13Mar Sun - Today I am in Dubai returning to Afghanistan from my first extended visit to mainland China. It was an 18 day trip of Beijing and Antu in the rural northern mountains of China.
I did not visit China as an American staying in American style hotel nor did I visit as a rich Chinese tourist but as a regular Chinese using the bus system, subway, and trains rather than taxis and airplanes. I stayed in a low cost Chinese hotel where no one speaks English and in an apartment of a friend. I was living life in China not visiting as a tourist.
The difference between rich and poor is stark from the 7-star Pangu Hotel in Beijing with all the luxury you can imagine across the street from the 2008 Olympic games complex at a minimum of 1,600 Yuan ($250USD) per night (low rate for a 7-star hotel) to thousands (maybe millions) of rural farm houses with 4 rooms, no indoor plumbing, no indoor toilets, no sewer system, no A/C, limited electricity for 4 ceiling light bulbs, and a TV. The cost to live in one of the farmers’ houses is about 900 Yuan ($150 USD) per month.
China is a rich country compared to India and countries I have visited in Africa. Beijing is as modern as any International city with highways, roads, cars, sewer systems, electricity, air conditioning, public transportation, shopping, entertainment, tourist attractions, hotels, high rise office buildings, and tall apartment complexes.
One way to tell the wealth of a county is by how clean, modern, and available are the toilets. Public toilets in Beijing were as clean, well lit, spacious, good smelling, with paper towels and toilet paper, and as modern as the best in the US. In comparison, India had public toilets that are small, dimly lit smelly, with standing water or whatever on the floor – hip waders were appropriate. Only as a last resort would I walk in with just the bare feet on sandals that I wore. Several times I would do what the locals did – find a secluded place on the street and unzip. Even the better toilets of the airport and restaurants did not have toilet paper or paper towels.
On the first day in Beijing I thought I saw a WALMART but later on the trip I saw up close a WUMART so I am not sure if the first store I saw was a WUMART or a WALMART. China has both. The influence of America is seen everywhere -- American style clothing, American brands, American franchised restaurants and more importantly the American style capitalism and free markets.
I think the Chinese government should change the name of the CCP from the Central Communist Party to the Central Capitalist Party. I see evidence of business growth, entrepreneurialism, capitalism, free markets, and prosperity everywhere. Mainline china began experimenting with free markets near the border with Hong Kong in preparation for taking over Hong Kong in 1999. I believe the Communists saw the prosperity of Hong Kong and decided to adopt a more Capitalist approach to business and allow private business ownership.
Although, there may be human rights issues in China, I saw none of it traveling with Chinese people back and forth between Beijing, Antu, and Yangi. There were police and security guards everywhere. However, I did not see soldiers with rifles and automatic weapons like I have seen in Mexico and India. I was not accosted by anyone like I have been in Mexico, India, Djibouti, and US Cities. There were no beggars or panhandlers like US, Mexico, India, Djibouti and even Kuwait I experienced one. I heard to be aware of pickpockets but this same warning applies to all area where large groups of people gather. I have experienced pick pocketing in Chicago but never in a foreign country.
I did not experience the seedier side of town or night life after midnight in China. I am not aware of any areas like Bourbon Street of New Orleans in Beijing but they probably exist. Clubs with music, dancers, and drinks exist in Mexico, India, Djibouti, and Dubai. I have heard they exist but very underground in Kuwait since they are strictly against the law with harsh penalties. I did not experience any in China but saw some evidence that they exist. There was a sign in English on one building that said “western style club” and there were several bars in Antu. Generally, I was in bed early since most days started early.
People in China are very different but very much the same as people in the United States. Everyone is working to make a living and support their families. As a non-Chinese in the rural area of Northern China, I looked like someone no one or few people had seen before. I stood out and stood about a head taller and pounds heavier that most. Many people starred and I think would have like to talk to me but no one spoke English and I only spoke enough Chinese to say “Hello, How Are You?”
The economy/government is transforming from a Communistic closed systems to a more capitalist free market open system. The government would like to see their population move to the poorer rural areas to the wealthier urban areas but this transformation requires education, jobs and an infrastructure that supports it.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
12 Mar 2011 Sat – Beijing – Great Wall
12Mar Sat - Today, we signed up for a Bus Tour that starts with the daily ceremony to raise the national flag on Tiananmen Square, then the Great Wall, the China Historical Museum, and ends with watching the lights on the buildings of the 2008 Olympics complex as the turn on at night.
I bought 2 souvenirs books – one for the Great Wall and on for Beijing. We looked that books on the way up and told the seller we would check back again on the way down. The books were selling for 100 Yuan each (about $15). I really did not want to but the book but is would be a good souvenir. On the way up we offer 20 Yuan but the seller wanted at least 25 Yuan (less than $1 difference). One the way down the same seller remembered us – how could she forget the only American on the Wall that day. We offered 20 Yuan but she said no. Then we offered 40 Yuan for two, she said no so we walked off. She followed us and sold us two books for 40 Yuan (less than $7). The Seller was not happy but my tour guide was a tough negotiator.
Daily Ceremony to Raise the National Flag
The phone rang at 5AM; the car would arrive at the hotel in 30 minutes to take us to the tour bus for the first event of the day – the Raising of the Nation Flag at sunrise about 6:15am. The color guard is 20 – 30 soldiers who march across the street from the Tian’anmen Gate Tower to the flag pole Tian’anmen Square, raise the flag, and march back. There are several hundred Chinese every day who watch the flag go up the flag pole at sunrise then again to be lowered at sunset. In the morning, the China National Anthem music is played. In the evening when the flag is lowered, no music is played.
The Great Wall of China
The next event was the Great Wall. The Great Wall must be experienced when you visit Beijing. As the Chinese saying goes, “Not a plucky hero until one reaches the Great Wall.”
The Great Wall extends five thousand kilometers from east to west in North China across deserts, grasslands, and mountains. It took more the two thousand years to complete the Great Wall beginning in seventh century BC until 1644 AD. The Wall hugs the contours of the terrain as it climbs up and down the mountains. It keeps changing in height, weight and building material. At the Great Wall near Beijing the steps were very steep and varied in height. The area we visited was much commercialized with many booths and tables along the way selling souvenirs, books, and photos. This is probably the best first place experience the wall. There are other places to walk the walk without any vendors are barkers. On the bus tours, be prepared to be sold to and keep your resistance high.
The Great Wall extends five thousand kilometers from east to west in North China across deserts, grasslands, and mountains. It took more the two thousand years to complete the Great Wall beginning in seventh century BC until 1644 AD. The Wall hugs the contours of the terrain as it climbs up and down the mountains. It keeps changing in height, weight and building material. At the Great Wall near Beijing the steps were very steep and varied in height. The area we visited was much commercialized with many booths and tables along the way selling souvenirs, books, and photos. This is probably the best first place experience the wall. There are other places to walk the walk without any vendors are barkers. On the bus tours, be prepared to be sold to and keep your resistance high.
I bought 2 souvenirs books – one for the Great Wall and on for Beijing. We looked that books on the way up and told the seller we would check back again on the way down. The books were selling for 100 Yuan each (about $15). I really did not want to but the book but is would be a good souvenir. On the way up we offer 20 Yuan but the seller wanted at least 25 Yuan (less than $1 difference). One the way down the same seller remembered us – how could she forget the only American on the Wall that day. We offered 20 Yuan but she said no. Then we offered 40 Yuan for two, she said no so we walked off. She followed us and sold us two books for 40 Yuan (less than $7). The Seller was not happy but my tour guide was a tough negotiator.
According to the Beijing tour book, Beijing, the capital of the People’s Republic of China, is a world-famous historic city as well as a culturally famous city. This millennium-old ancient city has numerous scenic spots, historical sites, and places of cultural interest, of every dynasty. There is so much in Beijing that I did not see.
In the Wax Museum, we dressed up like King and Queen or Emperor and Emperor’s Wife to have pictures taken.
11MAR 2011 Fri – Back to Beijing; One Last Time This Trip
11Mar Fri - Today we left Antu, changed trains in Changchun; and arrived Beijing. I stayed in the same hotel where I checked my bags.
Changing trains in Changchun
I have done this before so now I know the routine. In Antu the Railway Agent announces the trains arrival and departure about 10:15 PM. Hundreds of people are waiting in the station to line up for the train exit to the train platform. A mass of people crowd into about 3 lines where ticket agents check and punch tickets so we can go outside and wait in the cold for the train. I am not sure why everyone is in such a hurry. The seats are assigned and there is plenty of room for baggage. We could have waited to be the last in line to reduce our wait in the cold. I just a few minutes the train arrives and we step up on to our car.
Once on board the train, I put my bag under my bed, change my shoes to indoor shoes, take off my coat and climb into my bunk bed. This time I have the lower bunk so it is easy. The man next to me is working on this computer and taking into his phone. It is 1100PM and all the lights are off but he keeps on talking. I do not understand what he is saying but in the morning I find out he is talking to his mistress or girlfriend – a lot of I love and I miss you comments.
At 5:15AM the lights inside the train come on and the car attendant announce the next stop at Changchun so we prepare to get off. I was already up so I ready.
