It's the most wonderful time of the year

Merry Christmas to all! It certainly is the most wonderful time of the year. I must admit it does not feel like Christmas or it at times does not. But without Batman here I kinda missin out on the crazy sprit. But it has been kinda a wild week.

So for me it started last friday. I wanted to have a party. So i invited people, planned a party. Only to have it turn out on monday the school won't let me have a party in the room I wanted. So ha ha Its amazing isnt it?
So I had to cancel the event. Well sort of. It turned out my phone ran out of time so I was unable to tell well most everyone. Ha ha its just ridiculous. So well thats how things went.

Till christmas Eve. Special time. So i call who i can to go out to eat. Who wants to be alone on Christmas Eve? so I find Serge and we head to the mall to have dinner. But who would of known that on christmas eve is when EVERYONE goes to the mall. I think there was more people in that mall that night than at an ACL Fest....

That was fun. We meet three girls who helped us find a restaurant. What I did not understand is why so many were wearing devil horns? Apparently because it's cute. But it is a little earrie to be seeing on christmas eve a bunch of girls dressed like devils.

Then came christmas. So i went to class. no backtrack. First I called family and friends. Somehow I managed to call Jessica at 4am... Sorry jess. Still Love you. I heard evan oer the phone.


Then I went to listening class. That was well Listening Class. Idk how else to describe it. Went home and had lunch. Still no idea what i was goign to do for that night. It was not till I went to writing class that something happened. Romaric offered his dorm! Ahh ! 4 hours till the party did i find a place to have it!! Ha Ha wonderful! And no i am not horribly last min. I had like 4 hours....

So after class Fahad and i go to the market to go buy veggetables and such to make soup. I made the ever wonderful veggie soup my mother makes. Except instead of the spices she uses I used Soy Sauce... It was good. Easy and filling. I just didnt realize how little it takes. So like 3 KG of veggies and 2Kg of potatoes that i didnt use.

So the party started, slowly. Soup was ready, bread and a case of beer. once mroe people showed up we got underway. It was fun. I think there was 12 people? Mabye 14?

First we ate and talked. I can't rightly say we sat around as we only had 4 chairs. So it was a lot of Japanese style sitting on the floor. After a bit of laughing we moved onto cards. What would a christmas party be without cards?? We started a Chinese game of Killer But i think with all the languages it grew a little complicated.

So we switched to the Hanks tradition... SPOONS! Heck yea I taught them spoons. And you know what? It is a game that ANY CULTURE loves. It was wonderful fun. sadly I don't have pictures but Erwin does and I hoe to get some copies when he returns from Xi'an and the rest of china. GOOD LUCK!

Once spoons was over we played the Secret Santa game. But it was the version I knew from my youth. Everyone brings a present. Each takes a turn to choose a present to open it. then the next person can choose to steal a preasent already opened or choose to open a new present. Very american i am told, to have a christmas game a time of giving and love to introduce stealing and theft. HA Ha ha.
All said and done the party disbanded and cleaned.


But of course it is great fun. A wonderful time. Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night

Welcome

I believe this may be the first visit for many people? Many are looking for the pictures from the party a few nights ago? Well there are many loaded and another 250 more in my computer. You should see the link to the left for photos, and I believe you should be able to download the pictures at full quality. If not please let me know and I think I can edit that. Also if you so desire for the rest of the photos please let me know and I would be happy to copy them to a USB for you (provided you provide me with one as I own none.)

So in all, Welcome

IM DONE

I have a passport. It has been ready for days I was just never told. the emmbassy never informed me. So literally i wasted like a week just sitting around... But well all is well. However i must note my passport picture is horrible. I look huge. I mean i think i have a reather slim face. I look big. My head looks just huge. My cheeks look puffy. I dont know what angle or how it was accomplished. BUT is is BAD. the lady at the embassy had to take a doubule look to make sure it was me. then she giggled and said it was a horrible photo. at least i have a passport. that is the important thing right?

Still waiting

So its day 8 i think waiting for my passport? I have lost track of time. So im here in beijing. With little money. Well i have it but i don't want to spend it here. I want to save it to go somehwere new. I didnt bring my text books so studying is not really that much of an option...

I went to the olympic green yesterday. rather disapointing. not that it was'nt good. the birds nest is awsome. its just that its a grey structure on the haziest day so i saw gray walkways, a grey building on a really grey hazy day with grey buildings in the background. Not what i call picture perfect. It was cold (-2C or 28F) and well so it wasn't the best. Im sure it would be much more enjoyable with other people or if it was warmer.

But i did have a fun night. I met some people in the hostel. And we went to the night market. THe famous street market where they sell everything from seahorses to noodles. Peddlers that sell eertying form drinks to other ladies who come up and ask if I want a chinese barbie doll. I ahve to say that was the first time i heard of ladies being sold...

