Malaysia, Truly Asia

Finally, pictures from Malaysia are up. I was there for 10 days over the Chinese New Year. Sorry it took me so long!

Pretty cool trip. Traveling in a Muslim country was interesting, especially with regard to the role of women. However, most annoying not to be able to procure tasty & intoxicating beverages!

Brother Sharp

A handsome Chinese beggar/vagabond has attracted widespread attention in Ningbo for being on the cutting edge of fashion. The blogosphere is on fire with pictures and reported "sightings" of "Brother Sharp" sporting his "homeless chic" wardrobe. Apparently his creativity with clothing brings "bohemian" to whole new level. He can't be approached, however, because he is somewhat unstable and/or deranged.

Regarding "homeless chic," super model Erin Wasson says eloquently: "When I... see the homeless, like, I'm like, 'Oh my God, they're pulling out, like, crazy looks and they, like, pull shit out of like garbage cans.'"

Why bother to run a marathon if you're going to cheat?

At least 30 participants in the Xiamen marathon in China were disqualified for having used the equivalent of "stunt doubles" to run the race for them or for having done part of the race by bus. Thanks to these unorthodox methods that the 30 cheaters finished among the first 100, said the Bureau of Sports of the southern province of Fujian.

Students participating in the Xiamen International Marathon who do well in the race could earn valuable points for the highly selective "gaokao" entrance exam to university (the sole determinant of admission). So, I guess there's plenty of incentive to cheat...but seriously?? Just a mark of how much pressure people are under to get into school--they'll do anything for a few points' boost on their test score.

Some 50,000 marathon runners started the race. Organizers have announced that they will strengthen the checks next year.

Dwarfs

Only in China would somebody create an amusement park that features only dwarfs. Dwarfs are recruited to work at the park (kind of like a combination Disney land/Plymouth Plantation/freak show) and tourists can come and take pictures of them in their tiny "houses," using their tiny tools, doing tiny people things, or putting on performances.

The proprietor insists the dwarfs are "happy" because they are employed (might have trouble finding a job otherwise), and are around other people like themselves in an environment built for tiny people.

Tibetan Sky Burial

I don't know that this is quite so common anymore (globalization/civilization of the barbarians having had its proper effect) but certainly at one time at least, a widespread funerary practice in Tibet was the Sky Burial.

Sky burial is basically ritualized dissection, where the body is cut in specific location and placed in an open area--then is free to be eaten by birds of prey (or SPIRITS). In Tibet the practice is known as jhator (Tibetan: བྱ་གཏོར་; Wylie: bya gtor), which literally means, "giving alms to the birds." (Thank you, Wikipedia).

Because most of Tibet is at such a high altitude that it is above the treeline, and lacks much topsoil, standard burial isn't an option--cremation is hard too, given that fuel is scarce. The Sky Burial is a practical way to get rid of the remains--and if you're Buddhist and going to be reborn anyway, then the body is only a vessel, and, being unimportant, can be disposed of in what we would consider a relatively "casual" way.

Stylish dudes stalking the streets of Beijing.

I want this man to be my new boyfriend.

Sexcare

...no comment.

Inconvenience Store

Chinese convenience stores are the least convenient stores on the planet....how are you supposed to find ANYTHING in this crazy smorgasbord?

Snow in Beijing

It's snowed here already TWICE, even though it's only mid-November. (This is the view from our 8th-floor apt). The government makes it precipitate whenever meteorological conditions allow, in a (somewhat useless) attempt to alleviate the severe drought that's been plaguing Northern China for over 10 years now.

THEN, because there are NO PLOWS in this entire city, it snows 6 inches and is an UTTER MESS. Imagine a city of 12 million people where all the roads have to be cleared by HAND by an army of people with shovels and brooms. Practical. No, really...it provides jobs.

Also, the government reportedly uses hundreds of tons of chemicals on the road surface to get the snow to melt away. Safe. Smart. Environmentally friendly.

I made the mistake the other day when it snowed of riding my bike to work. I wasn't thinking properly when I left the abode, and was dressed in a skirt, tights, and heels--already a great bike-riding outfit. Then add 8 inches of snow, tons of dirty slush, and rabid Chinese drivers to the mix. Most of the ride consisted of me pedaling extremely slowly through massive puddles trying not to spray myself with slush, swerving to avoid cars that would spray me with slush, and attempting to steer through any situation without stopping so I didn't have to put my feet down in the cold, wet, sloppy road. I managed--this is a miracle--to only touch the ground ONCE on my entire 30-minute ride to work. It was quite the feat.

Going shopping

We've been to market recently full of garbage and kitschy things and curios and "antiques" and rip-offs...typical China style.



The last time we were there, we saw THIS outside the gates. I wanted to buy it and put it in a place of honor in our home, but Jenny vetoed.



Please also note the stuffed chicken and other stuffed birds perching on this display of taxidermied magnificence. The guy in the back might be taxidermied as well, but I'm not sure.



Me buying sweet potatoes from an angry migrant worker.