China
Our China Trip-Janet’s journal
March 9-21, 2002 Tokyo, Beijing,Nanjing,Wuxi,Suzhou,Hangzhou, Zhouzhuang,Shanghai,Tokyo
March 10. I got off the plane in Tokyo feeling surprisingly refreshed. I guess that is the executive class difference. (We were upgraded as the flight was oversold).
The scenery over Alaska was spectacular-mountains and frozen oceans broken by open water. Flying into Tokyo the visibility was excellent. The ground looked much like England-split by forest and small villages. The urban sprawl of Tokyo was not as evident or as large as we expected. The airport wasn’t as crowded as expected but the immigration lineup was SLOW-50 minutes. It was a pleasant change to get outside after so many hours in a plane. The weather was an unexpected bonus-sunny and 18 degrees C. Much better than the -28 we left in Edmonton.
They drive on the left here and it makes me think of Victoria with the holly hedges and Bermuda-narrow roads on the way to the hotel. The shuttle took a very short time to get us to the Nikko Narita Hotel. The hotel was a disappointment. Someone had told me it was lovely, but at best it was a 4* by European standards, probably more like a 3*. But the beds were comfortable. The toilet and shower were European in style and kind of grungy.
As the airport is about an hour from Tokyo, the group took a free shuttle into the town of Narita to kill some time and avoid going to bed too early. It was cool and windy, with many tiny shops selling every kind of ware. It is old, compact and walkable. We had a beer, Asahi, with an interesting twist-a pull-off top. Quite refreshing. The Japanese meal was an experience. We had to remove our shoes at the door and carry them in plastic bags. A good idea but rather wasteful unless they were re-using the bags, which did not appear to be the case. The table itself was at floor level, with room for our legs cut out below. The menu had coloured photos with prices (very inexpensive), and our group needed two tables and much interpreting.
Getting back to the hotel was our second lesson in Japanese punctuality-the shuttle left right on the minute! We were awake for around an hour at 130am, but otherwise slept well.
Mar 11 Breakfast was a terrific buffet with a full selection. Well organized and tasty. We wandered out to check out the garden and get some fresh air. Very refreshing. Checkin for the flight was available right at the hotel. What a luxury and a time saver! Narita Airport is the one of the busiest in the world. Clean, modern and very well laid out, but the lineups for security circled the entire area. Despite the lineup, we were processed in 15 minutes and into the waiting lounge. I have never seen such a selection of duty-free stores!
The flight was only 3 hours and 10 minutes- a mere moment compared to the trans-Pacific flight! We were amazed at how fast JAL can load and unload a 747! It was a clear and sunny day and I had a window seat, so we were able to follow the landscape most of the way. Japan has more golf courses than you can imagine! Every square inch of non-treed land is developed. It was like looking at a satellite image while flying over it. Japan is a very mountainous country. We followed the coast for a while. Lots of sand beach, greenery and peninsulas. We had a beautiful view of Mt. Fuji-snowcapped and majestic.
We flew over the ocean for about an hour before seeing South Korea below, with similar scenery to Japan. Last thought on Japan: they are not all the same! Although in general it is a very homogeneous society, each person looks as different from the next as we do, but there are no natural deviations from black hair and sloped eyes.
Flying over China was breathtaking. Very flat, like our prairies, but with very long and narrow fields or square ones under water. No unused land. Obvious communities were visible, with some industry. The villages looked like something from a science fiction movie-long rows of apartment complexes or low brick longhouses, all very low and laid out in groupings with a central courtyard.
The city looked enormous and we could see the mountains not far away.
Once again JAL had us out of the aircraft in record time. The airport in Beijing is large, airy and efficient. No smiles but we were through customs and immigration very quickly. We were met by our local guide Michael, and 2 other local employees who shepherded us throughout the day. Traffic in Beijing is one big game of CHICKEN. It appears to be totally without priorities/right of way except the lights. Turning signals aren’t used but the traffic police are everywhere waiting to ticket the smallest infraction.
