coffee or tea?

for the past few days, we have been bringing our parents around the sights of Beijing. a few images had left impressions on me. We spotted the "infamous" Starbucks in the Forbidden Palace. Our guide highlighted the small building adjoining the Emperor's residence, it was the "military cabinet office" of the Qing Dynasty now called Starbucks! even he was wryly amused...actually the more prominent signboard and logo of Starbucks had been removed a few years ago due to public pressure. what we see now were more unobtrusive signs of globalisation.



we brought our parents to Laoshe Teahouse one evening. apart from sampling tea and delicate snacks, there were snippets performances of peking opera, cross-talks, acrobatics and folk singing. a waiter there impressed us with his acrobatic display of puring hot water from a kettle with a very long spout.