tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60000709310872819172024-03-19T12:26:06.932+08:00Halfie on the MainlandMargarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07524474123410566638noreply@blogger.comBlogger80125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6000070931087281917.post-65409217896254865722012-07-11T01:45:00.000+08:002012-07-11T01:48:02.667+08:00Camping at KanasAs the semester draws to a close, I've had a few weeks to travel between the end of classes and the beginning of final exams. I had originally planned to go to Kyrgyzstan, but to avoid 麻烦 (the inconvenience) of getting a visa and since Ana decided to go to Japan for a world ultimate tournament, I concentrated my travel efforts on more of western China: Kanas Lake in N. Xinjiang for a week, and W. Gansu province for a week.<br />
<br />
Kanas Lake is a long, skinny lake (a "finger lake") near Kazakhstan and Russia, spanning only a few kilometers in width, but stretching up through a glacier-carved valley towards its source high up in the mountains. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIWzrIyr591lZQDoxl0Qjz7AUvZMgPSjpRoLJ8i1enDjjhfgt5BCT5CicZXDhos8NhJsjHI251muxmjH3-Dd6F-bC56AwHjl_25mFC1eMQGIuXMQGOrWh2r08cWCT1j078eJB8mIU1Kto/s1600/Xinjiang+812.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="70" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIWzrIyr591lZQDoxl0Qjz7AUvZMgPSjpRoLJ8i1enDjjhfgt5BCT5CicZXDhos8NhJsjHI251muxmjH3-Dd6F-bC56AwHjl_25mFC1eMQGIuXMQGOrWh2r08cWCT1j078eJB8mIU1Kto/s400/Xinjiang+812.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
The entire place is a nature reserve, and they've actually done a good job of keeping all of the development at one end of the lake, leaving the rest of the park relatively pristine. Unfortunately my travel partners and I (Ana and Nabil, also PiA) didn't get a chance to venture away from the main tourist hub because the park is so big and our time was limited. As a result, we did a lot of sneaking about the main roads trying to set up our tent in places where we wouldn't get caught, since camping is not actually allowed, and, as we discovered when a policeman questioned us about where we were staying, foreigners are "required" to stay in official hotels. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Being three foreigners with backpacks, we were approached by the policeman as we entered a Tuva (a Mongolian minority group of China) village where we had discreetly pitched our tent in the small space between a wooden Tuva house and a yurt. (We happened to have shared a car to the lake with a villager who offered us his land to camp for free!)</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-HESZkPNWRG2toBNzANgSEUGjiMb7sDmBnZfAMaUxrtRaTtyCu4x2TXT-6bbtbE3dMqOCiZO3Da_LbOzT6dneIN0qBXqenwCdWEJqNb-a6kPquFK6_83I6xbE0wNP2-hsUmRGk9lwlHs/s1600/Xinjiang+824.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-HESZkPNWRG2toBNzANgSEUGjiMb7sDmBnZfAMaUxrtRaTtyCu4x2TXT-6bbtbE3dMqOCiZO3Da_LbOzT6dneIN0qBXqenwCdWEJqNb-a6kPquFK6_83I6xbE0wNP2-hsUmRGk9lwlHs/s400/Xinjiang+824.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ-k15TQuudZdrvdrdlEUvgPHEtSoGHyjoZ0bIui426p_ESWg-Bs1mFmjCBDai9ExSnYOKLd7YBeDEQMzFr3MV-N3VNT3Y1UI1qMjkzaJTIuiDLdEkap6JCDtx8ugEo3G1sEMy9WoRqSE/s1600/Xinjiang+825.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ-k15TQuudZdrvdrdlEUvgPHEtSoGHyjoZ0bIui426p_ESWg-Bs1mFmjCBDai9ExSnYOKLd7YBeDEQMzFr3MV-N3VNT3Y1UI1qMjkzaJTIuiDLdEkap6JCDtx8ugEo3G1sEMy9WoRqSE/s400/Xinjiang+825.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Luckily he didn't give us any trouble after we said we didn't remember the name of the villager who let us stay there and that we were leaving. We then waited until he drove away before ducking through a fence and pitching our tent in the woods beside the lake. Chinese tourists don't venture off the road much, so we had little to worry about despite camping a stone's throw away from a hotel.<br />
<br />
The next day we moved our tent to the other side of the lake, just up the hill from where some Kazakhs had set up their yurt. I felt like there was at least some sense of understanding between these nomads and us foreign strangers/strange foreigners: As long as you make your camp and don't bother the people around you, they won't bother you. They did bring a horse to graze near our tent during the night, but otherwise our things were untouched. <br />
<br />
The ticket price for Kanas was rather steep, so I was glad we actually got to use the tent we borrowed and save some money. We weren't out in the backcountry (certainly not with our multiple trips per day to the Welcome Center to fill our water bottles!) but we got some good day hikes in, and the scenery was beautiful once we got away from all the people.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHQu89xZsZpzygxROPqU8t2fnF3Xhfeyg8tjQqj0EYvRL6sVGxmFCPlorvgS_M4yjfeDM6zmcbQ-ejZPqut_3rF4zWebK_uqhdLhPgtT4XiVZk2XFU_p-k8AfBEiaUxTrCiB2SLI7AD18/s1600/Xinjiang+828.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHQu89xZsZpzygxROPqU8t2fnF3Xhfeyg8tjQqj0EYvRL6sVGxmFCPlorvgS_M4yjfeDM6zmcbQ-ejZPqut_3rF4zWebK_uqhdLhPgtT4XiVZk2XFU_p-k8AfBEiaUxTrCiB2SLI7AD18/s400/Xinjiang+828.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXU7Y0UzRQV2bvOUQfeZLAO7dfQujKVuOyDVSa2vX7xI0RnNqPV0Zq7FfymrcxtNBtOVcnWWajxHEkOFm44_YlGOsEgabg9JzapZeAkBoV1SXaMPKEREjV16W5YGFhWwhcA98HKs-SyuA/s1600/Xinjiang+851.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXU7Y0UzRQV2bvOUQfeZLAO7dfQujKVuOyDVSa2vX7xI0RnNqPV0Zq7FfymrcxtNBtOVcnWWajxHEkOFm44_YlGOsEgabg9JzapZeAkBoV1SXaMPKEREjV16W5YGFhWwhcA98HKs-SyuA/s400/Xinjiang+851.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRecq9H4I3oMSoj_PtJaZ0vO8htQrdvuDTtomRl-xss81eYfIqyaJhR-69jCScdXhPh3Plr-4EsdhqNXgsq11CoNrESVU5PyVJSq5IxG-oMY_tfKwyse1VMcXOfmw9yPKQPK-D1tCzD2A/s1600/Xinjiang+840.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRecq9H4I3oMSoj_PtJaZ0vO8htQrdvuDTtomRl-xss81eYfIqyaJhR-69jCScdXhPh3Plr-4EsdhqNXgsq11CoNrESVU5PyVJSq5IxG-oMY_tfKwyse1VMcXOfmw9yPKQPK-D1tCzD2A/s400/Xinjiang+840.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07524474123410566638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6000070931087281917.post-55090007439013909742012-06-07T18:59:00.001+08:002012-06-07T18:59:08.901+08:00Meat and WheatIt's getting to that time of year when I'm sick of Chinese food. Luckily, Xinjiang's Uighur cuisine adds some diversity to the palate. Xinjiang food is mostly wheat- and meat-based - mutton, nang (flatbread), and noodles.<br />
<br />
There's no shortage of bread substitutes here, as nang forms the basis of the Uighur diet. There's nang of all kinds -- large flat ones that look like pizza crusts, hard round ones that look like bagels, nang with meat inside, nang with onions...life is good with nang. A hint of thickness around my waist has developed, but I've got left than two months left, so I'm going to enjoy all the nang I want -- who knows when I'll have it next?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDzSn7Bt5KOy5y70MMHYJxfUDAAabIZR-9K5UZ5jF4Yr7v0ZzVXvBgpdNm7DQgQnV5ei4EcPlbRXT6zxbIndFvmibq7yxwd6VQmoOLUTmQ1zVYV2dvctiFDMM5ZJ2Gc3JKOOUq05k4oS8/s1600/Xinjiang+675.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDzSn7Bt5KOy5y70MMHYJxfUDAAabIZR-9K5UZ5jF4Yr7v0ZzVXvBgpdNm7DQgQnV5ei4EcPlbRXT6zxbIndFvmibq7yxwd6VQmoOLUTmQ1zVYV2dvctiFDMM5ZJ2Gc3JKOOUq05k4oS8/s400/Xinjiang+675.JPG" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDzSn7Bt5KOy5y70MMHYJxfUDAAabIZR-9K5UZ5jF4Yr7v0ZzVXvBgpdNm7DQgQnV5ei4EcPlbRXT6zxbIndFvmibq7yxwd6VQmoOLUTmQ1zVYV2dvctiFDMM5ZJ2Gc3JKOOUq05k4oS8/s1600/Xinjiang+675.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Then we've got the mutton skewers, or chuanr. The Chinese character for meat skewer "串" perfectly captures it. It's an essential street food here. There's always one or two chunks of pure fat on the stick, which is actually quite succulent after it's become crispy over the coals.
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Al6zzpGazs1PhCVDJHKJEMUQQsQsg06MQbbTBLdX9xEvXZYvXmEPiWZyaBfFgtYCDvdZXgyVRSRZe3-hnoyeydruRXBsUGglXe6eyLCfNuaYqstTWJoJ6cS3QRdJHJiHtfL2UYEAMng/s1600/Xinjiang+693.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Al6zzpGazs1PhCVDJHKJEMUQQsQsg06MQbbTBLdX9xEvXZYvXmEPiWZyaBfFgtYCDvdZXgyVRSRZe3-hnoyeydruRXBsUGglXe6eyLCfNuaYqstTWJoJ6cS3QRdJHJiHtfL2UYEAMng/s400/Xinjiang+693.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Aside from chuanr and nang, life would be incomplete with banmian (拌面), or literally, "mixed noodles." It's topped with a spicy, tomato-y stir-fry of onions, green peppers, potatoes, tomatoes, and mutton.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglp2hhKT_381XtiO3SknLDDCaimPYPLTkpThRtSXP_08VSlG4k3-ytg8c6bwh4Ft0Mr3CCxXmt2jqjVqr9Ziz_rTiPgcjnPJk3rn02YSImm_tBgK_pTwKObHltSPnkTUwv2KVpDZ-X9pI/s1600/Xinjiang+699.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglp2hhKT_381XtiO3SknLDDCaimPYPLTkpThRtSXP_08VSlG4k3-ytg8c6bwh4Ft0Mr3CCxXmt2jqjVqr9Ziz_rTiPgcjnPJk3rn02YSImm_tBgK_pTwKObHltSPnkTUwv2KVpDZ-X9pI/s400/Xinjiang+699.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The freshly pulled noodles in banmian beat the best pasta I've ever had anywhere.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs5XEqSuyUU5GPAbThtZOij3awOZBwjnRQjdFX_-l_eBuNWX09F9H5rzompZn64SBCgqvlW_AbFFBtRD0WgKCtIp4ulUhpBnDnYVAn1c388l-ECrA7qU_Hi4GJtcqT_q-sZaU0jflUANI/s1600/Xinjiang+700.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs5XEqSuyUU5GPAbThtZOij3awOZBwjnRQjdFX_-l_eBuNWX09F9H5rzompZn64SBCgqvlW_AbFFBtRD0WgKCtIp4ulUhpBnDnYVAn1c388l-ECrA7qU_Hi4GJtcqT_q-sZaU0jflUANI/s400/Xinjiang+700.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I'm going to miss this stuff when I go home!Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07524474123410566638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6000070931087281917.post-22974196132832210612012-05-23T21:19:00.002+08:002012-05-23T21:19:34.983+08:00China's disaffected youth / My obscured identitySitting in a smoky KTV (karaoke) room on Saturday night, I was painfully aware of two things: I don't know how to talk to China's "lost generation", and it's awkward to look like a Uighur in a room full of Han Chinese people who don't know you're American.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBgVdR0kJlrCZYs1BrOCZsrDElXpWlZNk9dWmZd0aPt7_jFqDZQqUOfpMIpaJh6eDm9eJpgZcuJj9Ea6Ipfu6867PV1cSKlDAS8i2ktjEMo-t1GASjLiY15nCeiq7N8iC_uOmq8lk24vE/s1600/Xinjiang+684.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBgVdR0kJlrCZYs1BrOCZsrDElXpWlZNk9dWmZd0aPt7_jFqDZQqUOfpMIpaJh6eDm9eJpgZcuJj9Ea6Ipfu6867PV1cSKlDAS8i2ktjEMo-t1GASjLiY15nCeiq7N8iC_uOmq8lk24vE/s400/Xinjiang+684.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Why was I sitting on this sofa, watching as empty beer bottles collected on the table and waiting as my song kept being pushed to the end of the queue by eager singers?<br />
<br />
I was in Urumqi to see my friends compete in a Chinese competition, but the night before I crashed with a couch surfer. I accompanied my host to a party she had organized for 30-odd young Chinese people who had met on local QQ chat group, expecting to have a marginal amount fun. It was a typically Chinese affair: twin screens showing music videos (and at times low-budget videos of sultry women in swimsuits, paired with a bad club mix), lots of people sitting on couches not talking to each other, and some group games that required these people, many of whom were strangers, to interact with each other at least minimally. <br />
<br />
Shortly after my nonchalant entrance, I grew tired of sitting silently on the couch, all too aware of the difficulty of breaking the ice. I struck up a conversation with the guy next to me. He was in his early twenties and bordered on surly. It went about like this:<br />
<br />
Me: Hi, what's your name?<br />
Him: (something I can't remember)<br />
Me: Are you from Urumqi?<br />
Him: Yeah.<br />
Me: So what do you do?<br />
Him: Sell houses.<br />
Me: Oh, so like, real estate?<br />
Him: No, second-hand.<br />
Me: Ok. So...do you know these people?<br />
Him: No.<br />
Me: So you met them on the QQ group?<br />
Him: Yeah.<br />
Me: So...what do you usually do on the weekend?<br />
Him: Nothing.<br />
Me: How's that possible? Don't you have any interests?<br />
