A few days ago I started writing a post about my two days in Chongqing. Somehow that post turned out longer than I had expected or wanted and I didn't even get to my time in the city; toward the end of it I had only just settled into my room out in the distant suburb surrounding the northern train station.The next day, I decided to venture into the smog and check … [Read more...]
The Largest City You’ve Never Heard Of
Somewhere in Western China, an enormous yellowish-brown cloud of smog generally referred to as Chongqing clings to the steep hillsides at the confluence of the Yangtze and Jialing rivers. Hidden within are thousands of tall buildings and around 10 million people. As Chongqing is one of the fastest growing urban centers on earth (if not the fastest) that number has grown to 11 … [Read more...]
Bad English Sign for Fat Food in Shenzhen
If this bad English sign near the Shenzhen Railway Station at the Luohu border crossing with Hong Kong is any indication, it seems China finally passed some truth-in-advertising laws.Get info on Shenzhen here and China in general here. … [Read more...]
Darlie (formerly Darkie): The Racist Toothpaste
The original Darkie toothpaste packaging on the left was changed to the current Darlie toothpaste on the right in 1985. I can't imagine why they would change it, but I'm guessing the green just looks nicer. The Chinese name remains the same: "Black Person Toothpaste."The Wikipedia page has a little more information on the Darlie brand, for those who are interested. … [Read more...]
How to Survive a Chinese Internet Cafe
Chinese internet cafes (called "Wang Ba" or "net bar") are all pretty similar. When you first enter, you are greeted by a young kid behind a desk. Well, not so much greeted as completely ignored until you either leave or force the kid to deal with you. He will be playing World of Warcraft with headphones covering his ears and a cigarette dangling from his lips and he will only … [Read more...]