Life and Travel in China

On Sunday, I had the opportunity to participate in an event called SHENZHEN POLICE OPEN DAY. At the headquarters we could see equipment, uniforms, vehicles, even a helicopter. And what equipment is this! What a command center! The Polish police can dream of this. We could photograph every policeman, which is usually impossible on the street. A man from special forces even let us hold his sniper rifle for a photo. We wanted to stage my arrest, but the policeman refused because it was 'politically incorrect', as he explained. Actually, he was right, after all, such a photo can be used to write nonsense about China, that they arrested a foreign journalist, etc. In general, I got to know the police from a different perspective, I usually associated them with ruthless uniformed officers with racist views. Now I look at it differently, everyone was really nice and willing to pose for photos. And what cool performances they prepared... I will of course add the photos to the gallery.

Today the weather was beautiful, blue sky, the smog wasn't too bothersome, so I rode my bike to the center to take some photos from the two bridges in Luohu. How surprised I was, because there is no prostitution in China! NO, NOT AT ALL! There are only karaoke and massage parlors. But imagine four girls standing on this bridge at high noon. Later there were probably nine of them on both sides of the bridge. Maybe I'm wrong, but what are these girls doing there, young (although very ugly and fat), with only a phone and some cosmetic bag in their hands, short skirts or shorts, standing on the bridge, just waiting and answering calls. Two guys were standing nearby, probably their guardians. The area is interesting because there are mainly furniture warehouses, shops and wholesalers. There are probably many drivers waiting there for goods and unloading, and such friends make their time more pleasant. So I found the equivalent of our highway ladies. I was surprised because the police have recently been fighting against this open form of pimping, but there are areas (like this one) where dirty businesses flourish.

Yesterday in the center of Shenzhen we entered a typical Chinese disco, apart from me there was no foreigner there. We are sitting and suddenly I hear a Polish lyric, some mixed disco hit "... love... the night is over...". Polish dance again! I don't understand it... even in Poland I never hear these artists, no radio station plays it, and the Chinese probably download it from the Internet and their DJ plays Polish music. It's an amazing feeling, I laughed because the whole room was having fun with it, but only I understood the words. I wonder if the Chinese pay ZAiKS to play these songs?! Ha ha!

The Starbucks coffee chain opens its points in every city in China, in Shenzhen there are areas where Starbucks is at every intersection. They created a fashion for drinking coffee, sitting with friends and using the Internet (as if there were no Internet in offices and homes). The average Chinese does not drink coffee, never makes it at home, and if someone visits someone, usually no one even offers coffee, only water or tea. I don't understand what makes this cafe so successful in the Middle East?! The nouveau riche Chinese simply show off by drinking coffee there, they feel as if they were actors from the TV series "Friends". I've been there a few times too, once I got crushed ice with a bit of juice (it has a special name) for 25 RMB, another time I got coffee in a scratched and shabby mug. It's strange that this brand was promoted here. Average cafes have no chance on the Chinese market because no one likes coffee (they also don't eat sandwiches and cakes much), Starbucks is about something else?!

Regarding the demonstrations in Tibet... China is far from a perfect country, but a lot has changed here. I treat China as my second homeland, I have many Chinese friends. In the future, I will miss the middle country when I return to Poland. Boycotting the Olympics will harm ordinary people more than it will change anything in China. The Chinese are a very peaceful and peaceful nation. The authorities treat them harshly and ruthlessly, because with this number of people it is impossible to do otherwise. People who have never lived here for a long time will never understand it. And those who have the most to say are those who have never been to China or have been to the Canton Fair twice and think they already know everything about this country. The boycott will harm ordinary people, shopkeepers, hoteliers and restaurateurs, and it will not impress the authorities much. Poland's opinion is of little interest to them anymore. You need to be able to separate the decisions and aggressions of the government from the actions of ordinary citizens. Ordinary Chinese do not feel any hatred towards people from Tibet, it is the government that suppresses demonstrations, not the whole of China. You can't blame the entire country and judge China based on recent events. The country in the middle is changing for the better, step by step. 50 years ago millions of people were starving here, today they have a better chance of a decent life and even some success. You just need to be able to distinguish between the affairs of ordinary people and communist politics. In China I met many simple, kind, helpful and sincere people, should I pass them off as Tibet?