Leaving the East

I find it funny we still refer to China as the Far East. Living in Western Canada, China is really Further West. Does crossing the International Dateline change the compass? Do the Chinese view Canada as the Far East? I know these are silly questions but food for thought.

Our last day (Wednesday) in Harbin was a morning really. We were up and had breakfast the minute the dinning room opened at 7:00. The staff had Glen's toast in the toaster as soon as he walked in. Talk about good service. I knew my next breakfast would not be as tasty or as fresh.

Chun-Xiao and Siyao were waiting as we finished and Chun-Xiao gave us a gift thanking us for coming to China. We gave her the pin we'd bought telling her we wished we'd brought something for all our translators, guides, and drivers.

A car service took us to the airport with Chun-Xiao, Siyao and me in the back seat while Glen chewed his nails in the front. He told me later the driver drove up the exit ramp of a major highway (while cars flashed their lights), did a u-turn, and pulled in front of a line of speeding cars. He saw his whole life pass before his eyes.

It took us an hour to get to the airport and during that time we again thanked the girls for a wonderful visit. I told Chun-Xiao to thank David especially for the time he spent with me. Siyao didn't know who I was talking about until Chun-Xiao explained that David was really Zhen Hong. I told them that Chinese in Canada often take Western names. They were intrigued with the idea so they asked me to choose one for them. That was an honour but I felt it best if they picked their own. They both watch popular American TV (Lost, Desperate Housewives) so know many Western names. I suggested they begin with what their Chinese names meant. Xiao means morning and Chun can be spring or early. I told Chun-Xiao that a popular girl's name meaning the same was Dawn. Siyao said hers meant beautiful jewel. When she checked the Chinese-English dictionary on her phone, it said it meant jade which I said was a girl's name in Canada. They then went through some of the names they liked trying to say them and giggling while doing so. Chun-Xiao has since written to tell me she has chosen Aurora as her Western name which can mean beautiful dawn.

They dropped us off at the airport and we headed inside. From Harbin to Beijing we were slated to fly Air China but after our agent discussed our ticket with the first class agent, the latter explained our flight was cancelled. The next one would mean too tight a connection time. He escorted Glen to a ticket desk and they spent 10 minutes issuing us tickets for a Hainan Airlines flight that left 30 minutes after our original flight did (no money exchanged hands). We felt this would work as we'd still have 3 hours in Beijing to make our connection. The only problem was the Hainan plane landed at Terminal 1 and Air Canada flew from Terminal 3. Still, our helpful agent felt we could make the connection easily so we booked that flight.

We returned and again tried to get our boarding passes. Only Glen's ticket was honoured so we were waved aside so others in line could be helped. The next couple was from Calgary and they had the same problem. She could speak Chinese and we explained how we solved the problem. They figured that would work for them as well. Meanwhile, my boarding pass appeared so we were good to go. We said goodbye to our new friends telling them we'd talk to them at the gate. The wife was an MD who graduated from Harbin Medical University so she wanted to know what Glen's conference had been about. However, we were never to see them again.

As we waited at the gate, I told Glen I had three wishes. One that a plane would appear, two that we'd arrive in Beijing in time, and three we'd board the flight to Vancouver. I was not worried about myself but knew he had a full day of meetings on Thursday and would be leaving for New Orleans on Saturday. He told me I worried too much.

I know worrying doesn't change anything but it's what I do. Our Hainan plane was 30 minutes late landing so we left an hour later than planned but leave we did. It is a two hour flight to Beijing and partway through, they served lunch. It was beef-flavoured noodles. We were the only Caucasians on the flight but no one got chopsticks. Eating noodles with a plastic fork is not easy.

As we flew over the mountains, it was like we were looking down at a Chinese black-ink painting with the clouds shrouding them with watery brushstrokes. Very eerie.

We landed in Beijing to temps around 30ºC and the air the colour of bronze. No wonder the athletes at the 2008 Olympics worried about air quality. However, we didn't have time to think about it as we had to retrieve our luggage and catch a shuttle bus to Terminal 3. I was all for walking but then the bus came and we hopped on board. It was jammed packed and we had to stand but it was much better than dragging our suitcases.

Fifteen minutes later, we arrived at the International Terminal. It is not connected to Terminal 1 so walking was never an option. We got checked it, went through customs and security and found our gate. We arrived with an hour to spare so decided to check out the duty free shops. Each one (and there are many) offers one type of item for sale. We passed one devoted to handbags, one for perfume, another for alcohol, a tea shop, and a tobacco place. The latter drew Glen and he bought his favourite Cuban cigars for half the price he'd pay in Canada.

I wanted some jade jewellery but not expensive stuff so went to a store that seemed to offer a variety of souvenirs. Here I found some pieces I liked. The girl spoke English and we quickly made our transaction (all cash). They did not require my passport (see the No Passport, No Purchase blog entry) but Glen was asked for his. We returned to the gate, sat down and they called us to board. It was 45 minutes before the flight was due to leave so the man in the Harbin airport had been right.

The flight home was long but it being night, we slept except for the two hours when a one year old boy cried. His parents finally walked the aisles with him until he fell asleep and so did everyone else in our section. We arrived in Vancouver and did a route march to our domestic gate. We went through customs, picked up our luggage, passed into the transition area, put our luggage on a belt and then went through security (I guess they don't trust foreign airport security). Our plane was delayed so again we waited but it was worth it as we had a beautiful view of Mt. Baker (above photo) as we took off. Seeing it had us wishing we were flying to Victoria rather than Calgary.

To the Lab and Beyond!

A scheduled part of the conference involved seeing Shu-Lin's Genomics Lab in the Harbin Medical University's First Hospital. I was less than enthused as a lab is a lab as far as I'm concerned but it was a point of pride for Shu-Lin and Glen wanted to see his set-up. So, on Tuesday morning we were up early to catch the bus at 8am. We waited in the lobby checking our email (it had a WiFi signal which is very unusual in China) and chatting with Chun-Xiao. The bus finally arrived at 8:45. We piled on then sat for another fifteen minutes. Without warning, everyone began leaving. All talk was in Chinese so we had no clue why.