Him: No.<br />
Me: How can you have no interests? <br />
Him: Nothing's interesting.<br />
Me: But you're a human being, come on!<br />
Him: I like to spend money.<br />
Me: On what?<br />
Him: Anything.<br />
Me: Spending money isn't even an interest! It's a waste!<br />
Him: Maybe. <br />
Me: If nothing's interesting, then your life has no meaning.<br />
Him: Yeah, I guess so.<br />
<br />
I tried to engage him on the topic of music but it failed. Finally, I couldn't control my exasperation:<br />
<br />
Me: You know, if you want to have a conversation, you need to ask some questions. This like an interview, and it's boring.<br />
Him: This is my personality.<br />
Me: You can change your personality.<br />
<br />
At this point, I decided it was better to sit in silence. On the way over to the KTV spot, my host had told me, "You know, a lot of young Chinese people are lost. They don't know what they want or where they're going. So this party is about getting people together to meet new friends, create a community." My host seemed like a very motivated, energetic, social, smart young woman (she is a graduate student at Xinjiang University) -- not a member of the Lost Generation at all. But many of the people there did seem lost. <br />
<br />
It must be hard to grow up in a country where the population is so large, you get lost in a school of anonymous fish, carried along by the current. Unless you're truly outstanding, you're just another one of the masses, destined to mediocrity and a mundane life. <br />
<br />
My host finally introduced me to the rest of the room, safely ushering the white elephant out the door. I was free to relax in my now public American identity. A girl came over (one of the ones who was sitting next to me earlier, ignoring me) and introduced herself. She ended up being the only person I actually had a real conversation with all night, and for her I was grateful. She told me she thought I was a Uighur before I had been introduced, and that most Chinese people won't take the initiative to talk to a foreigner. Great, so if I look like a Chinese citizen, albeit a minority, no one will talk to me. If I am a foreigner, still no one will talk to me.<br />
<br />
This issue of looking like a minority has bothered me a bit ever since coming to Xinjiang. <br />
<br />
On one hand I enjoy blending in. But on the other, I have grown tired of the puzzled stares, and wish for clarity. I feel most comfortable in public when I'm around my tall, white friends, speaking English, because this is when it's clear that I'm not a Uighur, or Uzbek (as my Uighur classmates mistook me), or something else both non-Han and non-foreign. It's not that I feel some kind of foreign superior to Uighurs and therefore resent being mistaken for one, not at all -- it's just that I'm unsure how my obscured identity will influence my social interactions in this region of ethnic tension. Did my appearance prevent people from talking me that night in Urumqi? Maybe it was just lack of social skills on the part of all the people around me. But I still felt very aware of being the only non-(full)-Han in the room. Also, Uighurs often speak to me in Uighur, and it feels awkward to reply in Chinese, and possibly be mistaken for a minority who was brought up speaking Chinese and has lost their native language (a phenomenon that draws the disapproval of Uighur-speaking Uighurs, for obvious reasons). I just want to scream, "I'm American!!! Some of us have black hair and Asiatic features just like you!!!" Instead, I just pay for my nang (flatbread) and go on my way. It's as if I'm veiled, even though I don't wear a veil over my hair the way many women do here. <br />
<br />
Maybe like those lost 20-somethings looking for themselves in KTV room, I'm looking for somewhere where I can fit in.Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07524474123410566638noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6000070931087281917.post-81702985914682418472012-05-09T14:35:00.001+08:002012-05-09T14:35:25.753+08:00My new favorite place in XinjiangOn a Friday night in the end of April, a friend and I boarded a night bus and got off the next morning in Yining City, Yili, Xinjiang, gateway to some of the most beautiful places in Xinjiang (and arguably all of China). <br />
<br />
After napping in a public park as the old people did Tai Chi around us, Graham and I set off to see the sights. Unfortunately our first destination was the decrepit joke of the "Xibo Folk Minority Tourist Village" (AAAA level!) where the only thing worth seeing was this cool calligraphy:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDzJEq1JwH_lI26mcwKzYiTf6iyniSlZas2frretoWScRQYihj5RZn4LuwOAyO1NGj0XWgUvA0IrClLFx72oHvu9dVx0ytICcl-b_8hanDTErotDqnOnYBs0fhLCOhbW20beS1HAb0yfQ/s1600/xibo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDzJEq1JwH_lI26mcwKzYiTf6iyniSlZas2frretoWScRQYihj5RZn4LuwOAyO1NGj0XWgUvA0IrClLFx72oHvu9dVx0ytICcl-b_8hanDTErotDqnOnYBs0fhLCOhbW20beS1HAb0yfQ/s640/xibo.JPG" width="478" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The Xibo minority in Xinjiang were Manchurians who migrated westward under the Qing dynasty over 200 years ago. Whereas the Manchurian language has died out in the northeast as assimilation with the Han has occurred, the Xibo in Xinjiang still retain their language and customs. More interesting than over-paying for China's laughable idea of a tourist destination was chatting with two Xibo women while sharing a cab. They said that despite their small population, they're not worried about their culture dying out because all the children are brought up speaking Xibo (which sounds unlike anything I've ever heard) and learning the traditions. <br />
<br />
We decided not to dally in Chabucha'er (home of the Xibo) any longer, and the next day set off for what would be one of the most spectacular places I've been in China: Sayram Lake. It's the highest alpine lake in Xinjiang and surrounded by a ring of snow-covered mountains. <br />
<br />
Unluckily, we arrived under storm clouds. We fended off the advances of men on horses urging us to check out their accommodations, until finally allowing one Kazak to tow us along on horses toward his yurt. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTeuqWkyHs8zET1W011vr2SWbptGPM1shg-_vxplN5gKCgmmTctL6MJZRqaUhyphenhyphenNXB0Wj8qMe5TsiCjYQ4HsF-t2mxKQJgiMDhI-2BGDqblMf7wdqBf4SNUaB1TYTR-qDS77deb-wYJKcQ/s1600/Xinjiang+591.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTeuqWkyHs8zET1W011vr2SWbptGPM1shg-_vxplN5gKCgmmTctL6MJZRqaUhyphenhyphenNXB0Wj8qMe5TsiCjYQ4HsF-t2mxKQJgiMDhI-2BGDqblMf7wdqBf4SNUaB1TYTR-qDS77deb-wYJKcQ/s400/Xinjiang+591.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
After checking out the inside of the yurt, we agreed to stay there for a nice price of $15/night, total! Check out the beautiful rugs and embroidered bedding.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHa9D-seXYbyAc0GQ-v_c-2CJPjkH0yNODcBkpp4N_U536tzl708xg7niBO-DVVLs6xb89uQHw7ZW0TW3xsrR3fJOZoZBBW8Yt4glDOKsS0qbUK6noyFBnkMpIdWiXM2qAjNGQ_ISd-2M/s1600/Xinjiang+598.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHa9D-seXYbyAc0GQ-v_c-2CJPjkH0yNODcBkpp4N_U536tzl708xg7niBO-DVVLs6xb89uQHw7ZW0TW3xsrR3fJOZoZBBW8Yt4glDOKsS0qbUK6noyFBnkMpIdWiXM2qAjNGQ_ISd-2M/s400/Xinjiang+598.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAowVOtVZ3XtOQwIzCl3VrA090BtlbpRlLynftLATzA7USATK5FnDzV3B5I4YoU8-y88M-AWVwwhZZMYj5j_Nu-OJb-Sj2fwWoZhW_nJ7ty7Vf1ghgqsbr5oziGOtQfBIdxhGRWlDhM3o/s1600/Xinjiang+599.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAowVOtVZ3XtOQwIzCl3VrA090BtlbpRlLynftLATzA7USATK5FnDzV3B5I4YoU8-y88M-AWVwwhZZMYj5j_Nu-OJb-Sj2fwWoZhW_nJ7ty7Vf1ghgqsbr5oziGOtQfBIdxhGRWlDhM3o/s400/Xinjiang+599.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHihLd0245n4DUxfE90zQV7rp2TuYr6yAAe2HiLcRwE0qoQloGkAjhHR9joQb-qUBY9TZK25eQ6E4aa45DKbggeTM5XmxKRfADLE4Usq6ytg7NbRkXCfya4j2p0nVCKXNbfSRY6FF8CxE/s1600/Xinjiang+601.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHihLd0245n4DUxfE90zQV7rp2TuYr6yAAe2HiLcRwE0qoQloGkAjhHR9joQb-qUBY9TZK25eQ6E4aa45DKbggeTM5XmxKRfADLE4Usq6ytg7NbRkXCfya4j2p0nVCKXNbfSRY6FF8CxE/s640/Xinjiang+601.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
After a short hike during which we got very cold and very drenched, we returned to the comfort of the yurt to eat nang (flatbread) and drink milk tea, which the Kazaks, Uighurs, Mongolians, and other milk-tea-drinking people of this region take salty. I'm actually accustomed to it now!<br />
<br />
The fact that we went to sleep to the sound of storm was actually good luck: the next morning it was beautiful. That's our yurt on the far right and the mountain we climbed later in the background.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ7KclIKp6h9mBShDAMsund4Ay3LyvBwMszP8nqN2MpBSJY-ZQ_v6mQS-aHqIMHxG7RrRQhKgPBoOpZ9kddR_wMVFL0Tw_mXXZ0skoz99XEpDJLJnb2S-gORLdB1_J18McMmIgjRggySU/s1600/Xinjiang+621.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ7KclIKp6h9mBShDAMsund4Ay3LyvBwMszP8nqN2MpBSJY-ZQ_v6mQS-aHqIMHxG7RrRQhKgPBoOpZ9kddR_wMVFL0Tw_mXXZ0skoz99XEpDJLJnb2S-gORLdB1_J18McMmIgjRggySU/s640/Xinjiang+621.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Determined to get some views, we sneaked under some fences around grazing land and headed up the mountain. It was the best hike I've ever done in China.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyy6Y_475vTMwAneJnjyhFYYjrBn7NwWVNK_Z0KoIRupdrWFt6ymAEkQzehCTCq1rRsyJ8NXo4MSdac1WwTAE6uBiZqu3KrBpu8dPr7_xJPnHZDyhVks7tzQBpgY0FtWyicSwmwZzwUmA/s1600/Xinjiang+628.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyy6Y_475vTMwAneJnjyhFYYjrBn7NwWVNK_Z0KoIRupdrWFt6ymAEkQzehCTCq1rRsyJ8NXo4MSdac1WwTAE6uBiZqu3KrBpu8dPr7_xJPnHZDyhVks7tzQBpgY0FtWyicSwmwZzwUmA/s400/Xinjiang+628.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSqzt8w95TtdTMc7m-g5V4PTuxpElj6P4AqMrk_MyZ8bMFjlkAedy2lSCA5EPNxDxM5w5atVat5XoJkMDdgh2-lBSoYsAIQtzrutq0MhD3eJyy08tGPzMw684XBEuWPOOg8jNhPcvyH2Q/s1600/Xinjiang+644.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSqzt8w95TtdTMc7m-g5V4PTuxpElj6P4AqMrk_MyZ8bMFjlkAedy2lSCA5EPNxDxM5w5atVat5XoJkMDdgh2-lBSoYsAIQtzrutq0MhD3eJyy08tGPzMw684XBEuWPOOg8jNhPcvyH2Q/s640/Xinjiang+644.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi66OOSpS4tWRvmZL_vKFG_sz4XN0sYW4tEvJiKCHI6JLHUUYzMHBxQ8vdmgp0dBt0J8QjK2DAVZ_GAJ0Gi-7WHJhDko4RHv2GbcBmPcmJ6hQGcUKf5soghmfMvQb-hxPp6QNjbllleGgM/s1600/Xinjiang+653.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi66OOSpS4tWRvmZL_vKFG_sz4XN0sYW4tEvJiKCHI6JLHUUYzMHBxQ8vdmgp0dBt0J8QjK2DAVZ_GAJ0Gi-7WHJhDko4RHv2GbcBmPcmJ6hQGcUKf5soghmfMvQb-hxPp6QNjbllleGgM/s640/Xinjiang+653.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKr2vqsq15hDyOSQXYgy0LPHsWKrvLtv4y5KPHKuw_6ATuDUQNnJe2wxTTIAnLpDHwRLKq5jNfmAX3HeC79UvSKRqPjqpV_8A4rbEQ4BqP5Ba0iCY9grU2iHiUlD56kyOWpUYFXcFqxJk/s1600/Xinjiang+651.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKr2vqsq15hDyOSQXYgy0LPHsWKrvLtv4y5KPHKuw_6ATuDUQNnJe2wxTTIAnLpDHwRLKq5jNfmAX3HeC79UvSKRqPjqpV_8A4rbEQ4BqP5Ba0iCY9grU2iHiUlD56kyOWpUYFXcFqxJk/s640/Xinjiang+651.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
After getting to the lower peak, Graham, who had never been this high up on foot before, took the lead to make it up to the higher peak so that later we could get a Google Map reading on the altitude (over 10,400 ft!). Needless to say, it was FREEZING on top with knife-like winds that threatened to push us over. We were shamefully unprepared but, hey -- still alive!<br />
<br />
The descent:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4jcvYlEwvHuc8o3v7tAfsoK_HraZqbeh02Gvt-MGqq0tUShzkHOhhrQG1jmpn1i27KewBUsgwSsgIX7p6FzweK4ak8wtm1qjr7WPzXr8mixgl12rUcouSEcRF6LJaAk_G6C3Pr2uTRqs/s1600/Xinjiang+651.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI0sVxUaqrbZZjSa6BVcBfLtgRedQXKdifR1L9qLkBRjXw-zzDgpcv18z0t42Y3ryd_AuUXQnEGu2s3OmoJW4B3b7D4LecpEoWnEaBqIt7lwJWp81c3zdhU3JMr7LyU4QNfEa24qcSfGw/s1600/Xinjiang+658.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI0sVxUaqrbZZjSa6BVcBfLtgRedQXKdifR1L9qLkBRjXw-zzDgpcv18z0t42Y3ryd_AuUXQnEGu2s3OmoJW4B3b7D4LecpEoWnEaBqIt7lwJWp81c3zdhU3JMr7LyU4QNfEa24qcSfGw/s400/Xinjiang+658.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
