Chinese don't like cheese

The German teacher, Ralf, told me of another supermarket, RT Mart, which is only a short bus trip, or 20 minutes walk away. It has the predictable KFC and McDonalds on the outside, and the array is similar to Carrefour, but the fruit and vegetables seem better. Near it are several other shops catering for westerners: Jenny's Cafe, and a Unimart which stocks imported goods exclusively. It was there I bought a sliver (140g) of NZ cheddar, for the equiv of AU$13 a kilo. Chinese don't eat cheese.

One whole aisle is devoted to the conception and care of babies (in this One Child policy country, you've gotta make sure it's a good one) including "how to" books (somewhat dog-eared, probably from the university students), DVD's and CD's of prenatal music.
Some interesting products on the shelves: "Skippy" peanut butter; Australian oatmeal; and this woman is choosing which MSG she needs (seriously!).

Each supermarket has its own system, which you quickly have to learn. This one demands you show your receipt on exiting the shop, while struggling with all your bags of shopping. (Which reminded me of exiting the Jinan airport - I was obliged to show my luggage ticket stubs before I could leave with my bags - which makes a lot of sense I suppose. But I couldn't find them!)

Dear reader: you may be puzzled why I bother to make a post about supermarkets. Please forgive me. You need to understand that in Jinan, they are but a welcome oasis for a weary, dusty and battered foreigner who yearns for something he might relate to, just every now and then.