GZ Expat, Part II

Busi-ness

The past couple weeks as well as the next couple weeks are filled with meetings, appointments and overall busy work.  I've not sat down to this blog in quite a while due to all stuff...busy.

Last weekend was spent in HK with the family.  Tai-Tai had hooked us all up with the yearly doctor appointments and the like.  It all went pretty well this time around...just a load of money plunked down in one sitting. 

During the off times from appointments, we ate and we shopped.  Hmmm...what else is there to do in HK?  Tai-Tai refilled her Body Shop cabinet and I picked up a load of DVD's for myself and for Tai-Tai.  Here is a quick rundown of what is needed to survive lousy TV in Chiner...

• Spiderwick - this was Expat Son's request
• Mary Tyler Moore Show - Season One.  Old TV shows are always good for plugging in and playing away.
• F Troop - Season One.  Love this show...Larry Storch was always a favorite.
• The Living Daylights - The only Bond flick I will have made by Dalton.
• Live and Let Die - One of only two Bond flicks I will have from Moore (the other is Octopussy).
• Bewitched - Season Five.  Tai-Tai request...I pretty much hate this show.

Then, it was over to the CD rack.  I don't buy CD's like I used to, because most of the bands that put out CD's in big box stores all sound the same.  But, I grabbed a handful...

• Coldplay - Viva La Vida.  Another Expat Son request...I'm not a big Coldplay fan.
• Stereophonics - Pull The Pin.  They are in HK this Thursday...damn.
• The Kooks - Konk.  This band is an acquired taste...fun to listen to.
• Jason Mraz - We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things.  Jazzy and calm...

And, of course, no trip is complete without a quick visit to the bookstore.  I was able to get Vince Flynn's latest and we also popped over to the 'modern classics' rack to grab a handful of Ian Fleming's James Bond books...never have read them.

HK's appeal for us has lost a bit of luster, except when it comes to restaurants.  You can always find some pretty good stuff around many a corner...especially good stuff with good service.  Those two things are hard to find here. Sometimes you can even find the craziest of names and genre's.  Modern Canadian Cuisine...for most that would be premium steak and donuts.  According to the menu...they didn't have donuts on it (that was down the street at Krispy Kreme).  And don't forget...that's with two 'C's' (or is it three?).

One thing that is driving me crazy lately are the touts on the streets of Tsim Sha Tsui.  It just gets worse and worse with every visit.  In one city block, Expat Son and I were asked 7 times if we wanted a tailor, copy watch, copy handbag and massage.  It gets so irritating.  I finally couldn't take it any longer and I asked one of the guys...'Why don't you ask the Chinese guy?'  Because...the don't.  They only target 'gweilo's'.  He answered...'because the Chinese do this kind of business and they aren't interested.' 

We did pass by one woman with the perfect t-shirt for walking the streets...LEAVE ME ALONE...in big white letters on a black t-shirt.  Indeed.

Dinner at Jimmy's...Breakfast at Dan Ryan's complete with balloon for the kid.  It was all pretty much set and done by the time we passed through the x-ray machines on the way to the train. 

Random China Moment

While stuck in traffic this morning, I happened along a sight that I don't see nearly as much as we would 10 years ago; the sidewalk bicycle repairman. 

Back in the day with all the bikes on the road, and the horrible materials they were made out of (rusty steel and very poor inner-tubes for the tires), there was literally one of these guys on every corner.  Either just there to pump up your tires, or give you a complete overhall, while you waited. 

This old guy had an impressive set of tools spread out along with a multitude of replacement parts...mostly rusty used parts from older bikes. 

Here, he was working on the front wheel bearings...

Bicycle Repair While You Wait from GZ Expat on Vimeo.

I didn't count on the street sweeper to get into the way of this at the end...but, there ya go.

Life in a Typhoon

We've had our fair share of typhoon's here in our years in southern China.  The storms batter the coastline, but usually spare us, as we are so far inland.  Usually, the storms turn north at the coastline and wreak havoc on neighboring Fujian province with winds and floods.The worst we get is a load of rain and some isolated flooding. 

We were in Hong Kong in 1999 when Typhoon Sam struck, leaving us stranded over night as ferry and even train service was shut down in the wake of the storm.  While the storm was powerful and shut down most of the city, a bare amount of services were still available; bars, restaurants and the subway.  I can remember running from the hotel door to the subway entrance and standing on an empty platform for 5 minutes, awaiting the train.  Once inside the train, it was creepily empty of people.  We arrived at Pacific Place mall and found the only business open in the mall was Dan Ryans.  When we returned to the hotel, the storms had quieted somewhat, but the grainy pictures on our TV showed us a plane had overturned on the runway at the airport.  What on earth were they doing landing during a typhoon?

Despite all the excitement we had in Hong Kong, back in GZ, it was merely wet.  No winds...to tidal worries...just a load of rain.  People back in GZ were wondering why we had to stay an extra night in HK...what was all the fuss? 

So, that is how it is in GZ during a typhoon.  Just far enough inland that the winds don't effect us as much...but we do get the rain.

