China - The Land of Mysteries
Over the past days we have encountered a few mysteries that just can not seemed to be solved. Well maybe they have answers but to the Western Foreigner these things seem more mysterious than who killed Jon Benet Ramsey.
#1 The toilet
- The country has adopted the squatty potty method. In theory this could be a good revolution on toilets. Less structure to break, uses the natural squatting stance that is healthier, and seemingly less germ infested since there is a lack of sitting. Unless I am missing something this is totally wrong. Let us be honest, there is not true good way to squat without pee splashing up during your trip to the Lou. It just doesn't happen. I attribute the lingering pee smell to the splashes that litter the bottom of everyone`s pants and shoes. It could be just me but proof lays around the toilet. It is always wet and people track it out of the stalls all day long. If you do spot the elusive sitting toilet it may be accompanied by a remote control that allows you to enjoy vibrations, water spray and much more. Overall the major super cities are clean with every bit of trash being picked up off the street yet this method still continues to reign the throne quite literally.
#2 Toilet Stance
- This mystery lies in the fact that girls do this squat method in heels all the time. I have almost slipped and falling down the hole at least three times so how do these women who constantly wear fancy heels make it out alive?
#3 Napkins/Toilet Paper
- Everyone uses the tiniest napkins and the tiniest squares of toilet paper. I am not sure how they do it. I know that the people are smaller but do they tinkle a whole lot less and needed less papers? Are they not as messy? Or is it just frowned upon because it is waste?
#4 Warm Drinks
- Currently it is summer time in all of the areas we have visited in China so far. That means the weather is super warm, super humid, and super sweaty. In this extreme heat you would assume that people would enjoy a refreshing cold beverage. However, coming across an ice cold water is about as easy as spotting Sasquatch. Restaurants serve warm glasses of water, hot water is found instead of water fountains, and stores let their drinks sit out in the sun. Many Chinese have noted when we order drinks that as foreigners we are funny because we like cold drinks and then giggle. I love tea however on a hot day please give me a nice cold refreshing drink. I`m convinced they would love it if they gave it a try. When we managed to find Diet Coke with ice my mom guzzled them down.
#5 No Water (solved: tea)
- Where is the water? I am not even concerned at this point about it being warm but where is all of the water in general? It is hot, hot, and more hot every day. I sweat more than I do in a sauna! Water is a vital nutrient that all human beings need. So why is there never water for sale? A few days in to this trip and we have found water sparingly. When we do find water it is at a nice warm temperature. *** Mystery Solved - turns out that their love for tea surpasses that of the most avid British tea drinker. Although I can not understand why you would want to drink hot tea all day long in the hot sun at least they are getting their daily dose of water!
#6 Lack Of English Tourism
- This one really gets me. China is a major tourist destination. With some of the most famous relics such as the Terracotta Warriors, Pandas, Forbidden City, and the Great Wall it usually is on most travelers list of must sees. Maybe we stayed in the wrong areas or went to visit sights on the wrong day but there was a serious lack of western tourists. I am not complaining by any means. It feels nice to not swarm along in a massive herds of white people aggressively yelling and taking photos. It made all of the sights better. I was just shocked at the lack of western tourists and the lack of help for english tourists because I thought the industry was totally built up. I love and enjoy traveling places where I felt lost and out of place. When my mom chose China I prepared myself to not get that experience for once. So when we arrived here and stood in the mass of Chinese tourists at each area lost and confused it was a shock!
#7 Crazy Driving But No Dents
- Many notable countries have some erratic driving such as India, Thailand, and Vietnam. In these countries the proof of crazy driving can be seen throughout the dents that appear on many cars, the missing mirrors, and shattered glass. The driving here follow the same pattern yet lacks the battle wounds. While visiting China we have been in one accident, many near accidents, witnessed an accident, and been transported in the wildest of rides weaving in and out of cars. Drivers swerve around each other, drive up on sidewalks, speed through parking lot short cuts, cut straight across 5 lanes of traffic to turn, and run lights. With all these driving habits I would assume the cars would mirror those of other crowded and intense driving countries however it doesn't. Are there way less accidents than I think, do drivers get their cars fixed, or is there a law that makes all cars stay in perfect condition?
