My only frame of reference is Shanghai from eight years ago so this could be a 8 years later thing, an Olympic thing or a Beijing thing but China has exploded. Everything is under construction, the bikes have given way to cars, the buildings are big and bright and have even taken on a Vegas feel in some areas (one building had a Jumbotron four stories high and as wide as the building on each side, playing the live Olympics of course). I really only got to drive through town today on my way to work but.....I did go past the Olympic village, saw the "birds nest" stadium and the outdoor venue (sand volleyball was going on inside). Pretty impressive stuff and there was no feel of communism or repression anywhere. I guess it's true what you say, make a fat and happy middle class and most people will chill out.
After a few meetings and trainings in the office today a few of the locals took me out to a crazy lunch. A very nice place specializing in duck. So we get this private room where the duck guy comes with a certified, numbered duck (they gave me the certification, duck number 1,586,212 that they have served since 1845) and he proceeds to chop it up for you into various plates. Duck breast in broth, duck sides for crapes, and of course my favorite, straight fried duck skin (dipped in sugar if you are into that sort of thing). Call me a duck purist but you could hand me a bag of duck skin and I'd eat it like a bag of chips. No I didn't get the duck sweats but needless to say, it was the shit. I'm not sure I need dinner now. Well it is 5:00 AM in California now so I could just be jacked up.
One more day then Laura gets in town. Dinner and drinking will be mandatory at night, hungry or not......This could be a blood bath.
Dave
PS. It was actually fog today, not pollution.
No comments:
Post a Comment