The Countdown Begins!!!

[Winston]

Wow hypermak.

I'll bet you type very fast. How do you come up with long posts so fast?

How do you know so much about Hong Kong? You said you've been there too. It seems that's another similarity with you and PD. lol. So you and PD have London and Hong Kong in common too. What are the odds? lol

I don't agree that HK has any soul though. I didn't see any at all. Most of my HA friends agree, like ethan_sg, zboy1 and bao3niang. It has a similar vibe as Taiwan - CCS - Closed, Cliquish, Shallow/Superficial. Very similar to California. Outside of California and such CCS countries, the vibe feels more positive and soulful and authentic. And I no longer feel as awkward.

When did you go to Taiwan? Why didn't you contact me when you went there? So you didn't notice any awkwardness there at all? Everything was normal and open and authentic and wild? lol. Like Brazil and Russia? You could flirt with any girl you want? lol. Taiwan is definitely CCS. Didn't you notice it?

Next door to my parents house is a monastery with nuns. When I went there the other day for fun, the nuns were grouchy and asked what business I had there. Not very friendly. My parents told me they were like that to them too, so it wasn't just me. You would think that nuns and monks should be friendly, aren't they supposed to be spiritual and non-worldly? But hey, this is Taiwan and that's Taiwanese character - to be grouchy and grumpy and negative. It's crystal clear. The Taiwanese in America where I grew up, are like that too. Nothing new. How is that "friendly"? I don't see this friendliness that people talk about in Taiwan. All I see are rude grouchy faces most of the time. Why doesn't anyone admit that? Surely you have the guts to admit it if you saw it right?

I don't agree Taiwan has any unique culture. What culture? Only drab buildings. The temples are all the same - you seen one you seen them all. Nothing interesting or unique at all. Yesterday I tried to sit on a bench, but mosquitos and insects kept biting me. I had bite marks all over my arms. So you can't even enjoy the outdoors in Taiwan. How is that "so wonderful and beautiful" as many claim Taiwan is? Pray tell.

Also most Taiwan restaurant menus have one or two pages only. In China, restaurant menus have 15 or 20 pages usually. No comparison. China has a ton of variety. Taiwan doesn't. Yet no one points that out. Not even Winston Serpentza who has done many videos on China. All he does is say what's popular and cool.

Why am I the only one who sees obvious things? Is it because everyone else is a computer program and I'm the only living soul or "user" like in Tron? lol

[hypermak]

Wow hypermak.

I'll bet you type very fast. How do you come up with long posts so fast?

How do you know so much about Hong Kong? You said you've been there too. It seems that's another similarity with you and PD. lol. So you and PD have London and Hong Kong in common too. What are the odds? lol

I have travelled to a few places. Singapore and Hong Kong are some of the most common Asian destinations. No idea where Publicduende has been but why, again, is it such a surprise? The differences between SG and HK are very, very evident to anyone. Singapore didn't even exist as such until the 50s while Hong Kong has centuries of history and heritage. That's what makes it more authentic and soulful, to use your terms. Seems pretty obvious to me.

I don't agree that HK has any soul though. I didn't see any at all. Most of my HA friends agree, like ethan_sg, zboy1 and bao3niang. It has a similar vibe as Taiwan - CCS - Closed, Cliquish, Shallow/Superficial. Very similar to California. Outside of California and such CCS countries, the vibe feels more positive and soulful and authentic. And I no longer feel as awkward.

Doesn't this prove my point? As an accompanied tourist, I saw the best of Taiwan and it looked a dream. Perhaps if I hadn't had Matteo to give me such a warm welcome, I would have had a different experience. If I had decided to settle in Taipei with a standard job, I would have had a different experience.

When did you go to Taiwan? Why didn't you contact me when you went there? So you didn't notice any awkwardness there at all? Everything was normal and open and authentic and wild? lol. Like Brazil and Russia? You could flirt with any girl you want? lol. Taiwan is definitely CCS. Didn't you notice it?

I was in Taiwan in 2012, I didn't know you or this forum. That was also the time where I spent a couple of days in Singapore, by the way.

