Archive for the ‘Special Days’ Category

Aug312010

Posted By
Ryan

Expo Scoop: Miss World 2005 @ Iceland Pavilion

Miss World @ Shanghai Expo Iceland Pavilion

If you’re heading to the Shanghai Expo and don’t feel like spending your day under the sun in line for one of the biggie pavilions; head over to the (surely cool) Iceland Pavilion, where you can rub elbows with Miss World 2005 Unnur Birna Vilhjálmsdóttir. According to the Iceland Expo site, Unnur is heading up the role of Deputy Director of Pavilion and Director for PR & Events (I figure that between her name and her title, she must need two business cards).

Huge hat tip and thanks to Lost Laowai reader Giulia for snapping the photo and sending in the tip. In talking to Unnur at the pavilion she mentioned she was only going to be at the pavilion for the next couple weeks, so if you’d like to meet a real-life Miss World, head on over soon.

Jul262010

6Comments

Posted By
Glen

Fact or Fiction VIII: Hey Ho! Expo!

Welcome back one and all to the July edition of Fact or Fiction. Those of you who read any or all of the last seven will know, every edition I will have a guest and we will discuss a few of the big issues in China of the day. Every answer will have a “Fact” or a “Fiction” and some justification to go along with it.

My guest today is Katherine, better known around here as Baoru. You can read her work on CNReviews where she posts a great deal about life in the Middle Kingdom. Quite recently her informative posts on the Shanghai Expo have received a great deal of web traffic, and for obvious reasons. She also writes a blog in Expotia, the Official Hotel Reservation Service Provider of Expo 2010. If that wasn’t enough, depending on your perspective, she is either lucky or brave enough to be a volunteer at the World Expo in Shanghai.

Looking at my guests resume, the topic seems rather obvious to me. We will be talking about the biggest event to currently be underway in China, the Shanghai Expo. We will be tackling issues like lines, toilets, and our favourite pavilions, so join us for Fact or Fiction 8: Hey Ho, Expo!

May232010

15Comments

Posted By
Glen

EXPOrientation: 8 Lessons Learned from 2 Days at the Shanghai Expo

Looking around the Blogosphere I’ve been a little surprised, it seems like very few people have braved the crowds and surrealism of the Shanghai World Expo yet. Seriously, what the heck? It’s a once in a life time opportunity to see giant koosh balls, big green apples, and tooth paste wearing a sheriff uniform. I have heard all sorts of rumours of out of control crowds, no food, no shade, no transportation, boring pavilions, and tons more scare talk. Well fear not dear bloggees, I’m hear to tell you it’s not that bad. I’ve had the pleasure of using two-thirds of my three day pass so far on May 8th and 22nd, and I’ve learned a few lessons that I’d like to pass on to anyone who’d like to read them in order to better enjoy your Expo time.

Apr242010

42Comments

Posted By
Ryan

Hilarious Shanghai Expo Trial Run Email Meme + Photos

Steven (of LLW and Sinobytes renown) sent me an e-mail yesterday that has been make its way from Chinese inbox to Chinese inbox in an expedient fashion. I thought it was hilarious, and a some what rare opportunity to get a peek at the Chinese taking the piss at their own expense. Below is not the complete e-mail with photos, but the majority of it — organized into slightly more coherent groupings.

By far my favourite is the photo captioned “上海资源丰富，请随便享用” — the first image in the “Water Fountains” section. Let it never be said that the Chinese are devoid of sarcasm.

主题: 对不起,我们丢脸了 / Subject: Sorry, we’ve lost face.

See the images, with explanations, after the jump.

Mar142010

36Comments

Posted By
Ryan

World Expo Shanghai 2010 Pavilions – Some Favourites

In less than two months the 2010 Shanghai World Expo will start its six-month run. As I’m slowly catching Expo Fever, I thought I’d run through a few of my favourite pavilions, comparing and contrasting what the official word on the structure is with my amateur thoughts and opinions.

This list is by no means a complete list of pavilions or “good” pavilions. Rather, it is a list of the pavilions that stuck out to me in my random browsing of the Internet and the official World Expo Shanghai 2010 Web site.

Feb172010

2Comments

Posted By
Ryan

24 hours / 24 photos — Spring Festival in Liuzhou

Liuzhou, China over one 24 hour period: 08:01:25 PM

Michael Steverson, better known as “Expatriate Games” in the blogsphere and on Flickr, has put together an awesome project entitled “Xin Nian Hao – 24 Hours in Liuzhou“. The series of photos and accompanying stories chronicle an entire day (one photo an hour) over CNYE and into the early morning hours of the first day of the new lunar year.

Feb122010

10Comments

Posted By
Ryan

Chun Jie: The Next Generation

I really like Spring Festival. Honestly. Every year I hear the arguments about the “crazy Chinese and their crazy fireworks”, but despite the noise (and limb-losing danger) I have to admit that I get a bit caught up in the season.

I suppose I’ve not been here long enough yet to truly understand what that holiday feeling is, certainly not to the extent my wife and her compatriots do. Being home for the Christmas season this past December, I saw this in reverse. My wife likes Christmas; she liked the food, the gifts and the family visits (mostly the first two). But I don’t think she can really understand that “Christmas feeling” like those who have grown up in the culture do. That feeling, even at my rather ripe age and lack of religious penchants, that something magical happens between Christmas Eve and Christmas Morning.

But even with the limits of cultural comprehension; by comparison, I think we can all get the significance of what this season brings. That warm feeling of family, a great connect that spans generations. For the young, a chance to get a bit of cash and some new clothes; for the old, an opportunity to look back and see how life and family has changed over the years.

Jan012010

8Comments

Posted By
Ryan

2010: The Year China Makes Contact?

Happy New Year from everyone here at Lost Laowai. Another year over and a new one just begun. Here’s to hoping that 2010 reverses what has been a terrible year for Internet openness in China. My New Year’s Resolution is to spend eight minutes each day sending positive mental messages to the switch flickers in [...]

Dec022009

3Comments

Posted By
Ryan

World AIDS Day Flash Mob in Changchun

Things have been quiet around Lost Laowai lately, and apologies for that. I’m hard at work on a redesign of the site, and so haven’t had much time to contribute. The redesign is nearly finished though, so hopefully regular posting will resume soon. I just caught this video on Youku of a flash mob performance [...]

Oct122009

14Comments

Posted By
Glen

Giving Thanks To China

Today is a special day in Northern North America, Canadian Thanksgiving. While it is (not surprisingly) less of a big deal for us than it will be in about six weeks for our neighbours to the south, it is still an important day on the calendar. While I won’t be heading to mom’s for a big feast, it doesn’t mean that I’m not thankful for several things. And since this is a blog centred around life in China, I thought that I would take a minute or two to make a list of things that I would like to thank China for. I would love to here what any of you out there in Comment Land have to add to this list.

So in no particular order, I would like to give Chin a big thanks for….