Lessons from Mr. Fox

Although I admit to only have watched the film, I think there is something to learn from The Mosquito Coast. In this 1986 film based on a novel (by the same name?) by Paul Theroux, Allie Fox (played by none other than my childhood idol Harrison Ford) decides that what the Central American jungle needs is ice. He moves his family to the jungle, and, well, mayhem, death, and destruction ensue. Maybe the jungle didn't need ice after all.

However, I can't help but think that he had a pretty good idea there, because if there is one thing that China needs, it's ice. It's becoming less of an issue now that the temperature is dropping, but it is incredibly difficult to get cold beverages around here. Beer, for one thing, should be cold. There is nothing as unsatisfying as cracking open a nice warm bottle of pilsner on a hot summer day and have it drip foam before you even take a swig. Unless it's trying to get a glass of water in the same establishment to help dilute the beer you just drank.

I don't even use ice all that much, except in iced tea and warm soda, but I do sorta expect ice (and water) to be available in eating and drinking establishments. I expect that the coolers filled with beverages in the convenience store will be plugged in. Sadly, they are not.

The really great part is when they pour you a glass of hot water. Not tea, mind you, just hot water. 

I arrived in Beijing and was taken to my new apartment. I had already been up for about 22-24 hours at this point (I'm still not sure how long it really was). I had polished off my water on the airplane, but hadn't had too much to drink because I didn't want to have to get up every 5 minutes on the plane. Then, there were no water fountains in the airport. Then there was no drinking water available in my apartment. But, I am being taken out to dinner in half an hour, so surely I can get water at the restaurant -- I am beyond parched and dehydrated from travel and lack of sleep, but it seems that the request for ice water was the strangest thing ever. I got two glass, one filled with ice, and I had to mix the ice and the hot water to make cool water. Then, water wasn't just refilled. It was obviously  a hassle. I finally bought water at the store and chugged it when I got back home.

Imagine the things that could be done with ice: ice water, iced tea, liquor luges... the list is, well, maybe not endless, but certainly frought with fun (and danger). So, if anyone wants to help, I'm raising money to build an ice factory. I'm sure it will all turn out fine.