I am going to hit the wall...

Well, I survived the final night party. It was held at beautiful cheng pui gardens and 900 of my closest friends were in attendance. It was a 'fest' all around as I said it would be (but thank buddha I did not witness any 'pukefest'). I, myself, was a very good boy last night. I actually alternated my adult beverages with water and I was home at my hotel by 2:30am (the earliest I have been home in a week). I also discovered an ancient chinese secret last night. Chris, you best write this one down for your clients.

The Chinese have developed an ancient, and time honoured remedy for the hangover I have discovered! Listen closely, here it is... before bed, consume one extra large portion of fried rice noodles with beef... Viola! No hangover. I have followed this practice for the last two nights and have woken up a little tired, but none the worse for wear. It could be the grease, it could be the msg...whatever it is, I am a true believer!

I swear the real post is coming, but we are cramming everything we can into our last moments here. Today a group of 10 of us have hired a guide and van to take us to the Great Wall. I first visited it almost 7 years ago (hard to imagine) and I am excited to go back. I am by no means a religious man, but something spiritual happens to me on top of the wall. When I first visited it, it was the middle of February in the dead of winter. Now, I am assuming, it will be overrun with tourists and vendors. I am just hoping that it does not tarnish my feelings towards it. I am heading there with great friends, so I am sure it will out weigh any negative aspects of the trip (and the 10 of us can take on ignorant tourists that aggrivate us no doubt!).

Fun fact: The Great Wall is supposedly the only man made structure visible from space... believe it or not - it is up to you.

I know... I know

Have not posted in a bit. The old body has had too much fun and gave out on me today. It is now 6:30pm and I am just typing this as I rush out the door to go to the final staff party. The last three days has been a complete whirlwind of everything - events, emotions, work, crap... and now we are all going out for one last hurrah... I am sure that it will be a 'fest' of all kinds - a drinkfest, foodfest, cryfest, laughfest, dancefest....and perhaps even a pukefest when all is said and done (not by me however! If the night market has taught me anything it is that my stomach is now officially cast iron).

A couple of pieces of good news.. 1) we FINALLY got tickets on the train to Xian - off to see the Terracotta Warriors on Thursday night - the adventure begins. We are not sure how we are getting to Lhasa yet... but heck. I am officially on vacation so it will work out.
2) I WENT TO CLOSING CEREMONY AFTER ALL!

Yes. I will leave you hanging. I have scheduled in blogging time tomorrow, so there will be a full (and very long) entry coming soon! Get your reading glasses on, pull up a chair and a glass of wine and commiserate with me on my final musings of my Olympic experience.

I must now leave you, fine readers... it is time to let loose (or shall I say looser? - the last two nights have turned into 5+am in the morning - hence body giving out). I am off to get my dance on for sure and perhaps have a pop or two!

Stay tuned to a computer screen near you... the next chapter in my trek around asia will be coming soon!

ONE MORE DAY!

Yeee haw! One more day. It's 5:00am here... just got in...great night. I am recharged (and not talking in the third person) - today was a good day. Tomorrow it is all over (well today really). Just wanted to thank everyone for the kind emails, skype calls and blog comments. I am fine. Just hit a wall the other day. Broke through it and now concentrating on my travels. Wish me luck as I will be in line at 7pm to get train tickets to Lhasa. Alas, I will not attend the closing (for sure this time), but I am fine with that. Tibet is more important. All that mattered to me was that my two local hosts, Crystal and Queen got to go... and they are! All is right with the world. Will give full update soon (and maybe even full sentences!)

3, 2, 1... the countdown is on!

Hi all,
Today will be a quick post as I am hopped up on sleeping pills as I have not been sleeping for the past couple of days. I can't believe that Closing Ceremony takes place in 2 days!... and quite franky, I can't wait! I know that I have been positive thoughout this entire blog, and for the most part I have really enjoyed my time here and have met some very interesting and amazing people that I hope to keep in touch with for a long time. I even contemplated whether I should post this blog, but have decided that I need to.

Today has been an "odd day" for me. I know that some of you may be thinking that I mean it is because only odd numbered licence plates could drive today... (I can't say for sure if it was... took the subway everywhere today as it is free and I am trying to save everything I can for my trip).... It is an odd day, because, for no apparent reason to me, I am just done. Having a bad day and a little down. I have built a bridge and I may be officially "over beijing". Here is where the truth comes out.

