"" Writer's Wanderings: September 2009

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

China--The Summer Palace

After breakfast, we are on our bus again and headed for the Summer Palace. Some tidbits I gather from Maggie:

  • A big nose means good fortune.
  • Big ears mean wisdom.
  • Someone who is less than 1.7 meters tall (around 5 feet) is a second class citizen with height challenge.
  • There are companies who will help you name your baby. Baby naming is a major job it seems in order to be sure all the signs are right for longevity, prosperity, health, and peace.
  • Peking, the old name for Beijing, is symbolic of the feudal society before Mao.
  • Buses are the major source of transportation in the city and the fares are quite cheap to encourage people to use mass transit. They charge 1 yuan to ride (about twelve cents US).
  • There are two sets of traffic lights—one for vehicles and one for bicycles. I still cannot figure them out as it seems no one pays attention to them.


Maggie mentions that taxes have changed things in China but she doesn’t define how. Perhaps it gives them all a common problem to complain about but I hope that it means that there is tax money being used to improve living conditions.


We make a surprise stop at the zoo to see panda bears. Maggie tells us they are unusually active this morning as we watch them climb over large logs and stumps in their pens. One exhibits the standard behavior as he sits and munches all the greenery in sight.


On the zodiac, the dragon is a “bossy” sign. The Dragon Lady (the last empress earned that title) was served by eunuchs. Maggie portrays her as a lady who had milk baths every day and grew long fingernails to point and say “do this or do that.” As we near the Summer Palace, we are told that everything there refers in some way to longevity, peace, and fortune.
May to October, the royal family spent time here. We walk the grounds and enjoy the views of the large lake. Along the way, there are lots of people playing homemade instruments or trying to sell crafts. It is a “shiny” day indeed and the grounds of the palace are displayed beautifully. Up on a hill we can see the “palace” that overlooks the lake but we will not get to walk up to it. I’m not sure if it is because of time or there is no entry.
A large cement/stone boat sits in a docking area. It was used by the empress to entertain. I guess she didn’t like a boat that rocked—probably prone to motion sickness.

On our way back to the bus, Bob haggles with a man and his wife over the price of a “Rolex.” He gets $12 worth of entertainment after all is said and done and a "nice watch" to brag about.

Other China posts:
The Forbidden City
Tiananmen Square
The Great Wall
Wuhan to Beijing
Chinese Farmhouse
Three Gorges Dam
Three Gorges and Lesser Gorges
Fengdu—The Ghost City
Cruising the Yangtze
Chonging—The Yangtze River
The Big Goose Pagoda
Evening in Xian
Beijing to Xian
Timid Tourist in China-Travel Day
China-The Trip of a Lifetime




Monday, September 28, 2009

Wuhan to Beijing

Almost a week has passed since arriving in China. Of course we lost a day crossing the dateline. This morning we enjoy a breakfast of French toast, waffles, and fried eggs with toast and fruit. The restaurant in the Shangra La has a huge breakfast buffet—very international.
After breakfast, Bob and I walk a bit again. Who knows how long we will be sitting today? We pass people scurrying to work or waiting for public transportation. Many have purchased a large container of instant noodles. The containers are like large cottage cheese cartons that have all the noodles and seasonings in them. The fast food place adds the hot water and you stir and eat with your chopsticks on the go.

A beautiful little garden is nestled into a corner between some buildings. One man stands and begins his warm up for his Tai Chi. The streets are landscaped in places with what appear to be flowerbeds but upon closer examination, they are dozens of four inch pots of flowers all set together to make a “garden.”

On our way to the airport we pass through sections of town where there are blocks of stores dedicated to a certain product. For example one block has only lamps and fans to sell or to repair. Like in Beijing, they also park on the sidewalks in Wuhan.

The Air China plane we take is painted with the Olympic characters in preparation for 2008. For once our plane leaves on time. We fly from Wuhan to Beijing and I am delighted to see some patches of clear skies. Below I can see tight clusters of homes surrounded by acres of farmland. Obviously they are little villages. The villages get bigger and begin to meld together as we near Beijing.

