Located at very top in editor's note, this article is clearly described as a "sponsored post" which is a win win win for expat community in Kunming, Igor, and GoKunming.

My only critique is the name "pain campagnard"... such a added-value fancy way of saying country bread to mark up the price of bread.

But like tasting omelets, gauging the skill of a chef sometimes requires tasting their simplest goods, such as the French bread tucked between the owner's arm.

Look, the place may be great and the guy may be a genius and I'm glad to hear about it, but couldn't you guys publish objective reports of anything?? An ad is an ad is an ad, but not having been born yesterday, I naturally won't believe.all the hype. Public service(?) and commercial hype are not the same thing. So either rewrite with simple honesty or have this guy post his ad, marked as ad.

Good sponsored post.

Looks like we found a place for chess players to meet over coffee and pastries. A chess master awaits your next move.

Igor's may be a sight for sore eyes. I'm tired of the gastronomic staleness of mainstream bakery chains in JustHot, Breadworks, BreadTalk, Holiland (though their warm fresh-out-of-oven almond danish isn't bad), and particularly Jiahua Bakeries.

If any Rinpoche members exist in the Mosuo community, they should periodically remind the townsfolk.that rituals of burning incense are opportunities to ground oneself in the here and now, rather than diverting that focus to worshiping or pleasing a deity.

Sacredness reside in oneself, of those beside you, and of the surrounding nature.

It wasn't a compliment of any kind.

First, an offhand comment. Now, a backhanded compliment. Abrasive dialogues expected with cloudtrapezer.

Why don't you get a job where your talents would be appreciated? In corporate communications or some related field. Maybe you already have.

Allow me to elaborate.

The gradual easing of VPN restrictions starting with "foreign firms" to "attract more foreign investments," as mentioned...

which "may" possibly trickle down to expats "one day," as mentioned.

I did not mention anything about Chinese civilians. Nor did I imply this gradual easing would suddenly free up the internet for all, as you offhandedly concluded.

First of all from a legal perspective, this going against the grain first step creates policy transparency for foreigners conducting business in the Mainland,

For instance, Apple Inc. satellite R&D offices in several Chinese cities are prone to ramifications for something trivial like accessing their Facebook page via VPN if central government decided to retaliate against the U.S.-led Huawei ban. Currently AAPL is at the mercy & whim of tit for tat retribution.

With this official VPN permittance from Beijing, coming into effect in a few months, such murky political maneuvers are relegated back to aforementioned "dark ages,"

Of course this transparency chess move is meant to dissuade HQ of foreign firms from exodus to competitors in SE Asia, Yet from hindsight, laying out building blocks of transparent regulatory norms in trial cities such as the 1st tier Beijing or Shanghai, eventually spread across the map to other provincial capitals of secondary tiered cities. Particularly Kunming, which Beijing has designated as BRI investment gateway to SE Asia and beyond. It is a step in the right direction. Silver lining so to speak.

What gradual easing? This relates to VPNs for business use not personal use. Businesses in China can't function without VPNs. This ruling will allow foreign firms to invest in VPN services for business use. It won't free up the internet for the man or woman in the street whether Chinese nor foreign.

dolphin, perhaps Jordan Porter's target audiences are foreigners looking in.... to plant seeds of interest in those who have yet to visit China, let alone Yunnan.

As for us expats living inside the murky fish bowl, the silver lining is big brother's gradual easing of VPN restrictions in a bid to lift barriers to attract more foreign investments.

By end of this year, foreign firms will be permitted to invest in VPN services in designated trial zones in Beijing:

sg.news.yahoo.com/[...]

Though Jordan's "Destination China" channel will continue to be blocked, VPN usage to bypass the GFW may one day be officially legalized in cities like Kunming. Expats won't need to look over one's shoulders with so much dread.

@Ishmael wrote: "Or does anybody think that sports should be celebrated in the manner of a KISS (band) video?"

You say that like it's bad thing. I guess you haven't seen the video for "Lick It Up".

Kind of like puffer fish. Interesting.

@willdog's earlier comment is spam, however.

You don't need youtube. You need to stay trapped in the dark ages.

YouTube! How screwed up is that? A cultural video about China blocked in China.

I think it's less a matter of allowing or not allowing it that it is a matter of creating a 'useful' aura around it - in many ways, not too different from the Olympics..