Beijing, Bangkok again and the home stretch

Well I'm back in Bangkok after three days in Beijing. Throughout this trip I've been watching the World Cup whenever I could stay awake. China has gone mad for it. Everyone has adopted it like a new hat, which when donned gives some sort of inclusion into the European culture. At 11 pm they packed every bar to watch England V Ecuador.

Though you see beer bottles in the picture, most people were drinking jugs of Jack Daniels and ice tea. Surreal. A decidedly Chinese spin on rot-gut. By the time we left (halftime) most of the people were trashed. and were chanting in a bizarre, Chinese inflected way...ENNNNGAAAWWWWANNND!!

Our office in China is right next door to the Headquarters of this unknown retailor:

Much like any Walmart, except there were row upon row of these products on the shelves:

Not just these unknown brands, but a HUGE display from "LOreal". That picture I was not allowed to take.

All pretty depressing. Lighter skin is the way to success. My friend George used to spend a considerable amount of his time getting these mercury laden poisons off the shelves in NYC.

I feel I'm now in the home stretch. My back is awful, but I don't feel ambulatory anymore. It takes me an hour to unwind the knot in the morning so I can move and not shuffle. Stretch, stretch, wince, wince.

I should have some time on Friday- Saturday to take some snaps at of the temples here in Bangkok.

They're pretty special.

I'm staying at the Mandarin Oriental. Its rated year after year as one of the most luxurious hotels in the world. Sadly I have no time as usual. The only people enjoying all this place has to offer are the wives and "special friends" of guys like me, rushing panda-eyed to their next meeting.

That's all for now

Love T