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Return of the Mac! (Journey to the East)

Archive: 34 posts


Did you guys miss me?

Go on, admit it - I bet you did

I just had the most amazing holiday of my Life - 2 weeks in China!

I did the lot - Tianenmen Square, The Forbidden City, The Terracotta Army, The Emperors Tomb, The Great Wall - even went out to the rural areas where no western tourist had tread in the last 20 years (apparently).

Every preconception I had about the place turned out to be a complete misconception - I would urge everyone to go visit China, it's an amazing place.

Pics to follow :colossus:
2011-04-19 15:03:00

Author:
Macnme
Posts: 1970


Ok, now rename the thread, "my voyage to China" and it will immediately become interesting 2011-04-19 16:00:00

Author:
OmegaSlayer
Posts: 5112


Mmmm, when you said China it immediately made me think of noodles. 2011-04-19 16:10:00

Author:
Unknown User


Mmmm, when you said China it immediately made me think of noodles.
When he said China I was like this
http://choptensils.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/big_trouble_china_xl_03-film-a.jpg
2011-04-19 16:30:00

Author:
OmegaSlayer
Posts: 5112


Wow China. That sounds like an incredible holiday.2011-04-19 17:09:00

Author:
craigmond
Posts: 2426


each region in China has it's own variation on the noodles theme - not what you would think of as noodles at all - but like a firm rice jelly cut into strips, quite thick strips aswell about 1 or 2 centimeters thick, and eaten cold with a sauce. Some regions only vary the sauce - others vary the noodles - or both. But it is absolutely nothing like the noodles you get out of a chinese take-away, that's for sure.

Kind of like this
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/97/Liangpi-sichuan.jpg

Oh - I thought they'd eat alot more rice than they actualy do :?:
2011-04-19 17:20:00

Author:
Macnme
Posts: 1970


What I thought when I saw the thread title:
1. A new Macintosh? Is this apple-related, pony related or both?
2. Ohhh, it's Macnme who made this thread... Did he get banned?

*opens thread*

3. Ahhhhh... Sounds nice
2011-04-19 17:44:00

Author:
moonwire
Posts: 1627


What I thought when I saw the thread title:
1. A new Macintosh? Is this apple-related, pony related or both?
2. Ohhh, it's Macnme who made this thread... Did he get banned?

*opens thread*

3. Ahhhhh... Sounds nice
My thoughts exactly, well... sans ponies. Can't wait to see the pics.
2011-04-19 23:33:00

Author:
SR20DETDOG
Posts: 2431


No, I did not miss you. (I'm just that mean )

But I am curious on what pictures you've taken.
2011-04-20 01:07:00

Author:
Outlaw-Jack
Posts: 5757


The Great Wall (Badaling):
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g140/gairns/China%202011/DSCF0202.jpg
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g140/gairns/China%202011/DSCF0196.jpg
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g140/gairns/China%202011/DSCF0193.jpg

View of Forbidden City From Tianenmen Square:
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g140/gairns/China%202011/DSCF0040.jpg

The Big Wild Goose Pagoda (Xi An):
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g140/gairns/China%202011/DSCF0365.jpg
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g140/gairns/China%202011/DSCF0367.jpg
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g140/gairns/China%202011/DSCF0371.jpg
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g140/gairns/China%202011/DSCF0051.jpg
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g140/gairns/China%202011/DSCF0070.jpg

The Drum Tower (Xi An):
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g140/gairns/China%202011/DSCF0395.jpg

View of Xi An from the City Wall:
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g140/gairns/China%202011/DSCF0410.jpg

The Terracotta Army:
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g140/gairns/China%202011/DSCF0385.jpg
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g140/gairns/China%202011/DSCF0391.jpg
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g140/gairns/China%202011/DSCF0074.jpg
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g140/gairns/China%202011/DSCF0081.jpg


The Emperors Tomb:
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g140/gairns/China%202011/DSCF0394.jpg

Rural China (Zhan Villiage in WeiNan):
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g140/gairns/China%202011/DSCF0422.jpg
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g140/gairns/China%202011/DSCF0419.jpg


