Macao

In order to prolong our temporary visas, until the school can equip us with year long visas, we took a one day/one night to Macao, just across the border. China, but not. Waiting in lines of foreign nationals and foreigners, we made it to the visa office by lunch, and booked rooms in a dodgy and condensed hotel after. Inspired by the portugese, in fact perhaps even half portugese (don't ask me the history lesson), drivers stick to the left hand side of the road, and live in apts clustered so closely together you could tie a laundry line with your neighbour across the road.


Unfortunately, Tropical Storm Ketsana, too far away to do anything fun, merely made our visit incredibly wet and windy. A couple of depressions have popped up in the South China Sea, some that may come close, but I'll be far north and inland in Inner Mongolia. Instead, we took in the Cirque Du Soleil show Zaia at the Venetian Casino. What a grand place. Immense, including a venetian style canal (on the second floor) with many shops including D & G. D & G? Dolce and Gabana. , and Georgio Armani. The show was intense, felt like i was dreaming throughout. There was a fair amount of interaction with the crowd, alongside surreal images and acrobatic feats.

Another casino

Macao has two things: casinos, and watch stores. Hardly a convenience store to be found, and everywhere is greatly expensive, from what i'm used to. Although it was a nice visit, I feel the people here focus too much on tourism and status. Perhaps that is what China needs to fix now, lowering the gap between the extremely rich and the extremely poor, because there is very little in between?

Here is some funny Chingrish


Working on some waterpaints.


Tomorrow I leave for Guangzhou Train Station at 9am on a two hour bus ride. Stop for some food, see some prospective sights, and off for a 39 hour train ride north to Hohhot, Inner Mongolia.