Pictures From China

[HOSS]

Here are some pics from one of my many trips to China and Taiwan. I thought ya'll might be interested in seeing a snapshot behind the red curtain.

Here are two impoverished chinese kids that were so happy to have a big ugly American take their photo. A brother and sister pair which is very rare. The sister is probably catagorized as a non-person.

This is the temple of Confucious. It is over 600 years old. It is located in Nanjing, China. The site of the infamous Nanking massacre by the Japanese during WW2.

Typical Streetcorner.

Chiang Kai Chek memorial in Taipei, Taiwan.

Average Chinese factory. This one happens to be in Guanzhou, China.

Lunch with the Chinese.

Shanghai skyline.

Sunset over Victoria Harbor in Hong Kong.

Beach in Hong Kong.

 

[Alice]

Wonderful pics...always wanted to go to the Orient.

The two children look clean and well fed, fortunately.

Alice

 

[HOSS]

The Chinese people are usually a stickler for cleanliness. The room behind them is where the family lives. It is about 12 x 12 with all concrete walls and floor. This family is fed by the company which the father is employed by. The average income is about 50 to 60 US dollars per month.

 

[Hippie Rancher]

How often do you get to Taipei? Wondering how well you know the city and if you have ever heard of an older western style hotel Called the Liberty House? I have no idea what part of the city it is in just hoping for one of those strange "travel coincidences' that happen sometime. Was there in the mid-late 70's.

 

[HOSS]

How often do you get to Taipei? Wondering how well you know the city and if you have ever heard of an older western style hotel Called the Liberty House? I have no idea what part of the city it is in just hoping for one of those strange "travel coincidences' that happen sometime. Was there in the mid-late 70's.

HR, I get to Taipei about 3 or 4 times per year. I am not familiar with the Liberty House Hotel though. It may have changed names or has been replaced with a skyrise. I usually stay in the Shagri La hotel or in the HoJo when I go down into Taichung. I like visiting Snake Alley in Taipei. People kill snakes there and drink the blood. It is supposed to be good for a man if ya know what I mean. The chop off the snakes head and drain the blood into shot glasses. Folks pay for the fresh blood by the shot. Nasty stuff but fun to watch.

 

[ranchwife]

Hoss---I cannot thank you enough for sharing those amazing pictures with the rest of us....if you have even more, please post them!! Especially for those of us who have always dreamed of seeing the ancient wonders of china!! Always been a dream of mine to see China as I am fascinated by the civilizations that have remained as long as they have!! A co-worker of mine got to visit "mainland" china and the stories he brought home were simply remarkable!! We take so very much for granted her in the states that the folks of mainland China cannot even begin to dream about...running water, electricity, heated homes, air conditioning, a STOVE/OVEN, linen and beds to sleep on, sanitation and sanitary conditions, health care, etc!! Please continue to share your visit there with us!!
sincerely
ranchwife

 

[HOSS]

Ranchwife, you are very welcome! I have been to China about 20 times in the last 4 years. Every time I go it is different. The speed at which they are evolving is mind blowing even to them. Of course it worries me.......it is like looking at an oncoming storm and admiring it's beauty and power but still afraid of what it will be like when it hits.

I have many more pictures and will post some more. Last April my wife flew over when my business trip was complete and we spent a week touring China, Hong Kong and Macau. She really enjoyed the shopping, food and culture.

 

[HOSS]

Here are some more pics....

Typical Chinese farm....taken from the highway.

Ancient Jade Carvings (Confucious Temple) valued in the millions

Hong Kong at night.

Train station built by Japanese army during the WW2 occupation with Haka slaves.

Inside tunnel through the mountain.

Character in a Chinese play that a business partner took me to. Even though I could not understand the language it was fun.

My interperator Eric pretending to be a Shaolin priest and burning the Shaolin emblem into his forearms just like David Carradine did in Kung Fu.

Yours truly being tricked into chewing a betle nut. Notice my red face? This nut gives you a 20 minute high similar to a cocaine rush (so they say) I was tricked into chewing it by them telling me that the nut was a "local fruit".

Overcrowded apartments in Shanghai.

 

[ranchwife]

Hoss---Why (or should I say "how") do you get so lucky to travel to China so often??? The pictures are simply remarkable!! I bet alot of folks on here are pretty envious of all the green you see in the hills of that farmland!! Are they experiencing the same kind of "weird" weather patterns that we are experiencing???
BTW---loved the red-faced picture!! The best part was the sh$$-eating look on the face of the guy sitting right behind you!! Priceless!!! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[HOSS]

