Hangzhou

On Monday, we took a day trip to the town of Hangzhou (Hong-Jo). It was about a 2-2.5 hour car trip. The whole gang ended up going...us, driver and ayi. In Hangzhou, we specifically spent the day at a place called Xihu (She-Hu), or West Lake. I would compare the size and appeal of Hangzhou to Orange County, compared to Shanghai which I would say is more like Los Angeles. I have only a few cities to compare with in which I have actually lived in or near. Both Allen and I like Hangzhou a lot. It feels cleaner, more open but with all the Metropolitan "pluses", and has beautiful scenery. However, Hangzhou is located much further south and we suspect that there isn't a HUGE expat community like we have found here in Shanghai.

Xihu, or West Lake, is a large lake, dotted with several smaller islets. There are only a couple of them that the boats will take you to, however. We arrived in the morning and strolled along the lake at a leisurely pace. There was lots to see! The lake's back drop was a string of small mountains, making it an ideal place to take in all the beauty and recharge your batteries from typical city life. Although, the skyline of Hangzhou was pretty impressive and skirted the lake in several places. The size of the lake could be compared to Lake Tahoe...maybe a smidgin smaller? However, UNLIKE Lake Tahoe, the lake was China's usual brown...where Tahoe, Lake Arrowhead, Big Bear...and almost every other lake I know in the States is BLUE! I have no idea why every river, lake and body of water I see here in China is yellow-brown!? BUT, a lake is a lake and the scenery was MUCH more preferable to Shanghai's continuous metropolitan skyline with it's blinking lights, noise and air pollution...at least, for ME! It was a nice day away.



Since this is 'Golden Week', there were a TON of people in Hangzhou. But, from what we understand, there are a lot of people EVERYWHERE during this week. Knowing this, helped us to adjust to seeing and being around so many other people during our visit. The kids were hoarded by people, wanting to take pictures of them...and even us! Every photo opportunity for us, became a photo op for a ton of other people as well. We had a ring of people around all of the time, especially if we stopped. I know I have already mentioned this unusual behavior by the Chinese people. But, it is still a surreal experience...and we are still never sure how to handle it. The kids, however, took it with grace since this is nothing new to them. Any shyness they felt was quickly overcome by the amount of attention they realized they were getting...and they totally "worked" it. I'm not kidding. Brandon, would pose in several different ways (he felt he is a pro after his "official" photo shoot in Shanghai), giving the crowd want they wanted. The crowd ate it up and laughed and roared at his "antics". Ryan...well, he is just a natural. He caught on to the attention and would smile on cue for the flashing cameras. People wanted to take pictures of the kids...they wanted their own children to take pictures with our kids...they, themselves, wanted to take pictures with our kids...men wanted Allen to take pictures with them...moms wanted me to take pictures with their kids. It must certainly be a cultural thing.


On a trip like this, you can rest assured that you won't have to spend a ton of money. The scenery is free. The souvenier stands are really cheap. You bring your own snacks. The boats were 45 yuan per person...about $6 USD per person. On one of the islands, there was a vendor selling camera accessories, like batteries, etc. He also had chinese costumes for 10 yuan (~$1.25 USD). We asked Brandon if he would like to dress up like an authentic chinese child (back in the day, of course) and he said "yes". So, for 10 yuan, they provided him the costume and we could take our own pictures of him. For more money, they would provide the pictures for you. We opted for taking our own pics. OMG! Brandon drew a crowd! There were tons of people with flashing cameras, all directed at him...people wanting to take pictures with him...standing all around us. I have to admit...he was cute. And, again, Brandon worked the crowd and they loved it! :)


We took one of the many boats to the middle of the lake and visited two different islands. They were very pretty and we had many scenic photo opportunities...despite the immense amount of people. Allen bumped into a couple of his co-workers, also enjoying a couple days in Hangzhou. There were a lot of statues, monuments, sculptures, etc., but we couldn't read any of them to know their significance. The islets, themselves, were very flat and small. However, the bigger of the two that we visited (Three Pools, Mirror Moon...I think it was called) had three pools of water within it. Both of them had several vendors, wanting to sell you cheap stuff...just like home.


After spending the entire day walking and looking around, we came back to Lakeside Park, where we parked the car, and they had a water fountain show off one of the main quads. Brandon liked that! As were just about to leave, I took a picture of the sunset over the mountains and then a rainbow appeared over the town of Hangzhou. Wow! The Chinese people went crazy, taking pictures of the rainbow...all exclaiming and muttering...stuff.

All in all, it was a very nice day. Exhausting...but fun. A day trip like this can be extra tiring for parents of small children due to several factors. One, I had to think of and pack all the snacks and drinks the kids MIGHT want to eat during the day...and then you have to take it with you the whole way. Sure enough, by the time we got home, the entire stash was depleted. You can never be sure what kind of food or even drinks you'll encounter in other towns...and kids are so picky. I thought I had over packed, but I didn't. Two, you have to be prepared for weather changes. It was cooler in Hangzhou than in Shanghai AND it was pretty windy. Sure enough, the kids needed their sweater jackets on the islands. Three, you can't count on sit down toilets...so be prepared for squat toilets wherever you go. That means you need to bring any toilet accoutrements you can think of for both you and the kids, including packets of toilet paper. Four, accessibility to your car is not very easy at times and services (like boat trolleys) are not very sympathetic to your situation. And five, the entire trip around the lake as well as the islands themselves are NOT kid-proof...meaning that they didn't have any ropes, gates, etc to prevent your toddler from falling or getting bumped into the water. This included bridges, boats, lakeside scenery, pagodas, etc. So, running after the kids - all of us - made for an even more exhausting day. Thank goodness we had ayi and our driver to help "man" the stroller or use of an extra pair of eyes. Even then, the kids gave us all a run for our money! Why can't we figure out how to bottle that energy!!?? haha

Golden Week

It's the beginning of Golden Week here in China. This is China's birthday and everyone gets a week off of work. Many people travel during this week and it's the reason, as I already mentioned, that we are waiting until the END of October to go to Huangshan.

However, we do have a few activities planned for this week. I'm looking forward to just chilling as a family, which is something he haven't really been able to do since we moved here. You don't realize how much NOT having that quality family time can affect the family unit...but it does. In Tucson, we took opportunities every weekend to enjoy...each other. I miss that. I think we all miss our Jeep. Here, it's just not the same. There are many factors to consider when the weekend rolls around...many things we need to either think about or accomplish or we are just plain exhausted from our week.

The weather here has seemed to turn cooler overnight. Many people are rushing into stores to buy colder weather attire. The days are mild and the nights are already chilly. Our Huangshan trip will be pretty darn cold, I imagine. That means, I have to start thinking of getting the family cold-weather-ready. I also imagine that it will be a perfect time of year to see the season's changing within the foliage on the mountain. :)

Anyway, I'll give you updates about activities this week. :) Happy Golden Week!

Navigating the markets

A couple of days ago, I went to the Fake Market in Pudong in search of a few general items. Rookie mistake #1...always go in with a plan and/or an itemized list of what you need. I've been to the fake market before, of course, but since moving here, I have either always had a specific item I was looking for OR I've been there with friends, flanked on either side by other girls who want or need something more than I do. This always helps when trying to avoid the vendors' desperate attempts to get you to follow them...your "pack" power.

I know that when we were visiting here in March, I wrote at length, about the Fake Market. All the markets here work pretty much the same...the flower market, the wet market, the fabric market, the fake market, etc. However, the Fake Market located near the Science and Technology Museum in Pudong is a subterranean labrinyth of corridors designed to suck you into their depths and could very well sustain you for days on end! No, really. There's everything you could possibly imagine wanting or needing to buy. And the way the market is set up...it seems limitless! This one, in particular, is located in a subway type environment. Above ground, it's the picture of serenity, with trees and water features and lots of clean space to walk around. Below, it's..."Lady! U want to buy bag?", "No? How 'bout watch?", "I show u!", "Lady!" They have food down there, so in case you get lost (and you will at some point) and can't find your way out immediately, they at least provide several food options to keep your energy up. ;) Being subterranean, the lack of sun helps [them] by obscuring the passage of time. So, my first bit of advice...bring a reliable time piece with you!

I swear, I tell myself I'll be quick...all of the time. The next thing I know, I'm walking back into the sunlight and it's considerably later. If you think you'll be an hour...give yourself 3 hours. If you think you might be awhile, double that.

Like I said, they have everything you can imagine to try and sell you. And if they don't, they have a sister or a cousin or an aunt or a friend who does...either in the market as well or on the outside, somewhere else in town. This fake market is where I go to get my nails done. If you can beleive this, it costs a lot of money to get your nails done (with color, especially) in any one of the "expat" plazas or areas. But, the place in the fake market is clean, they sanitize their instruments and they are very reasonably priced. The fake market has anything from luggage, to faux purses, to cell phone accessories, to hairclips, to backpacks, to faux sunglasses, to clothing to souveneirs, to jewlery, to chopstix, to scarves, etc, etc, etc! I really could go on and on and on. They also have a very nice and large "tailor-made" section.

I have noticed that shopping in Shanghai happens in three levels, pretty much across the board. First, globally. There are the high end retail shops, both foreign names and chinese names that you wouldn't even think about trying to bargain a lower price from. In fact, they really don't appreciate it if you try. Then, there are the shops within shops. Many times, the floors of bigger malls or stores will be set up by individual vendors. While, it's still not necessarily a place to hard core bargain...you CAN get a lower price or a discount sometimes...depending on the mall or store. Then, there are the markets and street vendors...which bargaining is not only acceptable, it's expected. It's this kind of market where you can really see the "dance" that happens between the people who live here. Like the driving...it's a road dance among drivers. The higher end stores are really for foreigners. Chinese people wouldn't normally pay those outrageous prices for anything. Although, some of the younger generation Chinese kids seek out fashion and in order to be fashionable, they go to the retail markets.

