Musings from the Middle Kingdom

June 16, 2014

I am sitting in the ANA lounge in Chengdu waiting for my flight to Tokyo. It is day 11 of a 12 day around the world trip. I have spent eight days in China. It is 90+ humid degrees in the lounge and about 70 degrees outside on this June morning – just a small example of the many minor irritations one experiences when traveling in the Middle Kingdom. This trip took me to Beijing, Xining in Qinghai province, Lhasa in Tibet and Chengdu in Sichuan province before a 24 hour stopover in Tokyo to get my fix of Japanese food and pick-up some Japanese gum on the way home. I always buy gum in Japan. Some might say it is odd to travel 7,000 miles to buy your favorite gum but I don’t question your odd habits so please give me a pass on this one. This trip was interesting – a quick look at both positive and negative developments in China.

I was in Beijing on a clear day - the top is closer to normal

I was only in Beijing for a day but the weather and air quality was as good as it gets in the crowded capital city. The driver who picked me up was friendly and chatty. Despite my limited skill in Chinese, we talked most of the 45 minute ride to the hotel. After he dropped me off, the driver spoke with the person who arranged the pick-up and expressed surprise that I could speak (limited) Mandarin – a surprise to me too since I moved back to the US from Shanghai over three years ago. I was glad to have some practice since I was traveling the next day to the interior of the country where English skills are not as prevalent as in Beijing or Shanghai.

The primary reason for the trip was to speak at a green energy conference in Qinghai - a mineral rich but still underdeveloped western province with big ambitions. I got off the plane in the capital city of Xining and was met by a driver holding a sign with my name. Apparently he didn’t know it was my name and perhaps thought it was a company name. He told me in Mandarin that he was waiting for five more people; but continued to wave the sign. I told him it that was my name on the sign and not likely to help him connect with his other passengers who turned out to be five executives from a couple different companies in Beijing. Even after assembling his six passengers the driver showed no sign that he was ready to depart. The other passengers began to grumble as the airport emptied and we all stood there waiting to move to the hotel. Finally, I called the conference organizer and asked why we were waiting – a few seconds later she called the driver who was standing next to me and asked him why he had not departed with his “VIPs”. The driver looked at me - seeming to link the call I made in English with the call he got in Chinese as soon as I hung up. I was tired and frustrated and asked him what the holdup was - much to the mirth of my co-passengers who were surprised to hear Chinese (or at least a reasonable facsimile) coming out of my mouth. I have learned over the years that it is not a good thing to anger your driver who was clearly embarrassed to be verbally spanked by his foreign passenger so I sat in the front seat on the ride to the city and tried to make amends. Fortunately, it seemed I was at least partially successful in that endeavor. He smiled as I said goodbye (or maybe because I said goodbye) and, at last, I was at check-in.

The first time I visited Qinghai Province was twelve years ago. I still have a clear memory of that trip. I stayed at the “best available” hotel and walked down a very dimly lit hall to my shabby room that inspired me to sleep in my clothes. A lot can change in 12 years. A word to the intermittent traveler, any hotel called “best available” should be avoided if at all possible. My daughters still talk about a “best available” hotel we stayed at in the Tibetan countryside.

On this trip I checked into what I like to refer to as a “3.9 Star - 5 Star”. The hotel has aspirations of being a 5 star and is advertised as one but on a global scale is not quite a 4 star. Nevertheless I was delighted to see a big room that was clean and even had a large flat screen TV. After I solved the riddle of how to get off the hotel advertisements and into the channels, I only had to click through 36 different Chinese offerings before I found a channel with movies in English – good thing I enjoy watching movies from my 20s. When jet-lag called me at 4am, I turned on the TV and saw Molly Ringwald, Emilio Estevez and Judd Nelson. You just can’t see “The Breakfast Club” too many times.
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After the visit to my cinematic past,  I met friends for breakfast. Breakfast buffets in China always provide interesting fare. Spicy diced rabbit is not normally on my breakfast menu but since it seemed low carb, why not? I have to say the green tea bread was delicious. I have never shied away from “thousand year old eggs” but given the recent scandal on use of toxic chemicals to speed up the egg aging process, I opted for fried eggs instead. Twelve hours in Xining – so far so good. 

