Chinese amusement parks, more park than amusements

     I am lucky to have not experienced much culture shock after my first week in Asia. However I do often find things peculiar and when I do I photograph them and share them with you. My experience yesterday was unmatched. Part of our training is team building activities, our leaders took us to a Chinese amusement park called OCT East. I am not sure how this place could qualify for amusements, but certainly for a park. It had about four rides, lots of restaurants and shops, and it was built into the side of a fucking mountain. Expect charlie horses.

          I went with some friends on a wooden rollercoaster, gives your brain a good shake. It was not so much the queue or the ride, but the walk up. I have never walked up such a steep hill in my life. It could have been a 60 degree incline for probably half a mile. And it was hot.

         

          Right after that nonsense was over we went on a gondola to get lunch. I would not recommend this gondola to anyone with a fear of heights. It went over MORE MOUNTAINS. And felt a little bit rickety. I once rode in the Gateway Arch in Missouri. That did not end well. I made myself look like a complete idiot because we were in this dark cage that swung back  and fourth as we made our way up. Here is me circa 2011 in the Gateway Arch. (On a side note I was somehow perfectly fine on the Carrick a Rede in Ireland).

  

       Speaking of fear of heights. I don't know how anyone can stomach this one. 

But anyways after lunch we went to the bar in the park. I find it very disappointing that China does not have much of a microbrewing culture. But this park had  German microbrews. 

After a few we ditched the park and went to a Chinese beach. Now let me tell you, the photos you have seen of these beaches are real. I have never been to such a crowded beach in my entire life. There were people, bamboo mats, and umbrellas covering every inch. Also people were not in typical beach dress. Most of the girls were in dressy dresses or clubbing clothes. The women were in business attire. And everyone I kid you not had a floatie. And the lifeguard was on a jetski.

I was also pulled into what could have been a viral marketing campaign. I don’t really know. I was in a sea of people with matching teeshirts and doing a chant with a pose. There were TV cameras, an announcer and a microphone. I’m going to be online somewhere. Hopefully it is not propaganda.

After the theme park I had Sunday Funday with my fellow teachers at a street bbq across the street from the hotel. It definitely reminded me of all the Sundays I spent drinking alfresco with Christine and Faith at home. It was quite lovely.