28 April 2018
I am very good at dancing
Exploring Guanyinqiao in Chongqing
I am still sick but I am very very good at dancing, this everyone knows.
Despite my cold, I went for quite a long walk in the new part of Chongqing, which isnt quite as hilly as where I am staying. It is on the far side of one of the many rivers and through a small mountain on a plateau of sorts, and is where most of the government buildings are located.
My first stop was the newest mall in all of Chongqing, it is the Taiwanese / Japanese joint venture which is only Taiwanese in China Shin Kong (-Mitsukoshi). Obviously because of the Nanjing massacre the Mitsukoshi part has been left off in China. Anyway, this place is actually advertised in Chongqing as 'experience life in Taiwan', which I think is kind of strange. It is a very nice place, a more modern style of partially outdoors, less tiles, more polished concrete and wood, kind of like the way they are redoing all the Westfields in Australia now.
From there, in a dazed stupor, I walked south to the equal biggest shopping area of Guanyin bridge. I went here last time I visited and remembered the mass dancing extravaganza. Dont worry, all these years later, its still the same. I joined in from the viewing lookout above everyone and received the adoration of thousands, I am now known as 'silly dancing sneezing pigsy white man', you can see me on Youku (Chinese youtube).
Tonight I had to line up to get into the subway. Saturday night is the busiest time for public transport in China, absolutely everyone goes out and does things in the street. The concept of staying home and watching tv, or inviting friends over is non existent. It was quite the push to get on. On my way back later in the evening, I actually decided the wait was too long to get to my platform of choice, so I took a train one direction the other way and came back on a different line which was less busy.
While waiting for that train, orderly lines were formed either side of the door, and one boy with headphones on and a backpack walked straight up the middle of the two lines to the front centre of the doors. I grabbed the handle of his backpack and firmly dragged him to the back of the line. He looked petrified, and actually ran off. No face.... no face.... Locals were smiling at me.
To give context of where I am, its the basement level to the Shin Kong complex which is actually several different buildings and outdoor streets.
Although quite a way from the centre of Chongqing, its still skyscrapers everywhere, new shiny ones.
The basement was a fantastic food court, and not too busy! There is no hope getting into a real restaurant as a solo diner on a Saturday night. Real restaurants are all food designed to be shared by big groups anyway.
The variety in non Chinese cuisines has not really reached Chongqing yet, but they do have a Sukiya in here, and a pepper lunch.
I probably should have had either Sukiya or Pepper lunch, because although my Taiwanese beef noodle was delicious, it was too much food and I felt a bit ill from overeating. Fantastic quality beef, HERE IS THE BEEF.
This mall has a number of non shopping activities, here is the basketball court. There were also ping pong tables, just as we have in Australia now in many shops frequented by Chinese people.
Most people would be aware that Asian countries love of giant robot fighting movies is the reason transformers keeps getting made. Chongqing delivers with a theme park style ride where you go through a fight between Optimus Prime and the thing that turns into a gun. There are sparks and lasers and Shia Lebouf, the real Shia Lebouf, this is the only gig he can get these days.
Time to leave Chinese Taiwan.
This part of Chongqing looks very different to where I am staying. It looks like a western city.
After about a 45 minute lazy stroll, I re-arrived in a land of neon.
I remembered paradise walk from last time. It used to be a street, now its a mall, the top 2 floors are hundreds of huge restaurants. I walked through here because it was air conditioned, it is hot here this evening. All the while I could hear the distorted loud speakers from the restaurant floors calling out the number of the group whos table is ready. You cannot make restaurant reservations in China, and thats the way it should be everywhere.
Quite a nice area, but I took a few redundant photos.
Here is another.
It took me a while, but then I found the mass dancing. It is a site to behold. I made a video which I will upload to youtube at some point.
Next to the dancing is a sea of flowers, sneezing fit intensifies.
There are lots of splinter dancing groups. If I am not mistaken, Chongqing is the city where there was a suspected murder of a dance group member who tried to start a new group. Grandma dancing is serious business!
One more, the police presence was very high in case another professional hit takes place.