And Other Adventures of a Family's Travels
The pick-up truck bounced along the dirt road through the Thailand countryside. Riding open air in the bed of the pickup truck, we had a 360-degree view of the forest we were entering. The towering cliffs rose above the dense foliage. The sun was hot. As the truck slowed down we felt the heat envelope us and we missed the cool air of the highway breeze. Rubber trees lined either side of the road, their sticky sap pooling into misshapen balls ready to harvest.
Though our tiny bungalow and its secluded beach gave us little reason to want to leave (unless we thought about scorpions under the bed) we were in southern Thailand so many stunning beaches, remarkable coves, and remote tropical islands called to us. We had to listen.
If you haven’t done so in a while, look at a map and notice how big Asia is. Flying across it takes some time. Budget friendly fares also mean that often long layovers are part of the experience. Sometimes, just like our family’s favorite travel celebrity Anthony Bourdain advises, layovers can be great excuses to see someplace that may not have been on your original itinerary. Sometimes they become beautiful memories.
Travel is at its best and worst an adventure. It’s also hard work. Recently, we went to the largest Starbucks in the entire world (which opened in Shanghai in December) and two taxi drivers, a passerby, and Google Maps didn’t know where it was, yet it was right off a major metro stop. This Starbucks is practically the size of a convention center and hard to miss. It took us 90 minutes, rain-soaked shoes, and standing in line before we finally enjoyed our espresso in the grandest Starbucks of all.
I don’t know if it exists, but one could construct a tour of China that parallels much of the dramatic story lines and characters found within The Game of Thrones. Dragons, dynastic power struggles, court intrigue, bloody conquests – you don’t have to look far to see the themes of the popular drama in Chinese history. Our recent trip to Suzhou also reflected this with visits to ancient operas about star crossed lovers, walled cities with moats, and thousand year old temples.
Though expectations of Chinese New Year are in the air– the traditional lunar new year celebrated on February 16 – there was a pause to recognize the arrival of 2018. Like every other city in the world, Shanghai sparkles with cocktails and other nightlife festivities for New Years Eve. Seeking a family oriented event, we learned about an opportunity in nearby Suzhou to (literally) ring in 2018 to the sounds of 108 chimes of a massive temple bell. With train tickets purchased and overnight bags packed, the four of us headed out to Suzhou.
“In China we say that the mother of tea is water and the father the teapot” she explained “for both can change the nature of the tea.” With this she selected a clear glass teapot and carefully placed a small bundle of dried tea at the bottom. After brewing the water to a precise temperature with quick flicks of her electric cook stove, she tested the water’s temperature by pouring it over a clay dragon. When the water hit the dragon, it changed from a dull brown to a vivid jade green.
An hour away from Shanghai by speed train sits Hangzhou, a city praised by poets, exalted by ancient journeyers, and revered by local citizens and expats alike. Seeking rejuvenation in open spaces and natural beauty, our family visited Hanghzhou (pronounced hahng joe) recently. Luckily for us, the praise the garden city has received for some 1,000 years has been justified. It is truly splendid.
Last month, as part of our Golden Week vacation, we spent 3 days in Chongqing. Chongqing (pronounced chong ching) is a large city in southwestern China that sits on the Yangtze River at its confluence with the Jialing River. The city, with a distinctly gritty and industrial feel, is a stark departure from the tranquil and rural Yangtze River. You immediately sense that this is a rugged and local working city that contrasts with the commerce and globally influenced financial metropolis of Shanghai. The smells, the sprawling concrete jungle haze, and the experiential knowledge that you should never wear open toed shoes while walking the streets here, are just a few of the things that our family will remember from this city.
The Yangtze River Part III Writing to My Wife at a Rainy Night – Li Shang-yin (773-842/Tang Dynasty) I cannot fortell when to leave Mount Ba for our reunion, So far the Autumn Lake is rising with the night rain. I don’t know when to light off our wedding candle again, We’ll recall what happened tonight with the rainy mountain. The mist and rain continued with our voyage along the Yangtze. Each day brought new experiences both on and off ship and kept calling to…Continue Reading “Shennong and Shiboazhi”