Shanghaied to China, November 16 to December 2, 2007
Part One - Poking Around Peking
Here in the U.S., it is said that the Chinese character for the word "Crisis" is made up of the characters for danger and opportunity. Between that, the Tao, and Sun Tzu's The Art of War, western motivational speakers have made a bundle using the ancient wisdom of the mysterious East to dazzle corporate leaders. It wasn't until I went to work for a Hong-Kong owned bank in San Francisco that I found out that the "Crisis" thing was bull pucky. Seems the character doesn't even mean "crisis", but is more of a warning along the lines of "Warning- Bind Curve Ahead" and while it has elements of danger and opportunity in the characters, it is more in the context of a homonym than any words of wisdom for a lunch room wall…which has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that Winnie and I recently took the opportunity to create a crisis in our bank account and take a tour of China!
We boarded the 12-hour United Airlines flight to Beijing (Peking as most of the Western world knew it is the Cantonese pronunciation) on November 15 and landed on November 16, our first time across the International Date Line. By staying awake for nearly 24 hours straight, we managed to acclimate to the wildly different time zone rather quickly and as we were part of a tour, one set of busses/trucks swept up our luggage and another set of much more comfortable busses packed the 59 of us off on our 45-minute ride from the airport to the five-star Beijing Hotel in the downtown area.
My first impression of Beijing was the smell – diesel and poor grade sulfurous coal powers a great deal of this country's factories, power plants, and vehicles and the resulting pollution can burn your lungs when it is bad. The smell is everywhere – outside, of course, but it also lingers in the stores, malls, and even in our five-star hotel. All the major stores and hotels run generators to compensate for the government's restrictions on power use, adding to the pollution problems. How they are going to overcome this problem before the 2008 Olympics I do not know, but I suspect a few million unemployed Chinese standing on the Great Wall waving fans may help. Seriously, it is an issue that China will need to deal with as the population centers and industry continue to grow. This once country of bicycles is putting over a 1,000 cars a day onto its inadequate roadways. Our guide, Hannah, told us where once people needed apartments with secure bicycle storage, they now want apartments with a parking space for the family car. Luckily, as our tour was in the late fall, the winds off the surrounding mountains kept the pollution to tolerable levels (except for poor Winnie whose eye allergies started in almost immediately and didn't let up until we left BeijingL)
Built in 1900, the Beijing Hotel is one of the oldest luxury hotels in Beijing and has played host to Kings, Queens, Prime Ministers, Diplomats and Presidents for many decades. Clinton, Bush the 1st, and Nixon have stayed at the Beijing. It is owned by the Communist government and will play host to the International Olympic Committee next summer during the games. It is a beautiful hotel (I should say hotels as it houses three separate towers, one managed by Raffles), with touches of Chinese art (jade, silk, gold leaf etc) throughout its massive, long lobby.
As is our tradition, once we received our keys and bags, we headed out to do a little exploratory dining and ended up in a massive shopping mall with a food court that would be the envy of any gastronomical street in the US. With a mix of flavors and offerings that stretched all the way from Kentucky Fried Chicken (the Chinese are mad for KFC) to some elegant offerings, Winnie and I landed at a wonderful Thai restaurant called Lotus Thai, having a delicious meal, including beer, for all of $15 U.S. After dinner our energies took a nose-dive and we hit the sack, sated and sleepy.
The Great Wall – It Really Is Great!
Our tour began with a trip past the "Birds Nest" as the locals call the 2008 Summer Olympic Stadium built on the outskirts of the City. Hannah, our guide, pulled our bus over to give us all a chance to grab a quick picture. Manuela, Luiz, Winnie and I can now claim to have visited both upcoming Olympic venues as we traveled together to Vancouver and Whistler, BC earlier in the year.
Bonnie, our tour organizer, chose the Mutianyu section of the Great wall. This section is farther away from the city and therefore less visited by tourist than other sections. We had been warned by friends that the Great Wall visit can be very cold and windy and we were dressed for it when we exited the bus. However, once we took the cable car up to the wall and began hiking around, we realized our luck; the winds did not materialize, the sun was shining, and after a short time hiking on the wall, we were stripping off our layers.
The Great Wall actually began over 3,000 years ago, built section by section by warring states within China. What is commonly referred to as The Great Wall is actually four walls rebuilt or extended during the Western Han, Sui, Jin, and Ming periods, rather than a single, continuous wall. For 2,000 years it was built and rebuilt, each dynasty extending its reach across the country. That rebuilding continues today as sections are restored and opened to tourists.
With our friends Manuela and Luiz, Winnie and I walked the one side of the wall, taking in its immensity. It is located on the surrounding mountain ridges and snakes its way around, up, and down with cannon, watch and signal towers strategically placed. One could just imagine the Mongol hoards pouring over the mountains on horseback as the guards on the wall lit immense fire pots to signal the defending army of the attack. Luiz and I walked the other side together and saw just how long this wall really is as it wound its way off toward the horizon. We have seen city walls in Europe, but to wall an entire country is truly an amazing feat. Speaking of feet, my dogs were barking, so it was down the mountain in the cable cars, run the gauntlet of souvenir sellers and off to the next stop…lunch! (By the way, if you should visit unprepared for inclement weather, not to worry...the souvenir sellers, affectionately known as the "Hello" people as this is one of the few words of English they know, are well equipped and for a few US dollars, you can be, too!)
Tour Traps
Have you ever been to Oahu, Hawaii? If so, your first time probably included an island tour, right? And on that island tour, did they bring you and a bunch of other unsuspecting fellow touristas to a Hawaiian Mumu/Shirt factory? Winnie and I have and they did. I remember how we were quickly shuffled past mostly idle sewing machines while a few native women sewed a Mumu or two, then, surprise, surprise, the tour ended in a store where they just happened to be having a "special sale" just for us!
God, how I hated that.
Yet, as we learned over and over again on our various travels around the world – take a tour and it will always include a "factory" stop. China is no different, and our next stop was at the Cloisonné factory. I must say I was pleasantly surprised as the guide explained and workers demonstrated this ancient art of what is basically enamel on copper. Proper Cloisonné is hand made from beginning to end. It must be fired in a kiln using a certain kind of fuel and at the right temperature and time. They actually hire kiln masters to do this job, a skill that has been passed down for centuries. The hand painting is intricate and beautifully executed on some of the more artful pieces.
Of course we ended the 20 minute tour with 40 minutes of shopping, but what the heck. I must say Bonnie did an admirable job keeping these kinds of stops to a minimum and the ones we did make were pretty darn interesting and nothing like the Mumu Factory.
One Day Down…
Our guide, Hannah, dropped us back at the hotel with a warning, "Tomorrow will be a very, very packed day." And so it was we finished the day with a nice buffet dinner in the hotel and then it was off to slumber land with visions of Mongol hoards, Great Walls, and Cloisonné dancing in our heads.
Day 2 - Temples, Tiananmen, and Hutongs, Oh My!
Our second day started with another wonderfully hearty breakfast (both Western and Chinese-style) at our hotel. We then boarded our respective busses, ably guided by Jane and Hannah, and drove off to The Temple of Heaven.
The Temple of Heaven was built in 1420 during the Ming Dynasty as a place of prayer and sacrifice for the Emperors of China. Here, they prayed to Heaven which they believed was circular in shape and for better harvest from the Earth, which they represented as square (like a field). Thus the entire grounds are shaped circular in the north and square in the south. The buildings follow suit with the temples and altars built circular and the palaces and pavilions built square or rectangular. The Qinian Hall or Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest is the most magnificent. Constructed with both religious philosophy and astronomical designs in mind, it is surrounded by steps and carving of white rock. The column-supported altar building sits atop, yet, when you enter, the altar rests in the center below the floor.
