Moving to China!

Well, the blog has been pushed to the side in the face of a big move…My husband's company offered him another opportunity in Shanghai, China, so over the past few months, we have visited Shanghai, found a new home, packed up our belongings in China and moved to Shanghai!














China presents another part of the world to explore and discover, a new language to learn (Mandarin) and new places to visit…

I thought that living in Thailand was a bit challenging, but compared to China, in many ways it was much easier.  China has a population of nearly 1.4 billion, which is almost 20% of the world's population, and just under 30 million of that population are our neighbors in Shanghai!  You never feel alone in China!  There are always crowds…always a new face to meet!

We needed 3 different visas to move to China - one to visit to choose a new home, one to temporarily move and one permanent visa.  I thought we had red tape back in the States, but you haven't seen red tape until you move to China!  What makes everything a bit more challenging is the language barrier.  Many Chinese don't speak English, or if they do understand, they won't try to speak it because they are afraid of "losing face" or looking bad.  For a foreigner, that makes knowing a bit of Mandarin very useful.  Many of the older Chinese were brought up during a time when any outsider was not welcome in their country, and it is not difficult to understand that they are still wary of outsiders…the younger generation has been brought up in a country that has changed considerably, and they are becoming more open and interested in becoming part of the greater global world…



China is such a world of contrasts, especially in Shanghai.  There is great wealth, standing side by side with great poverty.  Because of the one child policy, there is a great disregard for children who are born with handicaps.  We live in an incredibly modern city but where one cannot drink the water out of the taps because of unsanitary conditions.  Pollution is a huge problem, and one that the Chinese government is trying to deal with.  Much of China still burns coal for heating, and that is a big part of the problem.

I will continue to write about my thoughts and impressions of China and of my travels around the world.

Two Wheels, Three Wheels, Four Wheels and More!

Thailand has some interesting modes of transportation.  Where we live, in Pattaya. it seems that motor scooters outnumber cars, 2-1.  Scooters are everywhere.  In fact, many food carts are connected to a scooter, so the vendor can quickly move location if a more desirable spot can be found.  The portable food carts are darling...it is just like a mini outdoor kitchen that can be moved around anywhere.

Scooters are also seen as a Thai station wagon.  I frequently see a family of four on a scooter - Dad as the driver, with a small child in front of him, and mom as the back passenger, holding another child in her arms.  There are infrequently enforced safety laws which stipulate that the driver and passenger should wear helmets, but it is not unusual to see drivers and or passengers without a helmet.  The traffic police doing safety checks, but the main purpose is to fine the drivers who are without license or helmet, cash is paid on the spot and the driver is free to drive on, still without the items!  The fines range from 100-500 baht, depending on the mood of the traffic police.  There are also scooter taxis - for 50-100 baht, you can ride on the back of scooter taxi.  Scooter taxi drivers wear vests with advertising for the company that sponsors them.

  

 

Tuk tuks are another way to get around.  Tuk tuks are frequently used in Bangkok, but I don't recommend long distance trips - you are breathing a lot of fumes!  They are also very common in Chiang Mai - it basically will cost you 100 baht per ride to go most places in the city of Chiang Mai.  If you ask, the baht bus driver will also wait for you and take you back to your hotel, for another 100 baht (approx 3 USD) Its not comfortable, but its extremely convenient.  

Thailand is the 2nd largest consumer of pick up trucks (2nd only to the USA) - and when one sees the use of pickup trucks, generally as a large group conveyance, it is easy to understand why they are so popular.  Open bed pick up trucks can carry a large group of workers, or children to school and they are used as baht buses driving up and down the busy streets of Pattaya.  You hop on the back, ride down Beach Rd, and press a buzzer to alert the driver when you want to get off.  You then pay the driver 10 baht ( ~31 cents in US currency) for the privilege of riding from one block to several km, it doesn't matter how far, its only 10 baht!


Tourist buses are another interesting phenomenon in Thailand.  We live in a very touristy area, and during the winter, the double decker tourist buses seem to take over the streets.  Many of the streets in Pattaya are called "Soi" which means small street, and small means small!  But the drivers of the tourist buses don't believe there is anywhere they can't drive, so even the smallest street is likely to have a huge bus trying to navigate through. 




The best mode of transportation, however, is for the lucky dogs who have an owner willing to give them a ride on their scooter!  This was a first for me!

Ayutthaya - A Gem of Thailand!

