Dam Square

Big tourist spot. I met Batman and the death cadre and the grim reaper.

This is a popular way to make money for longer term travellers.

I wonder could one dress like a "Ta I Chi Master" and make money this way?

How to move

In Holland  you move all your stuff through the window.

Geen strippenkart meer - The Dutch Experience

I'm again visiting Rembrandtplein. My fav shoarma shop is closed. Strange feeling. Very hungry. Dissapointed? Ok. So the prepaid tramcards are now gone. Its more expensive to take the tram the tram ticjet guy on the tram tells me. He says in my case buy a 24h ticket is slightly more expensive than 2 trips in one day. He also advises me not to stamp the ticket until the next ride. That way I will save more money/get more time. I ask if that's really ok? He tells me that he doesn't know if I stamped it or not and smiles. Also he tells me; I didn't tell you! I follow his advice.

This is the dutch way. Provide a solution when something changes to allow for evetyones happiness whole collectively cheating the system the way every one should do a little.

So. As I sad. I'm in amstrdam again. Having argentinian steak.

Goemiddag [chooemiddach]!
    Jonas

sham shui po

This is the area for the golden computer center, and many small wholesale design shops. My friend Tommy works there. As always in Asia different streets have different specialization; one street is for buttons, one for cloths samples, etc.

Its also the area for some electronics gadgets and components, but Hong Kong doesn't have that much of that.

sham shui po

This is the area for the golden computer center, and many small wholesale design shops. My friend Tommy works there. As always in Asia different streets have different specialization; one street is for buttons, one for cloths samples, etc.

Its also the area for some electronics gadgets and components, but Hong Kong doesn't have that much of that.

Restaurant in Hong Kong

We went to eat in this restaurant in a traditional area in Hong Kong. It has food courts like Singapore. Also a subterranean floor. Its a concrete town you could say. Maybe very traditional Hong Kong. Outside there cashier was eating take out food from mcdonalds. The meats were on the bone, not there way I prefer to eat.

Tai chi - last day

Here I pose with a number of teachers from the tai chi club. The guy in black is "Small Fish"  - he's the one who brought me ("Big Fish") to the club. The guy in white is my first teachers. The girl the daughter of one of the masters.

Butt!

Platform game

Lunch

Darn!

My fav hong kong style restaurant is closed. No lai sha tonite!

Just saw on the street somebody using something I took for a nexus one but it wasn't! I mean everything except the shell seemed right. But looked slightly thicker. The case also looked different near the loudspeaker. Hmmm. Is it an htc branded nexus one? Is it sold in Shanghai?

Sleeping taxi drivers

It seems many taxi drivers sleep in their car. Maybe awhile during nightshift or maybe its their home. Cannot tell. I hear many aren't married. Many of them are old and drive slowly.

Tai Chi

I got tired if travel when I came back from Suzhou. It was a rainy day. I had just met my monk friend from Fuzhou before taking the train. We had dumpling with the two older ladies he was travelling with. They were go to go to Hunan to see more temple and parks. I was invited but my heart wasn't in it.

Somehow. Every city has temples. And parks. Some are big. Some have active social life. But how many do you need to see?

So I decided to stay put. I went to visit the tai chi club again. Since it was Monday the master would be there. I look how he and his teaching students play. They enjoy. Friendly bunch. Some speak English. But I don't approach. I let them approach. I talked with many students. I'm sure all teachers now recognize me. And have fun for my "Chinese name" : 大鱼 (big fish) - I explain I don't eat fish. Its all good. I've decided to stay for 10 days in Shanghai and practice this tai chi with them 10 times before leaving China.

Today I made another hole in my belt. One to allow it to be tighter. Thats a good thing. 3 holes costed 5 yuen on the street.

Kitchensinks

It's said that any program will be extended until it can read email. It's the idea of that a kitchensink can be used for anything. Here is a bizzare sight in an alley in Shanghai; A row of sinks. This is in a neighborhood that's quite crowded. It's possible that sinks were installed in a central location. One for every household. Still...

In another alley, it's refrigerator that are for sale. I now know where to go to find one!

"I think my legs are sexy!"

On the train from Suzhou I set next to a young man. He's 20. He's going to Shanghai to visit his girlfriend, they've been together about 2 years. They have sex sometimes. They study same studies but in different universities. He thinks he's mature. Conversation with him is quite funny and amusing. All his sentences in English has some intonation and ends in high pitch. Makes me think of some Japanese who speak similar way. Nice. Any case, it was a warm day. We were wearing shorts. He said he thought his legs were sexy.

You always have fun in China, not the least by the surprises rendered in just "normal" conversation.

--
.sigh

"Chinatown of Suzhou"

A now very touristic area but kind of nice. Considering what was sold i'd be tempted to compare w San Francisco and call it the "Chinatown of Suzhou".

Whoever decided that tourists wants to buy these nicknacks? :-)

Amsterdam is somewhere inbetween. In china you always, however, seem to find reality aroubd the corner.

West garden temple. Fuzhou

This is a major Buddhist university. Very nice temple grounds and park. Very few tourists and no tourguides with LOUDSpeakers.

The monk is 20 and has been monk for 6 years. The other monks gace me the orange, wgixh I later gave to a guy boy who said "hello" on our way from the temple. He was surprised but smiled a lot. The smiles in China makes up for any trouble or difficulties inbetween.

Hue cha

Back in Suzhou

Staying in a nice oldstyle inn. Bambo garden outside.