Pantastic

On the heels of my less than uplifting post a few days ago, I wanted to write about something that would no doubt bring a smile to everyone’s face. What better way to do that than to share my experience with PANDAS a few weeks ago.

We headed to Chengdu in Sichuan province, which is THE place to see pandas. For those who think pandas are everywhere in China, you are wrong. There are actually very few pandas left in the wild, and Sichuan province is where the most are found. Right outside of Chengdu there is a very well established breeding and research center for pandas. I love pandas so I was pretty excited to go to the research center and see these little fluff balls up close.

No one could have prepared me for just how adorable they were. The babies and cubs live in enclosures together, where they socialize, eat lots of bamboo and do cute panda things (like roll around and eat lots of bamboo). The adults are solitary animals, so they live in enclosures by themselves, but still manage to be irresistibly charming. The same behavior in humans, eating and sleeping all day would be considered lazy, but for pandas it is simply being adorable. I was very impressed with the habitats for the pandas, and it was clear they were very well cared for. All this was quite the opposite of what you usually see in terms of animal care in China. It was obvious that this research center was China’s animal show pony. I’ve seen pandas in zoos before but these cuddle magnets blew those other pandas out of the water. I was smitten.  I could not stop smiling and giggling. I felt like a little kid playing with baby pandas (close enough right….adult staring at baby pandas).

Enjoy the video below - Have a Pantastic Day :)

Fighting Through the Haze

Living in China can be like living within a cloud. But not the type of cloud where you are sitting above everything and feeling so light and free. Not the shape-shifting fluffy clouds that make us stare up at the sky in adoration.  I want you to think of the clouds you go through on a plane when you hit turbulence, you can't see much and you just don't know when it is going to stop...that is the type of cloud I'm talking about. 

Today was the first day in a very long time where I finally felt like I broke out of that turbulent cloud, and could see beyond the haze. The beautiful mountains across the river, that really aren't that beautiful most days because you cannot see through the pollution, were so beautifully visible. I knew the air quality here affected me on a daily basis, but I always just thought about my burning eyes, short breaths, and glasses never ever looking clean. But I realized today it is a lot more than that. It keeps me from living the life I want to live. I went for a run today for only the second time since I moved to China in August. I forgot what a luxury it was to do something so simple, that I had always taken for granted. I felt alive. I could take a deep breath and be happy that I did so. I could look across the river and smile, rather than scowl in disgust. Today was a blessing and a curse. A blessing because it did feel so good to have clean air, blue skies, and the sun shinning, but a curse because this was a rare treat, and not the norm. 

It's been a really long time since I have written on my blog, and I think it has been in big part because I have not felt inspired to share much. Yes, we've done some amazing trips in China and seen some spectacular things, but the day to day things that made me feel so alive and connected while living in Hungary just haven't surfaced here. And although what I'm writing now is not exciting or inspiring, I think I was finally able to poke my head through this hazy space for long enough to see the world I'm living in a little more clearly.

Huangshan (Yellow Mountain)

When Bill and I first arrived to Hangzhou we went to a teahouse near WestLake and wrote out a long list of all the places in China we wanted to visit. Our list took up a full sheet of paper (both sides), and the list is still growing as we learn more about this country. A few weekends ago we planned a trip to one of our top destinations on that list: Huangshan, which literally means Yellow Mountain. It is a mountain range in the southern part of Anhui province, which is located in eastern China, about a four hour bus ride from Hangzhou. These mountains are famous in China and over centuries have served as the inspiration for many works of Chinese art and literature.

Huangshan was exactly as I imagined it to be. It was as if nearly every Chinese mountain scene painting I had ever scene came to life in front of me.  Granite peaks reached for the sky while elegant yet powerful pines defied gravity as they grew out of the mountains in places that appeared uninhabitable.  I was hoping for some rugged and remote hiking trails but instead got endless kilometers of paved stairs and large groups of people being led by tour guides with bad microphones. I remember before leaving for this trip I was daydreaming about getting away from the bustle of a big Chinese city, and being surrounded by beautiful mountains filled with fresh air and a stillness that cannot exist with the constant honking of cars and e-bikes. This trip showed me that no site valued in China is immune to the smothering crush of people. No matter how far we hiked, we still found ourself near people. During the span of two days we hiked about 25 kilometers. I kid you not, about 18-20 of those kilometers were all uphill stairs. I have never, ever walked that many stairs in that short of time in all my life. On the first day it was like walking on a stair master for 8 hours straight.

