Ah yes, another Halloween has come at last! I celebrated my last one in Xiamen, China, and now it's time for Chinese Halloween round two in Shanghai.
It's already 9:30, but the options for Halloween shenanigans are endless. It seems that the first stop will be at a new bar at "The Cool Docks", which is a new club, bar, and restaurant district, and then on to a dance club called Candy for the rest of the evening. The Cool Docks is the new home of Shanghai Tattoo, which is where I got my koi done last fall. Their new shop is awesome!
Anyway, I can't say that I know that Shanghai's Halloween parties will beat the craziness of Franklin Street back in Chapel Hill (which we all know is the "end all" of Halloween parties), but it should be a lot of fun nonetheless!
--------------------
I hope that everyone gets a chance to go out and run around as some sort of masked devil this year! Keep the Halloween spirit strong! There's not enough of it over here, that's for sure.
But hey, sometimes you just have to make do with what you have.
Happy Halloween!
Friday, October 31, 2008
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Fooled By Randomness
By the way, and this is just a quick note, anyone who has not read the book "Fooled By Randomness", by Nassim Nicholas Taleb should grab a copy of it as soon as possible.
It is an excellent read.
It is an excellent read.
Jobber
It's taken a long time, but I have finally secured a job here in Shanghai! I am extremely excited about what the job has to offer, and I can't wait to gain some awesome experience.
Anyway, the company is MRI Worldwide (MRI Network), Shanghai. Check out www.mri-china.com for more information.
My title is "Business Development Associate".
Like I said, it's taken a while, but it's been totally worth it.
On top of the new job (which begins on Monday, by the way), I am just about to move into an apartment with my friend Ricky Shi. It's a nice place: two bedrooms, two baths, big balcony, big kitchen, dining room, and living room, right near a convenient subway stop.
Yeah! Next up is Halloween! I can't wait!
Anyway, the company is MRI Worldwide (MRI Network), Shanghai. Check out www.mri-china.com for more information.
My title is "Business Development Associate".
Like I said, it's taken a while, but it's been totally worth it.
On top of the new job (which begins on Monday, by the way), I am just about to move into an apartment with my friend Ricky Shi. It's a nice place: two bedrooms, two baths, big balcony, big kitchen, dining room, and living room, right near a convenient subway stop.
Yeah! Next up is Halloween! I can't wait!
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Back in Action
It's October 23rd, and I'm sitting in "Figaro" Cafe, in Xintiandi, Shanghai, doing a bit of reading, a bit of writing, some self-reflection, some future-planning, and listening to some Chinesepod with my headphones. I'm not doing all of this at once, of course, but moving from one thing to the next.
The last few weeks have been intense in the sense that I have not really been doing anything crazy, just trying to get to know some people, and trying to practice my Chinese whenever possible.
Recently I made two new friends, Ricky and Kerria (both Chinese). I've spent a good bit of time with them over the past week or so. Ricky's English is fantastic, and Kerria and have some nice "language-exchange" conversations where we banter back and forth in Chinese and English.
Other than that, not much is new really around here. I am on the verge of receiving a job offer, so I am mostly just preparing myself for that.
Anyway, I am going to post some pictures from my Hong Kong trip a bit ago that I never put up!
Here they come!
The last few weeks have been intense in the sense that I have not really been doing anything crazy, just trying to get to know some people, and trying to practice my Chinese whenever possible.
Recently I made two new friends, Ricky and Kerria (both Chinese). I've spent a good bit of time with them over the past week or so. Ricky's English is fantastic, and Kerria and have some nice "language-exchange" conversations where we banter back and forth in Chinese and English.
Other than that, not much is new really around here. I am on the verge of receiving a job offer, so I am mostly just preparing myself for that.
Anyway, I am going to post some pictures from my Hong Kong trip a bit ago that I never put up!
Here they come!
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Awesome Shanghai Pics
This is a set of photos I took yesterday while on an adventure in Pudong, the Eastern sector of Shanghai!
Enjoy!
The Shanghai World Financial Center (Bottle Opener) and Jinmao Tower!
The two buildings side by side: the SWFC is actually much much taller than Jinmao, but they look about equal from this angle.
