1. Above you will see the skyline of Shanghai at night. Shanghai is the "NYC" of China, 30 years ago the city had 3 skyscrapers, today almost 100. All lighted with energy efficient fluorescent lighting including a bridge changing colors every few moments.
2. Sixty percent of the population is a member of the Communist Party. You see many churches, one is allowed to practice their own religion. Marco said you are just not allowed to stand on the street corner and peddle your faith. But, on job and loan applications there is a line item asking for party affiliation. You either write in the blank: member or none. If a police officer is a member he wore a red ribbon on his uniform jacket. I often looked and saw very few.
3. My first morning in Beijing I took a walk before breakfast expecting to see pedestrians with mask and the smell of heavy pollution. No mask and no odor. When I asked I was told the pollution has been gone since the 2008 Olympics. We did have a tan sky, the results of a high speed wind storm in Mongolia thousands of miles away. The 2008 Olympics was not viewed as a money maker, but a way for China to display their country to the world.
4. China's recycling industry is a giant. They buy plastic water bottles from the USA to recycle. Recycling as a income was shown several times. As an example, there would be ladies standing outside our bus when we would stop asking for our empty water bottles.
5. The one child rule is for real. Yes, you can have more than one baby. When your doctor confirms the pregnancy of a second child the doctor is mandated to call the government. The next day the new parents expect a call from the government to pick up their $20,000.00. If your first birth are twins, you get two for free. Unless your blood lab work shows hormone medicine was used to increase the odds of twins, then you pay for #2. Chinese children are dressed well, smile a lot as do their parents when showing them off.
6. Bathrooms and food was not an issue. We were encouraged to carry bathroom tissue in our day packs. I never used mine except toward the end of the 15 hour flight home. The flight stewards could not leave and pick up a role. Our guides always announced when there would be a "Happy Toilet" close by. HTs were of western designed. Food was not a barrier, I was a little disappointed, because I was ready for the battle. Chop sticks were not necessary, but a fun and new skill to use. One of the highlights for me was to pick up a peanut with my chop sticks.
7. Audi appeared to be the mid size car of choice. In a parking lot we saw a really good looking four door sedan, sleek in style. After walking around, it turned out to be a Ford. This car after a short investigation is not available in the USA. Semi Trucks are not aloud to drive through Beijing and Shanghai during the daytime. This helps keep the highways unclogged. Several years ago there was a 26 mile traffic jamb taking six days to unclog.
8. Watching ladies do laundry and kids swim in a canal of filth, seeing villages with community bathrooms and showers, not seeing a bird for days and toddlers playing in the streets with soiled legs due to not having diapers was not a surprise. When we would see a dog walking around, we thought of him as a lucky one.
9. There will always be more to tell. The one thing that I will never forget was being able to share the moments with 30 bus mates from Licking County, Ohio.
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