Yesterday I ventured into some real Chinese neighbourhoods, crowded with bikes (it takes a while for you to have guts to cross any street, as there are hordes of bikers, non stop, plus taxis and general drivers who you think are in a mission to run over anyone who dares crossing their way). My technique is a bit childish, but hey, I'm still here to tell the story! I just wait until somebody appears to be also thinking of crossing the street and I cross with that person, coincidently at the same time :)
But the houses are quite old, there's plenty of washing hanging on the streets, the ambient smell is unmistakable... Sometimes it stinks and makes you think you don't want Chinese food ever again, and some other times it really stinks of something else, even more pungent. Yesterday I was wandering around the veggie market on the old alleys and the smell just made me turn around, I was getting sick.
Another thing, is the spitting. It can be hard to ignore.
Other idiosyncrasy is how they speak, they seem to be shouting at you all the time, especially the taxi drivers. It really is difficult to understand their state of mind (are they angry, annoyed or merely trying to scare you off?). Maybe they just are making fun at the tourists.
Other idiosyncrasy is how they speak, they seem to be shouting at you all the time, especially the taxi drivers. It really is difficult to understand their state of mind (are they angry, annoyed or merely trying to scare you off?). Maybe they just are making fun at the tourists.
Yet, another funny thing: the cosmetics here are totally focused on the contrary of in our countries, the face creams are all about whitening and not taning! Being white as porcelain is still considered a paradigm of beauty. So, all the big brands we know have special products here, things that would be a flop in Europe. It really is funny.
At the Japanese/Chinese restaurant they were constantly asking for us to pay the bill, even before having the food and when we asked for some napkins, they brought some nicely packed, but we had to pay extra for them! We just grabbed our tissues!!! And payed our 3,5€ each at the very end!
At the Japanese/Chinese restaurant they were constantly asking for us to pay the bill, even before having the food and when we asked for some napkins, they brought some nicely packed, but we had to pay extra for them! We just grabbed our tissues!!! And payed our 3,5€ each at the very end!
Along with the live turtles, the bullfrogs and other delicacies you find everywhere in the supermarket, there´s also the tea I bought which was all out of date! Do you think they'll understand me when I go back there and complain about it?
2 comments:
Hmm, I wouldn't bother compaining. They probably won't understand your portugese.
They wouldn't understand me at all. Maybe if I waved them those Happy cakes they would be nicer towards me :)
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