Zhongnanhai

August 1st is an auspicious day in China. No, it doesn't mark any great revolution or act of defiance of government. However, in a world where all things government and party still rule supreme, August 1st is a very important day for the leadership of this country. In 1927 when the Communist Party of China was still in its infancy, a group of armed members -- on August 1st -- fired the first potshot at the Kuomintang forces. Here in China, this is dubbed the launch of the People's Liberation Army.

Of course, back then, the PLA consisted of a rag-tag group of armed men (many of them only armed with broadswords and spears, because there wasn't enough guns to go around) who roamed in the areas south of the Yangtze River trying to avoid being snuffed out by either government troops or the armed men who were also roaming the areas under the charge of local warlords. Of course, in today's China under Communist rule, the exploits of this group of would-be soldiers is hailed as revolutionary and a great feat of man. Admittedly, one really has to be amazed that a small group of anti-government 'bandits' -- as they were then described by the Kuomintang -- were able to survive. This, of course, is attributed to the superb leadership of the Communist forces, who, at a much later point, were led by Mao Zedong. The treacherous and, more often than not, fatal Long March is also dubbed as the turning point for the Communist forces, known at this point in history as the Chinese Red Army. More often than not in today's China, the fact that only 7,000 of the original 86,000 Long Marchers actually survived it is generally added as a footnote to the heroics of the Red Army. And while I'll give the Red Army credit for striking when the time was right, the fact that they eventually drove the Kuomintang to Taiwan and eventually took over the entire country really can't be tacked up to any brilliant military maneuvering. After Japan was defeated in World War II and the civil war broke out again here in China, this country was reeling from being under foreign occupation. The Kuomintang troops, who did the majority of the fighting against the Japanese because the Communist forces were small and mostly trapped behind enemy lines, were war-weary and didn't want to fight any longer. This, combined with the hyper-inflation plaguing China at the time and a general distrust of Chiang Kai-Shek's regime, pushed a lot of locals to side with anyone who was against the current ruling government. All of these issues are overlooked in China today. China has selectively forgotten its history when it comes to the development of its military. And the same is happening today.

In 2007, the Chinese government's official figures put military spending for this year at 44.98 billion US dollars, a 17.8 percent rise in spending from 2006. The government's line in justifying this move is that it needs to increase the salaries for its troops, increase its border defense and buy their men and women new uniforms. Ok, fair enough. I don't think even the Bush administration could argue with its own mantra of 'support our troops.' And the Chinese government is also quick to point out that its military spending is about one-tenth of what the US government pours into its military. Again, fair enough. However, this raises two questions in my mind: Why does China have to compete with the US when it comes to military size and strength? And why should a country that still considers itself as a developing nation have military spending now virtually on par with developed nations such as the United Kingdom and France? I have yet to see the analysis done to compare the per-capita incomes of the people in a country compared to its government spending on the military. If there is such an analysis, I'm sure North Korea is at the top of the list. But I bet China wouldn't be too far behind.

So why does a country and a military who, in it's own spin, has never taken an offensive role in attacking another country (they selectively forget the border clashes with Russia, Vietnam and India) need to be so large and have so much money spent on it? Who is threatening to territorial integrity of China? The days of the Cold War are over. Russia isn't considering toppling the communist leadership anymore. The US doesn't have a presence in Vietnam anymore. The border dispute with India is being cleared up through negotiation. So what's the issue? I can sum it up in one word: Pride.

For as long as this country as existed, it has considered itself the center of the world. Hence the name of China in Chinese: 中国 (Zhong Guo, or Middle Kingdom). As such, whenever it is given the opportunity to flex its muscles and show the world just how well it can compete on the global scale, it will do so. This permeates through all aspects of society. Is it wrong to be proud of your country and all its great aspects? No, of course not. But at the same time, throwing billions upon billions of Yuan at a military that doesn't really do much doesn't really make fiscal sense.

Is China a military threat? Only to Taiwan. Is China angling to become the next global superpower? If so, it's going to have to pack a tent and pillow and be prepared to wait in line for quite a while, because, despite its setbacks, the United States of America -- even with George W. Bush at the helm -- is still the most powerful nation on earth, and isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

I am not going to make friends with this post...

I remember a few years ago, living at Sunshine 100 on Guanghua Road in Beijing, and having an awful cough and cold. My landlord at the time, who was very sweet, brought over these rubbery, licorice-like balls and told me to chew on them. I did. My cough persisted, and my cold didn't die down.

