Life and Travel in China

Lewandowski defeated Real Madrid and probably joined the group of famous 'German' players such as Podolski and Klose in the Chinese consciousness. Unfortunately, they usually connect players with the origins of the club. Real Madrid has a lot of fans in the Middle Kingdom, so our player has certainly appealed to some people ;-).

I think I've mentioned this before, but things are so weird in China. Now they have April 29 and 30 off, including May 1 - the same as Labor Day. Unfortunately, in order to have these two days off, they had to work on the weekend and on Sunday too. In our case, it is possible to make up for it on Saturday. Some time ago, this holiday lasted up to a week, but now it is changing. Generally, it is the authorities who determine when there is a national day off, when there is a holiday and how to adjust them in the calendar.

On the one hand, censorship in China combats eroticism and pornography, but on the other hand, even well-known Internet portals such as Xinhua, Sohu or 163.com often present erotic photos from lingerie shows, Miss pageants, bikini photos, etc. There is also more and more 'nudity' on billboards, in TV advertisements, and in glossy magazines. There are also various juicy photos and gossip about stars from China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. It seems to me that the presentation of such materials is necessary to maintain viewership (the number of website visitors) and also provide a bit of entertainment. Officially, there are no erotic/pornographic publications or films in China. The exception are materials smuggled from Hong Kong, which are available in record stores on the lower shelves or 'under the counter'. Don't ask me how I know this ;-).

In every large Chinese city there are so-called 'dirty districts', most often near train stations, such as in Shenzhen Luohu district (train station and border with Hong Kong), Ningbo (the same around the bus and train stations), Guangzhou (various areas), Shanghai (Nanjing Road area)... in each of these places there are several or even several dozen pimps. They encourage both Chinese and foreign travelers to use the services of 'massage therapists'. Sometimes they are really pushy, but it also happens that they just stand on the sidewalk, pretending that they have nothing to do. It all depends on the situation and arrangements with the local police. Such areas are dirty morally and literally, the sidewalks are often dirty with food waste, there are many inferior, even smelly, old bars. There are also beggars, cheaters and thieves. Generally, China is safe, but I advise you to be careful in such areas. It is important to take a decisive step and answer suggestions in Chinese with "no need", i.e. BU YAO! Or not to speak at all and not engage in conversations, even in English.

I observe that more and more Chinese want to live like Europeans. Of course, their concept of Europe, America, or the 'West' in general is a bit misleading and stereotypical. They often think that the most important thing for us is hanging out in nightclubs, drinking beer and having a relaxed attitude towards the whole world. Of course, there are such people, but not all of Europe relaxes with a beer?! The Chinese focus on night entertainment, meetings with friends, good dinners, alcohol, discos, cinemas, cafes, etc. They are very much moving towards the 'West'. This especially applies to people aged 15-30 living in large cities. During my several years in China, no one has suggested meeting me in a Chinese teahouse, but they always suggest Starbucks, McDonald's or KFC. Once in Shanghai, quite by accident, I met a student from Qingdao and her friend. The girls were going to a good tea shop, they called it 'kung-fu cha'. I associated it with martial arts and some amazing show. They meant the way of preparing and brewing tea - it was an ordinary tea shop, and I was expecting Jackie Chan ;-). Young Chinese easily deviate from their own traditions and escape to Western culture. But is our culture better? They may imitate our lives, but they are never completely free. Their consciousness is always controlled by censorship, and their actions are observed and controlled. And everything must be normal.