Yāntái Superstar

Getting immortal at the beach

Pénglái, technically still part of my main city, Yāntái, is also a port city (the first on the eastern coast open to foreigners) and a big destination for domestic tourism. The two most famous features are its place in legend as the spot where the 8 immortals fell to Earth and the mirages at sea.

We spent our time at the immortal drop spot, Pénglái Pavilion, which you can see behind us, as well as the Pénglái Water Fortress.

It was a refreshing chance to see a Taoist spot, as I've only seen Buddhist ones. It was also a chance to party with the 8 immortals, because these statues get down. 

Now, I won't go on some feminist rant about how there is only one female immortal, as there is also a sexually ambiguous one, which is a surprising win for those of the "3rd gender." What I will do, is give a big eye roll (I'm doing it, you just can't see it), that Woman He is a virgin. It's a shame that for a woman to be a "holy" symbol in a religion, she has to always have abstained from normal and basic human behavior. It's also a shame that not only does this rarely apply to a man, but having multiple partners can sometimes make him holier. If a good woman shouldn't have sex, who is a good man supposed to have sex with?

Who has a bra to burn??!! Finish them!!!!

Whew, anyhooooo, to get to top of the mountain, there was an incredibly charming chair lift that you would expect to show up in wall art photos sold at IKEA. And I didn't die on it, so, bonus. And it creates romance...awww

I got photobombed by a baby at the top during my dragon unity recreation. But, the baby is so cute, that I've given him a pass.

Perhaps the most beautiful part of the visit are the quartz stair trails which carve from the top of the cliff to the beach and all around the mountain. They are terrifyingly slippery, but if you can get over your impending death, you can take in the intricate pieces and soft colors of the natural mineral formations that create the beachside cliffs. 

One of the saddest parts of the visit, and of China in general, is the litter, which is everywhere. That they seem to burn their trash at the park, also isn't a comfort. Photographer Lu Guang recently won the W. Eugene Smith Fund for documenting the effects of pollution in China, and it is heartbreaking and also really shocking and strange that he was allowed to release photos. 

But, the litter upsets me less than the absolute control of the government. It's scary when all media is controlled by one entity, that people disappear overnight and the news is sometimes completely staged to sway public opinion.

But maybe our government only seems more transparent. Here's an example:
There is great controversy and conspiracy theory over water fluoridation (the U.S. government, without asking, puts fluoride in your water). Although I consider myself fairly thoughtful, I've never questioned this, because it's presented as fact that fluoride is good for your teeth, and therefor good in your water. And if you look, you'll find that there isn't a diligent study which proves this, and that there is research which speaks to the opposite also available. My brother told me one story, which is that Aluminum producers needed something to do with their chemical waste (fluoride) in the 1940's, and paid off all the right people, created/covered-up studies, and silenced dissenters, making a very lucrative deal with the U.S. government. And, perhaps it isn't conspiracy, because few countries have followed us and many respected scientists speak out against it. So, where does our government get its fluoride from now? Why is it in our water if they can't prove it does anything? Perhaps I'm just as hypnotized by my own government as China tries to make its citizens.

So, before we get too dark, here's some joy. Don't ever say that I don't have talent. I have talent, there's just no market for it.

In case it isn't apparent, I am easily amused and happy from simple things, which can also result in "lameness." I rang a bell and there's really no reason that it should make me so happy, but I was like pee-my-pants excited. Also took some shots of the waves and some fishermen when I was there.

And finally, let's close on the joyful treat of seeing a real pomegranate tree (Oooo, Ahhh) and a common street vendor food, a baked sweet potato. It didn't sound that special at first to me, but after peeling one and biting into it, it was glorious. Why, oh why, don't street vendors in the U.S. sell such cheap, delicious, healthy and simple treats? 

It ain't no cheap date

Fast food restaurants in America are not necessarily known for their ambiance or quality (they aren't??!!), but an American chain in China is foreign food and therefor exciting. 

