The case is unpacked, the clothes are all washed....we're
Inner Mongolia and a little bit of Northern Xinjiang
We arrived in Beijing today after a flight to Singapore and then the capital city.
Women's Tour Feb/March 2011
Around here, there's always something happening. Sometimes, it's just the tele. Or the kettle boiling, steam everywhere.
Fifteen brave Australians and their even braver tour leader will leave for Inner Mongolia and Northern Xinjiang Province on July 22nd, 2010.
Follow their progress via this blog.
Quote about foot-binding: "Why must feet be bound ? To stop this barbarous rushing around".
Message there for women- travel...
Blogs should be written like a diary. but mine will be more like random thoughts and writings about different things which have happened in relation to myself and China.
SHANXI PROVINCE, MAY 2010
The man who lived in a cliff...
How would you be living in a cliff ? It would be dusty and dirty. There wouldn't be water so a shower would be out of the question. I saw such a dwelling in Shanxi Province in China recently, when I was exploring, looking for new adventures for China Birds. I was driving in the countryside with Mickie Li and Driver Wang, on the way to the Hanging Monastery when on my left hand side, I saw a few holes in the cliff face. Up an embankment, a scrabble, a scramble and a few steps and there we were. A man with a tanned lined face and a smile stood beside the opening. I wish that I had asked his name.
We went inside and it was cool. It was tidy but the furniture and fittings were a little worn. All except for a lovely flat screen TV which had pride of place in the living area. And there was a comfortable-looking red chair,strategically placed in front of the TV . A traditional Chinese cooking stove with place for a wok, and cooking equipment, hanging near stove and shelves.
Through Mickie, the elderly man told me that during the Second World War, Chinese people hid from the Japanese soldiers in tunnels cut further into the cliff. He showed me the now- bare tunnels - they were well-kept, swept and clean.
The home was sweet-smelling . There were newspaper pictures on the wall. There were interesting curios and mementoes. There were messages and postcards from other countries.
The man of the house had power but no water- he had to fetch water every day, but he didn't mind. It seemed a little incongruous to see a new-style energy- efficient light globe hanging from his earthern ceiling.
We smiled at each other, had photos taken and then said goodbye. I think of him when I look at the globe hanging from my old pine-lined ceiling- it's exactly the same as his.