Bring on the Night

Well, maybe not “grand”, but at least I’ll try to start writing a bit again.

As a commenter wrote to an older post, I might have to tone down my ambitions and just write when I want to, instead of writing because I feel I have to.

So that’s how it’s going to be. I’ll write when I feel like it, and else probably not.

Time of death: December 3rd 2008 – 4.00pm

If not dead, then maybe more suiting in hibernation with no deadline. You never know, but right now it feels dead as the world economy.

It has been fun, but all good things have to end.

Thanks to all those who read and commented here.

….. don’t look here. There is really nothing interesting happening here at the moment.

It’s no secret that I hate city busses and the way people behave when they enter a bus. It isn’t a secret either, that I hate repairing my bike when the tire runs flat.

Flat is exactly what you can call my bike these days. Laziness got the better of me, so I’m a certified “busee” atm. Not only do I have to get up 15mins earlier to take the bus, but I also have to endure all the negatives of bus riding.

This morning I almost strangled a woman because she… well… was egoistic.

Danish city busses have 1 entry door and 2 exits. The entry is in the front, and the two exits are in the middle and the back. Both window rows are filled with seats and there’s a path in the centre of the bus. When you enter, it’s polite to move backwards into the bus, leaving room for new travellers. This normally works ok, until people get to the middle, where the first exit door is located. Then people automatically stop and “forget” moving along, since they want to stay close to the exit. Selfish shit. When this happens, the bus driver has to get up and shout for people to move back in the bus. If he doesn’t, no one will move an inch and people can’t get in.

This morning when I entered an almost full bus, I got stuck besides a 40-50 year old woman, who decided to stop at that point. I politely made some gestures to show her that moving along would be a good idea. She moved a bit more (like 1 meter), which of course didn’t help much. So I asked her if she could move. Her response was moving yet another meter. I looked back and saw the line forming and people that couldn’t enter the bus. So I asked her again. This time if I could get past her (which at least would let me off the hook). That made her move a bit, while she tried to make room so I could get past.

Normall this is no problem, but for her, it was. Apparently no spot was good enough since I would almost touch her in the attempt (I know what you think, but I’m not that fat). At last she reluctantly let me pass (and I didn’t touch her, I swear). Then 3 metres further down the bus, I found an empty seat. A seat she would have gotten, if she had just moved along like a normal thinking person.

All this happened within 2 or 3 minutes and that was all it took to piss me off and get a lousy morning. Thank you very much selfish #%¤&#&%!.

To some this may be a small thing, but personally I find this behaviour both selfish and narrow-minded. Unfortunately it isn’t the first time I’ve been in this situation and I hate it. Why is it so hard for people to think a bit ahead and make room for others too? It’s not the first time I’ve seen this woman on the bus either, so I know she’s not just a newbie. She is just an egoistic asshole.

This is just one of the hundred reasons why I hate using public transportation. You have to rely on people to use their brain. I better bite the sour apple and fix my bike while I’m still sane.

Maybe it’s just me, but the last week, I have noticed an increasing number of girls that decided to wear short skirts and pantyhose. This disregarding the fact that in the same time, it has become pretty cold in the mornings and after the dark sets in (approximately 0-5 degrees celcius).

C has noticed it too. Being a Chinese, she find it very odd and irrational this time of the year. Its like girls here are desperate to use their skirts before it is definitely too late. I would have argued that it already was and expect plenty of colds to hit sporadically among the female race the next weeks ahead.

Its not that I’m complaining or anything (I am a man, aren’t I?), but got to wonder what sparks this behaviour.

Am I the only Dane that has noticed this trend?

…. You should have been around me yesterday. After 4-5 hours of writing a review of the new Acer Predator on my laptop, it suddenly died. Bluescreen and all.

It tried to reboot but nothing helped. Couldn’t even get to where it repaired the hard drive. The bluescreen gave random error descriptions every time, but it looked like hardware trouble. I figured it could be either memory or hard disk issues, so removed half the memory twice, with no effect.

Then after repetitive retries, it suddenly booted only to crash as I pointed my mouse on the document with the review. Doh.

The semi-success made me a bit optimistic, so tried rebooting plenty of times and at last it came around and I managed to drag the document to C computer (on the net). Then as I released the mouse… crash.

