China Entry The Second: Especially for Pookie

I swear that there will be real entries about real things in Hong Kong and China coming shortly, but I need to get through these funny (I know, most of you don't think that they're so funny, but work with me) one-offs designed to highlight how cool the inside jokes my friends and I have are. You know we rock it. That said....

Dear Pookie,

I just wanted to let you know that any fear you had that I may have to go without my bucks was only valid on the Chinese mainland. In Hong Kong, I was solid. There was a Starbucks on every corner, just like in the States! It was awesome! You'd love it! There was even one just four doors down from where I was staying, so I could wake up to a good, solid cup of drip coffee every day. Awesome!

What's most awesome about the Hong Kong Starbucks though is that it seems that somebody has come in and trained the Hong Kong natives who work at Starbucks on the "proper" way to pronounce the various drinks. For example, on my first day in my temporary local Starbucks, I had a conversation with the barrista in which he gave me directions and a tip on a money exchange location all with a thick accent in his English. Then, not two minutes later, he holds a comforting green and white Starbucks cup out over the light wood, mod curvature design counter and says IN PERFECT MIDWESTERN ENGLISH WITH NO HINT OF AN ACCENT "Double soy vanilla latte, extra foam." I kid you not! That's awesome!

I took some photos for you. Enjoy.


Starbucks in Hong Kong looks just like...Starbucks in Ohio!


Don't you worry, you can get your bannana mocha frapachino anywhere you go!