#8 Lost In Translation
- Yes I would love a big bowl of fish consumption results with a side of fried precipitation! Ok once again I am not complaining. No one anywhere in the world has to cater to English speakers like I have said. However, if you go through the trouble of putting things in English ask someone to proof read it. From a business standpoint I would simply ask a tourist to proof read the menu or sign before having it printing. Let me take this even further... Airports, government building, and such are kind of concerning when things are written extremely wrong. Beijing`s airport has terrible sign translations through passport control.
#9 Dirty Yet Clean
- The cities are surprisingly clean. You are hard pressed to find even a single piece of trash on the floor. If you do you can be guaranteed that within minutes someone will have come and already cleaned it up. The airports and public places are massive and open to accommodate the billion plus people. Everything seems pretty much spotless yet somehow dirty. Every half block you get a whiff of some foul smell. This may be due to the public toilets with people tracking out urine all of the time or the overly greasy food and oil for cooking everywhere. Either way I have never felt so modern and clean yet dirty at the same time.
#10 Lack of Homeless/Handicap People
- Throughout the trip we have started to notice the lack of elevators, escalators, and ramps for handicap people. Everywhere we go there are always stairs. We aren't talking about just the tourist destinations but also public transport, airports, and hotels. After taking note to the lack of handicap amenities we started to notice the lack of handicap people. Thinking about it we have yet to see a single person in a wheel chair. Where are they? Do they just mysteriously disappear. This same mystery applies to the homeless people of the city. I mean we are talking about cities with upwards of 12, 14, and 22 million people. Have these cities miraculously solved the homeless situation??
#11 Buttless Pants
- We have started to notice that many little children (which there aren't too many of) have open butt pants. Their little butt cheeks just air out in the breeze day in and day out. *** Mystery Solved - Since there are no sitting toilets the little kids would have accidents while squatting. To avoid having pee stained clothes they just decide to leave it open for easy access while squatting.
#12 Lines
- Being that I am a teacher I love things to move in a nice and orderly fashion. China has lines... Lots of them. But lines seem to be on a voluntary basis. Even if you chose to be patient and wait in the line that does not mean you will be served in that order. More often than not while waiting in line for something we have be pushed out of the way, cut in front of, or just completely ignored. When you are living in a country with over a billion people it seems to be survival of the fittest, or in China`s case, the pushiest.
In Conclusion:
While most and probably all of these have answers we have not solved them yet. Coming to China I expected something different than we found. This is not a good nor is it a bad thing. The experiences we had were like non other in the world. There was something charming about the old, cramped, smelly hutongs, the massive buildings were overwhelming, and the ancient relics nothing short of magnificent. Figuring our way to different spots such as Mt. Hua without a guide and some how managing it was rewarding. You couldn't escape feeling like a mix between a movie star and a rare animal as we walked into different places and were swarmed with hugs and pictures! It truly was a unique experience that we will remember for a lifetime.
#2 Toilet Stance
(Skyping Tyler and him trying to imagine what it is like on a squatty potty. He did a good job!)
#3 Napkins/Toilet Paper
- Everyone uses the tiniest napkins and the tiniest squares of toilet paper. I am not sure how they do it. I know that the people are smaller but do they tinkle a whole lot less and needed less papers? Are they not as messy? Or is it just frowned upon because it is waste?
#4 Warm Drinks
#5 No Water (solved: tea)
- Where is the water? I am not even concerned at this point about it being warm but where is all of the water in general? It is hot, hot, and more hot every day. I sweat more than I do in a sauna! Water is a vital nutrient that all human beings need. So why is there never water for sale? A few days in to this trip and we have found water sparingly. When we do find water it is at a nice warm temperature. *** Mystery Solved - turns out that their love for tea surpasses that of the most avid British tea drinker. Although I can not understand why you would want to drink hot tea all day long in the hot sun at least they are getting their daily dose of water!
