Sunday, December 28, 2008

Integrity of Word

As the year closes, I find myself looking back and thinking about what matters. One thing that is important to me is my integrity of word. 

This is why I am challenged by the lack of this amongst my community. Maybe it's due to being on "island time" over the last few months, but when I say I am going to be some where at some specific time, I mean it. Here in the city, people's plans change on a dime. Everything appears to be "penciled in" unless confirmed once and even twice, no plan is set in stone. 

Three times now I have made plans and due to my communication challenges of late, I have shown up on time only to be stood up. I have learned there is a silent understanding amongst my friends that you need to double check that you are a priority. Is this a sign of the times? Are we no longer expected to be dependable? Reliable? Responsible? Hmm... that would be troubling if that were true. So I choose not to believe it. Maybe we just need a reminder every now and again to be considerate and do what we say, when we say it.  

Not to preach - I will begin with myself... My word to you for the upcoming year is to be in integrity and by example I hope to spread the "word" ;P

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Movie Quote of the Month...

Tis the season I guess... It appears that a lot of friends and acquaintances are going to have babies in the upcoming year. This quote always makes me smile:

Senior Ed Bloom: You are in for a surprise.

Will Bloom: Am I?

Senior Ed Bloom: Havin' a kid changes everything. There's burping, the midnight feeding, and the changing. 

Will Bloom: You do any of that?

Senior Ed Bloom: No But I hear it's terrible. Then you spend years trying to corrupt and mislead this child, fill his head with nonsense, and still it turns out perfectly fine.

Will Bloom: You think I'm up for it?

Senior Ed Bloom: You learned from the best.

From Big Fish (2003) Directed by Tim Burton and Written by Daniel Wallace & John August
.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

One Million Acts of GREEN! I Challenge you...



I know of late, I have been dissing Vancouver due to being homesick for Kauai and all, but this is one of the things I actually MISS about Canada... The social consciousness regarding the Green Movement. You can't open your mail, listen to the radio, turn on the TV, take a bus, a taxi, the skytrain or drive down the street in your car and not see this messaging - in products, in businesses, in schools and in communities. LOVE, Love, love that! Well Done Canada... Keep it coming! xo P.
.

Monday, December 8, 2008

WHISTLER BLACKCOMB'S Peak to Peak GONDOLA Grand Opening!!!

FRIDAY DECEMBER 12TH 10:30AM - LET'S MAKE HISTORY...



Come on out and celebrate. If you can't make it, tune in at 10:30am PST to watch the LIVE WEBCAST on whistlerblackcomb.com!

PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola Launch Schedule – December 12, 2008:

7:30am - Fresh Tracks Breakfast presented by Nature's Path

8:30am - Mountains open for skiing and riding

10:30am – Official Opening Ceremony gets underway at the PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola terminals on both Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains

11:00am – Official Ribbon cutting at the PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola terminals on both Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains, and the first rides begin. And get ready for the ultimate thrill, as Red Bull drops in and gives wings to the PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola Launch.

First Cabin from Blackcomb to Whistler – "Ride of Their Life" contest winners; 22 locals nominated as those who most deserve to be on the first ride;

First Cabin from Whistler to Blackcomb – Auction winners who bid for the seats in the first cabin with proceeds going to the Whistler Blackcomb Foundation, supporting community organizations throughout the Sea to Sky Corridor.

11:30am to 1:30pm – Open House in the Roundhouse Lodge featuring an Artist Gallery, a Technology Zone, and a Kids' Corner.

3pm to 5:30pm – Grand Après celebrations take place in Skiers Plaza including the Sugga DJ and video screens courtesy of Red Bull, a live art showcase, plus a kid-friendly performance by well known entertainer Norman Foote from 3:15pm to 4:15pm.

3pm to late – The ultimate après locations – Merlins, Dusty's and the Garibaldi Lift Company – will celebrate the launch well into the night!

COME PLAY... ;P

Sunday, December 7, 2008

What's the difference? Why do I FEEL...

...SO much better in Kauai than Vancouver? 