That night we met up with some friends from Shihezi and squeezed a crowd into our yurt before heading back to Yining City the following morning. In Yining, we hung out with one of the Uighur students in our Chinese class, who took us around the city and fed us all day! Yining has the best ice cream, jam, mutton skewers, and, thanks to Paruk's mom, the best 抓饭 or polo (a Central Asian rice dish).<br />
<br />
We also tried this really yummy combination of shaved ice and fresh sour yogurt with a little sugar mixed in. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjprDvzT4TXEuLfQMkemXXdfPgVXpHL1imk6wz5EM0EFsHtGLprYl21mx526lgZ-YHEndw8K-ryJjABAk17yZEkMMiGCFWBKWhixvof0tqsyEiwzTVl5cyslAAkjKB1iFzHQy7aSDhKo-o/s1600/Xinjiang+677.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjprDvzT4TXEuLfQMkemXXdfPgVXpHL1imk6wz5EM0EFsHtGLprYl21mx526lgZ-YHEndw8K-ryJjABAk17yZEkMMiGCFWBKWhixvof0tqsyEiwzTVl5cyslAAkjKB1iFzHQy7aSDhKo-o/s400/Xinjiang+677.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
One of Yili's specialities is a honey "beer" -- basically a fermented, but non-alcoholic beverage made from honey. A bit like hard cider in flavor. It's sticky sweet but the carbonation adds a freshness that's delectable.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6d_OBaV8E5BbGQ0VvvFCQyfsGRtevJ5nuG0Wa8ojp0kJU0z6LeVIFJxci9utQZIWAUj1A3BJU2oElgaJ9xh7DX4nr8ykKVKHU9wSE2rrIl_4eT5kvi44L-JwMtvM8usXfYfamsTdV4UU/s1600/Xinjiang+671.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6d_OBaV8E5BbGQ0VvvFCQyfsGRtevJ5nuG0Wa8ojp0kJU0z6LeVIFJxci9utQZIWAUj1A3BJU2oElgaJ9xh7DX4nr8ykKVKHU9wSE2rrIl_4eT5kvi44L-JwMtvM8usXfYfamsTdV4UU/s400/Xinjiang+671.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Yili is an awesome place and, being only an overnight train away, one of the more convenient places for us to travel to in this big big land of Xinjiang. I can't wait to go again!Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07524474123410566638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6000070931087281917.post-23325470668386144722012-05-05T19:48:00.003+08:002012-05-05T19:50:14.961+08:00Turpan / 吐鲁番We have three shorter breaks in the spring: Tomb-Sweeping Day in April, May 1, and Dragonboat Festival in June. The long weekend isn't enough time to go too far away, but it is a good opportunity to see more of Xinjiang. <br />
<br />
During the Tomb-Sweeping Day holiday, I headed southeast to Turpan, an oasis town in the desert, near one of the lowest points in China and the world. I spent 3 days riding a bike around town and to nearby sights, including 700 year old underwater irrigation canals constructed and still used by the local Turkic population, the remains of an ancient city from the Han dynasty, , the "Flaming Mountains," and some caves containing ancient, mostly defaced Buddhist art.<br />
<br />
Here is a model of an underground irrigation canal, or karez in Uighur (坎儿井). They span for miles into the desert, using gravity to bring water down from the Tian Shan mountains into the Turpan depression. The Turpan area has several thousand miles of karez channels, built hundreds of years ago by digging wells deep into the earth so that workers could be lowered underground using a hand- or animal-powered wench to dig out the channel. It was really cool to see the water running through the karez that I visited.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg33wbELpjSv5lynw1lELt8Zk4-Akg66HWkXmjEL-NoGtYcr_xAZp8JVrEH1o_5LmTtS1IfosFWDDBQnlnF5StdHAMA78UOP2viV0cWLQfz2Kl97T-2AWDrXxU8PsoXcmBjnJLm8VKQESY/s1600/Xinjiang+481.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg33wbELpjSv5lynw1lELt8Zk4-Akg66HWkXmjEL-NoGtYcr_xAZp8JVrEH1o_5LmTtS1IfosFWDDBQnlnF5StdHAMA78UOP2viV0cWLQfz2Kl97T-2AWDrXxU8PsoXcmBjnJLm8VKQESY/s400/Xinjiang+481.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgixlA3NGmGbaTTMb7-abW-KTCWEXCrKk5o_xP72wG50W_9X9yaULQYU1bHRgGpOeceAiRmYPXnPatSd8bAcgB2yIkhUnlipHBN_XKGOb88Fm543yc2sxjbg0YHoS3cPsVLtX5lPnV1c4s/s1600/Xinjiang+485.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgixlA3NGmGbaTTMb7-abW-KTCWEXCrKk5o_xP72wG50W_9X9yaULQYU1bHRgGpOeceAiRmYPXnPatSd8bAcgB2yIkhUnlipHBN_XKGOb88Fm543yc2sxjbg0YHoS3cPsVLtX5lPnV1c4s/s400/Xinjiang+485.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The next day I pedaled out of Turpan city to the Jiaohe Ruins. Jiaohe was a capital city of the local kingdom from 108 BC to 450 AD, the westernmost Chinese military post during the mid-600s, and an important Silk Road stop. However, it was abandoned after the Mongol invasion in the 1200s, and not unearthed until the 1950s. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrFoCmM1rmnSsAQMgSSwD3KzF9cH1agKtqgtXCsruBnwFEgIobuPMEt0twDEVRsYMoYVTvBLiiyfsfqIbEXte0_YjBd0Ev4J8etQDgG03InkSwcRL-AzLBp_ZZNJFYZ7WzOAiE85FB7Mk/s1600/Xinjiang+526.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrFoCmM1rmnSsAQMgSSwD3KzF9cH1agKtqgtXCsruBnwFEgIobuPMEt0twDEVRsYMoYVTvBLiiyfsfqIbEXte0_YjBd0Ev4J8etQDgG03InkSwcRL-AzLBp_ZZNJFYZ7WzOAiE85FB7Mk/s400/Xinjiang+526.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmk5JL5hf5dsfS6vj_aqToFWXcL0R2Nv97Tg-vcJLG63ZEHVYD5N2NEvdJM8ecqeuDBriAG8-rtgHt4B2zagOcucYfFx8BpSeg4gJla4oI0jqNfVX42hFKWbX3zmRqNNDXAEqWmHipLf0/s1600/Xinjiang+536.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmk5JL5hf5dsfS6vj_aqToFWXcL0R2Nv97Tg-vcJLG63ZEHVYD5N2NEvdJM8ecqeuDBriAG8-rtgHt4B2zagOcucYfFx8BpSeg4gJla4oI0jqNfVX42hFKWbX3zmRqNNDXAEqWmHipLf0/s640/Xinjiang+536.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
Turpan is a major grape-growing region, so as I was biking I passed a lot of grape vines and mud-brick structures used for drying raisins and other fruits (visible behind the vines in the picture below). These low rectangular structures, which are built with the bricks staggered so that there are many holes in the walls, are unique to the Turpan area, it seems.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9NwztFg2OtRc90PrJf9TRaUrG17H8c0m6sS04H21yY_KtCLAXFYjCc9_BMQH08AAoC8waHrQo2x_JicUorcPXTiCJ_PnQ2jNfsldVScq5Ma2Tf04JvPfTrdWBPsAr859mz_5UA0h9OYs/s1600/Xinjiang+540.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9NwztFg2OtRc90PrJf9TRaUrG17H8c0m6sS04H21yY_KtCLAXFYjCc9_BMQH08AAoC8waHrQo2x_JicUorcPXTiCJ_PnQ2jNfsldVScq5Ma2Tf04JvPfTrdWBPsAr859mz_5UA0h9OYs/s400/Xinjiang+540.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
During my last day in Turpan, I headed east on the national highway that leads out of Xinjiang. As I was biking, I met a Chinese girl and a Taiwanese Brazilian who were also crazy enough to do the 40km ride to the Flaming Mountains. These mountains, which are famous in China because they were supposedly created by the Monkey King according to the <i>Journey to the West</i>, get really hot in the summertime and are supposed to look like they are on fire, but we didn't get the effect at this time of year. Unimpressed, we continued on to the Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_pIOCGDJhhRIiZW6Jz0J8ac1ByY41DcdYzylDyi9aJOnuJXCImx6isn6YtANfZl52Y-vc2XhDbsCGDawFYfwrV6qbE4PoLhDVsoqT_J1KqDr0V56HxeDFgH_W7gjsG2K0uL1tqfPnK4I/s1600/Xinjiang+542.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_pIOCGDJhhRIiZW6Jz0J8ac1ByY41DcdYzylDyi9aJOnuJXCImx6isn6YtANfZl52Y-vc2XhDbsCGDawFYfwrV6qbE4PoLhDVsoqT_J1KqDr0V56HxeDFgH_W7gjsG2K0uL1tqfPnK4I/s400/Xinjiang+542.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBtEN6exPBDF8k5WlQ7ZVMpYvaJmsLterozdi8BF3bY9Ss5EMKNvVyc234eiB628cwr7ViV-HCVYnFiIrtuWoiEvset7pYkOTUuF0Twb4ZM-CPzSbVYRWhSA2M1irtTJ5cf7WDww8tb7Y/s1600/Xinjiang+559.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBtEN6exPBDF8k5WlQ7ZVMpYvaJmsLterozdi8BF3bY9Ss5EMKNvVyc234eiB628cwr7ViV-HCVYnFiIrtuWoiEvset7pYkOTUuF0Twb4ZM-CPzSbVYRWhSA2M1irtTJ5cf7WDww8tb7Y/s400/Xinjiang+559.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Most of the caves date back to between 900-1300 AD. Unfortunately only a few of them were open for viewing, and the Buddhist images were hard to see, as some of them had been stripped off the walls by a German explorer, and others had been damaged by local Muslims, who seemed to have particularly concentrated on gouging out the eyes and faces of the Buddhas. <br />
<br />
Turpan was an interesting place to visit for historical reasons, but I was somewhat underwhelmed by everything except the Jiaohe Ruins. However, for the next break (this past weekend), I went to an overwhelmingly beautiful place in northwest Xinjiang near Kazakhstan, so expect a new post soon!Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07524474123410566638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6000070931087281917.post-82915026684401199042012-05-03T11:13:00.000+08:002012-05-03T11:13:23.487+08:00The Road We RodeFinally, here's the epic post about our Vietnam bike trip that I've been promising for a while...<br />
<br />
We (Kim and I) started in Hanoi and biked to the northernmost region of Vietnam near the Chinese border, with our endpoint at Meo Vac in Ha Giang Province. Then we cycled back to Hanoi (okay, with the help of a bus), with a total of 12 days on the bike. Kim has documented most of the journey, starting with day 1, <a href="http://ksine.wordpress.com/2012/02/02/day-1-2-of-margaret-and-kims-cycling-adventure/">here</a>. For our route, see the <a href="http://www.google.com/maps/ms?msid=217753566803985158156.0004be931ccc522a7dae5&msa=0&ll=22.08055,105.847778&spn=1.328537,2.392273">map</a> below:<br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" height="350" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&msid=217753566803985158156.0004be931ccc522a7dae5&ie=UTF8&ll=21.9077,105.518968&spn=1.80533,1.370244&t=m&output=embed" width="425"></iframe><br />
<small>View <a href="http://www.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&msid=217753566803985158156.0004be931ccc522a7dae5&ie=UTF8&ll=21.9077,105.518968&spn=1.80533,1.370244&t=m&source=embed" style="color: blue; text-align: left;">Vietnam Bike Trip</a> in a larger map</small><br />
<br />
It all started in Hanoi, at our couchsurfing host's apartment.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYGoIDgseyVpKhE8RSrM1LqpcvlmseBn8WElxuFymmxMpt9FGrI55RMxcm4IKvLHgWh8F9t6IL4b6WHqv4i9znn0-oBIudDRG6TkwlQue8qOxBeuNkCixjjmr46MksrrSzSED84FhqVHY/s1600/Winter+%2712+294.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYGoIDgseyVpKhE8RSrM1LqpcvlmseBn8WElxuFymmxMpt9FGrI55RMxcm4IKvLHgWh8F9t6IL4b6WHqv4i9znn0-oBIudDRG6TkwlQue8qOxBeuNkCixjjmr46MksrrSzSED84FhqVHY/s640/Winter+%2712+294.JPG" width="375" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
We packed our things and set off in the drizzle, stopping to buy plastic ponchos before crossing the a bridge we weren't technically supposed to ride on to get out of the city. We headed to Bac Giang, about 50 km away, where we had dinner with a Vietnamese friend that I met in Dalian.<br />
<br />
On the way we passed a lot of very skinny buildings, an apparent architectural trademark of northern Vietnam. Check out the fancy decorations on the top of building to the right:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUt9L5_PsKtIRKuCfGZOSCX0F-3OAAfMA7HRVc_Hili3KKMggF60C8zooRI9Er4S9X4SeO5Y6wMrBq2d6tHkAkIeNaVbw3xwbbqz8M4AV5yYqaiGJRw1n71S4hw81CPsP59id_hlvA-_c/s1600/Winter+%2712+295.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUt9L5_PsKtIRKuCfGZOSCX0F-3OAAfMA7HRVc_Hili3KKMggF60C8zooRI9Er4S9X4SeO5Y6wMrBq2d6tHkAkIeNaVbw3xwbbqz8M4AV5yYqaiGJRw1n71S4hw81CPsP59id_hlvA-_c/s400/Winter+%2712+295.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
From Bac Giang we headed northwest, aiming for Ha Giang, the capital of Ha Giang Province, which we had heard had "stunningly beautiful" mountain roads from a friend of Kim's who has cycled almost all of Vietnam. We made it to Ha Giang by Day 5. Here are some pictures from along the way.<br />
<br />
Townspeople gather to watch the foreigner work on her bike: <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiAtQyBv9tJIzCVfoTUICRT-iNNyvW89Q5ytaLeUqv0Jxq3p4GqL46V12lFTpK-OcdlQt5UNM-JOCKqmNWApILs1NimE3zAWmjUc9ae8AczsUgZ8BgCwXj0xDcilqHFGId0iyRhHLWJAE/s1600/Winter+%252712+307.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiAtQyBv9tJIzCVfoTUICRT-iNNyvW89Q5ytaLeUqv0Jxq3p4GqL46V12lFTpK-OcdlQt5UNM-JOCKqmNWApILs1NimE3zAWmjUc9ae8AczsUgZ8BgCwXj0xDcilqHFGId0iyRhHLWJAE/s400/Winter+%252712+307.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Rice paddies made up much of the scenery in the greater Hanoi area.
