Bourbon and Automobiles
The third reason I may not be living in China again is the lack of plentiful, top shelf American booze.
Talking specifically of bourbon. Guess what guys and gals, the only time I ever find myself at a McDonalds or KFC is when in China. Specifically an airport.
And the only time I ever find myself drinking Jim Beam or Jack Daniels is same. I never eat that stuff here, and I sure as hell never drink that stuff here. Over the past few years my taste has drifted more towards Bourbon, anything $50 and down is just fine by me. Now, having since written this list I have done some research and I have been able to find a few stores supplying such spirits in Guangzhou and Shanghai. And the pricing is reasonable, and the selection "ok".
But come on Man. One store in a city of 15 million people?
The ability to buy proper bourbon in a city should be in direct claim to it's claim to being Cosmopolitan or Sophisticated. I don't need fancy coffee. Wal-Mart coffee is fine by me. Me ain't payin' for Starbucks anymore in Asia.
But I am willing to pay a tad of a markup for Bourbon.
Four Roses
Maker's Mark 46
Old Forester 1920
Woodford Reserve
If I have to fly it in from the States' and declare it I will.
China's vaunted hotels don't carry it either. I'm tired of sitting in a lounge in a Guangzhou hotel and looking at their list and seeing a $10 glass of Jim or Jack. I was with my friend once, and had the gall to complain. She just walked away. She had nothing to say. She couldn't tell bourbon from her own piss.
Call me demanding, but methinks many of you will not. I have two liquor stores equidistant from me now. Both carry plenty of Scotch as well. Still, you want to be a superpower? Show me the bourbon baby.
The fourth reason I may not live in China again is driving. I'm an avid landscape photographer. At the end of the day I need to get out and take pix of the water, the mist, the dark clouds over a bridge, etc. I need to leave the city. Yeah, maybe I can do that by train, or bus, but wouldn't one prefer to simply drive? The beauty of the countryside between Ningbo and Wenzhou is remarkable. I've taken many a train. And zipped right past it. An opportunity wasted, because guess what? I have no fucking clue how to actually drive to these places that I'm zipping past at superman time.
I would be frustrated beyond measure In China, trains go to cities. As they should. But you wanna go to a natural park? Gotta drive or take the bus. I'd rather drive.
In effect, driving holds me back in China. I have a friend who's life dream it seems was to get a drives license. Then she got it. And she drove. And now she ubers everywhere she goes. China isn't like Europe. Enough said. Nor America. We had a family friend spend a month with us. In his late 30's. Didn't dare drive on the American interstate. He'd piss in his pants.
"The speed is too high", he admitted.
"I understand", I told him. And I did.
But he can handle China. I cannot. And that would hold me down. I wrote a long time ago any romance to be had, would need to involve driving. One cannot simply take a gf on a train, to this resort or that. One must drive. It is inevitable. And I know this. I know this before I even hit the submit button on any new ticket to China I buy. Driving isn't just for America. In China one must eventually drive, too.
Talking specifically of bourbon. Guess what guys and gals, the only time I ever find myself at a McDonalds or KFC is when in China. Specifically an airport.
And the only time I ever find myself drinking Jim Beam or Jack Daniels is same. I never eat that stuff here, and I sure as hell never drink that stuff here. Over the past few years my taste has drifted more towards Bourbon, anything $50 and down is just fine by me. Now, having since written this list I have done some research and I have been able to find a few stores supplying such spirits in Guangzhou and Shanghai. And the pricing is reasonable, and the selection "ok".
But come on Man. One store in a city of 15 million people?
The ability to buy proper bourbon in a city should be in direct claim to it's claim to being Cosmopolitan or Sophisticated. I don't need fancy coffee. Wal-Mart coffee is fine by me. Me ain't payin' for Starbucks anymore in Asia.
But I am willing to pay a tad of a markup for Bourbon.
Four Roses
Maker's Mark 46
Old Forester 1920
Woodford Reserve
If I have to fly it in from the States' and declare it I will.
China's vaunted hotels don't carry it either. I'm tired of sitting in a lounge in a Guangzhou hotel and looking at their list and seeing a $10 glass of Jim or Jack. I was with my friend once, and had the gall to complain. She just walked away. She had nothing to say. She couldn't tell bourbon from her own piss.
Call me demanding, but methinks many of you will not. I have two liquor stores equidistant from me now. Both carry plenty of Scotch as well. Still, you want to be a superpower? Show me the bourbon baby.
The fourth reason I may not live in China again is driving. I'm an avid landscape photographer. At the end of the day I need to get out and take pix of the water, the mist, the dark clouds over a bridge, etc. I need to leave the city. Yeah, maybe I can do that by train, or bus, but wouldn't one prefer to simply drive? The beauty of the countryside between Ningbo and Wenzhou is remarkable. I've taken many a train. And zipped right past it. An opportunity wasted, because guess what? I have no fucking clue how to actually drive to these places that I'm zipping past at superman time.
I would be frustrated beyond measure In China, trains go to cities. As they should. But you wanna go to a natural park? Gotta drive or take the bus. I'd rather drive.
In effect, driving holds me back in China. I have a friend who's life dream it seems was to get a drives license. Then she got it. And she drove. And now she ubers everywhere she goes. China isn't like Europe. Enough said. Nor America. We had a family friend spend a month with us. In his late 30's. Didn't dare drive on the American interstate. He'd piss in his pants.
"The speed is too high", he admitted.
"I understand", I told him. And I did.
But he can handle China. I cannot. And that would hold me down. I wrote a long time ago any romance to be had, would need to involve driving. One cannot simply take a gf on a train, to this resort or that. One must drive. It is inevitable. And I know this. I know this before I even hit the submit button on any new ticket to China I buy. Driving isn't just for America. In China one must eventually drive, too.
Comments
Post a Comment