Forums > Living in Kunming > Nightlife in Kunming, exactly how bad?

Ease up on the poor kid he asked a serious question if inartfully put.

To be honest the scene you described isn't my cup of tea, but I will try to put it in terms easily understandable for one who lives and parties in Shanghai: there isn't the same late night scene, as far as I am aware there is nowhere like say dragon club where you can party until dawn--although on the right night I have heard Speakeasy stays open fairly late.

There is also nowhere like windows where you can get 10 RMB mixed drinks 200 RMB bottles and see sex acts being performed on the dance floor.

there is also no Bar Rouge equvalent where it will be mostly Euros and Chinese v.i.p.s with models.

There is also certainly nothing like Malones, or anything else that resembles a western sports bar, and the western food here generally sucks. However, there is less demand for it as most people here are not looking to recreate their western lifestyle the way they do in Shanghai and the local food is very good.

Typical beer prices are 15-20 RMB, with mixed drinks 20-40. If you realyl want to pinch your mao, there is always the option of bringing a beer you bought for 2-3.5 kuai in a store into the bar, as outside drink seems to be an accepted local practice despite the signs that say otherwise.

You will also not find pits like BonBon, Babyface or Bamboo (thank god) with its collection of girls desperately looking to hook up with westerners. It would also be difficult to pull in as much variety as one easily does in Shanghai, if you know what I mean. Locals hooking up with westerners is not unheard of, but is more of the girlfriend variety than the hi I just met you let's have sex.

Kunming does have a small developing music scene,. However, you will not see touring acts from around the world like you see in Shanghai and as was pointed out if you want to go to the bars you will soon get to know the much smaller Lao Wai bar crowd quite quickly.

Kunming is also somewhat of a bohemian city for China, and there is a good arts scene for a city its size.

Kunming is also much more laid back, the people are more honest, and it is a good spot to explore the rest of Yunnan, Sichuan and SE Asia.

If you like outdoors stuff and sports, you will find the weather much more agreeable and the air much cleaner, you can actualy see the sun during the day and the stars at night.

If partying is your main goal Kunming may not be the place, but it can certainly be done here with much less of the pretension, and I have yet to have a girl just plop herself down at my table expecting me to pour her a drink from the bottle I just bought.

It's very different, but much more Chinese and much more relaxing and far better weather.

Forums > Living in Kunming > Kunming and Burma (Myanmar)

You bumped a thread that has been dormant for 2 months just to quote me out of context? You must really be bored.

If you read the entire post, I think it is clear that the Chinese on the street are exactly the ones I am talking about.

My point was they are more sophisticated and informed than westerners give them credit for. Some want China to be more open, believe it or not, some don't. Some think most censorship is for their own good. This is a debate for Chinese people, not westerners who feel they need to rock the boat and make the poor Chinese realize how oppressed they are.

They are not children. They can manage just fine without western do-gooders and activists. As I said, I am a guest here and will behave accordingly. You want to make waves go ahead, but to me it is presumptuous for a westerner to come here and try to tell Chinese how they need to change things. Just because it is not like America or Europe does not make it bad.

They can find their own model, and if things are to change, it should be Chinese in the vanguard, not know-it-all foreigners. That was my point.

Forums > Living in Kunming > George Lynch on his trip to China last October

You tell him Grasshopper!

I mean, I'm sure you have had a much more successful career than this Geoff Lynch right?

And yes I too can tell just by reading one quote that this guy is racist. As a matter of fact I could also tell that he has anger issues and possible a disorder of the pancrease, and that was just based on the first sentence. I'm glad I'm not the only one who is so perseptive.

Who does he think he is, blaming his opinions on his experiences?

Hiketsu--everyone knows that guitar player is an anti-Chinese rag!

Forums > Living in Kunming > George Lynch on his trip to China last October

Yeah,

Whoever, this George Lynch is, if he has ever been to China, clearly made no effort to understand locals.

I mean taking it personal when someone spits in your general direction. Just another ignorant american.

I bet Greg is right and he never left his hotel room, except to puch his merchandise at coreographed events.

Oh, he's a master teacher, then I guess he can't be ignorant or closed minded right Hiketsu? At least no one shot him which we all know is a common occurence in his country. Even the kids have guns there!

Oh the Chinese has the temerity to eat something you found disgusting George, well maybe you should just never come back that will show them--I mean they will all greatly miss your presense, if they even know who you are, I mean at least one poster is familiar with you.

And while I'm at it, what kind of person goes to fan sites for third tier rock stars. I'm sorry Hiketsu, maybe you will just have to go to America to have a chance to suck off George in person. What a shame.

The only thing more pathetic than a grown man--I'mguessing your somewhere around 34ish Hiketsu--who goes to fan sites is an a**hole who goes on web forums to pick fights.

I am certainly glad to be niehter. Good riddance to this Geoff Lynch, we certainly don't need his kind here!

Forums > Living in Kunming > Kunming and Burma (Myanmar)

okay, sorry if you think I was hi-jacking.

I can tell you what's happening: monks are being round up still, many who haven't been rounded up and tortured, or perhaps who have and nave been released are disrobing, because they think it is pointless, people are more fearful than before the protests, assemblies of more than 5 people are banned, a state of emergency has been declared, cvilian protestors have also been rounded up, innocent by-standers as well as protesters were beaten for no apparent reason.

The NY Times did a piece on it that is not blocked in China, other sites report similar incidents.

Do I think this is disheartening, and do I swish Burmese people were not suffering in such a manner, of course.

But I am not sure what you or I or the U.N. can do that is not a symbolic gesture that will be ignored by the junta. The people rose up, adn they were crushed--again. Not much else to say.

Now why is China not making a stink of it. You say you don't want to hearabout resources, well, I'm not sure how we can discuss this without talking about resources, Burma has plentiful natural gas, pertoleum, hard woods, marble and gems. The Chinese buy these things, some of them they need. The leadership of this country cares about resources and development, I do not know why they would give a f*ck about the Burmese people. Maybe you can enlighen me. Should they, most certainly, but they don't.

Myanmar is also a Chinese client state. The fact that otehr countries like Burma, or Sudan look to China as an alternative development model, and a powerful patron adds to China's prestige. Just like Russia wants to have a hand in Serbia, or France wants to play a role in some of its former African colonies, China want to preserve and expand its influence. They're just trying to be one of the big boys. It's called real politique and it usually trumps humanitatian concerns. This is why the U.S. backed a coup to overthrow the democratic government of East Pakistan.

If China wasn't filling this role I am sure Thailand (Burma's biggest trading partner) or India would step up and do the same thing.

Incidentally why no calls for Thailand or India to do something? Besides can you tell me somewhere where economic sanctions have worked, unless by work you mean strengthening the regime and starving the people.

Or are you saying China should invide and liberate Burma--then they would really be a responsible power like the U.S. and Britian right.

You see, that's why it is an internal matter. Those outside of the country can't really do anything.

Lastly, China likes a stable coutry on its border, not an escalation of the civil war, not a bunch of unstable, loosely governed ethnic micro-states. What's better for stability than a junta? Even if Burma were not on China's border China does have business interests there and stability is good for business. This is why the U.S. supported the Suharto regime in Indonesia, and various national security states in Latin AMerica (along with fighting the "commies").

So China is just acting like the world power it aspires to be, and as such it is not in their interest to destabilize Burma, or push for democracy, and even it they wanted to what could they do? Not much. The only choices are diplomatic pressure which will be ignored, economic pressure which will not work and may strengthen the regime, or military intervention, which can only make things worse.

Unless you have some other options. . .