Day Next

This day we disembarked our floating mini hotel for the last four nights. This is the major city of central China, Chongqing. We used to call it Chung King but now it is pronounced ‘Chong Chin’. This city of 13 million rivals Beijing as the most polluted city in the world in the informal Bob Index of City Pollution.

Yes, the Yangtze River is wide at Chongqing but the far bank is barely visible through the haze and smog. I could not wait to leave the place. But Joy decided to be kind and show us the town. This was an extra for us.

Going into the big market in the center of town we for the first time got “down and dirty” and saw the gritty real China. This is the first time I felt like a true tourist. We were so out of place here it was embarrassing. In the huge fresh market on two floors of small stalls in a large building we saw all manner of meat, vegetables and spices. All products were displayed in beautiful profusion. On the way out the back there was a man beheading and draining chickens, a woman cooking pig’s feet on and a small BBQ and live ducks and chickens for sale for dinner. Yummy!

After a one hour flight to the south China city of Guilin we were taken to the Reed Flute Cave. This was nice and much has been done recently to make the walk through the cave for about an hour more beautiful with colored lights. I was not impressed. In the giant central cavern with various colored lights we stopped for a light show there. Amazingly that actually detracted from the natural beauty.

After dinner a small group of us went on a tour of the four lakes and two rivers of Guilin in the dark. Absolutely beautiful stuff. We saw local fishermen using Cormorants to do their fishing. Our local guide, with fourteen of us, was asked some interesting questions by our little group. How do you join the Communist party; how much does it cost; can you personally run for mayor of Guilin; can you protest when the government does something you disagree with. His answers brought us back to the fact that this is a communist country even as capitalist as the country outwardly looks now.

This country, the awaking sleeping giant, as it is referred cannot become a world power until two major obstacles are overcome. In my opinion pollution is a minor issue compared to these concerns. First, China has got to invent the toilet. It is not a problem for me but the ladies are learning new bathroom contortions. A hole in the floor is not defined as a toilet. Second, the water. Joy tells us where we can drink the water or ice. Nowhere can we drink the tap water. This makes keeping hydrated very difficult.

Thought for the day: A major economic power is a bit player until they understand what a “Throne” really means.