Well the blog is up (finally) so I should probably put some content on here that might be pertinent to anyone interested in coming to Hangzhou, Zhejiang province for either business or pleasure, though I recommend you never mix the two.

I have to start by prefacing that China is wonderful. I’ve yet to travel outside of Hangzhou city but I am so enamoured by the people and places I’ve come in contact with that I hardly see a reason to leave. There is a kindness and warmth here that you are not likely to find anywhere else. From the friendly smiles and smells of all the street food vendors who set up and peddle their delectables right next to a rancid mountain of fucking garbage, to the warm demeanors of the Public Security Bureau officers that seem to embrace you with their disarming body language as they come within millimeters of hitting me with their God Damn bicycle on Zhoushan Donglu the other day. This city tries to kill you with kindness, and I for one am ready for Hangzhou’s dagger of ardency to be thrust betwixt (yeah ‘betwixt’ you wanna fight about it?) mine breast bone and allow myself to be embraced by the collective pious hands of these glorious people.

Like all the glorious people that jibber-jabber in Chinese and snicker while eye raping you as they walk past, then shouting towards your back, “Hello!” Apparently this is hysterically funny to the Chinese though I find the humor is lost on me. This happens quite often and they mean no malice by it. It’s quite innocent really, for the most part they just want to talk to you because you are an object of interest. They want to be your friend and they sincerely want to learn about your way of life. Most of all I think they just want to be liked by you and whenever they yell, “hello,” I usually respond and smile, but sometimes you know I just want to stomp their heads into the concrete till my shoe’s covered in their brains.

I should probably let everyone who doesn’t know me know that I am kidding. This was written to make the people I know laugh. It is not meant to be taken seriously. If you like it I’m truly happy if you don’t I’m sorry and I don’t care. Hangzhou IS a wonderful city and I couldn’t be happier. Almost getting hit by various modes of transportation just makes you more alert. Just because a street food vendor’s set up next to a landfill doesn’t mean his or her food contains garbage, only the aroma of garbage which is delicious. And lastly, the people here really do kick ass. They are very nice. So some people want to practice their English or coax a reaction out of you by vociferating, “Hello!” or, “How are you?” Don’t be a prick, smile and respond. You’re possibly making someone’s day brighter.