Hubei Province, October 2009

[mustfocus]

Brett: It's the really fine particulate that's in the air.  When I was in Beijing last, I went to the Bird's Nest and picked up this nasty cough (not the flu, nothing, it was from walking across from the subway to the stadium).  Warm liquids helped a bit, but it took 3 weeks of being away that fixed that problem.

Chet: Really surprised that some other artists haven't been mentioned like Zhang Liang-Ying (although sometimes she is over commercialized) and Chris Lee.  Jolin's a little too cute looking for me.


In-Jaul

[brett]

Yes I've loved Jolin Tsai since I found her CD/DVD set in Hong Kong in 2006. "Our song" will be a Jolin song. My bag is full of her other CD/DVD sets.

Anyway I am now back in the UK. Things are good between me and my lady. It is clear that I wasn't exactly what she was expecting. She was also a bit different to what I was expecting (but not that much different). Like all couples we have a few issues to address. But as long as we love each other we should be OK.

My lady wants to get married in the UK - I'm not sure if this is possible (I've opened another thread for responses).

I would still want to live in Asia one day. I am not sure about China. The place is good if you have money and influence. But there is a long way to drop if you fall off the social ladder. You would not ever want to get in trouble with the authorities as punishments are severe - even being in debt can get you a lengthy jail sentence. And the place is not a healthy place to live - standards of cleanliness are poor, and pollution is bad. Actually I don't think Wuhan was too bad, but in Yichang the air was thick with soot from farmers burning their rice stubble, and from my 15th floor hotel window the air was stinking.

I also found China to be quite a dull place (aside from the excitement of going to a foreign country!). There's none of the vibrant bar culture you see everywhere else in the World. They still have to import a lot of popular culture (like Taiwanese pop singers and Hong Kong movies). TV is full of the most awful period TV soap operas. There's no sexy stuff going on like in Japan.

I am also suspicious of the Chinese economic miracle. There are a lot of banks, a lot of empty new apartment buildings, a lot of expensive shopping malls with few customers. Could boom soon turn to bust, as it frequently does in the West?

Air China wasn't great, on the way back my seat was broken and their choice of movies was awful. The stewardesses were lovely though. Beijing airport is fantastic though, and I recommend changing there if you want to get an internal flight to see your lady.

It looks like my next trip will be to meet my lady in Hong Kong.

[maxx]

Brett Beijing Zhuhai,Shenzhen,Macao.All have very good nightlife.Bars,clubs, kKtv,Gambling in Macao.I can't say about the other cities because I haven't ben to them.

[brett]

Yes we are planning on visiting Macau when we visit HK. I didn't see any bars in Yichang, but maybe my lady doesn't really go to them, she's more of a KTV girl. Her father prefers to stay home and watch those curious soap operas. But then if my wife could cook like that then I don't think I would leave the house either.

I am missing China, but I sure as hell won't miss room temperature beer (beer with ice in it is just too wierd) :@.

[Arnold]

I also found China to be quite a dull place (aside from the excitement of going to a foreign country!). There's none of the vibrant bar culture you see everywhere else in the World. They still have to import a lot of popular culture (like Taiwanese pop singers and Hong Kong movies). TV is full of the most awful period TV soap operas. There's no sexy stuff going on like in Japan.

I am also suspicious of the Chinese economic miracle.

Brett , I've enjoyed your Trip and your success with your Lady so far . But these two quote's , I did not like to see .

China is quite a Dull place ? You're never been to Shanghai .
You sound like you should have looked in Taiwan or Japan for a Lady , as highly you speak of those place's .
Suspicious of China's Economy ? All China need's now , is better Schools ( Universities ) so they wont have to wonder off to America or Europe for an higher Education . Ones they have established this task , they will move to be the ONLY world power on this Planet . The US is already holding the Hand out to China to be Friend's , wonder WHY ? Because ... they have what they don't and so let's be Friend's . Wasn't it the other way around some  time ago ?

[brett]

Well until I visit Shanghai, then I feel that China is a dull place. Hell, even the beer is dull. Shanghai is not China. It is Shanghai. China is Wuhan, and Yichang, and countless other cities that most Westerners have never heard of. Strip out all the foreign influences and there isn't much there. Yet. It will come, but it's not there yet. The soviet communist influence will fade.

