10:30 PM here. Got here about a day ago. Took train and subway into town and got checked into hotel without any major problems. Initial impressions: agent-type people quite polite and helpful. Country seems to have a lot of bureaucracy. Quite a bit of overstaffing in public works-type jobs -- maintenance, cleaners, landscapers, maybe to keep people employed? Much less efficient than, say, Hong Kong, in my opinion. Not nearly as cosmopolitan as I imagined -- foreigners seem to be viewed with real curiosity. And where the heck is all the trash and grafitti, and why aren't all the public facilities vandalized, and how can they just leave things lying around like this without them getting ripped off or destroyed?
Okay, he did send another one:
Quality of life, fulfillment, happiness are relative. Some people can't live without a big lawn, which would be difficult to find here. I have seen some fringe elements -- street people, homeless people, but even these seem disciplined and polite. Hope to do more research. Intensive and extensive socialization from the cradle seems to be the rule here, I imagine that's what maintains the orderly society.
Lots of partying into the wee hours. No boom boxes, however.
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