Hoss---Why (or should I say "how") do you get so lucky to travel to China so often??? The pictures are simply remarkable!! I bet alot of folks on here are pretty envious of all the green you see in the hills of that farmland!! Are they experiencing the same kind of "weird" weather patterns that we are experiencing???
BTW---loved the red-faced picture!! The best part was the sh$$-eating look on the face of the guy sitting right behind you!! Priceless!!! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Just like allot of American companies these days my company buys allot of components from China. Part of my job is to find sources for our products and to do manufacturing audits on them to make sure that they have the capability to make what we need at the quality level that we require. This usually requires identifying several potential sources and making a visit to each. The Chinese are notorious about saying that they can build anything but you find out that they are not capable when you are physicall on site. I may look at a dozen sources just to find one that is capable. Because of this ratio I have to travel all over China. I have been as far west as Tibet. Talk about remote! The food in the Sichuan province will burn a hole through plate steel. They even put red pepper on their ice cream. I find the people to be very friendly and outgoing but somewhat afraid of Americans at first. We intimidate them with our size and strength but some are more brazen. I have had countless Chinese women come up to me on the street and want to feel my arms, legs and chest. They have even put their hands down my shirt front to feel the hair on my chest. We are a novelty to them. Most of the time it is fun but sometimes it gets annoying especially when it happens on a crowded street or at the night markets and you can't move around. It makes you feel trapped.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

have you been to a chinese funeral yet? we have some one here that they say can screw one up . would like to know how much trouble he would have

 

[HOSS]

Never been to a Chinese funeral. I did find out that it is considered bad luck to point at a grave though.

 

[dun]

Boy, H Kong has sure changed since I was there in '68. AFter a bunch of us drunks highjacked the Kowloon Ferry they shipped us out and we weren't ever allowed back. No sense of humor those people.

dun

 

[HOSS]

dun, I ride the Kowloon ferry all of the time. Only cost 2 dollars to ride from Kowloon to Central in HK. I normally stay on the Kowloon side. Tsim Sha Tsui is still the party spot along with Wan Chai. Being what appears to have been an old sailor I am sure you know all about Wan Chai

 

[Wewild]

Here are two impoverished chinese kids that were so happy to have a big ugly American take their photo. A brother and sister pair which is very rare. The sister is probably catagorized as a non-person.

Do they know their impoverished?

Had a friend that did mission trips to Africa. He said they were the happiest people he'd ever seen that had nothing. He had a hard time dealing with it. He committed suicide less than a year later .

Left a wife and 2 children.

 

[dun]

dun, I ride the Kowloon ferry all of the time. Only cost 2 dollars to ride from Kowloon to Central in HK. I normally stay on the Kowloon side. Tsim Sha Tsui is still the party spot along with Wan Chai. Being what appears to have been an old sailor I am sure you know all about Wan Chai

My recollections of H Kong are very hazy, partially foomr the years and partially because they were hazy at the time. Shallow Water Bay, most "girls" names were Suzy Wong, Tiger beer, some kind of evil tasting liquor, the ferry and the brig are about all I really recall.

dun

 

[Beefy]

was Suzy Wong one of the "Juicy Girls"?

 

[Alice]

dun, I ride the Kowloon ferry all of the time. Only cost 2 dollars to ride from Kowloon to Central in HK. I normally stay on the Kowloon side. Tsim Sha Tsui is still the party spot along with Wan Chai. Being what appears to have been an old sailor I am sure you know all about Wan Chai

My recollections of H Kong are very hazy, partially foomr the years and partially because they were hazy at the time. Shallow Water Bay, most "girls" names were Suzy Wong, Tiger beer, some kind of evil tasting liquor, the ferry and the brig are about all I really recall.

dun

Got a little rowdy, did ya', dun? Ahhhh, those are things memories are made of...well, when you can remember the "memory."

I love it!

Alice

 

[cypressfarms]

Never been to a Chinese funeral. I did find out that it is considered bad luck to point at a grave though.

Hey Hoss,

I work for a Taiwanese company. Our plastics plant makes and serves the customers here in the U.S. I've been offered many times to go over, but never went yet. Every manager that goes there winds up staying for 2 weeks or more.

Other bad luck things:

-the color white signifies death

-giving someone a clock is a severe insult: it means your watching until their time runs out

-the number four, which sounds similar to death

-when a new manager comes to our plant from Taiwan, they always consult a "fung shway" expert that will tell them how to arrange their office for best luck. I can't remember which way, but their desks have to face a certain way.

Interesting culture

 

[HOSS]

Never been to a Chinese funeral. I did find out that it is considered bad luck to point at a grave though.

Hey Hoss,

I work for a Taiwanese company. Our plastics plant makes and serves the customers here in the U.S. I've been offered many times to go over, but never went yet. Every manager that goes there winds up staying for 2 weeks or more.

Other bad luck things:

-the color white signifies death

-giving someone a clock is a severe insult: it means your watching until their time runs out

-the number four, which sounds similar to death

-when a new manager comes to our plant from Taiwan, they always consult a "fung shway" expert that will tell them how to arrange their office for best luck. I can't remember which way, but their desks have to face a certain way.

Interesting culture

Cypress, you should go. The 2 weeks will fly by. Some great food, good people and relaxing tea houses. There is some pretty tropical scenery also. The tallest building in the world is in Taipei. That is a sight to see.