By Paul Ntambara
BEIJING
Cheap Vans Old Skool Reissue White , Sept. 5 (Xinhuanet) -- In Africa, we have a saying that goes: Ohoho aniwa soso nanso enhu hwee Ohoho aniwa soso de nanso enhu hwee, loosely translated it means: even though the eyes of a stranger are big, they cannot see anything.
I came to realize the wisdom of this saying during my first few days in Beijing.
Beijing can be an intimidating place. With a history of over 3,000 years as a city and over 850 years as the capital
Clearance Vans Old Skool Pro Black , its history and culture is mind-blowing. The streets are paved with history and “Beijingers” are always eager to share their city’s illustrious story.
As a non Chinese speaker, the first challenge I faced during my first few days was finding my way in Beijing. I could not ask for directions. I had two eyes, actually four if you factor in my spectacles but getting lost was the easiest thing that I have ever done!
Laden with the experience of having lived in other European capitals like London, I knew well that it would just be a matter of time before I conquer this touristic city. It has been a revelation.
From the Hutongs in Nongluxia and Wangfujing, the Old Beijing in Qiamen serving the famous Peking Duck to the major tourists
Discount Vans Old Skool Reissue Black , spots of the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, the Great Wall and the Lama Temple, every day comes with a new experience in this great city.
Despite the wave of globalization that has negatively affected indigenous cultures of many countries, “the center still holds” in China. At the nearby Ritan Park
Vans Old Skool Leather Zip Triple Black Ireland , the elderly still gather at dawn and later in the evening for Tai Chi, a traditional shadow boxing for fitness.
MacDonald’s, Subway, Burger King, are some of the top Western fast food outlets that have established shop here but they come nowhere near local Chinese restaurants. In the past
Cheap Vans Old Skool Pro Black White , therestaurants are still draped with lanterns and crimson, serving Zhongguo Cai (Chinese food). And it is strictly chop sticks, no forks, no spoons.
I still remember the blank look on the face of a waiter when a colleague asked for a fork.
Beijing is teeming with tourists. The large mass of people is overwhelming. Beijing is the city that seems to be on holiday everyday of the year. I was surprised to know that the biggest percentage of tourists in China is domestic tourists. No matter what day of the week, major tourist spots are jammed with endless stream of people wanting to witness history.
The Forbidden City is a bee-hive of activity. Line 1 on the Beijing subway is usually the busiest. There is no reward for guessing why; it leads to the busy Tiananmen Square area from where you are also able to visit the National Museum
vans slip on ireland , the Chairman Mao mausoleum and the Forbidden City.
The scarcity of black people in Beijing and in China as a whole is glaring. At the Forbidden City I was literally dragged into people’s photos, they couldn't let an opportunity of taking a photo with a black man just pass. It was exciting, it was tiring. I had gone to see the attractions in the Forbidden City but here I was an attraction! I thought of charging a fee, well it was a thought, a wild thought and it remained just that.
A visit to the Badaling section of the Great Wall showed me one of mankind’s astonishing accomplishments; a some 7
vans toy story ireland ,000 km stone and brick wall built in 221 BC, as my guide explained.
Built by Emperor Qin Shihuang as a defense against the Huns and other warrior tribes from the North, today, it is China’s emblem to the rest of the world.
Climbing the great wall was coming face–to- face with history. In China, it is said that climbing the Great Wall is one of the biggest accomplishments any Chinese can make during their life time.
I was curious to know from my Chinese friend why this was considered an important milestone. The answer was in the famous words of the founder of modern China
vans sk8 hi ireland , Chairman Mao Zedong.
He is quoted to have said: “If you have never been to the Great Wall, you are not a true man. ”It was then clear to me that this was inspiration behind the zeal for numerous Chinese to climb the wall so as to be regarded as “true man”. I saw senior citizens in their 70s or 80s climbing a step at a time just to fulfill one last requirement to be a true Chinese.
This is an experience that you can never get through reading, you have to be there and live it!
Travelling outside Beijing to some poorer regions of China has further broadened my understanding of China. The ethnic diversity has conspired to bring out a rich cocktail of cultural experience for any visitor to China. The difference in dress and food is further testament to China’s rich cultural heritage.
The rapid expansion of infrastructure is epic. The poor are being evacuated from high risk areas and settled in modern houses. The insistence on environmental protection to ensure a safe future for posterity is admirable. The sun wind power plant in the northwest Hui Autonomous Region with 231 wind turbines is an example of efforts to produce clean energy in an environmentally friendly manner.
My interaction with urban and rural folks led to one conclusion that no matter where people live, Ningxia, Guizhou or Yunnan
vans old skool womens ireland , they are not any different from those in Beijing or Rwanda. Like anyone else, they have hopes, fears and dreams and of course want to lead a decent life.
Urban folks are largely aloof and engrossed in the battle to meet demands of modern living but the rural folks can afford a minute to share their experiences about life.
On a visit to Ningxia, I visited Yaoshan Primary School located in Tongxin County, Yaoshan Township. The school has about 130 pupils from grade 1-6. It is a typical village school; many pupils walk about three kms to get to school. They are provided with a hot lunch to keep them in school. It is my conversation with these pupils that said a lot about China.
I asked one pupil what he wanted to be whe
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