Month: June 2016

Part 4, Chengdu, Pandas, and Lhasa

Friday was a rare luxury of a late wake up call, one whole hour extra!  This was followed by an equally rare opportunity to explore a morning market on our own.

All the familiar market goings on were there as the city slowly woke up.  Things to eat, cook, drink, sweets, grow, store, fix, clean, save, entertain, wear, and more left us in awe.  Huge trays of steaming buns stacked ten trays high was our favorite scene.  Counterfeit and pirated goods made us growl.

Once we returned to the hotel, we joined our group and went to another market.  This one was a fancy wholesale seafood market.  Rich with oddities and unusual odors.

Then came the jade factory.  Followed by an early lunch at the airport for our flight to Chengdu and the fabled pandas.

Our flight was delayed “due to mechanical troubles.”  In reality, the plane had not been fueled.  The flight was happily uneventful, except for the layers of foggy, smokey skies that hung heavily over the rows of mountains, some with snow.

We arrive, board our small bus and travel through the center of Chengdu, city of nine million people living in seemingly endless blocks of high rise apartments.

Onward to the Panda Breeding Center.  Traffic is unbelievable, the heaviest we have seen to date.  Many more throngs of bicycles, countless more than we saw in Beijing.  Topping it off, the worse eye burning pollution anywhere to date.

At last we inch our way out of the city, then the outskirts of town to the research center.  A tall forest of arching bamboo lead to the adult panda exhibit.

 

Lucky us, it is feeding time.  The caretakers coax the chubby females out of their shelters with fresh young bamboo and apples, every pandas favorite!  They plop themselves in front of us, most with an apple in one paw and bamboo in the other.  It was delightful to watch, they seemed so content and at peace with their world.  We could have camped out right there and watched all day.

More good news for us.  There are two 3 month old balls of fuzzy white and black fur back in the shelters waiting for our ogling.  Cute little paws, claws and toes twitching and stretching.  Eyes still closed, tiny ears and ever so cute snouts, housed in climate controlled shelters they share with their moms.  We were only allowed 15 minutes and we tore ourselves away.  It was time to leave.

Tonight a fancy dinner with a welcomed variety of spicy dishes typical of the Sichuan Region.  Our favorites were the sweet hot eggplant and the firery steamed fish.

An early return to our room was driven by luggage limitations for our Tibet flight tomorrow.  One carry on per person for the three days in Llasa.  We would retrieve our remaining luggage on the return trip.

Saturday, Lhasa

Our 4:15 AM wake up call and 4:45 AM breakfast was painful as we have only now adjusted to the time change.  We clear the airport formalities without issue and soon our flight is called for boarding.

Seemingly from nowhere, hundreds of people jam the gate area, shuffling, jostling, edging, and crowding their way through the boarding door.  We laughed as it was another example of the local culture, a miniature of every bottleneck we’ve seen, whether by car, or bike, or human anytime movement is required.

It is a huge Airbus A340, the plane is nearly full.  We immediately notice the Tibetans, easy to spot their distinctive clothing and appearance.  Men with typical heavy fur jackets and women with georgous turquoise jewelry.  It was definately a “we are not in Kansas anymore” moment.

Soon the landscape outside changes, layer after layer of mountains, bleak, barren ridges, tiny villages, endless sand dunes, meager farms.  Upon our final approach a lovely river appears, its turquoise waters sparkling in the morning light.

Once we disembark we immediately sense the 12,000 foot altitude.  The air and sky are clear and crisp.  Our bus ride to Llasa is over 90 kilometers away and passes through beautiful, if desolate, countryside.  The poverty of the Titbetian farmers and villagers is obvious.  It is also obvious this is a very different place.

The harsh but beautiful landscape is one part desert, one part moon.  The rivers are sparkling clean yet very little vegetation seems willing to take on this brutal elevation.

Finally we arrive at the Llasa Hotel, proudly claiming to have been the former Holiday Inn Llasa.  We are rewarded with sunny rooms facing South.  After a nondescript lunch we rest a few hours to help adjust to the altitude fatigue.

