China: From top to bottom to middle

Well, I guess it’s been another few months since I last wrote to y’all, but (just as I always say) I have a great excuse. As you saw from my last blog, I traveled across Siberia (cramped in a tiny train cabin), through Mongolia (getting the shit kicked out of me and robed on the way) and into Beijing (where I celebrated the end of a long, strenuous and unforgettable journey). So what happened after Beijing? Let’s just say I ended up in staying in China just a little bit longer than expected. In fact, I’m still here!

Yep, I’m still in China, believe it or not. I’ve been living here for about three months now and plan on staying for another 3, 6, 9, maybe even 12 more! Who knows? I’m teaching in a “small town” of about 5 million people called Wuxi. (That’s right; a small town in China is several million people). Wuxi (which literally means “No Tin”) is about an hour train ride to Shanghai and is situated in Southern Jiangsu Province, one of the oldest, most populated and most developed regions of the Middle Country. It’s not too big, not too small, and not too westernized. The food is great, prices cheap and the women spectacular! I fell in love with the city instantly and decided to use the time here to learn more about China and East Asia in general.

The past three months I’ve been MIA. I wrote a blog in December about the Trans-Siberian adventure, but so much has happened since. Of course, I’ve been traveling (told you I had a good excuse). Actually, I’ve been traveling a lot... a whole lot. I got here right in the middle of Christmas, New Years and Chinese New Years- meaning I’ve had tons of vacation time.

I arrived in Beijing back from the US on December 5, 2008. After the trans-Pacific flight and went straight to the train station to buy a ticket to Wuxi for the following day. Next, I returned to the same hostel that I stayed at in November in Sanlitun and went out with a few people that I met staying there. It was funny, I ended up going to the same bar that I went to in November and saw a few of the same Chinese people that I met previously! Coincidence- maybe? But more likely those people just go to the same place every night; nonetheless, not a bad night.

The next morning I woke up at the crack of dawn to catch the 26 hour train to Wuxi, my new home for (at the time) 6 months. However, when I finally got to my seat, I realized that that’s exactly what it was- a seat in deed. So, what’s the big deal? Well, 26 hours in a hard seat wedged between two, plump Chinese men wasn’t exactly what I anticipated. I thought I had a hard sleeper cabin, but I guess they took me seriously when I said I wanted the cheapest ticket possible to Wuxi, though.

Luckily enough, a cute, young Chinese girl saw the worried look in my eye and asked me in English where I was going. I replied, “Wuxi.” She chuckled, then said, “come on, I’ll help you get a spot in the sleeper cabin.” After chatting with a few of the crew members, and 100 RMB (about $15) later, I was in. Thank God! That was a close one. I was predicting another dreaded travel experience that would rival my times stuck on a sorry excuse for a bus somewhere in South America’s Andes.

I gazed out the window as we headed deeper and deeper into China. I saw some of the most amazing scenery that I’ve seen in my life, watched farmers plow their fields and ordinary people in small villages live the way the ancestor’s ancestors lived. That’s when I realized how much better traveling by land than air is. When you fly, you really just jump over everything. It doesn’t even bother me that it takes more time, or that it’s more uncomfortable. It’s totally worth it! Oh yea, did I mention it’s a hell of a lot cheaper?

Anyway, the next day after a horrible sleep, I made it to Wuxi. Man was I ever nervous. I had no idea what this place would be like. I got off the train and met up with Alucard, a staff member from my school who would take me to my new apartment. On the way I saw that Wuxi is a pretty nice place. There’s tall buildings in the down town area, and small traditional neighborhoods lining the hundreds of tiny canals that pass through the allies. I started to like the place already. But then, Alucard offered me some traditional food, which I couldn’t resist. Of course, it was fantastic! I had fallen in love with the place only after two hours! I liked it so much that when it came to me signing my 6 month contract, I gave it back to them and told them to go ahead and make it a year-long one instead.

