I have this thing for visiting temples here. They fascinate me. I've always been a student of world religions. Here is a Tibetan Buddhist temple up near Zhong Dian. They practice a form of Buddhism called Tantric Buddhism. I've studied it before, but it is so complex I don't understand it much. These monks are blowing on huge horns as part of their religious ritual. They sound really strange, loud, and almost haunting and mournful. When we visited here in Dec. 2008 we had to walk up many steps to the temple. We stood and listened to these monks perform.

Learning a Famous Chinese Game!!

Here is living proof that I do play Mahjong!!! These are two of my Chinese co-workers and one gal had just excused herself for a minute (remember it takes four!). Well, I got my butt whomped good. Remember, I am just learning. You do have to learn several Chinese characters to play it, since that is what is on the tiles. I have a little cheat sheet to help and I still get beaten. Oh well, play on!!

What's a Comtuter Bar??

O.K., I told you more on the fun translations. This is a shop sign on my way to KIA. The 'New Continent Comtuter Bar.' I wonder if it is a place you can come to when you have gas? Come-toot-er??? I think it is actually a place to use a COM-PU-TER!! I saw a clothing store with the sign name: 'Odd and Peculiar', which doesn't exactly make me want to run in and buy their clothes!!

What Can You Carry on a Bicycle?

Well, you would be surprised at all the cool things that you could transport on the back of a bike. Yes, that is a full size sofa!!! The Chinese are experts at balancing anything on a bicycle. Here in Kunming I have seen so many things carried on the back of bikes: people of all sorts (babies strapped on their mother's backs), chairs, washing machines, TV's, glass vendor cases, stacks of mops, piles of baskets, etc., etc. It's amazing to see the heavy loads. But, the best thing to see is the meat on bikes. You'll see two whole sides of pork with the legs dangling and flopping off the back. It takes two long spikes on the bike to hold the pig halves in place securely. Meat on wheels going to market is a gas to see!! ( I'll get a photo soon on this!!) The Chinese have had a long time marriage with the bicycle and it has been a big part of transportation here for many years. It almost seems too sad to see the change to cars happening so quickly now.

Favorite Chinese Game

Mahjong is a favorite pass time for Chinese people. You can walk by many a game being played right out in the streets. It takes four people and many times it is played for money. They will take time to relax and play a game during any given day. You can see many an impromptu game started all around Kunming. Or you pass many Mahjong game parlors. I am actually learning to play Mahjong too, thanks to my Chinese co-worker, Ben. He has the patience to teach the foreign staff how to play, bless his heart. While my sister Robby lived here, she bought her own Mahjong game set of tiles. It is really heavy and I'm crazy enough to carry it back home for her this summer! It is not too hard to learn the game of Mahjong, although I would get creamed if I ever played for money like the Chinese. It's fun! Play on!!

Meat on a Stick

This site brought you 'Pineapple on a Stick', now its 'Meat on A Stick.' In downtown Kunming these Muslim vendors will sell you mutton grilled very spicy and hot. It really tastes good, but watch it, it has a bite! They are less than 2 kuai each, so 10 kuai can get you a feast of six of these yummy treats. They are perfectly safe to eat due to the hot temperatures they are grilled over. The vendors hawk them and it is difficult to get by the 'gauntlet' they create with several vendors lining both sides of a section of the street. What can an ex-pat do, but oblige them and eat this tasty Kunming meat on a stick!!

Powered by Pooh and Piflet????

Bad translations into English here in China keep ex-pats with a smile on their faces! This one, "Powered by Pooh and Piflet" is written across the hood of the cutest little yellow compact car parked in my courtyard. Every time I pass it on my way out in the morning to hail a cab, I have to grin. There are cutsey pictures of Pooh and Piglet painted on the car around the sides too. Chinese definitely go in for 'cute.' One of my favorite bad translations is on a billboard on my way to school. It is advertising a clothing manufacturer. A handsome western man in a suit looks down from the sign. He is GQ all the way and it says, "Cohesion of charm and crosscurrent of material apetency providing you with a sense of cleamness." That's it letter for letter....say what???!!! And who the heck is 'Piflet???' So, more on bad translations to come later. I get a kick out of them.