As you read this post, I’ll be in a place that is often considered the longest continuous civilization (some historians mark 6000 B.C. as the dawn of its civilization).

[Pictures from en.wikipedia.org]

Apparently the toilet paper was invented here in the late 1300’s too. Mwahaha~

Y’know I can’t help but feel relieved to know that despite its size (it’s the 4th largest country in the world after Russia, Canada, and the U.S.), all of China is in one time zone. No need to reset my body clock, nor go through what I dread most when travelling – jet lag. *happy-panda-dance*

China invented ice cream, and Marco Polo is rumored to have taken the recipe (along with the recipe for noodles) back with him to Europe.* I suppose that gives me a reason to eat more ice cream while I'm here. Excuses, excuses. Lol

It’s been a pleasant stay so far, with some new business discoveries and associations, amongst the panda street food adventures (very interesting since you don’t really know what are eating at times lol).

Looking forward to sharing some of the “Hungry Hannah” adventures with you soon but in the meantime, I’m resorting to Instagram to share my trip with you since this is what Facebook and Twitter look like in China…

If you don’t already know, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and a host of other sites have been blocked in China…

…so it’s in a way, “social media detox” for me this month. Lol. I go through withdrawal symptoms for not being able to see, let alone reply your comments on those platforms. You have no idea.

In some ways, it’s also a trust exercise for myself and my team back home – I send them the pictures and quotes that I want to share with you, and they’re supposed to post it up on my behalf. Daily. Big effort to let go. Lol. Nevertheless, I know they’re doing a brilliant job so please be nice to HTAdmin and pleeeeease don’t get angry at me for not being able to reply personally okay? If you want to communicate with me personally, I’ll be on Instagram/this blog space for as long as the China government allows it. Lol

Oh and BTW, I have to mention that the iPhone 5s and 5c is officially out in China.

I see it everywhere but it's frustrating because you can see it, you can touch it, but you cannot have it!

There's no stock on the Chinese Apple online shop and the local Apple stores in the malls here that have stock at hand capitalize on the demand by hiking up the price by a mile for the 5s. As usual, the Chinese being Chinese, inflate the 5s prices to just under RM5,000 (rounded up according to the current exchange rate) for the gold coloured 5s. Haih~ As much as I want it, I doesn’t make sense to pay so much. What are your thoughts on that?

* Perkins, Dorothy. 2000. Encyclopedia of China: The Essential Reference to China, Its History and Culture. New York, NY: Checkmark Books.