Thanks for that.  I have a bit of work so can't really drink today.  Rubber ball, a good idea but don't have one handy.

Thanks.  The latest Arab China Expo is on while I am here.  Yes I hope I don't get delayed, Nanjing to go to before back to UK.  As you say the airport here is small and not impressive.

I have noticed any time I use the internet for a while, it suddenly stops and disconnects,  I suspect.  Doing anything like attempting to connect to BBC radio has a very rapid disconnect.   Anything connected to Google drops it out too, though oddly if I had a decent connection my music on their google service would stream.   Useful that Microsoft Bing works here.   For an event promoting itself as a leading one in how connectivity enables integrated, evolving public services in urban living, such a poor level of internet and phone connectivity is somewhat of an irony.

The coffee here is truly atrocious.   Some of the worst I've ever had.

I had an Indonesian Nasi Gareng here tonight and it was poor, I've genuinely had better in other countries (Netherlands, Malaysia & Australia come to mind).   This is supposedly a good food place.  I envisage the street food is better but I won't get out unaccompanied.

Yes this area is flat, arid, empty and mainly agricultural with lots of government spending (now spent) to give a veneer of technology focus that runs pretty shallow.  It does remind of rural Brazil and Russia, both of which I've had a pleasure/displeasure to work in.  The locals are very nice, earnest, kind, uncynical.   It's a semi-autonomous region and being agricultural in heritage (though now urban in living) it still feels like their equivalent of Shropshire.  The people coming in for the Expo are more the hard nosed Beijing businessmen who virtually sneer or bulge in disbelief when they see me (I'm about the only non-Chinese person in the hotel today, tomorrow it will fill up for the event with a more diverse range of people).   To be fair, it's not uncommon for people to sneer or bulge in disbelief when they see me generally, I do have a swarthy look to me (I have a certain resemblance to Shaun Ryder I'm told, it's stood me a few drinks and caused a few bar rows).  Even my wife will ask me constantly what's wrong and I'll sigh, saying nothing is wrong and remind her that me face rests in the natural position of asking if the viewer would like a fight.  I digress.

The point of these Expos and events (I'm at a Smart City one) are to promote the country and their cities internationally, but I notice that at the Expo on today both the Chinese and Arab countries were effectively selling to each other, nobody actually listening.    They all talk of export but none of them are buying. In the five years of running this annual Expo the main deals have been related to petroleum (surprise!).   This city doesn't appear to have a real industry or job creation beyond the government building programme and the historic agricultural focus. 

The economic slowdown here which is both deliberate by the government and a natural consequence of unsustainable stimulated growth is deeper than anyone knows.   The push to drive up domestic consumption misunderstands that the first things people here want are luxury Western products.   Even middling civil servants (I'm guessing) on the plane over coming home had Gucci, Radley, Burberry, Louis Vitton, Harrods bags.  It's conspicuous consumption that aspire to, I don't think the items matter at all, it's just the brand association.   The same is true of cars and now increasingly electronics too.  In part it's that the government is trying to control, to force the population back to buy local.  However now as part of WTO etc the level of control isn't as hidden (though not on news here) and the government is learning about the vagaries of world markets.   Interesting times.    Fascinating to see NBC, Asia World News etc on the TV uncensored here, but being in English I envisage they are ignored amongst the mix of patriotic military history and local glamour-trash-soap-reality programmes.

I'm not moaning about all this travel, there's much to learn and small moments to savour.   Managing to communicate across languages is always a small delighted.  My schedule at the moment is hard though, I got back from South Africa on Saturday, left for here on Tuesday and when I get back I soon have to meet in east Turkey about a deal with the !rani@ns.   Now that will be fascinating.   Not sure how long I can keep this schedule up though.   Barcelona, Brazil and Vienna in November.   It sounds fun and is a privilege I know but in strain on the body, adjust to time changes and life disruption it's very hard to do for long.   

It does put my style/design/music etc interests into perspective though - nobody here or in any of the countries mentioned gives a fig for any of it.   It does help give a sense of self to take with you during these journeys and extensive time alone that's helpful though.  I can see how friends have ended up getting continually drunk to cope with such trips.

There is such a wondrous thing?  I'll go check.  Thanks.

Fantastic.  Thanks so much for that.

There is no monetary limit for decent coffee!

Hahahaha.

The tea has been middling so far too, the local Yinchuan tea is really sweet.  I guess I'm just a coffee person.  Thankfully though the food and drink here being absolutely non dairy based is perfect for me, no issues at all.

My company works through partners in China and manufacture here, the ability to deliver and decide here is far more than India.   I fully envisage being bought out by a company here which is the implied long term reason I'm here.

The official dinner here tonight had all the local government leaders so was stage managed and declared over before nine.   All the locals then immediately left and us non-Chinese were in the hotel bar where the beer is German.    The city hall and smart community tour was okay, so many people employed to manage us, wander around after us, take photos.  Some interesting observations but not to post them from here.