China’s most impressive and meticulous management of the Beijing Olympics was truly a “coming out party” and a proper metaphor for a more ascendant, confident China and its place as an economic/cultural power in the 21st century.
What most impressed Bev, Zen and I during our Summer 2008 China trip was not just the country’s amazing economic advancement, but the day-to-day ordinary Chinese we encountered. Nearly everyone we talked to expressed genuine pride and joy in China’s hosting of the Olympics and a perceived long overdue respect from other nations worldwide. China’s humiliation at the hands of the West and later Japan in the 19th and early 20th centuries colors much of China’s worldview and is a fundamental part of the national psyche.
Although most Chinese wish to embrace globalization, western business practices and economic development, many worry of the pernicious effects of Western influences on their traditional culture.
8.25.2008
The Beijing Olympics, in Closing
I had the pleasure of being interviewed last week by Associated Press reporter Henry Sanderson. We talked about how the Olympics were being used by China to showcase a "new modern image." I thought to include Mr. Sanderson's thorough AP piece - it ran in hundreds of newspapers across the country. My quote is at the bottom.
Olympics as PR: Here's the new, modern China
By HENRY SANDERSON – August 23, 2008
BEIJING (AP) — If proof were needed that the Olympic Games are meant to give China an image makeover, look no further than the 10-yuan note: Chairman Mao is out, the Bird's Nest is in. There are only enough of the bills that replace the late Communist Party leader's likeness with the iconic stadium to make them a collector's item — for most of the billions of dollars in transactions here, Mao Zedong is still the man.
Like the currency, the modern image that China is showcasing to the world during its turn in the white-hot Olympic spotlight may be nice to look at, but the Communist Party remains firmly in control. The multi-layered Chinese public relations blitz has helped lure tourists leery of a country often portrayed as polluted and repressive, and has given a boost to Chinese who have rallied behind the games, experts on China and public relations said. At the same time, the nation's leadership has barely budged from its policies.
It largely ignored criticism of its human rights record and continued its repression of free speech. Its harsh rule in Tibet has been downplayed, political dissidents locked up, beggars pushed out of Beijing and journalists covering protests roughed-up. It did not grant a protest permit.
"I think (the) China government has done a very good job of presenting a positive image overseas, but in doing so it didn't change much of its behavior to do that," said Russell Leigh Moses, an analyst of Chinese politics based in Beijing.
While the Communist Party leaders will have received a warm boost from their people for staging successful games, the real test will come afterwards when they have to deal with the myriad problems China faces, Moses said.
For many Chinese, the Olympics have been presented as a comeback from a century or more of weakness and humiliation, the culmination of a "100-year dream." The Communist Party has gained from being able to achieve it.
China has also tried to present a non-threatening image to the world that helps dispel fears of the country's rise on the world stage, allowing it to restore what it sees as its rightful place in the international community. Beijing became obsessed by image in the lead up to the games and anything unsightly was deemed offensive. Neighborhood food stalls were covered up by roadside barriers showing pictures of ancient Chinese-style curved rooftops or Olympics motifs. Factories were shut down and millions of cars taken off the roads to clear Beijing's notoriously pollution-clogged skies.
"This was part of the grand plan to show a new China, and I think it's delivered in many regards," said Scott Kronick, president of Ogilvy Public Relations in China. Chinese authorities are getting more polished and confident in delivering their message globally, he said.
The games' lavish opening ceremony, vetted by party leaders, barely touched on communism and the tumultuous decades after the Communist Party came to power in 1949. The ceremony focused on China's ancient culture — Confucius was quoted, Mao was not.
"China is trying to present itself as nonthreatening and in a lot of ways nonsocialist," said Michael Dutton, an academic at Australia's Griffith University's Asia Institute who studies political cultures. "They've gone all out to try and present a country that's ancient yet super-modern."
China's political leaders have also changed their style. Dark-suited and often appearing stiff in public, President Hu Jintao smiled his way through the opening ceremony and was seen at a ping pong event clapping alongside his wife and International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge.
