Upon arrival in Deqin we went immediately to one of the local noodle places and ordered yet more noodles, in soup. I'm not sure what they call this awesome food, but I do know that it is some of the best food I've ever eaten. It seems that the further we go and the more noodles we eat, the better they get. Then it was on the road to the nearby town of Feilai Si. Our notes showed 10 km but one of the Tibetans had told us it was only an hour, so we decided to walk. It turned out to be 10 km, and we were picked up about half way by some Chinese tourists and the owner of a café in Feilai Si. But the half that we did walk was great. It was so good to stretch our legs and to really soak up the local mountain scenery, and take a ton of pictures of course.
We arrived in Feilai Si around 5, giving us time to find a beautiful room with a view of the Meili Mountains (which through a miscommunication we thought was 10 yuan, but turned out to be 100… still a meager 14 bucks USD), before stepping out our front door and watching the sun set right over the mountain range. This range is part of the foothills of the Himalayas. We must have about 100 photos of these mountains, yet I doubt any of them will do the view justice. The sheer size and the way that this magnifies their beauty is near impossible to catch on film. After this I zoned out and Laina got a little grumpy, but we both blamed this on the freezing temperatures and the fact that we'd only eaten one meal for the day. So we decided to go to the Migratory Bird to celebrate Christmas dinner, and basically feel human again. The Migratory Bird is a cool two-story café/restaurant with some amazing photographs of the local are that seem to belong to the owner. Well worth a visit. Upon arrival the power shorted out, so we were seated upstairs with the remains of a beautiful view and a candle-lit dinner of fried rice and Dali beer.
It was a very romantic way to enjoy Christmas dinner. All that was left now was bed, but before jumping to our bed with an electric blanket, we each spent about ½ hour in a scalding hot shower. All in all, a very different but amazing way to spend Christmas day.
December 26, 2006 (Laina)
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Despite lack of sleep from a disturbing nightmare and a headache, I was mused out of bed this morning at 7:30am and quite happy for it. After bundling up in our many layers, we joined about 100 or so other locals and travelers outside to watch the sunrise. As it rose behind us, it cast an amazing light on the mountain face before us. The light crept down into the valley from the top of the peaks; breathing in the cold, sharp mountain air, I think we finally had a real sense of where we are. To imagine that this is only the foothills of the Himalayas… that it gets bigger, I cannot fathom, as what lies outside my window is a sight more magnanimous than I have ever seen. Al was right- photos don't do it justice.
After sunrise we went back into the lower part of our hostel where breakfast was being served. Noodle soup of course, but this time, accompanied by a flat almost "nan" like bread, and a milky soup, which neither of us could really appreciate. As the sun hadn't had much time to warm up the land, we decided a post-breakfast nap was in order. I still had a headache, and after having traveled for four days straight, I think we were both ready for a day of relaxing and enjoying where we were, not just moving onto what was next.
At some point during the nap, Al went outside onto the porch to enjoy the heat (yes, heat) of the sun, and write in the journal. Some time later he tapped on the window and I joined him. Upon his recommendation and provision, I am reading Hermann Hess's "Siddhartha", so I delved into that a bit. We actually had bare feet, the sun felt so warm. It was great to walk on the warm wooden planks of the porch, and feel the heat from my toes up into my fingertips. On such a gorgeous day, a bit of wandering was in order. We followed a path around the hillside that curved away from Kawa Karpo; a path of dirt and snow, between pines, prickles, and spruce trees. At the beginning of the path every tree and bush seemed to be adorned in colorful prayer flags, some still vibrant, but many were worn, tattered and dirty from years of weathering. We reached a point which jutted out from the bend in the path, and offered an amazing view of not only the mountains but also further depth of the range and the valley, river, and terraced farming village of Xidong below. We sat there for a while taking in our surroundings, in wonderment at the sheer size and beauty of what we were seeing. For me it was so affecting to try to conceive how far I am from every place I have ever been.
Upon returning to town we ventured into one of the cafes along the "strip" and met a British fellow named Nick and his Japanese girlfriend, Aki. They proclaimed themselves "professional travelers", and have no real home but the road. This is funded by a few months of work a year by Aki, and the money from the sale of Nick's house in Britain. They have done quite a bit of traveling in China and offered some really useful and enlightening advice about travel costs and thievery on the over-night buses. Nick had had about $40,000 in camera equipment stolen over a few experiences in the last year, one of which he'd slept with his camera under his legs. If we take an overnight bus, mine is getting strapped to me.