Taxis at Changchun
“Taxi, Taxi 100 Yuan.” “Taxi, sir.” “Can I take your bag?” “Can I have your bag?” “Taxi miss, Taxi for 30 Yuan.” A horde of taxi drivers are among the crowd of passengers looking for a fare. They look into you face and ask. If I acknowledge by say “no or no thank you” they are after me. The only approach is to hold on to your bags, ignore, and walk briskly to the street. This fun and we laugh as soon as we are out of the crowd. Outside there is traffic jam of taxis on the street.
I have read that Taxi drivers in China are universally honest. Like every other city, the Taxi drivers are just trying to make a living for themselves and their family. Some will be more aggressive than others. Generally, the taxi drivers in China were helpful, honest, and did their job well to transport their passengers from one place to another. However, the taxi drivers in Changchun are more aggressive than normal. We heard stories that they would take your bag and your bag would be gone. In the crowd of train passengers, taxi drivers, and greeters could cut your back with a hidden knife and steal it. The Beijing Railway Station is very safe with minimal crime, if any, because of the large number of police, security guards, and railway agents. The Railway Station of Changchun was not as well controlled or guarded.
At Changchun, there are two railway stations – one for the express trains and one for the local trains. At the Express Train station, the Taxi drivers are prevented from entering the express train passenger station so there is not hassling inside. All the Taxis are outside on the street. They are prevented from approaching the people waiting for taxis. Like most airports there is a line of taxis and the passengers take the next one in line. Much more controlled. At the station for local trains, there is a long outside walk way to the street. Anyone can walk on this walk way. When a train arrives, the walkway is filled with arriving passengers, taxi drivers, and greeters along with a few thieves. This area is hard to control the jostling crowds.
It is easy enough to walk the few blocks from the Local Train Station to the Express Train Station without the need for a Taxi. If needed, at Taxi would be less than $2.00 USD.
The train number, departure time, car number, and seat number are all written on the ticket in English so it is easy enough to read the large departure board and find the waiting area. Once again, when is it time to board, a mass of people crowd through the gates to the platform. There are two express trains connected together with 8 cars each and 100 seats per car or room for 1600 people. The train was nearly full.
Changing trains in Changchun
I have done this before so now I know the routine. In Antu the Railway Agent announces the trains arrival and departure about 10:15 PM. Hundreds of people are waiting in the station to line up for the train exit to the train platform. A mass of people crowd into about 3 lines where ticket agents check and punch tickets so we can go outside and wait in the cold for the train. I am not sure why everyone is in such a hurry. The seats are assigned and there is plenty of room for baggage. We could have waited to be the last in line to reduce our wait in the cold. I just a few minutes the train arrives and we step up on to our car.
Once on board the train, I put my bag under my bed, change my shoes to indoor shoes, take off my coat and climb into my bunk bed. This time I have the lower bunk so it is easy. The man next to me is working on this computer and taking into his phone. It is 1100PM and all the lights are off but he keeps on talking. I do not understand what he is saying but in the morning I find out he is talking to his mistress or girlfriend – a lot of I love and I miss you comments.
At 5:15AM the lights inside the train come on and the car attendant announce the next stop at Changchun so we prepare to get off. I was already up so I ready.
Taxis at Changchun
“Taxi, Taxi 100 Yuan.” “Taxi, sir.” “Can I take your bag?” “Can I have your bag?” “Taxi miss, Taxi for 30 Yuan.” A horde of taxi drivers are among the crowd of passengers looking for a fare. They look into you face and ask. If I acknowledge by say “no or no thank you” they are after me. The only approach is to hold on to your bags, ignore, and walk briskly to the street. This fun and we laugh as soon as we are out of the crowd. Outside there is traffic jam of taxis on the street.
I have read that Taxi drivers in China are universally honest. Like every other city, the Taxi drivers are just trying to make a living for themselves and their family. Some will be more aggressive than others. Generally, the taxi drivers in China were helpful, honest, and did their job well to transport their passengers from one place to another. However, the taxi drivers in Changchun are more aggressive than normal. We heard stories that they would take your bag and your bag would be gone. In the crowd of train passengers, taxi drivers, and greeters could cut your back with a hidden knife and steal it. The Beijing Railway Station is very safe with minimal crime, if any, because of the large number of police, security guards, and railway agents. The Railway Station of Changchun was not as well controlled or guarded.
At Changchun, there are two railway stations – one for the express trains and one for the local trains. At the Express Train station, the Taxi drivers are prevented from entering the express train passenger station so there is not hassling inside. All the Taxis are outside on the street. They are prevented from approaching the people waiting for taxis. Like most airports there is a line of taxis and the passengers take the next one in line. Much more controlled. At the station for local trains, there is a long outside walk way to the street. Anyone can walk on this walk way. When a train arrives, the walkway is filled with arriving passengers, taxi drivers, and greeters along with a few thieves. This area is hard to control the jostling crowds.
It is easy enough to walk the few blocks from the Local Train Station to the Express Train Station without the need for a Taxi. If needed, at Taxi would be less than $2.00 USD.
The train number, departure time, car number, and seat number are all written on the ticket in English so it is easy enough to read the large departure board and find the waiting area. Once again, when is it time to board, a mass of people crowd through the gates to the platform. There are two express trains connected together with 8 cars each and 100 seats per car or room for 1600 people. The train was nearly full.
10Mar 2011 Thu – Antu, Yanji, Court, Train
10Mar Thu – Eating Bessie the Cow, Donald Duck, Porky Pig, Yogi Bear, and even Bambi but not Rin-Tin-Tin or Lassie
Dog Soup
Today we took the train to Yanji for 2:00 pm appointment in Court. We arrived at the Courthouse about an hour early. We had not eaten lunch yet so we decided to eat in a Korean restaurant across the street. Chen wanted me to try something different. I thought I was going to try duck soup but lost in the translation was that I ordered dog soup.
I have decided that I can eat Bessie the Cow, Donald Duck, Porky Pig, Yogi Bear, and even Bambi. But I cannot eat Rin-Tin-Tin or Lassie. Even Willie the worm and Freddie Frog are ok, but not dog. Not knowing what it was, I ate silk worm. Later in the market and through a translator I found that I has eaten silk worm. They were available for purchase and cooking at home but this time I passed. There are many street vendors just outside the large indoor market in Antu. One day a street vendor was selling something moving in a bucket. On closer inspection, I saw the bucket contained small frogs that had just emerged from tadpoles. In the morning, the bucket was full. Later in the afternoon, the same bucket was nearly empty. I did not buy any frogs. On this trip, I have know that I eaten fish eye, ox Intestines, pork tongue, cow/ox tendons, silkworm, and broth from dog soup. There are probably many other food items not normally experienced by my pallet that I ate. The Chinese appear to eat everything that is editable. There are 1.3 billion people to feed.
Back to the dog soup - as instructed, I added spices, seasoning, and flavoring from the table to the soup. The soup included broth, vegetables, rice, and meat. I tried a couple of spoonfuls of the broth but I could not eat the meat. The taste was ok; I just could not eat Fido. Along with the soup, there was a bowl of plain rice. I added the mixture of spices from the table to the rice. It tasted good. Then I was told the spice mixture included dog.
A Win in Court
In court, neither the judge nor attorneys showed up. There were two women from their staff in the court. They made an announcement for the 30 or so people in the courtroom. The announcement was in Chinese, of course, so I could not understand it. All the individuals in the room pulled out their IDs. As their names were called, each individual walked up to a desk in the front of the court room, showed their ID, and pick up some official paperwork from the Court. These legal documents cancelled any employment contract and/or marriage contract, therefore, the individuals were released of any obligation they had on their contracts. The people walking out of court were happy that they had won their case. The court was processing 25 – 30 individual cases every day for weeks, may be for months. Many people from this area of China were involved in this scam from Korea.
Yanji Market
After court, we took the bus to a major market shopping area on Yanji. There are very few private cars on the street. My guess is 50%-70% of the people use public transportation – taxi and bus in small towns like Yanji and subways in larger cities like Beijing. 30% - 50% use bicycles and some motor bikes. Only 5% or less drive or ride in a private car. It is common to walk for blocks and miles each day. The buses are very crowded. On the bus, there is an attendant who announces in a loud voice the bus’s destination, assists passengers getting on and off, and collects money. The cost of a city bus is 1 Yuan or about 15 cents per passenger. Of course, no speaks English and all the signs are in Chinese only. Without a Chinese speaking person, local buses and trains would be impossible to use. Taxi would be useable only if your destination was written down on paper in Chinese for the driver to read.
The shopping area includes many street vendors, indoor markets (like American Flea Markets) where individual vendors set up their tables with products to sell. Also there are modern name-brand stores, and more modern department store like shops. As the stores are nicer and nicer, generally the price goes up but not always. In the modern department stores, the store has greater costs for packaging, floor space, bright lighting, and advertising so the price has to increase accordingly. We bought food for the train trip back to Beijing and for the hotel.
The northern area of China is very cold with snow on the ground much of the year. Refrigerators have limited use and freezers are unheard of. The stores have many variables of dried and pickled foods so they can be stored for a long time without the use of preservatives and without freezing or canning.
