Recovering from a cold *knock on wood. I think I got it while we were in Henan. Yes definitely got it in Zhengzhou as the rain kept pouring down making life absolutely miserable. To make matters worse Zhengzhou looks like an industrial depressed Soviet wasteland. Absolutely dirty.
Never going to Zhengzhou again. Reminds me a dirtier Beijing from yesteryear.
Getting off the train at the brutal hour of 6 am was a thrill. Cold, damp and from the site of Zhengzhou; poverty
We had to make passage through one area filled with homeless men sleeping on makeshift cardboard sleeping bags . Dirty, tattered suit jackets and pants, barefoot and one guy had his hands down his pants and...simply passed out. THEN heading up the stairs we nearly stepped into some mud. It wasn't mud. Stairs=human restroom.
"That's not mud" we pointed out
"OH SON OF A BITCH!" someone yelled.
Such a shocking contrast when you leave any mega city in China. Zhengzhou, although the provincial capital still looks like they're trying to catch up to Beijing. Zhengzhou is a quiet reminder that the glamour of a rising China has not really reached inwards. They strive to, but still lagging.
Shaolin temple: Even on a weekend it's still an amazing tourist trap.
We got escorted into the performance hall. Glad to have enetered in earl because moments later there were no seats and yet people kept coming in by the boat load.
The aisles were occupied, literally no room to squeeze in. FIre hazard. Fire hazard. That kept occupying my thoughts.
We were informed that there was an audience participation game during the performance. Skye's face lit up the news. So he was getting a bit anxious on the bus ride to Shaolin.
Before the performance we Skype get up on stage. i think he was trying to practice running up to the arena. (He was actually just trying to get a picture) An uproar of applause and cheering came out. He showed a few moves including the splits. People went crazy.
He made his appearence, won the audience game (imitating a Shaolin Monks animal style wushu) and after wards made all the local girls chase after him. He was swarmed y the press and local girls begging for autographs and photos. He's more famous than he shaolin monks. They also swarmed over anyone in our group who possessed white skin and blue eyes.
Journey back to Zhenghzhou: Hold the bladder
As the bus rolled closer into town. 2 hours to zhengzhou from Shaolin temple. I woke up with a pressure in my bladder. What is this feeling? I can hold it in. Were almost at the hotel. Endure, breathe....breathe. Wait why aren't we there? Okay I have to go like no one's business. Traffic??
TRAFFIC???? I can't do this. Frank Frank!!! (Frank came with me) I bolted out o the bus in the middle of Zhengzhou. At irst they woudln't let me off because there was a cop car and they were looking for a public restroom. LET ME OFF. I AM GOING TO EXPLODE. There was a God. The minute I tore out of the bus there was a public restroom on that street.
"Make it happen" Frank applauded.
Taxi back. I definitely forgot about Henan accent. Oh and hey sketchy guy asking us "Hey..you American? Want a taxi?" GO AWAY
