Something all of you seem to have in common, although didn't say directly, is that you have/had wives who are citizens of the PRC at the time of property purchase? I assume that laowai are not allowed to buy up Chinese real estate (inexpensive relative to US/European prices) unless married to a PRC citizen, true? Or are 1+ year residence and 1-property limit the only requirements of foreigners now? If that's the case, I'd think we would have heard more about foreign investment driving the price of apartments even higher.
There's a huge electronics complex on Yuantong Bei Lu 圆通北路 (the street that runs along the east side of the zoo), between Yi Er Yi Da Jie 一二一大街 and Yuanxi Lu 圆西路. Yuanxi Lu is the street that runs downhill east from of YunDa's east gate 云南大学东二门. Maybe this is what you heard about?
I'd like to travel to Nepal and maybe some other countries next month, but my passport doesn't have anymore completely-blank pages. I considered going to the U.S. Consulate in Chengdu to have new pages stitched in, but just now read on a visa expediting website (nepal.travisa.com/) that "Amendment pages in the back of the passport are not suitable for visa stamps."
I have not seen this mentioned on any official consulate websites, so I'm wondering if it's true. If so, what to do? My passport doesn't expire until 2017. I still have a few partially-blank pages for stamps, just no more completely-blank pages for a visa to be glued onto. I don't suppose they would be able to glue it over an expired visa or a page with just one stamp from several years ago? Thanks.
On a related note, about 8 weeks ago a friend in the U.S. mailed a small package of dry goods to me at my coordinator's office address at YunDa which still hasn't arrived at the office or at the YunDa campus post office. Any suggestions on how to track it down? She didn't keep the tracking number. Among other small items inside the package was a bag of Cheerios — does food tend to get confiscated by postal officials?
Thanks so much for highlighting this important series — beautifully filmed and fascinating to watch. I just watched the one on bamboo art. Big concerns that some of China's oldest art forms like these will die out since it's so hard to make a living mastering them, but encouraging that some enterprising millennials have recognized the value of these arts and are working to create a high-end market for preserving them.
Wow, awesome! That video really transported me. So many amazing places in rural Yunnan. Very inspiring what these guys are doing. Thanks for sharing this story with us, Patrick.
John and Cas, I'm bummed to hear you're leaving Kunming before I made it back there, but I'll definitely be stopping by to see you in Chiang Mai. Thank you for your warm embrace and all the fun times and great music you shared!
Wow, reading this brought back great memories of my 2 years in KM. Moondog was always the place to start your Friday nights (after a pizza at Slice of Heaven or a sandwich at Sal's) — the welcoming vibe created by Joost and Fried made it a casual, fun place to hang out (and I don't even drink!). Joost is such a kind and generous soul. It was great making music with you, brother — your humor got me through a lot of brutal monkey shows. (I'll send you some pics.) Sorry that I didn't make it back to KM before you left — I really wish you and your family all the best!
Wow, this is rich! I can see why this video went viral. More than another "Officials Gone Wild" clip, to me it's a fascinating window into how people react to things around here. I enjoy people-watching and guessing what they're thinking. A few details I found most interesting:
0:19 Uniformed guy behind counter clearly does not want to deal — he fidgets, then walks away (whistling?), leaving the female airline employee alone with the lunatic. He later walks back into frame, but stays behind the rope line, passively watching as hell breaks loose in front of him.
0:41 The wife/mother immediately gets on her cell phone. (calling whom? a higher up to come fix their problem?)
1:15 pointing directly at face — the most extreme insult short of striking someone?
1:21 Two other uniformed people arrive, and join their colleague in staring from behind the rope, only moving to step back when shrapnel starts to fly.
1:36 "Uh oh, Dad's goin' off again." Younger son takes cover.
1:56 Camera pans to a wider angle, showing large crowd gathering, spectators moving in for a better view of the action.
2:18 Older son tries to stop Dad, then thinks better of it and slinks away with head down.
2:39 Older son again tries to intervene, placing Dad's bludgeon down, out of harm's way. (btw, Dad bludgeons like a girl, no?). (My heart goes out to these boys, who are clearly embarrassed, but don't know what to do. Can you imagine what their schoolmates are saying after seeing it all on the internet?)