Last week, typhoon Fengshen made landfall directly over Hong Kong, it pushed through Guangdong province towards GZ.  With a sudden gush of air, the rains started...and they came and came.  Of course, I am busy at work during all of this.  Rarely is there a warning that would send us home during a typhoon in GZ. 

My plans were to head north to a factory for some meetings.  I jumped in the car and we headed out...less than 5 minutes into the journey, the driver stops the car and checks the right front tire; it's going flat fast.  So, there I was...new, fancy phone in hand, in a repair shop in the middle of GZ having a flat repaired during a typhoon. 

'Li' Schwab Repair from GZ Expat on Vimeo.

These storms have a way of instilling memories upon you.

Epilogue:  What was merely a storm to us, was a devastating full force typhoon to the people of the Philippines and their loss was high.  A sad part of why the storm wasn't more potent to southern China is that it crossed the Philippines at its peak and lost considerable strength as it passed over the island nation. 

 

Tepanyaki in GZ

Many of my colleagues ask me about Western restaurants in GZ...'what are your favorite?'  Well, in the grand scheme of things, there are only a handful of decent western style restaurants that Tai-Tai and I like going to.  With most restaurants in GZ, they are originally opened and operated by a partnership of Chinese and expat.  The expat puts forth the recipes, ideas and sweat into opening and building the business.  Eventually the local partner will see all the money flowing in from their venture and either buy or kick out the expat partner...resulting in a restaurant that looks western,  but serves chinese food.  The list of restaurants that have survived and thrived is very short...and we generally repeat visits to them.

If there is one 'foreign' food that GZ has an abundance of good restaurants, its Japanese food.  There are a selection of very good Japanese style restaurants that offer just about anything you can get in Japan...there are also a selection that are serving generally Chinese flavored Japanese food.  Fair enough...after all, there is nothing quite like American Chinese food!

Tai-Tai and I have found a spot that we like to go over and over again.  It is a chain, with 4 locations, but the one location we go to all the time is a familiar place.  The cooks, waitresses all know us.  We have our own bottle of sake on the wall!  And, we are always surrounded by loads of Japanese expats enjoying their meals as well. 

We will either sit at a table and have sukiyaki, noodles, or sushi on some days or nights.  But, if we want to have a nice long big meal, we'll sit at the grills and enjoy a big tepanyaki meal.  Sipping sake, a nice cold beer and course after course of perfectly cooked seafood and beef.

Shrimp Tepanyaki from GZ Expat on Vimeo.

Donations

As I had mentioned in previous posts, I have been finding it difficult to dig into the wallet to find some cash to donate to the relief efforts in Sichuan.  I adopted a wait and see attitude towards the whole thing.  Partially to see what the domestic response would be and partly to find a reliable source to pass along goods for donation.  In situations like this, cash just seems too easy for someone to skim off the top.  I think we all learned valuable lessons from the monies donated to 9-11 relief as well as Katrina relief.  Some commenters would call me an a*hole...while I call myself cautious.  Too often we have experienced the joy of passing along charitable donations to orphanages, schools, villages, only to return to each of them and find that none of the items we donated had made it to any kids or families.

A reliable source (our kids school) to pass along stuff has been found and the pile of stuff we have had in our home is ready to go; 100kg of rice, blankets galore, bags of food, excess shoes (that is the big black bag), brand new sleeping bags which the kids were to use on sleepovers and towels and other goodies (the picture doesn't capture it all).   

My pessimism had spread through the locals, which again, I was being cautious in my approach.  I wanted to see just what the response would be.  Too often I have experienced events at work in which we would try and do charitable work, only to have 5 or 6 people show up (and usually 1/2 are expats).  But, my co-workers have impressed me by chiming in for over RMB100,000 (USD12,000)!!  That is just cash donations among co-workers...it's very humbling.

Here's hoping it all gets where it needs to get to...

The Money Rolls In

The money is rolling in from corporations for earthquake relief.  Although there is no way to tell how much individuals have donated, if I gauge from our office, there has been RMB80,000 raised so far.  Not bad for a country not really known for its 'Good Samaritan' feelings. 

Like I said before, I have a real hard time donating right now, without much reassurance to what the money is used for and where its going to.  We have been asking around for places to donate clothing, food, etc., but we are only getting vague addresses and no firm organizations which are making any sort of collections for stuff.  All they want is money...and I'm just not comfortable with that at this moment.

While in HK this weekend, several charities were out on the street canvasing pocket change from passers-by and being quite successful with it.  While in the hotel room, we flipped on CCTV9 for a bit to watch some of their coverage of events and they popped up with a static screen asking for donations (in English) with the bank information and accounts for the government Ministry of Civil Affairs (but their website posts info to the Red Cross of China).  Uhhhh...sure...you want me to give my money to the government??  Why is it that I see some bureaucrat rubbing his sweaty palms together in anticipation of his windfall.

Call me a pessimist.

The Olympic Torch

The torch run through GZ had been planned for many months. My plan had been in place as well…stay the hell away from the city on that day. Our office is located directly across the road from Tian He Stadium, which is where the torch run was to end.  The run was to start at the convention center, which is about 2km from our house!  Knowing how crazy the Chinese are for everything Olympic, I just didn’t want to be in the vicinity…the large, nationalist crowds have always made me a bit nervous (just ask the Japanese).

