With the Danish couple saving us precious time, we left and started coming back before 4pm and I fully expected to have at least an hour back in my hotel before being collected once again for my trip to the Kung Fu, however the tour guide once again screwed me and decided to cut costs by taking me direct to the show and then drop me off, even though the doors didnt open for at least another hour.
The 20 yuan that he gave me for a taxi back to my hostel was barely a recompense for the shoddy treatment I had received during the day and was continuing to have now that it was evening time, and I was just glad that I had not booked any further tours with the same company.
To kill the hour and a half I had been told to go get something to eat in the nearby restaurants, but the only one that I liked the look was also very expensive, so in the end I figured it was better to pick one that I didnt like the look of and just go for something basic like chicken with rice and hope for the best. As it turned out I ended up chatting with a Chinese American who was here during spring break along with some friends and he had just gone off wandering to find something to do while his New York Uni buddies all went off to sample Chinese massages.
He was a nice enough guy, even if he was studying law, but even coming from California he was very laid back and made talking to a little bit lik hard work, so we ate and then parted company, him off exploring and me to my Kung Fu show.
Thankfully I didnt have to wait for very long before the show started, being promptly at 7:30 despite late comers still filtering in to their seats from the back. The place had some very efficient security and anyone trying to use their phone or camera to take pictures got red laser beamed and then repremanded quietly yet with enough force to ensure no one did it twice.
I had hoped for some good Kunf Fu exhibitions, along with board breaking and such, but instead it was more like a cross between an opera / acrobatics troupe and kung fu all in one. 180 yuan got me a ticket near the back, darn that no good tour guide, but it was still close enough to see the action without needing glasses but next time I will buy the ticket myself or specifically request a seat within the first 8 rows, rather than back near the exit.
It was nice to see, but not at all what I was expecting and even ignoring the opera storyline there was far too much acrobatics and too little actual martial arts combat sequences. Had I realised it would be thus I might have not gone but then in the end I was still glad that I had seen it, as now I know what to expect the next time I think of going to see any Shaolin Monk performances or exhibitions.
It finished around 9pm and it was a doddle to get a taxi and find myself back in my hostel with plenty of time to get some sleep for an early start tomorrow.
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