The park surrounding the actual temple and pavilion sites is filled each and every morning with locals practicing Tai Chi and other various forms of exercise. Colorful ribbons are swung through the air, or a ball is tossed from person to person, all in time to a boom box playing traditional Chinese music. Other people just bring their pet birds out for a walk, hanging the cage in the trees.
However, one could not just hang around in a tree all day. There was much, much more to see on this, our last day in Beijing.
From Confucius to Mao and Beyond…
Our next stop was Tiananmen Square, the government gathering spot built in front of The Forbidden City. Tiananmen (literally, Gate of Heavenly Peace) was built in the 1400s during the Ming Dynasty. It used to contain many ministerial offices that served the imperial court. During the Boxer Rebellion at the turn of the 20th Century, it was heavily damaged. Eventually, the buildings were cleared away and the square was created with the Communist Government buildings surrounding it. Mao Zedong's mausoleum is located at one end of the square and hundreds of people line up daily to view his embalmed body in its glass coffin twice daily; a display of curiosity more than respect as a local told me later. Kind of like Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln in Disneyland. The Hall of the People (essentially the Chinese Congress) is on one side of the square. Once a year 10,000 Chinese government officials meet here. The banquet facilities can seat and serve 5,000 at a time. That is one hell of a lot of dim sum!
Of course, we know Tiananmen Square as the site of the 1989 student uprising and ensuing massacre in which up to 1,000 people were killed either at the square or in the purges that followed. I was working for a Chinese bank at the time and we followed the news very closely. One cannot forget that this is still a Communist country and the regime, no matter how open economically, still wields a strong hand over the people. Human rights violations and politically motivated arrests still occur with regularity. It is changing, and with the passing of old guard, I believe the younger generation will take this rampant consumerism and use it to make wholesale changes in the government.
We crossed the square to the gates of the Forbidden City and other than the looming, ever present portrait of Mao, walked back in history 560 years.
Forbidden No More
The Forbidden City, now called The Palace Museum, was the Imperial Palace from the mid-Ming Dynasty to the end of monastic rule in a coup in 1924. Puyi, the last Emperor, fled and the Palace Museum was established by the Republic Government. It is the largest surviving Palace grounds in the world and contains nearly a 1,000 surviving buildings. It is surrounded by a moat and high rammed-earth walls that have been reinforced with brick and mortar. The outer and inner courts are also barred by secondary gates.
As we entered, a young boy dressed as the last Emperor appeared on one of the balconies, adding to the historic flavoring of our visit. Winnie and I watch a lot of foreign films and we especially enjoy those from Hong Kong and Chinese directors. The historical films such as Raise The Red Lantern or the more recent Curse of the Golden Flower have given us a glimpse and raised our expectations of what we would see here. We were not disappointed and in fact were overwhelmed by the scope of the palace. You walk and walk and walk some more and still the various buildings and grounds go on. Our guides explained the meanings of the symbolic statuary and building designs; for instance, the yellow tiles that grace most of the buildings is a sign of the Emperor. However, one building, the library, has black tiles which represent water and another, the Crown Prince's residence has green representing wood or growth. Statuettes line the corners of buildings and the more statuettes, the more powerful the person. The Emperor's buildings all have ten statuettes, the highest number allowed.
The lion statues that grace most every important doorway in China, even today, are actually known as Fu Dogs. A male lion has a paw upon a ball representing the union of Heaven and Earth. The female has her paw on a lion cub, representing the world. The beautiful gilt bronze lions throughout the Forbidden City are magnificent in their detail.
As with many stops we have made in our travels around the world, we could have spent an entire day here exploring every nook and cranny, but it was not to be. We exited the other side of the Palace grounds and began a very different adventure.
Hutongs
One of the joys of traveling beyond the famous sites is getting to meet and know the people who live there. Our next part of the journey was a wonderful chance to do just that. We ventured into a Beijing neighborhood known as a Hutong. Hutongs are neighborhoods built around a grid system, probably in the 1200s during the Yuan Dynasty when the government planned and rebuilt what was then Dadu which would later be renamed Beijing. The Hutongs make up a small part of modern Beijing, but they are truly "living" history. The people who still live in the Hutongs consider it an honor and privilege to be there. Many of these families have been living in the same home for generations and the homes are pretty much as they were generations ago. They have no plumbing to speak of. Everyone uses public bathrooms and showers strategically placed around the neighborhood. That's right…when nature calls or a bath is required one must walk to the loo (or use a chamber pot) regardless of the weather.
Hutongs (actually the name for alleys and streets) are made up of a block of courtyard homes. They were originally built around a central well and housed many of the lower administrators and merchants classes of the city. Many were demolished over the last century as families opted for modern apartments with amenities. The remaining Hutongs are designated protected historical areas and are coveted by many in the city. The doorways and gates to many of the homes are beautifully decorated with symbolic colors and statuary designating the rank of the family who lived there. We were brought to the home of a family for a home-cooked lunch. It was delicious and the woman who served us was a member of the Beijing Opera company. Photos and paintings of her in grand costumes decorated the walls. After lunch we were bundled into a pedicab and taken on a tour of the Hutongs with a local guide explaining the history along the way. It was delightful and informative.
Not Done Yet!
Our final stop on this whirlwind tour day was the Summer Palace. Built in the 1700s as a garden, it was expanded and became a palace for the Empress Dowager in the 1800s. Our weather luck was starting to turn as the winds began to pick up. Wind-chill dropped the temperature considerably as we exited the busses. A member of our tour, Rick, came up with a brilliant idea to both fend off the cold and the souvenir hawkers. He called out "Penguin Up!" and we all huddled together like the Emperor Penguins in Antarctica…perfect!
Because of the biting cold and wind, we knew we would not be taking a boat trip on Kunming Lake and, in fact, we ran through the palace grounds! Kunming Lake is entirely manmade and the dredgings were used to build up Longevity Hill where the Tower of Buddhist Incense stands. We entered through the Eastern gates and, after a brief introduction, made our way down the colorful long corridor that connects the many buildings and looks out on the lake. The traditional Chinese paintings that decorate the corridor are taken from literature and are wonderful in their detail. We could look out and see the various parts of the palace grounds such as the Marble Boat, a pavilion built on the lake to resemble floating pagoda with a steam paddle-wheel; the Jade Belt bridge with its high arch and the 17-Arch bridge that leads to one of the man-made garden islands in the lake.
But it was freezing and the winds and our pace picked up even more. We made it to the other side and "penguined up" again as we awaited the rest of our group. Street vendors sold roasted sweet potatoes much as ours sell hot pretzels and chestnuts. I tell you, I wanted to buy one just to warm my hands on! Once we were gratefully back on our heated busses, we returned to our hotel for short break before finishing off the evening with a wonderful dinner.
Duck!
After a brief respite to thaw out our frozen bones, we were taken to a local Peking Duck restaurant called the Beijing Hepingmen Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant. This is one of the oldest Peking Duck restaurants in all of China and was established in 1864 using the recipe of the Imperial Court. This newer location can serve up to 2000 guests at any one time. It has 40 private dining rooms spread out over several floors. If you should miss the sign, you cannot miss the big yellow duck wearing a chef's hat that sits out front. The meal consisted of course after course of duck, vegetables, beef, and chicken done many different ways. The main course of Peking Duck was one of the best I have ever had with crispy skin and delicious meat. Served with a crepe or rice crisp and hoi sin sauce it was delicious.
Side note: We came on this trip thinking that all this walking and sightseeing would lead to weight loss…HA! By the time our three days in Beijing had come to an end, I personally had gained 3 pounds. Damn that good food, the bane of our travels.
