub was a short walk from the hotel. I marvelled at the city, as it was like any other big American city, filled with skyscrapers. The city is really modernized, and the total opposite of Dalian, which i now realize is an older suburban city...Everyone here speaks way more English, so communication is a breeze... We sat outdoor at the pub...soaking up the warm weather..... We ordered hamburgers, wings, and nachos....and beer of course...you know how the Irish are..... I planned on leaving soon, even if the others weren't ready, as i was tired, and needed to hit the sack.... But then Stephen said to wait for company, as it wasn't safe to be walking alone... I guess they were all tired too, as i didn't have long to wait before they were ready to go....
The buses were leaving at 8 am, so we had to be down at breakfast by 7:30..on a a Saturday morning.... no chance of sleeping in....We made it to breakfast ontime...don't ask me how.... The food is really Westernized...not a lot of Chinese stuff....and the staff speaks tons more English... I spot this braided bread and decide to put a piece in the toaster...not thinking the slice was too thick...i am trying to dislodge it with a knife, while stephen says don't put the knife in there...now it's stuff and the toaster is smoking... great, i have set the toaster on fire.... the worker is trying to stop the toaster... great going Paulette.... Hopefully stephen won't tell anyone... no such luck...but i enjoy my eggs, bacon, hasbrown and bread and now i am ready to get on the bus....
It's weird that we enter the bus from the middle...the door opens like underground, so you kinda walk under the bus to get in.... We are off to the tournament.... Thtere are like 8 teams there and 4 fields...games are going to play on all 4 fields at the same time.. .hopefully, our teams will play one at a time or we might have to split up to watch them... the girls are first...and first in many ways...this is their first game as well... They are awesome...they won like 4 (a goal and a point) to 1.... We are off to a great start.... The guys lose their first game...but that's ok...we have tons more games to play...
I venture to the Port a potty.... same like anywhere else... disgusting..... but i did think it was funny that even the port a potties are stand up toilets... a guess China will be China....
Fruits, water and gatorade are provided for the players.... McCauley's has a stand where they are grilling hamburgers, sausages, steaks, and making fried rice with vegetables... i sample the fried rice and it is good.... the teams are getting tired now...injuries after injuries, but they are still pressing on... Hong Kong women's are a tough team...we are no match for them...there's a black player, we've nicknamed Gazelle...no ball passes her...even if she is on the other end of the field...we don't even stand a chance.... A few games later, our goalkeeper is carted off on a stretcher... she went down catching a ball, and her knee snapped out and in pretty quickly....she is out for the rest of the day....hope she can walk tomorrow, as she is going to Hong Kong with us... They need an extra player and want me to fill in..... i have no sneakers, no training.... i wouldn't know what the first thing to do.....maybe next time......
The girls are playing against Bejing...and i swear, it's nothiing but Sumo wrestlers on the team.... i hear this is their 5th year in the tournament, and they are good.... our girls are advised to save their energy for the next game, which is the finals....wher we will play for the bowl.... we definitely saved our best for last.... we scored 2 goals and like 3 points... against maybe their 2 points.... awesome finish girls!!! Way to go team Dalian!!!
The men are out the tournament.... All in all, it was a great day..... The buses aren't leaving until 6pm, and a few of us want to go home and relax..so we make it to the main road to catch a cab... a few cabs we stop say no... i wonder why they don't want to go? is it too far? The 3rd cab says yes, even though we got the impression he wasn't too eager...15 mins later, we are back at the hotel.....aahhhhh....time to chill and get ready for hanging out later...Irish style.....We are going as hell's angels so we are wearing wings...too bad my outfit is all black...i guess i can be a devil's angel......
Who would have ever thought that there would be so many Irish soccer teams in China? I had no idea how big soccer was here... Thanks to the companies doing business in China, there are are tons of American and European expats here, and they bring their culture with them...
I came along with the football team, as from Shenzhen, it's 1 1/2 hr train ride to Hong Kong.. I was so looking forward to Shenzhen, and packed all shorts and summer attire, as finally, i was going to be warm....Shenzhen is in South China, and the weather report showed temperatures of high 70's....a great improvement over Dalian's low 50's....Apparently, all the other teams arrived at the same thing, as we ran into them checking into the Marco Polo hotel last night. The hotel was fully booked. Even though they had games the next day, the Irish stayed true to their culture, and headed out to McCawley's Irish Pub, for some pregame festivities. The pub was a short walk from the hotel. I marvelled at the city, as it was like any other big American city, filled with skyscrapers. The city is really modernized, and the total opposite of Dalian, which i now realize is an older suburban city...Everyone here speaks way more English, so communication is a breeze... We sat outdoor at the pub...soaking up the warm weather..... We ordered hamburgers, wings, and nachos....and beer of course...you know how the Irish are..... I planned on leaving soon, even if the others weren't ready, as i was tired, and needed to hit the sack.... But then Stephen said to wait for company, as it wasn't safe to be walking alone... I guess they were all tired too, as i didn't have long to wait before they were ready to go....
