The San Francisco of China

This post comes to you from Dalian(still behind the Great Firewall of China). I arrived on Tuesday after a seriously round-about trip. From Beijing to Dalian is actually a 50 min flight, but I had to go via Shanghai in order to preserve my Cathay Pacific reservation. Thus, instead of 50 minutes, it took me 9 hours, after you factor in the 2 1/2 hr delay due to torrential rains in Shanghai. But I made it- eventually- and have discovered that Dalian is a lovely city.

I was worried about my first trip to a "Tier 2" city in China. Beijing and Shanghai have loads of tourists, and especially after the Olympics, are very easy to navigate. Dalian certainly does have less English, but it has not been too much of a problem. Fearing travel without a Chinese speaking companion, I bought the Lonely Planet Mandarin Phrasebook for my iPhone. It's come in useful, though people roll their eyes at me as I listen to the pronunciation with one earphone in and then repeat it to them. I figure it is better to be slightly rude and at least make some semblance of an effort at communicating.

The comparison to San Francisco actually works on many levels. First, there are lots of hills here. Second, there are trams which are apparently a legacy of Japanese influence. Third, it is on the ocean. And fourth, it is a city that is heavily invested in the technology sector. All in all, I've been very impressed. Seeing Tier 2 cities is even more interesting from a development perspective. Shanghai and Beijing have been big cities for a long time, but Dalian is experiencing rapid growth. This is a place where urban planning and growth are intriguing to observe. Take for example the cities many hiking trails and parks. Instead of a concrete jungle, the city is rife with green spaces. And for those of you who have been reading my blog for a while, you'll know that I am a sucker for urban green spaces.

I fly to Hong Kong tomorrow at noon, which is my final stop outside the U.S. It's a very odd feeling to be so close to completing my travels. I cannot wait to be home and savor all the things I took for granted in America. But I also will miss the excitement of a new city. The smells, sounds, and sights here are a world apart from America, or anywhere in the Western world really. This journey has done many things for me, but one particular realization I've had is that there is still so much to see. I've only scratched the surface and I've been so lucky to see such a range of places. So, while I do feel like I've gotten a serious dose of worldliness and cosmopolitanism, I know there is so much more out there. I guess this is why people become addicted to travel- it's like knowledge. Gaining new experiences only underscores how much you have yet to experience.

And now it's time for dinner... hooray for picture menus.

Day 66/82 (wow)
Distance from NY JFK- 6862 miles (practically next door!)
Current music- The Daily Show streaming on Hulu... I hadn't heard about Bill Clinton going to N. Korea. They could have sent me, I'm much closer.
Current mood- Exhausted
Only here moment- A beach without sand, just small pebbles, in which Chinese men had taken to burying themselves in the cool rocks to escape the heat. One even had a miniature umbrella over his head to avoid the shade. Unlike in the U.S., everyone here wants lighter skin.