Taizhou Teachers College is back in full session, and some 7,000 college students have re-occupied our small campus. They are more like "High School Teenagers," squeeling to each other, holding on to each other for support. Cell phones and MP3s are attached to both ears, while they scream for the attention of persons right next to them. They giggle out loud as they make their way to some spartan class-rooms, with enough basic-desks and tiny-stools (none have back-rests) for classes, that will seat 45+ students. (When I had opportunities to milk cows or goats as a child in Germany, w [View Full Entry]

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Time has suddenly become less available for me at Taizhou Teachers College. Classes are in session, and the students are hesitant participants, as they begin to adjust to my classroom-personality. One glowing comment in one of their "Class- Journals" was telling: "...she didn't know, that a 62 year old could be funny." I have found here, as at Coral Gables Sr. H.S., that humor is good medicine for shyness. My new students at Taizhou Teachers College, who are between the ages of 19 and 22 are very timid, possess childish innoscense, and each has fear of having to speak English, but [View Full Entry]

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How can a personal encounter with a "smirking" Panda-Bear not be a happy life's moment? But we were not prepared for what this morning had waiting for us, and later had difficulty finding words to express the experience... An early sun-rise-visit to the Panda Breeding Center near Chengdu, the Capitol of Sichuan Province of South-Central China, on this rather rainy morning, had at times been discussed. All of Arthur's meticulous and tireless planning brought us this moment. We were heading for an "enchanting" encounter, right out of a story-book, and something I have only dreamed abou [View Full Entry]

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Foreigner visitors to Tibet require a special permit, that must be issued by the local authorities in Lhasa. Tibet is considered an "autonomous region of China", and though it is possible to secure entry-permission as an individual traveller, booking with an authorized travel-agent makes the process simpler, less cumbersome, and "seemingly" worryless. Arthur and I had negotiated with an agency in Beijing, who booked our itenerary. They made all our arrangements seem quite easy, though at one point Arthur did become un-easy about their "lack" of reputation, but we both realized quickly, [View Full Entry]

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One of the lesser known sights for tourists, and lesser encouraged holy places in Lhasa, Tibet, is the Sera Monastery, located on the outskirts of the city, on the base of steep mountain ridges. As with all peaks on the Tibetan High Plateau, already at 13,000 feet altitude, these imposing stone ridges cannot support the growth of trees, and therefore one has a clear view to the top. Looking up the foreboding incline, one can see some small man-made structures anchored precariously near the top. As if on clothing-lines, thousands of prayer-flags flap their words to the wind, and a visi [View Full Entry]

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Train tickets are not sold until 10 days before departure in China, and with 1.4 billion people on the move every day, soft-sleeper tickets, especially to Beijing, are at a premium. Arthur did manage to connect us, so that we would arrive in Beijing on the morning of our exciting departure to Lhasa, Tibet. One of the world's "great" train-journeys has been made available to adventurous travelers, leaving Beijing at 9 p.m. and arriving in Lhasa, Tibet's capitol, some 48 hrs later. Since childhood, train travel has always been anticipated as an adventure, leaving the cares to others, [View Full Entry]

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The journey to Tibet has been a life's dream. For as long as I remember, its mysterious history and the hopes and the tribulations and the complications in its existence have been of fascination. But any pre-conceptions must adjust rather quickly to reality, for I was on a train, filled to capacity with fellow travellers from around the world, hoping to be one of the first to get a glimpse into this enigmatic and emerging culture. Most fellow travellers were from various parts of China. Our soft-sleeper-cabin was shared by 2 Chinese (a young lady from Beijing off to see and [View Full Entry]

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The Temple of Heaven represents the highest development of religious architecture in China. Though religious rituals have been held on this spot as far back as the 11th Century B.C., this temple of perfection and harmony was constructed by the Ming Dynasty in the year 1420, some 70 years before the liberation of Spain by Ferdinand and Isabella from the Moors, and the sailing of Columbus from the Sevilla. The temple was vitally important to the imperial universe, as it was the link between emperor and heaven. From here the emperor would make his report to heaven. The altar was aco [View Full Entry]

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Beyond the Tiananmen Gate, in the heart of Beijing, having passed under the portrait of Chairman Mao, lies the Forbidden City. This was the imperial heart and soul of the Chinese civilization. Between 1420 and 1911 it was the residence and the court of the Ming Dynasty and the Qing Dynasty, and is the largest palace complex in the world. There are 9,999 rooms throughout this "hidden city". 10,000 rooms would have been exaggerated pride, since heaven is reputed to have 10,000 rooms, and the emperors didn't want to tempt fate. Besides, the number 9 is an especially fortunate number. The [View Full Entry]

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What are the expections for a first time visitor to the greatest and largest construction- site known to human kind? To walk along man-made fortifications, that are reputed to be "the only human-made structures discernible from the moon", and are an amazing 16,000 miles long? Whose planning and building began some 3,000 years ago, one thousand years before the birth of Christ, and still being improved by the Ming Dynasty less than 350 years ago, while Louis IV reigned supreme over France? (The 16 Ming Emperors alone contributed defensive works made up of some 4,500 miles, and the [View Full Entry]

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