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Thread: "Why I like China" revisted due to popular demand......


  1. #1
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    A couple of years ago, we visited Beijing. While walking around Tianamen Square, I noticed these street peddlers selling these magnetic magnets that looked the shape of elongated eggs, about palm size. They took these two magnets, flinged them up in the air, and they made a sizzling noise as they clinged together and landed back in the palm of their hand together. It was a neat little gimmick. I picked up a couple pairs of these magnets. My wife thought it was a little childish to be playing with these magnets. We then walked back inside the forbidden city, when we decided to stop inside a little eatery so I could have a Tsingtao beer and something to eat. I noticed in the table across the seats a Chinese lady and her 3 to 4 year old son. I told my wife to go over there and hand the mother one of these magnet pairs. But I made it clear not to hand it to the boy, but rather, to the mother. My wife then walked over to the Chinese lady and she got instantly thrilled that someone took notice of her little boy by offering a small gift. The mother came over to my table and asked us if she could take a picture of us while thanking us over and over. Which of course we had our pictures taken along with the little boy. She then walked out with the grandest smile you could see on a mother. I always knew that Chinese spoil their first born, especially SON and are super proud of them. In places like Bali, they look upon babies as almost holy and truly respect them. I never knew that such a simple gesture of handing a toy to the mother for her son would bring on such an exciting reaction. She view this gesture as a token of extreme luck. I had one pair of magnets left, and I told my wife that this was mine. When we later went to the Philippines, that toy made a huge hit and I regretted that I didn't buy a few more. They only set me back some 50 cents or a dollar for the two pairs of them. And this is why I like China. A smile is worth a million bucks.


  • #2
    NonRev Correspondent Nick's Avatar
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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (29Palms @ Feb 16 2010, 12:05 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>
    We then walked back inside the forbidden city, when we decided to stop inside a little eatery so I could have a Tsingtao beer[/b]
    Always a good choice.

    Glad you reposted
    Nick - NonRev Correspondent - Singapore

    Home is wherever I happen to be

  • #3
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    When we went to Beijing, we took our 7 and 9 year old daughters with us. Everywhere we went, we got a lot of attention. My youngest daughter (and wife) quickly tired of people coming up to her and touching her face - maybe they were attracted to her blue eyes as my brown eyed daughter didn&#39;t get as much attention. Did the forbidden city, T. Square and took a public bus to the great wall. (that&#39;s a whole other story.) A really great trip, we&#39;d go back in a heart beat.

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    Great place indeed. I wouldn&#39;t mind living in Beijing. Wish I could retire with the airline and land a job in Beijing for a three year or so contract with some company there. I liked going up to the stores where you had to kind of run a gauntlet of girls standing in front of their little partitians selling their things. They would ask you first to buy something, then they would start to raise their voice, then physically grab and pull on your clothing. It was funny as hell, I laughed watching them do this to everyone including teenagers tagging along with their parents. Some serious salespeople.

  • #5
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    Yeh, they did it to 7 and 9 year olds too. Kind of freaked out my girls. I&#39;m usually not a haggler, but I LOVED haggling in Beijing. Shirts starting out at $70.00 and ending up at $5.00. Loved it.

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