Clammy carpet
(Carpet mopping in the Summer Palace: Beijing, China)
A cheeky extra post to illustrate one of the stranger practices in the Summer Palace. Mateo (in yellow) is stood looking at the women mopping up at the end of a long day. Note his surprised expression. I’m not sure that carpet is supposed to be treated with buckets of water, or indeed mopped. As we walked into the miniature exhibition, I noticed a damp patch on the carpet and was about to pass comment when a mop swished over it, spreading the wet patch across the floor. You might be able to see that the carpet has seen better days, but I’m sure a fair proportion of its suffering is due to the daily scoosh of liquid it receives.
I have no idea if this is a Chinese cleaning technique, if it is specific to the Summer Palace, or if the manager just hasn’t bothered to buy brooms. Perhaps they are really on to something and we should all crack out a mop on the shagpile. It was a fascinating insight into daily life in a Summer Palace shop. It is however one technique I will not be trying out myself.
it was really tough to believe. and there were cigarette buds on the floor that the mop could not do much about… i think there is a philosophy of putting people to work, lowering unemployment, and it does not really matter that much what they are doing. at the mall, you like one item here, pay for it there, pick it up over there, after handing your receipt back there. all to different people. nuts!
Oh…. they should use Hoover’s vacuum cleaner to clean their carpet.
Perhaps, they don’t know Hoover yet.
Hi Rosie
Thanks for making the holiday such fun, I for one had a ball.
Looking forward to seeing you and Ying at your mums birthday bash.
Mateo it was lovely making your aquaintance.
Jane