After having a chat to them, and making plans to meet for dinner later on, we went to a shop a bit down the road to eat more noodles. One of the girls working in the shop had been on the bus the day before, I think she felt a bit anxious and shy upon seeing us again. After lunch we took to editing photos off our cameras, as in only four days we have both reached full capacity on our memory cards (a total of 3.512 Gigs between us). During this time, I tried to edit some video I had recorded of the Tibetan singers… it was so hard.
At the beginning of the trip, they had been singing along to pop songs on the radio, but later on, when the radio was off, they continued to sing. One boy, who sat directly behind us, acted as the choral leader. He had an exceptional voice, full of depth, tone, and strength. I know it sounds trite, but even though I couldn't understand his words, I felt he meant them, there was such feeling in his voice. The girls in accompaniment sang with the traditional Chinese style of high pitch. When I first recorded them, I focused the camera on the mountain-scape we were passing. Then after a few takes of only half songs, I turned, motioned to the camera mic, and gestured/asked them to sing for me. The girls and other boys were shy and hesitant, but after only a few moments thought, the boy behind us began a very beautiful, atonal yet melodic song. After a verse or two the others joined. I'm so happy we were able to take a record of these voices with us. A bit more magic along the trail.
I kept this final video, along with two others, hoping that by deleting the other 5 we would free up some space. Whilst deleting photos, Al had run back to the hostel, and a Chinese couple approached me asking if we were headed to Yubeng. I suspect one of the other Chinese travelers we had mentioned it to had passed on the information. I said we were, and we agreed for the four of us to travel together. It makes so much sense, especially since we then discovered we'd have to hire a car, and splitting the cost by 4 instead of 2 is obviously preferred. Plus I am excited to have some Chinese travel companions for a bit of the trip, as I think both Al and I are interested to have some real dialogue with native Chinese, even if they are from Shanghai, and not this area. They seem really friendly, and I'm definitely looking forward to the cultural exchange. However, Al and I are quickly learning it's better to leave the fact that we live in Japan out of conversation. We had mentioned it in the car we hitched from Deqin to Feilai Si, and after the Chinese made some off-color comments about Japanese people, the folks didn't seem to have much interest in continuing any conversation. When I mentioned to another man that we worked in Japan, I was met with this response; "Oh really? I hate Japs." Basically, the Chinese are still angry about Japanese militarism during WWII, and this is continually fueled by the fact that Japan won't officially apologize, recognize many events in history texts, and prominent politicians still visit Yasukuni Shrine, which is Japan's WWII memorial. I find this grudge somewhat ironic, considering China still maintains it was "liberating" Tibet, and if you try to Google "Tiannamen Square" while within China's borders, all you get are a bunch of tourist sights; all information about the massacre is blocked. But, who am I, eh?
The sun was starting to set, so Al and I took of a bottle of Maoliang Haojiu alcohol onto the porch of our hostel, watched the sun go down, and felt the temperature rapidly drop with its descent. Not too long after we came back to the room to enjoy the heated blanket, and do more reading, editing, and journal writing. Soon we will head to the café for dinner, then pack our bags for tomorrow's journey. We are meeting Ellen and Mung at 8am to leave for Xidong. It is from there that we'll begin the 5-6 hour trek to Yubeng. I just hope they can put up with Al, me, and our 4 cameras.
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December 27, 2006 (Al)
Another beautiful night sleep in the bliss of the electric blanket (though I must admit, I nearly had a fit when I woke up half way through the night to shed layers and kindly ask Laina to turn the damn thing off) and we are on our way again. It was nice to chill out in Feilai Si yesterday, ending with a friendly dinner with Nick and Aki. Very interesting people. They had already been in China for 9 months, and seemed to have no desire to leave just yet. Anyhow, it was time for us to head to Yubeng, which started with a scenic drive along a windy road heading into Xidong and the valley below. Xidong seemed to be a very interesting town, with the locals all working very hard collecting shale to build homes, along with massive beams of wood. After around an hour drive, (that included paying an entry fee of 60 yuan before entering Xidong- they are pretty strict about passage along the Tibetan border) we arrived at the hot springs at Xidong and the beginning of the trail. The going was hard from the start. We are at the foothills after all, and the trail was very steep and altitude definitely a factor. But the scenery was amazing. Walking through pine forest, the trail quickly turned into snow. This was the first time I'd hiked in snow, so this was an experience all in itself. There were quite a few people when we started, the 4 Chinese that had taken the van with us, and also an Israeli family with their Chinese guide, and entourage including two mules to carry the young girl and the family's luggage. But despite having large packs, Laina and I found ourselves breaking away from the group and we spent much of the hike walking alone. After walking along the trail in the snow and stopping to rest at a couple of the huts along the way, we came to the top of the ridge-line, which had been adorned with yet more prayer flags. The colors of the flags against the white snow only added to the joy in reaching the end of the 4-hour long uphill section of the trek. Nevertheless, Laina and I were quite proud of ourselves, hiking down the hill leisurely and getting to Yubeng after 5 hours on the trail.
