A Bryson in China

Cojo's PKD Story

Living in China, far away from Hollywood, I don’t know much about Steven Cojocaru, or “Cojo.” But I do know we suffer the same kidney disease, PKD. He is currently making the rounds on talk shows in publicizing his new book about his experiences that include two transplants: "Glamour, Interrupted: How I Became the Best-Dressed Patient in Hollywood."

It’s good to see more attention to this disease that affects myself and 12.5 million adults and children around the world.

Read more about Cojo’s story through the PKD Foundation website, or by clicking here.

Labels: Cojo, Kidney Disease, kidney transplant, PKD, Steven Cojocaru

posted by A Bryson (formerly) in China @ 5:49 PM Comments: 0

Cold Start to Year of the Rat

Mickey Mouse characters are on the window of my office staring at me. More decorate the windows all around the offices. They include Chinese characters wishing a “Happy New Year!” Yes, it’s Spring Festival season, or the Chinese New Year. And it’s the Year of the Rat; hence mouse characters are prominently displayed in most decorations.

But the start of the New Year celebration has been difficult for many. Heavy snowfall has blanketed the mid and eastern sections of China and crippled transportation and power services. They say that yesterday over 100,000 people were stuck in the Guangzhou train station awaiting trains to the north. Many trains have been delayed for more than 24 hours. And the conditions even in Guangdong Province here in Southern China, are not too enjoyable, particularly when you have to wait outside in a never ending line for a train. It is cold and wet! Highs are reaching 45°F and dipping into the high 30’s at night.

I have not been warm in a week. I’m sitting in my office with extra coats and layer on layer of clothes. I’m even wearing a Pittsburgh Steelers hat, just because a guest left it for me, and it keeps my head warmer. I would wear gloves if I could type with them. All because buildings here have NO HEAT! None! Zippo!

How these people cope in this weather and with no heat is beyond reason. But they seem practically unaffected. They just go along like it is no big deal. Many store fronts are just that. They are a front which is open to the elements. But no one seems to mind. Amazing.

It might not be so easy for many later this week. They estimate the number at the Guangzhou train station might peak at 600,000 sometime this week as more workers start on their trek home. You see most employees are considered migrant workers. They work at a plant but maintain their home back from their roots. And come Chinese New Year, they all want to go home. Many have already started the long arduous march home. On the first recognized day last week, 53 million passengers filled buses in the nation. Another 200 million will travel by train and plane. That’s like moving everyone in the US.

Next week I go to Thailand for the New Year. I’m working at our new factory there. But at least I will be warm!

Labels: Chinese New Year, Dongguan, Life in China, snow, Year of Rat

posted by A Bryson (formerly) in China @ 5:44 PM Comments: 1

It’s All in The Numbers

Numbers can be mind numbing sometimes; especially when you hear numbers around here with over 1 billion people.

Northern China has been impacted by a lot of snow recently. Hubei Province got up to 30 cm of snow, or almost a foot. Over 9200 homes have been toppled by the snow! Can you imagine the outcry if that happened in the US?

In the meantime, the economy has been racing along. It expanded 11.4% in 2007, even though that rate is slower than earlier in the year. Of course, the recent stock woes hit here too. The markets have been down decidedly before finally rebounding Tuesday. In Hong Kong it was even up almost 11% yesterday.

In another surprising number, a farmer was recently compensated by the government after having been attacked by a bear. There were 997 such attacks last year in China! Where? I can’t imagine a bear surviving with this many people. But I don’t want to visit the attack area either!

Back here in Dongguan, the city just got recognized for having 213 days of haze last year. Of course, you know why don’t you? Smog! Yes, over half the year you can’t see the mountains due to intense smog.

In Beijing they hope to have 256 “blue sky” days in 2008 by actions they are taking. That will be 10% more than in 2007. Of course, they are counting on those 25 days as being during August when the Olympics will be in Beijing! Let’s hope the actions spread down here to increase our “blue sky” days too! If we have a 10% increase, that will be 168. That is not even close to the number of “blue sky” days they hope to have in Bejing! Shows how bad it is around here, doesn’t it!

