ChinaTeacher

I joined up with my Imaginative-Traveller tour after 2 days of exploring Cairo on my own.  We had a wonderful group consisting of just 8 people, most in their 30’s and 40’s.  4 from Australia (1 couple and 2 guys; a young honeymooning couple from the U.S., a Mexican/Canadian ESL teacher from Toronto, and then me.  I was the oldest in my group, but it worked out just fine. 

First thing on our schedule was a visit to the great Pyramids of Giza which we discovered were just a 20-minute private bus ride away from our hotel.  The city of Cairo has continued to expand to the point where it comes as a bit of a shock to see that the sandy desert surrounding the pyramids themselves is actually located in the middle of the congested city suburbs of Giza/Cairo. 

The hassling began even before we stepped off the bus! ‘Friendly’ young men try to convince you to visit their shop, or their ‘brother’s shop’.  And once you pay your ticket and enter the premises, watch out!  The camel touts are relentless!  Be careful where you walk because you never know when you will back up into a camel!   

Not even the touts could diminish the wondrous effect of seeing the pyramids for the very first time.  To be honest, they almost don’t look real – you see them many times over the years – you never expect to actually see them in person!  They are truly immense in size – it is hard to believe that humans managed to build such structures.  It is believed that Egyptian farmers (and not slaves) laboured on the pyramids during the flood season while their fields were under water.  Apparently they considered it an honour to participate in such an undertaking.  Some people still don’t believe that the ancient Egyptians were capable of building such structures, especially when you take into consideration the precise placement of each stone, and the cosmological significance of the dimensions of each pyramid – some believe the Pyramids were constructed by angels, the devil or perhaps aliens.  Who knows! 

Our bus took us to several vantage points around the site of the three large pyramids.  At the highest point, the desert rose all around us – shops were set up on the sands, manned by men in flowing robes, groups of tourists trotted off into the distance on camels, while the great Pyramids continued to distract me from taking in anything else.  It’s impossible to describe the feeling of seeing these structures with my own two eyes! I am told that each pyramid was originally capped with limestone and would have gleamed like giant crystals under the desert sun. Unfortunately, over the centuries, it has been stripped away and used to build palaces and mosques, exposing the softer inner-core stones to the elements.  Chambers and passageways can be visited in the pyramids can be visited but are extremely claustrophobic, especially with the crowds nearby.  I elected not to go inside since I already had the memorable experience at the Red Pyramid where I was the only person inside the pyramid at one point – how cool is that?! 

One of my fellow travelers was talked into taking a picture on a camel (people often have to pay extra before they are allowed to get off the camel).  Anyway, he got away with spending just 20 Egyptian Pounds so I thought I’d give it a try too (provided he stuck around to make sure I got off)!  The camel squats down so you can easily get on; but you have to hold on real tight while he pulls himself up – you get thrown forward and then back before the process is complete, and it repeats (in reverse) when you want to get off.  It was a fun experience, but not comfortable, I have to say.  But hey, I did it – I can say that I rode a camel! 

Egyptian Museum

It is said that even if you don’t like museums, you must go to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.  And they’re right.  There are more than 120,000 relics and antiquities in this museum.  It feels like a warehouse packed with stuff, much of it poorly labeled and presented – it’s a little bit like exploring your grandparent’s attic.  But trying to get around to see everything is likely to cause “Pharaonic Phatigue”.  They recommend 2 visits because you really do hit overload after a couple of hours – I was practically blind by the time we left.   

We spent time at the Tutahkhamun Galleries, the Royal Tombs, the Old Kingdom Rooms and many more.  I even paid extra to see the ghoulish Royal Mummy Room. To be honest, I felt I should do my part to support financially the efforts they are making to preserve such exhibits.  (In Luxor I saw a mummy which was once stored in a museum at Niagara Falls, Canada – it is believed to be Ramses II, but they are still not sure.  I’m just glad they returned him to Egypt!   

Back to the museum – The most unbelievable thing to me was seeing items made of wood, linen, leather and even hair, that have survived to this day, despite the fact they are thousands of years old – unbelievable!  The gold-leaf used in those times is much better quality stuff than we can find today – it looks like it has just been applied!  I can’t believe how many treasures I saw that used golf-leaf and gems for decoration.  I also was amazed to see how many things were made of solid gold, ie Tutan Khamen had 3 coffins, one was sold gold, one was gold-leaf over wood and the final one was stone.

 Even trying to get to our meeting place in the museum at the end of the day was a tough endeavour – On my way back, I kept running into rooms I hadn’t yet seen, full of sarcophagus and coffins, tombs, mummies and statues and figurines – there is absolutely no way you can see everything in one day.  And everything is original – not ‘replicas’ such as what I often see back in China. 

Dinner for our small group was a local Egyptian restaurant where we sampled the local favourite “Kushari” which tasted like my mom’s macaroni casserole.  You get a bowl of pasta, ground beef, tomato sauce and dried onions.  Mix it up, and add some lime juice, chili sauce and yum, you’re done!  It’s real cheap too! 

Then, we packed up and headed off to the train station for our overnight ‘seater’ train to Aswan in the south of the Nile where we were scheduled to take a 4-day cruise up the Nile – until then! 

July 14, 2008 – I’m here in Cairo, but I almost never left Shanghai! Emirates Airlines wouldn’t let me check in because they received a security alert about my credit card. Supposedly it was ‘fraudulent’! I was shocked to say the least. The big problem was the fact that I didn’t bring that particular credit card with me. I did however have my bank card, and was able to go to their offices and access my bank’s website to show the flights had indeed been paid for. Finally they permitted me access to the airplane, but it was a close call, that’s for sure!

Despite the rocky start, I must recommend Emirates highly. For one thing, their food is fantastic, plus you get access to over 400 channels of movies, TV programs, music and computer games – nice! There’s even ‘knee room’!