The Forbidden City (Palace Museum - BeiJing):
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g140/gairns/China%202011/DSCF0438.jpg
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g140/gairns/China%202011/DSCF0446.jpg
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g140/gairns/China%202011/DSCF0105.jpg
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g140/gairns/China%202011/DSCF0138.jpg
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g140/gairns/China%202011/DSCF0137.jpg
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g140/gairns/China%202011/DSCF0136.jpg
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g140/gairns/China%202011/DSCF0116.jpg
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g140/gairns/China%202011/DSCF0114.jpg
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g140/gairns/China%202011/DSCF0132.jpg

BeiJing Zoo:
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g140/gairns/China%202011/DSCF0458.jpg
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g140/gairns/China%202011/DSCF0186.jpg
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g140/gairns/China%202011/DSCF0183.jpg
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g140/gairns/China%202011/DSCF0166.jpg
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g140/gairns/China%202011/DSCF0143.jpg
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g140/gairns/China%202011/DSCF0148.jpg
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g140/gairns/China%202011/DSCF0140.jpg



Birds Nest Olympic Stadium:
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g140/gairns/China%202011/DSCF0485.jpg


What a trip... and that's just a small selection of photos
2011-04-20 09:04:00

Author:
Macnme
Posts: 1970


http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g140/gairns/China%202011/DSCF0186.jpg
Did you really had to go to BeiJing to shot a pic of a bear?

I love these 2
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g140/gairns/China%202011/DSCF0183.jpg
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g140/gairns/China%202011/DSCF0166.jpg

Thanks for sharing your experience and the awesome pics.
That's really an interesting place.
I would really like to see more architectural stuff, since I had to graduate in Oriental Arts and Literature before my life went poo.
You choose some interesting angles and views that are not the classic book ones.
2011-04-20 09:29:00

Author:
OmegaSlayer
Posts: 5112


Everywhere you look in China there is so much detail in the smallest thing. I had to stop myself from taking too many photo's because everywhere I looked was some fantastic bit of architecture or some amazing piece of sculpture or art. Much of it more than 1000years old at least. They really have an amazing culture.

More from the Forbidden City
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g140/gairns/China%202011/DSCF0127.jpg
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g140/gairns/China%202011/DSCF0126.jpg
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g140/gairns/China%202011/DSCF0111.jpg
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g140/gairns/China%202011/DSCF0110.jpg
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g140/gairns/China%202011/DSCF0104.jpg
2011-04-20 09:40:00

Author:
Macnme
Posts: 1970


Well, in their culture patience is a virtue for real
And the work done with a certain state of mind is a way to communicate with your innerself.
A totally different spirituality that helps living better the life, and not frustrates you in life to live better "sometime after"
2011-04-20 10:38:00

Author:
OmegaSlayer
Posts: 5112


I like the perspective in this one. It's like the water turns into light beams. Or the other way around.
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g140/gairns/China%202011/DSCF0070.jpg
2011-04-20 10:40:00

Author:
Syroc
Posts: 3193


I like the perspective in this one. It's like the water turns into light beams. Or the other way around.
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g140/gairns/China%202011/DSCF0070.jpg
yeah, Mac pulled it out just at random, but nice one
2011-04-20 11:32:00

Author:
OmegaSlayer
Posts: 5112


I like the perspective in this one. It's like the water turns into light beams. Or the other way around.
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g140/gairns/China%202011/DSCF0070.jpg

Yeah, That was the Dancing Water Fountains at the foot of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda - which is where the "Monkey King/Journey to the West" stories originate from.

http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g140/gairns/China%202011/DSCF0073.jpg
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g140/gairns/China%202011/DSCF0071.jpg
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g140/gairns/China%202011/DSCF0067.jpg

They play classical music and change the lighting and the fountains "dance" in time with the music... it really is quite something.
2011-04-20 11:42:00

Author:
Macnme
Posts: 1970


did you see emperor sario ? 2011-04-20 11:47:00

Author:
nysudyrgh
Posts: 5482


They have the same thing in Las Vegas...I saw it on Ocean's somenumber
Chinese have become capitalist...Whaaale and Bremnen won't be happy
2011-04-20 11:47:00

Author:
OmegaSlayer
Posts: 5112


Nope, they are still very much communist.
It's pure western arrogance that we view they have only reached their level of prosperity because of western capitalism... .their view is that they only reached this current level of prosperity due to the cultural revolution of Mao Zedong, that paved the way for a more prosperous era.
China's policy was always to review their economic strategy every 5 years and adapt it... they haven't changed this strategy.