We had a brief city tour/info session on the way to the Temple of Heaven. Population of Beijing is 8 or 9 million with 2 million cars and 700 000 bikes.
The Temple of Heaven is an oasis of calm in the middle of the city. Very old pagodas set in open grounds containing a mixture of concrete walkways, trees and grass. The old buildings looked like you would expect-ornate and shaped like those in photos and “china town” areas of North America.
Dinner was served in a restaurant upstairs. This is typical-all of the restaurants are either on the second floor or downstairs, but none on the ground floor. As a bonus, this one sold running shoes and had a few vendors in the entrance. An odd combination!
March 12 First stop Tiananmen Square. It is nothing, yet everything. The sense of importance lurks in the air. It is an open concrete square plaza, 0.5 x 0.8 km sq, surrounded by grand buildings like the tomb of Mao Zedung. The red flags atop every pole and building snapped smartly in the breeze while officious looking uniformed soldiers marched by in pairs. After half an hour and a group photo we proceeded to the Forbidden City. (Former home of the emperors). The group photo was our first glimpse of Chinese efficiency and free enterprise mixed together. Our photo was taken, and arrangements made for delivery to our hotel that evening. (It was there on our return).
The Forbidden City is impressive in size and design, but we stood around way too long listening while Michael gave us detailed history of each building and its use. The buildings are empty so you have to be enthralled by the mosaic patterns along the eaves, the shape of the roofs, and the history. Each corner has little animal carvings on it, the number of which indicate the importance of the building and/or the person who used it. Nine is the best, the imperial number, and odd numbers are preferred. The 2 hours in the Forbidden City passed slowly, although it was interesting.
The vendors in the bus loading zone were obnoxious and a real turnoff, but were an indication of what was to come. The Giant Pandas at the Beijing Zoo were smaller than we expected, but cute. They are about the size of our black bears. The indoor cages seemed small and concrete, but their outdoor enclosure was large and natural. We watched one guy lounging comfortably against the wall while chowing down on bamboo. They look cute and cuddly, but you wouldn’t want to get in the way of those jaws!
A visit to a Chinese hospital was informative. We were lectured by a doctor on natural medicine and the human body, as well as acupuncture. A few guinea pigs volunteered for the acupuncture, then most of us were examined by the doctors on staff. This consisted of showing your tongue to the doctor while he took your pulse and asked a few questions about your age and general health. The diagnosis coincided with a suggestion (and prescription) for several combinations of herbs and natural vitamins which would restore your kidney and liver function. (Problems with these 2 organs seem to be the root of all of the body’s troubles). It was interesting and the proceeds from the sale of the herbs went to the upkeep of the hospital.
We went to a pearl factory and learned about freshwater pearls. The jewelry was lovely but the staff so aggressive that you were driven away. We experienced a typical traffic jam on our way to the hotel before another delicious dinner. Again, Chinese efficiency was in evidence-in and out for dinner in 45 minutes in order to experience an acrobatic show which was incredible! It defies description to see how these people can contort themselves and pile one on top of the other while mounted on a bike, or another person. The show was breathtaking and enthralling.
Observations of the day:
The roads are newly paved and sidewalks are spotless. Of course there are thousands of street sweepers (human) but we did not witness any littering.
The Chinese are efficient! Cellphones are everywhere, non domestic animals are in evidence and traffic is unbelievable but flows smoothly for the most part. Note about pets-in order to keep a dog, citizens must pay a fee each year of 3000 yuan (approx 500$). No fee for cats.
March 13 Bright and early departure for another full day! First stop: The Ming Tombs. This is a huge area at the base of the mountains to the northwest of the city where 11 of the Ming Emperors are buried. The first is in Nanjing, the second is lost, and the rest here. Here were more typical Chinese buildings, but the first one had a HUGE bronze emperor sitting inside it, with Chinese treasures in glass cases along the walls. Here we saw one of the results of the communist desire to make sure everyone works. There was a girl polishing the glass on the display cases. An absolute waste of time since there were ropes around them 4 feet away to prevent you from getting any nearer, The glass would never get smudged!
