Public enemy:
Last year it was a great white shark that had Martha's Vineyard on edge. This year it's a big rapper.
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June 30, 2005
Known unknowns:
Science Magazine has compiled a list of the top 25 big questions facing science. These are the questions that are believed to be fully or partially answerable in the next twenty five years.
They contain the profound, like "What is the Universe made of?" and "Do deeper principles underlie quantum uncertainty and nonlocality?" but most are related to the life sciences and genetics.
It's going to be an interesting 25 years. (link via Boing Boing)
Un-clear:
As if there wasn't enough confusion about the causes of global warming, scientists now admit that cleaner air will add to the problem.
Shades of gray:
Jeff Jarvis chews over the wisdom of journalist's privilege in protecting sources. It's a good post; thoughtful but inconclusive. And refreshing in it's acknowledgment that sometimes there are no easy answers.
Too much:
I can just about manage a 1 gig iPod Shuffle - no, strike that, I can't manage a gig worth of music without a display and playlists. Unless you're going for extremely high bitrates, less is more. 512 is plenty.
Don't get me wrong, I love my Shuffle. It's especially great for workouts, light and unobtrusive. But it gets pretty frustrating clicking blindly through over 100 songs.
Now Apple reportedly is looking at producing 4 gig Shuffles. That's a hell of a long workout.
No Mas.
No frills:
XP Starter Edition will only open three windows at a time. I wonder if that includes pop-ups?
Coffee underground:
You can still roam from car to car on New York's subway trains. Soon, that might not be the case, which is fine. It always struck me as unsafe.
But banning coffee on the subway? And after all those improvements in the sipping lids?
Maps and stats:
Google map hacks are now legitimate.
Buy-in:
I''m not sure I buy into Joan Vennochi's PsyOps interpretation of party differences (or lack thereof) on the war, but it is an interesting take. And she's right when she writes, "At some point, Democrats must confront the devil, and it is not Rove."
June 29, 2005
Damage control:
Longhorn update: Microsoft, apparently unhappy at the progress of its next generation OS is shuffling the management deck. Maybe recycling some old Windows ME code will speed things up.
What I did on my summer vacation:
Falmouth Police break up a prostitution ring on Old Cape Cod.
Unwitting masses:
How do 10,000 people spontaneously assemble to mount a violent protest? It seems to me that technology, in this case cellphones, are enabling anti-government protests in China. And as I've noted before, this genie is out of the bottle.
Protests like this are the rumblings of a social revolution in the country as the past meets the future. Can the Chinese government contain it? Maybe. But only if they want to become a giant dysfunctional archaic state like North Korea.
June 28, 2005
Hottest of the cool:
Internet authority Time Magazine has posted its list of the coolest websites. Many blogs are included, but shockingly, I didn't make the cut.
I guess it's some consolation that I did make the miscellaneous section of the list at Boston.com.
Gold mine:
Congressional policy briefings prepared by the Congressional Research Service, a non-partisian, public funded arm of congress, are generally considered a good source of facts, figures and reliable analysis on important issues. But only Congress had general access to the reports.
Until now, that is. You may want to bookmark this site: Open CRS, which has made the CRS reports available to the public over the internet. This site 2 Act also searches available reports.
Which came first?
Michelle McPhee raises one question in this article, but avoids another more obvious one: Is the Catholic Church doing organized grass-roots anti-violence work in those heavily Catholic neighborhoods where some of the worse violence occurs?
June 27, 2005
Drain clog:
Thankfully, my high school yearbook photo isn't available online. Otherwise I'd surely be included here.
Hard boiled:
This local couple sets the bar pretty high.
Controlled creativity:
Mitch Kapor may be on to something with the Chandler project. It likely won't be the end-all solution to everything that's wrong with the internet, but it, along with Firefox, could be the start of the post-Microsoft phase of computer innovation.
By way of analogy, Microsoft's interface and application interoperability standards have become the Bayer aspirin of today's technology. They're accepted as generic. It took monopoly domination to get here, but now innovators working within those standards can begin to offer some interesting alternatives without scaring everyday users away.
And, at the risk of pushing the metaphor envelope, it helps that Microsoft is now the aircraft carrier trying to out-manuever the smaller, faster open-source patrol boats.
June 26, 2005
Heaven and hell:
Time interviews a prospective suicide/homicide bomber. It's a sobering look at the psychology of the young men who are willing to blow themselves up, along with their enemies and innocent civilians.
It's also interesting to note that it was the insurgent strategists who arranged the interview as part of an information campaign, apparently designed to intimidate and demoralize us.
City views:
Big brother comes to Chelsea, thanks to homeland security money.
Stay calm:
What do experts suggest you do if you happen to encounter an extraterrestrial? Number 1, don't panic.
That advice and more can be found in this apparently played-straight mainstream news story. Maybe all the real journalists were away on vacation. Or, maybe the San Francisco Chronicle has been taken over by alien pods.
Number 9 -- what to do if an alien being confronts you -- is my favorite, written as if this is an everyday possibility. Classic stuff. Resistance is, of course, futile.
Decisions, decisions:
It's going to be a big week for the Supreme Court.
What's right with Kansas:
So this is the newspaper of the future.
Watermelon bombs:
26 killed in Iraq today; mostly through suicide/homicide bombings, but in one case explosives were strapped to a dog.
Bombings are picking up, it seems. Could it be that the insurgents sense a imminent change of domestic sentiment? Because I sure do.
As far as a plan goes, here's Rumsfeld on Meet the Press:
“The terrorists have no vision. They have no Ho Chi Minh. They have no Mao [Zedong]. They don't have any cause. Zarqawi [the rebels' leader] is a Jordanian a foreigner. They're killing Iraqi people and they're opposing an elected Iraqi government. That isn't any long-term formula for success.”
That sounds to me like a 'hope for the best' strategy.
UPDATE: Make that 33.
Underground:
Indira Lakshmanan contributes a compelling story on the plight of miners, particularly child miners, in the mountains of Bolivia.
Zoom zoom:
Check out Carpundit's Grand Prix photos. (Is that a blogging press pass?) I had no idea that there were luxury boxes at the speedway, but it makes sense. And, I learned that there are actually Renault fans. Who woulda thought.
Blogging for dollars:
It would be easy for me to be righteous on the topic of product placement in blogs, I have a pretty well paying day job, and I don't need the money. I do this for fun, and not for profit.
But then again if someone offered me big money for the site, like eight figures, as happened to a friend a few years back, I'd be posting whatever I was told to post. So the fact that local bloggers are accepting money for humping products is no big deal to me. Sure there should be disclosure, but really, it's a personal decision, and let the reader beware.
Like Jay, though, the thing that gets me is the pittance they sold their editorial voice for. Five bucks? Come on.
June 25, 2005
Irreversible:
Dawn breaks on Marblehead as the recording industry begins thinking about getting into the file sharing business.
DC always looks better in black and white:
Prime parking:
I was out of town on business all week, and on return, very surprised that Fan Pier had still not been completed.
