Day 8 - Beijing

What was expected to be another dry speech or forum turned out to be an amazing morning of discussions on what it is like to return to China and how our career paths may or may not fit into the grand scheme of China's rapid development. Great guest speakers who brought a lot of personal stories and insights to the discussion. Back to the People's Great Hall, with memories of excitement and awe from four years ago, to meet XXX and have an official photo taken with him. Rows of purple jackets lined up in small platforms, dangerously high and safety hazard for the high-heeled, all awaiting his arrival. Photo taken, speech given and after many rounds of applause, we were free to take as many pictures as we want inside. The great China food adventure starts tonight with the grand search for...dog meat! Ended up in a Korean restaurant which serves dog meat...cooked in kimchi soup =p. Some disappointment in the group (not me!) for not being able to choose the unfortunate dog that would be served on our table. Let's just say that if you love mutton, you would probably love dog meat. But for me, for the same reasons why I don't like mutton, dog meat has this strong gamely taste. I hereby declare that I will never eat dog meat ever again!!

Day 7 - Beijing

Train chugs along; deep slumber under warm covers; morning light shines through the windows. Annoying blasting music; shouting food cart-pushers; piercing smell of cigarette smoke. Hearty breakfast of four slices of bread, ham sliced, fried egg and hot soy milk =). Very different from my experience four years ago with a weird-colored egg yolk in my hard-boiled egg. Train arrived. Stepping out of the train carriage, a car appears right in front of me, on the freaking platform! Craziness!! Penguin walk, shuffling our way out of the sardine-packed station. Beijing University, reunited with people from the Suzhou/Wuxi and Hangzhou trips, as well as people who only came for the Grand Reunion.  Discussion forum, segregated by regions, together with the new kids from CSP10. A lot of talk about how far China has come and how much further China can go in terms of economic and social development. Line-up practice for the photo session tomorrow; as always standing with the boys because of height. Drinks at 1949; very hard to get a taxi and very hard to find the place but a very nice place with art galleries. Dancing at Mix; very far to walk and very hard to find the people but really fun place with good music. Tomorrow is another day!

Day 6 - Nanjing

6am wake-up calls are simply cruel! Long day ahead, beginning at the Zhongshan Mountain Scenic Area. Beamless Hall (Wu Liang Dian) which houses the monument to the National Revolutionary Army in the Anti-Japanese War who died fighting and opens to the first cemetery of these heroes. Linggu Pagoda which is impossible to climb in five minutes so naturally gave up on the idea. The "highlight" was Dr Sun Yat-Sen's Mausoleum (Zhongshan Ling) but to climb 392 steps to see the coffin chamber which does not even house his body was quite the "downlight". The entrance to the chamber was so tiny that once people were streaming in, it was impossible to get out. The walls of the chamber were wet from humidity and it felt like a sauna in there sans the enjoyment. Finally getting out was like finally getting the first gasp of air after suffocating. 
In the afternoon, we went to the Ming Shao Ling Museum, which honors the first Ming emperor who was actually a commoner. Besides a couple people falling asleep at the bookstore, it was indeed a yawner...but the Ming Tomb of the Great Ming Dynasty was awesome! Each emperor who came to honor the emperors before him is taken through the Sacred Way, which we leisurely strolled along. The first section of the Sacred Way is flanked by sitting then standing lions, Xiezhi (bear-eyed unicorn), camels, elephants, Qiling (unicorn) and horses. The second section is flanked by balusters, generals and civil officials. Upon arriving at the tomb, we realized that it has never been excavated and on the wall surrounding the hill-like tombs was carved "Here lies the tomb of the great emperor Ming Shao Ling". 
By now, our official polo shirts were completely soaked with sweat...and we were supposed to board the overnight train to Beijing without showering today or tomorrow. Yes, gross indeed. In the end, the tour took us to a hotel to clean-up but room charges would be personal. The real craziness and experience of CSP begins - 3 guys and 3 girls to share a room to shower and wash/dry our polo shirts in one hour! The rush and exhilaration, jumping over  six luggages all laid out on the floor, two hairdryers and three chargers going. BLACKOUT! 10 minutes to go and we were in pitch darkness trying to pack up and dry our wet shirts; flashlight and handphone lights come on trying to find what our eyes cannot see otherwise. The room opposite hapenned to be occupied by our group mates so we invaded their room when they left. Final mad rush to the bus and happy to discover that Sarah had negotiated our room rate from RMB440 to RMB300 because of the blackout! On-board the 6-bed sleeper train to Beijing, Big Two card games, lame bao jokes (which cracked them up completely!), disturbing IQ stories, annoying pattern games. The "younger" CSPers conked out in bed waaay earlier than the "older" ones. What a day!!!   

Day 5 - Nanjing

Rainy relaxed day visiting enterprises in Nanjing - Sharp, LG etc. Good time to catch up on loat sleep. Nap, visit, nap, visit, nap, visit. 21-course lunch and 23-course dinner; yummy and happy. Sad reflective afternoon visiting the memorial museum of the Nanjing massacre. The memorial museum was more well done than expected and spans over quite a big plot of land. Disturbing pictures of the horrifying acts; haunting testimonials of the killings and rapes. Estimated 300,000 people died. Stones covering the entire compound not to be stepped on to honor the deceased. Experience spoilt yet again by shoving locals jostling their way to the displays and jostling their way out in a split second without pausing to read, think or see the atrocities. Free and easy night of yet another round of foot massage, falling asleep. Zzz...

