Guangzhou
Well, today I went to Guangzhou - pronounced GWAN (like SWAN) + JOE. It was interesting to say the least. We walked alot. John and I met up at 820AM at the bus stop to catch the bus. John was actually two minutes late and we missed the 820AM bus, so we bought a ticket for the 850AM bus. We ran over to McDonald's and he got a to go breakfast. I was like, just grab some bau-tze off the street, at least that stuff is real food. So, while we were there, I bought an apple pie. The only thing I like at McDonalds. While I was waiting in line, there was this family that came in, and the two kids were all excited to be there. Since McDonalds snags you when you are young. The two kids were staring at me, so I smiled back to them. Then the younger one, prolly about 3 years old, stuck his tongue out at me and then they ran to the playscape. I started to crap up. I then gave him back a rasberry and the kids started doing it back and giggling. He then just kept doing it then the older sister started. It rocked. From there we headed back to the bus.
The bus took about 1.5-2 hours to get to the stop that we wanted. While we were waiting to meet up with Ben, John's friend who he met during his travels, we needed to use the toilet. So we went searching and came upon the coolest automated toilets I have ever been in. It cost 1RMB coin. You put it in the slot and the door slides open like in Star Trek. Only slower and without the "shh".
On the way back to the meeting place, we noticed a scuffle. Two chinese guys were throwing fists at each other. I wanted to yell out, "CHINESE FIGHT!" like the kids in South Park yelled out, "CRIPPLE FIGHT!" when Timmy and the new handicapped kid got into a fight. The two guys were shouting at each other in Guangdongwha. They weren't just talking normally loud like all cantonese people do, but they were yelliing. It lasted only a few seconds. Apparently they were fighting over cigarrettes. Seemed very childish. See what addiction causes?
We arrived at the meeting place and then Ben popped up outta the subway. "Sup, dawg!" He then pointed out to us the place where he saw his first dead man in China. Apparently a guy by the subway entrance in front of the Train Station (where we were), died of malnutrition/starvation from the apparent look of his body. This is how it went: Ben walked by the area around 2pm. He noticed a man lying in a peculiar position on the ground and a few people standing over him, he thought nothing of it because he sees it all the time - bums sleep on the street in the afternoon. He then came back by to that area around 6pm on his way home and the man was still lying there in the same position. He realized that the guy was dead. So he took a picture. Someone finally called the authorities, I dunno if it was Ben, he never mentioned an end to it.
You think someone would notice something like that here. A man dead on the street, but nope. Its the chinese mentallity. Only caring for yourself. Kings of the world, thats what each chinese believes they are. At least show some compasion and respect for the dead, don't let his body rot on the street. Let someone know. I wonder if Toby is gonna argue with me on this subject. Check my journal entry tomorrow to see if he did.
Ben is from northwest California he said. He lives about 1 hour from Reno, Nevada. He just got married on wednesday to his chinese girlfriend of 3 years. They will have a ceremony in the summer, but wanted to get the VISA work taken care of now. He told us of a couple funny stories from when he was in the Consulate registering for marriage - VISA stuff.
First was this wirery looking weasel of a man he said that was born in Vietnam, but was American, but very greasy and icky. Apparently this guy was trying to apply for a marriage liscenes or something for his fiance. The attendant was drilling him. "How long have you known her?" -One year. "How did you meet?" -Over the internet. "When did you finally meet her?" -Three weeks ago. "What??" -3 weeks ago. "You do know its illegal to marry someone just to get them an American VISA?" -Uh...uh..(hesitation) yeah. I do. "How can you be sure she isn't playing you?" (i am not sure on that last sentence. The whole point was that the attendant knew this guy was a scuzz and really wasn't in love or anything or that he was being played.)
Another guy showed up. 250-300 pounds. Bald. 60 years old. "Yeah. I am here because I want to marry my girlfriend. I met her in Guangdong. (think of how an old guy would pronounce it if he had never been to China or spent time with the language with a heavy nasal accented "a") His girlfriend is about 25 years old, gorgeous, and they only met a few weeks prior. He got grilled.
Ben goes up to the attendant. "How did you meet?" -Christmas party. "How long have you been dating?" -3 years. "Good, here you go." What a relief. Obviously, these attendants know how to spot the creeps and the people that are serious.
While he was explaining the stories, we took the subway to the marketplace area to check out all the stuff they got. Apparently its a pretty famous area. They got a section of it for animals being sold for pets, then on another block they have all the same animals but being sold for food. The ones being sold as pets were in much nicer setups than the ones for food. There were some adorable dogs, cats, turtles, salamanders, newts, redbellies, fish, snakes, rabbits, etc. etc. Tons of things. It was really kool. I got pestered to buy a chinese bible. I think thats what it was. Anywho. We walked around a bit.
Took the subway to meet up with Ben's wife, Shao-Hong...or Xiao-Hung...i dunno which.
We then walked around the most famous park in that city. It was nice. Walked up and down many stairs. There was a Musuem that we didnt visit. There was a Sun Yat Sen monument. Some scenic view of a stadium field underconstruction and some other nice shots. THere is a famous 5 Goat statue at the top part of the park. We checked that out.
We headed out to lunch in the marketplace after walking thru another market alley way. Very dirty. Guangzhou is a very dirty city. After lunch and discussion of intestinal malfunctions caused by viruses and diseases, we headed out to scale the biggest mountain in Guangzhou. It was nice. There was a bungie jumping set up there. I didnt do it, but I was tempted. No one has ever been hurt doing it there. Ben did it last time he was there and said it was really good. I just wish people that did bungie jumping would just put a giant air mattress beneath it. From there we headed to the top. On the way there were these steps that had pointy rocks sticking out in designs. You are supposed to walk on them without your shoes. At first it doesnt really hurt but after you are on them for about 30 seconds, it starts to hurt and its painful. Supposedly, its to massage the feet.
We got to the top and chatted. By this time it was nearing 530pm, so we walked back down. We eventually snagged a taxi cab and I got a bus ticket back to Xiaolan at 7pm. John is spending the nite there, I would, but I gots to teach tomorrow morning. I got my afternoon class with Daisy, I can't wait. That little girl is a genious. Well, goodnite.