“No es fácil.”This phrase of indirect criticism — “it’s not easy” — is one I’ve heard often in my time in Cuba. This time it was spoken by Romina, one of the two doctors I was sitting opposite of on a beautiful warm night. They had been talking about a variety of topics, one of […] Read More…
Monthly Archives March 2007
Discontent 30th
Finding a Purpose 27th
You could describe a trip like mine as being a tourist for 10 months, and that wouldn’t be too far from the truth. But because a 10 month vacation sounds rich and lazy, I’ve been trying to find some excuse so I can say I got more out of my time than simply sightseeing.The fruit […] Read More…
Heading South 27th
Before I got on the train to Guiyang, I was dreading the prospect of 26 hours on a hard straight-back seat. With no other classes of travel available, I had no choice but to book it to get where I want to go in south China. I climbed on at the platform in Xian, the […] Read More…
Regarding the Name 25th
I took the name for this blog from a wonderful short novel about an Englishman in the ’50s making a living in Havana with a tiny struggling vacuum cleaner business. After being pushed into spying for the British government, he finds himself with nothing to report on, and so starts inventing stories to justify the […] Read More…
The Great Wall 25th
Several days before leaving Beijing I visited the Great Wall. Like a lot of other things in this country, the scale of it is immense. As I was standing in the cold and misty winter grey looking at it wind its way up and over steep hills, I couldn’t help but wonder how insane you […] Read More…
Losing Control 25th
I don’t like not being able to speak at least a few words in the language of the country I’m visiting. Granted, I never learnt anything in Finland apart from the essential curse words, but given the no-smile policy in effect throughout stores in that country, it didn’t seem to matter if I said “perkele” […] Read More…
Something Unexpected 18th
If the children I’ve seen playing in the street are any indication, badminton is popular in Beijing. I don’t know why I find it surprising - maybe because I always imagined that the only people who play badminton have names like Percy or Cecil, and grew up attending posh schools in England set on large […] Read More…
Intelligent Design 18th
Comparing the world’s major religions strictly based on visual appeal - and given my lack of knowledge on any other level, this is probably what I’d do if forced to pick one - Christianity would rate way down on my list. I’m sitting in a temple of Tibetan Buddhism in Beijing, and it’s striking how […] Read More…
A Tough Question 18th
It’s getting harder and harder to see Cuba as communist in anything but the label the government gives itself. What does it take? Everything — property, business, income, even freedom of speech. What does it give back? Education, medical care, yes. And also pensions of US$6-US$8 per month, enough to pay part of the electricity […] Read More…
Of Signs and Change 18th
ATMs in Beijing dispense philosophy with cash. “Please take your advice”, said the one I used earlier today. I assumed this was some kind of message to look deep inside myself and reject consumer culture and materialism, but I will need to find a spiritual teacher to unlock the full meaning.Without speaking any Mandarin, I’m […] Read More…