Bus Trip back to Antu
When we are ready to go back the Antu, we will have to wait 2 hours for the train which would arrive too late for us. The train costs 7 Yuan (~$1.10 USD). There are busses available leaving soon. The cost for bus is 13.5 Yuan (~$2.10) – nearly double to save 2 hours waiting. The railway system is operated by the government and provides very low cost transportation for its citizens. The buses are owned by independent operators. An individual can buy a bus, hire a driver, get a license, and begin transporting passengers. Trains hold 100 people per car and transport hundreds of people in trains of 10 – 18 cars long. The bus holds 52 people and runs more often but provides no food or toilets.
Once back in Antu, we have dinner with Chen’s family at the Mother’s farm house then return to pack to go to train. This morning we woke up at 6AM and the train departed at 10:30PM tonight. It has been a long day.
Train back to Beijing
For the return trip, we have train tickets for the entire trip. The first leg to Changchun is on a sleeper train with compartments with 6 beds – 2 bunk beds, three beds high. The cost is 118 Yuan (~$18 USD) for 200 mile 7 ½ hour trip. The train takes 7 ½ hours. As a comparison, the bus on a super highway only takes 4 hours and costs 190 Yuan (~$29). The second leg of the trip back to Beijing on the Express Train is $239 Yuan ($37). The total cost for 15 hour 800 mile trip is ~$55 as compared to airplane at ~$177 for one way.09MAR 2011 Wed – Trip From Beijing Back to Antu and Day in Antu
09Mar Wed - Today the bus dropped us off at Antu and we spent the day there. Every day just living life as a normal, regular Chinese citizen is a fun filled adventure especially since I cannot speak the language.
Arriving Changchun for Change of Transport
When we arrived in Changchun from Beijing, we did not have a train ticket for the second leg of the trip from Changchun to Antu.
We did not know that the Express Railway Station sold the train tickets for the express trains and the local trains. We needed a local train to Antu so we selected a Taxi to take us to train station or bus. He told us there were no local trains at that time but there was a sleeper bus bound for Yanji that would stop to drop us off at Antu. We drove around in a big circle back to Express Train Station to check on the trains to verify the Taxi driver was correct. He was correct; there were no trains so we had to opt for the sleeper bus.
The Sleeper Bus
The Sleeper Bus a new, different experience. A sleeper bus in Changchun, China is a large over the road bus similar on the outside to an over the road bus in the US. However, the inside is much different. The seats had been removed and replaced with three rows of bunk beds side by side. The bunk beds are two high with 6 – 7 sets in each row to sleep around 40 people. Anyone 5’10” tall or shorter would probably be comfortable sleeping in these beds. However, at 6 feet tall my feet hung out over the sides but I could sleep some if I bent my knees. My butt was against the railing of the bed onside and my knees were against the railing on the other side. There was no toilet on the bus so we had to hold for the 4 hour 200 mile trip.
Antu was not a schedule stop so we had to wake up about 1AM and stay awake so the driver would not forget and miss our stop.
Bus Stop on Highway – Pissing on the Road
At 2:00 AM on Wednesday morning, the bus stopped on the shoulder of a super highway that is like the Interstate highways in the States. This 4-lane highway with a wide median strip in the middle had guard rails along all the bridges and overpasses. There was also a barbed wire fence along the perimeter to keep animals, people, and other vehicles off the highway. The bus stopped for us on the shoulder of the highway along the guard rail.
I had no idea that the bus would simply dump us on the side of the road with our luggage. The second hurdle in the dark was to climb over the guard rail. But first, we had to find a toilet. Of course, these were none – no people, no street lights, no gas station, no restaurant, and no other cars. So we just pissed on the side of the road in the dark high above the street below.
After climbing over the guard rail, we had to slowly walk down a very steep concrete stairway, one step at a time. Any misstep would have been disastrous. Fortunately, I had checked my suitcase and left it at the hotel in Beijing. I was carrying only my backpack. I stepped one foot and then the second foot on each step as I climbed down the 50 or so steps. The last thing I wanted in the middle of nowhere in Northern China was an injury, broken leg, or worse. Finally, we make it to the bottom and encountered the next barrier – a barbwire fence that we could not see in the dark. We almost walked right into it. We separated the wires and crawled though after our luggage. We are freezing our butts off, outside in below freezing temperature (about -4 degrees Celsius or 24 Fahrenheit) with ice and snow on the ground and no lights - none.
Once we are down at the bottom, I remembered I had a small flashlight in my backpack that I carry all the time. There are no street lights on the bases in Afghanistan so I need this miniature flashlight. On the deserted spot in China, all I could see was a dirt road in front of us, the highway bridge and the highway structure way above us, and the lights of Antu far in the distance. I was not looking forward to a several-mile hike in the cold with our luggage.
Then we saw it – automobile headlights coming toward us. The bus driver had called a taxi for us. We were glad for the Taxi to take us back to the apartment. I chose to leave the modern comfort of the hotel in Beijing for another subway, train, bus, taxi adventure back to Antu. I am not traveling as a “rich” American but maybe I am being a “crazy” American.
Day in Antu
After a short nap, I awoke about 7AM to prepare for the day. I tried to use the Internet Bar but I had to have a Chinese ID and my passport was not enough. In Beijing at the hotel, I could use my passport. In every other country – India, Malaysia, Dubai, Bahrain, and the US no ID or sign-in is required. Just pay the money and use the internet service. I wondered why the Chinese government would require registration and an ID at the Internet Bars – to keep track of who is using the Internet and what they are doing I suppose.
Then I walked over to the Market. I wanted to buy a few tea bags but could not communicate adequately with the Tea shop owner. Most all the tea he sells is sold in bulk, not in tea bags. Finally I saw a box of tea bags on the shelf with 200 in the box, many more than I wanted so I left flustered that I could not buy a few tea bags. Later I found out that the box of 200 tea bags sold for only $1.50 so I went back later in the day to the store to purchase the box of 200.
In the back of the large indoor market several tables are set up for eating. Behind each table, a cook is preparing a different meal. Each cook is an independent vendor. There was one with beef vegetable soup and rice that looked good so I sat down and was given 3 bowls – one with soup, one with plain rice, and one with a pickled, spicy vegetable like noodle which is very common at all Chinese meals. I did not ever find out if this dish was vegetable, animal, or mineral. Breakfast cost 10 Yuan or about $1.50 USD.
This was the first time I was walking around on my own.
We took food to the mother’s farm house for lunch. After lunch we fixed a long outdoor extension cord that provided light to the plastic covered onion garden in the back yard of the house. The extension must have been 40 – 50 years old. It was cracked and brittle with a light bulb socket at one end and a plug at the other end. The wiring to the light socket was frayed and broken. The wiring to the plug was cracked. The cord needed rewiring at the ends and tapped in places where the outside insulation was cracked or open. No doubt, in America after 4 decades this extension cord would have been replaced at least once. The onion garden was heated with the same method as the house. A small wood fire was started at one end of a long concrete tunnel. Heat from the wood fire heated the concrete that radiated heat throughout the plastic covered onion garden. At night, long blankets were unrolled from the top of the plastic covering to cover the roof. This garden is labor intensive but very low energy usage just like this house and other the houses in the neighborhood.
The neighborhood consists of long brick and concrete structures with tile roofs divided into 5 – 8 zero lot line homes that share common walls. Each home has a yard in the front and back. None have indoor toilets. All are heated with wood and collect water in a large barrel that flows in to the house once a day. The houses are very old but even the newer farm houses are built in the same way. The farmers then travel to the fields on foot or bicycle to work each day.
A large percentage of the population is still engaged in farming. Little automation and large farm equipment is used. Many farmers still use ox or mule pulled farming implements. As a comparison to the United States, at the turn of the 20th Century about 70% of the US population lived on and/or worked in the Farming Industry. By 1990 only 3% of the population was engaged in Farming. Automation and large farming machinery allowed for a much smaller segment of the population to work in the farming while producing more food than in the past.
The Industrial Revolution, World War 2 and sustained long term revenue growth for more than 50 years has created jobs for all the farmers and all the women who previously did not work outside the home. China would like to move more people from the rural areas move to the cities but the jobs in the cities need to be available for the farmers and their families.
Global Warming, Environment, Reduced Energy Use
It does not matter if global warming is manmade or not; or even if it exists or not. The human population is running out of the natural and limited resources that we use for energy. The use of energy is growing all over the planet especially in emerging countries in Asia, Africa, and South America. The economies of China and India are growing at double or triple the rate of the United States. As more and more people in these counties gain larger and larger incomes they adopt an American lifestyle and use more and more energy. There is much evidence of the Western Influence and trends toward Western life styles in China and India. A western lifestyle of comfort, convenience, and space come with a cost of greater energy usage per person.
There are many Americans who are very passionate about global warming and the environment. However, do they really want to give up the American live style and adopt the living conditions of Djibouti Africa, India or China? Most of the population of the world lives with no indoor plumbing (no running water or no indoor toilets), limited electricity use, and no cars. Or do these same Americans want India, China, Africa, and South American to have the same or similar life style of Americans?
We have enough land mass to support a much larger population on the planet. I have seen large sections of open land in India, China, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Certainly we have large unfarmed land areas in the US and much less dense population than India or China. India has about 1/3 the land mass of the United States with nearly 3 times the population. China has about the same land mass as the US as but with more than 3 times the population.