Bye, Bye, Beijing
We returned home to our hotel and said our goodnights. We packed what we could for our early morning departure to Xian and I then went out on a hunting expedition for a few souvenirs. Winnie is a collector of shot glasses and for the last 10-15 years she has collected a shot glass or two or ten from everyplace we have visited. Now the funny thing is every single one of these shot glasses was manufactured in China…says so right on the bottom sticker of the glass. So, you would think finding a souvenir shot glass in China would be a breeze, right? Wrong! There wasn't a single one to be had. We tried and tried every where we could. We finally did spot some in the official 2008 Olympic stores, but they were of individual sports like vaulting or synchronized swimming, not a generic Beijing Olympic one. While I returned with some Olympic pins for the grandkids, I came home sans shot glass to a very unhappy Winnie.
We awoke early the next morning, grabbed our box breakfast, said goodbye to our wonderful guides, and headed off to the airport for our next adventure…Xian and the Terra-Cotta Warriors.
Part 2 - Xi(you)an the Yangtze (Ooh, bad pun)
When we last left our intrepid travelers, they were boarding a local flight from Beijing to Xian (pronounced she-ahn) to face down the army of Qin Shihuang, the Emperor who would unify ancient China in 221 BCE.
Xian was the home state of 13 Dynasties beginning with the Zhou Dynasty in 1043 BCE all the way up to the start of the Ming Dynasty. It is the beginning of the famous Silk Road that crosses Asia to Persia, India and Europe. However, nowadays it is better known as the home of the Qin Shi Huangdi tomb and his army of terra cotta soldiers.
After the short flight, we immediately boarded our busses and drove toward our first stop, The Han Yanglin Museum, containing the artifacts from the mausoleum of Emperor Jing Di (and his Empress) who was the fourth emperor of the Western Han Dynasty. Once again, we lucked out and had the most delightful and informative tour guide, Zhang Lin, who not only was a tour guide, but also worked at the Qin Dynasty Terra Cotta Army Museum. She was the author of the English language museum guide and was personally chosen to lead President Clinton and family through the museum when they visited in 1998. In other words, we were in like Flint!
The Han Yanglin Museum contains thousands (they estimate over 80,000) of small (1/3rd scale) terra cotta, stone, and brass figures of people, animals, chariots and buildings that were buried in 81 pits surrounding the Emperor's tomb. Excavation began in 1990 and the museum only opened last year. It is built directly on top of the excavation sites of several pits and you walk on thick glass looking directly down at each excavation. The human figures were originally dressed in silk clothing and posed to reflect their position or job. The clothing has rotted away leaving all the figurines naked and plain-looking. Reproductions in the museum give you a glimpse into the magnificent view it must have been when they were set up in the burial pits.
The grounds outside the museum are beautiful gardens with flowers and lawn areas all around. The actual Imperial tombs loom in the background, huge mounds looking like an Egyptian pyramid with its top lopped off. Zhang Lin explained that the archeologists have learned the lessons of what happened to Egyptian and Persian tombs when they were haphazardly opened in the early days of archeology. Many papers and other delicate artifacts simply crumbled when they were exposed to light and air for the first time in 2000-plus years, lost forever. The Chinese archeologists are awaiting technological advancements that will allow them to inspect, catalog, and retrieve the artifacts in these tombs safely.
We finished up our tour and took a needed lunch break, enjoying some fantastic noodles and other dishes, many of which were prepared fresh to order. After lunch, we made a stop at a jade factory – interesting and beautiful pieces of jade sculpture on display and a nice explanation of the different grades (and prices) of jade.
Time to Get Hammered, Pounded, Pushed and Rubbed
Now, I must tell you, I have not had a massage in a hundred years, but with all this walking and touring, one sounded pretty good right about now. Quite a few of our group joined us and we all went to a place that offered something called foot reflexology, a combination of massage, acupressure and all-star wrestling. Luiz, Manuela, Winnie and I were all led into a room with four cots, buckets of what appeared to be warm tea at the foot of the beds, and four young (17-20) girls dressed in bright pink and yellow tops. In halting English they directed us to our cots, stripped off our shoes and socks and dipped our feet in the bucket for a good soak. We all were handed a nice cup of tea (not from the bucket) and just relaxed there for a bit. However, it was not long before it was time to get down to business and the girls began pushing and pulling, rubbing and pounding from the top right down to the our ankles. I felt like a bowl of jelly afterwards and melted down into the cot. The girls were as cute as bugs' ears, chattering away with each other and, as best as possible, with us, giggling like young girls do. They asked us if we knew any songs and pulled out an I-pod to demonstrate what they meant. Alas, the music they played was far too new for any of us old fogies to have heard of and instead we sang them a Christmas song, Up On The Housetop. They laughed and clapped and then sang us a song or two (in Chinese), including Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star and Happy Birthday. Surprise, surprise, they had really nice voices and even sang in harmony! What a hoot!
However, now it was time to get serious. Our feet were removed from the buckets, dried off and thoroughly rubbed. Then out came the little wooden hammers and the bottoms of our feet were played like a xylophone. Our 70 minutes flew, the session was over and we reluctantly put back on our shoes and socks. All that for $13 each!
If you come to China, there is one thing I can recommend beyond all the sites and that is a good massage. They are wonderful and cheap!
Your Show of Shows
When Winnie and I returned from China, the first thing we were asked by everyone we saw was, "How was China?" and the only answer we could think to give was "Beyond any of our expectations!" It seemed that every time we thought we had hit the zenith of our trip, we would turn the corner and bang, something else would wow us. And that is what happened to us that evening. The Tang Dynasty Dinner Show takes place in a restaurant/theater that would make most Vegas showrooms blush.
You enter and are seated and handed a souvenir program and menu at no extra charge (imagine that in Vegas). The six-course meal begins with rice wine and tea, while an orchestra playing traditional Chinese instruments, many of which are no longer even made, serenades you with both Chinese and western songs (you haven't heard Red River Valley until you've heard it on a Chinese pipa.)
The show begins and the Tang Dynasty Dance Troupe takes the stage. The program points out that the show has been recreated in accordance with historical records and ancient arts inherited from the very prosperous Tang dynasty. The absolutely gorgeous costumes (and women!) and amazing dancing kept us entranced to the point of forgetting to eat the delicious foods that kept coming to our table. Dancers tell stories of historical fact and mythical visions, a master player of a panpipe-like flute performs a song imitating the spring orioles, and then the "Emperor" appears and joins in the celebration on stage; all of which leads to a grand finale with all the performers appearing in one final blowout of dance and music. Fantastic! This show is usually included in tours, but if it is not or you are traveling on your own, seek it out. You will not be disappointed.
What a great way to end a wonderfully full day.
The Terra Cotta Warriors of Emperor Qin Shihuang
Side note: One of the delights of travel is not just seeing great sights, but meeting the wonderful people who inhabit this earth. As we walked toward the museum, a group of local school children were departing after a field trip. They are all learning English and love to practice when they encounter an obvious group of English-speaking tourists.
"Hello, hello! How are you today?" They swarmed all over us, asking where we were from, how we were, and what we were doing today. It was wonderful! Several had notebooks in which they wanted us to write our names and where we were from. I personally signed three before we both had to part ways. Getting to know the locals is a big part of our trips and it enhances everything we do. Now back to the museum…
Discovered in 1974 by village farmers digging a well the Terra Cotta warriors are now world famous. Winnie and I first saw a sampling of them at the Asian Art Museum when it was still in the De Young in Golden Gate Park. Well, like potato chips, you can't just eat one and we have been hankering for more ever since.
This museum is quite unique as it is built directly over the three pits containing the terra cotta army. An estimated 8,000 soldiers and horses are known to exist in these three pits. Other pits on the grounds contained an armory, a statuary pit, and stables. Also on the grounds are the tombs of officials, workers and others who, like the ancient Egyptians, were killed and buried to keep the tomb secret. During uprisings after the Emperor's death, many of the tombs and especially the terra cotta army pits were plundered and destroyed. Not one soldier has been found intact. Each one has been carefully reconstructed like a jigsaw puzzle.
So why a terra cotta army?
