China Tripping

Ch 39: Of People, Places, and The Future

2006-08-18T07:13:00.000-07:00

I writing this entry today with China and Japan behind us. It's been of the greatest experiences of my life for a number of reasons.

#3. The People and Places. There's no view like the one from the ground. We got to see beyond the news, books, and internet postings- to travel China on foot/train from the ground. We found that many misundertandings of China to be truely that- simple misunderstandings. I hope more people can travel to China (and they have been) with an open mind for learning and having a good time. What they will find is that the people here are not different from people anywhere else- they want to live a good life, enjoy good company, and are very open to learning from others. But it is best to come here with an open mind as people always see what they want to see (this can be said in my home of the US as well or any other country). Come here with wanderlust in your heart and you will be richly rewarded.

#2. The Future. Looks very promising for China and the rest of the world. I think it's a misconception that China is going to take over this market or that industry. That viewpoint of world economics implies a very "end game" and implies a set number of resources and players. I see china adding massively to the collective engine of world economic growth and not simply taking manufacturing from Mexico or IT Servicing from Canada/USA. With our negative savings rates in the US and the surplus of savings in China and countries like Japan it is very important to continue to integrate China into the global engine for the collective benefit of us all.

China has been described as a third world country by our Western standards. The term Third World was originally intended to denote countries that did not align with either the Western or Eastern powers during the cold war. Today it has been transformed into a term to describe developing countries. So it's a very recent term, one that denotes the conditions of the past few decades. China however is a very old civilization- one of the few surviving unconquored cultures. History is measured here by the millenium. It has neither a third world history or a third world people in that regard.

The communist economy experiment lasted for roughly 30-40 years. The Chinese have been capitalists for thousands of years before that and are so again today. It's in the culture as the business world has slowly learned over the past few years. It's a definite benefit to progress here. There's no need to teach a dog how to bark. (I always find it funny when I read publications on how China today is "learning" to be capitalists)

I have spent the last few weeks looking at the face of the fastest growing economy in the world, supported by 1 billion plus striving to get back toward being the "center" of it all. So where does this leave me? I think it's a question asked by many people these days. It will be asked by many more in the future.

Some say that China will be the Titan of the 21st Century. I grew up, was educated, and worked in America, the titan of the 20th century. American is a model for Chinese and world business. America learned it's ways from the previous titan of the 19th century, the U.K. I believe that sometimes to understand the future you must sometimes travel to the past. And that's where I'll be headed for the next year, Oxford University's Said Business School. In a years time I will hopefully have the answers to the question, "Where does this leave me?".

#1. Our Company. A Priceless Experience. I really cannot put a price tag on the greatest part of this trip for me- I was able to spend over a month travelling with my three younger brothers with not a care in the world but where the next meal was coming from and if we had a hostel to bunker down for the night. I've been away from home working in New York for a number of years. In Chicago attending university prior to that. In the mean time my younger brothers have grown into fine, respectible, young men. Each with their own unique talents (and quirks). A door in time was opened when we found that all of us were to be in school at the same time (at least on summer break). Walking through that door has been one of the best decisions of my life and I would not trade it for the world.

Ch 38: The Center of It All

2006-08-18T07:05:00.000-07:00

August 5-8

It's never occured to me how close Japan is to China. The flight from Shanghai to Tokyo took less then 3 hours. It's nice to know that two of my favorite cities are so close to each other. China is close to EVERYTHING however when you think about it. Your never more then a days trip away from anywhere in Europe/MiddleEast/Asia/Pacific Islands. I suppose the name "Middle Kingdom" has a reason for being. I always thought the "middle" part was a mistranslation. "Zhong" can mean middle. It can also mean "central" or center and I think this is the more appropriate translation.

In the Chinese tradition everything begins from the center and China is smack in the middle of that center. Many of the major cities and even the smaller, older ones follow this them. There is a city "center" from which the sections of the city grow out from with additional boundaries being made up of circular roads that progressively increase in size further away from the center. What a parculiar and organic way of thinking.

Ch 37: When You Absolutely, Positively Need to Get There FAST

2006-08-05T08:45:00.000-07:00

Aug 5

In travel you do a lot of estimation. Estimation on how much things should cost, estimations on how long this trip or that walk will take. Sometimes you are close and sometimes you are really wrong. On Aug 5 we were really long. Really wrong on when we should wake up (time) and really wrong on how far the Shanghai Pudong airport was from the Hostel (Distance). It was the perfect storm of being wrong and what a better time to have it then on our last day...

We rushed as soon as we understood the extent of our mistakes. I thought we had a very slim chance of making it out... until the Hostel hostess suggested going to the Maglev. Brilliant I thought! What is the Maglev you might be thinking? Only the fastest frickin train on the planet. Maglev rides on magnets and doesnt touch the rails one bit making for a frictionless ride. What luck, on the day we needed the fastest train on the planet we just happened to be in the only city on Earth that had it! A few minutes later we were launching our way to the airport travelling at 431 km/hr (237 mph).

So once again, luck saves the day... I just wish I could bottle this stuff up.

Ch 36: Future Now

2006-08-05T08:31:00.000-07:00

Aug 4

I feel very fortunate today. I was more then content with our meeting with Monte. On our very last day in Shanghai we were able to meet up with another China Entreprenuer/Innovator, Xin Chung. Xin (who is Hua Qiao like me) has his hands dipped into a few China Outsourcing opportunities and our discussion on doing business in China, the current/future business environment and what it takes to make it here was both enlightening and exciting.

Everything is so new in China yet the rate of change is phenomenal. Blink and you`ve missed an opportunity. Oversleep and watch a competitor get just a little bit ahead of you the very same day. The more folks I meet in China making their marks in business/industry the more I believe that this is where the future begins. And it begins every day here. How many opportunities if any do we get at defining the future? What an exciting place to be... and what a time to be at this place.

Ch 35: Do You Know Where Your Fruits Been?

