Okay, for a few sentences we're back in Beijing, the Forbidden City to be exact.
Although in the Netherlands Starbucks luckily hasn't surfaced yet, it has in Asia in a big way. A few years ago I was told that it had gotten so bad that there was actually a Starbucks inside the Forbidden City. Almost unimaginable, but knowing Starbucks and having heard all the stories about China's uber-capitalism not completely unlikely either. I had always assumed the story to be true, although no-one had ever confirmed it either.
Walking around the Forbidden Citty this story came to mind again and I was expecting the Starbucks to pop out around any corner now. After a few hours of wandering through the Forbidden City and not having noticed a Starbucks, I happily concluded that this must be another urban myth and that none of it is true.
Leaving the Forbidden City, with my sense of how the world should be newly restored, an announcement came on.
A Korean man had been lost, and if he could please make his way to Starbucks to meet his wife...
1 comment:
Yup, it is true! Although it apparently isn't the usual in-you-face look of most Starbucks, sort of tucked away in a corner out of sight for the most part, according to one person I know who has actually seen it.
And you can see the Golden Arches of McDonalds from Tiannamen square too - proof that capitalism has conquered Communism...
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