Buying a bicycle here is an interesting experience. My associate, Ed, had already gone out in search twice and twice returned empty handed(mei you), but last night he had some resolve and decided it was the night for bikes! I decided at the last minute to go along for the ride... so to speak... after not hearing from another foriegn teacher who had, despite not being single, decided to take part in the Bachelor festivities(there really aren't any festivities, they just drink I think). Also I have been expressing the desire for a bicycle to with which to cruse the city and maybe ever get to school and back, although for that to happen with require a fairly large shift in my morning schedual.
Fundamentally all bicycles can be devided into two categories; New and second hand. It is the latter that we were interested. After a number of enquiries my colleague had discerned that the place to buy a bike was at the GanZhou park. So with the accompaniment of our previously mentioned mutual friend we set off towards the Park. No sooner then we get there that we are mobbed by more then a few shaddy characters. We talk to one and follow her into a back alley where she then shows us two bikes both looking nice and both of which my comrad rejects. We return to the park to follow another woman out into an even darker alley even further from the park to look at an even crappier bike. Rejected.
Again we return to the park, but this time they seem to want to bring the bikes to us which is fine enough. More and more I'd been losing sympathy for these shady dealers. By now though we've attracted a crowd, mostly remarking on our hight, my neighbour's command of Chinese, and my appearance and how I look chinese... I think it has something to do with my smallish nose and the fact that I've been too lazy here to wear contacts and have gone with glasses. One by one they go off and bring back a bike and one by one they're rejected, mostly on the grounds of price. Eventually, slightly dejected at the lack of success. On our way home our friend, Tio, decided to try one last place... notably less shady then they folks at the park. I got a nice little number with a basket on the front and Ed got a nice sportier model but with no basket.
One thing that should be mentioned is and the reason why I, besides my frugal nature, decided on a rather inexpensive bicycle, is that there seems to be an uncanny theft rate when it comes to bicycles here. In fact, it's probably the case that the bicycles we purchased themselves here stolen not long ago. In that same spirit I decided on a cheap lock as well... I'm reasonably certain it can be opened with a pen... but never mind. I now have a bike!
posted by Brett @ 10:31 PM
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