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQLyVgBX0fJFhclYXuxD1dUCcVQ4L7gxdMlX-ixVouDkxH7okvRTUgf6WmWsFW7apEuztepSxsUPY5W93w7fofVUN2R7fUbiSiu1m-r5oYRBVCl-DF28zRyZ0Rzdfk-MaH5w3CHvhylbc/s1600/Winter+%252712+317.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQLyVgBX0fJFhclYXuxD1dUCcVQ4L7gxdMlX-ixVouDkxH7okvRTUgf6WmWsFW7apEuztepSxsUPY5W93w7fofVUN2R7fUbiSiu1m-r5oYRBVCl-DF28zRyZ0Rzdfk-MaH5w3CHvhylbc/s400/Winter+%252712+317.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Vietnam has great signage; we were almost always able to calculate our mileage just based on the road signs. We also knew whenever we were entering or leaving a town!
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNRt8YpGNCaChTypUbYI4VazSam5sWsOGCqah3X7t5PKDpv9BvVrpWOOVUnJowto8nqkzfzbCeyTdElRlWaNnJCBeQ67nL1HYkXJb8iyzU1QINGVf9bdLZDudI7c-tuyQAvh-mOaZqcN4/s1600/Winter+%252712+323.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNRt8YpGNCaChTypUbYI4VazSam5sWsOGCqah3X7t5PKDpv9BvVrpWOOVUnJowto8nqkzfzbCeyTdElRlWaNnJCBeQ67nL1HYkXJb8iyzU1QINGVf9bdLZDudI7c-tuyQAvh-mOaZqcN4/s400/Winter+%252712+323.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO5NF0shcW-GY7NOW85H35TvIh03R1P5c3QzeIvXHWhxbS3wI9QmOrGv5pbIP0Ivhg-xofpm47TXGdx_yTchL4K8bYt6P-w7y43uP7n6EBhfbUym2pZJ7m_eEYhQ7An2xeQb5Ehd69GEY/s1600/Winter+%252712+325.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO5NF0shcW-GY7NOW85H35TvIh03R1P5c3QzeIvXHWhxbS3wI9QmOrGv5pbIP0Ivhg-xofpm47TXGdx_yTchL4K8bYt6P-w7y43uP7n6EBhfbUym2pZJ7m_eEYhQ7An2xeQb5Ehd69GEY/s400/Winter+%252712+325.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Riding into Ha Giang Province, we finally got our first glimpse of a blue sky and the mountains that awaited us.
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg9LShPKwncbBd6UV_XQlfP9UzJuUNasM5cmX_6KbHlpqEeB2XOncs5mJ0G-MwZ7Al3UGMDEIFSjAw2FlLgcQHByZMEMH0g7pyl6O50HQNPXxmEt5rUd89bcEyg_WPxeeeg75w-g3GtU4/s1600/Winter+%252712+334.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg9LShPKwncbBd6UV_XQlfP9UzJuUNasM5cmX_6KbHlpqEeB2XOncs5mJ0G-MwZ7Al3UGMDEIFSjAw2FlLgcQHByZMEMH0g7pyl6O50HQNPXxmEt5rUd89bcEyg_WPxeeeg75w-g3GtU4/s400/Winter+%252712+334.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
After obtaining the permit necessary to ride into the northernmost part of Vietnam, we reveled in the beautiful weather of Ha Giang city, which would be the last gorgeous day until leaving Vietnam! <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhwEpXspFeUhgosjrq0gANetIPxgKZ0Bn8n3w3xXHHbp6HsO6My7jElKRuZp-be6EYHU4FYerGl9UdRoNC1OlIkxS86KGG_nb3vjHvVcKSlh77rk0naQjmSu7_NnDpWIKlG9bT8_pZvqk/s1600/Winter+%252712+338.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhwEpXspFeUhgosjrq0gANetIPxgKZ0Bn8n3w3xXHHbp6HsO6My7jElKRuZp-be6EYHU4FYerGl9UdRoNC1OlIkxS86KGG_nb3vjHvVcKSlh77rk0naQjmSu7_NnDpWIKlG9bT8_pZvqk/s400/Winter+%252712+338.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Vietnamese people are really serious about their car and motorcycle washing. Having ridden on some muddy roads, now I know why!
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU7Wi54c0PHRcb4mgYHj0ZrqwYMpp1CUPqKDjB5SiVUV4w6nh6LrIzAFkukwPQm1OMzSVWZEL-cLm3TdXhbg8fH-6XwPHC8hOl1tDvuZ4xoOrstm_5XGSI37HC29UoJwYOQEI5TsDx_4s/s1600/Winter+%252712+353.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU7Wi54c0PHRcb4mgYHj0ZrqwYMpp1CUPqKDjB5SiVUV4w6nh6LrIzAFkukwPQm1OMzSVWZEL-cLm3TdXhbg8fH-6XwPHC8hOl1tDvuZ4xoOrstm_5XGSI37HC29UoJwYOQEI5TsDx_4s/s400/Winter+%252712+353.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The market in Ha Giang:
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjbj92r6ZpkheSsjaQ_gZm5S6b5kp-8i6z3eQHBkYdEvfVr-QOI7o1VXs9egCQaZjLLcoKjInM_SpOHlajO3cwpyRQ4-Ilf1KLBbfcKhl1l3kYxHhPwPcluj4qrk7keZ5_5cNF6WdvArI/s1600/Winter+%252712+357.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjbj92r6ZpkheSsjaQ_gZm5S6b5kp-8i6z3eQHBkYdEvfVr-QOI7o1VXs9egCQaZjLLcoKjInM_SpOHlajO3cwpyRQ4-Ilf1KLBbfcKhl1l3kYxHhPwPcluj4qrk7keZ5_5cNF6WdvArI/s400/Winter+%252712+357.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjFt9_Sx6qo2j3zxu4AfITLYQxrhh0Mvvhpsyjivw-uf6dDStpp2FTTutZi7lRAzFA7fxivztYxIhfjQAytog5zM3Iv3GPNYHclU1Jwm3jjtwGiV2rsPJytkoV2SMYkeGGjIG6VieJz-Y/s1600/Winter+%252712+358.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjFt9_Sx6qo2j3zxu4AfITLYQxrhh0Mvvhpsyjivw-uf6dDStpp2FTTutZi7lRAzFA7fxivztYxIhfjQAytog5zM3Iv3GPNYHclU1Jwm3jjtwGiV2rsPJytkoV2SMYkeGGjIG6VieJz-Y/s400/Winter+%252712+358.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Schoolchildren:
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitf8wXk5Qs1UMUjFdaImcZGJumbH1iWcdu_hyW2Y5zAh9RrJhJ_huz0NRpJDJjjTGbSPfglM6B-kSW0sNWsmW-OcDiaXHnmR65DvL4FHG4b5jcRJswyR7lVEJue3hV9StGuvc7WDp06AQ/s1600/Winter+%252712+360.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitf8wXk5Qs1UMUjFdaImcZGJumbH1iWcdu_hyW2Y5zAh9RrJhJ_huz0NRpJDJjjTGbSPfglM6B-kSW0sNWsmW-OcDiaXHnmR65DvL4FHG4b5jcRJswyR7lVEJue3hV9StGuvc7WDp06AQ/s400/Winter+%252712+360.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The next day we set off on the hard part of our trip -- up, up, and over "Heaven's Gate" pass and then 3 days along high mountain roads. Well worth the pain!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlTFbMbYB4jxJQkC6e56WzEs3-2xFg_kxvL1FMvqzrAq9QJLRjc19jhLCuadflhaWZUBFZ-ARIOZt7kUeJF0EabkaUI9LLf7d-Ub4xqFwpdRIq51KfyHzs82KpuJN2sNsDokBq67ZxGNQ/s1600/Winter+%252712+389.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlTFbMbYB4jxJQkC6e56WzEs3-2xFg_kxvL1FMvqzrAq9QJLRjc19jhLCuadflhaWZUBFZ-ARIOZt7kUeJF0EabkaUI9LLf7d-Ub4xqFwpdRIq51KfyHzs82KpuJN2sNsDokBq67ZxGNQ/s400/Winter+%252712+389.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhewxQhQcGYzQf-wQZjleHQQ3N5VCIi18pnz7yZ35rYs2mGWL_u2ModenZMpS1djQ6yu36tjQYmfmOnhz45tTuB-Ihu4wf3QtkXjIqM04JJUZYbnJXdOpaSFbrVdQ3ji658XRmmqVfzZ1A/s1600/Winter+%252712+393.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhewxQhQcGYzQf-wQZjleHQQ3N5VCIi18pnz7yZ35rYs2mGWL_u2ModenZMpS1djQ6yu36tjQYmfmOnhz45tTuB-Ihu4wf3QtkXjIqM04JJUZYbnJXdOpaSFbrVdQ3ji658XRmmqVfzZ1A/s400/Winter+%252712+393.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3nxf19F05XQxKdTcvPyvgR9KmufDMNkqJY_LNYoCw-drVcNUhWNVSslMfss2euINbOra2oq5-KvBJC2_hMl6BjYdrE_9WyNo2lQSCZoyKmMZwXkc3Hl7mLcZS9CTvdfC9GJ_q178XVFU/s1600/Winter+%252712+407.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3nxf19F05XQxKdTcvPyvgR9KmufDMNkqJY_LNYoCw-drVcNUhWNVSslMfss2euINbOra2oq5-KvBJC2_hMl6BjYdrE_9WyNo2lQSCZoyKmMZwXkc3Hl7mLcZS9CTvdfC9GJ_q178XVFU/s400/Winter+%252712+407.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
One of the towns we stayed in:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiljKZSZidZgZy4nj6YclMUh8gAlazfqGDMrQst-V4uO__adBNskqQtU4Tm8Zvh40etR5i0goKfxoy2dF_Dy0SAbWz-Taxvf9WbF2BT-RZ9FFIVDFNjDEgV4ddaMy-EWBbh14mrDW3D2FQ/s1600/Winter+%252712+442.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiljKZSZidZgZy4nj6YclMUh8gAlazfqGDMrQst-V4uO__adBNskqQtU4Tm8Zvh40etR5i0goKfxoy2dF_Dy0SAbWz-Taxvf9WbF2BT-RZ9FFIVDFNjDEgV4ddaMy-EWBbh14mrDW3D2FQ/s400/Winter+%252712+442.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_NQQsJHh_w4El7LV84izq4oU8xCp8lchR1gYkCpByj-QhvkPlMLtfAp6BcYQOGbSPB6Etjl0q1ZqfKleErSUy1ED_aj7kvS3OxBSagUEjYPE9hDfs8O2fGIi8pTTpchuvUf73e7hur18/s1600/Winter+%252712+449.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_NQQsJHh_w4El7LV84izq4oU8xCp8lchR1gYkCpByj-QhvkPlMLtfAp6BcYQOGbSPB6Etjl0q1ZqfKleErSUy1ED_aj7kvS3OxBSagUEjYPE9hDfs8O2fGIi8pTTpchuvUf73e7hur18/s400/Winter+%252712+449.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The ride to Meo Vac, our final destination in the heights, was the most spectacular scenery.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5C_JBaX5wtf8kDUBa1hYeCsOltpL-YIdgbwCtwlZFn3-WNgksRGAQ_y4sf76yRT1DvYVfPmzCeriN7O4HYgo9LFy91ZuRBwE7hQix91kNQ1w0VtFwmwtSPtUHDYdJj93hooDcTuFDWjc/s1600/Winter+%252712+458.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5C_JBaX5wtf8kDUBa1hYeCsOltpL-YIdgbwCtwlZFn3-WNgksRGAQ_y4sf76yRT1DvYVfPmzCeriN7O4HYgo9LFy91ZuRBwE7hQix91kNQ1w0VtFwmwtSPtUHDYdJj93hooDcTuFDWjc/s640/Winter+%252712+458.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEio1V-6n_xkdI1RqkxochJenE7ewnbiAMvkk_bvaOiEAn_j56_IzQRVU2A_U1Ii6PrUGLpeCIjReVXss3R2CWg7I_6YWbx7ikfbL7YNFcBFOkx2ye4jIBMDoES23iSKAUXahXJD_WmeM/s1600/Winter+%252712+473.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEio1V-6n_xkdI1RqkxochJenE7ewnbiAMvkk_bvaOiEAn_j56_IzQRVU2A_U1Ii6PrUGLpeCIjReVXss3R2CWg7I_6YWbx7ikfbL7YNFcBFOkx2ye4jIBMDoES23iSKAUXahXJD_WmeM/s640/Winter+%252712+473.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
On Day 10, we rode a bus from Meo Vac back to Ha Giang, taking our first rest day. The next morning we took a bus from Ha Giang to the city of Tuyen Quang, which put us in a good place to roll into Hanoi two days later so that Kim could catch her flight out. In the Hanoi area we were back on flat roads passing paddies.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxAcg9_0ZjTAJ-SbUrYOeaWrUO8huabhSzqdkY4zT9zqEqDPXuDCHZGd6tt33T9__roDUO_CqYDGY2ZohFlAx004q2W-h48BzkxX_nAeDoufB5isoDwscF-_XzyqcfzzWcXgdRFeHFRRU/s1600/Winter+%252712+494.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxAcg9_0ZjTAJ-SbUrYOeaWrUO8huabhSzqdkY4zT9zqEqDPXuDCHZGd6tt33T9__roDUO_CqYDGY2ZohFlAx004q2W-h48BzkxX_nAeDoufB5isoDwscF-_XzyqcfzzWcXgdRFeHFRRU/s400/Winter+%252712+494.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
We entered Hanoi in style: drenched but elated.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj2ynjWS9y9Sgs4WXV_7tGpufwx_aIHZLP6ng32jmN87N1ziMEuZyxKipkaVH-m4USXOdHnYjucIhUBq7M2NjWrVD1ys9sEkJBEnceTxqMcnFQLBzVCMZIrPXPq45VuJ1yfC9WjvV5rtE/s1600/Winter+%252712+500.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj2ynjWS9y9Sgs4WXV_7tGpufwx_aIHZLP6ng32jmN87N1ziMEuZyxKipkaVH-m4USXOdHnYjucIhUBq7M2NjWrVD1ys9sEkJBEnceTxqMcnFQLBzVCMZIrPXPq45VuJ1yfC9WjvV5rtE/s400/Winter+%252712+500.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Kim was an amazing bike buddy, and I can't wait for our next ride!Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07524474123410566638noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6000070931087281917.post-48648528786307717442012-04-21T00:47:00.000+08:002012-04-21T00:47:53.194+08:00Dodging ObstaclesWhat's it like to live in a country with a population problem? Besides learning to wait in long lines, cut long lines, and yell at other people who cut in line, you also learn how to dodge obstacles. <br />