As I mentioned earlier, I arrived in early December, right in the middle of holiday season. So, for Christmas, a few other teachers and I went to Shanghai to celebrate. And celebrate we did. Staying awake all night and climbing to the top of some of the world’s highest buildings was definitely the most unique Christmas that I’ve ever had. A week later, I went to Hong Kong and Macau to party for New Years with my Dad, my sister and her boyfriend. And party we did. Seeing the sunrise every morning and meeting up with a group of crazy random Brazilians is exactly what any new years should be. Three weeks after, we went to Chongqing (a huge city in the interior of China on the banks of the Chang Jiang River) to commemorate the Chinese New Year. And commemorate we didn’t.

Yea, that was no typo. No partying in Chongqing. I got some of the worst food poisoning that I’ve ever had in my life. I lay on the hostel’s communal bathroom floor throwing up the entire night while the sound of fireworks and firecrackers echoed off the walls and into my ears. I felt like I was in hell! It was freezing cold, I was sick and lying on the dirty, piss smelling tiles with loud noises ringing my ear drums. And that my friends is how I bought in the Year of the Ox, the same year that I was born in 24 years ago.

What a long 3 months. Damn, I still can’t get over it. And now you know why I haven’t written! Give me a break already! (Oh yea, and plus I didn’t have my computer since Chinese customs decided to hold on to it for a few months). And for the record, if you plan on coming to China, never, and I mean never, use the mail service. Getting my lap top through customs was a pain in the royal emperor’s ass.

However, I think my 3 month honey moon period here is finally slowing down. You know, when you first get to a new place all you want to do it go out, see everything and meet everyone; so much in fact that you forget to do some of the things that you came to do in the first place. Now I’ve had time to learn the language, practice calligraphy, make local friends, learn more about the culture and history and start up Kong Fu lessons; all of which I really wanted to come to China in the fist place.

I’m also coming to my element and catching the writer’s bug again. The “Mongolian Incident” put a damper on my blog since I was so upset about losing all the pics from the Trans-Sib (one of the highlights of my multi-year world-wide trip). I though that the blog wouldn’t be the same with out photo evidence. But time heals all wounds and the blog must go one. So, for the next several months, you’ll be hearing about my crazy stories from China and elsewhere around East Asia.

Don’t worry (as you probably weren’t anyway), just because I’m staying here more time than expected doesn’t mean I’m cutting my trip short. The way I look at it is that this trip has no plans and no time limit. It’s over when it’s over. Only staying in Russia 3 months and China for 12 is already 2 big changes, who knows what others will come along the way? I know I’m excited! So from Wuxi, China, ill keep you posted, whether it be 1 week, 3 months or nine years from now! Zaijian!

Chongqing, Chongqing, China

Downtown

A pretty cool looking alley

An outdoor market. There's about 1,000 of them in this city. This is why I probably got food poisoning!!!

A man fishing on in the Chang Jiang

The cable carts of Chongqing. The prefered way to travel around the city by locals

The skyline. You may think that it was quite a foggy day, but your wrong. That's just the blanket of smog from all the polution!

Shanghai

A row of bikes downtown

The famous skyling of Pudong, Shanghai. Just a little different from Chongqing, eh?

Hong Kong

The crowded and cramped streets of HK. Seriously, I don't know how they built this city. Everything is pilled on top of eachother. Look at this!

A bus blocking the view of HK's world renowned architecture. I tried taking another pic of this, but another bus got in the way. Really, this city is that crowded!

A Buddhist temple. It's funny, There's more of a Buddhist tradition in HK than the rest of China despite being under British rule for so many years. Why? Well, the rest of China turned communist and eliminated religion. But not in HK.

Another view of HK on the last day of 2008

Macau. Kind of looks like Vegas. In fact, I'd say Vegas and Macau are the two most similar cities in the world! Same hotels, same casinos and same cheap buffets.

Don't worry, there'll be plenty of Wuxi pics later on...