Before Emperor Qin came along China was a country of nation-states, each with a King or Emperor and each of these with an army. After these rulers died the custom was to kill and bury the army with him to protect him in the afterlife. Emperor Qin would have none of it. He was very proud of his army. They had conquered and unified China after all. So, instead, he came up with an ingenious alternative. Every one of his soldiers from the lowly foot soldiers to the highest generals posed for artisans who would capture their image in statuary made of terra cotta. Each of these representative statues was painted and clothed in the armor and uniform of the person who they depicted. Actual weapons were placed in their hands; chariot drivers held the reins leading to terra cotta horses. As such, each and every terra cotta warrior is unique in face, height, and stance.
The Emperor then ordered huge pits to be constructed to place this army in. They resemble the burial pits and were originally roofed with huge log beams, tarps, and bamboo. Then earth would be placed on top and planted to conceal what was the below. All three warrior pits are facing east from the Emperor's tomb, standing guard.
Pit #1, the largest, is 755 feet long and 203 feet wide. It is cavernous and 200+ restored soldiers and horses stand in their original positions. Excavation is still continuing in all three pits. In pit #1 alone they expect to unearth 6,000 warriors. Pit #2 is over 18,000 square feet and contains mostly archers, charioteers and horses. Pit #3 was much smaller than the other two. Its U-shaped layout and location in reference to the other pits, as well as the small number and types of figures and weapons recovered from it suggest that it was the army's command center.
The craftsmen who constructed this army were technologically advanced. They used new methods of clay making, molds, and firing ovens at high temperatures to achieve the life-size figures without them cracking.
New discoveries continue to be uncovered and they are astounding. In 1980, two bronze chariots were discovered in a pit and painstakingly restored and are on display. The discoveries include an amazing umbrella stand which Zhang Lin demonstrated for us. It was made of brass and was able to move up, down and most remarkably had a crank that could tilt the umbrella and move it around to follow the sun.
Recent discoveries of more pits have occurred in the late 1990s and the early 2000s. These pits are in their preliminary stages of excavation. Already they have produced statuary of acrobats and civic officials as well as bronze and stoneware pots.
A tour with some of these treasures is coming to America in April starting at the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana, California and ending in Washington DC at the National Geographic Society Museum. If it comes to a city near you, I recommend you go…or better yet, pack up your old kit bag and head to Xian.
Floating Down the Yangtze
To quote an old adage, if it's Tuesday it must be Belgium…except it was Chonqing (Chunking as we knew it). Tours wait for no one and our time in Xian was all too short. We were dropped at the airport after lunch and…waited. Our flight was delayed nearly two hours landing us in Chonqing, the starting point for our Yangtze cruise, far too late to enjoy the city and have our scheduled hot pot dinner. Instead the bus stopped at a local market so we could pick up a few snacks (and a couple bottles of wine) and then jump on the ship (they were kind enough to delay their departure) so we could get on down the Yangtze.
Just boarding the ship was quite an adventure. The river was quite low at the time and as the ship band played on the boarding dock, we were led down the stairs and then onto a series of platforms across the river to the ship. The Victoria cruise ship, the Victoria Anna, was just put into use this season. It was a wonderful ship and the staterooms were both ample and nicely laid out, each with its own balcony. We met the Cruise Director, Dick Carpenter, an American ex-patriot who had worked for cruise lines for most of his life. He and his wife now live in the Philippines while he works a short season on board the Victoria lines. We then retreated to our cabin, poured a glass of gin and watched the beautiful lights on the high-rises of Chonqing as the ship made its way down-river.
Fengdu – The Ghost City
We awoke very early the next day taking in the sunrise on the Yangtze. After a hearty buffet breakfast (very good), we attended the mandatory "how to use a life vest" talk, and then stayed on for an overview of the Yangtze River by onboard guide Daniel. I went to a short lesson on Mandarin language and Winnie, Luiz, and Manuela took in a talk on acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine.
Before we knew it was time for lunch and like a lamb to the slaughter we loaded our plates and our bellies once again. A good thing we did as our first stop involved a pretty good hike up (and down) 600 stairs (except Winnie and Manuela who took the chair-lift up!) Our guide, Bonnie, told us how she and her family were displaced by the rising waters due to the Three Gorges Dam project. Her village was relocated, the buildings dismantled, and the rubble used to build dikes to hold back the water.
Fengdu, the Ghost City, is a necropolis that pays tribute to the Taoist underworld. It is an amazing sight with temples and statues (the next weirder than the last), each depicting a different hierarchy of the Taoist Hell. Built nearly 2,000 years ago, it has been expanded and remodeled several times over the centuries. The entire complex sits atop Ming Mountain and thank goodness it does. As the water rises from the Three Gorges Dam project a reservoir will turn the town of Fengdu into an underwater world and the Ghost City into an island. It was a fascinating and fun stop.
Tests that determine your ability to get into heaven are scattered throughout. Can you lift a hundred-pound stone and balance it on top of a rounded point? Luiz and others tried and failed. Then a local, for a few yen, showed us the trick – rolling the stone around the point until it had the momentum to be easily pushed on top of the point and balanced. After he collected his money he took his bow and stepped off awaiting the next tour group. Hey, we all have to make a living! Time flew by and it was back down the 600-steps and onto the ship as we resumed our journey down-river.
Before the Captain's reception, we gathered in Manuela and Luiz's room to try some of our Great Wall wine we had bought before boarding – I'll stick with the Tsingtao Beer!
The Captain's reception was a fun event and afterwards we had a wonderful sit-down dinner, greeting the Captain and officers as we entered. Our day ended with a marvelous Fashion Show put on by the crew and staff of the ship. They modeled fashions from the Han dynasty right up to modern day. As with the Tang Dynasty show it was colorful, beautiful and the women were gorgeous!
We want to arise early for the first of the three gorges, Qutang, so it is off to bed for us and I'll put this part of the journal to bed, also.
Next up, the gorges, a side trip, and the dam, then on to Shanghai.
Part 3 - From Tibet to the China Sea
The Yangtze is the third longest river in the world, flowing 3,900 miles from the mountains in the Tibetan plateau to the East China Sea near Shanghai. 700 tributaries add their water to the river along the way making it one of the most flood prone rivers in the world. Before the construction of the Three Gorges Dam, the Yangtze would flood in one section or another every single year. 250 million tons of silt are carried down river each year…or at least were before the dam. While the Three Gorges Dam has helped control flooding, this brings with it new problems. The pace of the river slows considerably behind the dam and all the silt that used to wash down river now builds up behind it. The government has yet to work out this issue, but, like the Columbia River in Washington/Oregon, the waters will have to be released to force a flushing action yearly at the very least.
Currently the waters have risen about 450 feet above sea level behind the dam. Eventually, these waters will rise to about 175 meters or 575 feet above sea level. Large signs with 175 painted in red dot the banks of the river, giving you an idea how far it has to go.
We entered Qutang, the first and shortest of the Gorges on Thanksgiving morning. This is a short (5 miles) and narrow gorge bringing the walls close in on the boat for a dramatic view. As the sun rose we had views of the walls and a "goodbye" bridge. These bridges are found throughout the upper river and have gotten their name as they will be too close to or under the water when the river reaches its final depth. They are being replaced and will be torn down soon…goodbye!
Daning River and the Lesser Gorges
After the short ride through the Qutang and just before we entered the 25 mile long Wu gorge, we made a stop. It was here that we boarded a smaller ship and journeyed up the Daning River, a tributary that has cut its own "three gorges," known as the mini-gorges. We took in the dramatic views as the river narrowed and saw the caves with the hanging caskets.
The hanging caskets are relics of the Ba people who occupied this river from 1800 to 3500 years ago. They would climb the cliffs to a natural cave, construct the coffin, and then place the body inside. This brought the person closer to the Ba heaven. Hundreds of these coffins once dotted the cliffs, but most have been raided and destroyed over the years. During the Japanese occupation, Chinese refugees hid and lived in the caves. Along the cliff side are remnants of trails, roads if you will, that had been carved hundreds of years ago.