The food we are served on the plane is rice, cabbage, curried chicken, a small salad of cucumber and tomato and a tasteless “brownie.” I don’t recognize the flavor of tea but thankfully there is bottled water. There was also something in a small packet that we never do identify. Someone says it is a condiment but no one recognizes it.

Maggie, our Beijing guide, smiles and says “It’s shiny today!” [She points up and says she asked “the god” for good weather. I wonder if this is my “God moment?” Probably not.] She begins to give us information about Beijing and Chinese culture. The Silk Market, she says, has different qualities—A, B, and C. Some places are not allowed to sell the A quality merchandise. She tells us of a man who bought a pair of shoes cheaply there and they fell apart when it rained. I suddenly realize she isn’t talking about silk material quality but the quality of the general merchandise sold there.

We pass a Korean community. Some girls, Maggie says, want to “finish the dream” so they go to a Korean plastic surgeon. That helps them to assure they will get a good husband.
She talks more of the birth restrictions. A couple is allowed only one birth. If there is a second, the penalty is 50,000 yuan. But if you were a single birth child and you marry someone who was a single birth child, you may have two children. Because the birth rate has slowed and decreased so much, the government is talking about changing the policies and allowing for two births as the norm.

We eat a late lunch in a hotel. There is a little more variety on the lazy susan but much is not recognizable. Certainly the duck and the pork are there. It’s all beginning to taste the same. The lobby near the restaurant has a live seal in a small pond and what appears to be live seafood to choose from for dinner.

Back on the bus Maggie begins to tell us about the Temple of Heaven. Originally it was the place to pray for a big harvest. Each year, the emperor would come to the temple and fast for a week—no meat and no concubines. The temple was the place for animal sacrifices for a good harvest. [I’m reminded of the Old Testament laws and sacrifices]. The temple was destroyed some time ago but was then rebuilt. I think she says it was finished in 2005.

The Temple of Heaven is stunning as the sun shines off the gold and blue tiles. There is an area called the kitchen and I wonder if that had something to do with the animal sacrifices. There is a nice museum but it is difficult to understand all the significance of what we see. Some of my reluctance it is my attitude. I’m not that interested. And some is just being too tired to absorb any more.

Upon our return to the Crowne Plaza, Bob makes arrangements to go with some others who want to shop at the Silk Market. I am too worn out and just want to spend some quiet time in the room. I make some coffee and eat one of my protein bars for dinner.

Bob returns excited about the Market. Lots of bargains and tons of things to see. He hopes we will be able to explore a little when we go there to the restaurant for our Peking duck lunch on Friday.
Other China posts:
The Forbidden City
Tiananmen Square
The Great Wall
The Summer Palace
Chinese Farmhouse
Three Gorges Dam
Three Gorges and Lesser Gorges
Fengdu—The Ghost City
Cruising the Yangtze
Chonging—The Yangtze River
The Big Goose Pagoda
Evening in Xian
Beijing to Xian
Timid Tourist in China-Travel Day
China-The Trip of a Lifetime

Saturday, September 26, 2009

A Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts -- Trees


Aluminum, artificial, or real? What kind of tree do you like?

Posting at the Scrapbook blog today.

Friday, September 25, 2009

Chinese Farmhouse

A smile beams from a crinkled weathered face as the woman greets us at the door. The farmhouse is like a small condo made mostly of cement and stone or block. There is no color on the walls but there are colorful red banners displayed at the entrance and at either side of the back door with Chinese writing.

The couple lives on the first floor now but she motions us up the stairs to check out the three bedrooms on the second floor.
The husband stands in one room upstairs in a doorway that leads to a balcony overlooking the backyard.

We are told the couple has five children but they have all moved out to their own homes to raise their families. I find this a bit unusual since we have heard a lot about so many grown children living with parents and working the farms. Previously we were told that the farmers were allowed to have more children than others because of the need for laborers in the field. Still—how can this family afford to all have their own homes? Perhaps giving tours?