I've been back (notice I don't write "home") for a few days now and I have been thinking a lot about that question. The word "feel" can be broken down to how I feel physically vs. how I feel emotionally.

Physically here in Canada I'm a bit of a mess! I rarely go to sleep before midnight, staying up surfing the late night talk shows. I have decided this is due to a lack of stimulus - I am not tired at the end of a day here, more drained. In the morning, I wake up seriously dehydrated with nose bleeds, chapped lips and dry skin. I sit up only to feel crunchy... my bones ache. I feel like a pretzel and require coffee to get a jump start, because quite frankly I could stay in bed ALL day - I'm cold and I crave sleep. Sleep and hot oatmeal under the covers... with lots of Maple Syrup and Heavy Cream of course! When I do get up I begin the layering process... moisturizer, leggings, socks, jeans, turtle necks, hoodies, puffy vests, gloves and hats. Now I realize it's December but I had the exact same experience being here last Spring! 

In Kauai, I fall asleep - often before 9pm exhausted, with windows open to the sound of crickets (even in December) and ceiling fans circling the smell of night jasmine throughout my room. In the morning I wake up at sunrise with the distant crowing of roosters and I can't wait to get out of bed! I have my first of a dozen glasses of water that day (straight from the tap) and head out for a run, walk, bike or swim whatever inspires me that morning. I come home and either have a tropical fruit salad with mangos, papayas and guava or granola with macadamia nuts on top of Haupia (Coconut) Yogurt and local apple-bananas. I thank God for the day and the senses to experience it! I put on a bikini instead of underwear which reminds me of my childhood, not only is this comfortable, I am prepared at any given moment to jump into the ocean - LOVE that!

I don't know about you but the differences between these two realities completely affects me emotionally... I find that in Kauai I spend hours looking at the planet - here in Canada, I spend hours looking at my skin! 

So... What am I going to do about this? Complain, count the days until leave, spreading my dissatisfaction? I am here till the New Year, so rather than give into my old bad habits, which I now take responsibility for, rather than blaming my environment, I CHOOSE to eat light and exercise daily, which makes me crave healthy food like salads, vegetables and fish. Get back into Bikram's Yoga to sweat out my toxins, keeping my immune system from crashing! Oh and I should probably up my vitamin intake - especially vitamin D to supplement the lack of natural sunlight I was experiencing daily so I don't suffer from the ever popular Pacific North West - Seasonal Affective Disorder (S.A.D.) or "winter blues". 

Here's to FEELING good, great even, where ever I am! xo P.
.

Thursday, November 13, 2008

SUP Boarding in NOVEMBER!

To see more pics - actually a play by play on - HOW TO Stand Up Paddle,
 log onto my Facebook Album and for more links on SUP Boarding 
refer to my post from last March:


Monday, November 10, 2008

Did You Know...

Hawai‘i is the most isolated population center on the face of the earth. Hawai‘i is 2,390 miles from California; 3,850 miles from Japan; 4,900 miles from China; and 5,280 miles from the Philippines.
Source: Discover Hawaii

Hawai‘i is only one of four states which was an independent nation before becoming a state. The other three are California, Texas, and Vermont
Source: Wikipedia

Hawai‘i consumes almost 7 million cans of Spam a year. Hawai‘i also boasts the largest variety of Spam of anywhere else in the world.
Source: Star Bulletin

Thursday, November 6, 2008

KKCR Community Radio - Give the Gift of Aloha!



The Fall 2008 Membership - Pledge Drive Begins Today!

KKCR is a volunteer run, listener supported, non-commercial radio station on the Hawaiian Islands. Music heard on KKCR reflects the broad spectrum of Kauai's Community... Programming includes Hawaiian, Jazz, Blues, Rock, Reggae, Country, Classical, Hip Hop, Rock, Electronic, World and even Psychadelic! Something for everyone... 