The buses were leaving at 8 am, so we had to be down at breakfast by 7:30..on a a Saturday morning.... no chance of sleeping in....We made it to breakfast ontime...don't ask me how.... The food is really Westernized...not a lot of Chinese stuff....and the staff speaks tons more English... I spot this braided bread and decide to put a piece in the toaster...not thinking the slice was too thick...i am trying to dislodge it with a knife, while stephen says don't put the knife in there...now it's stuff and the toaster is smoking... great, i have set the toaster on fire.... the worker is trying to stop the toaster... great going Paulette.... Hopefully stephen won't tell anyone... no such luck...but i enjoy my eggs, bacon, hasbrown and bread and now i am ready to get on the bus....
It's weird that we enter the bus from the middle...the door opens like underground, so you kinda walk under the bus to get in.... We are off to the tournament.... Thtere are like 8 teams there and 4 fields...games are going to play on all 4 fields at the same time.. .hopefully, our teams will play one at a time or we might have to split up to watch them... the girls are first...and first in many ways...this is their first game as well... They are awesome...they won like 4 (a goal and a point) to 1.... We are off to a great start.... The guys lose their first game...but that's ok...we have tons more games to play...
I venture to the Port a potty.... same like anywhere else... disgusting..... but i did think it was funny that even the port a potties are stand up toilets... a guess China will be China....
Fruits, water and gatorade are provided for the players.... McCauley's has a stand where they are grilling hamburgers, sausages, steaks, and making fried rice with vegetables... i sample the fried rice and it is good.... the teams are getting tired now...injuries after injuries, but they are still pressing on... Hong Kong women's are a tough team...we are no match for them...there's a black player, we've nicknamed Gazelle...no ball passes her...even if she is on the other end of the field...we don't even stand a chance.... A few games later, our goalkeeper is carted off on a stretcher... she went down catching a ball, and her knee snapped out and in pretty quickly....she is out for the rest of the day....hope she can walk tomorrow, as she is going to Hong Kong with us... They need an extra player and want me to fill in..... i have no sneakers, no training.... i wouldn't know what the first thing to do.....maybe next time......
The girls are playing against Bejing...and i swear, it's nothiing but Sumo wrestlers on the team.... i hear this is their 5th year in the tournament, and they are good.... our girls are advised to save their energy for the next game, which is the finals....wher we will play for the bowl.... we definitely saved our best for last.... we scored 2 goals and like 3 points... against maybe their 2 points.... awesome finish girls!!! Way to go team Dalian!!!
The men are out the tournament.... All in all, it was a great day..... The buses aren't leaving until 6pm, and a few of us want to go home and relax..so we make it to the main road to catch a cab... a few cabs we stop say no... i wonder why they don't want to go? is it too far? The 3rd cab says yes, even though we got the impression he wasn't too eager...15 mins later, we are back at the hotel.....aahhhhh....time to chill and get ready for hanging out later...Irish style.....We are going as hell's angels so we are wearing wings...too bad my outfit is all black...i guess i can be a devil's angel......
Monday, April 19, 2010
Pizza Hut
To my surprise, i have gained 7lbs...Did i just say surprise? Who am i kidding? I have not made any attempts to eat healthy since i have gotten here... In all honesty, eating healthy here, is a challenge... I can't read Mandarin, so forget about analyzing the nutrition content...Everything is deep fried or cooked in a gallon of oil, and/or battered in flour or some sweet sauce... If rice is served with the meal, it's also fried, and the sauce is poured on the rice to turn it into a soup dish.. Salad isn't a concept that is comprehended here... On the other hand vegetables is, but half the vegetables i don't recognize, and then they are big on mushrooms...all 5000 different kinds...and i am not a mushroom lover.... I am od'ed on the western style food my coworkers and all the expats seem to live for... I am soo over pizza, onions rings, french fries, wings, mexican food....enough is enough....
