China–Locations – Page 5 – Canadian Dragonfly

Unexpected Hometowns

2009/11/172016/12/09 Prof Ron Canada, China, friendship, Hanlan, Islands, photography, Rizhao, Shandong, students, Toronto, Travel

I’m in Toronto on a ferry to “The Islands,” when I see a young Chinese student with her backpack…. Hometown is Rizhao, Shandong…. My new friend in this case has left a small city which, just 20 years ago, was a non-descript fishing village on the east coast of China.

China--Events China--Locations Travel in China

Why would anyone visit Jiangmen?

2009/11/15 Prof Ron beauty, China, gardens, Guangdong, Jiangmen, parks, photography, tourism, Travel

for years, I had very little interest in China. I won’t recount the images… but, if you (the reader) are anywhere near my generation or come from my culture, you probably share most of the same images…. But … I still keep being surprised in China. I continue to venture into new places, with these preconceived images in my mind. Invariably, I set myself up for another surprise.

China--Events China--Locations Travel in China

Changes in Guangzhou, since Lin Zexu

2009/11/152017/10/09 Prof Ron British, bronze, Canton, China, colonial, culture, Guangdong, Guangzhou, history, Lin Zexu, opium, Opium War, photography, sculpture, Shamian, Shamian Island, Tian He, Tianhe, tourism, Travel, Zexu

I chose to visit Shamian Island in the heart of Guangzhou earlier this year in February (2009). My ethnic roots

China--Events China--Locations East West History Travel in China

Discovering Lin Zexu in Red Hill Park

2009/11/152017/10/09 Prof Ron British, Canton, China, colonial, Guangzhou, history, Lin Zexu, opium, Opium War, Red Hill, tourism, Travel, Urumqi, war, Xinjiang

One Sunday afternoon I was exploring Red Hill Park with friends in Urumqi…. a statue to commemorate Lin Zexu…. Only later did I learn the significance of this man, and the fact that students throughout China learn of him as a hero of recent Chinese history…. What most Chinese do not understand… Lin Zexu is honoured for his stand against the drug trade… also today in New York City!!

China--Events China--Locations Travel in China

On a Hard Seat Coach from Wuhan to Changsha

2009/11/15 Prof Ron Changsha, China, countryside, DongTing, friendship, Hubei, Hunan, photography, railway, students, Sudoku, tourism, train, Travel, Wuhan, YueYang

I was on the train to Changsha (Hunan) from Wuhan (Hubei) and chose to travel “hard seat” this time. Across from me was a university student. He watched me do Sudoku—the addictive number game…. Here we were, very close to the big lake (Hu) from which the Province of Hunan (south of the lake) and Hubei (north of the lake) get their names.