Again, I really seem hell bent on being snarky in my diary entries. Sorry about that. In lieu of quality text, I'll give you two pictures today. How's that?
In the entry below I make reference to nearly blowing my colon as the result of a delicate gastrointestinal tract and bad timing. I actually took a photo of the receptacle of the end result of that combination, which I will spare the rest of the world and keep confined to my basement. At least I can say I've pooped in a latrine.
Tuesday, 21st March 1989
Jinling Hotel
NanjingToday was an okay day. We had to get up at 7:00 and have shit for food. After breakfast we got ready and left for our morning tour. We went to Dr. Sun Yat Sen's mausoleum and then the museum. Then we went for lunch at a little place on the outskirts of the city. For once I didn't take the chopsticks. We then went back into the city and stopped off at the south gates of Nanjing. I nearly dumped in my pants and found the "bathroom" which was a trough in the wall. Then we stopped off at a little shopping complex and I bought some ink for my chop as you'll see on the next page. After shopping, we trundled on back to the hotel, put our stuff back in our rooms, and went back downstairs for dinner. I got some more chopsticks from there, but John, (idiot that he is), broke one on me so now I only have 5. After dinner we all came upstairs and kept running into each other's rooms 'till 10:00 PM. We were then forced to go back to our rooms and hit the hay. So this is the end for today. Chow babes.
The chop referenced above is a small jade stamp that has my name on it written in both Chinese and English. Mine is adorned with a tiger on top since I was born in the year of the tiger according to Chinese astrology. Of course, I'm taking the word of the craftsman that the Chinese characters really do translate to something roughly like 'Simon'. They could read 'idiot caucasian' for all I know.
And though I have no idea who these two strapping lads are, they are made entirely of copper (or bronze?) and the tour guide there is pointing out their rippling obliques. Or something.
I'm curious. Maybe you mentioned it, but on what did you write this journal as all this happened? Some friends who know I like to write bought me a great, ragged-edge journal that they bought in Belize. I haven't used it yet, but I can imagine it being the perfect thing to find in a closet years from now, filled with memories. But, that won't happen thanks to computers.
Posted by: Mark | Thursday, 12 January 2006 at 07:19 AM
It's so cool to "see" this trip through your 14-year-old eyes.
I see that you added me to your blog roll and I'm happy to be there.
Posted by: Linda | Friday, 13 January 2006 at 10:54 PM
The writing is so lovely to look at...
Posted by: f-i-n | Saturday, 14 January 2006 at 11:34 AM