So many things I had been told about China turned out to be an outright lie - preconceptions were misconceptions.

Every 2nd or 3rd car was an Audi or Mercedies or BMW - and every 2nd or 3rd person had an ipad or smart phone.

Remember, it was China that bailed out the US economy by buying up large quantities of its debt.
2011-04-20 12:21:00

Author:
Macnme
Posts: 1970


Yup, but what you said applies well for the large cities.
I don't think that people in towns that the local government barely know they exist have iPhones and BMWs, or they wouldn't migrate in masses in our Countries.
Still what you say is right, their economy is really solid, while their export products are not
2011-04-20 13:00:00

Author:
OmegaSlayer
Posts: 5112


Yup, but what you said applies well for the large cities.
I don't think that people in towns that the local government barely know they exist have iPhones and BMWs, or they wouldn't migrate in masses in our Countries.
Still what you say is right, their economy is really solid, while their export products are not

Yup, People are People, no matter where you go.

Sure there is poverty in China - but I imagine it's no worse than the trailer parks in America - poor people have the same level of poverty the world over... when you've got nothing at all, it's hard to have even less.
There is a mass population movement within China from the Rural areas to the 3 main Cities - Beijing, Guang Zho and Shanghai. But that situation is the same the world over... and in a country of over 1billion people, it's obviously magnified.

For every "bad" element I saw while I was in China, I could easily think of a British comparison - and on reflection, the British one was worse.
Britian is a far more authoritarian and repressive society, in my opinion.
2011-04-20 13:05:00

Author:
Macnme
Posts: 1970


Britian is a far more authoritarian and repressive society, in my opinion.
Controversial!
2011-04-20 13:19:00

Author:
Syroc
Posts: 3193


Controversial!

Who me?!

Nah, you must have the wrong guy

The back streets of Beijing certainly felt alot safer than the back streets of Glasgow, that's for sure.
2011-04-20 13:39:00

Author:
Macnme
Posts: 1970


Yup, People are People, no matter where you go.

Sure there is poverty in China - but I imagine it's no worse than the trailer parks in America - poor people have the same level of poverty the world over... when you've got nothing at all, it's hard to have even less.
There is a mass population movement within China from the Rural areas to the 3 main Cities - Beijing, Guang Zho and Shanghai. But that situation is the same the world over... and in a country of over 1billion people, it's obviously magnified.

For every "bad" element I saw while I was in China, I could easily think of a British comparison - and on reflection, the British one was worse.
Britian is a far more authoritarian and repressive society, in my opinion.

Besides what Syroc says
I think that the grass of your neighboor is always greener.
Point is that we don't have a good society welfare, and even our ethics are going down the drain, while most of those New World Economies like India, China, Korea still manage to retain the minimum amount of ethics.
That's not communism or whatever, it's just good common sense.

And I can clearly tell you that here in Italy it's happening the opposite of what's happening in China.
AFTER the movement towards the big cities, now people is getting AWAY from the big cities.
I think that this is a normal cyclic kind of movement based only on the quality of life, expansion and shrinking around a city.
In the internet era, where you can have just everything mailed at your door, the benefits of living in a good city are decreasing quickly.
Living in cities now means:
Bigger costs for rents
More taxes
Higher costs for services
Higher cost of basic food (milk, vegetables, meat)
More pollution

Moving to big cities is typical of expanding economies.


The back streets of Beijing certainly felt alot safer than the back streets of Glasgow, that's for sure.
That's just the power of deterrence, the only thing that has always worked in the world.
2011-04-20 13:43:00

Author:
OmegaSlayer
Posts: 5112


Besides what Syroc says
I think that the grass of your neighboor is always greener.
Point is that we don't have a good society welfare, and even our ethics are going down the drain, while most of those New World Economies like India, China, Korea still manage to retain the minimum amount of ethics.
That's not communism or whatever, it's just good common sense.

Too true.. the grass is always greener.

But much of what we (britain at least) has been fed about China is way off the reality.
Though, in China they have the same misguided stereotype of what Britain is like, I was happy to correct them.

Though saying that, I only saw the smallest part of China... it'd be like going to just Glasgow and then London and then saying "Well, that's what Europe is like!" - when every region of Europe has it's own distinct flavour - the same is true of China. Every region of China is individually distinct from the rest of China, often with it's own regional dialect, aside from Mandarin or Cantonese.

