Ali, the wonderful person who created this exciting Travelblog-site on the internet, has added a new feature. It is now possible to share some exclusive VIDEOS with you. I want to thank Ali for her many efforts and improvements, permitting me to bring you journal-updates, free of cost. Thank you Ali. To test my ability to follow her instructions, I would like to offer you one of the great experiences of my life, A VIDEO of the visit to the Panda Reserves in the thriving city of Chengdu, in Sichuan Province of China. This city in Central China is synonymous with [View Full Entry]

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In a new China, GUILIN is among the first of a multitude of blossoming cities. With spectacular historical and natural attractions these continue to host millions of perplexed and enchanted visitors, from every corner of the world, daily. China's doors and windows have been opened wide, and the winds of change are strong. Could any of them ever be closed to the world again? To help keep them from closing, tens of thousands of the world's business-(wo)men are visible in the mega-cities of the PRC, and they are settling down for the long-term, while hords of the world's trourists venture [View Full Entry]

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The spectacular and inspiring Jin Mao Tower of Shanghai/Pudong, at 1,379-ft./420.5-m, is China's tallest building only for a few more months, and offers itself to generations as one of man's grand creations. Though this architectual work of art will within the year be over-shadowed by the next, world's-highest, collosal sky-scraper, the Shanghai Financial Center (1,509-ft./460-m), this inspired Jin Mao Tower for the moment remains one of the world's most attractive and recognizable architectual creations, sharing a most prominent spot-light along Shanghai/Pudong's ever-changing sky-line. S [View Full Entry]

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China's feeds one-fifth of the world's population, daily. Much of the economy of China, in the cities and in the villages, conspicuously depends on the food industry, struggling to supply the variety of tastes for the exotic or the more mondane. China has suffered much during its well-documented famines. They are still in the memories of my students' parents. But the variety, quantity, and the quality of foods that are consumed by the people around me at the college, and what I see when I travel throughout China leaves little doubt, that those struggling times are fading into China's histo [View Full Entry]

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How does the "new" middle-class of China buy a first home and what might be the availability of these condo-style units, offered daily to multitudes of very eager Chinese buyers? The answer is easier to understand, by taking a look at the introduction-photo to the right, at all of the open-mouthed Coy-fish in the crowded pond, struggling and gasping to be heard: "I want one, please give me one, I just married and we need one, here is my cash and take some for yourself, I want one too, I can afford it now, .... etc., etc.". It is difficult for [View Full Entry]

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World cities have unique displays of architectual icons and landmarks, that identify and suggest the character and reason for their existence, where one is associated with the other: Be it the Eifel Tower and Paris, the Brandenburg Gate and Berlin, the Capitol Building and Washington D.C., the Temple of Heaven and Beijing, New York and (once-again) the Empire State Building, the Acrapolis and Athens, the Pyramids and Cairo, and now the Oriental Pearl Tower and Shanghai. Shanghai's awesome and dynamic, futuristic landmark captures the imagination of every visitor to this immense city of 20 m [View Full Entry]

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Most of China's massive (1.4 billion) population live in rural areas, in the country-side, and in small villages, where most are still dreaming about the prosperity, that might reach them one day, perhaps sooner?; while China's mega-cities continue to flourish and expand in amazing speed. Nine months have passed since arriving in China, and on my return visits to various large and small cities, there appear constant transformations, most noticable in their sky-lines. (Remember that 5 million inhabitants qualifies a town in the P.R.China to be recognized as a "medium" city.) Their city-ce [View Full Entry]

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It's April at Taizhou Teachers College in Jiangsu Province of China, and spring is in the air. The sky is bluer, and the warmer days are more frequent and very pleasant. Campus life at our college is at fever pitch, especially since this is also the month, when our small teachers college is to receive its five year evaluation by the Education Dept. of Jiangsu. This most important report will present the success and short-comings of the college's academic performance to the city, to the province, and to China. Administrators, Department Chairs, Teachers, Support Staff, as well as the Stud [View Full Entry]

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Seeing family, friends, and my home in Miami, Florida, after 7 months of teaching English at Taizhou Teachers College in China, is like awakening from a dream. Reality and emotions were enhanced by the twenty hours of flying in a crowded Airliner, a trying-experience in the rear cabins of the airplane, where space for the less affluent, like me, was at a premium. Observing the fewer, but more contend passengers in the front of the plane enviously, I noticed their hours passing comfortably and more quickly sitting in their "pretentious" First Class. They were pampered with service and c [View Full Entry]

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Some ten miles from Beijing's city center stands the "Lugou Qiao", also known as the "Marco Polo Bridge", named after the famed traveller, who enthusiastically described this enduring, 11-arched bridge in his famous book, "The Travels". The historic significance of this 820 year old bridge is close to the heart of every Chinese, not only for its beauty of the marble-stone construction dating to the Jin Dynasty of 1189, but also for the bloody battles of 1937 between the Japanese Imperial Army and the Nationalist Chinese Soldiers, leading to the Japanese occupation of Beijing, followed by [View Full Entry]

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