At the fake market and when shopping for a fake...whatever...be on the lookout for 3 levels of quality. Several of the stores are set up in a tri-level fashion, poorest quality at or near the entrance; you can find better quality walking towards the back and the best quality (for a fake whatever) that the vendor has to offer is usually in the very back of the store. This is where many of them have "secret" drawers or cabinets or even doors that pull out to show you their best stuff. The "best" stuff can be anything from better threading, to higher quality silk or material to exact replicas of higher-end name brand bags, purses, watches, etc.

Yes, the "secret" doors hold the good stuff. IF, that is what you're looking for, of course. I know I have mentioned this before, but the reason for the secret doors is because the government is trying to crack down on the really good, fake replicas of things. My very real and [relatively more] expensive Coach purse from the States has a leather label inside that indicates the purse was made in China, even IF the designer wants me to think it's from Italy. The fact is, most everything is made here in China (and now Malaysia) and these street sellers have *ahem* "opportunites" to get the very same material and make a replica of any item. It's an interesting experience to see, what you thought was a wall of shelves, actually become a door and you're shoved inside to see that they do, indeed, have MUCH better items than the store front originally indicated. That's when you're negotiating skills are truly put to the test. YOU know what they have...they know what you want...the fun begins.

The art of negotiation. I still feel very inept in this department. However, I have learned a few things and here are some guidelines that I have found to be more successful in the world of marketplace negotiations.

1) Know your product. I know this is difficult, but try and get a ball park figure on what you would pay for something in your home country. Do you really want to pay MORE for something here in China (where it is probably MADE) than you would pay in your home country...with all the import mark ups, etc? I know I don't. This can be tricky, though, with the currency conversions you have to do in your head, and quickly!
2) Shop around. When there are vendors in your face, trying to get you to buy their product, the last thing I really want to do is "encourage" more of them by shopping around. Also, it's not like you can walk into a vendor shop, see the price, and walk away. EVERYTHING has to be negotiated! It's exhausting. But, this is worth it for a couple of reasons. a)After the negotiations, you get a feel for the "real" price of things as you make your way through the shops, and b)Once you negotiate a price, the vendor REALLY hates to see a customer walk away. SO, more often than not, the vendor will keep coming down in price - if they can - to keep you in their store. If a vendor doesn't try and stop you from walking out, you really have undervalued their inital cost on the product. This, of course, also helps you gauge how much the product is truly worth.
3) Quality. Decide on the level of quality you are really after and look around. Some vendors are MUCH more, uh, skilled, than others...or have better quality material.
4) Shop where the locals shop. One day, I went to the fake market just as the vendors were opening their metal doors...about 10-10:30 in the morning. I was surprised to see so many locals gathering at one or another store, waiting for their doors to open. It was enlightening to see where the locals preferred to shop. They have an eye or nose for exceptional quality, as many of them, themselves, sell some kind of product. And since the locals don't generally make a ton of money, they especially have a keen sense to look for balance between reasonably priced items and better quality material. They don't want to spend their hard earned money on, well, crap.
5) Make "friends". The term "good friend" is used a lot when trying to bargain. The vendors "give u betta price 'cause you good friend." What this really means is that they will be willing to give you a (slightly) better price if they sense that you might come back or if you DO come back a second time...or even better, bring your own friends back to their store. It's all about relationship building here in China...even at this level of interaction.
6) Divide by 4. Now, this is not necessarily a scientific formula. However, this can be used as a very general guideline to begin the bargaining. The vendors will always start high...you will always want to pay low. Where do you start?? An example: If I want to buy something and the vendor starts at 400 RMB, I divide that number by 4 as a much more reasonable place to start...in RMB. I then double check in my head and quickly do the currency conversion and decide if that is really how much I want to spend in US dollars. Again, this is a very general guideline.
7) Don't wear expensive jewelry. The vendors can spot it a mile away. They already view expats as a $$$ symbol.
8) Consider NOT bringing your small children to the street markets. They provide just the distraction the vendors are waiting for. Also, many of these markets, whether it's the actual store or the walkways outside of it, which are not generally stroller friendly. If your small children are not strapped to the stroller, it is very easy for them to get distracted themselves with so many things to see. Just something to keep in mind.
9) Take a break. It's easy to get worn down and the vendors can sense it! Take a break if you have to, or shop the market in small doses.
10) Don't get emotional. It's a sign of weakness. This is a great place to try your "poker" face...if you have one. Maybe think about avoiding the markets if you're PMS-ing, etc.
11) Beware of the up-sell! The vendors will ALWAYS...and yes, I mean ALWAYS try to either up-sell you on the product you are interested in OR try to sell a variety of other items from their store that might "compliment" your product.
12) Don't get too attached. It's usually when you think you can't part with a particular product...that's when you're headed for trouble. You will probably end up paying WAY too much compared to what the product is actually worth and then you head down 'buyer's remorse' lane. Especially when you see the same or similar product for much less money just two doors down. If the bargaining isn't going your way...walk away. Look around. Then go back to re-negotiate if need be.

Wow! I didn't realize, until I wrote all of this down, that there is a lot I consider when shopping the local markets! And, yes, I usually keep all these things in mind whenever I go. And, YES, it IS exhausting! No wonder I'm so tired by mid-day. haha If you have never been in this type of environment before, it's very intimidating at first. However, after a few "great" buys...you get addicted to the rush of accomplishment you feel when you walk out with something you really love and paid a basement bargain price for it! Who doesn't love a great bargain?!

The most important thing to remember when navigating these markets, is that some days you win and some days you lose. That's just the nature of the beast. Also, you live and you learn. :)

Back online!

Random thought...

Why...in a country of a majority of smokers...can't I find matches? Why is this sooo flippin' difficult?

Anyway...

Our internet server was down for a few days. It was like cutting off my arm! No skype. No emails. No blogging. This is what I do! What do you mean the internet is down!? And, as you can imagine, finding a way to fix it, calling tech support who only speak Chinese, figuring out the problem, figuring out the problem, figuring out the problem...well, it's a process. Deeeep breath!

Now, we are back online. Yah! I've blogged about our weekend, in case any of you thought I dropped off the face of the planet.

I really want to take a minute and talk about massages again. Just a minute...please. Massages over here are like gassing up your car. The Chinese view it as a necessary item for many different kinds of people. Massage parlors are like Starbucks...one on every corner. Business dinners usually end up at a massage parlor. Going out with friends...you end up at a massage parlor. Tired of walking so much? Go to a massage parlor! Got health problems? Go get a massage!

This is a typical massage parlor menu of choices:

Foot massage - 60 min
Special "house" Oil foot massage - 90 min
Body massage - 60 min. (clothes on)
Oil body massage - 90 min. (clothes off, but they only really massage your shoulders and back...for 90 min)
Traditional Thai massage - 60 min (they show you pictures of this as a sort of "liability" clause)
Back Cupping
Leg Pinching
Foot Scraping
Ear Removal (I assume they mean ear wax removal)

What? No hitting, scratching or biting? Well, maybe in the "happy ending" massage parlors...I guess I'll never be sure about that though.



Cupping - Cupping refers to a practice in which a cup is applied to the skin and the pressure in the cup is reduced (by using change in heat or by suctioning out air), so that the skin and superficial muscle layer is drawn into and held in the cup.

Cupping developed over time from the original use of hollowed animal horns to drain toxins out of snakebites and skin lesions. Horns evolved into bamboo cups, which were eventually replaced by glass. Therapeutic applications evolved with the refinement of the cup itself, and with the cultures that employed cupping as a health care technique. Cupping eventually developed into a separate therapy, with healers treating a variety of conditions.

In some cases, a small amount of blood letting (luoci; vein pricking) is done first, using a pricking needle, and then the cup is applied over the site. The pricking is usually done with a three-edged needle, applied to a vein, and it typically draws 3–4 drops of blood (sometimes the skin on either side is squeezed to aid release of blood). This technique is said to promote blood circulation, remove stasis, and alleviate swelling and pain. It is employed especially when there is a toxic heat syndrome and for a variety of acute ailments.

Pinching - This is where they pinch your legs continuously to also draw out the pain or bad energy in your legs and get the blood flowing. Yep...that oughta do it! I can only imagine how long those marks are left on your legs.

Scraping - They have techniques to scrape the skin off your feet. Tools and details...not really sure. I don't want to know.

Allen and I walked into a massage parlor and both decided to get foot massages. I can't tell you how many times, during both body and foot massages, that I just wanted to get up and leave. It happens a lot. During this particular foot massage, the guy had nails and wasn't afraid to use them on my feet. If that wasn't bad enough, I actually counted the number of strokes he used on each and every muscle. These are quick and vigorous strokes on the SAME little muscle...and then it's repeated on the next little muscle right next to the first one. I counted anywhere between 12 and 40 strokes each and every time! Ugh!

As the massage continued and my pain threshold decreased, he resorted to rubbing. When I say rubbing...I mean that the guy used both hands to light my legs on fire. His hands were the instruments...and my leg was the twig. I really thought I was going to spontaneously combust at some point. I was almost "rooting" for him..."C'mon man, you can do it!" and "You've almost got it now!"

I think Chinese massage is actually a form of torture over here. A massage parlor on every corner...and not ONE single decent massage. I want one of those bone melting, endorphin inducing, slobber enhancing kind of massages. Sorry folks! Not here!

