Beijing

Beijing is massive, supposedly when including all its municipalities it is the size of Belgium with a population close to Canada's. I felt more at ease here, the city has evident signs of Soviet influence: large boulevard style streets and imposing Stalinesque government buildings. Here we were introduced to something known as "language rape". What at first we took as overtly friendly students who approach you with the same barrage of questions over and over we later realized that they simply want to practice their English on us. This happens 7 times a day, precisely.

So where is the communist influence here I wondered. I mean consumerism is flourishing, there is an influx of the west and people seem much more content than I would have imagined. So what if I can't yell out "long live freedom and democracy!" in Tiananmen square. I'm talking shit, but it seems this pseudo-dictatorial rule has some pluses, basically things get done, and they seem to get done fast. Beijing has to finish all its construction for 2008 Olympics by 2007, emissions have to be drastically reduced, every taxi driver will have his license revoked until they can pass an English exam – this could never happen in our bureaucratic west.

The city has some great sights, one of the highlights being the nearby great wall of china. Dan managed to drop his camera of the wall and had to get the police to scale the surrounding hill for him – this can only happen to Dan. Four people died but thankfully Dan got his camera back. On the wall my Mongolian blood stirred egging me to jump to the other side and run - Sash held me back.

We befriended a local chill bar, like the lovechild of Bifteck and Gogos, where some Chinese took a liking to us and made us down consecutive glasses of beer (Gambi !) while they rocked out on the bar and got really fucked.

Also, we consumed a delicious Peking duck, silk worms, snake, and snake skin (the last 3 I don't suggest, I'm guessing Chinese don't even eat this given that when Sasha was struggling with his snake on a skewer local bystanders simply looked on with squirming expressions).

Next, a hard sleeper train to Xian - the old wall enclosed Chinese capitol. This was the site of a quite surreal Dziong family reunion. My dad and brother where there for 2 days so a celebration was in order. 3 bottles of the finest AK-47 Russian vodka were consumed resulting in my father articulating to us how our meeting was meant to be and how it is all due to our Asian ancestry – a father's drunken banter. Checked out the terracotta warriors, walked the city wall lined with red lanterns, and enjoyed the muslim hot pot on the streets.

A few days later we headed west by train to Chengdu. A greener city with and a slower pace maybe influenced by the local Panda reserve – admittedly cute little guys who liked to pose for our cameras. Checked out the Buddhist and Taoist temples and went for a day hike on a nearby mountain. The city is rather cosmopolitan and a good place as a base for trips into the surrounding areas. A lot of foreigners seem to congregate here.

I parted with Sash and Dan and flew east to Wuhan to see my brother who manages an English school there. I got a chance to help him teach 14 giggly kindergarten teachers which I thoroughly enjoyed. People were extremely nice and helpful here. Particularly this one women Karen who skipped her school and convinced her friend to do the same (her friend was the world champion of monofin swimming, random) to take us on a tour of the city. I also got to experience KTV for the first time which is a must, the Chinese have a great uninhibited way of partying; and they love their whisky mixed with green ice tea especially when Backstreet Boys resonate throughout.

I made my way to Macao and fell in love with the city.


dan sleeping on the bus.


Sash and food.


I enjoyed these Beijing phone booths, and the colors.


The week we were in Beijing this lady had these rolls out on the street all day - only once did the sun peak through the smog in the week we were there.


Beijing Stalinesque Boulevards.


At the market.


emperor's red on the wall of the forbidden city.


Mao over the forbidden city.


This girl would sell us some delicacies that I could never pronounce, they were cheap and delicious, and she was all smiles.


Dan and Sash at the summer palace.


in the Great Wall


the Wall


Temple roof


Summer palace window

Shanghai

1.5 hours to Chicago.
5 hour layover.
14 hours to Shanghai.

A fourteen hour flight allows for a lot of thoughts on the various way one could die in a plane crash and what would one do in that 3 minute buffer period of one's awareness of imminent death. Consequently, to introduce the characters of the story:

I: I would stay alert and flexed eager for any chance of survival.
Dan: I would take all my sleeping pills and pass out for a painless death.
Sasha: I would stick my cock in your mouth.

We landed in Shanghai without me having to perform fellatio.

Our hotel was plush; we were greeted by 4 Chinese women eager to serve. Somewhat odd given we are simply students but they acted as if we were there to cure the country of malaria.

The first 5 days consisted of the conference where we all had to present our research in front of scrutinizing peers.

I should introduce another character here: Mehdi, who is the most random Moroccan dude and my current roommate here, a free spirit who dresses slick and wears a shit load of cologne and orders elaborate massages in our room.

Our presentations went really well, the applause was reminiscent of Michael Jackson's 1989 MTV video music award performance – not really, but well nonetheless.

Shanghai is an irrational city. The rich and poor areas are closely intertwined. You could spend 2 $ for dinner or 30 $ within a single block. The new architecture is that of glossy jagged skyscrapers that form a unique skyline of buildings that don't really respect each other's design. Around the gloss remain areas of authentic Shanghai. Literally, in a street lined with fancy department stores restaurant and hotels there will be little alleyways leading to neighborhoods divided by narrow streets connected by clothes lines supporting the drying laundry of the wickedly poor. These areas are quaint, friendly, and are more of what I imagine the rest of China to be. This city is young, confused, and undergoing a mayor growth spurt something we're all familiar with.

The air: I could write essays about the air here, its texture and variation is unique to the district we're in. But basically there is an odor specific to each area, and it's all so phlegmish – it just sticks and slows you down.

The driving is insane, throngs of cyclist and scooters are constantly penetrated by non-slowing car traffic; but seemingly no one gets hurt (irrationality seems to work here).

We get a lot of stares but it's the burn victim stare: they take a look and quickly divert their eyes not to make you feel uncomfortable.

The common dialogue in Shanghai goes like this:
Hello, Hello, Hello… Rolex, yes, very nice, Rolex yes, no ? DVD yes, no? Lady spa yes ? sex massage yes, very pretty lady yes, very pretty, no ?..

Anyone approaches you in English Shanghai it's for the following reasons:
a) to sell you something
b) to scam you
c) a combination of a) and b)

Interesting Shanghaise styles:
When hot and humid (every day that I've been here) the men like to roll up their t-shirts and just let it hang out, it's emasculating but has this aura of: I just don't give a fuck.

The women in general are more conservative unless you're in a western club, where things are all so Montreal .

This city is an absolute spectacle in all ways you can imagine, and it is absolutely worth seeing. The stories are abound and random and I'll tell you another time..


Bamboo scaffolds


Shanghai alleys


Cityscapes


Pink shadows

Britain

One day in London with Nush - at the tate modern.


In London, a passage to a ballet school - saw this later featured in a design magazine as a "design feat"


"The Glitterati", they opened for Calla who opened for the Stills, they performed like Rockstars. This was at Barfly in London as well.



Portobello road.


One night at a busy bar district in London.



A shot from the Edinburgh Castle.

Grady's BBQ

Photo shoot

Ali's Feet


Dressing


Makeup artist


Art direction


Back shot


From a distance


Ali's armpit


Shooting

Global Dinner