We returned to the lobby only to be told to re-board the bus. I asked a gentleman who had spoken to me at coffee break the day before what was going on. Apparently because the bus was late, those checking out of the hotel would miss the noon deadline and could miss their flights home. This did not bode well for the length of our bus ride to the genomics lab. Sure enough, it took an hour to get there.

The lab was in an older hospital tucked in a neighbourhood of tiny streets. Much honking of horns happened before the driver finally parked in the cramped lot. Glen figured he'd never get out but he'd forgotten the skill of Harbin drivers. We were then ushered through the hospital's emergency department. Glen has done a similar walk at the Foothills Hospital and said it was nice that no one was being treated in the hallways like they are in Calgary.

I almost laughed out loud when I saw people in striped pajamas wandering the halls. I guess the pajamas were better than the gowns given to Canadian patients but it reminded me of old prison uniforms (last seen in Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?).

A trainee of Shu-Lin's was our guide and he pretty much ignored the others, focussing on Glen. Of course, Glen hasn't worked in a lab for many years so wasn't sure how impressive this one was. He did explain one machine to me so wasn't completely ignorant but confessed later that he wouldn't know how to use it. These days, his 'labbies' bring him results so he doesn't have to know how the machines produce them. I took lots of pictures so he can show them what the place looked like.

After the tour, we piled into the bus again. It stopped once to let a group off at the train station and again on a major highway. Chun-Xiao and another student whose name I never learned, beckonned us to get off the bus. We were at the Forest Botanical Gardens. By this time, the lilacs had burst forth and the park was heady with their perfume. It is called a national forest park but I've never seen pine trees growing so evenly spaced; a tree at each corner of an invisible grid. However, it was a lovely peaceful place and we spent two hours wandering around it. Neither of our guides had ever been before and we think they clamored to join us as it gave them a holiday from their labwork.

This became obvious when one bought a bottle of bubbles and proceeded to 'play' with them. We all laughed when Glen got involved. It was nice to relax and have a little fun.

The forest garden also had a medicinal herb garden, multiple beds of tulips, a restricted zone for endangered plants, and a whole hill devoted to peonies (which had not yet bloomed). The tulips were wonderful and I had fun trying to capture their bright colours with my camera. A scruffy looking man was photographing his well-drssed wife. She insisted he take a picture of her with Glen and me. That's when I noticed his camera was an expensive, high-end Nikon. So much for the clothes defining the man.

The forest was also alive with school children on field trips. We found most were among the statues depicting the Chinese calendar or catching tadpoles in the bog garden. We'd just left the bog garden when a gust of wind whirled around us. I got hit in the head with a branch which scratched Glen as he grabbed for it. Of course, he bled but it wasn't a bad cut. We'd forgotten that Chun-Xiao's first degree was in medicine. As soon as we came to a kiosk selling drinks, she bought bandages and sani-wipes. While I took photos of a dragon mural, she tended to Glen's 'wound'. He did protest that it was minor but she'd hear nothing of that.

The Forest Botanical Gardens are more than just forest and flowers, they also have an amusement park, a climbing wall, and a zipline. We saw a man using the latter and the girls said they'd never do it. Glen told them I had done one and they found that hard to believe. Come to think of it, I find it hard to believe, too!

There was also a wedding pavilion and we saw two brides, one in traditional red, the other in white. As we passed the one in red, the new husband said hi so Glen told him how beautiful his bride was. She replied 'Thank you'. It's amazing how many Chinese in this town, not on the American tourist map, can speak English.

By this time we were all hungry so met up with a resident of the Second Harbin Medical University Hospital who drove us to lunch. He took a short cut through the hospital grounds and that's when I realized the market we passed on our way to the conference was for those wishing to buy gifts for patients inside. Not sure our hospitals would permit the fruits and vegetables from an outdoor market inside their walls but this was China.

After much discussion among the students, we ended up having lunch at one of their favourite haunts. We were honoured to be taken into a private room of the restaurant they called The King of the Dumplings. We had many dumpling dishes, all for under $3.00. One style had corn inside and another tomatoes (a taste sensation) as well as the usual pork. We also enjoyed what they referred to as eggplant sandwiches--small zucchini-sized eggplant stuffed with finely ground pork. Another plate was piled high with grilled beans and garlic. The tofu dish they called Japanese tofu looked like marshmallows with onions and green peppers (not sweet) but were soft and creamy when you bit into them. The salad course had unroasted peanuts in soy sauce which Glen loved. I told him that David taught his 3 year old daughter how to use chopsticks by having her pick up peanuts. One of the students asked if this were our first time in China and when we said yes, she complimented us on our use of chopsticks. She didn't realize we use them in the many Chinese restaurants in Canada.

We asked them if they ate pizza like other grad students do and they all said yes. We'd seen PizzaHut restaurants as well as KFC and McDonald's in Harbin. There were also wannabe versions where the logos were almost identical but they were all noodle houses.

Again we enjoyed Harbin beer while the students drank green tea. The girls kept Glen's glass full and at one point chastised the boy when he didn't do the same for me. I suppressed a smile when he quickly realized his mistake. Times are changing among Chinese youth where equality of the sexes is making headway.

After lunch, we returned to the hotel to pack. Although all the attention we received as honoured guests of the conference was nice, it was also good to have a quiet afternoon together. We had dinner in the hotel enjoying a plate of something Glen pointed to on the menu. It turned out to be deep fried hot peppers and breaded pork. We each drank two large bottles of beer to wash it down. The bill came to $12.00. There is no tipping in China.

Dinner

Here is a picture of the restaurant where we ate the authentic peasant food. I don't know its name in English.

Below is a video Glen took while we enjoyed the entertainment. Unfortunately, the table closest to the stage had a gentleman also taking a movie. It is kind of neat seeing a movie within a movie.

