Travels

     Before I even left for China, I was having adventures in Colombo.  This is the text I sent to my colleagues in Badulla:  "Have just adopted a baby.." They did believe I had adopted a Chinese baby but no, I adopted an 6 week old Calico baby and of course named her Baby. She waited for me in Colombo while I went to China and came home with me this week.  But let's get to China, it was fabulous, I loved it.  It was so much more then I expected, friendly people (this surprised me because in other Asian places I have been, like Viet Name, I did not find the people particularly friendly), big developed, middle and upper class cities and more importantly, beauty especially in the countryside.  We flew all over and the scenery was stunning.  They have become huge consumers, like Americans and status seekers.  They are also losing traditions like taking care of parents so there is a law making people responsible for their own elderly.  Kids (teens and early 20s) are totally into themselves, how they look, what they own.  they have little awareness of being in a communist country or what their own parents and grandparents went thru. In other words they are like American kids and richer Sri Lankan kids in Colombo. 
     I started in Shanghai and spent a day at Expo which was terrific except for the American pavilion which was boring and minor compared to others.  The other thing that was truly upsetting was that the representative, introducing the films at the American Pavilion was Koby Bryant...the best of the USA I guess!  I had the opportunity on several occasions to do Tai Chi both in the park in Beijing and on the ship we sailed down the Yangtze river.  When I get thru editing my 1200 pictures, you will see a picture of me awkwardly doing it.  Anyway, it was terrific and I learned a lot about China and their now lack of love for Mao. Although I can see Asian similarities in Sri Lankans and Chinese, the major difference is that Chinese have terrible tempers which they display in public as they do their laundry which hangs outside their hi rise windows.  The first day I got there I saw several verbal arguments and something thrown at someone. Sri Lankans are gentle, non confrontative people. However the suicide rate is high in both countries although higher in Sri Lanka, highest in the district I live in. 
     The Chinese are into Feng Shui, horescopes (as are the Sri Lankans), acupuncture, acupressure, cupping, jade for health, gambling, liquor (as are the Sri Lankans), Tai Chi and Mahjong.  We visited the great wall of China, the Forbidden City, the terra Cotta soldiers, the summer palace 2 amazing groups of mountains down beautiful scenic rivers gorges, Hong Kong, beautiful countryside rice paddies, Tianamen Square  and so much more.
      The best part was my sister Roberta and my cousin Helene joining me there.  They suffered, it was hot and muggy but even worse, I know they didn't come to Sri Lanka because they never wanted to have to deal with a porcelain hole in the ground for a toilet, squatting is not their thing.  Well, it is an Asian thing so they had to stand in long lines frequently waiting for the only western toilet; when there wasn't one, Helene kept her legs crossed all day!  I am truly grateful that they joined me and felt sad at separating from them at the end of the trip.