I ate the last of my pineapples today, so i need to head to Trust Mart for some more fruits....and maybe along the way, i can find something light for dinner... Plus, I could do with some more physical activity, so I am looking forward to the walk. I forgot about this Pizza hut next to Trust Mart...maybe they might have a salad... It's been years since i have been in Pizza hut, so i assumed Pizza was still their main dish...nmaybe it's different as it's China, but there's shrimp, scallops, fish, pasta, waffles, french fries, salads, smoothies, all kinds of desert items, such as cake, icecream, ...Ok... let me run and get my fruits and grab a dish to go.
I changed my mind and decided to dine in instead. The waitress ushered me to a table by the window... i get to people watch while i dine alone... I am ready to order, but she hasn't come back. I think their custom is to give you ample time to decide, so you don't have to ask for more time. I finally signal to her, as i am starving now. I order a mango smoothie and a chicken peach salad and then i added the herb crusted shrimp (not too healthy, but i couldn't resist the urge).
While i wait, i watch two men change the light bulbs in the restaurant..did i mention they were changing the bulbs over a table where customers were sitting? And they were on top of a ladder? The concept of cleaning, fixing, renovating with customers present in a dining establishment, is quite the norm. I have been in restaurants where they are mopping floors, sweeping, actually asking you to move your chair, while they do all this...LOL....
My salad arrives...delivered by another server... I should learn to read Mandarin...this way i would have known this was just a side salad...or perhaps this is their normal serving size... There's two leaves of lettuce, some tiny pieces of chicken and some peaches...small albeit, it is delicious.... Halfway through the salad, the smoothie arrives, delivered by yet another server....3 mins later, the shrimp arrives by server #3. Evidently the concept of a dedicated server to a table isn't comprehended, which i guess works well in a society where tipping is unacceptable...
I thoroughly enjoyed my meal, as i was full, and without the heavy feeling i have been getting lately...
I ate the last of my pineapples today, so i need to head to Trust Mart for some more fruits....and maybe along the way, i can find something light for dinner... Plus, I could do with some more physical activity, so I am looking forward to the walk. I forgot about this Pizza hut next to Trust Mart...maybe they might have a salad... It's been years since i have been in Pizza hut, so i assumed Pizza was still their main dish...nmaybe it's different as it's China, but there's shrimp, scallops, fish, pasta, waffles, french fries, salads, smoothies, all kinds of desert items, such as cake, icecream, ...Ok... let me run and get my fruits and grab a dish to go.
I changed my mind and decided to dine in instead. The waitress ushered me to a table by the window... i get to people watch while i dine alone... I am ready to order, but she hasn't come back. I think their custom is to give you ample time to decide, so you don't have to ask for more time. I finally signal to her, as i am starving now. I order a mango smoothie and a chicken peach salad and then i added the herb crusted shrimp (not too healthy, but i couldn't resist the urge).
While i wait, i watch two men change the light bulbs in the restaurant..did i mention they were changing the bulbs over a table where customers were sitting? And they were on top of a ladder? The concept of cleaning, fixing, renovating with customers present in a dining establishment, is quite the norm. I have been in restaurants where they are mopping floors, sweeping, actually asking you to move your chair, while they do all this...LOL....
My salad arrives...delivered by another server... I should learn to read Mandarin...this way i would have known this was just a side salad...or perhaps this is their normal serving size... There's two leaves of lettuce, some tiny pieces of chicken and some peaches...small albeit, it is delicious.... Halfway through the salad, the smoothie arrives, delivered by yet another server....3 mins later, the shrimp arrives by server #3. Evidently the concept of a dedicated server to a table isn't comprehended, which i guess works well in a society where tipping is unacceptable...
I thoroughly enjoyed my meal, as i was full, and without the heavy feeling i have been getting lately...
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Custom Made
Today's adventure is finding the building with the seamstresses...custom made dresses was one of the must do things on my list.... Word has it, they are on the top floor of the building next to MacDonald's.....But i need some help with asking for what i want...the girls in the restaurant in the hotel are nice, so i make my way there and explain that i want to get dresses made.. i need them to write some sentences in Mandarin for me:
Can you help me get dress made?
When can i pick it up?
Do you have curtain fabric?
Armed with sentences... i run into the hotel manager and we start chit chatting... I left her card upstairs, so she gave me her # again..if i need help, just call her...
The traffic is gridlock, and there's throngs of people everywhere... I know there's a marathon today and some streets are closed..is that why the streets are so crowded? Somehow i don't think the two are related, as these people are just going about their business....now i remember my coworker saying don't go to the supermarket on Sunday.... Sunday seems to be the day everybody gets out to run errands etc....