We had a great time. (at the market not the ladies. we dont do that.) From squid on a stick to a chinese burrito. We saw lamp penis and sheep testicle. Roasted oysters and grilled scorpion. Shimp dumplings and beef noodles. It was wonderful fun. We went back to the hostel and ended up just sitting around drinking some vodka and beer talking before someone poped in a questionable copy of 007 Quantum of Solace. well it was good except the important conversations that explained what the evil plot is or who it is somehow was dubbed in chinese. So we saw the movie just no idea what happened...

so now im in a cafe just killing time.

Flying High on the Great Wall

So today was the day! The day i have been planning for some time. Take chinese kites to the top of the great wall and fly it! Thats right fly a kite off the great wall! New, crazy and just plan silly. Right up my ally if i do say so myself. The kite i brought was a Chinese Dragon Kite. Very traditional. However I question how well it works. Just from looking at it i dont rightly understand how it is supposed to fly. BUt i have seen pictures of them flying. So i guess it works.

Well we went to the tourist section of the great wall. Chosen for cheap price, easy access, and overall simplicity. Also Chenwei choose it so i was more than happy just just follow directions. he he. BUt i think i need to start a little farther back.


So Monday night i went out with some people i meet in the hostel. We went out for drinks and food. So a few hours later of beer, beer and a little vodka. It was about 2 am. 2 am when i finally went to bed. The entire eening was spent talking about everything. From Education, girls, politics, racism, history, and life. It was wonderful fun!

But well it was late. 2 in the morning when i finally went to sleep. now the obvious downside is that to go to the great wall I have to get up very early. I was up at about 630 in the morning. Yea NO sleep. No sleep then going to climb UP the great wall. GREAT IDEA! but hey this is I, the person who thinks before acting.

I suprised even myself when i found it rather easy to get up in the morning. A short subway ride and Chenwei and I are on our way to the great wall.

so we go up to the wall. Pull out the kite and away we go. sort of. As you can see the kite never got much air. Sadly there is no wind at the great wall. As such the kite well, It was more a snake than flying dragon. At least it looked pretty.

But that is not what it is about! I am not disapointed in the least. I got to try to fly a kite off the great wall. I had a crowd of people laughing staring and well as you can imagine wonderful fun! We even got some local guys to attempt to fly it. They thought they could do one better! It didnt work BUT it wasnt anything less than awsome!

New Camera

So after some trouble I finally got my camera. These are the shots i thought to share or brag about. Taken from around Beijing. The camera is a Nikon D60. I picked up an 18-55mm lens and a 55-200mm Lens. Both lens have image stabilization. I really enjoy the camera. Its light easy to use. Big LCD screen. It is also nice that it has some Idiot proof to the design. When you change auto focus there is a little picture that shows a flower vs a surfer, help you choose what you need for what situation. Its kinda nice to think that way. to associate the different modes with actuall uses not the descriptions from differnt books all by memorization. So here are the photos.
What do you think? Yes tehre are several Black and white. It turns ou i really like it. Especially with all these old buildings. Black and white just had some special feel to it. I don't know.

You must admit the fog of beijing with a sunset makes some wonderful colors. I was really suprised at how peachy the sunset is. I've seen blues, reds, etc but this peach color is rather new. Or so I felt.

I have a lot of fun with this camera. Plus i know its silly but i live the clack of the shutter. It is kinda dumb i know but still. Its kinda nice to have a camera that feels professional. Its exciting. It feels smart. It feels important. ITs statisfactory to use equipment. Its like the real thing ya know?

Im still hungry. Its too late now for food. Or so i guess. Unless of course i go down to the night market but that seems far far away for a bowl of noodles. So ill just go to bed and tommorow ill eat.

So what is my plan. Um.
Tommorow i will have to buy a kite. Tuesday i plan to go to the great wall to fly kites off the wall. Sounds like cihldish fun to a new level
so tommorow i need to find some kites. also more panoramics.

Finally here

So i'm in beijing! Yay! But as on par with the rest of thsi week im still having problems. Just as you could guess! I arrive at the hostel the beijing backpackers hostel. The best place in beijing by far. but of course there was a slight problem. In china when you stay in a hotel you must show a passport, to prove you are not illegal. Kinda dont understand but i can kinda relate. Well I guess you understand why that is an issue. I head to the Embassy and they were helpful and straitened it out. So when i get a passport ill be able to gie the copy to the hostel. Which turns out to take 5 days to 10 days. So im not traveling anywhere I am just going to well... wait here.