Oops! I had problems uploading the video so please click here and it should take you to the YouTube version. I apologize that I don't know the names of the performers or what they are singing about but I'm sure you'll enjoy a taste of what we saw.

Harbin City Tour

Monday began much as Sunday had. I worked in the coffee room and enjoyed several cups brought to me by the grad students. At break, Glen had a private chat with a young professor who needed guidance so I brought him egg tarts.

I haven't mentioned this before but the university buildings were very cold and most conferees wore their coats all day, including me. I think the heat was turned off for the summer and since radiators take so long to get back up to temperature, no one had turned it back on. We even wore our coats during the meals.

Lunch was a more intimate affair as most of the conferees departed for their homes. A city tour had been scheduled for the afternoon so those who knew Harbin left. Many were off to another conference so said their goodbyes with promises to have us visit their universities. It will be hard to resist any offers they may make.

After a lunch of black fungus, three whole fish (perhaps trout) in a bowl of broth and the ever-present eggplant dish which Glen loved, we were taken on a campus tour by two young women. Since the day was sunny and warm, I could take more pictures of the buildings. Even the goldfish appeared in the fish pond.

At two, we boarded a bus and departed for the St. Sophia Cathedral. This was one of three Russian Orthodox churches built in Harbin. The others were The Church of the Intercession (renovated and now open for public worship) and St. Nicholas Church. The latter was destroyed in 1966 during the Cultural Revolution.

St. Sophia, also called The Cathedral of the Holy Wisdom of God, was built in 1907 after the completion of the Trans-Siberian Railway and extensively renovated in 1932. It is an beautiful example of Neo-Byzantine architecture. The Communist government closed in 1958 then gutted it to use as storage. Apartments and stores soon invaded its square and the church became visually lost. In 1996, designated an historic building, it was restored and the surrounding buildings were torn down. It now houses the Municipal Architecture and Art Museum but we didn't go inside.

As I was photographing all angles of the building, a grad student with a huge red umbrella hovered nearby to protect me from the sun. I noticed that the older women of Harbin wear unique headgear--a large visor covered by a fancy silk scarf. One such lady began blowing a whistle near the cathedral. Suddenly, the air was full of pigeons descending from the church to feed at her bird feeder. Once they were on the ground, she whipped the feeder away and began selling bags of seed to those gathered around. The children were delighted in watching the birds and all I could think of was the song from Mary Poppins, Feed the Birds.

From the cathedral, we walked to Central Street (Zhong Yang Da Jie) famous for its Russian architecture and shopping. Harbin is often called 'Eastern Paris' as during the 1920s, European fashions and merchandize arrived here. It is a pedestrian-only street but we had to battle Harbin traffic to reach it. All the grad students took their lives into their hands keeping us safe. Not an easy task.

Glen is a magnet for unusual people and sure enough, an old man latched onto him as we walked down Zhong Yang Da Jie. The man spoke impeccable English and knew a lot about Canada. He sold maps and said he had Canadian ones, too. Glen laughed and told him he had plenty of Canadian maps. They chatted for a block or so before the man realized Glen was not going to buy a map.

Zhong Yang Da Jie stretches 1450 m from JinWei Jie where we began our walk to the Songhua River and features many different European architectural styles from Renaissance to Baroque (often using modern materials). The day was hot so we stopped at a famous ice cream store, Zhaoba & Ice Cream Bar & Maogong Zai, and were treated to an unusually flavoured ice cream bar. Not quite vanilla, not quite coconut but reminiscent of both.

Originally built in 1898, Zhong Yang Da Jie was 'cobbled' in 1924 and used to transport railway goods into the city. In 1997, it was closed to traffic and is the largest such street in Asia.

We walked with yet another grad student who wished to practice her English and she told us stories of Harbin since it was her home town. When we reached the Flood Control Monument on the banks of the Songhua River, we found our party had dwindled to six as the others had stopped to shop. We had an hour to enjoy Stalin Park but I began to suffer from the heat (and dehydration as it turned out).

The Flood Control Monument commemorates the efforts of the city's people who battled the flood of 1957 when the river rose 4 m. Two other floods since then have also been noted on the monument. Our guide told us her grandmother did sandbagging during the first flood as we walked along the path beside the river. Stalin Park is a favourite getaway for Harbin's people who come to play and relax. It was built in 1953 and named for the Russian dictator, Joseph Stalin.

The group was to reconvene at the Flood Control Monument and as we slowly gathered, the students did a head count. Someone was missing but because we were milling around, it was hard for them to count us. Finally, someone suggested we form two lines. This was all done in Chinese but we got the idea and stood in line. Still, the numbers didn't add until Robert and his guide came wandering into the square. We then hurried to catch the bus. I was fading at this point and began to realize I needed to drink water. Since I don't like water and rarely get thirsty, I had become dehydrated. All I wanted to do was go back to the hotel but we had to eat first.

Shu-Lin had promised us an authentic, country (peasant) Chinese meal for supper before he headed to a conference in Beijing. He assured us we'd have a good time and he was right.

The restaurant was large by Harbin standards and we ushered upstairs into a room packed with people. Someone led me to a table but we were soon uprooted and told to sit again at the head table. This was not far from a small stage. Glen and I each had a translator but Glen couldn't hear his and mine got caught up in the show so forgot to tell me what was going on. I didn't mind.

The meal began with Chinese liquor served in saki 'vases' and instead of tea, pots of hot water sat on the lazy susan. A hibachi-like device held a wok full of cabbage and blood sausage and surrounding it were dishes of lightly battered minnow-like fish (with heads still intact), boiled potatoes, corn, squash, black fungus with cabbage, eggplant, bean sprouts, deep fried pork, sweet balls filled with pork, cold soy bean soup, and two kinds of bread much the same texture as cornbread. What floored me was a huge pile of mashed potatoes in a tomato sauce. Even though I was not well, I still managed to eat the mashed potatoes with chopsticks. I drank very little of the liquor saving my sips for the multiple toasts at the meal. The hot water slipped down nicely and so when the entertainment began, I was back to myself.