I had to connect through Dubai and spent 4 hours there. The very first place I saw upon arrival was… (wait for it!)….STARBUCKS! Can you believe it?! Walking through the airport I saw people lying on the floor everywhere – if it wasn’t 4am I might have mistaken them for corpses. Now, due to the culture over here in the Middle East, most men and women don’t sit together in public. I wandered around the terminal, trying to find a place to sit – even though I found many empty seats, most were where the ‘men’ were sitting – a no no. The women sat together on the other side of the hall. I did finally find a nice British couple to sit with – whew, problem solved! And Dubai Airport’s Duty Free section is huge! I ran into a lady from North Carolina – turns out, she works in Sudan and had just been ‘evacuated’ to be sent back to the U.S. She loves the Middle East and gave me lots of recommendations. She can’t wait to return.

Finally I got onto my flight to Cairo. Due to my outstanding research skills, I learned that if you sit on the ‘left side’ of the airplane, you will have a good chance of seeing the pyramids. It’s true – Seat 11A was great! I can’t begin to describe to you the wonders of watching the changing desert landscape from Dubai to Cairo. Despite the fact that it is always comprised of sand and stone, at times it looked like the ocean (with waves), then small rivers flowing into a large one (remember, this is all sand). Rocky Mountains covered in sand soon appeared, and then the expected Sand Dunes. I also got to see the Red Sea, a gleaming emerald against the white desert and blue skies. The view was never boring. During our final approach to Cairo Airport, there they were – the Pyramids of Giza – the only remaining original Wonders of the World! Unfortunately the city boundaries come up less than 1/2 kilometer from the site which takes away from the impact somewhat. But still, there they were – unbelievable!

A man with my name on a sign met me as I exited Customs in Cairo. We were finally on our way into the city of Cairo, and my hostel (Nubian Hostel).  By the way, my hostel was pretty good, and the staff very helpful – paid 80 Egyptian Pounds per night for a single room with bathroom.   It compares well with other hostels in Lonely Planet’s book. 

Driving through the city, at first glance, most of the older apartment buildings are quite ugly – brown square boxes, or simply crudely built brick boxes. But the newer areas of Cairo depict a more western-style of architecture (ie glass skyscrapers and such). The Mosques and other architectural wonders are what I am really here to see and they don’t disappoint. I haven’t visited them yet, but just catching a glimpse of them from the car took my breath away. Some of the banks are also worthy of a photograph, although the police have already prevented me from taking such photos – too bad for me!

Directly outside my hostel are tables and chairs set up café-style. Every evening the people of Cairo gather outside over Sheesha (fancy tobacco smoking pipe) and non-alcoholic beverages. For 2 days I have been dying to pull up a chair, but being a single female, from the West, is inviting trouble. Thankfully, last night, while 2 waiters were hassling me, a young woman from the States waved me over and invited me to join her. She is traveling around the world over a 2-year period and got stuck here in Cairo after breaking her arm a few weeks ago. She has become addicted to Sheesha and goes to such cafes at least twice each day! We had a fantastic chat while she introduced me to Hisbiscus Tea and peach-flavoured Sheesha. Not being a smoker, I was hesitant, but it is the thing to try for tourists apparently. The waiter sets up a fancy gizmo next to the table – he adds hot coals and then hands me a really long pipe – every time I take a puff, the water at the bottom boils up. It’s kind of cool, but I don’t think I will do it too often. The interesting thing is that ‘everyone’ seems to smoke Sheesha, men and women alike.

Speaking of the women, I would have to say that at least 50% of the women wear long robes and at least 90% wear head scarves. The ladies wear quite dramatic makeup and look quite regal and beautiful. A woman on my plane put her headscarf on before disembarking and I couldn’t believe the transformation! Many women here also wear western clothing, but they coordinate their headscarves in such a way that it comes across as quite fashionable – I’m jealous! As a matter of fact, I have started wearing a headscarf, especially when my hair needs to be washed! Due to the culture here, if I want to avoid being hassled, I have to keep my eyes down and try not to answer men’s questions when they stop me on the street. It’s very trying, but I know it would be worse if I were blonde and in my twenties! Oh, and the young men here tend to wear western clothes, while the older men (40’s and up) usually are garbed in “gallibayas” (robes). Those robes hide a multitude of sins – there are some really ‘big’ and ‘fat’ people here in Cairo, but everyone looks quite elegant dressed in robes and scarves!

For my first big day in Egypt I booked a driver. We traveled south to see the ancient pyramids of Saqarra and Dahshur. These are the first pyramids ever built and are over 4,500 years old (built in 2650 BC). Many tourists only go to Giza which means I got to visit these pyramids in the desert with no crowds! I saw the Bent Pyramid, the Steppe Pyramid, the Red Pyramid and the Pyramid of Teti. I actually entered two of these pyramids and yes, I felt a little like Indiana Jones. Each pyramid has several different rooms, of different sizes.

The Red Pyramid has ceilings as high as 12-15m and the other exciting thing is to see some of the ancient graffiti – explorers and egyptologists from previous expeditions have actually written their names and dates on the walls, can you believe it?! And the Pyramid of Teti still has the original granite coffin inside. I climbed up on a stone and shone my flashlight into it to see the inscriptions inside and, yeah, I was expecting ‘Indy’ to show up! You have to descend down narrow shafts to the core of these pyramids, but without the crowds it’s not quite so claustrophobic. In my pictures you will see stone pyramids and you should take note of the square limestone blocks – in fact every pyramid was originally covered in these, but over the years they were stolen and used to build palaces and mosques – most unfortunate because they protected the stone pyramids from falling into disrepair. The limestone also made the pyramids much more beautiful – can you imagine the effect of the sun hitting those limestone blocks?!

