Wumei

So it turns out I will live after all, because I have found this instant cereal mix that is actually pretty good. It is a one serving package that pours out little itty bitty corn flakes and a big heap of white powder that I have to believe consists of dehydrated milk and sugar....based on the taste it is mostly sugar. I find that the Chinese like alot of their food, and especially their bottled drinks and juices SWEET.

Also, I have found something similar to american cheese, you know individually wrapped and not really cheese?

So where do I buy such food and drink you may ask? The answer is Wumei...or as the name says on the bags: Wu Mart. I'm not making this up! Not assiciated with a small chain of stores that you may be familiar with, this one is BIG...like 3-4 levels big. You can get anything there...you know, I was going to forgo the use of pictures...but you know what? I will post them. You got some interesting things at Wu Mart...veddy interdesting.

Wumei from the outside

The Bakery

Some of the dead meat


...more of the dead meat

Live blurry frogs (sorry about that), snakes (I saw one of them trying to get away across the floor, but someone got him)

Scared turtles, and something...kind of like a stingray....but I hear its a mud skipper type thing...plays in the mud.....if you notice, someone was cute and threaded its gills or eye socket with its tail (wasnt me).

Disclaimer: I was chastised earlier by Bonnie and Tyler for actually having a toilet rather than a hole in the ground, which I have to respect. So when posting these pictures, I am aware that they may not be that hardcore to some of you, in fact some of you may have even eaten "mud skipper with its own tail threaded through its nose". If this is the case, then please let me know, and I will try to do better.

The other night for dinner I went out to an all you can eat sushi place with Mike and our new roommate Roberto from Italy and it was an experience. First, the place was empty (not a good sign) but Mike says he had been there 4 times before and it was awsome (good sign), and he didnt get sick (very good sign). So we have the full attention of all of the waitresses (good sign). One of which was actually very very cute, was bilingual in Japanese, and had very straight teeth (all good signs).

The food was fantastic. Its the kind of place where you say, "Here is 12 bucks. Feed me please." and then they bring out stuff as you sit with your hands in your lap. The waitress even cooked some Korean beef (not the kind on your arms Pete) but a very tasty kind which you then dip in some kind of salsay-ish concoction. We also ate this raw fish thing (situated next to the octopus) that had "no name in english" like out of a movie. (maybe it was mudskipper w/ tail etc...)

Now here is the bad thing that I am kicking myself for...I didnt get any pictures of either the food, nor the waitress. AHH!!! I know! But you know what, we are going back sometime soon, and I promise to get some pictures. Dont strip me of my title just yet.

Side note, I have recently found the pleasure of sleeping while being covered with a bamboo mat instead of a blanket. Fulfilling some kind of asian stereotype? Yes, but it really does keep you quite warm, but not too warm, while still wisking away the sweat. Also, I think it feels cleaner than a cotton blanket. The bed that I am sleeping on is also interesting...well, here have a look. Its more comfortable than you would think, and I have to think that it reduces on the amount of bug infestations that you may get with an american mattress.

One last thing worth noting is that when eating with Mike and Roberto, I find that I am often at a loss for conversation because they are both quite well read and worldly. Mike is finishing his second masters degree, one in International Business, and another in some kind of socio-eco-something, and Roberto has travelled all over the world and speaks Russian, German, Italian, Spanish, English, French, Japanese and Chinese. I also think he speaks some less mainstream languages like Hungarian I think. By saying that, I run the risk of sounding silly, like maybe someone is saying, "They speak German in Hungary stupid." I dont know, but all the more power to my point...I just dont know much of anything on this level. Roberto has also written at least one book that I am aware of regarding the Memory. I suspect that I have only begun to meet people like this.

I just got back from a jog to Wumei. I couldnt wait to start the day. Maybe its because my sleep schedule is off, or I have so much I want to show you via pictures and blogs. I was noticing that 95 percent of people riding 2 wheeled vehicles are either pedaling, or riding an electric scooter. This is a characteristic that I think may be very under appreciated because:
1. They dont pollute locally
2. They are quiet

Something else I experienced is that if you dont want to be hit by people riding their bike or electric scooter, then stand still and close your eyes. They will go around you. If you walk, then the rider can still work around you...but if you run/jog, then they dont know how to time your movement as well because no one here runs. FYI.


I want you to meet my breakfast that I bought the other morning on my way home from Wumei. I got it from a street vendor that had a line huddled around the cart. The recipe:
1. add a kind of crepe-like batter to a gas fired hotplate, spread it around like a crepe
2. crack an egg over the batter, then spread that around like a crepe
3. add green onions
4. flip it and add a deep fried chinese donut to the middle
5. add some kind of onion vegitable mixture
6. in chinese, ask the customer what options he wants on it. When he gives you the blank stare back, smear the thing with the brown paste and charge him ~0.30 USD for it

It was really good.

Upon completing my first day of class, I have concluded that Chinese is hard...very hard. Plus I kind of got thrown into a level 2 class...


Disclaimer #2: The order of these events is severely out of order because blogger connection is intermitten, so I just kind of write as I go, sorry, but I hope you can still get the idea.

I hope everyone is well, I will see you soon.