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Published: October 27th 2008
It was somewhat of a shock to turn on the computer tonight and find that the internet was working. It’s been nearly a week since it did anything of the sort for more than a five minute stretch. Well, it’s been seven minutes, and the net is still functioning, albeit very slowly.
I made a friend this week. A Chinese girl who goes to college near my school met me at a restaurant and invited me to her apartment for dinner. We’ve been hanging out almost every day since. On Sunday she came over to my apartment with some friends, and I taught them how to cook French toast. As far as western food goes, French toast is very easy to pull off in China. I had maple syrup and canned wild blueberries from home.
I’ve also gotten back into the habit of regularly studying Chinese. The more I study Chinese, the more freedom I’ll have here in China. I also figure that knowing what’s going on around me is bound to enrich the cultural experience.
On Sunday I tried to take a taxi to East Lake, but the cab dropped me off somewhere else entirely. I decided to walk around, because not exploring would have been a waste of the 15 yuan that I paid to get to… wherever I was. I eventually found myself in this labyrinthine underground bazaar. It was a little like the bizarre in Shanghai, only it was underground, less touristy, and much less expensive. It also seemed to be never ending, and the variety of products was amazing. I eventually reached what I can only assume was the center of the bazaar decided that I wanted to leave, but it took me another hour and a half to make it to an exit. It was a lot of fun, but I doubt I’ll ever find it again.
My goal for next weekend is to actually go to East Lake.
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Ngaire
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Sounds like a truly bizarre Bazaar!
All underground... an hour and a half to get out from the centre... wow! Maybe your Chinese friend will be able to tell you where it was? I have this wonderful Arthur Rackham-type image of a dark labyrinth of caves and passages, and gnomes with fantastical stalls full of strange knobbly things, and everyone down there somehow having pointy ears and ill-concealed wings... heeheehee! I know, it's nothing like that really. Just me being a bit too imaginative!