Day 4 - Shanghai/Nanjing

Day 2 of the Shanghai World Expo - Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Bosnia and Belarus. Seven-hour wait for the Japan pavilion was impossible; hot humid weather was suffocating; shoving locals were literally everywhere and cutting queues. Why do parents inflict on their children this kind of unnecessary discomfort by dragging them here if they will not remember anything from the expo? Starbucks haven to shelter from the rain and to rest our feet =). Ferry ride back to Puxi - people running into the ferry, we whipped out our colorful stools while waiting in line, a kid sprint to snatch my stool in a split second as I got up to take a photo. Free wi-fi at the Cisco pavilion =) =). Train to Nanjing; curry-flavored, almond-flavored, milk-flavored, tomato-flavored pocky. Lump in my throat, falling sick I am. Midnight supper of xiehuang bao (big xiaolong bao). Foot massage in the early a.m. to dissolve the painful memories from all the walking at the Shanghai World Expo =) =) =). Hello, Nanjing!

Day 3 - Shanghai

Shanghai World Expo. Herds of people break into run once they pass the entrance. Mothers pulling their children along, dragging them on their feet. VIP access to the China Pavilion!! Power walked to the Japan Pavilion; frantic search for the end of the line: 6-hour wait =(. Gave up and power walked to the Korea Pavilion: 5-hour wait =(. Gave up. Chinese proverb rings true...people mountain people sea. Shove, push, jostle, elbow, spit spit spit. Fake children imagined up just to get in front of the line. Human barricade of five CSPers - no, you are not getting past us! Colorful plastic foldable stools, RMB10, let's sit down wherever whenever. This kid digging pebbles out of the new pavement under the watchful eyes of his parents. That kid speeding toward reserved seats, pulling off the barricade in a split second. This kid pulling down his pants, peeing onto a tree in plain sight. This adult climbing over railings to get in front. That adult pressing his body against others because he does not care for personal space. All never apologetic, never feeling guilty. New Zealand, Brunei, Philippines, Australia, Malaysia, Portugal, Nigeria, South Africa, USA, Germany. Ahh Germany, for you I waited 3 hours and suffered through massive migraine and nausea just to see you. And boy was I reminded why I would not visit China on my own or go to places where there are a lot of Chinese people. TAI DUO REN!!!

Day 2 - Hangzhou/Shanghai

Early morning rise to walk to Xi Hu. Sleepy heads and droopy eyes. Air, thick and pregnant with moisture, suffocating pores and windpipes. A school of elderly Chinese practising tai-chi in sync by the lake, a woman walking backwards, a daughter exercising with her father. Joining the school of elderly Chinese practising tai-chi not-so in sync by the lake. Ballroom dancing old couples, heartwrenchingly cute. Singing traditional Chinese songs with the locals, us Lao Wai. Eyes lit up at the sight of capitalism next to the singing ladies - oh the goodness of grande starbucks coffee frappucino with no whipped cream!
Hangzhou train station - falling rain, no cabs, motor rickshaw with luggage up to the nose. Too many people, WAY too many people. Cutting queues, running luggage over feet, pushing and shoving. Human penguin walk shuffling into the train carriage, worried the others will not make the train on time...woohoo! They made it! Tired out and knocked out. Arrived at Shanghai South station. Human penguin walk shuffling out of the train station. Final leg to the hotel. Finally registered and the Chinese Synergy Programme kicks off! Don't remember what it feels like to socialize with so many strangers...so many people but yet still alone. Hmm...Hello, Shanghai!

Day 1 - Hangzhou

Savoring milk pudding in the sweltering heat as we nagivated through the unfamiliar weaves of bicycles, motorcycles, cars, buses and human traffic. Where things do not work the same way and people do not act the same way. Great food and ambience at Wai Po Jia. 25RMB to ride tandem-bike around the famous Xi Hu the whole afternoon. Thinking to myself that I should really learn how to cycle. Warm summer breeze in the face and in the hair, the misty lake on both side, trees reaching their branches out sweeping their leaves on passer-bys. Ringing the bell and yelling for the people in front to watch out for the carelessly careening bike coming. Riding next to the scarily big buses, hoping neither the bus nor the bike will accidentally infringe on each other's path. Bird's eye view of Hangzhou from Lei Feng Tat, city on one side and mountains on three others. Impressed by the bicycle system set up to easily allow the Chinese to rent bicycles from anywhere and return them anywhere. Simple appreciation of the great invention called air-conditioning. Racing up the many bridges across the dams of Xi Hu, overtaking the golf carts that chaffeured tired sweaty visitors. Musical fountain, majestic and magical. Bliss of the familiar mango pomelo dessert from honeymoon dessert. Sweating bullets, realizing diet plans will have to wait, enjoying the moment. Watching Yue Fei Miao from the outside, short of time short of motivation to explore short of desire to pay RMB25. Sinfully deliciously fatty dongpo meat, refreshingly tasty longjing tea - Lou Wai Lou at Bai Ti. Striking interesting conversations with the local taxi drivers, with the new travel companions, with myself =).
    

Day 0 - KL/Hangzhou

Last minute mad rush to the airport, no luggage lock no foreign currency. New friends who will be my travel companions, hi! Long wait in line, silent current of chaos and frustration in the air, system down during check-in, planes delayed. Freezing cold plane, inhibiting much-needed sleep, high-pitched loud Chinese people. Warm milo for defrosting me, nose still icy-cold. Smoothest landing ever by Air Asia X, murphy's law strike at immigration lines, took some time to find the cabs. Midnight supper, free wi-fi, hot humid night air, falling asleep watching the World Cup finals in the hotel room with the boys. Hello, Hangzhou!

Day 0: KL-Hangzhou

off to a whirlwind of adventures! if you want to find out more, stay tuned =D