Nunchuks and Such

These photographs were taken in the China area of Epcot, in Walt Disney World!  Danny and I are both big fans of Chinese culture.  Well, we can kind of claim that.  We've never been there.  We don't have any really close friends who are Chinese.  But, we do hang out in Chinatown a lot.  We both love dumplings and could probably survive off of just them and stir-fried vegetables.  Danny does martial arts and likes Bruce Lee.  However, we've never been there, so I don't really know much about the culture.  I do love what I know, though!

I know that I like pandas.  They are cute, vicious, endangered, and not actually bears.  They also look absolutely adorable on umbrellas.  It started raining the day that we visited Epcot, and there is a part of me that is still having shoppers remorse for not having bought this gem of an accessory.  But, in New York, I probably would have just been labeled as a teenage Harajuku girl wannabe.  Honestly, I do want to be that, but I'm generally more discreet than a giant panda umbrella.

I also know that the movie "Mulan," is set in China.  It is based off of... a Chinese legend?  I think?  I'm pretty sure she wasn't completely real.  Though, I might be wrong.  In any case, I seriously doubt that she had a talking dragon.  And, as funny as he is, I know he didn't sound like Eddie Murphy.  First off, he would have spoken Chinese.  Don't think Eddie Murphy speaks Chinese.  

Check out how beautiful that Mulan is!  She was lovely.  Talked in quotes from the movie and everything.  She was also very gracious to everyone who came up to her in a way that wasn't totally fake- a lot of the character actors around the park were extremely facetious, and overly spunky.  It made them slightly unpleasant at times. 

OK then, back to China.  Nunchuks.  I associate China with nunchucks.  Like these dandy little foam ones:

So fun!  Grr, I'm about to whack the crap out of those puppets... no not really.  I have no idea how to use nunchuks.  I'd just swing them around a lot and make angry noises.  I'm obviously super effective.

You know, it's weird.  I feel better about how I look in the nunchuck photograph than the one of Mulan and me.  It took me a while to figure out exactly why that is, but I think I've nailed it.  In the nunchuk pose, I'm not trying to be pretty or attractive.  I'm attempting to be quite the opposite, in fact.  Thus, there is no pressure to look particularly good.  I can be goofy and have face dimples and eye creases, and it doesn't matter because I'm pulling a Tina Fey and ignoring the fact that I could be potentially pretty for the sake of humor.  Not that I think I'm as pretty as Tina Fey, but you get my message.

Oh!  And now, for two more things I associate with China, quickly, as this post has gotten a big lengthy.

Gorgeous patterns with red and gold in them.  Those seem Chinese to me.

Also, the clay soldiers.  Those ones are Chinese, for certain.  I know I'm right on with this one.

As a closer- I hope I didn't offend anyone with my assumptions about what is Chinese.  Really, I tailored this to the photographs I happened to take while in Disney World.  I know quite a bit about Chinese history and culture from books and such... but I haven't experienced it.  If you feel like I have to, I would not be opposed to a trip there.  Especially if it was paid for.  

Anyone want to pay for me to go?  Anyone?

... alright then.  :)

Walt Disney World, Florida, USA