Some reflections on the Chinese people. There is no regard for personal space with this enormous population. People push and shove and walk right in front of you in lines or getting off the airplane. If you push back, no one cares. Spitting on the sidewalk seems like a national sport and gross! We’ve seen many toddlers wearing “split” pants which is a vertical slit down the rear end. When they squat to pee or do #2 the pants open and voila! It is not uncommon to see these little ones running around with their tushies exposed – no diapers or pants. Occasionally you have to step around puddles.
Kids are a national treasure here as each couple is allowed only one child. The doting parents and grandparents could not be more proud of their progeny. We’ve seen very few dogs and mostly little ones. We haven’t been in residential areas and dog meat is eaten here so maybe pets are kept indoor for their protection. In general the people are so nice and kind on a one to one basis. We always get smiles and moms and dads have their kids wave to us and let us take their pictures. The shopkeepers and street merchants are a different story. They pursue you and harangue you and keep saying in your ear – "four for one dollah"or "cheap for you." Jeff replies “bullshit” which sounds like the Chinese bu shi which can mean no or you’re welcome.
All our hotel rooms have been spacious, clean and well appointed. They have good amenities like toothbrushes, combs, lotions, shampoo and two bottles of water. It is not safe to drink tap water. Most have minibars with snacks, booze and condoms!
Today was another gorgeous weather day and we set out by bus to explore the Li River. It takes ½ hour to get to the boat and we are one of many setting out on the river today. We travel downstream for 4 hours (37 miles) and see truly exquisite scenery. The limestone karst peaks are awesome and remind me of the haystacks at the Oregon coast. Huge stands of bamboo line the shores and we see ducks, pigs, cattle and water buffalo. Lunch is served buffet style and pretty good. All in all a great day. We land at a little resort town, Yangshuo, and walk around the market streets. Had ice cream at an air conditioned KFC.
Later we boarded large golf carts with three seats and a gas engine to tour the countryside. Very cool as we went over back roads and saw water buffalo up close walking with their farmers along the road. Everyone wanted to be paid for taking their photo and kept saying, “money.” One lady appeared with a two year old in a basket and the little girl mumbles, “I want dollar” and pats her tummy. We were hysterical. All the ladies had something to sell and kept saying "four for a dollar." We saw some cool limestone mountains formations and visited a farm house. At one point Jeff sat on a water buffalo and posed with two monkeys at another place. It was all pretty commercial, but we loved it.
Back in Guilin we had our farewell dinner at the hotel and went outside to view the artificial waterfall. I was not impressed, but it was a lot of water. Tomorrow we fly to our last stop in mainland China and then take an afternoon catamaran to Hong Kong. Just e-chatted with Brian and he will fly to Hong Kong tomorrow night and we’ll meet up on Friday afternoon. We will have to say goodbye to our national guide, Sun, who is a real gem. He’s been with us the entire trip and uses local guides in each city. Sun is a class act always watching out for us and quietly keeping us safe and happy. He will fly home to Beijing as we make our way to Hong Kong. A few more wonderful days of this exciting trip.
Wednesday, October 06, 2010
Tuesday, October 05, 2010
You Belong To Me
Got up at 5 am and had breakfast. Left the hotel at 6 am and had an 8 am flight to Guilin. Have to explain that our luggage is picked up by a service along with our passports. We arrive at the airport about a half hour before the flight, collect our boarding passes and passports which are all ready for us and jump on the plane. Every flight was on time all the time.
Arrived at the hotel just after 10 am. Checked in to the Lijang Waterfall Hotel which boasts an outdoor waterfall each evening that is in the Guinness Book of Records for largest artificial waterfall. These Chinese like to be biggest of anything. Jeff rested in the room and I walked around the lake near the hotel and explored. Found some beautiful parks and a small outdoor market with lots of restaurants.
Next was lunch with the group and then an excursion to the Reed Flute Caves. We went in a special entrance for foreign visitors which turned out to be ten minutes in the gift shop. The formations were astonishing and bigger than other caves we have visited. Inside everything was lit nicely and there was a laser show in one huge room. Very impressive!
We left and drove back to town. After resting for an hour or so we walked to a nearby Western style restaurant and had dinner – spaghetti for Jeff and Shepard’s Pie for me. The place is called Rosemary’s and she has made it into all the guide books. The owner herself waited on us and her English was very good. Jeff told her she should raise her prices as we paid $11. for both our meals.