The document was saved though, and even though I still lost worth 1½ hours work (didn’t save a long time, as I was caught up in writing), I saved twice that. Better than starting all over, right?

It seems that I got the machine up again, and by deleting some .tmp files in the user catalogue. Still crossing my fingers. That will be decided by trial and error the next days.

Still a major DOH, and yes, I almost cried….

So I’ve re-opened my Facebook account. Could have sworn I wouldn’t, but turns out it’s getting an important part of the net for many people.

It’s still flooded with games and annoying info, but guess I just have to get use to that to get the good stuff from it. The good stuff being keeping up with and renewing old connections, which is the part I really like. I’ll have to look into the privacy and general settings to keep the worst “spam” at bay though.

This may have interest for the Danes reading this blog.

For curious non-Danes: don’t think more about it. It’s a petition for Danes being allowed double citizenship, which is not legal atm.

Think I have to re-evaluate our marriage.

This evening as I helped my wife out with some Danish translations she accidentally called me 教师 (teacher).

Here I should have been writing a whole lot about how we tried to get our money back from the Chinese bank. As you may know, they decided to “withdraw” the fee we already paid here in Denmark from the transferred cash, instead of getting them from the Danish bank as the OUR agreement states they should.

As you can guess I won’t write any of those things.

Why? Well, C finally caved and agreed that we’d probably never see the money anyway, and the trouble of trying wasn’t worth the possible refund. We’ve been getting nowhere, and the ICBC isn’t helpful at all. So we gave up. Hands down. You win our money this round you no good lazy crooks ICBC.

From now on we’ll follow the advice of commenters here, and use the SHA code for future transfers. Not happy to be “forced” to do so, but that’s the only way to make sure our money isn’t stolen unexplainably lost.

I’d like to add this to the good people in charge of transfer procedures at the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China though: lazy two-timing wankers!

Blogging wil continue….. hopefully.

I’m not taking any chances, so I bought some UV filter sunglasses and will eat my daily snack 5 minutes before they push the button. Not taking any chances with that one.

Mmm…. snack… *drool*

Recently we sent some money to Cs father and mother. We’ve done so a few times already, because they need the necessary doe to prepare passport and visa for their hopefully upcoming trip to visit us here in Denmark. For us the fees are peanuts, but for them, it’s a whole lot of money.

We have sent money before, but normally we mailed them by regular letters. This march, we tried transferring the cash between our bank, and theirs (the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China). It turned out to be no easier task to arrange, and in the end and not faster either. At least it is way more secure…. I thought.

The last 2 transfers we made didn’t make it completely. Both of them were 100USD.

Here’s a brief explanation to how such transactions is supposed to work:

When you transfer money you can do it via PC bank (I did this). First you write name of the receiver, his bank account number, the receiving banks BIC/IBAN numbers and their name. This part can be hard to obtain from Denmark.

Then you have to note which way to pay the transferring fees. There are 3 options usable:

OUR: Sender pays all fees
SHA: Fees are shared between sender and receiver
BEN: Receiver pays all fees (deducts them from the sent money)

I picked OUR, since all costs would be paid by us, and a clean 100USD would arrive and not 98.50 or 101.75 or similar. The tricky part is how these fees are distributed between the banks after you hit “done”. It goes like this:

1. I pay 100USD to be sent. Also I pay a 15USD + 8USD fee for the transactions. Both fees are given to the Danish bank (so I spend 123USD all in all)
2. My bank sends 100USD to the Chinese bank with a note to withdraw their fee from the Danish bank (the15USD).
3. The 100USD goes straight to the receiver’s bank account.

This is how it’s supposed to be…..supposed.

Now – you’re probably thinking: how can this go wrong? It’s an internationally agreed way to transfer money? The rules are clear (even I understand them ok?).

So why is it that there is only 85USD transferred to my father-in-laws account? He tried asking, but the local branch insisted that only 85USD was received.

C called the bank’s main seat instead, but after a long talk, it ended up with *surprise and suspense*: nothing new.

