...day 2. As the title says. I am typing this up at 2 in the morning over here local time. I just woke up from a 3 hour nap from what was a long effin day. I am not sure if this post will be that long or if it will include pics at first. Anywho...
...I guess I can say I started my day how I ended it last night. I spent my time blogging and getting around the government blocks of Facebook and Twitter. Supposedly, from what I read, it says that they are not doing. They as the Chinese government. I didn't read any further than that. I had access to Twitter, which was OK. I wanted to get on Facebook, and like they say, Will and way. It took me a few hours but I got on. Take that China!! Like a high kick to the throat!! Did you know everyone here knows Kung-Fu? I'm just kidding.
...well the morning consisted of some more of the same breakfast. This time no one was staring cause I ended up sitting in the booth where that douche from yesterday was sitting. This day we were getting breakfast on the front end of the service, instead of the tail end. It was pretty much the same things but much more fresher and a little bit more choices. They had some ham, it was kinda cold and bland. I guess I am more accustomed to the smoked American kind. Actually, a lot of the food isn't as overly salted as I am used to in the states. I am not saying that it is bad but I am not used to it. Maybe that is why everyone in the U.S. has high blood pressure. I think it is the salted fast food over the years that kills American taste buds. The plate of food you see pictured consist of some thin noodles, fried rice, mini wieners that do not taste like wieners or even pork, a spicy seaweed salad and a roll with some hot dog in it.
My view of the dining area. It was pretty crowded this morning
...while I waited in line at the made to order noodle soup line, I finally heard some English being spoken. I was like, "FINALLY!" After a day, it was nice to hear some English, well American English be spoken. I have been hearing a lot of translated English but not American tone, diction, and so forth. Anyways, one of the dudes in front of me striked up a conversation with me. I told him what i was doing here and he was a student from Shanghai. I felt a little douchey cause I didn't care but I did want to conversate. I wanted to ask him where he was originally, but I was too enthralled watching the cook frying eggs. I then loaded up on protein since the first plate was basically carbs. I had some warm fresh soy milk and it was unsweetened. Its nice to taste the actual bean and not all the sugar it has.
...after breakfast come the massage time. I wish I hit the gym up a few times before I left so I would enjoy getting my muscles worked on. But a massage is a massage. I headed off to another hotel that was pretty close by. Headed to the health center a few floors up and ordered the full body massage. It was the must expensive service they offered for 268CNY which is about $39 US dollars. You can't beat that, and I know it was at least an hour but felt longer. More about that later.
...so I was led into the locker room where one of the workers opened a locker and had me undressed. Oh yeah, the main room where they do neck massages, foot massages, mani and pedi kinda looked like that scene from Rush Hour 2. You know, that scene where Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan wear those little girly color robes and those chairs and such. However, there wasn't a room full of chicks for me to pick out which services they would do. Anyways, I undressed and they gave me this goddy striped shorts and shirt. I could have done an Incredible Hulk and ribbed that shirt if I wanted. The dude also gave me a pair of sandals that were 5 sizes too small. I bet the guy helping me
Main room with dude giving some dude a foot massage.
...the manager lead me down a hall on the other side of the entrance into an unassuming room. It had a bed on the floor to the right with a love seat to the left of it. The room was pretty plain, and it had a clock on the wall, two windows on opposites with it being frosted half way up into the other rooms, and a flat-screen TV by the entrance. I would have a picture to go with this but I didn't have my phone. These shorts did not have any pockets. But maybe if I get bored, Ill do a mock up.
...after a few short minutes, my "massage therapist" came in. She was wearing a deep orange outfit. It was a pretty skin tight top with a frilly mini skirt and I'm guessing 2 inch heels. Yeah, I know. It is everything Rush Hour 2 made it out to be. haha. I was told to lay on the bed and she proceed with the massage. She started on right of my back. Dude, she has some crazy strong thumbs. Everytime she would massage into my back, I felt it. She must have been a gamer or something. I am not complaining but it was intense. She did focus a lot of my trapes. I mean yeah they are extremely huge, but it felt like pudding in her hands. I can't say it was the best massage I ever had because I can't compare it to anything else. Oh yeah! Actually I was getting massage through the clothes I was wearing. I guess it cuts down on using oils and making a mess. What was funny is that I think she freaked out when she saw I was still wearing my boxers under the shorts. I was like, if you're going to trip, take those bad boys off with your teeth. Shooot!! Just kidding. As for the comparison with other massages, I received an oil massage once and that was OK, and another random one from this chick that sucked!