Walked back to the hotel and met our guide Peter to go on a sightseeing boat. Only six of us went and it was one of the best things on the trip. The city of Guilin is surrounded by several lakes that were once moats outside the city wall and are connected now. River boats take night visitors on the lakes and under the impressive bridges that are all replicas of famous bridges from around the world. The whole city is lit up beautifully and there is also entertainment at some areas. There was an opera singer and dancers from ethnic minority groups. We saw musicians playing ancient instruments and a large group of drummers and also a fashion show. It was great! On a sad note there were several rafts with men fishing using cormorants. They chain the birds and then put a band around the bottom off their neck so they can’t swallow. The poor birds dive in the water and catch a fish and bring it to the raft. Then the man squeezes the bird’s neck until it regurgitates the whole fish. Gross! Then the silly bird dives again. I understand at night they remove the band and let the birds dive and eat, but I felt terrible and thought this was really cruel.
Afterwards we walked several blocks to the night market where red tents are set up along a main road which becomes a pedestrian mall. All sorts of dust collectors were on display and absolutely nothing we wanted to look at, but the market was interesting to see.
Arrived at the hotel just after 10 am. Checked in to the Lijang Waterfall Hotel which boasts an outdoor waterfall each evening that is in the Guinness Book of Records for largest artificial waterfall. These Chinese like to be biggest of anything. Jeff rested in the room and I walked around the lake near the hotel and explored. Found some beautiful parks and a small outdoor market with lots of restaurants.
Next was lunch with the group and then an excursion to the Reed Flute Caves. We went in a special entrance for foreign visitors which turned out to be ten minutes in the gift shop. The formations were astonishing and bigger than other caves we have visited. Inside everything was lit nicely and there was a laser show in one huge room. Very impressive!
We left and drove back to town. After resting for an hour or so we walked to a nearby Western style restaurant and had dinner – spaghetti for Jeff and Shepard’s Pie for me. The place is called Rosemary’s and she has made it into all the guide books. The owner herself waited on us and her English was very good. Jeff told her she should raise her prices as we paid $11. for both our meals.
Walked back to the hotel and met our guide Peter to go on a sightseeing boat. Only six of us went and it was one of the best things on the trip. The city of Guilin is surrounded by several lakes that were once moats outside the city wall and are connected now. River boats take night visitors on the lakes and under the impressive bridges that are all replicas of famous bridges from around the world. The whole city is lit up beautifully and there is also entertainment at some areas. There was an opera singer and dancers from ethnic minority groups. We saw musicians playing ancient instruments and a large group of drummers and also a fashion show. It was great! On a sad note there were several rafts with men fishing using cormorants. They chain the birds and then put a band around the bottom off their neck so they can’t swallow. The poor birds dive in the water and catch a fish and bring it to the raft. Then the man squeezes the bird’s neck until it regurgitates the whole fish. Gross! Then the silly bird dives again. I understand at night they remove the band and let the birds dive and eat, but I felt terrible and thought this was really cruel.
Afterwards we walked several blocks to the night market where red tents are set up along a main road which becomes a pedestrian mall. All sorts of dust collectors were on display and absolutely nothing we wanted to look at, but the market was interesting to see.
Monday, October 04, 2010
Soldier Boy
Today we visited the Terra Cotta Warriors. The city is so congested as it is National week and so many Chinese are vacationing and touring. The holiday is actually on Oct. 1st and goes on for the entire week. About 10 times as many people as usual are visiting Xian and the roads are congested as well as the streets and restaurants. We leave early and stop at a terra cotta factory with a “shopportunity” to buy terra cotta warriors and other stuff. We resisted buying anything and were soon back on the bus to the site of the archaeological excavations.
This is an amazing day to actually see the warriors in person. The site was found in 1974 by farmers digging a well and so far about 7000 warriors and horses have been unearthed. This was the tomb and chambers of Qin Shi Huang, a Ching emperor, and his actual tomb is still untouched. This army of warriors guard the tomb and each figure is unique. There is a complete army each with a different face, hair and hands. Amazing. Over 700,000 workers were drafted to create this project about 219 B.C. Kudos to the archaeologists who have been working here reassembling the broken pottery that was found and once more putting the army together.