Back on the first floor in a corner is the "bathroom". I don't see a toilet but then I don't really search for one. The shallow bowl in the corner turns out to be the shower basin. I see the showerhead sticking out of the red pipe. At least it appears there is some sort of indoor plumbing.

The kitchen is most interesting. A large firebox holds two huge woks. I wonder if they build a fire under them with coal. The only picture I see on a wall hangs over the entrance to the kitchen from the living room. It looks like it is a relative.

The backyard is cultivated and every bit planted with vegetables. As we have seen along the way, every inch of available land is used to grow something. Cotton grows in the front yard and I notice one bush blooming. I’ve never seen a cotton bloom before. It is a beautiful creamy white flower about five inches in diameter and opens like a poppy. Next to it are two green pods that will mature and pop open with the desired fluffy white fibers.

Back on the bus, we continue on, passing a gas station as we near a town. Traffic is lined up—mostly trucks and buses—waiting to buy gas. We are told the price is government regulated and some stations wait for the price to increase before selling it so they don’t lose money. The guide says our bus driver had difficulty getting enough gas. I think he is making sure we appreciate the bus driver when our “time to say good-bye” comes. Translated it means “tip time.”

The Shangra La in Wuhan is a welcome sight. We scurry to our rooms to caress soft beds and fresh-smelling linens. Dinner is a buffet. It is surprisingly good but still very Chinese. There is sushi and a few dishes without all the gelatinous soy and curry sauces. As we are eating, we are greeted by an American who works at the hotel. She comes from Indiana and went to Purdue where she majored in hospitality. She is hungry to speak English and mingle with Americans. She goes from table to table pouring coffee and clearing dishes and meeting the others. She loves her job and living in Wuhan.

After dinner, Bob and I take a short walk, dodging traffic as we cross the street. It is a little less chaotic than Beijing. Our hotel is in the financial district so most of the buildings are closed for the night and there are no malls or entertainment areas nearby. It starts to rain and we hurry back.

In the hotel, we find a gift shop selling silk embroideries but the unusual quality of these is that they are stitched on a piece of silk so that they can be viewed from both sides. We purchase two pictures of sampans.

A long day. My eyes are heavy at 9 p.m.
Other China posts:
The Forbidden City
Tiananmen Square
The Great Wall
The Summer Palace
Wuhan to Beijing
Three Gorges Dam
Three Gorges and Lesser Gorges
Fengdu—The Ghost City
Cruising the Yangtze
Chonging—The Yangtze River
The Big Goose Pagoda
Evening in Xian
Beijing to Xian
Timid Tourist in China-Travel Day
China-The Trip of a Lifetime

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Three Gorges Dam and on to Wuhan

[My God moment comes early today: A glorious sunrise albeit a bit misty.]

The M.S. Yangtze 1 has pulled up next to the Viking Cruises riverboat. During breakfast we can look into their dining room and see quite a contrast. It looks like a real cruise ship! No lazy susans on the tables and waiters look like they are serving breakfast. When it is time to leave, we walk through the lower level of the Viking boat to get to the dock and our waiting buses.

Our local guide introduces himself and tells us that he grew up in this area—Zigui county. Zigui means “sisters go home.” I’m not sure but perhaps it has something to do with a story he tells of company visiting. The hostess serves three glasses of tea. The first two you drink but when the third is served, it is a signal that it is time to leave.

He says the farms outside of the city are still steeped in old traditions. There are still some arranged marriages including his own—even though he fell in love with someone at the university he attended. He figures his son will probably meet his wife on the internet. He has a warm smile as he speaks.

One of the wedding traditions he tells us about is the “crying marriage.” A young girl must cry during the ceremony to prove that she’s a good girl. If she doesn’t, relatives put water on her face so it will look like she is crying.
Sometime during the year there are famous dragon boat races here too.

As we near the dam, he begins to tell us some statistics. There are 18 turbines now but when finished there will be 26. The dam will produce 84.7 billion kilowatt hours a year. That would supply 5 New York Cities and the dam is 5 times bigger than the Hoover Dam. It is 1.4 miles long, 550’ above sea level, 60’ thick at the top and 360’ thick at the base. Two powerhouses will contain 14 and 12 turbines respectively which will come from manufacturers all over the world. Many countries have participated in sharing technology. The project was begun in 1993 and will be finished in 2009 or sooner.