...so the right side of my back, then to the left side. Each time she was done, she would pound me with her hands and that shit felt just as strong as the thumbs. I bet she knows tai chi or something and used her energy force or something. I do not know. haha. I am just kidding. She proceed to massage my legs and focused heavily on my ass. Like I thought butt massages were a myth, but I can testify that they are indeed real. It made me kinda wish I squatted more. But can't complain, it was a nice butt massage. I then got my arms and hands massaged. When I turned over to get those massaged, I noticed the clock and wish I was keeping time. You never know, sometimes they cheat you on your time. Then again I am assuming the worse. The hour went by pretty quick but I think it was an hour and a half one. The only thing I did not like about the massage was that the Chinese on the TV and that she didn't massage down my chest. I mean I worked hard to get some muscle on my pecks and she didn't give them any attention.
...now I bet you are wondering if it was one of those massage places. Well guess you will never know unless you come here or talk to someone who has and is going to blab.
...after the massage, I was led into the showers. On the way there, I didn't even know where I was going but was led over there. I was handed a towel and got up in the shower. Normally, I am not a fan of getting buck naked and showering down at the gym. It is just plain nasty at the gym with people hanging brain and walking around like its their home. But here, I just blew caution to the wind and got down and showered. When in Rome I suppose, but I didn't have my swim trunks. Showered myself self down and got dressed.
Photos of the massage place hanging on the wall at the entrance. These photos were so Photoshopped or drawn or whatever.
...headed back to the hotel and it was basically time to head out to check out a factory. That was the main agenda of the day. But before that, I had lunch at our English translator/handler's house. It was about a 15-20 minute from from Shenzhen. The parking lots/structures in these places are small. I mean they are really small. I do not see trucks or Escalades traveling anywhere around here or being able to even park. Everyone here also parks backing in. I am telling you, I would not be able to do that in any car with my Californian driving, unless if i was maybe in a Smart car or a Mini.
...parked and headed up to the apartment/house/condo. It can be considered an apartment in the States but it felt more like a condo since it had three bedrooms and was fairly spacious. Got down on some food, and they were making fresh dumplings. They steamed them and it tasted real good. I think they were pork and there was this spicy, soy sauce, and herb sauce to put on top of it. The skin had a semi chewy but mostly al dente feel to them. Also served was duck soup with bamboo that I loved. Love those two flavors together. There was some spicy chicken wings but they were cut up. I don't know if it helped eat it but I was focused on the dumplings and soup. The views from this place was nice. It had a nice view of the mountains and I wished I took some photos. To own a place like this would take $30,000. That would kind of cool to own a place like this and have it around when you visit China.
... anywho off to check out a factory 20 mins away. I wish I knew where I was so I can actually name the cities or towns but I don't. I'm sure you're asking why I am visiting a factory. All I can say is that I gotta make sure the 5 year olds are making your Christmas toys properly. Don't worry, its not a sweat shop, there are fans and Kathy Lee Gifford is overseeing everything. =P
This is where Yao Ming learned how to play basketball.
...driving through the little town, I wasn't used to the layout. As far as I can tell, they were little shops but didn't look like shops. I guess the closest experience I would have would be something a little like Tijuana or maybe like how Route 66 used to be. There were shops with pool tables out side and every shop looked the same. Some tables and chairs and a tv, or other gift shoppy stuff. But basically kinda runned down, at least for me, but I am sure they are doing alright.
...a quick stroll through the town and arrived at the factory. It was locked down with gate keeper/security guy. Headed upstairs and entered into what I think was a mother effin 5 hour meeting. It is not that hard to tell me the child labor is doing alright and only 3 children died in the furnace this month. HAHA jk. It was a typical meeting. Just long. What was funny is that I did notice a huge bumble bee getting crazy on one of the light fixtures and moving it like crazy. It was kinda funny and did freak me out.
There was a big effin bumblebee that was flying into this light and was moving it. It was kinda crazy.
...I think we wrapped around 8 and it was dinner time. Took a tour around the factory and it was a interesting set up. But I was ready to get out of there. At night, the town starts to come alive. A lot of people are walking the streets and the shops are more vibrant with the lights emitting from each front. I cannot tell if it is a residential area or industrial. It seems to intertwine with each other.