Labels: bear attacks, Beijing, Dongguan, Life in China, pollution, smog, snow

posted by A Bryson (formerly) in China @ 6:14 PM Comments: 0

Cars, Cars, Everywhere

Cars are quite the phenomenon in China. Of course, they are a rather new one. They tell me 10 years ago, hardly anyone owned a car. I just saw the numbers for Beijing. They say that in 2006, 790 new cars were licensed daily there. Last year, that number reached 880 new cars every day! Already, 20% of residents of Beijing own cars. No wonder they are worried about the pollution at the Olympics.

Chinese cars are also reaching the US. I understand at least five manufacturers from China were showing at the recent Detroit Auto Show. Analysts broadcasting from the event don’t think there will be significant car sales to the US until 2014. Consumers are still too shy about Chinese products after the toy scares.

There are over 100 car manufacturers in China. That is what I am told anyway. Until recently, cars were primarily regional in sales. But look out. The Chinese are very good at ramping up volume and expanding.

Even I already see an increase in cars around Dongguan. Daily my commute to and from the office becomes slower by the volume of cars on the highway, considerably slower. And most major store are surrounded by cars. Often it is hard to walk near a department store since parking was never planned, or at best, only planned for a few cars. Now cars take up the space originally set aside for pedestrians.

Labels: Cars, Dongguan, Life in China

posted by A Bryson (formerly) in China @ 4:57 PM Comments: 0

Singers & Models at Dinnertime

Violinists, orchestra, models on a catwalk, singers, and flutists. You would think I was at another wedding. But nope, this was just the Grand Opening of a new restaurant: Pousthouse restaurant in the Nancheng area of Dongguan City.

Months ago, I wrote about how I enjoyed the dinners at the Pousthouse restaurant specializing in Yunnan food near my home. They even cooked beef over hot rocks right at your table. Well, I’ve gotten to be a regular to two of their nearby restaurants and last week the manager invited us to come to the Grand Opening of their new restaurant in Nancheng. I just thought it would be a nice dinner at the new location. I didn’t bargain for an entertainment special. Heck, I didn’t even bring my camera. (Photos here are from my poor cell phone - sorry.)

The new location is a fabulous fixture in a new complex. It occupies a round rotunda on the second floor. Escalators to the entrance make it more convenient than other locations Water cascades down beside the stairway in a huge torrent through massive Pousthouse Restaurant signage. Of course, as always with any new establishment, large flower arrangements from suppliers lined the entry.

pon arrival, I was shocked to hear musicians and singers in chorus. Soon we were seated near a long catwalk that meandered through the restaurant and models were parading by us. Nice distraction from the meal. Especially since they were a little disorganized and the food took a long time to come out. But that’s alright; the music and entertainment were great.

And I was even singled out and introduced. Yeah, again being the only Westerner can get you some extra attention, even thoughI wasn’t looking for it. But sure enough, I realized the emcee and hostess were talking about me as the “megua.” Next thing I knew they had a television camera trained on me for several minutes.

And then a few other patrons came by just to take my picture. Ahhhh, the fame in going out for dinner in Dongguan.

Labels: Dongguan, Life in China, Restaurant, Yunnan food

posted by A Bryson (formerly) in China @ 3:02 PM Comments: 0

Amongst the Angels

Labels: Angels, Decca Furniture, Dongguan, Life in China, Wedding

posted by A Bryson (formerly) in China @ 6:13 PM Comments: 0

posted by A Bryson (formerly) in China @ 6:05 PM Comments: 0

A Huge Wedding Celebration in Dongguan

This was to have been the second reception party I was attending for Lucia & Max. They held their first the night before in Hong Kong, and I couldn’t make it at the last minute. This was Friday night, and most of the Dahlingshan factory was in attendance. And we have a big factory. ……… Okay, it wasn’t everyone, but over 600 people is a crowd.

Yes, I said 600! There were over 60 tables in the banquet room of the nearby Grand Oriental Hotel. Arriving I was in shock to find angels welcoming guests to the huge ballroom with an all girl orchestra playing unique Chinese musical instruments.

Everyone was greeted and given a balloon, for which I thought, was a nice feature, but really didn’t know its intended purpose until later. Soon a family member welcomed the audience, dancing girls performed a dance more attune to a cheerleading routine, and then the lights dimmed for the bride and groom to make their entrance between the six angels. Was that every unique!