Beijing also has another audience to please — the millions of Chinese who have benefited from the economic boom through growing personal wealth and greater access to the outside world via television and the Internet. It serves the government for China's people to forget about the excesses of Mao's Cultural Revolution in the 1960s and the 1989 crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators in Tiananmen Square. Better the government be thought of as the stewards of three decades of economic growth that have raised millions into a burgeoning middle class.
Tiananmen Square has been spruced up to include a large flower decoration and a 55-foot-tall Beijing 2008 Olympic symbol.
While a few short protests by foreigners were held there early in the games — and were quickly ended by a heavy police presence — a more common sight has been dancing and other activities on a government-sanctioned cultural program. For foreigners too, the government "wants people to shift their responses beyond the man standing in front of the tank," said Anne-Marie Brady, a political scientist at New Zealand's University of Canterbury.
Randy Lynch, the president of Kipling & Clark, a Chicago-based agency that organizes high-end travel to China, has said bookings for next year has jumped 40 percent since the games began — many of them by people who before the Olympics never would have considered traveling to China.
"The one thing the Olympics has shown Americans is that China has a very well-developed and successful infrastructure, and it's easy to get around," he said. "It's almost like they've thrown the Communist Manifesto out of the window."
Olympics as PR: Here's the new, modern China
By HENRY SANDERSON – August 23, 2008
BEIJING (AP) — If proof were needed that the Olympic Games are meant to give China an image makeover, look no further than the 10-yuan note: Chairman Mao is out, the Bird's Nest is in. There are only enough of the bills that replace the late Communist Party leader's likeness with the iconic stadium to make them a collector's item — for most of the billions of dollars in transactions here, Mao Zedong is still the man.
Like the currency, the modern image that China is showcasing to the world during its turn in the white-hot Olympic spotlight may be nice to look at, but the Communist Party remains firmly in control. The multi-layered Chinese public relations blitz has helped lure tourists leery of a country often portrayed as polluted and repressive, and has given a boost to Chinese who have rallied behind the games, experts on China and public relations said. At the same time, the nation's leadership has barely budged from its policies.
It largely ignored criticism of its human rights record and continued its repression of free speech. Its harsh rule in Tibet has been downplayed, political dissidents locked up, beggars pushed out of Beijing and journalists covering protests roughed-up. It did not grant a protest permit.
"I think (the) China government has done a very good job of presenting a positive image overseas, but in doing so it didn't change much of its behavior to do that," said Russell Leigh Moses, an analyst of Chinese politics based in Beijing.
While the Communist Party leaders will have received a warm boost from their people for staging successful games, the real test will come afterwards when they have to deal with the myriad problems China faces, Moses said.
For many Chinese, the Olympics have been presented as a comeback from a century or more of weakness and humiliation, the culmination of a "100-year dream." The Communist Party has gained from being able to achieve it.
China has also tried to present a non-threatening image to the world that helps dispel fears of the country's rise on the world stage, allowing it to restore what it sees as its rightful place in the international community. Beijing became obsessed by image in the lead up to the games and anything unsightly was deemed offensive. Neighborhood food stalls were covered up by roadside barriers showing pictures of ancient Chinese-style curved rooftops or Olympics motifs. Factories were shut down and millions of cars taken off the roads to clear Beijing's notoriously pollution-clogged skies.
"This was part of the grand plan to show a new China, and I think it's delivered in many regards," said Scott Kronick, president of Ogilvy Public Relations in China. Chinese authorities are getting more polished and confident in delivering their message globally, he said.
The games' lavish opening ceremony, vetted by party leaders, barely touched on communism and the tumultuous decades after the Communist Party came to power in 1949. The ceremony focused on China's ancient culture — Confucius was quoted, Mao was not.