They are totally backwards over here.
...once we hit a toll, we had to go back since something wasn't picked up that was suppose to be picked up. That almost killed it for me. I was starting to feel like crap. I was restless, a little exhausted from the heat, and somewhat blah from being hungry. My eating schedule is off but I rarely felt hungry during this trip. I do not know but I ended up taking a little nap. When I woke up, we were back in Shenzhen and liked hearing the bustle of the city.
...we went into a parking lot and I wasn't sure where I was at but it didn't matter. I was glad to be out of that factory. Taking the elevator up, it was clear that I was in a mall. Score! Time to go shopping. Every designer brand you can think of was represented well here. For some reason Express wasn't here. HAHA.. But I didn't look around so I do not know if they were or not. We took five escalators up and I was already loving this mall. It is the biggest I have been in as far as I know. I do not think the Beverly Center goes up that high. It was amazing, but I didn't get to experience it all cause had to head off to dinner.
After going all the way to the top, we arrived at The Grand Prince Hotel.
This place is HUGE!! This is the front of the restaurant. The screen is the backdrop to a stage. It looks like they have weddings or dinner show/concerts here. Beats the funny thing where people go to malls on homecoming and proms.
Back left of the place. Looks like they have VIP private rooms looking over the restaurant floor.
Very back of the restaurant. Kinda cool raised tables for what I assume are for the shows.
There were stations all over the restaurant. The side near the entrance had what looked like an aquarium with various water creatures alive and dead
Roasting area and what looked like a sushi bar.
Wood ear mushrooms and some random other veggies. It tasted alright but nothing too exciting.
Bean curd noodles with cabbage and some other greens. It had some sort of hard boiled egg pieces, but don't know whose egg.
Bok Choy soup with celery and some sort of pruney mushroom. Fairly bland.
Don't know what fish this was but you cannot go wrong with fried fish. But fish with little bones have become too much work to even enjoy much.
Stewed fish with two kinds of chillies. The aroma was pretty bomb but man it was pretty damn spicy.
Fish eye ball, the best part and my first. It tasted pretty damn good.
Roasted glazed pork belly. You cannot ever go wrong with pork belly.
...the dinner came to a wrap and headed back to the hotel. Had a little trouble getting out of the parking complex and miscommunication of having to pay to get out or not. Have a long day tomorrow. We were visiting some ancient town or something. Who knows? Along for the ride.
...I had a crazy dream. All I can remember was that Esmee Denters was my girl and she flashed me some really nice boobies and I was at some WWE event. It was random. I been getting a lot of dreams having girlfriends in them lately. Subconscious is trying to tell me something and I am totally not feeling it.
I came here for a wifey, not a girlfriend. Cmon now brain!
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...today is the day for the car trip. I do not know any details besides that it was some ancient town or something. I do not know how far or how long it was going to take. I guess its better that way. Knowing how far gets you a little antsy throughout the entire trip. 
...we finally got dinner at some random rest stop. When I say random, I totally means RANDOM. It is like one of those random diners in some random small town in the midwest. Actually more like a truck stop. Those things are kinda effy. Oh yeah, rest stops here sometimes have a gas station, Sinopec, or have a random store and/or random kinda run down restaurant. I wanna say it was around 6 or 7PM and we have been on the road since 8:30AM. I am not going to judge but something comparable would be if a greasy spoon, hole in the wall, was combined with a D rated Chinese restaurant in Rolling Heights. I say "D" because I've eaten at "C" rated Chinese dim sum, and they are good. It is usually not the food that is bad but the cleanliness. Quality of food > Cleanliness especially in Chinese restaurants. There was this dead fly on the window sill still buzzing really loud. Kinda made me want to eat quickly and get the heck out of there.
Here are my picks for the Primtime Emmys 2009. I haven't done this in a very long time and thought it was something I could do before the USC at Washington game. Washington won 16-13. Yay! Now UCLA needs to keep up their run!! Anyways, here are my picks for various categories that I have somewhat knowledge of. This can entail me actually watching the shows or my large celebrity, all things Hollywood mind. Lets see how well I do come Monday.. Neil Patrick Harris is the host, and he should be pretty damn funny! 