These were used by the boat trackers, men who would (both here and on the Yangtze) pull boats up river or move boats through shallows. By tying ropes to the boat and around their waists, they would pull the boat from the shoreline or on the plank roads along the cliffs. Locals still use this ancient method to move their small boats through the shallows. Many of these ancient roads and carvings in the cliffs are now underwater or will soon be. The loss of these archeological treasures up and down the river and its tributaries is one of the sad side effects of the damming of the river.
After a while, we transferred to even smaller motorized sampans and journeyed through what is called the "Mini" Three Gorges. This was a delightful trip with the boatmen showing off the rain wear of the locals woven from grass reeds and singing folk songs to us. We passed an island that will soon be underwater, but is being farmed right up until the river claims it.
We returned to the ship, spotting monkeys running along the shoreline and throughout the autumn colors of the forests along the banks. Back on board the Victoria Anna we sailed under one of the goodbye bridges and continued our journey downstream toward the Three Gorges Dam.
The Gorgeous Wu Gorge (I just had to work in that pun someplace)
The second and longest of the gorges, the Wu Gorge (also known as the Wuxia) presents a panoramic view of mountain peaks, including Goddess Peak, a rock formation that, according to legend, represents the Goddess who banished the demons from the Yangtze allowing another God to cut the gorges and bring the river to the people.
After lunch we gathered on deck to watch Jamie fly one of his great kites and listen to River Guide Daniel narrate as we took in the scenery. From the moment I saw these kites I knew I had to have one. Jamie's family has been in the kite making business for over 250 years. Each one is hand made from silks and bamboo, then hand painted in beautiful colors. When I told Jamie that I wanted a kite, but not to fly, rather as a piece of art, he was so delighted that he pulled out a box with a special dragon kite inside. He had personally made this kite and I asked him to sign it for me. He blushingly obliged, stating that no one had ever asked him to do that. I'm not sure how I will display it, but I will. It is truly one of a kind.
As we sailed further down the gorge, we passed under a new single tower suspension bridge, giving us who live in the San Francisco Bay Area a glimpse into our future as the design was very similar to the new eastern span of the Bay Bridge. The sun began to set as we entered the third and final gorge, the Xiling. This is the longest of the Three Gorges and the site of two dams, the Gezhouba and the massive Three Gorges. The Gezhouba was the first to be built in the 1980s. While it was built for many reasons, one of the main reasons was to control the river flow in preparation for the construction of the Three Gorges dam
As the ship entered into the first of the five locks at the Three Gorges dam we entered the dining room for our farewell banquet. It was a wonderful meal with our servers dressed to the "eights" (nine is a not such a good number in Chinese mysticism) in gorgeous red and gold-trimmed gowns. As we ate we watched as the ship maneuvered its way into its chosen position in the huge lock. Several coal barges and other smaller ships followed us into the lock before the great steels gates closed behind us and the water level started dropping.
The Victoria Anna crew staged a cabaret that evening with dancing, singing, magic acts and a traditional Chinese instrument concert. The show ended with a folk dance which we were invited to join in. The dancing continued into the wee hours of the night as we passed through the locks (only four of which are in use at this time) and we docked in the reservoir behind the dam for the night.
The Controversial Three Gorges Damn Dam
The Three Gorges Dam is a massive project. It was first proposed by Dr. Sun Yet-sen in 1919. As it nears completion (in 2009) it will have flooded vast sections of the Yangtze creating a 410-mile long reservoir behind it. It is the second and largest in a series of dams planned for the Yangtze and its tributaries. The Chinese government officially states that 1.4 million people have been displaced by the rise in water level behind the dam. Unofficially, it is nearer to 2.6 million and includes 13 cities, 140 towns, 1352 villages and hundreds of square miles of cultivated land. By 2020, an additional 4 million people will be moved from around the dam area to the Chonqing area as that city is developed and industrialized more and more.
In talking with many of our local guides we found there are two sides to this Three Gorges Dam coin – many of the younger residents see the tearing down of their villages and towns as a good thing. They are, after all, moving into modern homes with running water, toilets, sewage systems and a steady, reliable power supply, something they hadn't had in many of their old homes. On the flip side, the loss of local history is evident as buildings that may have been erected 1,000 years ago are destroyed to make way for the river; some towns and residents are being relocated so far away from the original that they are losing their "local" identity. Farmers have had to change the crops from rice and wheat to fruit and citrus trees. It remains to be seen whether these are profitable enough or not. It is hard to say who is right or wrong here, especially when we have erected dams along most of our own major rivers.
As in any large government project corruption is rampant and theft of relocation funds by local officials is a big problem that the Communist leaders would rather we not know about. That said, it is a site to behold.
We debarked and were taken by bus to an overlook for a view of the massive twin five-stage locks. Our guide also pointed out the unique ship elevator that will be completed later this year. This will allow ships up to 3000 tons to be lifted or lowered in about 45 minutes, saving them the 3 – 5 hour trip through the locks. We re-boarded the busses and were then taken to the visitor center for the dam. As we gathered around a large model, our guide explained how the river was diverted to build the dam and how, when all of its 26 generators are up and running, it will create 18.2 million kilowatts of power for the region. The official cost is 28 billion US dollars, of which 40% is for relocation of people.
On the surrounding grounds we climbed a small hill with a monument to the dam on top. The view of the dam stretched off into the mist and fog that hung around that day. It is very, very big. I tried to get a closer look, but was stopped by the sign "NO TURNING OVER PLEASE"
On to Shanghai
Back on the ship, we packed up our bags and our bellies with one last lunch. We reached the Gezhouba Dam and passed through its single lock, finally docking in Yichnag. We reluctantly left our comfortable cruise ship and were faced with a whole mess of steps. Thank goodness the porters carried our heavy luggage up these stairs…in the old-fashioned way with poles and ropes yoked across their backs carrying five to six bags at a time. We boarded busses for the airport and were whisked off to our next stop, Shanghai.
We had a short stay here, only two nights, so there was a lot to squeeze in. Our group grew by about 10 more travelers as these folks had opted to join us only for this part of the trip. As soon as we landed in Shanghai, we were hustled onto our tour busses and whisked off to take a boat ride on the HuangPu River to see the wonderful night lights of the city along the Bund. The lights of this city could rival Las Vegas and it was a beautiful trip. Once we were settled into the five-star Howard Johnson Plaza Hotel (yes, I said five-star Howard Johnson!), we made a quick trip to the local McDonalds and grabbed some food to-go. We ate and hit the sack, too tired to do anything more.
We were up early the next morning refreshed and ready for a full day. Our first stop was the hotel buffet breakfast and it was delicious. Winnie enjoyed fresh made mango yogurt and I dipped into this, that, and the other thing until sated.
Our next stop was the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, a landmark similar to the Space Needle; the tower is broken by 11 spheres at various levels giving the sense of pearls dropping onto a jade plate. Built in 1995, it is over 1500 feet high, the tallest tower in Asia and the third tallest in the world (trivia buff know that the CN Tower in Toronto is the tallest).
We climbed into the elevators and went to the highest observation deck, taking in the vistas of this ancient city on a wonderfully clear day. Just enough clouds provided a dramatic backdrop as we walked around the observation sphere. I clicked off so many pictures I ran down my batteries and we had barely started the day.
A Little History, Professor?
