0791 Life

Getting Sick and Getting Well

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 01:09:24 GMT

The operating room looked very modern, although a little austere. It just so happens that the laser procedure for removing gall bladders is as common in China as it is in the USA. The only major difference was the price tag - only about $700 (5000 rmb) here in China. Hooray for socialized medicine.

There have been horror stories about watered down medicine being sold to people, but a thorough investigation has revealed that these people bought their medicines from a “street vendor” and not in a pharmacy or drug store. What sane person would do that?

The getting well part is really easy if you have a place to rest, and have someone to help take care of you - which I do on both counts - I went home one day after my operation and convalesced in my own home. Also, if you have certain fairly common ailments, relief is as close as the nearest drug store - and there is one on almost every block. A major plus is you don't need a prescription, or the doctors permission to buy many of the drugs you need. Purchasing one of the penicillin derivatives (amoxicillin, norfloxacin, etc.) or many of the really fabulous western drugs is easy and very inexpensive - and it comes in the same box Pfizer (or Glaxo-Smith-Klein, whomever) placed it in at the Shanghai factory. Chinese instructions are on one side of the box, and many times English is on the other side…. It’s best if you know the medical name - not the brand name - for the drug in question. Tylenol is Tylenol, no matter where you buy it.

Also, in case of flu and other viruses, the Chinese learned their lesson from the SARS episode, and now go into high-gear when a case of any flu is discovered. Even if you self-treat, it's fairly easy to pop into a hospital and get a intravenous antibiotic treatment for any bacterial infection.

So as I started this article, you don't really want to get sick, but if you know what ails you, and/or know what you need to cure you, then you can buy that cure very cheaply. Wash often, especially your hands and face. Drink only bottled water (it's only 1 Yuan - 14 cents - in most areas). Try to keep your hands off of walls, and any buttons that millions before you have, don't touch your face after shaking hands with people, don't use someone else's cell phone. And of course, ALWAYS wash after using the restroom…..Just like mom told you. . .

Next; Money, banking and some exchange rate tips....

Dispelling some horror stories....

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 07:55:55 GMT

On two or three travel blogs on various internet sites about China that I have read, a panicky writer often describes a horror story about some basic hygiene items I think it's necessary to discuss. For example, the stories of no toilet paper (at restaurants for example). While perhaps true in some cases, these truly are simple problems which the 22 year old traveller should have easily overcome.

In most of the smaller communities, say 500,000 to 1 million population, most restaurants provide 'toilet paper' right at your table. Even in larger cities, really inexpensive restaurants practice this as well. It actually is tissue paper sheathed in a round plastic container and fed from the inside-out instead of starting on the outside, as you are probably more accustomed to seeing. This inexpensive 'table tissue' is used by the Chinese just as we use napkins. If you are visiting mid-sized cities, say 1 million to 5 million population (or more middle class restaurants), many offer a little plastic envelope with several individual pieces of folded facial tissue or napkins. In fact, after living here about a month, I realized it was a good habit to collect these little envelopes of napkins - after all you are paying for them anyway - and carrying a few around with me at all times. Then you are never without some 'toilet tissue' even in an emergency. Don’t forget to take them out of your pockets before sending your clothes to the cleaners or the washing machine.

If you stay in the larger cities - which I hope you don't, most of the really nice restaurants offer a wash cloth sealed in plastic or served hot to you by the hostess before ordering your food. NOTE: This is becoming the practice more and more lately. I think it's a great idea to wash your hands before eating, and so do the Chinese. As you see there is really no need to panic, at the lack of toilet paper….

More importantly, unless you are either really young, from West Virginia, or an 'old China hand', you really don't want to use the restroom in a restaurant anyway….. Speaking of going to the restroom, my primary advice is to go at the hotel where you are staying, before venturing out on a day or shopping trip. Many places only offer what is endearingly called a 'squatty'… In other words you don't sit-down on a commode, you squat over a hole. Sometimes that hole is porcelain and sometimes it is 'just a hole'. So we older folks, whose knees don't hold up under pressure for very long, make a habit of 'going' before 'going out'.

