Western "Fortress" in Beijing

“Somethings just never change” … Have you heard that sentence before? How about have you ever got the feeling while travelling somewhere abroad that it feels or seems exactly the same than back at home?

I do – And now it was proven as I visited in a place that is a gift for the world from Sweden known as IKEA. It was a bit exiting to go there, because I couldn't know is it exactly the same as anywhere else or would it have some Chinese influence. The answer is that it is exactly the same, except here seemed to be much more staff on the work.

But it is the people, not the place that makes the difference. At first I didn’t believe my eyes and after it was hard to hold myself to burst on laugh. Here in China, Chinese people seems to be definitely not hurry at all when they go to IKEA or they just want to be extra sure about buying decisions they are making. Because in the showroom area people were just lying (and sleeping!) on the couches just like it would be their own home.

After a long hilarious walk through the showroom, the moment I was expecting… Food. World famous Swedish meatballs were on a menu also in here (along some Chinese food). I know that eating Swedish meatballs in IKEA is more like a global joke to make but trust me after three months eating Chinese food… Meatballs and mashed potatoes with a brown sauce and lingonberry jam does taste heavenly.

I have to confess that I bought one bag of those meatballs with me when leaving IKEA so later on when I feel like it, I can eat Chinese noodles with Swedish meatballs… And that is something that I call globalization :D