The construction area will become a forested park and will be used mainly for tourism. Many trees in the flooded area have been transplanted to save certain species.
The cost of the project is $23 billion US dollars and 1.3 million people have thus far been displaced.

We pass over what our guide says is the “Chinese Golden Gate Bridge.”

These are the largest inland river locks in the world. There are five steps in each lock. Two of the channels are for going upstream and one is for going downstream. It will be free to pass through and take about 3 hours. Passenger ships will go through an “elevator” called the Black Beauty where the ship will actually be raised or lowered to the next level of the river. The ship will float in a box and counter weights will lower or raise a ship weighing up to 11,800 tons. The boat lift will only take a half hour.

We learn that the dam is actually most important for flood control. The Yangtze has a nasty reputation for bad floods (the water level changes 90’ between dry and rainy seasons) and many have lost their lives. In 1988, 1,000 died. The second benefit is power and lastly, navigation. In answer to a question, our guide tells us that there are four nuclear power stations in China with plans to build 20 more.

After touring the dam area, we drive to Yichang. It takes about an hour and we pass through a 4 mile long tunnel. Lunch is at a hotel (more of the same food on a lazy susan) and a stop in the “happy room” which thankfully is clean and Western-styled. Back on the bus, we head for Wuhan.

We pass through lots of farmland and can see water buffalo working in the fields. There are huge fields of cotton, some rice fields and lots of orange trees. Many yards have fish ponds for raising fish or eel. Most yards and streets look neat and tidy.
Some of the road signs have been fun to read in English: “Drive Prudently”; “Do Not Drive Tiredly.” We also notice that most of the road construction is done by hand labor. There are few large earthmovers or heavy equipment.

The bus stops on a narrow road near a cluster of farmhouses. This is what we have seen as we travel through the farm area—lots and lots of fields (mostly of cotton) with a cluster here and there of farmhouses. An older couple (I’m judging in their 60s) has invited us to tour their farmhouse. I’m hoping the tour company has paid well for this. I can't imagine opening your home to a group of 78 tourists.
Other China posts:
The Forbidden City
Tiananmen Square
The Great Wall
The Summer Palace
Wuhan to Beijing
Chinese Farmhouse
Three Gorges and Lesser Gorges
Fengdu—The Ghost City
Cruising the Yangtze
Chonging—The Yangtze River
The Big Goose Pagoda
Evening in Xian
Beijing to Xian
Timid Tourist in China-Travel Day
China-The Trip of a Lifetime

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Three Gorges -- Lesser Gorges

At 7 a.m. we start through the first of the Three Gorges, Qutang. We sit in the lounge and sip coffee and look at soaring cliffs through pouring rain and fog. Still, the scenery is beautiful.

This first area is quite short and we are through by 7:30 and having breakfast in the dining room. The short order chef makes great fried eggs!

At 8:30, we assemble for our excursion through the Lesser Gorges of the Daning River. (At this point we are somewhere near or in the Wu Gorge?) We board a catamaran-styled boat and are divided into three language groups: English, German and Spanish. The German and Spanish groups head to another part of the boat.

We pass under the Dragon Gate Bridge and enter the Dragon Gate Gorge. The scenery is spectacular with cliffs rising high above us. I can only imagine how wonderful it would be were the sun shining. The water is much clearer in the Daning than the Yangtze.

Along the way, there are terraced areas that extend to the top of the mountains. Our guide tells us the farmers carry the soil up to the mountains on their backs. Unbelievable to imagine.

It is sad to pass places that will be underwater by 2009 when the river has reached its peak flood stage with the dam project. It is at 150 meters now and will be at 175 when the project is finished. Next to one of the farmhouses is a large sign that displays “175 M” in large red letters signaling the coming water level and the demise of someone’s home. The modern apartments we pass built on the top of the hills and cliffs don’t have the same character as the farmhouses we pass along the river. Still, they are probably an improvement to living conditions.

