Comments on: Robert Moses Would Love Beijing’s Shunyi http://cupofcha.com/2007/12/06/robert-moses-would-love-beijings-shunyi.html This is China Mon, 08 Sep 2008 09:38:10 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: eric http://cupofcha.com/2007/12/06/robert-moses-would-love-beijings-shunyi.html#comment-168 eric Fri, 07 Dec 2007 03:43:43 +0000 http://cupofcha.com/2007/12/06/robert-moses-would-love-beijings-shunyi.html#comment-168 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. 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 http://cupofcha.com/2007/12/06/robert-moses-would-love-beijings-shunyi.html#comment-167 scott Fri, 07 Dec 2007 03:06:40 +0000 http://cupofcha.com/2007/12/06/robert-moses-would-love-beijings-shunyi.html#comment-167 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 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

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