tikistitch

Just extracted this item from the bottom of our luggage. A flea market find from Beijing, for which we spent lest than $10 (post-haggling) and which we expect to break within the week (the gal was unable to get another similar watch to work, so gave us her sample). We're comfortable with the former Soviet Union poking fun at their Commie past, but, as is sometimes difficult to remember when you're walking around its shopping malls, China is still very much a communist country, and Chairman Mao was never repudiated in the way, say, Stalin has been marginalized.

This wristwatch is pretty easy to find in China, and depicts the erstwhile leader of the Communist party happily waving his arm (which, yes, moves) at the Masses. It's not exactly disrespectful, but not exactly a very reverent item either. It's actually not any less silly than a Mickey Mao watch that would have the Great Leader pointing his arms at the time. Just makes one wonder, c'mon Commies, are you taking this seriously at all any more?