China - Day 16

Today we went to the ostrich farm. We left late morning, maybe 11 or so. Before we went to the farm we first went to see some of the new development in Zhengzhou. So, we saw some of the new high rises, used to relocate the peasants into high density housing, and a new convention center. The convention center was really big. It was something you wouldn't expect to find in Zhengzhou. But that is just part of all the new development happening here in China. There was a nice pond/lake right by the convention center. There was lots of koi in it, and We all fed them a little. We had lunch right next to the center. Near a lot of those big places, and all around really, there are cart type tricycles. Sort of the pick-up truck version of a bicycle. There was kettle corn, yams, some sugar coated fruit, as well as noodles there. So, that was a simple, yet effective lunch.

After eating we started driving to the ostrich farm. Driving in China is really fun and, at times, scary. The laws here, in general, are very loose. Compared to Beijing, everyone here drives a level or two more crazy. You just do what you want, as long as it helps you get where you want to a little bit faster. The road is filled with people, bicycles, tricycles, scooters, cars, buses, trucks, and many other things. Each driver has his own agenda, and will follow that, above any "laws."

I've took a tangent to the ostrich farm, but you get the idea. Driving here in Zhengzhou is different. Back to the original story. We heard about this ostrich farm from the Huangs. It was sort of vague, there were the ostriches, and there was something in water where you could get wet, but we (or I anyways) didn't really have a clear understanding of what this place was. This is probably because I never asked what the ostrich farm was. So, here is a short description of the farm.

It is more like a amusement park than a farm. When we here "farm" we think farm animals, big barns, tractors, things like that. This farm wasn't quite like that. There was the place where the ostriches were kept. It was just a long row of pens with a whole bunch of ostriches in them. The fences were not high at all. There was a solid concrete wall about waste high, and then there was a wire that was about 2 feet above that. So, the ostriches had at least half of their neck over the fence. Well, the ostriches didn't get out. So, I suppose they are doing their job well.

That was the beginning of the farm, where they kept the ostriches. However, that was just a very small portion of the entire farm. Because of hills and things, it was not possible to see the entire farm at once. Walking around it though, we found it to be very large. It didn't seem to end. This place was basically a Chinese amusement park. None of the rides had much regard, if any, to safety. They were pretty safe if you weren't stupid, but if you were not so bright, there could be consequences. Of course, here in China, suing is not really an option. That is, unless you know some one. So, on the farm there was some cool things.

All over on the farm there were "play areas." They reminded me of military obstacle courses. There was one upside down v shaped obstacle. It had the logs going up with gaps in between. It was pretty high. If you fell from the top, it would have hurt. There were lots of things like that. They combined height with unsteady footing to make some really fun things to climb on. Plus, at each on of those areas there were lines of hammocks calling your name. So, for the tired ones, rest was just a few steps away. All of these things were free. Well, free in the sense that they were included in the price of admission (30 qui, or a little under 5 dollars). There were also separate things to do which were set up by other people.

I don't know if all of the different things there were owned by the ostrich farm, or if people just rented the space, but there were a lot of things there. The first thing we went on was the horse riding, I think. On the first go around, the horses were really pretty boring (I didn't ever go one them, I'm just telling you what I heard, observed, or otherwise gathered). The horses were the type of horse that does not follow the driver. Tell it to do something, and it might do it, but it really depends on the mood that the horse was in. The horses just followed there course, which was a an oval track. The second time Katherine and Danny got on the horses (Danny did not ride the first time, my dad did. Katherine rode both times), my mom told the owners to get the horses to gallop. This was right before we left the ranch. So, I'm skipping a few hours here to keep the horse stuff together. Once the owners told them to gallop, the horses did gallop, and galloped the whole way along the track. The horses still did not follow any directions, but they knew the way, so it did not matter. Katherine had a lot of fun that time.

After that we went on some go cart type things. They were pretty slow... After that we went to ride the ostriches. That was fun. You don't get to really do anything, you just get to sit there, and have the people there guide you around a little. But hey, I've now ridden an ostrich. I'll let the pictures tell the rest of that story. We also went to raceway type ride. They are the little pretend Indy cars, or maybe stock cars describes it better (the picture will help). That was really fun. They actually had some speed in them. So, you could really get around. The track had all the tight turns, so it was fun seeing how fast you could take the corners. At some points, you could get the end of the car to whip around the corner, sort of like drifting. We all enjoyed that one.

There was a little petting zoo place there. You could feed the geese, bunnies, goats, and the pig. Then there was the grass toboggan. It was a tall hill with chute type tracks which were covered in a slippery nylon or some other synthetic. You go to the top, and then slide down in a toboggan. Hearing and watching the Chinese people do some of these things is part of the show. The faces, the screams, it is just funny. Anyway, that was also fun.

Then there was the jumpy jumper thing. You might have seem these things before. I'm sure you know them by a different name though. It is an apparatus that you hook yourself into with a harness. It has two bungee cords, one going left, the other going right, connected to two polls. The lady there would pull you down, and then let you go, and you would fly up twenty or so feet. I was something like a slingshot. When I went on it, she added a few more bungee cords and I got raised a little higher off the ground. I had seen Katherine and Danny do it, and she just pulled them down and let them go. Well, for me, she pulled me down, but because of the extra bungees, she had to hold on to the harness, and she actually went up with me. I'm not doing a good job with words, but the pictures will show you what I mean. That was also a really fun ride. That is about all we did there at the park. Hopefully I did not make it too painful to try and read through.

We had a really fun day today, and are looking forward to tomorrow. I took around 300 some photo today, and posted about 70 online. The address is http://picasaweb.google.com/Aznfold2/ChinaDay16
I've posted quite a few here, but there are more on the site. Enjoy!
-Aaron



You think I'm lying about the driving over here... Well, take a look at this evidence. Now, which way are the arrows pointing?

From China Day 16

The east entrance to the convention center. Off the the left (out of the picture) is the main portion of the building. The place was really big.

From China Day 16

All the little fish

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Us...

From China Day 16

I don't know what this building is. It is across the lake from the convention center.

From China Day 16

The guy we bought yams from. Can some one say foreigners?

From China Day 16

Just past the gate to to the ostrich farm

From China Day 16

On of the "play areas," well, part of it anyhow.

From China Day 16

It's a baby! It's an ostrich of course, don't be looking for a human in there, because you will not find one. You may think you see a distant relative though....

From China Day 16

The first time on the horses

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Danny on the ostrich

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All the other people always did this pose. The "hands out to make me look big" pose; So, when in Rome....

From China Day 16

Somebody doesn't own this ostrich

From China Day 16

I'm this big!

From China Day 16

This is a classic pose. It is normally accompanied by the words, QieZi! (egg plant), used like our "cheese!"

From China Day 16

Yay!

From China Day 16

"Look, ma! No hands!"

From China Day 16

I know, the resemblance is keen, but they are not related. (if you go to the actual photo online, you can zoom in, and that will help)

From China Day 16

I just notice that I did not write anything about the air cannons. There was one booth that had these cannons there. They were really powerful. They were really loud, and shot those balls really fast. They were also a lot of fun.

From China Day 16

The wall never stood a chance

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The Indy/stock car things.

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The tobaggan ride

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The giant slingshot. Ready for launch...

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Lift off!

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Ok, this is what I was trying to describe. She would hold on, and get carried up a little, then come back down. All to gain some momentum. Then she would let go and I would go up.

From China Day 16

Katherine is flying

From China Day 16

Ever wonder what it is like to be a hamster? Well, now you can excersise like one!

From China Day 16