I think we have enough water and food. The desert sections of the Middle East are turning Ocean salt water into fresh drinking water. New technology is being developed and implemented to help provide water to everyone. I also think we have enough food. There is unfarmed land mass throughout the world. However, is sufficient water and food provided in the areas where is it needed? Transporting large amounts of water to remote desert areas is difficult.
What about trash> The amount of waste from humans living a wealthier life style is enormous. Americans in general have not begun to recycle and reuse or limit energy use like the billions of people of rural China and rural India. These people do not have central heating and air conditioning systems, limit electricity use, and do not have automobiles. The Chinese eat everything from every animal they raise. On the farm they compost the waste from the kitchen, keep and sell any plastic or metal they use, and reuse any waste water in the garden. There is no sewer system that takes away the waste water from sink, shower, or toilet.
In contract, Americans buy a second car as a hybrid which costs more to produce than a gasoline car; then tout their perception that we are doing our part to help the environment. But we keep the indoor plumbing, keep the lights and TV on, use central air conditioning systems, do not give up our sewer systems, and want all of our roads wide and paved. Americans have not begun to limit energy use or recycle that is a required to live life for most people of the world. As China, India, and South American continue to improve their standard of living and life style they will continue to increase their use of energy and generate more waste and trash for disposal. Everyone who knows about it, wants the American life style. Those who produce and invest in the technology that makes this possible will become wealthy in the future years.
Dependent on Foreign Oil
As long as America is dependent on oil from the Middle East, America will have a military presence in Kuwait, Iraq, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Dubai, and Bahrain to protect American interests, American investments, and oil. The US government just announced that America will continue with the same level of military personnel in Afghanistan until 2014. I my opinion, this date will be extended indefinitely. The US Army recently awarded in 2011 a five year contract (through 2015) for base services in Kuwait. America will be in these countries for a long time - most likely as long as we have been in Germany, Japan, and Korea – more than 60 years.
08MAR 2011 Tue – Beijing & Back to Antu
08Mar Tue - Today I spent the morning using the Beijing hotel room internet and relaxing. At 11:00 we have to rush to check out to catch train back to Antu.
Calling Home
The hotel had fast internet connection so I could use Skype and call home. At 9:30 am in Beijing it was 8:30 am in Atlanta and Cleveland. It was 7:30 am in Wichita and Austin. I called my family and talked to Phil, Julie, and Cherri. I left message for Nick, Magy, Jan, and Shirley.
Visa for Chinese Citizen
It is much more difficult for a Chinese person to obtain a Visa to most any country than a US citizen. With a US passport, an American can arrive at many, if not most, countries either without a visa or purchase a visa at the airport on arrival. For a Chinese citizen, they have to prove that they are in good health and do not a criminal record. Chen, my tour guide, wanted to get a Kuwait visa from the Kuwait Embassy in Beijing. Chen took the subway to the embassy with proof of medical examination from June 2010, employment agreement for Kuwait Company, and previous Kuwait visa from Nov/Dec 2010 time frame. However, this is not enough. In addition, to a new medical examination, a statement for the local Ant U police is needed. I had an option to stay in Beijing and sightsee or take the train back to Ant U to get the papers needed for Kuwait Visa. I decided to go back to Antu.
Express Train Back to Antu
So now I am back on the express train headed back to Changchun and then to buy ticket for Train or Bus depending on what is available back to Ant U. In Beijing, we could not buy a ticket all the way back to Ant U on the same day of travel. The ticket agent did not know if there were seats available or not.
On the express train a man is laying on the floor between the cars near the toilet. He is sick or drunk. The passengers are talking like he is drunk. The train attendants do not know what to do but to let him lay there until the next station. At the next station he is not put off the train. I guess since he is peaceful and paid for his final destination he can stay on the train. Later someone helps him back to his seat. However, his seat is just behind me and across the aisle. He continues to be babbling drunk. During my travels on airplanes in the US, I have witnessed a few drunken passengers. There are one hundred passengers per car and nearly 20 cars or 2,000 passengers on the train. Only 1 drunk of 2,000 people is a small percentage. There could be more on the train but only one close to me which is more than enough. Finally he falls asleep with his pants zipper open and his hand is inside his zipper. I wonder what he is dreaming about.
Periodically, there is an announcement for “All passengers, the whole train is not allowed for smoking.” They should probably add “and no drinking.” However, just like American airlines, the train sells alcohol plus you can bring on board your own drink and food. We travel with a bag filled with a few water bottles, a bottle of rice wine, oranges, sunflower seeds, some bread, pickled radish, and dried fish (like beef jerky but fish instead of beef). I also purchased a coke on the train.
I am reminded of the first time I traveled on a “bullet” express train in Japan in 1993. No one spoke English. Not knowing, I purchased black coffee which I do not like and fried squid which I also did not like. This time in China the food on the train is recognizable even though all the writing on the packaging is Chinese.
Calling Home
The hotel had fast internet connection so I could use Skype and call home. At 9:30 am in Beijing it was 8:30 am in Atlanta and Cleveland. It was 7:30 am in Wichita and Austin. I called my family and talked to Phil, Julie, and Cherri. I left message for Nick, Magy, Jan, and Shirley.
Visa for Chinese Citizen
It is much more difficult for a Chinese person to obtain a Visa to most any country than a US citizen. With a US passport, an American can arrive at many, if not most, countries either without a visa or purchase a visa at the airport on arrival. For a Chinese citizen, they have to prove that they are in good health and do not a criminal record. Chen, my tour guide, wanted to get a Kuwait visa from the Kuwait Embassy in Beijing. Chen took the subway to the embassy with proof of medical examination from June 2010, employment agreement for Kuwait Company, and previous Kuwait visa from Nov/Dec 2010 time frame. However, this is not enough. In addition, to a new medical examination, a statement for the local Ant U police is needed. I had an option to stay in Beijing and sightsee or take the train back to Ant U to get the papers needed for Kuwait Visa. I decided to go back to Antu.
Express Train Back to Antu
So now I am back on the express train headed back to Changchun and then to buy ticket for Train or Bus depending on what is available back to Ant U. In Beijing, we could not buy a ticket all the way back to Ant U on the same day of travel. The ticket agent did not know if there were seats available or not.
On the express train a man is laying on the floor between the cars near the toilet. He is sick or drunk. The passengers are talking like he is drunk. The train attendants do not know what to do but to let him lay there until the next station. At the next station he is not put off the train. I guess since he is peaceful and paid for his final destination he can stay on the train. Later someone helps him back to his seat. However, his seat is just behind me and across the aisle. He continues to be babbling drunk. During my travels on airplanes in the US, I have witnessed a few drunken passengers. There are one hundred passengers per car and nearly 20 cars or 2,000 passengers on the train. Only 1 drunk of 2,000 people is a small percentage. There could be more on the train but only one close to me which is more than enough. Finally he falls asleep with his pants zipper open and his hand is inside his zipper. I wonder what he is dreaming about.
Periodically, there is an announcement for “All passengers, the whole train is not allowed for smoking.” They should probably add “and no drinking.” However, just like American airlines, the train sells alcohol plus you can bring on board your own drink and food. We travel with a bag filled with a few water bottles, a bottle of rice wine, oranges, sunflower seeds, some bread, pickled radish, and dried fish (like beef jerky but fish instead of beef). I also purchased a coke on the train.
I am reminded of the first time I traveled on a “bullet” express train in Japan in 1993. No one spoke English. Not knowing, I purchased black coffee which I do not like and fried squid which I also did not like. This time in China the food on the train is recognizable even though all the writing on the packaging is Chinese.
07MAR 2011 Mon – On the Train Back to Beijing
07Mar Mon - At 5:15 am the train car attendant came by to wake up the passengers who were getting off at Changchun. None of the announcements are in English and no one speaks English. Without a Chinese translator, a foreigner would have a very difficult if not impossible task to read the train schedule, buy a ticket, show up on time at the train station, find the correct car and seat, and then get off at the correct stop. Riding a bus is just as difficult and the Taxis are not much better. No one speaks English outside the major cities.
We prepare to leave the train and go to another train station to board the high speed express train back to Beijing. I did not go to sleep until 11pm and woke at 3am. Stereo snoring from the compartment where I was sleeping and storing on both sides along with the noise of the train kept me awake.
We prepare to leave the train and go to another train station to board the high speed express train back to Beijing. I did not go to sleep until 11pm and woke at 3am. Stereo snoring from the compartment where I was sleeping and storing on both sides along with the noise of the train kept me awake.
Changing Trains at Changchun
Soon after we stepped off the train and started walking toward the street we were bombarded with taxi drivers who wanted to take our luggage and take us in their Taxi. We were not sure where the express train station was located but we knew it was close by. The Taxi drivers were yelling Taxi 20 Yuan, 30 Yuan, and 50 Yuan. Once we were outside on the street and away from the horde of Taxi drivers, we had time to look around and ask. The express train station was only a few blocks so dragged our luggage in the snow and freezing temperature.
The large number of taxis and an express train indicates a large town and some wealth in Changchun. In contrast, only a few taxis were outside the train stations at Ant U and Yanji. At the station in Yanji, there were many busses. At Changchun there were no busses; only taxis. The express train is more expensive than the local trains.