The semi-stupid employee couldn’t see any details and never revealed whether they had actually received 100USD or only 85USD. She just talked and talked without saying anything. C asked for the details about the transaction, but was told that to see details, she would need the code for Cs father’s account. So C caved and asked me to check my transactions history again for clues. Maybe I had done something wrong since only 85USD arrived.

At first I couldn’t see what could go wrong. My transactions list showed this:

August 8th – 497,- DKR International transfer (100USD)
August 8th – 75,- DKR Transfer fee
August 8th – 40,- DKR Transfer fee

All deducted from my account the same day and within same minute.

After a while I suddenly realised that 75,- DKR equals about 15USD…. Hmm?

I discussed the whole matter with C and we ended up in the typical discussion of me jumping into conclusions about China end Chinese ways of doing things. I had to agree that I may have been a bit fast concluding that the fault must have been in the Chinese bank, so promised to call my bank (www.lsb.dk) and make sure everything went as I suspected on the Danish side of the deal.

After telling my tale to the banker, she told me that she would advice me to use the SHA code in the future. Not only was it cheaper, but it would solve our problem.

The problem, she said, was that some banks outside Europe (*sigh* - those ignorant non-Europeans?), don’t bother retrieving their part of the fee from the sender’s bank, but instead, they just rip them directly from the sent amount (in our case the 100USD, which in this case leaves *taaadaaa*…. 85 USD). So now it had suddenly turned to be a battle between the Danish and the Chinese bank’s statements. Us caught in the middle with no way of getting any evidence from the Chinese bank, while I could easily see the details and get help from the Danish bank.

After telling C what our Danish bank told me, she became a bit pissed, and decided to call the Chinese bank again to make them dig deeper. This time armed with the code to her fathers account.

Guess what: She got nothing. No further, nothing new, except more repressed rage and more doubt whether it may have been the Danish bank that made the mistake.

This morning I called my bank again, and asked them if they could verify that I had made no mistakes and that 100USD had actually left the bank to China. No need telling that I was told everything looked fine and the money had actually been sent according to the international agreements.

So here we are:

I’m 99,9% sure the Danish bank has transferred the money according to the international rules. Hell I actually did the work myself via PC bank, so the bank’s server has just done what I have asked it to. The employees even checked it out and found everything in order on their side… twice. They also told me that they have had previous experiences with some banks outside doing their part wrong (they didn’t say lazy, but I heard it between the lines). The numbers lost fit that version too. In general Danish banks are supposed to be pretty reliable (except Roskilde Bank of course < -- Danish insider humour).

The Chinese bank on the other hand, haven’t told us anything new, and can’t see any details. I also have experience with some Chinese bankers telling you “no – that can’t be done”, when they actually don’t know anything about it. It’s easier to keep a straight face and say it can’t be done, instead of checking it out. Poker faces can’t be lost, you know?

So, yes, I may be a bit biased, but with good reasons. I’ve had my run-ins with this Chinese bank? Who would you believe?

I PROMISE I will make a public statement saying sorry, if it turns out that the Danish bank or yours truly is the guilty party. I doubt you’ll live to see it though. My prediction is that we’ll never get to the bottom of this and the money is lost (unlike the Chinese bank's face?).

It’s not about the money. We can afford to loose those and we can send more if Cs father need them. Now it has turned into a matter of trust and principle. C is upset and want to persue the case. I told her to drop it, consider the money lost and keep her sanity instead.

Could be worse: I could be Ben Ross.

Look here too (Dare I mention that it’s the same bank we have trouble with in China?).

Stay tuned for part II unfolding while you read this.

Tags: bank, China, rant

Disclaimer: I am not paid to make this review. It’s done because I really like this bag, and feels it deserves a review (I couldn’t find others on the net when I tried before I made my purchase. I guess that goes for others too, so why not help them out?).

This Tuesday I got a parcel with my new Lowepro Fastpack 250 multiuse/camera bag.

The Lowepro Fastpack 250

I just HAD to write a review, even though no one asked me (that’s just the kinda fella I am). You didn’t ask for it, but you got it!