In China, a little prior planning generally works wonders.

Shops are everywhere ! !

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 06:39:59 GMT

I love shopping in China, where true capitalism reins supreme. I love the back streets, the little shops, the street hawkers, and the teeming masses looking for a bargain. It makes my blood flow, and I can feel really alive.
Yes, they have big malls with Olay, L’Oreal, Gucci and Ralph Lauren signs everywhere you look, even if shopping in small towns (remember: small towns are 5 million people and below). But you won’t find any true bargains there, and the likelihood of bargaining in general has been forgotten. You might as well be in New York, and who wants that.....
Shopping in a street market is the ‘hot’ action - at least for me. No, you aren’t going to get a ‘real’ Gucci bag and that Polo shirt is truly a fake, but the action is fun, the bargaining is real, the people are truly friendly, and anxious to do business with you. The main thing is the bargaining. If you don’t haggle over the price, you are just another dumb foreigner who deserves to be taken advantage of, and you instantly lose face.
In these street markets there are no price-tags on anything, so I always start by asking ‘Doa Shao Chien’ or how much money does this cost? The vendor will immediately see your ‘foreign face’ and state a ridiculously high price (Note: don’t worry if you haven’t learned the numbers yet, all vendors have pocket calculators). Then I immediately take 10% of that number and counter offer. Which of course is turned down with a small protest, only to be followed by a counter offer. If I think it’s still too much I say ‘no thank you’, and walk away - remembering to always be polite.
Now the affect of ‘walking away’ does two things: First, by walking away you’re saying that their counter offer is ‘not acceptable’, and second the vendor loses some face by not appearing ready to bargain. I have found that ninety percent of the time, the vendor will hurry to call you back with another (lower) counter offer - in other words they want to sell and are willing to continue haggling over the price. When this happens, you have gained face, and the upper hand in this bargaining process.
Also, you can be confident that there is another shop (probably) within 100 feet that will offer the very same product, and you can try your bargaining skills again. Many of my Chinese friends have marvelled at how cheaply I purchase items and wonder at my secret. Which is quite easy.... Be prepared to ‘walk away’ - - every time. Because I can almost guarantee you, if one vendor has it, then hundreds of other vendors have those very same products, and one will certainly be hungry enough to give you a deal. Because while winning the haggling battle over the price is important for gaining ‘face’, selling to a ‘foreigner’ also gains the vendor ‘face.’ So be polite and friendly, but also be prepared to walk away.

One downside to shopping in China is that all transactions are cash, except in the big cities I told you to avoid. This means you must carry cash, which also makes you a target for pick-pockets and thieves (just like New York City), so be careful.

Next: More travel tips......

Some protocols for dining...

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 10:16:06 GMT

Dining in a restaurant is a joy and a wonderment in China. In some aspects it isn’t any different than eating in Chicago, or San Francisco. Yet in many ways once you have experienced it you’ll certainly remember it. It is best experienced with friends - some Chinese friends, and the more the merrier.

In America although we’d truly like to get a private room,they generally are either not available or simply too expensive. The Chinese like to eat with their friends, their colleagues and their families. Which means that restaurants are specifically designed to accomodate these desires - lots of private rooms of all sizes. There is generally a ‘public area’, but the real action is in the private rooms.

The better the restaurant the more adorned these rooms become. Most all have their own heater/AC unit, a TV, and a big round table with a glass lazy-susan in the middle. The nicer ones have a couch and a little table, with magazines available for your reading pleasure while waiting for everyone to arrive. The best come with their own washroom/bathroom and a dumbwaiter room, so your hostess can receive your food from the kitchen without your privacy being interupted by outsiders. Hot tea is served immediately when you arrive, by your very own waitress - no double duty for this girl - she’s only assigned one room.

You will find there is a strict protocol on the seating. The VIP, or main guest sits directly opposite and facing the door. The remaining people sit according to their ranking (given the particular situation) around the main guest. With the least most important person sitting with their back to the door. Additionally, you don’t take your place at the table until all guests have arrived - even if the food has been (or is being) served on the table.
Once everyone has taken their place, a drink is served (I’ll discuss the drinks in a later entry), and a toast for the occasion is made. Then (and only then), you may begin eating - although generally the main guest is allowed the first bite.

