A Chinese Restaurant in Xiamen
Apr 6, 2001, 9:07 am
#31
In memoriam
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They're gills, and there's nothing inherently poisonous about them, unless the crabs were fattened in a cesspool (possible).
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I would never have chosen such a restaurant, but I'm pretty sure I'd have enjoyed the meal if someone else had taken me there.
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I would never have chosen such a restaurant, but I'm pretty sure I'd have enjoyed the meal if someone else had taken me there.
Apr 8, 2001, 11:29 pm
#32
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 3,208
The question I have for UAL Traveler is did he actually do a #2 (or "big" as they say in the vernacular of southern China) in the one inch hole sans door. If so, I'm impressed! I would have personally waited until I got back to my hotel room or the nearest 2* or higher hotel. But...
In any case, I often struggle with any writing that either hypes up a destination/activity that is mostly not that exciting or overdramatizes/sensationalizes an experience that really isn't such a big deal. This is especially true of writing about traveling experiences in developing countries. However, this type of travel writing/commentary is often entertaining to a First World audience that is unable to understand the story in its proper context simply because it is so foreign to our own sensabilities and routine. Without the proper background within the article and/or the proper perspective from the author, it would read more like fiction to an individual of that locale, but the First World reader may perceive it as reality. At last count, fewer than 15% of this world's population lives in the First World.
As an American who has traveled extensively throughout his own country and all G7 countries as well as East Asia, the Middle East, South America and Eastern Europe, I found UAL Traveler's narrative quite entertaining about a particular experience at one dining establishment in one city in China (at last count, Xiamen city had about 1.25 million people in a country of around 1.3 billion).
As a person of Chinese descent who has traveled extensively throughout all four corners of China, I found parts of his narrative to be sensationalized and, to some extent, offensive.
It is not an issue of being PC or unPC, but I think it is very true that "sometimes you just don't understand what you are seeing". But that doesn't stop people, myself included, from making comments with their "untrained eye" as UAL Traveler put it. In the absence of information, it is very easy to make the wrong conclusions and form the wrong impressions.
This post is not meant as a flame toward UAL Traveler -- in the end, it is just my opinion anyway -- and I hope it is not taken as such. It is simply a general comment/pet peeve on what I find troubling about travel writing and political reporting/journalism. These writing genres are often times mistaken as nonfiction in book stores when I think it should really be placed in the science fiction section.
In any case, I often struggle with any writing that either hypes up a destination/activity that is mostly not that exciting or overdramatizes/sensationalizes an experience that really isn't such a big deal. This is especially true of writing about traveling experiences in developing countries. However, this type of travel writing/commentary is often entertaining to a First World audience that is unable to understand the story in its proper context simply because it is so foreign to our own sensabilities and routine. Without the proper background within the article and/or the proper perspective from the author, it would read more like fiction to an individual of that locale, but the First World reader may perceive it as reality. At last count, fewer than 15% of this world's population lives in the First World.
As an American who has traveled extensively throughout his own country and all G7 countries as well as East Asia, the Middle East, South America and Eastern Europe, I found UAL Traveler's narrative quite entertaining about a particular experience at one dining establishment in one city in China (at last count, Xiamen city had about 1.25 million people in a country of around 1.3 billion).
As a person of Chinese descent who has traveled extensively throughout all four corners of China, I found parts of his narrative to be sensationalized and, to some extent, offensive.
It is not an issue of being PC or unPC, but I think it is very true that "sometimes you just don't understand what you are seeing". But that doesn't stop people, myself included, from making comments with their "untrained eye" as UAL Traveler put it. In the absence of information, it is very easy to make the wrong conclusions and form the wrong impressions.
This post is not meant as a flame toward UAL Traveler -- in the end, it is just my opinion anyway -- and I hope it is not taken as such. It is simply a general comment/pet peeve on what I find troubling about travel writing and political reporting/journalism. These writing genres are often times mistaken as nonfiction in book stores when I think it should really be placed in the science fiction section.
Apr 9, 2001, 10:31 pm
#33
Join Date: May 1999
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How else can someone write about their experiences other than from their own perspective?
Culture is not much more than a complex set of common experiences. I would bet there are books about travel in America or Europe, by Chinese, for sale in Chinese bookstores, that we would find totally unrecognizable, even in translation.
Different perspectives are neither right nor wrong. They are -just- -different-.
Culture is not much more than a complex set of common experiences. I would bet there are books about travel in America or Europe, by Chinese, for sale in Chinese bookstores, that we would find totally unrecognizable, even in translation.
Different perspectives are neither right nor wrong. They are -just- -different-.
Apr 9, 2001, 11:13 pm
#34
Community Director Emerita
Join Date: Oct 2000
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I agree with RichG. We have foreign young people in our home all the time, from all corners of the world. I have actively sought out reading on different nationalities' perception of American customs and habits so that I can understand what they might find perplexing in our odd culture (southern California!). I tell our young people that I am never offended by any opinion they hold on our behavior; they can say anything they like to me. We have some fascinating conversations as a result.
I thoroughly enjoyed UAL Traveler's account of his meal, just as I enjoy the moments of candor I get from our young people about their observations of life in our home.
I thoroughly enjoyed UAL Traveler's account of his meal, just as I enjoy the moments of candor I get from our young people about their observations of life in our home.
Apr 10, 2001, 8:12 am
#35
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 3,208
Originally posted by RichG:
How else can someone write about their experiences other than from their own perspective?
<snip>
Different perspectives are neither right nor wrong. They are -just- -different-.
How else can someone write about their experiences other than from their own perspective?
<snip>
Different perspectives are neither right nor wrong. They are -just- -different-.
I have no problem with someone making the type of comment that I just wrote (freedom of speech and all), but I hope that the reader can tell the difference between fact and fiction.
