Catch Up

Last night i slept like a log for 10 hours. I needed it.
The 3 nights b4 then i had only a few hours sleep each night, being on the super-fast train from Beijing, getting up at 4am for my flight, then making the most of one night in HK b4 getting up early to collect my spanking new visa. And in the 36 hours b4 that 10 hour sleep i'd taken 2 international flights, 5 taxi trips, 2 airport express trains and half a dozen subway rides, not to mention spending 5 hours walking the streets of Hong Kong, mostly in pouring rain...
I'd been to Hong Kong for a visa trip, arranged through the company EF. Fortunately this big company had arranged for a luxury room at a hotel on HK island, where we were treated like VIPs (in that room relaxing was where i spent the rest of my time, i can't see how one man can need 2 x big screen TVs....?). It was my first trip outside of the Chinese mainland 10 months, and it was refreshing. The difference with the mainland could be felt on the streets, and i don't think it was just a difference of prosperity. The people had a relaxed feeling about them on the streets, in the subways, it just felt more open, more accepting, less dark and suspicious...
This trip also marked my changeover from the business F visa that i'd been working on as an AYAD volunteer in jiuzhaigou to now be using the Z (working) visa which can be hard to comeby... Only companies and institutions like EF which have some 'guanxi' with the authorities are able overcome the stricter interpretations to get working visa for their employees. As i've said before, the rule of law is still getting established in China. Thank the heavens, at least it's on the way.

But of course, this is a 'ecotourism' blog, so i will end this diversion and get back to explaining about the last days of my time at the beautiful Jiuzhaigou national park...
looking back, it's been a long time since i posted and alot happened at the park during my last month and a half. Most significant was a meeting with the park directors and several vice directors and other observers, which i had approached the director to arrange as a way of discussing important issues such as the AYAD- JZG NP relationship and future Ecotourism plans.
After this meeting, we were allocated some full-time staff for our ecotourism projects, and a few days later set off on the long-awaited survey expedition around the sacred zhayizhaga mountain which i envisioned could be the centrepiece of the ecotourism marketing at Jiuzhaigou. During the expedition, our local guide was a former hunter, perhaps it was thanks to him and his associates that we saw little wildlife along the route. They also liked to tear down trees to light fires for every meal, going totally against the park regulations. But these are the local people, the guide also being a local village leader, and they must be respected and reasoned with.
We also encountered illegal medicine hunters on the journey, many of their makeshift huts and platforms, the remains of a dead pheasant (supposedly a protected species) near one of their cooking fires. So there is a long way to go for Jiuzhaigou. After this survey, our subsequent work has led to this route being opened up to tourists- which should discourage medicine hunters and poachers, while we are of course encouraging the awareness of tourists and their participation in conservation activities.
So- tell your friends and relatives- Go to Jiuzhaigou for an amazing ecotourism adventure! if you can manage a uphill hike, all kinds of plants, animals, mountain views, Tibetan shrines, waterfalls and rocky peaks await exploration!
marketing BS aside, the variety of quality of sights and activities has gotta put Zharu Valley up there with some of the best eco-adventures in Asia. I've done enough of them, i ought to be able to say that.

So my last weeks at the national park were spent reviewing our mountain survey and making plans for the opening up to tourists. I've written an around mountain guidebook, which while writing i learnt alot about plants and animals...
I took another trip down to Chengdu where i did a health check, visited the ancient irrigation systems of dujiangyan and an old village of huanlongxi before returning in time for my parents visit... The old road, shorter distance but longer time, past songpan and maoxian, beichuan (heart of the earthquake zone) had opened up again, still in a shocking state of repair and it was this route that the bus took on my way up and down. It took 8 hours to complete the middle stretch of 200kms from songpan to just before dujiangyan, but it could get worse, as we were to see later...
So, in early July, my parents, aunty and uncle came to Jiuzhaigou and enjoyed a couple of days complimentary touring inside the park and viewed the Tibetan Zang Mii opera, before we all departed together in a 'bread van' for the long drive back to chengdu along the earthquake route. Beichuan and maoxian were 2 of the 3 counties most devastatingly hit by the may 12 2008 earthquake, with almost 30,000 people perishing in Beichuan county alone. So it was fairly sobering to see the cracked walls, collapsed, pockmarked and tilting buildings which still littered the landscape. Landslides covered the old highway on the other side of the valley, while our driver reminded us that many vehicles and their occupants remained buried underneath. At one stage on the trip, we were stuck for 2 hours at a traffic jam as 2 lines of vehicles jostled to be first through the one remaining lane, their impatience producing the inevitable gridlock, with hundreds, probably thousands of vehicles lining the valley trying to spot a way through. It took frantic traffic police a long long time to untangle that mess of 4 lanes (2 each way- including overtakers) to wait their turn and squeeze through the one lane remaining. Eventually flow was resumed, but we arrived in Chengdu in the evening and exhausted.
Taking the train to Chongqing the next day, we boarded a luxury cruise ship for the 3-day journey down the yangzte river to the 3 gorges dam. The comfortable ship, designed for wealthy middle-aged elderly americans, was hardly an authentic cultural experience. However, we got to see the steep-sided gorges along the way and stop at a couple of temples while spending plenty of time relaxing in our air-con cabins along the way. One of the temples we visited (the city which had been beneath it was submerged and had now been moved across-river) was known as the 'gates of hell', so we could, while walking through its various gates and hallways, simulate facing demons in the moments after death....good practice i suppose... lol. Another time smaller boats took us up one of the smaller gorges where we saw monkeys scrambling around on the steep-sided and lushly forested gorge walls that surrounded us.
Seeing the dam itself was also an experience, the massive walls a proud symbol of China's development, while the ships guide was anxious to defend the dam and promote China as a friend to the world. The whitewash was too much though, and i had to question some of is nationalistic assertions in the open Q & A session we were invited to. The whole experience was something like that you might imagine after seeing the documentary movie 'up the yangzte'. One of the boat staff who i shared a taxi with to the bus station proudly stated, 'yeah, my boyfriend is a movie star' lol. It was the same girl who had encouraged me to take a 3- bed cabin with my parents because i might have to share with a local person in a 2-bed cabin... The way she said 'local' was so derogatory that i let her have it- saying 'i like the local people!' feeling fire boiling in my eyes... As it turned out i was on my own in comfort...
At the dam, i parted with the family and took an alternate route, via buses to Wuhan, then a train that night (after surveying the town by public bus) to Zhengzhou, and on from Zhengzhou by another train to Luoyang- site of the famous Longmen Buddhist grottoes which i had been long hoping to visit.
The grottoes were no disappointment, thousands of holes dotting cliff-side of the curving river outside the town. This site pre-dated the Dazu caves in Chongqing which i visited (and wrote about) a few months earlier, and seemed to retain more simple majesty in the Buddha carvings. Buddha with his various associates and retinue as mythologized in mahayana buddhism were all featured here, a place that was designed to inspire faith and humility among pilgrims who would gawk at the massive size, scale and transcendent beauty of the carvings. Another site i visted near Luoyang was the White Horse Temple, supposedly the oldest Buddhist temple in China, dating from the 2nd century AD. Its spacious grounds were leafy and attractive, numerous halls housing various blessing and protective deities, arranged in a line one after behind the next in the typical chinese pattern (much like the forbidden city). Outside the main grounds was a newly built replica of the oldest Buddhist temple in the world, the stupa at Sanchi (read about it in my India blog), with one of its famous tora- gateways topping the entrance. This struck me as a hopeful sign of Sino-Indian co-operation and understanding re. this essential cultural and historical characteristic that these 2 great developing nations both share- Buddhism.
Next up was Pingyao, bball coaching, new friends and sightseeing in Beijing, climbing sacred Taishan, English teaching job hunting and finally my trip to Shanghai. This one is getting a bit long so i'll take a break and update u on all those things in the next entry
PEACE OUT

6th June 2009

6th June 2009- keep it short today...
So here I am in Jiuzhaigou, China- and what has become of me? you might ask. Well, blogger has been blocked and i've just discovered this creative way to subvert the restriction...
Life goes on here, busy and yet kind of boring too, as I let the days drift by.
These recent few days have passed some important dates; yesterday world environment day, the day before that, the 20th anniversary of the Tiananmen square massacre.
Now it’s getting towards the end of my tenure here at Jiuzhaigou national park, and my fading time remaining here, combined with the meaning behind these events, leads me to ponder what my presence here is all about.
Is it about finding ways to overcome centuries of cultural conditioning, where the wilderness is seen as best tamed, to instead inspire a conservation ethic and love of undisturbed nature? Is it about trying to institute a style of tourism that depends in it’s management on a genuine passion for conserving nature and it’s treasures, when the management here states plainly and simply that their only motivation is money?
Can these dilemmas be reconciled? Slowly, slowly it must be possible, but my time here is relatively short, so what can be done? Will I be here long enough to see the rewards?

