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Notes from China


garethj

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Interesting design of street bin in your first post, are they locked on their pivots until needed or do they swing freely in the breeze?

 

Good to see the S2 Passat still in use, any sign of the 80s Audi 100-based machines? 

No idea about the bins but it's quite clever because I'm sure it makes them easier to empty.  I haven't seen anything of old Audis, were they made here too?

 

Have you seen lots of stretched versions of normal cars? I read somewhere that the Chinese market insists on long wheelbase versions of relatively mundane saloons: Passat, 3 series etc. all have to be offered as 'L's over there.

I went in a new Passat long wheelbase the other day.  The fact that most Chinese people are short and given this was a long wheelbase meant stacks of legroom in the back.  Lovely.

 

Yo garethj........which part of china.?

See below!

 

You are in DongGuan aren't you?

 

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Yes.  Took the plane to Hong Kong and then the ferry to Shenzhen and then car to DongGuan.  The front of the ferry looked like an old Mazda 323 with the pop up headlamps.  Shame it was too dark to take a picture really.

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GR (prawn toast) 8 thread.  A real eye opener... that pic from the hotel window is amazing. How old is everything? Like the buildings and infrastructure and that, it all looks the same age. I struggle to understand or appreciate an urban environment that has been built as one rather than developed over a long period of time as our western cities have. Same goes for Dubai etc. That sense of place, culture and history is part of urban living in the west I'd say. Is there any decadance, or art? Statues, parks, things for their own sake? It all looks very serious and utilitarian. More incidental & background shots please!

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The registration plates always give it away - the character and the S on mopeds (which rarely leave the area) is the main clue. Awesome street-vend breakfasts for the migrant workers, unforgettable yet unmentionable naughtiness in hotel night-clubs... is DG still the playground for the Japanese biz-chaps? In my day, they came across from HK for 18 holes and another few holes in the KTV bar private rooms...

 

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Thanks for posting.  Interesting pictures.  Hear lots about cars like Maestros in China but it is such a big country that you might be very lucky to see one.  Please post if you do.

 

I lived in China in 91-92.  There were not many cars at all.  There were the Chinese versions of a 1950s Mercedes 190, which at the time I think was still in production, VW Passats, Polski Fiats and an occasional Audi 100.  Not a lot else, but a whole lot of push bikes.  

 

Lorries were the Liberation lorry, which was a normal control separate wings and headlights job.  Buses were a right mixture many with petrol engines.  In Beijing, the buses were all bendibuses which ran on petrol.  As they approached a bus stop, they'd switch the engine off and cruise to a halt.  The makers of starter motor brushes must have been minting it.

 

If anyone would like to see pictures, I can post, but had better start a separate thread as this one should continue on a modern theme.

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Although as it’s mostly written in a foreign language I suppose it’s like those people who get tribal tattoos done. They look alright and the sentiment is there, but Christ knows what it actually says.

 

 

Random fact: Superdry clothing over here in Britain is the opposite. Despite the branding the company is 100% English and all the Japanese on their clothes borders on nonsense.

It's exactly the same idea, they saw people in the East putting Engrish everywhere because it was cool and turned the idea on its head.

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It is the same as everywhere else - good and bad. A 33km traffic jam in the mountains taking 15 hours to clear is probably quite bad

 

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A relaxed attitude to meetings, cheap fags and the ability to smoke them at will is pretty good

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Food is usually excellent and plentiful

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Odd drinking customs are usually pretty good

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Cracking Charcuteries

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Always an opportunity to annoy a German with lack of breakfast options

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Occasionally drinking far far too much and worrying that you have woken up in the bloody Andes is quite fun

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Can be bloody cold though

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Great chod

post-612-0-88986000-1484657359_thumb.jpg

 

Basically, get out of the cities, and the place dramatically improves.

 

 

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China Tom as ever comes in with the details. As I'm only travelling if it's reeeeally important my life is spent with suppliers which means I don't get much time to myself to get around.

 

By the time I get out of the factory it's very dark which makes photos a but rubbish.

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This is amazing to see. Excellent job, lads!

I have only ever been to Hong Kong, in 1990. For a stopover en route to live in Western Oz, and all I remember (was 8 years old) is the place was a filthy shit hole everywhere, except for the hotel, which rose like a brilliant brand new beacon from between the overcrowded apartment blocks etc.

 

That, and McDonald's. The only thing I would (could) eat.

I also vividly recall the dearly departed Kai Tak airport. Mostly because the pilot banked violently and burst my ear drum.

I swear you could see into peoples apartments after the plane banked at the mountains and lined up for final approach.

 

Not a very forgiving airport, with the runway stretching into the harbour, and off limits to all but the best of pilots. Awesome.

 

I struggle to recall any vehicles with more than 3 wheels, save for the odd taxi.

 

What an amazing, ever changing country. They get a bit too much stick IMO. They aren't much different to when Japan began making cars etc.

 

the-chinese-gents-tee-new.jpg

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China Tom as ever comes in with the details. As I'm only travelling if it's reeeeally important my life is spent with suppliers which means I don't get much time to myself to get around.

 

By the time I get out of the factory it's very dark which makes photos a but rubbish.

 

In a way, I had the opposite problem. Being in an agriculture based industry, a 2 hour appointment with a customer needed 24 hours each side to get there and back. Lots of photo opps, but tragically low time efficiency! How long are you out there for? Another vote from me to post more pics if you can.

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Me? I think that's China_Tom.

 

Brill thread!

The rural pics and dining fare share many similarities with up-country Thailand where I am right now. (Note to self: Must revive my thread. Spottings are as plentiful as ever.)

 

Oh yeah! Soz mate (and Tom), it was early!

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Buick only survived the GM brand cull in 09 due to its popularity in China, it is indeed GM's biggest selling brand in China. I think the lack of older cars is due to periodic bans/scrappage schemes trying to deal with the pollution problems.

 

I have a 1980 copy of National Geographic with a China article, the street scenes show lots of bicycles, the odd bus and lorry, and no cars. Apart from the Honqi Red Flag limousine, practically the only car made in China from the 1960s to the mid 1980s was the Shanghai, a copy of a Ponton Mercedes with squarer front and back.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shanghai_SH760#

 

I love the idea of a car called the Trumpchi!

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  • 2 weeks later...

Amazing. I'd be tempted to say a Western embassy car, although there's a very Chinese looking dude driving (in the standard blue jacket).

What's the white saloon going the other way do you reckon? Mid 80s Nissan Laurel?

 

I also think I spy a Mitsubishi L200 just coming into shot, brown with a beige coach line as well - snazzy.

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Buick only survived the GM brand cull in 09 due to its popularity in China, it is indeed GM's biggest selling brand in China. I think the lack of older cars is due to periodic bans/scrappage schemes trying to deal with the pollution problems.

 

I have a 1980 copy of National Geographic with a China article, the street scenes show lots of bicycles, the odd bus and lorry, and no cars. Apart from the Honqi Red Flag limousine, practically the only car made in China from the 1960s to the mid 1980s was the Shanghai, a copy of a Ponton Mercedes with squarer front and back.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shanghai_SH760#

 

I love the idea of a car called the Trumpchi!

theres one of those at louwman in the hague :D

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