So I'm sitting here reading story after story about giant pandas coming back to China from the U.S. and lamenting (for the first time, I think) the PRC's strict laws against owning firearms. I'm about ready to eat a bullet, folks.
It's not that I hate pandas. I recall going to see the little panda cub at the D.C. zoo a few years ago. Cute little bastard.
(Note: I use the term "bastard" in the strict sense as I do not believe that the cub's parents were, in fact, married at the time he was born. Despite the fears of American conservatives, panda marriage has yet to be legalized in the United States.)
I am slightly bored by the ungodly number of articles written about the pandas, though, including the hopelessly cute revelation that one or more will be tutored in Chinese upon arrival here. Within weeks, no doubt, its language skills will be better than mine. Nice to know.
In my spare time today, I've been able to catch up on the cess pool that is the U.S.-China bilateral relationship. You know, I've been writing about that topic for a number of years now, and it's suddenly popular. Apparently my writing peaked a few years too early.
I might mention something in a subsequent post about the trade dispute over U.S. chicken parts. New development but old story, so we'll see if the spirit moves me.
So was today entirely boring? Not quite. I've been wracking my brain trying to figure out the following puzzle. Imagine you are a tourist from Shenyang (in the Northeast, also known as the Pittsburgh of China) coming to Beijing during Spring Festival with three school-age kids in tow. You only have a limited number of days to spend here — where do you go?
I have no beef with several choices, including the Great Wall, Tiananmen Square and Tian Tan. I would add the Summer Palace and the Forbidden City to the short list.
The person in question says no need to go to the Summer Palace or Forbidden City. They'd rather see the Bird's Nest and Huanlegu amusement park (a/k/a Happy Valley). I'm just trying to wrap by brain around those choices. I got nothing, and I'm frying synapses at a rate that usually accompanies ingestion of copious amounts of Tequila.
Granted, I'm a shitty tourist even under the best of circumstances. But Huanlegu instead of the Forbidden City? For shame!
Keep in mind that this tourism issue was the high point of my Saturday. This should tell you something about my social life.
Have a nice weekend.
Tags: China News
© Stan for China Hearsay, 2010. |
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