Crossing the street...need mad jaywalking skills...getting the cars to stop is a task in itself... I navigate my way through the crowds, parked cars, cars and bikes driving on the sidewalk, and arrive at the New Mart building...
Upstairs i go...not for long, as i divert off course to browse the jewelry and hair accessories...i could be here for days..there's vendors everywhere, crammed together, merchandise galore... i spot an index finger ring...cute....and rhinestone hair pin.... she says 80RMB total, i say 40RMB...my rule is to cut the price in 1/2 right off the bat...she agrees to the price... i give her 100RMB, get my change back...move onto the next stall...find more hair pins i like...bargain down to 35RMB... I give her the 50RMB i just got, and she looks at it, and shows mi a flaw, and gives it back... i point to the girl who just gave it to me...now realizing she gave me a bad bill...they exchange words and i think the girl is telling her it's ok... she shows it to a couple of other people and they say no... Hell, i am not taking it back...and the girl who just passed it to me, better trade it or i am about to go off! I am not even saying a word...i just point to her again...so now she's been busted big time...she goes in her stash and throws 5 10RMB on the table...The lady takes her money, gives me my change... I guess the girl didn't expect i would try to spend the fake money right next to her! God always works in mysterious ways....
Ok..back on track now... up more steps...i land on the 4th floor, show them my paper with sentence and they say 6th floor...all i see is the food court...must be wrong floor... down to 5th floor...furniture...uummmmh.... back down to 4th....6th floor? only food...darn it, they are not understanding.... so i head back to the 6th floor.... i decide to go through the food court.... ah....a doorway.... i see fabrics..... i have arrived.....
Home dec....lots of nice cottons hanging...and each with pics of exact fabric from magazine depicting bedspreads, comforters, pillows.... tons of nice stuff...some home dec.... i see one i like...measurement is in meters....convert meters to yards? how much do i remember from class? absolutely nothing.... i call Stephen and ask him to get online and find conversion.... 1 meter is 39.4/10 inches... now we are in business..... Can't decide... so let me look at dress fabrics and come back.....
All kinds of chinese fabrics...silks, velvets.... style books to choose from... so many choices...what to do? .... i decide on a traditional chinese dress..short... now for the fabric.... since red is their traditional color, i go for red.... she takes me over to a different stall, where they have tons of reds...brand new.... I can't decide between the two.... I ask them which they like...it's split... All this time i am trying to decide on fabric, they are going on about my hair... can i get u to focus please?...now it's time to bargain....I say 'tekwilla'..too expensive and they laugh...no i am serious, i am not laughing... i type what i want to pay on the calculator..we laugh some more...they say how 'hot' the fabric is... i am not budging....so then they agree...I am laughing now....I really like them... a group of older women... they get busy and start taken my measurement.... I ask one to take my picture.... Drawing on all their english, one ask how long it took to do my hair...i say 5 hours and 2 braiders.... now the other one wants to know if i can come back and do her hair and when...LOL...Do these people realize i have a job and braiding isn't it?? Measurements all done... they bring me a calendar to show me when it will be ready... i say no...and pick another date, as i will be in Hong Kong... all set.... back to home dec....
I look around at all the home decs and still can't make up my mind...seamstresses are hard at work, sewing what looks like sheets, etc... tailors are all around too... suits on display.....the suits are so well tailored.... i spot an orange wool, but not ur reg wool...can't put a name on the fabric... short jacket... too cute... she has me try on a big size, and the sleeves are a little short.... she offers to make bigger for 360RMB... tekwila.... i really like it though... i flip through her pattern books...looks like she specializes in jackets... not seeing other fabrics i like, but i would love to have a suit made though.... the navy blue jacket next door is nice...but different seamstres... i wander over...bargain for a while...seems that the cheaper fabric is what they are willing to bargin on....naw..don't want the cheaper fabric.... flip through more books.... wander around some more...other seamstresses inviting me into their stalls.... now i am back at the orange jacket again... i think i am getting it,as i really like it.... i get the price down to 300RMB...notice the seamstresses don't bargain alot... a guess the price they give u is cheap enough to begin with...but bargaining is my blood...measurements all done....she wants 200 now...why can't i pay 150? i call Candy, the hotel manager...please explain that i only want to pay 150 now.... they talk and i get the phone back.... 200 now, as that's the cost of the fabric....ahhhhh.... so it's costing me $10US to have it custom made?? The labor is that cheap? Who am i to complain.... i pay the 200... i get a receipt..she has my phone number....i will definitely be back before the pick up date...need to put in more orders....
