Monday 12 August — Birthday
Celebration of a friend's birthday, and mine simultaneously, with two other friends.
Tuesday 13 August — Misunderstanding
A situation erupts, leading to an unfortunate misunderstanding with one of the people with whom I celebrated my birthday.
Walk with a friend, who gave me a gift for my birthday.
Wednesday 14 August — Update
Site update.
Browsing regional news and government websites, looking for Russia-China topics/events.
Thursday 15 August — Research
Russian grammar and bibliographic research, in my room.
Friday 16 August — A particular day
Call with a friend from the CEADs summer school. Some of the international students are going to group together to ask for a partial refund. Before their trip, they received information that contradicted what actually happened.
American rap songs are blaring from cars passing in the street.
On the way to the library, Chinese people pose in front of the Lenin statue.
At the supermarket, I run into a young man wearing what appears to be a military uniform (boots, camouflage trousers and vest, white T-shirt with blue stripes, and a camouflage cap). His sleeves are rolled up, revealing a tattoo on his right forearm that looks (I am not sure), in my opinion, like a black sun symbol.
Library. A woman in her fifties strikes up a conversation with me. She asks me to write my name on a piece of paper, and touches my field notes. Strange.
Same place. A man in his fifties approaches me, introducing himself as a doctor. He asks me for all my contacts and social media, and takes a photo of me. He puts a device on my wrist connected to his iPad that takes health measurements, let's say. He is a massage therapist and he wants me to come to his practice. He does things with my fingers, a kind of test-massage, then he goes around the table, grabs my neck and throat, and starts the same kind of thing. I stop him there and leave. Polite, but strange and suspicious.
Saturday 17 August — Bank and bookshop
Resolving an account problem that was blocking most of my possible money transactions, at the local bank (Russian bank account).
Heading to the antique shop next to the supermarket. A bus full of Chinese tourists is parked in front. It is as if the supermarket were a planned stop on their visit to the city. That would make sense since there is also the antique shop. During my first stay, I thought I would find "real things" in this antique shop, located in a strange basement. But if it is a stop on the Chinese tourist circuit, that is another story. Moreover, there are Chinese stickers on the door, indicating the entrance to the antique shop.
I walk towards Три Кита. On the way, I run into a bus full of Chinese. They get off, heading towards the neighbouring shopping centre. The bus driver has a Russian appearance.
Maybe I should do two of these circuits. One in China, one in Russia.
I obtained a library card that allows me to access its books. I wandered in the Sino-Russian books section. Many resources.
I went out with a friend. We came across the Russian company involved in the construction of the cable car. On its façade, there is the company name (which is actually a group of companies), and also other company names (those that make up the group).
Sunday 18 August — Concert and preparation
Planning the transfer to Heihe, China.
My Chinese friend Van Bo invites me to stay at his place when I go to meet him in Qiqihar.
Concert of a French-speaking friend at Harat's pub.
First page of a book by Анатолий Безуглов.