Behind the next building was the actual burial ground-sandy soil with pine trees on it. No one knows exactly where the body is located in the hill, as all of the workers involved in his burial were killed to keep the secret. This way the treasures can never be stolen. (The Chinese did not subscribe to the theory that “you cannot take it with you” and were buried with great quantities of their wealth.)
Here was our first experience with a “star-rated” toilet system. The sign outside the WC actually said in English “4* toilet” with 4 stars displayed under it. We did not necessarily agree with the 4* rating, but there were both bowls and holes, toilet paper, and running water for your hands.
A stroll along the original entrance path to the tombs was refreshing. The 2 km path has 24 stone sculptures of humans and animals to guard the way. They are 500 years old and mostly intact-just lovely!
More gaggles of geese hawking their wares tempted the brave who enjoyed negotiating for souvenirs.
Finally, the Great Wall of China. Even from the parking lot it was incredible. It took 25 minutes to arrive at the summit at Badaling Pass. The stairs are of uneven height-some normal, others knee-high. The scenery is breathtaking, but not the climb. Devoid of human activity (and animal), sandy soil and scrub brush. Rather inhospitable. The amount of labour and effort required to build this wall is mind-boggling. The section we were on (the whole thing is some 5000km long) ran along a ridge-a steep drop on either side awaited those who slipped. The view was incredible and you could see the wall continuing in most directions. The descent was more perilous-particularly the top part. I have skied slopes as steep as that! Typically, the parking lot was lined with stalls full of aggressive vendors shouting to get your attention to buy their souvenirs.
A well earned lunch followed, upstairs from the Friendship Store-a new one-with quality items for sale. These are a government run enterprise with a gazillion staff members. We watched the production and painting of cloisoné vases-copper wire glued to copper items, painted and glazed. The store was full of a combination of lovely quality wares and what looked like junk you could buy in Chinatown in Vancouver.
Traffic wasn’t bad on the return, so we had time to do a site inspection of the 5* International Hotel. Nice lobby, but dark, but the rooms and hallways were dingy, the carpet was filthy and the general concensus was that our 4* Howard Johnson was a nicer hotel. Of course travel agents will (and do) complain about everything, but this criticism was well deserved. We finally had a free hour in which to relax at the hotel before our Peking Duck dinner. I felt very safe and comfortable walking along the main streets downtown-just like Toronto. Dinner was delicious. We are learning to eat less at each sitting as we are overfed. We are not used to eating full several-course meals at noon and evening. All but 3 struggled to stay awake long enough to return to the hotel.
Lesson of the day-always carry your toilet paper with you, as it does you no good in your backpack on the bus!
March 14 Up before sunrise to prepare for departure. The smog is unbelievable! The airport experience was painless with short lineups. The Shanghai Airlines 737 pulled away right on the dot at 0850.
Another day in Beijing would be nice. Time to relax and explore on foot a bit around the hotel, experiencing the feel of the city. The phone booths here look like 2 halves of an orange upside down at a 45 degree angle.
Nanjing means south capital (Beijing is north capital). It is a different city from Beijing. The streets are dirtier but just as wide. It is smaller so less congested, but with the same mixture of cars, buses and bikes sharing the road. Sidewalks have been rebuilt with tiles like in many North American cities, but are lined with long low brick buildings or high rises under construction. Everywhere they are tearing down the old to replace with skyscrapers.
First stop was the Mausoleum of Dr Sun Yat Sen. It is a real oasis park with his tomb up 400 stairs. Next we went to the National Museum and saw gold and jade treasures of incredible beauty. This was followed by the requisite shopping stop in the main floor of the building. ( I guess they figure you are a captive audience so they have stores in all of the main tourist attractions). A visit to the tomb of the first Ming Emperor was unremarkable except for the appalling condition of the toilet facilities. This was truly the lowest of the low! I have been in more appealing outhouses-in fact using the bushes behind the building looked like a better alternative. I gagged violently the whole time I was in there.
