| So, what do you have to do? What is the catch? | | | | next to actually being in China yourself. Go over |
| Who said there was a catch anyway? Sure, that | | | | there. Take the Fort Hamilton Bus; I believe it is |
| invitation sounds unbelievable, and it sounds like it | | | | the B16, but check with MTA just in case that is |
| cannot possibly be real. But wait, maybe there is | | | | incorrect. I am telling you that from memory not |
| some bits of truth in there. How can you get a | | | | from my notes. |
| free trip to China? No, I am not saying to get a | | | | You will come to endless aisles of fruits, |
| video of China and visit in your mind. I am not | | | | vegetables, ancient foods, interesting foods, and |
| saying to pretend you are in China and not see | | | | some specials also, depending on the day you go |
| the Chinese people or reach out and touch | | | | there. For example, the day that I walked in, |
| Chinese artifacts or eat Chinese food. Here is how | | | | there was a man bagging kirby cucumbers and |
| you can have a free trip to China. | | | | there must have been at least twenty or thirty |
| Ahh, I see you are still waiting for the catch. And, | | | | cucumbers in that one bag. He kept bagging them |
| perhaps you are partially correct, there might be | | | | and saying they cost only one dollar! Wow, where |
| one catch or two but it will not cost you any | | | | can you get a whole bag of kirbys for only one |
| extra money. Do not run to make your | | | | dollar? Usually, kirbys cost about 80 cents to one |
| reservations. Do not go out and spend lots of | | | | dollar per pound! So that was the special today. |
| money on a brand new wardrobe or electric | | | | I purchased the oranges, which at the time were |
| converters. Wait. Here is how you can go to | | | | selling for about five for two dollars! Excellent |
| China, right here. Yes, you can go to China right | | | | because they were so big and they looked plump |
| here. | | | | and juicy. Wow, to my surprise, when I got them |
| I hear you, you are still wondering, how can that | | | | home and unwrapped the peel, I saw that these |
| be? How can anyone take a trip to China for | | | | oranges had a reddish/pink tinge to them, almost |
| free? And you figure there is no way to do that, | | | | similar to the pink grapefruits only deeper in color. |
| correct? Well there are a few different ways to | | | | And they were absolutely delicious and well worth |
| do that and I will let you know some of them | | | | the money that I paid for them. |
| right here. First I will list the ways, and then you | | | | All through the store, from the packaging to the |
| can choose your own way. And I would love to | | | | products, to the displays to the employees and to |
| hear your ideas, suggestions and comments on | | | | the customers, you will think you are really in |
| my thoughts here. Do you have a better way to | | | | China and not in the United States any more. |
| get a free trip to China. Send it this way. | | | | Even the fish department, the live department will |
| First, some ways, and after this list, more details: | | | | be so reminiscent of China, you will not believe |
| | | | your eyes. There were live fish in huge tanks, and |
| 1. Go to Chinatown. Yes, you heard. You must | | | | there were trays of fish right in front of you still |
| visit Chinatown in New York City. Take the bus or | | | | trying to gasp their last breath. And, yes, they did |
| train over the Chinatown. If you go to downtown | | | | look like they were suffering even though |
| Brooklyn, you will find a bus called the B51 and it | | | | salespeople will tend to tell you that fish do not |
| goes straight to Chinatown right from Brooklyn. It | | | | feel. Ha, how in the world could a fish not feel? |
| does a look through the city there in lower | | | | Well, I am just thinking of seeing them trying to |
| Manhattan and even goes past City Hall. Once you | | | | breathe in the air because there was not enough |
| are in Chinatown, you will see why I call this a | | | | water to cover them up. Do not care what |
| free trip to China. | | | | anyone says, that has to be painful. Have you |
| 2. Go to Brooklyn, New York and find The Great | | | | ever tried breathing under water without |
| Wall supermarket on Fort Hamilton Parkway. You | | | | scuba-diving equipment? Probably not! But I would |
| will be right at home here. Details are below. | | | | bet that if you tried that you would be in some |
| 3. Go to 8th Avenue in Brooklyn, from the forties | | | | great pain and probably have lungs and or brain |
| to the seventies and you will find another large | | | | that would be permanently damaged. Well, there |
| area in our city that is a mini-Chinatown. | | | | you go, right back in China, with that experience |
| Here are more details about The Great Wall. | | | | of seeing the fish breathe their last breaths in the |
| There are so many things that you will see inside | | | | air, not in water. |
| The Great Wall. First, almost everyone indoors | | | | Yes, you will see the Chinese decorations and be |
| there will be speaking Chinese or Cantonese or | | | | able to purchase Chinese souvenirs, those big |
| some other Eastern/Oriental language or dialect. | | | | dogs, and great selections of chopsticks. And |
| The employees are all Eastern and or Oriental. | | | | most of the packaging sports all Chinese language |
| When you first walk in the door, to the right, you | | | | and Chinese words on them. Your selection of |
| will think that you have entered the doors of an | | | | chopsticks here, and quite reasonable prices too, |
| ancient acupuncture artist because there are jars | | | | is great. You can choose from wooden ones, |
| and jars and jars of all sorts of herbs and | | | | bamboo and some plastic ones that look like |
| concoctions, names that you can not even | | | | imitation ivory. They are plain and painted and all |
| pronounce. These twisted, brown,yellow and other | | | | are useful and beautiful. I found packs of |
| color herbs and plants line the shelf, all in large | | | | chopsticks there about ten in a pack or twenty in |
| jars. The signs on the jars tell you that some of | | | | one pack for under two dollars. You cannot beat |
| these ancient herbs and plants are almost ninety | | | | that price. |
| dollars a pound and or more or less. And the | | | | There were scores of buckets with all kinds of |
| amounts on the shelves let you know that | | | | fish from tuna to octopus, from salmon to scrod; |
| someone, somewhere is using these ancient | | | | all these fish were there, cleaned , scaled and on |
| medicine herbs to do some healing. This counter, | | | | display and yes, tons of shrimp graced the display |
| the herb, pharmaceutical counter is on the left and | | | | also. So there you are right in the middle of an |
| you will pass it on the way out, unless you go in | | | | absolutely, genuine Chinese fish market right in the |
| there first, walk around the store and come to it | | | | supermarket. I went to the counter and asked if |
| first. On the right is the long ramp; yes, the store | | | | they took American Express Travelers Checks, |
| is wheelchair accessible, so you are welcome to | | | | and the lady said, no. So, if you come here bring |
| shop here, and or just browse. There are no | | | | cash for your purchases. This place is a nice store |
| salespeople clamoring to ask you what you want. | | | | to bring the youngsters to if you want them to |
| You are on your own, in your own space to | | | | have a genuine Chinese experience without having |
| browse at a leisurely pace. | | | | to pay for the plane fare for a trip to China. They |
| Go over to The Great Wall supermarket on Fort | | | | can learn as much here as they can from a trip |
| Hamilton Parkway in Brooklyn, New York or go | | | | there, at least in that small amount of time that |
| over to the other Chinese supermarket that is on | | | | you have. |
| 86th Street in Brooklyn, NY, USA, and spend | | | | So, next time you want to go to the Great Wall |
| some hours there. You will think and almost | | | | of China, do not head for the airport, just head |
| believe that you are right in China. And that is | | | | for the B16 bus and that will take you right to a |
| probably the closest experience that you will have | | | | free trip to China! |