The location of Yubeng can only be described as amazing. Nestled in a beautiful valley between the ridge we climbed over, and the Meili Mountain range; there has been cloud over the range today, but the view is still incredible. I've been sitting at the window of our guesthouse for around and hour and a half now, admiring what I can see of the mountains in front of me, while sipping hot tea and writing this. Laina has just arrived back from her walk, I wonder what photos she has taken this time… ("Not many… I just walked a bit, and sat outside")
December 27, 2006 (Laina)
While Al sat at the window, I went for a walk outside. I headed towards lower Yubeng, along a dirt path, passing graying mules and yaks. I reached a secluded spot which faced the town below and the mountain face, and something told me to sit down, so I did. I just stared out at the beautiful view in front of me, and let my mind wander wherever it wanted. By some strange calling of the universe, I found myself in some sort of thought process which took me from my earliest memories, through my entire life, up until that exact moment. Small details, from the depths of my remembrances, surfaced, some sad and upsetting, others, the best I can recall. Within the hour or so that I sat there, eyes fixated on the massive collection of rock and snow in front of me, at the border of Tibet, amongst simplicity and natural complexity, I felt such a range of emotions that afterwards I felt drained. After returning to the hostel, Al and I went up to the room and I fell asleep, despite the headache which remains in its dull pain behind my left brow-bone. I had another nightmare last night as well. I hope after the processing today, tonight will be different. After the nap, we met with Ellen, Mung, Becky, and Machu for dinner. They had ordered a bunch of food, so we actually dined on something besides fried rice and noodle soup. Upon hearing that's all we'd been eating, Ellen insisted on writing the kanji for other "more delicious" Chinese foods; so now we have a little kanji menu in the journal to help expand our palettes' horizons.
Now everyone is sitting around a wood fire stove in a common room. The atmosphere is reminiscent of a lodge or cabin. Behind the stove is a Buddhist shrine, and the entire surrounding wall is composed of very ornate and detailed wooden carvings. While the conversation is mostly in Chinese, it's so relaxing to sit around a fire with other travelers, and simply appreciate how lucky we are to be having this amazing experience.
December 28, 2006 (Laina)
The energy of this place is incredible. Al has noted the religious significance of the area; while I don't really believe in or adhere to any religion, I believe in energy, and here there is such a strong force. While neither of us are big fans of "The Celestine Prophecy", it has been brought up a few times regarding people being able to feel nature's energy and be aware of the life and auras of our natural surroundings. I definitely feel that here.
This morning we were woken up early by the crow of the rooster, but stayed in bed hours after. When it was light out, we could see from our window the heavily falling snow. For Al it was exciting, because for him it is something rare, a novelty to wake up to falling snow outside. For me, well I was giddy with the ingrained excitement of morning snow connoting no school and sledding and hot chocolate at Decker's Hill. We decided to have a lazy and warm morning in our room, lounging and reading. I am still reading Hesse and Al is reading Paulo Coehlo's, "The Zahir", which I got him for Christmas.
We mosied down to brunch around 11:30, and then played Scrabble at the window while the snow continued to fall. After the game we decided to enjoy the landscape we'd been admiring all morning. We walked into lower Yubeng, and spent some quality time with the farm animals, photographed them, petted the horses… Most of the houses are made of mud, rock, and cement with fairly ornate, once brightly painted window sills and door frames. However they are very worn, and most of the paint is chipped and faded. The roofs are simply planks of wood layered like shingles, except they are bound together by branches and weighed down by stones.
From the town we headed into the mountain crevice, following the stream. We knew there was a waterfall at some point, so we decided just to keep walking till either we found it or it became too late.
Following the stream, walking through the woods in the snow was so peaceful. The sound of the water was soothing, and newly fallen snow had covered everything in a pure white. And I love the sound snow doesn't make when it's falling. At one point we realized we were on the wrong side of the stream, opposite the path to the waterfall, so we found a place to cross using rocks and fallen logs. Soon after we came to an amazing sight along the stream bed- there were hundreds of stone cairns all different sizes. Inspired, we built our own. We also met some of our Chinese friends from the hostel, who were returning from the falls. They said it was fairly far away, but we decided to keep exploring the woods, and see how we went. Up the path a ways, we could hear water raging through the trees. We left the path and followed carefully along the side of the ravine (hey Pop, this time I didn't fall) until we came upon a small falls, only visible by climbing right to the edge. We sat and enjoyed our discovery for a while, and then decided to climb higher. Using trees, branches, and roots, we pulled and climbed up onto a higher ledge to discover another waterfall, narrower, and behind a massive fold of stone, surrounded by ice formations. So beautiful, and all ours. We climbed right to the edge of the farthest reaching point, and braced ourselves against a tree growing out of the point. We were able to look right down into the stream below and see the full falls behind the rocks, surrounded by a white forest, snow lightly falling, water rushing under us. Perfect moments.
