midori's TOP Google+ Photos for Mar 22 - Apr 5

Day 9 - The missing ear muff….
When I travel, I often wear the same cloths for days. At night, I would wash my laundry in the hotel and hopefully they would be dried by the morning. I remember once traveling for a year with only one pair of jeans, when it got too old, I just threw it away and bought a new one. Since I do not have much power, weight for me is always a big concern. On this trip, I have been wearing almost everyday a pair of black legging, a grey sweater, a black down jacket with a colorful Indian shawl, a black UGG and a big furry ear muff. I love my ear muff and have been wearing it almost all winter in Tokyo, when i came on this trip, i just took it with me for they kept me warm and comfortable. On day 9, I woke up, it was raining in Shanghai, I turned on my computer to check my email than I was going to explore the city. After putting my jacket on, I could not find my ear muff anywhere…I looked and looked..it simply disappeared . I remember after checking in the hotel, I had place it on the counter close to the entrance, but now it was gone. I went to eat dinner for an hour or so but because I thought I was going to eat in the hotel, I just put my shawl on…What I also did not like about this room was somehow I could not lock the door easily….I was almost going to complain to the hotel…maybe I should have….Upset that I could not find my ear muff anywhere, i turned back my macbook on…"wooowoo…" I told my friends, " my favorite ear muff is gone…Tears" "But who would take your ear muff?"….." But I remember placing it by the entrance and now it is gone….wooooowooooooo…" all of a sudden, I became like a little girl and started crying….friend, " Go to ask the front desk" me…"there's no point" friend, " Just GO!!!!!!!!!" me…"wooowooo……"…Reluctantly I left the room and went to report to front desk. The manager said he would look into it and to check with them when I return. I went out for a walk but although this hotel advertises that they are in center. there's nothing close to it but bike shops, hardware shops…nothing interesting at all.　I decided to go back to my room to get my tripod and walk to the Bund for some night photos…So I stopped by the front desk to as I was told to. A woman a bit rude in a dirty white jacket replied that she had no idea what I was talking about. I repeatedly told her I was told by their manager to stop by for an update….she then made some calls and told me to wait again, finally she told me they found nothing as expected. I asked her to write down for me what she told me verbally in case I need to claim insurance. She said she will check with her manager again , and I had to wait again…finally. I told her I have been waiting for a long time and I would go back to my room, could she please call me and let me know. 20 mins, later, she called and said " No, they cannot write down what they told me. " " I said clearly I am not blaming you or asking your hotel to take any responsibility, all I asked is for you to give me a written statement that I had reported the incident to you and you could not locate it anywhere." But she repeatedly said, "No, we could not do it…. I hang up on her, simply wasting my time. If they were so certain about what they said, why they could not write it down? I gathered my stuff and went back to The Bund ….when I was walking there, I saw a police station, I went in, filed a report, they stamped and signed the report for me in 5 mins, oh, I really love the Chinese police…:) But I am not happy that my beloved ear muff is missing….sometimes. we love something regardless of its actual value and to us, these items are not replaceable..wooowooo…I loved my ear muff, its accompanied me for 2 winters…and now it is gone for good…"Maybe you could buy a cute hat?" " I don't wanna a cute hat…I only want my ear muff…"…hehe…it sounds like love, even though some guy could be rich or handsome or successful, but you don't want him, you only want your "love"…wooowooo…so sad…my "love is gone" Friend, " Don't cry, midori chan, I will buy you a replacement…" me…." it might not be like my original…but it will have the warmth of your friendship in it…hehe…I will take it…:) "oh…women are so easy to be pleased…I hope "you" don't forget my replacement by next winter…….!!

Day 13 Our utopia
On day 13, I flew from Shanghai to Huangshan, in seek of an imaginary land, a place where dream and and fantasy merge as one..
But today I am not writing about my journey, I want to write about sadness because I have heard a story from my friend that makes me sad..
but I do not know what I can do to make my friend happier, I have heard so many sad stories and what I could do is so little...is just a word of comfort enough?
I do not think so, as they say, actions speak louder than words, but my "actions" are also so little...

When I was small, I wanted to do something to make the world a better place, I thought about being a social worker, but I have no patience, I thought about being a doctor, but I am afraid of blood...then I thought about volunteering for organization such as UNICEF, but instead I went on my year long backpack trip...and although I have not done much to help anyone, it was a trip I never ever regret taking, perhaps you can call it a journey of enlightenment, in which I have found what I came looking for, the things that makes me happy. I realized it was in simple things, just being invited to a Turkish souk to have tea with the local people, or being surrounded by a group of kids in a Moroccan village wanting to play with me, or even sleeping outdoor in Mykonos hugging homeless cats..all these simple things made me happy.
But how can I share this happiness with my friends when they are sad? what can I do to make them happy? I wish I could just make all the unhappiness go away, I wish I could just tell them all would be all right...like in the fairy tales, that all would eventually work out...but in reality, what I could do is so little..perhaps, I could only say, I care, and I am here for you should you ever need a friend...