In the late afternoon we are guests at a “home visit” to a local Tibetan family.  Introduced as a middle class family, their traditional compound consists of several large rooms, storerooms, utility spaces, and a central courtyard.

Our host is a shy spindly woman in traditional Tibetan dress.  She graciously served various snacks including dried toasted barley, puffed rice, dried yak cheese, green raisins, cookies and hard candies.

The highlight was the serving of yak butter tea.  The hot water heated from an amazing solar stove in the courtyard.  It had a rancid fatty taste quite indescribable and, to my pallet (Jim) beyond consumption.  We observed if anyone finished their tea, their cup was immediately refilled, as often as needed. I am not ashamed to admit I pretended to sip my tea and therefore pass when refills were offered.

It was actually an interesting visit but we were not confident this was a typical middle class family.   Her husband had worked for a government construction company and now appeared to enjoy the rewards for his patriotic years of service.

Our first dinner is quite unique.  Our restaurant is named The Crazy Yak.  We are the only guests in the restaurant.  The menu included Yak dumplings, Yak meatballs and thin Yak fillets.  Verdict?  It was quite tasty.

After dinner there was a talk with a history professor from the local University.  He spoke about Tibetan history from the 5th century.  He was Chinese living in Tibet for seven years.  He skillfully responded with the many Chinese/Tibetan questions from our group.

Next came an entertaining collection of Tibetan folk and opera dances.  It was a nice end to a very long day.

Coming next, Part 5: Potola Palace, Serra Monestary and Mandala Temple 

Part 3, Temple of Heaven, Xian

Wednesday.  After breakfast at the hotel, we drove to one of the hutongs to visit a family home.  It felt ackward, as though we were intruders, but our hosts were gracious humble people.

Their home was small and simple, built around a small courtyard.  Every inch was cramped and compact.  These folks were born here as were the generations before them.  The matriarch, 79, looked alert with a little twinkle in her eyes.  After a quick visit and a cup of tea, we were off again.

Next, the Temple of Heaven.  Four times the size of the Forbidden City but not nearly as grand.  The main temple, however, stands 36 meters (117 feet) tall and was built without a single nail.  It is a 100% wood structure.  It is magnificent as the sun shines on its round blue tiled roof.

 

An early lunch and an uneventful flight brings us to Xian.  There was just the right amount of chaos at arrivals to let you know you have entered the real China, still an emerging country.

The long ride from the airport to the city passed rich and vast agricultural fields reminescent of the California Central Valley or India’s sprawling fields in Rajasthan.   Soon we arrive in Xian, a massive city of 7 million.  It is dusty, smoggy and heavily congested.

Pollution billowing from smoke stacks in all directions smell worse than it looks. The traffic is beyond belief.  Cars, trucks, motorcycles, bikes and wheeled contraptions of all kinds jockey, fearlessly and skillfully, to make their way to their destinations.

We arrive at the city’s North Gates and stumble upon a reinactment of an old welcoming ceremony complete with pomp and costumes.  We scurry up the stairs as quickly as possible for the best view.  The evening is quickly approaching and the sky is brownish yellow in all directions.

Remarkably the city walls have survived in tact.  Guard towers, ancient warning bells and four main gates outline the old borders of the town.  Eventually during our visit we we will pass through four gates, each facing either North, South, East or West.  These are amazing structures that served important purposes.  Each gate was surrounded by a fortified wall with gates on either end.  If visitors were deem friendly, they would pass into the city through the second set of gates.  If determined to be a foe, they would summarily be slaughtered.  This practice was later adopted by the Western world and used for centuries.

We enjoy our first hot pot for dinner.  Everyone cooks their plate of meats, vegetables and other goodies in a community pot of broth, then seasons with spicy sauces to their taste.

We finally arrive at the Hyatt Hotel, home for the next two nights.  It is a wonderful oasis.

Thursday, The Terra Cotta Warriors.