"China is trying to present itself as nonthreatening and in a lot of ways nonsocialist," said Michael Dutton, an academic at Australia's Griffith University's Asia Institute who studies political cultures. "They've gone all out to try and present a country that's ancient yet super-modern."
China's political leaders have also changed their style. Dark-suited and often appearing stiff in public, President Hu Jintao smiled his way through the opening ceremony and was seen at a ping pong event clapping alongside his wife and International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge.
Beijing also has another audience to please — the millions of Chinese who have benefited from the economic boom through growing personal wealth and greater access to the outside world via television and the Internet. It serves the government for China's people to forget about the excesses of Mao's Cultural Revolution in the 1960s and the 1989 crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators in Tiananmen Square. Better the government be thought of as the stewards of three decades of economic growth that have raised millions into a burgeoning middle class.
Tiananmen Square has been spruced up to include a large flower decoration and a 55-foot-tall Beijing 2008 Olympic symbol.
While a few short protests by foreigners were held there early in the games — and were quickly ended by a heavy police presence — a more common sight has been dancing and other activities on a government-sanctioned cultural program. For foreigners too, the government "wants people to shift their responses beyond the man standing in front of the tank," said Anne-Marie Brady, a political scientist at New Zealand's University of Canterbury.
Randy Lynch, the president of Kipling & Clark, a Chicago-based agency that organizes high-end travel to China, has said bookings for next year has jumped 40 percent since the games began — many of them by people who before the Olympics never would have considered traveling to China.
"The one thing the Olympics has shown Americans is that China has a very well-developed and successful infrastructure, and it's easy to get around," he said. "It's almost like they've thrown the Communist Manifesto out of the window."
8.20.2008
Olympics Got You Interested in Visiting China??
If the Olympics have you interested in visiting China - then be sure to check out our post-Olympics luxury private tours of China. Click here for a sample itinerary.
A post-Olympics tour of China is a journey you and your family will love - it's a trip-of-a-lifetime! The Lynch family recently returned from an 18-day luxury tour and our journey is chronicled in three parts on this blog.
Click on these links to read about it:
Part I:
http://kiplingandclark.blogspot.com/2008/07/our-family-luxury-tour-of-china-what.html
A post-Olympics tour of China is a journey you and your family will love - it's a trip-of-a-lifetime! The Lynch family recently returned from an 18-day luxury tour and our journey is chronicled in three parts on this blog.
Click on these links to read about it:
Part I:
http://kiplingandclark.blogspot.com/2008/07/our-family-luxury-tour-of-china-what.html
Part II:
http://kiplingandclark.blogspot.com/2008/08/our-family-luxury-tour-of-china-part-ii.html
Part III:
http://kiplingandclark.blogspot.com/2008/08/our-family-luxury-tour-of-china-part.html
Here's our press release about our post-Olympic tours in China:
Kipling & Clark, the Leading Luxury Travel Planner to Asia, Introduces Post-Olympics Private, Custom, Luxury Tours of China
CHICAGO, IL—August 21, 2008—If the Olympic Games in Beijing have you interested in visiting China, Kipling & Clark – the expert in private, custom, luxury travel to Greater China, Japan and all of Southeast Asia – has introduced post-Olympic private, luxury tours of the many popular areas of China. From the historical and cultural attractions in Beijing to the unique landscape and lush, green rice fields along the Li River in Guilin, from the striking skyline of Hong Kong to the palpable energy and drive of Shanghai, Kipling & Clark takes you on a personalized luxury tour of the most popular areas of China, and those areas off the beaten path, for a trip of a lifetime.
“The intense, pervasive coverage of the Beijing Olympics has opened China’s unique, diverse culture to millions of people worldwide,” said Randy Lynch, founder and president of Kipling & Clark. “My family and I recently returned in June from an 18-day luxury tour of China that included Beijing, Shanghai, Guilin, Zhongdian, Chengdu (where we had a private audience with a baby panda at the Panda Research Center!!), and Hong Kong, and we were overwhelmed with the beauty, art, history, warmth and genuine kindness of the Chinese people. The introduction of the first luxury cruiser plying the Yangzi, The Yangzi Explorer, adds another jewel to a China private tour itinerary. A post-Olympics private, luxury tour of China is a journey you and your family will cherish forever.”