The dam project was supposed to serve 10% of China’s power needs but progress and modernization have advanced so rapidly, says Grace, that when it is completed, it will only be able to provide 5% of the needed energy for the country. It will have displaced 4 million people by its completion.

We pass sampans with fishermen. I don’t know what they are catching. There were no fish ladders built into the project so the dolphin and sturgeon that used to inhabit the area during breeding time are gone. Cypress trees soften the rocky cliffs in spots. We are told that they were planted by dropping seeds from an airplane.

Along the riverbed, someone has tossed corn and the rhesus monkeys have come down to snack on it. A few other times, we see some in the trees and in the caves in the cliffs. We are able to make out the “hanging coffin” in a cave way up at the top of one cliff. Apparently there were many more of these from the people who inhabited this area some 2000 years ago but they were destroyed in the Cultural Revolution. Our guide points out some grassy plants and tells us that this is the material that rice paper is made of—not rice.

[My God moment comes when our tour guide sings a folk song to us in Chinese and asks us to sing a song to her: Amazing Grace.]

On our return to our riverboat, we see a very unusual boat. The front is a huge dragon head. It is a cruise boat too. We have encountered quite a few riverboats that look run down. I wonder if it is because of the conditions along the river—pollution, weather. Hopefully they only appear that way on the outside.

We continue our course through the Wu Gorge. There are dramatic sheer cliffs with striated colors. Again I wish the sun were shining. How much more wonderful the scenery would be. The Goddess Rock is pointed out to us. It is a rock formation in the shape of a woman. Legend says that it is the Goddess Yaoji who vanquished demons and monsters in the Yangtze. She has become the guardian of the gorges.

It is growing dark as we pass the Goddess and I take a much needed nap before our special farewell dinner without the standard cruise fare of baked Alaska. Our meal is again on a lazy Susan and again features duck. The evening’s entertainment is a talent show starring the Auzzies, the Spaniards, and our tour guide, Fred. In between acts, the crew provides us with a sampling of traditional dances. They are in colorful costumes, and are very acrobatic and graceful.

We dock for the night near Yichang to provide an early start tomorrow for our dam tour.
Other China posts:
The Forbidden City
Tiananmen Square
The Great Wall
The Summer Palace
Wuhan to Beijing
Chinese Farmhouse
Three Gorges Dam
Fengdu—The Ghost City
Cruising the Yangtze
Chonging—The Yangtze River
The Big Goose Pagoda
Evening in Xian
Beijing to Xian
Timid Tourist in China-Travel Day
China-The Trip of a Lifetime

Monday, September 21, 2009

Fengdu -- The Ghost City

The city of Fengdu has been relocated to the top of the hills along the riverbank. The original town is now under water. Our guide mentions that the new apartments are about 120 square meters. I try to imagine the size. It’s not very big.

The Ghost City which will eventually become an island is high on a hill and is where the Chinese believe everyone goes when they die. If they are good, they will be reincarnated. If not, they will spend the rest of eternity in hell. [My God moment comes as I realize He has created a desire in all of us to seek life after death.] Passports” are available for purchase. People buy them and burn them at the altar to release souls from hell.

There are a lot of Buddhas and statues representing the original followers (disciples) of Buddha. The afternoon is filled with many tales and superstition—which bridge to cross and how to do so properly in order to return in the next life as a man or woman, rich or poor, etc. Many of the statues are like “saints” to be prayed to for a better afterlife.

Today it is rainy and foggy the whole time we are here but apparently the sun shines bright enough in the summer to send the temperatures soaring to 40° C (100° + F). That explains all the tropical vegetation we see.

Like any good tourist area, the walkway is lined with shops. We pass through them un-tempted on the way back to our bus. As we return to the riverboat, we are assailed by vendors and the first beggars we have seen so far. One is obviously mentally impaired another has missing limbs. It is very sad as it is anywhere we see this in the world.

