Visiting the Countryside in China

Probably one of the most interesting times I have had in China have been visiting with the locals in remote areas. I call those areas the Real China.
Rural life in China is very quiet, restful and at the same time a great learning experience not only of Life in China but the people of China. With over 57 different nationalities, each has their own language, customs and dress. Outside of LiJiang in the Naxi and Yi villages one can see not only how they live but their way of making a living from day to day. It is common to ask to visit a home or chat with the locals at a local cafe at lunch time or just over a cup of tea. Having a good local guide like Ms. Li that I have used in LiJiang and who is a Naxi lady, makes it much easier to converse and to experience the culture of the local people. When taking a tour to China be sure to spend at least one day at leisure relaxing in the countryside. Each trip I plan for myself, I spend at least 3 days with the local people in whatever area I am working.

On holiday in Malaysia - Kuala Lumpur

I was busy traveling in February to Malaysia and Sri Lanka, and then a few days south for my HIV/AIDS charity work. I had a few days in Kuala Lumpur, which is where the pictures below were taken. I was so happy to get away from the cold, and enjoy lots of spicy food and colourful sights of such varied cultural backgrounds - Malay, Indian and Chinese.

I was in KL in time to catch the end of the Chinese New Year celebrations, also found in shopping malls as in Beijing.

It's a time for weddings too! Being the Year of the Dragon, I guess they are hoping

 for a Dragon son. 

There weren't any dragons outside but we saw lots of bears.

These are no ordinary bears, but the United Buddy Bears, all 147 of them, made of fibreglass and standing 2m tall, hand in hand for peaceful world. They represent different countries and regions and are on a worldwide tour to promote aid for children in need.

They are all painted with features from the national culture of the country they come from.

Can you guess where this bear is from?

Of course, I had to take a picture next to the China bear.

These should be easy to guess, not quite sure why they don't look so happy - recession perhaps?

And this one below is the one from Malaysia, emphasising the unity of the different cultures and races here. After their 3 months stay in KL, they go on to New Delhi.

The different cultures are obvious from the different languages on the shop signs, and dress of the customers.

Colourful local purses.

We don't see this in Beijing!

I had to take a photo at KL's landmark Petronas Towers.

Typical Chinese New Year's Lion Dance

There are not many tourist sights in KL, and of those that remain, some were built during the British colonial times.

It must have been so much like home for the Brits to play cricket on this green, but of course now there is the sound of traffic and tall buildings going up everywhere.

I was tempted to buy a sarong, just right for the hot and sticky weather.

The different cultures also lead to so many different kinds of snacks and dishes.....yummy!

Not so yummy but cheap - all for less then 2 USD!

There is a wide range of fruit, fresh or otherwise

Recognise these?

Wandering in the local markets, we also saw beautiful flowers and bouquets.

And, it seems any decent market will have fake watches to sell, reminds me of home!

Encountering the Chinese - A Must Read!

Before going to China your reading materials should include this book brought up to date in 2010. "Encountering the Chinese" is the best book I have found in helping to understand the differences in our cultures and how to deal with those differences in social, business, political and educational atmospheres. As a tour operator I try to keep copies on hand for clients who desire more information on this ever changing culture. For anyone going to China to teach, this is a Must Read Book. For anyone who will be working with Chinese people directly or part of a delegation, again this is a must read. For those who are just interested in the social aspects of Chinese culture it is an eye opener of what you can expect. Large coastal cities in the past 15 years have been exposed to western people much more than inland cities and countryside people. If you can not find a copy, I try to keep 50 copies on hand and will send them out at $25 post paid as long as I have stock. Tours to China is my business but the Chinese culture continues to intrigue me for the past 25 years that I have been traveling throughout China with over 50 trips.
Interlake China Tours, Inc. P.O. Box 33652 Seattle, WA. 98133