The L.A. Times had an article about a new phenomenon between Beijing residents and their local IKEA. It turns out a lot of the “customers” were not there to necessarily buy the furniture. Some stopped by to take naps on the display beds and couches while others just wanted to take pictures of themselves in the showrooms as if it were part of their home. People even planned day trips to IKEA as if it was Disneyland (but instead of Mickey and Goofy they got a bunch of sleepy Chinese people). The thing that struck me when reading the article was it didn’t really surprise me at all. Though I have to admit, there was a time in my life where I would go to IKEA just for the food. Can’t have enough of ‘em meat-a-balls!
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We should take a big group of Chinese people up to the IKEA in Burbank and do this here.
When I was in Guangzhou walking around the street markets in the afternoon – everyone was doing their siesta. Only in China, people have no issues sleeping in public. It was surreal seeing butchers taking naps on their cutting boards. They’re dead asleep with their meat hanging up on hooks above them like some kind of serial killer’s version of a baby mobile.
I usually siesta in my car with the AC on (I know, I’m contributing to global warming), but heading over to IKEA is a fabulous idea!
that LA Times article writer is typical of the “sexpat” population trolling the streets of Beijing by the airplane loads nowadays.
look at them “chinky” Chinese doing weird things that’s so not like (“white”) Americans and Europeans.
at least “sexy Beijing” got more humor to it. (google it)
and to Elaine: have you been to Eastern Europe for their mid-day siestas?
Hey not chinky,
Glad you posted and I will gladly retract statement generalizing that ‘Only in China, people have no issues sleeping in public’ but, um – what’s the basis for your comment re: David Pierson -the LA Times article writer as ‘typical of the sexpat population’. Have you seen his reports on Chinese steel workers and Chinese economy? (you can google this too) Where’s the articles about the hot girls and karaoke bars? (i’ve tried to google this but alas, am only being misdirected by sites selling me tours for sexpats). Do you have some secret dirt on this guy? Believe me, I despise sleazy sexpats like the next (seems like they caught three of them in Cambodia this week) but not sure your dismissal of Mr. Pierson on these grounds is well-supported by at least, the omniscient world wide web.
But Pierson’s hobbies aside, his IKEA article seemed not just about the strangeness of Chinese people treating IKEA like a public park as much as it was also commentary about Westerners being suckers for the elaborately staged IKEA bourgeois lifestyle “sets” and consequently, dropping the dough to buy press-boarded crap they don’t need. Could it be that the Chinese actually come out on top as having the benefit of the IKEA atmosphere without spending a dime and hours of frustration constructing a Billy bookshelf? Cultural oddities are obviously subjective so if napping on a butcher block with meat hanging two inches above your face is no different than crashing on public park bench, then I’d love to be enlightened with accounts of Westerners indulging in this little known siesta tradition with equal, if not greater creativity and abandon. It would warm my heart to know that we more alike than different.
Elaine
more alike or more different between cultures, I don’t know.
but I can say this, I was there. in Beijing IKEA.
and that picture doesn’t do justice.
you see that space between that man and that woman- WRONG- it doesn’t exist. try his son and her grandma instead.
Good luck to anyone who arrives after lunch hours hoping to find their spot.
I had to stand the whole time. Boo
I will take better pictures and show you next time.
So many of us know of situations like this so we have to take this responsibility seriously as a community. We must not let our guard down.
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