We headed back to the hostel and met Ellen and Mung along the way. They told us the actual waterfall site wasn't very impressive, as it was all frozen over, and we felt very lucky for having gone our own way. We dined again with the same group. They ordered something called Hao Guo, which is like a hot pot, only coming up through the middle of the bowl is a pipe with coals inside. Absolutely delicious. Now we are once again in the common room, warming by the fire. Some new guests are trying to rally everyone into song and dance. Another amazing day in this winter paradise.
December 29, 2006 (Al)
We just witnessed a really beautiful sunrise. I got up early after looking out the window in the early dawn to find exactly what I'd been hoping for: a clear sky. I got out of bed, rugged up in every available layer, loaded the film camera, and headed out onto the porch to see the sunrise spread over the white peaks. I spent the next half hour watching the light slowly change the mountains and taking periodic photos. Laina was still in bed, so I went and grabbed her, then shared the rest of the roll with her, and continued to watch the sun change the landscape. This was really is incredible, it's so beautiful. And watching the sun rise over it, light up the peaks and town below, only punctuates that face. Laina has previously mentioned "The Celestine Prophecy", and it's theories on energy. It's funny because we both thought that most of the book was full of shit, but we both agree that energy is everywhere and becomes concentrated in areas of great beauty. It is said that beauty is within the eyes of the beholder, and I think we both agree that there is no greater beauty than that which exists in nature. Nature, or the nature of life, is such a complex thing, yet we are somehow able to subconsciously find patterns within it. I think it is our ability to find such rhythm in randomness, in something so far beyond our intellect, that makes life and nature so beautiful. Anyway, to end my rambling, we both feel the energy in this place, and much of this can be attributed to the natural beauty that surrounds this small town of Yubeng. I hope that our photos give even a glimpse of that. And the other great things is that all of this positive energy effects not only us, but also the other people here. Whether it is the owners of our guest house and their family and friends, the other people we've met around town, or the other Chinese tourists staying here, there is such a warm, friendly, and happy feeling amongst everyone. Pretty impressive for such a freezing cold place on the edge of civilization.
Yesterday was such a beautiful day, with the snow lightly falling and everywhere being covered in white. And the system of waterfalls that we managed to find were definitely the highlight. I'd never seen a waterfall in such a cold winter environment before, it was amazing to see falling water surrounded by snow and stalactites of ice. It was great, especially viewing all this hanging onto ledges 10 meters above, looking at the top of the falls and also down into the precipice where the water flows. It was, however, more than a little unnerving to see Laina so close to the edge. While it was great to see her eyes aglow with the excitement of our adventure, it is very difficult to watch someone you love willingly place themselves in such a dangerous situation. It's so much easier when it's yourself in that situation- I've loved heights and edges all my life- but when it's not you and you don't have that sense of control there is definitely a conflict of something. It is much more difficult. I don't want to stop her from doing it, or anything for that matter, but if saying something makes her err even slightly more on the side of caution, then I have to say it. Even if she does resent me for it. But anyhow, back to today…
The morning started great. Following sunrise, we had a delicious and massive breakfast of fried rice, omelet with green peppers, and some yak butter tea (though this took some getting used to… Laina didn't even give it a chance) The sky was clear, the sun was out, it was looking like it was going to be another great day in Yubeng. We trekked off towards Upper Yubeng, with plans of heading towards the base camp of the climbers that died attempting to climp Kawa Karpo, the highest peak of the Meli range. With the film and DSLR cameras in hand, we made our way slowly through the town and onto the trail heading to the base camp, snapping away at everything. The combination of yesterday's freshly fallen snow and today's clear blue skies, everything looked photogenic. We wandered off in separate directions at some stage, we were both in fairly silent moods, Laina in particular was zoned into nothing but her camera and whatever subject she could find. All of a sudden, while was taking pictures of some old wooden cabins in the forest, I heard Laina yell out my name. I told her to follow my footprints in the snow. She arrived a couple of minutes later with a blank look on her face. "Al, you didn't load the film properly… we've been taking nothing but blanks this whole time!" I couldn't believe it. We'd both taken what we thought would be really great photos, only to find that now we had nothing. Laina was pissed because she'd lost all her great shots. I was pissed because I'd fucked them all up for her. We'd been saying the night before how good our luck had been, if only we'd knocked on wood.
