Tibet Trip - Chengdu
Apologies for the super long delay in getting these online, I've been busy moving into my apartment in Denver and having school starting. I wrote these posts on paper when I was traveling within Tibet.I didn't realize the Hangzhou Airport was so far away from the city itself. A 110 RMB cab ride later, the airport was easy to manage. I thought I may have a more difficult time. WHile I was sitting in the waiting area and reading Wealth and Democracy, a family sat down next to me. They gave their 2 young sons a hard time for not speaking English to me. I think I scared the older one when I rattled off something about why study if you don't want to speak it (in Chinese of course) -- his parents and the other adults around laughed.
The plane flight was hilarious. They had me seated next to a 7 year old girl named Ji Li. She spoke no English, but wanted to tell me everything about her (especially her huge fake Barbi set that she got as a gift). Dinner was fun. She wanted more beef. =) Right before we landed she passed out. I woke her up and she, like a grumpy child, "I don't want to!" -- so I left her in the responsibility of the flight attendants.
The hotel ride was quick and easy. They were amazed that I spoke some Chinese. I read some more and watched CCTV9. I just returned home from getting some food -- I needed some stuff for the Tibet plane ride so I just went to the store and bought: cherry tomatoes, green tea flavor frito lays, sausage with embedded corn, Snow beer, a pomegrante, double chocolate oreos, and 2 bottles of tea.
I won't have a chance to screw around in Chengdu too much because I have to be at the airport at 6 AM. I'm going to miss Hangzhou.
As an afterthought, there are some things about China that are amazing.
- Tea. So many kinds. There is almost a whole aisle of bottled tea at the grocer.
- Small grocers. I love them. Even though some try to charge the "foriegner tax"
- CCTV9 and 大山 -- the English TV station and the Canadian who is the white god here. I find it amazing that the weather includes NO American cities, but everywhere else around the world. Da Shan. He is annoying, but awesome.
- Staring. I apologize to everyone in advance is I stare. I've gotten used to having people do it to me openly and I stare a bit now.
- Terrorism. A Chinese and a Canadian both had the same thought: Couldn't the governments of the U.S., Great Britain, and Israel be terrorist entities? I wonder if G.W. Bush knows what year 9/11 happened. Do you? Ask yourself without looking.
- Cars. Driving in China is insane. I want to drive next time I am here.
- Drinking. Very few people drink casually in Hangzhou
Until next time.
posted by Mike @ 2:04 AM
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