CULTURE BAG: THINGS I FIND IMPRESSIVE/endlessly fascinating

photo courtesy of redicecreations.com

This is a “mirage”.  I use quotation marks because after seeing this video footage, I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE FRAK IT IS.  Supposedly it’s a “super/superior mirage” — which are supposedly common in China. Normally, when you see mirages, it comes off as a glimmer in the air, almost water-like when you’re in a 120-degree dessert or in the middle of traffic on a supremely hot day. But these mirages are different and are seen in the thin mists above the waters of oceans or rivers.

Okay, I’mma tell you — the first time I saw this video, I thought, “Okay. So where’s the mirage? I see a city, I see trees, where’s the mirage?” But the thing is, that IS the mirage! Weird, weird, weird. Original report found HERE.

Isn’t that just FASCINATING??! I must’ve replayed this video a bazillion times, trying to figure it out. I mean, come on, there is NO frakking way that could be a simple “mirage” created by the mist above the water. There’s actual LIGHTS in the windows of the buildings and the trees are swaying, like the wind’s playing with the boughs. Even more curious, if this were some weird reflection of the city around it, the buildings would be shaped differently, and it’d make more sense if there were a bridge somewhere in the mirage.

And here’s another picture of yet another mirage that was seen in the Shandong province of China:

photo courtesy of chinadaily.com

According to the article: “modern high-rise buildings, broad city streets and bustling cars as well as crowds of people were all clearly visible. Experts explained that a mirage is formed when moisture in the air becomes warmer than the temperature of sea water, which refracts rays of sunlight to create reflections of the landscape in the sky.”

FASCINATING.

You know what else I find fascinating? That the next Hatsune Miki concert will be in Los Angeles. And that the tickets are already sold out. I don’t know much about Hatsune Miki, but this article certainly helped. She’s a vocaloid software program turned popstar — think the Britney Spears effect back in the year 2000, and you’ll get the idea.

I don’t know what I find stranger — the fact that the overseas ticket sales for a live 3D hologram concert are sold out, or that there’s a “live” 3D hologram concert to begin with.

I mean, how “live” is it, really? Eerie, isn’t it?

Traveling back to CHINA, here are some of the things I found IMPRESSIVE:

photo courtesy of loyless on flickr, head's up via tywkiwdbi

Also, here’s mountain-climbing for you when you get to China:

photo courtesy of tywkiwdbi

And last, but not least, is a photo that made me say, “OUCH.”

photo courtesy of tywkiwdbi

Love and tacos,
Aliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice