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Greetings from China. Mao says hello with a wave.
I’m experiencing all you’d expect:
- Interesting foods, including an oyster as big as my fist at dinner last night.
- Insane traffic. Much worse than my last trip here in 2005. Chaos will continue as more and more people can afford cars.
- Pollution. Everything is very grey, may not come across in photos. I wouldn’t enjoy running outside.
- Strange exercises and dancing. There is a large square out in front of the hotel, and it is full of people starting at 5:30 am, doing tai chi, backwards walking and dancing dancing dancing …
I’ve been too busy (and too tired … I tried to get a photo of the dark circles and bags under my eyes last night, but to no avail) to leave the hotel much … might get a chance to explore and shop a bit tonight. Then it’s off to Beijing for the weekend, and up to Changchun for a few days next week before heading back home.
Git yer requests for souveniers in now!
Jen - Remember the backwards walkers outside of 552? The first time I saw that my naive Saskatewan mind had no clue what this person was doing. I watched him for the longest time thinking he was absolutely crazy. Not that it makes any more sense to me now, but at least I’m aware that it’s some sort of morning exercise tradition/ritual. And not just some crazy guy walking backwards for no reason.
Hey maybe you can join them and find out what’s really going on?!
Enjoy the rest of your stay! I request that you bring back mysterious gooey beverages with ginormous slimy bubbles in it. And corn flavored lolipops. And some of those fist-sized oysters. Yum!
🙂
Jen
dan - Arrived in Beijing today. You would not believe how many chinese people there are here! 😐
forgetful.ca » Boycott North Korean Products! - […] That’ll teach them. I’m on my way to China for a week on Friday. I hope to add to my collection of Mao photos, eat some interesting food, collect enough aeroplan points to hit elite next year … Oh, and accomplish the work-related goals that are the reason I’m going of course. […]
forgetful.ca » Boycott North Korean Products! - […] That’ll teach them. I’m on my way to China for a week on Friday. I hope to add to my collection of Mao photos, eat some interesting food, collect enough aeroplan points to hit elite next year … Oh, and accomplish the work-related goals that are the reason I’m going of course. […]