Last night, as I was preparing to head to the final night of Tim's Texas BBQ restaurant in Beijing, I came down with the flu. I went home with a fever, shivered under the covers all night, and woke up feeling awful this morning. My girlfriend took me to the pharmacy and she bought me these pellets to be mixed with water. I took them. Nothing happened. I have since purchased some Tylenol and have since regained some strength.

I'm not sure if other people have had these same problems, but I'm starting to feel like the esteemed Traditional Chinese Medicine is a crock. Does this work? Or does it only work because Chinese people think it does? Does it work on Chinese but not on foreigners? If you are suffering from a migraine, will you take some silly sand-like substance mixed in warm water or a Bufferin? Pellets, granules, or rubbery balls... does this stuff actually work for you?

I meant to chime in much earlier on this topic, but didn't have the time. Now I feel a bit late to the game, but still feel I have 2 cents to add.

When it was originally reported the cardboard baozi were fake, I believed it. I am no conspiracy theorist, and after reading certain blog posts I was sure that the story must have been fake.

Then I saw the photos on ESWN which showed how disgusting and obvious baozi made with cardboard would look. Is any more proof needed?

Well, despite these facts, it appears some people will never believe the government on this issue. My good friend and fellow Zhongnanhai writer Paul James is one who refuses to believe the government's stand on the issue, and I may, slowly, be coming around to his point of view.

The first reason is that the reporter being accused of faking the story, Zi Beijia, had a long history as a credible reporter. He originally worked at China Central Television before being poached by BTV. He was the one who uncovered the use of fake vinegar in China, as well as the fake yangrou chuan story (pork was being doused in spices and tenderizers to taste like lamb). So the question is, why would this reporter, with a strong journalistic track record, all of a sudden plant a fake story?

The second reason is this, and one that I don't pretend I can prove. Hearsay is hearsay, and I'll leave it at that. But one of my very close friends is a high-level employee in state-run media. She was called, along with other state-run managers and staff, to a retreat in the south of Beijing the day after the story was declared fake by management. She was not told at the event whether the story was true or not, but journalists were scolded for not being "politically aware" (as in, don't report stories about food scares at the exact moment China is being criticized internationally on this issue). She believes, 100%, that the fake baozi story was, in fact, real.

Like the assassination of JFK, I'm afraid we'll never know.

This is the last post at the old location.

Zhongnanhai has moved to bigger and better digs, over at http://www.zhongnanhaiblog.com. Instead of me rambling on about things, I've also recruited a couple of other media writers that write much more interesting blog posts!

Be sure to change your bookmarks, RSS feeds, and whatever else.

See you there!

Even before I begin, I feel that I must clarify my position. Having been born and raised in Saskatchewan, known to some as the bread basket of Canada, or to others as the gap between Alberta and Manitoba, I do hold a sense of pride in traveling on a Canadian passport. I do love my country, and, when I return in a couple of week's time for a visit, I plan to soak up all that I can of my great nation. However, I -- unlike most of the people in China -- am willing to take a critical view of my mother country and the problems that it creates for itself. The point of this particular post is not to slag my country, though, but to point out our deficiencies on the international level.

We, as Canadians, consider ourselves among -- if not the -- most tolerant people in the world, accepting all races, religions and lifestyles in the world into our fold. This attitude has given us a special place on the world stage as a country that doesn't move to offend very quickly, and, generally speaking, gives us a good reputation to travel on. Tell anyone in China that you are 加拿大人, (Jianada ren, or a Canadian person) it is usually greeted with a smile and the obligatory 'do you know that 大山 (Da Shan, or China Central Television celebrity Mark Rowswell) is Canadian' reference. I truly do enjoy that fact. It gives me a sense of pride in my country, and makes me feel welcome as a visitor in this country. However, more and more I'm beginning to become disheartened with our official face in this country, and the way our anointed representatives treat our own.

Under the Liberal majority government a few years ago, Canada had a pretty good relationship with China. Trade was strong, and there were very few disputes (minus the Lai Changxing case) to speak of. However, once the conservatives took over, the relationship with China began to frost over. Increased attachment with the United States on policy issues and a general increase in the hawkishness of the Conservative elements of the Canadian government toward China has made things a bit more chilly. In the not-too-distant past, when Canada's minister of International Trade and the Minister and Minister for the Pacific Gateway and the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics, David Emerson, led a trade delegation to China, Mr. Emerson could not make himself available to do a 10 minute interview to China's main English language radio station. Instead, his Parliamentary Secretary was thrust upon me to chat about the relationship Canada and China possess, which, to be quite honest, was a pretty pathetic interview. But that is what I am not particularly bitter about. In this stage of the game, to be quite frank, Canadian politicians are pretty low players on the international level.