I have checked the net out for a long time. I needed a backpack to replace my “normal” one. The new one had to combine the following 3 purposes (in priority):

1. Easy DSLR camera storage (with fast access to the camera)
2. Roomy enough to carry an extra shirt, jacket or similar
3. Room for a laptop (in this case a 15.4”)

I also valued the following:

• Two shoulders traps for extra comfortable use (unlike the Lowepro Slingshot models with only “1½”)
• Pockets for whatever you carry on a normal day (cell phone, papers, pencils, paper tissues and so on)
• Nice design, but still a neutral black/grey look, which secures that it doesn’t look like it I’m carrying the crown jewels (thief attracting), but still enough to make people say “cool bag” at closer inspection. Tough task, right?

If you wonder, the Fastpack 250 does all of the above, except for the design which is lacking imho.

The hunt starts

Some might say that it would be an easy task with all the many different amazing backpacks on the market. I just couldn’t find one that had combined those mentioned 3 abilities and still weren’t too pricey, bulky or (insert other flaw).

My initial thought wasn’t Lowepro bags at all. KATA seemed more interesting. They have some cooler looking, yet functional bags. Unfortunately there was always tiny thing that didn’t make their range of bags perfect. Either they didn’t support 15.4” sized laptops, or the bag was described by buyers as “sucking water rather, than repelling it”. Small stuff like that.

The most difficult task for me though, was to find a bag, which had the easy access room for my DSLR camera. The choices were limited, and I almost bought one of the Lowepro Slingshot bags. Eventually I voted against it, because it didn’t look comfortable or fitting for long walks or daily use. I already borrowed my brothers Slingshot 100 on a recent vacation in Norway, and even though I loved it, it wasn’t really comfortable for long days. It didn’t have good room for much else than the camera either.

Eventually I fell over the Fastpack 250. My first reaction was that it didn’t look cool and I dismissed it as being too “schoolbaggy”. It also looked like 2 separate bags being stitched together on the middle: A camera bag in the bottom and a smaller multipurpose bag on top. Actually that’s pretty much how it is divided inside, but why let this show on the outer design? So I looked elsewhere for another bag. Eventually I always ended up with the Fastpack. As you already know, I bought this in the end.

The Lowepro Fastpack 250

So what’s so cool about it?

Well, as mentioned, I found the design both boring and ordinary. The usability on the other hand, is nothing less than excellent for my intended use: An everyday bag that also fitted my DSLR camera. I normally ride my bike to/from work, and I want to bring my camera if a cool got-to-shoot-situation suddenly shows up.

When I fruitlessly searched the net I even considered if I should design my own bag and start the sewing machine (yep, I was that desperate). When I finally decided on the Fastpack I slowly realised that it was exactly how I would have put it together myself. The rooms are put logically and I find it hard to see what could be changed except the outer design.

Interior layout

You could say that the bag is divided in 3 bigger compartments:
• DSLR camera room
• Laptop room
• Storage room

Then there are the smaller pockets around the bag. They are intended for the stuff that you can’t live without (like wallet, cell phone, etc.).

The bottom compartment (DSLR compartment)

The bottom compartment is made to host a DSLR camera. Not only is it flexible and can be adjusted to match the length of your fitted lens, but it also has smaller spaces for extra camera gear. As you can see from the one of the pictures below, I need more gear to put this compartment to good use (my wife/wallet disagrees so far though).

The easy access room opened

The best part of this room is the easy access side-entry opening, that lets you pull out your camera without taking the bag completely off first. On Lowepro.com, there is a product video that shows exactly how this works, if you’re curious. You should note that even though this is a great ability, it becomes more difficult to use as you stuff your bag and it gains weight. The overall weight of a full bag makes the process more cumbersome, but it doesn’t make the function obsolete. Keep in mind though, that it’s not as handy as with a lighter Slingbag type bag. This function is my main reason for buying the Fastpack and I haven’t regretted it one bit.

The easy access room completely opened

The room can be unzipped further, so you can access all the room from the front of the bag too. I’d say that that’s not what you’ll do mostly, unless you tend to change lenses and gear often. On the “lid” of the room, there is 2 small memory card sized pockets. Nice touch and very handy.

The only worry I have about this room, is that it’s not possible to make the room fit your camera lens 100%. The camera will therefore usually be a bit loose, but you should note that I don’t have one of the hugest lenses fitted. I miss an extra movable Velcro “wall” to secure the camera round the top of the lens. On the other hand, I think it won’t matter that much if the camera moves about slightly, as the sides are extremely soft.