2006-08-05T08:14:00.000-07:00

If you`ve ever had fruit from Australia chances are it was picked by an English backpacker. They are the apparent "immigrant" population that ends up doing alot of the manual labor in the land of kangaroos and koalas. And they happen to be good at fruit picking, or at least willing to do it at a price below the willingness of the average Australian.

I didn`t believe this when I met my first former fruit picker but over the past month we`ve met countless backpackers who made good money doing this- at least good enough to get through China and Southeast Asia for a few months. So the next time you have fruit from Australia take a moment to contemplate it`s juicy goodness AND all the dreams of backpackers it has helped to fulfill.

Ch 34: What Shines is Radiance

2006-08-03T00:56:00.000-07:00

Aug 2

We had to the priviledge today to meet with one of Shanghai's great China entreprenuers. Monte Singman is a expat who came to China by way of the US by way of Taiwan. He's the CEO of Radiance.cn a game development company that creates online multi player games for both China and the US markets.

Monte, being the stand up guy he is had his "guys" give us a tour of the office and team including demos of their work. He then spent 2 1/2 hours talking to us about his business experience, including what lead him to come to China and the opportunities/challenges he now faces here. It was a great lesson for all of us.

First and foremost we could tell by meeting with Monte that he had the calibre of personality, intelligence and determination to make it in China. China is our generations "Wild West" and it's always great to meet the pioneers who are carving out new lives out here. I hope to stay in contact with Monte and his team at Radience. Itｓ always nice to know good people when venturing forth into new frontiers.

Ch 33: That's Shanghai

2006-08-03T00:43:00.000-07:00

August 1/2

Arriving in Shanghai was an eye opening experience. All the hype you hear about China's massive development is true. Most of it just happens to fall along the coast. I would surmise a bulk of that belongs to Shanghai. There are massive buildings and apartments everywhere. As far as the eye can see. They say Shanghai has over twice the number of sky scrapers as New York. I would not be suprised if it was triple within a few years. Today it has the expansiveness of Tokyo, the quiet city blocks like Chicago/SF, and the ruckus of Bangkok.

Every we've been in China we've seen stories of growth. Shanghai then would be the greatest story in China. And the prices reflect that. Things here a bit more expensive on the surface. Even more so if you read expat magazines like "That's Shanghai". They cator to the substantial expat community in the area. Look under the surface however and you'll find that Shanghai is a very CHINESE city with great deals on food and merchandise. It doesn't take too long to find it, as always just toss away your guidebook and follow the locals. The food here is great, but not as spicing as I would have liked. It's more typical of what you would find in the better Chinese restaurants overseas.

Shanghai is a beacon for Chinese potential, opportunity, and growth. And like most beacons it tends to attract a lot of attention. You can find pretty much anything you would want here. Food, lux items, all kinds of apartments, cars, etc... It's a bit like a turn of the century New York except with around the clock construction and even more foreign capital being invested. Perhaps it will be in this century that Shanghai supplants New York as the worlds capital? Maybe in a 100 years.

Ch 32: What is Beautiful, What is Dangerous

2006-08-03T00:30:00.000-07:00

July 30/31

Many if not most guidebooks tout Huang Shan (Yellow Mountain) as THE mountain to climb in China. They say that "Once you have climbed HuangShan there is no need to climb any other mountain in your life time bc HuangShan is the most majestic". We headed out to Tunxi a gateway town to HuangShan on July 30th to find out if the truth would be as good as advertised.

Tunxi is a small town, one of the smallest we've stayed in and it appears that most visitors come for HuangShan which is 1 hour away. We stayed at the HuangShan International Youth Hostel, which again cators to visitors who come to climb HangShan. The town did not appear to have much else. The day at HuangShan would be interesting.

When we arrived we lined up, got our tickets, and began the accent. From the get go it was easy to see that the mountain itself was as good as advertised. The colors and shapes were right out of a chinese painting. HuangShan is a series of mountain ranges- each one a prototype for how a chinese mountain should look whether you see it in a painting or read it in a mythical story. The accent itself was MUCH tougher then we expected. The west side had a more challenging climb I was told but I vastly underestimated how difficult it could be. There are stone carved stairs but the incline is actually dangerous and many sections require climbing on all fours or would not be possible with the assistance of rope/chains. My hat goes off to the swarms of chinese tourists who scaled over the terrain like professionals. They did it without a care for the danger. Bravery or foolishness? I don't know if there was a difference in this case.

They say that only those that lack imagination have no fear. I can honestly say that I was vividly using my imagination on the way up. The views from the top were spectacular and I would definitely say that this mountain is worth the time for the trip and the effort for the climb. Funny thing, we met college students on the mountain who told us the well known saying about Huang Shan. It was slightly different from our guidebooks. It goes like this.

"Once you climb HuangShan there is no need to climb other mountains for HuangShan is the most DANGEROUS to climb in China". I suppose that last part was lost in the translation. Whoops.

Ch 31: HangZhou Thoughts

2006-08-02T20:35:00.000-07:00

- The food is amazing, some of the best we've had in China. As usual, it's better to not follow ANY guidebook and go where the locals go. I had some of the best Chinese food of my life at a modern Chinese restaurant along the west lake conveniently located right next to the Hostel. The chefs there looked like "iron chefs" to me.

- It's a great place to stay healthly. The city is easy to walk around and with the lake at the center residents can't help but be encouraged to take morning, afternoon and nightly walks. Judging by the number of McDonalds I see popping up everywhere, this will be an even greater asset in the future.

- Vacation friendly. The air is clean and the parks around the lake can keep a group on vacation busy for a few days. Just a few days thought, I wouldn't spend more then 3 here not because it's not worth more time but bc of the phlethora of other options and things to do in China.

