China was a blast. We stayed in 5-star accomodations, which were not just 5-star in China. They were 5-star by American standards as well. The food was delicious and no one ended up getting sick from it. Some of us lost our tour group and had to take a taxi to catch up with the bus. We were constantly harassed by the local vendors trying to sell us crap, cool crap but crap nonetheless. Our lives were constantly in danger inside the taxi cabs. I think everyone had a fun time.
There was only one time that I truly felt like I was in China. It wasn’t at the Great Wall or Forbidden City. Those felt like tourist spots for sure, but nothing screamed China to me. The one time I felt like I was immersed in China was when we ditched our tour group to go to Shanghai early. We went to the bus station and there were locals everywhere, spitting and coughing. We thought we were going to catch bird flu. That is when I felt like I was in China. I’m sure the girls felt like they were in China more often with the squatty potties. (more…)
If you are Alice’s sister, please stop reading now. I am going to give you guys a teaser of our trip to China with some pictures and video. You can check out the rest of the pictures on my Picasa Web Album.
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I’m back from China. Pictures and video will follow once I get back to my own computer. For the time being, let me leave you with a brief synopsis and a teaser picture.
Chinese people spit a lot. Losing your tour group sucks. Products that are related to communism are always hot. In Shanghai, the ladies of the night work in clubs and bars, not streets. Buying squishy balls is awesome. No matter how enthusiastic you are, making up Chinese words will not aid communication. The air in Los Angeles is actually pretty clean. It’s not okay to just get a good deal when bargaining. You have to take the vendor’s soul too. Just because you live in China doesn’t mean you can’t still accidentally pee on your own leg. I like China, but America is still better. Burritos are even better after staying in China for a week.
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For those of you that never believed I would leave the land of the free and home of the brave for the land of nose picking and spitting, you were wrong. I am leaving Thursday with Michelle and a few other companions on an adventure to buy lots of Mao watches and lighters that play some communist tune when you flip them open. It’s a short trip, lasting just a week. I think the travel agency is somehow subsidized by the government, and so the price was too good to pass up, even for the week. Let me share what I currently know about China.
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