This is the lyrics from a theme song of a TV drama long time ago..someone told me, a childhood song:

A long time ago when men were all babes
There was a land of the free
Fantasy and dreams
Were its untouched wealth
And goodness and love were real
Each man desires to reach Gandhara
His very own utopia
In the striving, in the seeking soul
Man can see Gandhara
In Gandhara, Gandhara
The place of light Gandhara
Though long ago and far away..

Farewell to Heaven さよなら天国

What is love? We often ask, I think the story below for me is what love ought to be. I first heard this story when I was working in Hong kong in 2005. I would like to share with you, I hope it would touch your heart as much as mine...
My attempt at translation:
One day, a blind man was crossing the street with his guide dog when a truck lost control and crashed into them. The blind man died instantly. The dog, trying to shield his master, died also.
Together their souls went up to Heaven, but they were stopped by an angel a mile before they reached the Pearly Gates. "I am sorry," the angel said, "but we have only one vacant spot in Heaven right now. Only one of you can enter, the other must go to Hell."
The blind man said: "My dog doesn't know what is Heaven and what is Hell. Can I decide for us?"
The angel, with a flicker of contempt in her gaze, frowned and said, "I am sorry. Every soul is equal. You two must compete for the right to enter Heaven."
But how?" asked the blind man.
The angel replied: "Well, one simple way would be for you to race each other to the Gates; whoever gets there first wins. But you need not worry. Since you are dead, you are no longer blind and, I may add, your physical abilities amount to nothing here; the more pure and kind is your soul, the faster you can run."
The man thought for a moment and agreed to it. Without any further delay, the angel set them on the same line and let the race began.
The angel had thought the man, in order to secure that single spot to Heaven, would ran at full speed. But she was wrong. The man strolled forward leisurely, almost at a snail's pace. Equally surprising was that the dog didn't ran also, he just walked alongside his master, with every step in sync.
Then it dawned on the angel: the dog was trained to, and accustomed to, travel at the same pace as the man, to be beside him in every step, to guide and protect him.
What a rascal!" the angel thought to herself, "he can order the dog to stop just before the Gates and then take the last step alone! No wonder he can act so nonchalant!!"
The angle took one hard look at the loyal dog and felt sorry for him. "Run!" she yelled to the dog "You've already sacrificed your life for the man! He is no longer blind and you don't have to take care of him anymore! It's time you think for yourself! Run, dog, run!!"
But the dog turned a deaf ear to the angel's shouts and continued to walk at the same pace beside the man. As for the man, he seemed not to have heard the angel too, and continued to walk slowly.
As the angel had feared, the man stopped just before the Gates and told the dog to sit. The dog sat obediently. And the angel found herself consumed with contempt for the man.
The man smiled. He picked up the dog, turned towards the angel and gave her the dog. He said: "Now I have delivered my dog to heaven. I was worried that he didn't want to go to Heaven, that he wanted to stay with me... so I have to decide for him. Please take my dog into Heaven for me."
As the angel stood there, completely dumbfounded, the man looked at his dog lovingly and continued: "Thank you for giving us the chance to take one last walk together. In all those years that he walked beside me, guided me, protected me, I could not see what he looked like. That was why I had to walk so slowly, so I can savor every moment with him with my eyes. I wished we could walk forever, but as there has to be an end, Heaven is the most fitting ending place for him. Please take care of him for me. Thank you."
Then the man turned his back on the Pearly Gates, and plummeted towards Hell.
The dog, on seeing that, broke loose from the angel and immediately dived after his master.
The angel, filled with ruefulness, spread her wings and chased after the dog. But it was a lost cause. Not even the fastest angel could catch two of the purest and kindest souls ever known.
And so the dog was reunited with his master. Even in Hell they remained together as they always had been.
The angel, devastated and heartbroken, could only murmured: "I was wrong... terribly wrong... they ARE one... two souls so united they are ONE...."