American chain food costs about the same as what it costs in America, and relative to the Chinese market, this makes it much more expensive, as I can get a huge, delicious, fresh, Chinese meal at a nice restaurant for under $20. So given its mid-level pricing, it's not something that the average person eats everyday and would be considered a treat, especially for poor college students.

So much of a special meal to "young people," that you could take a date there and still hope for more than an awkward hug at the end of the night. A date at Pizza Hut is a perfectly legitimate date. Can you get away with that in America? Try it out for a first date and let me know how it goes. Also, let me know how it is not having your phone calls returned.

As you can see though, Pizza Hut is a far classier joint than in the U.S., so it ain't like going to a U.S. version and it has a much more impressive menu. So far I've seen KFC the most (which is also the least glamorous, but most popular), and of course McDonalds but also on occasion Dairy Queen, Burger King and Papa John's. They're all essentially the same food, but definitely have some menu additions to appeal to Chinese tastes, like more seafood and hot sauce. 

Which leaves me to kill the dream a little. Most Chinese take-out would be like cheap street food to a Chinese person, and not nearly as tasty. I had never eaten real Chinese food until I went to China, and you probably haven't either, unless you've had someone in the know take you to some hidden away sweet spot. It should also be said that Chinese food encompasses a diverse range of cuisine, which is segmented into groups (you've probably heard of Hunan and Szechuan), most of which don't show up in America. Also, there's no Santa Claus and you were an accident. Soooo.....buy you an ice cream and you'll feel better?

No photos, please

As stated previously, being a white foreigner in China makes you an attraction and if you fit Chinese beauty standards, and I'm not complaining, you get some free things and people will be particularly nice to you (although I imagine that in any country where you're viewed as attractive, this is how you're treated). You become like a small celebrity. In NYC, you can fool people into thinking this by wearing huge sunglasses, carrying an expensive hand bag and looking like you just finished a 3-day bender.

I have to keep reality in-check as I get a lot of praise for my looks and numerous people have told me that I'm the most beautiful woman that they've ever seen, which is outrageous. Clearly outrageous. I combat this by constantly reminding myself that anyone who thinks that, needs to get out more.

Mostly people want pictures of me or with me, hence Se Ah referring to me as "Yantai Star." In smaller cities, where foreigners are more rare, people tend to be more shy about approaching me. Here are a few pictures with some "fans." 

The first girl was actually with the girls below, but when someone tried to get in on her picture, she was not having it. Like, don't-talk-to-my-man not having it. Then the group shot girls each wanted a picture alone with me too. And, once you take a picture with one person, others will see it and immediately begin crowding around, so I spent the next 15 minutes taking pictures with people. This is definitely not everyday, but not atypical either.

I've heard some foreigners complain about how annoying it is to take pictures with people. These people tend to be loving themselves too much to be able to share. My outlook is that it's an easy way to make someone happy, so it's not a burden. Also, I'm rarely so busy that I can't do it and it's not exactly something that's going to routinely happen in my life like Britney, so it's easy to enjoy.

But, I can't take pictures all day. I've got an interview and then dinner with a guy that the paps will later identify as the ex-boyfriend of someone from The Hills. Hurry up!

Taiwan eats with a little art and politics

It's a good idea to take advantage of your location and get out of China if you can. I took a weekend trip to Taipei, Taiwan with some Hong Kong friends and an American, whoo, on a "food vacation." And by food, I mean street food, specifically anything fried. I'm doing one post for all of Taiwan, so buckle down. Here are two of my ladies enjoying some delicious fried chicken that we ate nearly everyday, and soup.

The main draw for my friends were the night markets. Night markets are open stall/table outdoor markets, at night. I know, I know, I just blew your mind. 

They're really popular with both the locals and tourists and generally have goods and food, but may focus more on one. We focused on the food kind, like the delish dumplings, spring rolls and gyoza-like dough/meat pouches below. Check out the guy cooking your food. Get out of his face, he's talking to his girl!

The food was yummy, but after your fourth fried entree, you may think, "Jesus, what am I doing?" and dream of fruit and raw vegetables. But you can find healthy options, you just need to readjust your brain for healthy Chinese options. If however you typically eat fried, oil-coated food for every meal, rock out, this is your scene.