2:43 It's interesting that the man who finally steps in to intervene doesn't appear to be an official. Could he and the woman who joins him actually just be citizens doing what's right: talking some sense/shame into them?
3:30 Dad shows the intervener his ticket, still in disbelief that they won't let him on the plane after he's gone ape s..t (or just trying to save face at this point?)
3:36 Random woman in yellow shirt casually walks through the crime scene, then stands in the front row expressionless, with hands in her pockets. Just wanted to get a closer look?
3:47 Just for good measure, Mom smashes something too — perhaps to avoid awkwardness later at home (or in jail) when her husband asks her why she didn't do anything to help.
This video's ripe for a soundtrack, with actors voicing each character's thoughts, like cartoon bubbles above their heads, don't you think?
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Documentary series Crafted with Purpose highlights efforts to preserve traditional Yunnan handicrafts
Posted byThanks so much for highlighting this important series — beautifully filmed and fascinating to watch. I just watched the one on bamboo art. Big concerns that some of China's oldest art forms like these will die out since it's so hard to make a living mastering them, but encouraging that some enterprising millennials have recognized the value of these arts and are working to create a high-end market for preserving them.
Video and interview: First descent of China's remote Dulong River
Posted byWow, awesome! That video really transported me. So many amazing places in rural Yunnan. Very inspiring what these guys are doing. Thanks for sharing this story with us, Patrick.
Saying goodbye to old friends: The ballad of Cas and John
Posted byJohn and Cas, I'm bummed to hear you're leaving Kunming before I made it back there, but I'll definitely be stopping by to see you in Chiang Mai. Thank you for your warm embrace and all the fun times and great music you shared!
Randall
Interview: A farewell chat with Joost Meester
Posted byWow, reading this brought back great memories of my 2 years in KM. Moondog was always the place to start your Friday nights (after a pizza at Slice of Heaven or a sandwich at Sal's) — the welcoming vibe created by Joost and Fried made it a casual, fun place to hang out (and I don't even drink!). Joost is such a kind and generous soul. It was great making music with you, brother — your humor got me through a lot of brutal monkey shows. (I'll send you some pics.) Sorry that I didn't make it back to KM before you left — I really wish you and your family all the best!
—Randall
geosax7@gmail.com
Official suspended after epic Kunming airport tantrum
Posted byWow, this is rich! I can see why this video went viral. More than another "Officials Gone Wild" clip, to me it's a fascinating window into how people react to things around here. I enjoy people-watching and guessing what they're thinking. A few details I found most interesting:
0:19 Uniformed guy behind counter clearly does not want to deal — he fidgets, then walks away (whistling?), leaving the female airline employee alone with the lunatic. He later walks back into frame, but stays behind the rope line, passively watching as hell breaks loose in front of him.
0:41 The wife/mother immediately gets on her cell phone. (calling whom? a higher up to come fix their problem?)
1:15 pointing directly at face — the most extreme insult short of striking someone?
1:21 Two other uniformed people arrive, and join their colleague in staring from behind the rope, only moving to step back when shrapnel starts to fly.
1:36 "Uh oh, Dad's goin' off again." Younger son takes cover.
1:56 Camera pans to a wider angle, showing large crowd gathering, spectators moving in for a better view of the action.
2:18 Older son tries to stop Dad, then thinks better of it and slinks away with head down.
2:39 Older son again tries to intervene, placing Dad's bludgeon down, out of harm's way. (btw, Dad bludgeons like a girl, no?). (My heart goes out to these boys, who are clearly embarrassed, but don't know what to do. Can you imagine what their schoolmates are saying after seeing it all on the internet?)
2:43 It's interesting that the man who finally steps in to intervene doesn't appear to be an official. Could he and the woman who joins him actually just be citizens doing what's right: talking some sense/shame into them?
3:30 Dad shows the intervener his ticket, still in disbelief that they won't let him on the plane after he's gone ape s..t (or just trying to save face at this point?)
3:36 Random woman in yellow shirt casually walks through the crime scene, then stands in the front row expressionless, with hands in her pockets. Just wanted to get a closer look?
3:47 Just for good measure, Mom smashes something too — perhaps to avoid awkwardness later at home (or in jail) when her husband asks her why she didn't do anything to help.
This video's ripe for a soundtrack, with actors voicing each character's thoughts, like cartoon bubbles above their heads, don't you think?