I keep wondering if these massage "therapists" are actually trained to do this? Or are they just employed by a fly-by-night company, given a shirt and put to work? Who knows! But, they all seem to know exactly where to find the rawest and sorest NERVES under your skin. The nerves that feel like they are on fire when they are rubbed or touched. Yep...they seem to have a knack for that...and they zero on in until you want to scream!

Check PLEASE!

Taste of the Nations!

Allen and I had purchased tickets to what's called "Taste of the Nations". A company (Torres China) who specializes in selling wine from many countries around the world, puts on this event once a year. It is a fantastic wine tasting event, representing 12 countries across the globe. This year, it was set on a yacht that was supposed to cruise the river. However, due to inclement weather, the boat didn't actually "cruise", but stayed attached to the dock. No matter, because the event itself was a really great time!

In the States, many people...myself included...tend to stick with their favorite wines. Usually, they are a domestic brand of fairly good quality, but also cheap because it's from home. We have some VERY good wine produced in the States. It's hard to justify venturing much further if the cost is too high. However, if people get adventurous, there are the "stock" wines from other countries like Spain, Italy, France, etc. The big ones. And, of course, they are the more vague, harder to find varieties...but rarely does anyone I know search that hard to find a wine or even prefer the more obscure varieties anyway.

China, and Shanghai in particular, has a much more comprehensive representation of wines from around the world. China, itself, is not much of a [grape] wine producing country. But, it more than makes up for itself by importing so many types and varieties of spirits from across the globe. As I mentioned, this one event hosted by Torres China, represents several different names and varieties of wine from 12 different countries. The 12 countries were: Spain, Australia, Portugal, Chile, United States, China, Argentina, New Zealand, South Africa, Hungary, France, and Italy.

The entire 2nd and 3rd levels of the yacht had tables lined up with several bottles of wine and even some liquor based spirits as well. Every guest received a handy neck chain attached to a booklet of all the wines represented and a pen to take notes. Each table had a few spit receptacles in case the wine you chose to drink happened to o-ffend you in some way. The event was well organized, the yacht was clean, and every guest walked away with a party gift...what more could you ask for here in China!? :)

They served food as well. I remember thinking prior to boarding the boat and asking Allen, "Do they know here in China...that CHEESE and wine go very well together?" Once the food appeared, I looked at it with skepticism and more than a little disappointment...the cheese cubes were covered with an unidentified...something...could have been mushrooms...could have been meat....could have been minced fish eggs...you just never know. Never sure about the origin of any of the meat here in China, I chose to decline in the beginning. After finishing a thorough examination of the wines on the 3rd floor, I attempted a few of the "safer" looking savory appetizers. By the end of touring the 2nd floor of wines, I didn't really care and tried most of the appetizers. I'm still here! :) What an education! I learned so much about the different wines from around the world! It's exactly what I have been wanting to do for quite some time. If you attended something like this in the States, it would easily have been a higher price to get in...about $100 per person is our guess. However, this event was very affordable (about $30 per person) and came with lots of "extras" to boot. It was a 3-hour event.

What about the wine??

By far, the wine from Italy held my attention the most. Wow...they make some very good wine! I found many of their Merlots, Cabs and Pinot Grigios to be very smooth. They had a White Chocolate and Bottega Grappa that was absolutely to die for!!!! YUMMMMMM!!! Grappa, by nature, is a very strong spirit and caters to, I think, a smaller crowd. So, when mixing it with the white chocolate, I'm sure they had to overcompensate the stingy Grappa with EXTRA creamy and smooth white chocolate. OMG! It was so good! For those of you who like white russians...you'll definitely like this combo. But, unlike a white russian that never gets creamy enough in my opinion...this Grappa combo nails it in it's creamy, silky texture. And the white chocolate is so incredibly yummy! The Italian table also had a Lemon Grappa mix...but talk about potent! I'm glad I wasn't wearing a wig when I tried that one! Whew! It just about knocked my socks off! The Italian table also had a couple of bubbly options that both Allen and I found very appealing...even better than the "host" champagne that was served throughout the evening.

The French table held my interest a bit, but not nearly as much as the Italian table. In fact, I was a little disappointed in the French wine as a collective group. However, in France's defense, they may not have had a great representation, through this company, of their more refined wines. I'm not sure. Although, there was a BIG French company being represented at the table, B.P. Rothschild. With THIS being said, I did find a few that were more than a little incredible. They had both a Bourgogne Chardonnay and a red that actually tasted buttery! I'm not kidding! Now, how did they manage something like that? They actually had a buttery, smoothness to them that left you smacking your lips after you had a taste...like a french fry. It was incredible...and good! Now, THAT is impressive. These buttery wines were made by Joseph Drouhin.

Australia, again, delivered and didn't disappoint! They had a good representation of wines and their table was quickly depleted of product. I have been very impressed with Australian wines.

The US wines were horrible! There were some bottles from California...the vicinty of Napa Valley (but clearly new to the industry), Sonoma, Monterey and the State of Oregon. Definitely NOT a good representation of what the US can offer, ESPECIALLY from the Napa Valley region. Too bad...

The country that surprised me the most was South Africa. I really enjoyed sampling some of their wines and the results were, again, surprising. Actually, there was only one company from South Africa being represented at this event. The company, Kleine Zalze, is located in Stellenbosch, north of Cape Town...just how far north, I don't have a clue. They had a Merlot unlike any I have ever tasted. It was very spicy (not like a Merlot at all), but with an incredibly smooth finish! Different and yummy! Their Cabernet Sauvignon was truly amazing! It was rich in aroma as well as flavor and the smoothest Cab I have ever tasted. It was such a pleasure to drink! They had a Pinotage that was more of an experience than a drink...again, amazing. This Pinotage tasted...raw...but beautiful all at the same time. It mirrors what I imagine the country of South Africa is like in many ways. The fact that this wine could reflect or mirror something like that defines logic, but nevertheless...that's what it did for me.

China. This probably doesn't come as any surprise, but all of the wines from China were pretty bad. Ok...really bad. They have a long way to go to catch up to the world's standards in the [grape] wine industry. However, I heard they put out a pretty good rice wine. Their wine at the event was tasteless and to say "dry" would imply that any of the bottles held any sort of depth...which is NOT the case. So, I'm not really sure how to describe the wines of China, other than to say...they have a long way to go.

Allen and I found ourselves outside, on deck, about an hour into the event. We ended up meeting this very nice Australian couple, which we talked with for the rest of the evening. It was a very fun, relaxing, unique and entertaining evening out of the house. BOTH Allen and I had a really good time.

Shanghai Aquarium

Over the weekend, we went to the Aquarium here in Shanghai. We were SO impressed! Having lived in places like California and Hawaii, we have been to our fair share of big aquariums and scenic fish spots. However, the one in Shanghai was one of our top picks!

This aquarium is home to the world's longest water tunnel, where people can see all the sea life with a 360 degree view, while being transported on a mechanical walk way. As you walk through the aquarium facility, the enclosures for the water life are separated by themed environments, ie, sandy beach, pier/docks, river, lakes, and then all these environments are further expanded in the different regions all over the world. Each "theme" had the appropriate props set up in each enclosure. Then, you were guided to the DEEP sea environments and finished your tour through the water tunnel. The water tunnel, again, had different themes along the route and it seemed to go on forever. All the signs were both in English and Chinese, which helped tremendously. Every enclosure was very clean and spacious for the animal(s) inside.

Each enclosure in the different environments, were accessible to the people, with the glass only coming up about waist to upper-chest high on an adult (depending on what was behind the glass). This was great, because you could see the top of the water and it really did give you a much more thorough perspective of the entire environment. thus creating a more 3-dimensional effect for each enclosure. Back home, many people would probably worry about this kind of set-up and that the animals and the water would be touched and harassed. Amazingly enough, not one single person had any desire or acted on the impulse to reach over and disturb the environment. At least, not during the entire time we were there and we were there on a weekend day. The entire effect of the aquarium brought out a desire to learn more about each of the animals and they were displayed with that in mind. Accessible, but not in a dangerous way to either the person or the animal. Well done, in my opinion!

One of the most fascinating displays for me, was the live shark's egg cycle(s). They had a live display of the different egg phases/days and you could actually see the shark moving around in each of the egg. It was divided into developmental phases which was based on how many days since it had been conceived. You could even see their tiny umbilical cords. One had "hatched" already and was swimming in the tank. It was...educational.

Ryan liked the frogs and turtles a lot...and, of course, ALL the different kinds of fish. He was a little afraid of the crocodiles though. Brandon really liked the jellyfish and stingray enclosures and was a little hesitant around the huge Alaskan crabs. Allen really seemed to dig the shark eggs as well.

The water tunnels were absolutely fantastic! It's rare you get to see the underbellies of so many fish and other sea life. Brandon got to see the underbelly and sharp teeth of a shark, up close! There were so many beautiful fish, of every color!

We had a great time! And, of course, at the end of our tour, the rest of the aquarium facility is packed full of toy and souvenir vendors, food and then an arcade after that! So, navigating through all that fun stuff without purchasing anything was quite a task!! haha

I definitely recommend a trip to the aquarium for both kids and adults alike. It is located right next to the Pearl Tower and the Insect Kingdom Museum. Two other places I would also recommend to see during a visit here. :)

Just some news...

MILK

Well, many of the expat women over here are in a small state of panic over the contaminated milk. We are finding out that many of the local name brands have been contaminated and it has spread to even the liquid milk, yogurt, ice creams, etc. We are worried about the milk, cheese and yogurt being distributed at the schools our kids attend, and we are now even worried about a recent report that the [one] imported milk from France (Presidente) is also contaminated...as recent reports have suggested.

Many of the locals are aware of the problem, but like many issues here in China, the majority of the local people have complete and absolute faith that the government will protect them from further harm. The "scare" doesn't seem to affect the locals as much as many of us expats. But, then again, neither does poop in the pool.

