Without enquiring into each individuals travel intentions, you can't say with any authority what they should or should not be wearing. The backpacker(s) in question could be en-route to climb meili xue shan (for example) or another hike which requires fairly technical hiking gear. They may need what they are wearing and are wearing it around the city because it is what they bought from where they came from. In this situation they (or "we", as I am also sometimes of this crowd that goes places and hikes fairly technical routes) do not wish to carry casual city attire as our packs are already full with what we need to survive in the mountains. Hence you will see us walking around in hi tech outdoor gear in the city as its all that we have with us.
There are also outdoor poseurs, who buy all the gear and then only climb Xi Shan, find its too hard so take the cable car down. If they wish to spend their money on very expensive outdoor gear, I encourage it, as it lowers the price for those of us that need it. :-)
But why question it at all? Why not just accept that people all over travel differently depending on what they are comfortable with and their intentions? It seems a bit of a judgemental thing to ask.
Careful with your assumptions Alien. I have talked to a chemist about my former problem and what they told be surprised me.
Basically pure water is actually QUITE reactive and water itself is clearly the most commonly used solvent in the world. Water that is naturally mineralised is much healthier as it does not remove any minerals from your body, a percentage of water molecules have attached themselves to (usually) a mineral molecule which forms a more stable (less reactive) form of water.
Water that is pure however WANTS to form a molecular bond with something else, usually a mineral. So what occurs is pure water actually strips your body of the essential minerals you require and you pee them out. The result is clearly not good for your health as I found out - severe calcium and magnesium deficiencies. I switched to mineral water and hey presto, within 6 months back to normal.
Note though at the time I was drinking in excess of 3L everyday of water.
I lived on reverse osmosis water for a year and it nearly destroyed me. Just don't do it, seriously.
WHO reviewed reverse osmosis water and if you read their report (as I did after figuring out the water made me sick), it is a damning indictment of reverse osmosis or other demineralised waters.
" In addition to an increased risk of sudden death, it has been suggested that intake of water low in magnesium may be associated with a higher risk of motor neuronal disease, pregnancy disorders (so-called preeclampsia), sudden death in infants, and some types of cancer."
I only went for the exams so can't comment on the training and can't recommend a place. From the places I have been to, Dazzer is on the money regarding classmate interaction but training is delivered in English with a little Cantonese sometimes used. Likely if a laowai is in the class they wouldn't use any though, for teaching anyway.
Microsoft only allows Chinese Nationals to take certification tests within China and only in Chinese. Closest is Hong Kong where you can take the tests at a number of training centres there (I have been doing exactly that for some technical certifications).
I agree with liumingke, there will be more and more couples that cannot have children as the pollution in China means many reproductive toxins are in the food system causing huge issues. While it may not currently be socially acceptable to adopt children, this may change with couples unable to conceive and a ready supply of healthy young women (particularly those in university conceiving as a result of non existent sex ed) giving up their babies at a young age. Add to this the newer social pressures of women having careers and having babies later and later, subsequently not being able too as they wait too long. Surely this will just facilitate a demand with a supply and in the end cause the necessary change in cultural norms. Well, one can hope.
Not sure people would want to take a high speed train for 2 days as they are the worst of both worlds. Too fast to see the scenery out the window, too slow (and with too many things to go wrong) to get to your destination quickly.
Don't get me wrong, they are fine for a few hour trips on common routes and better than planes for short-medium routes (e.g. HK-Shanghai/Guangzhou etc), but for longer distances planes win every time. Or if you have the time, slow comfortable trains with decent windows are much better than planes.
Yeah, I can imagine in a few months they disarm all the cops in Kunming after 12 incidences of them shooting themselves, 18 accidental shootings (playing with their guns or cleaning them when loaded), 3 dead civilians (walking past when playing with their guns), 28 necessary cover-ups (when the police use the weapon for shooting people they don't like) and 35 lost pistols (where they were stolen from sleeping cops). The authorities decide Kunming is safer if the cops don't have guns even with the threat of terrorism.
(Actually I hope none of this comes to pass, but I can imagine!)
Gregomatt - YES! But the line doesn't stop in the train station. I was there today and walked around a bit, couldn't find where to enter the subway from the train station as (according to the article) its on the south side of the station, which is all but useless for getting to the train station as far as I can tell.
Instead I walked north to the 2nd Ring Road station (HuanChen Nan Lu) and took it south, past the train station stop. I took it only to Rixin Lu, but it goes all the way to University District in Chenggong. I aren't sure this is the best way to go, you may be able to find a way to get to the subways entrances on the south side of the Railway station, but I couldn't find it. It wasn't signposted or anything yet either as far as I could see.
