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.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
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 |
Sunday, March 13, 2011
26 Feb 2011 Sat – Beijing Dentist – Daily Journal
It snowed last night; which was not expected. I started the day with layered clothing and a light weight nylon windbreaker on top and leather dress shoe loafer. But very soon after I left the hotel, I go back and change to heavy winter coat and chemically-treated water proof boots.
In the hotel lobby as I was looking out the glass front door I commented on the snow in Beijing this late in the year. I was surprised when the Chinese man standing beside me response to my comment in English. He and his family were on holiday for 2 weeks in Beijing. He was from Malaysia. He was going back today.
The Day Started At 5:30am And Did Not End Until 11PM
The Dentist was about 30 – 45 minutes away by Taxi but we decided not to spend the money on Taxi (about $35USD) and take the Subway instead. From the hotel, we walked to the Subway station, purchased Subway ticket, and boarded the first train. With the large number of people, you cannot be courteous and let someone ahead of you. If you do, a horde of people will step in front of you and you will miss your train. In order to get to the Dentist, we had to change trains four times. The cost was 2Y (~$0.33).
The subway schedule and all the announcements of the Subway are both Chinese and English. You just have to know the different names of your stops.
Belly Button to Belly Button
On the Subway, I experienced the high population density of Beijing. As I stepped into an already full and very crowded Subway train car, I was pushed further in. I was belly button to belly button with the man in front of me and butt checks to butt checks with the man behind me. The short girl of less than 5 feet, next to me was nearly squashed in the midst of the people. She had to yell out to protect her position.
Once the Subway ride was complete, I thought we must be at the Dentist by then. However, we had to walk outside and wait for a bus for the final leg of our trip. We boarded the bus and asked if the bus goes to our destination, in Chinese, of course. The answer was no, so we stepped off and took another bus. Interestingly, all bus schedules were only in Chinese language only but all the announcements on the bus were in Chinese and English.
The bus dropped us across the street from the Dentist. We ran for the Dentist office and arrived just 2 minutes before the 9 am appointment. To me this was just like running to a check point in the Great Race.
The Dentist visit lasted until 1pm. Once the tooth that needs the crown is prepared, the new machine they use takes several videos with a small video recorder. These video images are converted to a 3 dimensional model, and then the computer sends the model to a machine that converts a block of porcelain to crown. Once the crown is complete, it is cemented to the tooth. Only one trip to the Dentist is needed; no mold and no return trip to the Dentist to install the Crown.
After the Dentist, I was asked where I would like to eat. I answered that I would like to eat at a Chinese restaurant. In China, they are all Chinese restaurants. Even the McDonald’s is a Chinese restaurant. We ate vegetables and noodles in a soup. All the meals I had in Beijing were very good and very tasty.
The areas where I traveled appeared to be very safe. I never felt nervous or fearful or uncomfortable. The people of India are more openly friendly than the people of China. But when I smiled or said hello in China, the response would be friendly. In contrast, the people of Kuwait appear to be unfriendly. They are more difficult to get to know. I have walked or driven the streets of many downtown cities in the US. Beijing feels the same. There are no beggars or people living on the street like India or Djibouti. So far, China appears to be a much wealthier than India. I feel that in the areas where I was traveling, I was as safe or safer in Beijing than anywhere else.
Only once was there a minor situation. When we were leaving the Tiananmen Square, a man on the street asks me if I wanted to buy a book about Tiananmen Square. I said No Thank You. He started to cuss me out and call me names in Chinese. Of course, I did not know what he was saying. The Chinese interpreter with me started yelling back at him.
In the hotel lobby as I was looking out the glass front door I commented on the snow in Beijing this late in the year. I was surprised when the Chinese man standing beside me response to my comment in English. He and his family were on holiday for 2 weeks in Beijing. He was from Malaysia. He was going back today.
The Day Started At 5:30am And Did Not End Until 11PM
The Dentist was about 30 – 45 minutes away by Taxi but we decided not to spend the money on Taxi (about $35USD) and take the Subway instead. From the hotel, we walked to the Subway station, purchased Subway ticket, and boarded the first train. With the large number of people, you cannot be courteous and let someone ahead of you. If you do, a horde of people will step in front of you and you will miss your train. In order to get to the Dentist, we had to change trains four times. The cost was 2Y (~$0.33).