Our intention at the beginning of our hike on Saturday was to make it back down the mountain (via cablecar) in the evening, because all the hotels at the top of the mountain were completely booked. We planned out a route that would get us to the furthest cablecar by 4:30pm, about one hour before it would get dark. Our legs were burning, and stomachs growling, but we were about a 1/2 kilometer away from the cablecar at 4:30. Perfectly executed, we thought. Until we noticed there was not a single person walking the path towards the cablecar. I forgot to mention that despite being in the mountains, there were still people everywhere. This is China after all. We soon came to find out that the cable car was closed. The next closest cablecar was about 6 kilometers away, mostly up stairs, so we wouldn't get there before dark. We stopped the first group of young hikers that passed by us and we asked if they knew how long it would take to hike down. They looked nervous, and I did not know if it was because they didn't know how to respond in English or if it was the answer itself that made them nervous. With a little broken English and the help of google translate, they managed to explain that it would take at least three hours to get down to the bottom and would be far too dangerous in the dark. Our faces said it all, wide eyed and mouth open. Immediately after came the invitation to join their group and camp for the night at the top of the mountain. I can safely say that was the first camping invitation I have ever received via a smartphone translator, and I have a hunch it might be the last. When we reached the site, surprise, surprise, there were people EVERYWHERE. Our new friends dragged us into the registration office and pushed through crowds of people. When they reached the person who was working they began speaking quickly, the volume of their voice getting louder and louder. They then grabbed our arm and said 'come, now, last one.' Amongst this sea of people we managed to get the very last tent for rent. 

On one hand a trip like this made me grateful for all the hiking trips we had done in the past where we would almost never run into a person on the trail. On the other hand, we were extremely lucky that there were so many people on the trail. I sometimes wonder what we would have done if we had not run into those wonderful people. The good thing is, I can just leave it up to my imagination now. I have learned my lesson though, in a country of 1.36 billion people, do not go running to beautiful mountains to find peace, quiet and solitude. 

Awe-Inspiring

You can search the Internet for beautiful places in the world and top travel destinations, and in most cases these sights do not disappoint if you go there and see them for yourself. There are certain places though that I would truly call awe-inspiring. Many things can be picturesque and beautiful, but I believe that awe-inspiring is when an individual is truly moved by something else, and therefore what's awe-inspiring for one person may just be beautiful to another. During my travels there have been several places that always come back to me as being truly moving. I'm talking about places that literally took my breath away and brought me to tears. These places made me feel small, but the kind of small that is humbling and makes you feel grateful you are alive to see these wonders. Behold my personal top five awe-inspiring places. Note: the pictures will never do these justice.

1) Interior of Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Istanbul, Turkey)

2) Grand Canyon (Arizona, USA)

3) Interior of La Sagrada Familia (Barcelona, Spain)

4) Nemrut Dagi (southeastern Turkey)

5) Banaue Rice Terraces (Batad, Phillipines)

China First Impressions: Part II

The Food

As expected, I have had my challenges navigating the food scene with my need to eat gluten free, but despite this, I can whole-heartedly say that I am really loving the food in China. There is so much food to explore here, I feel I have only scraped the tip of the iceberg. This post could go on forever, but I'll spare you and try to just touch on a few highlights.

I am sure it is a big surprise to everyone that rice and noodles are a prevalent part of the Chinese diet, and the most commonly eaten meat is pork. Chicken, duck and fish are also quite easy to get, but seemingly not as frequently eaten (likely because it is more expensive than pork). Something that I wish I could try, but unfortunately cannot are all of the dumplings that are prepared in different ways, with many different fillings. In general eggs and Chinese cabbage seem to be very common ingredients found in many dishes. I don't find the food in Hangzhou and surrounding areas to be very spicy, but I am told that this will all change when I finally visit Sichuan province.

Noodle soup street food a few blocks from our place

I mostly stick to the rice dishes since I know rice is safe, and I just make sure to ask for no soy sauce (which contains wheat in case you didn't know). I find the rice in Hangzhou to actually be better than the rice we have had in other parts of China so far, so that's definitely a plus! Fried rice is my go to because I know how to order it, I know it will be gluten free if I ask for no soy sauce, and quite frankly it is delicious (so much better than what you get at Chinese restaurants outside of China). My favorite dish that I have had since being in China though is what they call New Year Cake or Niángāo in pinyin or 年糕 in characters. I never tried anything quite like it. They make a sort of dense 'noodle log' that is made from glutinous rice flour (sticky rice flour), and then they slice this into discs, boil it (like a noodle), then stir fry it with some cabbage and eggs. One other dish I really like that can be found all over China but I had never seen in 'western' Chinese restaurants outside of China is simply cooked eggs,  tomatoes and shallots (with some oil, salt and sugar). Quick, easy and delicious.