I got access to one of the nearby tombs and was surprised to see how large it was. I could easily walk from room to room and the original inscriptions and pictures carved in the limestone were really amazing to see! Every so often I came across a square ‘hole’ in the wall – I’d shine my flashlight into it, expecting to see a skull leap out at me, or a statue, or something akin to ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’, but it was simply too dark in those holes to see anything. I’m still convinced there was something in there, though. I had a wonderful time visiting these remote pyramids which are considered the earliest forms of pyramid structures anywhere!

I have added a few photos to the Photo LINK on the right.  Keep checking as I will update these as often as I can.  

The Olympic Torch Relay…….bringing the Olympics to the people….OR NOT! The Olympic torch relay came to Hangzhou in May (just around the time of the Sichuan Earthquake). Hosting the Olympics is a huge deal here and, for 99.987% of the people, seeing the torch relay is the closest they’ll ever get to the Olympics.

Since the Sichuan earthquakes, the Torch Relay events have been expanded to include memorials and benefits for the earthquake victims, bringing patriotism to an incredible high. Before the relay arrived, there were vendors everywhere selling “I love China” t-shirts, Olympic t-shirts, and both Chinese and Olympic flags. The day before the relay here, local newspapers reported authorities were discouraging people from going to see the relay. A friend of mine who went anyway, hoping to see the opening ceremony and a part of the relay, said they blocked the park entrance to where it was being held, and only ‘pre-selected people’ were permitted inside to watch. They showed it on TV and the opening ceremony was quite an elaborate affair, with many minority groups dancing in traditional costumes. My friend told me many people had traveled into the city from surrounding areas hoping to see the show, but were also turned away. As you can imagine, most were pretty upset. On TV they give the appearance of it being ‘for the people’ but in reality it is so tightly controlled that most ‘people’ don’t have a chance to see it.  I have heard through others that such ‘controlling methods’ have been in use throughout most cities during China’s Olympic Torch Relay.

In other news……..China Invades America!  This week for the first time since the signing of the “Memorandum of Understanding” between China and USA, Chinese tour groups can now travel to the USA more easily.  The first group arrived last week and were treated like royalty upon their arrival. Their tour included NYC, DC, LA and Hawaii over a 10-day period.  It is now easier for Chinese tourists traveling with a tour group to get a visa to visit the U.S. although they are still required to go to a U.S. consulate or embassy for an interview before receiving their visa.The earthquakes and aftermath are still being reported here on a regular basis  – there are millions of people living in tents or in temporary housing.  The earthquake has proven to be a tremendous tragedy.  Including the “missing and presumed dead”, the death toll is almost 90,000 with hundreds of thousands injured.  There are many small villages that took rescuers a long time to reach – most had been cut off by aftershocks and rockslides.  In fact, hundreds of rescuers were also buried in rockslides and mudslides from these aftershocks.

There have been hundreds of aftershocks with at least four of them being 6.0 or more on the Richter scale, and more than twenty being 5.0 or more. 5.0 is a strong quake in and of itself. They announced on TV the other day a warning for another strong quake which created intense panic.  People in the affected area are so frightened and tired from all the quakes – many are still sleeping outside even if their homes  have not been damaged. China held a 3-day mourning period after the earthquake; all bars, movie theatres, internet cafes and all other forms of entertainment were closed.  They even found a way to block internet use to view movies and any ‘fun’ websites – only in China could such controls be put in place!  

It has been quite difficult to watch the news because it’s so sad to see so much suffering. Many parents have lost their only child, and so many children have become orphans. The media was relatively open about the conditions for several days and even talked about the corruption that undoubtedly resulted in shoddy construction at many of the schools where hundreds of children were killed.  I have read that the media is being reined in.  Most of the coverage now is about all the people that are being helped, and the amounts of money that have been donated. Some trains have been redirected and the government is using them to take supplies in, and injured people out of the area. Unfortunately they don’t have enough helicopters, so getting rescuers and supplies to some of the remote areas has been very slow in happening. The Chinese people have experienced so much adversity for so long that they mostly take it in stride and they are really pulling together to do everything possible to help the victims.

The latest news is about the use of funds for the earthquake relief.  As expected, some funds appear to have been ‘mishandled’.  The Government apparently is ‘right on it’ and is making dire threats against anyone who misuses such funds.  They are already taking action against such individuals/groups.  I hope they will continue to be successful in their efforts.  We’ll see.

Hangzhou’s urban development is proceeding at a dizzying pace.  Entire apartment blocks of 7-storey buildings are being torn down to make way for China’s beloved skyscrapers!  What’s amazing to me is the speed with which it is all happening.  Today I noticed yet another block of buildings being torn down – this particular neighbourhood was still inhabited by Chinese families as recently as last month!  I keep wondering -where is everyone relocating to, as a result of being ‘torn’ out of their homes!

The process of building demolition continues to astound me as well.  While bulldozers tear down the roofs, walls and foundations of the taller buildings, local labourers work on the shorter buildings manually.  It’s back-breaking work as they swing their pickaxes and attempt to blast through the brick walls and foundations.  Squatting nearby, others patiently chip away the old concrete off each brick with their trowels, placing the bricks one-by-one in piles once they are deemed ready for use again.  It’s slow, tedious work and for little reward (as far as I can see).  After the entire block has been cleared away, these same workers start erecting a huge ‘brick wall’ around the construction site, using those same bricks.  They finish off by plastering it over with concrete (in place of metal fences we use in the West).  Product Advertisements will be handpainted onto the walls by a couple of local artists who will be paid very little – labour is so cheap here that it’s cheaper for companies to do this than create some print advertisements – unbelievable!

Last year, I enjoyed visiting a neighbourhood located close to my university.  It’s a very poor community, primarily senior residents, but they were lucky, I thought, to have a nice independent life so close to downtown Hangzhou.  I particularly liked the architecture of their homes, which can usually only be found in small villages out in the countryside.