I am really REALLY happy that I have had this amazing opportunity, but I am not going to lie, it has been a slog. The language barrier (for some reason my French is not helping me out as much as it does in Europe...hmmmmm), the countless hours, the sheer amount of commuting time involved has taken its toll - both physically (even though I am called fat regularly), and mentally... and we all know I was mental to begin with. I will really look back on my time here with fondness for sure, but I really didn't think it was going to be this much of an adjustment. I have found Beijing dualistic in nature - forward thinking, yet, in some ways, entrenched in the past - which both fuels and restrains its people. Gives them strength and pride, yet seems somewhat limiting. Infuses them with their identity - yet you can visibly see the manifestation of thier attempts to retain thier past, yet embrace thier future. The people are both warm and extremely welcoming, yet guarded and somehow leary and suspicious as well (probably for good reason too). Please understand that these are just observations - and probably more like delusional prattle from a sleep deprived Westerner who, by no means, has the knowledge, experience, or even right to make these claims. It has definitely been an eye-opening, educational, exciting, exhausting, confusing, confounding, hysterical, frenetic, humbling, at times hillarious, at times heart wrenching, frantic, slow, fast, serene, intense, humourous, empowering, joyful, depressing, invigorating, life changing, surprising and a once-in-a-life-time experience. I will reserve my final judgements until I have had time to step back and really sort through my emotions and thoughts... this is just the start of that process. I think I am just needed to start packing and compartmentalizing for easy access at a later date - I am speaking emotionally. Unless you have truly experienced working in an environment like this where you are forced to bond quickly and work with SOOOOO many different nationalities and personalities, I am not sure that my explanation will suffice - but it has surely helped me to get it out there.

I am sure I am just sleep deprived and missing summer time in the T-dot. I am also bummed that I will be missing the big family reunion in the booming metropolis of Rockwood, Ontario in early September... My Aunt Robyn and Uncle Nick from Texas are coming up for Labour Day weekend along with close family friends Jimmy, Gala and John. I would have loved to see them. And with my exposure to the Chinese way of life and families... my vocal cords were in fine shape to take on my family members at the dinner table! (I hope you guys understand my need to do what I am doing and take advantage... and how much I long to be there with you too - it is the dichotomy of China all over again). I also can't adequately describe how much I miss my nephew - even though I have only met him for one day, once in my life. It is amazing how you can love someone so instantaneously and so completely other than yourself.... He has truly been the most humbling and eye-opening experince to date in my life.

I am really excited to head out on my adventure though, and that is what is getting me through the next couple of days. I am looking forward to decompressing, having alone time and just meanering without a plan. Only when backpacking, have I learned the most about myself - my limitations and strengths - and trust me, it is easy to loose yourself here amist the cocophony of noise, excitement and sheer velocity of the Olympic games.

It has definitely been a rollercoaster.... and we are now preparing for our final descent; and like a rollercoaster, even though I laughed, sreamed and was even terrified a time or two during this ride, I will undoubtedly run back and queue up to get on and do it all over again. You always remember the good, exhilarating parts.

Yours,

Yue Han...

Leaving on a jetplane???...not any time soon! AKA World's Longest Post... sorry

John has had much fun since his last post... so much fun, in fact, that he has started talking in the third person... 

After my night at "Club Bud" it took a bit of time to recover... not going to lie.  I finally got my feet under me (but my wits were still not about me let me tell you...I felt like the beijing smog - ummm I mean natural phenomenon - had invaded my inner cortex)... I did not have to report for duty until later so I met up with my friend Ethan (who after several weeks of insane hours was finally given a reprieve due to good behaviour) to show him some of the sights (as he had seen none up to this point).  Because it was already the afternoon and the previous night was so hectic, I decided to take him to one of my favorite places - the Lama Temple (still no llamas).  

I have no idea what it is, but some kind of serenity washes over me when I enter that place.  My pace slackens and as I breathe in the intoxicating incense that permeates the air, I become calm (for me anyway) and quite introspective.  It is nice to escape the hustle and bustle.. somehow the outer walls of the Temple seem to block out all of the noise and chaos that threaten the hallowed space from the outside.    Ethan really liked the Temple (thank buddha - because I accidentally took the LONG way on the subway and added 45 minutes to our trip) and I just explained what I knew from teaching Buddhism to my grade 7's and 8's, as well as what my local hostesses had explained to me on our previous outing.  I know that I have already posted on this place, but I am going to add pics anyway because I like them and it is my blog. Skip ahead if it seems excessive.

Ethan at the Temple

Young boy praying (or playing) on the prayer wheel

My inner pyro has always been drawn to fire

Prayer flags

Following the Temple, Ethan wanted to get some tea to take back home to his family.  The street leading up to the Lamasary is lined with little vendors and tea shops.  This was the perfect place to do this.  It was a weird and funny experience in the tea house.  We were obviously playing the roll of dumb foreign tourists or something that day because the 2 shop workers eyed us suspiciously as we poked around the store... every time Ethan picked something up to examine it, one of the staff would as sneakily as possible follow right behind and put everything back in its exact spot.  I started asking Ethan to just randomly move something to see what would happen... sure enough, she was not far behind silently reprimanding him with her eyes...