As reports are continuously pouring in, I think our little family will be ok with rice or soy milk for a little while. However, many of the expat women over here are faced with MUCH bigger problems because their kids are within that milk or formula age range. We all just hope this can be worked out soon. What else can we do?

BOYS

The boys are doing GREAT in their school. Brandon is currently being assessed to skip a grade by his teacher and principal, since he already has a very good handle on many of his future English lessons this upcoming year. However, both Allen and I feel that, socially, he is extremely happy where he is and we are afraid that moving him up too fast could create levels of increased insecurity and thus, cause him more harm than good. Their school has an extra curricular program called, Jelic Curriculum. It is a Taiwanese-based curriculum and we think it is right up Brandon's alley. So far, he really likes it. This, plus the additional thematic lessons in the classroom, such as science, art, history and cultural studies, PLUS the Chinese lessons he is learning SHOULD be enough to challenge him throughout the year.

Also, Brandon will be doing a photo shoot for a well known, reputable photographer next week. The photographer's client is one of the biggest brand name clothing giants in China and they like Brandon's style. So, we'll see how that goes. The photographer possibly wants Ryan to do a shoot in October as well. We'll see... The photographer came with recommendations from other moms. He pays hourly for the actual shoot and we get to keep several catalogues of the final product. I realize the expectations of such a "shoot" may be different in the States...but, we're not in Kansas anymore folks! Everything is done differently here, for several, several reasons.

Brandon LOVES China! He says so almost every day. He tells us he doesn't want to go back to Tucson and wants to stay in China for a long time. He also tells us he really likes looking at all the buildings and the cars and the people. There IS a lot to see here...I'll give him that. Like his father, Brandon loves a change of pace and scenery. It really seems to get his blood flowing. It's the Sagittarius in him.

Ryan has slipped into school very effortlessly, thus cementing my theory that he was ready for this, even at his young age. He goes to school with Brandon every other day with not a tear or peep of regret from him. But, he also enjoys being with mom in between the school days. I think the schedule is working out for him...so far.

Ryan and I went to one of our favorite plazas the other day and they were having a mini festival with dragon dancers and lots of music. Ryan loved watching them...and so did I! The entire ensemble of both music makers and dragon dancers were women! It was lots of fun. Ryan really boogied to the drums! haha

ALLEN

Allen is doing great at work. He enjoys the challenges he faces (every day) at work...which keeps him busy, but also tires him out quite a bit as well. There is a lot of mental energy involved in living here, especially at his work. He is constantly being challenged by his Chinese co-workers, the suppliers he meets, the language barrier, the differences in business practices, the NON-verbal communication that occurs between people here, etc. However, despite the difficulties he continuously faces, I think he also appreciates the different sights, environment and atmosphere he is exposed to while living here. He likes change every once in a while...it's the Sagittarius in him, I think.

Allen also benefits from eating truly authentic Chinese food. Not only is lunch brought in every day to work, which is usually from some local joint, but he also gets to experience something much more authentic and unique...Chinese [business] dinners! On occasion, he attends business dinners with clients, suppliers, etc. A Chinese business dinner is MUCH different from a business dinner in the States. There is usually a seat of honor, facing the door and in the middle of the table. Several dishes of truly authentic Chinese food are ordered, including many body parts of the animal and different KINDS of animals to choose from. And then comes the wine...Chinese wine, that is. A Chinese dinner, for many Chinese, is all about the drinking. They will drink this rice wine and "shoot" it by the glass, shouting "encouragement" along the way. The more an individual can drink, the more of a "hero" he is. And if a person wants to decline on the wine? There is a protocol and technique for etiquette when declining the wine. The entire process is supposed to present subtly so nobody loses "face". Sounds exhausting...

MEEEEEE!!

As you can probably tell from reading my blogs, I'm feeling a little better about...life, my husband, China, etc. I still want to go home. This still doesn't feel like home...only a very long, extended, way past due (to go home), trip to China. But, I'm still striving toward that six-month mark. So, I guess we'll see. C'mon...just look at the news...now it's milk contamination (pre-meditated no less)...who knows what tomorrow will bring. I'm a mom and wife, with two small children and family to look after and protect, living in a society of government "believers". When can I feel comfortable? The POINT is, I can't. Ever. Not here.

However, I meant what I said in a previous blog...I'm ready to "look" around as long as I'm here. I feel a familiar part of myself has returned...the adventuress in me. If we are going to do this thing...then let's really DO IT! There are several places I'm thinking about visiting in the next couple of months...small weekend trips. We are planning a trip to Huangshan in October. When my mom visits, maybe some more looking around. So...that's good.

I would like to find some more time to myself. I feel like I have been doing a whole lot of running around since the kids began school. A whole bunch of stuff that I was specifically waiting to do when school started. haha Like I already mentioned, living here takes a lot of mental, physical and emotional energy. I'm exhausted by noon every single day! I'm not kidding!

I signed up for a quilting class through the community center. That should be fun. I'm hoping to join in on a book club that's held one Sunday a month. It's quite far from where we live, but hopefully it won't be too bad only once a month. I tried to join a choir, but the practices were on a weeknight on the opposite end of town. We sat 2 hours in traffic during rush hour and hadn't even gotten halfway there. Ugh! Needless to say, joining the choir wasn't very practical from where we live. Bummer! I'm beginning to enjoy all the local markets around town, such as the flower market, the fake market(s), etc. I'm getting a pretty good handle on the 'art of negotiation'. Feeling a bit "empowered" goes a long way to being successful at any one of these types of markets. Today, I visited the 'Tailor-Made Market'. Very nice! The Wet Market is still something I try and avoid. It's a place with the "freshest" meat, grains, rice, veggies, fruits, etc. Sounds lovely, right? When I say "freshest"...I mean from the locals point of view. Stuff grown in people's backyards, the stench of rotting "freshly" caught or killed meat, live chickens, ducks, pigeons etc. with their feet tied to keep them still, just waiting to go to slaughter, flies everywhere, the heat of the day adding to the smell, etc! Ack! While it's something everyone says needs to be experienced at least once...I would advise against it.

Weeeeeee

Allen and I have begun to try and repair "ourselves", both independently and together. We are both eager for the gym to get their kids club facility up and running so we can take the kids to the gym with us. Without it, it's hard for either of us to get to the gym very regularly. We both realize that exercise might greatly improve our stamina, on several levels. We are taking Chinese lessons from the boys' ex-teacher from their summer camp, for two hours a week. They are very casual lessons and we definitely aren't practicing enough. However, just the few lessons we have had have helped boost our confidence when trying to pronounce the few Chinese words we already know. We hope to continue with these lessons, for as long as we can. We try and go out by ourselves a couple nights a week, for dinner or something. This coming weekend, we have tickets for a wine tasting cruise along the Huangpu River. It should be fun.

BLUE

Blue is doing really good. His sutures are in good condition and the t-shirt is doing an amazing job of keeping him from licking or scratching his wounds. I MUCH prefer a-t-shirt to the gigantic collar! He is eating very regularly and taking his meds without a problem. He goes back to get the stitches out next week. He has generally transitioned well here. However, I sense he is not as happy as he was in Tucson. He doesn't have as much carpet to lay around on or as much wide open natural spaces to roam freely. I also think he misses his neighbors back home. He had special relationships with many of them. BUT, he does get walked regularly and our ayi treats him with with extra special care. So, he's ok.

Well, that's the news and updates from this end. I hope all is well on your end!

Blue has surgery!

Right before we left the US, our dog got a couple of cancerous masses on his torso. He also had one on his leg about a year prior to our departure to China and we had it removed. These two current masses, luckily, were not next to a main artery like the one on his leg. However, when obtaining his very final health exam to exit the U.S., another vet assured us they were just pimples, NOT cancerous masses. Hmmm, well, ok. It was actually good that she insisted that was what they were, because we had a tremendous amount of stress and a lot of things on our minds at that time...not to mention she was seeing him on the DAY of our departure. It seemed like a blessing to have this MUCH simpler opinion given to us.

However, being that he had something similar before, we decided to keep an eye on it after we moved to Shanghai. Unfortunately, the masses kept growing. Then the fun really began...finding a [reputable] veterinarian in China. If you have been reading my blogs, you'll understand what a feat this task presented to me.

After some extensive research, I finally settled on taking our beloved pet to what's called 'Naughty Animal Clinic'. After some more research, I discovered this is a chain of clinics with certified veterinarians...from Taiwan. It sounds like they study under a "master" during their education. I have to assume it's similar to an internship. I do know that they took official classes at a university as well.

Upon visiting any animal clinic here in Shanghai...prepare yourself. You have to remind yourself that it's DIFFERENT over here and it's up to you to choose the best from the "worst". And I say "worst", because this isn't like home folks! The Chinese culture doesn't tend to cater to the needs of any pet. Pets are generally sold in open markets, in less than ideal conditions. If you do find an actual pet store, don't expect...well, don't walk in with any expectations, especially if the owner(s) are Chinese. Japanese and western (if any) stores might be a whole different story, but I'm not sure.

The clinic I ended up choosing was, in my opinion, the best it was going to get. So, that is where Blue ended up having his first vet appointment and ultimately his surgery. He HAD to have these removed...what could we do?