China's actually starting the process of moving away from the big cities back to the rural areas aswell.
2011-04-20 13:53:00

Author:
Macnme
Posts: 1970


Consider that part of the "Imaginarium" of a Country is also based on what that Country wants to show us, and China could have revised something with the Olympics, but their government only wanted to show their attachment to their roots and their economic power.
So, their imagine is not only what the Western media wants people to think but even a bit of their faults.
I don't want people to have images of Italy...
2011-04-20 13:58:00

Author:
OmegaSlayer
Posts: 5112


I think it felt safer in China because of the amount of people - everywhere there are massive crowds of people.

I mean in the city where we stayed (Xi An), it's not even a particularly big city by Chinese standards, but had a population of more than 8 million people (compared to Scotlands ENTIRE population of 5 million). And they employ people for the most meanial tasks - like opening a door, or pushing an elevator button. So you see alot of police around, but they seem more interested in smoking a ciggarette or playing with their mobile phones than what is going on around them. But the fact that there are policemen, and you know there will always be one close by does alot for crime detterence.

Conversely, in Britian, you'd be lucky to find a policeman if something went wrong - and so there is no detterent for muggers and bugalars etc.
We have replaced the policeman on the street with the policeman in our heads - which is far more orwellian.


Also I was there with my new Chinese family - so I was only 'partly' tourist - I was being shown around by naturalised Chinese.
2011-04-20 14:04:00

Author:
Macnme
Posts: 1970


I think it felt safer in China because of the amount of people - everywhere there are massive crowds of people.

I mean in the city where we stayed (Xi An), it's not even a particularly big city by Chinese standards, but had a population of more than 8 million people. And they emply people for the most meanial tasks - like opening a door, or pushing an elevator button. So you see alot of police around, but they seem more interested in smoking a ciggarette or playing with their mobile phones than what is going on around them. But the fact that there are policemen, and you know there will always be one close by does alot for crime detterence.

Conversely, in Britian, you'd be lucky to find a policeman if something went wrong - and so there is no detterent for muggers and bugalars etc.
We have replaced the policeman on the street with the policeman in our heads - which is far more orwellian.


Also I was there with my new Chinese family - so I was only 'partly' tourist - I was being shown around by naturalised Chinese.

We Westerners have replaced the policemen in our heads with the policecams, that are far more voyeuristic
2011-04-20 14:07:00

Author:
OmegaSlayer
Posts: 5112


Great photos. Love the cat its so cute.2011-04-20 17:54:00

Author:
craigmond
Posts: 2426


They have the same thing in Las Vegas...I saw it on Ocean's somenumber
Chinese have become capitalist...Whaaale and Bremnen won't be happy


Nope, they are still very much communist.
It's pure western arrogance that we view they have only reached their level of prosperity because of western capitalism... .their view is that they only reached this current level of prosperity due to the cultural revolution of Mao Zedong, that paved the way for a more prosperous era.
China's policy was always to review their economic strategy every 5 years and adapt it... they haven't changed this strategy.

So many things I had been told about China turned out to be an outright lie - preconceptions were misconceptions.

Every 2nd or 3rd car was an Audi or Mercedies or BMW - and every 2nd or 3rd person had an ipad or smart phone.

Remember, it was China that bailed out the US economy by buying up large quantities of its debt.

No way at all has China ever been communist. Doesn't matter what you call yourself, it's your actions that show who you are. They have a dictatorship and repressive government, which is the opposite of communism.

And Macnme, the western world is more repressive than china because we are capitalist.
2011-04-20 21:03:00

Author:
Bremnen
Posts: 1800


That's a truly great collection of pictures, it must have been just wonderful! I feel like I really ought to take a trip to China now 2011-04-20 22:11:00

Author:
moonwire
Posts: 1627


Well now I have Return of the Mack stuck in my head 2011-04-20 22:56:00

Author:
Unknown User


Those pictures look absolutely gorgeous. 2011-04-21 01:14:00

Author:
Frinklebumper
Posts: 941


Well now I have Return of the Mack stuck in my head

I cannot apologise enough! :blush:
2011-04-21 11:13:00

Author:
Macnme
Posts: 1970


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