Tigers in Africa

by Jerry Guo on

A friend of mine, Li Quan, has been raising tigers in Africa. The first thing you should know is that tigers are not found in Africa. The second thing you should know is that she gave up a cushy career in the fashion industry to become a cat conservationist. Both points seem strange. But what’s most bizarre is that her tigers are Chinese. In fact, they’re one of the rarest animals in the world. There’s only 67 South China tigers remaining.

Well, make that 68. Over the weekend, one of her four adult tigers gave birth to a 1.2 kilogram fuzzy ball of a cub. This cub will be sent, along with any others that are born soon, to China, where they will be released into nature reserves. These reserves will be the first of their kind for tiger conservation – and a model of sustainable eco-tourism. You would be able to check out the tigers in their natural habitat.

Of course, you could do that even now. Her tigers are being raised in South Africa’s Free State. They spend their days roaming the safari (kind of, there’s a big fence around them). They hunt antelopes when they’re hungry. And entertain guests who come to check out what is sure the weirdest animal to be found in Africa: a Chinese tiger.

Congrats Li Quan.

Seven (screwed up) wonders of the totalitarian world

by Neil Woodburn on

There is something terribly crazy about totalitarian governments and their sense of architecture: monumental, gaudy, pompous, and, more often than not, in extraordinarily poor taste.

That’s whey the fine folks over at Esquire Magazine have compiled a list of what they feel are the world’s most “colossal monument[s] to narcissism.”

The Seven Wonders of the Totalitarian World, as you might imagine, is a rather bizarre assortment of architectural toy things by those drunk with power and devoid of taste. I can’t say I agree with all of them–there are certainly others that should make the list such as Kim Il Sung’s massive bronze statue in Pyongyang (above). But the ones that are included are still worth checking out nonetheless. And remember, when dictators fall, as Esquire points out, their statues soon follow–so be sure to visit soon.

Fist Crushing U.S. Fighter Plane, Libya
Monument to President Laurent Kabila, Congo
Lenin’s Mausoleum, Russia
Monument to President Saparmurat Niyazov, Turkmenistan
Mao Leading the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, China
The Hands of Victory, Iraq
Monument to the Founding of the North Korean Worker’s Party, North Korea

Want to be a Chinese flight attendant? Don’t bother if you’re not pretty

by Neil Woodburn on

China’s commercial airline industry is expanding as rapidly as its economy. And with it, so too is the same sexism flaunted by Western carriers in the early, heyday of commercial air travel where only the hottest women landed jobs as stewardesses–a sexy, exotic position steeped in international flair and cosmopolitism.

Today, things are different in the West; they’re now called flight attendants and some of them are even men!

China, however, is mired in the 1960s where being an airline stewardesses is still the aspiration of so many pretty women and the apple of desire for every man.

National carriers, such as China Southern, unabashedly promote this image with nothing short of beauty pageants as part of their hiring practice. According to a recent article by Ching-Ching Ni which explores what it takes to be a flight attendant in China, successful applicants must be of certain height, weight, age, and beauty. Those that don’t make the cut can honestly say they’ve been discriminated against.

But, I have to admit, I flew on China Southern earlier this month and the stewardesses, er… I mean flight attendants were all immaculately dressed, extraordinarily attentive, and very pretty.

Hmm, I think the Chinese might be on to something here…

Photo of the Day (11/23/07)

by Neil Woodburn on


Today’s Photo of the Day was selfishly plucked from my own camera during a recent trip to China.

After a full day of wandering around Shenyang and not really finding too much to see or do, I happened upon an outdoor market that stretched for many blocks just off one of the main boulevards.

Locals always stare at me strangely when I take photos of their produce and goods but I always find it so fascinating I can’t resist. Case in point, I’m not exactly sure what the sacks in the above photo might be, perhaps some spices, but I do know that I never would see such a sight in my local grocery store at home. And so I pulled out the camera and clicked.

Suzhou Bookworm now open for business

by Kelly Amabile on

Back in July I took a daytrip to Suzhou, China (about 40 minutes by train outside of Shanghai) and visited the future site of The Bookworm’s latest English-language library cafe location. Owner Peter Goff took me on a tour of the construction site, which you can see here (scroll down to the photos at the bottom of the post.)

I was happy to learn this week that the transformation is complete and the new Suzhou Bookworm is now open for business. The photos really wowed me. After walking through demolition rubble and dust, it was cool to see the finished project looking so fab — the two-story bookstore cafe appears almost to be floating along one of the canals that Suzhou is famous for.

A few days ago, Peter checked in with an update on how things are going: “We had our first booktalk last night..historical fiction writer Adam Williams doing his stuff. It was great. About 30 people turned up to listen and buy books so not a bad start.” They had another event today, award-winning Canadian children’s writer Marie-Louise Gay.

This opening is another great score for booklovers in China. Be sure to visit a Bookworm location (the others are in Beijing and Chengdu) when your itinerary brings you through any of these cities.