Ch 30: China's #1 Lake

2006-08-02T20:29:00.000-07:00

HangZhou is famous for one thing. The west lake (Xi Hu), and rightly so. The lake is beautiful and has been featured in chinese tales and poems for over a 1000 years. The Song Dynastly made their capital around the roughly 3k by 3k body of water. What's strikes me about the site are two things. One, it's very well maintained and the grounds around it are scenic yet not crowded. Secondly, the water of the lake is very high (almost at ground level with the shore). This is unusual for lakes as my experience goes and makes the water that much closer to someone on the shore. If I was inclined to write poetry I would have (but at last I am not).

We stayed at the Mingtown Youth Hostel on the east end (another great place to stay and meet up with other travelors). Sunsets on the lake are an awesome site. residents and visitors alike line up on the east shore to photograph the sun as it sets on the western hills casting multi-colored beams of light on the waters of the lake. It was a picture perfect experience.

Ch 29: Leaving YangShuo

2006-08-02T20:22:00.000-07:00

July 28/29

The 28th was a travelling day. We were able to acquire 4 hard sleepers (ying wo) for the 22 hour trip to HangZhou from Guilin. Trains are by far the best way to travel in China when you have the time. The ability to see the world pass by (and the scenery change) from the confort of a sleeping car is an experience I enjoy very much. While very scenic and peaceful I actually found myself happy to leave YangShuo. Sure, it's beautiful but it's really a town made for foreigners (which I am I know!) but I wanted to get more of the local Chinese experience.

BTW, Chinese Ramen (which is La Mien or "pulled noodles" a chinese invention) rock! They are pretty damn tasty, come in a billion flavors and cheap to boot. Perfect food for a relaxing train ride.

Ch 28: Diablo in YangShuo

2006-07-28T21:06:00.000-07:00

July 26

Our last full day in YangShuo was cut short by the advent of rain starting in the early afternoon. The previous night was taken up by a trip to the riverside to watch the local birds/fisherman catch fish. It was a great show.

Today we were planning on heading out to a Karst/Mountain that many people say provided great views of the area. We wandered around town and found that the activities of the people and the views from the riverside were interesting enough on a rainy day.

In the late afternoon we decided to head over to an Internet/Game Cafe. Interestingly enough, a major past time of young Chinese is to hang out at Internet Cafes (which are everywhere) and play games/chat with their friends. Not wanting to be left out we ended up playing 2 hours of a networked Diablo 2 game. While it sounds out of the ordinary it was actually us getting close to how locals like to spend their free time (and Yuan).

Ch 27: The Best Force in the Universe to Have on Your Side

2006-07-25T10:54:00.000-07:00

July 25

Man is it hot here. I can lose ten pounds just walking around in this heat. So what better way to spend the afternoon then riding a mountain bike around along the river right? We left around noon time, just in time for the sun to be at full blaze. We probably had a gallon of water each just within the first hour. The scenery is amazing though- the limestone hills look just like they do in those classic water color Chinese paintings. We biked for a few hours and eventually would up in a small town where we picked up more fluids. Then dissaster struck. My bikes chain broke and I was stuck... No where to go and who knows how far from town (we had been biking for 4 hours).

I tried to fix the bike myself but to no avail. A motorbike "taxi" (they have those in China, you ride on the back of someone's bike) came up to me when he saw my bike. He asked me where I got the bike from. I told him I rented the bike far away back in YangShuo. He looked surprised.

(translation). Hm... Yangshou? he said, we are in YangShuo want me to take you back to the rental office? What?! I thought, no way we are in Yangshuo we biked for 4 hours. I then took out my map and he pointed out where we were. I guess it was a combination of the heat and our wandering around without actually following the course of the river but the bike guy was right. We had apparently made a big circle and ended up just 5 minutes from where I rented my bike. The luck of a fool to have his bike broken down so close to home... I was relieved that my non chalant map reading and wandering while it did not get us close to our destination (dragon bridge) did in the end prevent a horrible situation from occuring (being stranded miles away from home with a broken bike). Whether it's the luck of a fool or the luck of a genius, luck is luck and I'll take it any day.

Ch 26: A Strange Village in the Mists

2006-07-25T10:44:00.000-07:00

July 24

Arriving in GuiLin after 19 hours of sitting up was not as bad as I thought. Like many things in life you can get use to it, even long overnight train rides. I've always loved to ride trains as I like to view the places I'm going from the ground up. After over 60 hours on Chinese trains I still enjoy them.

We decided to skip over Guilin and go 60km south to YangShuo, a "backpacker" town. When we arrived it was obvious that this place was not a Chinese city but some strange foreign village filled with many tourists both foreign and Chinese. The scenery is beautiful with calm rivers carrying currents past rolling picture perfect limestone hills and mountains. The surreal painting like backdrop made the experience of this strange village that much stranger. It's a backpacker town filled with as many people eating pizza and burritos as would be eating rice or noodles. As strange as it is there's no doubt this is one of China's most scenic areas.

But it is summer time and the humidy is getting to me. I would have been fine had I not taken the train from Kunming where it's always spring time and theres no humidity at all. Can you tell I really like Kunming?

Ch 25: When in China...

2006-07-25T10:23:00.000-07:00

July 23

I've had my doubts about how foreign companies would do in China. Those doubts have been shattered by the level of "localization" and "culturization" I've witnessed in companies as American as McDonalds, KFC, and the CocaCola family of products. They've all done a superb job. Lo and behold on my last day in Kunming that I should wander into that all American and world reknown jagurnaut WALMART. My curiosity was really peaked so I went in.

What I saw really surprised me and I would imagine anyone else who wanders into a Chinese Walmart having only known the American flavor of the chain. It's a different world. They've definitly got localization/culturization down. I wasn't allowed to film or take pictures inside so I'll explain what I saw. Theres a massive live produce section filled with Chinese favorites like fat frogs, giant Shanghai crabs, and a plethora of live fish. There's a huge selection of roasted meats like in the states but the birds are all Chinese style with their heads and feet still attached. There's a huge BaoZi (chinese bun) bakering making thousands of products fresh in front of the customers. The selection of Chinese snacks was immense. The electronics selection was very up to date with flat screen LCDs and equipment you could not find in the states.