For the return trip, we were changing trains at Changchun to an express train. Instead of a 24 hour trip the combination of local train and express train will only require 15 hours. The express train would travel about 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) in about 6 hour with two stops between Changchun and Beijing. The train would average more than 100 miles per hour. And interestingly the signs and announcements were in both Chinese and English. I did not see any but the Express Train must cater to more westerns. And the Chinese are preparing for the future with English for the newer services and facilities.
Toilets
If you have not backpacked in the woods and dug your own latrine, you may be shocked at the “modern” toilets in the train station. I am very interested in the infrastructure which determines the quality of life and indicates the wealth of a nation. The infrastructure includes the water system, sewer system, electric power distribution, vehicle highways, roads for trains (passenger and freight), telephone services, and airports. The phenomenal “to-die-for” infrastructure that we have the US is the envy of the world but most Americans take it for granted. In US cities even the back alleys of the very poor sections are paved and everyone has ability to live inside with indoor plumbing, drinkable water on tap, electricity, and TV. This is far from reality in many countries.
The bus stations and trains stations have Asian style toilets where you squat instead of sit. The Asian style toilets I have seen and used on the US military bases in Iraq and Afghanistan are individual stalls. However, at the train station there was one long stainless steel trough that everyone uses. There were walls and doors for individual privacy but you had the option to watch the crap of others as it floated by underneath your squat.
Back at the Railway Station in Beijing
We arrived back at the Beijing Railway Station about 1:00 pm in the afternoon. We wait for a representative with the hotel who will take us to the hotel. We are staying in a different hotel in a different part of town. The hotels near Tiananmen Square, the seat of the Chinese government, are all booked full. There is a big country meeting with representatives from all over China underway so all the hotels in the area are full.
Beijing Hotel
We are staying at the Beijing Business Hotel that caters to Chinese and not Westerners or Americans. They do not speak English, do not take credit cards, and do not have an elevator. They have Asian style shower, but Western style toilet. The room is small with queen size bed, small desk, but no drawers or closet. They have internet. The cost is about $45 per night per room.
Not once for the train or bus was I asked for my passport or any identification. My host who purchased all the tickets had to show ID every time tickets were purchased. However, I did not require any ID. At the hotel, I had to show my passport and the hotel took a copy. This is common practice in foreign countries. However, one country (either UAE (Dubai) or Bahrain) the hotel kept my passport while I stayed there.
The hotel we booked is just a subway train away from Tiananmen Square. In the afternoon, we have to find a post office to mail some important documents back to Ant U. I am glad to visit a post office to buy post cards and stamps to mail to US. The postage is 5.30 Yuan or less than one US dollar for a post card from China to US.
For dinner, we ate at a small restaurant off the major road. The menu is shown in pictures posted on the wall so I know what I am ordering. I ordered a corn, green onion, and nut dish plus noodles in a bean curd soup. The cost was about 17 Yuan or less than $3.00 USD which included a large bottle of beer.
Enjoying Trip
I am immensely enjoying the interaction with the people I have met. Some think I am Russian, one asked if I was Canadian. I am learning the culture of the Northern Chinese people. I am able to have limited conversations through my interpreter.
06 MAR 2011 Sun – Another Day at The Farmhouse
06Mar Sun -
What are some of the minor luxuries that we as Americans enjoy?
• Do you enjoy having all the water you want from the sink, bathtub, and shower?
• Do you enjoy not having to remember to turn off the lights when you leave a room or leave your home?
• Do you enjoy having electricity any time, all the time, and plenty of it?
• Do you enjoy setting the thermostat to keep the temperature of your home the same all year round? - cooling in the summer and heating in the winter?
• Do enjoy instant hot water and plenty of hot water? On a cold winter’s day do you enjoy a long hot shower or a long hot bath? And you can have one every day!
• Do you enjoy leaving the water running when you shave, brush your teeth, or wash your hands?
• Do you like to use a bath towel one time then toss it in the dirty clothes hamper to be washed?
• Do you like to wear your clothes one time then wash them and dry them?
• Do you enjoy your clothes dryer so you do not need to hang up your clothes to dry on the clothes line?
• What about your car? Do your enjoy hoping in your car any time to drive any where you want; any time you want?
• Do you even think about plumbing pipes, sewer pipes, or electricity wires since they are all hidden and they work most all the time?
• Do you enjoy not having to have a garden to grow food so you will not go hungry?
• Are you glad you do not live like you ancestors on the farm before about 1940?
Americans are very wealthy compared to other peoples of the world. The poor of American are rich and wealthy compared to the poor of any third world country.
EATING TODAY
Chinese eating includes a wide variety of foods. Dinner on Saturday night included duck, a white fish, squid, pork, onions, spinach, bean curd, and two varieties of flat bread plus noodles and vegetables in soup. There was also food that came in a clear block that was from a pig. I am not sure what it was and I did not like it very much. I tasted everything. For lunch the next day, we finished off the duck from the night before, ate Korean sausage served with noodles and green vegetables in a soup.
A young Chinese boy (Grandson & Nephew) of 6 years of age had a plastic model of a futuristic warrior that came in box in many pieces. I helped him put the model together using the direction written in Chinese. I had to follow the pictures since I could not read the written instructions. Later we played Chinese checkers; the name Americans call this game. I am not sure what the Chinese call this game.
I am told it costs about $150 a month for all expenses to live in the Farmhouse. The house is paid for and the Chinese do seem to know the concept of Taxes. The Chinese government owns several profitable businesses including Mobile Phone Communications Company, several banks, transportation companies, and utility companies plus others. I am guessing that these companies, not been sold off by the government, create revenue for the Chinese government to operate and provide services to their citizens. Therefore, taxes on individuals are not needed. Maybe the government collects additional fees from businesses. Individuals do not appear to pay income tax, sales tax, or property tax.
Grocery/Department Store
After the visiting the farmhouse, we walked to an American style grocery store combined with department store in a building 4 stories high. I would call this a “packaged” store because all the food except the produce was in a packaged like an American grocery store. There was a bakery, a deli, and a butcher all behind a counter. It was clean and not meat was stored on the floor. The 2nd floor contained house wares that included large flat screen TVs, air cooling systems, refrigerators, along with clothes washer and dryer combinations. The 3rd and 4th floors were for men’s and women’s clothing.
Antu Apartment
The entrance to the apartment where I am staying is located on an unpaved alleyway off a side street to the major street. It is in a building where the ground floor houses an Internet Bar with many booths with Internet computers. The cost is 3 Yuan per hour or about fifty cents per hour. Internet service for a home or apartment is 60 Yuan per month or $10 USD.
The apartment building is built with nearly 2 feet thick walls; two layers of vertical bricks covered with concrete on the outside and inside. Thick brick walls covered with concrete is a common building technique in Ant U. Water pipes are located inside the brick walls. For about 3 hours each night from 7pm to 10pm the water inside the pipes are heated to provide heat to the tenants of the apartment building during the winter months. This is the only heating system unless a portable electric heater is purchased. Electricity is expensive so supplemental heat was seldom used.
There is no individually controlled heating system and no central air-conditioning system.
Angry Host
The raised platform in the farmhouse is covered by yellow vinyl sheeting. This same vinyl sheeting is used for floor covering in the apartment where I am staying. The sheeting is not completely glued down and the seams in the floor show. There is no carpeting or rugs. The flooring is easily torn and marked. No outside shoes are allowed on the floor. This morning, I started to pull my suitcase with wheels along the floor. Immediately the host started yelling at me. My suitcase may make a mark or worse rip the floor covering. The floor covering cost 2,000 Yuan to replace or about $120 USD. Fortunately, no damage was done.
What are some of the minor luxuries that we as Americans enjoy?
• Do you enjoy having all the water you want from the sink, bathtub, and shower?
• Do you enjoy not having to remember to turn off the lights when you leave a room or leave your home?
• Do you enjoy having electricity any time, all the time, and plenty of it?
• Do you enjoy setting the thermostat to keep the temperature of your home the same all year round? - cooling in the summer and heating in the winter?
• Do enjoy instant hot water and plenty of hot water? On a cold winter’s day do you enjoy a long hot shower or a long hot bath? And you can have one every day!
• Do you enjoy leaving the water running when you shave, brush your teeth, or wash your hands?
• Do you like to use a bath towel one time then toss it in the dirty clothes hamper to be washed?
• Do you like to wear your clothes one time then wash them and dry them?
• Do you enjoy your clothes dryer so you do not need to hang up your clothes to dry on the clothes line?
• What about your car? Do your enjoy hoping in your car any time to drive any where you want; any time you want?
• Do you even think about plumbing pipes, sewer pipes, or electricity wires since they are all hidden and they work most all the time?
• Do you enjoy not having to have a garden to grow food so you will not go hungry?
• Are you glad you do not live like you ancestors on the farm before about 1940?
Americans are very wealthy compared to other peoples of the world. The poor of American are rich and wealthy compared to the poor of any third world country.
EATING TODAY
Chinese eating includes a wide variety of foods. Dinner on Saturday night included duck, a white fish, squid, pork, onions, spinach, bean curd, and two varieties of flat bread plus noodles and vegetables in soup. There was also food that came in a clear block that was from a pig. I am not sure what it was and I did not like it very much. I tasted everything. For lunch the next day, we finished off the duck from the night before, ate Korean sausage served with noodles and green vegetables in a soup.
