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.
June 13th 2008Asia » China » Yunnan » Zhongdian Well, I have all kinds of news. The internet has been unpredictable at best where I have been, and thus the long period without updates. First off, Clara and I decided to part ways a little early, bec ... 14 photos[full story]
May 29th 2008Asia » China » Yunnan » Zhongdian Shangri-la (aka Zhongdian) is Paradise!
To back up a little, Zhongdian is the farthest north into Yunnan province that we go, and also (alas) the closest to Tibet. Turns out that Tibetan culture ac ... [full story]
May 23rd 2008Asia » China » Yunnan » Zhongdian We walked across the bridge into China and I marvelled that people could still walk into a protected country in 2008. I do not count crossing Europe¡¯s non borders where customs officers have become a ... 12 photos[full story]
February 29th 2008Asia » China » Yunnan » Zhongdian Hi folks! Just finished updating...check the posts for photos and remembe to see them all you need to open each entry...there's lots in the one from Hanoi to Viet tri....enjoy!
C & G ... [full story]
February 29th 2008Asia » China » Yunnan » Zhongdian 25 km 7.0km/hr 3:34:00
I had a rough night as I woke up around midnight wanting to get sick and/or have diahrrea! I got dressed to go outside but ended up fighting it most of the rest of the night ... 2 photos[full story]
February 27th 2008Asia » China » Yunnan » Zhongdian Hi folks! Yes, we are alive and well! Sorry about the lack of updates. We're in Shangri-la(Zhongdian),China in Yunnan province right now. We are resting here and healing up from a bout of travel s ... [full story]
November 10th 2007Asia » China » Yunnan » Zhongdian
Before six the following morning in a cold darkness after the moon sets and the sun rises, four Brits, a Czech and I stand at the depot awaiting a bus that does not come. Shortly past nine we pile i ... 45 photos[full story]
May 15th 2008Asia » China » Yunnan » Zhongdian Donderdag 15 mei worden we opgehaald met de auto en gaan we via Baishutai (bekend om zijn kalkterrassen) naar Zhongdian. Daar verblijven we voor 2 nachten in het Songtsam hotel:
http://www.songtsam. ... [full story]
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