愛とはなんでしょうか？　私たちはしばしば疑問に思いますが、ひとつの愛のありかたをお話ししたいと思います。最初にこの話を聞いたのは2005年に香港で働いていたときです。このお話をご紹介させていただくことで、読まれた方の心の琴線に触れることができればと思います・・・
以下のように翻訳してみました：

ある日、トラックがコントロールを失い、通りを横断している盲目の男と盲導犬を轢き殺しました。盲目の男は即死し、犬も、主人を守ろうとして死亡しました。
彼らの魂は一緒に天国に昇っていきましたが、天国の門に到達する１マイル前で天使に停止させられました。天使は言いました、
"申し訳ありませんが、あなた方の内どちらかがしか入ることはできません。今、天国には空いている場所はひとつだけで、もう一方は地獄に行かねばなりません。"
盲目の男は尋ねました、“私の犬は何が天国で何が地獄か知りません。私が決めてよろしいですか？”
天使は、眉をひそめて言いました。
"申し訳ございません。すべての魂は等しいのです。　おふたりで天国を入るための権利を得るために競争しなければいけません。"
"どうやって？"と盲目の男は尋ねました。
天使は答えました、”門まで競走して先に到達した方を勝者とします。心配はいりません。あなたは死んでいるので、もはや盲目ではありません。全ての身体的制限から解き放たれ、魂のみとして純粋な速さで進むことができます。”男は少し考えてから同意すると、即座に天使はスタートラインをひき、彼らをそこに招きました。そしてレースは始まりました。天使は、男が天国の座を確保するために、全速力で走ると思っていました。しかし、それは間違いでした。男はカタツムリのペースで、ゆっくりと前方に進んでいったのです。驚くべきことに犬も走りません。犬は、主人と一緒に同じ速度で歩きました。犬は、男を導き保護するために、男性と同じペースで移動するように訓練されていることに、天使は気づきました。
"なんて奴だ！"と天使は考えました。
"男はちょうど門の前で停止するように犬に命令してから、一人で最後の一歩を踏み出すつもりだ！道理でゆっくりと歩いているわけだ！"
忠実な犬を見て、犬を気の毒に感じた天使は叫びました。
"行くのだ！既に人間のために一生を犠牲にしたではないか！彼はもはや盲目ではないから、彼の世話をする必要はないんだ！自分自身のことを考える時なんだ！走るんだ、行くんだ！"と犬に叫びました。
しかし、犬は天使の叫びが聞こえる様子がなく、男の横によりそって同じペースで歩き続けました。男も、まったく天使の声が聞こえず、ゆっくりと歩き続けました。
天使が恐れていたように、男性は門の前に停止し、犬に座るように言いました。犬は素直にしたがって座りました。そして天使は男を軽蔑の眼差しで見ていました。
男は微笑んで、犬を持ち上げて天使に犬を預けました。男は言いました
"今、私は天国に私の犬を渡しました。私が一緒だと、彼は天国に行かないのでないかと心配していたので、私は彼のために決めてあげる必要があります。どうか私の犬を天国に連れて行ってください。"
"最後に私たちが一緒に散歩をするチャンスを与えてくれてありがとう。今まで何年間も一緒に私と歩いて、そして守ってくれました。”　天使は唖然と立ちすくみました。男は自分の犬を見ながら、こう続けました、”私がとてもゆっくり歩かなければならなかった理由は、彼がどのような姿かいままで見えなかったので、自身の目で彼とのすべての瞬間を見ておきたかったのです。　私たちは永遠に一緒に歩いていたいのですが、終わりが存在します。私は天国に行くつもりはありません。どうか私のために彼の世話をしてください。ありがとうございました。
"
その後、男は天国の門に背を向け、地獄に向かって飛び込みました。
それを見た犬は、すぐに天使から飛び降りて、主人の後に飛び込びました。後悔の念で満たされた天使は、翼を広げて、犬を追いかけました。しかし、間に合いませんでした。最速の天使ですら、やさしい２つの魂を捕まえることができませんでした。
そして犬は、主人と再会しました。彼らはいつもそうであったように地獄に一緒に残りました。
天使は、悲嘆にくれながらつぶやきました：
"私は間違っていた...間違っていた...彼らは２つの魂で一つだったのだ...."

Thank you! +Takashi Asao for editing in Japanese !

Today I want to write about my father, he passed away in late March, many years ago. I still remember the day he died, many small purple flowers were blooming in his yard, perhaps he had planted them. I think they must have bloomed for him, to welcome him to another world, a world where troubles and sorrows melt like the first dew upon the warm sunlight.

My father was a very well educated and intelligent man, even in his final days, he could tell me to go to his studies and look up which book and on which page to find information about his illness. I was very shocked at that time that a dying man suffering from serve pain had such good memory. He dedicated his life to his work, to his research. He was a cancer researcher and he died from cancer. Sometimes I think maybe because he worked so closely with so many dangerous chemicals that may cause cancer...I feel sad, then I think at least, my dad had contributed to making this world a better place by his effort in combating a horrible illness, although he died from it.

