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June 2015

Ideas for the weekend: Xiamen Treasure hunting Chimelong Ocean Kingdom Ready to serve!

Your 2015-2016 SWIC Board

What is in Chengdu besides Pandas? Yes, Shenzhen has a history!

Dapeng Fortress & Dongshan Temple

Help! The taxi drove away with my luggage!

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Success for All

2014 / 2015

QSI SNAPSHOT keeping the urge to learn alive

International Baccalaureate IB Pass Rate (2014) World Average: 78% QSI Shenzhen: 100%

IB Diploma Points World Average: 29.5 QSI Shenzhen: 34.2

IB Subject Grade Average World Average: 4.6 QSI Shenzhen: 5.88

Advanced Placement Average Score world: 2.9

2013: 3.5

2012: 3.4

2014: 3.7

SAT

QSI Curriculum Mastery

In mastery learning programs, students are regularly given precise information on their learning process (Hunter, 1984). This feedback identifies areas of learning needs and offers specific guidance and direction in correcting the errors and overcoming the students' difficulties. Feedback should also reward learning success. Mastery learning adds feedback and correctives in order to increase the efficiency and success of teaching and learning (Cohen, 1994). Regardless of the initial planning, the curriculum, or the teaching, it is the feedback and correctives that form the foundation of a true mastery learning program. QSI believes in this personalized approach leading to mastery.

Average Score world: 1498

2013: 1621

2012: 1569

2014: 1888

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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Dear SWIC Friends, It’s a May afternoon; a Glee video is playing in the background, laundry is washing, clothes are stacked in piles labeled, “pack,” “give away,” “trash,” and I’m sitting hopelessly at my computer trying to write my last letter to you. My writer’s block is causing my stomach to grumble, and the thoughts in my head are flying in so many directions that it rivals the worst case of ADD. I know what’s causing my procrastination, and it’s the realization that I’m moving back home in less than six weeks. On one hand, I’m thrilled to be going home and spending time with my parents, who are in their early 90s, and being with hubby, who’s been home since October. On the other hand, the friendships and experiences that I’ve had in Shenzhen have been amazing, and I can barely get these words on paper without my eyes welling up with tears. This past year, it has been my honor and pleasure to serve as your President. You have given me the gift of “purpose,” and for this, I owe you my gratitude and love. This has been an amazing year with a board that has humbled me with their professionalism, can-do attitude, and generosity of time and energy. Our board meetings were well-attended, and many good decisions on behalf of the organization were taken care of, which resulted in a profitable year culminating with awesome events, fun and educational activities, and monies going toward several charities, Nepal Relief, as well as the sponsorship of the Captivating Nanshan Triathlon event and Shenzhen Standard’s Young Writer’s Award. While all of this sounds like I’ve got it altogether, and I’ve lived an idyllic life in China, it hasn’t always been perfect. There were many times when I felt inadequate or overly self-conscious with my perceived list of flaws or self-doubt. There were many times when I’ve questioned my purpose or focused too much on where I fell short or compared myself to other’s standards. I know that I am sensitive and passionate on one side, but I’m also tenacious in my appetite to learn from my mistakes, and I truly believe in prioritizing what’s important in my life. Here is a little story that I read once, and I’ve applied its lesson to everything I’ve done. Maybe it will help you if you are struggling with something in your life while living here in China. The Lesson of the Jar as interpreted by Bonnie One day, a teacher placed a glass jar on the table and proceeded to fill the glass jar with rocks and asked his students if the jar was full. The students said, “Yes.” Next, he poured a handful of pebbles into the same jar and asked his students, “Is the jar full?” The students all replied, “Yes.” Next, he poured sand, and it trickled down through and around the pebbles and rocks, and he asked his students if the jar was full. The students laughed and said, “Yes, it is full now?” “No,” said the teacher, and he poured a glass of water into the jar, and as the students watched, he said, “Now the jar is filled.” What does this mean? The teacher asked his students what would happen if they poured the sand first. They tried and could not put the same amount of items back into the jar. The teacher explained the lesson of the jar. “First, treat your life like the jar. Be transparent in everything you do. Show your true colors. Next, prioritize what’s most important to you. Is it a big diamond ring or a fabulous car? Or is it your family, your God, your home, your health? What is most important to you? These are your rocks so put them in the jar first. The rocks represent your highest priorities in life. Next, add the pebbles, which represent things that make you feel secure – your job, your house, education, and food. These are important to your happiness, but if you didn't have it you would survive. Next, add the things you want – a nice car, traveling to exotic destinations, restaurants, and jewelry. This is the sand. Last is the water. You are the water! Be involved in your life – don't be a spectator. The water moves all around and fills in all the spaces – be a part of your children’s life, your husband’s life, be a part of the community you live in. Live!” I arrived in China with my son four years ago so that we could be a family again with my husband, who had moved here two years earlier. Now that my son is graduating and moving away for college, it is my time to move back home to be with family again. These are my rocks – family! I will miss all of you, and I will think about our experiences over and over again and remember you in my heart, but it’s my time to go home. So ladies, my prayers for you is to find your rocks – cherish and nurture them and when life throws lemons your way – you have the wisdom to make lemonade. Bonnie Horibata SWIC President 2014/2015 June 2015 | SWIC Magazine | 1

VICE PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Dear SWIC Members, “The Accidental Vice President” - This was the theme that kept coming to me when I was invited to write a message to the membership for this issue of the SWIC magazine. I was voted in as Charity Director in the SWIC 2014/15 election. However, in December 2014, six months into my term, the SWIC Vice President’s position became unexpectedly vacant and needed to be filled. As I was already stepping out of my “charity box” by also planning SWIC@Night and moderating the SWIC Facebook page, I seemed to be a willing and able candidate. A nomination and subsequent confirmation thrusted me into my current position of SWIC Vice President. Upon my confirmation as SWIC VP, I was handed a stack of files including information regarding SWIC magazine advertisers, financial records, past event reports, SWIC meeting minutes from many years prior to 2015, etc. What struck me was the level of commitment and professionalism that has been present in SWIC since the club’s inception in 1999. SWIC is a living example of many countless and selfless hours dedicated by volunteers, many of whose names live only in past documents found in the SWIC archives library. These volunteers gave their time and talents to making the Shenzhen expat community a better place. I often tried to picture the early SWIC pioneers sitting around a coffee table, in a kitchen at Jingshan Villas, building the first SWIC bylaws and putting procedures into place. One past procedure I found quite amusing was the SWIC Telephone Committee. Again, the first SWIC bylaws were written in 1999, just at the advent of the computer age. No doubt, future SWIC boards will look at some of the current SWIC practices and find amusement in our communication methods or gain knowledge from some of our past event records and board minutes. And maybe one day, future SWIC Board members will find our names in the annuals of a dusty file folder and think, as I did, “Wow, I wish I could have worked with her! Thanks to you, wherever you are.” The bottom line is, just as Shenzhen evolves from a sleepy oyster fishing village to a major world city, so will SWIC evolve. I entered into SWIC at a time of tremendous change not only in the club demographic, but also during SWIC’s population explosion. SWIC currently has the highest membership that is has had in its history. As I end this letter, I feel privileged to be able to carry on SWIC’s legacy in the Shenzhen expat community. I am committed to seeing SWIC through this time of growth and watching as it takes its place as a thriving women’s club in one of China’s most important cities. I thank the membership for confirming my next term as SWIC Vice President 2015/16 and look forward to a wonderful club year to come that will be full of great events, informative and fun tours, and more great SWIC lifetime memories. I wish you all a great summer break and safe travels.