Or could it be that what I need to do is to show fearlessness toward the powers that be and confront uncomfortable history, to encourage people here, in this conservative corner of China where the party still rules and leaders go unquestioned, to see beyond the limits of their existence, to stand up and be counted as those students in the square tried to do just over 20 years ago?

Or perhaps, as I am beginning to sense, I should let go of these hopeful ambitions and simply feel unburdened, taking the chance to enjoy myself, while using my staff entrance pass to explore the beautiful environment here, As such, I could let go of my attachment to these grand selfless ambitions, focussing instead on the smaller picture of building relationships and friendships as most people do in this guanxi driven culture. But this seems hardly satisfying, hardly meaningful, and narrowing my perspective as such would even seem to detract from my very sense of manhood.

Having said such things, don't let cynicism drag u down dear friends. There is always hope, and hope itself is as powerful as realism is in the path to success
:) :) :)

Sichuan spice queens and Tibetan goddesses

Numerous people i have met, upon hearing of my age, have told me they think its about time i got married.... Is it really so.... about to hit 25.... surely i have a few more years of freedom up my sleeve. Or should i just submit now and accept the inevitable, making a careful choice while i still have time. And this question naturally brings me to consider, what do i think of these Chinese women???
Apart from those westerners (usually women) who jokingly accuse me of having 'yellow fever', everyday events (like the wedding of my sister!) are leading me to confront this awkward question- So, what kind of women do i like? This dilemma occurs to me in different ways- e.g. - do i like assertive/confident women, shy/submissive women, intelligent or innocent women? Living in Sichuan, a man is naturally forced to consider his attitude towards the local female fare-famously known as 'lameizi' or 'spice girls' and in high demand throughout the country. They are more assertive, stronger-willed and will take the lead in family affairs- even physically discipline their husbands. As such, Sichuanese men, the counterpart of 'lameizi' are known as 'paerduo' or 'soft ears' for their submissiveness. So you can see the diversity that puts some stereotypes of Chinese women to bed. According to Chin-Ning Chiu, an ancient, famous book in China known as black heart goes so far as to equate fear of one's wife with ability to achieve success... Worth thinking about at least! But it could be made up...

However, experience inevitably reveals the futility of such generalizations as bunching women's supposed characteristics into a geographic group. Oh no. Just ask any woman. It's simply not the case! Actually the diversity of feminine characters in Sichuan is roughly the province's population divided by 2...

Anyway, getting back to the point, It is lonely for a young guy like me, up in the mountains, amongst a conservative culture. It's too great a risk for most young women here to consider a relationship with a temporary-resident foreigner. They would be permanently labeled.
For several weeks, hesitant glances through shiny plateau eyelashes was all i managed to receive from local women. Visiting tour guides were more forthcoming...
At one stage, early on, i debated the conservatism of local male-female relationships with a pretty young female colleague at work- who insisted that the locals are not conservative- while i insisted that they are! Later i attended her wedding (seemed like a vindication) :) Perhaps it was partly that i didn't want to become an agent for western-style sexual proclivities...
One pretty local Tibetan lady and colleague whom it turned out (after she arrived outside my apartment drunk one night) was willing to have a relationship, was married already!
A particularly beautiful, and well-traveled local woman who i came to know through a friend was very outspoken when it came to the loss of her native culture. This put her at odds with the style of development sought by the national park hierarchy. While sympathetic, i could only give her some tips toward the guesthouse she plans to open. Her aggressive mentality just seemed a little out of touch with the mainstream sentiment for peaceful development, meanwhile, my relatively pacific attitude to her perceived enemies disappointed her, and limited my romantic appeal. Perhaps her time could come- in case of instability, characters like her would gain more traction.

The problem of prostitution in the park- Chinese men wanting to have a taste of local 'plateau-red' women and being willing to pay a high price for it- is known of but rarely discussed. Tibetan culture does, even from the view of China's mainstream, have a sense of inviolable mystery. So for a Han Chinese- what better way to experience this than to 'experience' a Tibetan woman for yourself? Ironic then that by experiencing it they are in some way destroying it!

A large portion of the Tibetan girls in the Jiuzhaigou area are employed as waitresses and entertainers- serving food, singing, dancing, and ritually drinking wine with tourists. This is even portrayed by authorities as a way of preserving culture by sharing it. But when judgment is clouded by a heady mix of alcohol, lust and cash on offer, the sanctity of a women's physical affections may too often be forgotten. This all too common process of Han-Chinese men forcefully seducing Tibetan women tourist workers with wealth is a potent allegory of the Han-Chinese globally-integrated cash economy coming to 'dominate' traditional Tibetan life right across the plateau. Perhaps that's why it's not often talked-about.

But speculations aside, it has been an interesting journey of discovery of male-female relations in different cultures. Not to mention the relentless pressure of social change and temptations of the cash economy. Personally, I could have had more 'success' with women had i fully overcome my own inhibitions, but some inhibitions are best left undisturbed. They make us who we are.