Lunch at a restaurant on the grounds and then back on the bus to drive 1½ hours back to the city and a short visit to the Provincial Museum. We viewed artifacts from the Ching and Tang dynasties and they were very advanced while Europe was in the dark ages. Dinner at the hotel was so good! Had the buffet and really enjoyed eating Western food with a fork. Back to the room to pack our bags for an early departure with a 5 am wake up call.
This is an amazing day to actually see the warriors in person. The site was found in 1974 by farmers digging a well and so far about 7000 warriors and horses have been unearthed. This was the tomb and chambers of Qin Shi Huang, a Ching emperor, and his actual tomb is still untouched. This army of warriors guard the tomb and each figure is unique. There is a complete army each with a different face, hair and hands. Amazing. Over 700,000 workers were drafted to create this project about 219 B.C. Kudos to the archaeologists who have been working here reassembling the broken pottery that was found and once more putting the army together.
Lunch at a restaurant on the grounds and then back on the bus to drive 1½ hours back to the city and a short visit to the Provincial Museum. We viewed artifacts from the Ching and Tang dynasties and they were very advanced while Europe was in the dark ages. Dinner at the hotel was so good! Had the buffet and really enjoyed eating Western food with a fork. Back to the room to pack our bags for an early departure with a 5 am wake up call.
Sunday, October 03, 2010
So Long Mom
Got up early and off the ship at 8 am and on the bus to see Chonqing. This is a huge city of 8 million and building going on everywhere. We drove around and stopped at the Stilwell museum, This four star general was sent to China by FDR to handle the war in China, India and Burma. Unfortunately he and Chiang Kai Shek didn’t get along and he left China after two years. Also visited the Flying Tigers museum paying homage to the heroic men who flew over the Himalayas to keep routes and supplies into China. They were paid for every Japanese plane they shot down.
Had lunch at a nice restaurant with mediocre food and enjoyed walking around the street market. Saw a man purchase a good size turtle. Poor thing had a hole punched in its shell and a string attached for easy carrying. Guess it is soup by now.
Went to the airport and flew to Xian. Xian was an ancient capital of China and a beautiful walled city complete with a moat. First stop was to stroll on the wall and it was delightful. At night it is lit up and wish we could have spent more time. Checked in to the Hyatt Hotel and it is very nice. After a quick shower we head out to the Tang Dynasty Dinner and Show. Jeff had an itchy throat and decided to do dinner in the hotel and relax. I joined the group for what turned out to be a spectacular evening. The food was good and presented beautifully. The show was great and the costumes were spectacular. It was staged in a Las Vegas style room and we had good seats and a great night out.
Had lunch at a nice restaurant with mediocre food and enjoyed walking around the street market. Saw a man purchase a good size turtle. Poor thing had a hole punched in its shell and a string attached for easy carrying. Guess it is soup by now.
Went to the airport and flew to Xian. Xian was an ancient capital of China and a beautiful walled city complete with a moat. First stop was to stroll on the wall and it was delightful. At night it is lit up and wish we could have spent more time. Checked in to the Hyatt Hotel and it is very nice. After a quick shower we head out to the Tang Dynasty Dinner and Show. Jeff had an itchy throat and decided to do dinner in the hotel and relax. I joined the group for what turned out to be a spectacular evening. The food was good and presented beautifully. The show was great and the costumes were spectacular. It was staged in a Las Vegas style room and we had good seats and a great night out.
Saturday, October 02, 2010
I Enjoy Being A Girl
We sailed all night and arrived in Fendu early morning. We ate another buffet breakfast and I’m really getting tired of all the food. Yesterday I limited myself to a hardboiled egg and tea and today I had one fried egg and tea. I did go to Tai Chi at 7 am and really enjoy it. We are tied up next to two riverboats and had to walk through their lobbies to get to the pier for our morning excursion.
The city of Fendu was flooded by the dam project and the residents were moved to the new city built across the river on higher ground. We visited a ghoulish temple complex(City of Ghosts) by climbing up a long staircase from the docks and then using large golf carts to town. We went up on a chair lift to the temple where there were many levels and lots of places to burn incense and pray. There are tests there to determine if you are a good person. One place you stand on one foot on a brass mound for the count of three. Women stepped over every threshold with their right foot and men with their left and make sure not to touch. Lots of skeletons and ghouls in the area that resembled hell. Reminded me of the dias des mortes in Mexico. Lots of building going on here and a four star hotel is being built on the top of the mountain.