 

Another early morning start.  Everyone is excited as we arrive at the Xian History Museum only to discover “new season hours” delay the opening time.  So we divert to the Wild Goose Budddist Temple, a 1400 year old giant brick pagoda that dominates the temple grounds.  The group listens to a history of the temple and shivers through an incense lighting ceremony before returning to the museum.

There is a grand and extensive display of the 23 centuries of history. The bronze pieces are especially impressive, gleaming in the lights.  The museum hosts an equally impressive gift shop.  We discover the best porcelain treasures to date, the very best pieces have a government seal and certificates of authenticity at very reasonable prices.  We buy a blue and white in excellent condition.  We are delighted.

After the museum, there is another stop at an old mansion complex now converted to a shopping mecca for visitors to the area.  We are tempted by so many beautiful things but discover the most gorgeous silk carpets.  We yield to temptation and purchase a small 2.5 ft. x 4 ft. silk carpet for our hallway.  We negotiated a 40% discount, a good price, but we were a bit shocked at how much we spent.  Newbies!

Note:  Good news, that carpet has graced our home for decades and looks as new as the first day.

A “pizza box” lunch on the bus takes is to the main event!  The complex where the terra cotta warriors were discovered in 1974 is huge.  Pit 1 is the largest and most impressive.  We had seen the many documentaries and read about the excavations but the sight of hundreds of 2000 year old statues, each crafted from a real soldier of the day is breathtaking.  These life sized guardians still silently standing guard for the Emperor of China is amazing.  Estimates are there are still hundreds more still waiting to be freed from their earthly shackles.

The biggest surprise is the individual images.  Some stern and gruff, others stowic, gentle or resigned.  It is overwhelming by the time we have completed touring Pit 4 where diggings have continued.  At the end of the visit we meet the actual farmer who discovered it all.

After a long day we dine on dumplings, a welcomed change, but realize much of the Chinese cuisine we have in SF is better than China (undoubtedly due to the local available ingredients and decades of Chinese cooking talents).

The show that followed dinner would be right at home as a 1936 musical spectacle worthy of Louis B. Meyer.  The drummers were our favorite.  That said, you could have stored meat in that theater, it was freezing.

Coming next, Part 4, Chengdu, Pandas

China and Tibet, Part 2

Monday, The Great Wall!

Rested and fed, we start our tour.  Before long we are free of the choking traffic and gliding along the main highway to Badaling with its extensively restored section of the Great Wall clinging to the mountain ridge.

It was built to protect Chinese Imperial Dynasties from attack by the Huns.  It is a remarkable feat of construction.  We have a cold, clear day to explore it.  The experience is greeted with awe and wonder.  We have always wanted to traverse the wall, and finally, here we are. (Along with hundreds, maybe thousands of Japanese students and other assorted visitors, all determined adventurers.)

We head East, up and up.  It is easy to imagine the Imperial armies marching 10 abreast up and down the walkways and stairs.  They must have been quite fit.  Perhaps this was the original stair master!

The surrounding countryside is just ho hum.  It is the wall itself that makes the experience worthwhile.  Our visit of a few hours flies by and it is time to move again.  Our next stop is the Ming Tombs.  Bad news, the United Nations General Secretary is here and the largest and best of the tombs is closed to the public for Security Reasons.

Alternatively, we visit another nearby “lesser” tomb built on top of a small mountain and deep into the hilltop.  The path is deep and dank and unsettling to John.  We make quick work of this stop and move on.  Disappointed, we are on the road again and now ahead of schedule.  We decide to stop for a walk along the “Avenue of the Statues”, 500 years old.  It is a charming stroll about 1 KM long with 32 huge stone statues of animals and courtiers to the Imperial throne silently standing in tribute to their soverign’s final journey to the tombs.

Now back to Beijing, passing countless highrise buildings, seemingly endless traffic and crowded streets.  And Dinner!  We begin to notice a pattern.  Many of the same dishes repeating themselves from meal to meal.  The food is actually quite good with just enough variance so far to keep it interesting.  But we are wanting more variety.  Different choices and less volume.

