I leave for the states tomorrow, leaving this lovely Lamma Island and Hong Kong where it has been very warm and muggy ever since the tropical storm came through. (The last ferry to the island apparently issued life jackets and everyone had to wear them... some pretty freaked out people.)
One little tidbit I wanted to share before I leave Asian shores is about this nature reserve I visited day before yesterday. Mai Po Marsh is just a short train and bus ride away from the heart of Hong Kong. It is a large reserve that is home to many birds throughout the year. During the Fall/Spring migration apparently there are hundreds of species. One article listed that over 400 species have been sighted here. It is a pretty venue and a very nice break from the intensity of the human environment in the area. Here are some links to read more about it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mai_Po_Marshes and http://www.hkoutdoors.com/hong-kong-birding/mai-po-birding.html
I saw birds that I've never seen before and it was a great way to spend a day even though it was in the middle of the summer and I got there in the late morning as things were heating up... still it was worth it. All the trails are asphalt or concrete, so it makes it very accessible to people. I don't know the exact arrangement, but it seems that the World Wildlife Fund of Hong Kong has some sort of concession to issue permits, do volunteer work, etc. There are a number of blinds (they call them hides) to look out from. The primary bird species I kept seeing was the Great Egret. Cost was around $16 to get in and a deposit of around $19 needs to be left. Visitors are issued two permits: one for the reserve and one for entering into a restricted area. You see, one edge of the marsh is the fence line between "Mainland" China. It was weird to be walking along this trail with a tall fence (15 feet?) on one side, cyclone barbed wire atop that, high intensity spot lights every few feet, and guard towers (now empty)... all this seems to be remnants of a time when communist China was in a different phase. I don't know if they are used anymore.
Almost within earshot of the reserve is the growing metropolis of Shenzhen. When I was in this area 26 years ago, this was a small town... maybe even a village. It was so small I have no memory of it. It is the place where people cross from the New Territories of Hong Kong to "Mainland" China. Back then it was where I got off the train, had my passport checked, and got on another train/bus. Now it is a major manufacturing and industrial center. In a recent paper article, they are talking about wanting the Shenzhen/Hong Kong metroplex to rival L.A., New York and Tokyo.
When/if that happens I hope they learn from other's and not repeat the same development mistakes, like keeping the Mai Po Marsh healthy. I hope they choose as an example of a successful city a place like Portland. The green belt that has been created with Washington Park allows for open access by many species of wildlife. Though there is not a lot of mammals here, I hope they help to keep the area clean enough for the birds to come and live, or to migrate through.
That is the challenge that modern China faces... will they repeat the mistakes of countries who have gone before them? I hope not. This marsh is but one small example of where they could do it right and learn how to allow habitat to be maintained while they build their infrastructure to support their people. It was heartening for me to see the environmental education they are doing here and know that there are people trying to help maintain the ecological balance amidst such great odds.
Hong Kong has a lot of diversity: from the Gucci and Prada stores where they sell $1000 hand bags to the pure white feathers of a Great Egret flying over the Shenzhen River. It has been a great place to spend time. I went through the Jade Market today (http://cyberfair.fixip.net/shop_market003.htm) and then returned to Lamma Island. This island has been a haven for me: quiet, away from the hubbub, and a 30 min. ferry ride to get here. If you are ever in this neck of the woods, check this little island/village out.
Well, it is time to close this chapter and my travels in Asia. I leave here early tomorrow and will be traveling for around 18 hours (if things go as planned). I'll miss not flying Cathay Pacific (an airline that really deserves it's first class reputation) because they didn't have any seats, but I'll discover what China Airlines has to offer.
Take care and I'll do some wrap-ups when I'm back in the states.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Hong Kong
The rains have continued aided by tropical storm Pabuk. The storm added to much chaos toward the end of the working day two days ago, but from a perspective of someone who wasn't going anywhere and had no appointments to keep, it was a fun storm to watch. Just like being on the Oregon coast in the winter to watch a storm, it is nice when you don't have to be in it. The rain here is like being in a lukewarm shower, very similar to swimming in the water here. Not as warm as a place like Thailand, but pleasant.
The day the first storm warning was issued I decided to go to Lantau Island (the largest island here and the island where they've built the new airport) and see the world's largest cast bronze seated Buddha. Here is a link for you to see photos. (Wikipedia to the rescue again.) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tian_Tan_Buddha
Lantau also has 100 km of hiking trails. This is something that not many people appreciate about HK- there is a lot to do outside away from the dense urban environment. I was interested in doing some sea kayaking but found out that a person needs to take a series of courses and get an i.d. that approves you for kayaking, plus a HK i.d. card is needed to rent a kayak... being protective of people's ignorance and lunacy I guess.
Being at the Tian Tan Buddha I was reminded of the diversity of this region. This statue is of a Buddha, around the island are many monasteries, including a Trappist monastery. Throughout HK there are cathedrals, temples, and mosques. According to my friend who teaches here, most of his students are Christians of one type of another. It was an amazing statue to see and there were many, many people on that extremely hot day.
