Tuesday, August 09, 2005
Friday Recap
Friday - Went to a lecture by some American Marketing Guru who has been in China for the last 10 years. Actually, it was quite interesting and I think it was funny but all the jokes he told were in Chinese so Ben and I just pretended to understand and chuckled along. After, I had plans to go and have a couple of drinks with Godwin, a fellow student from the west of China who started as a Doctor then went to pharmaceutical sales then finally ended up in IT. What a path. Oh, before you think he through away 7 years of schooling and residence, you only need a bachelors to be a doctor in China, which in a way makes sense because there is a shortage of doctors. However, I'll remember that when I need one and will go to the international hospital!
Anyway, so I just let him decide where to go (you let me know if this was a mistake or not) and we walk about 3-4 long blocks north of campus and walk into a bar. This is definitely local territory, or it would have been if anyone was actually there. "Let's go somewhere with more girls," says Godwin. Not a bad plan but at least someplace that actually has people in it, I think and then we turn and immediately exit.
Just a few "store-fronts" up, we roll into what I found out is a karaoke bar. Or more appropriately "karaoke" bar. There are about 6 girls sitting in the place as we walk in an the presence of a Westerner immediately grabs their attention. This was a good sign until I noticed that they weren't drinking or doing any of the normal things people do at a bar. They were just sitting there. Ah-ha. I now realized this was one of the trifecta of fronts for prostitution in China. Godwin and I go and sit at the 8 foot long bar and order up a pair of Heinekens. Godwin and the "Madam" start talking in Chinese and the first waves of worry wash over my face. I was hoping that this wasn't going to turn into one of the situations where a Chinese host tries to impress their guest by taking them out for a night on the town with ladies of the night.
But soon Godwin turned back to me and just started chatting as if nothing was abnormal about the situation, which for a Chinese man, I guess it was not. So what this turned into was more of a cultural viewpoint where I got to see how things "worked" in a place like this without any participation on my part. So talked about random things when about 45 minutes after being there a group of Chinese men roll in, do some negotiating with the Madam and then head straight for the first Karaoke room (there is a row of private karaoke rooms in a hallway perpedicular to the bar). All the Chinese girls get up and file into the room after them. Shortly, 3 of them return and soon enough the Chinese pop music starts up. Turning back to my beer, we continue talking about music, culture, history, and surprisingly, politics. But soon enough, I notice there there is no actual singing coming from the karaoke room, which is a mere 10 feet away. Ok, well, whatever. Now the typhoon really starts and it comes in with fierce, wet vengeance on the people of Shanghai. However, outside, people continue on their bikes as if it's a mild drizzle.
Then the real horror started. I think my ears started to bleed and my hands naturally came up to my ears, covering them and trying to block out some of the worst noises I think that I will ever encounter in my life. The Chinese men had officially started their karaoke session by exhibiting some of the worst and most vile singing I've ever had the displeasure to experience. On top of this was the super cheesy echo effect of the karaoke machine. We did not stay long after this.
My friend now took me up the street to the next cross street because we had been talking about Chinese culture, and given our location at the time, discussed this particular aspect. Lining that street were 15 or 20 large, spinning barbers poles (the red/blue/white ones that signify a barber is there willing to cut your hair). We went up to just take a look and walking past some of the girls waved to us. But being about midnight, there was no haircutting going on but each shop was fully staffed exclusively by women. The blatantness of this area was overwhelming. I even think there were three police officers sitting in the middle of all of them just hanging out.
So that ended our night and the rain had temporarily stopped so I headed home before the elemental fury continued.
Later: Saturday - Papa John's, unknowingly meeting the devil, and more carrefour adventures.
Anyway, so I just let him decide where to go (you let me know if this was a mistake or not) and we walk about 3-4 long blocks north of campus and walk into a bar. This is definitely local territory, or it would have been if anyone was actually there. "Let's go somewhere with more girls," says Godwin. Not a bad plan but at least someplace that actually has people in it, I think and then we turn and immediately exit.
Just a few "store-fronts" up, we roll into what I found out is a karaoke bar. Or more appropriately "karaoke" bar. There are about 6 girls sitting in the place as we walk in an the presence of a Westerner immediately grabs their attention. This was a good sign until I noticed that they weren't drinking or doing any of the normal things people do at a bar. They were just sitting there. Ah-ha. I now realized this was one of the trifecta of fronts for prostitution in China. Godwin and I go and sit at the 8 foot long bar and order up a pair of Heinekens. Godwin and the "Madam" start talking in Chinese and the first waves of worry wash over my face. I was hoping that this wasn't going to turn into one of the situations where a Chinese host tries to impress their guest by taking them out for a night on the town with ladies of the night.
But soon Godwin turned back to me and just started chatting as if nothing was abnormal about the situation, which for a Chinese man, I guess it was not. So what this turned into was more of a cultural viewpoint where I got to see how things "worked" in a place like this without any participation on my part. So talked about random things when about 45 minutes after being there a group of Chinese men roll in, do some negotiating with the Madam and then head straight for the first Karaoke room (there is a row of private karaoke rooms in a hallway perpedicular to the bar). All the Chinese girls get up and file into the room after them. Shortly, 3 of them return and soon enough the Chinese pop music starts up. Turning back to my beer, we continue talking about music, culture, history, and surprisingly, politics. But soon enough, I notice there there is no actual singing coming from the karaoke room, which is a mere 10 feet away. Ok, well, whatever. Now the typhoon really starts and it comes in with fierce, wet vengeance on the people of Shanghai. However, outside, people continue on their bikes as if it's a mild drizzle.
Then the real horror started. I think my ears started to bleed and my hands naturally came up to my ears, covering them and trying to block out some of the worst noises I think that I will ever encounter in my life. The Chinese men had officially started their karaoke session by exhibiting some of the worst and most vile singing I've ever had the displeasure to experience. On top of this was the super cheesy echo effect of the karaoke machine. We did not stay long after this.
My friend now took me up the street to the next cross street because we had been talking about Chinese culture, and given our location at the time, discussed this particular aspect. Lining that street were 15 or 20 large, spinning barbers poles (the red/blue/white ones that signify a barber is there willing to cut your hair). We went up to just take a look and walking past some of the girls waved to us. But being about midnight, there was no haircutting going on but each shop was fully staffed exclusively by women. The blatantness of this area was overwhelming. I even think there were three police officers sitting in the middle of all of them just hanging out.
So that ended our night and the rain had temporarily stopped so I headed home before the elemental fury continued.
Later: Saturday - Papa John's, unknowingly meeting the devil, and more carrefour adventures.
