China 2007
Beijing is, well, like no other place I've ever visited before. Probably because I have never been to any Asian countries. The part that I enjoyed the post was the visual stimulation that the colors, people, shapes, and sounds.
The view from the seventh (I think) floor was an interesting combination of old traditional buildings and new modern high rises sprinkled with the smog of pollution.
I'm sitting at a very fancy bar with Reena, Jo and Shalini waiting patiently to have our picture taken by Max.
Forbidden City
A market in the hutong - we met some very interesting young ladies selling their goods. They definitely appreciated hard bargaining.
The Summer Palace
The Great Wall - 5 hours later 10 kilometers had taken the breath out of our lungs, dripped our clothes with sweat, and sent pains up and down our legs and tired feet.
The lady on the left was my "guide" along the up and downs of the immense divider between China and her home in inner Mongolia.
My favorite part of Xi'an was the Muslim Quarters.
The Winter Palace
Terracotta Army
The morning after the overnight train ride from Xi'an to Nanjing. Little did my picture partner know about the night before...he kept waking up not knowing that the woman (me) across from his bunk kept pulling on his blanket to stop him from snoring - that's how close I was to him on the third bunk!
Yu yuan: the Garden of Peace and Comfort in Shanghai
At the White Buddha Temple
Shalini and I in Shanghai - it's a modern busy city with more people than I can handle.
Back in the calm of Beijing - after the confusion, overwhelm, and stress of the other packed busy cities in China the overcrowding of the capital is a little different. I think that vendors were less aggressive and there was more of a sense of community and calm. I still don't know where the sense of familiarity comes from, maybe the fact that Max and Jo afforded their house, their favorites places to eat and drink, and the good company of their friends might have helped. Ok, almost all good company - there was an interesting foreigner (as if I was a local there) who had a strong perspective about the "fagots" of Miami. You might think that this was a bad situation, but I smiled as a "good" lesbian and made him look like a jackass by refusing to sucome to his power game.
The 798 District inspired all of us to take very artistic photos. It also contorted Max and I into interesting positions!
Until next time China. My destination will be the country side.
The view from the seventh (I think) floor was an interesting combination of old traditional buildings and new modern high rises sprinkled with the smog of pollution.
I'm sitting at a very fancy bar with Reena, Jo and Shalini waiting patiently to have our picture taken by Max.
Forbidden City
A market in the hutong - we met some very interesting young ladies selling their goods. They definitely appreciated hard bargaining.
The Summer Palace
The Great Wall - 5 hours later 10 kilometers had taken the breath out of our lungs, dripped our clothes with sweat, and sent pains up and down our legs and tired feet.
The lady on the left was my "guide" along the up and downs of the immense divider between China and her home in inner Mongolia.
My favorite part of Xi'an was the Muslim Quarters.
The Winter Palace
Terracotta Army
The morning after the overnight train ride from Xi'an to Nanjing. Little did my picture partner know about the night before...he kept waking up not knowing that the woman (me) across from his bunk kept pulling on his blanket to stop him from snoring - that's how close I was to him on the third bunk!
Yu yuan: the Garden of Peace and Comfort in Shanghai
At the White Buddha Temple
Shalini and I in Shanghai - it's a modern busy city with more people than I can handle.
Back in the calm of Beijing - after the confusion, overwhelm, and stress of the other packed busy cities in China the overcrowding of the capital is a little different. I think that vendors were less aggressive and there was more of a sense of community and calm. I still don't know where the sense of familiarity comes from, maybe the fact that Max and Jo afforded their house, their favorites places to eat and drink, and the good company of their friends might have helped. Ok, almost all good company - there was an interesting foreigner (as if I was a local there) who had a strong perspective about the "fagots" of Miami. You might think that this was a bad situation, but I smiled as a "good" lesbian and made him look like a jackass by refusing to sucome to his power game.
The 798 District inspired all of us to take very artistic photos. It also contorted Max and I into interesting positions!
Until next time China. My destination will be the country side.
posted by lu at 8:09 PM
1 comments