Susanne Salg SWIC Vice President 2014/2015 & 2015/2016

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Find and talk to us:

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In This Issue Travel

22 Gulangyu, Xiamen - A Throw Back in Time 24 Longji Rice Terraces 31 Chengdu - More than Pandas 38 Ho-Ho-Holiday in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia 58 Mandalay Meanderings

14 Chimelong Ocean Kingdom

Features

35 Mold 43 Dapeng Fortress 48 Dongshan Temple 50 Treasure Hunting 52 Sea World Scavenger Hunt 55 Successful Taxi Lost Item Recovery 56 Our Tiny Neighbors

We at SWIC

9 Volunteer Appreciation 10 Your 2015/2016 SWIC Board 19 Trip to Hehu Hakka Residence 20 Tots’ Easter Eggs-travaganza 28 Vivir La Vida Party Pictures 46 Trip to Dapeng Fortress 49 Trip to Dongshan Temple 62 SWIC Summer Activities

Contributors

64 End of the WORLD TENNIS Party

Adele Arthur Elaine Campbell Van Canaberal Sofia Cueva Viviane Heymann-Knops Bonnie Horibata Marieke Kraaijeveld Joschua Mueller

Marieke Van Schijndel Jennifer Scogin Anne Straub Alexandra Volkova Leah Walsh Linda Walsh Janice Zheng

Editor, Design & Layout: Harmony Mueller Editorial Support: Virlane Torbit Elaine Campbell Magazine Photography: Tania Hartland Van Canaberal

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Mission Statement The purpose of Shenzhen Women’s International Club is to promote social and cultural exchange between the women of the expatriate community in Shekou and throughout Shenzhen. This is done through meetings and activities in the spirit of mutual understanding and friendship. SWIC provides a focus for social and cultural activities for members and is of particular value to newcomers by serving as a means to meet other expats, find resources, and learn about resources available in the city. Our members come from all parts of the world, include many different nationalities, are young and older, with and without children. Membership is limited to foreign passport holders or those who have a spouse with a foreign passport. Come join us for coffee and conversation each Tuesday morning at 9:30*. Coffee Morning takes place every 1st, 2nd, and 4th Tuesday in the lobby lounge of the Shekou Hilton on Wanghai Road, behind Sea World. The Marco Polo Hotel in Futian next to Coco Park hosts the Coffee Morning every 3rd Tuesday of each month. The price for SWIC members is 50 RMB and 75 RMB for guests. There will be a variety of coffee favorites, tea, fruit, pastries, and savories each week. * Between June 16 and August 18, we will meet informally Tuesdays at Hans Mix Cafe in Sea World. Visit us on http://swiconline.com Follow us on Facebook

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SWIC 2015/2016 Board of Directors President: Auri Eves [email protected] Vice President: Susanne Salg [email protected] Treasurer: Debby Thompson [email protected] Secretary: Michela Capozza [email protected] Membership Director: Deb Robinson [email protected] Hospitality Chair: Tania Hartland [email protected] Charity Director: Marieke Kraaijeveld [email protected] Programs Chair: Elaine Campbell & Van Canaberal [email protected] [email protected] Parliamentarian: Lyn O’Connell [email protected] Communications Chair: Farah Baldock [email protected] Advertising Treasurer: Yvette Taylor [email protected] Magazine Editor: Harmony Mueller [email protected] [email protected]

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Volunteer Appreciation By Bonnie Horibata

“Not everything that counts can be counted. And not everything that can be counted, counts.” — Albert Einstein What is a volunteer? What is the value of volunteering? Volunteering is about giving, contributing and helping other individuals and the community. Volunteering means working with others to make a meaningful contribution to a better community.  These words are so true – you can’t put a price tag on the value of volunteering because their efforts are immeasurable towards the mission of an organization.  All the work of the SWIC community is through volunteers. The SWIC magazine, website, Facebook, and forums are all managed by volunteers. Every tour and activity that we've experienced this past year is through our volunteers, and every board position from hospitality to taking money at our weekly coffee is by volunteers. 

Photo credits: Van Canaberal

It was truly a pleasure to thank these hard-working women that give their time and share their spirit with us. It was a joyful afternoon spending time and sipping bubbly with these lovely ladies. Thank you SWIC volunteers! Adele Arthur Farah Baldock Sue Birmele Evonne Bracy Elaine Campbell Vanessa Canaberal Michela Capozza Patricia Daley Auri Eves Tania Hartland Bonnie Horibata Albee Huang Adrienne Janzen Marieke Kraaijeveld

Devika Kulkarni Dana Milne Alyssa Mudd Harmony Mueller Lyn O’Connell Deb Robinson Susanne Salg Jennifer Scogin Yvette Taylor Virlane Torbit Linda Walsh Tracy Whetter Mark Wong Janice Zheng

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YOUR 2015/2016

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Places you have called home: Virginia, Pennsylvania, Hawaii, and Arkansas in the United States; Seoul, South Korea; and Tokyo, Japan.  At the present,  I have three homes: China, Panama, and USA. In Shenzhen since: August 2012 Professional background: I am currently involved in the real estate industry as a broker for over 10 years. I have worked as an administrator/specialist of a federal housing program for the State of Hawaii, and as a town manager assistant for a local government in Virginia. In the teaching sector, I worked as a Spanish instructor for over 4 years at James Madison University in Virginia while attending graduate school, and at international schools in Seoul, Korea. What motivates you about SWIC:  Serving SWIC members in any possible way ensures we share talents, help others, and make our club stronger and awesome in its activities and programs. Smiles from members are my motivation, and my way to give back to the community.

President Auristela Damaris Eves

Places you have called home: Hollywood, Florida, U.S.A.; Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Prague, Czech Republic; Seoul, South Korea; Singapore; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Tianjin and Beijing, China In Shenzhen since: August 2013 Professional background: Twenty-one years ago, before becoming a “career expat/ trailing spouse,” I enjoyed working for 12+ years in the hospitality industry in south Florida, which included Marriott Hotels and Resorts, Ft. Lauderdale. However, my life’s work has been as “Chief of Domestic Operations” for the Salg Family at large, which includes my husband and two children. Managing the logistics our family’s many international moves has helped hone my organizational and communications skills. Our family’s many moves have also provided me the opportunity to serve on and be part of many international women’s organizations in Europe and Asia. What motivates you about SWIC: I am motivated to help, in anyway possible, to have SWIC realize its future potential as an international, first tier city’s thriving women’s club. SWIC and Shenzhen are growing at such a phenomenal rate, and SWIC will need to adapt in all areas to keep up with its ever changing and expanding members’ needs.

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Vice President Susanne Salg

Places you have called home: I’ve been in Canada all my life but in many cities and provinces: Victoria and Kamloops, British Columbia; Edmonton, Lethbridge, St. Albert, Alberta; and over 7 cities in Ontario. In Shenzhen since: September 2014 Professional background: Retired after 32 years with a large financial institution working as a teller, in financial services, compliance/audit, as well as in management. What motivates you about SWIC: The warmth, friendship, camaraderie, and passion of the organization help everyone enjoy the expat experience.

