Hygiene in Jinan

Many Chinese have some interesting habits that, well, are not hygienic. Like not using toilet paper, or water, when they defecate. Like not washing hands afterwards. Like snot blowing. Like public hemming, hawking and spitting. This can be quite offputting!

However, I find that I am becoming increasingly localised, as my lungs struggle with the unceasing pollution. Apart from the sore and perpetually watering eyes, I hawk up terrible globs that are grey-yellow. If I don't have a tissue on me, these globs I try to surreptiously spit in an appropriate place - convincing myself that I am simply recycling Jinan's dirt.

I am listening to the jingoistic Chinese Olympic song on television, "One World, One Dream". It contains the remarkable lyric: "the smell of fresh air everywhere". Perhaps that's the One Dream bit.

Here is an interesting picture. I recently visited a fancy rest room in a mid price restaurant. Look carefully, not just at the dirty artificial roses. The urinals were full of ice cubes. They didn't mask the rank smell. (But they were fun to melt when having a pee !)