Wok and Roll and text nessages

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Well we awoke early yesterday and snuck out to not disturb the sleeping hosts.One of the symptoms of working in bars at night is an aversion to mornings.Ann had a desire to eat some street food and we wandered around Noah's neighbourhood.There was a line up at a small place serving some sort of pastry or so it looked coated in some roasted black seeds? Not sure what exactly it was but it was popular.We wandered on and found a stand with a man eating a steaming bowl of noodles. A few points and nnods later and we were sitting and eating our own bowls of noodles and vegetables.The smiling woman seemed happy and as always curious about us and i think even may have complimented us about our chop stick work.We had some fried bread as well and it was all good.We again became a mild attraction on the street with people making comments and yacking at the woman who yacked back at them.All in all a good way to start the day.After breakfast we went to starbucks for a couple of coffees and watched an interesting scene at a near by mall with the staff lined up in formation awaiting the opening of the store(cosmetics). At the appointed hour the crowds flooded in and another day of capitalist fervour was underway.
After a short nap and the collection of Noah we headed off to see a memorial to the Japanese occupation of Nanjing.The Chinese suffered their own Holocaust here at the hands of the Japanese and the sight is a pilgrimage destination for many.Too many as it turned out ,with huge crowds lined up around the place.It being National day holiday time the crowds all had the same idea we did.We decided to walk around instead enjoying the city and people down some alleys and along some streets watching and being watched.Ended up in a knock off mall filled with Chinese made copies of everything from the classic Rolex watches to Louis Vitton purses.Lots of shoppers again and interesting.Across the road we went to a department store that would rival anything in North America with everything under the sun available,The difference is the staff with every counter maned with smiling faces ready to serve and sell.We had a delicious lunch in the 6th floor restaurant then wandered around checking prices.I acn not imagine anything that was not available here.
After that store we took a taxi to Noah's old neighbourhood to get some keys cut and buy a phone card for the internet dial up connection.Noah was getting nostalgic seeing the area and smelling the smells.Back to the appartment then watching some pirated DVDs.Noah has a collection of them he buys for about 75 cents each.Everything is available and we watched a couple of new releases.The copies are filmed in theatres it seems and are complete with the sounds of coughing and occasional person getting up and blocking the screen!!!
Around 10 we went to a club not far away and saw a chinese band.Interesting sets with singers changing and other musicians standing in for a few songs at a time.The band was super and it was interesting to listen to Beatles music in China.
After the club we went to Scarlet's the club that Noah works in.A busy and successful enterprise with a pation and lounge and downstairs a packed and raucus disco.The music is loud the crowd young and the smoke thick.Noah is a manager here and it was nice to sit back and watch him work.Even though he is on holidays the waiters were still coming to him with problems and questions.Noah speaks mandarin and things get worked out.Very impressive indeed and it is easy to see why helikes this place so much.He as a quota of 6000 yuan per month to spread around buying drinks for people and being sociable.Not a bad job at all and we were happy to be here early in the month when the quota was full.The smokeing is tough though and quite strange us coming from smoke free Ottawa.I think our clothes are still out on the balcony airing out.We taxied back about 3 and stumbled up the 7 flights of stairs to bed . Bye for now bloggers.

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