Me Bouldering on the SWFC....Saturday, October 11, 2008
Childe Ben to the Dark Tower (Giant Bottle Opener) Came
This evening marked an important moment in Ben Simon history: I made it to the top of the Shanghai World Financial Center!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The 100th floor of this enormous bottle opener stands as the highest man-made point one is able to reach. Period. Taipei 101 is the only finished building that is actually taller, but only because it has a crazy spire on the top.
The Burj Tower (Dubai), which is scheduled for completion in 2009, is apparently going to absolutely dominate both the SWFC and Taipei 101, standing over 800 Meters tall! Wow!
Alright, more updates with pictures coming tomorrow! Stay Tuned!
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Silly Little Hostel
The "New Garden Hostel" is one of a group of hostels built into the 12th and 13th stories of the "Mirador Mansion", a building on Nathan Street, Hong Kong. Mirador Mansion is a coagulation of fake-goods shops, internet cafes, tailors, and hostels, all rolled into one single not-so-clean package. On top of that, the elevator is easily the world's slowest, and the stairs wreak of urine.
However, the hostel, small and unclean as it was, did have a certain charm to it. The room, which was perhaps the smallest room I have ever stayed in, came complete with not one, but two semi-religious paintings, as well as a "Book of Mormon" written in Spanish. Strange, but at least it was more than just a blank canvas.
Anyway, here is an example of one night at the hostel:
After going out to a nearby bar called "The Hair of the Dog", where I heartily consumed a cool pint of Guinness, we returned to the hostel to get some shut eye. I was hungry as all get out, so on the way back we stopped into a noodle-shop where I picked up what turned out to be the spiciest meal that I've eaten in months. I took the noodles to go, and after signing in with the sketchy guards at the base of the building and avoiding a crowd of crazy vagrants filling the first floor, we rode the single functioning elevator to the 13th floor to get back to the New Garden Hostel.
We were given two keys, one for the room, which, as I've said, was perhaps the world's smallest living quarters, and one for the front door of the hostel, which leads into a narrow hallway connecting the hostel's five or six rooms to the outside world.
As expected, the front door was closed, so I fished about in my pocket for a moment before pulling out the key to unlock it. I put the key in the lock, turned it, pushed, and nothing happened. I pushed again, harder the second time, and the door moved a few inches forward. There was a noticeable weight on the other end that I did not recall dealing when opening the door during the daytime. Delirious from a combination of lack of sleep the few nights before, hunger, and the drinks I had just consumed, I then pushed the door a third time, quite forcefully.
It popped open a foot or so, the weight shifting suddenly from the other side of the door, and someone screamed at me in a language I don't understand, seemingly expressing both surprise and pain.
As it turns out, a random Indian man, presumably an employee (or at least a friend) of the hostel, was sleeping on a thin blanket spread out directly in front of the front door, nearly blocking the entire width of the hallway. Every time I pushed on the door, I was banging him in the head until he finally got fed up with it, yelled at me, and moved out of the way.
Hey, I was as surprised as he was.
I felt bad about hitting the guy with the door, but honestly that is a really dumb place to sleep.
However, the hostel, small and unclean as it was, did have a certain charm to it. The room, which was perhaps the smallest room I have ever stayed in, came complete with not one, but two semi-religious paintings, as well as a "Book of Mormon" written in Spanish. Strange, but at least it was more than just a blank canvas.
Anyway, here is an example of one night at the hostel:
After going out to a nearby bar called "The Hair of the Dog", where I heartily consumed a cool pint of Guinness, we returned to the hostel to get some shut eye. I was hungry as all get out, so on the way back we stopped into a noodle-shop where I picked up what turned out to be the spiciest meal that I've eaten in months. I took the noodles to go, and after signing in with the sketchy guards at the base of the building and avoiding a crowd of crazy vagrants filling the first floor, we rode the single functioning elevator to the 13th floor to get back to the New Garden Hostel.
We were given two keys, one for the room, which, as I've said, was perhaps the world's smallest living quarters, and one for the front door of the hostel, which leads into a narrow hallway connecting the hostel's five or six rooms to the outside world.
As expected, the front door was closed, so I fished about in my pocket for a moment before pulling out the key to unlock it. I put the key in the lock, turned it, pushed, and nothing happened. I pushed again, harder the second time, and the door moved a few inches forward. There was a noticeable weight on the other end that I did not recall dealing when opening the door during the daytime. Delirious from a combination of lack of sleep the few nights before, hunger, and the drinks I had just consumed, I then pushed the door a third time, quite forcefully.