That said, this is not a rant about Canada's political attachment -- or lack thereof -- with China. This is meant more to be an assessment of Canada's bureaucratic system, which is represented in this country by it's embassy in Beijing. Since my arrival in Beijing, I have heard nothing but horror stories coming out from the embassy. I had generally dismissed them as random complaints by uptight Canucks who, if you rammed a piece of coal up their ass, in a couple of weeks, would crap you out a diamond. However, recent experiences and information have led me to rethink this previous conjecture.

Most recently I've had three Canadian friends get married to Chinese brides. Each and every one of them has danced on the head of a pin, never really knowing whether or not their individual brides were going to be able to travel to Canada. At first blush, you would suspect that the Chinese government might be the problem in this equation. However, it is the Canadian embassy that was cause for concern. One of my cohorts' wives was even rejected the first time, only to be accepted two weeks later! This, from a country that prides itself on being accepting of all, and will bend over backwards and take it up the tailpipe when it comes to refugees. On top of this, two of my friends have also done work for the Canadian embassy and their social functions. Both have described said parties as lackluster and -- in the words of one friend -- 'a pathetic f*&%ing joke.' Of course, this is all second hand information and, as such, would be wrong of me to write about in detail, as I could not correctly convey the particulars of every instance in a journalistic fashion. However, this past weekend your dear narrator had his first encounter with the embassy that confirmed the need to invoke a Susan Powter-like program inside the bowls of said 大使馆 (Dashiguan, or embassy in Chinese).

Canada's national sport is Lacrosse. Whatever. Saskatchewan's provincial flower is the Tiger Lily. That's all fine and good, but in reality, no one gives a tinkers damn about either! In Saskatchewan, the only thing that people really care about that grows from the ground is wheat, barley, oats and all the other crap that you can make a buck on. And in Canada, the only sport that really garners our attention is hockey! So when given the opportunity to actually take part in our glorious game (and yes, I am officially calling hockey 'ours') one can't help but jump at the chance. Being that it's summer, and the ice rinks in Beijing are way too damn far away (and I don't have my hockey equipment here), street hockey is the only available outlet for those of us in China who grew up wearing toques! As it happens, through the generosity of many a Canadian expat before us, we just happen to be endowed here in Beijing with a full regalia of street hockey gear, including sticks, nets and two full sets of goalie gear. Not a bad little collection if I do say so myself! And, up until this past weekend, the Canadian embassy was home to said gear, and would tuck it away in a storage shed inside the compound after each session. However, unbeknownst to us, this was all about to change. Through forces that are still unable to be understood, Canada's representation in China has since decided that it is too difficult a burden to store two bags of hockey gear to give their fellow Canadians a bit of a taste of home! The ridiculous nature of the arguments the guard gave were astounding. Apparently, the chief complaint is that the equipment takes up too much space in the maintenance locker. Perhaps the removal of the dozen or so discarded bicycles would be in order. Even the clean up and organization of Mao's people's preferred form of transportation would clear up more than enough room for the equipment for Canada's game. However, as the security guard put it when this theory was suggested to him -- quote -- 'This is China.' So, because 'This is China,' we Canadians are being distanced even further from the game we love, and, in my estimation, being distanced from the country we love as well.

The good news is that the equipment lives on in a different venue. The bad news is that my distain for the Canadian embassy lives on as well.

Well... we have life.

The blog is up. The layout still sucks, and there are no photos. No fancy "about me" stuff and no logos for the China Blog Awards. Unfortunately I figure I'm too late for that anyway. But thanks to those who voted for us.

(And a big hat-tip to the China Law Blog for suggesting Livingdot.com as a host, and Movable Type.)

You might notice the word "us"... yes, I'm happy to say I have some help. I'll be continuing to to blabber on about whatever is happening, but I have also recruited a couple of others, who have very different writing styles from my own, to contribute as well. I think this site will have a Sinocidal aspect to it, while still (hopefully!) discussing, as my good friend said, "cerebral" issues.