The subway schedule and all the announcements of the Subway are both Chinese and English. You just have to know the different names of your stops.
Belly Button to Belly Button
On the Subway, I experienced the high population density of Beijing. As I stepped into an already full and very crowded Subway train car, I was pushed further in. I was belly button to belly button with the man in front of me and butt checks to butt checks with the man behind me. The short girl of less than 5 feet, next to me was nearly squashed in the midst of the people. She had to yell out to protect her position.
Once the Subway ride was complete, I thought we must be at the Dentist by then. However, we had to walk outside and wait for a bus for the final leg of our trip. We boarded the bus and asked if the bus goes to our destination, in Chinese, of course. The answer was no, so we stepped off and took another bus. Interestingly, all bus schedules were only in Chinese language only but all the announcements on the bus were in Chinese and English.
The bus dropped us across the street from the Dentist. We ran for the Dentist office and arrived just 2 minutes before the 9 am appointment. To me this was just like running to a check point in the Great Race.
The Dentist visit lasted until 1pm. Once the tooth that needs the crown is prepared, the new machine they use takes several videos with a small video recorder. These video images are converted to a 3 dimensional model, and then the computer sends the model to a machine that converts a block of porcelain to crown. Once the crown is complete, it is cemented to the tooth. Only one trip to the Dentist is needed; no mold and no return trip to the Dentist to install the Crown.
After the Dentist, I was asked where I would like to eat. I answered that I would like to eat at a Chinese restaurant. In China, they are all Chinese restaurants. Even the McDonald’s is a Chinese restaurant. We ate vegetables and noodles in a soup. All the meals I had in Beijing were very good and very tasty.
The areas where I traveled appeared to be very safe. I never felt nervous or fearful or uncomfortable. The people of India are more openly friendly than the people of China. But when I smiled or said hello in China, the response would be friendly. In contrast, the people of Kuwait appear to be unfriendly. They are more difficult to get to know. I have walked or driven the streets of many downtown cities in the US. Beijing feels the same. There are no beggars or people living on the street like India or Djibouti. So far, China appears to be a much wealthier than India. I feel that in the areas where I was traveling, I was as safe or safer in Beijing than anywhere else.
Only once was there a minor situation. When we were leaving the Tiananmen Square, a man on the street asks me if I wanted to buy a book about Tiananmen Square. I said No Thank You. He started to cuss me out and call me names in Chinese. Of course, I did not know what he was saying. The Chinese interpreter with me started yelling back at him.
25 Feb 2011 Friday Plans for Beijing
25Feb Fri - Today, I am going to the Dentist to repair a broken tooth. This dentist is trained in Canada and his clients are rich Chinese or American. Tomorrow is a bus tour of the Great Wall and other sites in Beijing. Sunday is a 24 hour train trip to Yanbian. I am told I will share a space on the train with about 100 other people with a small bed to sleep in. There are three levels of beds. On the return trip I will pay about the same as a plane ticket for a private bedroom on the train. The cheapest seats on the Train are standing room only and the most expensive for the rich is a private bed room
I do not know if the Chinese government allows FaceBook or not. I could not use FaceBook at the hotel. The hotel where I am staying in Beijing has internet. Once I get on the train on Sunday I may not have internet for a few days.
I still am amazed that Beijing is so much like any American City with an older downtown, newer outskirts, and suburbs. With interstate-style highways, large shopping malls, nice sidewalks. It is cleaner than expected. China appears to be much richer than India.
The Super 8 motel chain has several hotels throughout China. This is not a hotel where Americans stay. No one at the front counter and none of the staff speak English. The room is small but clean and functional. The cost is about $50 USD per night – a little cheaper than a Super 8 in US. An important note is the toilets are American style and not Asian style as many of the public toilets and toilets on the train.
Dentist in Beijing
Most of Saturday morning was spent on the phone with the Dentist’s office. I had arranged the appointment by email and did not know the location of their office in relation to the location of the hotel where I would be staying. The dentist was about 30 minutes from the Airport but a long way from the hotel. I did call my insurance companies for recommendations of other Dentists in Beijing or Yanji where I would be staying. The final decision was to go to the same dentist. I am glad I made this decision.
Do You Ever Watch The Show The Great Race?