Before our meal, while we waited for the others at the monument, our guide realized it was her birthday. With all the work and excitement of the conference, she'd forgotten. In Harbin, it is traditional to have a bowl of noodle soup on your birthday so during the meal, one was brought for her. It had a poached egg on top and looked delicious.

Even though we couldn't understand a word of what the performers were saying or singing as they paraded across the stage, we enjoyed the music and the laughter of the show. What we saw was a number of skits depicting the modern history of China. The Japanese were reviled and the heros cheered. The skit about Mao Zedong's Little Red Book caused the most laughter.

The influence of Russia was featured but the Russian dancers were awful and could not compete with the beauty and grace of the Chinese ones. The Chinese singers had good voices and one song was obviously beloved as the audience sang along. The singer gave the mike to the Associate Dean of Research and he thought nothing of belting out a verse.

The final act was a comedian who looked like a young Jet Li. He had the people at our table in stitches and after all their hard work, it was good seeing them relax and enjoy the show. Partway through his spiel, he asked our guide where we were from then he and Glen toasted Canada. Neither could understand what the other was saying but they bonded. I had thought Glen had had too much Chinese liquor but he confessed it was not as strong as it tasted.

The minute the show ended, all the lights in the house blazed and that was it, we were off to the bus. Chun-Xiao wanted to escort us to our rooms but we left her at the elevator. She told us we'd leave at 9 the next morning to see Shu-Lin's Genomics Lab adding, "Would you like to go to more gardens?" We nodded then let the elevator doors close.

Karaoke

After the coffee break on Sunday, David joined me and we chatted for most of the afternoon. He has an immense interest in all things Western so we looked at some of my photos and talked about the differences in our language and culture. He said he learned a lot and I certainly did.

He then suggested we go out to walk around the campus. The woman in charge of all the meals joined us. She is so beautiful, much like Michelle Yeoh Choo Kheng, the older woman in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. She had wanted to talk after coffee break but her English is limited. I felt hampered, too and when we return to Harbin, I will know more Chinese. Through sign language, though, she showed me how she loved the way Glen and I held hands saying she and her husband didn’t. I assured her that it was unusual among older couples in Canada, too.

It began to rain as I was photographing the campus so we ran back to the conference building. The meeting went overtime and supper was not until 6:30 but after such a big lunch, no one seemed to mind. We ate again in the ballroom and the beer glasses overflowed (Shu-Lin’s female grad students seemed honoured to keep our glasses full) as did the Chinese liquor. I’ve tasted this before and it is potent stuff so was amazed at how Shu-Lin and another could drink so much and not fall flat on their faces.

In the afternoon, David and I had discussed social life in China and he told me that they often go to karaoke bars (these rarely serve beer) to sing and enjoy each other’s company. I told him I had only done it once before. Little did I know that our evening’s entertainment would involved karaoke. The photo shows Shu-Lin's research group with David in front of the monitor and Shu-Lin second on David's left.

I thought I’d not have to sing because all the songs would be in Chinese but one man was determined to have Glen and me perform. He found Get Down Tonight by KC and the Sunshine Band so we sang that. Well, we tried. Obviously we lacked the expertise of the Chinese. What really threw me off was the background pictures as they featured Canadian scenes of Niagara Falls and kids playing hockey.

When the song ended, I thought we were done but our determined friend found Sunrise, Sunset from Fiddler on the Roof so we had to sing that as well. The other North American, Robert, was then pressed to sing. He stuttered so I wondered how he’d handle it but he rose to the occasion with a wonderful singing voice. He sang Edelweiss from The Sound of Music and we all joined in. It was a moving experience and I was thrilled we contributed to what is an important part of Chinese culture.

The evening ended at precisely nine (Shu-Lin always announced 'Bottoms Up' at the end of a meal). We piled into the buses and went back to the hotel. We were not in our room five minutes when there was a knock on the door. Shu-Lin, the Associate Dean of Research, the meal co-ordinator, and a student came in bearing gifts (it’s a good thing I keep our room tidy).

Earlier in the evening, when Shu-Lin stood to thank everyone for attending the conference, he went on at length about how Glen had supported him during his tenure in Canada and had continued to be his advocate at the University of Calgary (he is an adjunct professor). He then asked Glen to say a few words which Glen did telling the group how well we had been treated and how good the science was. He then presented Shu-Lin with our thank you gift--a copper plate of West Coast Indian design but I've learned that the Chinese love giving presents so wasn't surprised when Shu-Lin showed up at our door with gifts. He and the other people we met in Harbin were so warm and generous, it made our first visit to this incredible country memorable.

At the Conference

We had to catch a bus to the university at 8 so were up early. Actually, I was up at four since my body was still not used to the time difference. I don’t do jet lag well. I lay listening to the traffic. Like every big city, Harbin never sleeps. And, like Calgary, dawn is around 4:30, but unlike our quiet neighbourhood, Harbin horns begin blaring early.

I wasn’t sure what I was going to do while Glen attended the meetings but knew I wanted to pre-write my blog entries while I was ‘in the moment’ of China. I thought I might do some photography, too, so brought my laptop, Kindle, and cameras.

We met David and Chun-Xiao as we disembarked the bus. The sun shone and it was time for the group photo. Glen moved to the back of the crowd while I watched the proceedings. There was a great hullaballoo when someone noticed him there. No, he was an honoured guest so must sit in the front row. Being tall, it was not his usual position in a photo.

The next commotion came when Shu-Lin decided I must also be in the photo. I protested, of course, but was overwhelmed by hands drawing me toward a seat so took my place in the front row. I’ve no idea what the photographer was saying but eventually he got the shot he wanted.

Everyone trouped upstairs to the conference room. I had hoped to go to the office Shu-Lin had given Glen but that was not possible so David found me a place in a nearby meeting room. He set up a small table and I began to work.

