I went to the fancy supermarket, Parkson's, to find some apple cider vinegar (for my ill tummy), apparently a western speciality not easily found in Shijingshan. Parkson's supermarket is loacted in the Fuxingmen area, around the city's largest subway interchange station. It's a characterless high-end, business and financial district. It's mirrored skyscrappers and manicured sculpture gardens (apart from the odd preserved temple) are found in any big city, in any country. It would never occur to me to take photos of any of this, but today, it occured to me. Though its as plain as day, "World Class Amenities" is to true urban development as Starbucks is to the local cafe.The reproduction of this "bigcityness" in city after city is ultimately the reduction of a city to its lowest common (commercial) denominators.
The vinegar is working, and I enjoyed the rare coffee, so I can't be too ungrateful. Thank you, global market accessibility.