A young Chinese boy (Grandson & Nephew) of 6 years of age had a plastic model of a futuristic warrior that came in box in many pieces. I helped him put the model together using the direction written in Chinese. I had to follow the pictures since I could not read the written instructions. Later we played Chinese checkers; the name Americans call this game. I am not sure what the Chinese call this game.
I am told it costs about $150 a month for all expenses to live in the Farmhouse. The house is paid for and the Chinese do seem to know the concept of Taxes. The Chinese government owns several profitable businesses including Mobile Phone Communications Company, several banks, transportation companies, and utility companies plus others. I am guessing that these companies, not been sold off by the government, create revenue for the Chinese government to operate and provide services to their citizens. Therefore, taxes on individuals are not needed. Maybe the government collects additional fees from businesses. Individuals do not appear to pay income tax, sales tax, or property tax.
Grocery/Department Store
After the visiting the farmhouse, we walked to an American style grocery store combined with department store in a building 4 stories high. I would call this a “packaged” store because all the food except the produce was in a packaged like an American grocery store. There was a bakery, a deli, and a butcher all behind a counter. It was clean and not meat was stored on the floor. The 2nd floor contained house wares that included large flat screen TVs, air cooling systems, refrigerators, along with clothes washer and dryer combinations. The 3rd and 4th floors were for men’s and women’s clothing.
Antu Apartment
The entrance to the apartment where I am staying is located on an unpaved alleyway off a side street to the major street. It is in a building where the ground floor houses an Internet Bar with many booths with Internet computers. The cost is 3 Yuan per hour or about fifty cents per hour. Internet service for a home or apartment is 60 Yuan per month or $10 USD.
The apartment building is built with nearly 2 feet thick walls; two layers of vertical bricks covered with concrete on the outside and inside. Thick brick walls covered with concrete is a common building technique in Ant U. Water pipes are located inside the brick walls. For about 3 hours each night from 7pm to 10pm the water inside the pipes are heated to provide heat to the tenants of the apartment building during the winter months. This is the only heating system unless a portable electric heater is purchased. Electricity is expensive so supplemental heat was seldom used.
There is no individually controlled heating system and no central air-conditioning system.
Angry Host
The raised platform in the farmhouse is covered by yellow vinyl sheeting. This same vinyl sheeting is used for floor covering in the apartment where I am staying. The sheeting is not completely glued down and the seams in the floor show. There is no carpeting or rugs. The flooring is easily torn and marked. No outside shoes are allowed on the floor. This morning, I started to pull my suitcase with wheels along the floor. Immediately the host started yelling at me. My suitcase may make a mark or worse rip the floor covering. The floor covering cost 2,000 Yuan to replace or about $120 USD. Fortunately, no damage was done.
05 MAR Sat – A Day at The Farm House
05Mar Sat - The farmer I visited in Antu owns the farmhouse and the small plot of about ¼ acres that it sits on. Land ownership is a sign of wealth but the farmer thinks she is poor.
There is water that runs through a pipe into the farmhouse but no indoor plumbing. About once a day water flows through the pipe and out of a facet into a large ceramic pot that sits on the floor in the kitchen. This water is used for cooking and washing but not for drinking. Drinking water is purchased and delivered from a mountain stream. It is not treated or filtered water.
Electricity is used for the TV, stereo music, and charging mobile phones. There is one light bulb in each room that hangs from the ceiling with exposed plastic covered wiring running across the ceiling and then down the wall with a switch to turn the light on and off. The house was built before electricity was available. The walls are brick and nearly 2 feet thick so running the wires inside the wall would be very difficult. Conduit is not used.
Outside of the house in the front is a stack of straw about 10 feet long, 6 feet high, and 2 feet deep. Also, there is a stack of wood about the same size. The straw is used for kindling to start a fire and the wood for burning. Wood burning fire is used for cooking in the kitchen and heating the two living rooms. In the kitchen is a very large wok about 2 1/2 feet across in diameter. Water from the ceramic pot on the kitchen floor is transferred to the Wok. The water is the Wok is heated as needed for cooking and washing. There is another cooking space above the fire and an electric cooking stove for another Wok for cooking. The back door and front door are opened during cooking to release the smoke from the wood fire.
One of the living areas is heated with wood fire. There is a raised platform of concrete in each of the two living areas. At the end of the raise platform and underneath is a wood fire that provides heat for this room. The raised platform is nearly as large of the room. This platform is used for living, eating, and sleeping. Sometimes it is used as an extension for the kitchen for food preparation. When the food is ready to eat a small round table with short legs is placed on the platform and all the guests and the host sit on the floor around this table to eat.
The walls of the house are very thick, nearly two feet. There are two vertical rows of brick with a space in between. The brick on the inside and outside is covered with a smooth layer of concrete and painted. The windows are covered with plastic sheeting on the inside and the outside. The house felt very well insulated from the freezing cold of the outside. There was a chill in the hallway that was not heated but the heated room was toasty warm.
The toilet is outside. It is Asian style which is very simple to make - simply dig a hole in the ground and place a board on both sides for your feet when squatting. Then squat. When finished take a shovel and cover with a dirt and straw mixture. Periodically someone has to clean out the hole which is not a very pleasant job, I am sure. Fortunately the apartment where I am staying has indoor plumbing and western style toilet seat so I could wait until I was back at the apartment to go.
There is water that runs through a pipe into the farmhouse but no indoor plumbing. About once a day water flows through the pipe and out of a facet into a large ceramic pot that sits on the floor in the kitchen. This water is used for cooking and washing but not for drinking. Drinking water is purchased and delivered from a mountain stream. It is not treated or filtered water.
Electricity is used for the TV, stereo music, and charging mobile phones. There is one light bulb in each room that hangs from the ceiling with exposed plastic covered wiring running across the ceiling and then down the wall with a switch to turn the light on and off. The house was built before electricity was available. The walls are brick and nearly 2 feet thick so running the wires inside the wall would be very difficult. Conduit is not used.
Outside of the house in the front is a stack of straw about 10 feet long, 6 feet high, and 2 feet deep. Also, there is a stack of wood about the same size. The straw is used for kindling to start a fire and the wood for burning. Wood burning fire is used for cooking in the kitchen and heating the two living rooms. In the kitchen is a very large wok about 2 1/2 feet across in diameter. Water from the ceramic pot on the kitchen floor is transferred to the Wok. The water is the Wok is heated as needed for cooking and washing. There is another cooking space above the fire and an electric cooking stove for another Wok for cooking. The back door and front door are opened during cooking to release the smoke from the wood fire.
One of the living areas is heated with wood fire. There is a raised platform of concrete in each of the two living areas. At the end of the raise platform and underneath is a wood fire that provides heat for this room. The raised platform is nearly as large of the room. This platform is used for living, eating, and sleeping. Sometimes it is used as an extension for the kitchen for food preparation. When the food is ready to eat a small round table with short legs is placed on the platform and all the guests and the host sit on the floor around this table to eat.
The walls of the house are very thick, nearly two feet. There are two vertical rows of brick with a space in between. The brick on the inside and outside is covered with a smooth layer of concrete and painted. The windows are covered with plastic sheeting on the inside and the outside. The house felt very well insulated from the freezing cold of the outside. There was a chill in the hallway that was not heated but the heated room was toasty warm.
The toilet is outside. It is Asian style which is very simple to make - simply dig a hole in the ground and place a board on both sides for your feet when squatting. Then squat. When finished take a shovel and cover with a dirt and straw mixture. Periodically someone has to clean out the hole which is not a very pleasant job, I am sure. Fortunately the apartment where I am staying has indoor plumbing and western style toilet seat so I could wait until I was back at the apartment to go.
04MAR Fri – Eating, Slurping, Spitting
04Mar Fri
Spitting and Slurping
Spitting on the street is ok in China. Mostly men spit but some women also spit. I defy anyone to eat long noodles in soup without slurping so slurping is ok.
Eating
I know I have eaten Ox intestines, pig’s ear, and fish eyes. I think but not sure if I eat a bug or worm like a big grub worm. I found out later it was a silkworm. They are sold in the market and they are delicacies for Korean.
The pigs’ ears come raw and cut up. I put them on the fire in the middle of the table. The food was cooked at the table. There are several Korean restaurants in Ant U that offer dog meat on the menu but I passed. We did not eat at any of these restaurants.
Another lazy day… slept late until 8 am.
We walked around Antu. Because of the cold weather the stores hang very large heavy canvas drapes in the doorways to keep out the cold. The glass walls are fogged over and all the store front signs are in Chinese. From the outside I cannot tell if a store is a food market, bar, restaurant, dry cleaning, hardware store, plumbing, pharmacy, dentist, doctor, massage, yoga, spa, beauty shop, barber shop. The bars have a happy Santa Claus face with Merry Christmas pasted on the outside of their window or glass door. I could not find any one who could tell my why a Santa Claus face. Maybe the message is come inside and be happy.
There are blocks and blocks of these store fronts that remind me of store fronts in American before the 1950’s when large department stores were built. The buildings are 3 – 7 stories high with store fronts on the lower level and apartments or offices on the 2nd and 3rd levels. My grandfather owned a tailoring and dry cleaning business in an older section of Wichita just west of the Downtown. This shopping area contained blocks of store front with
The concept of large super market or department store is not part of the Chinese way for their retail industry. They have large indoor market with many indoor vendors selling about everything.