My health is improving, though I've had a bit of a relapse today... maybe being out all day yesterday was a bit too taxing. I spent most of the day shopping throughout Central and in the Tsim Tsa Shui area. I spent the later part of the evening in the Temple St. Market. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_Street,_Hong_Kong and http://www.temple.street.hk/)
This place starts to open up at 2 p.m. and closes somewhere between midnight and 2 a.m. It is a bargain hunters dream and almost anything made inexpensively/cheaply in China could probably be found here. There are also plenty of "regular" shops. A friend's brother owns a shop/storefront here: Mandala Arts Trading Co. Bhim, the owner, sells Nepalese, Tibetan, and Indian arts. He has good stuff and is located at 143 Temple St. (That is a plug for a new friend making a living for him and his family.)
Part of the reason for shopping is that I'm returning early to the U.S. on August 16. I've decided that if I'm going to hang out, recovering my energy, that I'd rather do it with my family and friends in Oregon during the summer. I gave some thought to going to Koh Samui (an island) in Thailand, but decided that is for another trip. There are some other things that have crossed my mind too.
Many of us accumulate things in our lives. Our rooms are filled with things of importance, nicknack's, family hand-me-downs, and art/crafts. Occasionally, people go through purges and clean their closet out... only to have some gremlin replace it with other collectibles. I've noticed that for many people in the middle of their lives that the momentum to accumulate starts to wane and I'm at the stage where collecting things seem to be less and less of interest. It doesn't mean that accumulations stop, but it has shifted in importance.
There are other people who collect experiences. My last real alpine climb was in Bolivia and the man I climbed with seemed to have no interest in the aesthetics of the climb, just interested in adding another alpine climb to his lifetime list... not my style or of much interest to me. There are people who collect travel experiences: they have very little material goods but they acquire the experiences of movement. This accumulation is not as easy to see, but in a way, it has a similar quality as the person who accumulates tangible objects. This too has taken on less importance to me, though I still enjoy it. So, as I looked at my present situation, it seemed more fun to go home and spend some time with Susan, my friends, and my community.
The whole purpose of this trip for me was a pilgrimage to Tibet and when that was interrupted it became an opportunity to view my motivations, interests, and future plans. It was another chance to see where my mind was in the midst of all this. I could "tough it out" and stay until my return ticket or I could choose to do what most appealed to me... and it turned out that comfort, community, family won out.
People go to Rome, Jerusalem, Mecca, Stonehedge, and the Ganges River at Varanasi. There is something of their faith that compels them to want to visit, at least once in there life. Then when the pilgrimage is done, it is time to return. Many people mentioned to me that there would be obstacles in any pilgrimage, as in many endeavors. So the question is, does one push through it or does one take it easy on oneself? There is no easy answer for this... there is no operating manual that says when you make this type of plan you stick to it no-matter-what! (Though some of us have cultural or famalial operating guidelines that tell us to stick to our commitments, "even if it kills you.")
I believe we must take most experiences in life for their individual circumstances and take counsel from people that we trust. But sometimes it comes down to what seems to be in the best interest for oneself and those around you. Sometimes people in leadership positions need to make a hard call and just see what the consequences are. Often we are leading ourselves and needing to make choices. So that is what I have done and chosen to return home. Susan asked if I were to never return to China, would I feel complete. (Good question.) Yes I am complete.
There are three books that come to mind and recommendations for you to read, if you haven't already. The first was an adventure/pilgrimage by Ian Baker to an extremely remote place in the world: where India and Tibet meet. I read this prior to starting this trip. It is a very exciting adventure he describes in The Heart of the World: A Journey to the Last Secret Place. If you like an adventure read, this was good. (I found it at the Corvallis library.) It turns out that.... well I'll leave that for you to read.
The second book is The Forbidden Journey: The Life of Alexandra David-Neel by Foster and Foster. This incredible traveler/adventurer/pilgrim was the first Caucasian woman to visit Lhasa, Tibet. But her story is a much more compelling one than that. She died at 100 in 1969 and remembered the Commune revolts in Paris, her father was a friend of Victor Hugo's, and lived a life much different than what was expected of a woman of her time. If you want an amazing read about a woman who lived life on her own terms, this is a great read. I just finished reading this biography today. There are many books out that she has written, but this is a great overview of her life, including the negative sides.
The third book I read on the flight over here and completed just when I returned to Hong Kong. Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace...One School at a Time (http://www.threecupsoftea.com/Intro.php) is the tale of Greg Mortenson. He failed on an attempt at climbing the world's second highest mountain and found himself in a Pakistani village that changed his life. This is the tale of his life to bring secular schools to rural Pakistan and Afghanistan. I wish everyone could read this book, it is a truly amazing story of what he has helped to do to help educate (secularly) girls in rural Islamic regions while gaining the support of religious leaders. I can't recommend it enough.
So why have I brought these books up in the midst of my blog? Well, today I have been contemplating whether I've just given up, quit, taken my ball and gone home because the going got a little rough.
