China

  Beijing, China
Saturday, July 21, 2007

I've always been intrigued by China, such a huge country, with so many World Heritage Sites...

Forbidden City- Entrance

When I found someone who was willing to go explore it with me, I didn't hesitate to buy tickets.  Joss and I prepped a lot for our trip, reading numerous websites, blogs, and sections of my travel guide.  We had our itinerary planned, all of our travel connections booked, our hotels/hostels arranged- and our bags packed.      We thought we were ready.

Oh were we ever wrong.  I'm not sure that anyone could every REALLY be ready for China.  I don't know how to put it into words, but it wasn't what I expected.  It wasn't like any of my other travels in Asia, and it was definitely not like Japan.  I think had I come from the U.S. to visit China, I might not have been so shocked- but since I came from Japan, everything was so much more intense.  Japan and China, though both Asian countries, are actually quite opposites.  Japanese food focuses on the basics, keeps dishes separate, and goes easy on the sauce and spices.  Chinese food likes to throw everything together, and load it down with flavors.  Japanese tea is bland, while Chinese tea has a rich flavor and is often loaded with sugar.  Japanese people tend to be more shy, like to keep to themselves, refrain from being noisy, and are generally very neat and tidy.  Chinese people on the other hand, tend to be more boisterous and forward, loud in public places, and leave the dinner table (and floor) cluttered with bones, shells, and what not after each meal.  [**Please understand that of course the above are all generalizations, and not every single Chinese person or Japanese person fits directly into these categories.]  All of these differences shocked me.  People spitting on my feet, babies with holes in their pants (instead of diapers), men with their shirts rolled up to their chests: Everything shocked me.

Don't make me go out there!

It has taken me so long to write about this experience, simply because I don't know what to say.  In Kobe, we joke too much about all the horrible things that happened to us in China, and we talk only about the bad things.  I don't want to write an entry only complaining about a country that many people I know have never been to, that's not a good first impression.  But, I don't wanna lie either.  Since I'm still unable to capture my experience in China into words, I've taken the time to add stories to the pictures that I've uploaded.  [**To view these stories, simply click on the pictures, or the titles below the pictures.]

Forbidden City- Selling Olympic Souveniers

As they say, "pictures speak a thousand words."  Seeing my pictures, many memories come to mind.  In addition to my series of picture stories, I've added amusing tales of the things that still remain memorable to me, instead of a day by day run through of my trip.  I hope this helps to give you insight into some of the grander moments that I had in China, instead of me just lamenting on the negative aspects that I recall. 

Please keep in mind that traveling is always different.  You could go to China today and have an entirely uplifting experience, in fact- I'm sure there were people in China at the same time as us who were having the time of their lives!