It’s [tag]Friday[/tag] so this picture may be appropriate. The photo was sent to me by a friend and I have no idea whether it’s recent, old etc. I don’t feel like taking a taxi to [tag]Hengshan Lu[/tag], [tag]Shanghai[/tag] to check this. It is funny though.
Update: Marc writes that the sign was first put up in the spring of 2005 and he hasn’t seen it lately. It seems I am not really up-to-date….. Let’s just leave it at the fact that recycled news has a little value too, ok, very little
For those of the uninitiated, [tag]Zapatas[/tag] is a bar/disco where male expats pick up/try to pick up [tag]Chinese girls[/tag].
It makes you wonder though how the conversation would go if some of the girls are daft enough to ask one of the “friendly” [tag]guards[/tag] for advice.
Hi, I am not sure whether I am a [tag]prostitute[/tag], can you help me?
………. (feel free to comment and fill in the blanks)
This sign was first put up in the spring of 2005 I think, but I have not seen it lately.
Comment by Marc — August 4, 2006 @ 2:11 am
The whole thing seems weird to me. Since when have you ever come across a “friendly” Chinese security guard?
Comment by China Law Blog — August 5, 2006 @ 8:02 am
I’m a Coca Cola prostitute. Don’t belive me!!
Well check it out: http://www.revver.com/video/41097/
/Lois
Comment by Lois Lee — August 6, 2006 @ 5:30 am
very interesting…what will happen if the guard is bribe-able..hmmmm..
Comment by ami — August 7, 2006 @ 3:55 am
We’ ll I am Mexican and next month I will be in China so I’ ll let them know that those signs are only allowed here in Mexico hahahaha..
Comment by David — August 8, 2006 @ 11:18 pm
the sign is still there 2006
Comment by Chris — August 15, 2006 @ 7:08 pm
Why here i can not find the same one?If possible,it is be a huge news.For here,existing many many prostitutes,from all around the China.Maybe not bad event.For can promote the development of the economics.
Same eyesight,now.
Comment by Swift Man — September 14, 2006 @ 5:30 am
This is going to need some puncturing, but rest assured if you don’t ask for any money it’s OK.
Comment by christophe — September 18, 2006 @ 7:55 am
heh heh! sound wicked and obviously smart move from management! i’ve heard that the psoter been going around the world for a year now with e-mails!!! nice one! been there many times and they do all sorts of nuts things as wel….
Comment by petteri — October 29, 2006 @ 9:50 am
lol.. i m coming to shanghai soon
i hope it will be a fun trip for me
By the way nice blog ..have learned many things
Comment by johnnyyyyyyy — March 10, 2007 @ 11:45 am
Oh my god this is hilarious….one more reason why I love china ppl…they are just…..so crazy when they come to translation or putting..frases in order!!!!!!!!! they rock!! HEY YOU HEY YOU….QINGWEN…wo shi yi ge prostitute….wo zuo shenme? ahhahahahahah EXCUSE ME I AM A PROSTIUTE WHAT DO I DO?!
Comment by Mere — June 18, 2007 @ 1:56 pm
Hah, that’s probably the best picture I ran into on this blog, hilarious. I’m heading for Shanghai coming wednesday, and I’ll defenitely have a look at the place, if just to find out whether I don’t happen to be a prostitute. Just in case…
Comment by Finbar — August 30, 2007 @ 6:48 am
You never know what you’ll find out Finbar:)
Unfortunately the sign has gone, the girls are still there though.
Comment by Shanghai — August 30, 2007 @ 9:08 am
I found the love of my life in Zapatas, seriously. Not every girl is a prosti, you have to feel them out though. If they will go home with you on the first night, then you have probably found one, not always of course though.
I met my girlfriend there, fall in love.
So smart, funny, beautiful!
we still go to zapatas, be back in shanghai soon and see you there!
Comment by colin — December 4, 2007 @ 8:49 pm
I would recommend zaptas if you are foreigner, there are always a lot of westerners to mingle with. One complaint though, they always play the same songs in zapatas. When you have been more than a few times, all the songs are repeating.
Xixi miss you!
Comment by colin — December 4, 2007 @ 8:51 pm
Thanks Colin for your comments and I’m happy to hear you got very lucky in Zapatas meeting your girlfriend. Enjoy your love!
Comment by Shanghai — December 6, 2007 @ 4:02 am
Zapatas…
I want to talk about their “friendly security guards”. You should know them from the poster they used to have. It said: “If you are unsure whether or not you are a prostitute, please ask one of our friendly security guards to sort it out for you”
I was there last night, Oct. 24th. At about 3am they start shutting down, so the biggest guard said to everyone that they are closing in 5 minutes. The crowd was having fun and the weather was nice so people were not going anywhere. When they turned on the lights inside the club people moved out, then some of them left the garden too. But some stayed and they witnessed the most outrageous, impolite and brutal way of saying GET THE “F” OUT OF HERE.
The guards gathered up at the garden and they were very harsh to the customers that where still having the drink that they just got. One of the guards was standing in 20cm distance from customer and looking deadly in her eyes with the words “we close, you go, NOW”. I guess she didn’t want to get in trouble and left with a scared face.
Then came the “BOSS”, a foreigner that was dressed in black, like other guards, and his presents gave the guards a sign that they should hurry. Understanding what is going to be next I moved out. Just walked out of the garden as I head the guards screaming at the young guy. He complained about being pushed out buy guards that where 3 times as heavy as he was. Then came the boss, cached him from the neck and start hitting him. I tried to stop but one of the guards just moved me away. I just grabbed the guy with me and moved him out of the gate. He was saying that he spent lots of money on drinks and he deserves to be treated with a bit more respect, but the “BOSS” talk him never come back or he will have more trouble.
People where pushed out like lam. May be some of them had too much drinks and may be they sad something, that they shouldn’t, but that not a reason to behave like this.
That place makes me sick. Now about the “BOSS” a month ago I was listening how proud he was about his military expertise and his retired life. I guess he was in military before and now he is retarded.
I asked that kid if he wants to call police I’ll stay and will tell all what I saw. But he went home cause he was worried that this people are connected to police and he will get even more trouble.
So what is happening with this city? Is this a singular example or shanghai is becoming a place that is not safe and you have to swallow the ignorance and stupid words of a moron just because he is big and connected. I HATE THIS!!!
Outrages
Comment by newshanghai20 — October 25, 2008 @ 9:35 am
Terrible tales! I’m in Shanghai fopr the weekend and am there for work but will be going out. Where is the best places to go to find nice legitimate Chinese girls?:) Im not a dirty old man, Im a 28 year old single guy living in HK but there’s no harm in having a good night out:)
Comment by Nick — December 10, 2008 @ 4:39 am
“So what is happening with this city? Is this a singular example or shanghai is becoming a place that is not safe and you have to swallow the ignorance and stupid words of a moron just because he is big and connected. I HATE THIS!!!
Outrages
Let me clear a little up for you outrages, El Patron was my moniker that i used when i worked there, from 2004 – 2007. I was GM and had a small percentage. First of all I can’t speak for the behavior now but i know when I was there we were more than nice. The sign was actually something we were asked to do by police, not in those words but we were asked to keep the workers out. When we found it impossible to tell as most gals have bought drinks which in my eyes makes them a customer, we put the sign up as way as saying, “hey, we are trying.” As a person who has been in this industry over 20 years i appreciate that people may have vastly different feelings, in the end we were just trying to maintain a safe, fun environment.
Cheers
EL Patron.
Comment by patron — March 2, 2010 @ 6:28 am