There will be many, many more changes to this blog in the coming weeks, as we tweak the layout, add features, and explain who the different contributors are. Thus, I haven't announced this blog yet on the former incarnation, which is currently behind the GFW.

Nonetheless, I'm looking forward to taking this much more seriously, and having posts from a number of people with a number of different perspectives.

We hope you like it.

I am by no means an old 'China hand.' I would not even pretend to know or understand one-tenth of what Chinese culture is really all about. There are customs and traditions in this country that I have come to love, and some that I've come to loathe. The point of this diatribe will not be about the former.

Anyone who has spent more than a day in China's urban centers, particularly Beijing, will know that while the 'locals' -- and I use that definition loosely -- have a generally friendly disposition, the habitual nature in which bad habits permeate through society is enough to drive you to the bottom of a bottle of baijiu! That said, I -- somewhat to my chagrin -- have become accustomed to tip-toeing around 'spitsicles' on the sidewalks in the winter, huffing in toxic fumes in the air like a Chinese coal miner and being nickeled and dimed by local shop keepers merely because of the color of my skin. In fact, truth be told, a part of me (let's clarify that this is a small part) doesn't want to see this aspect of China disappear. It's these daily annoyances that give Beijing its character and guarantee, thankfully, that the capital is highly unlikely to be chosen as the next location for the revival of 'Sex and the City.'

All this being said, there is one trend that is causing the circus clowns in my head to start juggling at an increasingly more rapid pace. For lack of a better term, I'm going to label this as 'machesmoing.' This 'look at me, I'm making more in a month than my father made in a year when he was my age' attitude is personified on my daily, and lengthy, trips on the Beijing subway. The unfortunate demise of my Ipod, and the fact that I don't like people reading over my shoulder, has relegated me to do some Freudian analysis of my fellow commuters. It's this analysis that has allowed me to become quite good at the 'subway lottery.' (choosing the person to stand in front of who has the most likely chance of getting off in the least amount of stops so that you can wrangle their seat before the mid-40's Beijing housewife lurking nearby pulls a 300 pound linebacker routine to get there first) This psycho analysis has also allowed me to discover that a fair number of Chinese men in the 18 to 45 demographic feel that they have quite sizeable baby-makers.

The seats in all the Beijing subway cars these days have defined borders, allowing 6 people to a row (2 or 3 in the smaller seats near the doors in between cars). So, in theory, these seats should also reflect an invisible grid in which one's extremities should not cross. However, more and more, I'm discovering that cubicles should well be the order of the day. Much like Al Bundy in the television comedy series 'Married With Children,' (minus the hand down the pants, for now) quite a number of Chinese men are more than willing to allow their legs to cross over that invisible barrier into other people's comfort zone. So what's the reasoning? There are a few possible explanations for this: Perhaps years of using squat toilets has permanently locked the leg muscles into this position? Maybe the development of Chinese underwear has led to the need to sit like this? (Hey, nobody likes the feeling of having their Fruit-of-the-Looms holed up in box canyon) Is it possible that, not unlike Chinese women's bust sizes, Chinese men's testicles are getting larger, precipitating the need for more room while in the seated position? These are all potential arguments that can -- and possibly will -- be made in response to this diatribe. However, I think it goes deeper.

China is developing rapidly. With this comes a growing sense of pride and nationalism in this country which is seeping into the core of people's everyday life. This, and the 'One Child Policy,' has created a greater sense of 'one-upmanship,' particularly among young men who are up and comers in society. And because of this it's my estimation that the testicular advertising campaign being waged on the subway is a subconscious manifestation of these attributes in society. 'I'm going to take my piece of the world, and a little bit of yours as well, because I don't think you're going to complain too much as long as I don't go too far.' That leg rubbing up against yours is the equivalent of my local cigarette purveyor charging me 8 kuai for a 7.5 kuai pack of butts. Am I gonna bitch about the loss of 5 Jiao? Probably not. However, there has to be -- and will be -- a breaking point. The question is, where, and when, will that take place?

I am hoping, very soon, to be free of this weight which is the GFW. Thanks to the help of Dan over at China Law Blog, I may have found a solution to my hosting woes, which should make this site much more accessible in China. If anybody else wants to put their blog on the right side of the GFW, Dan has some ideas and can recommend some good blog hosts. (I'd link to his email and blog, but alas, that vital function of blogging is unavailable to me at the moment. My sincere apologies.)

