Day 1 in Dalian

Just some observations, notes, etc:

-- I brought my work computer with me to China for easy e-mail deleting. It's also got a 5 hour battery life, so I don't mind being able to use it on the plane to watch movies and stuff... but the main reason for having it is for INTERNET! Unfortunately, my apartment in Dalian is only wired for dial-up. So I can't use it there. Although I hear that Starbucks in China also have free wifi, I have yet to stumble across one... I'll have to do some more searching tomorrow for one. Instead, I've found a bar called Brooklyn.

-- Yes, Brooklyn Bar. Apparently the guy that owns the place used to live in Brooklyn and came back to states and opened this bar for ex-pats. Their menu is full of the normal bar items (vodka, gin, tequila, whiskey, etc) instead of the rice liquor that's in every other Chinese bar. Of course there's a huge stock of beers -- Coors, Budweiser, Corona, Stella, it's nice. I'm currently have a local brew: Dalian Dry Beer. I'd say it's a slightly hopsy-er Bud. The food menu is burgers, steak, chicken fingers, and supposedly the best NYC thin crust pizza in China. I'm sitting here enjoying a great American styled burger... I'm thoroughly surprised how authentically American this food tastes. They even have NYC style cheesecake! Something I'd NEVER expect to find in China... Cost? 50RMB ($7) for the burger and 20RMB ($3) for the beer. And as cheap as this place is by American standards, it's still catered to ex-pats who have the money to spend 20 RMB a beer.

-- For breakfast, I had one of my favorite breakfast foods ever. Or at least, it definitely used to be: you tiao, also know as guo zi. It's pretty much a fluffy fried bread... and you dip it in either soy milk, or dou fu nao. Dou fu nao is a tofu based product... but imagine the silkiest tofu you've ever had in the states and make it MORE silky... and now cook it in a savory beef base with some gluten in it to thicken the soup. It's really quite amazing and definitely on my list of comfort foods. My aunt & uncle (here from Cary, NC), my dad and I split dou fu nao for 3 and 6 you tiao's. Cost? ~4RMB (59 cents) per person

-- For lunch, my dad and I went to one of the giant shopping centers and just got something that we're craving. My dad's a good northeaster and got a giant bowl of Asian noodles for 5RMB (73 cents). I found a giant loose ... well let's call it a scallion pancake for 2 RMB (~30 cents) and two goose livers for another 2 RMB. Yes, goose livers. I LOVE liver and it's EVERYWHERE in China. Other foods we could have choosen from were dumplings, wontons, soups, whole baby chickens, chicken feet, goose necks, pig feet, and ... well let's just say almost every other body part of a pig, chicken, duck or goose.

-- I totally should have savored that last americano I got at the Newark Airport. All the coffee I've had here comes pre-sugared and pre-creamed. It tastes oddly watered down (maybe b/c of all the cream.. I've forgotten what that tastes like) and oddly burnt, like coffee that's been sitting on a hot plate for too long.

-- Everywhere kinda smells like stale smoke. Ew.

-- I went to the hospital to visit my grandma and grandpa. They're hospital is written basically as four 0 three. Yes, the zero is an 0. it's not 4-0-3, it's not four zero three, it's four 0 three which looks totally ridiculous in Chinese. They're in much better shape than I ever would have expected. Thank goodness. I miss them a lot. <3
But in the hospital, one of the nurses asked my grandma if I was her daughter... aka they thought I was my 52 yo aunt. Really? Do I look 52 year old?!

-- I'm completely shocked by the trendiness that is Dalian. My dad explained that while Dalian is rather small (population 3 million in city proper, and probably on the top 30 list of populous cities), it's still very modern. I expect to see people in China in puffy coats, odd looking hats, and clothing that says stuff that doesn't make sense in colors that totally clash. Instead, I see plenty a handful of people who are wearing the whole knee-high boots, tights, long sweater, short pea-coat, head band, long necklaces look. Or uggs, or a LOT of realllly cute handbags! Like I'm completely surprised by the selection of handbags here? I'm totally going to have to buy one before I head back. Shopping is a... complicated issue for me. They simply don't make female clothing in my size. In fact, I remember being 13 years old: 5'8" and about 130 pounds and I was already an extra large. Put is this way -- my 5'5" and 130 pound mother is a large in this country. So clearly i'm not shopping for clothing, but a good bag, I could do.

-- As I'm looking around for shopping opportunities, I saw this one shopping center: Gucci, Fendi, Louis, Armani, Dior, Tod's, etc etc... and for some reason, a Zara? and a Sephora? Ok, find I could maaaybe see the Sephora there since they do carry the "high end" perfumes. It's funny -- walking around in there, I recognize brands b/c I know what their colors and logos and signature colors are, but EVERYTHING is in Chinese... it's a bit of a mind-fuck. But seriously? Zara? Prices were... competitive by American standards: $50 jeans, $40 sweaters, etc. but DEFINITELY not on the same level as all of the other stores in the shopping center. But then again, that's Zara's business strategy -- always be set up by higher end stores.

-- I got into a cab, gave my oddly accented Chinese version of directions to the Brooklyn bar and the cabbie thought I was Korean. I guess I actually do look Korean if it's not just people in the US who think I am, but also native Chinese people!

-- I dread going to the bathroom here. Every time I open a bottle of water, I always have to think and plan again. Why? B/c I DREAD using old-fashion Chinese bathrooms. What is that? It's literally a hole in the ground that flushes. The stalls are maaaybe 2 ft tall. No privacy. And it SMELLS. Thank goodness the airport, my apartment, my grandparent's hospital room, and this bar that I'm at have Western toilets.

Ok more later. Let's face it, I plan to be online at least every other day :)