But I will be once the management company that runs the building decides to turn on the heat. I have heard two dates: the 10th and the 20th of October. Flint will know what I am talking about. In Korea, they did not turn on the heat before a certain date, even if everyone was freezing to death. And in the spring, there is another particular date they wait for to turn on the air conditioning. At least in Korea, the con-apts that I lived in had personal controls so you could heat up or cool down on your own. But not in this worker's paradise. You have to wait just like the rest of the peons.
That's one of the things I will miss about Canada; the thermostat. How did Azrael put it?
No pleasure,
no rapture,
no exquisite sin is greater...
than central air.
On Wednesday last, the owner of this place came in with a workman to replace the radiators.
That's right. I said radiators. Hot water, hissing pipes, the whole bit. I haven't seen radiators since... well jeez, I may be old, but I'm not that old. I don't think I've ever seen a place heated by radiators.
I keep getting warnings from the locals about how bitterly cold the winter is going to be. I'm Canadian, so I just smile quietly to myself. But I guess they think I won't be able to handle it, so the existing rads in my place were replaced with much bigger ones.
The owner and a workman first arrived about 10:30 (I was expecting them at 9:00), looked over what I had, and went away for three hours. When they came back, they spent the afternoon replacing three of the smaller ones with two larger ones, and adding two small ones together.
So I guess I'll be warm enough this winter (once they actually turn the damn hot water on).
By the way, someone asked about the hot water for my shower, if it lasts long enough.
Don't worry, it stays warm plenty. I couldn't say the same about the first shower I had (in Korea), I can tell you. The roommate they stuck me with wasn't too bright, and he couldn't figure out how to make the hot water heater work properly. So he made the school put in a whole new water heater, similar to what I have here in China (only smaller). The problem was, the gas line for it, she came in through the bathroom window (Heh) so that you couldn't close it all the way during the coldest winter in Korean history.
The second roommate I had was much smarter, and he figured out how to fix the water heater so it worked properly.
So to keep on with the upgrades, I've been going to the main part of town as well as exploring my own area, and seeing what there is in the way of shopping. I went downtown to a Carrefour, just to pick up some things to eat. It's a pretty good store. There's not a lot of foreign foods, but I'm used to finding what I need in an Asian supermarket.
Yesterday (Saturday), I went to the big shopping centre, Hongbo Century Square. It is near Harbin's train and bus stations, so there were a lot of big crowds milling around aimlessly. As a manly man among men, I don't like shopping. I like to get in and get out as quickly as possible. But I had to put up with a lot of slow-moving objects in my way. Flint would hate it.
But I did get a good look at what they have there. It's a big underground shopping mall, built somewhat like a maze. I saw some mooks panicking when they couldn't find their way in.
Heh.
I did see some nice looking clothes that I would like to buy, including some jackets that my sister was talking to me about a while ago. They have these high Manchu-type collars. Very cool.
And I got lost. I got on a bus that I thought was going to take me back to my own neighbourhood, but it went in a whole 'nother direction. I was able to use what Chinese I have learned so far to ask for directions and tell people where I wanted to go, so it all ended happily.
At least I've got that going for me.
Today I went to another shopping centre near my house, just the other side of a university. It's a big one, and it has a lot of stuff that I need. I just may make it my primary shopping place, as it's so convenient.
So it's all coming together.
Now, about that hot water...
