As a prelude, thank you for your words of appreciation for the blog. I've made it a goal of mine to set a little more time and productivity aside for writing. I'm also going to try to make the formatting of this blog a little more mobile-friendly. I may even try to edit my posts to limit the grammatical errors I tell my students not to make...
China is a country that I see every day. I mean that quite literally, as I can see mainland China from my home, my place of work, and from almost any building that is at least 10 stories high. Macau is a mere 32 square kilometers large, nestled against the mainland of the mother country. You could quite easily walk across the border to the city of Zhuhai to do shopping, eating, or whatever people do there. Since I didn't have a travel visa to visit Mao Zedong's paradise, I wasn't able to explore it until now.
 |
| CHINA |
Just mentioning the word 'China' can bring up a variety of opinions and pre-meditated pictures of what the country is like, depending on your constitution (Here's a link for the Proper Pronunciation for reference). I certainly did when I was offered the opportunity to work here. Besides our biased opinions about jobs being stolen, carbon emissions being emitted and constant global pissing contests, there's not much to go on to form a decent perspective (Here is some Popular Chinese Music for reference)
. It's a country I've done a lot of reading on, and it certainly has a cornucopia of historical content that is browse-worthy. I could certainly turn the focus of this article into 'My Pensive Semi-Informative Thoughts: A Scholarly Critique of China's Cultural, Mercantile and Military History; Emerging from Foreign and Maoist Influences to Develop into a Homogeneous Nation State within the influence of a Western-Oriented Globalized Planet". But who in their right mind would stay to read that?
 |
| Maybe my historically inclined, Hearts of Iron playing friends... |
Whatever your opinion or thoughts about China, all of these pictorial representations are accurate in one context or another.
 |
| Just good ol' old fashioned China. |
 |
It definitely didn't keep the Mongols out,
but it's still China! (Take notes, Mr. President) |
 |
| A casual Sunday drive in CHINA |
 |
| Please Sir, Do not touch the China. |
 |
| Definitely Democratic and Ever Benevolent China! |
 |
| NOT HAMILTON. THIS IS CHINA |
I had two main reasons for visiting China. First of all was the fact that my two friends invited me along on a 2 day hiking trip in some neat-looking nature. Secondly, in all my time in Asia, I still hadn't been to the mainland (and I don't count a layover in a Shanghai airport). So with my last full week of teacher-paid vacation (heh), off I went.
 |
| THREE PAGODAS. FOUND IN CHINA. |
If I could summarize what the People's Republic is like, I'd have to begin with the reminder that China is not really a 'normal' country. This is a country that was very communist for a long time (We're talking SUPER communist. Pretty much as Marxist-Leninist-Maoist as you can get. I'll save the details for an audience with several hours to waste with me, and a bottle of scotch, and dumplings). Only recently has the country started to open up, both internally and externally. The Capitalist reforms of the 90's turned the economy into the 'ON' position and launched the country from the 18th century to the 21st in the span of a handful of Chinese new years. This is why nowadays, almost everything we buy, use and hold dear to our hearts is stamped MADE IN CHINA
"This is boring and irrelevant. I'm not one of your students"
Hey, shut up and look at this picture. I'm getting to the point.
Top picture is Shanghai in 1990.
Bottom picture is from last year.
"When are you going to get to the part where you were locked in a zoo or almost detained because of a political comment? "
Fricken SIT DOWN, HANDS FREE and EYES ON ME. THE TEACHER IS TALKING.
So now the country isn't a feudal state, which means folks in China are no longer dirt poor. In fact, this generation are now the first who can afford unreliable appliances, overpriced clothing, and the ability to travel obnoxiously, just like us Westerners! When it comes to travelling in China, things get a little chaotic.
The services for tourists are not what you might expect in other countries. There were bus drivers who drove like teenagers for a 5 hour duration and then dropped you off at a destination of their own choosing (like a closed railway station with no connecting buses or taxis!). There were taxi drivers that would turn their meters off and demand triple the cost for a standard journey, followed by aggressive haggling to get a fair price (if they decided to take you). We also missed a flight because we arrived on time with no check-in baggage. Yes, you read that correctly. The most exhausting aspect was the tour guides/hotel managers/etc who would refuse to assist you or answer your questions unless you bought their specific service. There seemed, in China, to be a distinct feeling of incredulous begrudgement when Westerners asked for help.
"HEY THAT'S RACIST"
Well then YOU travel through mainland China and form your own sugar-coated opinion of politically correct sunshine and happy times. China is also a country with other inhibitions as well, one of which is a closed internet. Since so many websites are blocked in China, I yahoo'd (not googled) how to download a VPN, to trick my device into thinking it's in a different country. The top search results were all the reasons why the internet is censored for 'public safety & security'. We attempted to get a SIM card for our stay in China, and service providers would say they cannot help us. Why? You need a Chinese I.D. to be allowed cell phone service. Just like you need a passport or I.D. to ride the bus or train. You cannot buy tickets the same day as your departure. You must be checked through security to be allowed onto buses or trains. You need I.D. to book any kind of accommodations. You must report these accommodations on your visa application prior to your journey. One airport experience summarized these needless restrictions and helpfulness completely.
