I've only been here about three years, but I don't know if I've ever had mixian in Kunming that can hold a candle to mixian in the countryside. Personally, I think that Kunming's mixian is pretty flavorless and lame.

So, it seems like cafes are coming and going faster than this spring jumped into the summer rainy season. In the midst of this ever-chancing landscape, I'm curious what people's favorite cafes are or what developments they've noticed. I really liked Goof in 版筑翠园 a year or two back (Taiwanese boss) and was sad to see him go. I just learned recently that he's doing his own roasting now by Lotus Pond, and he sells his beans to a number of cafes in Kunming now (there's a decent new one called Neverland by 南屏街), so that's been a welcome discovery. The new cafe on Wen Hua Alley has a super cheap americano, though I really don't understand why they think that serving a hot drink it in a thin glass cup with no handle is a good idea. I was also sad to see the place by the southern gate of Green Lake (几朵）disappear a yearish ago. Happy that 卷耳 is still doing well outside of the primary school on Wen Lin Jie.

Anyway, what observations have you guys and girls made on the local cafe scene?

I need to explore some new places...

Unfortunately, I definitely have no space in my apartment to put it, though I do appreciate the offer!

I'm looking for the absolute cheapest gym in the Green Lake/Yi Er Yi Dajie vicinity that has decent treadmills. I'm indifferent to other facilities in the gym, since I'll pretty much just be using it as a place to run at when the weather's not being cooperative. If there's a gym around here with an indoor track - well, that would be even better, but I've never found one of those in China before. Thanks!

I agree - as someone from California, Kunming and Los Angeles are pretty comparable in terms of air quality. Looking out my window on the 27th floor right now, I see the same vague haze resting over the city that I've seen many times in LA.

Most people get sick traveling to foreigners, because of the whole "introducing immune system to a new set of bacteria" thing, but that's true for travel almost anywhere. At least, my biologist friend said once you move 40 miles outside your sphere of activity, you're already introduced a completely new set of bacteria into your body.

The biggest worry for me is the soil and water pollution, because they're more difficult to "see" but can have much more serious impact. How do you know the vegetables you're eating weren't grown in a field that had toxic waste spillage? You simply can't, and once you start to travel around the countryside, you realize that most of these rural farms are some of the more ecologically hazardous places around.

As for water, this is a real shame. I grew up swimming in rivers, but would never swim in open water in China. Even in small, remote villages up in Shangri-la, where the water appears crystal clear and pure, there are huge dumping sites at points all along the river. No one drinks the tap water - unless it's boiled first. It's pretty disheartening. I don't think I would be comfortable raising children in China.

That being said, Kunming is a rare gem here, and if I absolutely had to start a family in the Middle Kingdom, Kunming would undoubtedly be high on the list of places to settle. Compared to other cities, especially mega-cities on the eastern seaboard, this is a very clean place, with ample direct access to farmers.