I want to be humble and say that my father was just an ordinary man, but he was not, he was a great man, at least to me. Not only was he very good in his field, he was also very knowledgeable in music, literature, and the arts. He taught me so many things and in more ways than I could ever explained. He taught me to listen to classical music and took me to see my first ballet, Swan lake, in Lincoln Center, I must be 15 or 16 at the time. I remember also that summer, it was very hot in New York, we went to the Mostly Mozart Festival, and after that he wanted to buy me a big ice cream but I wanted an espresso! We somehow ended up in some cafe by Bloomigdale's, my father was not sure why a 15 years old girl wanted a coffee with no milk rather than a big ice cream..Now, in retrospective, I think my love for espresso and black coffee was because I wanted to be different, I thought it was cool...
My father was also a member of many museums, going to museum was another of our past time. Being a scientist, he loved the Museum of Natural History the most. We would sometimes spent Sundays in the museum and then go to Central Park. In the winter, I loved to skate in Central Park, I could skate so well as a child and my father would watch me by the side. At the time I thought I have already grown up, especially comparing to the time when I was really small and I could not even get on a merry go round by myself and Dad had to buy extra ticket so he could stand next to me to make sure I was ok.

What I remember most of my childhood was the Koala Bear. My father had to attend a conference in Australia for 2 months, and I wanted him to buy me a big Koala bear, but when he returned, he bought only a bear of about 25 cm, I was very upset, " But Daddy, I have asked for a big bear!!" he told me that because he was worried he had no time to buy the bear at the end, he got the bear in his first stop at Sydney and had to carry it all over with him to different places in Australia for his meetings..he could not have fit a big bear into his suitcase...after that, I was speechless...and I loved my Koala bear very much until my dog chewed it up...and it was a very sad occasion for me.

When I was in college, my father would drive me to my school and pick me up at my school each year, I remember the first time my parents dropped me off at my dorm in my Freshmen year, I was so scared and started crying when they were about to leave, my mum said, " But you wanted to come to this school, it was YOUR decision..." so I guess, it was how I learn that one must be responsible for one's decision....My parents have supported me in so many ways, sent me to private lessons in music and arts, to different art schools, got me the best piano teacher , they never asked me to study a field I could make a good living, they just wanted me to study something that would make me happy, that I like. I think this is the best gift they have given me, the gift to be myself, to live my own life, to be the person I am, without any restriction from their part.

I want to tell you, Daddy, this picture is for you, you see the dark clouds above, but there is one single line of white light, it is the line of hope and love, it is the love you gave me, a love that would shine through any darkness, and when I am sad and down, I would remember this love you have given me and help me through the darkest hours of my life, for I know, even you are gone, you are somewhere up there, always looking over me.


So, tonight and every night, I wanted to tell you, Daddy, wherever you are, I love you!

Day 12 - shanghai photowalk
Finally, on my last day in shanghai, the sky was clear, I could actually see all buildings for the first time! ! I rushed out with my camera to take pictures, I would retake all my cityscape! And I would go to the bar in Hyatt by myself, the first time in my life that I would go to a bar alone...It all started last night, when I was out taking photos, a guy with a camera came over to talk to me, a business man from San Fransico, he comes to Shanghai often so he knows his way around very well, we were taking photos together for a while then he shown me his pics, he said " you must go to Hyatt, the view is so nice, but it's a bar..." " I go to a bar alone? so wired I have never done that in my life..." " I will take you, let's finish with this spot first." I walked away to take some photo on my own and when I returned, he said," It's almost 9.30 and they turn all the lights off at 10, how about tomorrow?.." I said" OMG, the last ferry is at 10, I'd better run" I ran away so fast that I have forgotten to give him my contact or my G+ account....the next day, I must go to the bar alone....I don't like to go to clubs and bars at all, but for taking photos, I will. The moment I walked in, they saw my tripod" we will hold the tripod for you! " Oh, no tripod allowed. All photo has to be taken with camera hand held....still I didn't give up, they sat me next to the window, the view is absolutely gorgeous! Now, I must find a way to set up my camera on the table so I could take photos..it seems so strange to do it in a bar alone, but my desire to take photos overcame everything, I did not care how it might look or what others might think, my priority was very clear..hehe, at least, I am happy about this. The view from Hyatt is so stunning, I could not capture its beauty in my photo..I could have stayed there all night just to admire the view, but I wanted to go back to the tallest building in China,Shanghai World financial center, thanks to +Takashi Asao who sent me the info before, but the weather was so bad, I could not see anything clear, I would give another try on my last night...yet the result was still not satisfactory...I need to try many times, maybe I would go back to Shanghai again and retake the same pics again...could I do better? As +Eric Guevremont 's analysis of my personality today, I am a perfectionist and I am most critical of myself, I ask myself constantly, how can I improve, how can I do better? Therefore I might miss many opportunities to take new photos because I would take the same photos again so many times till I feel satisfied..but I never feel satisfied with my work...not even with my published work. Perhaps this same personality traits also cause problems in other areas of my life, always seeking for perfection, at least spiritually, for I am very easy satisfied with material things..it is the thirst of the spirit that is difficult, or maybe impossible to quench...and it always come back to the same question that I asked myself, what is it that I am looking for in this world...I guess, perhaps , just to live my life and experience all the good and the bad to the fullest, and if I may, on my way, warm a stranger's heart with my smile, I would consider it an achievement more than I could have asked for.