Actually, the most scenic parking lot in New England has, by now, become part of the background. The original owner of the site, Anthony Athanas, didn't live to see development begin, and Menino, I think, was beginning to wonder if he would.
June 18, 2005
Cruel to be kind:
Ironically, two members of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals were arrested for animal cruelty in North Carolina. PETA has suspended the pair (one of whom was characterized by the group's leader as "the Mother Theresa of animals") and is investigating.
Thin Red line:
Howard Dean's outbursts are either playing into a Republican strategy or are an effort to make other Democrats look good by comparison according to this ABC News analysis. "By talking crazy, he makes [the rest of the party] seem sane."
In any case, whatever Dean is trying to do, the consensus seems to be that it isn't working.
Union grievances:
The EU appears to be cracking apart at the seams. It's not pretty.
Podcasting killed the video star:
Winamp and especially old versions of Music Match and Real Player were too quirky, slow, and complicated to be used by all but the most determined or technically savvy consumers. Then came iTunes, simple and consistent, and now everyone knows how to burn, catalogue, sync and play computer music files.
Now Apple wants to do for podcasts what it did for music. (What is a podcast? Look here.)
Podcast software already exists, but it isn't for the faint of heart. A few years ago, at a blogger's conference, Adam Curry wished out-loud that he could have Chris Lydon's radio show automatically downloaded to his computer each time it came out, and then be ready for listening on his iPod each morning. The newest version of iTunes, due in July, will reportedly do all that.
Kids these days:
College students today aren't going broke throwing their money away on drugs, booze or cigarettes. Worse; lattes. This WaPost story on the subject even includes a coffee calculator so you can tally up your daily Starbucks expenditures.
Reporting on the boss:
Can the Globe, a diversified corporation, keep the business pages on the straight and narrow when it comes to covering its own interests? The naming of James Kitts as head of the paper's parent company underscores the question. Kitts was behind the still unfolding sale of Gillette to Proctor and Gamble.
Globe business columnist Steve Bailey dives right in with a hilarious piece on his new boss, "I take it all back."
Gloom and doom:
Foreclosures are up - by almost fifty percent - in Suffolk County. Hopefully this is only a correction.
Of course high-end condo prices are too high in the city, but people in the neighborhoods have also been riding the valuation wave. A collapse would be bad news not only for fat-cat developers but for the little guys too. Think economic downturn, layoffs, higher municipal taxes, crime wave, abandoned properties, etc.
Long march:
Ever wonder why some poor pols end up at the back of the parade, while others march up front? You might be shocked to learn that it has to do with money. Or you might not be.
June 16, 2005
Out of work:
The Human Cannonball was fired. And that's just the half of it.
CommonTunes:
Here's another directory of legal free music. This looks like a good one.
Counterfeit:
One in seven drugs sold worldwide is fake according to the FDA and others. I would have guessed more, based on all the bogus emails for online drugs.
Less Rembrandt, more me:
David Brooks looks at what's left after the death of middlebrow culture.
Sending a message:
Here's a jury with a broader vision of their role than the one that heard Michael Jackson's case.
Air-time:
A hundred people all jabbering away within a small confined space is not an attractive prospect. But sometimes it is convenient to make a call while in the air.
How about this: You can only use your cellphone in a designated area in the back of the aircraft. That way if you had to make an important call, you wouldn't force your seat-mates to be part of the conversation.
June 14, 2005
I have to laugh:
Sure, oversight and accountability are critical in insuring that the various levels of government don't all secretly get together and trample on our civil rights. But don't underestimate the potential of interagency rivalry to achieve the same ends.
Censorship:
The profit potential of getting into that market must be very tempting, but it's still disappointing that Microsoft is cooperating with the Chinese government efforts to lock down the internet.
One last lesson:
She lost the school's laptop and unless she pays for it, there'll be no high school diploma. I'm guessing that after reading about it in the paper, someone will bail this kid out.
If so, she'll have a bright future in public relations.
But in the end, the $300 bucks she owes is small potatoes compared to the millions that fall through the cracks on education.
June 13, 2005
Mysterious behavior:
There are some topics that science should just keep it's nose out of and leave to the arts.
Speed bump:
A survey indicates that most highway patrol officers will give a motorist ten miles over the speed limit before pulling them over. Sounds about right. The Governors' Highway Safety Association disapproves.
The Institutional Voice:
LA Times editorial pages are being dragged, kicking and screaming, into the the 21st Century.
June 12, 2005
China travel log:
I promised some folks notes and photos from the China trip. Here they are. Be warned, it's a long post.
China Travel Log
Wednesday (Boston)
The UA flight left Boston at 8 AM. It’s now 3 AM Boston time and we’re over the Sea of Japan in full sunlight. Locally, it’s 3 PM. Just a few more hours of flying time.
The first leg of the flight, from Boston to San Francisco was smooth, at least after coming out of the storm over the Northeast. The weather was nice in San Francisco (some fog over the water, but otherwise clear and warm) and the take-off uneventful. I didn’t get a view of the Golden Gate Bridge, but I did get a glimpse of the downtown area as we passed over.
This is a long flight. I’d expected to have a chance to get up and walk around, but sleeping aisle passengers deterred me in that effort. A small but tasty lunch and a snack. I had a couple of glasses of wine and went down for a few hours. But with all the flying today, I managed to finish George Gilder’s latest book on Foveon. It was only slightly less boring than the flight.
An hour or two out of San Francisco, I caught a brief view of the southernmost Aleutian Islands. Then, nothing but water and clouds. I was hoping to get a look at North Korea or Salaekin Island but too many clouds. My window shade is about the only one up, which I expect is annoying to some. But how many times do you get to fly over Siberia?
Most passengers are Aisian. The pilot got a round of applause upon landing. Our aisle mate woke up and as we were taxiing we talked. She was from Shanghai and was studying in Atlanta. On break, she was visiting her family who she hadn’t seen since the beginning of the semester. We wished her good luck and headed towards the exit.
Friday in Shanghai
We got our of the airport smoothly, meeting our driver Peter outside customs. On the drive to the hotel, he was very curious about American basketball. Two other members of the tour, Larry and Katheleen were from Phoenix and the Suns were the topic of the conversation.
We met our tour guide, April, at the hotel and checked in for a night’s sleep after walking around the neighborhood. I took a few photos and posted them to the internet before turning in.
Saturday in Shanghai.
Breakfast was interesting. Everything from eggs and bacon to salad, cold cuts and noodles. Lots of smoking at the tables.
On the bus we met Irene, our charming and well spoken local guide.
It was raining pretty steadily. We first went to the Temple. On the way I caught a glimpse of the everyday habits of the residents of Shanghai.
Many people were commuting by bicycle and moped.
At the Temple we saw several Buddha statutes and in the courtyard people stood in the rain to make offerings.
The Temple was closed down by the communists when they took power but apparently many of the valuable and historic items were secreted away by monks to prevent them from being destroyed and were now restored to their original positions.
Next, to the old city. We walked through a traditional garden and then went to a restaurant for a Chinese lunch. Some of the tour group, especially the older folks, weren’t very accustomed to the exotic food, but I enjoyed it all.
