Almost halloween

So not a whole lot's changed here in the last few weeks. We have had consistent good weather, like nearly every single day has been mostly sunny and 75. When I say mostly sunny though it's hard to describe, it's more like a very bright overcast, because there is smog everywhere. One of my favorite things to do is take my bike out and drive around West Lake. It's pretty incredible looking, especially when the sun is setting. What's nice about the smog is that you can actually look directly at the sun when it gets low, which I've got to say, over a huge lake with mountains behind it is pretty beautiful. The lake is the biggest draw that this city has, and there are people visiting all the time. When I'm driving my bike around the Chinese stare and just think it's peculiar, but it's very funny when I see a big tour bus full of European or American tourist, who look at me like I'm out of my mind. The other day Pat and I and another friend of ours from Canada, Dean, took our bikes to this tourist spot about 25 minutes away. We had to drive through this huge tunnel that seemed to last forever and was absolutely terrifying, as I had only a few inches on either side of my bike to maneuver and clipped my mirrors several times. When we finally got there we were in deep woods, which I hadn't seen anywhere else in China. I kept saying how great it smelled, I remember it being very distinct and very refreshing. I guess I had gotten used to walking around the cities where there is a constant lingering of some funk. Anyways, after hopping some fences we were able to tour these caves and giant buddhas carved out of a mountain for free, so the trip out was definitely worth it.

In other news, my fantasy football team in the Hangzhou expats league is in last place, out of ten. I am behind 3 Australians who have never watched an American football game before.

If there is someone out there who can explain to me why Chinese cab drivers change their shift during rush hour, I would appreciate it. It is impossible to get a cab between 4:00 and 5:30, not because they are full, but because they refuse to pick people up, and also continue to have their lights on. It drives me insane, just completely illogical.