It popped open a foot or so, the weight shifting suddenly from the other side of the door, and someone screamed at me in a language I don't understand, seemingly expressing both surprise and pain.
As it turns out, a random Indian man, presumably an employee (or at least a friend) of the hostel, was sleeping on a thin blanket spread out directly in front of the front door, nearly blocking the entire width of the hallway. Every time I pushed on the door, I was banging him in the head until he finally got fed up with it, yelled at me, and moved out of the way.
Hey, I was as surprised as he was.
I felt bad about hitting the guy with the door, but honestly that is a really dumb place to sleep.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Hong Kong: Blade Runner Anyone?
And I thought Shanghai was "in your face!"
Never in my life have I seen such building-on-building, people skittering, consumerist action! Each building is dwarfed by the next, not necessarily because one is taller than the other, but because Hong Kong is layed out upon a hilly frame. Apartment complexes, shopping malls, major financial centers, all are constructed on hill after hill, following one another up and up and up. Not only that, but the buildings seem to be only feet apart at times. More than once I caught myself looking up at the top of an enormous apartment complex to notice that it's rooftop was only a meter or so away from the next building's top.
One could easily pull a Hollywood stunt and hop from building to building with little trouble whatsoever.
Long flights of stairs and outdoor escalators, as in the SoHo area, allow people to traverse such hilly terrain without wearing themselves out entirely. Steep and windy roads send cars flying in every direction, and you never know exactly where they may be coming from.
Speaking of which, it took me a bit of time to get used to looking the opposite direction as I'm used to when crossing the street, which certainly makes things more interesting. More than once a careening double-decker bus nearly ended me as I began walking into the street after wrongfully assuring myself that it was safe to do so.
But what's the fun of travel without a little danger?
More than anything, Hong Kong reminds me of the movie Blade Runner. The nearly-overwhelming neon lights, the smokey alleys, and constant close-quarters looked more like imagery from the Science Fiction flick than a place where people actually live and work fulltime.
No, I did not expect to be shot at by a rogue band of replicants while walking navigating the streets of Hong Kong, but the thought of such a thrill was quite intriguing.
Hong Kong (due to its history) and the Mainland are quite different. People in Hong Kong actually apologize when they bump into you, they stand in lines, wait for stoplights before crossing the street, and generally present an air of consideration for those around them. That is not to say that mainland Chinese do not care about one another, they just do not display such care on the streets.
However, this is not to say that Hong Kong is an easygoing, carefree place. It certainly is not. People bolt down the street as though they are being chased by a pack of enraged chainsaw-wielding monkeys. They dart from place to place as though the monkeys will swoop in and grab them if they become stagnant for even the briefest of moments.
My three traveling companions (the 3 Ds: Daegan, Diadra, and Derek) and I, perhaps inspired by all of the busy-bees swarming around us, spent most of our time in Hong Kong on the move. First we went to the Star Ferry Harbor to catch a ferry to Hong Kong island itself, and then munched on some burgers (Derek would probably want you to know that I ate Chicken, not beef) at a Westernized burger joint outside of the IFC (International Financial Center) Mall. It was raining heavily outside, so we spent some time in a bookstore to kill the time. I ended up purchasing "The World is Flat" by Thomas L. Friedman, which I have always meant to read, as well as a new soft-cover moleskine notebook for.... you know.... notes and things.
I have at least twenty of those notebooks now.... I'm such an addict.
----------------------
Once the rain died down a bit, we walked inland until we found the amazing uphill escalator-ramps of the SoHo area, which greatly cut down the physical aspect of our journey around Hong Kong Island. I was extremely fascinated by the construction of not only the escalator system, but also the immense buildings, tiny alleys, and overhangs surrounding it. The buildings are built into the hills in such a way that they themselves seem to form enormous steps upward toward the heavens (or at least to the tops of the surrounding mountains). Stone walls aligning the roads have entire tree and root systems sprouting from them which dangle down maginificently from overhead, forming a natural canopy in some areas.
Riding the escalators allowed for a high-rise glimpse into the windows of shops, cafes, restaurants, and homes, all of which were alive and purring with action. Some spots were more modern (Starbucks and Pacific Coffee shops were EVERYWHERE), while others seemed a bit older and more "mom 'n pop" -esque.
