Category: Living Simply

Why Yixing? I always wanted to go there after buying Marty Chambers a teapot made from the clay in that region. When looking for a half marathon to run, I saw this, it was during spring break and I thought it would be a great stop on the way back from Japan.

After a full day traveling to the Tokyo Haneda Airport, flying to Shanghai Pudong, bus to the Hongqiao train station and a train to Yixing, China I arrived late at night to a beautiful hotel.This morning I walked 1 km to pick up my race packet then walked back through a waterfront park.I found a great bakery for lunch. I did try to find better food, but I was very hungry. This is different than Guangzhou. Very few English menus and not many speak English. I know enough Chinese phrases but then do not know what they say back to me. However, I can get my point across and with the help of a translator app, it is okay.

The bracelet they give you for the race gets you into various places for free. Since I want to relax a little today, I only chose one and that is the pottery museum. I did some mall shopping too (I was actually looking for something to support my hamstring but found clothes and sushi instead).The museum was really interesting. I love pottery and fascinated by how the teapots are made.The museum honors the master teacher who had apprenticed several dozen craftsmen over the years as well as pottery through Chinese history.Beautiful pieces are found throughout the area.

This is a Cong, an sacrificial vessel. Each symbol means something. Spirits to guard the 4 directions (dragon, suzaka, tiger, tortoise), clouds are for happiness, and waves for tranquility. The dragon is not painted, it is embossed clay.Much of the old pottery was found where dragon kilns were excavated. Shards and complete pieces of pottery would be found near them. This is a mock up of what one looks like.Pottery was also buried with people in grave pits. This was found from the Zhou tomb of the Jing Dynasty. It was used to celebrate bumper harvests of fruit and grain. It is called a soul bottle when used as a funeral object.Each Dynasty had access to different clays, tools, and established new techniques.Ming Dynasty.Qing Dynasty oil pot and mould for making impression designs.Suri and Tang DynastyHan DynastyLate Neolithic age.Warring States period.

I am actually sad I left here. So peaceful.

After feeding the herd this morning we learned of how the mahout will report to the vet about the physical and psychological well-being of their elephant. One in particular needs extra nutrition and so we made rice balls with very ripe banana and other grains mixed in them til then to feed her. This is an older elephant that does not have many teeth left.

We also fed another younger elephant that is not drinking enough and it’s feces is dry and tough to pass. She needed another snack of peeled watermelon to help. Sorry no pictures as of hand were quite messy.

While we were feeding we saw again the one elephant that is not happy in any group yet is happy to be by herself. You can tell by her behavior that she is happy (ears flapping and tall wagging).

While having a siesta on the patio, we saw another elephant across the river that is so traumatized by the past abuse she is visibly upset and can be unpredictable in behavior. The park keeps them separate for safety while they work on gaining trust. An elephant that moves her head and trunk from side to side is not happy.

I also said goodbye to as many cats, dogs, goats, and water buffalo (they tolerate being close but not contact).

Water buffalo bathing. Poor joy!

We had a great lunch away from the compound overlooking the herd we had fed.

On the way back I liked the sticker on the van.

No goats, weapons, attacking others, dogs, alcohol, durian!!!, smoking. Love the signs here in Asia!

We awoke to elephants and dogs making noises because they know they will be fed soon.

After breakfast, we loaded packs with watermelon and banana to walk to the outer area where the family we are to feed is.

Once we arrived it was time to feed.

Here is a video of feeding the elephants :

We then learned about how they are working to stop local parks from bad practices. They bring in their own people for free and set up a program to show how they can make money and be humane to elephants. After the owners see a different way they look at the animals differently. Slowly they are making progress. It is easy to tell when an elephant is happy. Their tail moves from side to side and their ears flap.

Our tour guide was Apple. She said there are also 600 dogs and 400 cats here.

She explained how animal herds get along and their mannerisms. They are amazing animals. They are like every other mammal species. You have the trouble makers and those who just don’t get along. You also have those that want to help each other and be a friend.

We also watched a vet administer medicine to an injured one. He stepped on a landmine and the wound needs cleaned twice a day.

The mahout teaches her how to put the foot up. The reward is food. You can tell it still hurts and it has been 20 years.

The mahout is chosen by the elephant and gains its trust and can sense love. No one is assigned an elephant. There are 7 mahouts for the family we fed. Since an elephant eats 10% of its body weight, it eats 18 hours a day. Food has to be delivered overnight and they light fires to keep the older ones warm at night. Sometimes they must see the elephant every 2 to 3 hours. They do care for the elephants who chose them as a mahout. They are carrying, patient, and steady.

This was an amazing visit. A great relaxing way to start vacation!

At school we had Chinese new year celebrations before dismissal.

The Chinese lion:

There were activities with painting, making Chinese crafts and more.

Around our area crews were planting different flowers and shrubs as sprinf is coming. Decorations are also going up for new years celebrations for the year of the pig.

In the rural areas, families lived in Hakka houses. Each house bears a family name like the Huang family hakka that we visited today in Nanjing County, Fujian province in China. Each new generation and addition lives in the hakka. They have withstood centuries with very thick walls and a round structure for security and durability. They originally started with a square hakka and realized there was too much fighting over who had the corners. They then built the round hakkas around it. There is only one way in and out of the hakka, small windows, and thick walls. Until the last 20 years there was not much development in the area and no police presence so this type of building was necessary.