Day 15 The Light of Friendship

When I booked the ticket to Huang Shan, I did not realize that there is no flights from Huang Shan to Hong Kong but I must return to Hong Kong for a meeting on Friday morning. I have spent a long time searching for alternatives and finally decided to take a bus to Hangzhou and fly to hong Kong. I bought my ticket the night before, I have learned my lesson. When I got off the bus from Huangshan, again many people surrounded me and wanted to take me somewhere, I just ignored all, but kept walking by myself until i finally found a travel agency. The agent was very nice, she sold me the ticket and said she would arrange to have me pick up at the hotel the next morning. The next morning, a van came to pick me up and we stopped by a hostel to pick up two more persons before we go to meet the bus. A Chinese girl came to sit next to me, then I saw this guy getting into the van that looks just like my companion yesterday! "Hi there," he said" good to see you again! " What a coincident, we had make no arrangement or anything but we ended up again on the same van! We talked for a while, he was also going to Hong Kong but he would be flying out from Shanghai, I should have also taken the flight from shanghai since the ticket from shanghai is much cheaper, he told me about his travel, his Girl friend, his life in Holland, I found it very interesting to share a moment in time with a stranger like this, even though we may never meet again..the Chinese girl and I got on the bus to Hangzhou. The moment we got off the bus, some guy came over to offer us a ride in his car, I said of course no, I would take a taxis, he said he would help me to carry my luggage even if I did not want to get in his car, the moment he put down my luggage, he walked away, it seems that he was a nice person but the problem was I could not tell anymore whom I could trust....perhaps I could have talked nicer to him..

By the time I checked into my room in Hong Kong, it was almost 6 pm, I called my friend to inform her that I would be dropping by to pick up the things I have left with her. But before that, I wanted to rush over to the Ave of the Stars and give another try for my photo since the weather in Hong Kong was better. I found a good spot with not too many people, I noticed that there's a girl holding a camera standing next to me, I put down my backpack and set up my tripod very fast, I thought I would take a few pics and go because I have so many things to do that night. " could you speak English?" the girl asked me. "Do you know what time it is now," I looked at my mobile, "about 7.30 pm" " and the Lazar show would begin at 8 pm?" " yes," I replied, But I should get going..." I was very busy taking photos," Are you a photographer?" she asked, " How can you tell?" " because the way you set up your tripod and your camera.." Rather than taking pictures, I started talking to her, it seems that she is from UK and now a professor of photography in a small town in China. We talked of similar experiences, like every time people see us with a big camera backpack, they would say, "Oh, you poor thing, you have carried your luggage with you, let me keep it for you," and we would say" No, No, I have to take this with me"..." hehe..it is the purpose of our trips!! They could not understand....We were so happy talking than we watched the Lazar show together, I have forgotten completely that I was suppose to pick up the bag from my friend! After that she came back with me to my room, "where would be a good place for photo equipment?" she asked, " I will take you..Oh, but first let's go to Mk to buy a filter for my friend." " I dropped off my camera bag and rushed out of my room, we took the train and ran all the way to the store from the train stop. I barely made it on time and bought the Filter right before the store close! " Then finally, I took her to have Chinese fast food for dinner, it was so late already, we talked and talked and even about plans of me going to visit her in UK and traveling together to France ( she is also half French), and by the time we said goodbye, I felt like we have been best friends for years, she hugged me and gave me a big kiss!! I was glad that I made it to the store in time to get the filter for my friend and that I met this wonderful person! This got to be one of the best days of my trip!!

I was so happy spending time with her doing ordinary things together that people might think I have forgotten to pick up my bag because I met a great guy! But it was a girl, a friend, friendship is such a wonderful thing and you never know how happy it will make you feel when you meet the right person you can truly call a friend !! And here to all my friends out there, thank you for being my friend and I love you all!