So the next day i went to meet Chenwei. My awsome cool pretty beijing friend. We meet at Tian'anmen. What i was never prepared for was how freakin cold beijing is. I was wearing everything i owned and i was so freakin cold. Luckily someone came up to me and sold me a hoodie sporting the Beijing 2008 logo, a pair of ear muffs and gloves. Yea that was as affective as a match in a Blizzard. Well we went to see the grand Leader Mao. I don't know if that is the proper title. But it was good. A little wait in line and we got to see the leader. The casket was very different than what I expected. He was much smaller than i expected, and his head looked a little large. But i think that had to do with the optics or the light. Im not sure. Two armed guards and others to shuttle people along. We only got to see him for a few seconds before it was over.

Afterward we went for Hotpot. Chenwei knew of a wonderful restaurant. IT was very good. Hot pot is a chinese dish. Take a big bowl of water and fill it with diff veggies for flavor. Put it over a fire and let it come to a boil. then take an array of food from slices of raw meat, veggeis, tofu, etc. Dump it in and let it cook! That simple and it really is good. Its also nice that you can cook it personally to your taste.

We went to the embassy. Of course that was not perfect. Turns out the pictures i brought were not the right size. So i had to go to find a photostore. But wonderfully the map given to me was terrible. So that took forever in the cold to take care of. I made it back to the embassy 3 min before it closed. Yea it was that freakin close.

Next it was shoppiing chenwei and i went to a small market. She helped me find long underwear. It was wonderful. Little awkward because the only place that sold it also sold rather exotic ladies undies. Which if you know me makes me a little uneasy...
But that aside it was WONDERFUL. OH MY WORD UNDERWEAR IS AWSOME! it made life so wonderful here. well it was no longer cold.

ok so the rest of the time. I had dinner with an australian at an Indian Restaurant. I had dinner with another Aussie at another restaurant where we had dog. Yes dog. And i am sure it was the most cute cuddly and adorable dog that could be found. And yes it was good. The meat is soft, flavorfull and a little light. I really like it. Yea yea start flaming.

One thing that is difficult is that beijing has few restaurants. Yes there are a ton of fancy places. BUt the little 5koai noodle shops are hard to find. Or at least i think so. In wuhan every other place is a little shop where you can buy a quick bowl of noodles or rice. Yea i have found one but it was only one. Suprising. Mabye i just don't see em.

I bought a camera. Nikon D60 with a 18-55 & 55-200 lens, 2 Uv filters, tripod, extra battery for about 800. More than i should of and im trying hard not to second guess myself and thinking i should of purchased the D40 and saved 50$ or any of that kind of mess. I am happy with the camera. It is a nikon its what i wanted. Good lens coverage. Keep in mind pricers are much higher in china. Who would of guessed that stuff like that is MORE expensive in china. We usually think of china as being cheaper.

Side note. It turns out the left shift key on my keyboard stopped working. not a problem i have another shift but damn that gets anoying.

So now im charging the batteries. It feels good to have that done. Tommow i can't wait to go and try to get some panoramics of the forbidden city.

Well to all a good night.

Desperate times call for.... An update!

Jumpin jigglypuff I am so sorry i have not updated. It has been what 2 weeks? My oh my on chinese time that is well, a damn long time. Im just going over in my mind what i need to write about. This is after all my own personal journal as well. I have no record of my journy here other than this blog and i realize i need to write down more. I really regret not having a journal when i was in japan, also i regret not taking more pictures. that reminds me, well soon.

ok quick side note so my outline for this
Passport
Thanksgiving
Festival
Bank
Startreck
Salsa
Peanut Butter


Ok lets start!
Passport. So my passport was stolen. Yea go figure. So what happens when the passport is stolen you ask? Well no first you ask how??? To be honest i haven't a clue. I last remember having the apssport when i picked it up from the visa office. When i last went looking for it i couldnt find it. I thought hey no big deal, its just in this mess on my desk, run to class look later. forgot about it. And then a while later, ok MUST Find it. Can't. So i remove everything from my room. and move it all back in pieces. can't find it. Alright now is a time to be pissed off. Sorry its not PG. Ill try to keep this civil. So i head to the police office. needs to be reported.