03MAR 2011 THU Buying Computers in Yanji
03Mar 2011 Thu - We woke early at 5:30 am to catch the train to Yanji again. I wanted to stay in bed where it is warm but I have to get up. The trains leave at 6:20 am and at 6:50. The train station is about a 20 minute walk from the apartment.
Again it is freezing cold. I am wearing boots, long underwear under hiking pants, with three layers on top plus a winter coat, two pairs of gloves, stocking cap and wool scarf wrapped around my face. With all these clothes, I am not too cold. However, I see many other people without hat or gloves.
We buy tickets for the train. The cost is 7 Yuan for each person or about $1.25 USD.
We have two objectives – buy computers and open bank account at Agriculture Bank of China (ABC Bank). My host wants to buy a computer for daughter. I also want to open a bank account at the ABC Bank to begin investing in China and the Chinese Yuan.
On the 40 mile trip, we pass several small farming town with about 20 – 50 homes for the families that work in the rice fields during the growing season. They are poorer than the farmer’s home where I had dinner. Smoke is coming from the chimneys since they are burning wood for heat and cooking. It is very cold. We keep our coats on during the train ride.
ABC Bank
No one can speak English in any ABC Bank in Jilin or so I am told. When I go to Beijing I will check with ABC in Beijing.
02Mar 2011 Wed – Antu Market
02Mar 2011 Wed - Today I slept late. I have been on the go waking early every day until today. Today was a lazy day. In the afternoon, I walked the streets of Ant U but it was very cold. I am wearing long underwear under my pants and three layers on top plus winter coat, gloves, scar wrapped around my face, plus Caterpillar stocking cap.
I stopped at an Internet cafe for a couple of hours to send off several emails about the trip to China. It appears the Chinese government does not allow FaceBook or the Google Blog web sites. I wonder what else they do not allow.
I found a Yoga studio but it is for women only. I do not think Yoga is practiced by men in China. When Yoga was originally started in India only men could practice. Women were not allowed. There is an Indian Yoga guru near Beijing who is teaching the local Yoga teachers.
The market is not for a queasy stomach or faint of heart. All the food is in open containers or just laying on the tables and counters. There are pigs hears and bulls heads on the floor. Everything that is editable is available.
I stopped at an Internet cafe for a couple of hours to send off several emails about the trip to China. It appears the Chinese government does not allow FaceBook or the Google Blog web sites. I wonder what else they do not allow.
I found a Yoga studio but it is for women only. I do not think Yoga is practiced by men in China. When Yoga was originally started in India only men could practice. Women were not allowed. There is an Indian Yoga guru near Beijing who is teaching the local Yoga teachers.
The market is not for a queasy stomach or faint of heart. All the food is in open containers or just laying on the tables and counters. There are pigs hears and bulls heads on the floor. Everything that is editable is available.
01Mar 2011 TUE – Yanji Chinese Court
01Mar 2011 TUE - Today, we had to wake up at 5:30 am today to catch a 6am bus for Yanji. One of the people in the group had a civil dispute with a person in Korea which required a court appearance in Chinese Court. The details were sketchy but apparently, a person or company in Korean had promised many people jobs in Korea if they paid a fee. Yanbain is on the border of North Korea and there are many people from Korea living in this section of China. After the fee was paid, the jobs were not forthcoming. I think it was a scam. In order to cancel the contract, individuals had to appear in court. There were about 20 people with the same problem in the court today. This court is set up just to hear these cases. There are 20 – 30 per day.
I volunteered to go along so we took a taxi to the bus station and rode the bus for about an hour to Yanji. It is very different for me to depend on public transportation. Few Chinese people have cars in Jilin so there are many public transportation options – taxi, bus, train, hired driver. Yanji is about 40 – 50 kilometers away from Antu. Living in Atlanta or any other place in the US, it is very easy for Americans to hop into their car and drive 40, 50, 60 miles every day to and from work. Automobile ownership gives Americans great freedom not enjoyed by the peoples of most every other country.
I shopped for a telephone SIM Card but they are only good for calling within China. I could not find one that allowed me to call outside of China. To buy a SIM card in the Arabic countries you have to have a local resident ID or a passport. Not everyone can buy a SIM card. I am not sure what is needed since one of my Chinese friends was going to buy it for me. However, since I would always be with the group and could not call US with the SIM card I decided not to buy one.
Instead I used a phone at a phone booth. The phone booth is a small office inside a large market with one phone. You use the phone then pay the attendant cash for the number of minutes of the call. The cost was 2 Yuan for 2 minutes or $0.15 USD per minute.
We took the train from Yanji back to Antu. The train cost was less than the bus. We sat across from a young couple. The boy was from Korea and the girl was from China. After we arrived back at Antu, we shopped at the market for food to cook for dinner and for hot water heater, tea pot, and tea to drink.
I volunteered to go along so we took a taxi to the bus station and rode the bus for about an hour to Yanji. It is very different for me to depend on public transportation. Few Chinese people have cars in Jilin so there are many public transportation options – taxi, bus, train, hired driver. Yanji is about 40 – 50 kilometers away from Antu. Living in Atlanta or any other place in the US, it is very easy for Americans to hop into their car and drive 40, 50, 60 miles every day to and from work. Automobile ownership gives Americans great freedom not enjoyed by the peoples of most every other country.
I shopped for a telephone SIM Card but they are only good for calling within China. I could not find one that allowed me to call outside of China. To buy a SIM card in the Arabic countries you have to have a local resident ID or a passport. Not everyone can buy a SIM card. I am not sure what is needed since one of my Chinese friends was going to buy it for me. However, since I would always be with the group and could not call US with the SIM card I decided not to buy one.
Instead I used a phone at a phone booth. The phone booth is a small office inside a large market with one phone. You use the phone then pay the attendant cash for the number of minutes of the call. The cost was 2 Yuan for 2 minutes or $0.15 USD per minute.
We took the train from Yanji back to Antu. The train cost was less than the bus. We sat across from a young couple. The boy was from Korea and the girl was from China. After we arrived back at Antu, we shopped at the market for food to cook for dinner and for hot water heater, tea pot, and tea to drink.
28Feb 2011 Sun – Arrived Antu, China; Visited Farmhouse
28Feb Sun - Today I finished the train trip to Ant U and visited a local Farmers house and settled in to the Apartment where I stayed.
Waking Up On the Train to Ant U
When the sun came up I saw it outside the train window – Everywhere – Snow.
Last night on the train, I shared an open compartment of 6 beds – 2 bunk beds three high. The beds were small with just enough room for me. I shared the compartment with three young men in their twenties, an older gentleman in his 60s or 70s, and a woman in her 40s. In the next compartment there were 6 men ranging in age from 20s to 50s. In the compartment on the other side there was a young family with husband wife and 3 year old son plus another women and another man. The car contained beds for 66 people.
There is no privacy. All the while sleeping, I felt and heard the stopping and starting of the train as passengers were dropped off and pick up at stations along the way. The sounds of the train blended in with the snoring and occasional farting of the passengers. The bed felt like sleeping on a piece of plywood. The padding which I would not call a mattress was very thin. To save space I assume.
I awoke at 1am and lay in bed sleeping off and on. Then I awoke at 4am and climbed out of bed. Getting in and out of bed on the ladder at the end was an adventure in itself. Fortunately, I still have flexible and strength to pull myself up and into bed. There was no lower bunk available when I bought my ticket. The lower bunk has more head room, costs more but fills up faster. The top bunk on the third level has less head room, is more difficult to climb in and out of, costs less, and fills up last. I was lucky to get a middle bunk.
There are 11 compartments for 6 people each or 66 people in each car. It reminds me of the scene from Battle Star Galactica where the fighter pilots visited the refuge space ships - many people living a small space. My bed was about 15 square feet and I shared common area of about 20 sq feet with 6 others. I paid more for this extra space. The lower cost cars included only a chair and about 5 or 6 sq feet per person for 24 hours.
At 4am for about an hour I practiced Yoga and meditation in the slender aisle way between the end of the bed and the wall of the train car. I found out later that my Yoga practice woke up the older gentleman in the lower bunk and he was wondering what I was doing. I thought the yoga practice was quieter than the snoring and train noises. But maybe he was the one doing the snoring.
After Yoga, I meditated for about 30 minutes then climbed back to bed for a 2 hour nap. When I say climbed I mean climbed. I had to climb the ladder to get back into my bunk bet. The small chair I am sitting in as I type this diary has no back so I do have to practice sitting up straight and support my spine with my back muscles.
We have a sack full of food – instant noodles, bananas, oranges, chestnuts, and round bread that we bought at street vendors in Beijing. Many of the restaurants and food vendors prepare and cook their food outside even in the winter. I really like the small round bread. It is like Hard Tack prepared for backpacking but softer and tastier. The size of this round bread is somewhat smaller than the palm of my hand.
The sun came up about 6 am. The first town where the train stopped after sunup is Jilinxi. Several passengers disembarked at Jilinxi. Now we have a little more room. But the chair where is seat is as hard as ever and no back for the chair has arrived.
