We're not in Peddler's Village anymore, Toto!

by Richard Button

Today we spent the whole afternoon in the Yu Garden Bazaar, better known as Shanghai's "China Town."

Of course, all of Shanghai is a "China Town", but the bazaar is called that because it is large, probably six blocks by four blocks, all marked off with pagoda style gates. There are many types of stores in the bazaar.

The vast majority are very small specialty shops...really, really small and extremely specialized, like shipping tape stores. Yep, there were two shops that sold nothing but clear shipping tape. And chopsticks stores. Many foods stores, full of vacuum sealed opaque bags. Those were a problem for those of us looking for a snack. The writing, not surprisingly, was in Mandarin and we had no idea what was in the bag.

There were large and small chotchki shops, with the same buddas and trinkets. I came very close to scoring a Chairman Mao analog wrist watch, with the seconds delineated by Mao's waving hand. We couldn't agree on a price. She asking fifty yuen ($7.50), but I knew others in our group had bought them for $1.00. I offered 5 yuen. She scoffed, countered with forty. I said five. She scoffed. I turned and walked away. She chased after me. "Thirty," she shouted. I kept walking. "Twenty." Walking. "OK, ten." I said, "Five." She walked away. I guess Chairman Mao is staying in China where he belongs.

There was a department store in the bazaar, sort of on the scale of a BonTon. No air conditioning. But what really surprised me was the aggressiveness of the sales clerks. They behaved just like the vendors outside. They came up to me from behind their counters with merchandise in hand, offering to lower prices before I said anything.

Our meals have been very boring and only marginally good. So we were all looking for treats at the bazaar. I pride myself in generally looking for indigenous foods when I am out and about. I had been a pretty good sport, I feel, about trying everything and not prejudging food. But my taste buds were bored. I just couldn't resist the lure of TWO Starbucks in the bazaar. Even with international chains, don't order coffee drinks in a country that is the basis for a phrase like "...for all the tea in China." I tried two different drinks, and they were mediocre. They also didn't have decaf, which is all I have drunk for thirty years, so I was pretty wired by the time we left.

Speaking of tea, yesterday we visited the Dragon Well tea plantation in Hangzhou. Tea is very serious business here. We learned about the growing and harvesting...and the hand drying of the tea leaves. We learned how to really brew tea and learned that the tea in tea bags comes from floor sweepings, according to the tea sales rep we met! Really good green tea...the best...smells like freshly cooked spinach and makes a robust beverage that cures most human ailments, again, according to our sales rep!

Tomorrow morning we head back. It is a very short flight. We leave Shanghai at 12:00 p.m. and arrive at JFK at 2:15 p.m.!

Dick

DATELINE Hangzhou....

by Richard L. Button

...this is an eastern China city, capital of a province. I am afraid I don't know which province, a province nevertheless. Everyone may take comfort. Holiday Inns are the same the world over — the same noisy weddings and the lounge singers!

Yesterday we were in Suzhou and went to Tiger Hill (not to be confused with the old men’s store, Tiger Hall in Bethlehem). Tiger Hill is the site of a 1000 year-old Buddhist pagoda and a former Buddhist Temple. It is a remarkable place.

Local legend says a monk picked a spot for his own burial. When he picked the spot, a rare white tiger made an appearance (hence the name of the hill). He died, was buried, and the workmen who buried him were all killed so they could not reveal the location of his tomb. People searched for years, but never found the tomb. The pagoda was built on the same location — unbeknownst to the builders. After several years, the pagoda began to lean. Workman looked for the source of the problem and found the tomb. A thousand years later, the pagoda still leans!

The grounds are extensive. Our group split up to explore the ancient grounds and various out buildings. It was beautiful, even though it was a gray day. As we gathered back at the appointed time, several of us in the group commented that tranquility came over us as we walked the grounds. The spirit of the monk is still bringing peace.

Today we got away from the tourist traps and spent an hour exploring a local market in Suzhou. Suzhou is known as the "Venice of China" because of the canal system that used to permit farmers to deliver their produce. Parts of the canal remain and we visited a canal community market. All sorts of items could be purchased...huge cucumbers about a yard long...more kinds of beans than I knew existed...boiled chicken feet...live turtles for soup...live eels...and chickens and ducks killed while you wait.

We explore more of Hangzhou tomorrow and then back to Shanghai.

Catch you later,

Dick

Golly, Ellie Mae -- they have a cement pond out back!

by Richard L. Button (Photo: Dick Button and Debbie Walters, an adjunct in the Comenius Center who was also on the tour)

I have to admit I felt a little like Jed Clampett when we arrived here Saturday night (or maybe it was Saturday morning, hard to know for sure when it was!). After 17 hours in the air and about 10 hours in assorted airports, when I walked into my room here at the Crowne Pointe Sun Palace in Beijing at 1:30 a.m., I was stunned by the splender of my room.

I wasn't sure what to expect, but I didn't expect a glass enclosed bathroom with power blinds, four heavenly pillows, an L-shaped desk (facing the TV!), towels thicker than a Big Mack, and sheets softer than a baby greyhound's behind (don't really know how soft a baby greyhound's behind is, but I thought I would throw in a Moravian College reference!). China has come a very long way since Chairman Mao. It turns out that our hotel was built for Olympic guests.

A travelog would too typical for a blog, so I thought I would let you know some of what I have learned -- as a China visitor and first-time world traveler.

The Chinese are wonderful: tranquil, peaceful, friendly, remarkably slender, and very gracious -- except, as soon as they step on an elevator, they press the "close door" button. Also "waiting your turn" must be a western concept.

With apologies to Frau Ream and Herr Dr. Opperman, who both tried unsuccessfully to teach me German, the importance of language has made a strong impression.

Today at the Forbidden City. We were on free time and I strolled through a little concession stand to see what they had. It was cold and raining, and a young couple was drinking something that looked hot and delicious. I asked them what it was, they smiled looked at me blankly and pointed to the rest room (identified by signs that say clearly "toilet"). We both recognized we were not communicated very well and laughed. I walked on and noticed three girls about 14 years old were sitting nearby and watching. I smiled, waved, they waved back, and I continued to walk on. Suddenly remembering what I learned that morning from our guide, I turned around and said in nearly perfect Mandarin, "Ni Hao", which is "Hello." The girls looked at me startled, starting giggling (like school girls, interestingly enough) and all said "Ni Hao" with huge grins and nodding their heads in approval. Their reaction to my attempt to communicate in their language was a delight....the high point of my day.

As we were leaving the Forbidden City, we were surrounded by street vendors. I really wanted a book that one was selling for $10. She was bugging me like crazy, so I tried the old "Ni Hao" and added "Three dollars." She responded with a surprised grin, she responded with "Ni Hao. Eight dollars." Through perseverance, I got it for $3. I hit her with "Xie Xie" ("Thank you") and she delightedly giggled. It was fun (or maybe I said, "Your mother and the horse washed the sheets").

I won't go into how the Chinese army guard, trying to look ferocious when I took his picture, responded to my "Xie Xie"

All for now -- tomorrow we head east to Shanghai.