Bryson Favorites

The Green Can - posted 10 Jun 2005

There it was!! Before my very eyes! I felt like a five year old in a candy shop. My friends said they had never seen my eyes get so big. I stood in complete shock. When suddenly it hit me…. Open the door and get it before its gone! And then it was in my hand: a real Green Can. Just the way I remembered: Green with red writing. A real, actual Mountain Dew!!

I was in Oliver’s, a western-oriented store near my future home in New World Garden section of Dongguan. I had just finished dinner with a couple of associates from work, after visiting a nearby plant, and had stopped in New World Garden to look at another apartment. Seems somehow my first apartment option had fallen through. I had just found another eight floors higher, but I’ll have to wait another two weeks for it. I didn’t care, I was looking at a Mountain Dew!!

We had stopped at Dicken’s for dinner. We didn’t know how good it would be. It satisfied. Oh did it satisfy. I had one of the best cheeseburgers I had had in a month. Far better than a McD type. And Buds were on special at two for one. A great dinner.

But now we were in Oliver’s. I had been there in March, when Keith Estes, my friend from AKZO finishing company, had taken me by to see what was available. What a great little store. They had Lay’s chips, Planter’s peanuts, Mexican food, Absolute vodka, steaks, lamb chops, salmon, and other great western-oriented treats.

Mountain Dew was the highlight! Anyone that knows me well, knows I have had one around 10 AM every morning for years. I bought all their stock. All 2! The storekeeper said he might have more on Friday. He asked why Americans loved them so much. I don’t think he really cared as long as he sold so many.

You know, I didn’t even see how much I paid for a can. I didn’t really care. After stocking up with some crackers, peanuts, Cranberry juice, ice cream bars for my friends, and, of course, the Mountain Dew, it all totaled more than dinner. That was about $155 yuan or $18US. Dinner for three of us had only cost $12!! And that included my beer.

And now I have Mountain Dew!! At least I’ll have it for two wonderful mornings!

posted by A Bryson (formerly) in China @ 6:14 PM Comments: 0

Zhuzhu - our masseuse at Decca "hotel"

posted by A Bryson (formerly) in China @ 5:59 PM Comments: 0

They Charged Me!! - posted 3 Jun 2005

Well, I’m officially a Decca employee here now. I know it, because I now have to pay for a massage!! No more courtesy two hour massage! Drat! It’s not even two hours anymore. It’s only 1 ½ hour. And I have to pay like all the other managers here.

I guess they were being kind to me the first couple of times. I was treated like a guest to the hotel, and provided a free massage. A two hour special.

Okay, the two hours was really a little too long. And yea, I can’t even tell you what I missed last night. Still seemed awfully good. In fact, I think it was the best yet. I feel great today!!

But now they charge me!! Last night it cost me 100 Yuan Renminbi!! Can you believe it. They charge me! 100 Yuan Renminbi. You know what that is in US$. That’s about $12.08 US. I mean come on, a Kohler Spa Golfer’s Massage only cost $165 for 75 minutes, and a Pinehurst #2 Special is $140 for 70 minutes. ………..ahhhhhh, wait a minute. I think I’ll accept the charge. I gotta go schedule next week’s massage.

posted by A Bryson (formerly) in China @ 9:15 PM Comments: 0