I think i was in there like 4 hours... time to go home now... i pass through the pharmacy again, which is on the street level... all the pharmacy workers are dressed like nurses.....
I need to check out MacDonald's...see if the beef taste like beef.... this is different...chicken drumsticks...chicken platters..... I get to the register, and the workers hands me a picture menu...so i can point to what i want... how did she know i speak no Mandarin?.... I ordered a double cheeseburger, fries and drink... taste like beef to me.....
Heading home... this white lady says to me, u work at Intel? i say yes, and we start talking and walking...she arrived today..not her first trip.... she is asking about massage, so i tell her where to go....and i tell her about some other things she can do too.... i ended up taking her to the massage parlour to get a business card...i even hooked her up with the hotel manager..... imagine that... me showing someone around...
Can you help me get dress made?
When can i pick it up?
Do you have curtain fabric?
Armed with sentences... i run into the hotel manager and we start chit chatting... I left her card upstairs, so she gave me her # again..if i need help, just call her...
The traffic is gridlock, and there's throngs of people everywhere... I know there's a marathon today and some streets are closed..is that why the streets are so crowded? Somehow i don't think the two are related, as these people are just going about their business....now i remember my coworker saying don't go to the supermarket on Sunday.... Sunday seems to be the day everybody gets out to run errands etc....
Crossing the street...need mad jaywalking skills...getting the cars to stop is a task in itself... I navigate my way through the crowds, parked cars, cars and bikes driving on the sidewalk, and arrive at the New Mart building...
Upstairs i go...not for long, as i divert off course to browse the jewelry and hair accessories...i could be here for days..there's vendors everywhere, crammed together, merchandise galore... i spot an index finger ring...cute....and rhinestone hair pin.... she says 80RMB total, i say 40RMB...my rule is to cut the price in 1/2 right off the bat...she agrees to the price... i give her 100RMB, get my change back...move onto the next stall...find more hair pins i like...bargain down to 35RMB... I give her the 50RMB i just got, and she looks at it, and shows mi a flaw, and gives it back... i point to the girl who just gave it to me...now realizing she gave me a bad bill...they exchange words and i think the girl is telling her it's ok... she shows it to a couple of other people and they say no... Hell, i am not taking it back...and the girl who just passed it to me, better trade it or i am about to go off! I am not even saying a word...i just point to her again...so now she's been busted big time...she goes in her stash and throws 5 10RMB on the table...The lady takes her money, gives me my change... I guess the girl didn't expect i would try to spend the fake money right next to her! God always works in mysterious ways....
Ok..back on track now... up more steps...i land on the 4th floor, show them my paper with sentence and they say 6th floor...all i see is the food court...must be wrong floor... down to 5th floor...furniture...uummmmh.... back down to 4th....6th floor? only food...darn it, they are not understanding.... so i head back to the 6th floor.... i decide to go through the food court.... ah....a doorway.... i see fabrics..... i have arrived.....
Home dec....lots of nice cottons hanging...and each with pics of exact fabric from magazine depicting bedspreads, comforters, pillows.... tons of nice stuff...some home dec.... i see one i like...measurement is in meters....convert meters to yards? how much do i remember from class? absolutely nothing.... i call Stephen and ask him to get online and find conversion.... 1 meter is 39.4/10 inches... now we are in business..... Can't decide... so let me look at dress fabrics and come back.....
All kinds of chinese fabrics...silks, velvets.... style books to choose from... so many choices...what to do? .... i decide on a traditional chinese dress..short... now for the fabric.... since red is their traditional color, i go for red.... she takes me over to a different stall, where they have tons of reds...brand new.... I can't decide between the two.... I ask them which they like...it's split... All this time i am trying to decide on fabric, they are going on about my hair... can i get u to focus please?...now it's time to bargain....I say 'tekwilla'..too expensive and they laugh...no i am serious, i am not laughing... i type what i want to pay on the calculator..we laugh some more...they say how 'hot' the fabric is... i am not budging....so then they agree...I am laughing now....I really like them... a group of older women... they get busy and start taken my measurement.... I ask one to take my picture.... Drawing on all their english, one ask how long it took to do my hair...i say 5 hours and 2 braiders.... now the other one wants to know if i can come back and do her hair and when...LOL...Do these people realize i have a job and braiding isn't it?? Measurements all done... they bring me a calendar to show me when it will be ready... i say no...and pick another date, as i will be in Hong Kong... all set.... back to home dec....
