- Air Index
- BingTuDon bing translate
- TastyFaith.com
- http://www.aqicn.info/
- China to restrict US journalists from three major newspapers
- Coronavirus: Pound plunges to its lowest level in over 30 years
- Coronavirus: Hong Kong to quarantine all arrivals from abroad
- Back to school for some in China
- Alibaba's Ma donates coronavirus test kits to US
- Trump angers Beijing with 'Chinese virus' tweet
- Coronavirus: How the pandemic has changed the world economy
- Coronavirus: Life inside China's lockdown
- Mount Everest: Nepal's government shuts off mountain amid virus outbreak
- Coronavirus: China wildlife trade ban 'should be permanent'
- Coronavirus Wuhan diary: Living alone in a city gone quiet
- Coronavirus: Nasa images show China pollution clear amid slowdown
- Coronavirus: Chinese app WeChat censored virus content since 1 Jan
- China Uighurs: Detained for beards, veils and internet browsing
- The anti-Chinese prejudice being fuelled in Kenya
- Coronavirus: On the front line in Wuhan
- China economy: Why it matters to you
- The doctor who tried to warn others
- In 60 seconds: Who was China’s Li Keqiang?
- Violent tornado sends sparks flying on streets of Chinese city
- China to restrict US journalists from three major newspapers
- November 2014
- August 2014
- July 2014
- June 2014
- May 2014
- April 2014
- March 2014
- February 2014
- January 2014
- December 2013
- November 2013
- October 2013
- September 2013
- August 2013
- July 2013
- June 2013
- May 2013
- April 2013
- March 2013
- February 2013
- January 2013
- December 2012
- November 2012
- October 2012
- September 2012
- August 2012
- July 2012
- June 2012
- May 2012
- April 2012
- March 2012
- February 2012
- January 2012
- December 2011
- November 2011
- October 2011
- September 2011
- August 2011
- July 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
- January 2011
- December 2010
- November 2010
- October 2010
- September 2010
- August 2010
- July 2010
In Chicago, water wasn’t really a topic of talk. In China,
it is.
Kunming is experiencing a drought, meaning the dry mountain
air is even drier. The winds kick in about 4 pm, causing red dust to fill the
air, so you don’t want to hang your wet laundry outside to dry. The sculptured gardens in our xiao qu are decorated this time of the year with a few lacy panties that blew off balconies.
Trust me, there are unmentionables hidden in this picture than in a Highlight Magazine.
The drought and winds lead to a big fire just across Lake
Dianchi in a small resort town called Anning.
http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2012-03/19/content_14866105.htm?bsh_bid=85326999
Helicopters have been getting gigantic pails of water from
the lake to douse the fire. The fire has not reached Kunming. Keep in mind that
Lake Dianchi is about the size of Lake Michigan and is about as clean as a
toilet. Either the water will put out the fire or the three eyed fish will scare the flames to death.
Speaking of water, the little there is in Kunming is undrinkable.
Once a week, the water guy delivers two ten gallon jugs to
our abode.
I have his phone number on speed dial. Plus, I memorized how to say I need
two jugs of water, please. “Wo Yow Leon Tong Schway.” If you drop the “n”
on Leon and say Leo, you’ll end up with a half a dozen.
Water is about a buck a bottle. I’d pay a bit more if the despenser wasn’t so butt ugly.
Tap water is safe to wash veggies in, but not to drink. When
you scrub your cucumber, you use this special soap. It’s also good for dishes. You
can see your reflection on your plates…and on your apples!
But with the Kunming draught, we are taking our part in
water conservation.
First, is instituting Stinky Day. No explanation needed.
Just say, though we save water, our cuddles suffer a bit.
Our second effort is recycling water.
While we’re waiting for our long hot Western style showers to
warm up, we catch the tepid water in a Hansel and Gretel style
bucket (pictured earlier). The water is used to flush away our business.
Yes, the water is Kunming is disappearing, including the fish ponds.
When we first moved to
China, we were kept up by the chorus of frogs croaking in the ponds out back. But now, the ponds have croaked. The fisherman village right from the pages of Nat Geo Magazine are being replaced with a hustling and bustling road.
The sounds of frogs at night have been replaced with the sounds of construction crews. In China, they work around the clock.
But this summer when we visit America, we look forward to kicking back around the Great Lakes and get our fill of water. We will be staying in a waterfront sort of like this one, except it will have indoor plumbing, direct TV and a door.
Speaking of the Great Lakes, you can buy Great Lakes juice in China, which I don’t think comes from oranges grown in Michigan.
False advertising at its finest!
