The Other Pole

So what could be more opposite than Texas?  France would be a good guess, but I'll have to settle for China.  My original belief was that China was an über-repressive country, in which the people wore bland/dark clothes and were reserved in their manners; one's passport would have to be shown at every corner by leering cops/soldiers; and maybe the populace would sing some song to the late Chairman Mao at 6:15 PM every day.  Turns out phallic jokes are world-wide.  Who knew that these jokes would be funny from Indiana, Pennsylvania, to Niederaußem, Germany, and now to Hohhot, Inner Mongolia???  Great way to break the ice, especially when one's contact does not know a word in English.

I've spent my third trip to Rizhao, China earlier this week and now am writing to you about two hours west of Hohhot, China.  Not sure what the name of the town is, but surprisingly is looks the same as Rizhao, Qingdao, Tiajin, Beijing, and Hohhot:  crowded, dirty in most locations, and lots of construction.  It seems like the entire country is undergoing a face-lift of sorts.  Makes sense, as they're the #2 economy in the world and seems to be holding the US and soon to be the EU by the financial short-hairs.  The propaganda, er the informational, video (shown with the music of "Amazing Grace," no less!!) on the bus from Rizhao to Qingdao kept on showing a rising sun as it was explaining the booming growth of Rizhao.  To me that means that the information, er tourism, ministry believes and is getting others to believe that the changes to Rizhao are just the beginning.  The confidence of the people I interact with lets credence to this.  Speaking of which, the people I've been around have a profound interest in American politics (one would be alarmed at the similarities between US and Chinese politics) and religion.  Strange, one is taught that both were verboten here, as well in the workplace.  But not so much.  They find my views to be "interesting," (I'll leave it at that).  BTW:  Don't be surprised if there is news of activity between China and the Philippines sometime this year.  It'll be the new Premier flexing his muscles.  Oh, and we won't be able to call the political system "Communist," anymore in the near future.  Something like "People's Socialist State," or some BS like that. 

Without further to-do, I will present the rest of this post in picture format.  Tomorrow I will be a tourist in the fab. town of Hohhot.  I was hoping for Beijing, but this'll have to do...

Denver from 10,000 Feet

Wheird building @ LAX, smaller than I anticipated

Old Chinese building

YO!! TAXI!!!

Yup, you can watch the shower from the room

Hover Dump, enough said

 Holy crapola, 3 bottles of 90 proof soju, a case of beer and bad kareoke (thank goodness for U2 and The Eagles.....

How to gain access to Communist power plant

Control room of communist power plant

And yes, it tastes like Coke in China too,

 

And as a added surprise:  what happened outside my window tonight,

Thank you for reading,

Kev