After an extensive perusal of the facilities, I found that the tables and the instruments were clean, even if the walls and floor were not. In fact, the walls were really bad, especially closer to the ground. The back room area, where the x-ray machine was being housed, was also really dirty. But the x-ray table, itself, appeared clean. The floors looked swept if you visited the clinic first thing in the morning, right after they opened...but they didn't look as if they were well maintained throughout the day. The shelves of food, medicine, etc always appeared to be well stocked, which is good. Their file folders were always neat and orderly. I did see one of the girls wiping down the reception counter a couple of times. They had an in-house lab and pharmacy which indicated they were [truer] professionals in the business...unlike many of the fly by night kind of operations you see over here just to make a quick buck. Their prices were reasonable. The surgery room (as it was explained to me) was wiped down before and after every surgery. Except for the walls, it appeared orderly and clean. Both veterinarians spoke English. This chain also has a side grooming business under the same name. They are obviously more dedicated to the care of animals than many of the clinic counterparts in Shanghai.

Ok...it's not home. It's not home. Deeeeep breath.

Blue's surgery day arrived. I took him in first thing in the morning. They were really (ok, relatively) good at explaining the details of all the injections, the gas to be used, the medications he would have to take, the operation itself, the time it would take, etc.

What I WASN'T prepared for...and this may be where the differences between home and China were MOST apparent...is when the vet came out and indicated she was done with Blue's surgery and, of course, all the post-operation stuff that happened after that. Dr. Wu pointed to the room, said he was done and I thought she wanted me to walk in there. When I began to pass her, she stopped me and held out her hand. There...in her hand...was my dog's bloody masses with little bits of skin and hair attached. Aaaaggghhhhhh!!!!!! I SO didn't need nor was I prepared to see that! I think she saw me turning green or white or gray or something and she exclaimed, "Oh!" and quickly removed her hand from my line of vision. Smart girl.

I sank back down into the chair and thought I would be waiting another 1/2 hour or so (as it was explained to me) to have Blue recover from the surgery. No such luck. They brought him out and set him down on a table in one of the rooms and indicated for me to join him there. Ahhhh, I began to see. Yeah...it would take a little while for Blue to recover from the surgery, but I was supposed to help him through the process myself.

There was Blue...his blue tongue hanging out of his mouth as he began to gather his senses from being gassed...with two separate sutures on his body, still leaking blood and dripping iodine. I was instructed to hold him down if he tried to get up and his complete recovery time would depend on Blue. Also, he might start shaking and making "distress" sounds...but don't let him up! Uh, what? I'm used to seeing my dog WELL past this point in his past surgeries. It is more than a little disconcerting to see your beloved animal labor under the influence of being gassed. The process was so painful to watch. :( As he kept regaining more of his senses, his behavior was erratic. His eyes were super dilated, so he kept have to "scan" the area around him by moving his head back and forth. He did this non-stop. All the while, he kept sticking out his tongue like a snake. He kept straining his ears to hear his surroundings. He couldn't get up because his legs wouldn't work right...but he kept trying. Be thankful for the vets back home who may know this is how it's done when a pet recovers...but spares YOU the disturbing details! Have you hugged your vet today??

After about 5-10 minutes in the room, the vet came in and said he was ok to go home and the rest of his recovery would take place there. Two assistants hauled him into the van. The car ride home was an excruciating drive and seemed to take forever. I swear we couldn't have hit more red lights than we did. Finally, we got home and set Blue up in the house more comfortably. The vet gave us a collar so he doesn't lick and rupture the sutures. However, upon exiting the vet's office, a very nice foreign lady (from Denmark originally) with whom I had been speaking to while Blue was in surgery, suggested putting a t-shirt over his torso and knotting it in the back so it didn't fall off. What a great idea! :) Hopefully, we won't need the collar...I really dislike them. So does Blue.

Blue is doing much better! He has recovered nicely and we will go back in a week and get the stitches removed. He is still a little sore and moves around with greater care, but I'm so glad the ordeal is over.

My personal opinion about the actual sutures...I think they could have cut the skin under his armpit in a vertical fashion instead of horizontal so that it would hurt less when the extra skin in the immediate area moves when he walks. But, I don't think they think of things like that. Also, the sutures are not the product of a fine seamstress. But the wounds are closed...so I guess I shouldn't be asking for any more than that.

All in all, I'm glad he's back home, that the surgery itself only took about 1/2 hour, that it seems like he's doing pretty good at this point AND that he might not have to wear that darn collar!

Happy Reunion With Your Loved Ones!

It's Moon Festival Day here in China. I just want to tell all my loved ones how much I think about home and wish we were closer.

Thoughts in the Silent Night, by Li Bai

Before my bed, there is bright-lit moonlight
So that it seems, like frost on the ground:
Lifting my head, I watch the bright moon
Lowering my head, I dream that I'm home.

I'll be looking at the moon tonight and hoping you are having a very HAPPY day with those who are close to you! Please look at the moon just once for me tonight! :)

Warning!

*sigh* The Chinese are at it again...

To all of my 'peeps' who have babies and feed them infant formula. CHECK THE CANISTER TO BE SURE IT'S NOT MADE IN CHINA!! Please read below!

From a fellow Shanghai Mama:

"For those using formula, you may be interested in this article:

http://www.usatoday .com/news/ health/2008- 09-12-china- babyformula_ N.htm?loc= interstitialskip

China's government vowed "serious punishment" on Friday after a major
dairy recalled 700 tons of milk powder linked to a rash of kidney
stones in infants in a case that reignited fears about Chinese product
safety.
…
At about 1 p.m. on Friday, hackers changed Sanlu's website to say
"Melamine Group" for about 20 minutes before the original page was
restored, the Web portal Sina.com reported.
In Washington, the Food and Drug Administration warned consumers to
avoid infant formula from China. Authorities said Chinese formula is
not approved for importation into the United States but might be sold
at ethnic grocery stores...... ......... ...."

Another Shanghai Mama's response:

"seems the [chinese] gov. already block this site...
cant open it... or anyone know how to open this site??
thx"

So, please read your labels - just in case!

Listed below, is an article from the UK, stating an infant has already died from this irresponsible process. BE CAREFUL!!!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/2827362/Baby-formula-recall-in-China-after-infant-death.html

Also, a fellow Shanghai Mama who has a US-based ISP...so she can get US articles unblocked.

China launches nationwide baby formula probe

BEIJING (AP) — China's government vowed "serious punishment" on Friday after a major dairy recalled 700 tons of milk powder linked to a rash of kidney stones in infants in a case that reignited fears about Chinese product safety.

U.S. authorities warned American consumers to avoid all Chinese infant formula. A New Zealand company that owns a stake in the Chinese producer said it believed none of the powder was exported from China.

FDA ALERT:Melamine found in baby formula made in China

Sanlu Group Co., China's biggest milk powder producer, ordered the recall after more than 50 babies suffered kidney stones and one died, the official Xinhua News Agency said. It said tests found it was tainted with melamine, a chemical used in plastics.

"Those responsible will face serious punishment," said a Health Ministry spokesman, Mao Qunan, quoted by Xinhua. The agency said investigators concluded the chemical was added when the milk was purchased from farmers but gave no other details. It said 78 "suspicious people" were summoned for questioning.
FIND MORE STORIES IN: United States | Washington | Internet | Beijing | China | Food and Drug Administration | New Zealand | Xinhua News Agency | Health Ministry | Sina.com | Mao Qunan | Shijiazhuang

People who answered the phone at Sanlu said managers were not available to comment.

China has suffered a string of safety incidents over tainted toothpaste, toys, seafood and other products that caused deaths or injuries. The incidents damaged foreign confidence in the safety of Chinese goods and prompted a shake-up of the country's regulatory system in an effort to reassure consumers.

Melamine is the chemical involved in a massive pet food recall last year. It is not supposed to be added to food, but suppliers in China sometimes mix it in to make food appear to be high in protein. Melamine is nitrogen rich, and standard tests for protein in bulk food ingredients measure levels of nitrogen.

The Health Ministry launched a nationwide investigation, ordering local officials to report all possible cases and "is urgently organizing experts to conduct research and treatment," a ministry statement said.

Fonterra Co-operative Group, a New Zealand dairy farmers' group that owns 43% of Sanlu, said it was advised the company had a "quality issue in its products as a result of receiving defective milk in China."

"We understand that the product involved is only sold in China," Fonterra said in a statement e-mailed to The Associated Press.

The milk powder is sold in China under the name Sanlu Bei Bei Infant Powder.
According to Xinhua, Sanlu said the contaminated powder was produced before Aug. 6.
At about 1 p.m. on Friday, hackers changed Sanlu's website to say "Melamine Group" for about 20 minutes before the original page was restored, the Web portal Sina.com reported.

In Washington, the Food and Drug Administration warned consumers to avoid infant formula from China. Authorities said Chinese formula is not approved for importation into the United States but might be sold at ethnic grocery stores.

"We're concerned that there may be some infant formula that may have gotten into the United States illegally and may be on the ethnic market," said Janice Oliver, deputy director of the FDA's food safety program.

Sanlu, based in Shijiazhuang, a city southwest of Beijing, has 18% of China's market for milk powder, according to government data. The company says it produces 6,800 tons of milk a day.

Sanlu became the dairy supplier to China's space program in June and might provide milk for astronauts on the country's upcoming third manned space flight.
In 2004, more than 200 Chinese infants suffered malnutrition and at least 12 died after being fed phony formula that contained no nutrients. Some 40 companies were found to be making phony formula, and 47 people were arrested.

*sigh* [shaking my head]

Point of View

(Picture shows various architecture (including the Orient Pearl TV Tower) in Shanghai, along the Huangpu River. Taken from the "Bund" and looking towards Pudong.)

Sometimes I wonder if my own thoughts, opinions and observations about living here, are just that...MINE. Do all of us expats over here tend to be immersed in the same thinking tank about life in China? Is it just me or perhaps just other Americans that think similarly? What about all of the other expats, representing countries and cultures from around the globe? Would we see eye-to-eye on some of the subjects I have discussed in my blogs? Obviously, I will never know. But, I do wonder about it sometimes.