The sad news is that when I went back last Autumn, the entire neighbourhood was a huge pile of rubble, with bulldozers all over the site.  I was stunned – I had honestly expected Hangzhou to restore this area.  Unfortunately, the Chinese people prefer to tear down the old and put up ‘new’, or ‘newly restored’ buildings (they make them look old).  I have attached pictures of the old neighbourhood for you to see even though now it’s gone (I’m certainly glad I took those pictures when I did!).  I still wonder where those local people have gone.  I really can’t see them being happy, living in a skyscraper and losing the independence of living in their own homes next to the Grand Canal.

According to Chinese legend, Hangzhou is considered ‘Paradise on Earth’.  I must admit that by Chinese standards, Hangzhou really IS a wonderful place to live.  Hangzhou strives to be China’s cleanest city, most environmentally-friendly city, as well as its greenest city.  It’s definitely on track to being all these things.  I just wish that the Chinese would stop destroying so much of their history in their push to create a modern lifestyle for their people.  I fear they are losing their identity by adopting so much of the West.

I met Steven from England at my hostel on the second day of my visit.  He is in his mid-50’s and doing a ‘round the world’ trip.  He has some amazing destinations in mind!  We decided to travel together on my last day since we both wanted to see many of the same things. 

Three Gorges Museum

Recently opened, the new Three Gorges museum is a must for history and culture buffs. It is a magnificent piece of modern architecture. It hosts a display on the new dam and river and the relics that were either lost or moved to higher ground when they raised the water levels.  There are also exhibits on the recent history of Chongqing and the War years, and the ancient culture of the Ba people.

I was particularly impressed to see so many signs in English, as well as some nice ‘clean’ bathrooms on each level!  Strangely enough, however, after enjoying the first exhibit hall because of the wonderful English signage, none of the remaining exhibit halls contained English signs and descriptions.  Most disappointing – I hope they will improve on that in future.  But the building itself is definitely worth seeing.  

Chongqing’s Great Hall of the People

Chongqing’s Great Hall of the People is traditional and mirrors those of China’s ancient classical dynasties. It closely resembles an enlarged version of the Temple of Heaven in Beijing.  The surrounding People’s Square was featuring a German Festival while we were there, so we decided to take a break to ‘sample’ some German Beer and Sausage – yum!  

Ci Qi Kou Village

We caught a taxi to take us 14km out of the city centre to Ci Qi Kou Village.  Shortly before arriving, we spotted “Po Lun Temple” and agreed to check it out while we were there.  Ci Qi Kou Village consists of houses dating from the Ming and Qing Dynasties.  Much of the two and three storey construction is of bamboo and timber. Blue bricks and pillars set off the white stuccoed walls, while the windows are covered in lattice-work. 

The village was a nice escape from the highrises of Chongqing.  The three notable attractions of the village are the tea bars, the artists’ studios and the Shu Embroidery workshops. It is said there are more than 100 tea bars, each with their own particular characteristics. Once called Long Yin, the village gets its current name from all of the porcelain relics and kilns that have been found there.  

We wandered away from the main streets where all the ‘souvenir shops’ are, climbing up the steep staired alleyways where we could view more of the locals engaged in their daily activities.  We got lost a few times until a woman helpfully directed out of the maze.  We eventually had to climb all the way to the main street before continuing our search for the Po Lun Temple.   

On the way, however, I spotted the Perfect Time International Youth Hostel!  I knew I should have stayed here!  Although the town is outside Chongqing, there seems to be lots to do here – there are lots of small restaurants, tea houses and shops – enough to keep me busy, that’s for sure.  We went into the Hostel and found the atmosphere very welcoming.  Wandering through to the back, we found a big living room where people were watching TV.  There is even a bar at the back, where a young man offered us some nice cold local beer! 

Seeing a large deck outside, we decided to take a break for a short while.  Settling back on the deck with our cold brew, we both expressed regrets that we both didn’t get rooms at this hotel.  Next time, I promised myself!   

I haven’t said much more about those moquito bites on my ankles (they’re pretty bad), but the manager of the hostel certainly noticed them!  She came out minutes later with some medicine which she insisted on applying to my ankles.  She even poured some into a small bottle for me to take with me!  Such great hospitality, and we weren’t even staying there!  Next time, for sure, I will be staying at Perfect Time International Youth Hostel! 

We were given directions to find Po Lun Temple (Bai Ya Temple) and sure enough, it was less than a 5-minute walk away!  It was built in 535-556 AD and has quite a history.  The power of Buddha in the old temple is very pure and strong.  It is said that all can find the truth of the universe here.  All I know is that this very beautiful place was built in the Ming Dynasty and is now a protected historical site.  That’s a good thing! 

CLOSING NOTES 

You know, I initially traveled to Chongqing simply for one purpose: to see the Dazu Rock Carvings.  I expected nothing more than that.  But, as a result of my good/bad experiences, I discovered that it is the people of Chongqing who made my short holiday something truly special.  I will be back!   CHECK OUT MY PHOTOS using the Link which is located on the right side of your screen.

Strange title, isn’t it?!  Well, here’s what happened… 

Friday morning I headed out to Wai Mao Shi Chang (Foreign Exports Market) to buy some ‘large’ clothes.  I had a wonderful time exploring the mazes of shops in several large buildings and chatting with the sales clerks.  

Just as I was leaving the marketplace, I happened to glance down – the zipper to my little black bag was OPEN!  I was upset, but not overly so – I figured, okay, the guy who just stole my money wasn’t going to get too much (I always make sure not to put much in my wallet).  But as I explored my bag further I realized he also took my little black wallet which contained all my cards: ID, credit cards, bank card, police registration in China – NOW I WAS REALLY UPSET!   

