Still in Shanghai

Bbq and reggae

With some karaoke. I don't sing, but its a good time to practice Chinese numbers by playing dice drinking game. Yi-er-san...

Hangzhou westlake

Ah, the lake. It's pretty gray when its raining. There was a break yesterday so I walked a bit. The Guy at the statute insisted on me photographing him. I tried to asks him who the statues were, but either he didn't understand, or he wanted me to have a photo of him. Sometimes Chinese guys are so vain... Well its possible that he thought I was asking to photo him still vain, but then again I don't mind.

I took a Van back to city as it was raining. 30 Yuen he asked, another wanted 50... He managed to pick up two more. My friend rerouted me to same place as the other two passengers. The driver then wanted 50 from me. I already paid 30 so I ignored it. The others paid 15 each for same ride. I didn't pay extra, the driver was upset a I got it out of the Van but the others agreed with me. I already over paid. Such is it to be lao wei... Maybe next time I can pay 15!

It'sn't what it seems...

What's this? Shalombao and tea? I wish. Turns out in a place full of tea pots they have no tea!

Ah well...

It's raining heavily. Not sure what I'm doing here in Guangzhou. Well I did meet a friend that I meet in Beijing and had a good dinner and karaoke night.

Is freedom a ghost?

It seems that freedom has gotten trademarked. Daniel Suarez book Freedin TM is an interesting read. Excited to have some new science fiction to read.

The Impossible is Greatly Overrated!

Q: If Bodhisattvas save all living beings, why are there do many living beings left?
A: Bodhisattvas save living beings with whom they have affinities.
-- Venerable Master Hsuan Hua

I think its correct. But I'd like to clarify. Most of us aren't really LIVING BEINGS. That takes practice to be.

I got my visa for China. According to all over internet it's impossible to get multiple entry visa. At most 2 entries 30 days and six months typically. I naively asked for what I  wanted - 2 years multiple entry 60 days. If I stay in Hong Kong, China is then a few subway stops away.

Sometimes you get what you ask for. Usually that's a bad thing. Haha. In this case I hope it's a good thing!

Btw: apparently you don't become fluent in Chinese in two weeks. So I'll take two more ;-). Or is it impossible...?

Black chicken

In Vietnam there is a dish with black chicken. The meat is darker and skin black. But nobody has seen one alive...

Startup company

Visiting my friend's game startup company, having lunch and tea with new game brain storming.

Bartender fire juggler

I meet the Vietnamese champion of bartender juggling. He's in the second part of the video.

Sapa

The field with the star is listed on google maps as airport. Its only used twice a month by government officials. The church was shrouded in fog. The fog comes and goes on matter minutes. Like San Francisco it has for seasons in a day.

The plastic wrapped horse is awesome.

Chicken tonight?

OK. I'll skip it this time, just because I saw it...

Vietnamese food stuff

Lots of leafy stuff and wrap and seafood. The latter I don't eat.

Beach

For the first time in a year I swam on the Ocean. Actually its more like the waves were throwing me around for a while...

The water was beautiful and feet warm.

Vietnamese wedding

My Vietnamese friend got married, 300 people were invited in the bride's home town. There will be another reception on Hanoi with 600 more people next week!

Congratulations to my friend!