They even carried pirated software and movies. I was shocked to find this and I wonder if it's a matter of Walmart HQ not knowing about it or just turning a blind eye. I could see either scenario as it was evident by the crowds that Walmart, China is VERY popular and profitable. In essence Walmart Kunming took all of the things you could get within a 20 block radius and placed it all under one massive roof. And it's not like the prices where cheaper then the small stands outside but it sure was convenient to get all that shopping down under one roof.

I think massive superstores like Walmart and their chinese equivalents will actually be great for the Chinese people and the economy. They are great at driving efficiency and eventually keeping prices down (this is China where someone will always be out there to compete with you on price). Best of all they did it the right way by adopting the food and products that Chinese people already know and love.

Ch 24: Life's "Mistakes"

2006-07-21T08:02:00.000-07:00

July 21,

Today was a long day. We set out in the morning to do the one hour climb up the Western Hills to one of the highest points in Kunming- the Dragon Gate in the western hills overlooking Lake Dian and the entire city. After arriving at the entrance to the park we headed off into the park. There was a small trail that diverged from the main path and we chose this one as it went UP- the direction we needed to go. One hour into the hike we asked a local mountain biker where was Dragon Gate- Down where you came from and up another path he told us.

Crap, we had already gone so far so we kept going. Along the way we ran into some local Kunming college kids back on their summer breaks. They were also hiking the western hills and invited us along to join them. It was a great opportunity for us. We ended up having lunch in a mountain village with fantastic local food (at 6 yuan or $.85 I was once again amazed at how far the right money can go in this part of the world.). They also showed up a "different path" not known to the foreign guide books. It was well worth the extra hours of climbing (and I mean climbing with both hands and feet across the hard rocks that dot the uppermost tips of the western hills. The views along the way were fantastic. When we got to the top I asked where Dragon Gate was. James Xian one of the local college kids informed me it was "down there"- pointing to a spot along the mountain side way below us. What a great experience to have the best unadulterated views of Kunming and be able to see below us what all the books describe as the city's premium vantage point. Lake Dian below us was a massive green inland sea. Kunming itself was easilly seen nestled between the lake and the rolling hills that suround the city. The sky was clear enough to see forever I thought. Life is good among the clouds.

Sometimes life an provide you with unexpected oppornities. They can come in the form of the wrong turn. They an come in the form of the unexpected, longer then planned journey. Never, ever, let these opportunities pass by. At the very least, they make for much more interesting memories and stories.

Ch 23: Paradise City

2006-07-21T07:48:00.000-07:00

We arrived in Kunming, Yunnan province on July 20th. The 19 hour train ride over was on a hard sitter (no beds). The views as we entered Yunnan were amazing. Rivers running through green vallies surrounded by beautiful mountains. I knew we were in for a treat. Kunming did not disappoint.

Yunnan means "South of the Clouds" and the city itself is a couple thousand feet above sea level. Situated with mountains to the west, a large inland sea (Lake Dian), and rolling hills to the east, Kunming is one of China's great cities. The weather is perfect year round as it is always spring. The city itself is the cleanest I've seen in China.

We spend our first day eating at a Local joint known for their "Across the Bridge Noodles (Qiao Xiang Yuan). Combined with the side dishes of pigs blood, salted fried pork, spicy tofu and crispy tofu (can you tell I like pig?), it was heaven on a dining table. And a great price as the city is also one of the most affordable places to live in China (many locals tell me this). Evening faded into nightime at a tea house along Cuihu park. Locals danced in the open areas of the park, couples walked along the shores of the parks 4 lakes, and children ran along sometimes dancing with the older folks sometimes playing with each other. Everyone was happy. And why shouldn't they be? They live in Paradise City.

Ch 22: What is Chinese?

2006-07-21T07:35:00.000-07:00

It has become very apparent to me in my visit to China that the Chinese culture in America reflects only a small fraction of the diversity that exists within the greater Chinese world community. In fact I would say that out of the 30+ provinces in China only about 4-5 have a decent number of folks that have immigrated to the US.

Imagine if our perceptions of Europe were only influenced by France, England, and Italy. You'd be missing out on a lot and forming perceptions about Europeans that may not be true like "they all look this way" or "this is the food they like to eat" and "This is what they like to do". It would be a very narrow way of thinking about people.

The diversity in behavior, appearances, and even language have been a delightful suprise to me so far during my visit. I think as China continues to prosper in this still young century the world will get to see more of her peoples faces, and I'm not just talking about the same 4-5 provinces but everyone else. I hope more of the world gets to know this "unseen majority". And I am speaking to both the weiguoren (foreigners/non Chinese) AND the overseas chinese communities. Perhaps it may alter their own perceptions on what it means to be Chinese.

Ch 21: My Local Misconceptions

2006-07-21T07:22:00.000-07:00

July 18

My last dinner in Chengdu and I thought it would be a good idea to go "local". There was a hot pot place I spotted around the corner that always looked busy. It wasn't the fanciest looking place but I thought I would give it a shot- Hey I thought it looks "authentic to me".

The hot pot was served in a steaming couldron full of spices and oils. The food itself was on skewers and I was given more oils/spices to dip it in. This isn't half bad I thought, and the price was unbeatable (we had 100+ skewers for under 60 bux for less then 7 dollars). Afterwards however I felt like shit. This was the greasiest meal I had ever had. More greasy then my previous top 2 greasy meals combined. We sat by a tea house for a few hours into the night to get the grease out of our system.

The next day I told the hostel workers where we went. They asked me why I would have gone to that place, it was dirty and the food was horrible. It wasn't bad at the time but when I thought about it again it did strike me as a bit dirty and the food while not bad was probably the worst I've had in China (which is to say it's still pretty damn good). I won't make that mistake again in my search for the authentic local experiences. The Locals in Chengdu eat at nice, clean, and modern restaurants. NOT the hole I went to. Sometimes dirty is just dirty =(.