You know, I consider myself quite vigilant and aware, so I just couldn’t believe how stupid I was.  How the heck did someone get close enough to me to open my bag and take two things out of it.  I keep it directly in front of it, with my hand over it most of the time!  How did I not notice?   The reality of what had just happened was finally getting to me and I headed into a hotel where I desperately needed to sit down and catch my breath.  My mind was flying – I need to cancel my credit cards!  But I couldn’t remember which cards I had brought with me.  And, the emergency telephone numbers were also in that little black wallet!  Thankfully, I still had my airplane tickets and my passport, as well as more cash stashed away behind a zippered pocket in the bag. 

Once I had calmed myself down, I realized there was nothing more I could do until I returned home the next day.  In the meantime, since I still had money, I should at least continue my day and go and see Huguang Huiguan. 

Huguang Huiguan or Guild Hall, with its high walls and tiled roofs, flying eaves and exquisite wood carvings is a collection of Guild Halls built by Chongqing Governors and Merchant Trading groups from other regions of southern China. It contains several local Opera Theatres, a small museum and art galleries.  Opened in October 2005 this beautifully restored complex of traditional architecture is located on the banks of the Yangtze.  It is worth visiting for the architecture alone. Many of the original buildings and wood-carved theatres are original, and many well-worn stone doorways, stairs and flagstones can be seen. The complex is located above a large portion of the old city wall and one of the city gates, Dong Shui Men, is outside the exit/entrance. 

This is where my story gets really interesting!

I was still shaking when I arrived at the Guild Hall, so I told the guides, I wanted to sit down for a minute.  Most of the girls had great English and gathered around, offering me water and sympathy as I told my tale.  But, in the middle of it, my mobile phone started to ring.  It was a Chinese caller so I passed my phone to one of the guides.  Turns out, the caller had found my black wallet!  I’m glad I put my business card in it.  I don’t usually bring my mobile with me either, so it was a good thing I did! 

Long story short: The manager of the Guild insisted I take Edie (one of the guides) with me and we went to find the man’s shop.  It was really difficult to find and involved us stopping to ask for help many times.  Finally a man gestured to us from across the street, asking if I was the tourist from Canada.  I was, so he told us to follow him while he led us through yet another maze of shops – I was starting to worry a bit – where was he taking us?  Should I be afraid?   

Finally, we found ourselves in a local shoe shop where the man was waiting for us.  A friendly Chongqing man, he presented me with the wallet and asked me to check the contents.  EVERYTHING WAS THERE!  I could not believe my eyes!  I thanked him profusely and attempted to present him with a reward.  He frantically shook his head and waved his hands.  “No, no”.  He said he wanted nothing, that it was his ‘duty’ to help the tourists.  I was so surprised and impressed.  The man told me that the thief is known in the area – he is from Xinjiang and his people are very poor.  To be honest, I had first suspected that this man was the thief and simply wanted me to give him a huge reward since he probably could not use the credit cards. 

This man reinforced my initial impression that Chongqing people are very friendly.  Before the theft, I had already experienced several interactions with local people and have been very impressed with how helpful and friendly they are.  Even the taxi drivers!  Whenever the taxi fare is more than a Yuan, ie Yuan 11.30, I give them 12 Yuan and they want to give 1 Yuan back.  Unbelievable! 

So, my guide from Huguang Huiguan and I eventually made it back.  I asked to meet with the Manager to make sure the guide would not be fired (we were gone a long time).  He smiled and said no problem, that it was their ‘duty’ to help the tourists.  He then asked my new friend to give me a personal tour of Huguang Huiguan.  Although I had paid the entrance fee, I was not asked to pay for an English Guide – Invaluable! 

Be sure to visit Huguang Huiguan if you have a chance.  The architecture is really quite wonderful, but you can’t beat the hospitality of the people working there!  Say Hello to Edie for me!  She’s my saviour!

This whole experience taught me a valuable lesson.  First of all, I realize I have become far too comfortable while living in China.  From now on, no matter where I travel in China, I will remember to use my ‘money belt’.  And I will continue to believe in the goodwill of most people I meet.  I will not let negative experiences tarnish the overall experience.  If I had not decided to go and visit Huguang Huiguan, my story would have had a bad ending.  Most Chongqing people don’t speak English, so who could have helped me when the man called?  

Tomato Kitchen
 
Before I came to Chongqing, I got in touch with a teacher whose posts I have read often on the internet.  He helped me out a great deal, suggesting places to go and see as well as letting me know whether or not it was safe to go to Chongqing.  

I invited him and his wife out for dinner that evening and got a chance to learn more about live in Chongqing.  We went to the Tomato Kitchen (on Nanping Lu – there are several locations).  I can’t recommend it highly enough.  I had the best salad, I have ever eaten in China, and my pasta dish was wonderful. What stands out about this restaurant are the prices.  Back in Hangzhou I would have paid 50-60 for the pasta dish, but at Tomato Kitchen is was only 36 Yuan.  The prices are very reasonable and I hope they will open a restaurant in Hangzhou one day!  

Everyone told me not to go to Chongqing.  Just hours away, nearby counties had just experienced a 7.8 earthquake!  But, I was determined to go now.  I know I was being selfish, but I had already paid my money and planned out the time to do this – there was no going back.  I did check things out first by contacting people in Chongqing.  The City of Chongqing itself was not affected by the earthquake in any way.  And, the historical site that was the primary reason for my visit, the ancient Dazu Rock Carvings, located 2 hrs west of Chongqing (toward Chengdu), appeared to incur no damage whatsoever.  So, all things considered, I am really glad I didn’t postpone my trip!  It was a huge success! 

Chongqing is China’s most populated city, over 30 million people!  It is also one of the departure points for the famous 4-day tour of the Yangtze River and the Three Gorges!  The City is built on the sides and top of mountains, so the highways come as quite a surprise in that they are rarely straight, instead winding and criss-crossing the mountains.  Forget about safety too – most taxi drivers gave me a hard time whenever I wanted to put on a seat belt!  And, you need strong legs to live in Chongqing – many streets and alleyways involve tons of steps!  (Think San Francisco).  I hate stairs!   