Treasurer Debby Thompson

Places you have called home: I was born and raised in Milan, Italy, but lived also in Sydney, Australia, Berlin, Germany, Manchester, UK, and Beijing and Shanghai. I love it here and plan to stay for as long as I can, but I am still looking for a place to call “home.” In Shenzhen since: March 2014 Professional background: I have a master’s degree in Chinese Business from the University of Manchester. Ten days after I handed in my dissertation, I went straight to Shanghai where I worked in real estate for almost two years. I then joined International SOS as Account Manager and moved to Shenzhen last year. What motivates you about SWIC:  I like how SWIC brings women with different backgrounds together; I like listening to other women’s adventures around the world. But what impresses the most is SWIC’s commitment to the local charities and the community we live in.

Secretary Michela Capozza

Places you have called home: Home for me is Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. I enjoyed a year of expat life in Japan, 1985-86. In Shenzhen since: September 2013 Professional background: I began my professional life as a high school business vocational teacher for 4 years after college, followed by telecommunications sales and marketing for 3 years. I then savored 10 years as a “stay-at-home” mom, then returned to university for a bachelor’s degree in Physician Assistant Allied Health Studies. This mid-life career change allowed me to pursue my interest in the medical field for the remainder of my professional life, primarily in orthopedic sub-specialty surgery as a private physician assistant.  What motivates you about SWIC: A fact regarding expat life is that friends come and go due to the nature of international work. Therefore, I find SWIC to be the perfect way to keep the funnel full of friendships with social and cultural exchange, while at the same time welcoming newcomers to an organization where they may enjoy the same opportunities.

Membership Deb Robinson

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Places you have called home: Brisbane, Australia, which will always be home. In Shenzhen since: March 2010 Professional background: I had been in hospitality and customer service for 20 years before moving to Shenzhen, and I have used these skills here for our community.  What motivates you about SWIC: SWIC has been a wonderful way for me to meet people, getting involved in something fun and understanding more about China. Hospitality Tania Hartland

Places you have called home: The Netherlands; Prague, Czech Republic; Shanghai, China; Manila, Philippines; Guangzhou, China; Shanghai, China again; Kiev, Ukraine In Shenzhen since: July 2014 Professional background: Since I got a teaching English as a second language degree in Manila, I have been working as a substitute teacher at various international schools in the places we called home. What motivates you about SWIC: All the international women’s groups I have been a member or board member of are driven by capable women whose intentions are to make life easier for those who are new to the ever changing and challenging expat life.  The position as Charity Coordinator I’ve had before, in Kiev. It is always my intention to make a change for the better for local organisations in every country we live in.

Charity Marieke Kraaijeveldvan Litsenburg

Places you have called home: Midwest, Northeast and South USA, Spain, and China have all been home. In Shenzhen since: October 2010 Professional background: Spent almost 20 years as an investment banker for bulge bracket firms, 5-6 years teaching university level International Management and Marketing and Finance, and worked for the US Department of Treasury. What motivates you about SWIC: I love people and am motivated to try to make the world a little better place, which drove me to SWIC.

Programs Elaine Claar Campbell

Places you have called home: San Diego, San Francisco, Los Angles, USA; Manila, Philippines; Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, China In Shenzhen since: December 2010 Professional background: First worked in media as a radio announcer. After college graduation, worked in film, TV and advertising as a producer and editor. Moved to China and worked in education for 5 years and now in managing the China office of a US construction firm. What motivates you about SWIC: I’m motivated to help fellow expats adjust to life in SZ and in China. It’s also a great place to meet new friends and learn more cultures.

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Programs Co-Chair Van Canaberal

Places you have called home: South Africa. We lived and worked on a game reserve for 8 years and then in a beautiful town called George at the foot of the Outeniqua Mountains. In Shenzhen since: December 2009 Professional background: I worked in the hospitality industry for many years in South Africa with a few highlights: Rugby World Cup 1995, working and living on a game reserve for 8 years, specializing in event management for weddings “in the bush” then got involved in organizing the first Women’s World Cup of Golf, 46664 AIDS charity concert meeting Mr. Nelson Mandela and Will Smith. I was also involved in organizing the Gary Player Golf Tournament and met Gary Player. What motivates you about SWIC:  Arriving in Shenzhen as my first expatriate experience, I was very grateful to have an organization such as SWIC that helps women settle into life here. I served as the Programs Director in 2011 and found it fulfilling and gratifying. Over the years since, I have sat on many SWIC volunteer committees.

Parliamentarian Lyn O’Connell

Places you have called home: Warwick, UK In Shenzhen since: August 2013 Professional background: Prior to Shenzhen, I worked as a development manager in a large food company in the UK developing new food products. I served 1 1/2 years as Treasurer on the SWIC Board. What motivates you about SWIC:  SWIC helped and motivated me to meet new people, essential when moving to a new city. Advertising Treasurer Yvette Taylor

Places you have called home: London,UK; Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia In Shenzhen since: January 2012 Professional background: Since moving to Shenzhen, I have been focussed on my role as a full-time mum. Prior to this, I worked as a communications manager for a UK non-profit  organisation that supports a nationwide membership of community organisations and social enterprises.  I have over seven years of experience in marketing and communications within the publishing and non-profit sectors. What motivates you about SWIC:  Being new to the expat life when I first moved to Shenzhen, I found it invaluable having a club like SWIC around to help me navigate my way around the city while making new friends along the way. I think SWIC plays a vital role in helping Shenzhen’s expat community settle into the city by offering useful information, a place to make new friends, and interesting activities and events that not only help us to let our hair down, but also enable us to understand Shenzhen and China a little better.

Communications Chair Farah Baldock

Places you have called home: Taipei, Taiwan; Santa Monica, California; Vancouver, Canada; Kirchheim unter Teck, near Stuttgart, Germany In Shenzhen since: September 2013 Professional background: My professional focus is in marketing, including market research, product planning, and business development. I’ve also worked on several translation assignments, which allowed me to practice my writing and editing skills. Prior to coming to China, I was responsible for selling advertising and sponsorships as well as creating marketing material for this purpose. What motivates you about SWIC: SWIC offers a fun, no-pressure social environment where the members are genuinely enthusiastic and eager to help one another.

Magazine Editor Harmony Mueller

Chimelong Ocean Kingdom A Visit to the Largest Aquarium in the World Text and photos by Sofia Cueva

S

ince I moved to Shenzhen in 2013, I made it my personal goal to take advantage of this amazing opportunity of living abroad by using every single day to learn new things and see new places. When my friend asked me if my family was interested in visiting the new Ocean Kingdom aquarium in Zhuhai, we immediately said yes. We had read that it had the biggest aquarium in the world and were very curious about it. There are a couple of different ways to get there. You can either take a private car, a bus or a ferry. We decided on the ferry because we had two kids with us, and it would be easier to keep them entertained if they became restless. Ferries from Shekou Port leave to Zhuhai Jiuzhou Port every 30 minutes starting at 7:30am and take a little more than an hour.  We boarded the 8:30 ferry, and once we disembarked at Jiuzhou Port, we decided to avoid unnecessary adventures and went directly to the taxi stand. I had the Chinese name and address on my phone to quickly show the taxi driver where we wanted to go, and he promptly drove us away. We later discovered that you can also take a bus from the ferry port to the park for 20 RMB per person, but it would have taken an hour compared to the 30-minute taxi ride. The Chimelong Ocean Kingdom is located in Hengqin,

