Full Moon Over China

Chinese children are beautiful!!

We enjoyed seeing twins as this insured a sibling – not common for most Chinese children.

This little angel was wrapped from head to toe on a cold winter day.  She looked like a giant pink marshmallow.

All their pants have an open crotch.  Though shocking at first, this becomes a common sight.

Even when wearing multiple layers the crotch slit is visible.  In fact, every layer reveals the exposed bottom.   Isn’t the constant breeze a little cool?

Ahh!  Running happily and freely across the town square!

He is casually strolling through town with Dad.

She can run, but she can’t hide.

Peek-a-boo!!

I was taking a photo of this little guy eating his ice cream when suddenly he squatted and the entire scene changed.  There is no ice cream visible now.

Thankfully, this little boy was playing in the “sandbox” because he later used it as such.

Jennifer Sundin, would you like me to send some of these to help economize on diapers?

These brave daddies have nothing between their shirts and the babies’ bare bottoms.

The open crotch is part of Chinese culture.  Apparently toddlers wear diapers at night.  That’s one more good reason to remove your shoes when entering a home.

Those concrete squares must feel mighty cold.  

We could see more than just the writing on the wall at Mount Thai.

The Yangtze River and Three Gorges Dam

Each day was hazy but pleasant.  Every site along the river was spectacular.

The drunken bridge - no one could walk steadily on this swaying thing.

The Shibaozhai Temple.

I climbed every step of the Shibaozhai Temple.  This is the top window. 

A view of the drunken bridge from the top of the pagoda.

The gorges were splendidly beautiful.  I enjoyed my time on the windy deck watching the spectacular scenery and thinking about my brother, Kevin.

The scenery was reminiscent of National Geographic photos.

The boats and oarsmen are waiting to take us to the Shennong Stream.

The oarsmen are local farmers.  The youngest was 50 and the oldest 88.  They were all slender and solid muscle.  The oars are bamboo and the men had quite of system of rowing.  They also enjoyed pulling ahead of every other boat.  The stream wasn’t that wide so the process was entertaining for all.

We went through the five dam locks at night.  My photos were poor so I’ve included a daytime view of the first and second locks.  It takes 30+ minutes to go through a lock.  We only stayed awake for the first one.  At 2:00 AM my body said that was enough.

Three Gorges Dam is behind Rick.  This engineering wonder is the largest dam in the world and still very controversial.

The ship’s deck was always windy but the breathtaking scenes were worth it!!

Chongqing

Chongqing and the surrounding area is the largest metropolitan area in the world.  40 million people live here.  We spent a day in the city before boarding the ship for our cruise on the Yangtze River.

Their noodles are famous.  Believe me, they are delicious!!  It was almost as enjoyable watching the process of making the noodles as it was eating them.  Almost!!

We found this modern looking pagoda in a lovely secluded park near our hotel high above the city.  The view was breathtaking.

The marketplace was one of my favorites in China.  They are pounding a mixture of nuts and dried fruits to make a tasty treat.  This is China’s version of a granola bar.

Cotton candy creation:  I don’t care to eat the sugary stuff but watching them form these gorgeous floral designs was a work of art.

Baskets!  Baskets!  Baskets!

Vendors carried their goods, mothers transported babies, and people loaded their shopping in them.    Baskets were widely used here.  It was a delightful step back in time.

Rick is watching the boats used as restaurants near the shopping district.

Liz Bowler, my dear friend from Hurricane, Utah.  She teaches second grade in Teda.  It was so nice to have her with the BYU teachers.

What a handsome devil!!!

The group of 24 BYU teachers and six other guests finally arrived at the dam museum.  Marvin is our tour guide and friend.  His experience is a story for another day.  The front of the museum is actually in the shape of a dam.

This is the Chongqing opera house seen through polluted air.  It was designed by a German and has endured endless complaints that it resembles a German tank.  I must agree.  However, as the cruise ship passed at night the color changes of the opera house were exciting and entertaining.

Cultural Diversity

          Shandong University has a very nice swimming pool under the stadium.  I try to utilize that facility once a week.  It is Olympic length so I feel like I swim and swim before ever reaching the end of the lane.  The water is cool but clean.  One must shower before entering the pool and then walk through the "foot leaching pool”, that is a six foot long, 8 inch deep pool of ice cold water.  Each end of the long lanes has a plastic lined waste basket.  I question the reason for that until I remember I am in China where everyone spits.

          Throat clearing is a normal, constant sound everywhere here.  It is followed by the glorious reflex of spitting.  I still cringe when I know what is happening.  It is repulsive to me but an exercise practiced by men, women, and children.  Everything out of doors is covered with evidence of hawking.  I marvel at the beautiful track facility covered in phlegm.  The same is true for every sidewalk, step, and the hallways in some buildings.  The gross out factor makes my skin crawl but I am the only one bothered.  This is truly a cultural practice.  Tissues are not necessary as one nostril is covered while blowing the contents of the second.  Then, the reciprocal process occurs.   There is no need for embarrassment or privacy for such actions.  This may be sickening to me but when someone watched me blow my nose, fold the tissue and place it in my pocket I witnessed the disgust on his face.  Why would I save the tissue and its contents as though it were a valuable treasure?  Aha, cultural differences!

          I always believed the Asian custom of removing shoes before entering a home was a sign of respect and courtesy.  I DON’T THINK SO!!!  I now suspect that some brilliant woman in the Ming dynasty convinced the emperor that shoe removal would show such a display when in reality she was trying to keep her home clean and sanitary. 

          That unmistakable throat clearing sound still has me averting my eyes and attempting to cover my ears.  The custom will not change here; I must simply learn to avoid that unpleasant part of a very nice country and its wonderful people.

April 2016