Sadly, due to the toxic chemical scandal, I passed on the 1,000 year old eggs this time

 

In total, I spent four days in Xining. The governor and his boss (the head of the communist party in the province) attended my presentation the first afternoon. I was quite surprised to have so many cameras from local media in my face as I got up to speak. I was sent internet links to clips of the TV coverage and emailed them to friends and family. Seemed odd that my “15 minutes of fame” would happen in China. I attended a dinner with the governor the first evening – a lot of toasting with the lighter fluid like substance known as “bai jiu” aka white alcohol. The alcohol percentage can run from mid 30s to low 60s. It tastes bad when you drink it and tastes worse the next morning when you wake up. Bai Jiu has a “lingering finish” on steroids.

The second day during a break in the conference I was handed an envelope. “This is your honorarium for speaking yesterday” I was told by the smiling conference staff member. I put the envelope in my briefcase. After lunch, I opened the envelope and saw many crisp $100 bills. They did not look like the $100 bills I was used to so my first thought was that maybe my industrious hosts had printed them locally. A brief visit to Google allayed my fear that the “Benjamins” were not the real deal. It just seemed odd that the first time I saw the new US currency was in a remote part of China.
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During the five years I lived in China, I met many Communist Party officials especially when I visited smaller cities. It seemed like all of the SOCs (State Owned Companies) I did business with had a party member involved in management. Normally the “party guy” didn’t know much about the business he was “managing” and was along for a free meal and a chance to work on “business development” (aka drink) with foreign companies. I was very impressed by the party officials I met in Qinghai this time. The province is attracting significant companies who are selling their products to companies like Apple. I was impressed.

I first saw the new "Benjamin" (top) in Qinghai - I was glad they weren't a local product

 On my final day in Qinghai, I was taken to an outdoor concert by the China National Symphony- flown in from Beijing at great expense. The venue was at 9,500 feet above sea level and it was cold and rainy. I was told it only rains four or five days a year in the desert but it rained each day I was there. The organizer looked out at the barren hillside and decided he needed to do something to brighten the gloomy day. A quick call on his cellphone and within 30 minutes, several hundred sheep, a large complement of cattle and local cowboys came over the hill to provide a more interesting backdrop for the festivities. Nobody throws a party like the Chinese.

My hosts provided an army coat to keep me warm at 9,500 feet

Part of my invitation was a side trip to Tibet. My last visit to Tibet was in 2006 - I took “Power Bars” and toilet paper with me expecting the worst. I didn’t need either one except in the previously mentioned countryside “best available” hotel. Lhasa was wonderful place to visit in 2006. Still very much Tibet. Although I was glad to return, I was saddened to see the so called “progress” foisted on Tibet by Beijing. There were Chinese flags flying atop each monastery. The Tibetans and their neighbors across the border in Xinjiang province are not happy with Beijing’s plans for their future. The central government has taken a heavy hand in both places – see the helpful young police/army that line the streets around the Dalai Lama’s former home in the picture below. Word is they are there to “help” the tourists……

The Government rules for visitors, I draw your attention to rule #4 - no "hullablooing" or "slapsticking" in the monastery

Despite the above, I enjoyed my 48 hours in Lhasa. I was surprised that so many monks in Potala were carrying smartphones and IPads. I was asked by one of them where I was from. I told him and then asked him for a World Cup update which after a few quick movements of his thumb he was happy to read me off the screen of his Samsung smartphone. Like anywhere in the world Tibetans will adapt to the modern age. I just wish China would allow them to keep their culture intact. If you want to see Tibet – you better go soon because it is disappearing fast and becoming China... and not by choice.

Just one of many "help" squads in Lhasa courtesy of the Central Government

D-Day

I found myself in Germany on the 70^th anniversary of D-Day. A long-time friend picked me up at Frankfurt Airport and told me we were making “a stop” on the way to his house. The stop was the home of an older couple that I met last October when my wife and I hosted them along with my friend for a few days when they were traveling in the eastern US. They wanted to have lunch with their recently minted American friend and “speak English”. We sat outside under a bright blue sky on a perfect, peaceful June Day. Both German and American flags were flying in the backyard. It was hard for me to imagine the adrenaline rush that my father was having 70 years earlier as he anticipated crossing the English Channel.