9 years ago, today, my favorite Hong Kong singer/actor, Leslie Cheung, Killed himself. He leapt from the 24th floor of the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Hong Kong. I have spent a few years living in Hong Kong and have also spent some childhood time there so I know his music and movies very well....we call him Gor Gor, meaning older brother...
I first heard of his suicide in a Photo Forum I was posting photo at the time. I was so surprised, why would someone who had everything in the world kill himself, he was handsome, famous and rich. One of the most successful Chinese musicians and actors of all times. He had won numerous awards including 1993's historical masterpiece Farewell My Concubine which won the Golden Palm award at the Cannes Film Festival. It also won more than twenty other film awards including a Golden Globe for Best Foreign Film and Oscar nominations for Best Foreign Film and Best Cinematography. Recently, Gorgor was voted the third of the CNN's "top five most iconic musician of all time" placing behind Michael Jackson and The Beatles.
So it makes me wonder, why would someone like that kill himself? What was lacking in his life and made him so unhappy? what is happiness? it all sounds so abstract...
But I can tell you for sure, money and fame cannot buy happiness, in fact the most important thing in life can never be purchased and is always free.
Perhaps Gorgor had looked the wrong way for things that make him happy...perhaps he cared too much about his achievement, his reputation, or even someone else..
He did not realized that true happiness is always within himself, it is something that no one can give him. He was the only person who could make himself truly happy, because happiness is a stage of mind, it is how we see the world and ourselves.
In his last years, Gorgor suffered a lot from depression..it is sad to think, the only person who could have made a difference did not do anything about it, and that person was him.

I love this song of his very much, it was the first song of Gorgor to become the best song of the year, my attempt at translation of this song..

I look up at the starry sky above, all is quiet
I walk alone, the night rain begins to stop
Wordless is the tranquility of this moment
I smile and ask, who would truly understand
The wind is blowing rapidly and clear
Telling me that changes are unpredictable
Without understanding I smile bitterly but I could not stop
I don't believe in fate, I only believe in struggling with my own two hands
My contradiction is that I am powerless to stand still
Could you understand, I feel so tired within my heart
In the silence of the night , who could share my feeling?

In the past, I was innocent and excitable
I love my freedom, perhaps too much
Now I understand winning and losing are predestinated
Going or staying I could accept easily

Amidst loneliness, my body is trembling, I know I feel very sad
I want to know who would be willing to loose their freedom?
I want to go back, my heart was happy with what I had
I walk forward, searching with all the strength in me
The wind is clear, I ask the stars under the night sky
In the silence of the night
Who could understand...?
You can listen to this song here...
張國榮 - 有誰共鳴

Day 14, Hunag Shan-The Ultimate Trick- Part 1

On day 14, I got up very early and prepared for my trip to Hunag shan, I would need to take a bus from the bus station to the town where the journey of Hunag shan begins. By this time, I realized that I have made a major mistake, I should have stayed in a hotel in the mountain so I could watch the sunrise, but it was too late. I asked the front desk to help me call a taxis, instead the person took me outside and said that I could catch a taxis there. I waited and waited, there was no taxis at all... I was about to go back inside to ask for assistance, then I saw a rickshaw, I thought to myself, as long as I could get to the bus stop, I would get on it, this is my second major mistake! he charged me 10 RMB, a taxis would have cost 7, but the point is not the money, it was because of him I almost wasted my whole trip! I asked him to take me to the long distant bus stop, but where he took me to, somehow does not looks like an official LD bus terminal. There were many small old vans there, I confirmed with him if this is the bus stop, he lied and said yes. All these minibuses wrote on the front to huang shan and charge 16RMB, same price as I read in the Internet, so I thought it was ok....this was my third mistake, to trust him and got on this bus!

