Gam Bay

I am so glad that I am visiting China as guest rather then a tourist on an organized vacation. I could not envision experiencing this country any other way. I often think that these organized trips reinforce stereotypes. For instance China is a strange and mysterious, completely unfamiliar place filled with relics from ancient past.  After a week of Shenzhen under my belt, this city is starting to become more familiar and less awkward. I could picture my self living here in relative comfort and ease, riding  public transit, eating in restaurants, socializing with the natives. What I can't envision is ever being content with using the squatter toilet and today I had my first encounter with the device. It wasn't pretty. I was waiting to go through Hong Kong customs when my stomach started to grumbled and feel uneasy. Finding a toilet on the other side was my only thought, not whether I wasn't to sit or crouch. I was prepared with thoughts of eventually using the device but when it came down to doing the business with a sense of urgency, when I opened that bathroom door and didn't see a bowl, I panicked. Although it was gross and my clothes and body came painfully close to my own excrement I survived the ordeal unscathed, even with an upset stomach and ironically a slightly sprained ankle which made the squatting experience that 

much painful. In the US I treat the bathroom as a second office. A place to take and receive calls, read the newspaper, drink a tea beverage. The squatter is no good and I don't appreciate it. Thankfully I didn't need to use the squatter on the train in route to Guanzhou. Although our visit was brief, Hong Kong appears to be no fun in regards to foreign oddities. People dont stare at you like they do in China, it's all business as usual, just like NYC.   Instead of talking Chinese to you even those its obvious you dont know what they are saying, everyone speaks a  little english to you even if it's slightly inaccurate.  

I was surprised to see so many people at the Picaso exhibit. I would not expect such a museum in the mainland and the type of audience the museum attracted reminded me of the MET or MOMA, not the same people you see on the street of Shenzhen. For some odd reason Hong Kong We were planning to attend the exhibit with Nina, a friend we met at an either party but she had a problem with her VISA and had to file which took her an hour or two extra. It appears to be easier for foreigners to travel back a forth from China and Hong Kong then it is for most mainlanders and SAR residents. 

From Hong Kong we doubled back through all the security tabs border crossings and then took a train to Guanzhou where we met Ben, a friend of Kristy who is a basketball player/model/DJ and was kind enough to pick up our basketball tickets and meet us at the train station. The tickets we bought were for a double header, China v Tunisia and Russia v Australia. Dan was pretty pissed when he realized their was no beer and just bangy sticks.

There was one really tall and talented Chinese player that looked like Yao Ming but didn't exactly play like the national hero who fills the side of busses aside Jackie Chan.  All in all the game sucked. The Russia v Australia game was even worse and prompted us to leave and check in at a hotel next to Ben's school. For about 30 bucks we got plush accommodations and Dan got bumped to a luxury sweet with a jacuzzi. Ben took us to Babyface a very popular club that he spins at in Guanzhou. The music was loud, the lights were colorful and the place was packed. Table service was provided behind the small dance floor. For the first time during the trip we were the only foreigners partying at a Chinese club. Dan ordered a bottle and they had staff that would mix our liquor and service us with free snacks. Chinese men drink fast and often to prove their strength. Drinking is one big penis contest and often leads to all sorts of absurd behavior and possible a fight. This is Ben's norm and I'm sure he was struck by the fact that I wanted to dance, didnt know how to play his dice game and purposely limited my alcohol consumption. Desire and I joined the some of the natives on the dance floor and on the stage. They loved this and I was told I'd end up on webowa aka Chinese YouTube in the morning. The Chinese seem to lack the desire and confidence displayed in the American or European club scene. The dance floor consists of a few skinny boys and is almost devoid of women. The guys dance together and know one really pays any attention. Given that I sometimes move around like a maniac with little concern for what those around me think, this really gets them enthusiastic. Everyone on the dance floor wanted to take our picture, dance and touch us. I liked to watch the chinese guys when I pushed Desire next to them. It wasnt until the following morning that I learned our party habits were enjoyed by most but not everyone. It turns out that one of the guys sitting at a table next to us did not appreciate the enthusiasm and our dancing. He said something to Ben around the lines that he wanted us to leave the club, leave him and the rest of his rich friends alone and said that he was considering talking to the owner to get us booted. Ben told him to relax and that he worked at the club and that we all had a right to be there. I don't know if my safety was threatened, but to Dan this very seriously and used the following day to lecture me about the various incidents he has heard about regarding violent I encounters between the Chinese and foreigners. Many Chinese feel threatened in the presence of westerners, they get pissed drunk and it's not like they can tell me to sit my ass down like is often done in the US before a fight. Dan told me that at best they would yell and at worse they would break a bottle over my head. I was unhappy to hear this although this all occurred after the fact and didnt allow me to motify my behavior during the evening. The threat of violence is even greater when foreigners are spotted with Chinese women as Chinese men are envious of westerners, protective, angry and don't deal with their emotions well. We moved onto another, quieter bar completely unscathed. It was here that we met Edie, a odd looking small Chinese man child who was overly flirtatious with his own gender. His behavior could only be compared to the gay ladyboy clowns of Thailand that my friend Chris described from Peace Corps. Since homosexuality is so gravely inappropriate, many gay men act in an odd comedic fashion and society views the behavior as an form of clown like entertainment.  Edie would try kissing me and would pull on my clothes and then apologize profusely  in an odd series of immature actions. Dan, trying to be a rational American tries to explain to him that in the US homosexuality is acceptable and that he could set him up with a gay guy. Im sure Edie didn't even know what the hell he was saying although even  if he did how the hell do you think he would respond? Yes Dan, that sounds great, now I don't have to act like a fool and molest your friend. The whole situation was stupid, uncomfortable,  yet oddly interesting. After getting back to the hotel, Ben, Desire and I were fortunate to find a street vendor at 5 AM who was grilling some meats. We chat with some sharply dressed guys who offered us some free food that we happily ate and then proceeded to throw the sticks in the ground like little javelins just like the natives . I hate littering but there are so many people in China that the country has an army of street cleaners at work 24/7 to keep the streets top notch. On the way back to the hotel Ben explained to us that the guys that treated us to the food hated Americans. Hated Americans? Then why did they pay for our food? Like I said before, China is a land of contradictions. Buying food for a foreigner is a way to demonstrate your prosperity and show off to some Americans that most likely  have more then you. I understand all of this, it just doesnt make much sense. TIC, this is China.