Ch 20: From Pirates to Profits

2006-07-18T19:07:00.000-07:00

Walk down any chinese city and you'll see "discounted" versions of almost any movie and software you can think of. You'll also find a shortage of movie theators. Why go to the movies when you can see the same show at home for a tiny fraction of the price? Before I came to China I had always heard about how xy company was losing millions and millions to the pirates in China. And the solution has mostly centered around tighter laws and more severe punishments. That will not work in the present and history has shown that it has not in the past.

I think its only logical that in order for Chinese Intellectual Property laws to be respected there has to be Chinese IP to protect. Sounds simple right? Why would you protect the farmers milk if only he owned all the cows? Hollywood studios should invest in creating blockbusters with Chinese film makers and let the Chinese film makers have a larger share of the production benefits. Once everyone has skin in the game the whole pie for both Movie Theators and legit DVD/Blue Ray will explode- I absolutely garantee this.

Software companies fall into the same paradym. Invest in China beyond just cheap IT "fill in" work. Create real and valualable IP that can be used in both the Chinese and foreign markets. Share in the benefits and you will see your IP theft problems gradually decrease. IP laws are logical for modern day society but it's best to be practical and appeal to people on a more realistic level. This isn't a China thing, it's a human thing.

Ch 19: Animal Welfare

2006-07-18T09:06:00.000-07:00

Reflections on Chengdu:

FOOD The food is spicy but it hasn't been spicier then what we have been getting in China since we arrived two weeks ago. I think most chinese have a great tolerance for spicing. In the US we just happen to have food from the only regions that don't eat spicy =(.

PEOPLE The people are nice. They enjoy hanging out in tea houses in the afternoons and evenings. The city is full of tea houses. They are pretty pale skinned for people living in such a hot area. Most people cover up and use umbrellas (did you know that umbrellas are a chinese invention brought to Europe by the English during the victorian era). Good skin is highly valued in Chinese society. They are also much shorter then the Chinese in the northern and central cities. In fact I've been shocked about how tall the average chinese person has been so far on this trip. I suppose the latter half of my trip will bring down the average.

PANDAS They are the symbol of this city, WWF, and China. These animals who are picky eaters and have a difficult time mating have maximized their cuteness to a degree unequalled in animal history. To harm a Panda is punishable up to death in China. I think they are nice animals that have grown too dependent on "animal welfare", and have forgotten how to do alot of things for themselves. On the other hand they probably generate millions each for China so who am I to judge.

Ch 18: What Wise Men Know

2006-07-18T08:55:00.000-07:00

QingCheng Shan (mountain) is a famed Taoist retreat and our second major destination in Chengdu. Our foreigners discount once again provided half price student tickets at the entrance. I'm finding that every major Chinese site of noted fame and/or beauty has a ticket attendent and cash register firmly attached to the entrance. It feels like an entire country run like a theme park. But I suppose the major sites in the US are run the same way and I'm just being more sensitive here in China cuz I'm shelling out the cash on a daily basis. The grass in green on both sides.

A Taoist mountain full of temples dedicated to legendary Taoist immortals. A place to find peace and inner harmony perhaps? Not quite. Your more likely to find icecream, bottled water, and a noodle stand at the numerous temple/rest stops on the way to the top. There are so many mountains and like scenery in China that I suggest anyone who wants inner peace to claim an unmarked one for themselves. I'm pretty sure no one would notice.

I have to admit however, that the view from the top is worth the hike up. Great mist covered mountains along with cool breezes. Chengdu is hot and humid in the summer making out time up in the mountains that much more pleasant. I suppose that's why wise men are wise- they know that mountain tops are cool and pleasant while everyone else suffers in the heat below.

Ch 17: The Foreigner's Discount

2006-07-18T08:43:00.000-07:00

The overnight train ride over to Chengdu from Xian took us through beautiful mountainsides and vallies. It seems to me that most of China is covered in a myst early in the morning. It can feel like a dream when you're looking out into the landscape passing by and see the mist covered trees and mountains. It gives the entire countyside a mythical feel.

We arrived at Chengdu at 5:30 am. We were the last people to get off the train as the conductors had to wake us up. Fortunately we found a great hostel called "The Loft". It was designed and built on the grounds of an old factory by 7 local artists over a period of 7 months and it paid off big time. Each room feels like a mini loft space and the people in charge were really nice. People always make the biggest difference no matter your surroundings.

We visited Wenhou temple a famous for it's connections to the 3 kingdoms period of Chinese history and the final resting place of Chinese hero Lu Bei. The entire place was well maintained and really beautiful. A garden lovers paradise. One rather funny fact. It doesn't pay to speak Chinese as far as paying for tickets to places in China. Students get 50% of many entry tickets and my bros are all students with student IDs. However when you speak to the ticket attendents in Chinese they insist that you must be a student at a Chinese University to get the discount. However if you use English and tell them "I'm a student, I don't understand Chinese, I know I get 1/2 price or 50% off" they give it to you. It's funny how that works but it hasn't failed yet. I call it the Foreigner's Discount.

Ch 16: Where Dreams Come True

2006-07-16T20:05:00.000-07:00

China is a bizzaro world when it comes to western food. It's all backwards from how food is perceived here in the U.S. McDonalds and KFC are for moneyed people and fetch a premium price relative to the other foods out there. You can feed a family of four for the price of a meal for one at KFC (The four of us spent 21 Yuan for lunch consisting of noodles, meat buns, veg buns, and 8 drinks). It's 21 Yuan for 2 pieces of fried chicken, a side, and a coke. Yet the KFCs are huge here and always full.

McDonalds is the same price wise. Just out of curiosity however we tried a few of their localized drinks. Aloe with Sprite and cream. It was pretty damn good. The best drink I've ever had from a fast food joint.

