Background: For centuries China stood as a leading civilization, outpacing the rest of the world in the arts and sciences, but in the 19th and early 20th centuries, the country was beset by civil unrest, major famines, military defeats, and foreign occupation. After World War II, the Communists under MAO Zedong established an autocratic socialist system that, while ensuring China's sovereignty, imposed strict controls over everyday life and cost the lives of tens of millions of people. After 1978, his successor DENG Xiaoping and other leaders focused on market-oriented economic development and by 2000 output had quadrupled. For much of the population, living standards have improved dramatically and the room for personal choice has expanded, yet political controls remain tight.
March 21st 2008Asia » China » Kunming The same day stretches six weeks long, waking, sleeping - it’s the same - denying routine, denying necessity, progress, change, accepting sunlight, escaping cold, watching an apartment block&rs ... 23 photos[full story]
March 24th 2008Asia » China » Kunming HEADING TO LAO BOARDER
As we had to leave China by the 03.03 we knew we have to head down to the boarder so the plan was to pick our visa today get ticket and cross the boarder.
Buying ticket was ... [full story]
March 24th 2008Asia » China » Kunming STONE FORREST
Great start as we were leaving the hostel it started to rain... determined not to get on the tourist bus we were left with no other option than get on the minibus and even we have a ... [full story]
March 24th 2008Asia » China » Kunming TO THE WARMER CLIMATE
Today we were hoping to go to warmer part of China Kunming. How little did we know.
But first we thought we should really see at least some of Chengdu's Temples so we GREEN ... [full story]
March 7th 2008Asia » China » Kunming Hei igjen! Naa er vi i Kunming. Har egentlig gjort veldig lite her. Vaert paa byen endel. Mye av grunnen er vel at vi for forste gang har hatt litt varmvaer.
De andre har solt seg endel faktisk.
... [full story]
February 27th 2008Asia » China » Kunming Aujourdhui on quitte la Chine pour le Laos. On a passe des mois supherbes dans ce pays extraordinaire.
Les dernieres jours on a eu dans le sud de la Chine, a Guilin, Yunhshou et Kunming. Le soleil et ... 7 photos[full story]
February 23rd 2008Asia » China » Kunming Xi Shan, or "The Western Hills Scenic Area" stretches along steep (straight up and down) cliffs near Kunming. There are giant pines and many ancient temples. Old narrow pathways, all built along risin ... 12 photos[full story]
February 23rd 2008Asia » China » Kunming Among the most dramatic scenic attractions we visited on our trip to Yunnan Province was "The Stone Forest", referred to since the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 A.D.) as the 'First Wonder of the World.' An ... 22 photos[full story]
February 22nd 2008Asia » China » Kunming Bob and I, Brian and Nancy Goeselt and their kids Christian (8) and Hannah (10) and six of our seven Newton students set off on Saturday February 9 for Kunming. Our guide, "Mike," greeted us with a so ... 9 photos[full story]
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