I look around at all the home decs and still can't make up my mind...seamstresses are hard at work, sewing what looks like sheets, etc... tailors are all around too... suits on display.....the suits are so well tailored.... i spot an orange wool, but not ur reg wool...can't put a name on the fabric... short jacket... too cute... she has me try on a big size, and the sleeves are a little short.... she offers to make bigger for 360RMB... tekwila.... i really like it though... i flip through her pattern books...looks like she specializes in jackets... not seeing other fabrics i like, but i would love to have a suit made though.... the navy blue jacket next door is nice...but different seamstres... i wander over...bargain for a while...seems that the cheaper fabric is what they are willing to bargin on....naw..don't want the cheaper fabric.... flip through more books.... wander around some more...other seamstresses inviting me into their stalls.... now i am back at the orange jacket again... i think i am getting it,as i really like it.... i get the price down to 300RMB...notice the seamstresses don't bargain alot... a guess the price they give u is cheap enough to begin with...but bargaining is my blood...measurements all done....she wants 200 now...why can't i pay 150? i call Candy, the hotel manager...please explain that i only want to pay 150 now.... they talk and i get the phone back.... 200 now, as that's the cost of the fabric....ahhhhh.... so it's costing me $10US to have it custom made?? The labor is that cheap? Who am i to complain.... i pay the 200... i get a receipt..she has my phone number....i will definitely be back before the pick up date...need to put in more orders....
I think i was in there like 4 hours... time to go home now... i pass through the pharmacy again, which is on the street level... all the pharmacy workers are dressed like nurses.....
I need to check out MacDonald's...see if the beef taste like beef.... this is different...chicken drumsticks...chicken platters..... I get to the register, and the workers hands me a picture menu...so i can point to what i want... how did she know i speak no Mandarin?.... I ordered a double cheeseburger, fries and drink... taste like beef to me.....
Heading home... this white lady says to me, u work at Intel? i say yes, and we start talking and walking...she arrived today..not her first trip.... she is asking about massage, so i tell her where to go....and i tell her about some other things she can do too.... i ended up taking her to the massage parlour to get a business card...i even hooked her up with the hotel manager..... imagine that... me showing someone around...
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Friendship Adventure
Had to get there at any cost.... missed Stephen by like 10 mins, as i didn't realize the number i was calling, was the number to the cell i had...LOL... No worries, Stephen is sending his driver back to get me, but I am on my own to get back....
The drive takes like forever...and then the driver is starting to fidget, sure signs that he is about to fall asleep... check...seatbelt buckled....
Friendship Mall.... let's get busy.... I walk in to cosmetics and perfume on the first floor....Don't think there is anything here I want, so let me head on upstairs... 1st Floor...Men's....keep going...2nd floor, more men....3rd floor women...but looks like old women stuff...ultra conservative...keep going...4th fl...same thing.... The clientelle is upscale, and snooty, at least i think...and so are the sales people, as not a soul running to say 'Ni how'....5th floor...shoes... i barely recognize any of these names, and the style defintely no ready.... I am surveying the scene and stumble on boots.... let's see if there is a slight chance they might have a 10.... I am a pro now, so i take out my IPhone to use the calculator and show her the size i want.. of course the size on the boots are like 192, 255, so size 10 sure ongle a confuse her..lol.... She uses her hands to depict length and i say bigger..more, more....i think she gets it now...she runs off....this one fits, but it's a close fit....bigger.....this one is too big, but might can work....nothing fancy, just brown flat ankle boots... i am considering getting it but at about $83US, i don't think so....she returns with another salesperson who speaks English and i explain i will go look around and then come back....
I find Guess shoes..or the sign that says Guess, but the label on the shoes are different... all stillettos'...super stilletto's...price double what it cost in the US....so no interest there.....
7th floor...some jeans and mostly sportwear... Nike, Addidas, Columbia, Fila, Timberland...all expensive outa dis world....Now i am back on the 6th floor to Esprit..where about 5 sales girl greet me in unison... 'Ni how'....welcome to Esprit'...of course it was like bout 10 seconds later, for mi understand that it was Esprit dem was saying... Nothing here either.... I look at some more designers, all overly expensive, and nothing that i have to have....