I was actually in the mood for fried chicken after walking by a 3 story KFC. I was just curious but didn't want to spend the money bc I had already experienced how much further my yuan could go else where. Later on that night I wandered across a vendor selling fried chicken on on a stick. Could my eyes be decieving me? Chicken that's been breaded and fried. How ingenious and entreprenurial I thought. It's like they read my mind. And for 2 Yuan a stick it was a dream come true. Take that KFC!

Ch 15: Reflections on Xi'an

2006-07-16T19:37:00.000-07:00

Xian was a beautiful city- the end and beginning of the Silk Road. The food and culture reflect this unique geographic position. There are hoards of Muslim food vendors and the food is delicious. A lot of noodles, breads, and meats on sticks. Chinese people love spicy food. All of the northern and central Chinese food we've had has been spicy.

The city is a great mix of the old and the new. The city walls that defended the town for over 1500 years are still up- but now they defend sky scrapers and lux apartments. We stayed at the Bell Tower at the center of the city. Down the street is the Drum Tower. The tolls in the morning and the drum tower at night. I'm told it's been this way since the first emperors lived in this ancient capital. The view from our Hostel is awesome as we can see both towers and the modern buidlings that have sprung up around them. Xian in many ways resembles Japan. The Chinese architecture is Tang Dynasty era- the period in time when Japan was mostly influenced by Chinese culture. I suppose then it's really Japan that resembles Xian.

The museum of Shaanxi history was a good look at dynastic art and artifacts going back 4000 years. The number of items on display was impressive and definitely worth the visit. At night the streets are alive with food vendors and the young people of the city who love to stay out until the wee morning. There's a different world to Xian when the sun sets. The young people in the city as in many places in China have a positive attitude toward China's future (It's a question I like to ask once I begin to talk to locals).

Ch 14: China Bully

2006-07-15T20:38:00.000-07:00

Most people I meet when backpacking are real cool. 99 out of 100. Once in a while however I run into that 1%. Xian is an awesome town and Ill write about it later but I have a fresh tale in mind. A couple of days ago a most rude fellow wandered into our hostel at the Bell Tower. I noticed he was very rude to all the Chinese workers at the time but did not think anything of it. Later on in the lobby he was actuallz bolsterous about how Chinese people were intimidated by him and how we had pushed around a Chinese begger who was trying to sell him train tickets. I promptly let him know that the punishment for retaliating against foreigners was what Chinese people feared and not the foreigners themselves. I thought that was the end of it.

Later on last night he came back from a bar/club that a bunch of us had been going to. It was 4am in the morning. In China the people often sleep where they work. The kind lady who was also the bartender/maid/cook was getting her well deserved sleep. The guy demanded the hostel hostess to wake her up. When told he could get water just downstairs he continued his bad demeaner. He actually started man handling a cat. Big man, I thought. Then he started teasing the hostess about how she ate cat. Woah dude do you know who I am, I thought. Then he went off on how the Chinese were the only people in the world he that were more poor then the Spanish. I was both shocked and had had enough of this doofus.

I promtly explained to the fellow the importance of manners and knowing when you are a guest in someone elses house. I believe he got the message after a few friendly slaps to his face. I gave him a few extra slaps on his fat belly as an exclaimation point. As I thought our China Bully was a real coward. Most bullies are losers who make themselves feel better by picking on the less fortunate. A real loser has to fly half way around the world to find people less fortunate then himself. I only hope he did not wake up his bunk mates with his sobbing last night. I never got his name either, but I think he was truly earned one last night. Its spelled B I . . . I'll let you figure it out.

Ch 13: Train Troubles

2006-07-14T08:30:00.000-07:00

China has 1.3 billion people and only so many train tracks. Coupled with the fact that the high schools and University's all let out in early July and you get a travel jam unscene in the western world. That was our trouble as trains coming out of Hohhot were sold out and tickets available only through the "underground" market. Needless to say it is not an experience I want to go through again. I was able to get tickets but the trouble it took really took a hit to my confidence on how well things worked in China. In short, relationships have been and will remain everything when it comes to getting things done when your in a jam. On second thought, I suppose that's not that much different from the rest of the world.

Ch 12: Where the Sky Meets the Earth

2006-07-14T08:19:00.000-07:00

July 11th:

We arrived in Hohhot in the morning and promptly looked for a hotel/hostel to stay in. Sadly there were no hostels to be found the hotels rooms looked like crime scenes. We decided to skip the city and head out into the Mongolian grasslands to live in a Yurt. That's right, a yurt, a tent set up in the middle of the grass lands. The trip itself was roughly 2 hours. We arrived to a chorus of Mongolian chants that sounded to me like Korean but I was assured it was Mongolian. I felt like I was on a Native American reservation. How authentic could it really be? I suppose a trip to Mongolia was the only way to find out- that would have to wait for a future date.

My hessitation was immediately but aside when I looked up. The sky looked and felt very close to me, closer then I had ever scene it. Mixed in the rolling green hills and you don't have to wonder why the Mongolians worshipped the god of the sky- it was something immediate and almost within their grasp. It was almost within my grasp as well, or at least that's how I felt. Watching "traditional" Mongolian dances and eating their food was a great experience. I don't know how authentic it all was but I had a good time. The next morning we went for another ride on Mongolian horses on the plains (they did not run as fast as the ones in Baotao). I didn't mind, the pace was fine with me.

Ch 11: Ruff Riders

2006-07-10T03:16:00.000-07:00

After a night of slipping into and out of consciousness I awoke an hour before entering into BaoTou, Inner Mongolia. The town itself is split into two parts- old and new. We chose to stay in the old as it was close to transportation.

The day took us on a journey south to the Singing Sands Gorges (XiangSha Wan). It's a series of desert dunes that formed out of the edges of the Mu Us Desert, a relative of the Gobi Desert. I came to play in the sands but found myself being offered rides on Mongolian horses into some nearby grasslands. How could we pass up the opportunity to ride Mongol horses in Mongolia!? The four of us each took a horse and followed along with one of the horse handlers. The horses were extremely manuverable and fast when they went into a gallop. I could see how Genghis Kahn and the Mongols took over the world on these bad boys. Not that I'm an awesome rider- far from it I also learned what "raw hide" means from this little experience. Some things however, are worth the pain.