The top compartment (storage room)

Its not on the big side (unlike what Lowepro might claim at their product video). Still, it’s big enough for my needs, which would be an extra T-shirt, thin jacket, my lunch and maybe a pair of light backup shoes for that rainy day. I’d say that you could fit all of the mentioned at the same time, but it would be awfully tight packed and I wouldn’t recommend it. The room is not deep (there has to be room for the camera in the bottom of the bag), so don’t expect to bring a newly pressed shirt and keep it unwrinkled.

The top compartment for additional storage

The compartment also contains the classic pockets for your wallet, cell phone and some pencils. There are more pockets than I need, but that’s how I like it. You can never have too many rooms, can you? One of the two rooms in cell phone size, I personally use for my USB cord (essential for those important transfers from my camera to a computer). My cell phone is placed elsewhere, and I’ll get back to that.

The laptop compartment

Well, what’s there to say really? My 15.4” laptop fits. On a normal daily basis I don’t bring my laptop, but it’s nice to know that it’s possible when needed. Instead I mostly use this room for papers. It may not be intended for that, but it does the job very well.

With laptop and papers inside

The laptop room as it looks empty

Other rooms

There are 3 other smaller rooms in the bag. Two of them are placed on the front of the bag. I use the biggest one for paper tissues at the moment, but there will probably be better uses for this room as I grow into the bag. It has 2 small pockets to strap the object so it won’t move around when you carry the bag. It is placed behind a loose “flap” of that covers the room from rain, and secures the camera compartment. Not sure this is necessary, but it does make it harder for pickpockets to get there.

Not sure what to do with this room, but sure seems to work for holding paper tissues

The other room is entered through the side. Nothing special about it and it’s like a big pocket. I guess it would be good to fit bus cards, maps or similar, as long as the items isn’t too large.

Flat room intented for fitting objects like bus cards and similar

On the opposite side from the camera opening, you find a net pocket that can be used to carry a bottle of water

Net pocket on the side

Then I should mention the last (but not least) Velcro-sealed pocket for your cell phone, mp3 player or similar (see I told you, I’d get back to where I put my phone). It is strategically placed on one of the shoulder straps for easy access. I never knew I needed this option, but I really do. I have fiddled with my old bag to get my cell phone out before it stopped ringing countless times. Now – no more. I love it.

My only concern about the room is its size, which may fit my Sony Ericsson 750i perfectly, but it can’t handle a bigger PDA/HTC/IPOD. Also it is not water resistant when closed, as the top sides to the phone are open. I regard this issue less of a problem for most users though, but may be worth noting.

Phone pocket on the shoulder strap

Build quality

Build quality is excellent. Lowepro may not be first in line regarding cool exterior design, but I have to acknowledge that their build quality is top notch. I can’t say that I have knowledge of how the bag does when used many years, but compared to my old ordinary backpack, I’d say that it’s at least equal. We talk about a bag that has served me for at least 7 years and its still in good shape.

Seems hard to kill off, right?

Comfort

Now – I know that not all people are build the same and my opinion about the comfort of carrying this bag, may not match yours. Still I’d argue that this bag is very comfortable to use for most people, even when it is full and heavy. Let’s face it, no bag is a dream to carry, and we’d rather not have to if we had a choice. On the other hand, we also know that most of the time it’s needed. And when so – you’d better have a good bag. Fastpack 250 is such a bag.

The padded back and straps

The shoulder straps are well-padded and seem durable. There also an extra waist belt to help you distribute weight evenly. The back of the bag is soft (but not too soft) and the fabric is filled with tiny holes (almost like a sturdy net) for the heat to escape and may save you a sweaty back.

It’s not the most expensive bag out there, but it isn’t the cheapest either. I’d call it a good value for money bag. I’d also bet that you can find even better and more comfortable bags out there, but not with the same options and same price range. To be honest I haven’t checked for pricier alternatives, but not sure you can match the options this bag has anyway.