<br />
There are obstacles on the road. I am involved in minor bike collisions once or twice a week -- usually my fault since my brakes are only effective for gradually slowing me down, not for coming to a full stop. Luckily I've perfected my "tumble, roll, and stand up (action hero style)" technique. The brakes are beyond repair, but I should probably get a bell for my bike. <br />
<br />
There are obstacles in the air. People fly kites in the park and in the square, so runners: beware. Certain foreigners have been known to run into kite lines that become invisible to the eye when moving through space, to the annoyance of the kite-flyers. Chinese people really take their kites seriously. <br />
<br />
And there are obstacles in the pool. I've become a regular fish since coming to the desert, thanks to the Shihezi University pool. I am proud to say that I have graduated from almost drowning halfway across the pool to swimming multiple laps. But swimming laps in the China means you have to share your lane with 5, 6, 7, 8, even 9 other swimmers. That's not counting the thick-waisted middle-aged men who hang out in their speedos at the end of the lane and stand conveniently in your way just as you're finishing a lap, while occasionally commenting on your foreignness and your lack of resting (it's called exercise, people!) to their equally thick-waisted bespeedoed buddies. Just as you get in the zone, your breathing is measured, your movements are coordinated...out of the blue comes a human figure, straight at you. I wasn't used to the crowding when I first started swimming (I wasn't used to <i>swimming</i>), so there were a few bumped heads, and a lot of skin grazing skin, feet brushing hands. People don't seem to mind, because in this country your body will frequently make contact with other people in a way that would be unacceptable in America, where personal space is a right. Here it's a privilege.<br />
<br />
Today at the pool I really worked on dodging. Dodging people while swimming breaks your rhythm and may also result in an excess of water splashing into your mouth if you breathe while the averted obstacle is kicking past you. I'm definitely getting better though, and after a few more swims I think I will be able to minimize water intake and keep crawling past without batting a goggled eye. <br />
<br />
After China, I'll be able to dodge almost any obstacle the streets, parks, and pools of America throw at me. Having my own lane will be such a luxury!Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07524474123410566638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6000070931087281917.post-58875470917610900762012-04-05T21:39:00.001+08:002012-04-05T21:39:27.520+08:00Oops! I've been slacking, two!In response to <a href="http://ksine.wordpress.com/2012/03/11/oops-ive-been-slacking/">Oops! I've been slacking!</a>:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjubTlbVvB9h8vBbAoLYne6I7mpHtzklQpyNKfPQ0DMNFYP0Uavwn6FF7FpPcs5FK7kqZr6Yo_w8Wr7Yv5yJ6-xS5nFTFPSclNiLKiyRf7IhbsS8OwDd-7eZjskGqvMYMEoCweO3uC2BaI/s1600/Winter+%2712+506.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjubTlbVvB9h8vBbAoLYne6I7mpHtzklQpyNKfPQ0DMNFYP0Uavwn6FF7FpPcs5FK7kqZr6Yo_w8Wr7Yv5yJ6-xS5nFTFPSclNiLKiyRf7IhbsS8OwDd-7eZjskGqvMYMEoCweO3uC2BaI/s640/Winter+%2712+506.JPG" width="500" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Actually I haven't been slacking <i>that badly</i>, but I do want to get my Vietnam pictures up before I write about my recent travel to Turpan (just back today)!Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07524474123410566638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6000070931087281917.post-30529326808507952332012-03-30T00:34:00.000+08:002012-03-30T00:35:45.022+08:00徒步: Going on FootI've started off the spring semester with 2 hikes in month -- a good sign for more hikes to come.<br />
<br />
I forgot my camera when we went hiking in the desert a few hours north of Shihezi, so <a href="http://www.anastasiamark.com/?p=241">Ana's post and pictures</a> will have to suffice.<br />
<br />
This past weekend we went camping in the Southern Mountains (the ones I see from my window) with a mix of foreign friends and Chinese students.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIoUHvFs3Z99itVF_RWoGbATaT9bzSffjqCx7K7SpGmPpfc1H8K-otPTsmchn0FOqey9km2InQ73573Y-DcD8VmGVALf09h9dJqVvWARrm07qVfpANg8bMVDCP3ar1vaJXEm68EXZ7NYg/s1600/Xinjiang+439.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIoUHvFs3Z99itVF_RWoGbATaT9bzSffjqCx7K7SpGmPpfc1H8K-otPTsmchn0FOqey9km2InQ73573Y-DcD8VmGVALf09h9dJqVvWARrm07qVfpANg8bMVDCP3ar1vaJXEm68EXZ7NYg/s640/Xinjiang+439.JPG" width="500" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx7N0yYvqdGnL5hSQWzo68kyakGkiwS7A8DT2S0c2WOfrX1eD7p_B9AqBOaSfmXO1s4b7L3HhVWuZskyhppJ_g59k_Bm4sZbN7mUL2j3esHGhn3K5ZFBk6vsnHAhM787Oz1kLas4C0cb8/s1600/Xinjiang+441.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx7N0yYvqdGnL5hSQWzo68kyakGkiwS7A8DT2S0c2WOfrX1eD7p_B9AqBOaSfmXO1s4b7L3HhVWuZskyhppJ_g59k_Bm4sZbN7mUL2j3esHGhn3K5ZFBk6vsnHAhM787Oz1kLas4C0cb8/s640/Xinjiang+441.JPG" width="500" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />The chaos that is camping with Chinese people who insist on grilling meat.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkqoxO8WOiQOWngONh0ha94pKt-mHKTNg23kyHGDqoYMbjc1MVjdPy15sKz_iWFFhA-l5DWl7jflCOu3-k3G2junP3NwawyDbE-viZKCOzhL7EBUbKozspvng5Hq46__7zPbtRTRmcNhI/s1600/Xinjiang+462.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkqoxO8WOiQOWngONh0ha94pKt-mHKTNg23kyHGDqoYMbjc1MVjdPy15sKz_iWFFhA-l5DWl7jflCOu3-k3G2junP3NwawyDbE-viZKCOzhL7EBUbKozspvng5Hq46__7zPbtRTRmcNhI/s640/Xinjiang+462.JPG" width="500" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbNYL3oo0PSZmsBOqNn8KSPx-pAOld2L99UuVWQuTYLQrpMmyUR2oxcKrvwW8z8kApulEtTWQu9cfzY4zgkovETHy3IeCoCZJjffcXGu5bKEg_ItwA7m8afAE6Zpxw-WOhp-m37n84Ph0/s1600/Xinjiang+464.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbNYL3oo0PSZmsBOqNn8KSPx-pAOld2L99UuVWQuTYLQrpMmyUR2oxcKrvwW8z8kApulEtTWQu9cfzY4zgkovETHy3IeCoCZJjffcXGu5bKEg_ItwA7m8afAE6Zpxw-WOhp-m37n84Ph0/s640/Xinjiang+464.JPG" width="500" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Getting ready for the obligatory group shot.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw8yhjdlKOV5FgRngrzxbkG2h-ruL0bU2ljbbsSDMoSjdZ7dv4-ojY45qiif2uMM7vOGerZxGEW3zAbmbza32M-SE72My9j4EwapKY1bZbgJQ8yAzjXi5c_OGLZSHNQCtY8JI804mvIsU/s1600/Xinjiang+466.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw8yhjdlKOV5FgRngrzxbkG2h-ruL0bU2ljbbsSDMoSjdZ7dv4-ojY45qiif2uMM7vOGerZxGEW3zAbmbza32M-SE72My9j4EwapKY1bZbgJQ8yAzjXi5c_OGLZSHNQCtY8JI804mvIsU/s640/Xinjiang+466.JPG" width="500" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
The hike out.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuTXzRfZkYFp-DJdPefYm8Ih26pS87iuouZTN9750tbgDoVZTCX4Gfl-6JXy5Lw8zNMHx_5j0ghRKlcgu-OXligdUmo6I7QCrZKZ8ENQ424_as0_ZjAu2cC5BfkCloiG3K0NOYkxlUmWE/s1600/Xinjiang+473.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuTXzRfZkYFp-DJdPefYm8Ih26pS87iuouZTN9750tbgDoVZTCX4Gfl-6JXy5Lw8zNMHx_5j0ghRKlcgu-OXligdUmo6I7QCrZKZ8ENQ424_as0_ZjAu2cC5BfkCloiG3K0NOYkxlUmWE/s640/Xinjiang+473.JPG" width="500" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Wet boots but a lot of fun, after I got over the fact that we were drinking melted snow and grilling lamb over coals and other things I normally don't do as a rather spartan, and always well-prepared hiker. This time I wasn't well-prepared (never trust a Frenchman who relays a suspicious Chinese person's message to you regarding responsibility for water.) I'll go with this group again, I'm sure, and hopefully it'll be less chaos and even more fun.<br />
<span id="goog_1107166044"></span><span id="goog_1107166045"></span>Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07524474123410566638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6000070931087281917.post-13877824902051738032012-03-26T00:16:00.000+08:002012-03-26T00:16:11.433+08:00Lively ConversationMore than one of my students has a notebook with this comic on the front:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuHvc2x7IZZogroCwf7LKLitS3dAoPJMqHkRJAPkp_7AdluaDp0z45d-31TYcmw9MDysXEGAe2sv24nbRU_AOuKuG2bfWScKm1fGE3ZBsS3w_N5xPdiu1o6HxQIfveIRC_vKezOxNpDz4/s1600/Xinjiang+428.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuHvc2x7IZZogroCwf7LKLitS3dAoPJMqHkRJAPkp_7AdluaDp0z45d-31TYcmw9MDysXEGAe2sv24nbRU_AOuKuG2bfWScKm1fGE3ZBsS3w_N5xPdiu1o6HxQIfveIRC_vKezOxNpDz4/s640/Xinjiang+428.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I'm not sure they would see why I find this humorous.Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07524474123410566638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6000070931087281917.post-20779541741818243782012-03-12T14:52:00.001+08:002012-03-12T14:52:21.943+08:00The Song I've Been Searching ForI've been trying to find out the name of this Uighur song ever since hearing it several times during my travels in southern XJ. I tried asking people in Hotan who couldn't speak Chinese and wasn't successful; I've asked my Uighur classmates in my Chinese class and evidently mispronounced the word "Yari Gulla" that I heard in the chorus. Out of sheer luck, I just found it on youtube! The version I heard was a man singing it, but this is definitely it.<br />
<br />
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/3J6Eq2LVJV4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07524474123410566638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6000070931087281917.post-90879386251824908332012-03-11T17:49:00.001+08:002012-03-11T17:49:47.058+08:00Plain of JarsOne of the most spectacular places I visited was the Plain of Jars in Phonsavan, north-central Laos. These megaliths have been dated back to the Iron Age and are thought to have been used for burial practices, although other researchers have suggested that they were used to collect rainwater, and local legends say they were used to produce and store lao-lao rice whisky.