8.12.2008
Aspirational China
Similar to most Americans in times past, I feel the Chinese fully embrace the concept of the “American Dream.” That is, many of our Chinese friends fully expect their lives will be much better than that of their parents – more economic opportunity, higher quality living standards, and more freedom of movement. You feel their sense of excitement and urgency with their quest for upward mobility. Communist party dogma seems irrelevant in the everyday life of most Chinese.
A recent Wall Street Journal article referred to such upwardly mobile Chinese as the “aspirational China.” I fully believe the current Beijing Olympics is a fitting metaphor for “aspirational China” and its compelling future.
Although my family and I have made many trips to China, our recent, long, June 2008 trip seemed to amplify to us China’s continuous change and its unprecedented, spectacular economic growth and development. This last trip brought us to eight different airports throughout the country, from the very small, remote Shangri-La/Zhongdian Airport in Yunnan province to the recently opened Beijing Capital Airport Terminal 3 – the largest in the world. Regardless of the areas we visited, from the far-flung regions of Yunnan and Sichuan provinces to the urban clusters of Beijing and Shanghai, the overall infrastructure/transport facilities we used were practically all newly-built, integrating 21st century technology, and most efficient. China’s transport system has been comprehensively transformed/modernized. In stark contrast, upon return to Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, I was reminded of the antiquated, aged infrastructure that most Americans must deal with on a daily basis.
Any frequent visitor to China will come home with the sober realization that we, as a nation, have much work to do to get ourselves more competitive in this newly globalized, interdependent world.
A recent Wall Street Journal article referred to such upwardly mobile Chinese as the “aspirational China.” I fully believe the current Beijing Olympics is a fitting metaphor for “aspirational China” and its compelling future.
Although my family and I have made many trips to China, our recent, long, June 2008 trip seemed to amplify to us China’s continuous change and its unprecedented, spectacular economic growth and development. This last trip brought us to eight different airports throughout the country, from the very small, remote Shangri-La/Zhongdian Airport in Yunnan province to the recently opened Beijing Capital Airport Terminal 3 – the largest in the world. Regardless of the areas we visited, from the far-flung regions of Yunnan and Sichuan provinces to the urban clusters of Beijing and Shanghai, the overall infrastructure/transport facilities we used were practically all newly-built, integrating 21st century technology, and most efficient. China’s transport system has been comprehensively transformed/modernized. In stark contrast, upon return to Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, I was reminded of the antiquated, aged infrastructure that most Americans must deal with on a daily basis.
Any frequent visitor to China will come home with the sober realization that we, as a nation, have much work to do to get ourselves more competitive in this newly globalized, interdependent world.
New Ticketing Policy from United Airlines
Some news we thought to pass onto you - United Airlines has recently enacted a new ticketing policy.
All Economy tickets must be purchased within 24 hours or they will be auto-cancelled.
There are some exceptions:
· Unrestricted/full fare economy fares such as "B and Y" class and Business/First Class must be issued within 72 hours before departure.
· If the reservation is made less than 72 hours before departure, ticket must be issued within 24 hours of booking.
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about this new policy. rlynch@kiplingandclark.com
All Economy tickets must be purchased within 24 hours or they will be auto-cancelled.
There are some exceptions:
· Unrestricted/full fare economy fares such as "B and Y" class and Business/First Class must be issued within 72 hours before departure.
· If the reservation is made less than 72 hours before departure, ticket must be issued within 24 hours of booking.
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about this new policy. rlynch@kiplingandclark.com
8.07.2008
Interesting Facts about Beijing
With the Olympic Opening Ceremonies tomorrow, I thought to share some interesting facts about Beijing. Here's a short profile:
"Beijing"
The name means "Northern Capital." (Nanjing is the "Southern Capital.")