Both being angry and despondent, we decided to head in different directions. I looked up the hill towards the massive mountains above and thought it would be a good idea to take out my frustration on the snowy uphill slope. It worked well, the snow being mostly a foot deep along the barely visible trail, and then thigh deep at times. Laina went on a mission of angry photo taking, aptly titled "Photo vengeance". We were still a little bent but mostly just tired, cold, and hungry, so we trekked back to the guesthouse. Most of the other guests have left, it's only us and 2 20-something Chinese couples named Mao (not Chairman), Chen (money), Wan, and Gloria. We will be heading back over the mountain to Xidong with them in the morning. Once again, they all speak English. It's still amazing, but a luxury I am quickly getting used to. Our last morning in Yubeng… Lets hope it goes better than today. Not that today was that bad… we actually ended up having a chill afternoon warming our feet next to first the hot coal box and then the fire in the common room. We also said goodbye to Bruce, who was actually on our bus to Deqin, and the keenest hiker we've met, as well as one of the friendliest. It's just that up until today everything had gone so well, we couldn't have hoped for better luck. Something had to go wrong sometime, if only it hadn't had anything to do with our beloved cameras. (Laina's interjection: "Yes, we are massive photo dorks and proud of it.")
December 30, 2006 (Laina)
We leave Yubeng today and it's bitter sweet. This place is so beautiful (I know we both have over-used this word but the language is limited in that sense), and the people have been so kind, generous, and simply- happy. It's a simple and content happiness that seems to escape people living busy lives in cities and suburbs. Another bitter aspect is the 6 hour trek back to Xidong, this time mostly downhill over ice and snow, which could prove to be a bit tricky- I'd rather go up.
But sweet because neither of our backs and hips can take another night of sub-0 temperatures on crappy cots. We are both looking forward to hot showers. So now breakfast is being made and I'm hoping the children of our guesthouse hosts wake up soon so I can have one last giggle at their antics. The little boy is especially mischievous. While his parents are busy with guests and chores, the little rascal must get away with murder. His cheeks and hands and hair are always caked in dirt, and he stomps around in fleece wear and spider-man snow boots. His nose in constantly running down to his lips, mixing with the dirt, and he'll start rambling in Chinese to Al and I, giggle, then run away.
My favorite scene of him is from the kitchen. His mother is cooking and he's complaining about something. She turns to ignore him, and he picks up a bread roll, winds up, throw it right at the back of her head, and bolts for the door. The mother, quick on her feet, grabs the roll, instinctively turns, and hurls it right back at him, just missing him as he escapes down the hall. The mother is usually fairly quiet, except when she's yelling at her 5 year old boy or the pesky chickens that make their way into the kitchen when she's not looking. The father bas been so wonderful. He's an environmentalist and went to New York City once for an association event. He was so proud to show me his photos. Even though he can't speak English he communicates well. He gave us more hot coals when we were chilly, and even gave us a whole thermos of hot water when Al's stomach hurt from the Yak butter tea. Over all, staying here has been more than a pleasure. I really hope to return to this place someday.
December 31, 2006 (Al)
Just butting in here because I wanted to talk about the environmental degradation of the area surrounding Yubeng, Feilai Si, Deqin, and also the road leading up here. I want to mention it here because it was yesterday that it became most apparent. After leaving the beautiful valley of Yubeng, climbing up to the ridge and down into the next valley, it was like leaving one world and entering another. While in Yubeng and along the whole trail there had been pine forest with a blanket of snow, after leaving the trail and entering Xidong the landscape changed drastically. Where once there was pine forest there is now nothing, the steep slopes denuded of any vegetation, leaving nothing but rocky, scree slopes, land constantly eroding away into the river below. This is a very sad sight after leaving the township of Yubeng, witnessing what once existed over this entire region. When we were coming up here I assumed it was at least somewhat natural, but have since been informed that massive amounts of forest have been chopped down, the tree line stopping at a much higher altitude. This deforestation has left the slopes bare and all the associated environmental effects are apparent.