I arrived late and therefore got to see Chongqing by night.  Before we landed, all I could see was a sea of ‘neon’ – almost like Las Vegas.  Turns out there is a huge hotel complex located next to the airport – they have gone all out with their ‘neon’ signs and lights!  Many of the city’s buildings actually look much better at night, with creative use of neon lighting! 

Nanbin International Youth Hostel
 
We had a difficult time finding my hostel – my driver stopped to ask for help 2 times, and the hostel’s street sign misdirected us into an underground parking garage!  We finally got there after much effort. 

The Nanbin Hostel is quite nice and the rooms are much nicer than one would expect in a hostel.  Most single rooms have TV’s.  Hostels have come a long way indeed!  I was quite surprised to see evidence of emergency preparedness here: each room comes equipped with a large flashlight and face masks in case of fire!  They even provided me with a mosquito repellant machine to use at night.  Unfortunately that didn’t help me much during the day.  Mosquitos in Chongqing are nasty buggers!  My ankles were badly bitten and I visited 3 different pharmacies during my stay.  Despite this and my efforts not to scratch, my bites still got badly infected. 

I would have to say that my hostel caters more to Chinese tourists compared to foreigners.  Some of the front desk staff have little English ability and most information is available in Chinese only.  And, the hostel is not located downtown.  Rather it is located south, crossing a bridge over the Yangtze River, or at least a 40-minute bus ride away. 

The nearby Nanbin street has tons of huge Chinese restaurants, most featuring Chongqing Hot Pot cuisine.  A large pedestrian promenade offers views of the River.  In my opinion, the area lacks character and is not suitable for independent foreign tourists.  In fact, I never did find a place to have breakfast during my 3-day stay, not even a small noodle place!   Next time, I would prefer to stay at the Three Gorges International Youth Hostel (located on a hillside downtown), or at the Perfect Time International Youth Hostel in Ci Ki Kou, a small village 14 km away.   

I met a couple from France and, next thing I knew, we were talking about some friends of theirs who live in Vaudreuil (Quebec), just a 10-minute drive away from my hometown of Hudson.  It’s a small world indeed!  A friend of theirs, Carlos from Brazil, was acting as their guide as he is currently studying Chinese in Taizhan.  (We met up again later as you will soon hear). 

DAZU ROCK CARVINGS 

The first thing on my itinerary for the next morning was to get to the Dazu Rock Carvings.  My hostel did have a tour available for 240 RMB, but the time spent at the site itself is usually quite limited because such tours generally include unplanned stops at certain ‘shopping places’!   

So, I decided to head to Dazu by myself.  To do so would require several steps.  First, I had to get a taxi to the Bus Station “Cai Yuan Ba” where I would buy a bus ticket to Dazu County.  But, when I arrived, there were huge lineups at all the ticket windows.  You will be very disappointed in me, as I decided to play the ‘dumb foreigner’.  I approached the information desk, threw my hands up in the air, and showed them my Chinese note with the words “Dazu County” on it.  In no time at all, the young ladies had arranged a bus ticket for me!  Okay, I don’t do this often, but time was of the essence, as this first bus ride would take at least 2 hours! 

Then I had to catch a local bus the rest of the way.  It was a nice drive, allowing me to take in the scenery along the way.  Lots of terraced rice fields, babies carried in baskets on women’s backs, and tons of new highways being constructed. 

Upon my arrival, motorcycle taxis moved next to our bus in an effort to get everyone to pay for a ‘ride’ to the grottos.  I didn’t fall for that stunt – the grottos are an easy 1km walk!  I did take the time however to find, and pay for, an English tour guide.  I came all this way to see the Dazu Rock Carvings and wasn’t going to be disappointed by my lack of knowledge! 

More than 40 areas in the Dazu County area feature elaborate carvings in the surrounding sandstone cliffs.  Often referred to as “Grotto Art”, many were created during the Song Dynasty (A.D. 892).  Two of the most famous sites are Beishan and Baodingshan.  Beishan has 290 small caves carved into a cliff.  Most were carved around 892 A.D.  But, the Baodingshan site is huge!  It is made up of 13 groups of stone carving figures, totaling nearly 10,000 cliffside figures – spectacular indeed!  These sculptures were created from 1174 to 1252.  They are stunning and quite elaborate.  The attention to detail is quite amazing. 

I would have to say that the only thing that detracted from my enjoyment of the sculptures was the less than professional repainting that has been done on some of the figures.  So much of its is peeling off that it is difficult to see the details of the carvings themselves.  I did find some figurines where the paint had been left to fade naturally and you will see from my pictures that the quality of these carvings is really quite amazing.  This trip was well worth it for me! 

Hong Ya Dong (Red Cliff Cave)On the way back into Chongqing, I stopped at Hong Ya Dong.  It’s a series of ‘Diaojiao’ traditional style buildings, which are houses built on a steep hill. Spread over 13 levels, its flows down a steep embankment.  It features pubs, souvenir shops, crafts, local snack shops, restaurants, entertainment – you name it.

I found a tiny snack shop where the locals seemed to be really enjoying a local noodle dish.  I asked them “Hao bu hao?”  (good or bad).  Everyone smiled and said “Hao!”. (Good!).  So, I sat down at a tiny little table and ordered a bowl for myself.  For 6 Yuan (less than a dollar) you get a bowl of noodles with toppings (green onion, ground pork, chilis, stirfried peanuts and vegetables.  You stir them into the noodles and enjoy.  Yes, it was pretty spicy but oh so good!  I knew that Chongqing’s most famous dish, Hotpot, would be far too hot for me, so the noodles were a great compromise. 

