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China in 2003...As we drove from Tianjin into Beijing, we were amazed by the rows and rows of poplar and willow trees being planted deep along the freeway. Our guide explained that they were partly a protection against the wind that sweeps down from Mongolia and sand storms. They also help the pollution that is so bad in Beijing-and many Chinese cities. The project also beautifies the countryside. The guide went on to explain that the farmers, who don't own their land, are paid by the government to plant the trees instead of raising crops.
Beijing was startling to me-after last visiting in 1985. Last time, I was in awe that a Western hotel, the Sheraton Great Wall, offered all kinds of amenities, good food in a choice of restaurants in which we had a la carte dining and comfort. This time our hotel, the Grand Hyatt, was incredible in its beauty. Our room was quietly stunning with a very comfortable bathroom. The television, like those in Europe, was high definition and offered us channels from Britain, Germany, France, Japan-almost everywhere. The spa was a beauty. The swimming pool (always take a swimming suit when traveling) was incredible. It looked like a lake and when swimming you could hear birds and crickets and underwater dolphins and whales. If Beijing's growth is impressive, Shanghai's is stunning. One of the most beautiful urban night scenes I have ever seen is The Bund, the street on the western bank of the Huangpu River. The Bund is a potent reminder of the colonial period when the Europeans and Japanese all had interests in China-and especially in Shanghai. The buildings are beautifully restored and flood lit. Across the river is the Pudong Xinqu or new area, which the city is designating the financial center. It is a 40 billion dollar development project that now includes an airport connected to the city by a 250 mph maglev shuttle and with new container port is the works. After the nearly stalled traffic and crowded streets across the river, the streets in Pudong the streets are almost empty of traffic and people. Two buildings stand out in the Pudong. One is the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, which includes eleven spheres of different sizes several sparkling like rubies. There is even a twenty- suite space hotel in the tower. The other is the Jin Mao Tower, at 88 stories the third tallest building in the world. The world's highest hotel, the Grand Hyatt Shanghai, is located in the tops floors starting at the 53rd . The building, a Skidmore Owings and Merrill design, was built to resemble a stalk of bamboo. It is a slim steel beauty indeed. I asked several people, including the concierge at the Peace Hotel, how to get to the people mover, which I had read would take us to the Pudong area. They all denied that such a thing existed. So we took a taxi. I thought we were being taken in the totally wrong direction but when we finally emerged from the tunnel 20 minutes later, there we were (cost of $3.00).
But it is not just in the Pudong area that new buildings are seen. In the last seven years, 2200 buildings over twenty stories tall have been built in this city of 15 million. Some of the more masterful buildings house cultural institutions. There is the Shanghai Grand Theatre, with its soaring rooflines, which actually encompasses three theatres. Then there is the Shanghai Art Museum, designed by Chinese architect Xing Tonghe. The design has three different interpretations: it recalls a “ding,” which is a ritual food vessel; it uses the “taotie” as its blueprint (one of the mythological children of the heavenly dragon) or it plays on the traditional concept of a square representing earth and a circle representing heaven. When dining with the owners of Imperial Tours at Beijing's distinguished China Club, I said to our host: "It seems to me that Hong Kong is stalled and that Beijing and Shanghai are racing way past it." "That's what everyone says," he responded. China Club built in the 16th century for a prince descended from Emperor Kangxi of the Qing dynasty. During the era of Deng Xiaoping, from the 1970's to 1996, it was the home of the Sichuan Restaurant. (Deng and most of China's top leader were from this province). It was at the club that Deng uttered the phrase: "Black Cat, White Cat…whoever catches the mouse." He meant that it didn't matter if China was communist or capitalist, as long as the country went where it wanted to go. It looks as if it is beginning a quick run forward. ...and Japan
Later a Japanese guide said, "Before you eat, you are to enjoy with your eyes the color and shape of what is before you." This is what we did the night at the Meiji Palace. It was amazing how candid our friend, Ken, is. He talked about WWII and how his father had been something like a CIA agent in the SE Asia theatre. I spoke of how my late husband, Denis, had been on the Iowa in Tokyo Bay at the time of the surrender.
At the end of our walk through the Peace Memorial Museum, there were expressions against the Iraqi war by the Japanese and by people from many countries, including Israel. Of course, the Japanese are concerned as well by the possibility of problems with Korea. We came away from our visit with strong desires for peace in the world. |
This
is part of the plan that the government embarked on in '02 when they knew they
had been granted the '08 Summer Olympics. The Chinese Olympic Committee in fact
promised to plant more than 57,000 acres of trees in Beijing and environs. As
a business associate in Beijing told us, "The goal of the Chinese is to be
ready for the Olympics by '05." 
But,
ahaa, we noticed the sign for the people mover on the Pudong side and so we were
able to have a Disney-like experience. Small trains holding about twenty passengers
whisk you under the river all the time giving you a sound and light show.
In
Tokyo, Alana and I were honored to be taken to dinner at Hanagasumi (the flower
of the mist) in Meiji Kinen Kan (Memorial Palace of Meiji Era, or of Meiji Emperor)
by friends. The restaurant was located right beside the palace (called Aoyama
Gosho Palace) of the prince and princess. We had a room to ourselves-just the
four of us. We had one waitress serving the twelve-course dinner, which included
hot and cold sake and two kinds of tea (one the powdered tea used for the traditional
tea ceremonies). There was a different kind of beautiful china for each course.
Later
as we sailed into Hiroshima, we couldn't help but think how at that very moment
our country was bombing Iraq. Our guide, who spoke very good English, talked in
detail about the bombing, but when I asked her what day the actual surrender was,
she didn't seem to know what I was talking about.| Taha'a Pearl Beach Resort “It's a very special place. The Taha'a Pearl Beach Resort is a real gem. It's the closest to a five-star facility we visited and head and shoulders above the other Pearl Beach resorts we visited and heard about. It's very secluded, so there's not a lot to do outside of the resort, but Bora Bora is only 20 miles away. Taha'a would be a great first stop for honeymooners before moving on to Bora Bora, which was my favorite island.” M.W., Jacksonville, FL |