I visited the 3 sites that are open to the public (there are 90 sites in total) by bike, which took me all day on dusty unpaved road. Luckily I was riding past picturesque Lao-style ranches under an azure and pillow-y white sky.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgGC4N9Mi4KffZ6BgFsjNP3vjXdXeVMxu7T0orGvEkZX96kw31gFMCdvK295ctgJeYeGhyRdNR1Ysd692Vyyo9j-HnOWA9VmmHRIXWklJNnFBds7qo6vE5jZnbAEHlxqOwzUoAJhHevqw/s1600/Winter+%252712+193.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgGC4N9Mi4KffZ6BgFsjNP3vjXdXeVMxu7T0orGvEkZX96kw31gFMCdvK295ctgJeYeGhyRdNR1Ysd692Vyyo9j-HnOWA9VmmHRIXWklJNnFBds7qo6vE5jZnbAEHlxqOwzUoAJhHevqw/s400/Winter+%252712+193.JPG" width="500" /></a></div>
Some more of the scenery along the way:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFXxL_quoCnQia562jOEoZZrfVcBvhjEE1yZcVuuVK7e6v065O0LReEV0mTg8FCya4-njxbSHrR1jVBxnj9aM9RAbqe9q4D8Z1OXM9ZqKoU9BcbXme4CTbQhCQJBMW393oXCntMjqotPo/s1600/Winter+%2712+186.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFXxL_quoCnQia562jOEoZZrfVcBvhjEE1yZcVuuVK7e6v065O0LReEV0mTg8FCya4-njxbSHrR1jVBxnj9aM9RAbqe9q4D8Z1OXM9ZqKoU9BcbXme4CTbQhCQJBMW393oXCntMjqotPo/s400/Winter+%2712+186.JPG" width="500" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCDYWHlMqFGIA0j1u5zta4_CkaJo7fHpzjjzgkUyEcT_x2cg0XYvwvG0qKv4bteQX6AGy2itnzKhF2fxSL_qez_RTaSkSMrw-XKg6NoLXKjsvn0V2KaSUvWrWr8VFWe_BlmD9TtZwZsfQ/s1600/Winter+%2712+210.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCDYWHlMqFGIA0j1u5zta4_CkaJo7fHpzjjzgkUyEcT_x2cg0XYvwvG0qKv4bteQX6AGy2itnzKhF2fxSL_qez_RTaSkSMrw-XKg6NoLXKjsvn0V2KaSUvWrWr8VFWe_BlmD9TtZwZsfQ/s400/Winter+%2712+210.JPG" width="500" /></a></div>
<br />
Here are the jars.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTEC8KKysxmF3tSQSzOzcLXwhktW7kQfbYe3EyOVMY3m-oMo6c7uJ9bSKUCa-Jgqfo6zW_RSPvuhvFEGzOpDbKtpB1JyoF-rc-ofbkmW3twf1avMt4kbby7KOYAu8H3cOpgHJTXsj_atk/s1600/Winter+%2712+201.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTEC8KKysxmF3tSQSzOzcLXwhktW7kQfbYe3EyOVMY3m-oMo6c7uJ9bSKUCa-Jgqfo6zW_RSPvuhvFEGzOpDbKtpB1JyoF-rc-ofbkmW3twf1avMt4kbby7KOYAu8H3cOpgHJTXsj_atk/s400/Winter+%2712+201.JPG" width="375" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQITjdXT8MSqEtY9xTRVNgKRI8diLJsYiutZVME4jGCuL0yP3-8nNHdZlrSohDWQLCpF8noHxn7KyZ28xXF2NV9JGH9LlY37-p1paRZDZOmUhpxdaffmpvkA6NOnCVReZUmSRx0_dsoqg/s1600/Winter+%2712+196.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQITjdXT8MSqEtY9xTRVNgKRI8diLJsYiutZVME4jGCuL0yP3-8nNHdZlrSohDWQLCpF8noHxn7KyZ28xXF2NV9JGH9LlY37-p1paRZDZOmUhpxdaffmpvkA6NOnCVReZUmSRx0_dsoqg/s400/Winter+%2712+196.JPG" width="500" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDWWtkiPrmRWcL0y0mW-dEtVJkTl0QA3CRHq59JprrhIekInNFsvzhbnZGr36zO2O4BI6DRyFFW9lvnTUcxOj1F8DHFuEjYZW7yvl-cfijfM-KK4sYDvW_I11DOiSkH-QwtkGOK4iZ26M/s1600/Winter+%2712+204.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDWWtkiPrmRWcL0y0mW-dEtVJkTl0QA3CRHq59JprrhIekInNFsvzhbnZGr36zO2O4BI6DRyFFW9lvnTUcxOj1F8DHFuEjYZW7yvl-cfijfM-KK4sYDvW_I11DOiSkH-QwtkGOK4iZ26M/s400/Winter+%2712+204.JPG" width="500" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHy_YfkhwMnim5QvNE0-4Bplr1WNNKpKhlf2FNlYPqyU86BwT8eTe2YZxQE_3i8qVcL8aNr5gK-Nxraf8mItCMBqPrDuG70lmnBNCEOK0TWVfluXy3lsMYnpy2Cvel9Z938IPbWpqJ4I8/s1600/Winter+%2712+219.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHy_YfkhwMnim5QvNE0-4Bplr1WNNKpKhlf2FNlYPqyU86BwT8eTe2YZxQE_3i8qVcL8aNr5gK-Nxraf8mItCMBqPrDuG70lmnBNCEOK0TWVfluXy3lsMYnpy2Cvel9Z938IPbWpqJ4I8/s640/Winter+%2712+219.JPG" width="500" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijOfPE7Uu25RzgDPD29-GXvdg0ta47cvqQCb1DW7kyELkzRK1UH_6Ml0fvzYwXIentZePTpdSYnZJk_NaB3gcYhocl3u-9i0_O57DaNKS9Mfhwptso_I4CE65cAEFJDOnUvgsrrtBcCG8/s1600/Winter+%2712+229.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijOfPE7Uu25RzgDPD29-GXvdg0ta47cvqQCb1DW7kyELkzRK1UH_6Ml0fvzYwXIentZePTpdSYnZJk_NaB3gcYhocl3u-9i0_O57DaNKS9Mfhwptso_I4CE65cAEFJDOnUvgsrrtBcCG8/s640/Winter+%2712+229.JPG" width="500" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigQEwvHpvzgCTbLdRI9ujEQbV9XTtec7WJwdivBZ95MbbBmX6GjTGp9SIR7GnQWDmurkuMv2o8GRUTbF1FsvT-NF4fzcxUUZQb-uWrVpC0Lnd0MeYcH0j-yj-JNYL1X6D2VXSiyAKCsEo/s1600/Winter+%2712+230.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigQEwvHpvzgCTbLdRI9ujEQbV9XTtec7WJwdivBZ95MbbBmX6GjTGp9SIR7GnQWDmurkuMv2o8GRUTbF1FsvT-NF4fzcxUUZQb-uWrVpC0Lnd0MeYcH0j-yj-JNYL1X6D2VXSiyAKCsEo/s640/Winter+%2712+230.JPG" width="500" /></a></div>
<br />
Laos is currently applying for the Plain of Jars to be designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but the area is riddled with UXOs (Unexploded Ordnance) leftover from America's covert bombing of Laos during the Vietnam war. The sites are still being cleared (which is why I could only visit 3 sites). UXOs, or "bombies" as locals call them, have devastated the country and prevent economic development in the worst-hit areas. As a tourist, it's hard to see the horrifying effects of my government's actions and still be able to be proud to be American.Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07524474123410566638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6000070931087281917.post-53177197694787384732012-03-03T13:05:00.001+08:002012-03-03T13:05:19.581+08:00Pictures of LaosI'll do a separate post for the Plain of Jars, but here are some pictures from Northern Laos.