July 10th.
Holy shit! As I look out from the cafe window, the owner is baring up the doors as a summer sand storm is just hitting. I can see the people scrambling outside as the sand comes through town. I hear it's a product of massive deforestation. I wonder if it's true. I'll have to ask Al Gore when I get the chance. My stomache is telling me it's dinner time, Mongolian Style.

Ch 10: Realize You are Just One of a Billion+

2006-07-10T03:02:00.000-07:00

I had been warned. I had heard the stories but did not take heed. Train travel in China is nuts they say. OK, I would say no sweat. But I did sweat. A LOT. Because I was unable to book a 1st class sleeper ticket in time we ended up taking a 15 hour, NO AC, human luggage ride. Here's how it went down on July 9th:

-The Chinese mobs that horde the entrance to the train stations are no joke. Everyone was pushing and shoving. It was like taking a ride down a human funnel. There was a point I thought I was being held back by a baby as his mom pushed past me. Next time I'll remember. Babies are just like anyone else, so watch out kid, the gloves are comin' off!

-So, think it's over once you make it INTO the train station. Wrong! Getting onto the platform and into the right car and seat is liken to taking part in an organic game of Tetris. You will have just enough space to squeeze by and fit into where you are suppose to go.

-Once inside there is no personal space as everyone is packed in like eggs in a carton.

So I must hate it right? Actually, given all the people trying to get to all these places I really can't see it working out any for efficiently as crazy as it sounds. If people actually followed the rules I think there would be massive delays. Once the commotion of getting situated settled down I found the people around me to be curious and friendly. I suppose you have to be to keep sane in a sea of people. The views were spectacular (mountain sides and river beds)as the train took off on it's course to BaoTou, Inner Mongolia the next destination on our journey.

Ch 9: So Good it Hurts

2006-07-10T02:53:00.000-07:00

Beijing is a great city and like all great cities they have the food to back it up. From the Bouzi (buns) you can buy in the Hutongs (old alleyways) to the fried dumplings from the street corners I would imagine that it's easy for a well to do or even relatively poor Beijinger to eat better then most. I am no exception.

I have the scars to prove it. The other day I went out and bought a fresh batch of fried dumplings. One of my dumplings fell out of my hand during enjoyment munching and walking down BeiHeNan street. It landed on my left foot and I felt like I was being branded by a horse iron. If it had been a chicken nugget or a french fry I would have been pissed. Perhaps I would have thrown it across the street in my pain and anger. But it was a Beijing Street Dumpling which due to it's crispy exterior and Oh So Delicious interior I forgave...and I don't forgive easilly.

Ch 8: The Dirty North

2006-07-10T02:48:00.000-07:00

Beijingers and what I'm finding from most Chinese from the north have a definitive accent. They end all there words with an "er" sound. For example, even when I read the address straight from the Chinese many if not most the cabbies will not understand unless I had the accent. For example (this conversation has been translated into English):
Me: I want to go right there (pointing)
Cabbie: Where, I can't understand you?
Me: Oh, I want to go right "Ther"
Cabbie: Right Ther, I know how to get there, why didn't you say so.

That's why I call Beijing the "Dirty" North.

Ch 6: What do Castro and Yanni Have in Common?

2006-07-06T03:15:00.000-07:00

Our first full day began just 2 hours after we went to bed the night before. Its easy to wake up early so far due to the 12 hour time difference. I hadn't eaten anything since I landed in Beijing last night. I've only had Beijing PiJiu (beer) but for some funny reason I wasn't hungry this morning at all. The morning was spent wandering around the Temple of Heaven in the southern part of the inner city. It was beautiful, very well laid out and a great place to hang around. One observation I've made is that Beijing (and maybe this is a summer thing) is a shirt optional city. When it get's hot people just take off their shirts. Not everyone mind you, mostly chubby middle aged dudes. That's how they roll around here.

My first meal was a great one. We had Beijing Roast duck at Qiamen Quangjude- a famous resturant that's been serving roast duck to Beijing for over 150 years. That's dedication and they know what their doing. I can say it's the best I've had. The duck is cooked perfectly over a wood fire and the chefs are like surgeons in the kitchen. The wall of folks who have frequented the establishement include Castro and the immortal Yanni. Yanni's picture was larger on their wall which struck me as funny.

As the late afternoon rolled around we walked through Tianamen Square in all it's large square splendor. It's huge and the crowds are constant. The forbidden city was a pretty cool place to walk around. It's well designed, cool and breezy in the summer heat and a great place to spend an afternoon. Quite a site.

Ch 5: Touch Down!

2006-07-05T18:32:00.000-07:00

Beijing is huge. We landed in Beijing at 8:30pm on July 5th. From the airplane I could see that Beijing was like Tokyo- a city that goes on forever. Back on the ground we had our first encounter with the Chinese Tourism industry. A "taxi driver" flashing an official taxi driver card wanted to give us a great deal for a ride into town. Only 300 Renminbi. He stuck around us like a hungry animal looking for food. Turns out that the actual ride from an official Beijing city taxi was only 90 Renminbi. At the very least it gave us a good point of departure for bargaining. Start at 1/3 to 1/4 of the price offered. Even more if the dude is sketchy.

Our eventual taxi driver was a cool dude that even let us use his cell phone when we where looking for the hostel and explained the roads that we were on. I had a map so I could see the guy was being honest and taking us on a direct route. Beijing is divided into Beijing Inner City (Beijing Cheng) and outer city (Beijing Wei). Most of the cool sites are in the inner city so that's where we'll be focusing our touring efforts. I have a feeling that much of China will be like this- almost too many sites and experiences to choose from so we will have to prioritize.