There is no longer any stability in the soil, which was most apparent when we had to change buses halfway due to a huge rockslide that had blocked the road out of Xidong. I wonder how many people die out here from rockslide related accidents. And with no forest there is no water retention, with no tree cover any snow that falls melts quickly and al this water flows into the river below at a much greater rate. To a degree I assume that the river/land is kind of used to it, with massive amounts of snowmelt in the spring. But now it must deal with these pressures all year round, the banks being constantly eroded. And apart from this there is the obvious visual and aesthetic effects, everything looks so ugly when there are no trees. Our guesthouse owner in Yubeng was also the police boss of town and a big advocate against the deforestation in the region, and may have played a big part in promoting Yubeng as an eco-tourism destination and an alternative long-term economy for the town. I only hope that by writing this and spreading the word we are somehow contributing to this cause. (Interjection from Laina: "25 million trees are cut down each year in China to make throw-away wooden chopsticks.")
December 31, 2006 (Laina)
"Western medicine is only a solution to the problem. Chinese medicine helps the body to defeat the sickness" – Mao on the benefits of Chinese herbal medicines.
Last night, around a massive dinner of Chinese dishes of which I cannot name, we decided to stay with our new Chinese friends. And so today, we have rented a car and the 6 of us are on the 12 hour road trip from Feilai Si to Lijiang. We're hoping to arrive before midnight so that we can have a drink to properly celebrate the New Year, even though the Chinese don't actually celebrate this Western calendar turning point.
Our plans to return to Kunming keep changing, so who knows what route we'll take. Chen has been extremely helpful though, trying to help us figure out a feasible plan, both time and money-wise. The whole group, in fact, have been great to travel with. It's so cool to be traveling and road tripping with a group of people our age, from the country we are experiencing for the first time. It gives us a better insight, interaction is always more enlightening than observation.
So we just stopped in Deqin so that the Chinese could buy medicinal herbs, and Al could buy local wool to knit my Christmas scarf. I do wish we had the chance to spend more time in Deqin, it seems to be a very lively town, with loud Chinese drumming music pounding through the streets, many Naxi in colorful dress, and just a market atmosphere all around. But I'm looking forward to another day in Lijiang- after this 12 hour drive…
…We are about ½ way there and thus far the car ride has been fairly uneventful, and yet not. At one point, Mao asked me if it was ok to talk about Iraq. He said how he thought Bush was a bad leader and that our invasion was wrong. Firstly, I assured him that I agreed with him fully. But secondly, I also told him how Bush, and his administration's actions don't really represent the majority of the American people. I explained about how Bush manipulated 9/11 to evoke emotion and anger, and hence support for his "War on terrorism", but that since that time many people recognize we never should have invaded Iraq. And that even at the time, a large % of Americans, myself included, didn't support the war, ever. But I have to sigh with disappointment… Yet another person who before talking to me felt anger and resentment towards America as a whole, against it's people, when those feelings should really be directed at a stubborn and deceitful leader and his greedy administration of stalwarts. They don't represent the true wishes or spirit of so many Americans, and even if it is one conversation at a time, I hope to change this mis-guided, media-skewed view of my country's people. Living abroad, I'm put on the defensive a lot…
We then talked about China and the injustices that occur in the rural populations. How local governments abuse power and silence any dissent by jailing people without fair representation or even trials. And while the central government speaks against these abuses, it's only in words that any action is taken. Mao spoke passionately about how these injustices anger him, but that he feels helpless… He says even if he tried to help, "…it's like throwing a stone into the ocean." I'm afraid it's that same sense of powerlessness that has stalemated people in my own country as well.
Driving through Northwestern China we have seen an interesting array of landscapes. There are the beautiful mountains, robbed of their trees, and the subsequently green-with-sediment Yangtze River along which we are following. It is easily the bumpiest ride of my life, as many sections of the road are broken or a strew with fallen rocks.
We have passed through small towns, down main streets lined by dilapidated buildings, which once were perhaps very beautiful structures, as is evidenced by the now chipping but still colorful painted trim and cracked tiled roofs. The whole street plays the role of market place, with vendors selling local vegetables and shopkeepers sitting on low stools and buckets in the entrances of their shops, playing cards. Chickens, yaks, and dogs roam freely.
And then we move into the farming villages, where the real poverty-like conditions can be witnessed. Small wooden/log shanties clustered together so that the space for tilled land can be maximized. But I say "poverty-like" because despite what many of us would consider a low standard of living, these people are self-sustaining. They grow and cultivate the food they eat, as well as maintain the livestock. They don't have heating, but thanks to that ancient discovery by man of fire, they don't freeze. As for education, it is at quite a low level. Many rural Chinese never learn how to read. Yesterday, on the outskirts of Xidong, we met a 10 year old girl whom Chen later informed us had never had a day of schooling. It's a hard life, but a simple one, and I realize I cannot judge it by my own standards but only by the smiles I am greeted with by these gentle and generous people. I am also amazed by the faming and irrigation systems. The terraced farming method really maximizes land usage while efficiently using water. It also creates an aesthetically beautiful landscape amongst rolling hills and mountains. The region we are in now still has many trees. I'm going to enjoy this scenery. But something interesting to think about; The places many of us consider "beautiful", "quaint", "lovely", are often the same places which harbor conditions under which many of us would never live.