Lunch and dinner were the same selection of local specialties which no-one liked. Eel, salt duck, whole white fish and of course rice. Some of the group are down to eating only the rice.
An afternoon visit to a teapot factory was interesting. The pots are made of some kind of mineral, like ore. Not clay. They come in all sizes and shapes and are strong enough to support the weight of a man standing on them. But they do break if dropped!
The “natural” areas of Nanjing are really oases in the middle of the city. We got stuck in a major traffic jam crossing the first bridge over the Yangtze River, which was completed despite the Russians pulling out partway through construction. It is a 2 story bridge. The traffic was just unbelievable. Things stalled for so long that we witnessed 2 separate people having to get out of their cars to piddle at the side of the road! Under the on-ramp we saw the worst poverty we saw in China. Brick longhouses with tarps for roofs in spots, no water, garbage everywhere and just general filth. The Chinese have definitely perfected entrepreneurial behaviour-a woman on the street was trying to sell us vegetables through the closed window of the bus. You have to admire their tenacity! She was remarkable for her style, too. She was the first person I saw with the traditional wooden yoke over her shoulders to balance baskets of goods hanging from both ends.
Mar 15 Today we traveled to Wuxi. A “small” city-just 1 million people. The trip was fascinating. Just outside the city we passed “the suburbs”. New 2 and 3 story buildings along with the usual low brick longhouses. Long narrow fields are cultivated by hand. We saw rice, vegetables, and pearl farms-pieces of styrofoam floats marking the lines of shells. It was really interesting countryside. Every ¼ mile or so there was someone working by hand in a field.
We visited 2 separate gardens and a pearl factory at Lake Tai. This pearl factory was much nicer and more relaxing than the previous, and it will be kept on the itinerary. The gardens were oases again, with lots of local rocks used in the displays. The second, at Lake Tai, was huge and very restful.
We have been rating the toilet facilities along the way from 1-5 *. This one was unusual-a trough but with water flowing through it to keep it clean-unlike the previous trough!!
En route to Suzhou we couldn’t take the highway as it was under construction. The detour was more interesting anyway. It was packed with the usual assortment of vehicles and bikes. All along the roadside were industrial and commercial enterprises and joint venture factories (thoroughly modern in appearance and signage) beside concrete stalls selling every type of machine part imaginable.
Suzhou is bustling and busy (about 2 million). Quite modern and grimy. Food is becoming a real issue. People are tired of the repetition and quantity of Chinese food and a re clamouring for a western meal. A few have virtually stopped eating and are buying junk food and snacks at every stop.
In the evening, several went for a foot and/or body massage and report feeling quite rejuvenated.
Mar 16 The Humble Administrator’s Garden was spectacular. Potted azaleas sprinkled around the rocks, pagodas, cherry blossoms, water, stone bridges, bonsai displays, etc, etc. It was beautiful and relaxing. Another oasis. It was Saturday, so it filled up early and by 930 it was packed and quite loud. Crossing the road back to the parking lot was taking your life in your hands. There are lots of very old buildings here. Miles of canals and 360 bridges! This was a real transportation hub with all of the waterways.
Hanshan Temple had a lovely pagoda and is still a center of worship. Lots of burning incense there!
The silk factory was fascinating. From the cocoon to the finished product, we were shown every step of production. They demonstrated the stretching of the dried raw silk into quilt linings. We had a fashion show and an opportunity to shop (of course).
Lunch was a western buffet, courtesy of the local tour company. It was delicious and a welcome change. I tried to eat lightly as I wasn’t sure how my insides would react after 9 days of only Chinese food. I especially enjoyed the fresh vegetables and potato salad! But I still felt full and heavy afterward. On our way out of Suzhou we stopped at a bank, (Saturday), as some of the shoppers were running low on cash. Apparently our bank cards DON’T work everywhere.
