Later on Tuesday:
From the ridiculous to the sublime. We moved to the Howard Johnsons today. While in North America this may not seem an improvement, here it is a 4 star hotel. We were upgraded to the business floor and at this place that has meaning. We are in adjoining huge rooms, almost like a suite with a full living area as well as the bedroom area. Bright, clean, modern. They even have a NA outlet at each plug so no needs for adaptors unless you have three pronged plugs. We are just outside the city gate for those for whom that has meaning. The only drawback is we have to cross the street. Chinese people have no seeming need to follow any traffic rules nor do they stop for pedestrians, even in cross walks. I need to learn some rude gestures in Chinese.
Now the hotel is lovely but Nancy got a message that she has to change rooms because something is wrong with her bathroom. She replies nothing is wrong with her bathroom thanks, and if it is the shower, not yet checked out, then she can simply use mine. Well, it turns out they are worried about a wall or something because if the earthquake and she does have to move. Given how mild the quake was here (I have felt worse in Canada) this seems overkill but who knows what the real reason is.
Many people here seem to have real disdain for Westerners or maybe it is just us. Today I stood in front of two salespeople in a store attempting to attract attention. Have you ever been studiously and deliberately ignored by people not 20 inches from you? Still getting pointing and staring from many as well.
Here in Xian we have seen many beggars, often with young, filthy children. We saw non in Beijing so they must have really "cleaned up" for the Olympics.
We have learned that the cruise is still on and so we will head to Chongching on the 15th and then pick up that part of our itinerary. What we will try to do is leave for Chengdu immediately after the torch relay and return to Shanghai the day before our flight home. This will allow us to leave some of our luggage at the hotel in Shanghai and get in and out of Chengdu more easily. But we will see what is possible.
I posted photos of the kids as we arrived at the hotel in Xian last night as well as a snapshot of the hallway of the hotel from last night and one of half our room here.
Ellen
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3 comments:
glad to see that you and Nancy seem to have kept your senses of humor and sanity. Liana and I are curious if the terracotta warriors moved at all while you visited. (They did in the book we just read.)
I shared some of your impressions with an American Tawainese friend here. Responding to your comments on pedestrians, she said "no rules" without a trace of surprise. So you'll have to deal with that-- you're not going to change it :)
As to salespeople and the like ignoring you, she says it is likely that they don't understand you-- people in Xian, despite living in a city, haven't had the opportunity to learn English (remember that China was very a closed society even just 20 years ago) and many still find westerners interesting to look at. In addition, she says many Chinese by nature and by culture are shy. So put those together and as Sophia says, "when you walk 1 step towards people, maybe they will jump 3 steps back because they don't know what you want."
Sophia suggests you find a government individual-- like an ombudsman (my moniker, not hers)-- who is in charge of bringing in westerners and you will be treated like a VIP! She says this is a very important and sought after job these days and all of the cities have these people.
Ellen, don't know what happens. I seem to have trouble posting my comments. Hope this one will be posted.
Don't guilty at all when you bargain. make sure you chop the original price in half, if not more.
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