ESWN is a fine translator, but sometimes the cultural gap is still beyond me. For example, this report from a Chinese journo/blogger on George Bush’s church visit in Beijing on Sunday. Among other things: Bush is sleazy but cleans up well; the First Lady has impressive shiny ears; Condie looks good for a black person and the president has hairy hands.:

At 730am, Bush arrived. Very much on time. He was nicely dressed. He is a sleazy person, but he looks nice and clean when well-dressed. His wife was dressed in light-brown colors, her ears were shining and quite impressive. When Bush entered, he said, “Morning everyone!” An American politician! Everybody paid him respect and replied. Rice was also there. She was not as ugly as seen on television. She even looked good, and that is not bad for a black person.

Then we sat down and sang. I must be talented because I could sing without having learned the songs. These are the same old hymns with some new verses. It was easy. My voice was especially loud and moving and I looked sincere, and that convinced the believers around me that I must have been around for years.

That little boy was naughty, as he played my PALM all the time and did not sing. But I used his bible for disguise. When Bush sang, his head bobbed and weaved and he was really into it.

When Bush left, he shook hands with the believers on both sides. The people kept clapping. I have seen this type of scene often enough. When Lian Chen came and when Li Ao came, the Chinese people who have been devoid of political experiences and whose desire to express themselves have been suppressed too long therefore felt excited when they see political figures show off.

I was sitting in the middle, so I felt too embarrassed to rush forward. So I shoved the little boy to move forward to shake Bush’s hand. When Bush saw the little boy, he was delighted. He went up, grabbed the boy and spoke the very officious “Thank you.” Although he had the sincere look, he said nothing more. So my plan failed.

“His hand was very hairy,” the little boy yelled out to me in delight!

(AsiaPundit’s hairy hands have also impressed Northeast Asian children.)

(UPDATE: ESWN in the comments points to an alternate translation at Danwei that clarifies the point that was most perplexing - Jeremy translates ’shiny ears’ as ‘earrings ‘. I had thought it was a colloquialism of which I was unaware.)

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