We wandered around the old city for shopping. Irene tried to find me a cigar store, unsuccessfully. Some people came up to me and looked me over - head to toe, as if I were an oddity. One guy smiled broadly, apparently amused at my appearance, showing a gap in his front teeth. Irene explained that the area was a domestic tourist area and the curious folks were probably from out in the country, not used to seeing westerners. It used to be that way in the city until recently, she explained, but now with tourism growing, it was no longer the case. But we didn’t see many westerners in the city.
Later we took a tour of a silk factory, learning how silk worms are harvested and then had the ‘opportunity’ to buy some goods. We were a captive audience. This was our first experience with the Chinese hard sell. The doors close behind you and salespeople attach to each visitor and point out how “very beautiful” each item is. At one point, a salesman grabbed a tie I was looking at and exclaimed “100% silk” turning it over to show me the English label which said 100% polyester. Very annoying. But Mary bought a silk comforter. At least we think it was silk.
After dinner in the hotel, we were back on the bus for the ride to an acrobatics show. The show was put on downtown in a theater. The performers were very young and completed sets, which included plate spinning, juggling, human pyramids, etc. The finale involved motorbikes inside a giant round cage.
On the way to the hotel we drove along the Bund which was lit up. Great lights and cityscape. Shanghai is bubbling with potential. There’s building everywhere. Electricity is in the air.
Saturday – Leaving Shanghai, arriving in Yichang.
We checked out early and got back on the bus for a ride to the Bund. Lots of photos. Great city views.
Another tour of a factory, this one a silk rug weaving factory. After realizing that I wasn't going to buy anything I had a nice conversation with a salesman about philosophy and China.
Then to the airport, not the International airport, but a domestic airport. Flight was on Shanghai Airlines. I’m not a confident flyer but the plane was brand new and the crew was professional and efficient. I did get a little nervous when I though I smelled something burning in the cabin. Eventually I realized that it was the smell of incense, pleasant when I realized that the plane wasn’t on fire.
A little over an hour to the city of Yichang. Baggage came eventually and we boarded a bus for the city.
Flying in I could see rice paddies and it appeared to be a rural area. On the road from the airport I saw pigs and oxen along the roads.
After a half an hour or so we came to the town of Yichang. The city was urban but somewhat squalid. Very different from Shanghai. We toured a depressing museum of artifacts dug up at the site where the river would flood as part of the three gorges project. Not a great museum.
Then a walk in a park on the banks of the Yangtze. People were friendly but very curious.
It was a good view of everyday life as couples smooched on benches and on the lawns, older groups sang and played traditional instruments and teenagers gathered. Some folks were swimming in the Yangtze and as boats were tied up nearby, commerce went on as items were loaded and unloaded at the docks. Most of it was carried on double shoulder bamboo baskets.
We had dinner at a restaurant in town. Probably fairly fancy for the town. Duck, pork, chicken dumplings, fish and Chinese beer. All good but lots of bones in the fish. The plan was to travel by bus to the smaller town of Shashi, just to the south, to board the boat for the beginning of the river cruise.
We stopped at what was described as a supermarket, mostly beverages and local fast foods and I picked up a couple of cans of Bud and a couple of bottles of Chinese wine: Great Wall brand, one red, one white.
I fell asleep on the bus. Arriving in Shashi, we learned that the boat that we were expecting to board was late so we waited in a dark, dismal area along the dock. Not many people were out. Hot, humid, stale air. There was a sidewalk mahjongg game going on nearby in the dark town, but that was the only sign of life.
We were told to watch our belongings and not to let anyone “help” with our bags. April explained that unlike the US, crime is worse in the rural areas than it is in the cities. More desperation and poverty, she explained. In any case everything worked out as the boat eventually arrived.
Finally on board the Princess Eileen. Small room but comfortable and got to use the bathroom. Whew. Then out on deck for a cigar and a Chinese Budweiser. Very peaceful. Dark, quiet. Occasional signal lights from passing boats but otherwise very still. There was a slight breeze from the movement of the boat through the humid air. I felt very far away from everyday concerns.
Sunday – On the river: Three Gorges.
We went through the lock at the Ge Zhou Dam, upriver from Yinchang near the town of Xi Chang. Took some photos of girls on the top of the dam and of other ships coming through the lock.
Afternoon excursion to the Three Gorges project. We were asked to recite the names of the three gorges and no one could. So here they are: Qutang, Wu and Xiling.
Cruise ship docked at Sandouping where I got a photo of an elaborate but not very well maintained pagoda.
We boarded another bus for a tour up to an overlook for photos. Then to the top of a nearby mountain where there was an opportunity for more photos and the second Three Gorges museum.
Our local guide, Kevin, asked us if it was “a good dam tour or a damm good tour?” We told him it was a damm good dam tour. Back to the ship.
Later that afternoon the Princess Elaine, with us on board, went through the five Three Gorges dam locks, four active, the last not, pending completion of the project and final raising of the water level.
Over and over, we pulled up to the giant steel doors that held the water back and waited for the level in the lock to raise us to the next level that would be safe for the doors to open. It took almost four hours. I sat on the deck with a cigar, reading. Nice afternoon.
Monday – On the river: Shen Nong Stream
In the morning, we mounted an excursion on small boats to tributary of the Yangtze, the Shen Nong Stream. We cruised up-river in a small boat.
Amazing scenery in the mist. Saw the hanging coffins, monkeys on shore etc.
We transferred to small canoes or “pea boats” for continued travel upstream in more shallow water. The boats are steered by two captains in the rear and four or five rowers in the front who paddle with plain boards.
At the back, one of the captains uses a rudder, the other a pole.
When the boats come into very shallow water, the paddlers get out and pull the boat by walking along the banks or in the stream using a rope made from woven bamboo. We all noticed that they all wore sandals, also of woven bamboo, which our local guide Annie explained, softened in the water but protected their feet from the rocks. She said that in the past the ropemen worked naked because the wet clothing irritated their skin when working all day. Today, for the benefit or the tourists, they are clothed.
Annie was charming and helpful. Good English. On the way back downstream, she and the captain serenaded us with folk songs in the local language. She is a member of an ethnic minority, the Tujue people. Her people are allowed two children per family and preferential treatment in school examinations. She was maybe twenty.
Her family lived in a small village on one of the hills along the stream. The job of tour guide is well paying. She commutes from her town to the dock each day by bus, but her father drives the bus, which is very convenient. She explained that children in the small farming towns along the river and streams have inferior local schools but can take an examination to go to the high school in the bigger town. She went to high school in Yichang. Her boyfriend is also a tour guide.
The rain held off until we were on the way back to the ship. Afternoon nap and time on deck.
Tuesday – On the river: Wanxian excursion, farmer’s market.
Arrive at Wanxian. Big town; lots of high rises, but people on shore washing their clothing on rocks and brushing their teeth in the muddy river.
The slope from the dock to the city was steep with hundreds of stairs. There were two sets of funiculars, but neither was working, so up we walked.