That is how I felt for the two days on the way to the both offices of the Dentist in Beijing. The first day I had to go see the Dentist at his clinic near the airport. From the hotel we walked to the subway station to take a train to the bus station for a ride the airport. At the airport, there are many many taxis but the first two taxis would not take us. They did not know the place where we were going and they wanted a 100 - 200 Yuan ($20 – $30 USD) taxi fee not the 30-40 Yuan that our shorter ride would need.
Finally the third taxi took us but he did not know the Dental clinic place either. The driver had a good heart. He spent a lot time on the phone back to his dispatcher and also asked three other taxis on the way. Finally he asked a man on the street in the area. This man jumped in his car and led the way to the Dental Clinic. We gave this taxi driver a big tip.
On the way back from the Dentist, my tour guided decided to use a Taxi for the entire trip back to the hotel. The price quoted by the Taxi driver was 100 Yuan (~17 USD) however he charged 134 Yuan (~ $6 USD more). Chen was very angry because the Taxi driver was cheating us because I was an American. Everyone thinks: “rich American”.
The first trip to the Dentist was for consultation and x-ray. I needed a crown to fix a broken tooth. The dentist has a new machine that uses a 3-demensional computer rendition to create Crowns.
I highly recommend the United Family Healthcare Hospital Dental Clinic in Beijing and Dr Chung-Ming Tse, DDS. Both clinics were very modern, high tech, very professional, and the crown fit perfectly.
I am 12,000 miles away from the US and 6,000 Kilometers away from Dubai. But it feels very much like I am home except everyone is Chinese. There are police, guards, or military everywhere near the Tiananmen Square and all the Chinese government building. The area where I stayed was very much like staying in an area that would be walking distance to the White House in Washington, DC. However, I do not believe you can find a $50 per night hotel within walking distance of the US Congress.
24 Feb 2011 THU - Arriving Beijing – 1st Impressions
24Feb Thu - Today I flew from Dubai to Beijing and formed my 1st Impressions of China; much has changed since I visited Hong Kong and a short one day trip into the mainland China in 1993.
On the Plane to Beijing
On the plane there was more than on Attendant who spoke English and the pilot spoke English. All of the announcements were made in Chinese and then repeated in English. I slept most of the way. The flight departed at 1am Dubai time and arrived 12:30 PM Beijing time with a 4 hour time difference so the flight was about 7 ½ hours - nearly 6,000 Kilometers from Dubai to Beijing and 12,000 miles from USA.
The airplane was equipped with a video camera located about at the nose of the plane. The video image was broadcast back to the passengers so we could essentially see the same view of the takeoff and landing as the pilot.
Arriving Beijing International Airport, China
Arriving Beijing airport was like arriving at any other modern international airport - Chicago, Atlanta, Dubai, Amsterdam. It was modern, new, clean, and shiny. All the signs are in English and Chinese. There were only 2 or 3 other Americans on the plane from Dubai with about 400 Chinese. The Beijing International Airport was not as crowded at I thought it would be; not as crowded as an American airport. I saw more Americans/Westerners at the airport.
My tour guide, Weihua Chen, met me at the airport. We took a bus for about an hour to the subway. Then we took a subway train to what I would call "Chinatown" in Beijing, China. This is an older section of Beijing near Tiananmen Square.
Bus from Airport – Looks similar to large American City
On the bus ride I saw few differences between Beijing and any other large city. I saw many United States franchises and US/European brands. The magazine ads and billboards showed American models. The roads and highways were spacious and included automobile brands from Japan, Germany, and a few from US. It appears that the US car manufactures haves missed their opportunity to exploit the China market while many US Franchise restaurants, hotels, and retail shops are numerous. The marketing influences of the west are strong in Beijing.
After just a couple of hours in China and only from the perspective of riding a bus, I see the only difference between Beijing and a large American City is:
- All the people on the bus expect me are Chinese
- All the signs are written in Chinese and English
- There are parking lots filled with bicycles and small motorcycles but they are not allowed on the highway like streets where the bus is driving.
I could be riding a bus in Chicago or New York but the traffic is not as heavy and the number of people on the street is not as many. Once we arrived in the midst of downtown at the Subway station there were many, many people but again the density of people is similar to downtown of Chicago or Manhattan, New York.
