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Forums > Living in Kunming > Chinese tourist in Paris

I don't think France has sold its soul for Chinese money, and whether it has opened its doors to immigration or not has nothing to do with Chinese tour groups, which are not groups of immigrants. Seems spitting on the floor by mainland Chinese tourists is already on the radar, however.

I doubt if many Chinese have immigrated to Paris, or that those who have are the ones spitting on the floor.
I have a friend who is a Chinese tourguide and has taken groups to Paris, who affirms that there is very little interest in French culture among them and that little if any is provided by the tourguides. The main thing seems to be shopping.

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Forums > Living in Kunming > Chinese tourist in Paris

Group tourism strikes me as only slightly more educational than the average tv show, and usually a good bit less than a BBC documentary (or - my God! - a whole book!) Just another consumer item, promoted by the consciously or unconsciously cynical for profit.

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Forums > Living in Kunming > Leaving China

...only ordinary problems, the main one being the incredible boredom and phoniness (it is this I find 'grueling') of commercial air flights and their plastic atmosphere when it lasts more than about 1&1/2 hours (airports are very similar), and less than 1&1/2 hours they're both unnecessary and ecologically damaging. Felt the same 40 years ago. Doubt if I'd like Michael's problem described above either, but for me that's not the main thing.
When I leave China it's on the surface, unless I'm crossing large bodies of water. Looking for inexpensive (as it should be but isn't anymore - costs the shipping company virtually nothing beyond meals) passenger-carrying freighters.

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Nice article, Ginger, and on a subject that one might not think about until, once one does, it's obvious that it should be explored.
The point about foreigners particularly applies, as you indicate, to people from milk-product-using 'western' countries and, as you indicate, it is one picked up in some southeast Asian countries as well - but foreigners from other areas will be pegged also (e.g., South Asians who use many different 'curry' spices, etc., that are not used so much in China).
And then there is the widespread smell of tobacco, noticeable primarily by those foreigners who don't use it. Baijiu has a particular smell also.

Reviews

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Not quite what you'd call a jumping place, but not bad at all for rather standard US-type meals, not overly expensive, and with a really good salad bar that's cheap, or free with most dinner dishes after 5:30PM. You can get a bottle of beer or even wine if you really want to, but I've never seen anybody do it - maybe that's just to take out. Chinese Christian run, and they hire people with physical disadvantages, who are pleasant and helpful. Frequented by foreign (mostly North American) Christians and Chinese Christians - was started by a Canadian couple associated with Bless China (previously, Project Grace), who are no longer here, but no religious pressure or any of that. Steaks are nothing special, and I avoid the Korean dishes, which I've had a few times but which did not impress me.

As a shop and bakery, it's very good bread at reasonable prices, of various kinds (Y18 for a good multigrain loaf that certainly weighs well over a pound. Other stuff too, like granola and oatmeal that is local, as well as imported things, including American cornflakes and so forth, which some people seem to require.

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Large portions, seriously so with the pizza, which is Brooklyn/American style, I guess. Convivial, conversational, good place to drink with good folks on both sides of the bar, especially after about 9PM.

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Really good pizza and steaks. The wine machine fuddles me when I'm a bit fuddled, & seems unnecessary. Good folks on both sides of the bar.