Tensions Rise

We have not experienced any observed changes but we continue to hear quite a bit via some of the unblocked media routes. It does seem a little bit tenser at times. Our hope is that some of this settles down as China is all about retaliation.

Some of the latest headlines.

US-CHINA TENSIONS

Google - China denies being behind an alleged cyber attack on the US search engine

Taiwan - a US sale of $6.4bn (£4bn) of defensive arms to Taiwan angers Beijing

Tibet - China says a US meeting with the Dalai Lama would "undermine relations"

Trade - rows over imports and exports of meat, media, car tyres and raw materials strain ties

Arm and Hatchet

Click to see a close up view

This is a friend of ours Howard from Washington D C

China version of a popular American product. We see this kind of thing all the time. It always brings a smile to our face.

Ping Ping

While we were in Yangshuo we had a full time guide to help us make the most of our time. Ping Ping was awesome. We did so many things in just 2 and 1/2 days, it was amazing. Ping Ping got us the best seats the best and most direct route into venues. We saw more things that interested us than we could have imagined. If you ever to to Yangshuo you need Ping Ping she was sweet and arranged all our transporation needs as well as our hotel. We had a driver even when we arrived at the airport at almost midnight. If your interested here is her e-mail.

pingping1982@163.com

Guilin / Yangshuo

Wet peddler

Show pic (click for larger view)

One of Bev's one rmb payoff

Tim and Bev enjoy a great coffee at coffee house right down the street from our hotel.

Our little electric scooter

Friday rain from under my umbrella

Carved Bone and horn trinkets

Shantin pomelo

Li River

Karst mountains

Two hour river ride

In one ethnic group girls throw these balls to boys the like

Bicycle repair shop

In front of the Tribe Bar our hotel

This past three day weekend we took a trip to Yangshuo, China. This has to be one of the most beautiful places in the world.

We went with are very good friends from the Valley, Gail and Shirley Puryear. We flew to Guilin on Thursday night and were picked up at the airport and taken to our hotel in Yangshuo, China. They waited up to let us into our rooms at the Tribe Bar. We had rooms with balconies that faced the Li River. Friday it rained hard and was cold. After meeting our wonderful guide and having breakfast everyone but Tim decided to tour one of the many caves created in the same way as the topography. Due to the wearing away of the very thick layer of limestone. Tim walked around town in the rain and took photographs until early afternoon. He also discovered a great little cafe that served fantastic lattes and deserts. In the afternoon we toured a village that had many examples of Chinese ethnic minority living with culture. Bev and Tim did the full body massage that evening while Gail and Shirley scouted out great evening establishments serving two for one refreshment until 11:00 pm!

On Saturday we rented electric motor bikes and did a all day ride around the countryside. While out we came upon a team setting up a hot air balloon. After much discussion Gail and Tim decided to take a one hour ride. It was awesome, some pics are on the next blog post. That evening we went to the world famous Liu Sanjie Impressions lightshow. This is a spectacular  must see performance that uses over 600 performers many from the local Zhuang minority group with much of the acting singing and dancing taking place on the Li River.

Sunday morning we toured a open market that was 25 k. from our town. It was huge and only happens twice a month. Bev was handing out money while Ping Ping asked permission for Tim to take pictures. This was a lot of fun. We also toured a very old village before going back to town for our trip back to the airport in Guilin and Shenzhen.

Visit this site for more information

Yangshuo China Info

And this for info on the Light Show.

Liu Sanjie

Tim

Merry Christmas From China

Tim and Bev wish you a very Merry Christmas. Our Christmas plans this year include a trip back to the US to visit friends and family, with a short stop in Seoul, Korea to rest and rejuvinate on the way. We hope that you can count your blessings and be thankful for all the wonderful relationships, friends and family that surround you.

Zhuhai, Antiques Quest

Monica and Bev on the Ferry

Stained glass sceens

Beautiful old screens

Chair getting a re-make

Bev at factory

Refinishing a piece that was at the factory

Warehouse bowsing

Factory owner and our new piece 100 yr old bureau

One of many shops like this

Misc. other stuff to buy

Bev and Monica take a break in some very old Chinese chairs

Some very old clocks

Lots of this kind of stuff was also available

Our 50 yr old Tibet piece

Monica sporting a Mask that I later that day bought

This past Saturday we took a day trip to visit some of the antique furniture shops that are close to the town called Zhuhai. In Zhuhai there are perhaps a dozen Chinese antique furniture malls. These are shopping centers solely selling Chinese furniture. Each shopping center has dozens and dozens of small vendor shop stalls. Some of the shop/stalls are 2-3 stories but very narrow, perhaps 15-20’ across. In many cases the family of the shop lives in part of the shop, usually on the second or third floor. To help us get around and negotiate prices we asked Monica, one of the Chinese parapros to come along. She did and that made all the difference in the world.

The ferry ride from Shekou to Zhuhai takes about one hour. Zhuhai is the city that is on the mainland right across from Macau. Then the taxi ride takes about 30 minutes. We asked to see some very old pieces that have just come in. We went to a factory, which was not running as it was Sat., and got to see the process used to transform very old, weathered, broken pieces into useful refinished furniture. We ended up purchasing a piece that was in the warehouse.

The piece is a little over 100 years old. We were given information about the area of China is came from. It is to be delivered to our house in a few days. It is a chest and has some great hand-carved Chinese reliefs. We liked the fact that it did not have a thick coat of lacquer that most of the refinished pieces sport. Later that day we found a piece with lots of color from Tibet. It had not been repainted or refinished, as many pieces have, but is not as old, only about 50 years. We both liked it and so we bought it also. It will be shipped with the other piece and delivered to our home from about 75 miles or so away. Total cost of delivery is under $15.00 US!

I don’t know if we will bring all this stuff back with us but it is fun buying and decorating our apartment.