What's on the top fl? housewares...but what's this? SALE...ummmh... i have reached the bargain penthouse..... there are racks of clothes, bins of clothes, and people are rummaging through, trying on, and overly excited.... so i dive in...starting with pantyhouse... why? i have no idea...but i get two... I did notice that girls here wear shorts alot, short shorts and short skirts, but with tights, as it is still very much winter time... Some girl motions to me and hands me a jacket..why is this customer giving me stuff to try on? Does she like me? what is going on? i tell her it's small...mins later she is back with another one... i try it, but don't like it...but i inquire about the price...the more i say i don't like it, the lower the price gets....I told her to keep it and i will look around some more.... I rifle through jackets and slacks, but anything i like is too small...Even saw Anne Klein jackets... i think i have this one in blue, but here it is in black... one size bigger, and it would be mine....
Doesn't look like i am finding anything but the stockings.... skirts? i guess i can take a look.... These are flared skirts and looks like they will fit, so i pick up a few styles, colors...and head to the fitting room... the fitting room checker takes them off the hanger, and for the brown one, she looks at me, shakes her head and puts it down.....why did i think i could get into it?...none of the ones i tried on fits, as getting past the belly was a no no...So now i am looking at sweaters, sweater dresses.... not feeling any..... back to the front bin with the other sweaters... i try one on and ask how much... she say 200RMB...the price on the bin says 100RMB...when i confront her, she says ok...100RMB...what a licckle thief? she nuh realize mi can't read mandarin, but mi nuh have no problems reading numbers, which is universal....the sweater itch, so no need to even bada with it......
i pay for my stockings and head out....
Michael's driver is already in DDA (where i live), so my real adventure is about to start... i need to find my way home..... Walk to a 5 star hotel, and ask them to get u a cab...or catch the train...it is way too cold to be fiddling with the train..and i hear there is no heat on the train.... cab it will be.... The concierge at the ShangriLa takes my hotel card, and goes outside to find me a cab....the driver says it's going to be extra as i am going to a different city.... no problem...i will be reimbursed so i don't care..... The concierge gives me her business card, so if anything is left in the car, i can call her and they can get it to me....got to love the customer service here....and to think mi not even a stay ina dem hotel.......
The driver keeps looking at the hotel card... dear Jesus, please tell me he knows how to get there.... some of the streets look familiar so i think he is on the right track.... he looks like a cha-cha bwoy...definitely into himself is the image i get...so i wonda why im driving taxi?.... 1/2 hour later, i am at the Inn Fine.....He points to the meter and starts explaining that it's more....but we already established that with the concierge, so i type on the calculator what i am giving him....he is happy...transaction complete..... Home sweet home!
The drive takes like forever...and then the driver is starting to fidget, sure signs that he is about to fall asleep... check...seatbelt buckled....
Friendship Mall.... let's get busy.... I walk in to cosmetics and perfume on the first floor....Don't think there is anything here I want, so let me head on upstairs... 1st Floor...Men's....keep going...2nd floor, more men....3rd floor women...but looks like old women stuff...ultra conservative...keep going...4th fl...same thing.... The clientelle is upscale, and snooty, at least i think...and so are the sales people, as not a soul running to say 'Ni how'....5th floor...shoes... i barely recognize any of these names, and the style defintely no ready.... I am surveying the scene and stumble on boots.... let's see if there is a slight chance they might have a 10.... I am a pro now, so i take out my IPhone to use the calculator and show her the size i want.. of course the size on the boots are like 192, 255, so size 10 sure ongle a confuse her..lol.... She uses her hands to depict length and i say bigger..more, more....i think she gets it now...she runs off....this one fits, but it's a close fit....bigger.....this one is too big, but might can work....nothing fancy, just brown flat ankle boots... i am considering getting it but at about $83US, i don't think so....she returns with another salesperson who speaks English and i explain i will go look around and then come back....
I find Guess shoes..or the sign that says Guess, but the label on the shoes are different... all stillettos'...super stilletto's...price double what it cost in the US....so no interest there.....
7th floor...some jeans and mostly sportwear... Nike, Addidas, Columbia, Fila, Timberland...all expensive outa dis world....Now i am back on the 6th floor to Esprit..where about 5 sales girl greet me in unison... 'Ni how'....welcome to Esprit'...of course it was like bout 10 seconds later, for mi understand that it was Esprit dem was saying... Nothing here either.... I look at some more designers, all overly expensive, and nothing that i have to have....
