Life in Xiamen

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Getting around here is a bit of a challenge when you don't know the language. Xiamen is an island, but we live at Jimei University, which is on the mainland. Jimei is basically a college town built around the schools of the university. There are many small shops, bars, and restaurants that cater to college students, but not much else to do there. There's a Kentucky Fried Chicken, but not much else to my picky tastes!

Getting to Xiamen requires a taxi ride (my favorite - a 30 minute ride across the bridge, to the opposite side of the island - cost is about $5) or a bus ride (about one hour, very crowded, often no AC - cost is about 30 cents).

There are three major places for food shopping for Westerners in Xiamen - Metro (the German chain), Carrefour (the French chain), and Wal Mart (the absolutely most disgusting place I've been indoors here in Xiamen - BUT they have genuine Orville Reddenbacher butter flavored microwave popcorn!) Ironically, Metro, the German store, has the best food selection, especially French pastries and wines. French wine is about 30% cheaper here in China than it is in the US. Of course, Chinese wine (which tastes like vinegar) costs about $1 a bottle! I also discovered where American Wal Marts send their expired goods - to sell in China. Lots of Doritos, Pringles, and Corona sitting on the Wal Mart shelves...with expiration dates from months ago. No wonder my Chinese students say that they don't like American snacks!

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Photos

Statues on waterfront promenade
I think these are drunk guys!

Dragon tour boat
Xiamen harbor, looking across to Gulangyu Island

The three essential food groups...
KFC, McDonald's, and Pizza Hut.
My favorite block in the city!

The best view in town!
Pizza Hut on the 24th floor, overlooking the harbor.
Large pepperoni pan pizza - $5!!!

Fishing in Xiamen
This fisherman had bamboo rods with flywheels. He dropped four lines in the water and then crossed the promenade to lay under the shade trees until he got a bite.

Highway in Xiamen
Haicaing suspension bridge is in the far background. This is one of the elevated expressways in Xiamen. They do a really cool thing here - there are planters of bouganvillea hanging off the highway siderails, and underneat the highways in many places, they have the supports covered with ivy or some sort of vines. Very pretty!