As part of the ice festival, the hotel constructed a bar made of ice.
The ice bar.
I ordered a shot of vodka, and asked it to be poured into my glass through the ice trough.
The ice trough. It cools the drink waaaay down.
The vodka was poured into a cup made of ice.
It was good vodka. Was it worth $10? Probably not. However, it was probably worth $10 to enjoy a shot of vodka served in an ice cup, poured through an ice trough, inside a building made of ice.
Do you mean I can’t not lie down? So I have to lie down? If so, why the line through the picture of a person lying down?
Trying to pull out a hundred-kuai bill at the restaurant today, I accidentally ripped it. The waitress watched in horror. She made me pay with another bill.
Is this a metaphor for the strength of the Chinese currency?
Every month we celebrate the birthday of people in the Consular section.
The birthday candle is shaped like a lotus flower, and like a lot of things in China, is over the top.
One year ago today, I woke up in a hotel room in Virginia, got on a bus that took me to downtown Washington, D.C., took an oath, and started a career in the Foreign Service.
This morning, I woke up in my apartment in China, walked to the U.S. Consulate in Shenyang, and started my day as a consular officer.
I have adjudicated over 10,000 visa applications in the eight months that I’ve been in China. I’ve talked with ordinary people, met with government officials, given speeches, and represented my country.
Holy cow. What a year it’s been. And it’s only just started.
Ouch. I guess that I won’t be walking to work today after all.
Coffee made in a French press on a Saturday morning = happiness in a cup.
Coffee in a Mr. Brown coffee cup. Luxury!
A group of middle-aged guys were shoveling the snow off plaza around the Mao statue today. Just another day in the Dongbei.
If you have to ride a bike in order to get around, but you live in a cold climate, how do you keep your hands warm?
The ingenious Chinese have figured this out: get bike mittens! They mount on the handlebars of your bike or motorcycle, and keep the wind off your hands as you cruise down the frozen street.
Sure, they make you look like a dork, but that’s the price that you have to pay if you want to avoid frostbite.
Bike Mittens: they’re cool because they’re warm.
Bike Mittens: because being warm is better than being cool.
There is a funny-looking creature that lives at the bottom of the ocean. It’s an animal, but the name of it is “Sea Cucumber.” The name is misleading, however. It tastes nothing like a cucumber, which is too bad, because I like cucumbers. I do not like the taste of 3-year-old rubber bands, which is too bad, because this is what sea cucumbers actually taste like.
There is a belief among the Chinese people that eating this poor disgusting animal is healthy for you. I of course find that very hard to believe, but nevertheless it’s unfortunate for the little bugs, because that makes them very popular among certain segments of the Chinese population.
The hotel where I live is having some sort of sea cucumber festival this month. Here’s the promotion picture that is in the elevator. I will have to look at this for the next month.
Does this look appealing to you? Me neither.