I'm proud to be a member and know my mornings would not be the same without Auntie Maria's Aloha Show from 7-9am (Hawaiian Island Time = 2-3 hours later than PST) on Thursday & Friday mornings - tune in and start your day with a smile :P

It costs $960 a day to run the station even with all of the Volunteer Programming... Your Pledge is Requested:

A minimum donation of $25 is greatly appreciated. 
Even better, by Donating $100 you not only give to KKCR but you also feed a Family through the Kauai Food Bank - sustaining 2 non-profit organizations. GOOD KARMA!
Then there is the Angel Pledge of $365 just a dollar a day... 
Share the Love People, Mahalo. xo P.

LOG on and give a listen to LIVE Streaming Audio today:

KKCR Kaua`i Community Radio
P.O. Box 825
Hanalei, HI 96714

TOLL FREE: 1-866-275-1112
Inquiries: 808.826.7774 • kkcr@kkcr.org   
Requests: 808.826.7771 • dj@kkcr.org

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Voting 101 - Kauai Style!


 Today I had the privilege of being present at History in the making...
As Danielle and I drove into the Kilauea Elementary School's parking lot, you could feel the excitement of POSSIBILITY! Everyone from the volunteers to the voters were a buzz... Change is here and it is palpable! Here's to all the locals who were inspired and made a point to come out and VOTE this year! 

Sunday, October 12, 2008

Word of the Day: HAOLE

hao·le        [hou-lee, -ley] 
–noun
1.(among Polynesian Hawaiians) a non-Polynesian, esp. a Caucasian.
2.(formerly) a foreigner.
Origin: 1835–45

I never minded being called a "haole" when I was here in Kauai, though a local friend, of Hawaiian decent, told me that she would never call me that and that I should certainly never call myself it either... 

It turns out the reason behind her rejection of this "label" was because it actually means: Hollow - referring to having No Soul... This is what the Polynesians labeled the "white man" back in the day as they saw their people dying of small pox, their culture being surpressed and their land being taken away.

I agree with my girlfriend - this label is not for me - nor is it for the majority of expats I have met along my path in the present and in the past who reside on the island. 

That said, the other day as I was driving down the Kuhio Hwy to grocery shop in town, I followed a rental vehicle whose passengers - to my surprise - opened their window and at 50 miles an hour threw out their garbage! Hmm... I tell you, I thought of a few other choice words I could use to label such disrespectful behavior. 

Lately I have noticed an island initiative to educate the masses... Since I left, signs have popped up requesting visitors to pack out their trash from beaches, to not stand on the reef and to observe the local courtousy of waiting for 5-7 cars to cross one of the many one lane bridges. I applaud this gracious attempt to "educate" the unmindful rather than become embittered towards the tourists.

So here's a question: Are you a good traveler? When you are on vacation would you consider yourself a conscious or an unconscious guest?

Often as a Hotel Manager I would encounter guests who would say things like, "It's not my responsibility, I'm on vacation!", when being confronted about damage to their suite, excessive cleaning charges and even about their choice to not recycle. 

In my opinion this does not constitute a "good traveler" and thankfully it is not my experience of all guests and tourists. So here is to all those who board planes for an experience beyond their own who are considerate, kind and caring to the people, the land and the properties they visit. Well done! P.


Tuesday, October 7, 2008

They used to say...

"A hearth makes a home", referring to the Kitchen - but maybe it's all about the FOOD! 

This is the 6th time I have arrived back on Kauai... and there is something about the rituals of reconnecting to a community that make coming back feel like coming home. Rituals that tend to feed my senses, particularly my taste buds...

I begin by driving straight from the airport to Wall Mart to buy sunscreen, bug spray, water, Haupia (coconut) Yogurt and Anahola Tropical Granola for breakfast... Funny, I have never been to a Wall Mart in Vancouver - but here it's my 1st stop!

Next I pop into Lihue's Costco to pick up my favorite "inexpensive" Australian red wine: Rosemount Shiraz for only $7.99 a bottle ($19.99 CA). 

When driving north, I roll down the windows just before Kealia Beach to smell the salty surf breaking on the reef - it's the most amazing aromatherapy, and always makes me exhale, my shoulders drop and I remember to be present...