FYI:
Most people will choke to death if they eat chicken bones and I just don't think bones are a common dietary supplement in even the most impoverished countries. Sure, we often hear "reports" of dire circumstances that cause people to make tough decisions (like the stories of cannibalism in North Korea), but Xiamen, where I've never been, happens to be, like Shenzhen near Hong Kong, a Special Economic Zone in China (i.e., living standards are probably 5-10 times higher than the rest of the country). Not even on Survivor do we see the contestants eating wild pig, rat, or chicken bones
I think either UAL Traveler's host/partner was pulling his leg, so to speak, or those bones aren't really bones. If it helps, I even asked an elderly Chinese (who was once a countryside peasant) now living in the States if during the worst period of the armed conflicts in the 1940s if desperate Chinese citizens would eat animal/fish bones, and he just looked at me as though I was crazy. Some may have, but it is not common.
Anyway, here's a photo I took recently. I have added a few possible captions for your benefit. You can help me choose which is the "right" one.
WARNING: some people may find this photo grotesque and you might find some of the captions offensive
Possible Captions:
a) If you want steak, go to Argentina
b) Just an hour before I can go home
c) Friends don't let friends eat pork
d) You want fresh? You got fresh!
e) Where did Mary's Little Lamb go?
f) A little boney but I can offer you a special price
g) No bare feet, no bare skin, no flies
h) How much for this "room with a view"?
i) We have chicken in the morning
j) I have no idea what I'm looking at
k) A market scene in a part of the world that I don't really understand
[edited to fix UBB coding]
[This message has been edited by fallinasleep (edited 04-10-2001).]
Apr 11, 2001, 1:27 pm
#36
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Pasadena, CA. USA
Posts: 1,438
I am a Chinese American and enjoyed the report. I am not offended by the description; heck, I too may be hesistant myself if I were in a situation like that as well.
As for the chicken bones, I have never heard anyone eating them. Perhaps, he meant gnawing on them or sucking its marrows?
As for the chicken bones, I have never heard anyone eating them. Perhaps, he meant gnawing on them or sucking its marrows?
Apr 11, 2001, 5:36 pm
#37
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Henderson, NV, USA
Posts: 174
As a Hong Kong born Chinese, I, too, thoroughly enjoyed the report. I am probably a bit too Americanized to enjoy some of the more esoteric foodstuffs available in China and elsewhere, but, I have eaten most everything that has been put in front on me.
As far as chicken bones are concerned, I agree that it is dangerous to eat and that the Chinese I grew up with (including my old village amah) would refuse to provide it as food even for my dogs.
HOWEVER, one "delicacy" (even available in Vancouver) are the cartilagenous parts of the wing (between the wing and wingtip and the wing and the small drumstick). Those parts are often served deep fried. Perhaps this is what was served?
As far as chicken bones are concerned, I agree that it is dangerous to eat and that the Chinese I grew up with (including my old village amah) would refuse to provide it as food even for my dogs.
HOWEVER, one "delicacy" (even available in Vancouver) are the cartilagenous parts of the wing (between the wing and wingtip and the wing and the small drumstick). Those parts are often served deep fried. Perhaps this is what was served?
Feb 6, 2009, 1:13 am
#38
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Portland, OR
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As a result of a violist trip report
LarryU sent me this link and therefore with this post, I have resurrected this thread. Thank you violist: you write some incredible foody trip reports, however, sate should not be made from liver.
Yes, perhaps there was some cultural or managerial insensitivity exhibited here but this report is a fascinating narrative to me of what we who travel frequently occasionally encounter. Our Western culture is completely alien to vast portions of the world. Unfortunately, many do not step back and consider that what is considered disgusting both in food and habits are perfectly normal in other places. Some of our food is just as obnoxious to others as previously mentioned. The best part of these occasions is that we perhaps we take away an insight of what life is like outside our "civilized" countries. Chinese civilization is certainly older than that of the U.S. and Canada.
I, for one, have experienced a chicken bone devouring individual at more than one meal. His favorite part of the chicken was the bones and he ordered chicken for almost every lunch and dinner we shared including client visits. He happened to be my boss and most of the eating occurred in Pales Verde and Bellingham. Please search www.google.com or www.askjeeves.com to locate these two communities if you are unfamiliar with them.
Various cultures are fascinating including their toilet facilities. During 4.5 months traveling through much of Europe, I marveled and was somewhat perplexed at times by the variety of toilet flushing devices not to mention the wonderful Italian train station toilets awash with effluent pooling around the two porcelain feet stradling the hole somewhat larger than OP's description.
Yes, perhaps there was some cultural or managerial insensitivity exhibited here but this report is a fascinating narrative to me of what we who travel frequently occasionally encounter. Our Western culture is completely alien to vast portions of the world. Unfortunately, many do not step back and consider that what is considered disgusting both in food and habits are perfectly normal in other places. Some of our food is just as obnoxious to others as previously mentioned. The best part of these occasions is that we perhaps we take away an insight of what life is like outside our "civilized" countries. Chinese civilization is certainly older than that of the U.S. and Canada.
I, for one, have experienced a chicken bone devouring individual at more than one meal. His favorite part of the chicken was the bones and he ordered chicken for almost every lunch and dinner we shared including client visits. He happened to be my boss and most of the eating occurred in Pales Verde and Bellingham. Please search www.google.com or www.askjeeves.com to locate these two communities if you are unfamiliar with them.
Various cultures are fascinating including their toilet facilities. During 4.5 months traveling through much of Europe, I marveled and was somewhat perplexed at times by the variety of toilet flushing devices not to mention the wonderful Italian train station toilets awash with effluent pooling around the two porcelain feet stradling the hole somewhat larger than OP's description.