There were a couple of things I wanted to discuss this week, but with my inability to link to articles and other poignant facts, I have declined until the new site is up and running. That being said, I thought I'd post my latest missive in the Times Colonist in Canada. As I'm not an American, I can't comment on what mobile phone rates are like in the United States. But I think the article will leave no doubt about how I feel regarding Canada's shoddy plans. I received quite a few comments on this article on Facebook (everybody is on there, right?) so I clearly touched a nerve with Canadians.

Let me know what you think.

Chinese progress belies stereotypes; Ease of cellphone access makes Canada look like the Third World
Times Colonist (Victoria)
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Page: C2
Section: Comment
Byline: Cam MacMurchy
Column: Cam MacMurchy
Dateline: BEIJING, China
Source: Special to Times Colonist

BEIJING, China - A recent survey released here showed that most foreigners -- before they visit China -- hold deep stereotypes about what life is like here, based on Chinese movies that make it to North America.

Many of those surveyed said that when they think about China, they think about kung fu, the ability to fly through the air and above all poor, backward farmers in straw hats tilling the land.

The stereotype is badly outdated, as China's cities are now dotted with Starbucks, wi-fi cafes and glistening skyscrapers. BMWs wind through high-end entertainment districts, and businessmen in Armani suits chat loudly into their micro-sized mobile phones.

In fact, nearly 500 million Chinese use cellphones, making it the largest mobile phone market in the world.

Many people here have never used a home phone, because mobile phone rates are cheap and much more convenient.

And with the largest mobile phone market in the world continuing to grow exponentially, Research in Motion couldn't resist trying to crack the market with its ubiquitous Blackberry.

But there's a big difference between using a Blackberry in China and in Canada -- price.

And our prohibitive pricing schemes and cumbersome customer services are holding Canada back from other technologically advanced countries like -- dare I say it -- China.

Let's say you arrive in Beijing for a six-month study or work term and you need a mobile phone. First, you'd walk into a mobile phone store, which are found on almost every block, and select the phone that's right for you.

This could range from a low-end, three-year-old Motorola right up to the newest Blackberry, Palm or Windows Mobile smartphone. Nearly all of the phones are "unlocked," meaning you can use them with whatever cellphone carrier you choose, and change whenever you like.

Then you'd pop into a 7-Eleven or another convenience store (or even a road-side vendor) and buy a SIM card (your phone number).

This will cost, on average, about $4.50 and include more than an hour of talk time. Pop the SIM card into your new phone and you instantly have a fully functional cellphone. No activation required, no paperwork, no credit check, no signature, nothing.

When you run out of airtime, you can buy $15 recharge cards at nearly every street-level newspaper vendor or convenience store across the country. Simple.

Of course, there are other options for heavy users, such as monthly plans. I once used a monthly plan in Shanghai that included plenty of talk-time and two gigabytes of data transfer for $75 a month. No credit check required. You prepay each month, and if you don't, you're cut off. Your monthly bill arrives by e-mail. Again, it's surprisingly simple, efficient and even environmentally friendly. The rate plans are cheap; the payment process is easy. So why can't this be done in Canada?

"There's no doubt that wireless data pricing is higher in Canada," Andrew McLaughlin, the director of global public policy for Google, said recently in the Financial Post. Google now offers a number of mobile services such as Google Maps, mobile Gmail, and mobile searching -- excellent services that many Canadians opt not to use because of Canada's high data surcharges. RIM is leading the way in asking the Canadian government to pressure the big three mobile-phone carriers, Telus, Bell, and Rogers, to lower their prices and give entry-level consumers access to the market.

Rogers currently offers customers a 200-megabyte monthly plan for $100. That steep fee doesn't even include talking minutes, and assuming you want to use your phone to make phone calls, you must pay extra for that. The data plan alone amounts to 50 cents per megabyte. The plan in Shanghai I mentioned earlier amounted to less than four cents per megabyte. And, for good measure, China Mobile threw in 2,000 minutes of talk time.

Why the discrepancy? As the Financial Post story continued, it's not only China and other Asian countries with cheaper cellphone rates; Europe also offers complete data and voice plans for a fraction of what's being charged in Canada. "They've got these entry-level service plans that they're putting out there that you're not seeing here in Canada," said Don Morrison, RIM's chief operating officer.

Last Christmas I arrived in Vancouver from Hong Kong and needed a pay-as-you-go phone number for the few weeks I'd be home.

