After the very momentous event of visiting Emma's finding spot, Steven was kind enough to drive us all to a location I have not visited since I very first went to Bengbu - JiuShan cave.
On our way to the caves, located about an hour and a half from Bengbu, we through many small towns, that very pleasantly reminded me of the China I fell in love with nearly 20 years ago, as I was working to install power plants as a field service engineer. I was glad to take the pictures now with a nice camera, over some of the photos I took with my very first digital camera, which took photos in 320x240 pixel resolution.
In 1997, this was my bed for a few months. It was as rock-hard as it looks, and I had to ask the hotel reception for extra pillows.
This is a section of a bridge that remains in its destroyed state, on the border between North Korea and China. The bridge was bombed by... gulp... the good ol' US of A, and several placards remain to testify to the "war against foreign aggression" (as the Chinese call the Korean war... and guess who they're referring to as "foreigners").
Here's me on one of my weekends off, outside a movie studio in Dalian China in 1997
And here you can see me starting to fall in love with China (of course LONG before I ever considered adoption). This boy now most likely has children of his own of this age.
Here's nearby to the hotel I stayed in for several months, where I ate dinner and was first introduced to Chinese culture.
Here's an open field I had to cross in order to get to the restaurant. The power plant we were constructing was out in the middle of nowhere, and at first I thought this was one of the worst assignments ever. But the people and the culture just sunk into my bones. It was just meant to be.
Here is the restaurant bathroom, located out behind in the back. Note that it also serves as the trash area. Can any of you guess how well this smelled?
This is the daughter of one of the local store owners I came to know. She was an absolute cutie, and I was completely smitten by all the little kids.
The small villages outside of Bengbu reminded me of these "good ol days" (ok, I'm glad I don't have to deal with the outhouse anymore), and I was busy snapping some good shots of life in rural China, which is probably more close to the way of life of most of our children's birthparents.
Here is life along major roadways. Much like the old movie westerns I have seen in my youth on TV, most buildings and businesses are up against the highway, with all life occurring along this strip, and much less glamorous houses and farms existing away from the road. All life is here - from food and clothing, to machinery and raw materials. Huge long haul tractor-trailer trucks share the road with small carts carrying people and animals.
Along the alleyways, fruits and vegetables are sold for local consumption. I remember walking along these streets, and the local people would be so friendly to meet and (try to) talk with me. They would always want me to come in for a meal or for tea.
A common site is constant upgrades and improvement. Just when a very expensive and smooth road is laid down, it is jackhammered apart in order to make room for a new sewer pipe or some other expansion. City planning is the same the world over.
New vehicles, alongside the old, carrying anything and everything, fueling this very obvious capitalist economy.
Locals staying warm on their scooters. Several had blanket sheets that muffed their hands on the handlebars of their motorcycles. A sunshade here serves as a windbreak.
Girls here chatting away, in a scene that is repeated the world over, for all times. A new addition that I didn't see 10 years ago, however, are the distinct white line of the earbuds connecting to a smartphone. You just cant escape the technology.
A man dutifully carting his wife in the back. This scene was seen many times along our ride, with people huddled in the back against the cold. Was she bowing her head to keep it warm in the folds of her jacket? No. As we approached, it was clear she was just getting a better look at..... her smartphone....
Here we see a celebration of an opening of a new store or restaurant, with the remnants of fireworks on the ground.
Here is a wedding party waiting for a ride. Is she holding a bouquet in her hand? Or a gift from her betrothed?
No... it's a smartphone....
Another food stand along the side of the road. Look at the stacked up sugarcane. I remember buying these for 6 RMB (1 USD), and having a vendor just cut away the skin, and I would just suck the sugar right from the fibrous insides. I would often spot the restaurant owner picking out onions and other vegetables for the evening's dinner. They were always so delicious!
This is as beautiful in winter as in summer. Beautiful trees providing a postcard picture drive along the highway. In the summertime, the shimmering leaves in the wind were equally as picturesque.
The Chinese feel the same way about food as many Americans, in that free range chickens taste better. Chickens roaming the countryside streets were considered the most delicious, and were prized for their beautiful plumage.
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