Over the next few days, I slowly pick away at my Island to-do list: 


I make a point of stopping at ONO Charburger on the Kuhio Hwy in Anahola and having Auntie Momie make me the best Local Girl Burger with fried onions and their special teriyaki sauce - Oh So... ONO!


On Saturday mornings I joining Skip Rush for Tai Chi class at the Pavilion on Hanalei Bay.

Followed by a trip to the Hanalei Farmer's Market to find the freshest organic fruit & veg.

Next stop is at the Hanalei Dolphin Fish Market... for some fresh AHI to sear for dinner...

Which reminds me, I can't miss a visit to the local Fish Taco Van at Anini Beach... The BEST homemade salsas!

I squeeze in a Bikram's Yoga class at the Hanalei Yoga studio followed by a Nestea style plunge into the Bay.

Oh and let's not forget a visit to my local coffee haunt to Tina's smiling face behind the counter at Java Kai, where I go in the mornings for a cup of Kona to take with me on my Bay walk and where you will find me in the afternoon connecting to WIFI sipping a steamy Coconut Dream Latte while finding shelter from afternoon showers - in the winter that is... 

To end a perfect day, I take a drive to the end of the road to watch the sunset at Ke'e Beach with the other romantic sun worshipers. 

And before the week is out, I must make a trip to the South Shore to visit the Kauai Coffee Company's Plantation to pick up my favorite Hawaiian Spice Blend, only found here - not sold in stores!




This is my Kauai... I hope one day you have the privilege of creating memories of your own. xo P.

Monday, October 6, 2008

Saturday Mornings at the Hanalei Market...

This summer I had the privilege of visiting Saturday Morning Markets in several Vancouver & Beijing neighborhoods... The nice thing about this one is that amazing fruit & vegetables are available year round - reason #48 why Kauai is the best ;P

To see more photos - follow this Facebook Link... xo P.

Sunday, October 5, 2008

30 days of Yoga...



Well, here is my commitment for the month of October... 

With a mantra like, "Don't Dwell Just Jell" and classes named: 
  • Goin' Big
  • Aloha Abs
  • Bliss Rider
  • Twisted Sister
  • Shoulder High
  • Sunset Session
Who wouldn't be inspired! I am joining my old friend - Vancouver's own Eoin Finn on a Power Yoga for Happiness - Surf Edition mission. As previously detailed in my April post... Timing is everything and I now have the time and am in the place to commit. Stay tuned for weekly updates - anyone want to bet whether I can do this or not? I'm 5 days in... P.

Saturday, October 4, 2008

Whoop! Whoop! I'm BACK...


Back in the land of color therapy, where emerald green mountains and turquoise waters make you sigh out loud...

Back where I don't need to wear rose colored glasses,  buy aromatherapy or layer up with moisturizer...

Back where my body and soul are not only fed but rejuvinated and nourished by the soft water, tropical fruits & vegetables, clean air and temperate climate of this humid but breezy island...

Back where you run barefoot in the soft sand for miles and throw yourself in the ocean for a full body salt water cleanse... instead of going to the gym...

Back where friends welcome you with open arms and acquaintances are happy to accept you into their fold...

Back where I call HOME.

This is the Kauai I choose to remember and the reality I am living into. This past weekend in the midst of looking for a place to once again settle, I...
  • Swayed side to side at a Fiji - Reggae - Concert (aka Jawaiian Music)
  • Hiked down to the Queen's Bath for a swim with the fish - see my last year pics in my Facebook Album - yes those ARE surfing turtles!
  • Strolled Hanalei Bay (as seen above) with an amazing cup of Kona Coffee in hand.
  • Found the Home of my Dreams - A Beautiful Kalihiwai Ridge hilltop 4 bedroom + cottage on 2 acres with valley and distant ocean views - perfect! One day...
  • And sipped mojitos at the BIN 941 of the North Shore - an island style open air lounge called - Baracuda.
What will happen next week? Stay tuned... P.

Friday, October 3, 2008

Thursday, October 2, 2008

Quote of the Month...

Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace and gratitude.

Denis Waitley

Monday, September 1, 2008

SEPTEMBER 1st!

Everyone appears to be back at it... Kids are back to school. Police are back at school zones. Parents are back to their life juggle - at the gym, at work, at Starbucks - lol! And I am no different... I am back to blogging!

That said, I am taking this month to catch up my posts from China. Stay tuned below... August will fill up with all my queries, discoveries and experiences before you know it :)

We'll meet up again in October when I will be back home in Kauai!

Thank-you, Merci, Grazie, Xie Xie and Mahalo. P.
.

Sunday, August 31, 2008

Saturday, August 30, 2008

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

The Great Wall of China People!!!

Did you know... The Great Wall stretches over approximately 6,400 km (4,000 miles) from Shanhaiguan in the east to Lop Nur in the west, along an arc that roughly delineates the southern edge of Inner Mongolia.


At its peak, the Ming Wall (as it was known due to being built in the Ming Dynasty) was guarded by more than one million men. It has been estimated that somewhere in the range of 2 to 3 million Chinese died as part of the centuries-long project of building the wall.


To see my photos of The WALL click on this link:
.

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

The Water Cube! SOoo... Cool!!!

Okay, as the World was watching Michael Phelps, I was looking at the coolest building inside and out! Check out my FaceBook Link
In school, competitive swimming was my only sport...
I loved the smell of the chlorine and the filtered humidity inside the Water Cube.
This was a GREAT day - and Canada won a Medal!!! P.

Monday, August 25, 2008

A UNESCO World Heritage Site is...


A site (such as a forestmountainlakedesertmonumentbuildingcomplex, or city) that is on the list maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 state parties[1] which are elected by the General Assembly of States Parties for a four-year term.[2]

The programme catalogues, names, and conserves sites of outstanding cultural or natural importance to the common heritage of humanity. Under certain conditions, listed sites can obtain funds from the World Heritage Fund. The programme was founded with the Convention Concerning the Protection of World Cultural and Natural Heritage,[3] which was adopted by the General Conference of UNESCO on November 161972. Since then, 185 states have ratified the convention.

As of 2008, 878 sites are listed: 678 cultural, 174 natural, and 26 mixed properties, in 145 states.[4][5] Italy is home to the greatest number of World Heritage Sites to date with 43 sites inscribed to the list. UNESCO references each World Heritage Site with an identification number; but new inscriptions often include previous sites now listed as part of larger descriptions. As a result, the identification numbers exceed 1200 even though there are fewer on the list.

Wikipedia

Link to the Official UNESCO Website: http://whc.unesco.org/


China - The Power Shift Part I

Friday, August 22, 2008

Tiananmen Square - A Canadian Perspective


Jan Wong, a Canadian of Chinese descent, went to China as a starry-eyed Maoist in 1972 at the height of the Cultural Revolution. A true believer -- and one of only two Westerners permitted to enroll at Beijing University -- her education included wielding a pneumatic drill at the Number One Machine Tool Factory. In the name of the Revolution, she renounced rock and roll, hauled pig manure in the paddy fields, and turned in a fellow student who sought her help in getting to the United States. She also met and married the only American draft dodger from the Vietnam War to seek asylum in China.

Red China Blues begins as Wong's startling -- and ironic -- memoir of her rocky six-year romance with Maoism that began to sour as she became aware of the harsh realities of Chinese communism and led to her eventual repatriation to the West. Returning to China in the late eighties as a journalist, she covered both the brutal Tiananmen Square crackdown and the tumultuous era of capitalist reforms under Deng Xiaoping. In a wry, absorbing, and often surreal narrative, she relates the horrors that led to her disillusionment with the "worker's paradise." And through the stories of the people -- an unhappy young woman who was sold into marriage, China's most famous dissident, a doctor who lengthens penises -- Wong creates an extraordinary portrait of the world's most populous nation. In setting out to show readers in the Western world what life is like in China, and why we should care, Wong reacquaints herself with the old friends -- and enemies -- of her radical past, and comes to terms with the legacies of her ancestral homeland.

