Traveling with Jack and Theresa

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Introduction

To Group Or Not To Group

Hong Kong

Hong Kong to Canton

Canton

Guilin

Mr and Ms First Nighter

Surprise

Fini

 

Chinese Tour Psychology

Ms and Mr. First-Nighter

The restaurant is somewhere down a narrow street, lit in front by a couple of 30-watt bulbs. To describe the group’s initial reaction as depressed, would be an understatement. The young American lawyer said he thought that he would just wait on the bus, and ten-year-old daughter of the French couple began to cry. It did look miserable, but wanting more than anything else not to be ugly foreign tourists, everyone entered the eating place, including the young lawyer and French girl, their respective mothers having reassured them that they didn’t have to eat anything which they didn’t want.

Looks were not deceiving. There is no question that the place wouldn’t have been allowed to operate anywhere else, except perhaps Athens or Delhi. No one in the group had ever eaten in such a dump, at least by choice. But the old Chinese psychology was working again, and to observe the reactions of the group you would have thought we were dining at the Ritz. There were real plates, several recognizable and some unknown side dishes, live servers, wet wine, flat beer, and large servings of medium-splintered bone. Everyone ate that night. It became funny, and eventually even the Chinese servers began to laugh. The cook even came out to look, and he laughed. There was no way to know if everyone was laughing at the same thing, but for then it didn’t matter. We left the eating place pleased to have been so completely exploited again. Happy as a bucket of Chinese clams, we were!

Good Show!

After a 15-minute ride on the Yamaha, we are herded into a large theater to view a traveling musical troupe. Even during this short period of time, our enthusiasm decreased to nearly zero. Rebellion was imminent. The meal had been fun, but leave well enough alone. However, the only alternative was a walk back to the Hidden Hill (strongly discouraged by our guide) and anyway, how do you get to there from here? So, we all joined the 2000 Chinese in the theater. Two hours later we emerged, all agreeing that we had been marvelously entertained by a traveling troupe from Northern China which provided a potpourri of traditional Chinese drama and music complete with overhead transparencies and audio recordings in English, explaining the symbolism of the various pieces and staging. Score one for the Chinese!

The next to the last day involves a morning guided (very closely) tour through some wet caves. There were many folk stories and stalagmite shadows representing the four seasons, three-humped camels, and ancient fire dragons. This is followed by a visit to a tea room high atop a three-story building in a park next to the river. It is a nice view and there is a choice between tea and a warm, banana flavored, Kool-Aid type of drink.

Jack In The Salt Mines

We pass one hour in the tea room, and then another. There is not a clue regarding what is next in store. Nothing, as it develops. After two hours, it is clear that the “tea in the tower excursion” is a ruse. An out and out stall! An American antique dealer from San Francisco in our group makes up a lottery, and everyone buys chances on the length of the incarceration.

By this time we were well sophisticated in Chinese Tour Psychology. We suspected that something good was coming; but what was it and when? Not then. We eventually were taken back to the airport for the return flight to Canton. We all knew that it would be pleasant. Wrong! One more CAAC wait to go

 



© 2014 Theresa Ripley