Blogs from Dandong, Liaoning, China, Asia
October 23rd 2011
Jest poranek, siedze od 20 minut nad brzegiem rzeki Yalu, tuz przy moscie przyjazni chinsko-koreanskiej. (nawiasem mowiac, przez tych 20 minut nie pojawil sie na moscie zaden slad zycia). Wrazenie- jak z Heroes of Might and Magic, na granicy dwoch krain. Z tej strony zielono i kolorowo, bo wierzby, tuje, swierki, parasole, coca-cola, ludzie laza po promenadzie, jakis facet puszcza dzieciakowi banki mydlane, ktos wedkuje, inny zaszyl sie w krzakach i probuje grac na trabce. A kilometr dalej we mgle majacza kontury kilku kominow, drzew bez lisci, jakies nieruchome dzwigi, kilka hal fabrycznych...z kominow nawet dym nie leci. (mostem przejechal wlasnie pociag, wszystkie okna puste.) Przyjechalem nocnym pociagiem z Pekinu. Klimat odrobine jak w transsybersyjskiej, przynajmniej jesli idzie o spotkania przy szlugach w przejsciach miedzy wagonami, bo ogolnej popijawy nie bylo, no i wszystk... read more
April 11th 2011
Après presque 9 mois passés à 250 des frontières de la Chine avec la Corée du Nord, je ne m'étais pas encore aventurée du côté de ce pays qui défrayait les manchettes il n'y a pas si longtemps. Mon retour au Canada approchant à grands pas, j'ai décidé de remédier à la situation et d'organiser une visite à Dandong, une ville frontière à la limite entre la Chine et la Corée du Nord. Pas grand chose à voir...mais quand même le sentiment que le Canada est un beau pays.... read more
March 16th 2011
It has been one of those weeks where I somehow managed to burn money like there was no tomorrow. Now let me get something straight before I start on my rant. I don't have a problem with spending money, I only get irritated when I feel the money I spent could have been spent better another way and that is what happened a lot this week. It wasn't that the sights I saw weren't beautiful, some were astounding, but it was a combination of too little time at some attractions, or taking the more expensive option at others when it turned out that I could have had the same experience for half the money. The overall effect is the same, one walks around with this gnawing feeling in the back of ones head which detracts from ... read more
A secretive trip to a secretive country - Prelude
Published: September 1st 2010Asia » China » Liaoning » Dandong
August 17th 2010
To many travellers, visiting North Korea is a surreal and yet irresistible dream. However, to most people, visiting North Korea remains a dream because of the extremely high cost. (North Korea cannot be visited independently. All visitors must join a pricey tour and be accompanied by 2 guides throughout the tour.) For me, I decided to make my dream a reality while keeping the cost affordable, and the best way to do this was to join a tour in Dandong, China. Dandong is a bustling city on the China-North Korea border and serves as the gateway between the world and the hermit nation. Starting my trip in Dandong not only allowed me to save a substantial amount of money (a 4-day tour costs 2400CNY for Chinese nationals or 3900CNY for foreigners like me), but also allowed ... read more
July 24th 2010
This week went by pretty fast. Things accomplished outside of work: 3 day dry-cleaning, hand-washed everything in my itty-bitty sink, and um....that's it. Every night, someone from work wanted to go out and sometimes I didn't even get to workout. Monday night, Mr. Huang invited me to dine with him, the restaurant manager, one of his chief architects, and several Korean friends. We ate on the rooftop of Xinandongge where I always seem to chill at for dinner and had our baijiu fix. 1st of all, that stuff is putrid and should never be imbibed, but I was successful and left home with just a slight feeling of disgust whilst everyone else was too inebriated to come to work the next day. Tuesday was chill with some working out in the evening and catching a pic ... read more
July 17th 2010
Today, work consisted of touring. Love this job. After arriving at work at the usual 7 am, Director Ai and I hopped in his car and headed North along the border to do a little sight seeing. The area was richly diverse in scenery with fields of corn along the riverside set off my by the gently rolling hills, blanketed in beautifully dense greenery and peach orchards. The area reminded me a lot of California and Ohio put together which brought back warm memories of home. The first stop on the road was the Hushan Changcheng or Tiger Mountain Great Wall. It's location about 25-30 km northeast of Dandong makes it an incredibly less frequented section of one of China's greatest national treasures and thereby lets you get a good luck at a testament to the ... read more
July 16th 2010
So I've been noticing every morning on the way to work that at quarter to 7 everyday, North Korea sings. Weird songs. Like I don't know if they have a massive PA that projects music or if they are all actually singing but it's pretty red if u know what I mean. I feel like I got thrown back into the Soviet Union or at least that I need to heil on the way to work....but not really. Work was same old, a whole lot of cooling my heals in the 95 degrees with humidity. :) All in all, not too bad. After lunch, Dir. Ai took me to A.D. Fitness Club which is also owned by the company, big surprise there. I have a pass here too apparently and get to hang out with people ... read more
July 15th 2010
Today was a good time, I finally got to meet boss man and was he ever nice! We basically just chilled in his office for tea for like 45 minutes and talked about the city and how I liked my place. He flat out told me that I can have anything I ask for, but I will be sure not to ask for much out of respect. My office was also moved to the 14th floor from the 16th to be right next to Mr. Huang, Dir. Ai, and the secretaries. A good change given that the A/C is usually on down here and I have walls around my workstation for a little more privacy than just being in the middle of a big room. Mr. Huang had me taken home by his driver today that ... read more
July 14th 2010
Breakfast = PLUS, lunch = also a plus. I sat at a desk all day and just studied. Trade Manager Ding has not gotten back from business in Jiling yet so I get to hang out until he does (apparently next Thursday). Mr. Guo and all of his electrical engineering aptitude rewired my entire work station for me so I have internet access and a beautiful view of the river and N. Korea on the other side. Today was very low key; I rather enjoyed it. Tonight I had jiaozi and baozi for dinner. Basically, just dumplings with delicious filling. Jiaozi are thin, crescent-shaped, and can sometimes be greasy. Baozi are more like large, cooked dough balls with a tasty inside and slightly more filling due to the large amount of carbs. Both are among my ... read more
July 13th 2010
I came in on time just I had promised only this time I had all my luggage and accurately told the cab driver to go to the Sun Island Bath House (right next door), getting me there in one shot and for only 5 kuai as opposed to my random 10+ kuai trips the previous day. They greeted me and introduced me to Director Ai. This guy is a hoot; he's shorter and round and has the most maniacal laugh ever. He always seems like he's up to something. But anyway, he took me on a trip around town to the Sun Fortune Center where I saw my soon to be apartment that would be ready that afternoon. We then visited the Sun Towers (also owned by the company) and I got to see a model ... read more