What's on the top fl? housewares...but what's this? SALE...ummmh... i have reached the bargain penthouse..... there are racks of clothes, bins of clothes, and people are rummaging through, trying on, and overly excited.... so i dive in...starting with pantyhouse... why? i have no idea...but i get two... I did notice that girls here wear shorts alot, short shorts and short skirts, but with tights, as it is still very much winter time... Some girl motions to me and hands me a jacket..why is this customer giving me stuff to try on? Does she like me? what is going on? i tell her it's small...mins later she is back with another one... i try it, but don't like it...but i inquire about the price...the more i say i don't like it, the lower the price gets....I told her to keep it and i will look around some more.... I rifle through jackets and slacks, but anything i like is too small...Even saw Anne Klein jackets... i think i have this one in blue, but here it is in black... one size bigger, and it would be mine....
Doesn't look like i am finding anything but the stockings.... skirts? i guess i can take a look.... These are flared skirts and looks like they will fit, so i pick up a few styles, colors...and head to the fitting room... the fitting room checker takes them off the hanger, and for the brown one, she looks at me, shakes her head and puts it down.....why did i think i could get into it?...none of the ones i tried on fits, as getting past the belly was a no no...So now i am looking at sweaters, sweater dresses.... not feeling any..... back to the front bin with the other sweaters... i try one on and ask how much... she say 200RMB...the price on the bin says 100RMB...when i confront her, she says ok...100RMB...what a licckle thief? she nuh realize mi can't read mandarin, but mi nuh have no problems reading numbers, which is universal....the sweater itch, so no need to even bada with it......
i pay for my stockings and head out....
Michael's driver is already in DDA (where i live), so my real adventure is about to start... i need to find my way home..... Walk to a 5 star hotel, and ask them to get u a cab...or catch the train...it is way too cold to be fiddling with the train..and i hear there is no heat on the train.... cab it will be.... The concierge at the ShangriLa takes my hotel card, and goes outside to find me a cab....the driver says it's going to be extra as i am going to a different city.... no problem...i will be reimbursed so i don't care..... The concierge gives me her business card, so if anything is left in the car, i can call her and they can get it to me....got to love the customer service here....and to think mi not even a stay ina dem hotel.......
The driver keeps looking at the hotel card... dear Jesus, please tell me he knows how to get there.... some of the streets look familiar so i think he is on the right track.... he looks like a cha-cha bwoy...definitely into himself is the image i get...so i wonda why im driving taxi?.... 1/2 hour later, i am at the Inn Fine.....He points to the meter and starts explaining that it's more....but we already established that with the concierge, so i type on the calculator what i am giving him....he is happy...transaction complete..... Home sweet home!
The Wedding
On my way to breakfast, I remembered to get off the elevator at the second floor.....and oh what scenery...looks like there's goign to be another wedding this weekend.... The red carpet is laid off, and the hallway is lined with red roses floral arrangements, on top of pedestals..each pedestal joined by red and orange crepe paper.... As i squeeze by in the tiny space left i guess for people getting of the elevator, i make a mental note to come back and take pictures... The stairway that leads to the restaurant from the 1st floor is also decorated with orange and red tulle...with the orange tulle tied in huge bows, attached to the banister.... Can i stay for the wedding?
I have breakfast, and head back to my room to grab my stuff and then head to the spa.. All of a sudden i hear fire crackers going off... i look out window and see a heart shaped string of firecrackers going off...and the stretch limosine, flanked by all these black cars, waiting to come in... The bride has arrived.... I decided that running downstairs and trying to bumb rush the bride to get a pic, was not appropriate... so I finished up my email, giving them enough time to clear the hallway....
I am off to take pics of the scenery.. .hope noone says i can't..I feel uneasy doing it, so i asked one of the waitresses at the restaurant and she says ok... I snap the banister and brave my way to the hallway. The gentleman there speaks English and says it's fine to take pics... As a matter of fact, he even offers to take my picture as well... I sure wish i could have stayed for the wedding..but somehow i think i uninvited, not appropriately dressed American, would definitely have stood out!
I have breakfast, and head back to my room to grab my stuff and then head to the spa.. All of a sudden i hear fire crackers going off... i look out window and see a heart shaped string of firecrackers going off...and the stretch limosine, flanked by all these black cars, waiting to come in... The bride has arrived.... I decided that running downstairs and trying to bumb rush the bride to get a pic, was not appropriate... so I finished up my email, giving them enough time to clear the hallway....
I am off to take pics of the scenery.. .hope noone says i can't..I feel uneasy doing it, so i asked one of the waitresses at the restaurant and she says ok... I snap the banister and brave my way to the hallway. The gentleman there speaks English and says it's fine to take pics... As a matter of fact, he even offers to take my picture as well... I sure wish i could have stayed for the wedding..but somehow i think i uninvited, not appropriately dressed American, would definitely have stood out!
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