For years I denied that I was an adrenalin addict or that I was a high risk taker... even after Susan pointed out my climbing, whitewater boating, fast bike riding, backcountry skiing..... I never saw myself as a big risk taker because I always compared myself to those at the top of the discipline. There were those people like Messner who climbed to the top of the world without oxygen or the people doing first descents or climbing El Capitan without ropes... now, those people were risk takers. It has taken me years to realize that it is unfair to compare myself to them. They were totally committed to that one activity and I was a dabbler, a dabbler in risky pursuits.
Well, all three of the books document people who have lived their lives to an extreme. They have been extreme travelers/pilgrims/adventurers. In years past I would have compared myself to David-Neel and said that I wimped out, that I didn't do this trip to the extremes that she went. I took the easy way out. But life is short and as I stand in my middle-age (I'm about the same age as David-Neel was when she journeyed into Tibet, early 50's) it is a matter of what do I want to hold to? What am I willing to have high stakes around and what not? It does me, nor anyone else any good if I am pursuing some lofty destination only to be miserable while doing it.
I guess that is what we all need to discover in our lives: what will we stand for and what will we yield to? That is a challenge many of us face: choosing our battles wisely and learning to let go those things that no longer matter.
I'll probably make one more entry before I fly over the Pacific this coming week and then another one or two as I transition back to my living in Oregon. In the meantime, be well and take care of yourself out there.... there are a lot of great questions to be answered.
A NOTE: August 25, at our house, I will be showing a rough cut of my slides. If you're reading this and know where we live it is a good assumption that you're a friend. So please stop by at 7 for snacks... the projector will start at 8.
The day the first storm warning was issued I decided to go to Lantau Island (the largest island here and the island where they've built the new airport) and see the world's largest cast bronze seated Buddha. Here is a link for you to see photos. (Wikipedia to the rescue again.) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tian_Tan_Buddha
Lantau also has 100 km of hiking trails. This is something that not many people appreciate about HK- there is a lot to do outside away from the dense urban environment. I was interested in doing some sea kayaking but found out that a person needs to take a series of courses and get an i.d. that approves you for kayaking, plus a HK i.d. card is needed to rent a kayak... being protective of people's ignorance and lunacy I guess.
Being at the Tian Tan Buddha I was reminded of the diversity of this region. This statue is of a Buddha, around the island are many monasteries, including a Trappist monastery. Throughout HK there are cathedrals, temples, and mosques. According to my friend who teaches here, most of his students are Christians of one type of another. It was an amazing statue to see and there were many, many people on that extremely hot day.
My health is improving, though I've had a bit of a relapse today... maybe being out all day yesterday was a bit too taxing. I spent most of the day shopping throughout Central and in the Tsim Tsa Shui area. I spent the later part of the evening in the Temple St. Market. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_Street,_Hong_Kong and http://www.temple.street.hk/)
This place starts to open up at 2 p.m. and closes somewhere between midnight and 2 a.m. It is a bargain hunters dream and almost anything made inexpensively/cheaply in China could probably be found here. There are also plenty of "regular" shops. A friend's brother owns a shop/storefront here: Mandala Arts Trading Co. Bhim, the owner, sells Nepalese, Tibetan, and Indian arts. He has good stuff and is located at 143 Temple St. (That is a plug for a new friend making a living for him and his family.)
Part of the reason for shopping is that I'm returning early to the U.S. on August 16. I've decided that if I'm going to hang out, recovering my energy, that I'd rather do it with my family and friends in Oregon during the summer. I gave some thought to going to Koh Samui (an island) in Thailand, but decided that is for another trip. There are some other things that have crossed my mind too.
Many of us accumulate things in our lives. Our rooms are filled with things of importance, nicknack's, family hand-me-downs, and art/crafts. Occasionally, people go through purges and clean their closet out... only to have some gremlin replace it with other collectibles. I've noticed that for many people in the middle of their lives that the momentum to accumulate starts to wane and I'm at the stage where collecting things seem to be less and less of interest. It doesn't mean that accumulations stop, but it has shifted in importance.
There are other people who collect experiences. My last real alpine climb was in Bolivia and the man I climbed with seemed to have no interest in the aesthetics of the climb, just interested in adding another alpine climb to his lifetime list... not my style or of much interest to me. There are people who collect travel experiences: they have very little material goods but they acquire the experiences of movement. This accumulation is not as easy to see, but in a way, it has a similar quality as the person who accumulates tangible objects. This too has taken on less importance to me, though I still enjoy it. So, as I looked at my present situation, it seemed more fun to go home and spend some time with Susan, my friends, and my community.
The whole purpose of this trip for me was a pilgrimage to Tibet and when that was interrupted it became an opportunity to view my motivations, interests, and future plans. It was another chance to see where my mind was in the midst of all this. I could "tough it out" and stay until my return ticket or I could choose to do what most appealed to me... and it turned out that comfort, community, family won out.
People go to Rome, Jerusalem, Mecca, Stonehedge, and the Ganges River at Varanasi. There is something of their faith that compels them to want to visit, at least once in there life. Then when the pilgrimage is done, it is time to return. Many people mentioned to me that there would be obstacles in any pilgrimage, as in many endeavors. So the question is, does one push through it or does one take it easy on oneself? There is no easy answer for this... there is no operating manual that says when you make this type of plan you stick to it no-matter-what! (Though some of us have cultural or famalial operating guidelines that tell us to stick to our commitments, "even if it kills you.")
