The PRC's 60th Anniversary

More Vietnam/Cambodia pics to come, I promise. But today was just too important of a day to not write about.

Crazy day of celebrations in Beijing! It was pretty awesome to actually experience this event in China. While Shane, Han Feng, and I were only able to watch the event in our apartment, we were still able to hear the sound of cannon-fire and roaring jets from our window. Very cool.

First off, please check out my thoughts regarding this anniversary on Wokai's blog.

Now for some more informal ramblings.

The parade itself was really ridiculous! Leave it to China to wow us yet again with an impressive display of scale that was also ridiculously precise--no detail was spared.

Funny though how it first started off with a HUGE and awe-inspiring (if not scary) display of military might (not to mention the nukes that were shamelessly paraded down. now that was pretty scary):

Which quickly turned into a friendly "let's just dance and sing and celebrate" parade with warm and fuzzy flowers, floats, and dancers:


President Hu Jintao is pretty baller. I mean, seriously, who didn't want to be him as he rode down the route proclaiming: "同志们辛苦了!" ("Laborous comrades!") and hearing the defeaning response of thousands of military men and women say: "为人们服务!!" ("We serve the people!"). That was just insane.


But seriously, that Mao-esque suit he was wearing is amazing. I need to get me one of those:

Paulina also suggests that I must grow out my hair like that as well. Will keep that in mind.

Thanks to Shane's girlfriend, Han Feng, who, like all Chinese, had taken a few military classes in school, I know now how to do the military goose-walk! It has now become my favorite mode of transportation. Pedestrians beware.

Little did I know, but this was also China's opportunity to showcase its most eligible bachelorettes! A platoon of women in military uniforms, all in impeccable unison, and carrying rifles? Seriously, what more can a man ask for?