I eventually took the elevator up to the top where I exited onto a street (yes, at the 13^th level!).  Directly outside is a Starbucks and as I passed by I heard a shout “Carol!”  Come on… how many people know me in Chongqing.  It was Carlos!  So I went inside and ordered a coffee so we could have a chat.  Again, what are the odds we would run into each other like this?  There are many Starbucks in Chongqing too!

The city of SUZHOU is just a 2-hr bus ride from Hangzhou, in sleek modern buses lined with wide cushioned seats, each with its own padded arm rests.  I didn’t know such buses existed, having been squeezed into all manner of wheeled vehicles during my time in China.  Perhaps I could plan future trips simply based on the type of bus used!

Suzhou is built on a network of interlocking canals which feed its famous Classical Gardens – these gardens are the source of Suzhou’s pride and glory, and the reason that most tourists continue to visit Suzhou.  But my friend and I didn’t visit any of these gardens, both having done so on previous visits.  I do however encourage everyone to take some time to visit Suzhou to appreciate these popular gardens in the peace for which they were designed. 

The purpose of THIS visit was simply to ‘chill out’ and try to find some of Suzhou’s old historical laneways and homes dating from the Song Dynasty.  The old city walls have been almost entirely demolished, and the parts of the old city that still survive – moats, gates, tree-lined canals, stone bridges, cobblestone streets and whitewashed old houses – are disappearing fast.  We know there are still some out there, so this time we’re going to Suzhou with the sole purpose of seeking them out!

I did my research and found a wonderful old renovated hostel called Watertown Hostel (www.watertownhostel.com).  It’s conveniently located in the heart of Suzhou, in a traditional Suzhou ‘block-house’ containing all the modern conveniences.  We paid 180 RMB ($26) for a very nice room with twin beds, heat/ac and private bathroom – dorm beds are 50 RMB each ($7).  Great value!  We still can’t believe we found a Colour TV in our hostel room!  Hostels have come a long way!  Staff were very helpful and, had we not asked, we would never have known we were just a 10-minute walk away from Starbucks on nearby GuanQian Shopping Street (such great news for us!).

I had read about a historical pedestrian street named Pinjiang Jie.  We followed its narrow lanes to find ourselves in front of the Museum of Opera and Theatre.  The Ming-dynasty theatre is made of latticed wood and features a stage raised up on the 2^nd floor of a large pavilion beneath a spiraling wooden dome.  The audience is accommodated in an open-air ‘pit’ and in galleries on all three sides facing the stage.  Kun Opera (Suzhou-style) is apparently over 5000 years old and considered China’s oldest operatic form (Beijing Opera has only existed for 3,000 years).  We were particularly lucky to arrive at a time when some of the performers were practicing for an evening performance.  Unfortunately I still find Chinese Opera quite ‘ear-splitting’, so we didn’t hang around too long after that.  But, I must say that that the architectural structure of this theatre is well worth the visit!

Continuing down Pinjiang Jie, alongside a small canal, we greeted old men, families, and young children.  We even wandered into some small shops to have ‘limited’ Chinese conversations with their owners.  My friend was quite taken with one shop owner’s red jade bracelet adorning his wrist.  We don’t often see red jade, but I now know why – turns out the owner’s bracelet cost 8,000 RMB (approx. USD 1,200)!!!  Moments later, we found ourselves in front of another IYH Hostel (International Youth Hostel) perched alongside a narrow canal.  While not conveniently located close to amenities and such, the idea of actually living in a restored Song Dynasty building bordering a small tree-lined canal in a local neighbourhood is tremendously appealing.  I should also point out that such areas are really quiet, so if you’re looking for bar action, forget it.  As for us, we simply walked in and asked to see some rooms, for future visits of course!

Suzhou has restaurants to meet all tastes, and budgets.   Along Shiquan Lu (Suzhou’s Foreigner Street for Bars and Restaurants), we found the Pang Yang Dumpling Restaurant which comes highly recommended by Lonely Planet.  Instead of the usual Pork Dumplings everyone orders, we decided to try the Beef and Cilantro, and enjoyed them immensely, at very little cost.  Both mornings we enjoyed an egg stuffed pita breakfast which we bought from a little old lady just down the path from our hostel.  She cooks outside, using a simple wok and what appears to be a large metal ‘garbage can’ converted to an oven for baking the pita.  One Kuai (15 cents)! Yum! 

One night we found Good Eats, a diner-style restaurant where we decided to order a burger and fries.  They used ‘real cheddar’ and gave us lettuce and tomato for our burgers – nice!  This is rare to find here in China!  Ran into an Australian chap who gave us the lowdown on bars and such in Suzhou.  Thanks to his recommendation we checked out Jane’s Bar, just a block further down on Shiquan Street – it’s a nice neighbourhood bar, just what we wanted before heading home for the night!  Our last night found us finishing off our evening at Fisher Coffee which is located on a small alley, parallel to Shiquan Street.  We discovered there are many bars and coffee shops to choose from in Suzhou.  And you can’t go wrong if you hang around Shiquan Street. 

We spent the majority of our two days in Suzhou simply staying away from the major streets and wandering off along laneways taking us into the heart of Suzhou’s local people and their neighbourhoods, away from the prying eyes of most tourists.  It was most satisfying for us to see that many of the old homes remain standing, for now.  Get to Suzhou while you can, before much of its history is destroyed to make way for future development.  I’m already planning a return trip!

For months I have been planning to check out Shanghai’s Urban Planning Museum – I’m glad I finally got a chance this past weekend!   I decided to give Shanghai another chance.  I haven’t really liked Shanghai because I find it all too much, after just a few hours: too many cars, too much concrete, too many people and hardly any green space.  So, I took the Express Bullet Train into Shanghai (1.5 hrs) for a couple of days of shopping, exploring and dining.  