I believe we must take most experiences in life for their individual circumstances and take counsel from people that we trust. But sometimes it comes down to what seems to be in the best interest for oneself and those around you. Sometimes people in leadership positions need to make a hard call and just see what the consequences are. Often we are leading ourselves and needing to make choices. So that is what I have done and chosen to return home. Susan asked if I were to never return to China, would I feel complete. (Good question.) Yes I am complete.
There are three books that come to mind and recommendations for you to read, if you haven't already. The first was an adventure/pilgrimage by Ian Baker to an extremely remote place in the world: where India and Tibet meet. I read this prior to starting this trip. It is a very exciting adventure he describes in The Heart of the World: A Journey to the Last Secret Place. If you like an adventure read, this was good. (I found it at the Corvallis library.) It turns out that.... well I'll leave that for you to read.
The second book is The Forbidden Journey: The Life of Alexandra David-Neel by Foster and Foster. This incredible traveler/adventurer/pilgrim was the first Caucasian woman to visit Lhasa, Tibet. But her story is a much more compelling one than that. She died at 100 in 1969 and remembered the Commune revolts in Paris, her father was a friend of Victor Hugo's, and lived a life much different than what was expected of a woman of her time. If you want an amazing read about a woman who lived life on her own terms, this is a great read. I just finished reading this biography today. There are many books out that she has written, but this is a great overview of her life, including the negative sides.
The third book I read on the flight over here and completed just when I returned to Hong Kong. Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace...One School at a Time (http://www.threecupsoftea.com/Intro.php) is the tale of Greg Mortenson. He failed on an attempt at climbing the world's second highest mountain and found himself in a Pakistani village that changed his life. This is the tale of his life to bring secular schools to rural Pakistan and Afghanistan. I wish everyone could read this book, it is a truly amazing story of what he has helped to do to help educate (secularly) girls in rural Islamic regions while gaining the support of religious leaders. I can't recommend it enough.
So why have I brought these books up in the midst of my blog? Well, today I have been contemplating whether I've just given up, quit, taken my ball and gone home because the going got a little rough.
For years I denied that I was an adrenalin addict or that I was a high risk taker... even after Susan pointed out my climbing, whitewater boating, fast bike riding, backcountry skiing..... I never saw myself as a big risk taker because I always compared myself to those at the top of the discipline. There were those people like Messner who climbed to the top of the world without oxygen or the people doing first descents or climbing El Capitan without ropes... now, those people were risk takers. It has taken me years to realize that it is unfair to compare myself to them. They were totally committed to that one activity and I was a dabbler, a dabbler in risky pursuits.
Well, all three of the books document people who have lived their lives to an extreme. They have been extreme travelers/pilgrims/adventurers. In years past I would have compared myself to David-Neel and said that I wimped out, that I didn't do this trip to the extremes that she went. I took the easy way out. But life is short and as I stand in my middle-age (I'm about the same age as David-Neel was when she journeyed into Tibet, early 50's) it is a matter of what do I want to hold to? What am I willing to have high stakes around and what not? It does me, nor anyone else any good if I am pursuing some lofty destination only to be miserable while doing it.
I guess that is what we all need to discover in our lives: what will we stand for and what will we yield to? That is a challenge many of us face: choosing our battles wisely and learning to let go those things that no longer matter.
I'll probably make one more entry before I fly over the Pacific this coming week and then another one or two as I transition back to my living in Oregon. In the meantime, be well and take care of yourself out there.... there are a lot of great questions to be answered.
A NOTE: August 25, at our house, I will be showing a rough cut of my slides. If you're reading this and know where we live it is a good assumption that you're a friend. So please stop by at 7 for snacks... the projector will start at 8.
Monday, August 6, 2007
Return to Hong Kong
The rains returned to Hong Kong. Thunder, lightning, and torrential rain- all of which are normal for this time of year. However, this year there has been an exceptionally dry July and first part of August. With the return of the rain has come the orchestration of frogs, bullfrogs, insects and the increased hum of hungry mosquitoes. The temperature is low 80's and the humidity in the 70-90% range. The evenings are quite pleasant.
The last you heard from me I was in Chengdu and dealing with upper respiratory stuff and needing to find a place to rest, rather than a hotel room. I've returned to my friends place on Lamma Island- 30 minutes from the hub-bub of shopping rich downtown Hong Kong. It felt much better leaving behind the polluted air of Chengdu to come here. Plus, traveling alone it felt really good coming to a friends home to stay. I shall stay here a bit and rest... trying to get rid of this cough. One thing that a person deals with while traveling is the different diet, language, culture, and the different viruses/bacteria that we aren't used to. We tend to think, we have a cold or infection. But there are different strands, just like there are different cultures that we aren't used to. It is time to heal and travel less intensely. Comfort is nice for these tired bones.
One of the great things about being here is having conversations with people who have years of experience in and around China. They have a more in-depth view of China as compared to my surface view. Since I've had a number of conversations with people about current affairs in China, I'd like to offer some of what I've heard.