Shanghai began life as a fishing village, but due to its strategic location on the confluence of major rivers and the East China Sea it quickly became a seaport during the 1200s. Even so, it was never a major Chinese city until the coming of the Europeans and the Americans in the 1700s. Trade was the reason and by the 1800s, every major European power had established a settlement here. Britain did not like the trade policies of the Qing government and began bringing in opium from India, devastating large parts of the Chinese population. The Qing government tried to shut down the trade, but the British East India Company brought in their powerful Navy and Marines, taking Hong Kong, large portions of Canton, the Yangtze routes and Shanghai. The treaty ceded Hong Kong to the British and subsequent treaties protected the foreign settlements in Shanghai. They remained unmolested until the Japanese occupation during World War II.
In 1992 the Central Communist government granted Shanghai special status allowing more foreign investment. It is now second only to Hong Kong as a financial center. In 2010, the World Exposition will be held here.
We made our way back down to the lobby and took in the History Museum in the basement of the tower. Full of diorama displays, it shows the history of Shanghai from the Tang Dynasty to the beginning of the 20th century. A quick sweep through is all we had time for as we had to be back on the bus to hie ourselves off to what many saw as our most important stop of the day…the Silk Factory.
The Obligatory Shopping Stop
So far we have stopped at a cloisonné factory, and a jade factory, but I had never seen more enthusiasm from the group than when we stopped at the Silk factory. Silk duvets and covers flew off the shelves like they were free. Winnie and I joined in and bought one for our bed, small potatoes compared to those who bought four, five, six or more! The ladies in the factory were kept hopping, throwing the blue bags of silk duvets onto the vacuum machines that compressed them down to manageable sizes.
It was really quite interesting to see how silk was made from the silkworm cocoons, each of them soaked and unwoven to form the silken thread. We marked our purchases with our names and left to re-board the busses for we had a lot more to see.
Gardens and Buddha and One Great Lunch
Our credit cards needed a chance to cool down after that silk buying spree and we did so in a pretty cool place, the Yuyuan Gardens in the middle of Shanghai. Built by a Ming Dynasty official for his parents in 1577, it has gone through many reconstructions as its fortunes declined and rose through the years. The Communist Government spent five years restoring it after nearly 5 decades of neglect and re-opened it in 1961.
This 5-acre garden contains many pavilions, halls, a stage, a magnificent rock garden called the Great Rockery, and streams and koi ponds. Trees dating back 400 years dot the grounds. One of the most fascinating sites for me was the dragon-topped walls that surrounded the gardens.
It was a wonderfully peaceful visit on a gorgeous day.
Time and our morning meal were fleeting and we had a pleasant surprise for our buffet lunch. The Renaissance Hotel just opened three months prior to our visit and it was beautifully decorated. The meal was fantastic and the buffet offered endless choices.
We went on from there to see the Jade Buddha Temple, a major Buddhist center in Shanghai. The giant jade Buddha statues came from Burma in the late 1800s along with a smaller reclining Buddha. This was replaced with a larger reclining Buddha from Singapore. There were Buddha and his buddies everywhere!
Living History
A number of our tour group were either born or had grown up in Shanghai before the Japanese occupation during World War II and the subsequent Communist takeover forced and kept them out of their homes for good. Many went on to Macau during the war. For some this was their first time back in years or even decades.
At their request, we drove through the old French quarter where many had lived. It was interesting and fun hearing about their lives here and what it was like in old Shanghai.
Flipping Out
Our final stop was the Shanghai Acrobats show. This show has many different troupes and performs all over the world with a regular show in Branson, Missouri. The troupe we saw was pretty young, but a lot of fun as they balanced, flipped, and tumbled through a lot of different acts. A great way to end our day…except our day wasn't quite over yet.
After returning to our hotel a bunch of us decided we had to have some Shanghai dumplings, a local treat, before we left the city. A local restaurant near us was recommended and we barely made it in the doors before they closed, but they gladly served us some wonderful noodles and dumplings along with a few Sing Tao beers; a marvelous meal to end the day.
A Morning to Ourselves
The next morning about half our group left early to go on to our final destination, Macau. The rest of us chose to stay on and take a later flight, enjoying the city on our own. Some used the time to get in some more shopping, others a nostalgia trip. Winnie and I opted to take a walk around the pedestrian mall nearby. After breakfast, we saw a local marathon race passing by, complete with ladies dressed in representative colors for their runners cheering them on.
We ran across a huge department store called the New World Emporium with escalators that just kept going up and up, floor after floor. On one floor was a skating rink; on another was an indoor sports area. Beautifully designed it was quite a shopping experience.
We were offered a chance to take the new high-speed maglev train to the airport and many in our group jumped at it. The train reached speeds of over 250 miles per hour and that wasn't even its top speed! We couldn't hit that as we only traveled 33 miles…in seven minutes!
Onto our flight to Macau we left mainland China with a little more knowledge of the culture and people, a little more weight from all the wonderful food, and a little lighter in wallet from all the memories we bought for ourselves.
In Macau we would finally be able to unpack our bags for more than a couple nights. We were on our way to the Encontro 2007, a reunion of sorts for the Macanese Portuguese and their descendents who lived in this colony, some for a few years, others for most of their lives, until many, for one reason or another (mostly threats from mainland China), left the island and were scattered to the four winds around the world.
In the final installment we will explore this marvelous island with a side trip to old Hong Kong.
Part 4 - Macau – The Little Island That Could
Macau, the former Portuguese colony, is made up of three islands – Macau (not much of an island anymore), Coloane, and Taipa. It and Hong Kong are now special administrative regions of China – one country, two governments is the best way to describe this.
Portuguese traders set up shop on the island in the mid-1500s as a simple trading port. In 1557 the Portuguese were granted a permanent settlement at an annual rent of 500 taels of silver to the Chinese government. In 1576 Macau was established as an Episcopal see by Pope Gregory XIII. It grew as a port despite repeated attempts by Dutch traders to take over the colony during the 1600s. After the Opium War of 1839-42, Portugal took occupation of Taipa and Coloane. In 1887 the faltering Qing government was forced to sign a treaty granting Portugal full colonial status with one caveat – Portugal would seek China's approval before "selling" Macau to any other country.
Through the years, Portugal had to deal with the fall of the Qing Dynasty and the rise of the Nationalist, the Japanese occupation of China (Portugal was neutral during WW II) and the communist takeover after the war. All of these brought trouble to little Macau. During the war people of Portuguese ancestry, but born in other parts of China, were forced to flee to Macau from places like Hong Kong and Shanghai. The Japanese cut off the colony's food sources, forcing the Macanese government to trade whatever they had, including old cannons that were valued for their metal, for food and supplies.
After the war, during the Cultural Revolution, riots broke out in Macau fueled by communist influence from the Mainland. In one riot over 200 people were killed or injured. This forced Portugal to issue a formal apology to China and grant equal treatment and recognition to the Chinese on the island. It also handed de facto control of the colony to China, yet Portugal continued to govern the island until it was formally handed over to China on December 20, 1999.
Which brings us to why we were there…
Encontro
Many from Macau left the colony over the years and have landed literally all over the world. Across the U.S. and Canada, Australia and New Zealand, Portugal, Brazil, and England (just to name a few), Macanese clubs (Casas) have sprung up keeping the Macanese culture alive and well.
In 1993, the first Encontro (encounter in English) was held and the turnout has grown ever since. In 1999, at the third Encontro, many came to say goodbye before the colony was handed over to China at the end of that year. This was the sixth Encontro and over 2,000 people from all over the world attended. This 8-day affair included meetings, cultural presentations, and fantastic dinners every single day.
Macau has changed considerably over the intervening years. No longer the sleepy little colony, it has quickly become the Las Vegas of the East with the opening of the Wynn, the Sands, the Venetian and soon the MGM Grand. Many more are already on the drawing board. The Lisboa, the original casino that had been around for years before the Las Vegas invasion, has built a new building called the Grand Lisboa. It is quite elegant and filled with jade and ivory statuary and other Chinese treasures that were collected by Dr. Stanley Ho, the owner.