3 weeks on the orad- Emei, heaven and a stream of conciousness

Hey peoples!
Be warned:
This is a long post and may read like a diary of events- scroll down if it gets boring! theres lots to say coz I had a busy few weeks on the road, i hope some of the stories and descriptions have appeal. CHEERS
On the 7th of April 2009, after only a couple of hours sleep, i packed a small backpack, pedalled down to the bus station in the cool dawn air and jammed my two-wheeled companion under the bus, to begin a 3-week follow-my nose journey to some of the most interesting and amazing parts of Sichuan and South West China. The weather had yet to fully warm up, so i had decided to go south towards the equator and warmer days. As it was, the 2 sets of thermals, 2 woolen jumpers and two jackets that i took with me out of a fear of cold i developed during a winter in Jiuzhaigou were hardly necessary...
The roadworks along the road back to Chengdu were a drag- it seems they were simply digging up the bitumen without building anything in its place, creating oceans of mud... However, we still made it to Chengdu in just over the regular 10 hours. Once in this city, my urban base, i wanted to explore a coule of top-class museums to get more background on this province where i am living and the foundations of its proud cultural identity. So i spent a day at Sanxingdui and another at Jinsha museums, and though their top-class exhibits were matched by top-class entrance fees (80 CNY a head- whats the use of history if the government can't make a profit from it...?), i think it was worth the effort. On the first day at Sanxingdui i was accompanied by 2 AYAD friends from Chengdu, Rachel & Prashan on thir first visit to the site, 40kms north of Chengdu, 1.5 hours by public bus. This archaeological site, only discovered in the late 1980's is disconnected in chronology and artistic styles from the other well-known ancient Chinese cultures of its time. The ancient Shu culture of Sichuan is distinct and spans a period of several thousand years BC, before becoming more integrated into mainstream Chinese culture during later dynasties. Thus the intense regional pride of Sichuanese people and culture.
The ancient Shu were well advanced in bronze-making, ceramics, weaponry, and ritual objects such as masks, jade weapons, wine vessels and sceptres were prominent features of the museums collection. As a famous commentary from the spring and autumn period, quoted in the museum says- "The most important affairs of State are Ritual and War". Star attractions in the halls included ritual trees, made of bronze, several metres high and intricately designed, with one tree known as the 'sacred tree', with birds symbolizing heaven perched on every branch, and another known as the 'money tree', with coins growing profusely from each branch. A distinct international flavour of the display was given by visual comparisons with similar ritual objects from other places around the world, such as ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, Greece & Rome- apparently these cultures revered trees of similar shape and design in their ceremonies too. Once again i was struck by the synchronicity of human cultures around the world even in ancient times when communication between far lands was severely limited. Despite these divisions, ancient symbols and cosmology of all the worlds peoples bears remarkable common features, and it has been revealed too that major advancements in agriculture and technology of vastly separated cultures have occured with great synchronicity since neolithic times as well. So it seems to me that we are all connected on some non-physical plane where thoughts and dreams interact.
Staying with my AYAD friend Rachel for a couple of nights, i got a feeling for the Chengdu lifestyle which Rachel had grown to love, by walking around her apartment building, feeling the relaxed and charming sense of community in the public spaces, parks, gardens and tree-lined streets.
The visit to Jinsha museum the next day was also fun, well-designed and interactive, i wandered around the large grounds and buildings on a rare day of bright sunshine, dodging and greeting school groups who giggled at the foreigner. The culture of Jinsha, the capital of the Shu kingdom following the abandonment of Sanxingdui in around 1000BC, while inheriting some of the artistic styles and symbols of sanxingdui, is more closely related to the conventional ancient Chinese culture of the Yellow river valley and Yangzte river delta. Located in suburban Chengdu- it provides support for the claim that Chengdu is a city of 3000 year antiquity. In any case, the geography of rivers and plains, lush forest and mountains of the Sichuan basin obviously provided rich resources for the development of ancient societies here. Large hoardings of elephant tusks and other animal bones, found both here and at Sanxingdui, illustrate the many kinds of animal life that once were profilic here.
The weather turned bad with rainstorms in Chengdu, hardly complimenting my plans to explore the city my bicycle, so instead i jumped on an early afternoon bus to Leshan, about 200kms south. Here, at least, the rain was holding off, and i found my way from the station and negotiated some stubborn hotel reception staff for a comfortable room in the centre of town @ 80cny. Pedalled through the hilly streets in the evening, ate a $1 dinner of egg fried rice, teaching English to the son of another patron who was anxious to see her son learn and practice, then found a student-filled web cafe where young girls laughed and giggled at me- maybe i looked bedraggled...
The next morning i rode across the river and 2km downstream to the large, forested park of temples, peaks, paths, streams and caves that contains the Leshan Dafo- the world's largest stone buddha statue. After dodging hawkers who were trying to charge me an exhorbitant price to watch over my parked bicycle, i headed inside, taking my time to absorb some of the other sights and soak in the atmosphere before joining the crowds to line up to see the giant buddha up-close. The park is large and it was easy to find peace and quiet away from the tour groups among bamboo groves and leafy trails. I even found a temple pavilion overlooking the Buddha's head and the city where i was able to practice meditation for a few undisturbed minutes, before i finally headed down towards the 'flying path'- the steep trail that winds down beside the buddha from head level to his feet. I remonstrated with a Chinese man who threw a plastic bottle into the trees (when a bin was right beside him) by saying to him 'baohu huanjing' which means protect the environment. Being looked down upon by a young foreigner clearly upset this solidly built middle-aged guy, but he took the option to befriend me instead, which was probably just as well as we still had alot of slow close-quarters shuffling to do to get down the steps amongst the crowd.
The Buddha was awesome, the simple scale of it being mind-boggling. Over 70m high, 6m long fingers, and each toenail could fit 5 people on it comfortably. His posture was stern though, rather than meditative, but the typically Buddha statuesque, serene look of knowing and calm was still present in his face. I paid my respects at the base of the statue, peering up to the head that looked small being so far distant, before taking some generous moments to soak in the scene and revel in the experience of being at such a remarkable place, perhaps a rival to the pyramids of Egypt. Taking the scenic route back to the hilltop, i took time to enjoy some of the more quiet gardens and temples in the park, mulling over Chinese Characters displayed on rock faces and studying cosmic Taoist maps of dragons and phoenix's, before taking my leave and cycling back to town. In town i met with a friend who had become my online Chinese teacher, and we wandered along the river beside her university amongst the crowds of young student couples and elderly folk. The young girl laughed gaily as i gave her a piggy-back at full sprint, but before long her mother called her from a faraway city to remind her it was time to go back to her dormitory. Momentarily we joined in with the crowds doing classical dancing in unison in the public square. However my unadjusted gait disturbed the communal synchronicity of the Chinese crowd, and soon it was time to move on.
The following day, after a pleasant sleep-in, i got the map of Leshan i had bought for $1 out, and prepared to give my bicycle some good use by riding across to Emei Shan. I had heard it was not too far, only 40mins by bus, so perhaps a couple of hours by bike. It took 2.5 hours to ride the 45kms, going slightly uphill along a dual carriage motorway with cycle lane almost the whole way. I thought my planner mother would be impressed by the convenient cycle-lanes and the neat row of plants separating them from the heavy traffic. Hopefully those plants did my lungs a favour too by sucking some chemicals out of all the exhaust fumes. The scenery was nice too, green and tropical countryside, alot of vegetation and various kinds of local agriculture, beekeeping, fruits, even a eucalypt plantation (felt like back home!). The main town i passed en route was getting a dose of greenery too, with hundreds of large leafy plants being buried in holes smashed in the cement sidewalks the length of the town. Maybe they were becoming self-concious of the attention of the many foreigners passing on the bus between the two most famous tourist sites in Sichuan.
In Emei town, a few km's from the mountain, i parked my bike (with gear and no lock!) outside the Dafo temple, a newly restored and expanded temple which is a prerequisite to visit for Buddhist pilgrims making the journey up the sacred Shan. It was beautiful inside, and no entrance fee as it was still partly under construction. It was a nervous few minutes inside as i was anxious to get back to my loaded bike (i've had 4 bicycles stolen in China!)...