Tuesday, The Summer Palace and the Forbidden City

Another cold morning with a lingering fog greeted us.  The morning outing is to the Summer Palace and its 73 hectacres of grounds and lakes.  This is where the great Dowager Empress spent much of her 40 year rule.

It is an incredible palace with a covered walkway painted with hundreds of mythical scenes.  The marble boat isn’t a boat at all, but a fancy entertainment venue built on the lake’s shore.

Our planned boat ride back to our bus was cancelled due to “end of season schedule changes.”  Oh well, another opportunity to walk off some of the endless food…

After lunch and a fresh water pearl farm, we head to the Forbidden City.  We laugh when our route repeats our first day’s walk.  We hide our inner glow as we privately reflect on our independent adventure.

The Forbidden City is vast and awesome.  It is hard to imagine what life must have been like.  Seemingly endless privledge but I’ll bet there was little freedom. Nonetheless, you can count on life in the palace as far better than for those outside those massive walls.

Layer after layer, the courtyards and buildings become more spectacular, even though the contents are mostly missing.  First to the colonial powers from Europe, but ultimately to the Cultural Revolution and its quest to reject all Imperial power.

It is ironic now that theses symbols generate virtually all tourists interest in China.

I am mesmerized by the details carved in marble, etched in stone or molded into beauty.  Increasingly we find ourselves lingering behind the group.  We sense quiet grumblings.

Next we only drive around Tiananmen Square.  We were so glad we were able to casually explore the square on days before.

After dinner we attended a Chinese Opera.  The performance was a colorful and interesting display of voice, acrobatics, martial arts and costumes.  It seemed familiar and strange at the same time.  Though only a 40 minute performance, I thought I would cramp up and die from the painfully uncomfortable seats.  In the end we were glad when it was over.

Coming Soon, Part 3: Temple of Heaven and Xian

 

I had a wonderful surprise recently while rearranging a closet.  I stumbled upon several travel diaries.  I stopped long enough to read a few pages at random and realized it was like being there all over again.

I decided to transcribe these journals and share them with you in a series of postings.  Our first trip to China was in November 1990, over a quarter of a century ago.

Thanks to John, we were able to find some photos from that trip.  We will add to future posts in the series.

I would love to have some feedback if you like, don’t like or share other comments.

J&J

 

CHINA & TIBET, November 1990, Part 1

Sunday, Arrived last night.

Our first impression upon landing was a flashback to India. The foggy smoke filled air was heavy.  The tarmac seemed to have fewer lights than most Western airports.  This was more than compensated by the blast of vapor lights as we approached the arrivals gate.

The terminal was totally new.  Sleek, modern, vast.  Acres of marble.  We zipped through the arrival formalities and out the door to find our car and driver.  I must mention the luggage carts.  They were the smoothest in the world.  They practically floated.

Out the door, the air was crisp and cold.  Mercedes, BMWs, Town Cars, SUVs abound.  Are we in Beijing?  We spot our names and our driver.  Off we go!  As we get closer to the city center we realize how large and developed Beijing has become.  One part Las Vegas, one part New York, not what we expected.  We checked in to the Beijing Grand Hotel, a massive soviet style monolith popular with government officials and international visitors.  From our balcony we can see the expansive Tiananmen Square.  Exhausted and excited, we collapse.

NOTE: This was just one year after the massacre at Tiananmen Square.  Tourist travel was still in its infancy in China at this time.  There were very few ‘Western Style’ hotels at the time.  Each floor in the hotel had a little old man seated in each elevator lobby with the lights off.  When the elevator arrived with guests, he would jump up, ask to see the key and promptly turn the lights on until guests were safely in their rooms at which time, the lights were promptly turned off.  We were pretty sure the real reason he was posted there was to keep tabs on the ‘foreign’ visitors.

Monday.

We awoke at 4:30 AM still excited.  We could not wait to start our exploration.  We were joining a tour in the evening and were looking forward to a day on our own.

