China

My China experience was different from that of many other folks. Many chose to travel in China between Hong Kong and Qingdao (pronounced Chin-dow or ching-dow), visiting Beijing, Shanghai, Xian (home of the terra-cotta soldiers), and other places. Well, I’m not made of money, so I passed on those experiences after my big-ticket safari and Borneo trip. I spent two days in Hong Kong then two days on ship to Qingdao. Those two days were nice, though – about 85 folks on ship, very leisurely, two FANTASTIC dinners (prime rib/cherries jubilee, steak/crème brulee), discount haircuts and massages, no other responsibilities. Now that would be the way to do the whole voyage…..

We arrived in Qingdao, and we ported in an industrial area, something we have become accustomed to. However, this was VERY industrial. We needed to walk about a quarter mile to get out to a street where we could even get a taxi. I think this was the most challenging port language-wise as well. I saw virtually no English on signs (until, are you ready for this, “Wal-Mart”!!) and very few folks spoke any English, far fewer than anywhere else. Then when everything is in characters, it further decreases one’s ability to try to decipher. Folks who took taxis took a copy of the ship’s port location written in characters to show taxi drivers. This produced mixed results – definitely no guarantee of success. We heard similar things from folks who took other trips within China.

I did a day trip which took us to a reflexology school and a traditional Chinese medicine center. Our guide was not very fluent either, so I got more of a visual tour of the city than an informational one. At the reflexology school, all 19 of us were given a reflexology massage. Of course, I was last one in the door and there 18 stations. So they dragged another station in and put it right in the front of the room. Always what I like. Then, I got the instructor. 18 women doing reflexology, and one male….he was providing a running commentary which was “translated” by the guide. I think he said a lot more than we heard. Plus he was sure to be very emphatic about everything he did. So, bottom line, it hurt like hell in some spots! People were laughing at me, because I was sweating! I didn’t want to be too much of a wuss, particularly since getting worked on by the instructor also meant getting your picture taken by the school’s photographer. Don’t mistake reflexology for a soothing foot massage; I was sore for days, plus the sole of my foot was bruised. I just hoped for some overall benefit.

We also visited a traditional Chinese medicine center. I was a bit familiar after working with Esther Stephens (now Cuellar?), Peter’s sister. They demonstrated some acupuncture, cupping, and some very specific massages for problem areas. It’s interesting in and of itself, as well as in the degree to which it is beginning to spread through the Western world. We in Seattle have Bastyr University which I believe offers a master’s in Chinese medicine; the school also widely integrates the separate components into their curriculum.

So that evening was my only chance to get out and have a local dinner, so I ventured forth with Marvel the counselor and Susan, spouse of the faculty member (who could have been one of my students at UT Austin). We barely got to the main street and were trying to hail a taxi when we were intercepted by a woman who spoke some English. Well, my dislike of entanglements and basic “trust no one” attitude would have led me to decline her offers of help, but the other two went with it – not enthusiastically, I must say, but more survivalistically. We were aiming for the Night Market, and she said she would help us get there. She helped us hail a taxi and explained our destination to the driver, then imagine our surprise when she hopped in the taxi with us!

Well, we did make it to the night market. Imagine our surprise again when she hopped out and came with us! See, entanglements. Susan was looking for a Beijing Olympics t-shirt, so this woman took us on a mission to find that. We had also mentioned that we were going to have dinner, and she said she knew a great restaurant. So we walk around looking for this shirt, no luck, and then we are hungry and plan to stop in some place to eat. Every place we look at, she says, “No good! Too expensive!” As we gradually, though quickly in the end, came to figure, she owned a restaurant near where she “ran into” us, and was trying to hustle us to go to her restaurant. We told her that we did not want to go all the way back almost to the ship to eat; for one thing, we had no idea what she was involved with, and secondly, if it didn’t work out, we wouldn’t have a place to eat as there were not any or many restaurants in that area (or we would have started with dinner).

She was getting increasing strident and I at least was getting increasingly determined to eat where we were. So finally we went in a noodle soup place – when we actually ordered and paid, she then got the idea that she was not going to be successful. Susan gave her 10 yuan to get a taxi and go away. Money well spent, we collectively decided. The noodle soup was great, with a side of cabbagey stuff like kim chee, and even a drink for very cheap. We chose the place because it had pictures on its menu – amazing what you can accomplish by pointing. I continued my chopstick practice on the noodles. Mine, however, came with a whole boiled egg, and that I must say thwarted me and my sticks. So I stabbed it.

Very luscious and I had no illness problems, with that or any food in any country. On our way back my companions each bought another giant suitcase in the Night Market to hold all their port loot. We got a taxi back, stuffed it with ourselves and two giant suitcases, and were fortunate that our taxi driver understood the written directions.

The next day, I was just not up to all the challenges, and was not alone in just remaining on the ship, relaxing, catching up, and looking forward to Japan. The Great Wall, Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, and all the rest will have to wait until I can schedule a return visit to China.