Many of us continue to carry residual images of things like the Cultural Revolution, the diaspora in Tibet, or Tiananmen Square and that affects how we see the current China. The strong centralized government that existed in Mao's day or following him and into the Cultural Revolution doesn't exist anymore. Regional and local power brokers have much of the control. Cities like Shanghai, Guangzho, and Shenzhen operate quite independently since they have been so successful with the market economy. It seems that money and power does the talking now.
Within the federal government there is splintering. Here is one example: The Ministry of Health will send out workers to do HIV education to prostitutes. It is illegal in China to assist prostitutes in the plying of their trade. The Department of Public Security will arrest the health workers.
HIV and AIDS is becoming a major issue for China, especially in the rural areas. Prostitution is on the rise because rural-based migrant workers go to the city. In order to get legal jobs, they need papers to work in the urban environment. Since they can't obtain those papers, they must work under the table. (Undocumented workers must deal with the same issues here as in the States. The difference is that these are citizens of the country, they just don't have official permission to be working in a different locale.) One of the jobs they find themselves in is prostitution. Another major cause for the spread of HIV are truck drivers. Prostitution is on the rise and with it are STDs (sexually transmitted diseases)- something that the tightly controlled social scenes of Mao's days didn't have to deal with.
Bottomline: Money talks in the China of today. There is an increasing middle and upper class. An increasing discrepancy between those who have and those who don't. State-run enterprises are falling behind the entrepreneurial system.
Tiananmen Square: I've read in the past and it was reconfirmed, that this incident wasn't about students versus the government. It was about factions within the government battling for dominance and that the students were the pawns. The troops that showed up were not troops from Beijing, but from a rural area. The battalions in Beijing refused orders to go against the students. The rural troops had no riot control training and just went in and handled it very roughly.
Sertar: In an earlier posting I mentioned being denied entry to a monastic community in Eastern Tibet and I said it was a Tibetan. I questioned the rationale behind Tibetans denying entry to Westerners. Well, come to find out that this is a Chinese government initiated action and they are using Tibetans to enforce the "policy". Sometimes the guard is in civilian clothes (like when I was there) and sometimes there is a uniformed guard.
Local control: In the U.S. we have a slogan around living locally. Well, local control is the big thing in China. A lot of the oppressive things that have happened in Tibet are said to have been initiated by local authorities trying to impress Beijing. Is it a federal policy to close borders, make it more difficult for individual travelers to travel, and lock down monastic communities? Is it a local/regional choice by hard-liner bureaucrats? To really know, one needs to follow the trends or be an insider... which I am neither. One view that I have changed since traveling here and talking with people is that there is a lot more local control and less federal control.
One Chinese statement is that the reason for making it more difficult for individual travelers in Tibet is that there isn't much money in it for the government. Individual travelers tend to spend less money than people on tours. That is a very rational perspective. Other's have said that it is because that it is easier to control what tour groups hear and see. I tend to think that it is a mixture of both of those perspectives. People who have followed the decades of struggle of the Tibetan people, culture, and religious community will see demons around every action of the government. People who believe that Tibet was a medieval country lost in the haze of superstition and that treated its people poorly will not see the harm in governmental actions.
Travel from Chengdu to Hong Kong: Airline fares are slightly different in China. I left the hostel without a ticket and went to the airport. The closer to departure, the more airlines will discount their empty seats. I got 10% off my ticket on the day of departure after going to different airlines to compare their prices. Sometimes it can be as much as 20-30%. Costs of domestic flights are cheaper than the U.S. My ticket cost me around 1700Y- which at current exchange (7.5 Y to the dollar) is a little over $200. This flight is a little over 2 hours long, they serve a meal (not a real tasty meal, but it is more than a bag of peanuts), plus beverages. They don't serve coffee.
Another interesting design part to airports: the arrival and departures are on different levels. Even the tunnel one walks in to get onto or off the plane is split. Departures and arrivals do not mix in the terminal.
After I landed in Shenzhen I walked the terminal to the ground transportation site to arrange the hydro-ferry to Hong Kong and then from Kowloon the Star Ferry across to harbor and then to Lamma Island. It was clean and easy. In China the customs was really easy and there were plenty of signs in English to help me on my way.
Finding ones way: As I stood amidst the cacophany of Hong Kong sights and sounds I spotted a sign for the HK MTR (Mass Transit Railway (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MTR)). It is an incredibly efficient system. I have an Octopus card that allows me to travel on ferries, trains, buses, subway, and even buy something at 7-11. It is a smart card. The whole system is extremely convenient.
Anyway, as I was soaking in all the sights and sounds I saw the symbol for the MTR. It is a sign that is seen often in the city and it leads one to the nearest station. When I first got to the City I didn't know what it meant, but it was always available for me to see. At first I was so overwhelmed by the sounds, congestion, smells, and newness of it all that I couldn't see the sign. It took some education and experience for me to be comfortable in finding the signs. It dawned on me that this is a little bit like life... there are many signs along the way, we just need to find out what we are looking for and to follow them. Sometimes it takes time getting adjusted to ones surroundings, sometimes it takes a friend stepping in and pointing out the obvious, and often it takes education and experience.
