We all know about the often unpleasant security checks wherever you go. Beijing looks like a giant airport terminal with scanners and security people all over – discos, metro stations, exhibitions, anywhere. Some people are really fed up. On the other hand, as long as the checks are done in a polite way, we should not complain too much.
Extremist are the worst of the worst and for me they can be gassed or shot. They kill innocent people in the name of their stupid causes. Remember Bali discos? At least I feel safe – once inside – in a Beijing disco. Or do you say “never mind” if some of those monsters blows up everybody in China Doll where so many infidels are engaged in very infidel behavior? Or blow up the subway like in London?
Think yourself.
Open your bags, cooperate and dance the night away.
The Olympics are coming. When will it be over?
Readers might notice my silence on this topic despite being sometimes called “Mr. Olympics”. Well, I just hope it will all be over ASAP and this without too many sad incidents.
I have serious Olympic fatigue. Media have been interviewing me several times per week, with some unexpected reactions:
– I saw you one CNN!
– I’ve never been interviewed on CNN!
– Well, it was you and you said….. but why do you hide your name and call yourself Gustavo?
Well, after some other reactions seems Channel4 (UK) misspelled my name, showed the interview in the UK and then passed it on to CNN. Channel4 did apologize for the hiccup.
But Beijing is becoming a sterilized city. Many foreigners had to leave or did not get a visa. Hundreds of thousands of Chinese were forced to leave the city. Hotels and restaurants as well as tourist agencies are far from happy.
Business is stopped for many as getting a business visa is officially nearly impossible (Shanghai explained while Beijing as usual continues its empty propaganda blabla).
No more tickets, so I’ll watch it on TV. Not that I’ll miss much with the chaos you can expect to go to the venue and then return home.
I did go to the rehearsal of the Opening ceremony (as one of the very very few foreigners). Can’t tell you more about except I was rather disappointed. And came home soaking wet from the downpour and the lack of transportation. And tired of the poor signage and chaos. That was with 50,000 people. Wait for the 100,000!.
Hopefully they’ll do better on 8/8/8 and I suggest you stay home and watch on TV. Except you are a VVIP.
But I will go to the Opening Ceremony of the Paralympics – I want to support those as they receive too little attention.
Beijing is not completely dead. Nightlife is sanitized but some discos are still fully packed and I dragged some 20 people to a Brazilian Luxury Carnaval in KlubbRouge, all thanks to Leo Anjos (see his pics!). Other full spots are Suzie Wong and China Doll (3.3).
We will have to wait till the Halloween Party is over to find back good old perverted Maggie’s with the old PSB guys back in business. Yes I know, we are bad boys.
Why Chinese taxi drivers are clueless
We all know the frustration with Beijing taxi drivers. Some are great, both in driving and for conversation. Most enjoy the chit-chat and can be very friendly. Some others are just plain horrible in smell, attitude and ignorance.
Most of the time I just order them to follow my directions as normally I know my way around better than they do, including which traffic lights are good or bad. But if you unlucky to go to a place you’ve never been, good luck – 99.9% don’t understand one word of English and many don’t know the city.
Not knowing the whole city should not be a problem. We don’t expect them to be up to London Taxi standards. This is why maps exist and believe me, there are some pretty good and detailed Beijing maps (all in Chinese). But I have never, never seen ONE driver using a map.
Seems that is against Chinese culture.
Or, they simply seem unable to read a map – ever seen a map with directions sent by Chinese entities? Ignore it. Usually will lead you to Timbuktu. They say women cannot read maps. The average Chinese cannot make nor read nor use one.
So if you ever need to go somewhere – be prepared in advance.
Otherwise, have a nice day in Timbuktu and have your wallet ready.
The finger Olympics
I am not sure watching the Games here is going to be fun.
Fortunately we have our friend Greg Irwin, a nice guy I met during one of my sauna outings in Beijing. He has done some real exceptional gymnastics with his fingers. Now he has gone into the “Olympics” and also in celebrating the 888 luck (not so sure about that lucky 8 stuff though)
See here the master on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5APWtK0njc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zb9yl5basmk
He is showing you the finger. In a good way that is!
China Radio International: some talk too much
I listen most of the day to CRI on FM here in Beijing (88.7 and 91.5).
Some programs are great. But in some there is too much talking, those people love to listen to their own silly small talk, instead of playing music.
Now the biggest clown is that non-identified foreigner on Saturday mornings, on 88.70 FM. Tried to find his name on CRI’s website, to no avail. Something like Ryan Seacrest (“American Top 40”)(or is the real American clown Steve Coral or something?). The guy must be utterly frustrated that nobody likes him, so at every occasion he plays a tape of girls giggling or laughing. Irritating. Get a life man, have a couple of beers on the Gongti Strip, maybe somebody will actually laugh seeing you. Or maybe he never came to China, might also explain a lot.
Of course I could switch off but I really want to listen to the top 40…