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Menampilkan postingan dari Januari, 2013

The Peanut Lady

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This Sweet Lady I call the "Peanut Lady".  I was on the Li River cruise awhile ago and all of a sudden we turned and ran up onto a bank at a small village.  We let off a group of people who needed to catch a bus on the road near the village.  While we stopped many sellers came down over a small bank to sell us trinkets. Several of us got off the boat while we were there and so many villagers swarmed down on us.  In the very back trying to manage getting down the bank was this sweet elderly lady.  She was selling peanuts!  Helping her family out which is the custom of the old people to contribute to the family in some way.   I waded through the crowd and went up to her, leaned down and asked for "One bag" of peanuts.  She had them hanging on a twig.  I rolled up a large bill and put it in her hand so she could not see how large it was.  She smiled and accepted it without knowing the value.  She seemed happy just to sell a bag of pean...

Luoyang Longmen Buddhist Caves

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There are several locations for Buddhist Caves in China and at Luoyang East of Xian about 2 hours by fast train are the famous Longmen Caves.  Luoyang was once an ancient capital in China before it moved to Xian and now to Beijing.  The White Horse Temple located there was the very first Buddhist Temple constructed in China during the 1st century.  Called the White Horse Temple because two monks rode white horses all the way from India to establish the temple.  The Grotto and caves were constructed from the year 494 taking over 200 years to finish as they are today.   The art is mostly constructed at the Grotto as you can see as well as in shallow caves hollowed out of the cliffs.  Some have been damaged by art hunters as well as the Red Guards during the Cultural Revolution.  Many heads were removed and are in museums in both Europe and North America today.  During the last 30 years some restoration work has been done and continues.  You ma...

Wolong Panda Preserve Closed Yet.

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The Wolong Panda Preserve was destroyed during the large earthquake in 2008.  The Pandas were transferred to Bifenxia Park near Ya'an in Sichuan province however you can see Pandas in the very large Panda Breeding Center just outside Chengdu which is more convenient to tourists.   They are presently rebuilding the Wolong Preserve which may be ready for tourism in late  2014.  The main problem is the road leading to this area was destroyed and it is taking a long time to rebuild it in that remote area of the mountains.  The photo here with me and the Pandas was taken at the Wolong Reserve in 2007 when I was working in that area.   Keep watching my blog and I will have more information as it becomes available.   My Chinese Associate partners are in Chengdu so I talk to them on a regular basis and will be in Chengdu this fall and will be checking that area out as I do every year.  For more information feel free to email me for other information on to...

Money Exchange

The exchange rate is running just over 6 yuan to the $1.00 U.S. or roughly 1 yuan equals about .16 cents. If there is any radical change I will post it here.  In the larger cities you may use your debit or credit card at Cash Machines or most banks.  Cash Machines may not be available everywhere.   In the smaller cities, countryside or non-tourists areas this often can not be done.  If you are going into the countryside or remote areas be sure to take enough Yuan with you as you may not be able to exchange foreign currency or use your debit or credit cards.  Cash is King!   Hotels will exchange foreign currency usually with a very minimal charge or send you to a near by bank.  I have found a few hotels who now have cash machines in their lobbies.  When in the large cities carry enough local money to cover yourself for about 3 days.  In the remote areas you may need to exchange money in advance enough to cover yourself for the time you will be...