My Life in Qingdao

Six months have passed, I am still here in China. I decided to start a blog as some people had asked about my well being here in Qingdao......and what is going on in China -- from my perspective. For obvious reasons, I can not blog negatively. But there is so much positives here, so why bother with those mundane, unimportant issues such as human rights, global warming, Tibet, etc.

My Life is 'Difficult and Boring' in China.
I thought blogging (or bragging?) about my nightly dinner routine is a good place to start.

Most evenings, I take a 10 minute walk to the RT (da run fa) Supermarket (3 floor building) to buy dinner and also, to watch the 'older' people dance in the public square.

Sushi and Peking Duck
After 8 o'clock, prepared foods at the supermarket are marked down. So.....

I go to the Japanese section of the supermarket and buy a plate of Sushi at 50% discount. Normally cost 15 yuans, marked down - 7 yuans ($1.10 - used to be $1, but the US dollar keeps losing its value - that hurts).

Some nights I splurge --- I buy Peking duck - complete with pancakes, sauce, onion. Discounted about 25 yuans ($3.25 - again, it would have been cheaper if the dollar was still mighty). Usually enough for two.

Paris Style Sidewalk Restaurants
On my walk to/from the supermarket, I go via a street lined with Chinese restaurants. Since it is summer, they have tables outside - on the sidewalk and on the street itself. So, cars have to navigate around the dining public.

A big mug of Tsingtao draft beer cost 3.5 yuans ($0.50). Dinner usually is hotpot - pot of boiling water atop a gas burner on the table - I pour in clams, shrimp, octopus, squid, vegetables, thinly sliced beef, etc. - a little over $2. Btw, tipping is not allowed in China. Besides, what do I give - US$0.20?

At other nights, I just settle for a large plate of craw fish (they call them 'little lobsters' - larger than the US version) - costs $2.

Or, I go to one of the dozen BBQ places. I point at the kind of BBQ I want (since my Chinese is bad, pointing is more effective) and they cook it right in front of me. A stick cost 1 yuan (15 cents). So, devouring a few sticks of BBQ with beer cost me less than $2. Of course, I have to sit outside and get honked by the cars.

Since I am on a diet -- no dessert. But, most nights, my stomach is mightier than my will.

Google-ing Chinese Girls
While having dinner, I goggle ( verb -- to search/look, then open/undress) at the nice looking Chinese girls in short shorts.

There is no God in China? You must be kidding. Look at those legs and beautiful, slim bodies. After all, God is the creature of all things, right?

I smile. When they smile back, I offer them a stick of BBQ. It worked once!!! This particular rendezvous cost me 35 yuans ($5).

So I stopped smiling since then.