“Mr, Mr, cheapa cheapa for you” A young girl in a pink jacket and three quarter length jeans with long dark hair was dragging at my left hand as I tried to pull away from her sock stall. “I don’t need socks” it was a useless response but made me feel better for having given it. “Mr Mr, come Looka, … Continue reading →
I watched across the room in silence like a voyeur as this stranger was about to take part in a most disgusting ritual. On this young Chinese gentleman’s desk, was a stained brown jar partly filled with a murky looking fluid partly covered a tangle of decomposing green and brown leaves and stalks? Reaching for the jar, his actions lead me to believe that he was within seconds’ of celebrating an ugly ritual which I had seen from time to time in Beijing. He would be pouring this revolting mix contained in his jar down his very own throat. I mentally pleaded with the lad not to go through with it, but short of physically rushing across the room and removing it from his hands I could not prevent him. My stomach heaved as the jar reached his lips and he swilled the liquid. He removed the jar from his face and in a sign of bravado brushed his lips with his shirt sleeve. A thin smile grew across his lower face as he placed the jar back on his desk and returned his work on his computer
Continue reading →“Do you have a laptop sir” a Chinese security guard standing by the entrance to the baggage scanner at Beijing Airport asked. He, like the rest of the many security guards is dressed in a smart navy blue uniform. The uniform had a shield like American sheriffs have on their arm and there were two white strips below the shield on … Continue reading →
It was a square green box that looked like the kind of car you would peddle when you are three years old. The doorman let me in through the right back door. The bench seat inside was roughly covered with white blankets. These towelling blankets were strewn across the seats in an attempt to stop you hurting your bum on … Continue reading →
Looking like they were the lead part in a ballet the pair stepped up the aisle of the Boeing 767 that was winging its way to Hong Kong. Straight legged and in perfect time they strode down the gangway with elegance and grace, lifting their legs high and keeping their toes pointed outward. Linking their arms behind each others backs … Continue reading →
