Stats Beijing #12: Let’s Train Together

The Beijingers | Mar 18, 2011 4:00 pm | 4 comments | 2087 reads

Lhasa? Lhasa not, unless you're a masochist of the highest order. And that’s on the fast train. It's travel times like these that make Tianjin seem attractive. Or maybe not?

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Count_zero's picture Count_zero Submitted by Guest on Sat, 03/19/2011 - 12:53

Thanks, admin!

But are you sure that's right? According to dictionary.com Lhasa is pronounced "lah-suh" which sounds nothing like "let's".

Also, isn't business or visiting relatives an attractive possibility? And why the question mark in "Or maybe not?" why's he asking me? Are we supposed to write in to opine on whether Tianjin is or is not a reasonable travel destination?

admin's picture admin Submitted by Guest on Fri, 03/18/2011 - 19:19

Count_zero wrote:
"Lhasa? Lhasa not, unless you're a masochist of the highest order. And that’s on the fast train. It's travel times like these that make Tianjin seem attractive. Or maybe not?"

I can't understand any of that sentence. Is it complete gibberish or am I missing something?

The humor in the above paragraph requires the reader to

(a) imagine to themselves the sound of the word "Lhasa" ... at this point the perceptive reader will realize the phrase "Lhasa not" sounds somewhat like "let's not".

(b) "It's travel times like these that make Tianjin seem attractive. Or maybe not?" is a pun on the fact that Tianjin is a very short train trip from Beijing, as opposed to Lhasa, hence making it a relatively attractive destination. The quip "or maybe not" calls attention to the fact that, despite being close, Tianjin has little to offer the traveler that is not going there for business or to visit family.

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Count_zero's picture Count_zero Submitted by Guest on Fri, 03/18/2011 - 17:13

"Lhasa? Lhasa not, unless you're a masochist of the highest order. And that’s on the fast train. It's travel times like these that make Tianjin seem attractive. Or maybe not?"

I can't understand any of that sentence. Is it complete gibberish or am I missing something?

jameserrington's picture jameserrington Submitted by Guest on Fri, 03/18/2011 - 16:36

From what I've heard the Lhasa train is very comfortable and clean with astonishing views. The worst train journeys are the six or seven hour overnight ones. About half an hour after you get to sleep the guards come round to wake you up. Better cancel that trip to Nanjing!

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