I waited inside the bus for a while before it started, then a very loud woman came to sell ticket to me, she asked me, where do I wanted to go, I said to Huang shan. She then pushed herself next to me, pretended to be very friendly, " But Miss, there are more than one entrance to Huangshan, if you go to the highest point, you would not have enough time, you must start at 6 am, but it would be after 9 by the time we arrive, you could only have enough time to go to the west side entrance." I have done my homework on Huang Shan, I know that from this long distant bus, we must connect to another bus to take us up the mountain, and from there, we could either walk or connect to cable car. And there is a front and back entrance, so I asked her," you are suggesting I should go to the "back" hill", she said " it should be called western part, let me show you on the map, here, you go to this side, you could not possibly go to the other side, if you do, you cannot make it back tonight..." Stupid me, I did not disagree...Now the bus stopped at a store, inside it has a China Youth Travel Agency, she told everyone on the van to get off. But it does not look like a bus connection point or bus terminal, yet she insisted that this is the place, all I need is to pay 220RMB, it would include all admission charges etc. A bus would come to take me to the gate. I paid her the money, but why was I the only person on this so called bus? the driver took me around town, to pick up his lunch etc, then he stopped by somewhere and pick up 2 more person. We drove for a long time. but it was not mountain drive as I read in the Internet, and finally he stopped at a place, and bought some admission tickets for us to go in, I asked the other person from the same van as me, " are you sure this is Huang Shan I cannot see the name Huang Shan anywhere, " She said, " Yes, this is Huang shan !" we entered, somehow, it totally did not look like the Hunag Shan in the photos I have seen. I started climbing for about 10 mins, the more I climbed, the more it did not look right. I was almost sure this i was not where I wanted to go, but what could I do? should I return to complain to him but I have already paid or should I just continue? Luckily, I made a decision very quick on the spot, I turned around 180 degree and started walking down the mountain very fast, I asked the first man I saw, I could not tell if he was the bus driver, "This is NOT Huang Shan, this is a trick! " he said, " I did not do this to you, you go to ask him, he is your bus driver" he pointed me to another man, at this point, I was willing to forget the money I paid them, hired a taxis to go back to the right location, I do not want to waste my whole trip for nothing.." You tricked me, this is not Huang shan!" He said, "I did not trick you, it was not me.... maybe some misunderstanding..." " I clearly said I wanted to go to Huang shan, you are wasting my time!" he said, " let me call the office and ask", he made a phone call and said I would take you to the spot where you can take the bus and refund you the rest of the admission" I got in his van and he started driving, then in the middle, he told me to get off and get into another van, then this van took me all the way back to the store where my journey begun. This is after 3 hours!! The woman came over and said, it has been a misunderstanding and she gave me back 200 RMB and asked me to give her 40 for change, I said to her" Of course not, you tricked me, waste my time and I already lost one morning plus 20 RMB, I should ask you for a full refund plus compensation!" She said " But you got on our car and went into the place" I said" NOT out of my own free will! let's report this to the police! " ( I simply love Chinese Police! ) upon hearing it, they shut up and told me to get into another car and they would take me to the real bus stop! - to be continued-

Day 10 - A lazy Sunday afternoon
After the incident of the ear muff the day before, I moved to another hotel on the Bund, it is only 5 mins walk to the waterfront. I had no idea what I wanted to do, the weather was not good....I took the ferry to Podung, the new area across from the Bund, but everything was so hazy, even with interesting architecture...I had no mood to take photos. I walked into IFC, ...how about High Tea? I love High tea with cucumber sandwich, scones, and cakes...I had a table facing outside and could see the beautiful view of Pudung and the Bund, but unfortunately, it is on upper floor, I could not do much people watching. People watching is one of my favorite past times. The best spot for people watching for me is of course St Germain des Pres, Paris. I love to have a cup of coffee and watch all those beautiful people walk by, and to imagine myself back to an era where intellects met in Les Deux Magots and Café de Flore to talk about philosophy and arts, a romantic era where Existentialism an aesthetic movement rooted in certain philosophical thoughts and supplanting surrealism, was born. ( hehe...this is a preview to my next destination...)

After High Tea, I went to the big mall close by. This is my first visit to a mall in China for this trip but I had no interest in shopping at all, only took a quick glance and left...don't get me wrong, it is not that I don't like to shop, it is perhaps because I have very strong likes and dislikes and somehow their tastes do not appeal to me ....I always remember the story my mum told me, when I was 3 years old, she bought me a red jacket for new year, but I hate red, and cried and cried and refused to wear it, I have wanted a black jacket....so she took me all over to show off my new red jacket and had everyone praises it before I agreed ( very unwilling) to put it on for her.... when I got older, I loved Ralph Lauren and later DKNY. I would skipped lunch in school and save the money my mum gave me to shop...( hehe, this must be how I learn to save ). I was so happy just to buy a Polo or a T shirt. Now as adult, I could buy what I want with my own money but it does not make me happy. I think the joy as a child for something new was perhaps not in the good itself, but in the anticipation, this is the real happiness of childhood. I remember being so excited when my dad took me to a hotel for buffet or even simply just bought me an ice cream cone, but now if I were to eat in a very good restaurant or hotel, I never could find such good tasting food as my childhood. I realized that it is not the food that have changed, it is me, my anticipation, my expectation have changed. An ice cream cone, a new dress, for me as a child was an indication of my parent's love, I could feel their care for me and their warmth..but I could never find such feelings if I were to buy a new shirt or to eat in an expansive restaurant by myself, it is not the cloths or the food that have changed, it is me...who has lost my childhood innocence...
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Day 14- Part 2