We then walked through a market district before stopping into the Mo Man Temple (I think that is what it was called...), which was entirely full of incense coils. When I say entirely full, I mean PACKED: staying in there for more than five minutes would have probably put me under..... I really liked the look of the hundreds of hanging coils though, each of which burned individually and had a red prayer tag hanging below it.
-------------------
While in the market, I was almost tempted to buy another Chanchu (also known as a Jinchan), which is essentially a three-legged good luck toad that is represented as sitting on a pile of gold coins. The Chanchu also holds a coin in its mouth, as though to say "go ahead, take my coin and see what happens!" Unlike many good luck charms, the Chanchu is almost entirely devoted to protecting your wealth and the wealth of your family and friends. I have three of the things back home, including a really nice jade one, but I don't have the money to spend on any new ones right now. I really like them, and will be adding to my collection soon I am sure.
Seems like the thing to invest in, given the current state of the world economy.
Anyway, the owner of one of the shops we stopped into was trying hard to sell me one. He made sure to explain to me how it's only real value was in money protection. "The toad, only protect money!" He exclaimed. "Not like other statues...not protect health or anything. But it bring you lots of money!!!" He seemed all too happy about the idea as he stood there smiling and nodding.
I couldn't help but laugh when I caught a glimpse of his business desk, which was entirely covered in Chanchus.
"You must be doing pretty well man". I said to him.
And he just kept on smiling.
---------------------------------
After the market experience, we stopped into a cafe to get a drink, a seat, and a quick breather. I began reading "The World is Flat", which is an amazing book (though it is already a little behind the times in comparison to books like Chris Anderson's "The Long Tail"), and sipped on a cup of coffee. Derek quickly discovered that internet was free on the cafe's desktop computer, so
I made the mistake of checking the news, which only made me worry about the state of the US and world economies. At the time, the Senate had just approved the $700 Bln. bailout, but it was still waiting to go into action, etc. It has since been implemented, but the market is still near to slipping into the 7th ring of hell....
Alright, that's enough for this entry. I will write another soon about the rididulous hostel experience we had! Woohoo hostel yeah!
Never in my life have I seen such building-on-building, people skittering, consumerist action! Each building is dwarfed by the next, not necessarily because one is taller than the other, but because Hong Kong is layed out upon a hilly frame. Apartment complexes, shopping malls, major financial centers, all are constructed on hill after hill, following one another up and up and up. Not only that, but the buildings seem to be only feet apart at times. More than once I caught myself looking up at the top of an enormous apartment complex to notice that it's rooftop was only a meter or so away from the next building's top.
One could easily pull a Hollywood stunt and hop from building to building with little trouble whatsoever.
Long flights of stairs and outdoor escalators, as in the SoHo area, allow people to traverse such hilly terrain without wearing themselves out entirely. Steep and windy roads send cars flying in every direction, and you never know exactly where they may be coming from.
Speaking of which, it took me a bit of time to get used to looking the opposite direction as I'm used to when crossing the street, which certainly makes things more interesting. More than once a careening double-decker bus nearly ended me as I began walking into the street after wrongfully assuring myself that it was safe to do so.
But what's the fun of travel without a little danger?
More than anything, Hong Kong reminds me of the movie Blade Runner. The nearly-overwhelming neon lights, the smokey alleys, and constant close-quarters looked more like imagery from the Science Fiction flick than a place where people actually live and work fulltime.
No, I did not expect to be shot at by a rogue band of replicants while walking navigating the streets of Hong Kong, but the thought of such a thrill was quite intriguing.
Hong Kong (due to its history) and the Mainland are quite different. People in Hong Kong actually apologize when they bump into you, they stand in lines, wait for stoplights before crossing the street, and generally present an air of consideration for those around them. That is not to say that mainland Chinese do not care about one another, they just do not display such care on the streets.
However, this is not to say that Hong Kong is an easygoing, carefree place. It certainly is not. People bolt down the street as though they are being chased by a pack of enraged chainsaw-wielding monkeys. They dart from place to place as though the monkeys will swoop in and grab them if they become stagnant for even the briefest of moments.