Just over the border from China.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7184/6802015822_ff164af74b.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Winter '12 056"><br />
<br />
The Khmu village I visited on my trek out of Luang Namtha<br />
<br />
<img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7057/6948151699_b107243485.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Winter '12 068"><br />
<br />
Women entering the village from the fields.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7051/6948127775_21baf01e8b.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Winter '12 066"><br />
<br />
Meanwhile, the men were drinking rice whiskey out of a stone jar, supposedly in celebration of the last day of the school year.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7063/6948136911_2e0478974a.jpg" width="429" height="500" alt="Winter '12 073"><br />
<br />
The food on the trek was delicious -- sticky rice and simple stir-fried vegetables. Served on a giant banana leaf.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7208/6948166263_4485a6e59f.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Winter '12 082"><br />
<br />
After Luang Namtha I went to Nong Khiaw, a small riverside town. From there I took a 7-hour boat ride to Luang Prabang, pulling in during sunset.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7044/6948161641_83a4cb3551.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Winter '12 100"><br />
<br />
<img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7054/6802054138_0e794592fd.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Winter '12 126"><br />
<br />
Luang Prabang was a tourist zoo, with a night market that spanned for blocks.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7063/6802028764_b071fd2e36.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Winter '12 153"><br />
<br />
Luckily there were day trips to get out of the city, like to this cool waterfall.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7057/6948137669_f993f37aca.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Winter '12 129"><br />
<br />
Also, I found a back alley with a cheap noodle stand that I had to keep going back to.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7069/6948139183_7a591173df.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Winter '12 172"><br />
<br />
The combination of chili and lime...sublime!<br />
<br />
<img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7048/6948140051_48ec0f765c.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Winter '12 173"><br />
<br />
More pictures of Laos soon.Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07524474123410566638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6000070931087281917.post-18086289474568241272012-02-28T23:36:00.000+08:002012-02-28T23:48:28.022+08:00Pictures of XishuangbannaHere are some pictures from Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, that go with <a href="http://halfieonthemainland.blogspot.com/2012/01/greetings-from-laos.html">this previous post</a>.<br />
<br />
Most of the Dai villages I passed had ornate entrance structures similar to what one would see in Thailand.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7060/6938382227_349b8ce3f2.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Winter '12 033"><br />
<br />
The villages were small, but to me the houses seemed very big--it's not often that one sees detached, multistory houses ("villas", as they are called) in China.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7038/6938380767_c3f07e8347.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Winter '12 031"><br />
<br />
I stumbled across this Buddhist temple in one village. A young monk told me that about 20 monks live there.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7183/6792261814_a06d83b86b.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Winter '12 015"><br />
<br />
<img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7055/6938378095_9e4b063273.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Winter '12 016"><br />
<br />
The city of Jinghong had a waterfront walk along the Mekong. One of the nicest waterfronts I've seen in China, although the statues (loose representations of what must of been Dai women) did get uglier and more numerous the closer one got to the touristy night market area.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7067/6792264366_abf753ae07.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Winter '12 019"><br />
<br />
I ate Dai food every night. This barbecued fish was stuffed with spices, tied with lemongrass, and wrapped in banana leaves. Delectable! And oh, how I love you, sticky rice.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7063/6792268550_eb35807341.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Winter '12 036"><br />
<br />
Pictures of Laos up next.Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07524474123410566638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6000070931087281917.post-9043976946048098372012-02-15T11:50:00.000+08:002012-02-15T11:50:37.521+08:00Muddy But Alive, And Not Even Too Sore!Yesterday morning we made a gloriously muddy return back to Hanoi in the same weather we left it: unyielding drizzle. With our plastic ponchos flapping in the wind, we managed to navigate the inbound traffic thanks to a wide shoulder specifically designated for bicycles. We had been worried about whether we would be allowed to ride over the major bridge connecting the airport area to downtown Hanoi, because we actually illegally crossed another bridge on the way out by pedaling quickly and avoiding eye contact with the traffic cop who was walking toward us. But this time we encountered no problems - in fact, we followed the stream of motorbikes down an off-ramp and crossed the bridge on a lower level specifically for 2-wheeled vehicles. Vietnam is definitely biker friendly, and we're loving it! Even though honking trucks got annoying, people here are know how to drive around bikes. (In the same way that people from Lancaster know how to drive around horse and buggies, except we tend to slow down and then slowly pass, rather than honk and then speed by!) <br />
<br />
This trip has been fantastic despite some frustrations (none of which were related to cycling - our bikes served us well), and I can't wait for my next bike tour! It's incredibly liberating to be powered by your own two legs, and I'm hooked. It's also been a big confidence boost to know that I can handle a) crazy Asian traffic and b) riding with a load. <br />
<br />
I rented my bike from <a href="http://www.lotussiatravel.com/">Lotussia Travel</a> for a reasonable price of $13/day. Their website is a little hard to use, but they had great service. Thanks to Meg Sine for the snacks and the velcro bag, and to Kim for being awesome, as she always is.<br />
<br />
Kim has posted a <a href="http://ksine.wordpress.com/2012/02/14/day-13-recap-we-did-it/">recap</a> every day, and I will post pictures (Get ready for some panoramas! I got really excited about this camera function!) when I get back to China. Tomorrow I fly to Ho Chi Minh City (stupid planning on my part) and the next day to Hong Kong, where I'm meeting up with Ana for a few days of fun before starting the spring semester.Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07524474123410566638noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6000070931087281917.post-44930483689596805862012-02-06T21:39:00.000+08:002012-02-06T21:39:47.906+08:00Rest day (already!) in Ha GiangKim has been recording most of our journey with her smart device (very handy -- I'm definitely a convert!) but she was napping today while I explored the town of Ha Giang. <div><br /></div><div>It's day 5, but we only cycled for an hour this morning because we had to stop for a permit before we enter the "stunningly beautiful" mountain terrain (according to one friend) of far north Vietnam. And we're saving our legs for tomorrow, our first big mountain pass.</div><div><br /></div><div>Ha Giang is built around a river that snakes through steep green hills. It's really beautiful, although our first blue sky since arriving in this country is probably enhancing my perception.</div><div><br /></div><div>This afternoon I pedaled around (pannier-less -- wow, so light!) and stumbled upon a religious ceremony at a temple on the edge of town. There were a lot of people, mostly women, kneeled on the floor around an altar, in front of which a priest-type figure was waving his long-nailed, gold-ringed hands gracefully from under a red cloth. I inconspicuously joined the crowd (looking Asian is a plus here, although much fewer people scream "hello!" at me as they do to Kim).</div><div><br /></div><div>Four women sat around the man and handed him offerings and incense, which he waved around ceremoniously before handing back to them. They also changed his outfit a few times -- an embroidered purple satin outer garment with matching boots and headdress, then the same thing in yellow. Between the changing and receiving of offerings, he smoked several skinny cigarettes and fanned himself delicately with a fan that changed color depending on his outfit. A few times he also stood up and shuffled to the beat of the music (blasting out of speakers next to the altar) and waved a big bundle of incense that burned with a big flame.</div><div><br /></div><div>Throughout the whole thing people streamed in and out with offerings of money, oranges, Chocopies, Heineken beer, and other goodies. At one point women came around with stacks of bills and handed out 1000 dong notes (10 cents) to people in the crowd, including me! I noticed people around me pocketing it, so I did the same...I'll reinvest it at a local business tonight...</div><div><br /></div><div>I've always wondered what happens to religious offerings. At some point all those oranges start going moldy. And at some point the temple must need new paint, or has to pay the electricity bill. Will certain offerings be selectively removed from time to time? I suppose it happens out of sight of the laypeople, who are just satisfied that they've done their part for the deities, or whoever/whatever they pray to.</div><div style="font-family: '.Helvetica NeueUI'; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0898438); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0898438); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); "><br /></span></div>Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07524474123410566638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6000070931087281917.post-22813644913448336642012-02-02T11:32:00.000+08:002012-02-02T11:32:16.092+08:00Hello (and Goodbye) Hanoi!Hello from Hanoi, Vietnam, where the motorbike traffic moves like water and my bicycle has managed to follow the current.<br />
<br />
I just got here two nights ago and am heading out today with <a href="http://ksine.wordpress.com/">Kim</a> on a two-week cycling adventure! Today we are doing what should be an easy 50k to Bac Giang, a city northeast of Hanoi to visit my Vietnamese friend Juan Juan (her Chinese name), a friend from Dalian. From there, we'll cut north towards the mountains and try to loop back to Hanoi in time for Kim's flight out on the 15th. Our route is not established at all, and it's liberating to fly (cycle) by the seat of my bike shorts! <br />
<br />
Before flying to Vietnam (not my original plan - the embassy in Vientiane, Laos was closed for Vietnamese New Year, thus delaying my visa process - stupid me), I was in Vientiane for one week, hanging out at house of 4 PiAers, recovering from what may have been worms (or maybe just germs, I never found out). It was a strange slowing-down after a week of fast-paced see-the-sights traveling from the border down to the capital. (I have some awesome pictures to post later of the Plain of Jars!). I didn't do much, although the last day of my seemingly <i>long</i> Vientiane stay, my stomach felt completely better, and I rode around on a fixed-gear bike that Mike, one of the PiAers, had built. It was my first time riding one and wow, did I feel like a hipster! (Picture me in tight jeans riding a bicycle with a canary-yellow minimalist frame, yellow tires, and a yellow chain. Yup.) It feels strange not being able to coast along without having the pedals push your legs forward, but I kind of enjoyed feeling "one with my bike." Anyway, seeing as how I have a mountain bike and a road bike at home, I won't be entering hipster bikedom any time soon with my own fixie.<br />
<br />
Here in Hanoi, we're couchsurfing for the first time with a really nice couple (an American and his Korean girlfriend) and it's been a really nice time. I look forward to more couchsurfing in the future!<br />
<br />
If all goes well with Kim's fancy new i-Phone, we will try to post a picture every day from our ride. Check her <a href="http://ksine.wordpress.com/">blog</a>.Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07524474123410566638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6000070931087281917.post-35866794300977318022012-01-21T18:01:00.004+08:002012-01-21T18:01:56.395+08:00Greetings from Laos! Pt. DeuxBonjour from Luang Prabang, Laos, where my Lao guesthouse grandma and grandpa Khiew and Pan communicate with me in French. A lot of "Oui, oui...Quoi?"...My French has declined considerably but it's nice to have a chance to practice.<br />
<br />
Where was I? Oh yes, back to my trek.<br />
<br />
Which was very good. My trek in Thailand also had an international crowd but with a group of 5 Americans balancing out the Europeans, and it seems like there was less cultural exchange occurring. This year we had a lot of interesting conversations, and I rather enjoyed being the only American. We also <i>actually</i> hiked...up and down and up and down. It was a welcome workout. <br />
<br />
The night at the village was enjoyable because, 1) (as I've already mentioned) no commercial activities occurred, and 2) when we were sitting around the campfire looking at the millions of the stars in the sky and drinking lao lao, or rice whisky brewed in a stone jar, some of the Khmu teenagers came to hang out and drink with us. Communication was limited as they couldn't speak much English, but it was nice to just spend time doing something that all human beings seem to enjoy, regardless of culture or ethnicity. The teenagers, despite living in a remote village, were dressed in tight jeans and patterned sweatshirts, like teenagers all around the world. One of them blasted Lao pop music from their phones, thus providing the soundtrack for the night.<br />
<br />
After the trek I got myself on a bus towards Nong Khiaw, a riverside town near amid some of Laos' best karst scenery. During one of the breaks the bus took (and there were many...the "slow pace of life" in Laos is <i>no joke</i>) I met Nina, a German woman with whom I have been traveling since. We stayed together in Nong Khiaw and then took a 6 hour boat ride town to Luang Prabang, the touristy "must-see" ancient-city-on-the-Mekong. We've been here for 2 days, exploring the area and navigating the seemingly endless "ethnic" market (full of many beautiful things, some of which I suspect have been mass produced in China!). <br />
<br />
After the quietness of Luang Namtha and Nong Khiaw, Luang Prabang seems like a zoo. We got a taste as were on the boat, nearing some caves that are 25km up the river, and suddenly there were boats and boats full of white people with cameras. Ok, so Luang Prabang is a lot more touristy that I had anticipated, but it has still been enjoyable. However, prices are higher because of the influx of European and American senior citizens who are getting their exotic Asia experience late in life...and in comparative luxury! Luckily I have Nina to split the room! Unfortunately we are splitting ways soon.<br />
<br />
Our adventure today--Mom and Dad, don't get too worried--was renting motorbikes to ride out to some villages with weaving studios outside of the city. We thought the bikes would be automatic, but it turned out they were manual, which made it feel quite bit more daunting. But now I have the hang of it...but not before breaking a sideview mirror. <i>Whoops.</i> Luckily I only had to pay 50,000 kip or $6. <i>Whew. </i>But now I've conquered one of my life fears! I've always been intimidated by motorcycles, but to know that I can ride one, even just a small one, really feels good. But I don't plan on donning the leather any time soon. I prefer a non-motorized two-wheeled vehicle!<br />
<br />Tomorrow it's off to Phonsavan to see some neolithic stone jars scattered in a field. Good times!<br />
<br />Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07524474123410566638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6000070931087281917.post-16051077532745790562012-01-17T20:30:00.000+08:002012-01-17T20:31:39.810+08:00Greetings from Laos!Hello! I'm currently typing on a sticky keyboard in Luang Namtha, Laos. It's the end of my 2nd full day in Laos and also the end of my 2-day trek into a Khmu minority protected area. (Yep, I was arranged things fast as soon as I stepped off my bus from China on January 15.)<br />
<br />
Backtrack. I left Xinjiang on the 8th for Kunming, Yunnan, where Kim and I had our joyous reunion after not seeing each other since parting ways in Dalian last summer. I met a lot of cool people, including some PiAers! After a few days organizing things for our trip in Vietnam (Kim and I are planning to bike northern Vietnam for 2 weeks...if all goes well in Hanoi when we're getting our hands on equipment!), I headed to Jinghong in Xishuangbanna, southern Yunnan.<br />
<br />
Xishuangbanna is much more like Southeast Asia and is home to many minority groups (like the Dai), some of which speak languages related to Thai. I stayed in the palm-tree lined city of Jinghong for 3 days but rented a bike every day -- I covered over 175 km in the areas around Jinghong and visited a lot of small Dai villages. I will have to post pictures later because the Dai houses were really beautiful. I also ate Dai barbecue every day with sticky rice! I was getting my stomach ready for Laos!<br />
<br />
After 3 days I was ready to start exploring a new country, so I crossed the border at Mohan-Boten without any difficulties (whew! visa-on-arrival is a little nerve-wracking when policies are always changing!). Luang Namtha, the closest town of considerable size close to the Chinese border, happens to be a center for eco-tourism and trekking in Laos.<br />
<br />
I had been a little hesitant just because in Thailand last year, the trek I did was very touristy. We stayed at "minority villages" which I suspect were built solely for tourists to stay in, as the head-dressed women selling us handicrafts seemed to magically follow us from 1 village to another. The elephant ride was also a slick operation, with our photos taken at some point along the ride, and then printed and framed, even packaged with a price tag when we arrived back at the village. Left a very bad taste in my mouth.<br />
<br />
This trek that I just finished today was much better. We did stay at a Khmu village for 1 night, but it was a real village with a population of around 400, according to our guide, despite its remote location -- truly "in the jungle"...although also accessible by motorbike, I think. Nobody tried to sell us anything! I have more to say about my experience, but now it's time for a dinner with my trekking buddies (3 Danes, 1 Dutchman, and 1 Italian -- a good group size)! ...To be continued... Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07524474123410566638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6000070931087281917.post-4762855571950917182012-01-03T16:56:00.002+08:002012-01-03T16:56:23.645+08:00Welcome to the Meat Market<a href="http://www.anastasiamark.com/">Ana</a> and I have been doing a lot of cooking lately. For fresh ingredients, we prefer to go to the local 农贸市场, or Farmer's Market. Similar to the underground market that <a href="http://ksine.wordpress.com/">Kim</a> and I frequented in Dalian, Shihezi's main market is in a dank, dimly lit building with dubious sanitation. We get almost everything, from vegetables, to condiments and spices, to freshly (we hope!) butchered meat.
<br />
<br />
Here's the Han Chinese (non-Halal) meat area of the market.
<br />
<br />
<img alt="meat5_aisle2" height="375" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7165/6626672009_208027c9cc.jpg" width="500" />
<br />
<br />
The meat is laid out on sketchy pieces of cardboard. Forget about refrigeration.
<br />
<br />
<img alt="meat3_aisle" height="345" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7027/6626667993_678a3ae4a5.jpg" width="500" />
<br />
<br />
You can get all sorts of things. Pig heads, pig feet, innards galore...
