China poised for Games
SHANGHAI, China — China is a beautiful
clashing of eastern tradition and western ideas. Our travels took us through
Beijing, highlighting the Great Wall and the Forbidden City; Xi’an, boasting
the Terracotta Warriors and Horses of Shi Huang Di; Suzhou, the Venice of the
East; and the jewel in China’s developing Western crown, Shanghai.
We toured alongside two feisty Australian
couples in a group guided by Henry, a Xi’an native who was as tall and gangly as
he was educated and kind. Henry’s English was spot on, and our group spoke at
length about Chinese history and the future, with some side conversations on
Western politics, Bill Clinton, and Britney Spears.
Henry also was enthusiastic to discuss the
upcoming Olympics to be held in Beijing in August.
Originally, my travel companion, Courtney De
Graff and I planned to travel to Europe first, ending our trip in China. The
Olympics foiled our itinerary, though, because the tour companies are not
running during that time.
This also means Henry will be out of a job for
the Games, but he applied to volunteer in the Bird’s Nest — the intricate
silver structure built for the XXIX Olympiad — and has high hopes about
that.
All of China is excitedly awaiting the event,
like kids on Christmas Eve. Each of the four major cities we visited is
undergoing what must be millions of dollars in city beautification and
Westernized renovation.
The most apparent example of this, or the one
that most affected me, is the abundance of new, pearly, porcelain toilets.
The “squatters” definitely still are in use
and are the most common, but now there is also at least one new toilet in half
the ladies’ rooms.
Outside the restroom, landmarks are being
cleaned and repainted, lovely landscaping is applied everywhere, picture menus
are provided in restaurants, and all the history museums are now free. All of
our hotels also offered pamphlets on conservation and the benefits of “green”
energy.
Since China is a nation running on coal energy,
this is an interesting concept. The factories around Beijing will shut down a
week before the Games begin so the Olympians can compete in cleaner air.
At first I thought this was an extreme measure
made to avoid the complaints of diva athletes, but I was wrong.
There was a foggy smog swirling around
wherever we visited in northern China, even in the country parts we saw by
rail. Courtney and I both were a bit out of breath before we set foot on the
billion-step staircase leading to the top of the Great Wall.
Henry said that, despite its communist
history, China is moving quickly forward to a free market system, and the
Olympics are sure to push them further. Their preparation to welcome foreign
visitors is astounding.
The Chinese’s dedication, vivaciousness, and
friendliness are sure to win the hearts of the world. In fact, the Chinese
Olympic mascots are cute little cartoon characters called “the Friendlies.”
The language of pointing, smiling, gesturing,
and noise-making always has gotten us what we wanted and caused laughs for all
parties involved in the conversations.
The only topics that they will not discuss are
the three T’s, Tibet, Taiwan, and Tiananmen.
As the Olympics near, though, the Chinese
probably will have to address the three T’s more often than they would like.
China is the most interesting place I have
ever visited.
The ancient cities and monuments in the north make you feel the weight of
human achievement, and the more modern cities in the south, like the
lightbulb-encrusted Shanghai, give you glorious ideas about the future.