Came back and ate lunch. Hamburgers and french fries to Jeff’s delight! This afternoon I played Mah Jongg with Laura and Mike. We watched some Chinese players and they basically play gin rummy with the tiles. The cool thing is the electric table which shuffles the tiles and delivers them up through a slit in two rows in front of each player. Afterwards Jeff and I had massages. Mine was great, but a little rough and my neck was sore for the next two days.
Riding along the Yangtze is such a special experience. The river is wide, muddy brown and full of trash. We did see one trash boat plucking out some stuff, but it seems an endless task. Along the way are these new cities on high ground with vast complexes of apartment buildings. On the water’s edge are farms and we see a few cows and livestock. Terraced green areas are farms with two story houses as the farmers do pretty well here. We passed a few industrial sites that were vast and wondered what is going on in there. There is lots of traffic on the river with barges going up and down, many transporting coal. Lots of tourists on the riverboats. Many small boats ply the waters too and ferries go across delivering passengers to small towns and villages.
A nice farewell dinner and then back to pack.
The city of Fendu was flooded by the dam project and the residents were moved to the new city built across the river on higher ground. We visited a ghoulish temple complex(City of Ghosts) by climbing up a long staircase from the docks and then using large golf carts to town. We went up on a chair lift to the temple where there were many levels and lots of places to burn incense and pray. There are tests there to determine if you are a good person. One place you stand on one foot on a brass mound for the count of three. Women stepped over every threshold with their right foot and men with their left and make sure not to touch. Lots of skeletons and ghouls in the area that resembled hell. Reminded me of the dias des mortes in Mexico. Lots of building going on here and a four star hotel is being built on the top of the mountain.
Came back and ate lunch. Hamburgers and french fries to Jeff’s delight! This afternoon I played Mah Jongg with Laura and Mike. We watched some Chinese players and they basically play gin rummy with the tiles. The cool thing is the electric table which shuffles the tiles and delivers them up through a slit in two rows in front of each player. Afterwards Jeff and I had massages. Mine was great, but a little rough and my neck was sore for the next two days.
Riding along the Yangtze is such a special experience. The river is wide, muddy brown and full of trash. We did see one trash boat plucking out some stuff, but it seems an endless task. Along the way are these new cities on high ground with vast complexes of apartment buildings. On the water’s edge are farms and we see a few cows and livestock. Terraced green areas are farms with two story houses as the farmers do pretty well here. We passed a few industrial sites that were vast and wondered what is going on in there. There is lots of traffic on the river with barges going up and down, many transporting coal. Lots of tourists on the riverboats. Many small boats ply the waters too and ferries go across delivering passengers to small towns and villages.
A nice farewell dinner and then back to pack.
Friday, October 01, 2010
Misty
Tai Chi at 6:30 am and I was in the front row. Must have looked good because Dr. Ou asked if I have studied Tai Chi. I did many years ago and loved it and may start again. After breakfast we entered the Wushan area and sailed through scenic areas of the Wu gorge which is one of three gorges. The scenery was right out of the movies or photo books of China and truly amazing. It was misty all morning and that only enhanced the panoramas. Along the way we passed a boat collecting trash out of the river which seemed like an endless task. At 8:45 we disembarked at Wushan, a city of 100,000 that is a relocation city for people misplaced by the dam and boarded large ferries to sail along a tributary of the Yangtze called the Daning river. We were advised not to drink water, tea or coffee on board and that the toilets were “mama hoo hoo” and that is not good.
For 1½ hours we sailed on the river with more magnificent scenery and then reached a primitive area where we got off the ferries and onto peapod boats where we had to don life vests and sit on wooden boards. The boats were real low to the water and we had about 25 people and the guy in back who ran the engine. We floated through a canyon and looked up to see caves with hanging coffins inside. Wealthy people were buried this way and no one knows for sure how they got the coffins up so high in the cliffs. The dam project has raised the water level about 150 meters so entire cities have been submerged and we saw one island that used to be the top of a mountain a few years ago. In the boat we all got a chance to come up front and wear a native cape and hat made from palm leaves while pretending to use a long pole to move the boat. Good photos. We were lucky enough to see some monkeys by the riverside and our guide sang a lovely folk song to us.