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Zhuhai. It was open to the public on March 24, 2014, so it is a fairly new park. The taxi dropped us off at the parking lot, and we slowly made our way to the ticket booths. The price for adults is 350 RMB. Kids between 1 m and 1.5 m pay a discounted price of 245 RMB, while kids under 1 m can go in for free. You can also buy a package that includes a circus show, but we decided not to get it because the show started at 8pm, and we were not sure if we could get back to the ferry in time. The staff was very helpful but spoke little to no English. A giant manta ray tunnel serves as the main entrance to the park. While you are walking through it, you can look up and see ocean videos underneath the massive LED roof. It is an impressive sight that prepares you for the greatness inside the park! The 132-hectare theme park is made up of 8 different themed zones: Ocean Avenue, Dolphin Cove, Amazing Amazon, Ocean Beauty, Polar Horizon, Fun Zone, Mt. Walrus and Hengqin Ocean. Bigger than the S.E.A. Aquarium in Singapore and the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, Ocean Kingdom uses 12.87 million gallons of both salt and fresh water throughout the themed zones, giving it the title of the Largest Aquarium in the World. We briefly studied the map and show times so we could strategically plan the day, then we

were off. The park was still relatively empty, so we decided to start with the Ocean Beauty zone, the world’s largest aquarium tank.  It was quite easy to find. We just walked around Hengqin Ocean, a huge lake in the middle of the park towards the biggest whale shark sculpture we had ever seen. We walked past the entrance of the exhibit and emerged ourselves into the ocean. Small tanks house different kinds of fish, sharks and eels.  Suddenly, we turned a corner and there it was, the world’s largest aquarium tank, filled with 5.99 million gallons of salt water. This tank also holds three other world records: largest underwater viewing dome (with a diameter of 12 m), largest acrylic panel (measuring 39.6 m by 8.3 m, more than 60 cm thick) and the largest aquarium window. The immensity of the place was indescribable! Inside you can see a variety of sea animals including four whale sharks! The viewing window area is quite big so there is plenty of space to stand and watch without being rushed.  When we were done watching that spectacular sight, we continued on our way. The exhibit twisted around and took us around some other smaller tanks. We were surprised to see many divers in the tanks cleaning. Almost at the end of the

exhibit, we arrived at the underwater viewing dome. Animals swam above us while we admired the beauty of the place. We decided to continue to visit the park because we knew we still had a lot to see! Ocean Kingdom is not only home to animals, but also home to many fun rides including two water roller coasters, an underwater ride that takes you inside the largest tank, and Asia’s first winged coaster named Parrot Coaster. We did not want to get wet so we decided to give the 50 meter high Parrot Coaster a try. My husband and I took turns taking care of our young boy so we could each go on the ride a couple of times. This roller coaster is the longest and fastest winged coaster in the world with a whopping 1,280 meters in length and reaching a speed of 108 km/h. It is definitely not for the faint of heart. We left the coaster feeling a bit dizzy, but there was no time to waste, the Beluga Whale Show was about to start.  As expected, the show was amazing. We had seen whale shows in other parts of the world but had never seen a beluga whale show with seven whales! The animals jumped, spun around and waved goodbye while we clapped and cheered. Next up was the Bear Exhibit where we had the opportunity to feed some brown bears and even walk under a polar bear!  June 2015 | SWIC Magazine | 15

We walked around some more and got to see penguins, beavers, dolphins and manatees!  Everywhere we went, we were in awe. In the Mt. Walrus zone, they had an outdoor walrus enclosure. We had never seen so many walruses up close! For a few kuai you can even buy some sardines and feed the animals while they do some tricks.  At 3pm, our friends promptly reminded us that the Chimelong Ocean Parade was about to start, so we hurriedly made our way to the main road to watch. Again, we were blown away by the show. Dancers danced to upbeat music while big colorful floats passed us by. I think we counted 25 different floats and around 100 performers!  By now, both kids were a bit tired, so we used this time to run back to the Parrot Coaster and ride it again. Then we walked over to the Whale Shark Exhibit to see the huge tank one more time. We found a small bench and sat down to engrave the gorgeous view into our memory. I have had

Tips: • The Chinese name for the park is 珠海长隆海洋王国 and the address is 横琴新区富祥湾. • The Chinese name for Jiuzhou Port is 珠海港. • You can find the ferry timetable at http://www.szgky.com/ en/zhferry.asp • The park opens at 10am. Get there early to avoid the crowds. • If you are planning on visiting the park during a holiday, 16 | SWIC Magazine | June 2015

the opportunity to swim with whale sharks in the wild before. And even though the experience was breathtaking, it all happened very fast, and there was not a lot of time to admire the biggest fish in the world. This time, we could sit quietly and just watch. The whale sharks swam around slowly while a giant manta joined some fish in a magical dance! None of us wanted to leave. So we made a family pact to come back soon and slowly started making our way to the exit of the park. As we walked under the manta ray tunnel for the last time, we couldn’t stop talking about what a great day we had. We couldn’t stop smiling! None of us could decide on what we had liked the most. Everything had been simply spectacular! Asking around, we found out that we could either take a bus back to Jiuzhou Port for 20 RMB or walk to the resort hotel and try to get a taxi from there. So we decided to board the bus and relax for the hour it took to get back to the ferry. Back at the port, we bought tickets for the next available ferry to Shekou Port and boarded for Shenzhen. 

try to get your ferry tickets in advance. I have heard horrible stories from people who had to wait more than 5 hours for a space on the boat. • Have a good breakfast before you leave the house if you are not used to Asian food. No outside food is allowed inside the park. • At night, there is a performance at Hengqin Ocean with fireworks, lights, lasers and other audio visual elements. We couldn’t stay, but I have been told it is a great show.

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Hakka “New Crane Lake” Hehu Fortified Residence April 2015

Photo credits: Harmony Mueller and Viviane Heymann-Knops

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SWIC Tots’ Easter Eggs-travaganza By Janice Zheng

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vercast skies did little to put a damper on a crowd of excited children, who made their way to the inaugural SWIC Moms and Tots Playgroup Easter Party. Held on Thursday, 9 April 2015, at scenic Captain’s Bar along The Peninsula, moms and tots arrived to begin the party with an exciting Easter egg hunt. One hundred brightly coloured plastic eggs containing lollies had already been hidden in the parklands and gardens near the restaurant, and it was a quick race towards the trail to begin looking for the eggs. While some of the older kids scampered quickly along, the younger ones toddled after them with just as much enthusiasm, if not speed. In their excitement, many kids ran right past some of the most obviously placed eggs, so intent they were on scavenging in and around the shrubberies. It did not take very long to find all the eggs, but the kids were busy counting their eggs and naming the colours of the eggs they had found. Some of the more inquisitive tots quickly worked out that each egg contained a lolly and began opening each egg and snapping them back together again. The kids were more than happy to spend a little more time in the fresh air, running around, chasing bubbles and also fighting over the bubble gun. Party co-planner Jessica explained that the idea behind SWIC’s first Easter tots party was to create a fun-themed festivity of Easter games, foods and props for the children to enjoy and participate in events similar to those back in their home countries. She said that her son Fidel enjoyed the Easter egg hunt: “It’s something very different that kids only experience once a year.” Futian-based mom Alexandra said that while she had initially doubted that her 15-month-old daughter Polina would understand what was going on, she was pleasantly surprised by the enthusiasm with which she joined in toddling around and scrimmaging for eggs. “I was distracted for a couple of minutes by taking photos, then I realised that she had followed other kids and was curiously looking for something in the bushes. One moment she was sitting on the grass, and the next she was struggling for eggs with the

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Photo creditis: Janice Zheng and Alexandra Volkova