Me on the other hand, she outright told me what she thought (as the Chinese often do with me!).  Ethan wanted to bring home good loose leaf tea to his mother.  I asked the lady what her favorite tea was.  Now, it may have been my hand gestures but we were not communicating as clearly as I thought. As I pointed at her and said "you like what tea?" "what tea is delicious?" As I said this part, I also said mmmm and rubbed my now shrinking stomach... Her eyes flashed and I knew I had explained myself perfectly - we were speaking the same language...she got it. She immediately whirled around and led me straight to what I thought was her favorite tea... then I saw the box she was shoving into my hands... it was WEIGHT LOSS TEA!  Good lord.  What is it with this country??? Ethan almost wet himself on the spot as the entire jet set team now knows about my random interactions with the Chinese public.  

Instructions at the cash register on how to make the proper cup of tea...

Ethan got an assortment of tea and brought it with him, as I left my dignity and ego behind in the shop.  At this point it was getting late and Ethan wanted to go to the night market.  Now, it has also become common knowledge among the staff that I 1. frequent the night market and 2. that I will eat almost anything.  Ethan wanted to know if I would come and try the scorpions again with him... sure, why not.  Off to the mayhem of the night market we went.

I am not going to go into too much detail and let the pics speak for themselves... I have been over my thoughts of the night market already.  Suffice it to say, we ate tons of stuff and there was no need to grab dinner after.... in fact, some of our dinner tried to grab us!

Ethan and his sea horse and small scorpions

The sea horse was looking right at me with nothing but accusation in his eyes.. i couldn't do it... Ethan did though. 

Had to try the smoking tea.  It was just tea with dry ice after all.

Ethan and I with the Large scorpions - taste just like their smaller cousins... but more meaty.

Good to the last drop... but so big that it was hard to eat... if you look closely, you can see remnants of all my other food all over my face... I am one classy lad!

Ethan and I left the night market and headed to meet up with our friend David as we had business to discuss.  This is the real subject of this post as I have big news.... I am not coming home.  I mean, I will...just not any time soon.  

Thanks to my good friends at Sunquest (thanks guys!), I changed my ticket and I am now returning to Toronto on the 22nd of September.  I have decided that I will never get an opportunity like this again, so I have to grab the proverbial bull by the horns and just take full advantage of it.  I have decided this is my last real chance to be selfish and irresponsible, and I have decided that I can start looking for work when I get back at the end of September.  

David, Ethan, myself and 2 other colleagues from Jet Set have decided to head to TIBET!  I'm gonna get me a Llama!  The process has been arduous and complicated (as the borders have just been open since June), but it looks like things will work out.  This is why I have not told anyone up to this point.  I needed to make sure that we could get all of our documents in order etc. Visiting Tibet will undoubtedly be a highlight.  To enter tibet as a foreigner, you need to go with a tour company and they have to take care of all arrangements and the govt has to know where you are at all times basically.  Our tour will be 5 days. We arrive (if we can get there.... a whole other story!) on the 31st of August and we would fly out on the 5th of september.  

Ethan, David and myself are planning to take the train to Tibet, stop in Xian to see the Terracotta warriors and then continue on to Lhasa, the capital of Tibet. We will tour for three full days and then fly out after a day of recovery.  The only problem?  Getting there.  You see, China, being as flexible and trusting as it is, only sells train tickets 4 days prior to travel.  Therefore, because we want to take the night train on the 28th, the earliest we can buy our tickets is 7pm the night of the 24th!  How different!  My hostesses say it is because there are so many people in China that they want it to be fair and so no prior reservations can be made.  Sounds like they want to make travel difficult to me... but I will keep mum about that as I do not want to give them any reason to shut down my blog!

I am sure all will work out.  If I have learned anything here it is that 1. everything will constantly change but 2. it will always somehow work out... just at the last second!  

I have already found out that I can store all my crap that I don't need at the hotel until I get back (as I have to fly home out of Beijing).  I have also been to the silk market and bargained for a backpack.  I got a 55 litre backpack (john is travelling light... and still talking in the third person..) for a whopping $18! And it is a lowe alpine.  I also purchased (for $17) a waterproof fleece jacket, as Tibet is much cooler than Beijing due to its altitude.  I can't tell you how excited I am.  Back to my backpacking roots!  If anything, it will be an adventure.

As of right now, remember - plans are always changing here - Following Tibet we will say goodbye to two of our companions who are going on to Mongolia and Ethan and David and I are going to fly to Chengdu (area affected by earthquake).  We are then going to tour southern china by the Yangsi river, and hopefully make our way down to Hanoi (Vietnam) and maybe even thailand... It is a lot to accomplish, but we will give it the ol' college try.