I am at a signpost for my journey right now: back in HK long before my return ticket (I didn't plan on getting sick)... what to do? What are the signs for me? I think they are there I just need some time to reorient myself and see them. What about for you?
Catch you on the next episode, as this world continues to turn in it's amazingly rich way.
The last you heard from me I was in Chengdu and dealing with upper respiratory stuff and needing to find a place to rest, rather than a hotel room. I've returned to my friends place on Lamma Island- 30 minutes from the hub-bub of shopping rich downtown Hong Kong. It felt much better leaving behind the polluted air of Chengdu to come here. Plus, traveling alone it felt really good coming to a friends home to stay. I shall stay here a bit and rest... trying to get rid of this cough. One thing that a person deals with while traveling is the different diet, language, culture, and the different viruses/bacteria that we aren't used to. We tend to think, we have a cold or infection. But there are different strands, just like there are different cultures that we aren't used to. It is time to heal and travel less intensely. Comfort is nice for these tired bones.
One of the great things about being here is having conversations with people who have years of experience in and around China. They have a more in-depth view of China as compared to my surface view. Since I've had a number of conversations with people about current affairs in China, I'd like to offer some of what I've heard.
Many of us continue to carry residual images of things like the Cultural Revolution, the diaspora in Tibet, or Tiananmen Square and that affects how we see the current China. The strong centralized government that existed in Mao's day or following him and into the Cultural Revolution doesn't exist anymore. Regional and local power brokers have much of the control. Cities like Shanghai, Guangzho, and Shenzhen operate quite independently since they have been so successful with the market economy. It seems that money and power does the talking now.
Within the federal government there is splintering. Here is one example: The Ministry of Health will send out workers to do HIV education to prostitutes. It is illegal in China to assist prostitutes in the plying of their trade. The Department of Public Security will arrest the health workers.
HIV and AIDS is becoming a major issue for China, especially in the rural areas. Prostitution is on the rise because rural-based migrant workers go to the city. In order to get legal jobs, they need papers to work in the urban environment. Since they can't obtain those papers, they must work under the table. (Undocumented workers must deal with the same issues here as in the States. The difference is that these are citizens of the country, they just don't have official permission to be working in a different locale.) One of the jobs they find themselves in is prostitution. Another major cause for the spread of HIV are truck drivers. Prostitution is on the rise and with it are STDs (sexually transmitted diseases)- something that the tightly controlled social scenes of Mao's days didn't have to deal with.
Bottomline: Money talks in the China of today. There is an increasing middle and upper class. An increasing discrepancy between those who have and those who don't. State-run enterprises are falling behind the entrepreneurial system.
Tiananmen Square: I've read in the past and it was reconfirmed, that this incident wasn't about students versus the government. It was about factions within the government battling for dominance and that the students were the pawns. The troops that showed up were not troops from Beijing, but from a rural area. The battalions in Beijing refused orders to go against the students. The rural troops had no riot control training and just went in and handled it very roughly.
Sertar: In an earlier posting I mentioned being denied entry to a monastic community in Eastern Tibet and I said it was a Tibetan. I questioned the rationale behind Tibetans denying entry to Westerners. Well, come to find out that this is a Chinese government initiated action and they are using Tibetans to enforce the "policy". Sometimes the guard is in civilian clothes (like when I was there) and sometimes there is a uniformed guard.
Local control: In the U.S. we have a slogan around living locally. Well, local control is the big thing in China. A lot of the oppressive things that have happened in Tibet are said to have been initiated by local authorities trying to impress Beijing. Is it a federal policy to close borders, make it more difficult for individual travelers to travel, and lock down monastic communities? Is it a local/regional choice by hard-liner bureaucrats? To really know, one needs to follow the trends or be an insider... which I am neither. One view that I have changed since traveling here and talking with people is that there is a lot more local control and less federal control.
One Chinese statement is that the reason for making it more difficult for individual travelers in Tibet is that there isn't much money in it for the government. Individual travelers tend to spend less money than people on tours. That is a very rational perspective. Other's have said that it is because that it is easier to control what tour groups hear and see. I tend to think that it is a mixture of both of those perspectives. People who have followed the decades of struggle of the Tibetan people, culture, and religious community will see demons around every action of the government. People who believe that Tibet was a medieval country lost in the haze of superstition and that treated its people poorly will not see the harm in governmental actions.
Travel from Chengdu to Hong Kong: Airline fares are slightly different in China. I left the hostel without a ticket and went to the airport. The closer to departure, the more airlines will discount their empty seats. I got 10% off my ticket on the day of departure after going to different airlines to compare their prices. Sometimes it can be as much as 20-30%. Costs of domestic flights are cheaper than the U.S. My ticket cost me around 1700Y- which at current exchange (7.5 Y to the dollar) is a little over $200. This flight is a little over 2 hours long, they serve a meal (not a real tasty meal, but it is more than a bag of peanuts), plus beverages. They don't serve coffee.
Another interesting design part to airports: the arrival and departures are on different levels. Even the tunnel one walks in to get onto or off the plane is split. Departures and arrivals do not mix in the terminal.