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other kids. I was laughing and felt… I had underestimated my baby!” Alexandra, whose passion for photography has evolved over time, said that she is spending her time during maternity leave on further developing her skills as a photographer, and that her specific interests are in shooting family photo-stories. “Taking photos during the Easter egg hunting was quite curious, since at that time nobody knew that I’m a photographer, and the kids and moms were so engaged in the activity, so nobody paid any attention to the camera. The photos turned out to be quite vivid, emotional and real.” When the outdoor fun was over, the group headed back to Captain’s Bar to begin tucking into kiddie favourites such as pizza, pasta, chips, chicken fingers, and colourful fruit platters. In the meantime, SWIC President Bonnie gave a short speech thanking everyone for coming, and outlined some of the upcoming events in the SWIC calendar. After everyone had eaten their fill, the tots then moved on to more Easter-themed activities. In charge of directing the craft session, Jessica explained that the two Easterthemed craft activities were chosen for ease and understanding. “They were simple for the kids to make with some assistance from moms, and also easy to take home and keep and to show dad or brothers and sisters.” Once most of the kids had completed their Easter craft activities, the moms and tots gathered again for a simple sing-along of Easter-themed songs. A beautiful carrot cake was brought out to the centre of the table by playgroup mom and home baker Santi. Smothered in a thick layer of cream cheese frosting, the moist carrot cake was decorated with bright orange carrots and a couple of marshmallow bunnies on the top. As the party wrapped up, each child was presented with an Easter party gift bag containing some lollies, stickers and a rabbit print fan which will no doubt come in useful for the hot Shenzhen summer. The SWIC Moms and Tots playgroup runs every Tuesday afternoon and Thursday morning right through summer. For more information on joining the playgroup, please contact Janice Zheng via the SWIC website. 

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GULANYU

XIAMEN

A Throw Back in Time By Anne Straub with Harmony Mueller

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ith no more time than just one weekend, we were off again taking advantage of it. This time, we headed to Xiamen - the Paris of Asia, the city of love. We were very curious. At nine o’clock in the morning, we boarded a highspeed train to Xiamen. From Shenzhen North, the ride took 3.5 hours. We had booked the train tickets in advance on the Internet. Important: Bring your passport (see box)! The train passed cities and villages, rice fields with water buffalos, and mountains and tunnels. Unfortunately, the weather was not so great, cold and foggy. On the contrary, the air conditioning on the train was working great, freezing us at a constant 18˚C. A taxi brought us to the center of the city. Because Xiamen is made up of several islands, we crossed a few giant bridges on the way. Most of Xiamen just looks like a typical Chinese city, but several house façades in the pedestrian zone

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reveal the European influence of the old city fathers. Pretty parks and graceful temples dot the city; the famous university campus is worth a visit as well. And let’s not forget the beautiful sandy beaches. If you have several days here, you can leisurely enjoy all these places. But if you have just one weekend in Xiamen, you should start with the island of Gulangyu. As early as 1880, foreigners settled in Gulangyu, forming a community. Over 1,000 colonial-style buildings date back to this period of time. This island is actually the highlight of Xiamen. To get there, you need to take a boat from the brand new International Ferry Terminal, which is a bit out of the way. From this ferry terminal, you can go to Kinmen, an island belonging to Taiwan, if you have a multi-entry Chinese visa. There is also a ferry in the middle of the city, but tourists may only take it after 5pm, so if you want to go to Gulangyu before that, you need to go to the International Ferry Terminal.

Photo credits: Anne Straub

One of the elegant buildings in Gulangyu would become our domicile for the night. To find it, we took a nice walk around this small, automobile-free island, which could be covered in one to two hours. We found many gorgeous houses as well as tucked-away corners. Meandering through the narrow, winding alleyways, we passed by many restaurants, cafes, stores, and souvenir shops, all there for you to discover, explore, or just linger and stay. We enjoyed the quieter side of the island and absorbed the flair of the city. I could very well imagine what life was like here at the turn of last century. Many old mansions were open to tourists. You can see the former Japanese, Spanish, and British consulates, wander through Catholic churches, check out the famous piano museum, or stroll through a beautiful park to climb on the Sunlight Rock. This is the highest point of the city and offers a fantastic view of the landscape. It’s worth getting up early in the morning to avoid the crowds if you go on the weekend, especially if the weather happens to be nice. Our hotel delivered what it promised on the Internet: finest colonial style, high ceilings, and glass doors to the balcony with exquisite Chinese decorative art. The owners were in the process of renovating a third building, preserving yet another old but charming villa. You can feel a touch of the former era here; it’s like being transported into a different world. Although I wouldn’t exactly compare Xiamen with Paris or any other European city, it was definitely a delightful way to spend a weekend. 

Buying train tickets I bought the train tickets on www.travelchinaguide.com. The website is available in several languages and is simple and easy to understand. You can buy train tickets for all of China here. Each ticket is specific to one person, so you must enter your name and passport number. The customer service over phone or e-mail is quite helpful if you have any questions or encounter any problems. They also send you an e-mail in Chinese so you can show that at the train station counter to have your tickets printed. You will need to show your passport to pick up them up.

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The

Longji Rice

Text and photos by Linda Walsh

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here are many places around the world, especially in Asia, that have terraced rice fields. Those of us living in Shenzhen have the privilege of being a short distance away from some of the best! The Longji Rice Terraces, also called Longsheng or Dragon’s Backbone Terraces, are about a 2 ½ hour drive from Guilin, in Guangxi Province. These terraces have a 600-650 year history, dating back to the Yuan Dynasty. As I sat staring at the terraces, I tried to imagine the work that must have gone into building the terraces all those years ago! Today, the terraces are still actively farmed. Because of the limited access to the fields, modern equipment can’t be used. The farmers, who were starting to plow their fields when we visited, were using horses and simple plows. The Longji Terraces have four seasons. The best time to visit is April through November. We visited in April, and they were just starting to prepare the fields for planting. The planting date varies according to the lunar calendar. Once the fields are ready, they will be flooded for planting. There is a reservoir at the top of the terraces which is used for flooding and irrigation. As we walked through the terraces, we could see stones, bamboo and even PVC pipes used to direct the water. The rice is typically germinated in a separate area; then, once the fields are flooded,

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the rice sprouts are transplanted. This is the time when I think the terraces look the most stunning! I’m sure you’ve seen pictures of the silvery looking ribbons winding around the hillsides! Summer arrives and the fields become lush green staircases. The rice paddies continue to be irrigated until harvesting time. In China, when “Golden Week” arrives in early October, the rice paddies will have turned to a rich, vibrant gold of their own! This is a very busy tourist time in the villages around the rice terraces. The farmers wait until after Golden Week to harvest their rice. In the winter, the snow-covered rice paddies take on a whole new look. Early spring often brings heavy fog and mist. Wherever you first enter the Longji Terraces Tourist Area, you pay a 100-yuan entrance fee, which is good for three days as you travel around the area. Be sure to carry your ticket with you! If you are short on time, you can join a tour and see the terraces in one day, but personally, I would recommend staying longer, at least overnight. We spent 2 ½ days, and I wish we had stayed at least one more. The first morning was clear and sunny, but the second morning was quite foggy. Within five minutes, the view of the terraces from our hotel room would go from crystal clear to being totally engulfed in fog. It created an entirely different atmosphere from the previous day! The clear day was great for pictures, but in person, we really enjoyed watching the fog roll in and out across the terraces and the village. We chose the village of Ping’an as our base, which seems to be a popular choice. Cars do not enter the village, so

