My First Visit to China

One visit to the Great Wall and you soon realize that no task is too great – just a subtle reminder that anything is possible.

A conference in Shanghai prompted my visit to China.  I detoured to Beijing a few days early to fulfill a dream.  This was my first trip to China and I wanted to see the Great Wall.

Fresh from the recent Summer Olympics and the staggering economic growth China has enjoyed, Beijing's airport is monstrous.  Clearing customs in the arrival hall is a feat in and of itself, with the hundreds of fellow passengers all eager to visit this foreign land.

Friendly street vendors sell fresh fruits, like apricots and cherries to passers by.  Sweet potatoes and corn, among other eats are hot and ready to eat on the street.

This is how I like to shop – on the street with the folks – a quick snack and you’re on your way.

The streets are busy, after all, China does have a 1.3 Billion person population.  That’s just about a Billion more people than the United States.  Although there is a ever-growing population of middle-class, China is split between the affluent and the poor.  Factory workers in DuongDong, near Hong Kong fill the factories that spread as far as the eye can see and work for $200/month.  We should remember this when shopping at Wal-mart.  Wal-mart can be thanked for their share of Chinese imports – amounting to a staggering $200 Billion/year.

We visited the Summer Palace, the grounds of Chinese Royalty throughout the Dynasties.

Emperor’s ruled from this compound, thousands of acres in all….

The UN included the Summer Palace on its World Heritage List, declaring “a masterpiece of Chinese landscape garden design.  The natural landscape of hills and open water is combined with artificial features such as pavilions, halls, palaces, temples and bridges to form a harmonious ensemble of outstanding aesthetic value.”  It is a popular tourist destination but also serves as a recreational park as well.

    

The workmanship was astonishing with hand painted murals throughout the property.  We trekked on foot and then back via Dragon boat across the lake.

Lunch was at a cozy local spot on South Luogu Lane.  This street was built in 1267, part of the market area in the urban layout of the day that served the imperial government.

The street has been historically preserved by the Beijing Municipal Government to preserve its character and cultural legacy.

I loved the fresh fish prepared Chinese style and the renovated old style buildings are still built authentically.

Not far from here, we happened upon a welcome American staple – Starbucks!

An elderly man, painting Chinese characters with water on the sidewalk welcomed me and invited me to write with him.  His mastery of penmanship was remarkable.

Fresh vegetables are sold by farmers in the street.  This true farmers market features everything from Chinese long beans, to peppers, tomatoes, eggplant, potatoes, and leeks – whatever is in season can be found here – literally for pennies, everyday.

Beijing cuisine ranges in specialties.  One night we had “Hot Pot” where meats and vegetables are submersed in broth in the middle of the table to be enjoyed family style by all.

Beijing duck is a specialty heralded by the locals and I was fortunate enough to be treated to a wonderful meal of this fantastic dish one evening.

Beijing Duck, fresh shrimp, and fresh tofu still resting in its cheese cloth was enjoyed another evening.

Beijing also has a contemporary side as well. 

The city is sprawling with growth and expansion everywhere.

From the modern drive through the city, we set out on a two hour drive to see the Great Wall.  Getting out of the city, the beauty of China’s countryside revealed herself.  Lush green hilltops and valleys filled the landscape.

I was anxious and excited like a kid on a field trip.  This is something I’ve always wanted to see and finally, my day had come.  From the car, I could see it – the Great Dragon, as the Chinese call it – one of the Seven Wonders of the World, The Great Wall! This feat of engineering and workmanship is testimony to the work ethic of the Chinese people.  This wall is awe-inspiring and breathtaking.  When you consider the man hours to construct this structure you quickly realize how anything is possible with determination and work ethic.

We were able to climb the wall to the top peak.  It was the workout of the day shared by every person on this journey. 

The Great Wall museum was also an interesting tour to learn about this legacy of World history.  We learned how each stone was carried on the backs of men.

Over 150 million visitors including 460 state chiefs, presidents, government heads, and figures have visited the Great Wall.

President Nixon’s 1972 visit with his wife to the Great Wall is memorialized with other heads of State from around the world.

 

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Stopping to snap photos is a good excuse for a rest.  Truly, though with each elevation change and each new winding bend, the view entirely changes.

Having told my hosts that I enjoyed the traditional lunch we had the day before, they took me to a quiet farming village for a late lunch after our day at the wall.

Our stop for lunch after climbing the Great Wall.

The spread was fit for a king with local produce and meats.  See if you can find the chicken head in with the chicken dish.  I felt like I was in an Anthony Bourdain episode … if he could only be here to share this meal.  Dinner this night wouldn’t be necessary.

My last day in Beijing, I visited Tiananmen Square, the historic site that captured the World in 1989, but its history dates back to 1417 when the Tiananmen Gate to the Forbidden City was built during the Ming Dynasty.

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Last, we visited the Royal Imperial Gardens surrounding the Forbidden City – the Chinese imperial palace from the Ming Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty.   For 500 years it served as the home of emperors and their households as well as the ceremonial and political center of Chinese Government.

Climbing to the top of the gardens hill, a gorgeous view of the Forbidden city is appreciated.

I said farewell to Beijing and headed for Shanghai where the conference was to begin the next day.

I had the distinct privilege of being invited by the Department of Rehabilitation at Xinhua Hospital to present my research and introduce the Impulse Instruments to medical delegates who specialize in physical medicine and rehabilitation.

