It's official- I'm BACK IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!!! It was amazing year but it feels great to be home! I'm doing some traveling at the moment and I will be making every effort to see everyone I can as soon as possible. Thanks for following my blog, but it ain't over yet! Here is the second post from our guest author, Joe Thomas covering our last week in China!Our 24 day adventure to China has come to an end with a return to a scorching, and beautiful, Gig Harbor. We concluded our touring with 3 days in Hong Kong. While technically a part of China (under English rule until 1997), this huge, modern, westernized city was a major contrast to the rest of the cities we visited. While here, Brad commented on a number of occasions that it felt as though he had already left China behind. It was typically much easier to communicate in English than for Brad to use his Chinese and most Americans could navigate Hong Kong without too much trouble. We were up early on Tuesday and after a trip across the river on the Star Ferry we spent one full day finding our way around the Hong Kong area in local double-decker buses (driving on the opposite side of the road, like England).
Buses on the crowed and winding streets of Hong KongOur first stop was at the local fishing village of Aberdeen where we took a short river ride, in a sampan, through the fishing boats and to a huge floating restaurant, Jumbo. Next stop was the Stanley Market where we anticipated some of the great Chinese bargains and the bartering that go with them … not so true. Stanley was more of a touristy shopping area with little motivation on the seller’s part and fairly fixed prices (this was generally true of most of Hong Kong), although we did manage a couple of purchases. Back on the bus to appreciate a beautiful sandy beach at Repulse Bay – not much open water during the previous part of our trip. Enjoyed the sun for a couple of hours and did brave the rather gross water to cool off in the 35o C (95o F) weather. We were then back to the city and took a bus to The Peak where we marveled at the breathtaking view of Hong Kong from a point high above the city. Returned to the Hong Kong waterfront, had a quick Subway sandwich, watched the light show along the river and Star Ferry back to our hotel room.
The tropical feeling Repluse BayDuring our 24 day, 23 night journey we enjoyed some very unique and interesting food and accommodations. We spent 2 nights “sleeping” on the plane to and from China, one night on an overnight train from Xi’An to Shanghai, 6 nights in Beijing, 3 nights in Guilin/Yangshou, 4 nights in Xi’An, 5 nights in Shanghai and 2 nights in Hong Kong. Most of those nights were spent in modest, inexpensive hostels. A new adventure for Sally and I, these local community hostels provided very comfortable accommodations and the opportunity to meet some really interesting travelers. In some cases we had our own private bathroom, but usually a shared bathroom with other guests. In the hutong area of Beijing Brad slept in a 6-person dorm room and Sally and I had our own private room. We finished up with 2 nights in Hong Kong where we stayed in a more traditional type hotel room on the 14th floor of the YMCA with a panoramic view of the Hong Kong skyline and river. It was an awesome spot and a truly magnificent view.
Sally and Brad outside the YMCA of Hong KongWe ate and drank a wide variety of food and beverage (a lot of bottled water) items while trying to stay pretty traditional in our Chinese selections and not taking too many risks with crazy unknown “delicacies.” We did make brief appearances in Kentucky Fried Chicken (they are everywhere in China), Baskin & Robbins and Starbucks – but that was more for the air conditioning than anything else. In my opinion, the most enjoyable meal experiences took place in the “down the alley and around the corner” small family operated restaurants where the only communication had to be through Brad’s Chinese (which in many cases was described as very good but locals). These are places most tourists would never happen upon but were the places Brad had come to know and frequent by way of his previous experiences. They were typically a 3 or 4 person operation and it was not uncommon to have a teenage child excited to try out their use of the English language on us. Probably my most memorable eating experience was the place in Xi’An where Brad was a regular. To get to it we walked through small shopping alleys, markets that sold local varieties of fruits and vegetable, every type of whole, skinned bird one could imagine (all unrefrigerated, of course) and the local people who were going about the everyday business of surviving in their 100 square foot shops. At the restaurant, Brad was clearly recognized by the mother and small girl as a regular customer. They visited some in Chinese as we ordered from the strictly Chinese menu. The father cooked the meal over a coal fire in the heat and humidity of an adjoining open air room. The fumes from the coal generated a rather ugly smell and caused all 3 of us to cough. Of course, chopsticks were the only eating utensils (as was the case during most of our trip), we purchased a local beverage from the little store next door and one did not need to worry about a little spillage on the table as that seemed to be the norm throughout China. As we finished another delicious meal, Brad explained it would be his last time to visit and heartfelt good-byes were exchanged.