Terraces

you are met in the parking area by locals who you can hire to carry your bags to your hotel. The walk to your hotel is all uphill, and while it starts on a road, after about 10 minutes, the road ends and you follow a stone path. We stayed in a wonderful place called the Baike Hotel, which was still on the road section, only a 5-7 minute walk from the parking area. We had an amazing view of a terraced hillside and the distant mountains. The owner of the hotel, Jason, spoke very good English and was there to handle all of our needs. It is a family run hotel, and his wife does the

majority of the cooking. I require a special diet, and they were careful to make sure I had what I needed. When we did our local tour, Jason’s mother–in-law guided us. It was easy to see why the Baike Hotel is rated #1 in Longsheng County and won the 2015 Travelers Choice Award on Trip Advisor. See www.baikehotel.com. If you want lower cost lodging, there are many hotels and hostels farther on in the main village that can be a 30-minute walk from the parking area. The benefit is that then, when you want to explore, you are already part way up.  June 2015 | SWIC Magazine | 25

There are two main viewing points in the Ping’an Rice Terraces to climb to: #1 is called “Nine Dragons and Five Tigers,” representative of nine ridges, or dragons, and five hills, or tigers, who are said to be guarding the village. Number 2 is called “Seven Stars with Moon.” There are eight visible hills, and when the center one is filled with water, it looks like the moon surrounded by stars. These are on opposite sides of the hills surrounding Ping’an Village. The #2 viewpoint is the more visited and has many souvenir stands, restaurants, and snack options. We also stopped here to have my daughter dress up in ethnic costume for a special souvenir photo. Great prices: 10 yuan to dress up, and another 10 if you want them to take a picture. You receive a laminated 5 x 7 photo. Supposedly, most people visit these viewpoints in 2 hours. We stopped many, many times to take pictures, watch birds, catch frogs and tadpoles, and just to stare at the beauty surrounding us, and it took us 5 hours! If you don’t want to, or can’t physically do the hike, you can hire a couple of men to carry you in a sedan chair. The residents of Ping’an Village are of the Zhuang and Yao Chinese ethnic minorities. The women still dress in their colorful traditional clothing. The Yao women are known to have the longest hair in the world. They cut it one time when they are 18 years old, then save that hair and add it in with their current hair when they put it up each day. Traditionally, only a woman’s husband and children would see her hair down, but now, taking their hair down has become a tourist attraction. For 10-20 yuan, they will take it down for you. There is even a special “Long Hair” show in the neighboring Huangluo Yao Village.

The village of Dazhai is located within the Jinkeng Rice Terraces. The terraces around Dazhai cover a much larger area than the ones in Ping’an. Many people hike from Ping’an to Dazhai. It takes about 5 hours, and then, if you are staying in Ping’an, you can get a ride back, which takes less than an hour. There are also many guesthouses in Dazhai, which is less touristy than Ping’an, but if you are accustomed to Western food and lodging, you may not be as content there. (Even in Ping’an, you will NOT find burgers or Starbucks!) We opted to hire a roundtrip driver from Ping’an for our visit. We took the cable car from the Dazhai entrance gate up to the Golden Buddha Summit, which is the #3 viewpoint in the Dazhai area. It was a 25-minute ride, offering amazing views of the surrounding terraced fields. At the top, there are some small restaurants serving local food. Bamboo cooked rice is very popular. The rice, other varied ingredients and spices, and water are put inside a long piece of bamboo and cooked over a fire, then the bamboo is split and served, and you eat it right from the bamboo. After our lunch of bamboo rice, we walked back down to the village. As you start the walk down, you pass many souvenir stands. The most popular souvenirs are Zhuang embroidery, Yao batik, combs made from oxen horns, Longsheng tea and Longji chili sauce. Walking down the narrow paths curving around the contours of the terraces was fascinating to me, each new curve we rounded brought a new view to enjoy. I hope to return in the future to see the terraces at a different time of year. 

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Vivir La Vida SWIC spring theme party at Latina in Sea World with two live bands and a professional dancer!

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Photo credits: Tania Hartland

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CHENGDU

So much more than pandas! Really?

Text and photos by Marieke Kraaijeveld

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e moved back to China last summer and yes, we really wanted to come back here. We lived in Shanghai and Guangzhou before and love the dynamics of this country. This time however, it’s just the two of us, and we decided that we would make the most of the holidays by doing trips in China instead of going to other Southeast Asian countries. The first trip was Chengdu. My husband was already there for business, so I joined him on a Friday afternoon to spend the weekend sightseeing. He had been telling stories about the wonderful old inner city and the marvelous hot pot restaurants, so I was really looking forward to it. We stayed at his business hotel, the Haiyatt, in the center of the city. There is no spelling mistake here, the Haiyatt sounds the same, but just like those T-shirts - same same, but different. It

is a great hotel, the location is fabulous, and the prices are reasonable. Taxis are plentiful, you don’t have to arrange for drivers and cars or pre-order taxis, and the hotel is located on the edge of a pedestrian zone, which reduces the noise level considerably. Of course, I did my homework and had all the places we wanted to visit printed out in English and Chinese, so we could just show them to the taxi drivers and go. From the hotel, it took about 45 minutes for each of the sights we wanted to see. Not bad at all! This pedestrian zone has little or no old buildings but many state of the art shopping malls, restaurants, Starbucks outlets, all big brand clothing stores, and even an art garden on top of the mall opposite the hotel! The art garden was one of the biggest surprises I found in Chengdu; the roof of this

shopping mall was converted into a green area with all kinds of works of art, mostly statues. It was a joy to wander around them and end up in one of the fantastic restaurants that surround the “garden.” The very first panda I saw was a giant, and I mean a GIANT panda climbing up the building where the art garden was located, right across from the hotel. Once up on the roof, you will see the front of this piece of art. Very cleverly done. 

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We decided to visit the Panda Research Base first thing Saturday morning as we were told that the animals are active early mornings, but go back to “bed” around noon. We were expecting crowds, but there was hardly anybody there yet at 9am! The park was just beautiful, full of bamboo plants (not for the pandas, they eat too much to grow it locally, so their bamboo gets imported), trees that provide plenty of shade, and a very big and pretty lake with beautiful black swans. Since we were there at the end of March, the trees were blossoming and the whole park was bathed in colors. It would have been worth it just to stroll around the park , but we hadn’t even seen the pandas yet. They had many of them of various ages. The young adults (about 5 – 7 years old) were the most active of them all. The signs in the park were very clear and in English too, so once you are there, visit them first. They were playing around, chasing each other, climbing up the trees, and we watched them for at least 45 minutes. Not just the pandas were amusing, the reactions of the mainly Chinese visitors around us were worth watching too! I must say, nobody threw anything at them, nobody tried to feed them anything or rattled the railings. Everybody thoroughly enjoyed just watching those bears goof around.

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I had already told my husband that those pandas are never really black and white. More like black and dirty. Or black and yellow. He didn’t believe me, but they really were! I guess only when they are tiny babies, they are white, but they get dirty playing and lying around eating their bamboo shoots. I provided photos of the cleanest ones. We stayed about 3 1/2 hours in the park and decided that even though we could have stayed there much longer, we wouldn’t be able to see everything we had planned if we didn’t hustle. So we took another taxi to take us to Jinli Ancient Street, where the Wuhou Memorial Temple was located. It really was a bit of a throw back in time visiting this area. The history goes back some 1,800 years! The old bridges are still there, the gates to the city too, and although it has all been done up nicely, it still looks old and authentic. It’s actually not just one street, as Google will tell you. It’s more like a small neighborhood with ancient houses fitted with wooden shutters, uneven pavement, old trees with the inevitable wishing banners and declarations of true love, old people moving loads on their backs or drinking tea, as well as a wondrous food street with the most unrecognizable skewers and dishes. There are plenty of bars, some restaurants and many little shops. You can wander around for hours.

