From Hangzhou

Aug 9, 2004

Hi all,
This is my new blogg, so I can keep all my friends and fam updated...
Right now I've been seeing the sights, trying the tastes and savouring the smells of Hangzhou, a pictoresque city in China. I'm just here for a holiday, and will return in a week to Taipei, where I currently work.

It's interesting seeing China and it's funny how fast it's developing. I've noticed they're selling Bentlies and Porsches already... But there's plenty of poor, just as there is rich. It's not hard to spot beggars, scrawny workers, etc and then see wealthy business men. You know they already have 3 barstucks within 20 min walking distance. And they have 3 KFC's literally within 4min walking distance -I kid U not, they luv the stuff.

I've made two friends from LA. They're a wealth of information. I didn't even know the reason KFC changed it's name was because the chickens were genetically engineered to the point of being headless! I've been in Asia too long, I've missed out on all the horror stories going around.

Anyway, here's some lyrics I've written (because outside of teaching, I'm a songwriter back in Taipei -I'll keep you updated). I guess it's really a poem at the moment, because I haven't put it down to music yet:

Hangzhou summer

They don't sweat
Dusty, in heat, in exposure
The poor beg for more

Strollers, patrollers, old farmers and beggars
The workers in orange
Observers and spoilers

I'm wiping my brow
And wondering how
They just don't sweat

They pass by
Sqeaking by quiet
Teh riders, the buyers
The soldiers
Observers and spoilers

I'm wiping my brow
And wondering how
They don't sweat

Donak.