Wednesday, April 29, 2009

update

Well at the weekend I took part in a local race, I have to say... PPP

My legs had it, my heart didn't, and when my heart was ready the race had finished. I counted the laps wrong, I was one behind, so I finished with a full tank.
I can only blame myself. I hadn't warmed up well enough, and it's not really hard for someone to count to six is it?




So onwards and upwards, I can review the past but lets not dwell on it.

On May 23rd I'll be taking part in Fatties 100 Miles to No-Where in which I will sit on a Turbo Trainer and cycle a 100 Miles.
So yes, I will be bugging as many people as I can for donations.

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

豆豆 dou dou

What more can I say.....


Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Culinary delights

One thing about living here in China, is that there is lots of great food to eat. I have had the pleasure of eating some weird and wonderful and some weird and not some wonderful food here.
Two things which originally kept me here in the first place was the variety of food, and the other was the people. They are a great bunch of people.
Whilst being here, I have managed to live in two places for some time, and one thing I have noticed, is that there is very little spring time.

Wuhan, which is in the centre of China, has a really long spring time. Not. It's like over in about 3 days.
A very short time indeed.

Beijing though, has a longer spring season.... ohh maybe some 2 weeks.

Spring time here though (Beijing) though brings out little bugs, they are kind of like Miggies but meatier. Yes, Meatier.

How on earth would I know that they are meatier, well, there is only one way to find out and that is to eat them.

You go up to top of your local mountain, preferably on a MTB, and you try as hard as you can, to come down the side as fast as you can. Of course, you need to gulp for air, and at the same time, you gulp these little buggers.
Either that, or you can grit your teeth, and end up with little black dots all over them. Still, you will have to remove them, and you'd probably do that with either your lips or tongue.
That being the case, I'd rather they just hit the back of throat, give me a quick type of involuntary Vurp (bit of vomit and burp in the same instance) and carry on with it.
As I said though, it's only a short time, so just might as well accept it.

it's coming

This weekend I have a good fun race to do, it's only 24km so nothing much in it really.
So, what happens now then.... I get a cold. Sniffling, runny nose cold.

Umph....

And you know what it is like, when men get colds, the whole world is dying.

But, if you know me, I try to look for the brighter side of things, this means I can get some housework done, no, not the sort that I should be doing by scrubbing floors, I mean, getting some emailing, looking for courses and other work done.

I've also got some B&W film for my 35mm so I want to go out and take some 'arty' pics. Which is probably one of the only few arty things that I do.

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

hadn't felt for a while

Today, I had one of those feelings which I hadn't felt for a very long time. A feeling of 'wow' I AM actually in a different place, experiencing a different culture, and it is very beautiful and peaceful.

Normally here in Beijing, I am greeted every few steps with the sound of someone hawking up their inner most innards to be strewn across the street. Normally at the base of my feet. For a while I've had this pent up rage against it, and even at one point even thought about creating a website, dedicated to this, most vile and gross conduct.

For a country that is steeped in History and Culture, they claim, and the fact that they invented tissue paper, what has happened, so that they can discard their 5000 year old history and culture.

Today, as I walked through part of the town that I must say, I seldom walk, I decided to try some noodles at a local place.

Wow, I'll be going back tomorrow, they were amazing, but more amazing than that, was that I was sat in a very small place, it was spotless, cool, and friendly. It was casting me back to WHY I wanted to stay here in the first place, and then over my shoulder I saw this;


So yeah, it's just the view of the Drum Tower, but it's a nice view, and even though it's across the road, the surrounding area was nice, it finally looked Chinese. Which these days, in this huge sprawl, is becoming harder and harder to find.

After shovelling down some mighty fine and cheap noodles, I proceeded with my walk, and came across this;



So, it's just the last generation playing Mazhong, but it's more than that. It was under blossom, sitting next to a clean and lovely river. No hawking, no rubbish.

It was a treasure to behold. It is something how it should be.

With the sun beating down on my back, this view made me feel warm inside, a day. Complete.

Friday, April 10, 2009

hipster like

with an impending summer job on the way, one of things I had to go and do was visit the 'Art' section of Beijing.
Now me being a sporty type person, me and art don't normally see eye to eye. Though moi being the classical type of person (sporty + classical?), have a like for nice looking buildings, and I am pleased to say, that the Turner collection is coming to Beijing.

The area did not disappoint me, and as always, Beijing lived up to it's name of being nothing more than short of commercial.




This is the Nike Basketball Hall, in the Art district.

I did though come across a very nice tea house


Although I do have to say, it does look like something from the film "The Promise"

I did come across 1 piece of art.... but I'll save that for another blog... maybe...

It's going to be a hard summer...

So there was me, riding around on my fixed bike, in the Art district. I am glad no-one recognised me.

blonde and moody


Whilst out shopping the other day, I came across something that is both Kranky and at the same 'Bimbo' at the same time

I don't know what that makes the contents like....

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

get a bike


I won't post anymore, if you want to check it out, have a look at his website

But this does remind of a conversation I had the other day

"There used to be a time here in Beijing when the foreignors drove cars and Chinese looked at us, now it's the Chinese in the cars, and foreignors looking at the Chinese.

Beijing traffic sucks (all the life out of you) they should be doing more to promote cycling.