My Father - "Thanks Dad"

The topic of D-day came up and I gingerly took out my IPhone and went to my camera role where I had two pictures of my Dad in a screen shot I saved of pictures that my sister had posted on Facebook earlier in the day. As my hosts glanced at the image of a college age American in uniform from decades before, I began to ponder how odd the world I inhabit would have seemed to the young man in the picture. My father was part of the invasion force coming over on the second day and like most of “the greatest generation” never talked about it until late in life and then only when asked.

The final destination of my trip is China – Germany only a stopover to see a friend. D-Day was not in my mind when I booked the ticket. The timing of the trip was driven by an invitation to speak at a lithium battery forum in western China. The invitation was officially from the government of the province but was really the doing of an old friend who was tasked to invite some “foreign experts”. I definitely qualify as a foreigner and I think they were “rounding up” on the expert part. It would have been hard for either of my parents to imagine me being invited to China as a guest of the government.

The only other “major” anniversary of D-Day I remember was 40 years. What I recall was President Reagan’s speech. I was in the midst of graduate school on that June day. I had never been outside North America and the idea of ever living in Japan would have been “not impossible but not very likely”. Living in China would have been “impossible”. I was with my Dad but there was no discussion of his part in the D-Day invasion force. He wasn’t ready – even after 40 years.

The week before my current trip, American TV was rife with comments about the 70^th anniversary. Of course, as times passes, there are less and less D-Day participants around to interview about one of epic battles of all time. 

Yesterday, we didn’t dwell on the topic of D-Day over lunch but the brief discussion stayed in the back of my mind as we drove through the German countryside to my friend’s home. I am old enough to remember the cold war and Viet Nam. I turned 18 just as Saigon was falling so I was never faced with being in armed conflict. My nieces and nephews went to places like Iraq and Afghanistan. I was born in the era that fell in between wars. Maybe because of this, I often think about the sacrifices of the generations on either side of mine. 

I have spent more time in the past twenty years in Japan and China than in the US. Now I make my living largely because of my experiences and relationships in Asia. My Uncle was part of the battle of Iwo Jima – we didn’t learn the details until after his death a few years ago. In the early 1950s, my Uncle was an ex-pat in Japan working for Pepsi. After his death I was given pictures taken of him at parties in Ginza and other parts of Tokyo I am very familiar with. I have always regretted not having the chance to talk to my Uncle about the experiences he kept to himself.

The year I graduated from college I had dinner with my Uncle. He asked about my future which was very uncertain. That night he told me to consider living overseas. His advice was quickly forgotten but came back to me 20 years later when I was offered the chance to move to Japan. The opportunities I have today to travel the world are due to the sacrifices of those who were born before me and after me. I can only say "thank you".

Crossing the Line

One experience common to all international travelers takes place shortly after you exit the plane. In some cities like Singapore the walk through passport control and customs takes place so efficiently it goes almost unnoticed. In other places, like LA or Washington, the experience can be grueling and add two hours or more to your trip. Although each country has its own procedure for granting permission to enter, there is usually the common element of waiting behind a line before your passport and luggage is checked.

I like the sheep analogy

After more than two decades of international travel and adding hundreds of stamps to my passport(s), I feel reasonably well qualified to comment on the topic. Although the basic procedures haven’t changed that much over the years, improvements in technology and the rise of terrorism have certainly changed the experience.
 

In the mid-1990s, when I first started traveling to Hong Kong, the only unpleasant aspect of the trips was the period between getting off the Cathay Pacific 747 and getting into the waiting hotel car. The immigration hall at the old Kai Tak airport was hot and crowded. Getting to the front of the line was how I learned what it would have been like to play rugby. A small price to pay to visit Hong Kong.
 

Of course, landing at Kai Tak was always exciting given its close proximity hundreds of apartment building. You could literally see people inside their living rooms and kitchens on final approach. Kai Tak closed in 1998 – check out the old BBC video on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PCOcyt7BPI

Hong Kong now has a modern, if less exciting, airport with rapid immigration procedures.

