What do you really think about China?

"I don't have much information about China, but what I know is that China is overpopulated, that's what I know. There is a lot of industry - that's what I know theoretically, but I have never been to China. I don't want to go there. What I understand is that there are lots of people, that means there are not a lot of jobs there."

David Tumaniwena, 36 (right), along with two co-workers, cleaning the streets in Cape Town, South Africa by STAN ENGELBRECHT

What do you really think about China?

"China? When I think about China, I firstly think of my favourite food, I can eat Chinese food all day and forever, preferably without MSG, which makes you ill. This, automatically gets me thinking of my second thought about China, they do a lot over there that makes many people very, very ill. They also manufacture a lot of stuff cheaply, which is very tempting..., just like the food, so I think that this is "the war" that Nostradamus was talking about and it affects the whole world. This is what I think about China in a nutshell. I'm keeping it short, because 'ik hou 't graag gezellig', but it seems that my secondhand store will stay overloaded till the end of days."

Jolanda, in her shop in the Hague, Netherlands (www.superfly-ttt.nl)
by BRIAN HILL

What do you really think about Barack Obama?

"Um, well... it's interesting, but there's a lot of hype around this new black president for America - I would like to see what he actually really does, and for me that's more important. After 8 years of ineptitude with Bush it's a good change - it's a drastic change from Bush to another president - and he's black! And he's gonna close down Guatonamo Bay and all those things. Just very, very different from Bush."

Yameng Li, at the Bonsai House in Hout Bay, Cape Town, South Africa by STAN ENGELBRECHT

What do you really think about Barack Obama?

"I could be wrong... I could be wrong, but I think he's not strong enough, he's to young. I don't think he is the correct man for the job, he's not mature enough, he's not ready yet. I hope I am wrong, but I think it's a mistake for him to be in power. We will see in over time."

Salvatore, the parrot guy from Italy, The Hague, Netherlands by BRIAN HILL

What do you really think about Cristiano Ronaldo?

"He's fucking amazing. He's brilliant man! He's so good, he's brilliant, he's skillful, he's got everything man. I would like to be like him one day... I play like him sometimes. I try to be as good as him, you know? I always watch him play and he's just so good man! He's my role model."

Colin Davids, 18, Sea Point Promenade, Cape Town, South Africa by STAN ENGELBRECHT

What do you really think about Cristiano Ronaldo?

"He's good, he's very very good! He's got all the best moves, especially his 'step-over', he's sooooo fast. My favourite football club is PSV, but still, I love Ronaldo, he's very very good. I also like him because he's a player that loves to play, he loves football and always wants to score. I like that."

Pedro, 11 years old, in the supermarket, bumming football cards off all the customers.

(Albert Heijn supermarket is giving away packs of football collect cards at the checkout to customers spending over 10 euros, Pedro has the entire checkout covered and is asking every customer, with great success, for their free football cards.)

Amsterdam, Netherlands, by BRIAN HILL