New Year Cake

Egg and tomato dish (don't know the Chinese name)

Fried rice and beef skewers from a Muslim restaurant (there are over 21 million muslims in China)

There is an abundance of street food and small mom and pop-hole in the wall restaurants, which are exactly what Bill and I love! It is amazing just how affordable eating out is here. My favorite restaurant which is close to where we live has some of the best food and best prices around. It is very common for Bill and I to both get dinner there and pay a total of $1.50. We ate our very first meal in China here, have tried many places since, but this remains our favorite.

Street food: We called this Chinese McMuffin (starts with a batter, then filled with an egg and minced pork)

Our favorite restaurant!

I know I gush on and on about Hungary and how much I loved it there, but I have to admit that the food in China beats Hungarian cuisine. Sajnálom Magyarok. De én mindig szeretni túró rudi és gulyás leves.

China First Impressions: Part I

Hangzhou: The City Itself

West Lake

I meant to write this post over a month ago, but I've had a hard time figuring out what to write because I don't feel a true connection to the city of Hangzhou. Hangzhou to me is a combination of picturesque tranquility with nondescript sprawling big city. It lacks a distinct flare and personality that I try to find within a city. After one month I thought I just needed more time to really find it, but now that I have been here for over two months I am fearing the city may really lack that indescribable 'vibe and feeling' that makes a city truly wonderful and unique. 

The downtown area of Hangzhou is quite clean, filled with medium sized business buildings and lots of shops. What makes the downtown area unique though is that it abuts the UNESCO protected West Lake which is admired by many domestic tourists every year. West Lake is beautiful, and the rolling hills behind it that take on a silhouette effect due to both the humidity and polluted air, add to the visual splendor. But this is just one small sliver of the city.

In general I find that cities tend to feel smaller than their actual population size, but I do not feel that way about Hangzhou. It may be due to the fact that I do not live in a district that is in the downtown area and therefore to go anywhere of note it takes forever and allows me to see how far this city really stretches. The area I live in is mostly full of fairly fancy high rises and to be honest is quite boring. There are some pretty good places to get food though, and the cost is almost nothing. The most vibrant area of our district in my opinion is called 'trash alley' which is about a 15 minute bike ride from where we live. Here you won't find any cars, but it is packed with people, food, more food, and you guessed it, trash. This is one of the few places where there is some energy and it can be a lot of fun to come here to eat, people watch and really feel like you're in China. The swarms of people can get to you after a while, so after about one to two hours I am ready to retreat. 

High-Rise Apartments in the Binjiang District of Hangzhou

Trash Alley

If you didn't already know this, I am a sucker for public transportation. I LOVE public transportation. A little weird, I know, but after growing up in California where I was devoid of public transport, I fell in love with the Chicago El (even with all its faults), the Hungarian BKV (metro, trams and buses), and had love affairs with public transportation all across Europe. Hangzhou has let me down in the public transportation category. They have a developing metro system, but the closest metro station to where I live is about a 20 minute cab ride. The buses here are slow and take round-about routes making it shorter to bike most places. It's been an adjustment getting on without good public transportation, but I've been trying to make due with my new bike and our e-bike (electric scooter - will post about this later). Without good public transportation it does make it more difficult to really discover what's here in this enormous city, but hopefully in time I will find out.

China: First Impressions

After a month living in Budapest I wrote my very first blogpost about my first impressions. Now that I have been in Hangzhou for a month, I am going to continue that tradition and write about my first impressions here. It was no shock to me that this first month has gone by so incredibly fast. I have been teaching for  nearly three weeks and can honestly say that I am surprised how comfortable I am working with elementary kids. On the other hand though I am not surprised at all that I am absolutely loving the college counseling work that I am doing. I will never tire meeting with and getting to know students at such an exciting and hopeful point in their life. It is fun getting to see how different they all are and of course it doesn’t hurt getting to talk about higher education :)

China has been living up to the expectation of being full of history and culture. In Hangzhou alone there are countless historical sites and beautiful scenery. We have traveled outside of Hangzhou for two weekends to Shanghai and Nanjing, and the more I see of China, the more eager I am to continue exploring. In a country as big as China and with as many people as it has, the options for travel and people watching will never run dry. Stay tuned for my series of first impression posts to include Hangzhou (the city itself,) the food, the language and the people.