The best advice I can give though, is try everything (I draw my line at bugs and live things). I've given this advice before. I get extensive praise for my "courageous eating," because apparently westerners are usually hypocritical wimps. If you don't embrace the food of the culture you're in, you'll miss a big part of the experience. In reality, eating a cow tongue is no different than eating your cow as a burger, you've just told yourself it is, and this is what you need to remind yourself of when you feel squeamish. Plus, you might miss something that you love. Like I love these little fishies, and am not at all freaked out now by eating their eyes and everything whole like I was previously. At all.

I also, tried duck blood. Yeah, that grey brown gelatinous thing that I am holding is congealed blood. It's OK to be extremely jealous. Even my Hong Kong friends wouldn't do this, but when in Rome...or Taiwan.

AND...I died. Just kidding, I'm not dead, just dead-ish, inside. 

Or not, because it was like tofu, tasteless. Tofu in the form of blood. And there you have it. I followed it up with a gun-shaped cookie. Looking like a sweaty mess is optional.

If you know me well, you know my belief that children under the age of 4 should never wear a hood or hat without ears on it and that they should be dressed in animal-like outfits as much as possible. It enhances them. Taiwanese people understand this well.

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We made it over to the Taipei Fine Arts Museum, which had a small but decent selection of contemporary Chinese/Taiwanese artists. The best was an exhibit on Pixar featuring hundreds of pre-production sketches and paintings as well as their shorts. Pixar's creative process is incredibly elaborate (which is why it takes years to finish a film) and I had no idea that they still do detailed hand renderings of nearly every frame, despite digitally animating. Seeing these illustrations up close, I've concluded that their illustrators are PERFECTION. I was blown away by the talent, and I've seen a lot of art in my time.

I'm a believer in taking some public transportation wherever you are to get a full experience. Sometimes this experience involves you being squished on a bus in 90 degree weather, trying desperately not to vomit from the smell. Sometimes this experience involves you seeing a lovely subway system with interesting art displays.

If you're traveling out of China, but plan on going back, make sure ahead of time that you have the correct number of entries on your Chinese visa.

If going to Taiwan, try to understand the politically murky relationship between Taiwan and China, to avoid a conversational faux-pas. Here's my best summary: Historically, Taiwan was given back to China by Japan after WWII. Officially, China is the governing body of Taiwan, however it doesn't actually control Taiwan, as Taiwan has a democratically elected ruling party. However, the current ruling party is a Chinese political party, who wants unification with the mainland, but to still govern Taiwan (as they don't want to lose all the wealth that they've amassed). See how this is confusing? But many Taiwanese people see themselves as a sovereign state, and some fled to Taiwan to avoid Mao's persecution, making "one China" unacceptable to them, so the government has purposely taken the noncommittal position of "not unified and not independent." Right...

So, what you actually need to know is that when you're in Taiwan, call people and food Taiwanese not Chinese, and nod your head in agreement if they express that they are their own country. When you are in China, you will horrify people if you express that Taiwan, or more drastically, Tibet, are separate countries. So when in China, nod your head in agreement that Taiwan is part of China, and like a rebellious teenager, it will eventually come around and accept this.

If the border guys in China are inquisitive about why you went to Taiwan in the first place, and seem personally disappointed in you, not to speak from personal experience or anything, emphasize that it was for vacation, to see more of China.

Hong Kong and Halloween

Despite not getting to dress-up, I didn't totally miss out, as Halloween is a fairly popular export around the world and Hong Kong-ers seems to really like it. And the export makes sense, because it's just a holiday that celebrates dressing up, partying with friends and exchanging candy with strangers (the last one sounds weird written out...).

I went to Ocean Park (like a Sea World), which during the month of October turns into a haunted amusement park featuring a few rides, games, and "scary" food, but mostly numerous haunted houses.

This was my first introduction to what whities call "Chinese vampires," which hop on both feet with arms stretched like mummies but have none of the sexiness of American vampires or the creepiness of American zombies. That said, Chinese kids seemed afraid of them, so I think that I'm missing something terrifying in their slow hop.