The long ride to Hangzhou was hair-raising and spectacular. Wild traffic on the highway but the scenery changed from hand-tilled farms to 2 story villas to factories and apartment buildings. Hangzhou is a fairly prosperous city in a very wealthy region. The southern part of China has abundant water and is capable of producing all of the crops needed to feed the country. It is a busy but not jammed city, very modern but of course has its share of bicycles, carts, etc.
We met my friend Ron (a Canadian who is teaching English in China). Together with him and one of the other teachers, a girl from Mongolia named Hong Li, we went out for a bite, a few beers in honour of St Patrick’s Day, and a visit to the night market. Hong Li did the bargaining and we made out like bandits! We talked a bit of business (I am organizing airfare for a group of Canadian teachers this summer), but mostly Ron talked about his school, their village and their travels in China. The market was quite an experience. It reminded me of the crowd in a pub night at university. Just jammed. Hiding your valuables inside your coat isn’t just prudent-it is a necessity.
March 17 Breakfast at the Intercontinental Hotel was a treat for the western folks. A disgustingly large selection of breakfast foods of all types, including made-to-order omelettes, and all of the high cholesterol and greasy foods so many of the members of the group were craving.
Sightseeing included a garden and a pavilion at West Lake. It is a huge lake surrounded by hills, gardens and tourists. At a local tea plantation we saw fields of tea plants and had an explanation of the process from Dr. Tea. His family has had the tea plantation for a few generations and he explained the hand drying process, how to prepare tea to drink, and the different qualities available. Of course we took the opportunity to buy some samples. I found this to be one of the more interesting stops. After lunch we strolled along the Su Causeway (2km) along a portion of the lake. Humans are the same all over the world-young teenage boys poking fun at each other, young couples with babies etc, all out to enjoy a Sunday afternoon at the park. We took a 30 min boat cruise on the lake so we could see the scenery, gardens and city from West Lake. The bus broke down on the way back to the hotel, so we were delivered and set free for 2.5 hours. Finally, time to relax.
After dinner we descended like locusts on a CD/DVD store where copies sell for 2-5 $ each. I got Lord of the Rings 2 which isn’t even out yet!
March 18 Another day of bus travel. About 3.5 hours to Zhouzhuang (a mini Venice) through lovely rural scenery. The farmers are obviously prosperous, as they live in recently constructed 3 and 4 story villas , often with cupolas on top. After lunch we took smaller buses to walk along the canal to the boat loading area for the canal cruise. It was like a gondola ride with 8 people poled along by a gondolier who would serenade you for 10 yuan (about 2 $). It was a fascinating 20 min along the canal. Homes and businesses lined the sides, with the odd person doing their laundry in the water. After shopping, we returned to the bus via rickshaw. It was comfortable but at the same time it felt wrong to have another human pull you along.
The suburbs of Shanghai are WAY modern looking and prosperous. Single family dwellings with driveways in neighbourhoods and gated communities look very western.
We are definitely the monkeys in the zoo being stared at by the Chinese. We look funny and travel in a group! We have become inured to the toilets. The lowest of the low was at the Ming Tomb in Nanjing, and nothing has been as bad since. Today even the staunchest anti-squatter had to give in to her diarrhea over a trough.
This is a land of contrast. The very modern and the ancient ways coexist. There is no rural garbage disposal system so it is strewn along roadsides or in patches at the edges of fields. All commercial trucks are bright blue. Traffic is a nightmare. He with the biggest brass balls wins the staring contest and goes first. There is no courtesy on the roads, no road rage, but no obvious rules, either. There are even crosswalks across the highways, where you challenge the oncoming vehicles with your fitness. We just passed a traffic jam resulting from an accident which included a dead body in the middle of the road. Sad, but the surprise is that we haven’t seen more of that.
