Progress

Yesterday and the day before, I was essentially chaperoned around town, being shown around. On Tuesday, Tony ('my asian boyfriend' as I affectionately call him, though not to his face) took me around the downtown area.



There are so many department stores here, it's mind blowing...and the merchandise isn't cheap (as in, nothing is "Made in China"...everybody probably knows somebody who "makes something in China" so it would be kind of dumb to go out and buy a North Face winter jacket when you're sister's neighbor can swipe you one when she punches out of work)



I guess the most disconcerting thing is that all these major, luxury brands all have boutiques here. While Louis Vuitton is the most obvious scapegoat, I think it's safe to assume that they only came to Asia because all the knockoffs and fakes were becoming detrimental to their business...but the others (ranging from Tiffany's to Prada), I just don't understand...a dress shirt costs more than the average net 6-month income of most people here...who's buying this stuff?...the prices are the same as in Europe and in North America...so nobody's getting a deal...I guess the local rich people are getting richer, and the poor are getting poorer...the gap widens



It's both exciting and scary to be in a country which has changed so drastically over the past 10-15 years..even though I was obviously not here to witness it, you can feel it in the air...something is boiling, there's a rumble building underneath and you can't help but think that there's just that one little thing missing to catapult this country to the forefront...it's a matter of somebody getting their act together...



I'm off to Guangzhou (in the south of China) and Hong Kong today...will write from there...I hope I don't get maced by the cops in H.K....Mic