Relaxing until Tuesday

Back in Hong Kong taking it easy after lugging my backpack around Macau for two days. I couldn't find a good place to stay that was reasonably priced. I stayed in a non-registered place, pretty much a cheap bed in a place with the "floating population" you read about in China. Didn't think it was too safe, so I decided not to stay another night and came back. I still got a sense for Macau and saw a few sights.

Voted today. Kind of cool seeing a bunch of expat democrats going into a diner to vote.

I'm talking to a guy about a potential internship on Tuesday, and then I'll head back to Nanjing for school to start on Friday. I will probably make a day trip out to Lantau island tomorrow to see this huge Buddha. Going to go catch a movie now then try to go to sleep early.

Back in Hong Kong

Came back unexpectedly early because Macau was too expensive. More on that later, it's 3 a.m.

In Hong Kong

Arrived in Hong Kong yesterday. I keep coming up with different ways to think of the city in my head. In some ways, it is the closest thing to Blade Runner or StarWars (the new ones) I've seen. Surely ever high-technology-future scifi writer has to have seen this city. People walk up to me, Africans, Indians, Chinese accosting me about buying a suit, hasheesh, a watch etc. I'm staying in a room that's closet size, my bed + two feet. Signs are everywhere in English, Chinese, you name it. The rich live super-baller lifestyles while the poor are almost comically poor. It's easily the most cosmopolitan city I've been to (sorry New York).

Hong Kong also seems kind of like the Bay Area, but a better version. First, all unwanted elements are pushed out of the city proper (in this case to where I'm staying in Kowloon across the harbor), and there are special places for rich people to live (the closer to the top of Victoria Peak, the richer). Second the weather is mild, although it does get hotter here in the summer. Third, as mentioned above. Fourth, everybody's a huge yuppie. I could keep listing.

I keep going back and forth as to whether I love or hate HK. You have to have money to get the most out of the city by shelling out for that good dinner or show or to get even moderately good digs. The racial economic gap is still large--all the lower class is Chinese. That brings me to the fact that this city is dripping in British-ness. If the Chinese guy is upper class, he has a British accent. I love the historical feeling, as this still feels like a colony, a feeling I've never gotten anywhere before. The feeling definitely makes the material from my Chinese history courses come alive. But still, their British, it's just so unappealing.

I wish I could post pictures since I have many interesting ones. I didn't bring my computer, so I'm at an internet cafe.

Anyway, going to Macao tomorrow morning for a day or two. Vegas of the East and all that. Back on Sunday to vote in person with Democrats Abroad (woohoo 11 expat delegates). Good thing I'm in Hong Kong and this happens to be the only place in China with a branch otherwise I would be too late to vote. That said, vote Obama on February 19th.

Guangzhou

Arrived in Guangzhou after a 34 hour train ride from Shanghai. The trip was scheduled to only take 17 hours, but I was held up by power outages in Western Jiangxi Province and all of Hunan Province. I befriended a guy named Mr. Lee who would keep me updated as to what the train staff was saying. Also, I actually buckled down and bought one of the sketchy boxed lunches (rice, cucumbers and onions, a half of a hard boiled egg sitting in what looked like sour kraut, piece of tofu, 2 pieces of what was probably fried chicken, and bean curd that looked like brains).

Arrived at 3 a.m. and got to a hostel. Found a huge cockroach on the floor of the bathroom today, on its back flailing. The one standard I hold a hostel to, and it fails. Freezing too, this far south most hotel rooms don't have heat. It's on Shamian island, a sand bar t hat had been taken over by the British/French and used as a trading post under the hong trading system. Little traffic, pretty chill, Starbucks nearby.

Taking in museums, have already been to three. Went to a Canadian bar last night with a friend of a friend. Probably won't make it to Hong Kong until the 6th.

Change of Plans

My flight to Kunming in Yunnan was canceled twice because of 4 days of snow, so I will not be going. Instead, I'm going to Shanghai with a friend to kill time until I can get out to the Hong Kong area. I'll try to get a train, but, because of the Spring Festival rush, I may fall back on flying. The Shanghai airport will probably be back to running normally long before the Nanjing airport.

It's been an even longer time

Snow outside my window 1/26









I admittedly fell off the wagon pretty hard with my blog. As you probably know, I made the decision to go back to China for another semester. I'm in the same program at Nanjing University, but will be taking higher level classes with the hope of becoming more fluent. Class doesn't start until February 18th because everyone is off for the week after the new year (on Feb. 6).

Last semester wrapped up with a very Chinese Thanksgiving, a couple more trips to Shanghai, Chinese language finals, a large research project (we surveyed 89 locals and wrote a 10 page paper), general merriment, and goodbyes. I went back to the U.S. for a month. After Christmas and New Years, I commenced my tour of the Midwest--Northwestern, Minneapolis, and Carleton College. Arrived in Nanjing yesterday after a marathon 36 some hours of travel.

I was looking forward to getting out of the Wisconsin weather, but it started snowing last night and doesn't seem like it's letting up.

Tomorrow or Monday, I plan on going to Yunnan for a week or two and then go to Hong Kong. My updates won't be elaborate while I'm traveling (not taking my laptop), but I plan to go to internet cafes to write what cities I'm in so my parents can keep track.

Been a long time

It has admittedly been a while since my last update. Time seems to get away from me here. I got back from Chengdu last week and haven't had much time since then.

Chengdu was a lot of fun, got to see visit Sanxiandui (something like that) which is the sight where evidence of an a civilization as old as the Indus, Yellow , Tigris and Euphrates, and Nile river valley civilizations. The bronze masks, huge bronze "trees" and jade swords looked wholly different from those found in the ancient yellow river valley civilizations.

Also saw giant pandas at a breeding center outside of the city. They were without a doubt the most adorable things I have ever seen. They're a lot smaller than I expected, and I'd compare them to Burmese Mountain dogs in size, if that means anything to you. Certainly nothing giant about them.

I also donated 50 kuai to hold a red panda, which looks nothing like a giant panda even though they're related. It was more like a raccoon, their common relation. I'm going to publish this now and then write another post, to see if the panda video works.