The Beijing Jade International Youth Hostel is one of the biggest in Beijing. The rooms were suprisingly nice and clean beyond my expectations. For 60 RMB per person (less then $8 per night) you can't beat it. We ended up hanging out in the hostel lounge until the wee hours of the morning catching the latest world cup game and sharing in the universal language that international backpackers speak. No, not soccer or football. I believe the simplist way to call it is "liquid diplomacy". The trip is off to a great start and I am psyched to experience more of what the city has to offer.

Ch 4: Independence Day

2006-07-04T06:24:00.000-07:00

Beijing and all of China follows the same time zone. Imagine, the entire country useing just one time zone. I wonder if they have the same work hours regardless of what region of the country you are in. It's a very Chinese way of doing things. The time zone difference just happens to be exactly 12 hours ahead of NY east coast time. I tried to stay up last night to get myself acclimated but ended up taking a "nap" from 5-8am.

Anyhow, it's Tuesday morning July 4th 2006. My ANA flight leaves in a few hours. Next stop Tokyo for the transfer then after that Beijing, China.

Ch 3: Where Everything Is Made

2006-06-30T18:43:00.001-07:00

It's been a week since I last stepped foot into an office building. It's strange at first waking up on a Monday morning, thinking that I'd be running late for work then realizing that it's Monday (morning post no job) and the first of many Monday's where I'm awakened by the light of the sun warming up my face rather then the shocking ring of an alarm clock. I have to say I prefer the sun. Vacations are really a mental state as much as a physical state as I had already forgotten what day it was by Wednesday (or was it Thursday?).

Back to China. A little leg work can make the difference between a great time and a great time ruined by bad equipment, ill preperation, and a general air of confusion. Prepping for backpacking through China is no different. Here's a short list of what I'm bringing:

Personal Papers and Currency (Amex, ID, Passport, Cash Etc.)
Xerox copy of passport (carried seperately)
Backpack ( A great Northface Terra 50 Liters- If there's anything to go cheap on, your pack should be last on that list)
Shorts, T-shirts, Slacks, Belt, Socks, and boxers)
Compass
Flash light
Paper Bags (for every occasion you can think of and then some)
Rubber bands
First Aid kit & Toleitries
Sandals (If there's anything to go cheap on, a good pair of walking sandals should be second to last on that list)
Caps and hat
Camera
Bandanas
Watch (with alarm)
Post Cards (to give to other travelers along the way)
Toilet Paper (Travelling in Asia? Never Ever go anywhere without your TP, it's essential as vital as you passport. Even if you are held up remember that passports can be replaced so hold onto that TP.)

The basics are there. This list can go on forever but when it comes down to it I have to remember that I'm going to China. If your reading this, look at the five nearest items to you. Turn them over. I bet at least 3 out of the 5 items are enscribed with these three little words, "Made in China". So I won't sweat if I think of something last minute or when I'm already in China because hey I'll be in China, the land where EVERTHING seems to be made these days.

Ch 2: Oh, The Places You'll Go!

2006-06-19T08:42:00.000-07:00

China is big- her land mass is almost equal to that of the US. Add to the mix a history that spans multiple millenniums and a dizzying array of both cultural and geographic diversity. What you get is a lifetimes worth of travel. But I don't have a lifetime (at least for this trip). Just the beginning of my summer. So here's what I'm shooting for. Ancient man made sites with great historical and cultural value. Environments and landscapes of unique natural beauty. And lastly places where I can witness how Chinese society is evolving today- both in how people live and play. I think a map would help at this point so I’ve attached a pic of our planned route. Highlights include:

Beijing- Modern and ancient center of government and the arts.
Hohhot- Inner Mongolian capital surrounded by grasslands once ruled over by the great Khan. How do the Mongols live today?
Xi'an- Home of the first emperor and his terra cotta army. Rumors say the remains of the first Buddha lay in a temple nearby.
JiuZaiGou- A goddess dropped her mirror which shattered and formed the 1000 lakes of this beautiful countryside nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas.
Kunming- The land of eternal spring and gateway to Tibet.
Guilin- Picture perfect streams and rivers surrounded by green mountains. A good place to spend a lazy afternoon on the water.
Huangshan- The "Yellow Mountain". The most famous of the China's 5 Taoist mountains. If you are to climb one mountain in China this would be the one.
Shanghai- Center of commerce and fast living

Nothing is written in stone however so the route may change along with the weather or train schedules. The only thing I can do is plan for uncertainty as best as I can and keep advice from a childhood advisor in hand:

"But on you will go though the weather be foul
On you will go though your enemies prowl
On you will go though the Hakken-Kraks howl

Onward up many a frightening creek,
though your arms may get sore and your sneakers may leak.
On and on you will hike and I know you'll hike far
and face up to your problems whatever they are.

You'll get mixed up, of course, as you already know.
You'll get mixed up with many strange birds as you go.
So be sure when you step.
Step with care and great tact
and remember that Life's a Great Balancing Act.

Just never forget to be dexterous and deft.
And never mix up your right foot with your left."

-Dr. S

Ch 1: The Journey of a 1,000 Miles (6,965 actually)

2006-06-14T12:42:00.000-07:00

6,965 miles (or 11213.65 kilometers) is the distance between Washington D.C. and Beijing, China. That's where I will be flying to this coming July, 2006. It's the trip of a lifetime (so far) for me as I will have the opportunity to back pack through a country rich in history and culture during a time when it is returning to the world stage (after quite a long slumber).

My name is Ashton Lee and this is a log of my soon to be travels through China this summer of 2006. I will be joined on this journey by my three younger brothers. It's one of those fortunate moments in time- they are all undergraduate students and I am an 06-07 graduate student with the summer "off". I want to share my experiences and thoughts throughout this trip with friends and family that can not be with us. I'm also a big fan of self reflection and what better way then to blog? Think of this as your own personal tour through china without having to leave the comforts of your computer screen.