(If you are tired of hearing me gripe about China, skip this part and go to the next section with the next accusation in big letters)
We arrive at our 2nd of three airports of our journey, rushing through border control, to the re-check-in desk for our domestic flight (Most domestic flights in China close their check-in booths between 30 and 45 minutes prior to departure, and will usually state the check-in closure time on the boarding pass). We approach the attendant who speaks no English, so one of us roughly translates for us.
>Hello *panting* we are here to board flight to Lijiang
>You cannot go to Lijiang
>This is the desk of Lucky Air yes? To go to Lijiang?
>Yes but no more flight to Lijiang now.
>We have tickets for your flight to Lijiang, leaving in one hour. *points to ticket and screen*
>That flight cannot board now
>Why not? We are here on time
>Can not. Must be one hour before
>We are here one hour before
>No. Cannot. Must be one full hour before
(watches are checked to show that it is 58 minutes prior to departure)
>It does not say that on the ticket. Where does it say one hour?
>Cannot check in now. Check in closed.
>No but we are here. Ready to board. No problem.
>Cannot board with check-in baggage
>We have no check-in baggage. Carry on only.
*long pause*
>Cannot check in
>We are here, no baggage. Ready to board. Ready for flight. Still have time.
>Check in closed now. Cannot board flight.
(10 minutes of more heated discussion)
>We would like to change flight date
>Cannot change flight date
>To rebook flight. Airlines can rebook flights.
>No cannot. This airline cannot book ticket again
>Of course airline can. Re-book ticket to different day, yes?
*Checks with other employees.
>Yes can rebook flight.
>Okay, we would like to rebook for tomorrow morning
> New ticket for tomorrow?
> Yes tomorrow, morning flight.
> That will be [Price of regular ticket]
> That is a new ticket, we want to change date of our ticket.
> That is new ticket. Cost is [full price]. To go to Lijiang tomorrow morning.
> No, we want to change the date of our tickets.
> Yes. New ticket on new date. [Price again]
> No. New date on old ticket. (as we check the airline's policy)
> Cannot. Only new ticket
> But we are on time for flight and cannot board
*Attendant pauses, then walks away without returning. We flag down a new attendant and re-explain the situation
> I am sorry there is no rebooking.
> We would like refund. Because we are not allowed onto plane.
> Cannot refund ticket
> We are not allowed on flight, but we are here on time. We would like to board or a refund
> We do not refund ticket cost. Cannot
> We want refund to book another flight to Lijiang
> Book another flight? Can.
> So we get discount on
*Long pause, discussion with other attendants
> Okay we refund 50 RMB (about $9 Canadian)
> That is not a refund. So little.
> That is refund of flight
> No, refund of flight is the cost of the flight. Or almost the cost
> Can only give 50 RMB
> Before you said no refund, now 50 RMB refund. We would like fair refund for not being allowed to board the plane.
> Can not. Only 50 RMB. Or no discount.
After an hour of heated discussion, 3 new plane tickets, numerous shady or overpriced offers by hotel hustlers, and non-existent hotel shuttles that were promised, we just jumped in a taxi and asked the driver to take us to an area with hotels. After another 20 minutes haggling over room rates, we were pretty frustrated with the Chinese brand of customer service.
"THAT'S DISCRIMINATORY AND PREJUDICED AND PRIVILEGED YOU CAN'T SAY THAT AS A WHITE MALE PRIVILEGED FOREIGNER TOURIST PERSON"
Okay okay, settle down. Maybe to you I sound like a spoiled foreigner, but when you have to fight your way to accomplish simple tasks, the lack of common courtesy becomes almost unacceptable.
Ok. Now, I've been quite negative. Let me clarify and say that the trip was good and I also still quite like China, very much in the same way that I like my class of rascals, who are both endearing and needlessly exhausting. So, despite being at times a major pain in the ass, my pals Jake, Janice departed for Yunnan province for outdoor activities, food, and Chinesy-things.
China was a pain in the ass, not my pals. I bet you became rather upset thinking I was such a jerk. I'm glad you did, because I find that quite amusing.
Our 8 day trip in China was split between the small historical cities of Lijiang and Dali, both in the South-West region that is close to the Thai, Burmese, and Tibetian borders. This area is at one end of the Himalayas, so the air is clean, thin, cold and very dry, pretty much the opposite of Macau. Headaches, chapped lips, and a general weary feeling hung over us for most of the trip, which wasn't helpful as we had planned a pretty physically strenuous vacation, like the keeners we are.