Japan is a fantastic place. It has a special place in my heart. But I am looking for a soulmate, and I do not mind where she is from. China suits me well due to the special relationship the UK has with China via Hong Kong, and the fact that there are so many Chinese students where I work.

Modern China is largely built on Western debt and investment. Can it stand on its own two feet? Can it prevent a huge implosion if civil unrest or environmental problems rise to the surface? Growing pains will come. And they will be painful.P.S. My lady tells me China is pretty dull. Working hours need to be cut and more leisure facilities built. Oh, and Wuhan Zoo needs lick of paint and more animals. Do you know she was astonished that I had taken BLUE toilet paper with me from England. "Here only white" as she says :angel:.

[David E]

Brett

If you must make sweeping generalisations about China's economic credentials, it would help the Bros here if you did a bit of research and got it right.

China has NOT built its commercial success on Foreign Debt and Capital..in fact it is the biggest buyer of US Treasury Bonds on the planet...and indeed America is so heavily into debt with China it is alsmost embarrasing. Its capital projects are all self-funded from cash flow.....not like our economies, funded from debt.

Secondly, the Economic expansion they have experienced over the past 10 years is easily sustainable due to the huge population....generally speaking a zero base expansion for China just to maintain the status quo will be about 8 % per annum...forever !!...compare that to most modern Western Economies.

Lastly..the lack of a mindless, frenetic bar culture for some people would be a big positive...they have not blindly followed the meaningless existence that is now the norm in so many western societies.

So they have huge punishments for crime...Hooray !!! more of it !!!

So they regard uncontrolled debt as sinister...well done !!!

China will easily stand on its own feet for the long haul. There may well be some future uncertainties about how exactly a Communist type society can evolve over the next medium term...but never underestimate the Chinese will or the Chinese intelligence...they of all people can make it work.

China is not dull...it is ancient and cultured...so different to what we know in the West.

DavidE

[shaun]

Brett

If you must make sweeping generalisations about China's economic credentials, it would help the Bros here if you did a bit of research and got it right.

China has NOT built its commercial success on Foreign Debt and Capital..in fact it is the biggest buyer of US Treasury Bonds on the planet...and indeed America is so heavily into debt with China it is alsmost embarrasing. Its capital projects are all self-funded from cash flow.....not like our economies, funded from debt.

Secondly, the Economic expansion they have experienced over the past 10 years is easily sustainable due to the huge population....generally speaking a zero base expansion for China just to maintain the status quo will be about 8 % per annum...forever !!...compare that to most modern Western Economies.

Lastly..the lack of a mindless, frenetic bar culture for some people would be a big positive...they have not blindly followed the meaningless existence that is now the norm in so many western societies.

So they have huge punishments for crime...Hooray !!! more of it !!!

So they regard uncontrolled debt as sinister...well done !!!

China will easily stand on its own feet for the long haul. There may well be some future uncertainties about how exactly a Communist type society can evolve over the next medium term...but never underestimate the Chinese will or the Chinese intelligence...they of all people can make it work.

China is not dull...it is ancient and cultured...so different to what we know in the West.

DavidE

Well said DavidE I agree.

[RobertBfrom aust]

Well said David E , most Chinese have not moved far from their home cities and families , so they have not seen the growing areas , and semi to modern cities Ie ; Changsha , Chongqing , Shanghai ,Beijing etc,etc , we in Australia know we live in a positive growth land like China , there are many areas in China ie; Behai that have very clean air and I would look at this area as being similar to Albany in W A or Coffs Harbour in N S W , Most ECU countries that have experienced monetary problems over the last 12 months , have turned to China to bail them out , and they are very self sufficient , regards Ying and Robert .

[Willy The Londoner]

Yes we are planning on visiting Macau when we visit HK.

What sort of visa will you have Brett. To visit Hong kong is one entry back and to visit Macau is a second?

Willy

[brett]

Hi Willy,

My lady will meet me in Hong Kong so I won't need a China visa this time. I do have a multi-visit one so maybe we could visit Shenzen. But my lady wants to visit HK, she's been all over China but has never been abroad. Macau would be a good side visit as I didn't go there last time, I guess we could stay there overnight. I'm not a gambler so not interested in the casinos but I expect we could have a fantastic time going daft photo poses in front of Portuguese buildings.

