The husband and wife were from Hawaii and they were here so that she could teach and that they might eventually get a business going. Well, the Pop, a guy a few years younger than I, but still in his thirties turns out to be a skateboarder- and a pretty good one at that I have to say. We talked for a long time and they were really cool. He filled me in on the new location of the skate shop and said that he could take me there. Well, two days later and after a night of drinking six pitchers of beer together; eating Peking Duck, Crepe's and Sushi we got together and went out to the new skate shop. The RDS Shop- Red Skate Shop: and by 'red' they mean 'communist'. I have to say that that's a pretty cool name. I would buy an RDS deck with Mao on it if they made one. That would be pretty tough. Well, the shop's located behind the train station in the new underground mall. Who knows what the mall's called: It's all Chinese to me, but they have a nice space. I would have never found it though if Nathan, the Hawaiian I met at McD's, hadn't a brought me there. What you don't know is that these 'underground malls' are huge, five story deep labyrinths that once you enter there's no leaving from the same entrance again. I usually avoid them because I'm afraid that when I do finally find an exit- any exit, I will be in a different time period. I believe that they are really time portals cleverly disguised as 'Underground Malls' and this is why China had closed it's doors to the rest of the world for so long. They have lots of secrets here. I could be wrong and perhaps they are just 'underground malls' or it could be that the solitude has driven me mad. You might think that I can talk to my daughter but her first language has long since become Chinese, so I am in a way lost in space already so why wouldn't I be delivered through a 'time portal' smartly disguised as an Underground Mall? And why wouldn't these 'portals' exist in China? I think I'm on to something here. RDS Shop is owned by two skaters: Wang Hong Tao a 25 year old from Dalian who's been skating since 1992 and his partner Yang Kang a 26 year old skater from Dalian who's been skating since 1997. Keith: Hey Mr. Wang, how many skaters are there in Dalian? (Mr. Wang) Maybe 60 to 80. Wow, that's a lot. What do you like to skate? (Mr. Wang) Street. There are no ramps or half pipes there was one but it is broken now. What are the most popular decks that you sell? (Wang) Justice and Boiling. We have sole dealer ship rights for them in Dalian. I heard from Nate that some kid from Shanyang has been buying the decks direct from the factory there and bringing them down to Dalian and selling them for a 10 Yuan less. What do you think of the new Shanghai park? (Wang) Great! What's your best trick? (Wang) Double kickflip down a twelve step or any kickflip trick. (there are nods of approval from all the locals in the shop) What inspired you to skate here in China especially in 1992? (Wang) I saw a video of Tony Hawk at that time and it inspired me. What's your favorite music? (Wang) Hip Hop and Punk. (this is where I go into detail about a German Punk band playing at some crazy underground club tonight and that I might go if my daughter is up for it after dinner. Finally all of the guys understand wheres the club). (Wang) There is a punk skater in town. He has a lot of tattoos. He has a band called Kill Jason. Cool. What's the future of skating in Dalian? (Wang) It will become more popular. There are many more young kids getting into it then before. --This is where Yang Kang walks into the shop. He's not as clean cut and stylish as Mr. Wang. He definitely looks more veteran and old school. He's got that 'stoned' skater look but I can guarantee you that no one here smokes pot:It's a capital offense- like line 'em up and shoot 'em dead offense. Hey, I'm Keith. I'm glad to meet you. (Mr. Yang) Me too. What do you like about your shop? (Yang) My hot girlfriend from Shanghai. (she's standing next to him. She smiles and tickles/punches him in the stomach.) Yeah, she is hot. What's your best trick? (Yang) Falling down. And second best trick is getting back up. We then took some pictures and they talked to Nathan a bit. He's going back to Hawaii in two days so he will come back tomorrow and skate with the 'bras'. After about ten more minutes Nathan and I make our way out of the Underground into a strange new world of a completely different era. There you have it, the inside scoop from Dalian China. The RDS shop had some Volcom Rasta clothing and a few ballcaps. They have a number of jeans and a few different Shoes: A lot of Globes, but I think the inventory changes weekly and I just happened to see the Globes this week. All in all the guys were very friendly and cool. If I didn't have a stiff, permanently bent middle finger that would easily snap in a different place if I were fall, I might go and join them skating-even though I can barely ollie and kickflip yeah, yeah the old man excuses start to come out. Well, I can tell you this; I was planning on having my finger removed in Germany in February and then I will start riding again. I'll be a forty year old, nine fingered skater, writer and punk musician. If you're still not impressed ask your Dads what they were doing when they were forty... hell, your dads might not even be forty yet!