City Names
King Wu first declared what is now Beijing the capital of China in 1057 B.C. The city has gone by the names of Ji, Zhongdu, Dadu, and finally Beijing when Ming Dynasty Emperor Cheng Zu selected the name in 1421. Before 1949, Beijing was known in the West as Peking.
Location
Beijing is situated in the northeastern part of the North China Plain, west of the Yellow Sea and southeast of Mongolia. About 143 feet above sea level, the alluvial plain between the Yongding and the Chaobai rivers forms Beijing. The city occupies 6,500 square miles. It is surrounded by the Yanshan Mountains on the west, north and east while the Yongding River plain lies to its southeast. Beijing faces the Bohai Sea, also called Beijing Bay.
Founded
Modern Beijing began to take shape during the Shang Dynasty (1766-1100 B.C.), first as a frontier trading town for the Mongols, Koreans and tribes from Shandong and Central China. This year, Beijing celebrates its 3,053rd anniversary. Beijing includes 18 districts and counties.
Borders
China shares borders with Russia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam.
Population
15.244 million, it is China's second-largest city after Shanghai (20.2 million). It was ruled by numerous "dynasties" until 1949, when the People's Republic of China was established.
Climate
Beijing's climate is classified as "continental monsoon," featuring cold, dry winters and summers that are hot, owing to humid monsoon winds from the southeast that bring Beijing most of its annual precipitation. January is the coldest month and July the warmest.
Monetary unit
Yuan (about 8.27 per U.S. dollar).
Government
Communist state.
Major Industries
Mining and ore processing, machine building, armaments, textiles, apparel, petroleum, cement, chemicals, consumer products, food processing, transportation equipment, telecommunications equipment, commercial space launch vehicles and satellites.
Beijing is famous for: Beijing roast duck, Carpets, Cloisonné, Forbidden City, Glassware, Great Wall, Ivory sculptures, Ming Tombs, Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven and Tiananmen Square. Its top sports include: Soccer, Table tennis, Basketball, Soccer (football), Gymnastics, Badminton and Swimming.
"Beijing"
The name means "Northern Capital." (Nanjing is the "Southern Capital.")
City Names
King Wu first declared what is now Beijing the capital of China in 1057 B.C. The city has gone by the names of Ji, Zhongdu, Dadu, and finally Beijing when Ming Dynasty Emperor Cheng Zu selected the name in 1421. Before 1949, Beijing was known in the West as Peking.
Location
Beijing is situated in the northeastern part of the North China Plain, west of the Yellow Sea and southeast of Mongolia. About 143 feet above sea level, the alluvial plain between the Yongding and the Chaobai rivers forms Beijing. The city occupies 6,500 square miles. It is surrounded by the Yanshan Mountains on the west, north and east while the Yongding River plain lies to its southeast. Beijing faces the Bohai Sea, also called Beijing Bay.
Founded
Modern Beijing began to take shape during the Shang Dynasty (1766-1100 B.C.), first as a frontier trading town for the Mongols, Koreans and tribes from Shandong and Central China. This year, Beijing celebrates its 3,053rd anniversary. Beijing includes 18 districts and counties.
Borders
China shares borders with Russia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam.
Population
15.244 million, it is China's second-largest city after Shanghai (20.2 million). It was ruled by numerous "dynasties" until 1949, when the People's Republic of China was established.
Climate
Beijing's climate is classified as "continental monsoon," featuring cold, dry winters and summers that are hot, owing to humid monsoon winds from the southeast that bring Beijing most of its annual precipitation. January is the coldest month and July the warmest.
Monetary unit
Yuan (about 8.27 per U.S. dollar).
Government
Communist state.
Major Industries
Mining and ore processing, machine building, armaments, textiles, apparel, petroleum, cement, chemicals, consumer products, food processing, transportation equipment, telecommunications equipment, commercial space launch vehicles and satellites.
