I was having a ‘bad China day’ on Tuesday. I had tried to get a SIM card but had run into the usual problems of red tape, annoyances at work and the usual pushing and shoving on the metro and on the street. Even the spitting was getting me down more than it usually does.
However my spirits lifted on entering the Garden Hotel where I saw the most magnificent display of portraits of mothers that the children from the HongQiao Japanese Kindergarten had done. I ask you how anyone can stay angry when they are looking at these spectacular paintings. 
Here’s to those little Japanese kids who have tried to represent their mothers in the best way they can – eyes wobbly, crazy hair, pig nose, crooked teeth… all of it is brilliant and I left the hotel laughing to myself. ‘Bad China day’ no more.
