Thank heavens for Haagen-Dazs

(which explains why there is a New Zealand Ice Cream across the street!)

I have been looking for a place, not the hotel, to have a coffee (and maybe some cake) and watch the world go by as I do my blogging. I had downloaded all the Starbucks address in the area and will take my map to work tomorrow so I can be shown where they are. Yes, I could just take a taxi* but the whole idea is that it's within walking distance of where I hang out. So, on the way back from the office this afternoon , I decided to check out the Sofitel Hotel and see if it had a coffee shop (the one at HoJo's where I'm staying only has low tables which I couldn't possibly write at). And lo and behold, what should there be, but a Haagen Dazs, and it's selling coffee. Perfect. (I'm still getting used to the taste of the milk here - and no, I don't want to know where it comes from!)

I am still a little shell-shocked by the pollution here. And boy, that typhoon must have packed a punch to clear the skies on Sunday/Monday!

* Taxis are so reasonable here (read: dirt cheap - but that's probably just how we see it as foreigners). The 10 Yuan ($1.70) flagfall includes a set distance (or perhaps time) - which is usually more than enough to get me either to or from the Office.