Dinner has a few good offerings but we don’t recognize the lamb carried in on our way off the boat this morning. We had passed a man carrying two “dressed” sheep, one on each end of a wooden pole balanced on his shoulder and assumed it was our dinner arriving. One of the dishes resembles chicken cordon bleu but it is made with cheddar cheese (unusual because the Chinese don’t like cheese). There is a good sweet/sour chicken and wonton soup along with sweet wheat bread and a great cream puff.

Bob attended the fashion show in the lounge which, he reports, was very interesting. There were period costumes and some history given. I’m sorry I missed it but I’m just too tired.


Other China posts:
The Forbidden City
Tiananmen Square
The Great Wall
The Summer Palace
Wuhan to Beijing
Chinese Farmhouse
Three Gorges Dam
Three Gorges and Lesser Gorges
Cruising the Yangtze
Chonging—The Yangtze River
The Big Goose Pagoda
Evening in Xian
Beijing to Xian
Timid Tourist in China-Travel Day
China-The Trip of a Lifetime

Friday, September 18, 2009

Cruising the Yangtze

I awake first at 4 a.m. when someone in the next room hits the wall. Then I wake again at 5 and am wide awake at 6:30 when I hear Bob’s phone buzz with an incoming text message. The Ohio State game must have started at home where it’s still Saturday. The score is coming in.

We are up at 7 and hear traffic on the river. Other cruising river boats are leaving their berths. We see the Viking River Cruise boat go by. It looks really nice—a lot better than ours and ours is better than most. Fred told us that our boat, the M.S. Yangtze 1, is only a year old and is considered the best of the fleet on the river. I don’t think he was comparing it to Viking.

From our balcony, we can see that the river runs fast. If you fell in, you would be downstream a mile before you surfaced. The water is brown but not terribly littered. It is smoggy/foggy still and the air smells. We won’t be spending much time out there unless the air quality improves.
Breakfast is a buffet: curry noodles, dumplings with onions, fried egg on toast, wide-sliced bacon, fruit. The coffee is wonderful. I’m surprised at that and grateful.

We are passing a lot of coal barges. Power is generated mostly with coal which adds a lot to the smog problem. China is hoping to get more hydro-electric power with the dam project thereby improving air quality.

Chonging disappears quickly behind us. We pass people fishing with large scoop nets and washing clothes (!) in the brown river.

In the large and very comfortable lounge aboard the boat, we gather to hear our hostess, Kathy, explain the three gorges and talk about the river and the dam project. The towns that are flooded are relocated to higher ground. It is an improvement to most people’s lives. They are given apartments with washers, running water, etc., but they are losing a lot of history and culture that will be underwater. The young people are happier than their parents who are forced to move from farms they have lived on for generations.

Aboard the boat are three artists selling their wares: stitchery, painting in glass bottles, and jewelry made by a specialist in fresh water pearls. We buy a stitchery of flowers and get a “deal” on the painted bottles.

Once we are out of the city and the air has cleared, we opt to sit on our balcony and watch the scenery go by until lunch which is more of the same type of Chinese dishes we have had before. This time though the new item is lotus fruit—slices of lotus pods, white in color but having little taste. After lunch, we pull up to a dock in Fengdu for an excursion to the Ghost City.
Other China posts:
The Forbidden City
Tiananmen Square
The Great Wall
The Summer Palace
Wuhan to Beijing
Chinese Farmhouse
Three Gorges Dam
Three Gorges and Lesser Gorges
Fengdu—The Ghost City
Chonging—The Yangtze River
The Big Goose Pagoda
Evening in Xian
Beijing to Xian
Timid Tourist in China-Travel Day
China-The Trip of a Lifetime

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Chonging -- The Yangtze River

We arrive in Chonging about 11 p.m. It is very dark as we drive through the city to our river boat. Silhouettes of apartment buildings, most of which seem to be under construction, rise against the dark cloudy skies. Some very old-looking wooden structures appear interesting but our local guide has given up trying to narrate to a bus load of sleeping bodies.
Our bus stops at a light and a truckload of ducks pulls up next to us. There must be a couple hundred ducks piled on top of each other. Some are still moving. That wouldn’t fly in the U.S. with all the animal control groups.

