Joined: 15 Jun 2004 Posts: 46182 Location: Los Skandolous, California Country:
Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2011 4:29 am Post subject:
Quote:
I saw wads of phlegm glistening like freshly shucked oysters on staircases and escalators. I saw them frozen into slicks on the sidewalk and oozing down the sides of walls. It often seemed that if people weren't spitting, they were coughing without covering their mouths, or shooting wads of snot out of their noses. This was done by plugging one nostril and using the other as a blowhole. "We Chinese think it's best just to get it out," a woman told me over dinner one night. She said that, in her opinion, it's disgusting that a westerner would use a handkerchief and then put it back into his pocket.
"Well, it's not for sentimental reasons," I told her. "We don't hold on to our snot for ever. The handkerchief's mainly a sanitary consideration."
Another thing one notices in China is the turds. "Oh please," you're probably thinking. "Must you?"
To this I answer, "Yes, I must", for if they didn't affect the food itself, they affected the way I thought about it. In Tokyo, I once saw a dog pee on the sidewalk. Then its owner reached into a bag, pulled out a bottle of water and rinsed the urine off the pavement. As for dog faeces, I never saw any trace of them. In Beijing, you see an overwhelming amount of shit. Some of it can be blamed on pets, but a lot of it comes from people. Chinese babies do without diapers, wearing instead these strange little pants with a slit in the rear. When a child has to go, its parents direct it towards the kerb or, if they're indoors, to a spot they think of as "kerby". "Last month I saw a kid shit in the produce aisle of our Chengdu Walmart," a young woman named Bridget told me.
Joined: 08 May 2007 Posts: 2331 Location: in South Atami Country:
Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2011 4:56 am Post subject:
Tu_triky wrote:
Quote:
I saw wads of phlegm glistening like freshly shucked oysters on staircases and escalators. I saw them frozen into slicks on the sidewalk and oozing down the sides of walls. It often seemed that if people weren't spitting, they were coughing without covering their mouths, or shooting wads of snot out of their noses. This was done by plugging one nostril and using the other as a blowhole. "We Chinese think it's best just to get it out," a woman told me over dinner one night. She said that, in her opinion, it's disgusting that a westerner would use a handkerchief and then put it back into his pocket.
"Well, it's not for sentimental reasons," I told her. "We don't hold on to our snot for ever. The handkerchief's mainly a sanitary consideration."
Another thing one notices in China is the turds. "Oh please," you're probably thinking. "Must you?"
To this I answer, "Yes, I must", for if they didn't affect the food itself, they affected the way I thought about it. In Tokyo, I once saw a dog pee on the sidewalk. Then its owner reached into a bag, pulled out a bottle of water and rinsed the urine off the pavement. As for dog faeces, I never saw any trace of them. In Beijing, you see an overwhelming amount of shit. Some of it can be blamed on pets, but a lot of it comes from people. Chinese babies do without diapers, wearing instead these strange little pants with a slit in the rear. When a child has to go, its parents direct it towards the kerb or, if they're indoors, to a spot they think of as "kerby". "Last month I saw a kid shit in the produce aisle of our Chengdu Walmart," a young woman named Bridget told me.
Oh my god, funnily enough I can totally relate, especially the Chengdu part. Chengdu is the only place in the world where I actually ended up suffering from a culture shock. We stopped there to visit a panda station on our way to Tibet. I am really not difficult with food but at some point I went to a convenience, bought M&Ms and coke and didn't leave the hotel for 24h, watching CNN and BBC world. I will not talk about the airport toilets of Chengdu in the food thread let's just say I didn't eat for a long time afterwards.
Joined: 15 Jun 2004 Posts: 46182 Location: Los Skandolous, California Country:
Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2011 5:09 am Post subject:
EstherM wrote:
Oh my god, funnily enough I can totally relate, especially the Chengdu part. Chengdu is the only place in the world where I actually ended up suffering from a culture shock. We stopped there to visit a panda station on our way to Tibet. I am really not difficult with food but at some point I went to a convenience, bought M&Ms and coke and didn't leave the hotel for 24h, watching CNN and BBC world. I will not talk about the airport toilets of Chengdu in the food thread let's just say I didn't eat for a long time afterwards.
Wow, I can tell you've traveled extensively given your posts here over the years, so that's saying a LOT.
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I will not talk about the airport toilets of Chengdu in the food thread let's just say I didn't eat for a long time afterwards. 