Beijing is famous for: Beijing roast duck, Carpets, Cloisonné, Forbidden City, Glassware, Great Wall, Ivory sculptures, Ming Tombs, Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven and Tiananmen Square. Its top sports include: Soccer, Table tennis, Basketball, Soccer (football), Gymnastics, Badminton and Swimming.
8.03.2008
Our Family Luxury Tour of China - Part III
I hope you've enjoyed Parts I and II of our amazing 18-day luxury tour of China. Here is Part III, Shanghai:We feel Shanghai to be a perfect metaphor for China's future - young, dynamic, optimistic and supremely confident. No evidence of Communist dogma here - you get the feeling that they have thrown the Communist Manifesto out the window! The energy and drive of this exciting city is almost palpable. As Zen remarked, Shanghai is a great place to "chill, hang out and play."
We cannot say enough of our Shanghai-based guide Faye - engaging, educated, and most interesting. Faye really personifies China's articulate and forward-looking youth.
As shopping and people-watching are wonderful activities here, Faye brought us back to two of our preferred areas, Xintiandi (meaning "New-Heaven-Earth") and Taikang-lu St. Xintiandi is the Ben Wood-designed high-end restaurant/shopping/entertainment complex built on restored preserved two-three story traditional Shikumen buildings - this place is ground zero for superlative people-watching in Shanghai! Another bonus, you will find the home of the Communist Party here! Among our favorite restaurants here are T8 and, of course, "ZEN." Taikang-lu, also known as Shanghai's "Creative Art Park," is a group of backstreets filled with clothing boutiques, jewelry shops, and art galleries. Built into old row house apartments with charming street signs, Taikang-lu attracts a hip, affluent crowd.
Xintiandi Area
As we have been frequent visitors to Shanghai, we did not include our past stopover to the fabulous Shanghai Museum and many of the other sites: The Urban Planning Museum, Yuyuan Garden, and the Old City section. We also missed the day trip to Hangzhou this time around, although we always enjoy visiting there (particularly for the Dragon Well tea!).
When visiting Shanghai, Bev's first stop is always the M50 art gallery area in Suzhou Creek. Since exploding on the international art scene a few years past, Chinese contemporary art has been the fastest growing art market in the world. We returned to M50's Art Scene gallery so Bev could purchase two more Chen-Xing Mao paintings - there goes the budget! While Bev perused the galleries, Zen, Sofia and I discovered a very unique, custom shop - Zedong Fashion Co. Ltd (Hipanda.org) - This is a wonderful place for avant-garde, hip panda t-shirts for friends and family!!
Surprise Hyatt on the Bund
(the image at the top of this entry is the Pudong view from the Hyatt on the Bund)
As many of our friends/clients know, we always prefer the smaller boutique luxury hotels vs. the larger deluxe properties. Based on this preconceived notion, our expectations of our stay at the Hyatt on the Bund were not so high. Our principal reason for staying here was that the Hyatt is the first 5 star luxury hotel to be located directly on the riverfront Bund - a wonderful location. Although large in size (600 rooms), the level of personal, high-touch service at the Hyatt on the Bund was simply outstanding! - Smiles everywhere, and a pervasive sense of kindness and warmth that is difficult to imagine in any place other than a small luxury hotel. We had spectacular Pudong/Huangpu River views from our sleek, modern-designed rooms. Room service is usually a good barometer of a hotel's overall quality and attention to detail. Similar to the Mandarin/Peninsula/Four Seasons, room service delivery was prompt and the food was amazing. Of course, I loved the 24hr Business Center - Bev took special note of the center's comfortable, hip Mario Bellini chairs!
