World Linexpo, Am I Right?
Harkening back to a grand tradition that has been plaguing mankind since the building large areas with buildings to visit became popular, the day you decide to go to visit these buildings it's 95 degrees and so humid you could swim. This is interesting, because in theory it will be 95 degrees and humid all the time... Hm.
I never thought it could get so damnedably hot out. Ok, I lie. How can you forget last year's "Happy Birthday Parry, it's 104 out and we don't have airconditioning!"
But being so downright awful for human habitation means that only 100,000 people were there with me! The first step to getting into the World Expo was to be hearded into holding pens to await going through security. This is where the true human comes out. Apparently it's perfectly acceptable for 4 foot nothing Chinese grandmas to push and shove their way to the front of the line.
Dear Ms. Grandma 1, 2, and 3, I am a 5 foot 11 (on a good day), not completely weak, specimen of the male gender. I could pick you up and punt you. I am tempted to do so. STOP STEPPING ON MY FEET.
After such brilliant displays of the advancement of human waiting-in-line related society, one actually enters the Expo. This place is massive. I only stayed for 5 hours and I didn't even go to the west side of the park. My general strategy was to go to places without lines. As much as I would love to stay in line for 6 hours to see the Japan booth (Hey Ayane, Nina, and Audrey...was it worth it?), I'd rather see Bosnia and Herzegovina or the Czech Republic without having to wait. On that note, Bosnia and Herzegovina make some pretty awesome chocolate mousse.
Some highlights from my wandering throughout the expo:
- A t-shirt that says "Africans Only Love Soccer." I feel like this explains too much about most of Africa's current predicaments. "Does your aid contain soccer balls? No? Well then we don't want it."
- Mongolia - On the outside the sign says "Gobi and Cities." If you countries possessions can be summed up in three words, you might want to start a campaign of violent expansion. Go for three things and a some commas, like "Gobi, cities, and mountains." However, I was to have grossly underestimated Mongolia. They do not actually just have Gobi and Cities, but they have DINOSAURS AND GHENGIS KHAN. Their entire pavilion was mostly about how they're better than everyone else...because their history can eat your history. It can also take over your history, hell, it probably did take over your history. Did I mention DINOSAURS?
- Oman smells delicious. It is also a giant boat. If all of Oman smells this delicious, I'm going to move there.
So yeah, overall, totally worth it. Especially if your ticket is free. I was also informed by Andy Xu (a classmate from Cornell that I met up with here for a night) that if you go around 5 there's no one there. Apparently 80 bucks for a hotdog for dinner is "exorbitant."
Other than the expo things have been pretty chill lately. I met a gentleman in the library and we went and played badminton.
Yesterday night I went to Huang gege's house (he shares the wall with my room) and he made me and his friend dinner. Super delicious. Note to self: cook more. Maybe I'll start stealing ingredients from the cafeteria at school and start making my own food...hehe.
So yeah, two more nights (in theory) in China. I can't believe it's gone by so quickly. I've really started to like Shanghai. Each road has its own character, people, smell (or should I say stench? Seriously, do people not realize that garbage and sewage doesn't make your house smell good?). And they also have moped taxis. So. Cool. It's like riding in a taxi but you COULD DIE...easier! You know me, living my life on the edge. Takin' that moped taxi 7 blocks away. Dangerous.
Last Updated: 2021-11-25 10:51:09