In the city of Lijiang, our first stop was a place called Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, the highest mountain close to the city. It looked like a mountain. Here's some pictures.
 |
| View from the base. Well kinda. |
 |
| The air was thin, so climbing was slow going |
 |
We climbed from where the cable car let us out,
the building with the grey green roof, center left. |
 |
| As far as they'll let you go. 4680 meters. |
 |
| Pretty Neat |
 |
| #Healthyactivelifestyle #YAY |
 |
| More rocks |
 |
| View from the road next to the fake natural attractions |
 |
Not seen: Waterfalls made of concrede, submerged trees in a
human-made lake where a regular old river used to be. |
The old city of Lijiang was pretty neat. It's been restored to look like not communism, which was pretty neat.
 |
| A house |
 |
| The street |
 |
| Fruit wine stuff |
 |
| A place |
 |
A view |
 |
| Some pink trees or something |
We ate very well. Lots of different kinds of Chinese foods (there are many many types for the many regions of China). Here's more pictures.
 |
| Peking Duck, the equivalent of Chinese duck tacos. They are amazing. |
 |
This was traditional Dali food. Kind of like Sichuanese but
different. Lots of pickled veggies, spicy oily fried meats,
flowers in the food, rich vinegary flavours. |
 |
Flying dagger noodles, veggies, and an empty plate where
scrambled eggs and dumplings used to be. I drenched most
stuff in vinegar because it tastes even better.
 |
| CHICKEN |
|
 |
| Hot pot |
 |
| Yak cheese dumplings with honey |
We also went to Dali. This is another city in Yunnan with a lot of minority cultures and stuff. It's got mountains and old buildings and food and stuff.
 |
| Stuff |
And finally, the Hike. We did a two day journey through mountains and valleys through a place called 'Leaping Tiger Gorge'. Apparently, according to legend, a tiger leapt across the rock face.
 |
| The bus dropped us off here. It's a place. |
 |
The route. As you can see, I was definitely in China doing
outdoor activities. No doubt about it. |
 |
| That's us. |
 |
| Where the road became the path. |
 |
| Jake and Janice told me to buy a hat. So I did. |
 |
The view after the first climb of the trip. They're building
a major bridge/tunnel in the area, hence the construction. |
 |
| We stopped for lunch in a village. This is a rice paddy. |
 |
That's not pizza. It's a kind of bread thing that's like pizza.
We ordered it because it sounded like pizza. |
 |
| All kinds of things for sale along the journey. |
 |
| Nature |
 |
| Something written on a rock |
 |
| "Wow, nature sure is neat" |
 |
| More nature. Kinda looks like Canada |
 |
| Janice was afraid of the goats. I was hungry. |
 |
| You can see the water if you look at the nature closely. |
 |
| Nature with some sun on it. |
 |
| Couple-y photo for the scrap book |
 |
| Our guest house for the night. |
Day two of the hike ...
 |
| Final stop before hiking the last leg downhill |
 |
Some Dutch friends we met at the guest house. I told
them ALL about poutine. |
 |
| Almost there |
 |
| The gorge |
 |
| This is what it looks like in video form |
So there, we did it. I think it was fourteen hours of hiking total. It was definitely satisfying to complete such a journey, to spend so much time in the neat outdoors, and to earn a healthy appetite that was satisfied each night. A side effect was that I was made much more aware of my age and genetics when I realized that I had inherited my father's terrible knees that creaked and throbbed while walking downhill, faltered while going uphill and set themselves in cement after the hiking was over. Oh well, shit happens.
 |
| You can tell from the Dad hat that it's me |
 |
| One of these only has one 240th of the horsepower of the Buick |
 |
We're done. Made it back up to the road and our pick up point.
Time for naps and dinner. |
I mean, we did other stuff too, but this post is long enough already. Here's a short list
- We rented motorbikes and Jake crashed his. GOOD LEARNING EXPERIENCE JAKE
- We picked strawberries and then it started raining torrentially. We ate like a quarter of them but that's okay. It was fun.
- We tried foods made of flowers and stuff. That was fine. It tasted like flowers or whatever.
- We met plenty people who were nice, like a lady who drove us to the airport when taxi drivers were being rude, or strangers who helped us translate things for us. People who aren't in the tourism industry seem to be ten thousand times nicer and more helpful. Definitely cool cats.
- We took other photos and looked at stuff
So there you go. That's China! Look at the pictures and stuff, you don't need me to talk about it any more. Look, here's a dog. There were lots of nice dogs in China. There, that's a good finishing point. See ya.
 |
| A dog. |
Also that was my last trip until I come home and start pouring all my hard earned money into old cars. Dunno what the heck I'm going to post about next. Aside from cars, that is.