In Baoguo Si, the start point for the trek, i found a hostel lodge to stash my bike in, grabbed a bite to eat, and, after visting a temple and a museum to get an intro to the mountains long history of significance in different religions and Chinese dynasties (It's even the invention-point of monkey-style kung fu!) started the long climb. 20mins up the hill, i paid my 150cny and got my photo taken for the entrance ticket, being followed by a persistent local hawker wanting to arrange my accommodation for the night. I was starting late and the only other hikers i saw were coming down, i knew it would be a long climb up to the summit the next day and i had to get as far as i could the first day. The path was up, but not too steep, through pine forests and passing some farmers homes and a graceful wooden temple. Then the path went down to a fork over a stream at Qingyin Pavilion, where a lady almost persuaded me to stay for the night, but i decided to go further instead, pushing on up a never-ending staircase to Wannian Si, a temple 300m higher in altitute (at 1020m) , which tured out to be the oldest and most important temple on the mountain. On the way, i met a creative art student and her friends we chatted for a while in Chinese, before parting, they were here to gain inspiration from the landscape. At the temple, i had some trouble arranging accomodation, as the manager tried to insist (on the basis of greed alone) that as a foreigner i must stay in the much more expensive rooms. His straight-faced lies lies about the cheaper rooms being full had me incensed, and i made it clear to him and other staff that i didn't expect such dirty tactics inside a temple. So that left a little sour taste in my mouth, but that is just exemplary of the 'de-spiritualisation' of the whole mountain that had occured under a communist government. For example, most of the temples on the mountain had been destroyed during the Cultural Revolution, and the most famous ancient statute, of a Buddha sitting on an elephant, made of solid bronze more than 1000 years previously, had been melted down for scrap. More terrible cultural crimes for which Mao Zedong must be held to account. A poignant quote was found in the museum at the end of my trek, showing the subservient role Buddhism now has (though no longer being physically under attack) in relation to Socialism in modern China. In the morning i awoke to crowds of chattering tourists outside, by 8am the temple is a hive of activity, full of tour groups and day trippers who come up by cable car from the main road for a different kind of experience to the challenging journey i was seeking. Staff at the temple showed me the short-cut route out of there and so i started the long walk. Up and steady up the way was, the strange-shaped mountains living-up to the 'fairyland' label, winding, twisting and turning, sheer cliffs, jagged stones, the path sometimes leading down to join sections of tapering rugged hillsides, all leaning and leading in subsidiary formation to the greater Emei mountain with it's golden stupa which i could glimpse faintly through the mists far above. I had a very long walk ahead of me. The solid stones beneath my feet, with their hand-hewn appearance and flourescent carpet of green moss had a sense of deep history. These paths on this mountain famous throughout the history of Buddhism and Taoism have been walked by many searchers and seekers, whose past experiences and discoveries have left a deep legacy of wisdom, guidance to the way for us later walkers to follow...
Some people i met along the way were inspirational too. A group of old ladies from faraway Hunan, wearing simple clothes and carrying their belongings in a bundle, showed great care and compassion towards me, a young foreign stranger, and their determination to hike all the way up the mountain despite their age was truly admirable. Other journeyers shared their glint in the eye, pilgrims they were, and smiled gently as we passed, putting their hands together to say 'emituofo'.
Passing numerous temple-rest points along the way, watching the vegetation change from lush forest to alpine woods and meadows, admiring multicolored flowers, hearing many birds sing, and viewing vast distances of mountains, forest and plains, it was a truly varied, interesting and thoroughly enjoyable, if endurance-testing trek up the mountain. In some places sheer cliffs dropped hundreds of metres on the sides of the path, and nearing the summit, troupes of sturdy-looking Tibetan macaques roamed, harassing tourists for food and drink, the shop owners all carrying large sticks, oft-required to keep the primates at bay. One of the braver monkeys marched up in front of me, grabbing onto my trousers and reaching for the water bottle held in my hand, but he soon desisted when i calmly refused to relinquish the bottle and held up the other hand threatening to strike.
By time i was approaching the golden summit in the early evening the gain altitude gain was more than 2000m over the day, and though my legs were a little wobbly, i was strong and my clear mind was determined to soak in the views and enjoy the achievement. I explored the group of monuments at the top of the mountain, a golden tower of Samantadbhadra Buddha, a silver monastery and large golden meditation hall with giant Buddha statues. Inside the tower, a hypnotic, rythmic tune bathed the circular prayer hall with a spiritual buzz, this was the right place for meditation. With smooth-faced monks and a peaceful atmosphere, i felt i had at-last found a place of appropriate sacredness outside the pervading tourism business and socialist dogmas on the mountain. Finding accommodation on the summit so i could view the sunrise from there the following morning was not so easy, with no monastery options, all other accom was overpriced, and i had to complain before they allowed me to wash my filthy body with cold water in the staff showeroom. It was very chilly the following morning-below zero (the only time during my 3 week trip that i used the beanie and gloves lugged with me), as i took a position on the railing overlooking the endless mists, amongst several hundred other tourists, feint lights of baguo si far below. The sunrise was beautiful, though perhaps not the unmissable treasure of the mountain it is said to be. In the other direction, the highest mountain in Sichuan, Mt Gongga at over 7000m, was visible as an ice-covered pyramid, amongst many smaller mountains lining the horizon towards Tibet, glowing under the suns first rays.
I bumped into my arts student friend on the summit, and she and her friend decided they would accompany me on the long trek down the mountain. Very few Chinese take the route up by foot (making the trails pleasantly quiet most of the time), and I warned these girls it was a long way, but these slight little ladies who were unused to strenuous exercise didn't know what they were in for...
By the time we had reached about halfway down, just after taking a turn to follow an alternative route from the way i had taken up, one of these girls was completely exhausted (to the point of crying out for her mother!). So i gave them my map and indicated them towards the nearest cable car station along the other route. Just below here, the path, snaking around the base of a sheer cliff went through a rich, moist and shady zone of great vegetative diversity, waterfalls, orchids, carnivorous plants, ferns and colourful flowers- stunning natural scenery, known as 'the flower kingdom', before arriving at Xianfeng temple. At this picturesque wooden temple, situated amongst tall trees and surrounded by a series of stone platforms, i took a side-trip to a cave buried in the mountain. Passing workmen along the way, in the deep unlit cave i kept going down the stepped path for 200m by the light of my camera flash unlit i reached the shrine of a famous folk-god, riding on a tiger and holding a golden sceptre.
From here the path went down and down, vegetation changing again, strange geological formations around me, passing another temple, Hongchun, where i met with an Intrepid group staying there for the night. I would have stopped to tell their leader they should be coming to Jiuzhaigou, but it was only 1 hour or more till sunset with 15+kms to go to. A couple of European backpacker girls were in a rush too, and as they were passing me hurriedly, were attacked by a group of troupe of growling Tibetan macaques. I'd heard about the dangers of Emei monkeys from friends, but hadn't expected this. Surrounding the girls, jumping on them grabbing, biting their arms and legs, these brutal beasts scared the life out of the poor unexpecting girls. Just as we passed one group, another troupe attacked. I tried to keep the two panicked girls reasonably calm, and detered some monkeys with kicks and feigned blows, but mostly aimed just to get us out of there as we were seriously outnumbered and would likely be badly mauled in a all-out battle with these packs of gang-banging beasts! As it was, both girls had bite marks, some with blood drawn on their arms and legs. I couldn't understand why we were targeted, it seemed like simple bullying! The backpackers were carrying no food or obvious drinks, so it must have been because the monkeys were hungry and apparently excited by the girls running. Anyway- the message was clear- the monkeys, not humans, are the masters of Emei Shan, and being a protected species, this is not likely to change for a while- let this be a warning to all!
After this, we armed ourselves with stones that seemed to keep some other groups at bay as we passed through the 'monkey valley', a forested area with a stream and play equipment for the primates, like a oversized zoo display for monkeys without the cages. A little further, we passed through a 100m section of path called 'walking in the sky', where we passed through a gap between vertical cliffs separated by only a few metres, the path hanging off the cliff and the stream gushing below...
Now the environment changed dramatically, we had exited the mountain proper (the tunnel between cliffs like a gate), and here it was open sky, graduating slopes, abundant water, and tropical forest. Stone carvings depicting great and miraculous historical events, involving various emperors, monks, creatures and creative poetry lined the path beside the river to Qingyin pavilion, where i had passed 2 days before. The water of the river was clear and attractively lined by huge boulders, carved into strange shapes by the gushing water and thus given animal, dragon and fairy-like names by Chinese poets and visitors through the ages.
By the time we reached the bus stop below Qingyin lake, the last bus for the day had already departed. The girls decided to trek on with a local for another 2 hours to Baguo Si, while i went back to stay at the quiet resort-town beside the lake and savour a few more hours on the mountain, not the least because i had already walked more than 50kms over the day and felt like a break. A took some moments just to lay on top of a bridge pillion in the centre of the lake, watching the last light fade from the sky over the expanse of water, forested hills and tall mountain behind, buzz of insects and sweet spring smell in the air. All was at peace, and I was a satisfied man, if not only for the lack of a beautiful woman by my side...
Funnily enough got a call to meet with the 2 girls who i walked halfway down the mountain with. I was suprised to see them still walking and in good spirits, we had some interesting chats about different world views, and i think i gave them some new perspectives on gender in Chinese history so they may be less likely to feel the need to wear make-up and act dainty... or is that just what they enjoy...???
The next morning i trekked the last 10kms to Baguo Si, along a local stone path, then took a detour along a web of narrow farmers tracks around the hillsides to avoid the trafficked main road, friendly local folk amongst their chicken and various crops were happy to show me the way and exchange conversation. Good people here and an attractively diverse model of agriculture that loooked something like permaculture.
I paid my respects at the Baguo temple, then taking time to visit the well-designed visitors centre, with sections on flora, fauna, ancient history, buddhist and taoist mythology, computer screens, relief maps and free brochures in English. Jiuzhaigou could learn some lessons from this place.
That afternoon i rode back to Leshan, and had a spare day in Leshan the next day waiting for the bus to Dazu which didn't depart until the following morning. My spare day was very relaxing, riding my bike along the riverfronts of two rivers that converge at Leshan (another large river joins here too- partly responsible for the churning waters that used to disappear sailors and the buddha was built to subdue), taking a ferry across to an island in the river from where one can get a better view of the Buddha statue. Here i met very friendly people from Leshan and also a nice old man from Beijing and we chatted for a while. During this day, i also took time to handwash my clothes, wander in the park and people-watch on the streets of Leshan.

