Published by Swiss James on 21 May 2007 at 02:07 pm
Rainbows and sunshine
On Sunday with the weather blazing and The World’s Greatest Kite itching to get up into the blue, I went to Century Park with the enigmatic Emma. It’s a nice enough place, but when you pay 10RMB (70p- more than I pay for my lunch) to get into a place, you don’t expect there to be a “No Kites” rule. At that sort of price I expect to be allowed to light all of the trees on fire for my amusement, then go fishing for Koi Carp.
Well we had a walk around for a while, Emma wanted to go on a boat but I had flashbacks to renting a Pedlo in Lloret De Mar back in ‘86, (my Mum lost her glasses in the sea, and I got stung by a jellyfish- never again). After a quick circuit and a sprint through the musical fountain we got out of the park and headed down Century Avenue, where you can fly as many kites as you like without whitey getting on your back.
And fly it did- despite the kite hawkers all down the avenue telling me mine was small and ugly (sometimes knowing Chinese isn’t so cool)- The World’s Greatest Kite had no hesitation in soaring straight upwards to the full length of the string. I have no idea how high it was (maybe about the same as a 50 storey building? I’m not good at estimates) regardless, it was the highest one, a mere speck in the sky. Emma was suitably impressed- so much so that she wouldn’t give me the bloody string back once I’d lent it to her and I had to find my own amusements.
Bottom left, Emma- top, top, top right- our speck of a kite
Wandering around by the Science and Technology Museum, a short walk from the park, there were some kids on Skateboards, with one guy in particular pulling off some quality stunts. I took a few photos and then got over-excited, kicked off my shoes and socks and waded into the water for to get a better angle.
What’s good fun is to glue bits of broken glass to your kite string then use it to severe all the other kite strings till yours is the only one flying. It also helps to avoid the “my kite is better / faster / higher than yours” comments.
Did you get any photographs of Emma standing on her own on the banks of the pond with your shoes and socks in one hand, the kite in the other hand, your bag draped round her neck and an extra pair of sunglasses on top of her head?
You should write a book, something like “Guaranteed leg-openers – 100 dating tips, by James T Creegan”.
Book?? We don’t want any Tom, Dick or Craig knowing all our secrets!
The master at work again…..this guy can really show the girls a good time!! Did you end the night off with another showing of Happy Feet?
I’m well up for wrecking some other people’s kites- no-one’s taking this bad boy down, I know that for sure.
Dingle / Wiggy / WoAi- the first time I ever took a girl on a date we went to Doncaster Museum and then a tea shop. So you see, it can’t be taught, I’ve just always had the magic touch with the laydeeez.
This would be a great time for any girls to chip in with “Actually, I think that sounds like a great date”. And I’m looking particularly at you Holly, since you are the only confirmed sighting of a girl reading this site!
Everyone knows that if you dig a hole then eventually you’ll end up in China, but what happens when you fly a kite with an unlimited string?
I can honestly say that when i read about that lucky lady being taken to Doncaster museum and then a tea shop, I thought ‘Aww that sounds really nice. What a gent’.
Better than getting her drunk and feeling her up on the back of a bus. That’s what I got from Nicholas on our first date.
Thanks Holly, although perhaps I should’ve finished the story. “and then I got her drunk and felt her up on the back of a bus”
Cracking photo of the skateboarder, James. Shame there are none of you in the water though. That whole thing about kiting with glass on the string – you should read The Kite Runner, a book set in Afghanistan by a guy whose name I can’t remember – sounds Afghani no doubt. It’s an alright book but it’s pretty interesting to learn about Afghanistan before things went all tits up. Oh, and there’s kiting. An running. And cutting other people’s kites down with glassy string.
Have you taken Emma to the Shanghai museum yet? I think they have a proper tea shop there. Should be a bus route that goes past for afterwards.
WoAi- She keeps talking about us going to the Shanghai Museum in fact, AND she’s the only person I know in Shanghai who ever takes the bus.
Liam- thanks for that tip, and the comment about the photo. No-one else mentioned it, nor the real life rainbow I captured on the first one- bloody pearls before swine if you ask me.
khaled hossini wrote the kite runner, and it´s a brilliant book as haggis says. i´ve just spent about 10 minutes marvelling at the skateboard picture, good work as always snr creegan. i was forced to buy another camera, only automatic (boo hiss), as i broke the 3rd of the year rolling down a cobbled hill drunk, have my fingers crossed taht i can get near the quality of yours.
murv- I used one of these, same lens too- but suspect you’re travelling around too much to be bothering with film.
I hear rumours your Dom is going to Korea? Tell him to get in touch! I know loads about that carry on!
its also unlikely that i aill be able to get one in the next 6 weeks before i get home. i´m sure the photos of me in bed/work/bars/gym don´t need the crystal clarity to show the mundanity of my manchester life.
dom seems pretty set on it yeah, can you get facebook out there? it seems to be the new way to communicate over distances of more than 2 foot.
have fun in korea…
Facebook yeah, can someone please explain to me why I keep getting emails telling me I’ve been added as people’s friend, even though I don’t have a profile on there?
Also, what’s the difference between that and MySpace, another thing I never update online. I remember when this whole internet fad was just fields
I remember when all the area around the Pearl TV Tower was just fields.
Facebook is the new Friendster and everyone seems to be on it now including yours truly. So come on and join the fun!
yes but what was the point of the old Friendster?!? What fun are people having?!
its where people talk about you behind your back james – look:
http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=2432238245&created&suggest