Day 7

Jon, Simon and I began Day 7 with a trip to another prospective supplier in a Beijing suburb named Xianghe. I had visited this shop in 2007, and thought they had some potential but they didn't quote well for some reason and never recieved any orders from us. Now that we have more China business that fits their capability and now we have Simon on board to help, a return visit was warranted. As we strolled down the new 8 lane tollway at 160 Kilometer/hour (that's 100 MPH) I asked what the blinking red light in the median was every 1/4 mile or so. Simon explained that there was no speed limit on this new highway modeled after the Autobahn in Germany, but that camera's took photos every so often just to track your driving. If they see a car doing something unsafe they can fine you. Well that's an interesting new concept of big brother is watching? Anyway we reached there quickly, obviously, and went in an toured. After the tour we met in the conference room for discussions. Like yesterday's last photo from Shahe, Xianghe also had no conference tables in the conference room-just big long leather couchs with coffee tables in front. As Jon lamented, how the heck do they expect us to properly review a drawing slouched back in a couch with big drawings sprawled out on a little coffee table (already loaded with the customery green tea upon arrival)? I explained, relax-things are just different in China, but he didn't buy it. Jon has a difficult time accepting doing business in China in general. Being a Brit, he'd much rather do buisness in former British colonies like Thailand, and India for low costs. But, he's a good manager of business and understands the need to develop world markets, but it doesn't mean he has to like it. Personally I prefer doing buiness in China than other low cost markets. First of all we have Simon and office and a staff that can assist greatly, but secondly, they think like we do in a general business sense. The Chinese are born capitalists, which is pretty funny based on their goverment position of Marxism. Like Americans, they love to work hard to achieve the best business results possible (meaning making money mostly) Whereas most other parts of the world, especially Europe, view business as a "have to do activity" between my free time. Europeans always make sure they get plenty of rest time, tea time, holiday time etc.

Anyway, I digress. The couch meeting went fine and it was nearly 11:45am as we concluded and Simon suggested we catch lunch with Mr. Li, our host, before we traveled back to Beijing. Jon and I both had about enough of Chinese food, but wanted to be good guests so we said "Sure". Mr. Li took us to the local fine dining restaurant, again that looked identical to yesterday's "special #1" Chinese restauant. We were again ushered up into a separate room with big round table and heavy red Chinese lion prints everywhere. While Simon and Mr. Li chatted in Mandarin, Jon and I chatted about how the Chinese decor was surely ostentagious by any standard. I commented that when I think about dining, I long for the cool tans and blended earth tones of a Bravo Italian restauant. Jon readily agreed commenting, "I'm sick of red".

Jon and I made it very clear to Simon. We feel like we just got up, we're not ready to eat really, but we'll play along so just keep it light and simple. I mentioned to Simon that I remember from my last trip that Xianghe was home of Chinese pizza. This consisted of a flour tortilla with pounded meat inside and fried. I recalled that other than being cut pie shape, it was nothing like pizza, but preferrable compared to the normal fish head dishes. Simon and Mr. Li began ordering which always takes like 10 minutes of discussion with the waitress. Jon and I laughed at how "into" food the Chinese are. I mean come on it's lunch.

Well, first of all, what yet comes into the room but a bottle of Mai Tai. As the waitress unwraps and opens the bottle, Jon and I groan to Simon "we can't drink that lighter fluid again" today please just pour us a obligatory half of a shot glass. Simon calmly explains that Mr. Li ordered it to show his friendahip. It's very important to share liquor in their eyes. Like usual, we toast each other in regard to our two great nations, the day of being together, peace and justice for all-and down a shot of gasoline. When Mr. Li tries to reload our glasses, Jon and I turn them upside down and explain that drinking to Westerners must wait until evening. To which Simon explains that unfornately their custom is that a bottle of MaiTai cannot be left undrinken at a business outing or it's bad Karma. "Drink away guys "we say in return. And they did. Shot after shot over the hour lunch until I could tell Simon was slurring his words. When he went to translate something and spoke Chinese to us and English to Mr. Li. I knew we were in trouble.

Meanwhile, here came the 16 trays of Chinese specialty foods. I'm not sure what part of "too early for lunch" didn't translate. The choices today were more reasonable, no hearts or anything, but just general another table of difficult to enjoy entrees. I commented to Jon that I wondered how much all this cost? In the USA Chinese restaurant it would have to be at least $200 with the 14 dishes and bottle of liquor. Jon then watched the 'invoice" -that's what they call the check-exchange of cash. Jon said Mr. Li put down 300 RMB ($44 USD) and got some change bank. Amazing!

We said our goodbyes, loaded into the Mercedes and zoomed back to Beijing. Simon had slowly come back to himself on the ride home. He kept apologizing for being drunk and we said "no problem -better than us". We talked and summarized the trip on the ride home and decided that we're bascially done and that I have too much work back in Ohio before my vacation next week so I would depart Tuesday-a day earlier than planned. Jon agreed and wanted to leave also but then he called his travel agent back in England and found his ticket was non-refendable and non-changeable. I offered to stay then, and he said, "No -go back and Simon and I will just have one extra afternoon to visit the sites of Beijing like the Bird's Nest stadium and the Water Cube from the Olympics". But to complete the trip we wanted to visit our office downtown that Jon had never yet been to. We arrived at the office and met Jane Zhang, our China Sales agent , and Estelle, our office manager (secretary, bookkeeper). One of my job responsibilities is holding the title of Chief Representative of the Beijing office. It's a fancy title the really just means I have to be the American in charge of offically signing everything. I didn't even personally interview Estelle before we hired her last year-Simon and Jane did. It was good to spend some time in the office to interact and close some issues and I was pleased with her approach and her spoken English.

I was quite surpirsed to see Estelle at the office. Earlier in the day Simon had called the office and Estelle did not come to work because her 18 month old son was ill. In fact he was coughing so badly she took him to the ER and they kept him overnight. She felt compelled however to come into the office this afternoon because Jon and I were visiting. Again I was very impressed with that dedication but told her many times that afternoon to go home and take care of her family. We did snap this cool photo with all of us to show the three legs of Bronx International.

At the close of work, Simon suggested we go to the Hard Rock Cafe for our closing dinner. We readily agreed to Western food and headed over. It was a nice dinner discussion based upon Jon and I bantering about England vs USA rockers and general Rock -n-roll reminicing. We also pointed to photos all around the room to see if Jane and Simon could identify anyone. They only got Elton John and Elvis Presley correct, but Jon and I admitted that's two more than famous Chinese we could identify. Jane told a story about how she attended a John Denver concert in a Chinese park in the 1970's. Jane recalled the tickets were very expensive, like $3, but she had to go because she liked him alot to which we explained -he's not a Rocker and teased that she could get thrown out of this restaurant for discusing him.

We came home about 9 pm and headed straight for bed. Tomorrow I'm Going Home!

Xianghe

SHop

lunch

office

dinner

leave early

Office pic