The Selling Fields

Earlier on I was talking to Jerry's mom, and she found out I liked hiking, and immediately invited me to go with her and Jerry's dad. They go every Sunday and today was no exception. I got up at 8:30, and got ready. Basically they told me everything I needed to bring, making sure I had plenty of water, and giving me some food to put in my bag. I thought we were going to be hitting the road without breakfast but I was mistaken. Jerry's dad and I went and got the car, then picked up Jerry's mom, who had been buying breakfast. It was a seasame seed cake with some sweet rice milk to drink. On the drive up we passed a steaming gash in the side of one mountain, which the parents said was a volcanoe. I think. They said it was a fire mountian, which I would think would mean volcanoe, but I'm not sure. We also passed about 100 bikers. It was a long hill, and they were almost all still going up.

After finding a parking space we all unloaded. We had brought YuanYuan along, and I carried her for a bit, in one of those under arm bags. They always look a little foolish to me, but it was kind of enjoyable. After we got on the trail, the parents let her loose, and she sprinted around just like all dogs do when they're outside. The scenery was very beautiful, even though it was absurdly crowded. About half way we passed a little temple. I think someone lived beside it too, because there were chickens and roosters running around. We were mostly in a pretty normal deciduous forest, but at one point we went through some bamboo. I was surprised by how thick it was. There were some patches that I couldn't even see through.

At the end of the hike we reached an old volcanoe crater, where we stopped to have lunch. I had rice, rice noodles, and regular noodles. I think there were some shrimp in the noodles, but I'm not sure. We walked back almost the same way, except for at the very end. We veered off and went through a little meadow beside a lake, and came out a little bit down the road from the car. On the way I saw a 2 foot long goldfish. Must be a different species.

Once we got back into town, and got cleaned up we went to sign the contract on my apartment and drop off my stuff. Kuan and his mom both came along. I had sort of forgotten what the inside looked like, but it was nicer than I remembered, so I was stoked. I was also glad to have Jerry's mom along. I knew if she approved, it had to be good, and I couldn't be getting the wool pulled over my eyes. I thouroughly perused the contract, but it was in Chinese so I didn't understand a bit of it. Even though I had an apartment, I was going back to stay at their house for one more night, because Kuan was going to help me get my own cell phone (I had been borrowing his) in the morning. After we got the contract sorted out, we went shopping. To CostCo.

I think the whole CostCo complex must be about 200' from top to bottom. They have 2 floors of shopping above ground (each of which is between 35-45'), and 3 levels of parking below ground. We parked on the second level down, and I noticed that the sign directing people up to the shopping literally means (as far as I understand) selling fields. I'm sure of the word for sell, and the other one is the same character used for baseball or soccer field. It really was just like a selling field too. They have elevated moving walkways instead of escalators, so people can bring their carts along. When we came out onto the main floor my first impression was of some sort of Asian stock market. Many short dark haired people milling around and talking with occasional disturbances and flurries of activity.

We were routed straight to the second floor, and given a chance to make some impulse purchases before we made our way to the first floor to buy some dinner. We got sushi for dinner, and they also got some regular supplies for their home. After dinner, I watched a little more TV with the fam before bed.