[Winston]

Accompanied or not hypermak, you can see the vibes and soul of the country. When I first arrived in Russia I was not accompanied yet I could feel the vibes and soul very strongly. You don't need a tour guide to show you that. Come on. You know that. Vibes are vibes. You can feel them by yourself, whether in Italy or anywhere else. So this makes no sense. So you only saw smiles in Taiwan? Did any girls make eye contact with you? Did they look open and approachable like in Russia or Brazil? lol. Was there a free flowing "anything goes" type of vibe? Come on. You are a living soul right? Surely you can feel these things too. You can feel when people are cold and cliquish right? In HK too, no one looks at you. Everyone is like a busy ant. They see totally soulless and walk so fast they almost bump into you. In Russia, people walk slowly and savor life minute by minute, that's the European attitude. You don't see it in Asia, where everything is all about money and no soul.

[hypermak]

Accompanied or not hypermak, you can see the vibes and soul of the country. When I first arrived in Russia I was not accompanied yet I could feel the vibes and soul very strongly. You don't need a tour guide to show you that. Come on. You know that. Vibes are vibes. You can feel them by yourself, whether in Italy or anywhere else. So this makes no sense. So you only saw smiles in Taiwan? Did any girls make eye contact with you? Did they look open and approachable like in Russia or Brazil? lol. Was there a free flowing "anything goes" type of vibe? Come on. You are a living soul right? Surely you can feel these things too. You can feel when people are cold and cliquish right? In HK too, no one looks at you. Everyone is like a busy ant. They see totally soulless and walk so fast they almost bump into you. In Russia, people walk slowly and savor life minute by minute, that's the European attitude. You don't see it in Asia, where everything is all about money and no soul.

I told you, I didn't have any negative vibe in Taiwan, @Winston. I only had a limited number of experiences there, so I might be wrong.

One one Saturday night Matteo/Xinhong invited me to a very classy bar to introduce me to his fiancee (or wife, don't remember anymore) and a few of her friends were there. At least 2 of them were as hot as hell and I was tempted to make a move. One of them sat on my lap for a while, towards the end of the night. Nothing more happened, but I had enough cues to know that she could have ended in bed with me if I wanted. Was she drunk, or just "friendly and approachable"? Who knows?

[yick]

We Italians are not as accustomed to foreigners as, say, the British and the French. There are still lots of people who don't know how to act politically correct towards an African or Asian member of their community, even if they are second-generation, so fully Italian citizens who speak Italian with the local accent, go to local schools etc.

The only thing I find relatively annoying about Italians is their stubborness in wanting to call everbody who looks Asian, a "Chinese". When working in Italy, many times I heard other kitchen staff including my sous or head referring to Asian patrons as "the Chinese". In some cases I would give them a quick glimpse and realise that they were much more likely to be Japanese, Korean or Thai.

I know it takes some time to get accustomed to the details of different Asian races look like and I know that, sometimes, it's hard to actually tell the nationality from their facial or body features. Yet, I don't like when people are lazy and don't make an effort.

It is like that in Spain also, a lot worse to be honest, I find their childish racism annoying but the Chinese seem to get it worse than blacks or Arabs. Saying that, I was in Galicia in the north west of Spain and a lot of the local neighbourhood bars were being took over by Chinese owners, pretty good but their tapas have took a downturn.

The Spanish male and female basketball teams before they went to the Beijing Olympics... like I said, idiotic.





And an extra for these intellectual and soulful people - some Serbian women, very pretty and athletic and all that but hey... still thick as shit!

[Winston]

That makes no sense hypermak. If a girl sat on your lap why didnt u take her home or try to? Why would a taiwanese girl do that with a guy she just met? They are the least likely to do that. They dont even make eye contact. Usually they try to pretend you dont exist even if theyre my cousins or second cousins. How? Its like UFOs. You hear about them but u never see them. Didnt u go outside in Taiwan and see all the grouchy self hating repressed faces in Taiwan? Especially from women? Its as obvious as the blue sky. I swear. How can i be the only one who sees it? Thats impossible.