The bus to Dazu was an experience in itself- departing early morning in a small, old-style local, complete with chain-smoking driver and constantly-yelling assistant. But they were friendly enough to me, blew the smoke out the window, and i managed to fit my bike in with the luggage, so i didn't complain. It was about a 7 hour journey eastwards, out of Sichuan province and into Chongqing municipality to the county of Dazu, which is known mostly for the world-heritage recognized Buddhist Grottoes which i was coming to visit. I had missed out on seeing this place during my last trip to Chongqing, and with my enthusiasm for ancient Buddhist sacred sites, i was determined to make it this time. I had heard it ranks up there with the renowned Mogao grottoes on the silk road at Dunhuang (yet to visit) and was inspired by the art school founded at the fantastic Ajanta Caves of India (see my other blog for a description of my Jan 2008 visit here). So After finding a hotel in Dazu town, i was soon on the bike again, riding the 13km up to Baoding Shan, site of the most famous and spectacular grottoes of the numerous in the region. Along the way i stopped to buy water at a village. Some locals were friendly while others seemed suspicious of me, showing that a foreigner on a bicycle is not a common sight around here. Its the kind of place that most backpackers skip, but when i arrived to the hilltop i saw several tour groups of middle-aged Europeans. After scouting the area and going in by the back entrance to avoid the hawkers, i was taking a pic overlooking the grottoes when i heard a man yelling excitedly. I ignored it, until the guy walked up beside me and started gesutring madly at me to come down from the steps i was standing on, at which point i basically gestured in the same way at him to 'piss off'. He grabbed my shirt which ripped when i pulled away, at which point he realised i wasn't playing his game. I took my photo of the view before coming down. It turned out the guy was a policeman, but i was doing nothing wrong so he had no reason to hassle me. I explained to him that he is not my boss, i am a human being and he must respect me, and so we parted ways. Maybe it was because, as i noticed later, a VIP from the central government was visiting the caves, surrounded by a retinae of ear-piece wearing serious looking suits... and plateless cars littered the carpark... we were all a suspect... dudundoo (the police guy probably thought i was an assassin or somethin- that would have been nice spot for a pot-shot! haha)
Inside the grottoes, a loop path led around the base of a dramatically sculpted circular cliff, with various gods, monks, demons, angels, nun's, animals, and everyday life scenes amongst those depicted in the several hundred meter long series of shallow-cut caves. The Buddhist lessons preached in these stones had a particularly Chinese slant, e.g. depicting the virtues of filial piety (If Buddha's parents had had their way he would have lived in luxury as a prince without ever going out and reaching enlightenment) and praising a wealthy merchant laymen who donated money to build a temple. Perhaps this conservative revisionism was because emperors funding the project preferred social stability to the revolutionary maxims of Buddhism in its original form. Perhaps it is no coincidence too that these caves were built at a time of Buddhism decline in China, being heavily confucian-influenced, they may have in fact contributed to that decline. So though beautiful, colourful and at times inspired craftmanship (particularly a massive reclining Buddha and an atmospheric cave with walls lined with 9 large statues of Buddhist deities), i was a little disappointed with the complex and sinicised themes that i felt confused the clear and simple, pure message of the Buddha, much better conveyed in caves like Ajanta and Ellora in India.
So i rode back down to Dazu town, and immeadiately scaled a hill through a park to the city's north. Finding the other main cave site closed already. But i found a spot to jump the wall and headed inside for an exclusive viewing of this less-spectacular cave site which also dates to the 11th century and the Song Dynasty. Some very detailed carvings of Buddha figures large and small, sitting on animals and fitted into windows of geometric blocks were all in a long line over several hundred metres, but i couldn't get close due to the shut iron bars and the fading light made photgraphy difficult... However, i had seen both the major cave sites of the area (saving on some entrance fees too!), and was ready to move on to Chongqing the next day...
It was raining heavily when the bus arrived in Chongqing, i put my bike together amongst milling crowds on the muddy sidewalk and headed for the train station, convincing some reluctant restaurant owners to allow me to store my bike in there while i purchased tickets. The restaurant owner turned out to be a charming chap, his daughter giving me the full low-down on all the sightseeing Chongqing has to offer, though it turned out i didn't have a chance to enjoy them. I got my ticket for the sleeper train to Guiyang departing that night, then went for a walk up some old stone-lined steps, lined with restaurants and all kinds of hawker shops, to a higher level of this multi-story city to get a view over the train station and river in the distance. An internet friend came to meet me at the station and i bought her dinner over a conversation b4 boarding the train.
In Guiyang, another AYAD friend Melanie, fresh back from her own visit to JZG, graciously greeted me and allowed me to stay at her spacious apartment for a few nights. On the Sunday i arrived, we took the bus down to a town south of Guiyang where there is a large public park. We walked around the ponds and gardens, climbed up a rocky outcrop for a view over all the greenery, the town and karst mountains of Guizhou behind. We spotted a tall karst on the edge of town and decided to try to climb it. Walking across town, past crowded markets, up an alleyway, a man gave up directions up the hill, past and army base, behind a toilet and along a narrow path through a cemetry we climbed, finally reaching the top. From here, we had a spectacular view over both sides of the hill, rural countryside, huaxi town, rows of green-clad limestone mountains as far as the eye could see, and the tall buildings of Guiyang city off in the distance. Taking a different route down, we joined a long line of locals to sample some delicious pressured-cooked fried duck before taking the bus back to Guiyang.
Mel was able to get the next day off work too, so we headed to a gorge about an hours NE of Guiyang called Nan Jiang Da Xia Gu. For convenience sake, we took the risky option of going with a Chinese tour group, but it turned out mostly OK with only 7 others in the group and a friendly enough guide.
The gorge was forested and lush, lined by limestone cliffs with a strong river and rapids flowing down it. Not overly developed (yet), the gorge had a series of waterfalls flowing down its sides, and some minority villages which had been kitsched up for tourists. Still, we enjoyed watching a minority cultural show after lunch before taking a rejuvenating rest on a wooden roofed minority-style bridge. It was a pleasant hike through the gorge, though the others seemed to get a little anxious when we broke with Chinese communalism and strayed a little ways from the group. But we tried to be nice and chat with our group at lunch, they were suprised by the good manners of a couple of young westerners and commented- 'such polite foreigners!' haha
At one of the waterfalls we passed, a hole in the waterfall's limestone backdrop caught my eye and so i climbed into the pool and under the falls, up through a narrow cave and ended up with my head poking out the hole- i'd seen this in some tourist brochure and It was a good view from inside, worth the soaking. I became a little embarassed though as i'd got the attention of all the tourists hanging around the falls who gushed in amazement at such a feat and clapped and kept telling me 'tremendous' etc. At the end of the gorge we were irritated when told that we had to pay for a cable car ride that was supposed to be optional but we just hiked it instead, admiring the views along the way, and the group waited for us, then we were told to buy bus tickets too, but this wasn't part of the itinerary so i refused, and apparently the guide paid for us (at least she lost her cut). On the bus ride home, we got jammed in traffic in guiyang for an hour. That night, walked through the street markets of guiyang with Mel, eating delicious spicy stir-fried fish fresh from the bucket....uummm. Together we discovered new streets of her town with various handy trady stores and fruit hawker shops that she could make her own... Mel was relatively new to town, faced with the usual challenges of working in a Chinese organisation, i tried to reassure her re. Chinese culture, help her to find her niche... It was nice just to chill and watch a couple of DVDs with Mel in the evening times too, a cracker about India called 'darjeeling express' and an inspiring true travel tale called 'into the wild' kept my imagination flowing on into some funky dreams in the sleeps which followed.
The next morning i was up at the crack of dawn, picked up in a van and whisked off for my next Chinese tour group experience- heading to Asia's largest waterfall, some other large limestone caves and watery wonders. With 30 tourists, one greedy guide and captive on the bus this group tour wasnt going to be quite as easy as we'll see...
Waiting for an hour for some stragglers b4 we left town, it was a 3 hour or so ride west to Anshun county, the location of all the sites we were visiting. Along the way the guide explained a little about the history and alot about the cost of the tour and how we were getting it too cheap (250cny tour price, while entrance fees alone said to be 300cny) and how we'd have to do some shopping to make up for it. First stop was Longgong caves, but not before a break at a herbal medicine store, where we were herded into small rooms and given the hard sell on these magical remedies... i wasn't buying but it was a good chance for a piss...
At the Longgong caves, it seemed everyone was in tour groups, and i danced ahead over rocks around the crowds to get on the first boat which took us through the huge and colorfully lit cave, scattered with strange shaped stalacities, interlinked caverns and rocks jutting down to the water surface. Even on a weekday during a non-holiday period, boat traffic held us up for a while at the narrow entrance, so it must be insane during busy times. The lady beside me insisted on jabbering along for the whole trip lasting 30 minutes or so, so it was a challenge just to sit back and enjoy the bizarre geology of the cave named ‘palace of the dragon king'...
Outside the cave i dashed round to see all that was around in the short time available, getting a view from up high and seeing a thunderous waterfall rushing through a small rock hole from above and below. Next on the itinerary was Guanyin cave, where a short walk through rice paddies, wrinkle-faced old ladies anxiously trying to sell incense the tourists, their poverty obvious in the dilipadated state of housing in the area (Guizhou is one of the poorest provinces in China). Inside, a huge stone chamber, jagged stones jutting out everywhere as if waves on a stormy sea, was filled with several large buddha statues, a laughing maitreya, a row of sakyamuni and Guanyin, flanked by two attendants in front of a huge human-shaped rock formation which had given the cave it's name. I wandered ahead of the group, around some paths until i found a deep limestone cave, spectacular in itself but not enough to warrant a visit from the tour groups in their rush. I spent a few minutes alone in this brightly-lit limestone wonderland, before heading back, paying my respects to Guanyin (the goddess of mercy) and sakyamuni (the historic Buddha) and catching up with the rest who had already left...
Before we could have lunch though, we had to make a stop at a knife factory, for another shopping call. Inside a crafty salesman delivered a full-on high-pressure performance, aka. late night shopping (these knives will cut through steel! etc) and alot of the tourists bought overpriced knives, no doubt filling the tour guides pocket.
After a hurried lunch shared around a table with 9 other tourist comrades from all over China and of various ages and backgrounds, back on the bus the guide gave us another sob story to explain that we all had to give him another 100cny cash right now. Apparently this was for necessary transportation en route to the huge Huangguoshu waterfalls. I had been warned of an extra 50cny fee by the kind lady at the tour desk, but this was too much, and while the other 29 passengers all meekly handed over their 100cny cash to the guide, i refused and paid him only 50cny despite threats that if i didnt pay up id have no chance to see the waterfall thats the highlight of the whole tour. My 'face-saving' way out (you've always gotta have one in China) was that i would sprint the whole way to catch up coz i liked the exercise.
This is a great example of China's communal culture, where no one questions and speaks out against the leader, instead simply following the line and doing what others do. As it was the guides story was complete bogus....
