Phil and Red's Excellent Adventure

Hmmmm...what could it be that I lost...hmmm...there's alot...well alot of just a couple things....
1. MONEY - this misadventure is really turning into a money pit and its really getting to me
2. RESPECT for the chinese people as a whole. Every once in awhile I will come across some cool chinese. Not in our lifetime will this country rise to its potential. This country is full of cheats, I swear.
3. Temper over US - Chinese relations. Because of Bush's and Zemin's policies, I am getting screwed over on VISA lengths and charges...see 1 again.

First of all, I need to get this outta the way.... God bless the 70 year old chinese man in Adidas shoes wearing a plastic Incredible Hulk Backpack. He made me so happy. I woulda taken a picture had I not been in the Chinese customs line. Didn't want to cause a scene.

Ooh, another one I need to get outta the way is this: I had a motorbike taxi once here in Xiaolan, who was smoking while he was driving and of course the smoke was blowing right in my face. But he was listening to "The Theme from Carmen" on his little speaker or something. It sounded like a kid playing one of those little Casio Synths. It ruled.

I headed out to Hong Kong yesterday evening so I could get my 6-month F-VISA taken care of so I can continue to stay in China. Amanda called on Monday and they said that a 6-month F-VISA was $1200HK. I was like, fantastic. Of course I knew they may try to pull that, "You need to get a 2-month F-VISA twice before you can get a 6-month." And of course, a 2-Month F-VISA is $970HK just $50HK more than an L-VISA for 2 months (which I had before).
Before you say, "Oh Phil, why don't you just get a Z-VISA with Bond?" I will tell you right now, I can't and I will not.
1. Bond lied to me & they couldn't get a Z-VISA. Because they are liars...like all chinese. (And you can't blame me for calling them that, because they are...its part of the culture)
2. Bond recently was allowed to apply for a Z-VISA because they most likely bribed the right people. (that's also chinese culture) And of course they told me this a week or so before I needed to renew my VISA and when I had decided to change my contract to 6 months. (you can only have a Z-visa with Bond if you have a 1 year contract) And I will not stay here for a year.
3. The Bond VISA re-inbursement fees are also based off old VISA standards before our countries went to war over some issues.
I arrived at the VISA office right as they opened so I could get my VISA by 130pm. I was hoping that they changed it and went back to the straight & narrow 6-month Z-VISA. But no. This is what the man said,
"You want 6-month F-VISA? You have to get a 1-month F-VISA 2x or a 2-month F-VISA 2x before you can be eligible for a 6-month F-VISA."
I responded, "Why"
His response, "Heh, You lose."
At first I was taken aback, then I thought maybe he doesn't realize that's inappropriate because his english is bad.
After some more talking and asking quesions on why it was this way.
He said, "No. Sorry. You lose. Ask Bush." And with that he turned around and went in the backroom for processing. (the chinese are rude as well...its part of their culture.)

you unbelievable bastard

I picked up my Passport later on that day with no problems and asked the lady that handed it back to me why its set up that way. And she was nicer about it, but that didnt help matters anymore. She said that's what the Chinese VISA Office says. Thats what goes. I said, "They just want more money." She responded with, "Exactly." And then laughed. (the chinese are also tactless, its part of their culture)

Other Hong Kong Experiences.
Well, I had been searching for hostels online here in Xiaolan to stay in while I was in HK for two nites so I didnt have to pay a bunch for a hotel. I had some good leads and a couple fellow teachers recommended me to try Chong King Mansion on Nathan Street in TsimShaTui, downtown Kowloon.
"Yeah, you just show up and you get a room. Its like this old slum building that's been fixed up and is just packed with hostels on almost every floor. You can always find a room."
I head to HK planning on staying there...until I got there. If this was fixed up, I would have hated to see it when it wasn't. It still looked pretty slum to me. I walk into the area and immediately I was mobbed by people offering the best room for the best money because all other rooms were filled in the places I had been talking too. And they were obvisouly overcharging. So, first off this freaked me out. The place was also just down the street from the Mosque so pretty much everyone there was a smelly, greasy muslim. (i'm not saying that all muslims are, its just that these were muslims who happened to be smelly and greasy). After I walked in there and was mobbed by people, I got a very bad feeling about the place. I did not feel safe one bit. (and its not because I thought that these people were terrorists). If I wasn't alone, then maybe I would have stayed.
Another issue that arose was the fact that this place was just seedy. The renters, the owners, the Touts on every corner, and even the people staying there. I only had limited funds and there is no way in hell that I would try paying with a credit card in this place. After talking to a couple slum lords, I realized that I wouldn't have enuff to get my VISA and pay for the subway, etc.
The number one reason I left there was that I just did not feel safe...at all.
Why is it that the Kowloon Mosque is in the seediest part of town and alot of the local seedy people attend it? I hate to suggest correlations, but, its pretty obvious. (and of course, I know there are other seedy areas, but there were no other seedy areas that i came across in which i sensed danger)

There I am, walking the streets of HK with no place to stay. Damnit, this is an emergency, I am gonna need to use my credit card. Searching for a hotel room sucked. Just to tell you. This is a personal story and I am gonna keep this one to myself. I just want to put it out there and you can infer whatever you like.

