More from Day One

...even though it's Day Two.

It's a common observation of the elderly in China is that they'er not only in pretty good shape, but they're remarkably agile.

I know the secret of this. It's the loose traffic laws.

No, really. You see, it's pretty much a free-for-all out there on the streets, and the sidewalks are as often as not completely clogged with bicycles or something else. So you walk where you can, with drivers going wherever they want. Case in point: the cab driver from the Tianjin bus station to the hotel went the wrong way out of the parking lot, then the wrong way for about 3/4 of a block, just driving slowly and honking all the time. Traffic moves pretty slowly compared to in the USA, so it's not so bad... and if someone wants to cross the street, they just cross wherever. It's more common for someone to cross at a crosswalk, but since nobody's really paying attention anyway, it's common also for people to stop in the middle of the street, between lanes, until it's safe to keep on.

So my current working theory is that playing dodge-em with the traffic keeps the old folk in tip-top shape.

Anyway, yesterday was pure and complete culture shock. Today, I'm pretty sure I'll be able to get by, although it's going to require regular and constant study of Mandarin to really feel comfortable. Not too bad.

And since someone asked:

Last meal in the USA: Hot cocoa and a ginger cookie from Peet's at LAX. $4.65 US.
Meal on the flight (I slept through the first one): Ginger Chicken with rice and bok choi. Not bad for airline food.
First meal in China: Beef noodle soup from California Beef Noodle King USA (no, really, that's the name), 10 RMB (about $1.50 US). Then it was a chicken-and-faux-crab bun at a street vendor for breakfast. 2 qian, tasty, I could probably use another but won't. I declare China a good country to eat in, especially with the exchange rate.

I've already been waylaid by a 20-year-old guy who wanted to practice his English, which was kind of fun. I'd hoped to get a little lay of the land since he was working at the local superstore, but it turns out he's from Hubei and just here for the national holiday. Oh, well.

My room at the school hotel is tiny. I mean, really tiny. Reminds me of the time I lived in a converted pantry for two weeks while looking for an apartment, only with a bathroom attached. More on that when I can get the pictures off the camera.

Firecrackers outside. Must be a national holiday.... I'm on my way to Beijing today for the next three or four days, since the school is closed for the rest of the week. Should be a great time, and in a more tourism-accustomed town, I might even get the familiarity I've been looking for. See you soon.

再见！