I had to sign up at a Rogers counter, provide all kinds of personal details, fill out forms, sign some additional paperwork and then wait while the staff "activated" my phone. As the activation system was down, I had to wait more than 25 minutes.

All of this cost me $50 -- before I had even purchased any talk or data time. When I finally bought a card, it took several steps through an automated service before my phone was usable. This entire process in China would take two minutes at a 7-11, and cost a fraction of what it does in Canada.

Cellphone service is only one area where China has made things much more consumer-friendly. Far from being a country filled with straw-hat-wearing farmers, China has, perhaps, even zoomed past Canada in the technology field.

Sadly, it is we who are backward.

We've all been here long enough to have experienced rude service, be it in a restaurant, bar, or even on the street. I've had friends blow their tops at times, and I can totally empathize. I'm known as one of the most patient people around, but even I can barely stand it.

(I am having problems, behind the GFW, linking to other sites. For more on poor customer service, check out this post on Sinocidal: http://sinocidal.com/2007/07/18/dr-ni-dul-dik/).

As a PR person in Beijing, it often falls upon me to touch base with some of the larger corporate organizations. We are currently updating our client list ahead of an event planned in August. We hope to invite several companies to take part, and thus, need to ensure we have the correct names, phone numbers, email addresses, etc of the representatives we are dealing with.

Now, in other countries (seemingly ANY country other than China) the process is simple. Call up a business. Ask who an invite should be sent to. Get a fax number. This is not difficult. But remember, that's in other countries.

I recently called ABB China (http://abb.com.cn) because the former President had recently resigned. We needed to update our files with the new President's name. We already have general email addresses and fax numbers... all we needed was the name. The conversation went as follows:

Cam: Hi, I'm calling on behalf of (organization). I'm wondering if you can give us the name of your President?

Operator: No. What is the name?

Cam: I'm not sure... that's why I'm asking you.

Operator: If you do not have the name, I can't transfer you.

Cam: I don't need to be transferred, actually. I'm just wondering if you have the name of the new President.

Operator: If you do not have the name, I can't transfer you.

Cam: I understand. Can I talk to your manager?

Operator: No. If you don't have the name, I can't transfer you.

Cam: I can't talk to your manager?

Operator: No. If you don't have the name, I can't transfer you.

Cam: Can I please get your name?

Operator: No.

Cam: Please give me your name.

Operator: No. Goodbye. *click*

I hung up ready to throw the phone against the wall. The operator was unhelpful, rude, and worse, condescending. My colleague looked at me. "It didn't go well," I said. He had tried calling ABB China before, and I couldn't figure out why he was having so much trouble getting a simple name. "That's how China is," he responded.

Yes, "that's how China is." It's the response we all hear, everyday, when something goes wrong. The fact that we actually accept this as a reasonable excuse is absurd. Rude behaviour should not be condoned in any culture, in any place, or any language. Even if she did not want to give me any names, she could've been much, much more helpful in explaining why and perhaps transferring my call to someone else who could've helped. I could practically see her playing solitaire on her computer and being annoyed that someone had the gall to phone and disrupt her leisure time.

I have named ABB China because it's time that these organizations understand their customer service will hurt their reputations. I know everyone's had experiences like these, probably numerous times. Me too, and 99% of the time I let it roll off my back and think "this is how China is." Well, that's too easy.

That excuse shouldn't be good enough.

There are definitely things I miss about Shanghai. The subway has air conditioning, for example. My daily walk through the historic French Concession, complete with its narrow, tree-lined streets and small xiaolongbao vendors was much more pleasant than my loud, polluted jaunt through Beijing's CBD.

But one piece of Shanghai that I miss dearly is finally coming up north - Element Fresh.

Element Fresh is a western-style eatery targeting health-conscious people. It was a regular lunchtime stop for me, despite its sometimes exorbitant prices (the chicken teriyaki salad with the famous miso dressing was pushing 60 kuai, if I remember correctly) . They made excellent salads, sandwiches, and fruit smoothies which was a perfect healthy alternative to the fast food dotting much of the country.

Hopefully they open at least one location along Chaowai, near my office!

It's unfortunate, but such is life in the Chinese blogosphere.

I am hoping to move the site to a private server in the near future. Thank you to everyone who has stopped by. There is lots going on in China these days, and lots to blog about. Unfortunately a proxy is needed to post and read about it, so I've let the blog slip a bit.

I hope to have a re-designed, privately hosted blog up and running by the end of this month. Stay tuned.