The people we came in contact with throughout our travels were fantastic. I can honestly say that in the big cities (subways, train stations and busses included), in the countryside and in places where we were the occasional visitor I never felt one bit uncomfortable or threatened. In fact, it was the smiles and welcoming looks of the Chinese people that will provide a lasting memory of our trip. Admittedly, the Chinese people have some different cultural norms: “squatty pottys,” spitting anywhere is not unusual, eating in a seeming manner-less way is common and a habit Brad will be trying to break, aggressive driving, walking across streets and crowding to the front of a subway line is expected, baby’s pooping and peeing anywhere is OK (with “baby-pants” and no diapers what else is possible?). Throughout it all, however, there is a tremendous sense of pride in their surroundings as evidenced by the cleanliness of nearly all areas of even the busiest sections of the big cities and the most remote local communities. We were welcomed by Chinese people of all types: those living in cave dwellings, those living in big cities, those living in rural villages, those running a restaurant or small business, those whom we had just spent 10 minutes bartering over a measly 10 yuan ($1.40), those working in the hostels and especially the lady selling peaches around the corner from our hostel in Shanghai.
We came in contact with people from the past. A big priority was to meet with our Tsinghua High School friends. We made contact with them and had a nice visit and lunch with Jenny our first day in China. We received the tremendous hospitality of Lara as she drove us through insane Beijing traffic (she has only been driving one year) from the Birdsnest to the 798 Art District and then to her apartment where we were her first dinner guests in her home (with the help of some of her extended family including baby Yo Yo). Shi Ping and Helen treated us to a very first class dinner in a beautiful restaurant that included Chinese Opera type entertainment and unbelievable surroundings and service. We met and visited with Brad’s principal, wife and 5-day old baby, Zach, from Xi’An International School at the hospital in Beijing. We received a tour of the new and beautiful XIS from Jon Stewart and then later met his wonderful family for a dinner in Xi’An. We also met Ty (Brad’s roommate) and a couple of other friends while in Xi’An. Our one regret – we did not get a chance to meet Cari, (Brad’s great friend, fellow teacher and adventurer in Xi’An). She was home in Alabama for the summer. Steve Neufer hosted us for drinks in Shanghai and coincidentally on the final leg of our flight home from SF to Sea-Tac we sat next to a long time friend from University Place, Donna Zelazny, and our flight attendant was Cynthia (Warren Willoughby’s girlfriend).
We also met numerous new friends during our travels. I will try not ramble with all the details but mention a couple: the French family of 5, including 3 young blond kids (they were the talk of the Chinese locals on our tour of the Tarracotta Warriors), the guy and wife from Turkey, previously from New York who we saw on a tour of the Great Wall and then again more than a week later at an obscure temple in Xi’An – quite a coincidence, Jakie and family who owned the Lakeside and Riverside hostels in Guilin and a couple of the local people who led tours for us (Ada on the Li River cruise and countryside tour and Clarence on the Tarracotta Warrior tour).
However, the most valued “friend” we encountered for the entire 24 day trip was none other than our son, Brad. After an enriching and very rewarding 11 months in Xi’An, Brad was able to be a most gracious and understanding travel partner. He put us with his mom and dad’s (especially mom’s) annoyances; he revisited some of the tourist spots for the 4th time without complaining but instead providing insightful information and he survived the anticipation of the countdown to his return home. It was a great pleasure for us to travel with and watch as Brad communicated in Chinese with the locals, navigated his way around the hectic streets and planned our busy travel schedule. I am not sure what the future holds for Brad but I am certain that the experiences, people and culture he has lived with for the past year in China will serve him well.
Thanks for reading … if you are still there.
Joe & Sally
Check out more pictures from Hong Kong in Joe and Sally's Album
HERE!...and that's not all! I still have a couple "wrap-up" blogs I think I would like to write. Since I'm unemployed... I should be able to find some time to take care of that! -Brad