It is generally considered good manners to toast the individual people or couples once during the dinner. While your toasts should be properly spread out during the dinner period, it is important not to forget anyone. As a foreigner, you should be aware of the ‘attack of the toasts’, which I will cover later.

The food is served in stages, just as in the US. First the appetizers, then the main course, and finally the watermellon (not really a dessert as you generally aren’t charged for this dish). I always know when the meal is over.... The watermellon is served.

I warned you that dining in China is a comprehensive subject, and that is proving to be correct. I will provide more in later entries....

Next up.... Some thoughts about shopping.

What's that on my plate?

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 08:56:55 GMT

It’s easy to know what is on the menu at that 5-Star Radisson in Shenzhen or Shanghai. It’s in English and contains all the items you are accustomed to seeing on a menu - only much more expensive. But that is not really Chinese food, and so I won’t write about these. What I think is more important is for you to learn about what Chinese people eat, and why it’s healthy and good for you.

While many of the middle class restaurants I speak of have pictures on their menus, those pictures may not always be what they seem. Fish certainly looks like fish, but what is that stuff that looks like grandmas beef stew, and why does that look like seaweed?
Well the answers are simple and yet complicated. It very well could be seaweed, or it could be tofu, but either way it’s very healthy eating.

The Chinese eat lots and lots of vegetables of every variety. Many varieties of spinach, and lettuce, along with radish, carrot, turnip, broccoli and celery. And how many times have you heard US doctors and other advice givers saying that we need more vegetables in our diets?
Chicken, duck, fish, turtle, frog, and pork are the ‘meat’ mainstays, along with the occasional lamb and beef dishes. During holidays, dog is very popular. With each of these dishes you get everything except the intestines. Which means that the fish, turtle, chicken and duck all come with their heads and feet and the dog with his genitals. Beef, pork, chicken and duck liver is also plentiful and very popular, so people are also getting their daily iron supplement. Many times you will see some stuff that looks like some fungus or something.... It’s probably just tofu, but could also be an offshoot from the mushroom family, of which there are dozens here in China, and these are most welcomed from a mushroom lover. Many dishes are available with either rice and/or wheat noodles, along with a large variety of soups to warm your innards, especially in winter.

You will see that many of the dishes have little seeds in them, or slices of what look like green or red bell peppers. This means it is probably on the spicy side. Some locations are more noted for their spicy food than others, but with the exception of Shanghai - which is known for its food being ‘sweet’ - most food with these peppers means “spicy”. Oh and in some places, they will make you forget you ever heard about Mexican food....

Rice.... ah yes, rice. Rice is generally consumed at every meal when eating at home. Yet many times, while it is always available at restaurants, when Chinese people dine in a restaurant they do not eat rice. Especially when (paying the bill) entertaining bosses, girlfriends, foreigners, and/or other important people.

Finally, I always looked at the situation with this thought. There are 1.5 billion or so Chinese people, and they have been eating all of this for 5,000 or so years - according to their culture. So it can’t be harmful.

Next.... Some protocols of Chinese dining.

Using your feet - or the lost art of walking. . .

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 10:53:12 GMT

When I first came to China I was very interested in ‘walking around’ the town where I lived, to try to learn more about the culture, the people, and the stuff of everyday life for regular Chinese folks. I found that by walking through a village, a person could learn quite a lot about the average Chinese person, even without having a great command of the language itself. It’s great exercise, and I learned so much. I often wondered why the Chinese people walk in the street, never ‘look both ways’ before crossing, nor appear to notice the traffic signal (pedestrian signal) even if they bother crossing at a corner.