The city was amazing. The population was almost a million, many newly relocated. This city is a relocation area for those displaced by the Three Gorges project. There was construction and destruction everywhere. New apartment high rises were going up and old buildings and whole neighborhoods were being taken down in preparation for the rise in the Yangtze water level.
But lots of unemployment, with people idle in the streets.
There weren’t many bikes but mostly mopeds, motor bikes and cars because of the hills.
Our first stop was to the home of a woman whose family was relocated and apparently the government wanted to show off how they were managing the relocation. It was a big house, an apartment actually, with a day care next door. Very noisy. Children’s day party.
A typical bathroom.
The woman used to live in a rural area downstream but relocated. Her husband ran a construction company with, she said, 35 workers under him. We asked her if she was happy with the new house and she said, through the interpreter, that she was. But when asked if she preferred the peace of the country to the noise of the city she admitted she missed the country.
Next to the Farmer’s Market downtown. An incredible experience: meats, fish, exotic foods.
At one point a crowd was gathered around a television, watching some sort of drama, maybe a soap opera.
There were virtually no westerners in the city and walking around, I felt slightly conspicuous.
Many stares.
I took lots of photos. I asked one man if I could take photo and afterward gave him a Yuan. A woman who saw him take the money apparently chastised him and he chased me down to give it back rather than face her wrath.
Then to the third Three Gorges museum. Again, not well maintained.
Back to the boat for more scenery along the Yangtze.
The afternoon was spent back on the ship. Lots of photos from the deck, including farmers tilling fields, and the towering Shibaozhai pagoda.
Wednesday – Docking in Chongcqing, flight to Guilan.
Busy day. Red carpet and band playing as we left the boat for the last time.
The city of Chongching, formerly Chung King, was immense. It’s divided into three parts, each seperated by the Yangtze and Jialing rivers which meet there. Each section looks as big as New York. Stunning scale. Thirty million people live in the city, it’s own province. It was hot, in the eighties, an unusually clear day for the local climate we were told. It got hazier later in the morning.
First stop, the zoo. Today is International Children’s Day so the buses and sidewalks are teaming with parents and children. The zoo was a “zoo”: hundreds of thousands. We were the only westerners. Actually we saw very few in the entire city. Scores of children walked up to us with a “hallo” and we returned with a “nee hao.”
We went directly to the pandas but there were none were in sight. Then one came out and then another. We saw three in all. When one would emerge, pandemonium broke out as kids and parents rushed the wall surrounding the pit.
Next stop, Chongching city hall, a historic building that was used for party meetings but now was a performance center. Across the street was still another Three Gorges museum.
We went to a restaurant downtown for lunch.
Chongching is the home of Szechwan cooking and we had a great spicy lunch. It was great for me, anyway. Some in the group were put off. Driving away from the restaurant we saw a giant new convention center that was under construction for the Pacific Rim meeting in the fall.
Also under construction was a big building that we were told would be a …you guessed it -Three Gorges museum.
We stopped at the Stillwell museum, were the WW2 general resided and conducted business. Some of the museum was well maintained, but as many museums in China, there were parts that were deteriorating.
As we drove around the city, several bomb shelters were pointed out to us. The center of the city is built on a great rock hill and during the war shelters were carved into it to protect against the Japanese who regularly bombed the town. Many were now used as shops.
The city was modern and bustling but with many traditional habits on display. Plenty of public transportation. 1 Yuan for the city bus without air-conditioning, 2 for the one with it. Most of the bus drivers appeared to be women.
As in Wanxain, there were few bicycles in Chongching because of the hills. It was said that you don’t ride a bike in the city, the bike rides you, because of the need to carry it up the steep hilly streets.
The apartment buildings in the city are generally seven or more stories. More than ten warrants an elevator, less are walkups. To get groceries or other heavy items up the stairs, people use porters, called bam-bam men, for the bamboo baskets that they use to carry items. Apparently many are rural people who come to the city to improve their lives but end up waiting to be hired. We saw lots.
At the top of the highest hill, we visited Eling Park for a stunning, albeit hazy view of the city.
(That's Charlie relaxing.)
Then we were directed into yet another Three Gorges museum. This one was actually very informative with a long painting of the river with statistics noting which towns were or would be inundated and how many people would be displaced.
We had some slack time, so Mary and I wandered around downtown Chongching and took some photos, again an exotic sight to the local people. We bought a pair of scissors in a department store and it was an interesting experiment in pantomime to get the purchase completed as I mimed trimming my beard for the salesgirl.
Then dinner at the Hilton (western style buffet: pizza, etc.) and off to the airport north of the city. I still had one bottle of Great Wall wine in my carry-on and lost it during the security check. The scissors got through though.
Thursday – Gulin: farmers and caves
We got into Gulin in the dark, but on the ride from the airport we could see the giant limestone upcroppings that the town is famous for as silhouettes along the road.
The next morning, we got out of the hotel early and on the bus for a ride to an area called Shangri-La.
Then a tour on a small boat out in the farm country with a nice view of the up-croppings.
Also, native customs on display.
Then further south to Yangshuo city.
Preservation act II:
This is a science project with practical implications.
The bad news is that McDonalds food seems to be loaded with preservatives. The good news is that if you find a week-old burger in the fridge, it's snack time.
Chinese checkers:
There's no doubt that China is an emerging superpower, especially so in the Pacific. But it's not clear how much of a threat they will be to our interests, despite all the tough talk in Washington.
The Chinese people are feeling a new empowerment as economic conditions are improving. My guess is that the Chinese government is going to be more concerned about maintaining domestic stability as the people demand a better quality of life and more connections to the rest of the world.
It may not look like democracy as we know it, and even though they have been cracking down on bloggers and independent media within the country, other forms of democratizing communication technologies are ubiquitous. Even the street peddlers have cellphones. The genie is out of the bottle. Business requires communication and raising standards of living requires business.
The long history of China is a story of revolutions, two in the 20th century alone. Whether there will be another one in this century depends on how Chinese leaders manage the transition to a modern society without oppressing an increasingly optimistic, expectant and connected population, a daunting balancing act that will require much effort.
North Korea, on the other hand, is getting downright scary - especially if you live on the west coast.
Life along the river:
A bridge crosses a small gorge along the Yangtze.
A fisherman heads out in a sampan for a day of fishing.
Boats cue up for the locks at the Ge Zhou Dam near the town of Xi Chang.
In the town of Yichang, a woman waits to carry supplies to a boat on the Yangtze.
Kids beat the heat in the Jialing River in Chongching.
LSD flashback:
Can Romney's answer to Karl Rove, Michael Murphy, get him elected president or will the governor suffer the fate of former Murphy client Lamar Alexander?
Actually I wish Murphy better luck with his other client, John McCain.
Trade-craft:
Wow. While I was away it seems that the identity of Deep Throat was revealed. It's old news now, but I completely missed it.
An FBI agent, huh? What do you know? So it wasn't Martha Mitchell after all.