On the way back I slept and got back in time for lunch. Today the buffet had several pork dishes, chicken strips, pizza and cold noodles. Green salad, egg salad, steamed veggies and bok choy were among the other dishes. Flan for dessert and, of course, watermelon which ends every meal. The dining room is very nice and the food is hot and plentiful.
After lunch we decided to try to play Mah Jongg. There is a room with covered tables and we found out that they are electric and shuffle the tiles and bring them up in two stacks in front of each player. They charge $15 to use the table for an hour. The tiles were much bigger than the ones we use and we have no idea how to play the Chinese version of the game. So we abandoned the idea for now and headed to our rooms.
Right now we are tied up to another riverboat so that folks can go on an optional afternoon excursion. The boat is literally two feet from our balcony and full of Chinese tourists who are waving and talking to us. Very funny. Today is National Day, a big holiday here where everyone goes traveling and everyplace is crowded. Luckily we are on the river with a finite number of people on the boat and tourist sites.
It’s a rainy afternoon and I enjoyed tea and cookies at 4 pm and then met Jeff for a Mandarin language lesson at 4:30. Laura and I watched the Chinese play Mah Jongg and think we have it figured out to be like rummy with tiles. Tomorrow we will attempt to play. Jeff signed us up for massages tomorrow and that will be a treat.
A little rest and then dinner. After dinner Jeff got into bed and read. I opted for the show and it was entertaining. Crew members put on a production of Chinese, dance, music and magic. Our waitresses played two-stringed instruments in a small orchestra which included a bamboo flute and two large dulcimer type contraptions as well as several ukele type instruments. Costumes were very professional.
For 1½ hours we sailed on the river with more magnificent scenery and then reached a primitive area where we got off the ferries and onto peapod boats where we had to don life vests and sit on wooden boards. The boats were real low to the water and we had about 25 people and the guy in back who ran the engine. We floated through a canyon and looked up to see caves with hanging coffins inside. Wealthy people were buried this way and no one knows for sure how they got the coffins up so high in the cliffs. The dam project has raised the water level about 150 meters so entire cities have been submerged and we saw one island that used to be the top of a mountain a few years ago. In the boat we all got a chance to come up front and wear a native cape and hat made from palm leaves while pretending to use a long pole to move the boat. Good photos. We were lucky enough to see some monkeys by the riverside and our guide sang a lovely folk song to us.
On the way back I slept and got back in time for lunch. Today the buffet had several pork dishes, chicken strips, pizza and cold noodles. Green salad, egg salad, steamed veggies and bok choy were among the other dishes. Flan for dessert and, of course, watermelon which ends every meal. The dining room is very nice and the food is hot and plentiful.
After lunch we decided to try to play Mah Jongg. There is a room with covered tables and we found out that they are electric and shuffle the tiles and bring them up in two stacks in front of each player. They charge $15 to use the table for an hour. The tiles were much bigger than the ones we use and we have no idea how to play the Chinese version of the game. So we abandoned the idea for now and headed to our rooms.
Right now we are tied up to another riverboat so that folks can go on an optional afternoon excursion. The boat is literally two feet from our balcony and full of Chinese tourists who are waving and talking to us. Very funny. Today is National Day, a big holiday here where everyone goes traveling and everyplace is crowded. Luckily we are on the river with a finite number of people on the boat and tourist sites.
It’s a rainy afternoon and I enjoyed tea and cookies at 4 pm and then met Jeff for a Mandarin language lesson at 4:30. Laura and I watched the Chinese play Mah Jongg and think we have it figured out to be like rummy with tiles. Tomorrow we will attempt to play. Jeff signed us up for massages tomorrow and that will be a treat.
A little rest and then dinner. After dinner Jeff got into bed and read. I opted for the show and it was entertaining. Crew members put on a production of Chinese, dance, music and magic. Our waitresses played two-stringed instruments in a small orchestra which included a bamboo flute and two large dulcimer type contraptions as well as several ukele type instruments. Costumes were very professional.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