At about 10, the ladies from the Faculty Club burst into the room with plates, cups, and food for coffee break. There was much hustle and bustle. I continued to work as I had no idea what they were talking about. It was funny watching the dynamics, though. Plates were laid out then stacked. Paper cups were stacked then laid out in triangle shapes. Cakes were uncovered then recovered. There was also a great discussion on how to spell the English words for the drinks. I wanted to help but wasn’t sure how to offer since none of them spoke English.

Meanwhile, Shu-Lin’s students had discovered my hiding place and began plying me with cups of coffee. It came with cream and sugar, something I haven’t had in years. How does one refuse such hospitality?

I thought Don Mee’s had the best egg tarts but that was before I came to Harbin. I was pushed, literarily, into eating something when the conferees poured into the room at coffee break. I chose egg tarts for both Glen and myself. The pastry alone was like eating sweet air.

Glen survived his chairing of the first session letting his co-chair say the Asian names. He told me Chun-Xiao’s presentation went well. It was her first talk and she did it in English so quite an accomplishment. Later, she told me she was very nervous, but she felt she had done okay.

When the conferees returned to their lectures, the grad students, who did much of the work at the meeting, descended on the leftovers. They were so like Canadian students, it made me laugh. The woman organizing the break told the wait staff to help themselves, too but they refused. However, when it came to clean up and she had disappeared, they ate what the students had left behind.

Glen’s seminar was after coffee but when it was done, Chun-Xiao and another friend came to chat. I had my photos uploaded by this time so could show them the ones I took of Sun Island and shopping. They then wanted to see photos of Canada and couldn’t believe how blue the sky was. I guess it is a rare sight in urban China.

I scrolled through some photos of the family and they loved the pictures of Miles and Elijah. The one-child policy is still in affect in China (David has a 3 year old girl) although it is relaxed in certain circumstances. If students go to America to study, they can have more children and not be ostracized. Children are definitely cherished here by young and old alike.

The two girls thought Glen was so nice and laughed at some of the silly pictures I took of him. They were also fascinated with our Christmas celebrations. When Chun-Xiao saw the photo I took of a squirrel eating from our birdfeeder, she was amazed. I told her we often had hares in our yard and once, Glen came eye-to-eye with a coyote when he was barbecuing. She told me that this would never happen in China.

Lunch was served in a grand ballroom used originally for convocation. Again, the lazy susan was piled high with dishes of the region and beyond. A whole fish lay in a big bowl of broth and shrimps-on-a-stick were stacked like a miniature tent on one plate. There was one dish someone called Chinese tacos -- squares of thin tofu onto which one placed cucumber and onion then added a special sauce. Rice bowls appeared partway through the meal, the first rice I’d eaten.

One reason I sit here watching the girls again prepare for coffee break is that supper will be in the ballroom and it happens 5 minutes after the final session. I am the only spouse so no provisions have been made for ‘hangers-on’. Had I stayed in the hotel, I would have been alone all day and since Glen didn’t want me to wander the neighbourhood, working here was my only option (The above photo is of my work room).

Shopping

Shu-Lin felt that on Saturday, we should have a full day shopping. I knew I’d never last that long but I did want to see if I could buy some souvenirs. The funny thing was the two items I bought were not made in China. I may find something on the city tour to remind us of our visit, although my photos and memories are the most precious items I’ll be bringing home.

We began our day at 9 when Chun-Xiao and David (Zhen Hong Liu) picked us up. David’s English is well-honed and he was thrilled to talk with us and show us the pride of Harbin shopping.

HongBo, a very modern shopping centre, was a huge square beneath the city streets with hallways that stretched for miles. It was divided into sections much like a department store so if you wanted shoes, you went to the area devoted to shoes and there would be several different stores from which to choose. There were sections for everything from jewellery to camping supplies--yes, a Coleman store in China. Many of the clothing stores were high-end designer ones so the economy of Harbin is robust. David told us that most of the modern apartments sell for more than $500,000USD.

It became clear that we were not in the market for expensive jade so we wandered around for a while until we came upon an Astro Boy store. I had to have a photo since the kids were such fans. I guess Japanese anime is alive in China and must have a large number of fans to have an entire store devoted to Astro Boy.

Next door to the mall was a Carrefour, a French supermarket. David thought half the people in Canada were French so would know this brand. It seemed familiar to me but I now realize I must have seen it in Argentina for there are no stores in Canada. When we entered the place, it was like being in our T&T’s with a bit of the Real Canadian Superstore thrown in for good measure. You could buy anything from food to furniture. We even saw live turtles for sale and Chun-Xiao explained they weren't being sold as pets.

David then drove us to another major mall called the Grand Shopping Center (notice the American spelling). I asked why most signs on the modern buildings were bilingual and he said that the common language of all tourists is English whether they come from Russia or North America. We experienced the same phenomenon in Europe so think the Internet has encouraged the spread of English as a universal language.

A fan of surfing the Internet, David had a deep desire to travel to Canada, not as a tourist but as a student. He is a pharmacologist and teacher at Harbin Medical University but wants to further his education. The students we met were highly motivated by the new China and its economy. However, David did apologize for his city. The construction of their subway system seemed to stress him the most as did the idea he had that his people were not polite. He teared up when saying he felt that the ‘old ways of China’ had been lost and he didn’t like what his people had become. Glen and I told him it was not that different in Canada. We encouraged both Chun-Xiao and him to think of themselves as the future of their country and we felt it was a bright one.

Before we entered the main part of the Grand Shopping Center, we passed through a market where women hawked their wares in loud, strident voices and the press of people was close. David warned us to beware of our wallets as pickpockets worked this place. Since few stores take credit cards, you must carry wads of cash and I had $400 in my purse I had no desire to lose. The stores were tiny and Glen felt he dominated them with his size. David is also tall so I could see them in the crowd when we got separated. I did see something I liked in one stall but David, who did my bartering, refused to let me buy it as he said the woman was asking too much. By this time, I was beginning to have issues with low blood sugar so didn't argue.