Below, I have pasted in the points of view from another person visiting China, who is from India. He is a fascinating writer and pretty much covers, well, everything about life in China and more specifically the cities he chose to visit. There are so many things, conversations, facts, etc., that I have thought to share with all of you, but find the details escape my mind before I can sit down at the computer to write about them. Funny and frustrating things! Things that I WISH many of you could at least be here to witness yourselves. This author has a talent for expression! His own experiences and conversations reflect so many similar to my own as well as Allen's, on many subjects! I found his thoughts on his own blog page. Enjoy!

"I’d been camping in Shanghai for nearly two weeks. I thot i’d be returning in a week’s time, but cudn’t finish my work. These Chinese are giving me headaches everyday. It’s amazing how well they can mis-communicate things ….. not that they do it on purpose. One has to keep explaining & re-explaining things ….. in several different ways ……by writing, acting, drawing……. laughing ….. screaming ….. in short, everything at your disposal….. hoping that somewhere, something will hit that button of understanding. So, to convey an idea, it takes a decade …… & loads of p..a..t..i..e..n..c..e . You throw them a question & they’ll get into an animated discussion & consultation amongst themselves ….. in Mandarin (or in Cantonese ….. as the case may be …….. meanwhile, u can go out for a cup of tea or coffee ….. or just take a walk …… by the time u return, if u’re lucky, they shud be ready with the answer to your query. By the end of the day u’r exhausted … tongue aching …. head pounding…. & u realize that u’ve covered 3 points out of 30 points u shud’ve covered that day. And after all that, they try to feed you all kinds of unpalatable Chinese food. This is not to say that all Chinese food are that way ……. I had some greatly delicious authentic Chinese food as well. Then they keep ‘pestering’ u with “how ‘bout some foot massage..... body massage ? …relax ??” But I understand they’re trying their best to make you feel good.

Last Sunday, I got to see a li’l bit of the city. Shanghai (meaning ‘above the sea’ or ‘on-the-sea’) wud easily rate as one of the most fascinating cities in the world (I wudn’t not believe those who say that it’s one of the ‘best’ cities to live in ……….. not that I have lived in many other cities) …… character, tradition, modernity, history, scale, infrastructure, organization ….. it seems to have everything. Probably god had a hand in designing this city (or atleast his assistant must have). Of course, there are shanties in Shanghai too ….. like every other city in the world. But u’ve to look for them … unlike in Bombay where slums are a highly visible & integral component of the cityscape.

Nanjing Lu is a very popular pedestrian street (also known as China’s Number One Street) where people go to (window) shop & hang out. It’s also sometimes referred to as China’s ‘Fifth Avenue’. On sunday it was as though the whole city had converged on Nanjing Lu. But u’ll not see too many folks buying things or carrying shopping bags. Everyone is decked up in the most modern (western) attire …. especially young Chinese girls (they r an ultra-mod species; the boys are simpler). Everyone, young & old & the very young & the very old as well, is out there for a pleasure stroll & to just watch everyone else strolling along. The atmosphere is … carnival.

As u stroll along, a couple of very innocent-looking young Chinese girls (some of them look barely out of school) walk up to u & try to chat u up …. “u want go for coffee ??” … some of them are more direct …. “hey sir, u want lie with me?”… in their thin sing song voice. U tell them “No, thank you”, … & they melt into the crowd. Their male agents are even more brazenly direct ..”sir ! u want nice girls to f… ?!” & he isn’t exactly whispering into your ear ….. u can see people on the other side of the plaza turning to look ….. On one hand its quite funny ….. & on the other hand, u feel sad at the level of desperation.

There are, of course, many other nicer things on Nanjing Lu …. the ‘toy’ trains that take tourists around the plaza ; ….. outdoor cafes & restaurants……. then there’s this musician in black suit, bow tie & black hat belting out yesteryears’ hit tunes on his golden saxophone from the first floor balcony of one of those stately old mansions lining the plaza. The crowd in the plaza gather below the balcony to watch this gentleman play …. & they cheer him on.

The toy-sellers on the pavements are a delight…. all kinds of amazing toys which i’ve never seen anywhere else. The buildings along both sides of the plaza are architectural marvels ….. exquisite beaux arts & art deco architecture of the 18th / 19th century ………. interwoven with modern steel & glass skyscrapers …. contrasting & complementing the other. The architectural blend of the old & the new is quite fascinating. This plaza is a must-see-and-experience for urban designers…. & for everyone else of course.

As afternoon progresses to evening, the changing light of the setting sun is reflected on the glass-skinned towers across the river. The teeming crowd along the plaza is clicking & flashing away…… it’s a sight to behold …… Jin Mao Tower (with its unique Chinese architectural characteristics) shimmering in the golden light ….. the pearly globes of the Oriental Pearl TV Tower softly glittering in hues of pinkish red turning to a dark, crimson red as the late evening sunlight gently fades. After a while, the electric lights come on. All these towers are adorned & lit up all so pretty….. its as if these buildings are not just life-less buildings …. they seemed to be alive …. dressed up like pretty young brides in their finest bridal wear ……visually communicating with the people…. they are like architectural citizens (or archizens) of the city. So u don’t feel like calling them as just ‘buildings’ …. makes them sound life-less. But don’t know what else to call them either. Wish there were a better word…. with more life in it.

In downtown Shanghai, streetlights aren’t really needed. All the buildings are lit up so bright …. & those ubiquitous gigantic back-lit digital billboards & the brightly lit shops lining the streets also generate so much of brightness all around that u don’t even notice the street lights at all. Coming from where I’ve come, I can’t help but think about how many Indian villages cud’ve been lit up by the amount of electricity consumed by one of the city blocks.

Its almost 10 pm as I alight from the cab. ‘Xin Tian Di’ (pronounced Shin tee-an dee), meaning ‘New Heaven, Earth’, is today one of the hottest upscale commercial precincts in downtown Shanghai. Less than a decade ago, this area was nothing more than a cluster of nondescript two to three storeyed brick houses called ‘Shikumen’, a type of tenements unique to Shanghai. A Hong Kong developer saw a ‘gold mine’ here. With the help of an American architect, Benjamin Wood, this entire area was re-developed & completely transformed into a chic shopping & entertainment precinct. …… … …. cafes, different kinds of restaurants serving Spanish, Italian, French, Mediterranean, Japanese & other cuisines from all over the world ; curios, book shops, mini-museums, theatres, bars, discotheques ……. ……… etc., etc… The blend of the traditional brick (& wood) architecture & the new architecture of glass, steel & stone is quite pleasing …….. That there are people who are sensitive to all things good & beautiful & who are capable of creating so much beauty …. makes u feel good …… But the kind of crowd that throng Nanjing Lu is different from the crowd u see here …… Here, its mostly the well-heeled, the elite, the hip ….. many white-skinners. It’s a kind of watering hole for the ‘in’ crowd. I’m told many celebrities own shops, restaurants here. The success of this redevelopment model has inspired the authorities to undertake similar projects in many other Chinese cities.
It was in one of these brick houses that Mao Zedong & a couple of his comrades had their first meeting to form the communist party of China. The building is remarkably well conserved. ‘Wow’, I say to myself ….. & click a couple of fotos of the house . ……

Shortly after midnight I’m back in my hotel room. Been a long day ….. but didn’t realize how tired I was. I flop onto the bed. When I open my eyes, it’s already morning again. I raise my head & look down at my feet …….. ‘oh !?’ … one shoe was still on. Looking out from the window of my room on the 17th floor, I see this big red sun slowly rising up behind the silhouette of the city’s skyline …... yet another day ahead……..

Today is the 25th of October, 2007. Last evening, I had boarded China Southern Flight CZ-3504 to Guangzhou. While checking in at the airport counter, I realized that after having alighted from the cab, I had walked straight into the terminal building & right up to the check-in counter without anyone stopping me to check for my ticket. No security checks at the gate. In all Chinese airports, anyone can walk into the terminal building without being asked for tickets or IDs. Your friends & all your loved ones can also march right in. Such a thing is unthinkable in a country like ours & our sister countries.