So last week i go to the main visa office in hanko. Basically the other side of the city. short 35 min bus ride. I go there and explain that my passport was stolen and i need a police report. Well it turns out they don't do that. I need to talk to the local police. So i head around the corner to the local police. they tell me they dont do that. so i need to go to the LOCAL local police. which was another 4 blocks away. I go there and no one understands what i need. so an officer and i go in a car and go back to the main visa dept where they explain to him that I need a report. Local polie report turns out to be on scratch paper. In his office he tears off a piece of paper, writes that my passport was stolen, date etc. Stamps it and sends me back to the main office. took 5 min. No comptuers, no forms. a scratch paper and a stamp. that is a police report... AND SO! back to the main office. turn over the forms and told to ome back a week later to pick up the oficical report. why it takes a week i havent a clue. So i return a week later an they give me half a sheet of paper that i am to turn into the embassy in beijing. other things i needed was prrof of citizenship (send from home) now i jsut need to go to beijing and go to the embassy. not a big deal yea? Fun 3 day trip. Here is the kicker. I was supposed to leave for beijing last night. Dun dun dun!

why oh why was i not on the train? well we will get to that part of the story. But first
what do those colors mean on startrek? I honestly have been addicted to watching the series online while doing work. The next generation is just freakin awsome! amazing i have a girlfriend and admit to stuff like that. ha ha. but seriously i get that red is officers. yellow is engeneers, blue is medical. but it seems there should be more. like security should have a seperate color, and maintenance as well... Idk mabye the costuems only came in a few colors. Mabye thats just me. and personally i love data. he is the coolest character. The android aspiring to be human. Challanging the idea of what it means to have humanity. and could you imagine the idea if we were able to upload our own brains to an android body? live forever! could it be done? Could warp tech be possible? the abilty to explore the cosmos or will be be forever trapped to this tiny planet? Or do we colonize elsewhere and accept that any colonies out side our system will never be a unified system.

ok so where was i? Oh festival. So every year wuhan has a major cultural festival. there is i belive about 50 or so nations represented in the student body. so each nation is asked to set up a booth and share the culture. sell food, dance, preform whatever. Somehow i ended up being in charge of the american booth. i was in charge of food. Yea i know some of you are rolling your eyes. I thoguht, lets keep it simple, clean and easy. PEANUTBUTTER! peanut butter on veggies, fruit, and sandwiches. there is little that americans can truly claim as thier own and not transfered from another culture. It was cheap enough to get form the local market. I also thought hey salsa. Its not so true american made but it is more popular in america than ketchup, mustard or any other condiment - or so the history channel said.

But who knew that the chinese when they see salsa (a bunch raw veggies) as well nasty. they ont do raw food. so raw veggies stewing in thier own juice is unhygenic. I don't really know. But tortilla chips are expensive. And we had a hard time giving it away. I would'nt of guessed people here wouldnt like tortilla chips. Mabye because it was cold food. The PB&J sandwiches did alright. i dont know if it was because it was seen being sold or the familiarity of sandwiches. Peanuts are popular here but never before seen as a butter form. Some liked it, others didnt.

So yea... I plan on making food for a christmas festival. just for some close friends. Jumbalaya in a bread bowl. that would be easy to do here. just some veggies, meat etc as a stew. i can find large enough loaves. it may be square but hey easy enough. Yea i realize now that probably would of done a lot better at the festival. but i didnt think of it till halfway through the festival... But when this christmas deal comes around i also want to do a gingerbread house! wouldn't that be fun???

ok so back to festival. So it was fun. i had some chinese volunteers helping. We were so close to the stage so my cheap speakers were no match. It was a good time. Some great pakistani food, undercooked potatoes from germans well my bowl was but the second i had was done wonderfully, wonderful french pastries, great african stew and canadian hot coco.
Of course its me so we know there is a downside. While attending the festival my camera was stolen. stolen from inside the booth. From inside the booth WHILE i was there... My awsome Fuji S9600 badass of a camera. It is insured but hey i have no idea how long that is going to take. also how much do i get. do i get what i paid or what it's value? oh my word scary! But the bright side is i assume i get to shop for a new camera so fun!

Well so passport and camera stolen. YAY. How much worse can life get? not much right? ha ha im not done yet.

Thanksgiving. FUN! i posted pictures and i may have to imput pictures here at a later date. So thanksgiving is a time of family & friends. But with no family here i invited my friends. 15 friends to be exact. We went to Pizza Hut! what? Where else would we go for american thanksgiving? I could'nt think of a better place. So what is pizza hut like in china? WEll. It has waiters, cute chinese girls in santa outfits. It has tables and seats. It has menus. It has jazz music playing over speakers. It has atmosphere. Its nice. Its a fancy place. I feel suprised that pizza hut is so fancy. it was nice. Dinner was awsome. little expensive but thatnksgiving is supposed to be. Of course it is not that simple. It was that night taht my bankbook disapeared. a bankbook is how i widthdraw money from the bank here... I go to the bank to have it replaced but they require a passport.

So who can see the catch 22?

I need a passport to go to beijing. to go to beijing i need to withdraw funds from teh bank to buy a train ticket. to withdraw money from the bank i need to show a passport.

Now do you see it?

Anyone think they have worst timing? ha ha. I love it. So i think that brings us up todate.