You might think of mountains when you think of China. Yep, you probably do. There are plenty of them, that’s for sure, and they come in all shapes and sizes. But mountain biking? Somehow not. And yet it’s available – just a few hours from Shanghai, and, from the sound of it, in plenty of other places as well, including the spot where all attention is currently focused: Beijing. So, when you grow tired of watching Aussies pocketing gold medals, a day or two on a bike could provide just the break you need. Check out Bicycle Kingdom Tours.
Photo by PhotoFusion
Anyway, back to Shanghai and a quick look at the dreaded topic of global enterprise, in the form of Starbucks. Why? Because Starbucks (pictured below) is big business in Shanghai and, despite initial fears to the contrary, may have had a beneficial, rather than detrimental, effect on the local coffee scene. Here’s a very interesting take on the subject from World Hum. And before you ask, I'm not a Starbucks habituee. I've only been in one Starbucks, once. So this is in no way biased, or any form of personal endorsement. Though, truthfully, when you're in a huge, roaringly busy place like Shanghai, it can be somehow reassuring to slip into somewhere familiar - just for a sip of coffee.
Finally, one for the road. And this one is a personal endorsement. If you’re going to China and want to read a great book about the place, you can’t beat Soul Mountain, whose author (Gao Xingjian) won the Noble Prize for literature. In one sense, it’s a travel commentary, though no one in their right mind would classify it as such. I’m willing to bet you’ve never read anything quite like it, or anything that evokes the spirit of the place so amazingly. Highly, highly recommended. Did you enjoy the fantastic Wild China on ABC1? Ok, you'll love Soul Mountain. And if you didn't see Wild China, beg or borrow a copy of the DVD.
Photo by matsuda.yukihiro