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English Version 35
Tuesday 06.05.08
Chengdu
I`ve got me a Chinese tel. no. It is amazing that you just buy such a
little SIM-thing and then it all works here where I`m not used to be
able to read or understand anything.
I phone Hong Yan who I met some days ago with her boyfriend. I`ve been
looking forward to seeing her.
Unfortunately she`s busy all week. Can`t leave the school where she`s
having meetings for her company. She could have told me. Well we can
meet friday night before I according to plan move on.
I go on my bike getting to know the city. It seems as the centre is
surrounded by the two rivers Fu and Funan, that join each other down
south east somewhere.
Go by the river, it reminds me in some ways of Paris in summer.
 |
 |
| There is a bit of Paris about Chengdu | The old Chengdu - not for long |
People sit on benches in the shadows of the trees. Some have gone to
sleep, it`s really hot today. There`s so nice and quiet here.
Just now I stand listening to a man playing the erhu one bench away.
He`s playing wonderful. The tones roll like the rivers water to the sea.
It`s the sound of the old China I hear - standing in the new.
Just beside China Pride rises its 200 m`s to the sky. Some kind of
TV-tower probably - the new China.
I keep listening till he stops playing - his vibrato goes right to my
heart. Nobody else seems to notice. I don`t understand. Are they deaf?
I find the old quarter behind the new Shangri-La Hotel. There`s not much
left. It`s "like in the old days" as I saw it not so long ago, was it in
Ningjiang? Wonder when it`s completely gone?
 |
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| Chairman Mao is not fashion any more - but still there | Mix Hostel, just a humble place - but nice |
At first there seems only to be one street, but after finding one
alley I find more. I turn down one that seems a dead end, but when I
peep into what I think is some ones private courtyard, I look out at
Shangri-La that stretches its more than 30 stories to the sky.
That`s what I would call a crash between cultures!
Beside lies Bentley Chengdu. There`s just one car in the window. Not so
many can afford such a car. (but some can!)