Anyway, to bring this thread back on topic, time for a lady update. Today Miss Wu is QQ'ing me about having children. Wow, I am scared!!!!

We have exchanged a couple of EMFs about our recent meeting. My lady thinks I'm not exactly how she imagined. The take home message is that personality is hard to determine on MSN + webcam. We have a few things to work on. I need to remember she is young and likes doing a lot of stuff. I need to keep her entertained. Wow, maybe I was a little too relaxed when I was with her. She needs to remember that I've lived away from home since I was 18. I have a mortgage and other responsibilities. There is nobody to bale me out if things go wrong. I have stuff to worry about. We are still a good match though.

[Willy The Londoner]

C'mon Brett your lady is 30 I believe.

That is considered old in Chinese terms to still be single.  She wants to be married and have children.  Children not a child, children. That means that she is going to be content in staying at home and building a family.  I guarantee that once married she will not want to be going out every night or need to be entertained.  When she eventually gets to England after the initial tour of places of interest her main interest will be in making her husband very comfortable in what to her will be a new home.

Although not married yet I am experiencing enormous pleasure of being pampered in every way possible so i know what you have to look forward to.

Although she is younger than you my opinion is that you must stop thinking of her as a young niave girl with western standards and aspirations and start thinking of her for what she is, a pretty Chinese Lady, with chinese standards and aspirations who really wants to marry and be a good wife for a husband that does not treat her badly.   And she is someone who for some reason has not found a possible chinese husband by the time she was 30 and, like many others before her, has had to look elsewhere for a prospect.  As for you living away from home since 18 she may well have been looking after herself since she was 15 or less.  These are very capable girls who become extremely capable women.

Maybe I have been a bit too blunt with this message but that is my opinion on what is a suprisingly cool evening here.

How did you get a multi entry visa in the UK?

Willy

[brett]

Hi Willy,

My girl is a bit of a dreamer and a princess (dreaming of a white wedding in England etc.) and because she lives at home her parents do a lot for her (like cooking most of her meals). I don't think she realises the hard road that lies ahead with regards to visas, immigration etc.

On the other hand however, that biological clock is ticking...

Now that we know we're a pretty good match we can start making long term plans. Today on QQ she asked me about babies, which is a good sign. She is starting to think about important stuff.

I guess it is sad that she hasn't found a good Chinese man yet. But the sad fact is that in Western Hubei pretty much every lady has a perfect figure and there are many women who are simply some of the finest creatures on the entire planet. I guess wealthy men like her boss can have a house by the river, a doting wife and as many beautiful mistresses as he can handle :icon_cool:.

Actually my visa was a double entry lol.

[David5o]

Brett,


There is no such thing as a 30 year old Naive Chinese lady, They can't afford to be!! and i'm not talking about in monetary terms, but that does come into it.

As Willy pointed out, she is NOT young and even more so in Chinese terms. She is a woman in her own right. Sure she likes doing exciting things right now, but she will gladly give what you call her high life up, as and when she becomes a wife.

You keep comparing Hong Kong to China's Mainland, they are completely different my friend, and it has nothing to do with being Cantonese, but everything to do with being under the influence of British rule for 100 years..... It was prospering long before the up-turn of China. It had, and probably still has, the most successful freeport in the world. It was the main gateway to China's foreign currency during there closed door period....

Willy,  ....Brit's don't need a visa to enter HK, it's a Special region, i am pretty sure that goes for Macau too.... But if he crosses over to Mainland China, he will need that second entry on his Visa!!

David.....

[Willy The Londoner]

Willy,  ....Brit's don't need a visa to enter HK, it's a Special region, i am pretty sure that goes for Macau too.... But if he crosses over to Mainland China, he will need that second entry on his Visa!!

David.....

Yes I was aware. I thought he was taking the trip from China to each of these places and then returning to China.    I like travelling from China to Hong Kong.  There is always a great long queue at immigrations, but for 60 years olds like me there is never a queue.  Only benefit of reaching this age.

Willy