In america, I was taught from a very early age that we all followed a standardized set of rules....what used to be called ‘the rules of the road.’ A red traffic signal means to stop, a green signal means to go. All forms of movement were regulated by this signal. Cars, trucks, motorcycles, bicycles, and even those occasional people walking on the sidewalk all followed these rules. People walked on sidewalks, or at least didn’t walk in the middle of the road, and bicycles always rode near the right edge of the road. A 1950’s public service announcement reminded us that we might be “Right - Dead Right.” America is built for and around the automobile - for better or worse.
However for many years in China, only the high muckity-mucks had automobiles. Even as late as the 1990’s, only the ‘rich’ could afford a car. So pedestrians didn’t worry about cars (or trucks). The bicycle was the undisputed ‘king of the road’ in China, and generally speaking you can’t get killed if you are hit by a bicycle - those 18 speed, high-end touring bikes may be ‘Made in China’ but they’re certainly not in wide spread use here. The big coastal cities with the large populations are fairly well regulated with most (not all) people following the standardized rules of traffic management. Once you leave Beijing, Shanghai, or even the planned city of Shenzhen, all of that changes quickly. China has changed so dramatically in the interior in these last 10-15 years.
I came to the conclusion that walking (driving, motorcycling, or biking) boils down to the fact that there is no such thing as an accident, and until lately there has been no such thing as insurance. So it’s about acknowledgement and responsibility..... If you don’t look, and therefore don’t know if a vehicle is coming, you are not responsible and you can’t be held liable if it hits you. In other words, keep your eyes directly ahead (or better yet - look at your feet while talking on your cell phone). So nobody looks left or right before crossing the street or venturing out into an intersection on your bicycle. The law says that if you hit something, you are responsible - meaning you pay - and if you don’t have the amount that the aggrieved surviving family members want, you go to jail.... end of story. The people are right - and sometimes they’re “Dead Right”....

I don’t mean to leave the impression that China doesn’t have rules and laws. They certainly do - lots of them. The lesson is, that these rules of the road are for ‘other people’ or for when the police are actually taking notice -- after all, when trying to maintain order amongst 1.3 billion people (or more), they’re treated more like ‘guidelines’ rather than hard and fast rules.
Generally, people don’t walk on the sidewalks - or what look like sidewalks to my american eyes. You might see a car or a motorcycle driving on the sidewalk, but you won’t find many people walking there. People walk in the street. Sometimes wandering aimlessly along, seemingly unaware of the traffic around them, while cars honk their horns and then navigate around these pedestrians. I’m amazed that millions are not killed everyday.

Next time.... More on Restaurant and Dining.

Restaurants and Dining 1

Sun, 30 Aug 2009 06:00:07 GMT

I will use four or five blog entries, over the next several weeks to describe dining in China. It will take that many, and maybe more, because dining in China is not just a meal, it’s an Event.
The Chinese food I was accustomed to eating in the US - normally take-out - is almost unrelated to what I found in mainland China. Restaurants in the US can generally be categorized as: Fine Dining, mostly meaning expensive and elegant food (Cetrella’s in Half Moon Bay); franchise restaurants like Applebee’s and the Olive Garden, serving pre-made standardized meals delivered by Sysco; fast food like Mickey D’s, KFC, etc., serving fatty food fast; and mom & pop restaurants which mainly make their own food, are mostly middle class and located in every city and town across the country.
I would categorize Chinese restaurants slightly differently: International and Chinese. You can eat in a ‘western’ restaurant if you like Pizza Hut, KFC or Mickey D’s or if you want to blow a whole lot of money at one of the elegant 5-star hotels - both of which I have been known to do upon occasion. In the very large metropolitan cities like Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen there are a few upscale mom and pop western style restaurants like the Moon River Diner in Shanghai (great hamburgers and shakes), and La Latina - the fajitas are just fair, but the margarita’s are pretty good. And there are a growing number of Chinese restaurants trying hard to present some ‘western’ fair, but again these can be a tad trendy and expensive. Once you go inland however - which is what I suggest that you do, these mainly disappear.
The second category is where I will spend most of my efforts as I think people would be more interested in Chinese restaurants. The first category might be called “chuppie” restaurants - yes that’s Chinese Yuppies. These are middle-class to slightly upscale Chinese family restaurants that are generally catering to that new and growing middle-class. The food is generally tasty, well prepared and not too expensive. You eat family style - meaning that there is a lazy-susan in the middle of the table and as it rotates, you pick some fod from the dish you want. Two people can eat well and probably have a beer for about 100 rmb ($14) depending on your hunger level. Ten people can dine easily for less than 1000 rmb (less than $150).
These restaurants do a big business in China and many times, even in the middle size communities, these restaurants offer private dining rooms for you and your guests - I’ll cover these private rooms in a later entry. Of course green tea is served immediately.... There are millions of these restaurants in varying degrees of luxury and/simplicity. Most will provide some space for parking your car, while others provide a valet service for your car.... Remember, there is no tipping in China, it’s against the law.
Next, there are the mom and pop local noodle houses, that are located down almost every small alley or little street. You can get a fairly good sized bowl of rice noodles, with a little beef, and a couple of leaves of a vegetable in some broth for about 6 to 7 rmb ($1). I’ve found many of these to have great noodles.
I didn’t include what are called ‘street-vendors’ here because these folks are everywhere, Shanghai, San Francisco, Singapore, and Munich, and they mainly peddle what I call ‘snack food’ which is sometimes good and sometimes not so good.
One final note about picking a restaurant in China. I don’t generally advocate eating from the street vendors as a steady diet. Many in China eat food from street vendors, but until you are totally acclimated, I would steer clear of these. Also, I would not advocate the 5-star hotel food on a daily basis, unless you just enjoy throwing money away. Rather, I would advise that you stick to the family restaurants I mentioned. There are literally millions and millions of them....

