Just wanted to let you know that I am safe and sound. Today there was a terrorist attack in Kunming the capital of Yunnan Province. 2 people died and many more were injured. I was looking forward to heading to Yunnan in about a week, but will have to take another look at my plans after this latest round of violence.
For more information take a look at this article in the NY Times... http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/22/world/asia/22china.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=Kunming&st=cse&oref=slogin
Truth be told I was a little annoyed at Beijing and the Olympics this morning. About 95% of me is excited not just for the Games but for this opportunity for China. But after all the visa issues I had, and not being able to freely travel in Tibetian populated areas (Xiahe in Ganzu and Qinghai Province in general), let alone Tibet, it reached a tipping point this morning, when I was unable to enter grottos outside this little village called Tyouq. "For the safety of the Foreigners..." the letter from Beijing began. I was just so upset, even more so after stopping for breakfast at a small family guesthouse and restaurant in thos tiny village and realizing how much the closing of the caves was effecting this family. Not to mention the effects that the Olympic games have had on ticket prices, which were slowly increasing due to the popularity of travel in China by foreigners in the last several years. But with the Olympics the number of non-Olympic-goer travellers has decreased SIGNIFICANTLY due to tightening of visa regulations. As a result ticket prices for those foreigners that do reach far away places like Gansu and Xinjuang have gone through the roof as they scramble to bring in relatively similar amounts as previous years.
But then something like today happens and I am reminded how much is really at stake. How much is on the line. The real reasons that there are police officers standing on street corners in Beijing with machine guns (Yes, they were infront of my hotel). It is not that they are afraid of the bad image of China in the press if a foreigner would get hurt, nor the even more catostraphic foriegn policy snafu. But I think the Chinese government does take seriously the protection of not only its people, but those of us foreigners who are guests in their country. Needless to say, my thoughts are with the families of the two people who died today, as well as with their fellow country men and women. I really am privileged to be here.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
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