To get to our river boat, we navigate 100 very steep, very narrow stone steps down to river level, all the while shading our eyes from the spotlights that are trained on us from the river boat. I can’t imagine how they will get our luggage down. The “dock” is a series of floating pontoons made out of oil drums and interlocking steel walkways. Along the way, the crew is lined up and greets us every 5-10 feet with “hello” and “welcome.” I hate to be rude but I’m afraid to look at them and get blinded by the light. I nod and mumble my hellos.

We are led to the dining room for dinner. All we truly want is to go to our rooms and go to bed. It is now midnight. As we nibble some food out of politeness to our hosts, I catch a glimpse out the window of shadowy figures gingerly making their way over the pontoon walkway. Across each shoulder is a wooden pole and suitcases dangle on each end. Our luggage! I excuse myself and try to get a picture as the porters enter the lobby of the boat. One of the “porters” was engaged by a guest who had a large carry-on with her. As soon as he deposits the luggage onto the boat, he follows her into the dining room with his hand out to be sure he gets paid. He, like the others, is dressed in a dirty business suit and looks grubby. He checks the money to be sure it isn’t counterfeit Chinese yuan—a very common problem it seems.

Finally, we make our way to our room, only to open the door to a foul cleaning fluid smell and a room full of buckets, vacuums, and mops. Quickly the error is corrected and we find ourselves in a small room with two single beds and a little bathroom—a bit smaller than the smallest rooms onboard a cruise ship but workable. The Western toilet is actually a flush model and the shower is hot. Life is almost good again.

Bob sits down and immediately warns me not to flop on the bed. I sit down and realize the mattress is maybe 2” thick and set on a wooden board. I’m so tired I don’t think I’ll notice. The smell of disinfectant (Lysol, I think) is heavy in the bedding. That bothers me more than the hard bed but I eventually drift off listening to someone snore in the room next to me.

Other China posts:
The Forbidden City
Tiananmen Square
The Great Wall
The Summer Palace
Wuhan to Beijing
Chinese Farmhouse
Three Gorges Dam
Three Gorges and Lesser Gorges
Fengdu—The Ghost City
Cruising the Yangtze
The Big Goose Pagoda
Evening in Xian
Beijing to Xian
Timid Tourist in China-Travel Day
China-The Trip of a Lifetime

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

The Big Goose Pagoda and Jade

We are up at 6:30 a.m. and are treated to a wonderful buffet breakfast. I have fried noodles, cereal, yogurt, and pork dumplings along with some fresh melons. We check out of the hotel and head for the buses to take us to the Big Goose Pagoda.

The Big Goose Pagoda is a brick structure built to house Buddhist materials brought from India during the 7th century. There is also a temple there with a golden Buddha inside. Worshippers come and light candles and incense to pray to the Buddha. In one of the gardens sits the “Happy Buddha.” It is the Buddha you most often see replicated in small statues. Our guide explains the long earlobes are a symbol of longevity and the big belly is for good fortune or prosperity. She invites us all to rub the belly for luck.

As we travel throughout world, I am fascinated by how many different ways people have of offering up prayers. Here there is a "laundy" line strung between poles with prayers and wishes written on tablets and strung on the lines.

Our next stop in Xian is called a “Fine Arts Center.” Translation: another shopping opportunity. We are shown a workroom where 10-12 artists carve jade. A display in the wall exhibits the different types of jade that are mined. There is amber, lavender, and all shades of green from just a tint to a dark color almost like ebony. The most valuable color is apple green. Translucency increases value as well. Costume jade jewelry has the green color infused.

The showroom is huge and contains some rather large jade carvings. It is all very interesting to explore. We take advantage of our shopping opportunity and purchase a small sphere that contains 3 concentric spheres inside, each having holes that show the next sphere in size and each is free-moving within the larger sphere. We are told it is a symbol of harmony. A jade turtle is added to our purchase as a Christmas gift for Bob’s mom. It is a symbol of longevity.

