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Published: July 12th 2005
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Yakkity Yak
The well known golden Yaks which sit in Lhasa. Yak milk tea tastes like socks. I know you are saying to yourself..."man, with all that facial hair, I'm having a hard time telling which one is the yak" what can i say...that's a weeks worth of growth that you can (can't) see. So here are a few more pictures from Lhasa, Tibet. I also threw in a classic group photo from my time in the Hematology ward of the West China University Hospital. Let me tell you, it's gonna be tough to get back into the swing of a normal day that doesn't include a 3 hour lunch. I also cannot convey the chaos that occurs in the hospital. Today I went to the outpatient building to visit some Drs and to best describe it, it's like an airport on a holiday weekend. Except that it's got that Chinese twist in culture. For instance, the lady hawking a loogie on the floor of the lobby, or another example, the live ducks which are sitting on the check in desk. And when you actually get to the floors, each side of the hallway is lined with chairs, all full of people. Here's the deal in China medical delivery. You don't need a referral to see a specialist, and it costs pretty much the same as if you went to a primary care doc first, so people decide who they need to see and just show up. This means if the lady with gas thinks
Paging Dr. Casino
Before you make fun, no I did not intentionally go for the crossed arm pose alone. Before we snapped the picture, everyone in the front was doing it, then all of a sudden when I did it, they all put their arms down. Also i couldn't get us to take a picture standing up because i was at least a head taller than the next person. Who does this hippie think he is anyways. she needs to see a surgeon, then she's gonna see a surgeon.
On another note, I have been fortunate enough to find another American student here from Stanford who is doing an internship and who thankfully speaks more chinese than I could ever hope to speak in my lifetime. He's another american born asian, but at least with his language skills people don't look like him like he's from another planet. Plus being taiwanese he doesn't have to worry about the weeklong celebration going on to commemorate "The Chinese War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression". Yeah, I'm a pretty popular guy these days around here. Every other movie you see on TV is a war movie where the Japanese commander gets cornered then stabs himself with his sword. They even make comedies out of it...grrreat. I am a master of timing.
So last weekend I went to check out two national parks in Northern Sichuan, Juizhaigho and Huang Long. Pretty awesome I have to say and some parts of it left me longing for the mountains of the AK. Check out the pics that I attached. I'm totally serious when I say that the color of the pools
Fun with Chinese Signs
speechless, i don't even know what to say... look like someone flushed a Ti-d bowl down the waterfall. I can't even do justice in describing how stunning the pools and water are. Huang Long is was coolest I think just because of the water the fact that these pools are tucked deep in the valley of some beautiful mountains. Juizhaigho, despite becoming a tourist infested nature disneyland, was still beautiful but you fight with thousands of other Chinese tourists to see these quaint Tibetan villages nestled deep in the mountains. For you Chinese cinema fans, the lake scene in "Hero" was filmed at Juizhaigho, and by Chinese cinema fans I realize I'm probably speaking to myself.
Here's an interesting little tidbit on Tibetan culture. So as part of the tour, we were taken to a "traditional Tibetan home" for a goat roast...ie: a bunch of Tibetans put on a dinner for 20 bucks a guest. Apparently Tibetan women like to get physical when they flirt, and by physical I mean they see if they can kick your ass. After countless polite declines at singing for the crowd, i ran outside to escape only later on to be roped into to some Tibetan dancing, which I'll admit was
Jiuzhai and Huanglong
My latest weekend trip took me to the sweetest freakin places I've been to in Sichuan...Tibetan culture nestled in the mountains of Northern Sichuan. cool to be a part of. Then through translation I become aware that our hosts like this John Travolta of Tibetan folk dance...what can I say, my moves span the globe in appeal. Anyways, one of them grabs my hand and slaps me on the shoulder...and I'm talking slapped like harder than any dude slaps a shoulder. Next thing you know, she's giggling and turning around with my hand still clutched...I'm thinking she wants to spin ballroom style...nope, she's busting out WWF classic submission moves. OUCH...that hurts! still going. So at this point I start twisting my arm back to tolerable position, only to be met with more giggling and twisting and turning. She's playing a game, I'm trying to save a limb. Seriously, this went on for like 5 minutes, all the time I'm looking for someone on the ropes that i can tag team out to cause I'm getting tired. Before it was time to go, and I kid you not, one of them was my left arm trying to twist me down to the ground and another one had a hold of my right arm trying to pull it behind my head in a half-nelson. What constitutes
Huang Longs Water
Look at that water. I get thirsty just looking at it. domestic violence will get you engaged in Tibet. Thankfully our tourguide got us out of there before I had to bust out some bodyslams or pull a Tonya Harding.
This week I'm in surgery which has already been awesome and I have been able to see some operations i probably would have little chance of seeing in the states. I'm fully internet deprived now since the campus is closed and this will likely be my last post before i take off to Shanghai. If i can find a place in shanghai to post then it'll be done, otherwise I am full on ready to rock out in the AK come July 25th. Look forward to seeing/hearing from you all soon.
much love,
ak
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6 months off
Ingrid Park
fantastic pics! makes me consider venturing out there to peep my cash and code with those chinese, but am still thinking about consuming payment dikes....