Cup of Cha
This is China

We know there won’t be any foreign, Xinjiang or Tibetan tourists in Beijing during the Olympics. But that (or at least the first part of that) might not be such a bad thing. Aside from that inconvenient fact, what if these Games basically go off perfectly? It seems entirely possible, depending on your definition of [...]

Continue reading “Hey! This Olympics Thing Might Work!” »

A few nights ago, I was minding my own business biking home from the Andingmen area on the Second Ring Road, when I noticed two police officers in full riot gear talking to a motorist on the side of the road. The one speaking had a giant plexiglass shield on his left arm, separating himself [...]

Continue reading “Riot Gear and Big Guns Near Yonghegong Temple” »

I went to buy Ibuprofen from my local Chemist on Saturday. I was informed that, unlike on every previous occasion I was not allowed to as the doctor was not present. I think the rule is that Ibuprofen can only be sold by a qualified pharmacist or doctor, none was available, thus [...]

Continue reading “Don’t take drugs or burn Beijing to the ground - for the Olympics anyway.” »

In New York I sometimes get phone calls from wrong numbers. Sometimes they are speaking in Spanish. Come to think of it, that happened once with my US number in Beijing. Can you imagine living in Washington Heights and accidentally calling China? Anyway, callers are usually apologetic in the US, or sometimes embarrassed causing a [...]

Continue reading “I Do Not Call Wrong Numbers” »

Since the first day I set foot in China seven years ago, I have heard a constant refrain of “China is still a developing country.” This is used to explain anything and everything from poor driving skills to confusing ticket-buying procedures. The truth is that in many ways China is a highly developed country. It [...]

Continue reading “Mindset, Not Infrastructure, Still Developing” »

This afternoon my lunch-mate and I were refused salad at a Thai restaurant in a mall on Wang Fu Jing.  The reason given was that salad is banned for the Olympics.  This was news to me, but my colleague said that he had heard tell of this impending ban but had not believed that it [...]

Continue reading “No Salad” »

I have a confession. My apartment and desk need to look clean. It drives me nuts to see clutter. However, If you open my drawers, my clothes and papers tend to be piled in a haphazard manner. In other words, I need the appearance of tidiness.
I bring this up because I’ve noticed some remarkable changes [...]

Continue reading “Nothing to See Here Folks” »

In China, all too often, criticizing any aspect of Chinese society or the government is taken as an affront to the entire country. On my blog I pretty much say whatever I want, but in my personal interactions I try to be a little more cautious. Nevertheless, it also strikes me as bizarre that talking [...]

Continue reading “When Can One Criticize China?” »

Let me be clear. For those of us in Beijing, the Olympics will be a lot of fun. I suspect the best way to enjoy them will be getting one set of plastic pre-school sized table and chairs that restaurants in this blessed country love, get some friends together, grab some beer and maodou , [...]

Continue reading “How to Botch the Beijing Olympics” »

Isn’t it amazing the after a decade of knock-off DVDs, which the Chinese government always maintained that it was doing its best to tamp down on with no effect, it has managed to strip them off all the shelves in about a week? Same thing goes for all of those “Guci” and “Ormani” bags. Ya-Show [...]

Continue reading “Oh DVD, Where Art Thou?” »