Breakfast was an interesting event.  The massive room was elaborately decorated with gold and crystal clearly designed to impress.  The most unique feature was a grand piano perched above the buffet counters.  There, dressed in a formal gown, a fur vest and draped in sparkling bobbles, was the pianist hammering out classical music at 7 AM.  Surreal.

After breakfast we decided to just walk and be spontaneous.  We headed for the entrance to the Forbidden City at the Tiananmen Gate.  It was a cold and clear morning.  The rain overnight cleared the smoke and pollution from the air.  Everything seemed clean and fresh.

There was Mao, overlooking the center of Beijing.  The morning sun cast a wonderful glow against the deep rich red paint of the imperial gate.

Good morning Beijing!  Good morning Mao!  Good morning China!

We decided to skirt the massive square knowing we would have a detailed look later with our group.  Passing the massive government buildings, we realized this was the geographic center of the capital.  It was the dividing line between East, West, North and South.

The huge Congress Building looked quite nice in the morning sun.  Most of the buildings look nice from a distance but appear utilitarian upon closer scrutiny. We decided to make our way counter clockwise around the perimeter of the square.  On the Southwest corner we stumbled upon a commercial area slowly coming to life.  Street cleaning, commuters peddling on what appeared to be thousands of bicycles, shops opening one by one.  Surprisingly few cars.

We happened upon a supermarket.  We charge in to discover odd items at unseemly counters.  On closer look, this could be any Western style market anywhere, except for the scores of attendants waiting to serve customers.  Imagine that?!

Out the back entrance, we wander into a traditional ‘local market’ with narrow alleys and stalls familiar from all over the world. Wandering and absorbing, we slowly make our way back to our starting point.  Time for tea and coffee back at our hotel and a chance to warm up.

Soon we are off again…  This time through the streets East of the Forbidden City.  Little narrow walkways that branch off alleys and narrow roads.  We let our curiosity lead us.  The local folks hardly seem to notice us as they go about their morning routines.  Fixing a bike here.  Delivering goods there.  What seems to be constant and daily cleaning.  Racking of leaves, sweeping the walks, scrubbing the stoops.  It all seems remarkably clean.  No trash!  No cigarette butts.  No graffiti.  Nothing!  13 million people all seeming to clean everything constantly.

Soon we are hungry.  We walked for hours to feed our senses, now it’s time to feed our stomachs.  We suddenly stumble on a small restaurant full of patrons.  We peek trough the windows to view plates of steaming goodies.  We go in.  No one speaks English and there is no English menu.  So we wander through the restaurant and point to dishes on other tables.  Patrons smile, others laugh.  We are rewarded with a superb meal of chicken with red chilies and roasted peanuts and spinach with garlic sauce.  Two bottles of beer.  All for less than $4.

Rejuvenated, we head for our afternoon destination, a traditional hutong (old neighborhood).

It was worth the walk.  We discover a charming street lined with centuries old mansions surrounded by traditional walls.  Buildings clustered around a series of courtyards and gated entries.  Large stone thresholds and elaborate tiled roofs.

The trees are quickly shedding their leaves in the chilly November winds.  Four old temple gates survive in tact, casually dividing this once privileged neighborhood.

Still today, perhaps with a little tarnish, this is both a special neighborhood and widely typical style of homes.

Tired, we decide to try the subway back to the hotel.  Two Yuan each and off we go.  Crowded but efficient we make it back to the hotel in 20 minutes.

We rest a bit and meet our group in the lobby of the hotel.  We spot the same fatigue we experienced only 24 hours earlier.  After a boring orientation, we wander into one of the restaurants for a bowl of soup before ending the day.

We feel special to have stolen an extra day on our own.  It seems we have a private anchor the others have not yet enjoyed.  We decide we like Beijing.  We feel surprised and slightly enlightened.  It is a big brawny city, alive with energy and life.  You can feel it growing, prospering, evolving.

Tomorrow, The Great Wall!