Yangshuo, Guangxi province..views, fishing and fun

This was the view which greeted us from the rooftop patio of our hotel in Yangshuo...and I instantly knew we had done well to come here...thanks Deborah and Kate for the recommendation!
Yangshuo is just about 60 km south of the more famous (and popular) Guilin along the Li River. With only two days to tray and experience the wonders this area has to offer, we decided to stay on the river itself, which necessitated over an hour ride from the Guilin airport. But let me give this Aussie owned place some free advertising...great room, clean and spacious with a patio overlooking the river where you can order anything off an enormous menu from 8 am to 9pm. The western food tasted western and the Chinese food terrific.


It about a 20 minute walk outside of the town of Yangshuo, with a very rural feel. By contrast, Yangshuo offers all the trekker ambiance you could hope for (lots of cafes and bars), plus plenty of Chinese bric a brac for the tourists. So we had a relaxing dinner on the patio...


With Sophia in high photo taking mode..."Mama its sooo booogifal (beautiful).


Here is a child who has been living in China too long?!?!? That's pizza she's eating with kuaizi (chopsticks).

Th owner of the inn also owns this bar, which is where we met our guide for the evening fishing trip...think we'll remember the name of the place?!?! But are there Buffalo wings?!?The waitresses were amused when I told them it was the name of our city..but pointed out that it is water buffalo which is the symbol here, and we sure saw those on the way to Yangshuo from the airport, Mostly wandering around grazing I think, as the rice seemed to be already planted for the most part.

I know many of the blog readers are familiar with this book, its quite popular in the Asian adoption community. Its a children's story which we just love, about a little girl who raises chickens, and it is set right here, on the banks of the Li River. In this story a cormorant fisherman find one of Mei Mei's hens floating down the river in a basket while he is cormorant fishing. So our kids are actually aware of this quite ancient method of catching fish.

We paid 50 kuai apiece ($7 per adult) to "watch" the fisherman. We didn't realize just how close we would be, or how exciting. They fish at night and attract the fish with a light out over the water.

Then the cormorants get involved. They are sleek and powerful birds, larger than I expected. They are able to hold up to 5 fish n their mouths at one once without swallowing. The fisherman ties a string snugly around their neck so they can't swallow the fish. Then he uses his pole to scoop them up and bring them to him, and gets them to cough up the fish they are storing. They dove again and again while we skimmed along side his boat in the water. It was really quite exciting. It was a good long ride, and then we beached and talked to him, and took some fun photos of Helen and Thomas befriending the birds...


A closeup of the boat...


This one was a show-off!

The fisherman e showed us how he gets the fish out of the mouth, and did assure us that he lets them eat when they are done working..all that effort for a few fish!
My camera actually shoots better video than photos at night..so I hope you can open these videos and watch the whole thing...to use a Chinese expression...it was tai bang (too great!)





Michael and I loved coming back to our hotel and being able to order drinks and sit outside while the children slept, but now it is late and I am still blogging!
Tomorrow we will have a leisurely morning and then take a bus upriver to meet a boat for a daytime river cruise of the most legendary part of the river..the part where all the Chinese paintings are set..I just learned the type this week in my painting class-- water, mountain, tree. These "karst" mountains are quite stunning and you can see why they draw so much attention. We are hoping the 30% chance of rain in the forecast holds off.

Sunday we will pay for all this fun by spending a good part of the day on the bus, getting to Yongzhou, Hunan. Its about 3.5 hours away by bus, but we'll have to change in Guilin. I do feel great about visiting this area as part of our "return to hometown tour.." Its making a very positive impression on all of us.

Please continue to pray for victims of the recent earthquake, where the death toll has continued to rise. There are lots of efforts at fundraising everywhere we go.

Visitors...we love them!

This month a series of visitors will come to Xiamen...fun for us, although since I would rather socialize than study, my level of Chinese comprehension is suffering! (Maybe also the beer we had at lunch!?!?) This past weekend we welcomed Nancy and Tom, who are living in Jinan, Shangdong on the Fulbright program this year. Nancy was giving a lecture here at the law school, but we all found time for touring the campus...

and a grown ups only night out downtown overlooking the harbor...

While walking downtown we encountered some popular art you would only see in China..a Rat playing ping pong (拼盘球）pin pan qiu.

And of course we had to do the truly Fujianese thing and taste tea for them to bring home.

I love seeing Xiamen through the eyes of others..helps me keep it fresh. This week some more Fulbrighters have arrived from Wuhan, and next week it looks like our friend Gary, who we were supposed to meet up with in Chengdu, might be bringing his students here instead.