Ayutthaya is about one hour north of Bangkok, but it is worlds away in terms of history and culture.  Ayutthaya reigned as the capital of Thailand for 400 years, from 1350 to 1767.  Bangkok is a huge, bustling city, and Ayutthaya is in a much smaller town, where bicycling is more typical.  During its heyday, Ayutthaya was one of the important centers of commercial trading for Southeast Asia.  Visitors from all over the world came to call in Ayutthaya.  A succession of 33 kings ruled over Ayutthaya and built temples and palaces and supported a population which grew to about 1 million by the 17th century.  It is hard to believe that this charming city full of beautiful ruins was home to a million people.  Ayutthaya was destroyed by the Burmese in 1767, when they invaded Thailand, burned the city and either killed or took the Thai citizens as slaves back to Burma.  It isn't hard to imagine how glorious this city once was.  The Ayutthaya period was important era to the development of Thai architecture, and some of the most beautiful examples were found in the city of Ayutthaya, which had over 1,700 Buddhist temples!  Because most of these structures were built out of stone, they survived, in some fashion, in spite of the fires and time.  It is easy to see the beauty that remains in the ruins.

Traveling Thailand Part VI - Chinatown, Bangkok

Odean Circle and Royal Jubilee Gate, Chinatown - Bangkok

Bangkok's Chinatown is an incredibly fascinating, crowded, busy ethnic community in the heart of Bangkok.  It always shows up on lists of biggest and best Chinatowns in the world.  It dates back over 200 years, and was established the same year as Bangkok, 1782.  Chinese immigrants originally lived where the Grand Palace now sits.  King Taksin, who ruled from 1767 - 1782, was of Chinese descent and encouraged Chinese merchants and settlers to come to Thailand.  With the fall of King Taksin, the Chinese were moved south to the current area known as "Sampheng" under the rein of Rama I (Chao Phraya Chakri)  Those of Chinese heritage still live and work in this community, and during Chinese New Year, this neighborhood, which is always lively, goes on overdrive!

Chinese lanterns celebrating the Year of the Snake.

 

One can still see little herbal shops dispensing medicines designed to promote "Chi" - achieving balance and harmony within the body.  There are also many health food specialty shops, selling fish bladders and bird's nests, among other fascinating items.

An Herbalist, measuring out a "prescription"

A Chinese Pharmacy

                     

Another enjoyable treat while in Chinatown is to relax by enjoying afternoon tea.  This is the Double Dogs Tea House, run by a Chinese tea master.

Wat Traimit is home to the world's largest solid gold Buddha, weighing in at 5.5 tons.  It is also home to a fantastic Chinese Heritage Museum which shows the journey of the Chinese immigrants by red-bow junks from China to Thailand.

The solid gold Buddha was hidden underneath plaster for hundreds of years, it was accidentally discovered in 1955 when the plaster was chipped while the statue was being moved to a new location.   

Thain Fa Foundation Hospital - this hospital was built  in 1905 to provide medical care for the Chinese immigrants living in Chinatown, as well as  to care for the poor in the neighborhood.  There are two sides to the hospital - one side provides western medical care, and the other 

provides traditional Chinese medicine.  

In 1959, a beautiful statue of Guanyin, the Chinese goddess of Mercy and Compassion was installed inside this pavilion which resembles a Chinese pagoda and is on the grounds of 

Thain Fa Hospital.  Guanyin is revered throughout Southeast Asia .  

Wat Mangkon Kamalawat - the Temple of the Dragon and the Lotus.  This is the largest Mahayana Buddhist temple in Thailand and is filled with a huge collection of religious icons and statues of Buddha.

The best way to see Chinatown is to walk up and down the main roads of Yaowarat and Charoen Krung, and the small lanes of Sampheng, Isaranuphap and Tao.  The small side strees and lanes are crowded and busy but they are also the best places to get a feel for "Old Chinatown".  The best way to get to Chinatown is to exit the water taxi at Ratchawong Pier #5 and walk north on Rachawong Road which intersects with Sampheng Lane, Yaowarat and Charoen Krung Roads.






The other option is to use the MRT subway and get off at Hua Lamphong Train station.  The train station is another interesting Bangkok landmark, built by the Dutch before WWI.  It is an interesting Art Deco structure, busy with lots of backpackers and Thai's using the mass transit.
At 8 am the National Anthem is played, and everyone in the station stands at attention!