December 31, 2006 (Al)
The landscape we are now driving through is very beautiful. Well paved roads winding along the river and townships that sit below rolling green hills and mountains. It would be great to have a motorbike here, though you'd have to keep your eye on the road, there's definitely no whit line separating you from the oncoming traffic, not to mention the many people and domestic animals on the side of the road. And you'll need a big horn! In the lower lying land along the banks of the river and the moderate slopes there are many towns separated by terraced farmland and slopes too steep to be inhabitable. You really have to admire the pure simplicity of the people here. They seem to work very hard and under very simple living conditions. But despite my admiration for them, I can't imagine living the life they lead. I don't mind manual labor, but I do like having a warm house and a varied diet. Chen tells me that there are areas in the northwest where the only vegetable available to them during winter is cabbage. Rice and cabbage all day for 3 months? That'd drive me crazy. But this area is indeed beautiful. It only makes the deforestation back near Deqin all the more frustrating. To think that so much has been lost for the benefit of only a greedy few.
January 3, 2007 (Laina)
Ug. But before there was Ug there was Ah. Arriving in Lijiang our Chinese counterparts were fairly tired and Mao and Wan had to be up at 5am, so Al and I headed into the Old Town for our own little New Year's celebratory beer. And as conveniently enough, the bars seemed to be "out of" all the cheap beer for the holiday, we really did have a celebratory beer. But it felt good to be somewhere familiar, and the streets were alive with the singing, shouting, and festive mayhem that seems to be characteristic of Lijiang night life.
The next day was wonderful. We spent it very leisurely, bumming around. After sleeping in and having an excellently hot shower, we walked through the Old Town streets shopping for souvenirs. It was fun bargaining and imperative as almost everything is marked up about 500%. I was quoted 150 Yuan for a pair of old coins, paid 20, and probably still got ripped off. After shopping we went for lunch, and also played a game of pool on an outdoor table along the street. It came down to the 8-ball, but the jerk beat me.
Afterwards we went into town, bought a cheap 6-pack of Lan Cang beer, set ourselves on the edge of a grassy knoll in the town square, and commenced a lovely afternoon of catching a buzz in the sun, talking about random stuff, and people watching. An old bottle and can lady with no front teeth sat next to us, and happily took our bottles as we finished them.
More delicious noodles for dinner, some casual wandering, and we even bargained in Chinese for a sweet new beanie for Al in the villager's market.
And then there was Ug.
Yesterday we had a casual morning, said "goodbye" to Lijiang, and boarded the 8 hour bus to Kunming. Fairly uneventful , pretty boring, cut to Kunming. Ok, so let me put it bluntly- Kunming majorly sucks.
Arriving at 9:30pm, we were pretty hungry, so we went to find something to eat. Never in my life have I walked through 5 blocks of the center of a city and not seen a single place to eat or even purchase food. Two restaurants we passed were closed. We finally found a street side vendor with some tables which sat at the opening of a dodgy alley. Thank goodness, as anyone who knows me, knows that if I go 6 hours without food, and especially if this becomes paired with useless wandering, I can get silently grumpy.
After dinner we wanted to look around but soon agreed taking a taxi to the airport was a better idea. It was the first time since being in China that we didn't feel safe. Now in Japan, as well as China, and whether it's because of my curly hair or whatever, I have become fairly accustomed to Asian men staring at me, and for the most part, I ignore it. But last night, I got a different feeling. It was a leering look, and even Al felt it and felt uncomfortable walking through the city, especially with all our bags. In a center plaza there were people playing carnival games, shooting balloons with bb guns, loud, crowded, and we both wanted out. Taxi please!