So we changed into a special 'non-polluting' bus and took a stroll through a rock and water garden. While here i got the tour desk lady on the phone and put her on to our guide, she reassured me i was right not to pay the extra 50cny, while we agreed that the guide was using dodgy methods. At the waterfall, i walked instead of taking the long escalator (80m in height) with the rest of the group, there's no way it costs 50cny for a ride on that thing anyway!
Huangguoshu waterfalls were a spectacular sight, even though the volume is limited in April when i visited. The waterfalls height, width and streaming cascade were enormous, while the waterfall produced a powerful rumbling sound and massive cloud-like mists which drifted around the gorge that contained it. There is a path that goes behind the waterfalls that was amazing and must be truly spectacular in the wet season. Peeking out through the thick, searing sheets of water to the rich, constant spray-fed greenery lining the gorge, seeing up-close the moss-covered stalatictes, hearing the mighty sound from within the beast's very belly, this path offered a view of such a waterfall unlike any i'd had before.
Around the falls, there were viewing points from all sides and angles. I took my time to explore these, before climbing up higher on some disused trails to get a view from above. There was no need to rush as the main group, with their overpriced escalator method, was no faster than me by foot, and i got to see more of the views from above too... One more waterfall was on the itinerary, this one a long rounded limestone cascade, that would be awesome as playground in summer. Wit many colorful ducks floating around below it, these falls were famous for being a site of filming for the 'journey to the west' series (aka monkey!) so me and a few other posed as the characters (i was the monk) for a funny pic...
Back in Guiyang, got jammed in traffic again, so was home very late and crashed out.
Next day i was off to Kaili, the minority culture heart of SE Guizhou. Last days had been a little exhausting though, so by the time i bought my train ticket, found a bank and ate some food, it was 12'o'clock b4 i was on the bus for the 200km ride east to Kaili.
Kaili city itself isnt an attractive city, with the traffic, the usual modern chinese buildings and lots of trucks and construction sites. It took a good half hour or so of riding before i could escape the urban fringe, truck exhaust fumes, dusty dirt roads and factories to reach more quiet roads, wooden villages lining the way every few kms, forest around and streams below.
On the afternoon i arrived, i rode out of Kaili, west, then south, 15kms to the village of Zhouxi. Up and down rolling hills on the narrow road, i admired the architecture of passing Dong and Miao villages, where homes are all made of wood with only pegs, no nails. A peaceful atmosphere greeted me out here, patchworked terrace fields lining the bottom of the valley, simply dressed folk selling fresh-produce beside the road. The Miao villages are easily identifed from the shapes of their roofs- decorated with a pair of horn-like silver protrusions in the centre of the rooftop, which also reflects the design of their characteristic headgear....
On my 2nd day in Kaili, i rode out as far as the village of Langde, 30kms south-east of town. This days ride was more picturesque, and along with the views from the bike seat comes the hard slogs up and up. But the beautiful river valleys, forest, traditional villages, forested hills and farmland views were well worth it. Almost the whole road there was under-construction, so i had much fun dodging between the traffic as 2-lanes of larger vehicles patiently negotiated each other through the one lane that remained. The farming methods out here were still simple, with human assisted buffalo pulling the plow and tourism had become an important alternative source of income. So the authorities were trying to cash-in by building modern re-interpretations of these ancient minority cultures in grand developments around the outskirts of Kaili. Further out of town, the village scenery and culture reminded me much of the Dong minority area, Chenyang, just across the provincial border in Guangxi, where i had spent numerous visits as a tour leader back in 2005-06. Next time i would have to come back and take some time on the characterisitc overland route across the mountains from Kaili to Chenyang for a taste of authentic culture in this, one of China's ethnic minority heartlands.
That evening, i jumped on a bus back to Guiyang, getting there just in time to
join Mel and some of her new-found Guiyang friends for a night of karaoke fun!. Odd assortment of folk, but good vibe- Christian yanks and a great African dude busting his moves for us and all having at go at the singing and dance... we tried to smuggle some booze in but a shy Chinese guy who was part of our crew couldn't stare down the staff and gave up most of the fresh supplies... Me and Mel had a few last drinks by the river after the party died down before walking home across town under the stars...
The next day i had to get a train in the evening, but had realised late the night b4 that i'd be given the day of the month instead of the day of the week when purchasing the ticket amidst the station chaos last time... So made an early morning ride to the train station to change my ticket through the puddles in the pouring rain, throbbing hangover as company. Though i was thoroughly soaked by the time i got back, i managed to pick up one of the last 1st class tix available for that nights train... and then i had to crash out again 4 a couple of hours.... In the afternoon i took a final ride through the streets of Guizhou, here and there all around through the traffic, tunnels, up and down hills, taking the scenic route to Qinling park in the north of town. I rode through the crowds and dodged the macaque monkeys (this place a.k.a smoking monkey park...) around this green, hilly park, past a makeshift zoo and scruffy-looking big cats, with another cage having both camels and deer in residence. strange, but they seemed to get along, and the camel sure appreciated the back-scratching i gave. Locked my bike at the base of a hill in the park and dashed up the steps for an awesome panoramic view over Guiyang city from close up. So much for the eye to take in, by now the rain had cleared and the city looked like quite a haven, tucked amongst the surrounding green karst hills, sun reflecting from shiny highrises. Back down at the bike i had a problem though, my key simply would not fit into the lock, no matter how i fiddled and faddled, and when (at first suspicious-looking) passersby came to assist but whose efforts were also fruitless i had a serious problem. With my train due to depart in little more than an hour through the traffic on the other side of the city, and my unpacked gear still at Mel's place another detour away, i started carting my bike (the bike was riding the person- some locals laughed!) down the hill wonderin where a tool/workshop could possibly be around here.... Luckily a random vendor in the park pulled out a pair of pliers and a few tap taps later my once-thought sturdy D-lock was popped open. Back at Mel's place i only had time to pack my bags and say some hurried goodbyes (the guy downstairs was really not too happy about having to watch over my unlocked bicycle...) b4 rushing to the station. When i tried to check my bike in at the freight-section 15 mins b4 the train was due to depart, i was told by an elderly and impatient official that it was simply too late to have it processed and loaded onto the train... but a few polite words with a younger guy behind the counter had my hopes up, and when i went through all the halls and tunnels back out onto the platform, i saw with relief the same guy riding my bike out, around all the waiting boxes to the freight car, and so i went over and thanked him for his efforts.... 1st class all the way back to Chengdu was uneventful. Another chance to practice my Chinese with the 3 factory managers i shared the compartment with, though i had to ask one of them to smoke outside after he lit up inside...
And what a lucky man i was to be met at the train station in the early morning light of Chengdu, by a beautiful local girl, one of the renowned Sichuanese 'lameizi' - spicegirls- whom i'd had dinner with on my last night in the town. In her own words she was 'born to be spicy', and she lived u to it at the dinner table, munching down chillis like water. What a beauty she was, and the fire of her heartfelt feminine passion was clearly matched by her fire-eating skills....
Contentedly we rode right across the heart of the city of Chengdu, 10kms + from north to south, with dear petite Susu sitting on the little rack behind me without complaint the entire way...
We spent the afternoon visiting a charming ancient stone-lined street of Chengdu, called Jinli street, now renovated as a crafts-shopping and outdoor entertainment district, where i bought some wedding gifts for my dear sister Amber, while admiring the architecture, ponds and red lanterns that decorated the laneways. Afternoon lingered into dinner and a night-stroll before Susu's doting mother called anxiously and i was left on my own.
The next morning i woke up with a strange and very uncomfortable feeling in my throat... it felt like a had something to spit out which just wouldnt come out- in fact, it was just my tonsils which had swelled up to an impossible, red, fat size, and were hanging down past my tounge to poke the back of my throat. I was dry-retching from the sensation, plus had a fever and felt very strange so had to get some treatment. The pharmacy sent me off to a hospital which i found nearby and where i received good and quick treatment... consultation with doctor, blood test (a prick then results in 30 sec), review the results, then given medicine and i was out of there within 30 minutes for a total cost of less than $10 aud. My throat was still a damsite uncomfortable but it was some relief to now be medicated and have been given the all clear.
On the way back to my hotel, i was admiring a girl wearing pink jeans in front of me amongst the crowds, and when i rode up beside her and she turned her head, there she was, the beautiful Susu. Got some supplies for Jiuzhaigou before showering (lunch at McDonalds... only bcoz it was the ladies choice!), then going out to Susu place to get a lift with her aunty on our day's excursion to the ancient town of Luodai. And we were soon off on our way, but not before a temper tantrum by Susu's little 3 y.o. niece who insisted on sitting on her mothers lap while she drove- she simply wouldn't accept any other position... ahh so it seems the girls in this family know how to get their way.... ;) I was tempted to take the wheel myself...
Luodai, 40kms out of town was the attractive historic site of the Hakka migrant community from Guangdong which had come her as traders many hundreds of years ago and maintained their unique culture since. Temples, old wells, entrance gates, clan houses, all elaborate and artistically decorated in the southern Chinese style, made the area very character-filled and pleasant for a wander. Various chinese arts and crafts, clothing for sale, i noticed quite alot of Indian-style clothing jewellery and decorations too in different shops. Maybe a new fashion taking-off. It was a good chance for more shopping of which i hadnt done much since coming to China, and with the lovely susu on my arm, the sellers seemed unable to resist our tag-team bargaining style, so we picked-up an assortment of goodies and munched-down a tasty light sichuanese noodle meal with her aunty and niece (now all smiles) before heading back to the big smoke of Chengdu.
I tried to send the gifts home to my newly-wedded sister, but the post office was shut, so it'll have to wait until i'm back in the city... We went for beers then dinner at a Xinjiang restaurant with Rachel, Prashan (AYAD friends) and a couple of friendly US peace corps girls who were regulars in Chengdu. Beer and pork was off the menu but It was a real tasty feed, despite not being run by 'natives' (as Prashan put it- those Han know how to cook Xinjiang food better than the Uighrs!). But I had to take the early morning bus back to Jiuzhaigou the next day, so it was a bittersweet farewell that evening to the lovely Susu, for whom my affections had grown much in just a short time, it would be at least a month until i could see her again...
On the final journey back to Jiuzhaigou, the road condition was in the same state of mud and potholes as when i left... not sure how this road (the only way in) is going to attract the visitors that are needed for the park to recover over the summer... or maybe its a scam to get tourists to take the flight instead (such examples abound in Asia- or am i being too cynical...). 11hrs later i was home, bike still in one piece (me too!) and even dragged up some supplies like peanut butter and organic oatmeal. yeh!
Back at work, there's been a ecotourism expedition, my close friends wedding, the busiest day in the parks history and some drunken nights spent singing karaoke and letting loose on the dance floor.... but i'll save all that for the next post... plus i promise a discussion of matters feminine very soon too... just to keep u all interested. lol
take it easy good family and friends
PEACE & LUV from cal