It was actually really full this morning, standing room only and already pretty squashed. The trains seem to be going pretty slow at the moment too, I expect they will crank up faster after a few months shortening the travel times somewhat. 2 minutes wait between trains too.
Wow, just wow. Possibly the best Chinese food I have had in Kunming. And in one of the nicest, traditional courtyard style restaurant I have been in. A woman dressed in traditional qi pao playing a gu zheng just adds to it.
We had okra, mushroom soup, dried beef and chou dofu. All top notch with the bill coming in at just over 250 kuai. But we could have fed 3 people for that so not too bad at about 80-90 kuai each. Not the cheapest but for the quality, it's damn good.
If you have people visiting and want to take them to a traditional Chinese style restaurant with Yunnan style food, or want a romantic night out with a gal, you can't go wrong here. Close to Green Lake (down a little alley) for a romantic walk... Just perfect.
Pretty good place for getting all your documents translated and/or notarised. Note that there are a number of notaries in the building which you can find by going up the stairs (the elevators are impossible). But you have to find the stairs to do so... go in the door, head over to the right, go up the big wide stairs which head up a floor, turn right then right again into the elevator area and right again into the stairwells. Whew!
One point off for the elevators never being available and having to hike 7-9 flights of stairs (not good if you have to go 3-4 times a day like I often did!)
This does not stop at the Jinanya hotel at Da Shang Hui as the flyers state (and is on the images tab here). They need to have another stop in the same area or else they are missing out on covering a big chunk of the city.
You can take another bus, the 919C, I believe, if you are nearby Da Shang Hui, which leaves from the bus station on HeHong Lu, nearby the Qianxing road intersection. This bus goes every hour and is white, found at the western end of the station. It is operated by a different company and takes about 1 hour 10 minutes to get to the airport due to a large number of stops especially near the airport.
Friendly people, even got to the talk to the vice consulate, who told me she had done a stint in Malaysia's Siberian Consulate!
English is spoken by some of the Chinese girls working at the desk who are pleasant to deal with. I assume they do Visa's as well but I wasn't here for a visa, this time!
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Kunming opens province's first 'baby refuge'
Posted byI agree with liumingke, there will be more and more couples that cannot have children as the pollution in China means many reproductive toxins are in the food system causing huge issues. While it may not currently be socially acceptable to adopt children, this may change with couples unable to conceive and a ready supply of healthy young women (particularly those in university conceiving as a result of non existent sex ed) giving up their babies at a young age. Add to this the newer social pressures of women having careers and having babies later and later, subsequently not being able too as they wait too long. Surely this will just facilitate a demand with a supply and in the end cause the necessary change in cultural norms. Well, one can hope.
Chinese academic ponders globe-spanning railways
Posted byNot sure people would want to take a high speed train for 2 days as they are the worst of both worlds. Too fast to see the scenery out the window, too slow (and with too many things to go wrong) to get to your destination quickly.
Don't get me wrong, they are fine for a few hour trips on common routes and better than planes for short-medium routes (e.g. HK-Shanghai/Guangzhou etc), but for longer distances planes win every time. Or if you have the time, slow comfortable trains with decent windows are much better than planes.
Kunming police now permitted to carry sidearms
Posted byYeah, I can imagine in a few months they disarm all the cops in Kunming after 12 incidences of them shooting themselves, 18 accidental shootings (playing with their guns or cleaning them when loaded), 3 dead civilians (walking past when playing with their guns), 28 necessary cover-ups (when the police use the weapon for shooting people they don't like) and 35 lost pistols (where they were stolen from sleeping cops). The authorities decide Kunming is safer if the cops don't have guns even with the threat of terrorism.
(Actually I hope none of this comes to pass, but I can imagine!)
A quick guide to Kunming's Metro Line 2
Posted bySpartans... dude, did you read the article? Dongfeng is very much operational... and yes, all the way to Chenggong.
A quick guide to Kunming's Metro Line 2
Posted byGregomatt - YES! But the line doesn't stop in the train station. I was there today and walked around a bit, couldn't find where to enter the subway from the train station as (according to the article) its on the south side of the station, which is all but useless for getting to the train station as far as I can tell.
Instead I walked north to the 2nd Ring Road station (HuanChen Nan Lu) and took it south, past the train station stop. I took it only to Rixin Lu, but it goes all the way to University District in Chenggong. I aren't sure this is the best way to go, you may be able to find a way to get to the subways entrances on the south side of the Railway station, but I couldn't find it. It wasn't signposted or anything yet either as far as I could see.
It was actually really full this morning, standing room only and already pretty squashed. The trains seem to be going pretty slow at the moment too, I expect they will crank up faster after a few months shortening the travel times somewhat. 2 minutes wait between trains too.