The Ugly Canada Thread - Page 315

MolsonExport · #**6281** Posted **Jun 23, 2016, 12:00 PM**

they are way past it. live chicken shops with free decapitation services, and squid on a stick are the rage things here. And fried crickets in a basket, if that suits your fancy.

O-tacular · #**6282** Posted **Jun 23, 2016, 1:04 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

they are way past it. live chicken shops with free decapitation services, and squid on a stick are the rage things here. And fried crickets in a basket, if that suits your fancy.

Dear God! One of multiple reasons I won't visit China.

O-tacular · #**6283** Posted **Jun 23, 2016, 1:07 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

Wuxi has it all. Soviet-style commie blocks (20 identical, side by side), and gleaming class-A skyscrapers that put what is going up in most Canadian cities to shame. Today I saw a 7 storey shopping centre with a Ferrari dealership, every top-end clothing/fashion/electronics retail brand you could think of (many of which even Toronto doesn't have), and 6 Apple stores just on a 4 block area of downtown Wuxi (there appear to be many downtowns...I thought I was staying downtown, on account of all the skyscrapers but I found out that I am quite outside of the real downtown). — there is some major money in the city (I was expecting quite a step-down from Shanghai, but that doesn't appear to be the case). I also saw countless hovels of extreme decrepitude, and scores of people without two yuan to rub together living in total squalor. A land of contrasts like no other...except other major Chinese cities.

Still, I have to hand it to the Chinese. They have come a long way. Even since my last visit in 2012. The metro systems, airports, and high speed rail networks are first-rate, better than anything I have seen outside of maybe South Korea. Certainly much better than Canada.

How is China Communist again? The extremes you describe swing further than the U.S. which is the land of pure capitalism.

O-tacular · #**6284** Posted **Jun 23, 2016, 1:13 PM**

These seem to be the latest advancement in inflatables that every car dealership seems to love.

MolsonExport · #**6285** Posted **Jun 23, 2016, 1:28 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by O-tacular

Dear God! One of multiple reasons I won't visit China.

heheh. China is exhilarating. I love it. Safe to walk around anywhere...even the most decrepit neighbourhoods. Unlike say, Mexico or South America, or the USA.

kwoldtimer · #**6286** Posted **Jun 23, 2016, 1:51 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

heheh. China is exhilarating. I love it. Safe to walk around anywhere...even the most decrepit neighbourhoods. Unlike say, Mexico or South America, or the USA.

Police states can be like that. I remember, back in the day, how wonderfully safe it felt wandering around in Syria, day or night...

niwell · #**6287** Posted **Jun 23, 2016, 2:07 PM**

I get a little weirded out by the idea of a decrepit area that's perfectly safe to walk through! Probably because my travel experiences have been to places where that's decidedly not the case. Including the US, and even Canada (mostly the North).

Although many areas that are considered "unsafe" are generally fine if you use common sense. This probably doesn't apply in failed states though.

O-tacular · #**6288** Posted **Jun 23, 2016, 2:32 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

Police states can be like that. I remember, back in the day, how wonderfully safe it felt wandering around in Syria, day or night...

I was going to say the same thing. When the threat of incarceration or execution without trial is always looming it would probably have a chilling effect on street crime. That said the Chinese triads certainly operate in the shadows. Can you tell me the pick pockets don't exist though? I have a hard time imagining a city the size of Shanghai not having pick pockets that target tourists.

O-tacular · #**6289** Posted **Jun 23, 2016, 2:38 PM**

Just wondering if you've seen anything like this so far Molson?

http://m.imgur.com/gallery/4Ap4EUO

I wonder if Chinese people see all the terrible Asian symbol tattoos people here have and are just as gobsmacked?

esquire · #**6290** Posted **Jun 23, 2016, 2:40 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by O-tacular

Just wondering if you've seen anything like this so far Molson?

http://m.imgur.com/gallery/4Ap4EUO

I wonder if Chinese people see all the terrible Asian symbol tattoos people here have and are just as gobsmacked?

Hilarious

I'd imagine the answer to your question must only be "yes", though. Let's face it, when people use foreign language characters as a fashion design element, no one is paying much attention to what those characters actually mean.

niwell · #**6291** Posted **Jun 23, 2016, 2:43 PM**

I've seen shirts like that in Toronto. Worn unironically. Usually near my work, which is close to several condo buildings with a relatively high percentage of Chinese students in them.

Something something housing bubble in Canada thread.

O-tacular · #**6292** Posted **Jun 23, 2016, 2:55 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by niwell

I've seen shirts like that in Toronto. Worn unironically. Usually near my work, which is close to several condo buildings with a relatively high percentage of Chinese students in them.

Something something housing bubble in Canada thread.

There's just something about stuff like this that makes me feel like I'm living in a Chinese version of Idiocracy.

Are most people's chinese character tattoos taken directly from take out menus? In general they're supposed to mean — like 'strength' or 'grace' or some —. Are they really just a food list like this lady's jacket?

Acajack · #**6293** Posted **Jun 23, 2016, 3:17 PM**

I once saw a Japanese 12-year-old girl in Niagara Falls with a t-shirt that said — YOU.

O-tacular · #**6294** Posted **Jun 23, 2016, 3:21 PM**

Cool Dunes Cat park:

O-tacular · #**6295** Posted **Jun 23, 2016, 3:22 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acajack

I once saw a Japanese 12-year-old girl in Niagara Falls with a t-shirt that said — YOU.

That doesn't surprise me at all.

Xelebes · #**6296** Posted **Jun 23, 2016, 3:27 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by O-tacular

Just wondering if you've seen anything like this so far Molson?

http://m.imgur.com/gallery/4Ap4EUO

I wonder if Chinese people see all the terrible Asian symbol tattoos people here have and are just as gobsmacked?

The "Who The **** Is Jesus" shirt wearing boy is the most sensible one.

esquire · #**6297** Posted **Jun 23, 2016, 3:30 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acajack

I once saw a Japanese 12-year-old girl in Niagara Falls with a t-shirt that said — YOU.

Epidemic of angry and belligerent Japanese tween girls?

O-tacular · #**6298** Posted **Jun 23, 2016, 3:42 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by esquire

Epidemic of angry and belligerent Japanese tween girls?

• Video Link

Laceoflight · #**6299** Posted **Jun 23, 2016, 8:29 PM**

Seen on Facebook.
I thought this would deserve a place here.
Way to go Qc City and la CAQ

SignalHillHiker · #**6300** Posted **Jun 23, 2016, 10:01 PM**

Our newest high school, Waterford Valley High. Just concluded its first full year in operation. Some pics from the last full day of school via FB today:

Exterior is awful:

Garbage bags in windows so a projector can be used:

Completely colourless hallways:

Why do we still do this here? My school actually had walls with two different colours of grey - dark on bottom, lighter on top. It was like a prison.

A school built in 2015 should've been colourful, innovative.

Even something simple like student murals. So disappointed with the final result of this school.