Tired of staring at jorts?

Well, too bad. My internet connection has been super iffy lately. That combined with the fact that I'm going to Xishuangbanna, in southern Yunnan and Laos for October break (10/1-10/9) means.. that I won't be posting for the next week + ! Miss me already? Go ahead and click on some of the other months!

BTW, who knew that people wore cowboy hats in China?

Who wears short shorts?

It's true. Never nudes do exist.

Two different men, two nights. ....and short jorts at that! What are the odds that so much awesome existed? Nice gams, gentlemen.

The day Phoebe fell in love

Meet easily the cutest kitten we've met in China.
We happened upon the cutie when we ventured to Namaste for some Indian food. Rawr!

RAWR

wongwongwongwongwong

A majestic kittay

Come to us, lil presh!

When it actually did, Phoebe and I wondered if this was a good choice, since we're both allergic, but then we were overwhelmed, by the cuteness

Lying next to Phoebe's booty

Curling into it!

It found its home.

Then, two days later, we returned. We hoped that the kitty would still be there and it was!
We waited patiently and finally, I told Tom to pick it up. He fell in love too.

RAWR baby!

hahahahahahahaha

Zoomed! Look at Phoebe's hand, still trying to pet it!

You can never have enough cute! Right?

Too many pics! I had to jump it! Click for sooo much more cutenesss

Cycling con style

 After we finally procured a working bicycle for Lucas, cycling was a breeze. The roads in Dali are flat, that means a ton of coasting and with a less traffic and a little luck, you can take pictures while you bike! No back breaking momentum catching hill climbing that results in you falling over halfway if you can't make it! No drunky vineyard riding in which you may accidentally drop your wine, mid swig....I wouldn't know about that. This was all smooth sailing combined with some bad picture taking and pictures of others' behinds.

Dali: The Western Food Catalogue

BEFORE and AFTER, what I did to the Hearty Breakfast at 88

Baba Ghanoush sandwich at 88 with a glass of red

Mini sandwich sampler. They buttered the bread before they put salami/swiss/proscuitto on that delicious freshly baked bread

Pasta Bolognese at Hover Bistro. We ate before I remembered to take a pic.

Molton lava cake at Cafe de Jack, it was cafe de bad.

Fresh fruit platter!

Real tiramisu at real Western prices with real lady fingers.

Don't eat this palak paneer :( at Namaste

Do eat this seafood polenta over and over again. Oh mmmmmmm G

Icecream and it was divine

Cinnamon bun with coffee

You might think it's melted cheese, but it's just butter on bread.

Pom, banana, kiwi heaven

Smoothies at David's

Beef bourginon with carrots grounded into the mashed pototatoes

Burger with pita and deliciously flavored potato wedges

Birthday cheesecake with oreo bottom and orange glaze?

Open faced BLT

Chicken samosas

Chicken Tikka and friends

Those of you in the States that have regular access to this sort of food.... enjoy! Those of you in China like me, who didn't have the option of vacationing this time, next time we'll be having more of this good stuff.... and if you were there with me tasting all these heavenly goodies - I can't wait to go back.

Cycling to the sea

I was welcomed the morning of the eve of my birthday with a special present purchased and brought from Maolan from Lucas Myerson. I knew when my eyes rested upon it that, 1) it was beautiful, 2) I would be wearing it all day while cycling.

Feast your eyes on this.

My God. What is it?

Why, it's a multi-functional visor with sunglasses and fan built in. You see that switch on the top from the top picture? That lowers the sunglasses.

With gusto and enthusiasm, our entire group embarked on a journey to the lake that is a pretty ride from Old Dali. At first, we marveled at how cheap our bike rentals were, 15 kuai = ca. 2 USD! Too bad within 15 mins, we were cursing the cheap ass bikes that we had rented…

An all too familiar sight!

 At this point, our group split into two, Tom and Gareth going ahead (later getting lost for hours, with great results, I'll link to Tom's blog later) and Phoebe and I joining Lucas on getting another bike.

Phoebe waiting for Lucas

Soon, we were on our way and eventually, after asking many a stranger, and following many a German - we found Erhai!

Carefree children!

Paradisio!

 

 

Serenity

Fresh from the Gleaners

As I'm assuming most of you know of Jean Francois Millet's the Gleaners (click if you don't!), I thought of this painting while I was cycling in Dali. While I glided on the road, I was mesmerized by the acres and acres of golden wheat, cleanly divided out and splayed in piles that were seemingly endless. Even though Millet's gleaners were in France and I'm in China, wheat fields and the people picking them are beautiful in the simplicity of their basic function.

Dali, not Salvador

 A city that's roughly 7 hours bus ride away from where I live, Dali was definitely a pleasant change of pace from my village lifestyle. When we were told last minute that we had three days off for Mid-Autumn festivus, Feebs and I jumped on the next bus into town and rolled into Dali, a night earlier and a night later than every one else. In that span of time, Phoebe and I ate some incredible cheese, meats, and breads.. and we switched hotels all four nights of the trip. The first night, we stayed at a bar that was also a hostel. The second, the Four Seasons... Hostel. The third, I splurged and got a room at the local five star hotel, and for the fourth, it was back to the Four Seasons. You know me. I like variety and I like the best.

Notable mentions on Dali, there's a famous lake there - Erhai Lake, that's what you're looking at. Dali is also the pot capital of China. Nothing makes you feel more welcomed than an old unassuming Chinese woman muttering, "Ganja?" to your white friends as you're walking down the street. Good to know that I don't look cool enough to be solicited for drugs. Dali is full of Germans and none of them hot. Sad. Bad men, good bread!

It's no Hello Kitty cake........

but it was my golden birthday! I'm OLD!

I spent from Tuesday until today (Saturday) celebrating the anniversary of my birth along with Mid-Autumn Festival, the fall harvest holiday of China. Luckily they coincided so I didn't have a hard time convincing 15 of my closest friends to travel with me 6+ hours with me on a bus to enjoy a little vacation away from our schools. I have too much to post about and no access to blogger so you might just have to be patient with me as I describe post by post the delicious/breathtaking/hilarious things that I've done!

LATFH: Glasses

Look at those fucking hipster glasses!

 

This weekend I brought my readers to the party. They were definitely the party glasses of the night. This is a collage of all the people wearing them that I could find in my pictures. This is proof that tortoise shell readers – aka – glasses with no real lenses look good on everyone!  

 

 

The 8 PM rule

Due to my hate of night peeing, AKA, switching on my light, opening my creaky barn padlocked barn door, walking out into the fog, down the stairs, reaching for the pulley light, slipping on the moss cement floor, walking past the weeds, past the (SMELLY) pig pen and the chicken coop, opening the door that sticks, and peeing into a slot that may or may not have huge active scary maggots emerging......... I NO LONGER DRINK WATER AFTER 8 pm. 

Imagine this path, but at night.