other info: Emei Shan, the sacred abode of the Budhha Samantabhadra, is one of four sacred Mahayana Buddhist mountains in China, the others being; Jiuhua Shan, in Anhui province, dedicated to Ksitigarbha; Putuoshan in Zhejiang province, dedicated to Guanyin; and Wutaishan, in Shanxi province- dedicated to Manjusri. I plan to visit all these places eventually!

Ecotourism blues

So what is ecotourism anyway? it is my job, i know that, and i talk about it all the time here at work... But whose idea of Ecotourism is the truest? How much should we make way for Chinese culture in formulating Ecotourism here, and how much should we stick to the forms developed in the west given that these ideas might be seen as the purest and most original form??? At least, we must care for the environment- seriously- not just as a economic tool to be exploited- but something of inherent value. Such a simple concern for the environment is not necessarily the norm in China, though there are cultural traditions related to conservation, the general trend of the culture is towards ruthless economic pragmatism which inherently implies exploiting nature for all it's worth... In my training i have raised such parallels as exploitation of nature and exploitation of women in Chinese culture- a controversial idea which certainly raised a few eyebrows... Anyway, In the rush to catch up with the developed countries, China can hardly be blamed for placing economic outcomes first, as it is often pointed out here, Western countries themselves developed heavy polluting industries for a long time in the earlier phases of their economic development. After i criticised a Mao quote i one of my training, 'man must conquer nature', in the next class a middle-aged man made a strong point of disagreeing with me (it was refreshing to finally get some dissent!) by saying that Western economies had followed the same model of exploitation of natural resources in order to raise their standard of living in earlier times. As some economists point out, it wasn't until western countries reached a per capita GDP of $5000USD that they started the environmental clean up process (e.g. air pollution in London), while China's GDP stands at just over 2500$US. Some might even go so far as to say climate change is some kind of conspiracy to slow the growth of China and maintain the Wests economic hegemony... if this was the case, it seems like the Chinese government is not falling into the trap so far. Some would even say that exploitation is the ay of the world, it is the 'right' and natural way, and can be done sustainably. Either way, I often use climate change as an example of the folly of simply exploiting nature for all it is worth- nature is all-wise and powerful and bound to come back and bite you on the arse. But we can't go back to the stone age here... once again, a balance needs to be struck, and i think imbalances in parts of society are reflected in imbalanced, inharmonious outcomes in other parts of society, human life and nature.
Big environmental initiatives are taking place here where political expediences allow- such as the huge reforestation program that has occured in the upper Yangzte river basin in response to the devastating floods in 1998 that killed several 000's of people downstream. Others point out the expediency of this policy as a tool to integrate Tibetan minorities into the mainstream as they are forced out of traditional nomadic grazing lifestyles on lands that are replanted, and instead are forced to move to the city to find work.
So to look more at the relevance of such questions here in Jiuzhaigou...
One of the big factors for future development of Ecotourism, which will determine how many visitors (especially foreigners) the park can attract is the potential for wildlife-viewing. But in Jiuzhaigou, this is not a simple equation. Sure, there are animals around in the mountains, but in 5 months here, i have only seen pheasants and squirrels and birds (apart from farming yaks and pet cats) inside the park. The idea is to get a system of recording sightings, their number and location, and rewarding the locals inside the park when animal-sightings increase- i.e. sharing of the reward of consequential increased tourist visitation. Such is the amount of work necessary and the potentials rewards not clear. Not only that, but this is China after all, and perhaps the native ways of doing things is somehow what works best here...
It seems some poaching does still go on. A friend from Chengdu recently saw a freshly killed civet cat on sale at the medicine shop at the park entrance.... At least i know for sure that alot of illegal herb collecting goes on, the conservation department does alot of patrols to prevent this.
Another question is the economic/cultural/social contigencies of the styles of ecotourism that are adopted in this area. The current preference of park management seems to be for high-end luxury ecotourism, with 5* accomodation and high entrance fees, and local people supplying service roles. From my perpsective though, such a model denies the potential for egalitarian social interaction, and meaningful cultural exchange between the local people and international visitors. The high-end model is basically catering to rich people for economic reasons, while reducing locals to service roles, thus also potentially undermining their self-esteem and traditional cultural values. Middle-class visitors who could not afford the high-end luxuries, but who are interested more sincerely in learning about Tibetan culture, treating locals as equals and thus supporting local peoples self-esteem aspirations would be left out.
So, for what it is worth, i am at least trying to persuade park directors not to follow a model that solely looks at economic returns and thus undermines social and cultural outcomes. They might figure that it is the administration's job to bring in cash while protecting the environment, leaving the social and cultural stuff to the communist party, but i disagree....
So hopefully homestays will be on the accomodation agenda instead of simply 5* 'eco-resorts'...

Lately i've been reading Kerouac's 'on the road'. what a surreal, enlivened, existentialist and exciting adventure of a book. Ummm makes me hanker for the road again. won't be long now, just a few loose ends to tie up here in the next week and i'll be off again...
P.s. in fact, i've been off- to the world largest buddha, a mystical mountain, sacred caves, Asias largest waterfalls etc. etc.- and now back again already- you'll hear about this in the next blog
PEACE OUT

March 09- training, travels and tibetan troubles

I'm back in from the dark of a web shutdown here during late feb and most of march. The entire of our prefecture (an area about the size of Britian) has had its internet and sms communications shut off during this time. It shows the lengths that the authorities are willing to go to to ensure 'public peace'...
and whatever happened to the discourse on the teaching of Confucius you might ask…
Well, I am a busy man and surely its better to catch up on more mundane matters seeing as its been some time since my last post.
Life and work for me here at the park is getting easier. Becoming familiar with more of my colleagues, establishing some sense of mutual respect, applying myself with vigour and determination to tangible work tasks, these things improve my morale and allows me to get things done more effectively.
My work counterpart recently returned from a long break, during which time I had got to know more of my colleagues by spending time teaching them English. His absence increased the sense of isolation in some ways but also forced me to speak Chinese and study harder to pursue those abilities. Through practice and reinforced learning, confidence followed, so now I might even appear almost fluent while speaking of simple matters… but such an impression is surely deceiving ;)
Travels for business and for pleasure to the capital Beijing, where I met with the new group of Australian volunteers, were also reinvigorating and a reminder of what I am here to do. Offering advice to those newly arrived to China is a task I approached with enthusiasm, imagining myself in their shoes. The sense of anxiousness of my future colleague, who will soon be joining me here at the park, reminded me of my own earlier sense of foreboding at the prospect of being thrust into such a foreign and unfamiliar work environment. During the series of our meetings at the conference center of the Beijing Language and Culture University, I was also tasked by my manager of building stronger links with higher-level managers from the park administration, as he feels that their support will be necessary for the success of any long-term co-operation between the park and the AYAD volunteer program.
During the visit to Beijing, A 10-km trek along a winding, twisting and turning mountainous section of the great wall 120kms to the North-east of the capital offered great views and was a highly rewarding experience of living history. Built 500 years ago, the crumbling stones on this section of wall served a reminder of the long history of this monument to historic struggles, the search for peace through isolationism, and the determination and human resource activation ability of a succession of Chinese dynasties. This section of wall, built during the native Han Chinese Ming dynasty (following from the foreign-originating Mongol Yuan Dynasty) was not enough to keep out the Manchu Invaders who came to rule China for the almost 300 years after they overthrew the Ming to begin the Qing dynasty in 1644. But it was not the wall that had failed to keep the invaders out in that case, but the notorious treachery of the Ming general traitor Wu Sangui, one of the most despised figures in Chinese history, who had let the Manchu’s into China through the wall, in pursuit of a ruthless ambition to secure the empires throne for himself.
Meanwhile, China continues to baffle at times and leave me with mixed feelings towards its growing power. While I value a critical perspective, I am determined that I take a different approach to the standard patronising expatriate. How much is the government really helping the people? What can we expect of a future China that is exponentially more prosperous and politically influential? As a socialist and an idealist, I tend to take a positive view, and hope that the rise of China will help restore balance to a world torn by unjustifiable inequality and such legacies of imperialism. But what of the environment? And can we expect from the influence conservatives and militaristic nationalists among the Communist party ranks?
Further dealings with the park’s bureaucratic hierarchy have made it clearer to me the futility of idealistically maintaining independence. Thus I need to sharpen and develop my political instincts in order to bring my project ideas to some kind of fruition before my assignment ends. Otherwise, if I don’t make the efforts to befriend the park leaders, my reports and proposals that aim for international best-practice ecotourism, conservation and organisational development, despite how well-written and creative, will be condemned to flounder on some baijiu-drinking career-minded bureaucrats desk without ever being read.
In the last week or so i've had the great opportunity to give training to park staff. I've so far given 3 x 90 minute presentations in front of crowds of 100+ staff, on topics such as introduction to ecotourism and ecotourism around the world. It really has been a challenge to adopt an different style to most of the trainers (this month is training month, and everyday lectures are delivered in the lecture threatre) who mostly seem to show off their knowledge and rabbit on until the crowd falls asleep. My approach has been that the goal of training should be to activate viewers imaginations (who wouldve thought this would be such a revolutionary idea!), so i have aimed for maximum participation, with group activities, debates, role plays and plenty of question time. Though often faced with steely silence when asking participants to raise their hands or share their ideas, the staff warm up to it well in group discussions and have written down some great ideas for us. It's a fine balance to both praise and to press the need for improvements at the park, and persuading people of the value of Tibetan culture as a tourism asset as well as an example of accumulated wisdom worth preserving seems to make viewers nervous too. But i think there is room to maneouver here.
The next challenge is to get more volunteers on board to help with ecotourism planning and convince the managers to allow the setting up of a separate ecotourism group/office of enthusiastic and able staff to drive plans ahead.... We'll see
good luck and best wishes everyone
be in touch soon
Cal
p.s. did u hear my beautiful sister amber is getting married in a couple of weeks???
HUGE Congrads to her
and hooray for a trip to oz