In Guangzhou, all the city hotels are running full. The bi-annual Canton Fair is on. Visitors have come from all over the world. With great difficulty, my agent friend had managed to book a room in one of the second-rung hotels in the heart of the city.
By the time I check into my room, it’s nearing midnight. I call ‘room service’ for a cup of tea. The female voice at the other end of the line answered in Cantonese.
I tell her, “No Chinese, only English”.
“Oh aaa …. ”... she transfers the call to someone else. Another female voice answers in a very broken English (pronounced, “Engrish” by many Chinese). I repeat my order.
Silence ….. for a couple of seconds ….. ….. and then she said, “aa … u want what, sir ?”.
I almost barked into the phone, “Tea ! T – E – A tea ! I want tea !”. My Indian genes at work there.
“Oh ! t(h)ea ! Ya, ya, ok …. I know, I know … .. moment please !”, she says & then asked, “What kind t(h)ea you need, sir ?”
“Milk t(h)ea”, I said, “hot milk t(h)ea! With sugar ! And spoon …. S-p-o-o-n … sp(h)oon !”
“Hotta milk ?” She sounded puzzled. “What is sp(h)oon ? …. …. ok, ok I send someone to your room now, sir”. There was no point trying to explain to her that I needed the spoon to scoop the sugar from the sugar bowl and to stir the tea in the cup.
After a while, the door bell rings. I open the door. There’s a female attendant standing at the door holding a very big serving tray. In the center of the tray is a tiny li’l cup of some very black looking liquid stuff. Next to it was a tiny jar in which was some pale Bournvita-colored liquid (milk …. .. I touch it ……. ice cold) and a bowl of sugar. No spoon.
“What is this ?”, I ask.
“ … umm… aa …. (searching for the right word) …. khauffee”, she blurts.
I call ‘room service’ again & ask, “What have you sent ?”.
“Amelican (sic) khauffee, sir. No t(h)ea now, sir”.
I give up. I draw a picture of a spoon & show it to the girl at the door. She nods her head vigorously & disappears. I wait. 5 ……. 10 … 15 ….17 ..19 minutes. Besides the already chilled brownish milk (I wonder which animal produces milk of such a color), the coffee is also getting cold. I mix everything that was on the tray & shake the cup, hoping that the milk & sugar will somehow dissolve in the coffee. I finish the luke-warm ‘Amelican’ coffee in two gulps.
The door bell rings …. “loom (sic) service ….,” a faint sing-song voice announces. I open the door. Another smiling girl stood there with a spoon. I take it. She produces a bill of Yuan 53.00 (INR 350.00 approx) for the ‘khauffee’ for me to sign. I protest. She looks quizzically at me ….. but still retaining the smile on her face. I roughly scribble my signature on the bill.
“Xie xie”, (pronounced shi-shey, meaning thank you) she says & leaves.
“Xie xie …. thank u ….. good night”, I say, & close the door.
I now need to write a mail to my colleagues back in India. I look for an electric socket to power my computer. All the sockets in the room are designed to receive flat pins. I call up ‘housekeeping’. The same thin female voice answers the phone. She can’t understand what an ‘adapter’ or an ‘extension chord’ is. “I send someone to your room now,” she says, and hangs up.
After a while the door bell rings. I open the door. A bored-looking attendant stood there & says something in Chinese. I walk back to the work desk, pointed at the computer & using verbal+sign language I tell him that I need to power it. His face lit up a little. “Aaa…”, he says, nodding his head & picks up the bedside phone & rattles something in Chinese into the phone. He puts down the phone & says, “aaa …aa .. uumm … !”, nodding his head vigorously. I say, “aaa …. aaa… ,” & nod my head in appreciation of his intelligence & ability to have understood my requirement. Now, it’s beginning to feel a little like I’m transported back in time to when we dwelled in caves. But it looks like the message has been conveyed accurately & effectively. He ambles out of the room.
After what seemed ages, another attendant comes into the room …. … an adapter in hand. I sigh in relief. I turn on the computer & try to go on the net. Doesn’t link up. I didn’t have the energy to call for assistance again & go thru that ‘Engrish-Chinese-sign language’ exercise again. Its two in the morning now. I dial the ‘operator’ for a wake-up call. Again, for the third time, it’s the same thin female voice on the other end of the line !
“I need wake-up call in the morning”, I tell her.
“Ok no problem, what time u need wake-up call, sir ?’
“I need two wake-up calls. One wake-up call six am. Another wake-up call six am and ten minutes”. Broken ‘Engrish’ is easier for most Chinese to understand. I’ve realized that grammatically correct sentences are confusing for them. Avoid the articles in between the words and they’ll understand u better. It’ll have more punch …… & hence, be more effective. But of course, the larger international hotel chains have attendants & operators well-trained in English speaking.
“Is okay … no problem …. I understand … thank you … good night”, she says & hangs up.

The next morning I wake up & see the room awash in bright sunlight. I’m a li’l disoriented. I look at the watch. 9 am ! I grab the phone to scream at the ‘operator’. No dial tone. The phone’s dead. It’s exceptionally quiet. I realize the AC is also not running. There’s no electricity in the room. I walk to the nearest attendant’s room, wearing only a bath towel (I’m sure the hotel’s CCTV camera now has a detailed visual record of me walking down the corridor in that attire). The attendant summons a ‘technician’ who came, saw, fiddled with the switches in the room DB (Distribution Board), said something in Chinese, and left. After a while, another ‘technician’ comes, looks at the DB, fiddles with the switches ….. nothing happens ….. He looks at me & I look at him…….. he nods his head and he, too, leaves. This is getting mysterious. I’m getting impatient. Like all ‘busy’ travelers with little time to waste, I fret & fume….. quietly. Almost half an hour later, a third technician comes. He, too, looks at the DB, fiddles with the switches …… and …. BINGO ! … everything comes on ! There’s a look of pleasant surprise on the technician’s face.

Immediately after this ordeal, I call up ‘reception’ & tell them I’m checking out (cutting short my stay from 5 days). Surprised, they offer to change my room to the 13th floor. I decline.

The Chinese do not drink ‘English’ tea like we Indians do. They prefer ‘Clear Mind Tea’, ‘Cleansing Tea’, ‘Good Skin Tea’, ‘Good Balance Tea’, ‘Oolong Tea’, ‘Pu Er Tea’, ‘Kung-Fu Tea’, ‘Ginseng Tea’ & other such teas. They also do not, normally, deliver newspaper to your room (u have to ask for it …. not once but atleast 2 to 3 times). Only if u’re lucky, will u get one. I decide not to go thru that exercise today. I switch on the TV. All Chinese language channels …. except ‘CCTV International’ (the only English language Chinese channel). China is celebrating the successful launch of the country’s first lunar orbiter, called Chang’e 1, named after a mythical Chinese fairy who is said to have flown to the moon .. .. …………. … … ……….. .. ……………. ……. … .. .. .. . . . .

China Export Commodities Fair (CECF), more popularly known as ‘Canton Fair’, is held twice a year – one in Spring & the other in Autumn. The mind-boggling scale at which the fair is organized must be seen to be believed. The 102nd Canton Fair (Autumn 2007) is being held in two locations – the Pazhou Complex & the Liuhua Complex, covering a total exhibition floor area of around four million square feet. Manufacturers & exporters of thousands of Chinese product types are here to exhibit their products to the rest of the world. Thousands of visitors / buyers from all corners of the globe flock to Guangzhou during this time of the year. The spirit is festive …… I spend the second half of my first day here.

This is where it begins …….. the journey for most Chinese products to the rest of the world starts here. From candles to tea cups, spoons, furniture, stone, tiles, glassware, metalware, building materials ………… u name it …….. & it’s there. There are, of course, other fairs, besides the Canton Fair, in different cities at different times for different product ranges. For instance, China Medical Equipment Fair is also being held simultaneously in Chengdu city in south-central China.

As I mingle with the crowd & explore the exhibition, I feel like I’m in wonderland ………… soaking in the images & sounds around me …………. the number of products & the variety of designs is overwhelming. In fact, visiting China is a mind-opener. I now know many people who used to be staunch China skeptics but have become staunch China fans post their China visits …… telling others that everyone must see China. The general opinion that China is a closed society is not wholly true. They have probably seen & absorbed the outside world more than we & most other countries have. It is we who need to step out & look at ourselves from the outside. Then u begin to think what have we been doing for the last 60 independent years, whereas, in probably less than a decade, these guys have taken the world by storm. During those years, who ever knew what these Chinese were up to behind that Wall of theirs ?

Today, we’re living in a world made in China. Take a closer look at everything that’s around us …… computers, furniture, lights, torchlights, lamp shades. crockery, cell phones, air-conditioners, pens, footwear, clothes, accessories, toys, jewelleries, cameras, ipods, greeting cards, books, etc., etc., ……. U’ll find ‘Made in China’ labels on all of them. I guess, like the Stone Age, Bronze Age, the Ice Age, etc., it’ll take the world quite a while to pass this age … the China Age. But coming to think of it, why wud we ever want this China Age to end at all ? If the world were one big city, wherein China is the industrial/manufacturing hub while other sectors of this global city focus on other functions, it would free the rest of the world’s human resources to pursue other more exciting & intellectually satisfying endeavours. As long as products manufactured in China conform to uniform international quality standards, and are procurable at controlled/competitive prices, this shudn’t be an issue.

In China, there are different cities for different product types …….. for instance, Shunde is for all kinds of furniture……… besides the monumental showroom complexes, u’ll see miles & miles of furniture showrooms lining both sides of the roads from & to Lecong town (Shunde Dist). If u’re looking for luminaires, you go to Zhongshan city. There you’ll see nothing else but lights all over the city.

An American colleague of mine, who travelled with me during my previous China visit, said, “I can’t even begin to comprehend the scale …….. the breadth … of the Chinese vision …… & their way of doing things …. It’s simply too large to take in……” I agree with her one hundred percent. Look at the Great Wall ……. more than 6000 running kilometres of solid stone wall …. across barren deserts & wild mountainous terrains …… the blood, sweat & probably tears of thousands of men & women gone into building it …….. & over many generations ……. sheer madness. There is definitely a peculiar streak of madness in the Chinese method. The well-known terra-cotta soldiers for instance…………. It’s something in the blood … in the genes …..

A couple of months back, I had read about a small village in central China where the hillside forming the backdrop for this picturesque li’l village had been shorn of all vegetation by unscrupulous contractors who had quarried into the hillside for construction stone. The hill behind the village looked like there was a giant patch of raw wound on its side. The local authorities decide to do something about it. ….. they paint this gigantic patch of ‘raw wound’ (a li’l less than a quarter kilometre in length & about 1/8th of a kilometre high) on the hillside with forest green paint ! That’s Chinese ……. I do because I can…….. or something like that.

Back in the hotel, the next morning, I take an early morning stroll in the hotel gardens. I come across a beautiful blue water swimming pool in the midst of this lush green garden. As I approach the pool, I notice the water is dead still & crystal clear. No one’s around. No poolside chairs either. Then I notice a small signboard nearby ……. It read,`Please do not swim between October to May. Sorry for the inconvenience’. This leaves only June, July, August & September ……. most of the rains fall during this period ….. & it’s the off-season for visitors / tourists. I take a closer look as I walk around the pool …….. no overflow channel ……. no drain outlets on the pool floor ….. in short, no re-circulation & water filteration system ….. Hope they incorporate one in the near future ……. & reverse the notice on the signboard ……..