After I landed in Shenzhen I walked the terminal to the ground transportation site to arrange the hydro-ferry to Hong Kong and then from Kowloon the Star Ferry across to harbor and then to Lamma Island. It was clean and easy. In China the customs was really easy and there were plenty of signs in English to help me on my way.
Finding ones way: As I stood amidst the cacophany of Hong Kong sights and sounds I spotted a sign for the HK MTR (Mass Transit Railway (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MTR)). It is an incredibly efficient system. I have an Octopus card that allows me to travel on ferries, trains, buses, subway, and even buy something at 7-11. It is a smart card. The whole system is extremely convenient.
Anyway, as I was soaking in all the sights and sounds I saw the symbol for the MTR. It is a sign that is seen often in the city and it leads one to the nearest station. When I first got to the City I didn't know what it meant, but it was always available for me to see. At first I was so overwhelmed by the sounds, congestion, smells, and newness of it all that I couldn't see the sign. It took some education and experience for me to be comfortable in finding the signs. It dawned on me that this is a little bit like life... there are many signs along the way, we just need to find out what we are looking for and to follow them. Sometimes it takes time getting adjusted to ones surroundings, sometimes it takes a friend stepping in and pointing out the obvious, and often it takes education and experience.
I am at a signpost for my journey right now: back in HK long before my return ticket (I didn't plan on getting sick)... what to do? What are the signs for me? I think they are there I just need some time to reorient myself and see them. What about for you?
Catch you on the next episode, as this world continues to turn in it's amazingly rich way.
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
On Pandas, Poetry and the Tao
Yesterday I spent the morning touring the Panda Breeding Center with two other people from the hostel: a Frenchwoman studying Chinese and who spoke good English and a Korean, also studying Chinese here and not very fluent in English. However, his English is a million times better than my Chinese of Korean. Thanks to both of them we were able to time it perfectly to see the pandat eating. It is quite the trip to see dozens of people from around the world getting their kicks off watching a black and white teddy bear eat bamboo. The more noise it made, the happier the crowd was.
The breeding park has been successful in doing something not achieved elsewhere in the world: having twins successful be birthed and live. There are now three baby pandas in the incubators or with their mothers.
Like so many animals in the world, they are threatened by habitat destruction and a die-off of some of their favorite bamboo. It really speaks to the problem of being too specialized. These cute animals are faced with a specialed diet in a world that is needing their land. The Chinese have set aside large tracts of land to protect them and hopefully this will allow them to rebound. There is no place in the world that these bears are found.
One thing that made me chuckle was that a lot of the quotes that are spread throughout the park are from American naturalists like Muir. It speaks to one of the exports that the United States has brought: setasides of natural lands for future generations and the protection of animals.
Today I visited a site dedicated to one of China's main poets who lived in the 700's: Dufu. (People did chuckle when my pronounciation of the site meant I wanted to see Tofu's site....:-)
Here is a link to some of this poetry. I'd never heard of him, but can now see how powerful his poetry has been for different generations of Chinese. I don't know what influence he had on future generations, but his poetry really points to the inequities between the haves and have nots. http://www.chinapage.org/poet-e/dufu2e.html
The Dufu Thatched Cottage park is a mixture of park, history, archaeology, and gift shops. It was raining lightly throughout my whole visit and gave it all a light wash. It was quite pretty and I'd recommend a visit if you ever make it here. I did take a long break at one of their tea houses. They had a gazillion teas: green, Chrysanthemum, jasmine. I had a green tea. They place the loose tea in a cup, fill the cup a third of the way with very hot water, then cover it.... then they leave. What to do next? I drank it and soon found out by watching that they drink the tea while holding the saucer... I never did figure out what to do with all the loose tea that I kept pulling our of my mouth. Eventually they all settled to the bottom.
One of the volunteers here helped plan my itinerary for the day and even helped with telling me which buses to take: the buses cost 1yuan. At an exchange rate of 7 yuan to the dollar, it isn't very expensive to ride a bus here. As long as you don't get turned around... which is what happen to me this afternoon/evening as I returned from another park. This is such a big city (somewhere between 4-7 million) and my map is so small that I wasn't sure where I was, so instead of taking the bus I took a taxi... still pretty inexpensive and it turned out that I was only 5 minutes from the hostel!
The tao part of the story is my visit to the Taoist temple. It is a very large complex with many people visiting and practicing/praying/making offerings. The priests conducted a ceremony/service. There were young and old offering incense and candles wile praying and and bowing. Some of the statues are over 30 feet high and well preserved. Here is a link to information about the taoist temple: http://www.impression.org.cn/?action-viewthread-tid-811
It appears that people are returning to openly practicing a religion that has been a part of this country for many centuries, just like what seemed evident in the western reaches of Sichuan, where Buddhism is openly and very actively practiced. It is a land of contrasts. Whereas most people try to fit things into either/or boxes: China has a blend of a market economy with a strong centralized goverment, active communist party, with people practicing traditional religions. It doesn't fit into any easy category. Maybe it is just what it is and our attempts to try to fit it into a box will only continue to meet with misunderstanding.