The Grand Shopping Center was six floors of shopping, each level selling a different type of merchandise. The top floor had a food court where David thought we could eat. It was very busy and we had trouble finding a seat. It became obvious that Glen would have issues sitting at the benches as they were jammed together pretty tightly. Sometimes his long legs can be a disadvantage.

Chun-Xiao spotted a hot-pot restaurant where we could eat in relative peace so we followed her. Unlike our food courts that offer fare from McDonald’s to Edo to Dairy Queen, this food court had vendors specializing in dishes from different places in China so your first dish could be from Harbin and your second be typical of Beijing or Shanghai. It sounded intriguing but I was glad we ate in the restaurant. I discovered that my chopstick skills diminish when I have low blood sugar so until I ate the food I cooked, I had trouble putting it into my boiling pot. I apologized but, as always, our hosts were most gracious and said we were foreigners and couldn’t be expected to be experts with chopsticks. They assured us that even they were having problems with the potato noodles, although I didn’t see them struggling. At one point, forks magically appeared but by that time, Chun-Xiao had thrown food into my pot so I could eat and use my chopsticks.

What went into our spicy hot-pots? Well, there was meat that looked like thinly sliced ham but may have pork, four different varieties of the most delicious mushrooms, dried tofu (called doefoo in China), a Spam-like meat, potatoes (cut like french fries), sweet potatoes, cabbage, lettuce, and cilantro. Each item was boiled then dipped into a spicy, peanut-like sauce. All was washed down with beer except David who didn’t drink because he was driving. Very smart man.

We did a bit of window shopping after lunch but Glen wanted to return to the hotel to work on his seminar. He hadn’t known how long he’d have to speak so prepared an hour long talk. Turned out he would have 20 minutes so needed to do a bit of pruning. I read while he worked then had a nap. I awoke when he went down to the registration desk to see if his talk would work on the old PCs the Chinese still use. He came back in a panic as nothing in his file could be read. I was able to convert the Mac file to a PC version which he then whipped downstairs. Meanwhile I got ready for dinner. We had no idea what the dress code would be so I chose something that could go either way while Glen wore his sports jacket and tie. Most were more casual; only Shu-Lin wore a suit.

We were seated at the head table and met the other speakers, only one a Caucasian from the States. There was another American but he had been born in China so was at home with both language and chop sticks. He told us we handled our chopsticks very well. Again the table was burdened with dish after dish of tasty goodness. My favourite being one of black fungus (also known as cloud ear fungus) and cabbage. Shu-Lin introduced us to black fungus years ago and I often buy it dried. Little did I know that eaten fresh it becomes a taste sensation. Partway through our dinner, they served a noodle soup which we all ate with chopsticks then used our Chinese soup spoons to drink the broth. This will be helpful knowledge when I have wonton soup in Canada.

Supper was over at 8:00 sharp and we all headed back to our rooms. No carousing for the Chinese although one man had had too much beer and came over to introduce himself with his glass brimming. I feared I’d be showered in beer as it slopped over the rim. Luck was with me as it wet the table instead.

Glen forgot to bring his business cards so could not take part in the exchange which the others did after dinner. I received one, too, and was glad I remembered how Asians expect you to accept the card -- do so with both hands and read what you can. Thank heavens only the man's name was in English as I had had some beer and wasn’t sure I could have read any fine print.

One drinks beer out of a juice glass in China. It is never empty. If the waiters don’t fill it, a student will. We were overwhelmed with the hospitality to which we were treated and felt honoured to have been invited to the meeting, the first international conference of its kind in China.

We’re not in Kansas anymore, Toto

Best Western Fortune Hotel Harbin is a modern chain motel but don't expect what you'd usually find at a North American hotel. Despite the website which says there is a hairdryer and ironing board in the room, there is not. However, where can you get slippers with your robe or have a 'do not drink' the water sign plastered on the bathroom wall? The AM/FM alarm clock was nonexistent but an old-fashioned alarm worked just as well. It even lit up when tilted.

This proved useful when we awoke at 4am. We then dozed until it was time to go to breakfast. I ate Chinese, of course, while Glen tried to piece together a Western-stye breakfast. He found boiled eggs, toast, and bacon so was happy. I had a variety of cold, salad-like veggies including pickles but added boiled cabbage, noodles and a dish with proscitto-like sausage and snow peas.

Chun-Xiao met us at 10am with another young man who drove to Shu-Lin Liu’s office at Harbin Medical University. It was a very modern one and huge, twice the size of our living room. Shu-Lin introduced us to another student, Siyao (See-yow, I think), who wanted to practise her English. The girls would be our guides but neither drove so we had yet another male student ferry us to Sun Island. Shu-Lin confessed he had about twenty students but he kept losing track of how many. Most were girls, though, which mirrors the situation in North America.

Shu-Lin loves American coffee so had a stash of Starbucks which he shared with us. We talked for an hour then got ready to leave. This was when I knew I wasn’t in Canada (or Kansas, either) anymore. I went to the washroom and realized one had to squat to pee and there was no toilet paper. Fortunately, I had a tissue in my purse. All I can say, is it was good I had done back-country camping in my life and that yoga had kept me flexible.

Then it was off to do our sightseeing. Again we were amazed at the dance that was Harbin traffic. Horns become a language of ‘I’m here’ or ‘Get out of my way, I was here first’ or ‘I’m zipping across three lanes of traffic and you must make way for me’ or 'I've decided to take the off-ramp up onto the highway and make a u-turn into the lane I need so move aside'. It was amazing to watch and kind of scary, too. Our guides acknowledged there were rules but nobody obeyed them. We felt there must be unwritten guidelines that all drivers know as we never saw a crash although bumpers came within millimeters of each other. But, that's what they're for, right?