Next up: More Travel tips......

Travel 101 . . . Arriving by Air

Sat, 22 Aug 2009 02:09:03 GMT

If you are traveling to China for the first time, and want to look like an old-time China-hand I can help you out.
When you first arrive in China, probably by air, you will face some immediate situations. Remember that Tom Hanks movie “Terminal”… well the good part is that it’s not nearly that bad. If you have experience in other international airports then you should just breeze right through, and you’ll find lots of other westerners in line with you... But don’t forget your forms.

Once beyond this barrier, you (as a laowai - foreigner) will begin to see what China has become. Immediately you will get what appear to be offers of help. Of course, what they don’t tell you is that they expect to get paid handsomely for this help. They believe that since you are a foreigner you must be rich, and therefore can afford to pay any amount. They also expect you to be stupid about Chinese people and customs.
My quick advice is simple: If you want or need their help to carry bags, or find your way in the airport (like you can’t read signs), go ahead and use them. HOWEVER, before you allow them to handle your baggage, you MUST haggle with them about the price. Never accept their first offer or just agree to whatever amount they want – you will loose face, and they will continue to think that westerners are stupid. Always start your bidding really low – after a time, you’ll get used to the haggling and not only will you gain respect, you’ll save a lot of money. I'll talk about bargaining - or haggling - in a future piece.

If you don’t need this service (and I suspect you probably DO NOT) and you don’t want to get ripped off in the first 10 minutes you’re in China, simply say “NO” or “Boo Yao”… The signs in all of the major airports are in English (some are in Chinglish which is always fun), and those push-carts which cost $5 in the states are ‘free’ in Chinese airports…. So generally speaking, if you use your head you should be able to find your way to the taxi stand, or the hotel shuttle.

Yes, all the major hotels are not only in the larger cities, they also have shuttle service for guests, just like in the good ole USA. You can ‘rent a car’ here in China, but that should be arranged ahead of time, as the car comes with a driver. If you are coming here on business, I probably don’t have to tell you that limo’s can also be arranged (also generally in advance), by the company you’re visiting.
If you are transferring to the domestic terminal from the international terminal just follow the signs. It’s really no different than in any American airport, except the crowd is larger... much larger.

Come to China, it’s fun, it’s entertaining, it’s exciting, and it’s more historical than Europe - by about 3000 years....

Next time.... Dining is not just a meal, it’s an Event.