The Hospital is affiliated with Shanghai Jiatong University School of Medicine and was a wonderful opportunity for me to introduce chiropractic to China – in a land where chiropractic legislature does not yet exist.  They honored me with a visiting professor plaque in addition to the red carpet treatment during my stay.

During my stay in Shanghai, I was able to visit the village of Zhou Zhuang, known as the water village for it’s quaint streets built upon waterways.

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With one more day before traveling home, I visited the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai.  This event is the talk of the City as it attracts about 500,000 visitors each day.

Stories of long lines and 4-6 hour waits to enter some of the pavilions had me concerned.  The Exposition was absolutely over the top!

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As I walked around the miles of exhibits I asked myself what in the world are they going to do with all of these pavilions when the Expo is over?  Then, I quickly did the math.  500,000 visitors per day x $20 expo pass is about $10 million/day in revenue, and that’s before anyone even buys anything.  I think it’s safe to say that it doesn’t matter what becomes of the pavilions – they’re paid for.

My trip to China was an adventure.  The sheer magnitude of the country and its cities is awe inspiring.  It truly brought home the understanding of just how real this new world power is.

Oxford Inspires

Christ Church College, Oxford University

June brought me to Oxford where I hosted a spinal research symposium for our non-profit organization, the International Spine Research (INSPIRE) Foundation at St. Anne’s College at Oxford University.  

June is the perfect time to visit England – with moderate early summer temperatures and just prior to the summer tourist season.

I’ve been to Oxford a few times and every time that I visit I find myself immersed in scholarly desires. 

This is the quintessential College town.  Oxford University was the first University in the English-speaking world.  Students from over 120 countries make up its 20,000 student body.  The University is comprised of 38 Colleges each with its own distinct flavor for academia.  Walking around the historic city you can’t help but dream of what it would be like to attend Oxford.

I met up with my friends who convened for our course, and took a stroll through the city.  We came upon Oxford University Press, the origin of the famed Oxford English Dictionary and publisher of a myriad of over 4,000 books per year.

Oxford is historically renowned as a holy place in the annals of English literature.  Take the pub, The Eagle and Child, owned by St. John’s College, just a short walk from the city center.  In a small back room every Tuesday morning between 1939-1962, a writers’ group known as The Inklings’ would meet to chat over beers discussing their latest books and manuscripts in progress. 

The Inklings was an informal literary discussion group including the likes of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien.  Tolkien penned ‘The Hobbit’ as entertainment for his four children and in 1933 shared the book with Lewis.  The rest is history.  The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings trilogy that followed were some of the first books I read in grade school for pure pleasure.

In June, 1950, C.S. Lewis distributed the proofs for ‘The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’, the first of the Chronicles of Narnia, which he read aloud to Tolkien – who is said to have absolutely hated it.  More recently, Tony Blair who studied law at St. John’s College in the 1970’s was also a regular at the Eagle and Child.

New graduates exit Hertford College under the Bridge of Sighs

Oxford is known as “The City of Dreaming Spires” so nicknamed by poet Matthew Arnold in regard to the steeples pointing to the sky throughout the historic city.

With the conference over, my work for the day done, I set out for a pint at The Bear Inn public house.  This is the kind of place that I seek out – one of the oldest pubs in town, dating back to 1242. 

Unique to this pub is its collection of over 4,000 snippets of ties, given by customers in exchange for a pint.  The tie pieces are displayed in glass cases on the walls and ceiling in the pub.

Walking throughout this magnificent city the stone architecture is appreciated to have stood the test of time.  The landscape is meticulously manicured everywhere you look.  Dating back to 1525, the grounds of Christ Church College are impeccable and impressive.  This college has produced thirteen British prime ministers, equal to all other Oxford Colleges combined.Popularity in the public eye, the college is the setting for Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland.  More recently, the Harry Potter adventures were notably filmed at Christ Church.  Notably the dining hall scenes among others.

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The Bodleian Library, the main research library of the University of Oxford, is one of the oldest libraries in Europe.

Across the street from “The Bod” is the King’s Arms pub, one of the main student pubs in town.  A popular local myth is that the King Arms has the highest iQ per square foot of any pub or bar in the world.  I had to see what all the fuss was about.  Students having just finished exams were enjoying themselves in relaxing celebration.  I brought my journal along that I use to write to my kids when I’m away, and took the opportunity to sit and write to my son about all Oxford had to offer.

My last stop of the evening was The Turf Tavern, a 13th century ale house acclaimed for the many famous scholars who have graced its doors throughout the years.  In fact, President Bill Clinton’s famous failure to inhale took place at this very pub while he was attending Oxford as a Rhodes’s Scholar.

If you’re over 5’10”, you literally have to duck your head to enter – testimony to the authenticity of the age of this place – built in a time where people were significantly shorter.

At each of these pubs, a chat with strangers becomes an interesting sharing experience with new acquaintances.  People don’t keep to themselves, abroad, as we do in America.  I don’t think it’s the beer talking – locals are genuinely keen on getting to know you, and vice-versa.

As you’ve probably heard, England is not very well known for their food.  However, you’ll find the pub food of local peasants fare always delicious.  Bangers and Mash are usually on the menu, but I opted for the fish and chips.

I finished Kai’s journal for the day and headed back to the Old Bank Hotel to get some rest before the morning’s bus ride to London and flight home.  Oxford is one of those places that makes an impression on you.  I look forward to my next visit.

Thanks for visiting the lounge,
~Chris