During my walk through the taoist temple I walked by a door and there was a woman playing a traditional Chinese stringed instrument. They invited me in and I listened to her play for a while. I captured that on a recording and it was beautiful. Just outside there was a 60ish woman singing a traditional Chinese style of song while young people wandered with MP3 players in their pockets and bowing in a temple of antiquity. Just like yesterday when I was having a cup of coffee at Starbucks at the edge of a 1200 year old monument/park with buses going by with billboards for KFC and Wal-Mart.
Traveling expands our thinking and our hearts if we let it. We can try to fit everything into OUR neat little boxes or we can choose to use it as a form of meditation in action. Everything is changing right before our eyes. But that is the same way things are in our daily life, it just seems more static because of our habits. This trip has helped to rearrange my worldview, once again. There are many ways to travel and the way that I prefer is to go to a place and be there for a while. I don't like, nor do I do well when I am constantly on the move... which is probably why this upper respiratory virus hangs on- something that I'm about to resolve by settling into a place for a while.
Catch you on another episode.
The breeding park has been successful in doing something not achieved elsewhere in the world: having twins successful be birthed and live. There are now three baby pandas in the incubators or with their mothers.
Like so many animals in the world, they are threatened by habitat destruction and a die-off of some of their favorite bamboo. It really speaks to the problem of being too specialized. These cute animals are faced with a specialed diet in a world that is needing their land. The Chinese have set aside large tracts of land to protect them and hopefully this will allow them to rebound. There is no place in the world that these bears are found.
One thing that made me chuckle was that a lot of the quotes that are spread throughout the park are from American naturalists like Muir. It speaks to one of the exports that the United States has brought: setasides of natural lands for future generations and the protection of animals.
Today I visited a site dedicated to one of China's main poets who lived in the 700's: Dufu. (People did chuckle when my pronounciation of the site meant I wanted to see Tofu's site....:-)
Here is a link to some of this poetry. I'd never heard of him, but can now see how powerful his poetry has been for different generations of Chinese. I don't know what influence he had on future generations, but his poetry really points to the inequities between the haves and have nots. http://www.chinapage.org/poet-e/dufu2e.html
The Dufu Thatched Cottage park is a mixture of park, history, archaeology, and gift shops. It was raining lightly throughout my whole visit and gave it all a light wash. It was quite pretty and I'd recommend a visit if you ever make it here. I did take a long break at one of their tea houses. They had a gazillion teas: green, Chrysanthemum, jasmine. I had a green tea. They place the loose tea in a cup, fill the cup a third of the way with very hot water, then cover it.... then they leave. What to do next? I drank it and soon found out by watching that they drink the tea while holding the saucer... I never did figure out what to do with all the loose tea that I kept pulling our of my mouth. Eventually they all settled to the bottom.
One of the volunteers here helped plan my itinerary for the day and even helped with telling me which buses to take: the buses cost 1yuan. At an exchange rate of 7 yuan to the dollar, it isn't very expensive to ride a bus here. As long as you don't get turned around... which is what happen to me this afternoon/evening as I returned from another park. This is such a big city (somewhere between 4-7 million) and my map is so small that I wasn't sure where I was, so instead of taking the bus I took a taxi... still pretty inexpensive and it turned out that I was only 5 minutes from the hostel!
The tao part of the story is my visit to the Taoist temple. It is a very large complex with many people visiting and practicing/praying/making offerings. The priests conducted a ceremony/service. There were young and old offering incense and candles wile praying and and bowing. Some of the statues are over 30 feet high and well preserved. Here is a link to information about the taoist temple: http://www.impression.org.cn/?action-viewthread-tid-811
It appears that people are returning to openly practicing a religion that has been a part of this country for many centuries, just like what seemed evident in the western reaches of Sichuan, where Buddhism is openly and very actively practiced. It is a land of contrasts. Whereas most people try to fit things into either/or boxes: China has a blend of a market economy with a strong centralized goverment, active communist party, with people practicing traditional religions. It doesn't fit into any easy category. Maybe it is just what it is and our attempts to try to fit it into a box will only continue to meet with misunderstanding.
During my walk through the taoist temple I walked by a door and there was a woman playing a traditional Chinese stringed instrument. They invited me in and I listened to her play for a while. I captured that on a recording and it was beautiful. Just outside there was a 60ish woman singing a traditional Chinese style of song while young people wandered with MP3 players in their pockets and bowing in a temple of antiquity. Just like yesterday when I was having a cup of coffee at Starbucks at the edge of a 1200 year old monument/park with buses going by with billboards for KFC and Wal-Mart.
Traveling expands our thinking and our hearts if we let it. We can try to fit everything into OUR neat little boxes or we can choose to use it as a form of meditation in action. Everything is changing right before our eyes. But that is the same way things are in our daily life, it just seems more static because of our habits. This trip has helped to rearrange my worldview, once again. There are many ways to travel and the way that I prefer is to go to a place and be there for a while. I don't like, nor do I do well when I am constantly on the move... which is probably why this upper respiratory virus hangs on- something that I'm about to resolve by settling into a place for a while.
Catch you on another episode.
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