This was a Decca celebration as much as the wedding celebration for Lucia & Max. She is the daughter of the vice-chairman, and Max works in our Contract Furniture group. So this night was principally a Decca event. The Hong Kong party was a smaller reception of close friends and family. Here the larger Decca family was celebrating this company union.

Lucia & Max were soon on stage cutting cake and pouring champagne. After a couple toasts, the emcee introduced the first course of the evening. And that was a spectacular entrance to behold too. All at once, a waiter for every table entered the back of the banquet room with a braised pig on a platter. What a procession! And good pig too!

The dancing girls performed several more times as the meal continued. There were a couple of surprises in the form of a clown doing juggling and magicians instantaneously switching opera masks, in a famous Chinese tradition. One even did an act with fire from under a mask.

Before long there were some special toasts, and soon the honored guests and family were passing through the crowd for toasts of wine at each table. That was a lot of toasting.

By the way, early in the evening, the emcee directed everyone to raise their balloons in unison for the bride and groom…… and pop them! Of course, I was listening, but didn’t understand the Cantonese and was jolted from my chair by the popping. At first, I thought it was fireworks, but soon realized it was orchestrated balloon popping. Now that was a good idea.

As so many Decca celebrations, it was a great night. And as wedding celebrations go, it was the biggest I had ever attended. Quite a night.

Photos of the wedding are available by clicking here. Be sure to visit all the sub-albums from the first page.

Labels: Dongguan, Life in China, Wedding

posted by A Bryson (formerly) in China @ 5:54 PM Comments: 0

New Peking Duck Restaurant in Dongguan

posted by A Bryson (formerly) in China @ 2:13 PM Comments: 0

Views from Dongguan

Labels: Dongguan, Life in China

posted by A Bryson (formerly) in China @ 5:31 PM Comments: 0

Flat Nathan Arrives in China

Writing a blog can lead to some very unusual things. I’ve been tracked down for a lot of information about Dongguan. Interesting, considering I’ve only been here a couple of years. I even got asked to take pictures of the town here where a Michigan couple got their adopted daughter.

But the recent request of my niece’s son was one that has been more than a little out of the ordinary. It seems the book Flat Stanley has inspired a school program of little paper dolls traveling the world from young students (read more about Flat Stanley project here). Nathan, my niece’s son, asked me to accept one he drew in his second grade class, and to then take some pictures with “Flat Nathan” around China.

Believe me, it can be more than a little intimidating standing up amongst throngs of people to get your picture taken with a paper doll. …………. Oh well….. right up my alley!

Here are a few of the pics so far.

Labels: Dongguan, Flat Stanley, Life in China

posted by A Bryson (formerly) in China @ 6:03 PM Comments: 0

posted by A Bryson (formerly) in China @ 6:00 PM Comments: 0

posted by A Bryson (formerly) in China @ 5:55 PM Comments: 0

Champagne & Golf - Starting the New Year Right

New Years Day set a new high mark. Where else do you start a round of golf on New Years Day with sunny skies and champagne! Yes, champagne.

You see one of the pleasures of our outings is in not only the good company of our partners, but in who our partners are. And one of our playing partners is chef at a nearby hotel. So, on New Years Day…….. He brought champagne!

Of course, the golf club was only able to provide us with paper cups for the occasion, but it was the thought, and it was good champagne!

Golf was great too, even though the team led by the evil Brits won again. Oh well, we had a great time just the same.

More photos of the golf available by clicking here, or checking the link in the right column.

Labels: China golf, Dongguan, Golf, Life in China

posted by A Bryson (formerly) in China @ 6:06 PM Comments: 0

New Year's Eve at OFTR in Dongguan

Another New Year, another unforgettable party at One for the Road Pub. And I would like to forget some of it.

Great party as always, with many friends. And the famous OFTR confetti poppers were great……….. for a while. That was, until I got hit by the blast of one to the lip. Those things are pretty strong. Gave me a nice bruise. I know many of you will ask “Who hit you?” It wasn’t that exciting.

But great time as usual. The place got packed at the midnight hour. It is getting rather famous for the poppers, and everyone wanted in on the action.

More photos of friends and the night’s fun by clicking here, or checking the link in the right column.

Labels: Dongguan, Life in China, New Years Celebration, One for the Road

posted by A Bryson (formerly) in China @ 5:47 PM Comments: 0