Conclusion

It may be needless to say that I have come to terms with the slightly boring outer design, but I’ll mention it anyway, because that really is my only main concern. Everything else is as close to perfect as I have yet seen a bag to be.

If you need a camera friendly bag for everyday use (and one day trekking), that offers easy access camera room, space for extra lenses, extra storage and even room for most 15.4” laptops, then I highly recommend Fastpack 250.

The price is acceptable to most who want a high quality DSLR camera ready backpack (I bought it for 180US$ here in Denmark). There are alternatives, but not in this price range. I bet that other producers will follow with a bag with same options soon, but right now, I haven’t been able to find a comparable one (I’d love to hear from others if you have though).

The build quality is excellent and the bag is comfortable to use. I use mine every day, and already wonder how I could live without it.

There are alternatives to this bag, if you for example don’t need extra room for laptop or storage, so check the market first. Id say that the bag is pretty big (bigger than my old ordinary backpack), but not too big. I don’t feel like a hiker when I carry the bag, but blend in nice with others who use backpacks every day in the city.

Using the bag for a singe day’s trekking is also quite nice. It’s not a replacement for a real hiker’s rucksack, so don’t expect it to be. It’s first and last a camera backpack for every day use. It brings the best from 2 worlds: Everyday storage and a good comfortable camera bag. Please note: If you don’t have a DSLR camera – don’t buy the bag and complain to me about the bags design afterwards.

I bought if online from a Danish shop for around 180US$ August 2008.

Less relevant info (worth mentioning though)

• You can get the bag in a slightly bigger version named Fastpack 350.
• There are 2 older versions out there too (Fastpack 100 and 200, but they don’t offer the laptop room)
• You can get the bag in three different colours: Black (the tested one), blue or red.

Upsides

• Water resistant (don’t dive with it though)
• Excellent easy access DSLR camera room
• Possible to take your camera out without taking the bag completely off
• Acceptable sized room for your accessories, spare clothes etc.
• Laptop room
• Comfortable fit
• Price is good

Downsides

• Loose camera in the bag
• Phone-pocket not water resistant
• Price may not appeal to all
• Design may not appeal to all

Update: Still use the bag and still love it… now more than 7 months later and counting. Input or questions is appreciated, so ask or tell away good people. :-)

Links:

http://www.lowepro.com/

Tags: bag, camera, fastpack, lowepro, review

Need to brush up on your Chinese character recognition?

Then maybe Stig in Shanghai has a handy tool for you. This is a link is to his blog, which is in Danish, but no worries… Read on.

Check the game out yourself here. (In English and Danish if you like too).

There is both a web and a flash version. The latter can be used directly on your cellphone for the long hours in bus or train (need flashplayer installed on it though). Pretty cool stuff.

Kudos to Stig!

Tags: characters, China, game, learning

What the h… did Mark “Da Shan” Rowswell do in the Olympics parade?

I read that he is attached as a “consultant” to the Canadian sports people, but why was he allowed to walk in the parade with them? It’s a sportsman event, not an “I-love-to-see-myself-in-the-media-event”, is it? Any one but me who would like to see him and Paris Hilton battle it out in a celebrity death match?

Unfortunately I didn’t get a still of his happy face as he walked with all the other athletes. I have to admit that it pissed me a bit off, which may have caught your attention. But on the other hand, plenty of other countries probably had their “Da Shan” with them too and that didn’t give me rage. So maybe it’s just because I don’t like Da Shan very much (no offence Canada!).

Actually the opening ceremony was a bit so-so if you ask me. I’m a grumpy hard to impress bitch, I know, but I had expected a bit more from a land that invented the Craptaculars. Cool in all ways, but missed that little extra to make me go “wauw”.

The most fascinating thing I saw was when the Danish flagbearer Joachim B. Olsen carried the flag in one streched arm only. All other athletes I noticed had to use both hands and a strap to do the round. It seemed absolutely grotesque how the long flagstaff looked like a twig in his hand. Guess you have to be a world-class shortputter to get an arm like that and not worry about straining it before the contest begins?