Personal safety is not an issue here. Helmets are not worn on bikes, mopeds or motorbikes, and passengers ride in front of or behind the “driver”, including children standing between the legs of the adult. We saw welders without facemasks, and construction workers without hardhats, glasses, gloves, and probably footwear. We even saw one fellow sawing boards at a construction site while dressed in a jacket and tie!!
These suburbs look more like Europe. One reason we think the buildings are grimy and rundown (they are) is because none of the buildings is painted. Some are tiled and a few of the new apartment buildings and villas are stuccoed white or pink, but the majority are dirty and grey, leading to an appearance of poverty.
March 19 Shanghai is huge and amazingly modern. Skyscrapers as far as you can see, and multi-level expressways (outlined in purple neon at night), and lots of cars. Very “modern European” in many respects, with fewer bikes than other Chinese cities. You cannot imagine the size of the city, and it is very cosmopolitan We shopped until we dropped at the Shanghai free market after a brief visit to the Yu Yuan Garden at the center of the city. The market was a bargainer’s paradise with an unbelievable selection of goods and junk. In the afternoon we toured the Grand Hyatt hotel. Seldom have I been so embarrassed by a group of travel agents. We looked like (and were treated like) a bunch of bums trying to crash a high-class party. Shanghai, like all of the cities, is full of the well-dressed. This 5* hotel had guards in the lobby who took one look at our grungy bunch and hustled us off to a waiting room where we wouldn’t sully their lobby while we waited for our tour. Blue jeans are simply not appropriate in China and some in our group failed to care. The hotel lobby is on the 56th floor, with the nightclub (appropriately named Cloud 9) on the 87th floor. It was a beautiful facility. The view was incredible. As far as you could see, skyscrapers extended in all directions. We were actually higher than the pearl on the famous tower in Shanghai.
The Bund is the financial district. Lit up at night it is an impressive sight. The old and the new buildings fit together very well, and all of them are outlined with light against the sky. Our evening stroll along the river was a very memorable end to our time in China.
March 20 The Shanghai airport is large but relaxing. Rather efficient, although the group checkin seemed slow. The flight to Tokyo was uneventful and we were checked into our hotel in time to relax and wind down.
March 21 Our Tokyo tour guide was Tomi. His English was decipherable if you paid attention, but apparently he was a pinch hitter for the job, as the 21st of March is a national holiday (first day of spring) and no-one else was available. Due to the holiday there was little traffic. We passed Disney Tokyo and Disney sea (?) as well as a bankrupt indoor ski hill on the way into Tokyo. After a visit to the Sensoji Temple and the market at Asakusa, we stopped at the Imperial Palace to view the entrance, and the homeless in the park across the street- ( a little bit of Japanese irony-the homeless across the street from the richest man in the country). The skyscrapers surrounding the Palace have height restrictions on them so that no-one can see into the Emperor’s life. Other stops included the waterfront at 2 places, the Venusfort Mall (interesting multi-level with a huge car dealership inside), and the Ginza area. Unfortunately, one of the highlights of the day was a lunch break at McDonald’s. Enough Chinese food already! It tasted REALLY good..
This is cherry blossom season so Tomi taught us a well-known song about the blossoms called SAKURA. When his very informative commentary about the cost of living in Tokyo and the outskirts wound down, he tried to engage us in Japanese karaoke. Minimal interest and participation shut that down in a hurry. (apparently the Japanese are huge fans of karaoke) .
We checked in to Narita airport with no hassle or wait and proceeded to our departure gate. Duty-free cold beer quenched the thirst generated by the windstorm in Tokyo. A very rough take-off preceded a smooth flight. An interesting note-immigration in Canada was painfully slow- and we were the first 747 to arrive that morning! A 2 hour connection with Westjet would be way too stressful. I am not sure yet if those folks made or missed their flight. Three hours would be more comfortable.
China is a fascinating country. A land of contrasts to which I hope to return.