June 10, 2005
Home again:
The China trip was an incredible experience. Started in Shanghai, then Yichang, Shashi, Wanxian, Chongching, Gulian, Xi'an and Beijing with stops in small towns and villages along the way.
Here are a few people photos. I'll post more stuff later when the jet lag wears off.
June 1, 2005
China Pt1
China Part 1
THIS IS A BIG PAGE. GIVE IT A FEW MINUTES TO LOAD. THANKS.
China Journal
Wednesday (Boston)
The UA flight left Boston at 8 AM. It';s now 3 AM Boston time and we're over the Sea of Japan in full sunlight. Locally, it's 3 PM. Just a few more hours of flying time.
The first leg of the flight, from Boston to San Francisco was smooth, at least after coming out of the storm over the Northeast. The weather was nice in San Francisco (some fog over the water, but otherwise clear and warm) and the take-off uneventful. I didn't get a view of the Golden Gate Bridge, but I did get a glimpse of the downtown area as we passed over.
This is a long flight. I'd expected to have a chance to get up and walk around, but sleeping aisle passengers deterred me in that effort. A small but tasty lunch and a snack. I had a couple of glasses of wine and went down for a few hours. But with all the flying today, I managed to finish George Gilder's latest book on Foveon. It was only slightly less boring than the flight.
An hour or two out of San Francisco, I caught a brief view of the southernmost Aleutian Islands. Then, nothing but water and clouds. I was hoping to get a look at North Korea or Salaekin Island but too many clouds. My window shade is about the only one up, which I expect is annoying to some. But how many times do you get to fly over Siberia?
Most passengers are Asian. The pilot got a round of applause upon landing. Our aisle-mate woke up and as we were taxiing we talked. She was from Shanghai and was studying in Atlanta. On break, she was visiting her family who she hadn't seen since the beginning of the semester. We wished her good luck and headed towards the exit.
Friday in Shanghai
We got our of the airport smoothly, meeting our driver Peter outside customs. On the drive to the hotel, he was very curious about American basketball. Two other members of the tour, Larry and Katheleen were from Phoenix and the Suns were the topic of the conversation.
We met our tour guide, April, at the hotel and checked in for a night's sleep after walking around the neighborhood. I took a few photos and posted them to the internet before turning in.
Saturday in Shanghai.
Breakfast was interesting. Everything from eggs and bacon to salad, cold cuts and noodles. Lots of smoking at the tables.
On the bus we met Irene, our charming and well spoken local guide.
It was raining pretty steadily. We first went to the Temple. On the way I caught a glimpse of the everyday habits of the residents of Shanghai.
Many people were commuting by bicycle or mopeds.
At the Temple we saw several Buddha statutes and in the courtyard people stood in the rain to make offerings.
The Temple, we were told, was closed down by the communists when they took power, but apparently many of the valuable and historic items were secreted away by monks to prevent them from being destroyed and were now restored to their original positions.
Next, to the old city. We walked through a traditional garden and then went to a restaurant for a Chinese seating lunch. Some of the tour group weren't very accustomed to the exotic food, but I enjoyed it all.
We wandered around the old city for shopping. Irene tried to find me a cigar store; unsuccessfully. Some people came up to me and looked me over. One guy smiled broadly, apparently amused at my appearance, showing a gap in his front teeth. Irene explained that the area was a domestic tourist destination and the curious folks were probably from out in the rural parts of the country, not used to seeing westerners. It used to be that way in the city Irene explained, but now with tourism growing, it was no longer the case. But still, in Shanghai we didn't see all that many westerners.
Later we took a tour of a silk factory, learning how silk worms are harvested and then had the 'opportunity' to buy some goods. We were actually a captive audience. This was our first experience with the Chinese hard sell. The doors close behind you and salespeople attach to each visitor and point out how "very beautiful" each item is. At one point, a salesman grabbed a tie I was looking at and exclaimed "100% silk" turning it over to show me the English label which said 100% polyester. Very annoying. But Mary bought a silk comforter. At least we think it was silk.
After dinner in the hotel, we were back on the bus for the ride to an acrobatics show. The show was put on downtown in a theater. The performers were very young and completed sets, which included plate spinning, juggling, human pyramids, etc. The finale involved motorbikes inside a giant round cage. Scary.
On the way to the hotel we drove along the Bund which was lit up. Great lights and cityscape. Shanghai is bubbling with electricity, literally and figuratively. There's new building everywhere.
Saturday; Leaving Shanghai, arriving in Yichang.
We checked out early and got back on the bus for a ride to the Bund. Lots of photos. Great city views.
Another tour of a factory, this one a silk rug weaving factory. After realizing that I wasn't going to buy anything I had a nice conversation with a salesman about philosophy and China and life in the West.
Then to the airport -not the International airport, but a domestic airport. Flight was on Shanghai Airlines. I'm not a happy flyer but the plane was brand new and the crew was professional and efficient. I did get a little nervous when I though I smelled something burning in the cabin. Eventually I realized that it was the smell of incense, pleasant when I realized, happily, that the plane wasn't on fire.
A little over an hour to the city of Yichang. Baggage came eventually and we boarded a bus for the city.
Flying in I could see rice paddies and it appeared to be a rural area. On the road from the airport I saw pigs and cows along the roads.
After a half an hour or so we came to the town of Yichang. The city was urban but somewhat squalid. Very different from Shanghai. We toured a depressing museum of artifacts dug up at the site where the river would flood as part of the three gorges project. Not a great museum.
Then a walk in a park on the banks of the Yangtze. People were friendly but very curious.
It was a good view of everyday life as couples smooched on benches and on the lawns, older groups sang and played traditional instruments and teenagers gathered.
Some folks were swimming in the Yangtze and since boats were tied up nearby, commerce went on as items were loaded and unloaded at the docks. Most of it was carried on double shoulder bamboo baskets.
We had dinner at a restaurant in town. Probably fairly fancy for the town. Duck, pork, chicken dumplings, fish and Chinese beer. All good (but lots of bones in the fish.) The plan was to travel by bus to the smaller town of Shashi, just to the south, to board the boat for the beginning of the river cruise.
We stopped at what was described as a supermarket, mostly beverages and local fast foods and I picked up a couple of cans of Bud and a couple of bottles of Chinese wine: Great Wall brand, one red, one white.
I fell asleep on the bus. Arriving in Shashi, we learned that the boat that we were expecting to board was late so we waited in a dark, dismal area along the dock. Not many people were out. Hot, humid, stale air. There was a sidewalk mahjongg game going on nearby in the dark town, but that was the only sign of life.
We were told to watch our belongings and not to let anyone 'help' with our bags. April explained that unlike the US, crime is worse in the rural areas than it is in the cities. More desperation and poverty, she explained. In any case everything worked out as the boat eventually arrived.
Finally on board the Princess Eileen. Small room but comfortable and got to use the bathroom. Whew. Then out on deck for a cigar and a Chinese Budweiser. Very peaceful. Dark, quiet. Occasional signal lights from passing boats but otherwise very still. There was a slight breeze from the movement of the boat through the humid air. In more ways than one, I felt very far away from everyday concerns.
