A visit to a chinese farm


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1. Beijing 02.04.08

2. Beijing 03.04.08

3. Beijing 04.04.08

4. Beijing 05.04.08

MAP 1 Beijing-Yingxian

5. Beijing-LouCun 06.04.08

6. Lou Cun-YudouCun 07.04.08

7. YudouCun-Laiyuan 08.04.08

8. Laiyuan-Wangzhuang 09.04.08

9. Wangzhuang-Hunyuan 10.04.08

MAP 2 Yingxian-Taiyuan

10. Hunyuan-Dai Xian 11.04.08

11. Dai Xian-Xinzhou 12.04.08

12. Xinzhou-Taiyuan 13.04.08

MAP 3 Taiyuan-Linfen

13. Taiyuan-Pingyao 14.04.08

14. Pingyao 15.04.08

15. PingyaoHuozhou 16.04.08

16. Houzhou-Xiangfen 17.04.08

17. Xiangfen-Hejin 18.04.08

MAP 4 Linfen-Weinan

18. Hejin-Heyang 19.04.08

19. Heyang-Dali 20.04.08 Heyang-Dali

20. Dali-Xi'an 21.04.08

21. Xi'an 22.04.08

22. Xi'an 23.04.08

23. Xi'an 24.04.08

24. Xi'an 25.04.08

MAP 5 Weinan-Hanzhong

25. Xi'an-Mazhao 26.04.08

26. Mazhao-Yangxian 27.04.08

27. Yangxian-Mian Xian 28.04.08

28. Mian Xian-Ningqiang 29.04.08

29. Ningqiang-Guangyuan 30.04.08

MAP 6 Hanzhong-Mianyang

30. Guangyuan-Jianmen Pass 01.05.08

31. Jianmen Pass-Zitong 02.05.08

32. Zitong-Loujiang 03.05.08

33. Luojiang-Chengdu 04.05.08

34. Chengdu 05.05.08

35. Chengdu 06.05.08

36. Chengdu 07.05.08

37. Chengdu 08.05.08

38. Chengdu 09.05.08

MAP 7 Mianyang-Maoxian

39. Chengdu-Dujiangyan 10.05.08

40. Dujiangyan-Miansi 11.05.08

41. Miansi-Maoxian 12.05.08

42. Maoxian 13.05.08

43. Maoxian 14.05.08

44. Maoxian 15.05.08

45. Maoxian 16.05.08

46. Maoxian 17.05.08

47. Maoxian 18.05.08

48. Maoxian-Chengdu 19.05.08

49. Chengdu-Chongqing 20.05.08

50. Chongqing-Wanzhou 21.05.08

51. Yangtze River 22.05.08

52. Yangtze River-Wuhan 23.05.08

53. Wuhan 24.05.08

54. Beijing 25.05.08

55. Beijing 26.05.08

56. Beijing 27.05.08

57. Beijing 28.05.08

58. Beijing 29.05.08

59. Beijing 30.05.08

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English Version 46

Saturday 17.05.08
Maoxian

The day starts with weak quakes. Last night there was a signal on the mobile but even a lot of attempts didn`t bring an6y connection. This morning I suddenly see a girl speaking in her mobile. After a few attempts I get Christian at the embassy, because I want to know more exact about the consul in Sichuan, who might be able to take me out by car. We agree that I stay a few more days and that it`s Chengdu that shall be the destination. I havn`t had breakfast when a representative from the local government arrives telling that I can be taken out by helicopter. I cannot bring my stuff so my first thought is that I`d better wait a few more days to see about the road and maybe the consul. There might also be more important tasks for the helicopter. She`s on her way back again after exchange of telephone numbers but I insist on knowing how to find her again if the telephone doesn`t work. She lives just behind the school!
When we get there I`m convinced I`d NEVER found her if I needed to. It`s on a farm following a narrow path through fields of fruit trees.
For the first time I`m in a Chinese home. And even on a farm. Now you know what follows: I`m offered the best chair, cigarettes and tea, while Sherry, as she wants me to call her, makes breakfast for me. A bowl of scrambled eggs with some kind of onions. We`re sitting in the courtyard. The family is a confusing bunch of people. Father and mother and two daughters of which Sherry is the youngest and the other has at least 3 children and a husband. Besides some uncles and "brothers". The brothers are the uncles (no.2 and no.5) suns. All together around 20. I don`t see them all. The living room with a TV is partly damaged. Some of the roof has come down and a wall is destroyed. The father sleeps there so it was good it didn`t happen at night.
 


Traditional entrance The farmyard and the entire family - almost

 

Afterwards we walk to the local authorities, so I know where 5that is too. They thank me for not taking place up in the helicopter. I go back with a police car.
Wanted to wait phoning Denmark till morning there. As a result the mobile net is too crowded, impossible to get through, not even a SMS.
I talk all afternoon with different people, one is an English teacher with whom I`d talked before but who`s a little hard to understand. To one of his questions about what I think of the Chinese government and their handling of this case I can`t help telling me my view on the dead parachute soldier, One soldier sacrificed by the regime to make themselves more visible to the people. I try to explain for a long time. I am VERY clear about what I mean, I think. He doesn`t understand and I can only see it as a missing ability to question the governments aims. HE doesn`t say but one of the students finds that the dead soldier is a hero. That he most likely volunteered doesn`t change matter I think.
Late in the afternoon new supplies are dropped by parachutes. 4 of them fall on school area. 2 on the roofs and the last 2 on the playground where we all live. Luckily no one is hit and I see the use of the generator and the loudspeakers. There are always teachers up on the "stage" where there is a microphone too which now can be used for warning the students.
One of the girls from class 4 has been reunioned with her father. He had gone to Nanxin that morning and she hadn`t heard from him since. Actually he was in Wenchuan when it happened, but he was outside waiting for a bus. Now he`s walked all the way from Wenchuan to Nanxin from where he got by car. He has been just as worried as she. It`s so nice to see them together.
Later I decide that the beer, I should drink once I would come to Chengdu, I`ll share with Xia Wei who I`m beginning regarding as my Chinese "brother".

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