We notice fog moving in as our group assembles in a restaurant at the Xian airport for lunch at noon. Lunch is a sampling of dishes on a lazy susan—rice, egg drop soup, sweet potato, beef, pork, and bean curd that resembles tofu and has absolutely no taste.

At the gate we are seated and told our flight is delayed by the weather. The airline begins to hand out prepackaged lunches of rice and meat and some fruit. We are too stuffed to eat it and decline it as well as another meal offered later in the evening. I think I am getting tired of the smell of Chinese food.

We sit for hours waiting. Our tour guide, Fred, and another group’s tour guide have a heated conversation with airline personnel. We learn another group was given our plane when the weather lifted. The two guides were able to get the airline to arrange for another plane to take our groups to Chonging but it is 9 p.m. before we finally board our plane.

I am grateful to be on the plane if for no other reason than the bathroom will certainly be better than the one at the Xian airport. In China, there are mostly squat toilets for the ladies. Usually there is at least one “handicapped” stall with something that resembles a western toilet but most often without a seat. Many of us stood in line for the one handicapped stall—that is if you could hold your breath long enough. The rest room reeked of sewage (imagine six or seven outhouses that are full). To clean the stalls, the attendants would fill a bucket with water and toss the water across the floor. Thank goodness I brought Clorox disinfectant wipes and lots of Purell.

I cannot imagine how exhausted our guides, Fred and Duan, must be trying to take care of 78 of us with all the problems they have run into. A bed sounds good to everyone at this point. Hope to nap on the plane.
Other China posts:
The Forbidden City
Tiananmen Square
The Great Wall
The Summer Palace
Wuhan to Beijing
Chinese Farmhouse
Three Gorges Dam
Three Gorges and Lesser Gorges
Fengdu—The Ghost City
Cruising the Yangtze
Chonging—The Yangtze River
Evening in Xian
Beijing to Xian
Timid Tourist in China-Travel Day
China-The Trip of a Lifetime

Monday, September 14, 2009

China -- Evening in Xian

After the Terra Cotta Warriors, we visit the old city wall. It is getting dark. The wall is lit with small lights and spots as well as old street lamps and red lanterns. It is beautiful. We park in a large square area that is between the double walls. It is a space built to trap invaders who make it over the moat and through the first barrier thinking that there is only one wall. Of course there is another shopping opportunity at the top of the wall.

Our hotel for the night is a Shangra La (Golden Flower). It is a wonderful oasis in the smog and dust of the city. I’m going to be spoiled by it. The water is still not drinkable from the faucet but the shower feels good. We hurry to get dressed for a dinner and show at the Tang Dynasty Theater Restaurant.

Dinner is a sampling of dishes. The best is the honey crusted shrimp and “dim sum” dessert which appears to be a Chinese version of petit fours. We have a taste of white rice wine that looks like soapy water but tastes like very sweet sake. The show is colorful and the music interesting featuring Mr. Gao Ming who plays an instrument called the Pai Xiao. It resembles the piped instrument played by Pan in Greek mythology. He plays a piece that truly sounds like a flock of birds in a forest.

I almost fall asleep during the last act. It has been a full day. Tomorrow we need to be up at 6:30. We return to a very warm hotel room and adjust the temperature hoping it will cool off soon. The sheets feel wonderful, smooth and fresh. I drift off quickly.



Other China posts:
The Forbidden City
Tiananmen Square
The Great Wall
The Summer Palace
Wuhan to Beijing
Chinese Farmhouse
Three Gorges Dam
Three Gorges and Lesser Gorges
Fengdu—The Ghost City
Cruising the Yangtze
Chonging—The Yangtze River
The Big Goose Pagoda
Beijing to Xian
Timid Tourist in China-Travel Day
China-The Trip of a Lifetime

Saturday, September 12, 2009

No Nonsense! Go Bucks!!


Ready for the USC v. OSU Buckeye game! Go Bucks!!

A Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts


Today I'm posting on the Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts blog. If you're looking for a great White Bean Chili recipe, check it out. It's really good!!
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...