Now our plan had been to sleep at the airport since we had an early morning flight. We had budgeted perfectly. About 40 Yuan left for a meal and maybe snacks. 200 HKD for when we arrived in Hong Kong, and the Visa card for emergencies. Upon arriving at the airport we learned that it closes at 1am and we can't stay there. The clerk at the information desk also told us that rooms in the area would be 130 Yuan, they don't take credit cards, and there is no place to exchange money. The ATM's won't let us do a cash advance. UG. We decide to go around to some hotels ourselves anyway. Walking down the stairs outside there is a sketchy man at the bottom saying, "Hello, hello!" </P>
I can remember as a young girl walking through NYC with my mom, and her severely instructing me to ignore everyone, particularly people trying to sell you something- just look straight, keep walking. So when Al started talking to this guy who wanted us to come stay at his guest house, I felt a little uncomfortable. Then, after we said "no thanks", walked away, and he followed us for 10 more minutes, out of the airport parking lot, across the street, and down another block, I felt very uncomfortable. Al tried to assure me that he just wanted to make a sale, but still… I didn't like it. So after being rejected from a hotel and returning to the airport (to beg them to let us stay there) Al was finally able to exchange 100 HKD with a very kind soul who was also waiting at the information desk. We found an airport guest house, asked them to let us stay for 110 Yuan instead of 130 so that we wouldn't be completely broke, and they gave us a room. End Ug, begin Phew.
Now it's the next morning and we are comfortably in the air en route to Hong Kong. Our last day in China…
January 4, 2007 (Al)
Back in Hong Kong airport, where this whole crazy adventure began. We've spent a lot of hours in this place, sleeping in crappy chairs, lazing around on the carpet, and eating Ben & Jerry's ice cream. We arrived here yesterday morning from krappy Kunming, and took a bus into the city. Ah, Hong Kong, great place! After a day's adventure here I wish we were staying longer. We decided to get off the bus somewhere between Central and Admirality, and then just walk the length of the city. Hong Kong is a really easy place to navigate, as all the highrise skyscrapers (It's crazy, I don't think I saw a building under 5 stories the whole day, accept maybe the toilet block in the park) sit between the narrow strip that separates the ocean from the mountains. And it feels like a combination of all the good things of Japan and all the good things of China. The city has all the conveniences of a modern Japanese city, but with all the dirty, dingy charm and cheap food of China. We had decided that after surviving on so little on the mainland we should blow the budget and treat ourselves in Hong Kong, taking out $1,000 HKD ($130 USD) with the plan of spending the lot on a grand food and drink tour of the city. We started with a little side alley cafe, Laina getting yet more noodle soup and me succumbing to the spare ribs. Both were delicious and the whole thing reminded me of a certain dumpling restaurant in the middle of Melbourne. Then after our disappointment at not finding Magnums Ego's in HK airport, we found a substitute and cruised through the alleyway markets that separate the main streets and their high-end department stores. Laina found a big rolly-polly bulldog and nearly made love to it. Next we were intent on finding dim sum, but after much searching we found a hole-in-the-wall steamed dumpling jointed which made a fine substitute. (We have since found out that they aren't actually called "dim sum" in China and what we did eat was probably it.) Feeling a little parched we went and hit a 7-11 for a bottle of vodka and two bottles of OJ, made some mixers and continued to tour the streets. It was around this time that we became aware of the crazy scaffolding used on buildings here. 20-30 story skyscrapers using nothing but bamboo as scaffolding in the building process!!!
When all the vodka was gone we got a couple of long neck Carlsberg's and headed for a park on the other side of town. It was nice to be able to escape the city so easily, sitting in the park drinking beer, watching old men do Tai Chi, and seeing the sun set. Feeling kind of drunk and kind of full but with money to burn, we headed back into the center of town in search of more food and beer. It had been made apparent to me that I'm quite picky and have some unusual criteria when it comes to picking food and places to eat, so I put Laina in the lead, and let go of the compass. After what seemed like decades (hehe) she finally decided on a cool looking diner-style Chinese place with an English menu. We both ordered dumplings and beer, and got a fried rice with vegetables to share. It was a very nice and relaxing 1st dinner, with more beer for dessert. Just up the road was Al Dente, and Italian pizza and pasta restaurant that we'd spotted earlier in the day (which had fit the bill) and which sparked the conversation about my picky restaurant criteria. We headed in but it was full (one of my criteria) so we made a reservation for later and went to a vegetarian Indian Curry place we had also seen earlier for an entrée (or rather "appetizer" as you call your initial course in the States). (Laina would like to note this place was in fact empty, and absolutely delicious) We ordered two nan and got the curry recommended by the owner, to share. Once again, the food was amazing, one of the best curries we've eaten in a long time. Our entrée/appetizer complete, we rolled into Al Dente, already full and fairly buzzed. Laina flirted superbly with the waiter and we received silver service. We ordered a Barcelona pizza with sun-dried tomatoes and goat's cheese, and also a salad with the same 2 very important ingredients, along with some Peroni's to drink. Needless to say, the food was amazing, and the best yet in my opinion, which fully justified my pickiness. Thus concludes a great day and night on the streets of Hong Kong, and an excellent way to finish our trip here in China. From the carpet of Hong Kong airport, this is Al Mason, signing off.