Our destination was Sun Island Park, an island in the middle of Songhua River of Harbin. It was a huge (15 sq. km.) green area much beloved by the people of the city. Being a workday and threatening rain, we had the place to ourselves. The girls had only visited it once before so were excited to see everything. The entrance fee was 30 yuan (referred to as RMBs) or about $4.50 CND.

There are many versions of why it was called Sun Island but Chun-Xiao told us it was named for Sun Rock, a piece of granite dropped by the glaciers onto the island. The story is a god threw it from the sky and it landed there so the people of Harbin now honour the space. She hadn't realize until then that it was actually an island. How often do we learn something new about our own town when someone comes to visit?

The flower of the city of Harbin, with many found on Sun Island, is the lilac and we arrived just as these trees were blooming. It was fun helping Chun-Xiao and Siyao pronounce the English word; even funnier when I tried the Chinese version of ding xiang (dee-young sh-yow).

We walked for over an hour then stopped for lunch at the Park's restaurant. We were the second customers of the day. When Glen saw them drinking a huge bottle, 750ml, of Harbin Beer, he wanted that. Turns out it cost $0.75/bottle and the girls said that was expensive because we were eating in a restaurant. Shu-Lin had told them to order local dishes and some they had never eaten themselves. Chun-Xiao is from south of Beijing so had grown up with completely different food. We had a cold celery dish with fat, slimy potato-noodles, four plates of dumplings, a dish with Harbin sausage (similar to what I had at breakfast), a dish with squid, cornmeal bread cubes, and garlic shoots and a soup made with chicken, more slimy noodles, and fantastic mushrooms. The garlic shoots were foreign to both girls so there was much discussion between them and the wait staff. In the end, they brought out cloves of garlic from the kitchen and indicated which part of the plant we ate. It was then we realized how exotic we were for the waitresses hovered around us. I guess most Caucasian visitors are Russian but even they don't come often.

We continued our adventure around the lake in the centre of the island, seeing white and black swans and wigeons and getting caught in a deluge (Chun-Xiao had brought umbrellas for us). The girls were thrilled to see Squirrel Island which was an enclosed area overrun with squirrels with tufted ears. Later, I learned from Chun-Xiao that there are no squirrels anywhere else in Harbin.

The winners during the famous International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival were showcased in stone near the lake. One was of a lumberjack and turned out to be a Canadian winner (2009, I think). We gave the girls a lesson on what a log driver was. Glen did not sing the Log Driver's Waltz but we both had it running through our heads. I later discovered that the 2007 festival was dedicated to Canada, a memorial to Canadian doctor, Norman Bethune whom the Chinese revere.

As the afternoon waned, Chun-Xiao suggested we take the ferry to downtown and catch a cab from there to the university where we were to have supper. The fare was cheap, $0.30 each but we waited 30 minutes for the boat to fill up enough to make the trip worthwhile. It was cold on the river and some young men were shivering in their T-shirts. Siyao was cold so I put her between Glen and myself and she warmed up.

I had thought smoking would be an issue for me in China but it wasn't. On the ferry was the first time we experienced it. Siyao did not like the smoke and kept waving it away. I think she would have said something to the man with the cigarette in front of us had she been alone.

We had problems flagging a cab but finally got into a rickety one. We thought the student drivers were skillful but the cab driver was incredible. Glen felt it was a ride more exciting than the most thrilling roller coaster he’d ever been on. We took a side road that had been cut up for re-paving and it was like being in a road race with the cab swerving around the holes, dodging pass cars, bikes, people, and buses with millimeters to spare. When Glen realized I hadn’t put on my seat belt, he got upset as he felt my door wasn’t shut properly as he thought I'd fly out. Siyao and Chun-Xiao argued with the driver when he took the 'wrong' route into the university. We didn’t know what they said but the body language was obvious. The half hour ride cost 30 RMBs ($4.50) so was much cheaper than any taxi we've ever taken.

We may have been late for dinner so we were hurried along to a private room in the university's Faculty Club. The other guest was the Associate Dean of Research, a purely administrative post in China. He spoke very little English so we had a great time enjoying the translations or just listening to the sound of the Chinese language as the others chatted together.

We drank more Harbin beer and learned that a meal involves many toasts and if you can’t clink glasses, you hit the lazy susan (usually made of glass) in the middle of the table. The food was again special to Harbin. We enjoyed a dish made of what might have been celeriac, another with broccoli and garlic, then came plates of bok choi, deep-fried pork, pork ribs with pumpkin, noodles, and chicken. Midway through the meal, another course of onion cakes, sesame seed cakes similar to the sesame seed buns we get in dim sum, and light pancakes arrived. Glen followed the Dean’s lead and slurped his noodles but the girls weren’t doing that so I felt I didn’t need to.

We had a great laugh when the Dean called his beer ‘dry’ beer as it was low alcohol so Shu-Lin started calling the regular beer ‘wet’ or ‘green’ beer as it came in a green bottle.

Dinner was over around eight and we were driven back to the hotel with Chun-Xiao and Siyao. They took us right to our room to make sure we got there. It was pretty funny as we hadn't had that much to drink. We later learned that Shu-Lin's 'wet' beer had the same alcoholic content as low alcohol beer here in Canada.

Harbin, China

Harbin is the capital city of Heilongjiang province in northeast China. It is within 600 kilometers of Russia and lies on the banks of the Songhua River. The word 'harbin' means place for drying fish nets and the flat banks of the river suggest this was an appropriate name. We learned there have been several major floods of the river and one of the grad student's grandmother helped with sandbagging during one in the 1950s (photo is of flood memorial).

Heilongjiang means Black Dragon River from the Amur (Heilong) River, the northern border between China and Russia. The story is that a white dragon ruled this area and was cruel and wicked. The black dragon arrived and they fought for the land and the black one, good in nature, won.

The Songhua River, which means White River, is about 1500 km long and is a tributary of the Heilong. Its source is in the mountains that border North Korea and has several dams along its length used to generate electricity. The river freezes in the winter which might be the reason for its name.

