Latest Comments

• • April 18, 2010
  • Kunming taxi fleet behind the times
    

    I suppose I should have phrased my comment differently- what I meant was that while the Kunming shift change policy is annoying and probably somewhat less than ideal, it isn't completely illogical. When I was in Shanghai last month I asked a driver about the change and she told me they go one day on, one day off; so there's no real crunch time in the middle of a day.

    Bucko,

    Kunming's taxis are not even close to being the dirtiest in China, much less the world. Smaller cities across the country use vehicles that look like they've survived mortar attacks. Even in Chongqing, the cabs are so badly outfitted that ordinary speed bumps provide an uncomfortable experience for the passenger.

• • April 15, 2010
  • Kunming taxi fleet behind the times
    

    Actually, the taxi shift change, while annoying, makes sense because the period around 5pm-8pm is the busiest of the day. As a result, all taxi drivers want a piece of this time frame, explaining the need for the shift change.

• • February 12, 2010
  • GoKunming holiday preview
    

    Just as a point of clarification- the Prague Cafe in the north is now closed and will be until the 21st. Samoana, Wicker Basket, and Silver Spoon in Beichen will also remain closed through the holiday.

• • January 7, 2010
  • Launch of ASEAN China FTA to propel Yunnan's rise
    

    Hedgepig,

    Not at all. My point is merely that with increased competition Yunnan may see a relative drop in demand for some of its agricultural products as imports from Southeast Asian countries rise. This is likely to lead to decreased revenue for Yunnan farmers, who still comprise a significant bulk of the provincial population.

    My larger point is that free trade agreements as such create winners and losers and aren't uniformly positive developments.

• • January 6, 2010
  • Launch of ASEAN China FTA to propel Yunnan's rise
    

    One caveat to the optimism- Yunnan agriculture may face increased competition for certain goods from farmers in countries such as Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia.

    For further analysis check out this: http://www.chinaintelligenceonline.com/[...]

    /shameless plug :)

Latest Forum Posts

• • January 18, 2011
    
  • Forums > Food & Drink > non smoking
    

    Unless things have changed, virtually all of the cafes and bars in the 北辰 area are non-smoking.

• • July 2, 2010
    
  • Forums > Travel Yunnan > Exchanging RMB in Laos
    

    Thank you guys, this is extremely useful.

• • July 1, 2010
    
  • Forums > Living in Kunming > Answer to ' Kunming is OVERRATED'
    

    I think the fact that so many people have replied to gaoxing's miserable, insipid, lame, moronic, and whining post with constructive criticism is indicative of the generosity of most of the people who live here, a major reason why I've called Kunming home for close to four years now.

    Get your s*it together man. There are plenty of ways to get happy. And if that doesn't work, there are plenty of other places to try.

• • July 1, 2010
    
  • Forums > Travel Yunnan > Exchanging RMB in Laos
    

    Hey all,

    Just a quick question. I'm planning a short trip to Laos, flying into Vientiane and working my way up back into China overland. I've been told that I can exchange RMB into Lao Kip near the border, but is this possible in Vientiane? That is, is it possible without being terribly ripped off by a less-than-reputable vendor? Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

    Cheers,
    Matt

• • June 3, 2010
    
  • Forums > Food & Drink > No Smoking at Salvador's?
    

    Every time a smoking ban is proposed everyone thinks that it'll negatively affect business, will alienate too many people, and will ultimately be impossible to enforce.

    And every time smoking bans become wildly popular and successful and businesses ultimately benefit through the infusion of new customers previously deterred by the smoke.

Latest Reviews

• • CalMatt
    August 25, 2009
    
  • Kunming > Sandra's

    I've been to the Box II a few times, and the food is good, particularly the pizza, easily the best in Kunming. The pasta I've had is less than spectacular but by no means subpar.

    Good atmosphere, quite nice for a quiet evening with friends or something more romantic. Not cheap, but not a bad deal considering the quality of the experience.

• The Old Theatre Inn
• Lost Garden Guesthouse & Restaurant
• Chicago Coffee
• Kunming Mei's Mandarin School
• As You Like
• Keats School
• Moondog
• GoKunming
• YMCA Club 1933
• Slice of Heaven
• Kingsway Tented Resorts
• Bakery 88
• Camel Bar
• The Mask
• Kunming College of Eastern Language and Culture
• My Favor Restaurant
• Chapter One
• Wonders Of Yunnan Travel
• O'Reilly's Irish Pub
• Salvador's Coffee House
• Wangtianshu Restaurant & Deli
• Tenwest Mandarin School
• Cacao Mexican Restaurant
• Flying Tigers Restaurant
• Kunming Yu-Cong Enterprise Management Company
• Huiying Dental Clinic