Tomorrow we are going to Guilin and then on to Yongzhou to see the orphanage Helen once lived in. Mixed feelings of anticipation about the trip. The weather forecast is for rain, I'm afraid, but we'll hope for the best. Not sure if we will be able to blog or not from Guilin - in Yongzhou definitely not.

Thanks for all the emails about the earthquake. I also have had some bad news in the last week. My mom, whom many have you have been praying for, has taken a turn for the worse, and the cancer has spread beyond the ability of the doctors to intervene. It has been so difficult for us to be apart..now we are praying for as much time as possible, in particular time to spend together this summer. It think now the reluctance I feel to let go of China is being tempered by my desire to be much ,much closer to my family at this time.

More earthquake news

I know many people have been following the news of the devastation in Sichuan province as it unfolds. For once we are getting fairly consistent information here..a death toll expected at nearly 12,000, and numerous aftershocks continuing the destruction of structures already weakened by the quake. All our friends around China are safe, but the thoughts of everyone in China are on areas isolated by the quake where the full extent of the damage is not known...even the famous Wolong Panda reserve, which we were supposed to visit a week from Saturday, is completely out of contact and located in the county which was at the epicenter...

Of course we are glad this didn't happen while we were there...in Xiamen we did not feel anything...

Quake comes to China and the Torch to Xiamen

By now most people have probably heard about the earthquake this afternoon in west-central Sichuan province (see map below). It was a pretty big one, above magnitude 7, and there have been casualties, although the numbers are wildly conflicting. The center was about 800 miles from us, so we felt nothing. But we join people all over the world in the hope that not too many people have been hurt and life will not be too disrupted in those areas. A much smaller tremor was felt west of Beijing a few minutes later apparently.

At that time, we were fighting our way through an exuberant, if a bit pushy crowd of college students and staff of Xia Da to watch the Olympic Torch run past the campus on its way downtown. Classes were canceled and a very large crowd gathered, we and some other foreigners were shepherded by the overseas faculty office to a place near the front..we think to put us near the CCTV cameras..








It was a bit sunny but we were rewarded for our endurance by a great view of the torch being handed off right in front of us..as you can make out in the video ...the buses have the next torch bearers in them, then you can see the flame being passed off. It was a bit jumpy because we were in a very tightly packed crowd who were all jumping up and down.

Knowing that the torch relay has been controversial abroad..I gave some thought to my own feelings about doing what we did -- going out in our full Olympic attire, waving and cheering with the rest. For me, it boils down to having a great admiration for the Chinese people, and my own corner of China in particular. For Chinese people the Olympic Games has become a symbol to celebrate China's progress, a source of pride in their nation's growth. Regardless of my feelings about Tibet, and anger over the ways in which China still cages its citizens, I could not help feeling pleased and proud along with them -- if you think about what China was like just one generation ago -- there is really a lot to celebrate, besides of course the notion of the Olympics as a celebration of youth and oh yeah ...sports, remember?!?!? The world community has done a thorough job in recent weeks of pointing out all the ways in which China's progress remains incomplete...especially when it comes to the Chinese government's lack of tolerance for dissent. But seeing the torch was not about politics for me -- but about joining in the local spirit of fun and optimism...

..Which was nice because lately, there has been a general tightening of the mood here ahead of the Olympics--nothing in particular or frightening really, just noticing how much stricter the police are being about everything, how the church is keeping a lower profile, how some foreigners are having trouble renewing visas,as the rules are tightened, etc. I have been feeling a little moody about it all, also because of reading more 20th century Chinese history and fiction lately after an influx of books not available here ...Mao, the untold story by Jung Chung, brought by my sister and Beijing Coma by Ma Jian, a novel set in Beijing during the democracy movement of 1989, which I bought in Hong Kong. I recommend both of them.

The longer we are here the more we come across people who want to talk about politics, religion, and other sensitive topics -- and it does make life quite interesting.

Hong Kong days

We arrived in Hong Kong on a beautiful afternoon. Its so easy to get around on the MTR, that we were checked into our little hotel and on the Star Ferry across the harbor by 5 pm. Hong Kong has that breathtaking kind of urban beauty...but it does not feel like China! I called it China Lite...Michael disagrees...but we both marvelled at both its Chinese and Western feel...its easy to see why westerners like coming here so much...so much English and yet a great pan-Asian feel too.