I did as planned…and by the looks of the photos (which were taken about a block away from our office), I had made the right decision.

No, despite the country falling into a nationalist rant, those are nazi salutes the people are giving the torch.  Those are mobile phones.  Hmmm...maybe Hitler knew something about the future?

Speechless.  I wonder where the guys are with the whistles that stop people from jaywalking on this crossing.  Prolly got fired that day for losing control.

I did not take these photos...they were sent to me in a mass email.  I am not sure who took them, so I am giving credit to whoever took the photos...nice work.  Sorry to pinch them from you.

 

Earthquake

You've all read and heard about it.  Just browse down through the past few days of news clippings I have been saving since the big quake in Sichuan.  I only have a few comments to make on the whole thing...

• I believe the Chinese will be more open to receiving help and charity from foreign agencies and governments, unlike their friends in Burma.  Both disasters are on an unimaginable scale for many of us from relatively safe Western countries (California and Florida notwithstanding).  China's leadership right now is on the offense to make themselves look good in the wake of the Tibet riots...they won't turn down any offer of help.
• Initial reports of the earthquake were coming out of Beijing and Shanghai.  Everyone knew the epicenter of the quake was in Sichuan, near Chengdu, but nobody was hearing anything from that region, as power and telephones were knocked out by the disaster.  Instead, initial news reports were of people that were able to Twitter from effected regions...very short messsages.  Longer blog posts were of people in Beijing and Shanghai freaking out about their buildings swaying and being evacuated.  My initial thoughts were angry at this.  'How self centered' I thought to myself.  We had not yet heard of the scale of the problem in Sichuan...yet, people were all up in arms about their buildings moving about a bit.  How about your building falling on top of you?
• I had read a rather sensational blog post about how the scale of the death toll is the fault of China's economic boom.  Uhhh...right.  OK...after reading a little further, there was some validity to the point and that being, the shoddy construction standards (are there any??) in place here.  I have long told family and friends, the greatest fear I have living in GZ, is an earthquake.  It will all come crumbling down, similar to the movie from the 70's (in sensurround!).  The highway overpass from GZ to Shenzhen collapsed...TWICE...without an earthquake.  Imagine what would happen with the help of the earth!  Remember this when you are attending the Olympics and you are sleeping in your newly built hotel. 
• We live a long way from Sichuan, we did not feel the quake.  Reports of people feeling the quake in Bangkok are pretty far fetched to believe...but you never know. 
• I will wait until I see a need for a charitable contribution.  Maybe I am a heartless American that is unfeeling towards the country I live.  Hardly.  I work with several people in which this disaster has touched personally.  But, this country is awash in disposable income.  The tax rates here are confiscatory...and I do my part on that end.  It's now up to the people of this country, whom have profited off the labor of the people of Sichuan (and other poor inland provinces) for 20 years to pay their respects by digging deep into their pockets and giving what they can in relief efforts.  The day I see the millions and millions of renminbi flowing into Red Cross and other aid agencies from the locals, will be the day that I dig into my pocket and make a contribution.  Until then...my prayers are with the people and families of the struck regions.

If you would like to donate, here is some information on the Red Cross of China

Day Trip

Tai-Tai took me out for a quick trip to an old Chinese house in Panyu, Yi Yun.  She had been there about 3 years ago and had misplaced the information on it...until she found it the other day.  Her impression of it back then was somewhat run down but very interesting in how it had fallen into disrepair.  Little did we know that in the three years since she had been there, they have done some extensive renovation to the place.  It only took about an hour to explore...but it was very good. 

I really enjoy the traditional Chinese homes...the open air corridors and the surprises around every corner.  A vast contrast to the Chinese architecture of today which is square, cement and built with virtually no crafting skills whatsoever.  These old homes are a testament to different times in China.  I mean, look at that front entrance to the house in the picture to the right...amazing.  Pictures here.

Other than that, we've not done a whole lot over the weekend...just lazing.  Yeah, I haven't blogged much, which I thought I would do more of when I was off.  But, meh...that's the way it goes. 

Enjoy the pictures...

The Final Word on the Tibet Riots

I've always admired the Imagethief...but this long essay on Tibet and China's struggle to handle the PR and information flow in its wake is a must read for everyone...

While there are elements of truth to China's version, China's ability to sell it internationally has always been hampered by the government's time-honed credibility gap with western audiences. This is exacerbated by the difficulty of getting independent points of view. Reporting from Tibet was heavily controlled even before the riots. Furthermore, International opinion is subject to an effective PR campaign run by Tibetan exile groups and the charismatic Dalai Lama. It's safe to say that International audiences will never be entirely convinced by a Chinese state narrative that doesn't even allow for the possibility that there might be genuine discontent in Tibet. China is much better at dictating ideas to a captive audience than at selling them to an open one.

I've been wanting to write a longer piece on Tibet, but this just does it for me...there is nothing more to be said.  Read the whole thing.