November 18, 2006

Pickpocket
Today's Chinese word of the day is pa2shou3 (扒手) or "Pickpocket". I learned today about how skillful Chinese pickpockets are, as one deftly lifted my digital camera out of my pocket. I like the Chinese characters for a pickpocket -"snatch hand". It's quite fitting really.
I had just bought some pistachios, and walked across to street. Buy the time I got to the next corner I realised my camera was gone. It must have been someone in the crowd crossing the street, or just on the other side of the road. I can't believe I was so stupid. On the bright side I guess that means I have to buy a new camera. Luckily though I didn't loose too many photos, just a few from a Korean dinner a few nights ago.
Of course everyone says that it must have been a kid from XinJiang (a large Muslim province in the northwest of China), but the XinJiang Autonomous region is still part of China, isn't it? Quite interesting if you know/think about the politics of that for a second.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

yes ,XINJIANG is a part of China

Stephen said...

Ya, I don't like the beggers and I don't give them money. It always worries me when they come up and shove the tin can at you then walk along side you poking you with it. I put my hands on my valuables and walk faster.

Anonymous said...

try not to let this get you down, at least it wasn't your passport.