Once again I stayed at the 24K International Hotel on Fuzhou Lu, centrally located and well worth the bargained down price of 240 RMB per night!  Despite old rooms with filthy carpets and walls, the new furniture, bathroom fixtures and linens make it worth the price, and the location!  Just remember to pack your slippers!

Shanghai’s Urban Planning Museum tells the story of Shanghai’s evolution with a great collection of old photos and exhibits.  But, the highlight is the massive scale model that spans an entire floor.  It shows how Shanghai will look in 2020, the biggest of its kind in the world!  The model features exact replicas of Shanghai’s buildings and neighbourhoods (check out the photo!).  Another floor features a 360-degree movie screen where one can enjoy a virtual ‘flight’ over the city’s main sights.  You can sail on the Huangpu River, drive along Century Avenue in Pudong, or fly high in the sky to enjoy a bird’s eye view of the city.  Most enjoyable!  Your experience continues right through to the exit of the museum – As you head for the building’s exit, you must pass through ‘historical Shanghai’, an area of restaurants and retail outlets created in the style of 1930’s Shanghai before arriving at the subway.  A very creative way to purchase your souvenirs.  I’m very glad I finally found time to visit the Urban Planning Museum.

For breakfast on Saturday, I sought out a restaurant by the name of Bohemia.  Highly recommended, I found it quite easily on the internet, but it took a lot of time and savvy to actually find it in person!  I have to say that I enjoyed my best breakfast since arriving in China 3 ½ years ago!  The scrambled eggs were creamy and full of flavour, and the bacon was thick, lean and crispy, not greasy.  Sauteed herbed mushrooms, broiled tomatoes and toasted country-style bread completed the meal – yummy! 

Bohemia is located just off Taikang Lu.  The Taikang Lu area is a group of old alley ways and original buildings that have been cleaned up and recently opened to the public.  How to get there:  Take Metro Line 1 to Shaanxi Rd. Station.  Exit onto Huai Hai Rd. and head east for one and a half blocks to Ruijin Rd.  Take a right on Ruijin Rd, and then head south to Taikang Rd (about 15 minutes).   Enter Lane 248 or 210 and you will find yourself in a veritable maze of old alleyways and courtyards featuring locally-owned boutiques, cafes and art galleries.  You can spend hours there.  I promise you won’t be disappointed!   

On several trips I have attempted to find the Old China Hand Reading Room, without success.  But this time, I got lucky.  Someone showed me roughly where I could find 27 Shao Xing Road – It doesn’t appear on any of the maps I have.  Luckily for me, it’s just minutes from Bohemia on Taikang Lu!  Located in the old French Concession area, it is a charming coffee/teahouse, resembling an old library, with hundreds of old and new, Chinese and Western, obscure and popular books and magazines on its shelves.  Customers get to relax in Qing Dynasty armchairs in front of antique tables by the windows, while browsing and sipping coffee or tea in a quiet cozy environment.  A food menu is also available.  Most important however is the relaxing and quiet atmosphere of this place.  It’s easy for one to forget you are in Shanghai!  

Now, whenever I visit Shanghai, I no longer have to go running for the train station when I’ve had enough of the frenetic pace.  I have two new areas to visit in the French Concession whenever I feel the need to ‘chill out’: Taikang Lu and Shao Xing Lu in Shanghai’s French Concession!  Check out my photos – there’s a PHOTO link to the right of your screen.

China’s Lantern Festival falls on the 15th day of the 1st lunar month which means Thursday, February 21, 2008 marked this year’s celebration of China’s Lantern Festival. 

This day’s important activity is watching lanterns (of course!).  Lanterns of various shapes and sizes are hung in the streets, attracting countless visitors. Children will hold self-made or bought lanterns to stroll with on the streets.  Performances such as a dragon lantern dance, a lion dance, a land boat dance, a yangge dance, walking on stilts and beating drums while dancing will also be part of the festivities.  And the festivities will conclude with magnificent fireworks to round off the evening.

China has special foods for every holiday.  For this event, people will eat yuanxiao, or rice dumplings, on this day, so it is also called the “Yuanxiao Festival.”  Yuanxiao also has another name, tangyuan.  These are small dumplings made of glutinous rice flour with rose petals, sesame, bean paste, jujube paste, walnut meat, dried fruit, sugar and edible oil as filling.  It’s really quite sweet and unfortunately not to my liking.  

Lucky for me, however, one of Hangzhou’s festival sites was set very close to my university campus!  Hangzhou recently completed a clean-up of one of the old neighbourhoods positioned alongside a cleaned-up branch of the Hangzhou-Beijing Grand Canal in the north part of the city.  What better time to introduce Xiaohe Street’s new facelift, than during this year’s Lantern Festival!

Xiaohe Street ancient 2-storey buildings have been completely refurbished and now accomodate small shops and eateries (very similar to Hefang Jie). The canal itself is no longer quite so dirty, with stagnant, putrid water and garbage everywhere.  I won’t say that it’s clean (this IS China, after all), but it has definitely improved.  (Check out the link to my PHOTOS).

Today, vendors were selling wine, cotton, preserved foods and an unlimited variety of jade jewellery.  I even saw some folk artists doing intricate Chinese paper cut-outs, knitting, calligraphy and singing Chinese opera!  In fact, I was asked to join the accompanying musicians so the local newspaper photographer could take our photo!  

You guessed right, there aren’t many foreigners in this part of Hangzhou.  As I wandered through the alleyways, people stopped to stare, or hesitantly approached and said “Ni Hao” or “Hello”.  I try my best to encourage local people to talk with me, but my success is usually limited to young children and old men – go figure! 

At the end of the day, I found Xiaohe Street very charming and a welcome addition to my community.  As I write this entry, fireworks are exploding all over China – a bomb could go off right now, and no one would ever know!  Happy Lantern Festival everyone!  This festival also signals the end of the Chinese New Year celebrations.  That’s bad news for me because it means we’re back to classes on Monday!