Stories of the day

So, while i had planned for my next post to be a record of observations on the teachings of Confucius, the tasks of reviewing The Analects to find meaningful quotes has been a subject of repeated procrastination for the past few weeks, and i've been distracted by other interesting books such as Peter Hopkirk's The Great Game.....
So that story will come later, but for now i feel obliged to relate a few entertaining tales from just the last two day's events here at the mountainous paradise of Jiuzhaigou.
After a heavy night of drinking on the 9th of feb, including a trip down the road to the county capital to see the peoples colourful dancing show and join the street crowds in festivities, i woke up in a haze the next morning, thinking to myself that i need some decent exercise to exorcise the lingering hangoverof the previous nights spirits...
and so i dashed outside to the patch of rough grass between our apartment building and the river with my running shoes on and a soccer ball at my feet. As i ran out i noticed a group of well-dressed folks, where few people had ever been seen before. It was my well-connected housemate with a group of the park directors and associated big-wigs walking in the same direction i was headed- apparently i found out later the were walking off some of there own drinking from that very morning and enjoying the spring-like weather. I figured i'd just go about what i was doing anyway despite these guys, and contentedly started kicking and chasing the ball accross the rough grassy ground. But it was only a few kicks later that i gave it just too much of an almighty boot (maybe releasing some pent up frustration there...) and i watched in horror as the ball kept rolling away in the distance towards the unguarded river and suddenly dropped over the wall and into the stream.
'What a fool i am!' i thought- what's the good of exercise to vent when it ends in calamities such as this- e.g. my friends only good imported soccer ball fast-flowing down the steep and freezing cold rocky river beside our home- a river that none have been known to venture within (especially since several locals have drowned in there). In any case i figured my only hope was to dash after the ball rather than look like a complete fool in front of all these decision-makers (if it wasn't too late already!). After one failed attempt to recover the ball by stepping out onto some stones beside the riverbank, i dashed further downstream along the top of the narrow wall, chasing after the ball while realising that as the ball had moved into the centre of the river my only hope was to enter the main flow of the powerful current in order to recover it. So, determined as i was, into the water i got, stumbling over boulders, against the will of comrades who warned i could be washed away, and managed to pluck the ball out of the current, losing my footing and being pulled down the rapids for a few metres before regaining my step and pulling myself ashore. It was to their great amusement then, that i walked back past the group (which i now noticed included the main man- park director himself) who had been watching the whole thing, myself compltely soaking wet, but proudly holding the ball in my hand, they laughed at me for a few moments before one of them suggested i go back to change my clothes- an idea to which i concurred...
Later in the afternoon i was told by the acting science director that she had 'good news' - i was to be toasted that evening by the parks vice-director Mr Feng (one of the guys that had been watching on earlier) at a banquet attended by various decision makers, and this would be a chance for me to 'talk-shop' and express my views on important work matters. So i put on a shirt and trousers and prepared for a session of traditional Chinese-style socializing- over piles of food and excessive drink. I'm still not really accustomed to such events but they are a vital part of relationship building in China- as my housemate put it 'this should be good for guanxi'. However, i am a fairly straightforward guy, beleiving that to be a virtue, and the subtle messages and strategic games of 'high-context' Chinese style small-talk don't necessarily mix well with this attitude....
As i said to my Irish colleague after he questioned if i understood the meaning of something i had said in Chinese in mimicking the words of a Chinese colleague (she had been telling me to force the boss to drink by asking him not to 'lose my face'). "I don't care about my face" - meaning that i don't care how i look to others- rather i care about my inner sense of truth, conscience and righteousness- but ironically it is just this feature (which i have always assumed to be a virtue) which may put me so out of place in China- a place where 'face' is so central to social interaction, reputation and advancement. So perhaps such a blunt dismissal of a central concept of Chinese culture didn't do me any favours in front of such sensitive decision-makers. but then again, i am still a 'newbie', it takes time for such tastes to be acquired, while to excuse my blunt honesty i like to think of the phrase that sits atop the great symbol of Indian Nationhood, The Ashokan Pillar, and states 'Truth Alone Triumphs' (anyone seen the movie 'slum-dog millionaire'...?).

The host of our banquet, Vice-director Feng, also caught my attention when, amongst all the good-natured playfulness of trying to avoid drinking with his co-host and fellow vice-director Ding- as she goaded him to drink more and more, he made a smiling comment that was rapidly translated by the vice-director of my department "If i believe her, then there is no truth in this world...." uuummm. This comment seemed to echo some of my own occasional migivings about the feminine sex... Though i might be branded a misoginist, i'd be honest to concur and say that it had occured to me before that such imperceptability of 'truth' seemed to be a common flaw among women? :)
Or maybe men are the fools to try and see things in black and white..... Anyway, i can say the search for such clarity is at least a worthy goal worth pursuing..... and women are most welcome to try too! ;)
Over the course of the evening, i was put under heavy pressure to consume numerous shots of the super strong 'baijiu' (white liquor- 52% alcohol), and encouraged to get the top-directors drunk along with myself. This is probably fortunate as it helps me get over my initial nervousness and toungue-tiedness at such unfamiliar events. It seems i've also got a reputation for being able to hold my drink, so the duty of repeatedly toasting the directors (and thus sharing shots with them), to make sure they had a 'good night', thus fell upon me.
As the night wore on, It was laughs all around as people tried to avoid being the one to drink the most baijiu, with most attention focussed on the 2 vice directors- mr feng and a karismatic female vice-director whom i had never met. The vernacular of chattings was Chinese, so a good chance to practice what i've been learning. It seems to flow out smoothly or not, whether in correct grammatical from or not i'm not sure but the locals let it pass either way.
Meanwhile, my colleague's plan to ply these top authority figures with wine backfired, as it turned out he and his girlfriend were the one's most worse for wear, falling over limply as they tried to stumble out of the restaurant.... so it was that i ended up carrying one of them for the short walk home to our apartment, and lifting the other to bed after she had disturbingly become unconcious and thrown-up red wine and chillis all over her clothes. Had me a bit worried, and it was while i was attending to her that the 2 directors who had momentarily come back to the apartment with us, took their chance to sneak out instead of continuing the party....(i'd say they were worrying about their 'face' if they stayed on and got more drunk...)

A recent fortunate development here at the park has been the warming weather. Winds so warm it felt almost like summer, let alone spring, had arrived early started to blow across the valley, while the days have got longer and sun penetrates the sky with more power in its shine. Far from the dire predictions of my Irish housemates who told me that February was the coldest month and winter lingered on deep into March, instead, long gone is the thick Tibetan fur coat that i used to immediately put on upon returning home from work, and needless the say, the electric blanket has been cranked down a few notches. not sure if i should be celebrating this warmth, as with the searing heat and devastating fires back home down under, it may be a sign of changing temperatures the world over, with worse to come. I'm still holding out hope for some snow before the winter is over as the sight of jiuzhaigou's hills and forests carpeted in white is famous, especially exciting for a warm climate son like myself and this is probably be my only winter here...
Other than that, not too much to report except that i snapped my finger playing basketball 3 weeks ago. It's not too reassuring to look at your hand and see parts of fingers jutting out in bizarre directions.. prolly should have iced it up... as now it's even still a bit sore...
I've also been devoting some time in the office to teaching English to some of my colleagues, a good way to build rapport and feel useful. In exchange, one of my colleagues has promised to teach me Mahjong- a popular Chinese board game. But i have vowed not to become mixed up in the big money gambling scene that this pasttime is associated with....
Catch u later friends :)