Here's an example of a game show, my ladies with a traditional horror character and a traditional Chinese horror character. I was pretty impressed with the sheer number of performers walking around trying to scare you and the variety of costumes.

My favorite costumed employees were these "serial killer" guys (see guy holding knife to my throat) wearing kneepads that create sparks, who would run and then slide on their knees towards you...or take you hostage and try to seduce you.

Hong Kong haunted houses use the "jump out at you" scare tactic, which focuses more on shock than the thing jumping at you actually being scary. As a horror connoisseur, it was fun, but not scary (minus a mirror maze, which was awesome). I'm clearly jaded from growing up with Ohio's haunted houses, which can take 45 minutes to get through and where you come to scary scenes and have to psyche yourself into walking towards the scary people/things waiting for you, knowing that they're going to do something. Plus, some of them take place in abandoned asylums, corn fields or woods. I've seen grown men run through and crawl on their stomaches to avoid being near things, *cough* grown men that I know well. 

If you want to have an Asian horror film night (China isn't known for them), here are some recommendations. There are endless Asian horror films with disturbed killers (Audition, The Chaser, The Vengeance Trilogy, Ichi the Killer, etc.), but I'm going to give two recommendations with supernatural elements:

(Korea) A Tale of Two Sisters 
One of the most popular Korean horror films and most successful abroad, this film is visually gorgeous. I don't lie when I say it's a beautifully-made film with talented actors. The plot could be tighter and the twists might not be surprising enough for those versed in the genre, but it is definitely worth the viewing and has a few scenes that will haunt you when you're lying in bed.

(Japan) Ringu
The original movie that inspired a remake into the Naomi Watts vehicle, The Ring, about a creepy little girl and a curse. But like most things that are the original, they're better than any interpretation, and this holds true in this film. It's much scarier; the Japanese know what they're doing.

My Hong Kong family

I was incredibly lucky that my good friend Vicky from college, born and raised in Hong Kong, was back there working to be a barrister (I anxiously await her getting a wig, because yeah, they still wear those and it's going to be awesome). She and her family generously offered to let me come stay with them for a few weeks. They even suggested that I stay a few days longer than planned, so clearly I kept my weird enough in check and the "quirky charm" shined through. 

Here's a lovely view from The Peak, a mall-like complex at the top of a mountain with walking trails that have spectacular views of the skyline.

It might sound strange to Americans that my successful friend would be living with her family. This is in fact the norm in Asia, as not living with your family is the outlier. In fact, this is common in pretty much the rest of the world. Most Chinese parents expect their children to live with them until they marry, even if they go somewhere else for school. And on top of that, Hong Kong is insanely expensive, so if you want to live there, you better hope that you have family or mafia ties, because I couldn't afford to live in a bathroom.

Despite loving my family, I'm used to my independent lifestyle, and find the concept of living with them as an adult potentially awkward, because I have a love life. No need to research this, it's obviously a fact that I have a love life. It would waste your time. So, let's look at a lovely skyline view.

However my friend Vicky has really easy going parents who let her come and go as she pleases, and rather her family only eats dinner together because they genuinely enjoy each other's company. I can't generalize that this is a better cultural idea than America's, because people are individual. I rode a plane with a guy who wistfully talked about how he had dreams of living and working in Shanghai after college, but didn't have the courage to disrespect his parents, so he went to live at home. I think more than anything, my experience with Vicky's family wasn't so much a win for a cultural construct, but a win for loving families.

Hong Kong is considered an island, but it consists of multiple islands, just like NYC is more than Manhattan. The skyline is beautiful and situated in a very hilly, green blanket. A very hilly, mountainous environment with roads that twist every 10 ft. and cause me to have vertigo. 

My first night there, I was whisked off to a birthday party which turned out to be a Carnegie Mellon reunion. It was quite a swanky affair and change of pace from my previous exploits in China. The birthday girl had the cutest cake topper, to match her cuteness. I want everything to be covered in prints of these bears.