Harbin is a big city of about 6 million people and has been a twin city for Edmonton, Alberta since 1985. It is famous for its ice sculpture festival in the winter. It was also an important trade city during the 1920s. European goods from Russia flowed through the city and into the rest of China. It began as a village founded by an engineer who worked on the China Eastern Railway, a part of the Trans-Siberian Railway. As it grew, it became an industrial centre and at one point, had the largest population of Russian Jews outside of Russia. They were a big influence on the architecture of the city.

Harbin is nicknamed Ice City because of its cold winters (average January temperature of -18ºC) but its summers are hot and humid (average July temperature of 24ºC).

The city has light industry although you'd never know that by the air quality. Although not as bad as Beijing, it did make breathing a chore. The soil surrounding the city is rich and they grow mostly grain crops, including rice.

Harbin Brewery is the oldest in China, founded in 1900, and is a source of pride. There are also seven universities in the city, the oldest being Harbin Institute of Technology. Glen's conference was held in the Harbin Medical University and we stayed at the Best Western Fortune Hotel Harbin.

No Passport, No Purchase

We rose at our normal time to leave on our adventure--a trip of a lifetime to Harbin, China. Our first leg was to fly to Vancouver. We left the house at 8am for a 10am flight. We could not check in on-line as an agent needed to see our Chinese visas. The airport was practically empty at this time so we waltzed through security. The agents were relaxed and friendly.

Since we had plenty of time, I suggested we buy a gift for the girl who was to be our guide in Harbin. Glen thought something from Vancouver would be nicer. We had over an hour to wait for our flight to Beijing so I agreed figuring we'd have enough time to shop. Not a wise decision as it turned out.

It was a lovely spring day in Calgary so we knew we’d have no weather issues to hamper our trip. Little did we know that we’d have mechanical ones and sit on the tarmac for 30 minutes. Flying is never easy, is it?

The captain assured us all that we’d make our connections but ours was on the other side of the Vancouver airport so we had to hustle to get to the international terminal. As we scurried along, we passed a duty free shop selling Canadian style jewellery. Since we had a few minutes, I chose a brooch for our Chinese guide then stood in line behind about 20 Koreans. Meanwhile, Glen went off in search of lunch. I told him I’d meet him at the gate. The shop was at Gate 52 and we were to leave from 73.

I waited and waited and the line didn’t seem to be getting any shorter. I finally figured out those standing had their spouses combing the store buying baskets of extra large chocolate bars (about 10 inches long by 3 inches wide). As I stood there, Air Canada made the final announcement for the departure of their plane to Seoul. The shoppers dumped their baskets and ran to their gate. I stood behind ones still paying when I realized they required both a boarding pass and a passport. I had neither as they were in Glen’s pocket.

I pulled out my driver’s license and they said no so I put back the brooch and began to run to our gate. I hadn’t realized how far it was and how little time I had. I found Glen and he had not bought lunch as there were no shops with food. Just as I stopped panting, they began boarding our flight.

Had I known how long it would take, I’d have returned to one of the three duty free shops I had passed along the way but hindsight is always twenty-twenty. In the end, we bought a maple leaf pin from the duty free cart on board the plane.

Suffice to say any flight across the International Dateline is long. Had it been evening when we left, I think we’d have slept more but we departed Vancouver at noon. They served lunch at 2:30pm and by this time, I was starving. I gulped down a chicken concoction along with two beers. Not much later, I fell asleep for an hour and a half. I had been ill the previous two days so I think this helped.

Supper was served at 8:30pm and I had a chinese beef dish. The food was pretty good. Glen and I read rather than watched movies so we could doze at any time. I slept for another two hours then they served us ‘noodles’. This made me laugh as it was like I was back at the Edmonton School of Ballet watching the dancers eating their noodle soup lunches--some made with hot water, some crunching on the dry noodles.

Not knowing when we’d eat again, Glen and I dug in. The Chinese flight attendant told us we had to practice using chopsticks but it wasn’t a problem. I soon learned it is much easier to eat these packaged Mr. Noodle soups with chopsticks than a spoon.

We landed close to midnight Calgary time but of course, it was 2:30pm the next day (Thursday, May 12th) in Beijing. The sun was shining so I think that helped get our bodies used to the fact it was daytime.

Our flight to Harbin, on Air China, was not until 6 so we had plenty of time to find our gate. Beijing Capital International Airport is the 2nd busiest in the world and for about 8 months in 2008, it was the largest. Terminal 3 is strikingly modern having been built for the Olympics and is a great place to people-watch. For some reason, the PA system was not functioning so when it came time to board, the attendant just yelled for everyone to line up. It was a crush. Not the first we’d experience in this country of so many people (1.3 billion).

I was so very tired by this point that I fell asleep the instant we took off (and maybe a bit before as I don’t remember taking off). Glen woke me so I could have ‘lunch’ which was a strange piece of meat, maybe beef, on a bun with a salad and fruit cup. I ate and went back to sleep. The flight was 2 hours long. The irony was we actually flew over Harbin on our way to Beijing but of course, we were at 30,000 feet (9000 meters).

Shu-Lin Liu, Director of the Genomics Research Center at Harbin Medical University and our host, met us at the airport with two of his grad students. Chun-Xiao, pronounced Tien-sh-ow (we think) and a young man whose name escapes me.

Our first impression of the city at night was incredible traffic with pedestrians, bikes, and cars weaving over the road. Horns honked all the time and we seemed to miss crashes by inches. The air quality was bad and what I thought was fog was actually pollution. It reeked of coal smoke (Alberta sells most of its coal to China) something neither of us had smelled in a long time.

We didn’t have the normal check-in routine as Chun-Xiao had our room key and Glen didn’t have to give a credit card imprint. We were escorted to our room having never touched our bags since landing. It was a bit overwhelming but we were too tired to think about it.

We tumbled into bed at 9:30pm which was really 6:30am Calgary time. Except for the odd nap, we had been on the go for 24 hours.