It was a very big bus stop, totally on a different scale, I bought the ticket for 19 RMB for the Huang shan's main entrance, but the next bus would be 1.20 pm, so there goes my whole morning, completely wasted!!!!! I was so frustrated ! The bus finally came and took me up the mountain, now I could see the landscape, this was Huang shan finally!!! I changed to the cable car and bought the ticket together the admission ticket to the park , it was 310 RMB one way ( return would be another 80), 210RMB(25USD) for one day admission to the park for one person is quiet expansive. In US, I could pay 80USD to buy an annual pass for a car with admission to all national parks, and in Japan, many national park are even free...

By the time I got up to the top, it was almost 2.30 pm and the last cable car was 4.30 pm, now I must start hiking as fast as I could to cover as many areas as possible in 2 hours. I looked at the map and found a route that I could cover within the given time period, and I must time myself carefully when I take picture to make sure I would not stay in one spot for too long. " Would you take a picture for me?" Someone said to me in English, " I turned around and found a tall blond guy holding his camera out to me, somehow I felt happy to see another tourist, at least, I think I would not be tricked once again.." would you go down the mountain today? we only have 1 hour and 30 mins left, we have to be careful with the timing" I pointed out the route to him, " perhaps we could go this way and return on time." We started hiking and taking pics together, he told me he is French and Dutch mixed, I was happy to know because I love France and have lived in Holland for 3 years, all of a sudden i felt like I met someone from my "home town" It seemed that he had taken the cable car to go to the other side of the peak and started walking over to this side, by 2 pm, 5 hours later, he had already reached his destination, so it was not like that loud woman told me, it does not take a whole day starting by 6 am, to walk from one side to the other side...everything she told me was not true.

I took as many pictures as I could within the short time period, by 4.20, we returned to the cable car, and we walked as fast as we could to take the connection bus because I was told the last bus to the town we were staying in leave by 5.30pm. But there were no bus at the bus stop...they said to go out to the street, my travel companion said, " I will run down to see if I could find a bus and hold it for you" since I was carrying my heavy camera bag, I could not run so fast..but there were also no bus outside. We stood by the corner and waited, again, we were surrounded by people telling us there's no more bus, that we should take a taxis back to our town, "Ignore all," he said to me, " Do not believe what they say, they always tell you no more bus" my companion seems to be more experienced than I am in this matter. A woman came over" how about I take you two and the other woman back to town for 40 RMB each? " Maybe if I were alone, I would agree, but he said to me, " you bargain for 30" I hate to bargain, so I said "70 for 2?" 10 RMB more than I was told to offer already, she said 80...I pointed at him and spoke in my horrible Chinese, " He does not agree..." My new friend was very determined to take the bus, every single bus that drove by, he waved at them, I said, " but these are tour buses..."he said, " I will stop any bus" oh, perhaps, it is something i should learn, to be so determined. Finally I saw something that looked like a public bus coming, " A BUS!!!!" we screamed, he ran all the way to stop the bus, we got on, but there were no seat, they took out some small wooden stools for us to sit down, I turned and smiled at my companion, " this is some unforgettable experience!"

After I got back to the hotel, it was almost 8 pm, I went down to the restaurant attached to the hotel to eat, it is a very big restaurant with 4 floors. There is no menu, you have to select the food and place order on the first floor. They place raw food and cooked food in big iron pot and you select from there, then you place the order, and they would take you to a table on the upper floor to have your meal. The night before, I ordered a whole peking duck to eat by myself, this is the problem of traveling alone, no one to share the food with...but tonight, there were hardly any food left, some fatty pork? no thanks..." There's nothing I can eat...how about some veggies" "But we sold out all..." " Tofu ?" no more...then the very nice girl asked me" would you like some noodles?" " but no such thing on the menu..." I will ask for you?" she called the kitchen, " can you please make her some noodles, she has nothing to eat! please, she is alone, please!! " Finally, after repeated bagging on her part, they agreed, they took me up to a nice table to sit down, Oh my God, the noodle came, it was so huge, like for 4 people or more!!! how can I eat so much!!???? it taste like Japanese Ramen....the woman from the next table " I want to order her noodles! " Waitress, " no such thing on the menu" " But she is eating....." " Oh, we sold out!" the woman came over to me, stared at my noodles, " it is noodles, isn't it? taste good...." I wanted to say, " would you like to have mine....? It's way too much for me to eat......" oh, and this BIG bowl of Ramen cost only 18 RMB...about 2 USD...200 yen..They are soooo nice to me...:)