Comments on: Robert Moses Would Love Beijing’s Shunyi

By: What Should We Learn From Moses and Jacobs? | NYC No Fee Apartment Rentals

What Should We Learn From Moses and Jacobs? | NYC No Fee Apartment Rentals — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 01:47:19 +0000

[...] Moses. Photo: Cup of ChaGlaeser might respond that this would have been silly, that the automobile was a superior technology [...]

By: Streetsblog San Francisco » What Should We Learn From Moses and Jacobs?

Streetsblog San Francisco » What Should We Learn From Moses and Jacobs? — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 21:33:11 +0000

[...] Moses (Photo: Cup of Cha)Glaeser might respond that this would have been silly, that the automobile was a superior [...]

By: Streetsblog New York City » What Should We Learn From Moses and Jacobs?

Streetsblog New York City » What Should We Learn From Moses and Jacobs? — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 21:13:16 +0000

[...] Moses. Photo: Cup of ChaGlaeser might respond that this would have been silly, that the automobile was a superior technology [...]

By: Streetsblog Capitol Hill » What Should We Learn From Moses and Jacobs?

Streetsblog Capitol Hill » What Should We Learn From Moses and Jacobs? — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 18:51:13 +0000

[...] Moses (Photo: Cup of Cha)Glaeser might respond that this would have been silly, that the automobile was a superior [...]

By: ET

ET — Sun, 24 May 2009 11:03:01 +0000

Thanks for the post, informative.

Where did you read that the air there is actually smokier than the city itself?

By: eric

eric — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 03:43:43 +0000

suburban life is so generic such that it would have the same essentials anywhere.
which is the point.

the point of living in shunyi is that one DO NOT want to live in China. you are dragged by your job or your spouse’s job to this country. and would rather have a make-believe home where you could pretend you are still in Brookline.

By: scott

scott — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 03:06:40 +0000

Ah, Shunyi. I used to live out there near the wealthy. I actually lived in a village, in every respect. I had the same old ladies who seemed to be shocked every time they saw me, which was just about every morning. I had people just stare at me on the bus. I guess they see westerners out there, they don’t expect them on the bus. Even though it was ’suburban’, it was filthy. I never would have believed that life near the second ring road would be so much nicer. A westerner on the bus isn’t such an amazing sight. It is quieter, believe it or not. Out there, those three-wheel trucks with the two-stoke engines drove me crazy. I actually prefer the government cars with the ‘I’m so important’ horns blaring. The air is even much better where I am living now. Out there, the huge cement plant kept the air thick, and Jing Shun makes huge contributions to Beijing’s air problems. (Of course, Jing Shun is a life-line, as the YanJing brewery is out that way).

I may have had a different view if I lived in the gated communities, but come on, those people can’t really lay claim to the hardships of living in China. Those people in their gated communities can hang out at Pinnacle Plaza and all, but how many places do they have within walking distance where they sit on a plastic chair by a plastic table, and eat yangrou chuanr and drink bottles of Yanjing Draft? That is truly living the Chinese life. (I am not making fun of this, I meet more Chinese and have more fun sitting at these little outdoor stands). I am like you, I prefer the sights and sounds of city life. Let them have their own little world so the expat wifes can feel comfortable away from all the common people, I can say I actually live in Beijing!

Scott