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So if you put a map of China on a dart board and then spear the bullseye you hit my house. The place is called Xian. A long, long, time ago it was China's capital which means it's got loads of cool stuff to look at. Buddhist temples (top left), pagodas (top centre), light shows (top right), decapitated statues (right), more buddha stuff (centre & left). Travelled a few hours away to check out this place where dead famous guys/emperors were buried (below left). Below right is a daily water/music/light show a few minutes from my house. Its often around 30 degrees these days so we run through the fountain or get a bit of badminton on it the middle of it. The sprayers can blow a shuttlecock, or well positioned piece of clothing, sky high.
Had my 28th birthday and went out with some friends to different resturants and houses all day. Got home at midnight and some other friends planned this surprise party for me with this huge cake! Entered a few university track meets recently. Received numerous first places in the first one for our department, but then had to go against the best of 30,000 students who took pleasure in kicking my butt at the second one, best I managed was a fourth in the high jump. By the third one I was over it but picked up a few t-shirts and towels for some other places. All good fun really.
Entered a photography competition for foreigners the other day. We gained free entry to this huge cultural place called Tang Paradise and pretty much watched performances and walked around and shot film. Picked up some more free t-shirts and did alright in the comp, so they blew some of the snaps up (including the one on the right) for a display.
Tucked into Beijing along with some Vietnamese classmates and half the Chinese population, for the labour day break which lasts a week. Saw the Forbidden City (all above & bottom left), the Summer Palace gardens (both below & left), Temple of Heaven (bottom right), and said hi to Mao at the waxworks museum.
Thought I'd get a lip piercing in Bejing cause I hadn't had one before. So this guy jabbed this fat needle through the front of my mouth, fun times! One morning we woke up and my roomate found his wallet and pricey pda phone was gone. Someone had got in and stolen his stuff which was laying a few centermeters from our sleeping heads on the bedside table. My stuff was tucked in my bag so they didn't get to it but we had a whole host of Chinese detectives (shown above) photographing and dusting the scene for fingerprints for the next half day. A bit of a show since we were foreigners but a good chance to practice my Chinese in police interviews I guess.
There's usually so many photos to stick up, that its hard to know what to include on here. Last time's rat seemed to strike a chord with many. Thus I thought I'd make an effort to include the new foods I get into. Here we have Scorpian and Cicada kebabs. I recommend the critters on the right. The cicadas were tastier and easier to eat, the fourth scorpian managed to stick my lip with his stinger on the way in, proving that even after a hefty barbequeing they're pretty tough fellas.
Finally we had to do some Beijing duck. Very tasty! We had a couple of ducks between us and the entire duck is served for eating, so basically four of us got to do half a head each. This was my one. Not much to it really, some dry skin, a bit of not very tasty brain and lots of inedible skull and quacker.