China Pt 2
China Part 2
Sunday – On the river: Three Gorges.
We went through the lock at the Ge Zhou Dam, upriver from Yinchang near the town of Xi Chang. Took some photos of girls on the top of the dam and of other ships coming through the lock.
Afternoon excursion to the Three Gorges project. We were asked to recite the names of the three gorges and no one could. So here they are: Qutang, Wu and Xiling.
Cruise ship docked at Sandouping where I got a photo of an old elaborate but not very well maintained temple.
We boarded another bus for a tour up to an overlook for photos. Then to the top of a nearby mountain where there was an opportunity for more photos and the second Three Gorges museum.
Our local guide, Kevin, asked us if it was "a good dam tour or a damm good tour." We told him it was a damm good dam tour. Back to the ship.
Later that afternoon the Princess Elaine, with us on board, went through the five Three Gorges dam locks, four active, the last not, pending completion of the project and final raising of the water level.
Over and over, we pulled up to the giant steel doors that held the water back and waited for the level in the lock to raise us to the next level that would be safe for the doors to open. It took almost four hours. I sat on the deck with a cigar, reading. Nice afternoon.
Monday – On the river: Shen Nong Stream
In the morning, we mounted an excursion on small boats to tributary of the Yangtze, the Shen Nong Stream. We cruised up-river in a small boat.
Amazing scenery in the mist. Saw the hanging coffins, monkeys on shore etc.
We transferred to small canoes or 'pea boats' for continued travel upstream in more shallow water. The boats are steered by two captains in the rear and four or five rowers in the front who paddle with plain boards.
At the back, one of the captains uses a rudder, the other a pole.
When the boats come into very shallow water, the paddlers get out and pull the boat by walking along the banks or in the stream using a rope made from woven bamboo. We all noticed that they all wore sandals, also of woven bamboo, which our local guide Annie explained, softened in the water but protected their feet from the rocks. She said that in the past the ropemen worked naked because the wet clothing irritated their skin when working all day. Today, for the benefit or the tourists, they are, thankfully, clothed.
Annie was charming and helpful. Good English. On the way back downstream, she and the captain serenaded us with folk songs in the local language. She is a member of an ethnic minority, the Tujue people. Her people are allowed two children per family and preferential treatment in school examinations. She was maybe twenty.
Her family lived in a small village on one of the hills along the stream. The job of tour guide is well paying. She commutes from her town to the dock each day by bus, but her father drives the bus, which is very convenient. She explained that children in the small farming towns along the river and streams have inferior local schools but can take an examination to go to the high school in the bigger town. She went to high school in Yichang. Her boyfriend is also a tour guide.
The rain held off until we were on the way back to the ship. Afternoon nap and time on deck.
China pt 3
China part 3
Tuesday – On the river: Wanxian excursion, farmer’s market.
Arrive at Wanxian. Big town; lots of high rises, but people on shore washing their clothing on rocks and brushing their teeth in the muddy river.
The slope from the dock to the city was steep with hundreds of stairs. There were two sets of funiculars, but neither was working, so up we walked.
The city was amazing. The population was almost a million, many newly arrived. This city is a relocation area for those displaced by the Three Gorges project. There was construction and destruction everywhere. New apartment high rises were going up and old buildings and whole neighborhoods were being taken down in preparation for the rise in the Yangtze water level.
But lots of unemployment, with people idle in the streets.
There weren't many bikes but mostly mopeds, motor bikes and cars because of the hills.
Our first stop was to the home of a woman whose family was relocated and apparently the government wanted to show off how they were managing the relocation. It was a big house, an apartment actually, with a day care next door. Very noisy. Children's day party.
The woman used to live in a rural area downstream but relocated. Her husband ran a construction company with, she said, 35 workers under him. We asked her if she was happy with the new house and she said, through the interpreter, that she was. But when asked if she preferred the peace of the country to the noise of the city she admitted she missed the country.
Next to the Farmer's Market downtown. An incredible experience: meats, fish, exotic foods.
At one point a crowd was gathered around a television, watching some sort of drama, maybe a soap opera.
There were virtually no westerners in the city and walking around, I felt slightly conspicuous, but not in a bad way.
I took lots of photos. I asked one man if I could take his photo and afterward gave him a Yuan. A woman who saw him take the money apparently chastised him and he chased me down to give it back rather than face her wrath.
Then to the third Three Gorges museum. Again, not well maintained. Then back to the ship for an afternoon on the river.
Lots of photos from the deck, including farmers tilling fields, and the towering Shibaozhai pagoda.
Wednesday – Docking in Chongcqing, flight to Guilan.
Busy day. Red carpet and band playing as we left the boat for the last time. The city of Chongching, formerly Chung King, was immense. It's divided into three parts, each seperated by the Yangtze and Jialing rivers which meet there. Each section looks as big as New York. Stunning scale. Thirty million people live in the city, it's own province. It was hot, in the eighties, an unusually clear day for the local climate we were told. It got hazier later in the morning.
First stop, the zoo. Today is International Children's Day so the buses and sidewalks are teaming with parents and children. There were lots of people at the zoo. We were the only westerners in sight. Actually we saw very few in the entire city. Scores of children walked up to us with a "hello" and we replied with"nee hao."
We went directly to the pandas but there were none were in sight. Then one came out and then another. We saw three in all. When one would emerge, pandemonium broke out as kids and parents (and us) rushed the wall surrounding the pit.
Next stop, Chongching city hall, a historic building that was used for party meetings but now was a performance center. Across the street was yet another Three Gorges museum, which we skipped.
We went to a restaurant downtown for lunch instead.
Chongching is the home of Szechwan cooking and we had a great spicy lunch. It was great for me, anyway. Some in the group were put off by the hot food, although nearly all were now accustomed to Chinese food.
Driving away from the restaurant we saw a giant new convention center that was under construction for the Pacific Rim meeting in the fall. As in the other cities, construction was everywhere.
Also under construction was a big building that we were told would be a -- you guessed it --Three Gorges museum.
We stopped at the Stillwell museum, were the WW2 general resided and conducted business. Some of the museum was well maintained, but as many museums in China, there were parts that were deteriorating.
As we drove around the city, several bomb shelters were pointed out to us. The center of the city is built on a great rock hill and during the war shelters were carved into it to protect against the Japanese who regularly bombed the town. Many were now used as shops.
As in Wanxain, there were few bicycles in Chongching because of the hills. It was said that you don't ride a bike in the city, the bike rides you, because of the need to carry it up the steep hilly streets.
The apartment buildings in the city are generally seven or more stories. More than ten warrants an elevator, less are walkups. To get groceries or other heavy items up the stairs, people use porters, called bam-bam men, for the bamboo baskets that they use to carry items. Apparently many are rural people who come to the city to improve their lives but end up waiting to be hired. We saw lots.
At the top of the highest hill, we visited Eling Park for a stunning, albeit hazy view of the city.
(That's Charlie relaxing.)
Then we were directed into yet another Three Gorges museum. This one was actually very informative with a long painting of the river with statistics noting which towns were or would be inundated and how many people would be displaced.
