Disclaimer: I report accurately to the best of my ability and recollection. If I get my facts mixed up and you notice any inaccuracies, please bring them to my attention so I can remove you from the email list.
We got a little lesson on Communism. First, Chinese people don’t fly first class. We are the only passengers in 8 first class seats. We were through security in under 5 minutes from the time we entered the airport. Zero people in line ahead of us while the regular lines were packed. This is equivalent to the Sunday after Thanksgiving here.
Our breakfast was just served and Laurie had a choice of a Western or Eastern breakfast. She chose western because she could identify some things on the tray. I asked for Western too, but they only had one Western and it was already spoken for. Not to worry, Laurie couldn’t eat anything on either breakfast anyway
Back to communism. (the Pilot came back and is taking a nap in first class, maybe sleeping off last night’s bender. Too bad for him we had his breakfast.) Only 5% of Chinese are Communists. They can not practice any religion but regular Chinese can. Churches are mostly in the countryside, which I wanted to see (the countryside, not the churches) and any countryside we saw was at 60 mph on a highway. The highways are lined with about 10 deep rows of trees. Smaller in front, larger in back and they really do hide (especially for photographers) whatever industry, farming or villages are going on along the way. New Jersey could take a lesson from that.
The modes of transportation were very interesting to me. There are lots of pedal power bicycles, mopeds, both gasoline and electric (we were told to watch out for the electric ones because you can’t hear them coming). The next step up is adding an axel with two wheels in back in many configuratiuions. Pedal powered and gasoline small “pick up trucks”, dump trucks, one or two passenger vehicles with various levels of enclosure, lunch truck types, etc. We saw some massive loads being carried this way. There are three wheeled cars, but I learned that they are not allowed in the city because they are so dangerous. We even saw large trucks with only one front wheel.
The Chinese don’t like the Japanese, but they like Japanese cars. Audi’s are all over the place and are often in wedding processions. There are some Chinese Chinese cars as opposed to joint venture Chinese cars but they are not supposed to be very good or safe.
True Chinese car.
Returning to Communism, you can’t just join the Party, you have to be invited and apply. Our guide was asked to join because he went to school on a military base and his parents and grandparents were in the Party. He told us a story on the way to the airport about how he got into trouble when he was 15 (arrested) for knocking out two of his teacher’s teeth but it really wasn’t his fault because the teacher hit him first. It was a case of mistaken identity because students in front of him were talking during a lecture but he got blamed. When he put up his arm to fend off the teacher’s blows that’s when his arm happened to knock out the teacher’s teeth. It could happen to anyone. He wasn’t allowed to call his parents or a lawyer from jail. For the Communist slant, all of his classmates were coerced into signing statements that is was his fault.
There are traffic cameras all around China too, but they aren’t as polite as the Koreans in giving you a heads up in advance although by law they are supposed to. They don’e even waste postage mailing the tickets to you. When you go to renew your license every two years or so, you can see all your tickets on the internet then go to the police station and negotiate a settlement. Our poor guide got tickets but they really were not his fault either.
As for Communism, you have to be really good to get into the party. I asked why you had to be good and if there was corruption in the Party. Yes there is corruption in the higher levels but at entry level you have to do as you are told. For example, if your school is having a dance and you are asked to decorate and you don’t want to, you have to. You need to learn to follow instructions, period. You pay your dues up front and should reap the benefit later. They actually do pay dues to the party.
As one guide put it, it’s Capitalism for the party, Communism for the people.
Must put Communism report on hold here. Previous section was written on the plane and it is now the next day and we have a visit on Shanghai to report on.
When we landed in Shanghai, for some reason they couldn’t put us on a jetway so they rolled up stairs and buses were waiting. We deplaned first and were ushered to a private luxury bus that even the crew was not allowed to take. The bus featured first class type seats, tables, etc., and we had our own attendant. I would have asked for a drink but I know Dr. Pepper doesn’t practice in Asia.
The bus dropped us off at a private entrance where Laurie found the cleanest public restroom of our trip. Unfortunately, our suitcase didn’t make it onto the bus with us and we were forced to wait with the common people in baggage claim. Our suitcase was preceded on the belt with a sign: First Class Luggage (it really came from Costco) and followed by a sign: Economy Class Luggage.
Our guide was waiting for us and we got to look at the tracks of the Mag-Lev train which gets to the city in 7 minutes at speeds up to 250 mph during our one hour van ride. They have special glass in the Mag-Lev train so the passengers don’t get dizzy. We didn’t see it go by but if you blink you miss it. She told us one third of the world's cranes are working on buildings in Shanghai. There is certainly a lot of building going on and Shanghai is a very modern city. The world expo is coming here in 2010 and they are very excited about it.
Laurie got her wish and we pressed for a real vegetarian restaurant rather than trying to get a “authentic” Chinese restaurant to pretend to serve a vegetarian meal, like the appealing steamed romaine lettuce she had been served before, or watch me eat 50 dim sung because every selection had chicken, egg, or wheat. Lunch was delicious for both of us and we invited our guide to join us which really helped in the ordering department.
We visited a store which sold merchandise which bore a striking resemblance to name brands and they took us into a secret room very well hidden behind a wall unit. I didn’t ask, I just took pictures.
Magnetic lock on pack of secret door. See button on the red panel to unlock door from inside.
I had made voice memos of our tours but unfortunately they were lost. I'll do the best I can to recall details.
During lunch, I told our guide that I was more interested in seeing how people lived today than going through another museum, as interesting at they are. She took us into a small neighborhood (can't recall what they are called) which has entrances at each end of a main "street" and maybe 10 smaller streets branching off that main street but access to the community is through the two entrances.
Vigilant security
The buildings are three story and vintage 1950. Families share these houses and the first floor contains stoves, one for each family. the second floor contains one room for each family, practically zero privacy. There is no plumbing inside, although they are sprinklered for fire protection. They use commodes and there are showers elsewhere in the community.
Here is a view down the main street.
In past times when there were no cars parked, people would move their beds downstairs and outside and "community" was stronger and friendlier.
Cold milk is delivered daily
Each family has their own stove and sink.
Another family's stove.
Families run small businesses from their homes. Here are a clothing exchange, restaurant, and barbershop.
This house has five mailboxes, therefore five families live here.
Not everyone can read so they hang out here and wait for someone to come by and read the community news aloud.
Men playing Maj Jong on a side street. The homes on the block on the left are under renovation. This neighborhood is an excellent downtown location and these neighborhoods are protected from developers. The Four Seasons hotel is right down the block.
We also visited Kew Gardens and the old city.
Old city is like Chinatown in China. Very busy with vendors hawking all kinds of goods.
That's it for now. We had a nice day at sea today and played duplicate bridge respectably. Okinawa tomorrow but a very short visit.
Obviously we made it back to the ship after passing all the temperature checks. Another thermal scan before we disembark tomorrow. I'll try to get a picture.
Steve & Laurie
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