Saturday, February 14, 2009

Valentine's Day in Beijing

Backdated on February 25, 2009, 12:TK p.m.

It's cute, in a sense -- I live near a mall where young people congregate en masse, and they're all so sick in love -- but I can't shake the feeling that commercialization has sapped the holiday of meaning. The rose-hawkers -- one for 5 kuai or three for 10 -- for instance:





Also, in China, some people have interpreted Valentine's Day to mean "Mistress Day" or "Girlfriend Day." God forbid husbands take time to celebrate with their wives. My uncle, for instance -- for the record, I'm not saying he has a mistress -- brushed off my dad's question about celebrating Valentine's Day with his wife. "We spend every day together. Why not just be good to each other on a regular basis?"

Sort of how I feel. Then again, that exact sentiment, expressed by me, is interpreted as cynical.

My laowai friends don't seem to share my attitude, though at least two of the people in this picture have had too much to drink at Tun Bar's Ladies Night:


Valentine's Day eve

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