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Funny but unique China

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China Shark:

--- Quote from: 'JimB' pid='2830' dateline='1242264954' ---
The only thing I can think of at the moment. I tip.  I know in China you are not supposed to but i can not help it.  at one restaurant.  i leave maybe 5 or 6 yuan. no big deal.  we are halfway down the block when this waiter comes running up to us.  he is nearly out of breath and tries to hand me the money back.  Saying i left it at the table.  I have Benny tell him no i left it on purpose and it is a tip.  He just looks at it and then at me and still tries to hand it back.  This kid has never been tipped in his life. He still tries to give it back.  I tell him no, it is his money.  Finally he hands it to Benny.  I tell Benny to give it back to him.  he finally gets angry and stomps away.  Not be be outdone. I walk back to the place. Put the money back on the table and walk out.  Here he comes again. So this time I take it back.  Then i pull out a 10 yuan note and give it to him.  I have benny tell him it is for all of his running.  I enjoyed watching him.  The rest start laughing, so he takes the money and puts it in his pocket but would still not take the original money.
The other thing i wrote on our facebook site.  we went into the Muslim area to buy some tea in Xi'an.  While there we see this woman screaming at this man and she is picking things up and throwing them at him.  Paper rocks, whatever.  i know this is not the place for us.  AS a big crowd in gathereing around. so I start to walk away when this turbaned gentleman walks up to me and asks me who I am and where i was from.  Knowing this was not the place to be an American.  I tell him the first thing i can think of.  My name is Ronan and I am from Ireland.  Now i can put a bit of a lilt in my voice as I am irish anyway.  he looks at me for a minute, I am looking for a place to go if he does not buy this.  Finally he smiles and says welcome.  The girls look at me like a king and off we go to find my tea.  Later I find out Angel had no idea what was going on.  Candy tried to tell her but without success. As far as I know she still does not know how close we were to a problem.  Guys stay away from the Muslim section of Xi'an and do not tell them your name is Ronan, they have heard that one already.

--- End quote ---
Here is my rant for the day. Chinese driving is something for everyone to experience at least once in your life. It seems the only rules are anything goes as long as you get away with it. So far I've traveled via bus, train, electric bike, plane, trike and am sure I'll experience other forms of transportation while I live here. Have to say I consider myself a courageous driver in the states yet am not sure I'de want to drive in any major city in China, call me a wimp yet the Chinese either have nerves of steel or have a perpetual death wish on the rode. In good conscience I can say I have probably been in no less than 50 almost accidents in less than 4 months living here. Most of the near accidents always seem to occur on buses going to or coming from work. Taxi drivers and bus drivers are a breed unto themselves, guess it is about racing to the next fare or keeping a schedule. They all seem to wait until the very last second before committing to stop, many times the bus literally stop within a couple of inches of the vehicle in front of it. The odd part is that the drivers very rarely have road rage like back home. Guess everyone deep down inside know they were contributing to the mess by drively recklessly. The one thing I find interesting is the general attitude or indifference to what I would consider selfish western ways {only thinking about yourself while behind the wheel}. Funny how that stereotype of Asian driving is so dead on the money and a fact of life. Kind of curious as to what it costs to get car insurance here. Odd as it may seem you very very rarely see accidents occur. I think it is because the Chinese seem so inscinct with one another. Guys that have spent extended trips I'm sure have experienced quite a bit of this unique driving style.
China Shark Mike

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