JIA
To get a more urban feel of Shanghai, we spent one night at the relatively new luxury boutique hotel JIA ("home" in Chinese). Adjacent to the vibrant, high-end street mall, Wujiang, we felt JIA to be the perfect place to stay if one wishes to experience young, hip, Shanghai urban life. JIA is located in a 1920s colonial building, with all 55 rooms done in a contemporary 5 star style that is both pampered and high-tech. Our balcony suite had wonderful views of the city activity below. Another bonus - JIA's Issimo Italian restaurant on the second floor! (You were right Patrick M.!)
Shanghai Private Jewish Tour
We have heard much positive feedback about Dvir Bar-Gal and his private Jewish heritage tours of Shanghai. With Faye taking Sofia and Zen back to the pool at the Hyatt, Bev and I enjoyed a half-day Jewish heritage tour with Dvir, beginning on the Bund and ending in the old Jewish ghetto section near Qingming Park. We were most impressed with Dvir's encyclopedic knowledge of Shanghai history in general, as well as all of the Jewish influences. Most compelling was the narrative of the Jewish migration to Shanghai in the 19th and 20th centuries and the major cultural/political/economic influences. The private tour ends in the old Jewish ghetto section of Shanghai where over 20,000 Jewish refugees lived during the Nazi period.
Shanghai's "longtangs"
An amazing part of any visit to Shanghai is a visit to the residential longtangs (alleyways) where one sees everyday life among Shanghainese. Although the number of longtangs continues to decline due to demolition for new, modern developments, there are still plenty to visit - this is most compelling! The longtangs are teeming with life - grandparents gambling with playing cards, noisy animated children everywhere, mothers washing their clothes with drying clothing lines everywhere. Reflecting Shanghai's Western influence, longtangs were conceived in the 19th century when the city was forced open to the west as a treaty port. You see Western architecture mixed with Chinese traditional courtyard concepts, and, of course, the uniquely Chinese way of integrating communal, social interaction among the residents.
There's nothing else to say except China was amazing!!
Our sense of enthusiasm and passion for Asia is unfettered and unrestrained! Please email me if you'd like to talk about preparing a custom travel experience for you, your family and friends. RLynch@KiplingandClark.com
(click here to read about Part I of our China journey)
Upcoming 2008/2009 family luxury trips for the Lynch family include: Southeast Asia and India, (Christmas/New Year holiday, we are hoping the Xu family will join us!) and back to Japan (cherry blossoms!) during April Spring Break.
Our Family Luxury Tour of China - Part II
Many thanks for the kind words from friends, clients and associates about Part I of our Lynch Family Tour of China. Here's the second part of our 18-day trip, including Guilin and Beijing.GUILIN
This was our third family visit to Guilin. Guilin's unique landscape, with its ubiquitous karsts limestone formations in the setting of lush, green rice fields adjacent to the Li River, evokes traditional Chinese landscape paintings. Notwithstanding the large number of tourists visiting this area, it's still worth the visit! After reading about the recently restructured HOMA (Hotel of Modern Art) Libre, outside Guilin, my very artsy wife, Bev, was anxious to experience this very special place. In short, our stay at HOMA came to be among the special highlights of our China trip! Founded by a Taiwanese business entrepreneur in 1997, HOMA represents a lovely balance of world class sculpture, architecture, and art set against the backdrop of the natural beauty of the lush grounds.
Despite the somewhat limited English among the staff, the genuine kindness and warmth delivered to our family was heartwarming. Our personal attendant, Daisy, (all guests are assigned a personal attendant) was a kids' dream. Daisy's sincere, dedicated time with Zen and Sofia made her feel like part of our family. HOMA's art workshop for kids is hands-on and fun! All 46 rooms here are individually designed with hip, funky decorations/artwork, along with flat-screen TVs, modern amenities, and a "wow" design aesthetic. I feel HOMA is THE place to stay if visiting Guilin.
BEIJING
More stoic and perhaps less dynamic than free-wheeling Shanghai, Beijing boasts China's major historical and cultural attractions, and, of course, home of the August 2008 Olympic Games!! We were most impressed with all of the Olympics facilities, including the Bird's Nest and the Water Cube. However, based on the huge media buildup of Beijing for the Games, I will forgo any further review. Suffice it to say that the Beijing Olympics facilities are 21st century world-class and wow!!