Here's something you won't see in the rest of China...a pseudo-demonstration of sorts by Filipino domestics...my classmate who is an anthropologist tells me that this "picnic" is held downtown every Sunday and is more social than political...apparently the authorities have tried to stop it but it just keeps recurring..

We were wandering in the central business district in search of affordable food and ended up getting the kids a quick burger at McDonald's...in honor of my nephew Joseph, who was amazed by the fact that HK has them (well, all of China actually....).

Old and new Hong Kong skyline....foreground is St. John's Episcopal Church...when we walked by it Sophia shouted and jumped up and down..."I have been there!!"

Our goal was to ride the tram to Victoria Peak at dusk to see the city lights...good thing we got in line when we did, because a few thousand other tourists had the same idea. The tram takes you straight up the mountain at a 45 degree angle.

And at the top, some stunning views that my little camera is just not capable of capturing.
After wandering around on top of Victoria Peak, we made our way back to Kowloon (where we were staying) and forced the kids to go to the night market on Temple Street...ignoring their whining about being tired...

It was a good thing too. Thomas was thrilled to find a video game he has wanted for a long time at a bargain price, and we picked up some trinkets before enjoying the coldest beer and spiciest crabs at table set up in the street..great fun...

The next day dawned clear so we set out without telling the kids on the MTR headed for Disneyland. Thomas had already figured it out, but it was not until our last train change...when we boarded the train with windows shaped like Mickey, that Helen piped up and asked..."MOM...are we really going to DISNEYLAND?!" She then proceeded to do a celebration dance in the aisle of the train...ah happy parent moments. Knowing we can't escape at least one Disney visit in life, we were happy to get the bargain of going here..its smaller but was big enough for us. Interestingly, there were far more teens and adults than young kids here.



Tarzan's treehouse...

The Dumbo ride..

Sophia was a little overstimulated by the first hour or so, and refused to go anywhere near Pooh...

One benefit of Hong Kong Disney...Noodles for lunch! After lunch we watched the parade..Helen says the parade and fireworks were her favorite parts.


Remember the Toy Story guys? Micheal and I like the Buzz Lightyear ride where we shot lasers at Emperor Zurg the best...Sophia insisted on going in 3 times, although she kept her eyes covered the whole time.

I am proud to say that I convinced the big kids to go on Space Mountain together (so I didn't have to -- I am a big chicken). Helen was just tall enough for her first roller coaster and reports that she wasn't scared at all. Thomas said he would like it more if he was just SURE that he was not going to fall out and be killed. :)

We saw a musical revue from High School Musical and Helen was invited up to dance. Michael nominated this for the "cultural dislocation" award of the day. As Americans watching Chinese teenagers imitate American cheerleaders to an audience of people form all over Asia..it was a bit weird...do they think this is what high school in the US is really like?????

Our last day we ate dim sum in a restaurant the hotel had suggested -- no tourists, just folks enjoying a good lunch..and spent some time in Kowloon Park before flying out. A rather quick tour of Hong Kong, but I am glad we got to see it..

This is our travel month...with plans to visit Guilin and Helen's orphanage mid month and hopefully Chengdu at the end of the month...plus the torch is coming to Xiamen on Monday so stay tuned for more blogging.

Recapping...our week in Japan

1st day--Nara Park...after a very late arrival, we rose late but were thrilled to see it was a beautiful, picture perfect day for a walk in Nara Park, the centerpiece of the city. Nara is not a big city, but it was the first capital of Japan, so a lot of historic sites are located here, in and around the park.



The tame deer in Nara Park have become a symbol for the city...the park is quite large, but the deer are numerous, and are pretty dedicated to being fed the snacks that the vendors sell.

Sophia finally found one which was the right size for her.

There are some people that you can go without seeing for years, but within a few hours its like no time at all has passed. That's how I felt about seeing my Okasan again...Of course I wish I saw them more often, but after just a few hours it was comfortable to be with her again. We were always able to talk about any subject, and it was a real pleasure for me to watch her get to know my children.

Day 2 -- Meeting the Japanese "cousins"..the children of my host brother and his wife. The whole family came over for dinner, and the kids had a grand time playing Wii and Rock, Paper Scissors (see video clip) despite the fact that only the oldest has any English (and not much), and my kids don't speak Japanese.



Day 3 -- Daibutsu-den at Todaiji Temple. Okasan went to work so with a few reminders I was able to navigate us downtown on the train. The Daibutsu is a gigantic image of the Buddha, the largest indoor one in the world, if I remember right. The Temple is an important one for Japan, and the design is quite old. Thomas and I were intrigued by the similarities and differences with our Buddhist temple next door in China, with its ornately painted designs, and this one -- with its simplicity and use of the natural coloring of wood and stone.