The Farm House
All and all I have had four very good days in China living life. I am living life as local middle class not like rich Chinese citizens. I am not living as an American tourist. In fact, except at the Dentist who caters to Ex Pats, I have seen no Americans or Europeans.
Waking Up On the Train to Ant U
When the sun came up I saw it outside the train window – Everywhere – Snow.
Last night on the train, I shared an open compartment of 6 beds – 2 bunk beds three high. The beds were small with just enough room for me. I shared the compartment with three young men in their twenties, an older gentleman in his 60s or 70s, and a woman in her 40s. In the next compartment there were 6 men ranging in age from 20s to 50s. In the compartment on the other side there was a young family with husband wife and 3 year old son plus another women and another man. The car contained beds for 66 people.
There is no privacy. All the while sleeping, I felt and heard the stopping and starting of the train as passengers were dropped off and pick up at stations along the way. The sounds of the train blended in with the snoring and occasional farting of the passengers. The bed felt like sleeping on a piece of plywood. The padding which I would not call a mattress was very thin. To save space I assume.
I awoke at 1am and lay in bed sleeping off and on. Then I awoke at 4am and climbed out of bed. Getting in and out of bed on the ladder at the end was an adventure in itself. Fortunately, I still have flexible and strength to pull myself up and into bed. There was no lower bunk available when I bought my ticket. The lower bunk has more head room, costs more but fills up faster. The top bunk on the third level has less head room, is more difficult to climb in and out of, costs less, and fills up last. I was lucky to get a middle bunk.
There are 11 compartments for 6 people each or 66 people in each car. It reminds me of the scene from Battle Star Galactica where the fighter pilots visited the refuge space ships - many people living a small space. My bed was about 15 square feet and I shared common area of about 20 sq feet with 6 others. I paid more for this extra space. The lower cost cars included only a chair and about 5 or 6 sq feet per person for 24 hours.
At 4am for about an hour I practiced Yoga and meditation in the slender aisle way between the end of the bed and the wall of the train car. I found out later that my Yoga practice woke up the older gentleman in the lower bunk and he was wondering what I was doing. I thought the yoga practice was quieter than the snoring and train noises. But maybe he was the one doing the snoring.
After Yoga, I meditated for about 30 minutes then climbed back to bed for a 2 hour nap. When I say climbed I mean climbed. I had to climb the ladder to get back into my bunk bet. The small chair I am sitting in as I type this diary has no back so I do have to practice sitting up straight and support my spine with my back muscles.
We have a sack full of food – instant noodles, bananas, oranges, chestnuts, and round bread that we bought at street vendors in Beijing. Many of the restaurants and food vendors prepare and cook their food outside even in the winter. I really like the small round bread. It is like Hard Tack prepared for backpacking but softer and tastier. The size of this round bread is somewhat smaller than the palm of my hand.
The sun came up about 6 am. The first town where the train stopped after sunup is Jilinxi. Several passengers disembarked at Jilinxi. Now we have a little more room. But the chair where is seat is as hard as ever and no back for the chair has arrived.The train arrived in the city Antu, our final destination, about 1PM. I have arranged to stay in a small apartment in this Chinese mountain town. At left is a picture of the Antu train station.
Living in Antu, China
The Apartment
The apartment has a living room, kitchen, toilet, and two bedrooms. It has running water and electricity but no air-conditioning and heating system. There is a shower in the bathroom but no walls around the shower so the entire bathroom becomes the shower. The bathroom has a western style toilet. The bathroom arrangement is very similar to the bathrooms I experienced in India. The apartment heating is similar to a room in a house I rented when I worked for the railroad in Durand, KS. In the middle of the winter in the 1970’s there was no heat, lots of extra heavy blankets, and flannel sheets.
Tonight for dinner I was invited to a local farmer’s house. We shopped at the food market to buy food for dinner. The food market is a very large building with many vendors, much like a large indoor flea market. Even in the midst of winter there were many choices of fresh fruits and vegetables, many types of noodles and bread, everything editable from a cow, pig, bird, or fish including pigs hoofs and fish eyes. There were package goods and bakers making fresh breads and noodles. There were white and brown chicken eggs, blue ducks eggs, and a small spotted egg but no one knew the English name of the bird that laid them.
The farm house where we ate was just on the outskirts of town and walking distance of about 1 kilometer from the apartment. However, we took a taxi because of all the food, The Taxi cost was 5 Yuan or about $0.80 USD.
The farmer’s house was a very old house with no running water indoors. It had one light bulb in each room with exposed wiring. The house is probably very similar to the farm houses in US many years ago before indoor plumbing and electricity. The heating system was very unusual. There were two rooms that were used as a combination living room, dining room, and bed room. Between the two rooms was a hall way that led to the kitchen on the left and another work room on the right. The kitchen included an indoor manual pump for water. Heating was provided by burning wood. Ant U is a mountain town so it is very cold with lots of snow this time of year.
The husband of the house had died last November. The hosts for dinner was the mother, a daughter, two daughters-in-law and two grandchildren – on girl 14 and one boy 6 years old. The husbands had taken jobs in the other cities and one as far away as Singapore. Each of the two living/sleeping rooms was primarily a raised platform made of concrete covered with vinyl. After you walked into the room, you took off your outside shoes and put on your indoor shoes. Then you sat on or stepped onto the platform with socks only. Underneath the platform was a smoldering wood fire that heated the rooms. The wood burning stove heated the kitchen.
For dinner, the vegetables were washed and put into bowls in the Kitchen along with the meat and noodles. I offered to help but my offer was vehemently refused. In the living room with a TV and bed, a small short round table was set up. We sat on the floor of the raised platform around the table while the food and a Crock pot like appliance with water inside was plugged in and placed on the table. When the water was hot enough the food was placed in the water for cooking. Also, seasoning was placed in the water. Basically we prepared beef, vegetable, noodle soup with Chinese seasoning at the table for dinner. Also, included was cooked duck and rice wine. All of it was very delicious. Only two people, the 14 year old granddaughter and the daughter, could speak limited English. But I enjoyed every minute.
The houses are very well insulated with thick concrete walls. The cold from outside is not felt on the inside. Only a little heat is needed to take off the chill but it still cool inside. Everyone wears at coat or heavy sweater inside the house and inside the market.
27FEB 2011 Sun – Train From Beijing to Antu, China
27 Feb Sun - Today I rode in a three wheel Taxi to railway station and rode the train to Ant U which is about 800 miles north and slightly east of Beijing in Jilin.
Bicycles, Three-wheeler Taxi, and Motor Bikes
On Saturday, I noticed that all the major roads have dividers between the higher speed lanes for automobiles and slower lanes for motorcycles, three wheeled taxis, and bicycles.
Instead of walking and taking the Subway to Railway Station with our luggage in the snow, we decided to take a three wheeler taxi. This taxi is a 3-wheel motorcycle (more like a motorbike) with an enclosed cab in the back for passengers. The 3-wheeled taxi is similar to the three wheelers in India but the passenger section was enclosed to protect the passengers from the cold weather. The driver faced the elements. The load was heavy with a large American and large suitcase. He joked that I was 200 Kilo which would be more than 400 pounds.
Smoking was allowed in the space between the cars. I walked through the cars to the cars with standing room only. There were several smokers in the space between cars.
Bicycles, Three-wheeler Taxi, and Motor Bikes
On Saturday, I noticed that all the major roads have dividers between the higher speed lanes for automobiles and slower lanes for motorcycles, three wheeled taxis, and bicycles.
Instead of walking and taking the Subway to Railway Station with our luggage in the snow, we decided to take a three wheeler taxi. This taxi is a 3-wheel motorcycle (more like a motorbike) with an enclosed cab in the back for passengers. The 3-wheeled taxi is similar to the three wheelers in India but the passenger section was enclosed to protect the passengers from the cold weather. The driver faced the elements. The load was heavy with a large American and large suitcase. He joked that I was 200 Kilo which would be more than 400 pounds.
Train Trip from Beijing to Antu, China
The Train contained 18 cars with 6 cars holding 66 beds – bunk beds three high built for the smaller Chinese frame and 10 cars with 100 people each with chairs and standing room. Only a chair for the 21 hour trip costs 200 Yuan (~$34 USD). A bed in one of the 3 high bunks costs 150 Yuan (~$25) more per person. The ticket for a private room with four beds (2 bunk beds) costs about 2000 Yuan or ~$340 USD. There was 1 car with only 44 beds behind closed doors for privacy. There was 1 dining car. About 1,400 passengers were on the train. There was an attendant on each car.
The train had Asian style toilets where you have to squat not sit. Like India and old style in Kuwait. If you have not seen one you it may in for a shock. You have to squat like backpacking in the woods in America. No Toilet Paper and no towels for the sink.
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| Train Waiting Area - Beijing |
I experienced the large crowds again at the Railway Station. The entry to the Subway and the entry to the Railway Station was jam packed with people. We arrived about 11:30 am for a 1:15 pm departure. Peacefully, weaved our way into the Railway Station entrance to the waiting area. Then when the crowd stood up and began to move their way to the trains, we just followed the crowd. Our car was #13 of 18 cars. My compartment was #15.
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| Train Waiting Area - Beijing |
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| My Bed On The Train |
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| Bunk Mates on the Train |
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| Another Bunk Mate Who Had The Lower Bunk Across From My Midddle Bunk |
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