Our affable and diminutive guide, Doyle, brought us to the obligatory visits to Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, and the Summer Palace. Built from 1406, the Forbidden City was the China Imperial Palace from the Qing Dynasty. Taking at least 2 hours to walk through the sprawling grounds/compounds, the Forbidden City is a taxing walk for seniors and a "challenging" walk with a 7 and 8 year old! Despite our talks of the history and background of the inner/outer courts (and the 980 surviving buildings!!), Zen and Sofia began "losing it" after the first hour - per Zen, "I love China daddy, but this place is just way too big!"
Most compelling, we made a visit to the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong, adjacent to Tiananmen Square. Particularly for westerners, viewing Mao's preserved corpse is at once spellbinding and abominable. The long waiting line to enter the mausoleum moves swiftly, perhaps not more than 15-20 minutes.
Factory 798
Being an avid modern Chinese art lover, Bev led the way to Beijing's funky art district, Factory 798. Named after the military factory that formerly occupied the buildings, Factory 798 is a must for all modern art lovers. In addition to the many art galleries/exhibitions, the district also includes cool, hip cafes and bookstores. Timezone 8 is our favorite - the best Caesar salad in all of Beijing set in an artsy-soho ambience.
Nanluoguxiang St. (hutong) - Dongchen district
Similar to Factory 789, Nanluoguxiang St. is a quiet, artsy contrast from most of busy, noisy Beijing. Nanluoguxiang really resembles a long alley, and is a favorite spot for Beijing's young musicians, hipsters, and gen X's. This is a great street to have lunch and shop. All of us very much enjoyed the many small custom shops, two of the most interesting - Pottery Workshop (this gallery sells modern takes on classic ceramics fired in the imperial porcelain city of Jingdezhen) and NLGX Design. (Very cool China-themed T-shirts!) Our only disappointment here was hearing that this area was formerly a teeming residential hutong that was transformed by a local developer.
LAN Club - WOW!!
This Beijing restaurant/nightclub is without doubt the most intoxicatingly fascinating eatery we have experienced anywhere in China. LAN is a 60,000 square foot Philippe Starck-designed palace of pretentiousness, and is great entertainment - for kids and adults alike! Including a restaurant area, oyster bar, cigar lounge, and high-energy nightclub, the entire dining complex is designed with a mix of oil paintings and chandeliers, set against corridors lined with Hindu icons, stuffed birds, and an aesthetic that perhaps only Marie Antoinette would fully comprehend. Zen and Sofia particularly loved the dim-lit individually designed restrooms. One of the grandiose restrooms boasts a white leather armchair next to an almost fairytale-like four legged closet. The nearby washbasin bears a bright golden swan stretching its wings, whiles its neck serves as a water tap. All of this is highlighted by red lights fitted out with small monitors resembling eyes - they follow you with every step!! You would expect the food prepared in such an ostentatious setting to be mediocre at best. Not the case here - the East-West fusion/Szechuan creations were loved by all. Bev, Zen, Sofia and I give Lan an A for food/atmosphere/entertainment!
Notwithstanding the various wall locations, we enthusiastically endorse the Mutianyu section, an approx. 2 hour drive from downtown Beijing. Not nearly as jammed with tourists as the closer Badaling site, Mutianyu has a ski-lift service to the Wall itself where one can hike (an earnest work-out!) to varying sections of the Ming Dynasty guard towers, with few tourists and unobstructed views.
Another big plus of Mutianyu - a toboggan ride from the wall to the base. Bev, Zen, Sofia, and I felt this to be among the really fun activities of our trip! Each toboggan has a manual control throttle that controls your speed sliding down (4500 ft.) from the wall highpoint - the entire trip down takes about 5 minutes - exhilarating!! - (check it out on YouTube!)
Next up, Part III - Shanghai
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