similes.

i will be uploading pictures from my first couple of days the next chance i get. a quick disclaimer, though: none of the pictures truly capture the essence of china because modern photographs have yet to integrate technology that conveys the ungracious stab of face-melting swelter. china is like if disneyland were in the middle of a volcano. because it's super fun (like disneyland, obviously), but hotter than anywhere else you've ever been (probably like a volcano).

i have spent a couple of days in shanghai and am now spending a couple of days in hangzhou. hangzhou is a lake town about 2 hours outside of shanghai. on this trip alone, i have heard it referred to as 'a paradise' 'heaven' and 'a pearl'. time will tell if it will live up to these high (albeit uncreative, i mean--'a pearl'? really?) standards. but it is very nice. many lotus blossoms. many exotic bugs. many chinese people.

some quick observations:
i think the reason people in america think all asian people are bad drivers is because everybody in china is a bad driver. and since there are so many people in china, america's stereotype of asians makes sense, statistically.

also, the food here is excellent. i just ate 'drunken shrimp' which was live shrimp in this sauce thing. that maybe wasn't a good example of 'excellent' food. but i've eaten many a steamed bun/dumpling: all of them delicious.

pre-flight calisthenics.

Today, I am leaving for China. This country is most famous for having a big wall that was built by pandas. Other famous things from China: Orange Chicken, Jet Li, and Pollution.

I leave in fifteen minutes to run a few errands (going to the bank. also, i may spring for one of those inflatable neck pillows for the flight.)

I am being accompanied by the beautiful Lisa Liu, who is from China. I am not from China so she has a tactical advantage for the country wide scavenger hunt, but she lacks the guile, wares, and tenacity that I think will put me out on top. Lisa Liu is not to be confused with Lucy Liu, who is also from China and famous but not as famous as Jet Li.

Anyway, I'm off to another country. I will be posting from China next.

Au revoir (goodbye in Mandarin).