I have not figured out if I will take my computer with me on our trek- or even how much access to the internet there will be.  Alas, the status of my blog will be up in the air as of the 27th of August.  I will do my best.  I may not be able to add pics if I go the way of the internet cafe, but I will try to keep you all in the loop.  I am also heading out to buy  a journal (what I did on all my other backpacking trips) - so I may just have to write it all down and send it later...

Following our meeting it was back to the CCP for Bowling league night!  Word has definitely spread and there were about 15 of us - some playing, some watching, some heckling.  It was good times.  And, I am proud to say that CANADA BEAT HOLLAND!  Take that clog boy.

So that is the scoop my friends. The blog of my zany adventures will continue...for the next little bit at least.

For the love of the Sahara.....

...there is not enough water in the world this morning...

Oh what a night!!!!.....

So it is now 5:07am in the morning and I am slightly inebriated (excuse the spelling), hoovering a big mac and trying not to get my beloved mac dirty... that can only mean one thing... it was one heck of a night!

When I left you, I was running out the door to meet my clients to take them to the airport. They were amazing (as I previously stated) and they were so appreciative and thanked us profusely for all that we did (just our jobs really). Following the airport, Amy, Queen, Crystal and myself headed to diving. It was the men's 3m springboard final. It featured Alexandre Despatie from Canada, and for the love of poutine did he put on a show! Twice in two days I saw a Canadian win a silver medal! How lucky am I??? And this time I had the presence of mind to take pictures. China took gold and bronze (of course), but the level of diving was so amazing that it made the competition a marvel to watch!

The Canadian Contingent at the Water Cube

Crystal showing off one of the many concession items... bread. (just bread)

The mascots - the Fuwa - or "friendlies" pumping up the crowd pre competition

Alexandre Despatie getting set for his first dive.

The competition was fierce and I was screaming like a banshee with his head cut off.. if banshees can be men... can they? Anywho, it was amazing to watch a final that was so hotly contested and one where the top divers performed at their peak. In the end it was China, Canada, China... I went ballistic! Who knew the incredible shrinking man had such a loud and powerful voice... if they only knew my gene pool...

The results

Take a bow Alexandre - you deserve it!

Ok - I seriously went nuts at this point

If you look closely, you will see the Canadian flag on the left... I can't choose the seats I am given people!

What a rush! The accomplishment and such... once again.. inebriated... loss of words.. I digress I am back.

Following diving I went a la sardine and took the subway home - hey, free transport... I hopped in the shower quickly and changed as i was running out the door to meet up with some friends. I am off again for good behaviour and have the afternoon shift tomorrow!!!

I went to Sanlitun (pronounced San-lee-turr) the bar street and met up with Paul and David at Saddle Cantina (an "authentic mexican place). I apologize that there are no pics from here on in... what? you think I am that stupid... destroy the evidence people! Canada had just won silver in a Chinese dominated sport and I did not have to work first thing in the morning - it was time to celebrate! So what did David, Paul and I do? We stood on the street and drank 5 rmb large Tsing Tao beers of course (less than one dollar each!). Standing there we ran into more colleagues (Adam, Victoria, Suzy and Michael) and we decided to make it a night! We went to butterfly - a hole in the wall bar where 4 red bull and vodkas cost 40 rmb (less than 7 bucks... and the reason why I am still up and blogging right now!). We danced in the club and on the street for about an hour then Suzy got the call. She knew someone at the bud house (usa house) that had tickets to get us in for free! Off we went.

We hopped in taxis to head out... but not before I accosted a canadian athlete on bar street. Right before we were to get in our taxi, someone got out of one in front of us that had a canadian bag... so me, being the smooth operator I am, screamed out yeah CANADA! The girl turned around and it was Blythe Heartley, only the best (and hottest) female diver on the Canadian team... I said... "holy beep! you are Blythe Heartly the hot Canadian Diver!" she responded "yes, yes I am... I think..." I said "I am john" she said "nice". That was my run in with Blythe Heartly.

Off we went to bud house. At bud House we met up with more jet set staff and Maarten, Audrey and Tina (of German House Fame of last post)... it was awesome! We danced the night away until we got kicked out. Who knew I could have so much fun at a party that served only bud and was thrown by americans (no offense... it just has never happened before!) Maarten, Tina and I shared a cab home an then went to Mc D's (hence the dirty fingers and sticky mac....) Now I am here and going to bed.... thank god for the afternoon shift!

Yours truly... Yue Han.

Oh wait! I was told my full name... first and last. In Chinese, John Di Tecco is Di Yue Han... Johnny D.

peace out.