Shanghai’s Xiangyang Road Fashion and Gift Market is going the way of the Dodo. Known as the place to score luxury knockoffs like the Louis Vuitton bags, North “Fake” gear, cds and dvds, the market is being wiped out as part of the Shanghai goverment’s plan to redevelop the area.

I personally don’t understand why anyone would want the knockoffs. I mean, isn’t obvious it’s a fake? Why do people want a fake? What’s even more strange is that the owners know they’re fakes. Actually, what’s more mind boggling is that in a country known worldwide for knockoffs, this market is particularly famous for selling fakes. I wonder how this place came to score such a distinction.

I must change the optimistic tone of my previous Belize post. The rain is unusually hard and heavy for the past 2 weeks, and the forecast isn’t all the sunny either. Posts from bloggers already in Belize confirm that some roads are washed up, and it’s raining cats and dogs. In other words, it probably won’t look like anything like the photo above. The washed up roads in Placencia throws a wrench in our original plans of staying in Maya Beach. The rain was even enough for Tasha and Glen to cancel and head for Cabo or Hawaii. Totally understandable, but we’re glad Bettina is still going with us.

In late switch, instead of Maya Beach in Placencia, we will be staying at the Royal Carribean up north in Ambergris Caye. It works out well as the joint is about a mile from the main town, which will offer us plenty of wet weather activities. I’ll still be swinging in a hammock, and drinking beer under a palapa. Besides, if we’re going to be doing some diving, it never rains under the water.

All this rain has taught me to never be seduced by the low, low prices of the Caribbean in the summer. It’s just not worth it. Next summer, we’re going to Canada.

The trip to Oaxaca seems like ages ago. We were laying on the beach in Huatulco while it was freezing in New York. Now it’s time again to go back on the road. This time we’re hitting Belize. Yes, it is hurricane season, but the last time a hurricane actually hit Belize in July was some time back in the 1800s. That’s like 200 years ago. And yes, it is rain season, but that supposedly simply means a small shower during the afternoon. I can deal with that. I’ll be spending the rain time drinking beer in a palapa.

No, it’s not another Bush townhall meeting, and it’s not the current war. It’s English football fans in Germany, and the war is World War II. To improve the image of the England supporters, the Football Association is warning the Germany-bound fans to not make any Hitler and WWII references when taunting the German team and their supporters. Curbing public drunkenness is most likely a lost cause. Throwing punches, doing the V (as long as it’s not under Hitler’s nose), the occassional swearing, reminding Germany the score from their last meeting, and all around taunting is fair play. Just don’t walk around screaming “Sieg Heil,” doing Nazi salutes, and impersonating Hitler.

Sabrina Smith has the unique distinction as the first ever Maori to graduate from CUNY. During the Hunter College commencement yesterday, Sabrina proudly displayed her roots over the cap and gown. A traditional cloak, made from feathers of three different species, from her Ngati Kuri tribe was draped over her gown. The kiwi feathers symbolize stability. Feathers from the New Zealand kuaka bird represents her migration from the Southern to the Northern Hemisphere. The last set of feathers are from the native New Zealand pigeon.

Want to be on the Amazing Race but don’t qualify as a hippie, a pretty blonde chick, a funny guy, a minority, an older person, a frat boy, or an athletic type? Here in New York, the folks at Pogo Events is hostingAmazing New York Race.

You won’t be crisscrossing the globe looking for clues performing wild tasks, you won’t have a chance to bag a million dollars, and you definitely will not see Phil Keoghan at the pit stops. But for 3 to 4 hours, you will race through the city, ride the subway, and mingle with fellow New Yorkers. Each member of the winning team receives a prize worth $50 and after race drink.