At the breakfast table, seeing that I was alone, a smart, young waitress walks up to my table & just starts chatting…“Hullo, my name is Sunny. I like to smile. U like the breakfast ?”, she smiles brightly.
I say, “Very much”.
“Where u come from?”, she asks.
“India”, I reply.
“Oh !? How can it be ?! U look Chinese ! Your ancestors Chinese ? Or half-Chinese !?”.
“No, ….. I don’t think so. Don’t know …. Maybe. Where did u learn to speak English ?”, I ask her.
“Oh, I’m still a student in university. I learn English there. I’m working here as trainee in this restaurant till the Canton Fair is over. Then I go back to university. I will finish my course in international trade next year”. Then she continues, “I like to talk to people & make friends with new people all the time. I think there are many things I can learn from others, especially how to speak English. Whenever I hear English-speaking guests, I try to listen to them speak & I try to talk to them. I want to see other cities in other countries. I want to learn about other cultures”.
Very quickly realizing that I was not the talking type, she continues the mostly one-way conversation, almost in the manner of delivering a well-rehearsed speech in front of an audience, trying to fill in the silent gaps between our questions & answers ….. telling me almost everything about herself, her family (father & mother) back in her little mountain village, her aspirations ……….. I listen ….. sipping on the fresh, hot green tea. I’m surprised by the intellectual maturity of such a young girl.
“Tell me sunny, what is it u desire the most now ?”, I ask her.
“I dream of stepping inside the Canton Fair exhibition one day. But first I have to finish my university course. Right now, I’m not allowed to enter the fair. Also, the entry fee is RMB 300. But one day I want to start my own business”.
“Sunny, what’s your Chinese name ?”, I ask.
She says something in Chinese. I tell her to write it down on the paper napkin. She writes,
“Zhang _ Yuanxing”.
“What does it mean ?”, I ask her
“Zhang is my family name. Yuanxing means ‘distant star’.
As I get up to leave, I tell her that she’s gonna be a ‘star’ some day …………..

For the next four days of my stay in the hotel, Sunny would walk up to my breakfast table & chat me up. During this time, her other colleagues also starts talking with me. One of them is Shelly (or Sherry ….. I’m not sure). When I ask her her name, she said, “My name is Shelly”, & then she wrote ‘S-h-e-r-r-y’ on a fresh page in her little pocket note book.
“Oh Sherry !”, I say
“Ya … ya ….. Shelly !”, she nods her head !
I let it rest there ……
Then she too goes on to tell me about herself, her dreams, and so on. She & Sunny are classmates in the same university. She too will return to class after the Canton Fair.
At one point when Sunny was attending to other guests in the restaurant, Shelly tells me, “I never knew that my friend’s name is Sunny !”…….
This reminds me of another girl we met in Beijing during my visit to that city about a year ago .…………….

In China, for some reason, women are at the forefront of everything ……. especially, in the spheres of marketing, hospitality & public relations. But even in the factories & warehouses, u see women doing ‘manly’ tasks ….. heavy physical work ….. hauling tiles, stones ……… operating fork-lifts …… its normal stuff for them. When it comes to work, there is no gender differentiation. Most highway toll booths are manned by smartly-dressed, uniformed girls …….. even in the middle of the night. It is in China that for the first time I saw professional women door-keepers in hotels ….. city bus drivers ….. cab drivers. U see women going to work early in the morning & also routinely working late into the night. The men seem to be only hovering in the background. The women are also more vocal than their male counterparts. Personal safety does not seem to be a concern at all. Unlike in most other countries, u do not hear of women being mistreated / molested or raped. There seems to be a high degree of equality between men & women.

The girl we met in Beijing last year said her name was Wendy…… the company gave her this name. “But if I change my job and join another company, I will change my name. Maybe ‘Linda’ …… or ‘Linny’ ….. or maybe ‘Lily’ …. I don’t know”.
I try to imagine what it would be like to change one’s identity with one’s job………….

It’s 9 pm …….. long past Chinese dinner time ……. by 6pm, most Chinese are thru with dinner. Most of the team members decide to have an Indian dinner in an Indian food restaurant (there are quite a few of them in Guangzhou). This is one thing I’ve observed over & over again with many of my Indian co-travellers. They just can’t do without Indian food ……. & most aren’t interested in experiencing other food types of other countries & cultures ….. even during the few days outside the country. Fortunately, there are many good authentic Indian restaurants in most cities. In India, I do not know of any authentic Chinese restaurant …… serving all kinds of creatures ….. serious-looking gigantic crabs & lobsters; long, thick eels; different varieties of juicy-looking, fat worms; those long, green snakes; octopus; snails ……. Since the Chinese eat everything under the sun & moon, the list is long. Somehow, chicken & beef are not very popular with the Chinese. But they really love pork meat.
If u happen to be in China, u must’nt miss going to one of those ‘BBQ’ (barbeque) restaurants …. It’s an experience. At the center of every table, there’s a round hole (about a foot & a half in diameter) with a burner. The waiter will help u boil water in an open pan-type pot. Then u choose whatever u wanna eat from the raw items displayed on the buffet-style counter in the middle of the restaurant. U then boil the selected items in the pot on your table. As u eat, u put more of whatever u wanna eat into the boiling pot …. as much as u can or wanna eat. U drink the boiling soup as well. It’s an experience worth experiencing ……

Anyways, a couple of us decide to drive down to Foshan (about a hundred kilometers ……. an hour’s drive away) for dinner. In Foshan we go to one of the many open air food plazas serving mostly local Chinese food. Most joints have, besides all kinds of water creatures, green snakes in wire cages as part of the menu. We choose a joint without snakes. We look around ….. not too many people at this hour.
For non-vegetarians, it’s manageable. But the lack of veg choice in the menu is torture for pure vegetarians. All of us in the group are, fortunately, all non-vegetarians.
By the time we’re finished with dinner, it’s nearly 12 midnight. All of a sudden, the plaza comes alive with hundreds of diners………. They’re all out there for the last supper of the day ! The Chinese (especially in southern China) normally have four meals a day ……. one early in the morning, the second at around 12 noon, the third at 6pm & finally the fourth & the last meal is taken at 12 midnight. U see them eating, drinking, joking & laughing boisterously till two ….. & even three in the morning. But by 7 or 8 the next morning, they’re all back to work.

The Chinese are a very hard working people. But if u think about it, most of them really have not much else to look forward to…. except for their National Day celebrations (about one week long) & the Chinese New Year (Spring Festival), there are no other holidays. No labour unions …… no strikes ……. no bandhs. No religion so to say …… no religious festivals …… no communal friction ……. No caste system …… no discrimination …… all are equal. Since there are no political elections like we have here in India, no one really talks about politics. Anyway, there appears little need to discuss such matters when the government is already doing a fairly good job of governance.

Although there’s a miniscule population of Chinese who believe in the concept of God, almost all Chinese do not really believe in the heaven & hell concept after life on earth. Were he to be living in China, John Lennon would have been a very happy man indeed. Of the 1.3 billion Chinese today, only about150 million are Buddhists. That’s less than 12% of the total population. The estimated figure for Christians in China vary widely from 35 million to 80 million. I was surprised to learn that the largest number of Bibles printed in the world are printed by a single publisher in China. More than 3.5 million copies are printed annually (mostly for local consumption). Muslims number around 11 million. And there are about 5.5 million followers of Daoism. So, on the whole, just about 15% of Chinese practice some form of religion.

In China, morality does not stem from religion. It stems from an innate sense of responsibility towards oneself & others around us. It is this sense of responsibility, coupled with the fear of the law, which has ensured a very low crime rate. Any action that hurts others or has detrimental effects on society at large is considered criminal ….. hence immoral. And that is pretty much what all religions of the world teach. Deviant conduct is dealt with according to the laws of the land. So it is the fear of the law of the land rather than the fear of a god which guides the moral conduct of the Chinese. Judgement is delivered, reward is bestowed ….. & punishment is meted out right here on this earth … in this life. They do not wait for heaven or hell. While most religions of the world seek to control the spiritual & worldly lives of their followers by means of fear ……… fear of the unknown, the Chinese adopt a very practical, down-to-earth approach to life & living …… do no harm …. create, nurture & enjoy beauty …… in man and nature ….

The country’s one-child policy is strictly enforced with an iron hand. This means a typical Chinese couple will have one child & two sets of parents (husband’s parents & wife’s parents). If due to any reason, the wife is not working …… & the parents are retired, the husband has to support 7 people – himself, his wife, their child, his parents & her parents …. till the child is old enough to start earning. But again, that child also will eventually end up supporting 7 people. It’s a tough life. And one can only imagine the loneliness of the child …. no brother …. no sister ….. only him or herself & the other adults. Any couple having more than one child is promptly penalized, I’m told ……… a fine of Yuan 100,000/- & loss of job. But I have come across quite a few Chinese who have more than one sibling.
I know of a Chinese couple friend who has a daughter. Sometime back the wife became pregnant with their second child. She wrote me a mail ….. “ I was careless. I should’ve been more careful. I do not know what to do. If we have the child, I’ll lose my job. And we have no money to pay the fine….”. I didn’t know what & how to reply. Her next mail read, “We decided not to have the second child. I had an abortion last week. Now I’m fine. I try to not think about it. But sometimes I feel bad & guilty………………………. “.

I wonder what kind of effect such harsh state policies will have on the emotional & social health of its people in the long run. Could such severe regulations adversely affect the country’s economic health as well in the years to come ? Or will it lead to a happier society ? I guess we’ll all have to wait & see ……….. ……………..."