Suzhou

Sent: Tuesday, November 02, 2004 10:54 PM
Subject: Greetings from the People's Republic

Nee-Hau,

I am currently in my third week in Asia, and my second week in China. I am in a place called Suzhou, in the province of JiangSu. It is about two hours from Shanghai. I spent Sunday in Shanghai. That is a story in itself. Anyhoo, on to my current update... Suzhou is much more civilized than the last place I was in (for those of you with short memories, it was called Dongguan). This place apparently has a rich history of some sort (I've yet to determine what that is) and it is also the silk capital of China (or so I'm told).

So China is the place to go to buy contraband DVDs. You can get them, if you can haggle, for roughly $1 USD. These are brand new, current Hollywood movies. You can get movies that haven't been released in North America yet (as far as I know) on DVD. I think it's because they're actually made here and then shipped to North America for sale there at like 20 times this price.

On a different note, I'm getting much better with chopsticks. I don't drop things much any more. I even ate noodles today at lunch with them. The people don't laugh at me as much anymore, but I think I'm kind of frustrating... you know, like when you watch a child trying to do something that you know you can do with ease? Like tie their shoelaces or something... or use a fork? Anyway, I think that I will be an expert by the time I leave. Well, an expert in my opinion anyway.

Tonight I go in search of Starbucks. I've been told that there is one within walking distance of my hotel. There is also, rumour has it, a (brace yourself) Pizza Hut! The problem with getting Pizza Hut in Asia is that it's not the same. However, I will endeavour to locate it and test it out. I also need more milk. I already know where that store is. I'm getting quite the lay of the land here in Suzhou, which boasts both a university and a prison for 'white collar' and political criminals (I'd best mind my manners and keep my political inclinations to myself). I drive by both on my way to and from work. Isn't that exciting?

Toodles from the People's Republic!
Lesle

ps - did I mention that the People's Republic has toll roads? Does that not seem strangely incongruous to you or is it just me?