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Why Snow Caused Power Failure I've been reading about the "snow" storms in China for over a week now, but thanks to the photos here it all becomes clear. As "Mr. Cyrillic" says, it was an ice storm. |
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Chinese Middle Name for Erik's Baby I picked up on wonton's comments. I'm sorry to this causes the thread to move off in another direction. Perhaps Wang Jian Shuo, you could start a separate thread just on the ethics of adoption? I have noticed here in our Canadian Chinese community that there are some Chinese who are not to impressed with the adoption of Chinese babies by...let's face it ...white people. It seems that they are embarrassed by the practice. Adoptions are not just done by celebrities. Ordinary people also adopt, although I think because of the costs involved that most of the adopting is done by middle-class folks. But I've seen some working class people who desperately want a baby and will sacrifice a lot to get one. Adoption is a life-long thing - its not like getting a pet in the house. Wonton wonders if these kids become "messed up" psychologically later on. I think that it a legitimate question and maybe others can answer it. My instinct says the answer is "no". In my own opinion having a so-called "chop suey" name would be kind of cool. My Chinese wife has adopted a western name and combines it with her Chinese name, likewise with her signature. I think it is really neat. As to why do people adopt Chinese babies in particular? Its because they are so darn cute! I don't think anybody needs to slam "wonton". The question was asked in a civil way and deserves civil answers. |
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Shopping Malls in Shanghai "This is a short guide for visitors who love shopping." We're talking about women right? Women don't need guides for shopping. They can find shopping places by instinct or by some kind of female jungle telegraph! It would be really helpful if you could provide a list of nearby bookstores, coffee shops, or even just comfortable mall chairs and benches where exhausted and bored husbands and boyfriends can wait for their shopping-crazy women. |
| 6 |
Shanghainese Girl Marrying Foreigners Nick: Sorry that you took exception to my remarks. I agree with most of your comments and since you made two posts, I will come back and attempt to clarify. For the record I am half of a "mixed couple". I was married to a Shanghainese woman ten years ago today and we have had a happy life. She is a few years younger than me but not decades younger. She doesn't look like Gong Li or Zhang Ziyi but when she smiles at me as we meet after a day apart, I think she is beautiful. But we don't look like Beauty and the Beast. We both have Bachelor's degrees. I flatter myself that I am similar to the western husbands described here by Ben as "highly intelligent and caring as well as interested in other cultures". But what I was seeing outside the Portman was couple after couple where the guy was 30 or more years older than the woman, with a male/female mass ratio of 3:1 or greater. It just had "Anna Nicole Smith" written all over it. I found it commercial and disturbing. Of course I wouldn't be rude to these couples or sneer at them in the street. But I do have a negative opinion about them and I shared it here. Maybe we'll just have to agree to disagree? |
| 5 |
Shanghainese Girl Marrying Foreigners Well, I married a Shanghainese girl. The Shanghai boys had 39 years of opportunity before I claimed her so it is their loss and my big big gain! I sat on a bench outside the Shanghai Portman Ritz-Carlton last October and it was disturbing to see the number of "mixed couples" passing by, mismatched by age, weight, or any number of other things that make a couple look compatible. However, at least in terms of economics and romance, China is a free country, so what are you going to do? This isn't a new phenomena; ask your Granny about the "jeep girls"!! |
| 4 |
Yangtze Hotel is Good I have good memories of the Yangzte Hotel. We had our wedding banquet there exactly ten years ago this week. Mrs. Rong always picks good venues - good value at reasonable prices. It was nice to hear the hotel is still good. Last October we dropped in for a sentimental visit. It seems to have undergone a renovation in the lobby and banquet areas. |
| 3 |
10 RMB for Genuine DVD I would no longer risk purchasing cheap DVD's. Not because I have a superior morality, but just because the lower the price, the poorer the quality. I can't stand getting half-way through a movie only to have it freeze up on the TV. We used to buy them from guys selling them from suitcases on the Shanghai pedestrian overpasses for 5 yuan. We'd get about half of them that completely played okay. It is really a question of how much do you value your leisure time. |
| 2 |
IKEA, Xuhui Store in Shanghai Your IKEA story reminded me of our recent October visit to Shanghai. After being very sick I swore off Chinese food for several days. We walked to the nearby IKEA store for their western cafeteria food. I particularly enjoyed the Swedish meatballs. Once we were through the doors of the store, we could have been back in Canada. The store layout and products must be standardised around the world? The only possible difference may have been a slight tendency for customers to linger longer as they tested the chairs and the beds. One father and son were fast asleep on a sofa. I wonder if they bought it? After a few days, I was back to enjoying Chinese food, and we went to IKEA no more. |
| 1 |
Jet Lag Patterns Well, I actually enjoy the jet lag experience. I'm not normally a morning person so I get a completely different outlook when I'm jet-lagged. The last time we went to Shanghai we arrived just after dark, got to bed about 21:00, and slept until maybe 02:00. We were both awake then and we chatted in bed until about 04:00. Then we got up and took a walk in the pre-dawn darkness along Chang Yang Road in Yangpu District. The city was quiet. There were a few joggers out at that time. We could hear their approaching footsteps half a block away. Then we walked down some side streets where people were just getting up and starting their breakfasts out on the street. For me that early morning walk was a highpoint of our trip. As the days went by we gradually stayed up later and later in the evening and stayed in bed longer and longer in the morning. No more early morning walking. |