Review Quotes

"With her unique perspective, Jan Wong has given us front row seats at Mao's theater of the absurd. It is hard not to laugh and cry...this book will become a classic, a must-read for anyone interested in China." -- Fox Butterfield, The New York Times

"This superb memoir is like no other account of life in China under both Mao and Deng...Her description of the events at Tiananmen Square, which occurred on her watch, is, like the rest of the book, unique, powerful and moving." -- Publishers Weekly

About this Author

Jan Wong was the Beijing correspondent for the Toronto Globe and Mail from 1988 to 1994. She is a graduate of McGill University and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, and is the recipient of the George Polk Award, and other honors for her reporting. Wong has written for The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, among many other publications in the United States and abroad. She lives in Toronto.

This article came from RandomHouse.ca a worthy read.

Sunday, August 17, 2008

National Stadium aka The Bird's Nest

This structure is amazing! 

Take a look at "How it was Built" 

I had the opportunity to see the Athletics Event:

For Photos of the interior click on my Facebook Link!
.

Friday, August 15, 2008

The Sacred Lotus Blossom...


Also known as a Water-Lily, is seen all over in Beijing... I find it's beauty breathtaking.

The Chinese revere the sacred lotus as a symbol of purity and elegance, maybe this is why it speaks to me... All things I adore can be described with those two words. P.

Thursday, August 7, 2008

Word of the Week: Hutong


People say that the real culture of Beijing is "the culture of hutong" and "the culture of courtyard". How true that is. Often, it is Beijing's winding hutongs that attract tourists from home and abroad rather than the high-rise buildings and large mansions.

Hutong is a typical lane or small street in Beijing that originated during the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368). "Hutong" is a Mongolian word, meaning "water well". During that time, water well is the settlement around which people lived. There are tens of thousands of hutongs surrounding the Forbidden City. In the past, Beijing was composed of countless courtyards. Hutongs were formed when people left a passageway between two courtyards to make entering them more convenient.

As the symbol of Beijing City, a hutong has its own layout and structure, which makes it a wonder in the world. When taking a bird's eye view of Beijing, you will find the combination of hutongs and courtyards just like an orderly chessboard with delicate gardens, fine rockeries, and ancient ruins. Hutongs have witnessed the development of Beijing. Where there is a hutong, there is a story.

Among the numerous hutongs in Beijing, Beixinqiao Hutong has the most turns. There are more than 20 in which you can easily get lost. The narrowest is Qian Shi Hutong (Money Market Hutong), measuring about 30 to 40 meters (32 to 44 yards), located in Zhubao Shi Street outside the Front Gate. The narrowest part is merely 40 centimeters (16 inches) wide, so when two people meet, they must turn sideways to pass each other. The longest one is Dong Jiaomin Hutong, with a total length of 6.5 kilometers (4 miles), lying between Chang'an Avenue and East Street and West Street of the Front Gate. The shortest one is Guantong Hutong measuring about 30 meters (33 yards).

TravelChinaGuide.com

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

FACE Beijing - Oh So International!


48 hours in town... My dear friend Miss Jessica took me to her favorite haunt.

We had an incredible Thai Dinner and afterwords sat in the garden underneath the spooky tree lanterns.

To see more photos - follow this link to my Facebook Album.

FACE: Shanghai, Pudong, Jakarta, Bangkok and...

Face Beijing - at 26 Dong Cao Yan, Gong Ti Nan Lu Chao Yan Qu
Tel. +(86-10) 6551-6788 call for reservations.

The Facebar... with it's Chinese Deco and International Cocktails is open late!

FACE - Three restaurants in one:

Hazara... Indian Quisine.

Lan Na Thai... Thai Quisine.

Jia...  Chinese Quisine. 

Reviews: 
http://www.luxury-insider.com/Regulars/Reviews_and_Commentary/Face_Beijing/

http://www.cityweekend.com.cn/beijing/listings/dining/indian/has/hazara-indian-restaurant-face-beijing/

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Beijing Welcomes You - No. 1 Song in China!