We were ensconced in a hotel made just for the Chinese gambling trade, The Beverly Plaza. The room was nice, but the beds were as hard as a slab of granite and took some getting used to. Some of us never did…Winnie slept like a baby every night! I guess I better save up and get one of those "Sleep Number" beds I hear advertised. She can set hers on rock slab, while mine is set to the softer side. The funniest thing was the window that separated the bed and the bathroom…yes; you read correctly, a window with blinds. I told Winnie I'll sit on the bed, put a quarter in the slot, and then she could get naked and raise the blinds for five minutes. It was kind of a hard come-down after the five-star luxury of our China hotels, but at least the hotel was centrally located and we could walk to just about any site or event.
A little side story: - Our friends, Luiz and Manuela had lived on Macau for many years. In fact, Luiz was a native, born and raised. Manuela was born and raised for a time in Hong Kong before coming to Macau to go to school. They both have relatives and friends who still live here and having not been here for a few years, they of course wanted to get together with as many as they could. Thus to the crux of the problem; their grandson, who thought he was helping grandma, decided to throw out their address book leaving them high and dry for phone numbers and other contact information. Manuela was just going to play it by ear and get a hold of people as she could. The small community of Macau intervened. As soon as we stepped out of the hotel, Luiz spotted his cousin Telmo in front and before we knew it we were swept off to the Lisboa hotel where he works for a wonderful meal of noodles and other great dishes. The view in the restaurant wasn't bad either. None of us could help but notice the beautiful Asian women who kept walking by the window again and again. As we found out these were fallen angels, ladies of perpetual motion who, due to the tough laws against loitering, had to keep walking around and around looking for their next trick. The "walking women" would spot a possibility walking along and saunter right up alongside him with the question "Sheih, sheih?" which is thank you in Mandarin but must mean "You like me?" when asked in their special way.
Another coincidence was the view from Manuela and Luiz's room. Manuela knew one of the homes they lived in was around where our hotel stood today. Little did she know until she got to the room that it was probably exactly where the hotel stands…when she looked out the window, she recognized the view!
We found a little market down the road from the hotel which became our supplier of water and snacks for our room for the length of our stay. Then it was off to bed. Even I slept well on the rock that night.
A Little Laundry, A Little Nostalgia
The next day a bunch of us packed up our growing laundry pile and took a hike to a little laundry Luiz and Manuela used to use when they lived here in the 1960s. Not only was the laundry still there, so was the original owner. Manuela smiled and greeted him in Cantonese and danged if he didn't remember her! A good thing, too, as it got our laundry done a lot quicker than what we normally would have had to wait.
On our way we passed by the old Security Force barracks and Manuela's old school. We walked up to Senado Square with its shopping, both regular retail stores and street vendors, dropped in the middle of historic buildings. After we dropped off the laundry, we returned to the square and to Wong Chi Kei Congee and Noodle for a fantastic lunch. While everyone else dined on the fresh homemade noodles and dumpling soups, I partook of a heaping plate of chao fan cha su or pork fried rice. It was some of the best fried rice I had ever had. That and a Tsing Tao beer made for a great lunch…and cheap, too!
After lunch, we wandered through the lanes and came across the church where Manuela and her sister, Fernanda, married their respective husbands Luiz and Umberto in a double ceremony. With us was Manuela's friend, Loretta from Las Vegas. She knew this church well, too. Her grandfather helped to build it! It was just the first of many more encounters with living history.
We made our way back home to prepare for what would be the first of many great Encontro dinners. At the Fisherman's Wharf convention center, we were treated to a 13- course formal dinner as we were welcomed to this Encontro. Stuffed to the gills, we made our way back to the hotel and fell into bed…well, that isn't exactly true. One cannot fall into a slab. One must gently lower oneself down onto it.
A History Walk
The next day, we joined a number of our group for a history walk. We stopped at the Holy House of Mercy established in 1569 and St. Dominic's Church (1587), then went on to the Lou Kau Mansion. This merchant's home was built in 1889 and occupied by the family until 1910. It then passed through several hands, once being chopped up into several apartments. It was restored and became a cultural icon in 2002. The elaborate décor was enhanced by several artists and craftsmen who were selling their wares in the house. Winnie and I purchased some small handmade and painted clay figurines from an artist – a much better souvenir than some of the other little junk available.
The group was just too large for the soft-voiced guide and we dumped the group here and made our own way up to the ruins of St. Paul, a large cathedral that was built in the 1600s, but was destroyed by fire two centuries later. It became an archeological site with the ruins of the first Western-style College (the College of St. Paul) and then a World Heritage site. On top of a hill nearby stands the Mount Fortress which along with the church and college was also built by the Jesuits in the 1600s. This hill also houses the Museu de Macau containing the history of this island colony.
After a quick lunch, we toured the Lisboa and the Wynn casinos before returning to the hotel to prepare for another fantastic dinner. This one was held at the Macau Dome on Taipa where a top-notch continental-style meal unfolded.
The next day was perfect weather-wise and we ventured out with our own personal guides, Manuela and Luiz, who showed us parts of Macau we probably wouldn't have known to visit on our own. Our first stop was the old Government building where Luiz worked for many years. Then we walked up through the Senado Square to the ruins of St. Paul and down to St. Anthony's church. We wound our way through the narrow streets and lanes until we came to the Camoes Gardens and Grotto. This park honors Portugal's most famous poet who may have lived in Macau during the mid-1500s. Along the way, Luiz and Manuela spotted an old friend on the balcony of his home.
We made our way back to the Macau Museum and with Luiz and Manuela in tow, had a much more enlightening experience. Luiz pointed out how his mother's house was used as a model for the old street façade. Manuela told us how the depictions of Portuguese and Chinese life were all very familiar to her and Luiz.
We stopped for lunch at one of the many private clubs in the city. It was a wonderful meal and Luiz, of course, ran into friends. We walked back along the streets and Manuela spotted a tailor shop she and Luiz had used for years. Of course the old tailor was still there! More encounters awaited us as we then went to the Lisboa to meet an Aunt for tea. Winnie and I then took a side trip out to the newly opened Venetian Hotel and Casino on Taipa. It is exactly the same as the one in Vegas…only four-times larger! We grabbed a delicious burger in the food court for dinner (no gathering that night) and headed back to our hotel for an early evening.
Up, Down, All Around
Manuela had a school reunion this day and so Luiz, Winnie and I took a walk to the Macau Tower, the 1100 foot tall icon of modern Macau. The convention center is housed below and a restaurant and observation deck is located about 700 feet up. Winnie and I first saw this tower on an edition of The Amazing Race on CBS when contestants had to do the skywalk all around the outside platform and then bungee to the ground below. Anyone can partake of these, plus a sky jump and mast climb…it ain't cheap, but it is the only tower in the world that offers these extreme sports. Chickens that we are, Winnie, Luiz and I opted for a quick photo on the skywalk before heading back to the glassed-in safety of the observation deck. The views were spectacular!
We then escorted Luiz to Manuela's reunion lunch at another Macanese club and were lucky enough to be able to snag a table for our own lunch. Afterwards we met up with cousin Telmo's driver who escorted us to other sites around Macau, Taipa, and Coloane. We started with a visit to the Fortress on Guia hill. Built in the early 1600s, it includes a Chapel established by Clarist nuns and the first modern light house built in East Asia (1865).
Next we took a trip to the island of Taipa and Coloane. While these two were once separate islands, landfill and silting have brought them together into one, separated only by the newer areas known as Cotai. Coloane has beautiful beaches and lush parks. Luiz told us of the times he spent sailing on the waters of Coloane, including his near misses with the Japanese during WW 2 and the Communist Chinese later. Turns out Luiz was quite a sailor and was once considered for placement on the Portuguese Olympic team. While a couple resorts stand on Hac Sa and Cheoc Van Bays, Coloane is still best reflected in its turn of the century village. We stopped at the Tam Kung Temple in the village which is dedicated to a Taoist God that protects seafarers. The highlight was a dragon boat carved from whale bone which we were encouraged to rub for good luck.