We had some slack time, so Mary and I wandered around downtown Chongching and took some photos, again an exotic sight to the local people.
We bought a pair of scissors in a department store and it was an interesting experiment in pantomime to get the purchase completed as I mimed trimming my beard for the salesgirl.
Then dinner at the Hilton (western style buffet: pizza, etc.) and off to the airport north of the city. I still had one bottle of Great Wall wine in my carry-on and lost it during the security check. The scissors got through though.
China Pt 4
China Part 4
Thursday – Gulin: farmers and caves
We got into Gulin in the dark, but on the ride from the airport we could see the giant limestone upcroppings that the town is famous for as silhouettes along the road.
The next morning, we got out of the hotel early and on the bus for a ride to an area called Shangri-La.
Then a tour on a small boat out in the farm country with a nice view of the up-croppings.
Also, native customs on display. The original Congo Cruise.
Then further south to Yangshuo city.
We got in to big golf carts and headed around the town, stopping at lunch in a restaurant on the Li river with a beautiful view of the mountains and water buffalos grazing on the banks. Good local beer.
We drove in the carts out into the country, stopping with some local farmers in a field for photos. A "Kodak moment" our guide explained.
On our way back into town, we stopped at a home of a local farmer. She was in her seventies and she welcomed us into her small house with orange slices.
The woman posed for photos and encouraged us to visit the rooms of the house. A back room contained a coffin. We inquired about it and were told that it was for her. It is a custom to build the coffin in preparation for death. A practical, but morbid practice.
One more stop to a very small village where farmers rode water buffalos down the main street. There was a view of a mountain called Moon Hill.
Nearby there was a small building under construction. It was wood framed, all pegs and the frame was being completed. The highest beam was being put into place and apparently that required a ceremony for good luck. The beam was draped in red and before it was lifted into place a massive amount of firecrackers were set off and a chicken was displayed before being killed as a sacrifice. It was a lucky break that we were able to witness this very unusual (for us) local custom.
Our next stop was to a giant complex of caves in one of the hills. It was called the Reed Flute Cave. Years ago, a farmer was chasing a lost cow and found that it had fallen into a hole, which turned out to be an entrance to the cave. The farmer who, for a time, was lost in the cave, tried to signal to friends by playing on a reed flute so the story goes.
The caves were large, with lots of stalagmites and stalactites, but the beauty was cheapened by the overuse of colored fluorescent lights, which gave the appearance of a fake Disney attraction. And it was crowded inside, with groups of Frenchmen, German, Chinese etc, all led by local guides speaking in the appropriate language. An underground United Nations, someone called it.
Back to the hotel for a quick turnaround. Then dinner at a restaurant in another hotel and to the theater for a cultural show. The show featured three ethnic groups who performed musical and dance vignettes promoting the virtues of hard work, cooperation and community. The production values were high, sort of Chairman Mao meets Andrew Lloyd Webber, with stirring a Broadway style score and horses, water buffalo and birds used as props. We walked from the theater to the hotel. It was late and time for bed. At least for me. The girls went for foot massages first.
The hotel was across from the Li River and I had wanted to walk over to the park and relax at some point, but the whirlwind schedule in Gulin didn't give me the chance.
Friday – Leave Guilin, arrive Xi';an
Bags out early. We boarded the bus for a trip to Elephant Park and photos with cormorants.
The local people use the birds to fish. The birds have a string tied around their long necks and instinctively dive for fish, which because of the string, they can't swallow. They';re trained to return to the fisherman who takes the fish and then feeds them a tidbit. Very clever.
Then to the airport for a flight to Xian on China Eastern Airlines. Good service. Great taped English turbulence announcement. ("...No smoking during turbulence.") About a two hour flight into Xi'an which was having afternoon rush hour.
We got to the hotel and settled in before heading out with Larry and Kathleen for a walk through the city. Got some great photos: mother and child begging, KFC, shopping mall, etc.
An old woman beggar came up from behind and grabbed my sleeve and held on as I walked down the street. It was awkward so I kept going while she hung on. A young, well-dressed professional Chinese woman approaching on the sidewalk from the opposite direction had a look of outrage on her face and as she met us she snatched the woman's arm from my sleeve and began berating her. It was an apparent example of the civic pride that the average Chinese person seemed to have regarding how foreigners are treated. At least that's how it appeared to me.
We retired to the tenth floor bar for a drink, my first martini on the trip. Not the best martini I've ever had. Should have stuck with the local beer.
Later I went outside to smoke a cigar outside the hotel in South Gate Park.
It was a very pleasant experience. Many hundreds of people were enjoying the warm evening: families, couples, some with children playing. The park was lighted with large red lanterns and the backdrop was the South Gate Tower and wall, both lined with red lights.
My cigar seemed to attract a few sour faces as people passed. With all the pollution and cigarette smoke, it seems cigars are, unfortunately, the one smell offensive to the people of the city.
Also I was pointed out by parents to children who encouraged them to approach and practice their English with a "hello" to me.
China Pt 5
China Part 5
Saturday; Xi'an: Terracotta Soldiers
This was another busy day. First we went up onto the city wall at the South Gate of Xi'an.
Then we headed out to the Historical Museum. Lots of artifacts, old important stuff, but we went fast and it was hard to absorb. Everything was referenced to the various Dynasties, which I didn't have a good timeline for.
Then to a lacquer factory. Basically a sales pitch and, presumably a commission for the local guides. I bought a couple of 'silk' ties, one with pandas and another with dragons.
Next, lunch at a walk up restaurant for a Chinese style meal. On the floor below there was a wedding banquet in progress and I took a photo of the bride on her cell phone.
We drove about an hour to the west to the site of the Terracotta Soldiers site.
Pit one was immense with more than seven thousand figures. The president of Peru was hot on our tail, touring the site himself, so we were rushed out so he could have the place to himself.
On to the second and third pits, the first of which had several well-preserved figures representing higher-ranking officers, and a charioteer. The last contained the bronze chariots and four figures, a General, an archer, a kneeling archer and an infantryman.
The farmer who, in the 1970s, had stumbled on the ancient artifacts while digging a well has become a celebrity of sorts and he was on hand to sign my book. Of course he charges a Yuan for each photo. A Chinese guy nearby snickered and told me that the humble old farmer is now one of the richest men in the country.
Back to the city and a quick turnaround before getting back on the bus for a dumpling feast. 18 courses of dumplings.
A culinary high point, so far, for me.
Outside, the Bell Tower pagoda was lit up and people were flying kites. I got a night photo of the scene. We had about an hour to pack and get the bags out by ten PM in preparation for an early morning flight to Beijing. Interestingly enough, the airport designation for Beijing is PEK, a holdover from the old translation.
Sunday - Leaving Xi';an arrive Bejing
Off early to the airport, taking secondary roads to avoid traffic. On the streets on Xi'an we could see people on the way to work or walking to do their daily morning exercises. A nice flight through the rain and haze to Beijing. As was the general experience with domestic flights in China, the bags took a beating, but turned up at the carousel fairly quickly. Our roll suitcase lost a wheel, which exacerbated the long trip to the bus.