I get by with a little help from my friends...


How did I get to China? You ask.... 

Well let me tell you, as referenced in my "Someone Throw WATER on me" post of July 13th my dear friend Miss Jessica:

...was working for a Company called Jet Set Sports... and I contacted her after updating my resume and voila! Three hours later, I was being offered a contract and on my way to get a Chinese Visa. 

Now that I am in Beijing, I am making new friends: 


Miss Chen Ciu or Tracy which she has chosen for me to call her is my translator, my assistant, my right hand and my new best friend! She is a 19 year old sophomore studying to be an English Teacher. She is an only child and when not living on campus during the year, lives with her parents and a puppy named Lizzy.

I love this girl, she is absolutely endearing and I am so grateful for her guidance and support, especially when she grabs my hand when we cross the street ;P How could you not appreciate someone who says, 

"Anything you need - in your life, just call me."

Could you ever ask for anything more? I think not.  Ah... friends xo P.

To see more photos from this photo shoot at The Temple of Heaven...
 Log onto my Facebook Album: 
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=144370&l=82c6e&id=765345537
.

Sunday, August 3, 2008

Beijing - First Impressions...


Well, I gotta tell you... Air China has Air Canada beat on space, service, entertainment and even food! I was VERY impressed all round. You can't imagine the leg room - and that said, the Chinese people are not BIG people - in general. Which begs the question - why are we (Canadians AND Americans) being crammed into planes like sardines? Is the Flight Industry indirectly sending our growing... populations a message? 

Making the best of my middle seat, I bonded with my fellow passengers using my iPhone's Lonely Planet Mandarin Application... SO fun, we laughed and entertained each other with pronuciation games until it was time to watch movies. We had 11 hours to watch films and I must say, I was suprised that every other film was a Western one with Chinese subtitiles... How very accommodating. That said, I enjoyed the Chinese films even more - great storytelling! 

Ooo... Here's something I could not predict half way through the flight - a film intermission. 27 Dresses was paused and a new DVD was loaded for an Inflight Yoga Stretch Break... WOW this was better than the "sit & be fit" classes I witnessed on Cruise Ships years ago. So great! Fifteen minutes later, we were back watching our silly rom-com, bizarre but appreciated.

Once we landed in Beijing I entered the largest airport I have been in to date - and I've been in a few... To give you some perspective, it is six times larger than Heathrow's new Terminal no. 5.




According to the website: A Guide to Beijing:

Terminal 1 & 2 operating at capacity and Beijing's air traffic growing at 20% a year, the 2008 Olympics demanded an immediate solution. This resulted in the US $4.6 billion Terminal 3. 

The Feng Shui compliant Terminal 3 is the creation of Britian's Norman Foster. With Chinese red columns and a muted gold roof it evokes traditional Chinese colors in a modern design. Looking at the airport from above, the raised scales on its back and long body it looks like a flying dragon!

This structure opened March 2008, it took 3-1/2 years using 50,000 works, a half million tonnes of steel and two million tonnes of concrete. It extends for almost three kilometers. Ten thousand villagers had to be relocated from the area surrounding Terminal 3 to accommodate the newly generated traffic to the Capital of China... 

And we get upset that some people's livelihood was affected by the business closures on Cambie Street due to the underground tunnel being built for the airport subway route motivated by our upcoming Winter Olympics in 2010. Hmm... Ironically a Canadian built shuttle train runs up the centre of the dragon airport, connecting it's three main sections. 

I exit the terminal to encounter the same odor I found permiating the atmosphere in Paris a few years ago - a mix of 2nd hand smoke and exhaust... Everything inside seemed to be so new, fresh and squeeky clean but out here, waiting in a taxi line, I feel like I am being covered in soot.  Once in town (about a 20 min. drive) I arrive at the office of the company I have been hired to begin my contract career... I look out the window from the 26th floor and wonder if the haze that I see is summer fog due to the 95% percent humidity or the polution that I hear so much about - I assume a bit of both...

This is going to be interesting... stay tuned. xo P.