Afterwards, we were driven to the top of the hill which dominates this area. At the top was a huge 67 foot statue of Ah-Ma, the Goddess of Seafarers, carved from white marble. A Buddhist temple and cultural village also occupies the hilltop and it is surrounded by Coloane Hilltop Park. The funny thing about Coloane is that it did not have much foliage when it was first annexed to the Portuguese colony. The majority were brought in and planted, adapting to the tropical weather quickly and spreading all over the island.
That night was another free night for most of the Encontro participants and we joined fellow travelers Mark and Diane for dinner at Litoral, an upscale Macanese and Portuguese cuisine restaurant. Two bottles of wine and four great meals later, we nearly choked on the bill as it was the most we had paid for a meal the entire trip, but comparatively the cost would have been twice as much here in California, so I calmed down and pulled out the Visa.
Kicking Buddha's Gong In Old Hong Kong
After a hearty breakfast of the same old thing, we jumped on the turbojet ferry and headed off for a day in Hong Kong. Luiz and Manuela extended their trip and stayed here a few days after the Encontro, but Winnie and I opted for a couple day trips instead.
I should clarify that there is no such thing as "jumping" on the Turbojet or any other way you choose to leave or reenter Macau and Hong Kong. They are still run as separate entities and, as such, you must go through customs every single time. This is a huge pain in the backside as the lines can be horrific, tying you up for hours just to make a daytrip. You have to keep filling out custom forms and hand over your passport, then wait for the rest of your group to make it through. It is maddening and is obviously the Communist Governments way of keeping mainland Chinese from fleeing the country in droves.
Mark and Diane joined us for an early side trip before our scheduled tour that afternoon. We docked and started our own little tour with a trip through the 1906 Beau Arts Western Market building. We then wound our way up to Hollywood Street and then down to Ladder Street. It was like a little homecoming as this part of Hong Kong reminded me a lot of parts of San Francisco. Ladder Street consists of steps that go up, up, up, just like Telegraph Hill in North Beach.
We stopped and explored the Man Mo Temple (a temple a day keeps the bad luck away!) and then made our way down to the Star Ferry terminal for the crossing to Kowloon to meet up with our tour.
The tour guide picked us up at Renaissance Hotel and we were whisked off back through the Cross Harbor Tunnel to the Hong Kong side again. If we had known we would have just stayed on the Hong Kong side and met the bus at our first stop, the Victoria Peak Tram. This little engine that could has been traversing Victoria Peak since 1888. One could just picture the prim and proper Victorian English colonists boarding the tram for a little jaunt to the top. Now-a-days, a jaunt to the top will land you in midst of a slew of tourist shops and restaurants, but the view was spectacular.
Back on the bus, we went to the far side of the island to Stanley Bay and the famous Stanley Market. Winnie and I found a series of signed prints from local artist Lee Ngo on closeout and decided to splurge on five of them. Other than that, the Stanley Market isn't much different from most of the other Chinese markets we had frequented throughout our trip. The bus continued on its round-the-island tour past Repulse Bay and Aberdeen. We wrapped up and parted ways with some of our group who decided to stay on for more. We chose to rush back to Macau to catch the dinner that night and were we glad we did.
The buffet included table after table of traditional Portuguese and Macanese foods including delicious lamb chops and pastais, a wonderful custard tart that we had come to love in Portugal. It is rare to have buffet-style food that is soooo good!
After dinner, the music started up, the dance floor cleared, and we were treated to a talent show of Portuguese and Macanese singers and bands followed by traditional folk dancing. What fun! We didn't make it home until the wee hours of the morning.
Hong Kong, Redux – Light Shows, Fishing Villages and One Big Buddha
We returned to Hong Kong the next day for some in-depth sightseeing on Lantau Island and to see Hong Kong at night. After the Turbojet to Hong Kong, we transferred to a ferry to Lantau and caught the bus to the Po Lin Monastery with its giant bronze statue of Buddha on a hill overlooking it. This is the largest outdoor statue of Buddha in the world and was finished in 1993. We climbed the nearly 300 steps up to the pedestal base where you can buy tickets for a vegetarian lunch to help support the maintenance of the grounds and the Buddha. It is huge!
We then made our way to Tai O, the fishing village built on stilts that sits over the mouth of the Tai O River. People continue to live here as they have for hundreds of years, although the small sampans have been replaced by motor boats. While dried and fresh fish is still sold, many market booths have given way to tourist tidbits. We toured the small history museum noticing that it wasn't all that long ago that this village was isolated and frozen in time. With the building of the new airport and the subway connecting Lantau to Kowloon, it has become so popular that a big bus depot and parking lot take up nearly as much area as the village itself. Time flies when you are having fun and we were surprised to find how late it had gotten. We boarded our bus and our ferry and headed back to Kowloon.
Once on Kowloon, we decided to take the subway out to the famous Night Market. Following the signs we found the steps down to the subway only to find ourselves in the middle of a shopping mall. I retraced my steps following the signs that said TRAIN…and ended up at the train station where we nearly bought tickets for the train to the New Territories. A helpful local redirected us and after walking for what seemed like forever, we finally ended up on the Subway for the 10-block ride to the Night Market. Underground Hong Kong is one huge maze of shops and walkways! After we walked around the night market for a bit, we jumped back on the subway for the return trip back to the waterfront.
At 8:00 every night, Hong Kong puts on a dazzling light show that originates from both the Hong Kong and the Kowloon sides. Upon arriving we climbed onto the harbor overlook and claimed a spot. I set up my camera and within two clicks of the shutter the battery went dead! With only 10-minutes before the scheduled start of the show, I ran down the steps, headed across the plaza and luckily spotted a 7-11 across busy Salisbury Road. I ran into the store and grabbed a package of batteries, a snack or two and a Tsing Tao beer, threw my money at the clerk and barely made it back in time for the show. When I returned the nearly empty overlook was packed with people and I had to elbow my way back up to Winnie.
The tall office buildings are equipped with laser and exterior lights that are then coordinated with a musical score that is played over loud speakers. It was as amazing and wonderful as any fireworks show. On the water brightly lit junks and restaurant boats circled the harbor adding to the spectacle. All in all it was a fantastic experience that I would highly recommend.
We made our way back to the Turbojet and back to Macau. Taxis were scarce at the terminal and we ended up walking back to our hotel, falling into bed exhausted from our long day.
That's A Wrap
Our final day was wide open and we decided to make a quick jaunt with fellow travelers Mark, Diane and Dorothy (who had all gone a few days earlier) to the Barrier Gate and cross the border into Zhuhai, China. Diane and Dorothy went for a massage while Mark showed us around the markets. We were getting pretty worn out though and decided to cross back over to Macau early. We shopped a little and then had lunch at the Grand Lisboa before heading back to the hotel to get ready for the closing ceremonies and dinner at the Venetian Hotel's Grand Ballroom.
Once again the meal was fantastic. Small loin lamb chops, roasted pork, shrimp, chicken and a hundred different desserts overflowed at the artistically set buffet tables. Wine, beer, and cocktails flowed freely from the hosted bars, with music and dancing after all the speeches were done.
December 2nd and it was all over. We were shuttled to the Turbojet and made our way through the maze of customs and baggage checks before plopping down in our seats for the long flight home.
Winnie and I have always found travel to be a mind-opening experience and China nearly blew our lids off. Make no mistake that I am well aware we were not allowed to see China's skeleton closet. It does and will continue to have its problems, but change is picking up speed. Soon, the old-guard Communists will no longer be able to stop the train that is coming down its tracks. Whether that train will bring democracy in the form of a representative government or simply another form of dictatorship backed by corporate greed will be up to the young. I'm betting on the former, but fear the latter.
Fini
Tracy and Winnie Baker