I had looked up the Wuhou Memorial Temple and thought it was close by. To our surprise, the temple was actually located right in the area of Jinli, so we stumbled upon it by accident. The temple is a shrine dedicated to two very famous figures from the Three Kingdoms period: Zhuge Liang, a minister and strategist known for his intelligence, and Liu Bei, the founding emperor of the state of Shu Han. It was a great site to visit, with many artifacts and information about the old times, in Chinese as well as in English. Do note that the entrance fee is more expensive than the Panda Research Base - 60 RMB per person, while the pandas will cost you 58. This place is not just a temple with regular incense burning places; it’s an area with a bonsai tree garden, memorial halls, and lots of information and art. Even though the entrance fee was relatively high, it was still definitely worth a visit. The next day was reserved for a visit to Wenshu Monastery. This is the biggest Buddhist monastery in the region, and admission is free. It really is still used as a monastery; there were services going on with wonderful soothing chants and monks wandering around the place. Fortunately, all the signs and instructions were in Chinese only. Usually, that would bug me, but this time, I was lucky not to be able to read the “no photo” signs, so I took plenty of “forbidden” pictures. We were the only non-Chinese visitors, so nobody said anything. Only when we left again did I see one sign in Chinese

and English, but then I had already finished taking pictures. This site was like a small village with old walls around it and a gorgeous garden at the back. There were beautiful old trees, wonderful flowers and pergolas, and a turtle pond with so many turtles that they looked like a pile of seaweed, but turned out to be moving animals. The buildings were not all old; the school buildings and library in the back were newly built, but in the same style as the original buildings. I think this place was the greatest surprise in Chengdu. Even though it was easy to Google, I didn’t expect anything so beautiful, so elaborate and huge! It is easy to spend a couple of hours wandering around the buildings, looking at all the art and old inscriptions, sometimes having no clue as to what you’re looking at, but beautiful just the same. Once you leave the area of the monastery, you end up in small streets with local vendors trying to sell you their homemade jewelry and trinkets. The streets behind the monastery are definitely worth a visit too. You’ll find famous herbs for sale, Buddhist tree nuts made into fine art, artists working on the streets, and to make the image even more colorful, carts with flower vendors everywhere! We thoroughly enjoyed our stay in Chengdu. However, we didn’t have time to go outside the city to visit the magnificent 2,000-year-old irrigation system that still keeps the Min River in check. So, I have a reason to go back, and I definitely will. 

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SHENZHEN OFFICE Tel: 755.8320.0837/8320.6673 www.alliedpickfords.com.cn 34 | SWIC Magazine | June 2015

“Bu

bu bu”...as in “no no no” was told to me when I pointed at the bubbling green paint and smudges of grey and black spots on my bedroom walls after informing my landlord that we have mold. Our translator explained further that we have to put the air conditioner on so that the walls will dry faster from the humidity; basically saying it was our fault that we ruined his apartment walls. Hmm… how can that be when the air conditioner is on the minute I walk through the house upon entering and that I keep it on through the night because it’s so hot in Shekou most of the year? This little scenario plays out each year as we sign up for another one-year lease.  However, this year our landlord got a little surprise when visiting our apartment. This year, I grew tired of explaining about the mold in our bedroom and asked my hubby to swap our master bed to the living room and the living room sofa to the master bedroom. AHA! Yes, I guess

MOLD By Bonnie Horibata

you could say that I’m slightly eccentric – or you could just say that I grew tired of looking for another apartment that may or may not have mold hidden beneath the fresh coat of paint, or that I’ve resigned to the fact that my landlord doesn’t believe in mold.  So basically, what is mold and why am I obsessing over it? Molds, mildew and fungi are present everywhere… inside and outside. Furniture, carpet,

books, even the air we breathe is full of spores. Humid, dark places with little air circulation promote the rapid growth of these fungi. The high humidity and the unlicensed contracting work of many rentals are a dangerous combination that exacerbates the mold problem in Shenzhen.  In our particular case, the bathroom plumbing appears to be leaking somewhere into the wall. That plus the humidity is the mold producer in our master bedroom. 

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For some people, mold is another nuisance that you can live with in China; but for people with asthma and allergies, mold can be your kryptonite, leaving you wheezing, lack of energy, headaches, and for some – depression. Literally, mold makes you sick. Moving my bed to the living room is clearly not the answer to fighting mold. However, it gave me a sense of serenity because I removed myself from the threat.  Here are more sensible tips to minimize the mold invasion: • Purchase a dehumidifier for damp areas of your home.  Change the water frequently and disinfect often to prevent mold from forming. • Diligent housekeeping and clean areas with solution of hot soapy water and a splash of bleach (use gloves and wear a mask to limit your exposure to chemicals) • Dry and/or replace water damaged areas and items within 24 - 48 hours to prevent mold growth. • Go on a mold-hunt. Look for mold in closets, bathrooms, hampers, garbage cans, children stuffed toys, tennis shoes… If you find mold on your little one’s favorite toy, get rid of it unless you can safely wash it in bleach and soapy water. Remember, most kiddies suck on their favorite stuffed toy, so you might not want to take the chance. • Try and improve air circulation throughout your house.

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• Clean your refrigerator and freezer and wipe down the door seals, don’t keep leftovers for more than a couple of days. • Clean the lint filter of your clothes dryer. • Clean and replace air condition filters often. • Wash your pillows and blankets often.  • Clean up the fallen leaves and decaying plants inside and outside. If this list is getting you down, ask your ayi to take care of the cleaning and be nice to her! My husband also purchased an air purifier for me that I think helps a lot to keep the air clean and mold-free.  It was costly but the investment is priceless since I’ve stopped hacking and coughing around the house and complaining to my husband about the mold. In closing, check your closets and walls near pipes for paint that is peeling or bubbly texture and then poke around it to see if it crumbles or if you smell something moldy or see green and black spots through the wall. This is a clear sign that you might be having problems with mold. I’m leaving soon for Hawaii and will go through my house and look for mold too because Hawaii is humid; perhaps not as humid as Shenzhen because we have trade winds. Happy hunting! 

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HO-HO-HOLIDAY IN HOHHOT

INNER MONGOLIA

Wutasi - the Temple of the Five Pagodas

Text and photos by Van Canaberal The Road Less Traveled

Basic Information: HOHHOT

China has a massive landmass and a lot of provinces to explore. Its rich history provides a feast for the senses.

Hohhot is the administrative, economic and cultural capital of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in north China. It is also known as “青城” or “Blue City” in Mongolian. In Mongolian culture, blue is associated with the sky, eternity and purity.

Going up north, there is one place that is not quite there on the tourist maps. Anyone can go easily to the major cities like Beijing and Shanghai, yet there is more beyond the borders of these places. Travel should not be limited to that. So, a little north of Beijing, let us explore a city that makes up part of the great Mongol culture that once ruled the world without stepping out of China.

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Hohhot is home to a relatively diverse cultural make up with three main ethnicities you see all over like the Han, Hui (Muslim) and Mongol Chinese. Hohhot and the rest of Inner Mongolia use both Chinese and Mongolian writing in most public places and announcements. The locals take pride in the fact they have preserved Mongolian writing as opposed to “Outer” Mongolia (the country) that uses Cyrillic writing from the Soviets.