<br />
<br />
<img alt="meat1_pigheads" height="382" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7034/6626667009_a8a6e2a608.jpg" width="500" />
<br />
<br />
Tell the lady how much you want, and she'll obligingly go to work with axes and other tools.
<br />
<br />
<img alt="meat7_tools" height="342" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7022/6626672563_66ba604267.jpg" width="500" />
<br />
<br />
I like this guy. I don't consume large amount of sausage, but if I do, I get it from him.
<br />
<br />
<img alt="meat8_sausage" height="364" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7027/6626673397_e4393336df.jpg" width="500" />
<br />
<br />
The Uighurs are stationed near several entrances, where they sell their Halal meat, and vegetables take up the other side of the market.
<br />
<br />
<img alt="meat2_uighur" height="359" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7166/6626667501_6a43a9173c.jpg" width="500" />
<br />
<br />
When contemplating a cut, you should definitely poke, touch, pick up, and handle the meat with your unwashed hands as much as possible.
<br />
<br />
<img alt="meat4_touching" height="500" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7027/6626668453_04384aaa66.jpg" width="388" />
<br />
<br />
Don't worry about putting out your cigarette, as the butchers themselves sometimes smoke while working.
<br />
<br />
Much as the uncleanliness of the places makes me shudder, I genuinely enjoy shopping here. You can't get this kind of experience in the US anymore. We buy all of our conveniently shrink-wrapped food products at the supermarket, where health code is supposedly protecting consumers. Gone is the old-time butcher. I'll really miss Chinese markets when I come home!<br />
<br />
Ok, I think I've sufficiently tormented my vegetarian parents. (Sorry, Mom and Dad!) On to other topics...Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07524474123410566638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6000070931087281917.post-73263185851813965312011-12-30T19:13:00.000+08:002011-12-30T19:13:38.051+08:00Red Hot Chili PeppersNow that it's consistently below freezing in Shihezi, it's time to get some spice into my life. I spent all last year building up my spice tolerance by eating Sichuan every week, and now I don't have to ask for restaurants to make my dishes "微辣" (weila, mildly hot). Very exciting, as my options have widened considerably (with some fanning of the tongue still occurring).<br />
<br />
I wouldn't be able to get my "la" on if it weren't for these little things: 辣子 (chili peppers).<br />
<br />
<br />
<img alt="chilis1" height="336" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7145/6599591975_26afeee51c.jpg" width="500" />
<br />
<br />
When the sun is at its hottest in the summer and even into the fall, these things are out drying on the pavement all around Shihezi. Doesn't matter if it's a sidewalk -- the chili peppers claim their space. Lots of people also dry them in their own home, either hanging out their windows or sitting on their windowsills. (My Chinese neighbor does that because she doesn't trust the cleanliness of any <i>lazi</i> she doesn't dry herself.)
Outside of the city, the chili pepper business takes on a much bigger scale. They are spread out on large areas of more or less barren land (which Xinjiang has a lot of).<br />
<br />
<br />
<img alt="chilis3" height="310" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7031/6599592643_dbb46a1281.jpg" width="500" />
<br />
<br />
I saw these drying fields on the way back from a hike in September. My fellow passengers were amused by my great interest in what to them is mundane scenery.
<br />
<br />
<img alt="chilis4" height="298" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7174/6599593209_baf954190c.jpg" width="500" />
<br />
<br />
<img alt="chilis2" height="289" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7159/6599591461_cfe9de4a6e.jpg" width="500" />
<br />
<br />
Far from mundane! What a surreal landscape.Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07524474123410566638noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6000070931087281917.post-24174620399022472452011-12-11T13:13:00.001+08:002011-12-11T14:56:15.373+08:00They are care youMy students have been plagiarizing. As a young, idealistic, passionate teacher who hasn't grown old and cynical yet, I can't help but take it personally. I feel like they have insulted my ability to operate a search engine, and more importantly, broken my trust in them. I know, I should just calm down, fail a few students, and sleep peacefully at night. I am giving some zeros this time, but I also want to change some minds.<br />
<br />
I assigned my freshman a script for a skit they will perform next week. Some students had no problem: they wrote a dialogue in excellent Chinglish. Even if they wrote about some slightly uncomfortable topics, such as shopping for skin-whitening cream or unwanted pregnancies, at least they wrote it themselves. ("Narrator: They did the thing that they loved." "Grace: Evan, Happy Father's Day! You will be a father!" Evan: Oh, no! I made bad decision!")<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
But I also received an adaptation of Jane Eyre, as well as dialogues copied and pasted from the internet:<span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: small;">He
: "She truly loves me."</span></i></div>
<i><span style="font-size: small;">She
wishes to sit up and scream at him: "Don’t I?"</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-size: small;">He
: "So, I think she won’t force me
to do something that I don’t want to do."</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-size: small;">She’s
thinking, but the rage won’t subside.</span></i><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
Daisy, are you really capable of writing this? <span style="font-size: small;">No. I found it on Baidu (China's Google equivalent).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;">I went on QQ to find my students and chew them out, and succeeded in messaging the wrong person. This is what happens when you have 3 students named Daisy. Daisy kept denying that she had cheated, which made me even angrier, until suddenly I asked, "Wait...do you have class with me on Thursday or Friday???" And then I apologized profusely, and learned a new phrase from the wrong Daisy: "松一口气", to let out a sigh of relief. Meanwhile, the real Daisy thought she was getting away with something. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;">Or maybe she just didn't know she did anything <i>truly</i> wrong. Many Chinese students see nothing bad about lifting a sentence here and there. After all, shouldn't one copy from a master to improve oneself? As for cheating on tests, passing China's imperial examinations has historically involved elaborate methods of cheating, as evidenced by some <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/5834418/Ancient-Chinese-cheat-sheets-discovered.html">Qing Dynasty cheat sheets</a> discovered a few years ago.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;">While talking to the wrong Daisy on QQ, I also vented to another, student, Blue: "Q</span>uestion...why do students think it's
ok to take words from the internet, write them down, and then give them to me
and say they wrote it?"<span style="color: black;"></span> She didn't see my message, but the next day she chatted with me:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Blue:</b> I couldn't understand your mean yesterday, but now, I know…maybe
they want to get your attention </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Margaret:</b> oh, you mean my students cheating? </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Blue:</b> yes </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Margaret:</b> you would think they DON'T want to get my attention...they
don't want me to notice that they cheated.... i guess they want to do well and
they don't know how </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Blue:</b> I just want to say don't worry
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Margaret:</b> :) thanks </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Blue:</b> and don't be sad </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Margaret:</b> I am a little sad just because I don't like to be angry at
my students, but this week I have been angry.. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Blue:</b> they are care you </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Blue:</b> they care you </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Blue:</b> I can understand you </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Margaret:</b> :) </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Blue:</b> but they will understand you, you hope they get a good
grade</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I appreciated Blue's small gesture of understanding and encouragement. I did not enjoy the "angry teacher" session where I scathingly told my classes, "I'm not stupid, I know how to use the internet." I also told them that their English won't improve if they don't make it their own. I later received a text from one of the cheaters, saying (and I paraphrase), "I thought about what you said, and about what I can learn during my 4 years at college, and I realized that that's the most important thing. I don't care about the grade. You are one of the best teachers I've ever had, and definitely not stupid." I hope his words are sincere, that he won't plagiarize ever again. But maybe I'm being naively idealistic!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07524474123410566638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6000070931087281917.post-71439896063051448842011-11-25T21:02:00.001+08:002011-11-25T21:09:36.417+08:00DoorsRewind back to October, when Ana and I traveled around Southern Xinjiang and wandered around Uighur neighborhoods in Kashgar, Yarkand, and Hotan. There were a lot of gorgeous old doors that I couldn't resist taking pictures of:<br />
<br />
<img alt="Door1" height="500" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7151/6399472653_a1ced5f6ea.jpg" width="352" />
<br />
<br />
<img alt="Door2" height="500" src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6217/6399473269_38a71d07ce.jpg" width="375" />
<br />
<br />
<img alt="Door5" height="435" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7141/6399474331_b8ab8e1b4b.jpg" width="500" />
<br />
<br />
<img alt="Door3" height="500" src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6110/6399473921_b374ef588f.jpg" width="349" />
<br />
<br />
<img alt="Door6" height="398" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7166/6399474789_792c21847a.jpg" width="500" />
<br />
<br />
Unfortunately we can't see this kind of craftsmanship in Shihezi.Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07524474123410566638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6000070931087281917.post-44300063219265174662011-11-21T23:48:00.001+08:002011-11-22T00:42:10.881+08:00What Women Do...For Supratarsal FoldsI have never paid attention to hot trends in the cosmetics industry. It is unsurprising, then, that the "new" popular beauty product that I've noticed many of my students wearing has, in fact, been on the market for a couple of years. I'm talking about eyelid tape.<br />
<br />
<img alt="eyetape" height="352" src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6037/6377097561_66080d195f.jpg" width="500" />
<br />
<br />
What? Yeah, I had never heard of it either, but I am "blessed," as many Asian women may feel, with a <i>partial</i> supratarsal fold, or, double eyelid. I say "partial," because many of my friends can attest to having seen me tug at my eyelids in an attempt to realign my eyelid creases - sometimes they naturally move up or down, giving one eye a more "Western" or a more "Asian" appearance. I don't prefer one look over the other, but I'd like my eyes to be evenly sized at the very least. <br />
<br />
Luckily for me, my eyelid creases seem to have settled into place. But if one morning I should wake up with one eye smaller than the other, there exists a product to solve my problem. Eyelid tape to the rescue! In the above picture, it's called an "eyeshadow chip," as if it's just a canvas for color. But in fact, these handy dandy little adhesive strips actually temporarily change the position of one's crease, allowing mono-lidded women to create temporary double eyelids for themselves. Seems like a better option than a procedure that is ominously named "Asian Blepharoplasty" - double-eyelid surgery. The idea of this surgery is rather repugnant to me, personally, but I should be less astounded by its popularity in Asia. (I played a game with myself in Seoul, where I tried to guess if every woman I looked at had or hadn't undergone cosmetic surgery. The stereotype about Korean women exists for a reason!)<br />
<br />
It's been hard to find information about the origins and popularization of eyelid tape, but from what I gather, it became a craze in Korea and Japan, and has since spread to China. Last year, I never saw a single girl in Dalian wearing these, but over the past few months in Xinjiang, I've noticed many people, ranging from freshmen girls to postgraduate students wearing this product. Black colored contacts are also popular. These contacts, in conjunction with eyelid tape, create a striking (and not always successful) look. I wish I could post a picture of my freshman student, Angelina, who manages to make her eyes look like they take up half of her face (think animé).<br />
<br />
In 2009, an Asian-American beauty blogger posted <a href="http://www.frmheadtotoe.com/2009/10/how-to-apply-wonder-eyelid-tape.html">these instructions</a> for using eyelid tape. You can see before and after pictures. I would think having tape on one's eyelids would be rather uncomfortable, but as all women know, beauty is pain. It's just sad, to me, that for many Asian women, "beauty" means "western."Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07524474123410566638noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6000070931087281917.post-78234405428706090902011-11-13T13:40:00.001+08:002011-11-13T14:12:41.984+08:00Lazy / BusyI've been a lazy blogger, but a busy worker (and busy "playing", as the Chinese put it!). I have a lot that I still want to share about southern Xinjiang, but it'll take me some time to finish (er...start...) those posts. Meanwhile, lots has happened back in up here in the north:<br />
<br />
1) Some friends and I went hiking to see a big golden Buddha that was <i>definitely </i>not installed in the mountains solely to attract Chinese tourists.<br />
<br />
<img alt="buddha" height="500" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6239/6339698560_0a81b5f193.jpg" width="443" /><br />
<br />
One careless mistake by the Buddha's creator: He left the gold paint cans behind!<br />
<br />
<img alt="buddha2" height="500" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6239/6339699360_05f2100ba8.jpg" width="414" /><br />
<br />
<br />
2) I served as one of 3 foreign judges in the Xinjiang English Speaking Contest, a two day province-wide competition held in Urumqi. The 3 winners go on to the nationals in Beijing. We had 8 students attend, and one of them got 4th place, so that was a success in my eyes.<br />
<br />
3) I went on a long bike ride with some of my freshman students and we had a picnic at the biggest, muddiest, saddest lake around. But it was fun!<br />
<br />
<img alt="beihu4" height="296" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6116/6339701192_73aaa1101d.jpg" width="500" /><br />
<br />
<img alt="beihu2" height="296" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6059/6338949989_fa491d4e91.jpg" width="500" /><br />
<br />
<br />
4) Ana and I went on an epic day trip to Urumqi to buy butter and other imported goods. (Thanksgiving is coming up!)<br />
<br />
5) My teaching schedule has gone from busy to crazy: 3 freshman oral classes, 1 twice-a-week British & American culture class, 5 postgraduate oral classes, and now a teacher training course that meets on weekends. Luckily it'll only last a month, but I'm scheduled to teach both oral and culture.<br />
<br />
6) Autumn came and passed. The leaves have all fallen. A view from my window before they fell: <br />
<br />
<img alt="Shihezi_leaves" height="375" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6223/6339699734_863de4e113.jpg" width="500" />Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07524474123410566638noreply@blogger.com0