Investigating Kowloon Nitelife
Some of the bars would be cool if you had a group of people. I went to the Schooner bar, which is a Karaoke bar and the thing has a "Pirate/Boating" Theme to it. The bartendress was really playing the part by missing her front 4 teeth and then a couple others. Local HK beer is crap as well. Don't drink it. I went to another bar after that and had a drink. At both of these places, and others I have read, they have women there to converse with guys, especially single ones. Its a plus if you are white. They totally creeped me out. Just started talking to me and telling me to sit next to them. One even tried to feed me a beerchip. Until I forced it away. I think she took the hint after that. She also wanted to sing "Endless Love" for karaoke with me. Check please.
After those two places, I went back to the hotel that I found. Went to bed.

Non-Visa Adventures
I woke up upset with China, the hostels/hotels, and the whole VISA situation. But, I was in HK all day on a gorgeous Friday. I had to make the best of it. I headed off to go see Po Lin Monastery. This is the home of the world's largest seated Buddha. Its made of Bronze and its on the top of a mountain on Lantau island. So i hoped on the subway and headed there. Once I got to the end of the the Tung Chung line, I boarded a bus that drives all thru the mountains to get there. Gorgeous views of mountains and lush foliage. After about 25 minutes of going really slow because the bus was a crappy and we were going up-mountian most of the time, we went downhill and came to a flat. The view was spectacular. My mouth began to drop. There was a calm lake and there were moutiains going up all around it. (see the fotos) Off in the distance you could see Buddha sitting atop the moutain. By this point my jaw was completely unhinged and it was just haning there. It has too be huge to be able to see it from here. It really strikes you and makes you feel weird thingys inside. All the chinese at once responded on seeing this with, "WWWWHHHHAAAAAA!" (in only the way cantonese speaking chinese can say it, i can immitate it, but only chinese can do it right)
We arrived and its to cool to talk about in words. Check out the fotos. I hung out there for a couple hours then got on the bus back. I met an older couple on the steps. I took their foto and they took mine. We chatted for a bit and I found out he was from Toronto. I told him that when I get back I want to move to that city. I love it. I told him that I was teaching english here in China and I told him that I wasn't really enjoy the whole experience here in China. And what he said was said so matter-of-factly that it struck me like a hammer:
"Of course...You don't belong there." ....you know...he's right. A wise man.
On the bus back, we picked up a bunch of school boys and their teacher. They were on a field trip, not to the Buddha statue, but to the prison thats down the road from the Buddha. Go figure. Lantau is the biggest island with the smallest population. Prolly due to all the mountains. Perfect place for Buddha and a prison. So, all the way back to the Subway station, i was having a conversation with these guys. Man, its like they've never seen a white person before. They live in HK. Oh well. I think I am getting used to it.
When I got back into Kowloon, i picked up my VISA. I haggled a Sony store guy down on some DV-Tapes for my camera. Kool. I then hoped the subway over to Wong Tai Sin, another buddhist temple. This one was pretty gorgeous. Its renowned for fortune tellers. So there were alot of heathens ;-) telling and reading fortunes. I didnt have it done. I don't want to end up in the Canto of Dante's "Inferno" where all the Fortune Tellers run around with their heads on backwards staring at their asses for trying to see forward in life. There were some very pretty gardens. One had a minature concrete replication of the Nine Dragons Wall. It had a pond and there were turtles everywhere. Also a couple of fountains and waterfalls. There was this other much larger garden called, The Wishing Well Garden. Very pretty. Check out the fotos.
After that, I hopped on the subway, I am the master of the HK Subway now. I was on every line in 24 hours. I headed back so I could walk to the China Ferry Terminal, I didnt want to stay another money spent nite in HK. Before I got on the 6pm ferry, I hit up the Apple Store down the street. Got some kool stuff. I also saw the Star Wars Trilogy DVD set. It was for $450HK, I didnt buy it. What's the price in the states? I am now back in Xiaolan. It strangely feels good to be back here...odd....