Xiamen Airlines planes are Boeing 737s or Airbus 300 series. You get food for nothing even on short flights. I can take a RT flight to places within an hour and a half of Shanghai (say 600 miles) for something like $150.
Most of the planes have overhead TVs and at the early and ending parts of the flight they’ll show a map of where you are and screens with the particulars of your flight: airspeed, altitude, time to destination and outside air temperature for example. In between times they show clips and cartoons. The clips are usually from America’s Funniest Home Videos showing people falling off things, running into things or otherwise losing their composure. I’ll bet the folks who signed the release for those never imagined they’d be seen on a plane tooling around China. A cartoon of a big white bear and a small creature that looks like the Geico gecko is usually next until near landing time
There are all kinds of unusual western touches that suddenly appear in odd places. I was in Fuzchou, a city to the south of Shanghai along the coast, and suddenly heard “Home on the Range” from public speakers in the square. I have no idea why. I think I mentioned in an earlier posting that in Xiamen the street-washing trucks play “Happy Birthday” from a truck mounted loud-speaker for some reason; I’ve only heard that in Xiamen — in Shanghai, the trucks are silent except for the water.
We’ve taken some road trips from Shanghai as part of the recruiting efforts for the school I’m with. Hangzhou is about two hours by car from Shanghai, Wenzhou is six. Highway travel is highway travel and the Chinese “interstates” look like Interstates anywhere, usually with tolls. At rest areas there are cafeteria style eateries, and lots of packaged foods. Instant noodles are popular where a tub is prepackaged with noodles, packages of vegetables, meat and spices and a fork or chop sticks. You can find hot water taps almost everywhere and the prepackaged noodles are cheap — half a buck (US) and popular. Add hot water, wait a couple of minutes and you’ve got your meal.
Some of the surrounding towns are filled with very rich Chinese, Wenzhou in particular. The number of Mercedes, BMWs, Audis and even Porches is astounding and there are streets full of high-end fashion shops. Wenzhou and Wenling — about an hour from Wenzhou — have three-wheeled bike taxis that fit two or three people in the back over the two wheels and a guy who pedals in front. Touring the shopping streets is pleasant and an interesting way to see these towns; half an hour of being hauled around by a guy with big calves costs less than ten bucks US.
They don’t have these contraptions in Shanghai.
One of the hotels has video screens with advertising in the mens room, placed at every urinal. I had no idea people shopped at urinals, but all they need to do is add a touchscreen and the line for the men’s room could exceed the lines normally for the girls.
I’ve decided to stay in China for a while. The school here (www.cic-ghc.com), has made me the centerpiece of their promotional activities since old white guys seem to lend credibility somehow. It’s a little weird to see yourself on ten foot banners and in newspaper ads — especially in Chinese. But that’s led to a better deal and a chance to learn first hand about Chinese business practices, to meet more regular people (parents of prospective students and people in the education business), and to participate in the changes that are China.
Banner Ad for Parents' Meeting
The school has helped locate a new apartment, much nicer and bigger, more than I need, but it turns out that two bedroom places are actually easier to find than one bedroom places so that’s the deal. Two bedrooms, living room, two balconies, a big kitchen, a study, furnished with airconditioning and all the appliances in a modern building costs 4,000 RMB a month (divide by 6.8). Utilities will cost maybe 400 RMB per month including Internet and cable TV.
The school will pay for most if not all of that.
It’s crazy, but if you need a place to stay when you are in Shanghai, let me know.
I read recently that the Obama administration is setting new energy efficiency standards for light bulbs and household appliances. It’s almost impossible to find and incandescent light bulb in China – they’re all flourescent; either tubes or the coiled ones that fit in regular sockets. And people here recycle everything. This guy’s wife is on the other side of his load of styrofoam and paper, pedalling her own bike while holding onto his, giving him extra power to move his load. You see these folks everywhere along with the junk dealers who have three wheeled bikes, a bell and a small scale and collect anything imaginable. Just outside the school the other day, right on the sidewalk, a guy with a hammer and screwdriver was beating the hell out of some home appliance; maybe an airconditioner, getting salvagable parts. In the markets now, at least in all the bigger ones, if you don’t bring your own bag, you’ve got to pay a few cents to get one to carry your stuff. It just became a rule and that was that.
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