What's your favorite thing about China

[ameriken]

Aside from your SO, what do you like most, or what impressed you the most about China? The food? A place? Event/holiday? A specific part of the culture?

 

To me, it was the enormous amounts of people on the streets. The American lifestyle seems to keep people bound to their home, tv, and cars, while the Chinese lifestyle drives people outside.

 

In Shanghai you can feel so much life on the streets. So many people walking, talking, riding their bicycles; or folks buying fruit, vegetables, socks, dumplings or something else from outdoor vendors; a large crowd of people around a ma jiang game, or folks just sitting outside their house talking and knitting. The biggest Starbucks shops in Shanghai were almost always crowded. Even in winter, everyone seems to be outside.

 

For some reason, it just always felt festive and alive to see the massive #'s of people outdoors on a typical, regular day.

 

How about you? What do you like or remember most about China? It it a particular place, food, restaurant, feeling, holiday or what?

 

Just curious to hear others share their experiences.

Edited May 18, 2006 by ameriken (see edit history)

[Mick]

One of the things I liked most was really good jaozi! (dumplings)

 

My first year over there, living in Hefei, we often visited a little dive, hole in the wall really, down a narrow alley way that served up great jaozi. Also, huang gua, (cucumber) served raw, but spiced in a way that is indescribable but delcious.

 

Also miss the women. No matter what direction you looked in, you would see a beautiful face.

[ameriken]

Also miss the women. No matter what direction you looked in, you would see a beautiful face.

216055[/snapback]

Great point, and we must never forget those cute little Chinese butts in such great numbers !

 

In America, its tiring seeing so many Mack trucks.

Edited May 18, 2006 by ameriken (see edit history)

[Mick]

Also miss the women. No matter what direction you looked in, you would see a beautiful face.

216055[/snapback]

Great point, and we must never forget those cute little Chinese butts in such great numbers !

 

In America, its tiring seeing so many Mack trucks.

216056[/snapback]

Your point is well taken my friend. And those cute little butts are well rounded!

[MikeandRong]

There is so many things I miss, but most of all is the real family togetherness.

[Dennis143]

I have to agree with you Ken, about the festive feel of the people on the streets. The girls arm in arm. Everyone walking everywhere. Early morning in Nanning watching the elderly doing their morning tai chi. The stares from their seeing a meiguo seemingly for the first time. I was uncomfortable at first. I found myself feeling threatened, when men would stare. I learned that a friendly smile would enlist a smile in return. I remember stopping to get my muddy, black tennies shined from one of the shoeshine girls on the street. As she was shining my shoes, women would stop one at a time to stare at me until there were about five women staring, talking and giggling. I would speak and they'd all giggle again. Never had attention like that before. I suppose, all in all, I enjoyed being the man-from-Mars.

[johnxiaoying]

I miss the no tipping in restaurants. The Li beer. The beautiful countryside. Shopping for junk. The good restaurant in Nanning (generally we are in Guilin). Normal looking people. I miss everything that I don't miss here. One thing I don't miss is Guangzhou.

[Rakkasan]

For me it is hard to pin point one specific thing as being most memorable. The site, sounds, smells, the people everywhere all the time. I was treated royally everywhere I went. What was strangest for me was walking through Nanning and Guilin and not being able to read most of the signs or understand what was being said around me. I did get some serious stares and even asked SO about it, thinking maybe Amercians were a real oddity and not many people had seen one before. I was assured that there were lots of Americans around Nanning ( I guess you all stayed hidden from me while I was there, cuz I sure didn't see any others).

 

Everything or everyplace seems permeated with smells of cooking. I still cannot get over how much food SO could put away and still only be 95 lbs.

 

Memories of the hussle of street life remains and even though I live in a very rural area because I like the peace and quiet, I find myself wishing to be back among the throngs of people and noise.

 

Of course cute Chinese chicks EVERYWHERE!!!!! That was like bein a kid in a candy store. Since staring is acceptable in China, and this was my first trip to China, I was able to look at other women without getting mopslapped. Of course I did not dare take pictures of any of these women, lest SO decide that I was lusting in my heart. I may have been born yesterday, but I stayed up all night studying.

 

The strangest thing I saw and this was mostly in Guilin, was that when converting Chinese to English for signage no one ever taught the Chinese about the space bar. You would see signs that read, "Guilindeparmentofparksandoutdoors" all as one word. The other is that lack of understanding of syllables. Signs would be written as

 

Giulin Departme-

nt of parks an-

d outdoors

 

All in all China is an experience I will never forget and hope to return to soon.

[david_dawei]

playing ping pong in Baoding... I meet some amazing players.. this city is well known for this sport...

 

eating authenic chinese food every day, every meal.. That is heaven to me.

[pkfops]

No Fat Chicks.

[Jali]

Hmmm... I have to say it was the meals. Every one was like a special occasion... great food, lots of it (for cheap!) servers catering to your every need... I haven't been very happy eating american style ever since, it really spoiled me.

[Guest blsqueaky]

Gawd, what a question Ken, and for me what I miss, right now I am here seeing it again and tasting, the food, the sights, and yes, the ladies. What I have learned, the ladies here really have no idea how sensual they are. Today walking around, so may young ones, short shorts, the dresses. I know that when I am home, I appreciate my quiet little town, no pushing and shoving, but when in China, I just become like time, when in rome.....

 

I know that when I leave, other then my SO, I will miss the friendly people that I have met, the ones that will go out of their way to help me, this big bellied westerner, the ones in the hotel lobby that speak english, and will stop what they are doing to help me, the people in the bank that will help you, no charge.

 

The price of taxi, almost anywhere in the city for less then now $3.00, the 3 wheeled bikes. I also enjoy getting on a elevator, watching others get on, thinking it is going down, when going up. Never figured this one out yet.

 

Most of what I miss is what was said earlier, and that was the food. Like last night, my SO and I went to a place that we were at earlier, and they remembered me, and they all came over to talk to me, we laughed, talked and had a great time until they got busy, and even when they saw my carrying her purse, they just gave me a thunbs up and laughed, then when I went to the deli to get special meet, they made sure that I was taken care of.

 

Much of this I miss the most when I am home, in a fast paced society, where so much is me first, and yes here very busy, but they try and help as much as they can.

 

One thing that I do not miss, the riding in a taxi, still scares the *&%^ out of me

[chrisnhong]

Joining chinese tour groups. You get thrown together with 15-25 people and you have time to get to know some of their stories. And tell them yours. All for $100 to $300. Scenery, food, shelter and transportation all included.

[ameriken]

And how can I forget?

 

Thousands upon thousands of the cutest little butts on the face of the earth!

[jemmyell]

I miss the food, the incredible new experiences and most of all I miss Loving Candle...

 

-James