Tags: China, olympics

Sixth in the series of ”What we did in Norway on our vacation pictures”

Sometimes pictures say more than words (at least when they are accompanied by wording, right?).
Continue Reading »

Tags: fishing, food, norway, vacation

Fifth in the series of ”What we did in Norway on our vacation pictures” and some thoughts

I had a small discussion with C the other day. It followed one of my many friendly taunts regarding C’s love for fruit and fish. More precicely: free fruit and fish of course. She does love them bought too, but I’ve noticed that there is nothing better for her, than for example cherries freshly picked from a public tree (read: free).

The fruit could be second rate tasty, but that doesn’t matter, they are the best ever. Last year, C picked many kilos of cherries from a park. She kept them in the freezer and took out a few 100g once in a while. Some weren’t even all red, but they were still the best cherries in the world.

She also loves apples, pears and plums. Sour apples are good too. If they are too sour, she just doesn’t eat the skin, or give them to our rabbits.

On our vacation in Norway we caught some fish in the fjord. None were too small. They were free of charge and C loved them. She also managed to catch some tiny crabs. They were so small that they couldn’t have had any meat on then. Fortunately she only found out how to catch these on our last day there, so she didn’t manage to overstuff our portable freezer box. The crabs were used for hot pot back home in Denmark. Luckily I wasn’t home when that feast was prepared. I don’t care much for fish/sea smell. According to C they were yummy.

So back to our discussion. After friendly teasing C a bit about Chinese peoples love for free fruits and fish, she suddenly said: “Not all Chinese are like that, you know? You can’t generalize like that”. And she was of course right. On the other hand 99% of the Chinese has a bit of that in them.

So I agreed that she was right, but also pointed out that her entire family also had a fondness for free berries, to which she of course protested wildly. The protests stopped after I went to my computer and pulled out a picture from when we were in China showing her entire family buried inside a bush with berries and C in front having just turned around with both her arms in the air with a big happy “I-got-free-berries-smile”. After showing her that pictures she just grinned, punched me and said: “Du er dum!” (in English: You’re stupid!)

Gotta love her. Generally she always gets most from everything and in most cases it turns out that I’m just a no good Danish slacker. She’s excellent at shopping. She always gets best price and never buy stuff we don’t need. Our money budget is lower now than when I lived alone! That ought to start some thoughts inside my thick skull right?

Here are some related pictures from Norway:

C showing off some wild strawberries she just found while we had a break in driving

C looking for more wild strawberries

C and an apple tree plantation (she loves apple trees that much, yes)

C showing one of the many strawberries I bought for her after standing in line for 10mins. They were excellent. A Norwegian lady told me that they were the best in Norway. Some statement, but after tasting them, I would tend to agree

Kojak showing off his catch – a few bottles of Norwegian cognac bought at Vinmonopolet

Tags: china vs denmark, food, man vs woman, norway

This post is inspired by Ben’s recent entry.

My wife always tells me that she does not feel full for a long time unless she eats rice. If we eat Danish food (potatoes, pasta, salad, bread or whatever) one day, she will often complain that she miss rice the next.

When I giggled at her attempt to convince me to eat rice for dinner, she said something like this: “You don’t know what it’s like. I’m Chinese, and we NEED rice”. I believed her. I remembered how I missed huge chunks of meat when she moved here, and the menu suddenly changed to meaty to “vegetably” overnight.

By now I don’t eat that much meat anymore, but sometimes I crave for a huge beef or similar. As my wife started working, I noticed that she started yearning meat after a long days work too. Then she went back to studying and changed again. Now she work again, and guess what?

When she studied she didn’t use as much energy as now when she is walking/moving all day, so that might be the explanation? Now I pretty sure the two goes hand in hand. Work = crave meat. Less physically active = less meat.

Of course that doesn’t explain why Chinese eat less meat generally, unless you think they work less hard? ;-)

Tags: China, china vs denmark, food

U.S Senator Sam Brownback, claims that some Beijing hotels had their arms twisted on their back and was forced to install surveillance equipment to spy on their guests Internet usage.

At a conference he handed out translated documents to back his claims. According to the documents, hotels who fail to comply with the instructions will be fined 5.000 yuan for an individual and 15.000 yuan for an organization.

Read more here or here

Tags: China

A very cool t-shirt

Should have worn it last summer. I would have earned roughly 100kuai just on “hellos”.

Tags: China, Humour