My three traveling companions (the 3 Ds: Daegan, Diadra, and Derek) and I, perhaps inspired by all of the busy-bees swarming around us, spent most of our time in Hong Kong on the move. First we went to the Star Ferry Harbor to catch a ferry to Hong Kong island itself, and then munched on some burgers (Derek would probably want you to know that I ate Chicken, not beef) at a Westernized burger joint outside of the IFC (International Financial Center) Mall. It was raining heavily outside, so we spent some time in a bookstore to kill the time. I ended up purchasing "The World is Flat" by Thomas L. Friedman, which I have always meant to read, as well as a new soft-cover moleskine notebook for.... you know.... notes and things.
I have at least twenty of those notebooks now.... I'm such an addict.
----------------------
Once the rain died down a bit, we walked inland until we found the amazing uphill escalator-ramps of the SoHo area, which greatly cut down the physical aspect of our journey around Hong Kong Island. I was extremely fascinated by the construction of not only the escalator system, but also the immense buildings, tiny alleys, and overhangs surrounding it. The buildings are built into the hills in such a way that they themselves seem to form enormous steps upward toward the heavens (or at least to the tops of the surrounding mountains). Stone walls aligning the roads have entire tree and root systems sprouting from them which dangle down maginificently from overhead, forming a natural canopy in some areas.
Riding the escalators allowed for a high-rise glimpse into the windows of shops, cafes, restaurants, and homes, all of which were alive and purring with action. Some spots were more modern (Starbucks and Pacific Coffee shops were EVERYWHERE), while others seemed a bit older and more "mom 'n pop" -esque.
We then walked through a market district before stopping into the Mo Man Temple (I think that is what it was called...), which was entirely full of incense coils. When I say entirely full, I mean PACKED: staying in there for more than five minutes would have probably put me under..... I really liked the look of the hundreds of hanging coils though, each of which burned individually and had a red prayer tag hanging below it.
-------------------
While in the market, I was almost tempted to buy another Chanchu (also known as a Jinchan), which is essentially a three-legged good luck toad that is represented as sitting on a pile of gold coins. The Chanchu also holds a coin in its mouth, as though to say "go ahead, take my coin and see what happens!" Unlike many good luck charms, the Chanchu is almost entirely devoted to protecting your wealth and the wealth of your family and friends. I have three of the things back home, including a really nice jade one, but I don't have the money to spend on any new ones right now. I really like them, and will be adding to my collection soon I am sure.
Seems like the thing to invest in, given the current state of the world economy.
Anyway, the owner of one of the shops we stopped into was trying hard to sell me one. He made sure to explain to me how it's only real value was in money protection. "The toad, only protect money!" He exclaimed. "Not like other statues...not protect health or anything. But it bring you lots of money!!!" He seemed all too happy about the idea as he stood there smiling and nodding.
I couldn't help but laugh when I caught a glimpse of his business desk, which was entirely covered in Chanchus.
"You must be doing pretty well man". I said to him.
And he just kept on smiling.
---------------------------------
After the market experience, we stopped into a cafe to get a drink, a seat, and a quick breather. I began reading "The World is Flat", which is an amazing book (though it is already a little behind the times in comparison to books like Chris Anderson's "The Long Tail"), and sipped on a cup of coffee. Derek quickly discovered that internet was free on the cafe's desktop computer, so
I made the mistake of checking the news, which only made me worry about the state of the US and world economies. At the time, the Senate had just approved the $700 Bln. bailout, but it was still waiting to go into action, etc. It has since been implemented, but the market is still near to slipping into the 7th ring of hell....
Alright, that's enough for this entry. I will write another soon about the rididulous hostel experience we had! Woohoo hostel yeah!
Been a little while...
Wow! It has been a while since I last wrote. My apologies to anyone who may have been following along.
I've been traveling for the last week or so, and therefore rarely been on the internet. I must say though, it's been nice to disconnect from the internet for a little while. I feel as though I have been brought back down to Earth a bit.
Anyway, I recently hit up Hong Kong with three friends, as well as Shenzhen, and an small town outside of Shenzhen called Shiyan. I documented a good portion of the trip in my journal, so I will transcribe that into digital text on the blog momentarily.
Heads up!
I've been traveling for the last week or so, and therefore rarely been on the internet. I must say though, it's been nice to disconnect from the internet for a little while. I feel as though I have been brought back down to Earth a bit.
Anyway, I recently hit up Hong Kong with three friends, as well as Shenzhen, and an small town outside of Shenzhen called Shiyan. I documented a good portion of the trip in my journal, so I will transcribe that into digital text on the blog momentarily.
Heads up!
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