The motel is a Super Eight (American Chain) in the midst of a older section of downtown with many restaurants and shops - like Midtown Atlanta, Old Town Wichita, Old Market Omaha. In this part of town, all the signs are Chinese and no one speaks English. I know there is a newer section of town that caters to Americans with 5-star hotels and restaurants but I do not plan to visit this part of town.
CCP
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. The Chinese government has been selling off many of the state owed business while keep some of the more lucrative business under state control. I am reading a book entitled, Super trends of Future China, Billion Dollar Business Opportunities for China’s Olympic Decade. The Gross National Product (GDP) in China has been and is expected to continue growth in double digits at 10% or more per year. This compares to the fast growth of India at only 8% - 9% and the US at less than 4% per year.
Cooking Food in Restaurant
The season in Beijing is late winter; we walked around the shops in the area. There are many small restaurants and retail shops. We ate in a restaurant where we cooked the food ourselves at the table The waitress brought a large copper container with coals burning in the bottom for heat; a smoke stack in the middle and water all around. We placed thin slices of beef, noodles, and vegetables in the water for a short time. When the food was cooked we lifted it out with our chop sticks and transfer the food to our plates. On the table was a sauce for each individual plus hot sauce and soy sauce to mix with your sauce.
On the Plane to Beijing
On the plane there was more than on Attendant who spoke English and the pilot spoke English. All of the announcements were made in Chinese and then repeated in English. I slept most of the way. The flight departed at 1am Dubai time and arrived 12:30 PM Beijing time with a 4 hour time difference so the flight was about 7 ½ hours - nearly 6,000 Kilometers from Dubai to Beijing and 12,000 miles from USA.
The airplane was equipped with a video camera located about at the nose of the plane. The video image was broadcast back to the passengers so we could essentially see the same view of the takeoff and landing as the pilot.
Arriving Beijing International Airport, China
Arriving Beijing airport was like arriving at any other modern international airport - Chicago, Atlanta, Dubai, Amsterdam. It was modern, new, clean, and shiny. All the signs are in English and Chinese. There were only 2 or 3 other Americans on the plane from Dubai with about 400 Chinese. The Beijing International Airport was not as crowded at I thought it would be; not as crowded as an American airport. I saw more Americans/Westerners at the airport.
My tour guide, Weihua Chen, met me at the airport. We took a bus for about an hour to the subway. Then we took a subway train to what I would call "Chinatown" in Beijing, China. This is an older section of Beijing near Tiananmen Square.
Bus from Airport – Looks similar to large American City
On the bus ride I saw few differences between Beijing and any other large city. I saw many United States franchises and US/European brands. The magazine ads and billboards showed American models. The roads and highways were spacious and included automobile brands from Japan, Germany, and a few from US. It appears that the US car manufactures haves missed their opportunity to exploit the China market while many US Franchise restaurants, hotels, and retail shops are numerous. The marketing influences of the west are strong in Beijing.
After just a couple of hours in China and only from the perspective of riding a bus, I see the only difference between Beijing and a large American City is:
- All the people on the bus expect me are Chinese
- All the signs are written in Chinese and English
- There are parking lots filled with bicycles and small motorcycles but they are not allowed on the highway like streets where the bus is driving.
I could be riding a bus in Chicago or New York but the traffic is not as heavy and the number of people on the street is not as many. Once we arrived in the midst of downtown at the Subway station there were many, many people but again the density of people is similar to downtown of Chicago or Manhattan, New York.
The motel is a Super Eight (American Chain) in the midst of a older section of downtown with many restaurants and shops - like Midtown Atlanta, Old Town Wichita, Old Market Omaha. In this part of town, all the signs are Chinese and no one speaks English. I know there is a newer section of town that caters to Americans with 5-star hotels and restaurants but I do not plan to visit this part of town.
CCP
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. The Chinese government has been selling off many of the state owed business while keep some of the more lucrative business under state control. I am reading a book entitled, Super trends of Future China, Billion Dollar Business Opportunities for China’s Olympic Decade. The Gross National Product (GDP) in China has been and is expected to continue growth in double digits at 10% or more per year. This compares to the fast growth of India at only 8% - 9% and the US at less than 4% per year.
Cooking Food in Restaurant
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