Sunday, December 12, 2010

Crimble and capoeira

So. I was going to write a big fat post but after having farted about with the last one that I never posted, the internet being painfully slow, the VPN not playing nice and me being far too easily distracted, that doesn't seem to be happening too quickly.

Anyway, since last writing, the Expo is finally over and the pavilions being ripped to pieces and carted off to god-knows-where, and there's a whole army of Haibaos with no place to go. Money well spent to be sure. The day after it finished, pollution shot up. There was a strange haze in the air and it seems someone somewhere flipped a switch and sent out the call for all construction to begin again with haste, and make up for the last 6 months' worth of sitting idle.

Flo did the Shanghai marathon last weekend and despite an injured foot managed to do it in a very reasonable 4.20. It was almost as difficult trying to go and watch it as it was running it! No strike that. It's obviously a lie but it was a pain in the butt... a terrible map, my shocking orientation skills and absolute anarchy at the finish line meant I didn't manage to see him until the 41st kilometer which wasn't very supportive though I had spent the last three hours trying to get to where he'd be, only to miss him by a matter of minutes each time! I did pretend that I was going to do the half for a while but while Flo was out of action after (yet another) kitesurfing injury I wasn't feeling very motivated and I rediscovered caopeira instead. It's been a mighty long time since I ginga'ed and I'm ashamed to say I have forgotten almost everything I knew and am back to beginners classes again. After 6 or so weeks it is starting to come back but I'm also 5 years older and even less flexible than ever. It's a great group though and there are still familiar faces from the original capoeira crew from way back when and the early days in Shanghai when I used to occasionally rock up and roll around on the grass in Luxun Park with the motley crew of wannabe capoeristas, all in thrall to Simon of the dreads, the most advanced among us. These days Simon's moved on, had a haircut and wears a suit somewhere else in the world and it's a far more organized affair, conveniently on my way home from work and, well, I just don't go out much anymore so I have a lot more time to have a hobby.

Work is fine is work is work. Not much to say really, go have a nose round if you feel like like seeing what it's all about. Christmas is coming and the goose is getting fat, and I can't wait to be home now. As soon as it gets to the point when there's less than ten days to go, it gets a whole lot harder to concentrate on what's at hand over here. Christmas shopping is (mostly) done, Flo has gone back west already and I'll be joining him on the 20th December. We'll be having a Gallic Christmas and best of British Boxing Day and New Year and I cannee wait to see the lot of yez (and maybe even some snow)!

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