11 May 2016 Wednesday HANGZHOU
Alibaba and Jack Ma are famous not just in China, but throughout the world. And I was fortunate enough to be able to visit the Alibaba campus today, that is, the camps on the south side of the Quintang River. It was large,I thought, but I learned that the newer campus on the west side of Hangzhou is three times larger with, no doubt, three times as many amenities.
I ate at the cafeteria, where every kind of food is available, along with fresh fruit to be purchased at the fruit stand . At the cafeteria, I saw this pretty bridal arch. Yesterday, the campus was open to the public, and a group wedding was held ,along with entertainment by celebrities, and all sorts of other activities. It is a beautiful campus and cashless. Security is tight, and everything is paid for with a Alibaba card that is carried along with your Alibaba ID. A gym is available, as is a beautiful bookstore where you can buy or just read books in a truly peaceful atmosphere – a really lovely place. I did not hear about a swimming pool, but there seems to be everything else, clubs and activities, such as classic movie nights.
Everyone is about nineteen years old – or at least looks so. My guide said he was thirty-nine, but it was hard to believe. The atmosphere is, as you can imagine, noisy and vigorous and electric. My guide said that you work at Alibaba either to become rich or to change the world. We both agreed that it is easier to change the world after you have some money.
Back to the States, leaving at four in the morning. Thanks for listening.