We met our pretty and well informed Beijing guide, Ada and struck out for a temple just outside of town. Lots of tourists, not much interesting to be seen.
Everyone who passes has to touch the head of the lion for good luck, or longevity or something like that. Superstition and symbolism are everywhere.
Then to Tiananmen Square. We drove through the gold district, the expensive shopping area for the city and along the embassy row.
At Tiananmen, we diverted to a lunch in the History museum, then into the square for kite flying.
In the square we had some free time and wandered around. We noticed Chinese people were posing for their photos with us in the background. Then a few of the less shy ones asked us to stand with them. The square is a popular domestic tourist attraction, with people from all over China joining us Western tourists.
Both Mary posed many times with Chinese tourists while in the square. We were also approached by a couple of students from Mongolia who were studying in Beijing and we had a nice conversation before our wandering time ended.
The kite flying was less successful, as strings fell on hapless pedestrians and kites crashed to the ground.
A short time later the police drove up and barked something to me that I though might mean to move to another part of the square. After some more barking and pantomime, we pulled the kite down altogether and that seemed to make them happy. Someone explained that they were saying that "kite flying in Tiananmen Square is forbidden today."
It was the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre, I learned later, and the police were understandably tense.
To the Forbidden City next. First through the gate with Mao's photo. Then into the second gate and courtyard where the famous iconic scene of the city came into view.
The first palace is where the Emperor conducted most business.
There are two more official palaces behind it. This is considered the front city where the work of the government was conducted. Behind that, but still within the walls, are the living quarters in the back city. In addition to the Emperor and his family, the back city housed the concubines (or temptresses as one guidebook describes them), eunuchs, officials etc.
Much renovation in preparation for the crowds coming to the city for the Olympics in 2008.
We exited through the North Gate onto the bus and we drove to the Temple of Heaven. This is a park with some historical significance, but mostly it was a nice walk and a chance to mingle with Chinese people.
People were singing, playing traditional instruments or just relaxing. Some good photos.
A long afternoon and a long day. We still hadn't been to the hotel to check in. Next stop was a restaurant for Peking Duck.
The restaurant was well known and the duck was very tasty. Ding ding hou. But there were many courses beforehand and I was about ready to burst by the time we got out of there.
Finally at the hotel and ready to check in. On member of the group fell and split her lip on the wet stone coming in but it turned out all right. I went out later for a cigar in the rain.
It was our anniversary and April, the tour guide, sent beautiful flowers to our room.
I was up most of the night with diarrhea and chills, which didn't bode, well for the morning trip to the Great Wall.
China Pt 6
China Part 6
Monday: Great Wall
After a couple of aspirins and Imodium I felt good enough to get on the bus and we headed north from Beijing towards the GW. It was a beautiful morning and thanks to good planning by April, we were one of the first groups to arrive. The steps up the wall were very steep but we managed a considerable climb.
Kathleen and Mary on the wall.
To climb the wall, Mao said, made you 'a true Chinese hero' and tha's how we all felt.
Next to the 'Friendship Store.' We had lunch in a restaurant (so-so but accompanied with a 120 proof Chinese drink) and then a tour of the cloisonne' factory and gift shop.
Mary bought some items for gifts and I fell asleep outside on a planter. I felt better but still not one hundred percent. And this was a long shopping stop.
We next went to the Sacred Way, a park north of Beijing, where many emperor's tombs are located. We strolled along a section and enjoyed a nice breeze and the scents of the country.
Back to the hotel and a short rest before dinner. Laundry came back so I put on a jacket for dinner in the hotel, and was roundly derided by the men of the group.
Tonight's show was the Peking Opera. I was curious but unenthused. One description of the performance compared it to the sound of a scalded cat.
The performance was held in a small theater and we were seated in a VIP section with cookies and tea on tables. A waiter with a very long-spouted kettle served tea.
The performance consisted of several sections. The first involved a lady in search of a suitor who had left along the river for another town. She pleaded with an old boatman to help her catch up with him who agreed to take her. After he had his lunch, of course. It was actually pretty entertaining with skillful pantomime, although the singing did bring to mind a pained cat.
The end section featured a war scene. In addition to the usual acrobatics and synchronized fighting, the actress leading one faction in the war faced off against two challengers, each of whom would throw spears which she would deflect, using her knees and elbows, tossing them back at her enemies. Then a third challenger, a fourth and finally six, all throwing spears, seemingly at once, and all miraculously being deflected through the air back to the thrower in a stunning performance.
To the hotel and bed.
China Pt 7
China Part 7
Tuesday - Huntong Section, Rickshaw, lunch, Belltower, Tea.
Our first stop was the Summer Palace, the Summer home for the emporerors. It consisted of a smaller version of the forbidden city but also had a man made lake. We took a ride in a dragon boat across the lake.
Outside the Summer Palace we visited a pearl factory where fresh water pearls were processed and displayed for sale. Mary bought a pearl bracelet that was strung for her by two young women.
We bused to the Hutong section of Beijing. This was once the slums of the city with thousands of back alleys. Much of it has been displaced by development, but the government has preserved a few square miles of it for historic and tourism reasons.
We boarded a rickshaw bicycle pedaled by an older but very capable guy.
We went to a local home, a quadrangle, where we were served lunch by the family.
It was one of the best meals yet. The family consisted of the women and her husband and some in-laws who shared a kitchen. The bedrooms were situated around the courtyard where most of life took place.
From the right, April, Larry, Kathleen, Marilyn, Mary and me.
A daughter in-law holds the family chick.
The family courtyard.
One more stop in the rickshaw to the bell-tower and then for a tea ceremony where we were instructed in the finer aspects of the aroma and taste of teas.
In the evening we gathered for a farewell dinner: chicken parm? Already I missed Chinese food. After dinner, Charley, Linda, Jessica, Larry and Katheleen and Mary and I walked a few blocks down to Baskin Robbins for an ice cream cone where we talked about the trip.
We walked back to the hotel and stood outside and talked for over an hour before reluctantly saying our goodbyes.
It was a good group to travel with and kudos to our guides and to the unflappable April our extremely capable tour director.
Wednesday – Homeward bound
We had late breakfast and later ran into April who told us that our flight from Beijing to Chicago was delayed at least a couple of hours because of weather in the midwest. Most of us wouldn't make our connecting flights.
We departed about two hours late after waiting outside the gate eating complimentary sandwiches and getting some last minute shopping done. The agent in Beijing told us that there were no flights available from Chicago to Boston and made arrangements for us to stay overnight in Chicago for a morning flight to Boston.
The flight was a smooth overnight trip - about twelve hours. It was light at take-off. Then the sun went down and came up again. Then it got dark again before we got to Chicago.
At O'Hare, we checked the board and realized that there were at least two flights delayed because of weather that would get us to Boston tonight. We scrambled and ran into some problems with overworked agents and security lines, but we just made a flight home. Our bags came later but it was good to be home.