 

Never a dull moment landing at Kai Tak

I visited Singapore on my first trip to Asia shortly after an American teenager named Michael Fay was sentenced to a good old fashion caning for theft and vandalism. The warning on the Singapore landing card that states in bold letters “DEATH FOR DRUG TRAFFICKERS UNDER SINGAPORE LAW” didn’t strike me as terribly welcoming. I was a little concerned getting on the plane. In fact I left my “Wrigley’s” in the Hong Kong airport because I didn’t know what the punishment was in Singapore for “gum” traffickers. My worries were wasted energy. I found Singapore to have the fastest and friendliest entry procedures I have ever encountered. Who else has a jar of fruit candies at each passport counter?  Singapore is a great place to spend a few gum-less days.  Despite the severe appearance of landing card warning, the city is friendly, modern and has great service.  Nobody does Christmas decorations better than the people of the ”Lion City”. 

Merry Christmas - Singapore style

 I have flown in and out of Japan more than any other country. When I was a resident of Japan, my resident (aka “gaijin”) card allowed me to enter the country via the Japanese line – always fast.  After my period as a “card carrying gaijin” ended; entering Japan was still relatively quick and effortless but required a little planning. There are certain passports (I will not name them) that draw more scrutiny from Japanese authorities than others. You never want to enter the foreigner immigration line with a 747 load of citizens from one of these unnamed countries in line ahead of you. I learned the hard way – I think I could have read “War and Peace” before I got to the window on the unhappy day I learned that lesson. In any case, Japan gets a five star ranking for passport control and customs clearance.

A lesson on "giving the finger(s)" at Narita Airport

 

My impression of Australians is that they are a generally friendly, low key bunch. After more than a dozen visits, I still believe that with one exception. The customs people in Australia seem to me to put the “A” in the country name – “A” for anal that is. I understand their “island nation” argument as to why they worry so much about what is brought into "Oz" that could cause issues with their ecosystem. On the other hand, Japan is an island nation and they don’t do the over the top searches and inquisitions. My dopp kit has been searched several times "down under". Like most global travelers, I carry pills for diarrhea, colds, etc. Sometimes the labels on the packages get worn. Even when  it is obvious what the item is, if the label isn’t perfect; say goodbye. Aussie Border Security also seems to think “heroin” is spelled “Sudafed”.  Ok – I know what some of you are thinking - Japan probably has as more regulations than Australia. The Japanese are just much more pleasant about how they handle their procedures. Even when I have had an OTC med in my bag and been inspected in Japan, there has never been an issue. I actually had friends have their unopened box of tea bags seized at customs in Australia. #lightenupmate

Maybe Australia Border security should focus on their job instead of their reality TV show

I have a theory that Australia and Germany have an exchange program for customs people. I always expected Germany to be efficient and tough with respect to entry procedures but after more than 50 trips through Frankfurt, I have never had an unpleasant experience (except for a two mile walk between gates on occasion when transiting) and gotten a lot more friendly service in Deutschland than I have in Oz. I still love Australia except for entering and exiting.

One of my favorite procedures for getting inspected was the old “button game” in Argentina. They no longer do this but when I first started going to Buenos Aires,  as you exited customs, you pushed a button – if the light turned green, you could go. If the light turned red, you were inspected. I got a few reds over the years but it never took long to complete the inspection. Unfortunately, the button went the way of $1 Malbec.  
 

Finally, I am glad I am American because with the Global Entry program entering the US is a breeze. I put my right hand on the fingerprint scanner, smile for the camera and head out. I have never had to wait for a Global entry kiosk.  The application fee is the best $100 I ever spent. Unfortunately for non-citizens and Americans without a Global Entry card, entering the US can be a huge hassle. Many of the US gateway airports are simply 3^rd world operations. LAX is a national embarrassment where it can take over 2 hours to get through customs on a regular basis. Washington Dulles operates like a government project run amok. We owe visitors an apology for the sorry state of many of our airports but there is no excuse for the slipshod way we handle the entry procedures for visitors. The US still seems to use "security" concerns after 9/11 to run an inefficient, overstaffed with under-qualified people operation. Anybody who travels overseas frequently learns that there are better ways to run immigration and security than the US does.

Wall Street Journal depiction of summer at US entry checkpoints

 Just as the service on US airlines has fallen behind competitors from Asia and maybe a couple in Europe and the Middle East, except for Global Entry and TSA Pre, the US government has failed to use technology effectively at our airports. I look forward to the day when I don’t have to apologize to my overseas friends for the hassle it is to “cross the line” in most American airports.