This picture was taken above the valley where the hakka houses are. They are built in a valley at 700 meters above sea level. It is protected by the mountains around. The bus could not get down into it so we took steps all the way down and of course all the way back up the other side to meet the bus again. All I can say is everyone moved slowly as almost everyone on the bus ran the half marathon or marathon the day before (this tour was part of the package for the race including hotel and meals) . My quads were screaming.

Inside the hakka a family unit has a section that runs all 3 floors. The bottom floor houses the kitchen and many have stove “units” on the patio. The second floor is for food storage and the top floor has the bedrooms.

The centre is a communal space. Since it is open to the air, many have trees, animals like chickens, wells, etc. The well looks as if it is spring fed.

It was fabulous to see where the fruit comes from and see the care they have for the land and the produce.

Families were working and children playing. They had nesting dolls.

To help make a living some of the villagers sell local produce. Teas, dried persimmon, bamboo shoots, etc.

When we walked in we were invited to tea. The chrysanthemum tea was so much better there than any other I have had. To date it is now my favourite tea. I did buy some from them as well as dried persimmon and ginger chews.

Around the hakkas can be seen other kind of houses. But what is worth seeing is the terraced fields. We saw rice terraces as well as tea terraces. These are used to make green tea or flower tea (chrysanthemum).

This is a picture taken from the bus and is a tea terrace.

We also saw pommelo trees in the picture above. The fruit is so heavy it is hard to believe the trees can hold the fruit up. On a personal note, I love how the local wet Market has change in produce. Now citrus is in season and pomelo is something I buy every week.

The views around the hakka house are amazing. We saw large wind turbines on the ridge.

After the bus picked us up we traveled a little bit down the road and stopped to take a picture. This is the view of the hakka houses we visited from below.

And… Another picture from the top of the mountain.

A close up of the inside from the top of the mountain.

Note: if you ever come here, book with La Pinta cruise to Halong Bay. It is 5 star and unbelievable service.

A tour I booked before I left was to Halong Bay, which is along the coast. Three are 1969 karst islands there. The karst topography was created from the dissolution of soluble rocks such as limestone, dolomite, and gypsum over time. The drainage systems created sinkholes and caves as a result. The remaining rock is quartzite.

They picked us up from our hotel in the old quarter in Hanoi. The 3 hour bus ride was in a very comfortable coach bus (WiFi, charger port…).

At the harbor, we boarded a ferry to take us to the boat.

Our room was ready after we finished the elaborate lunch and we were given some time to talk around and settle. Balcony to sit and look at the scenery was incredible as week as the amenities of the room.

We met to take the ferry to an outfitter boat that had kayaks ready for us. We kayaked for about an hour around the karst islands and learned about the history of halong Bay and the lives of people there. There is one island where people live: cat bau island and also in floating fishing villages.

When we were done kayaking, we could swim. It was only 20 meters deep but I am not a strong swimmer. After the assurance of the crew and other passengers they would save me, I decided to brave even more and go to the top of the ferry and jump off into the water. For some people that is no big deal but I am also afraid of heights! I did it and loved it. The salt water made you very buoyant so it was not an effort to swim. Every time though I was nervous. I am so glad I bought a go pro the day before we left Hanoi. I jumped once with someone filming me and another time holding the go pro.

After we returned there was time for a shower and then a 6 course dinner.

But before dinner there was a cooking class on how to make a spring roll. I’ve been doing it wrong. You wet a towel and you massage the spring roll paper while on the towel, turning it over and massaging the other side. It does not get completely pliable. You fill it and roll starting at one end and tucking the sides in. And then it ends up perfect. Who knew?

Dinner. So much food. Afterwards we could go squid fishing. I actually caught one and it squirted water as I pulled it up but it got away. One more lives another day!

This squid was caught from a member of the crew.

The next morning we woke early to view areas of the bay as the sun was rising. Beautiful.

We ate breakfast and then it was time to board the ferry to one of the floating fishing villages. From there we boarded bamboo boats that were piloted by a villager through the caves under one of the karst islands. They are very skilled as they maneuver through the stalactites in the cave.

Here is a fast tour of the bamboo boat tour through the caves :

Afterwards we had another six course meal: stir fry veggies with rice crackers, fried squid, fish, sticky rice with stir fry cabbage/carrots and stir fry prawns, flan with mango.

We then checked out and boarded the ferry to go back to the harbour and board the bus. I had a fantastic time and hated to leave. If you ever go to vietnam you must do this tour. La pinta cruise was the best.

The past week was pretty emotional. I woke up in China to news that my dad had passed away. I was able to get a flight within 4 hours which my school pays for bereavement.

It was good to see my kids, brother and sister in law, and my mom. It is hard to believe he is gone.

Helping my brother move his shop equipment, I remembered so much about the vise on his bench. I used to help him with work or when he was helping me fix something of mine.

While I was home I ran a 5k with my daughter as that is how we work through things.

In time the regrets and the good things I remember will be worked through.

My apartment has a Japanese toilet which is a bidet. However, it is variable about what you will be using when you are out. I learned quickly that you carry wipes or a pack of tissue to use. They do not flush paper as it clogs systems. Many toilets are squatty potties. A large hole in the floor where you squat to do your business. Then you flush. Handicapped bathrooms have Western toilets.

Here in Thailand they have squatty potties you but you use buckets of water to flush. Where there are Western toilets you will see this sign :

Funny.

At the hotel the western toilets have a spray hose for the bidet.

I am sure I have yet more to see.