[hypermak]

That makes no sense hypermak. If a girl sat on your lap why didnt u take her home or try to? Why would a taiwanese girl do that with a guy she just met? They are the least likely to do that. They dont even make eye contact. Usually they try to pretend you dont exist even if theyre my cousins or second cousins. How? Its like UFOs. You hear about them but u never see them. Didnt u go outside in Taiwan and see all the grouchy self hating repressed faces in Taiwan? Especially from women? Its as obvious as the blue sky. I swear. How can i be the only one who sees it? Thats impossible.

Because I was staying at Matteo's family home and it would have been rude for me to have a one-night-stand with a random woman in his parents' house. She wasn't that straight in your face or anything, but she did drop the fact that she was still single a few times and, towards the end of the night, she got a bit touchy-feely, more than I would have expected from a Taiwanese girl.

Maybe the girls you meet on the street won't give you eye contact, but that's the same in Italy! Meeting them in a place that's designed for socialising while getting tipsy and a maybe a bit frisky, like a bar or a private party, is probably quite a different experience. Have you ever been to one of these in Taiwan, perhaps with a friend of two who knew you and could introduce you to his friends?

[hypermak]

The Spanish male and female basketball teams before they went to the Beijing Olympics... like I said, idiotic.

[...]

And an extra for these intellectual and soulful people - some Serbian women, very pretty and athletic and all that but hey... still thick as shit!

[...]

LOL I am sure the local audience didn't find the gesture amusing, no matter how cute and innocent it was meant to be. But anyway, it was the 2008 Beijing Olympics and China just had to put up their best face for everyone in town!

[Tsar]

Now waiting at the airport. I hope I will be as successful in Bulgaria/East Europe as I believe I will be.

My previous solo travel abroad made this possible because last time was to get myself this freedom and opportunity. I was essentially told I couldn't check-in on the US passport. When I mentioned I was a dual citizen I was allowed to leave.

I predicted this sort of difficulty to leave would happen, just not in the way it did or how soon.

[Moretorque]

I thought I would never be saying this but I am jealouse..

[E Irizarry R&B Singer]

Now waiting at the airport. I hope I will be as successful in Bulgaria/East Europe as I believe I will be.

My previous solo travel abroad made this possible because last time was to get myself this freedom and opportunity. I was essentially told I couldn't check-in on the US passport. When I mentioned I was a dual citizen I was allowed to leave.

I predicted this sort of difficulty to leave would happen, just not in the way it did or how soon.

How bad are the face-diaper requirements in ALL of these places in Europe on your journey thus far? Please, please, please take your time & explain every point you have traveled through this time around.

[Tsar]

Netherlands requires them but some I think some Chinese didn't obey the rules because they lowered their masks to talk.

[gsjackson]

Last I heard the Netherlands doesn't require them outdoors. They tried to make it mandatory in a heavily trafficked area of Amsterdam, but couldn't enforce it. But that's been over two months ago.

[Italianman]

Now waiting at the airport. I hope I will be as successful in Bulgaria/East Europe as I believe I will be.

My previous solo travel abroad made this possible because last time was to get myself this freedom and opportunity. I was essentially told I couldn't check-in on the US passport. When I mentioned I was a dual citizen I was allowed to leave.

I predicted this sort of difficulty to leave would happen, just not in the way it did or how soon.

Bulgaria? Aha, are you kidding? Bulgaria is like one big BORING Iowa! The absolute ineptitude of posters on this website is mind-blowing

[Contrarian Expatriate]

Now waiting at the airport. I hope I will be as successful in Bulgaria/East Europe as I believe I will be.

My previous solo travel abroad made this possible because last time was to get myself this freedom and opportunity. I was essentially told I couldn't check-in on the US passport. When I mentioned I was a dual citizen I was allowed to leave.

I predicted this sort of difficulty to leave would happen, just not in the way it did or how soon.

Bulgaria? Aha, are you kidding? Bulgaria is like one big BORING Iowa! The absolute ineptitude of posters on this website is mind-blowing

I was underwhelmed by Sofia, but I want to give Plovdiv and Varna a chance at some point.