The Tank Commander and the ‘Pei Jiu Nu’.
More stories of the frailty of the human condition and taken from the 23 years I’ve spent in China, and this will be incorporated in the second new book I’m […]
A Dead Cat, Cigarette Ghost and Other Stories
One of the delights living in China long before the Lord of Wealth visited the world’s largest communist nation, and Chinese billionaires spread their wings throughout the world buying up […]
Claude Ballantyne-Deadwood – Her Majesty’s Longest Serving Resident
This is a simple story about one aspect of expat life. There are no hefty morals to this story but perhaps some insight into the variety of the human condition. […]
Gated Communities and Geo-Political Understanding
Pretty much everyone in Chinese cities live in gated communities. Vast sprawling complexes of multiple buildings with sparse to luxuriant vegetation depending on the cost level. The community I live […]
6 Inch Nails and Other Stories
Nothing brings out the inner frustration in China than dealing with building contractors and repairmen. As a friend once commented – “Building this restaurant pretty much used up all the […]
Chengdu Cuisine
Sichuan food – often written as ‘Szechwan’ from the old Wade Giles Romanisation system – is one of the 4 main distinct cuisines of China. Known as the cuisine of […]
Cookie Boy
Cookie Boy and other assorted tradesmen This is a story from the early days in Chengdu when life was good and o so pretty. Some people you just know are going to provide entertainment – ‘Cookie Boy’ was from the countryside and had an irrepressible ability to jump at things […]
Chengdu Cuisine
Sichuan food – often written as ‘Szechwan’ from the old Wade Giles Romanisation system – is one of the 4 main distinct cuisines of China. Known as the cuisine of 10,000 flavours, Sichuan food is an experience that can only be discovered in the home of its origin. So much […]
Chengdu’s Largest Building
The World’s Largest Single Structure Building – a mere 3 Pentagons or 20 Sydney Opera Houses.
Its a Long Way From Mosgiel to Chengdu
Have you seen the flight of an eagle over the snow of Tibet, smelt the sweet smoke of rice straw curling in the stillness of the autumn, seen the rainbow aureole dancing in the clouds far below the summit of Mt. Emei, placed wooden twigs between the mountain and the […]