This hole cut in the pillar is supposed to be the same size as the statue's nostril...fitting through it is some kind of a good sign -- Thomas and Helen had no trouble and the older members were wise enough not to try this time, although I know I did it long ago!

Quick shot of Japanese kindergartners in their uniforms -- almost all the school children wear uniforms here.

Traditionally the temples had wells considered to be the most healthy and beneficial sources of water, so we all had the obligatory sip, and Sophia really got into the spirit.

Afterwards we headed off to lunch, and I remembered one of the things I like about Japan...being able to see the food a restaurant has in the window before you go in.. makes ordering easier, too. Nearly every restaurant has a display of plastic food like this one.

Day 4 -- the Samari Park, as we nicknamed it, but it really is a theme park in nearby Kyoto. Kyoto, which was the capital of Japan for 1500 years, is a city filled with history, It is also the setting for period dramas shown on TV all over Asia. One studio has designed a full scale model of an 1800s Japanese town, and films a lot of shows there. The rest of the time, this set along with some theaters and other displays is like a small theme park of Japanese films, marital arts, etc.

Okasan was not feeling well, so she went with us as far as Kyoto station and then we were on our own. That turned out to present some challenges, as there were not a lot of English signs and we missed some events and got lost a fair bit. But we had some fun in between..Helen rode a pony of course...


We watched the other visitors walking around in the costumes they had rented..

And made friends with some cast members after the martial arts movie secrets show. don't you just love the little guy who snuck into the picture?

Michael in "fake" historic Japan, and Thomas and Helen faking it in the "jail."


There were action figures to pose with as well, not sure who this one is, but I do know what a Power Ranger is..


Dinner that night was Sukiyaki, a favorite of mine -- where you cook beef, vegetables, tofu and noodles at the table on a hot plate and everyone keeps taking what they like until its gone...I did feel like we ate so much of their food, but they were very tolerant and generous with the intrusion.

Day 5 -- shopping in Osaka. We were in the mood for an easier day, so we went into Osaka ( a bit closer than Kyoto -- 25 minutes on train). Had a great time shopping, including a toy store for the kids and lots of window shopping, Starbucks for Mom.


I guess we wore them out? We rode trains every day while in Japan -- the easiest,cleanest and safest way to get around.

Day 5 Heian Shrine in Kyoto. Since we had already seen a temple, we opted for a visit to a famous shrine in the Shinto belief system, which is the native religion of Japan, primarily concerned with ancestor and nature worship. Michael and I were here 10 years ago with my mother in law and --- we talked about her many times this week and remembered what a good trip we had.


This arch is the hallmark of a Shinto shrine, although rarely this big!

The Heian shrine is surround by a lovely Japanese style garden, which we walked through.

spotting a Helen...

and a graceful bird in the water..a crane maybe?


The lines in a Japanese garden just lend themselves to photos, I think.

Afterwards we walked through Gion, one of Kyoto's oldest neighborhoods. Here is a street side shrine with the ancestors images wearing little clothes.

A rickshaw along the canal.

Walking the narrow lanes lined with shops and tea houses. All of Gion looked newer and more touristy than I remembered.

Last Day

May 5th is Children's Day in Japan. On our last day, although it was a few days early, we set out to have a kid friendly day. The traditional festival was in honor of boys, with the flying of carp flags to signify strength ( since they swim upstream). We went to a big park in Ikoma for a picnic where the older kids did an obstacle course with Okasan while we took Sophia to the playground. Afterwards we went back to the house for some Japanese green tea and traditional May 5th snacks made from sweet glutinous rice wrapped in leaves (some also contained red beans). Can you guess which ones are to signify boys?


I am so glad that we had this chance to be together, even though it was very brief. Hopefully we can visit again in a few years -- at least Thomas is likely to go since he has been invited to come in the summer on his own, and the older cousins invited to come to us. We had dinner with the whole family at a sushi restaurant where the food rolls by on a conveyor belt and you can just take it...it was a blast and everyone ate a ton, as you can see.


I even got a rare photo of Otosan .

So hard to say goodbye to friends who live so far away. Saying goodbye at the bus station to the airport was very emotional for me, as was talking on the phone to me host sister in Tokyo that I did not get to see...I vowed to return. We all enjoyed our time there very much.