#6 Lack Of English Tourism
#7 Crazy Driving But No Dents
- Many notable countries have some erratic driving such as India, Thailand, and Vietnam. In these countries the proof of crazy driving can be seen throughout the dents that appear on many cars, the missing mirrors, and shattered glass. The driving here follow the same pattern yet lacks the battle wounds. While visiting China we have been in one accident, many near accidents, witnessed an accident, and been transported in the wildest of rides weaving in and out of cars. Drivers swerve around each other, drive up on sidewalks, speed through parking lot short cuts, cut straight across 5 lanes of traffic to turn, and run lights. With all these driving habits I would assume the cars would mirror those of other crowded and intense driving countries however it doesn't. Are there way less accidents than I think, do drivers get their cars fixed, or is there a law that makes all cars stay in perfect condition?
#8 Lost In Translation
- Yes I would love a big bowl of fish consumption results with a side of fried precipitation! Ok once again I am not complaining. No one anywhere in the world has to cater to English speakers like I have said. However, if you go through the trouble of putting things in English ask someone to proof read it. From a business standpoint I would simply ask a tourist to proof read the menu or sign before having it printing. Let me take this even further... Airports, government building, and such are kind of concerning when things are written extremely wrong. Beijing`s airport has terrible sign translations through passport control.
#9 Dirty Yet Clean
- The cities are surprisingly clean. You are hard pressed to find even a single piece of trash on the floor. If you do you can be guaranteed that within minutes someone will have come and already cleaned it up. The airports and public places are massive and open to accommodate the billion plus people. Everything seems pretty much spotless yet somehow dirty. Every half block you get a whiff of some foul smell. This may be due to the public toilets with people tracking out urine all of the time or the overly greasy food and oil for cooking everywhere. Either way I have never felt so modern and clean yet dirty at the same time.
#10 Lack of Homeless/Handicap People
- Throughout the trip we have started to notice the lack of elevators, escalators, and ramps for handicap people. Everywhere we go there are always stairs. We aren't talking about just the tourist destinations but also public transport, airports, and hotels. After taking note to the lack of handicap amenities we started to notice the lack of handicap people. Thinking about it we have yet to see a single person in a wheel chair. Where are they? Do they just mysteriously disappear. This same mystery applies to the homeless people of the city. I mean we are talking about cities with upwards of 12, 14, and 22 million people. Have these cities miraculously solved the homeless situation??
#11 Buttless Pants
- We have started to notice that many little children (which there aren't too many of) have open butt pants. Their little butt cheeks just air out in the breeze day in and day out. *** Mystery Solved - Since there are no sitting toilets the little kids would have accidents while squatting. To avoid having pee stained clothes they just decide to leave it open for easy access while squatting.
#12 Lines
( Even on the plank road at Mt. Hua there are lines with people crawling on top of each other. Google Plank Road in the Sky for more details. I will post about my experience soon.)
- Being that I am a teacher I love things to move in a nice and orderly fashion. China has lines... Lots of them. But lines seem to be on a voluntary basis. Even if you chose to be patient and wait in the line that does not mean you will be served in that order. More often than not while waiting in line for something we have be pushed out of the way, cut in front of, or just completely ignored. When you are living in a country with over a billion people it seems to be survival of the fittest, or in China`s case, the pushiest.
In Conclusion:
While most and probably all of these have answers we have not solved them yet. Coming to China I expected something different than we found. This is not a good nor is it a bad thing. The experiences we had were like non other in the world. There was something charming about the old, cramped, smelly hutongs, the massive buildings were overwhelming, and the ancient relics nothing short of magnificent. Figuring our way to different spots such as Mt. Hua without a guide and some how managing it was rewarding. You couldn't escape feeling like a mix between a movie star and a rare animal as we walked into different places and were swarmed with hugs and pictures! It truly was a unique experience that we will remember for a lifetime.
No comments:
Post a Comment