Strolling Solano

So dinner went well last night. About four my favorite housemates, Z and L (the two cute Chinese gals I mentioned in the last blog), asked me if I wanted to go with them to the Asian market. Seeing as I love the Asian culture and I'm always thirsty for new experience, I obliged. So we walked the mile to the market. At least I think it was about a mile. Next time I'll get my pedometer out to make sure. Anyways, so we walked down there and I must admit there were so many things I've never seen or tried before. So I took in pretty much everything. I wish I had my camera. Next time I will bring my camera. There were bean cakes and sweets and all the labels were in Japanese and Chinese and Vietnamese and the like and then we got to the meat section. I've never seen so much on the shelf. You had your typical cuts, or course. And then there were novelties such as pork brains--which L laughed at me for oogling over.

"Do you eat them?" she asked.
"No, they're just so awesome looking," I said, still dazed at seeing brains in a disposable container.
She laughed.

They, of course, had things that we in America would throw away and consider not edible--even if they could be used in some manner. It amazes me how thrifty and conscious people everywhere else are. They had live seafood too! Lobster and clams and mussels. The only thing that got to me was the smell of the fresh fish laying out on the ice. I don't think it was too fresh after sitting there all afternoon.

Then we went over the the Chinese food buffet in the store and got some dinner. We got flour noodles and rice noodles and rice and eggplant and Szechuan chicken and fried shrimp--which I couldn't eat because their heads were still attached...I found it very odd--and squid and tofu skin and ginger chicken. Let me tell you, this wasn't Panda Express. This was real Chinese food--though I'm sure I could find better quality somewhere else.

So we brought it home on the mile long journey. Z and L kept asking me if I had heard of this or tried that. To most of it, I said no. I've never felt so American in all my life. I thought I've lived a brave life so far and tried to incorporate as much into it as possible. It made me realize how much life I have left to live and how much I've yet to do.

Anyways, on the walk home I flirted with a cute tattooed guy and then I tripped in front of the same cute tattooed guy and made myself look like an idiot. And we got home around five. So we were only gone an hour, though I took in so much that it felt like it had been four.

Once we came home and forced the Vampire--I shall call her V--out of her room the environment wasn't as joyous. Z and L are really sweet and easy to get along with, but V just isn't. She's too much of a hermit and seems pretty self-righteous to me. Of course I wouldn't know because she's only said maybe ten words to me since I've moved in.

Yet, despite her cold presence at the table things between me Z and L still stayed pretty chatty and friendly. They asked me about school and continued to probe me for cultural experiences. They laughed when I shuddered at the idea of eating the head of the shrimp--and later at Z's like of fish heads--and they shuddered when I described Czernina--a Polish soup made from duck blood. It was altogether pleasant except for V. She soon retreated back to her den though. Apparently the liveliness was too much for her.

Today I slept in, didn't really do any homework--which I shall feel the wrath of tomorrow. I contemplated going straight to the Solano Stroll this morning, but I felt alone and bored and, of course, depressed because I was bored. So at 2, I decided I wanted to go and I wasn't going to sit around a miss the opportunity to experience life. Yay me! And since I had such a great time with them on Saturday, I invited Z and L with me.

So we walked the two miles (maybe even more) to Solano on the Ohlone Greenway which runs under the Bart. When we got to Solano about fourty minutes later, it was still packed. There was so much to take in. They had bands playing and interesting things to see. And of course there was food and drinks and stuff for sale. It was pretty great. I took some pictures. I'm getting tired, so perhaps it's just best to look at them. I don't think I could adequately describe the excitement. Stroll Album.