Once upon a time in China...

[jdbnsn]

Hi folks, I was just pulling up an old slideshow that I made from my vacation pics from China for a family member. Thought you all might like to see them, since y'all family too. :banana: (my first banana)

http://img484.imageshack.us/slideshow/player.php?id=img484/2795/1147249528ndc.smil

[simon275]

Lovely city Shanghai. Although I got annoyed by all the people constantly coming up and tugging on your sleeve and asking if I want to see some girls with big :eek: :eek:. Good shopping though.

Nice photo collection. +rep

[Elenril]

Mmm, China. I went there a few years back with a guided tour, I was the whitest person in the group. It was a Cantonese tour, and I can understand Cantonese, but nothing hardcore, like what they were saying. Really ruined it for me, because I didn't get to learn anything about the history of the places we went to, because I wasn't allowed to wander off and read signs and stuff. I also turned purple (literally), because being a weak Aussie, I cannot stand any temperature below 20C.

But at least China's a beautiful place. Nice photos. How'd you get the family that put you up?

[Maz]

just before watching that i thought i should make something on photobucket about my trip to japan. small world isn't it!

[luciusad2004]

Very nice. I loved the architecture. It makes me want to visit china.

[Ironcat]

LOL @ "once held he a doobie"

[jdbnsn]

How'd you get the family that put you up?


I made a couple of friends in China over the net about 6 months before my trip (the girls in the pics) and they travelled with me since I can't read Chinese:( The Chinese hospitality was humbling, they were so kind and wouldn't let me lift a finger to help out.

[xRyokenx]

Cool slideshow, it's been there what? A week? ...and I just looked at it now, lol. Your captions are great. When my dad and I visited family in Germany two years ago our one cousin there (Gisela) would not let us pay for _anything_ at all. My dad would be like "let me pay for this" and she would say "shut up! I pay for you" or something on those terms, it was great. It's fun traveling to different countries.

[AJ@PR]

I just saw the slide show...

Very cool!!!
Thanks for sharing!

How much time did you spend over there?

[jdbnsn]

I spent about a month there, lots of traveling and exploring.

[AJ@PR]

I spent about a month there, lots of traveling and exploring.

I'm curious...
How did you find the "internet" situation?
I realize you didn't go there to hang-out in the internet, but just asking.
Any impressions?

Anybody mad/angry because of the censorship?
Anybody even cares?

[jdbnsn]

I found english speaking Chinese chat-rooms where Chinese students go to practice their english with fluent english speakers. From there I started meeting people all over China and hung a map on the wall, I started putting thumb tacks all over where I made friends. As for impressions, not sure what you mean, in general? China is an amazing place, it's a developing nation with it's share of problems. It's communist in name, but it's in reality very much a capitalist society. The people I met loved Americans and I was treated with hospitality everywhere I went. As for censorship, most people I know there see it as a minor inconvenience, and for the most part seem to agree that some things don't need to be said regarding profanity and such. The real censorship issue is about political ideology, this is a very complex topic. I'm not getting into that here. I will say though that most people there do not approve of quelling political movements, it's a bit of a stand-off between the government and the masses which has every bit of potential to lead to future civil strife.

If you are curious about the details of my adventures there, I kept a journal that my dad typed up for the family, I could post it or something.

[Airbozo]

One of my "ToDo's" in life, is to Skate the Great Wall Of China!

I'd even settle for one of the multi-day hikes they offer in some of the tourist agencies. But I will be taking my skate...

I am jealous Jon, I have wanted to visit China since we were denied entry while I was in the Navy. (go figure...)

The SO and I have been talking about a trip to China for years. We promised ourselves a long vacation for our 20th, but we are heading to Australia for that one. Maybe in 2011...

Thanks for sharing!

[jdbnsn]

Lol, I would not advise skating on the Great Wall. Very steep, very rough, no hospital for miles.


Here is a shot from one piece of the wall to another off in the distance...
http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/jdbnsn/misc/wall%20top.jpg

This is a look back down the stairs that just took me 20 minutes to climb, believe it or not, they are steeper in life than they look in this picture...
http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/jdbnsn/misc/worst%20climb%20ever.jpg

[tybrenis]

China's a cool place Jon, I lived in Hong Kong for about a year and a half of my life.

Looks like you saw a whole lot more of China than I did, though - looks like a good time!

[Airbozo]

Lol, I would not advise skating on the Great Wall. Very steep, very rough, no hospital for miles.




Heheh, This has never stopped me before...


Nice pictures there. I want to visit even more now.

RE: Skating the great wall; A bunch of pro skate boarders went to China for an exhibition skate a couple of years ago and got in trouble for skating "The Wall". There are a few sections that are skate-able but you still have the cobblestone issue. Just a dream anyway.
Like the 30,000' ollie! AA will now only let me check my board...

[jdbnsn]

Damn, I didn't know that Ty. Hong Kong is quite different than the mainland due to the 100 year British lease and unfortunately I didn't get to go there because it was too expensive. But I have heard it's amazing. Let me know if you plan to go back for a visit, I'll tag along.

[jdbnsn]

If you are curious, here is the journal (http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/jdbnsn/misc/CHINESE%20HOLIDAY%20permanent.doc) containing my story of the Chinese vacation. It's a little long, but there is comedy peppered in to help.

[Elenril]

...our one cousin there (Gisela) would not let us pay for _anything_ at all.

This is something I have experienced at many family dinners throughout my life. This is a little rendition of what usually happens that I told somebody once:

When white people go out for dinner, they argue over who pays the bill, because none of them want to pay.
When asians go out for dinner, they are argue over who pays the bill, because they all want to pay.
When on asian person finally wins the bloody battle to pay the bill, after decapitating the others at the table, they arise triumphant in their victory, placing a blood-stained credit card on the counter. However, due to some magical force of asian nature, the losers gain the will to live once more, somehow managing to slip $50 bills into the pockets of the victor unnoticed.


Hong Kong is quite different than the mainland due to the 100 year British lease and unfortunately I didn't get to go there because it was too expensive.

I go to Hong Kong every year or two, it's fantastic. I personally like the Honky culture more than Chinese culture, and in Hong Kong the shopping is better, for me at least. I thought travelling to China cost more than going to Hong Kong? Or maybe it's just cheaper from Australia.

[simon275]

Just read your whole journal over dinner. Pretty cool journey mate. Yeah the taxi drivers we had Shanghai where insane like driving down a 4 lane highway weaving at 80kms in and out of trucks with like only a meter to spare. Crazy.

It was amazing how Jin and Bing Bing took you in. Meeting them online and all.

The giant wooden buddha must have been amazing to bad you couldn't take any photos.

Yeah those acrobats are freaky some of them came to Australia once.

Scary about the cops. A Chinese friend of mines dad is chief of police in a city in china and corruption is a problem.

Thanks for sharing a good read.