Welcome to Nanchang, Jiangxi, China

Sat, 08 Aug 2009 07:29:43 GMT

Welcome to 0791 Life

Welcome friends and others who just like to read stuff about China (in general) and Nanchang more specifically.

I originally began this blog on my personal home page: http://www.edgyinchina.org/ but have decided to relocate it here, so that I may pursue other subjects on my home site.

My main topics on this blog will follow the original outline:

Restaurants and eating in China (Western and Eastern)
Planes, Trains and Automobiles (and Buses) in China
Getting sick and getting well in China (hospitals and medicine)
Shopping - Needless Markup or Backstreet-Markets
Some simple words and phrases you should know
Money, Banking and exchange rates tips
Horror stories and easy solutions

I admit to writing many entries about restaurants and eating in China..... Dining out in China is not just a meal, it’s an ‘event’.... One that you should experience and enjoy.

Travel in China can be frustrating or a pleasure depending on your attitude and personality. Shopping is truly a challenge and haggling your way to an agreeable price for whatever you’re buying is great fun. There are many horror stories of course, but without exception I have found them to be written by people who just don’t get it.....

So welcome, and stay tuned if you desire.

Getting Sick and Getting Well

Sat, 30 Dec 1899 10:12:12 GMT

First and foremost, you really don't want to get sick while in China - of course you really don't want to get sick anywhere for that matter. Particularly if you’re on a short visit. It's not that this is a backward country, although it certainly can be in certain areas. Shanghai, Beijing, QuangZhou, and most of the other large cities are certainly as modern as New York, Los Angeles, or Chicago (and in fact more modern in many aspects). It's just that nothing is very clean here, and passing germs from person to person is easy. Also, because of the dense population germs are distributed quickly.

I had my gall bladder removed in Nanchang, Jiangxi Province. When I checked into the hospital, I was a little shocked at the hospital room. I'm fairly sure the bed sheets had been washed and were clean, but one could definitely tell that they were well used….however, the floors and walls were pretty appalling. BTW - expect a roommate or two or . . .
The doctors were very professional (also true for most dentists), and in fact trained in the most modern techniques. An interview with him prior to the operation revealed that he understood English very well, but was really afraid to speak because he didn't want to make a mistake. The operating room looked very modern, although a little austere. It just so happens that the laser procedure for removing gall bladders is as common in China as it is in the USA. The only major difference was the price tag - only about $700 (5000 rmb) here in China. Hooray for socialized medicine.

There have been horror stories about watered down medicine being sold to people, but a thorough investigation has revealed that these people bought their medicines from a “street vendor” and not in a pharmacy or drug store. What sane person would do that?

The getting well part is really easy if you have a place to rest, and have someone to help take care of you - which I do on both counts - I went home one day after my operation and convalesced in my own home. Also, if you have certain fairly common ailments, relief is as close as the nearest drug store - and there is one on almost every block. A major plus is you don't need a prescription, or the doctors permission to buy many of the drugs you need. Purchasing one of the penicillin derivatives (amoxicillin, norfloxacin, etc.) or many of the really fabulous western drugs is easy and very inexpensive - and it comes in the same box Pfizer (or Glaxo-Smith-Klein, whomever) placed it in at the Shanghai factory. Chinese instructions are on one side of the box, and many times English is on the other side…. It’s best if you know the medical name - not the brand name - for the drug in question. Tylenol is Tylenol, no matter where you buy it.

Also, in case of flu and other viruses, the Chinese learned their lesson from the SARS episode, and now go into high-gear when a case of any flu is discovered. Even if you self-treat, it's fairly easy to pop into a hospital and get a intrevenious antibiotic treatment for any bacterial infection.

So as I started this article, you don't really want to get sick, but if you know what ails you, and/or know what you need to cure you, then you can buy that cure very cheaply. Wash often, especially your hands and face. Drink only bottled water (it's only 1 Yuan - 14 cents - in most areas). Try to keep your hands off of walls, and any buttons that millions before you have, don't touch your face after shaking hands with people, don't use someone else's cell phone. And of course, ALWAYS wash after using the restroom…. Just like mom told you. . .

Next; Money, banking and some exchange rate tips....