Travel from Shenzhen

Where to Stay

There are direct flights from Shenzhen to Hohhot and back almost daily. The major airlines offering the flights are Shenzhen Airlines, China Southern, China Eastern and Hainan Airlines. The flight time between the two cities ranges from 3 hours 10 minutes to 5 hours and 50 minutes depending on the airline. For the direct flights, it is best to always check the airlines’ websites on their schedules because it may vary from time to time.

Hohhot doesn’t have a lot of 5-star hotels around, but the local hotels are pretty decent and reasonably priced. Shangrila and Inner Mongolia Hotel are popular among expats. Other hotels recommended are the Sheraton, Inner Mongolia Jinjiang International Hotel, Holiday Inn and Chun Xue Four Seasons. Compared to major cities in China, the prices for these hotels range from ¥300-700/night for a standard room, which is quite a steal for luxury.

The other way to fly to Hohhot from Shenzhen is via Beijing. Beijing is quite a bit closer to Hohhot, and there are more frequent flights to Hohhot flying out of Beijing. From Shenzhen, it takes 3 hours to fly to Beijing, and from Beijing it takes an hour to fly to Hohhot. There are more airline choices to fly to Hohhot, and the ticket prices for Beijing to Hohhot on economy class can go as low as ¥160-180.

It is best to stick to the major hotels especially if traveling without a translator. Most of the major hotels have Englishspeaking staff to help.

Transport around Hohhot It’s easy and quite cheap to travel around Hohhot. There are free buses downtown and taxis start at ¥10. For taxis, you can share your ride with a fellow passenger if you travel the same direction. Hotels also have their own local drivers, and some hotels may offer tour services. It’s best to talk with the hotel staff on options. Luckily, at the hotel I stayed at, their staff was very helpful in providing useful tips on how to go to major attractions by bus, and I also availed myself of their driver service for two days. The driver I got cost me about ¥450/day from 8:00am to 7:00pm. That was quite a deal.

Gate to Islam Street

The Easy-Peasy Trip Around – Islam Street One of the first itineraries I picked was Islam Street. A lot of free buses stop at “Old City,” which is where Islam Street is. Islam Street is a good mix of mosques and bustling shops. The mosques are quite unique and show the melding of Chinese and Islamic design elements. Same goes for the surrounding buildings like Yiwu Commercial Goods Market and the wet market beside it. Across the road from the mosque, there is the Shoe City building and a church in a little corner.  Shoe City

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Alatan Khan

Dazhao stupas

Temple Runs – Dazhao, Xilitu and Wutasi Hohhot is home to some interesting Tibetan Buddhist structures that have survived wars and the times. Close enough from Islam Street, there are a couple of places to note. Dazhao Lamasery Dazhao is the largest and oldest Buddhist monastery in Hohhot. It is also called Wuliang Si or Infinity Temple, and locals refer to it as Yinfo Si or Silver Buddha Temple. Dazhao was built in 1579 dedicated to the renowned Qing Emperor Kangxi. It was built by Alatan Khan, the chief of the Tumd Mongolian tribe. His large statue is easily seen from outside the temple. Dazhao is notable for having the Third Dalai Lama visit in 1586 to dedicate the silver Buddha and for Emperor Kangxi’s visit during the early part of the Qing Dynasty.

Dazhao Big Buddha

Xilitu Lamasery Across the road from Dazhao Lamasery is the Xilitu Lamasery. This is the largest lama temple in Hohhot.

Xilitu Lamasery

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Xilitu means “Holy Seat” in Mongolian. It was built during the Ming Dynasty to commemorate the Dalai Lama III and IV. It has remained pretty much intact and preserved throughout the years and has survived the region’s harsh weather and some fires in its history.

Wutasi – The Temple of the Five Pagodas Wutasi is also known as the “Precious Pagoda of the Buddhist Relics of the Diamond Throne.” The temple is a little farther than Dazhao and Xilitu and is in the older part of the city. The temple was built from 1727 to 1732 and is one of the surviving Tibetan Buddhist temples in the region. The five pagodas contain a temple with 1,563 images of Buddha carved into its walls, and each Buddha is slightly unique from the other. The inside of the original temple has been destroyed, but there is a stone preserved of a rare Tibetan/Mongolian cosmological map showing the zodiac and the position of stars.

Wutasi façade

Surprise Inside – Inner Mongolia Museum The most surprising itinerary for Hohhot was the Inner Mongolia Museum. Given Mongolia’s history, it would be expected that a lot of the artifacts would be about the Mongols or from the Yuan Dynasty. What I wasn’t expecting was a vast collection of dinosaur bones and fossils unearthed from the Gobi Desert. Getting in the museum is free, and what’s more interesting is that the façade lights up at night and the lights show the grasslands. Unfortunately, I failed to photograph the lights as this took me by surprise on the trip to the airport on the way back to Shenzhen. Inner Mogolia Museum

More Attractions These places I’ve been took about three to five days to leisurely explore. Hohhot has a lot more interesting and historical places, but these are the itineraries to begin with. The best time to explore Hohhot is the summer. In the summer, travelers can see a lot more of Mongol life and definitely enjoy the blue skies the city is named for. 

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Dapeng Fortress SWIC Visits Dongshan Temple and Dapeng Fortress and Walled City

Text and photos by Elaine Campbell

W

hen we first moved to Shenzhen, a well-known tourist guide stated that there was nothing in Shenzhen but shopping. How wrong they were! They forgot the strategic importance of geography. Dapeng Peninsula juts dramatically into the South China Sea before the island archipelago of Hong Kong and the Pearl River Delta just beyond. It is an excellent natural strategic position for protecting China’s flourishing maritime trade from eastern pirates or invaders. The fortress first built here in the 1394 was, for centuries, the most important defensive point of the South China Sea coastal area. SWIC members had a lovely time visiting this fortress town in April and the nearby, beautifully renovated, colorful Dongshan Temple. You can easily spend half a day visiting the temple and then take the short hike down to Dapeng Fortress. It is wonderful to meander around the old streets, climb the gate entrances, and visit the museum, small temples, and the mansion of General Lai Enjue, which at the time of our visit, was closed under renovation. The fort owes its existence to the Tea and Silk Road, or rather, to problems with blockades of that land trade route starting as early as

the Tang and Song Dynasties. These blockades forced foreign trade south to the sea. Not surprisingly, pirates were attracted to the largesse during the Ming and Qing Dynasties (1368 -1839). Pirate attacks became such an issue that by 1394, the Ming Dynasty Emperor commissioned two fortresses, the Dongguan and Dapeng Garrison Cities. The full name is “Fortress of Dapeng Guarding a Thousand Doors of Families.” Upon completion, 328 soldiers were garrisoned within the 100,000 square meter area. Parts of the impressive 1,200 meter wall and the South Gate still exist today. The Dapeng fort became the proud hometown of over 15 Chinese generals, which is rather remarkable for such a small town. The fort’s people were significantly involved in a number of historic events, including evicting the Portuguese from western Shenzhen, the Ming Rebellion at the beginning of the Qing Dynasty, fighting pirates in the 18th century, and the first battle of the Opium Wars. Battle of Tunmen in 1522 to Evict Portuguese Colonization: Over time, threats came not only from local pirates but from Western powers. Apparently, forces from Dapeng

were involved in the first successful rout against Western invasion when the Portuguese were evicted from Tunmen and Nantou in western Shenzhen in 1522. The battle occurred in Shenzhen Bay. Onset of Qing Dynasty, Involvement in Ming Rebellion and the Edict of Coastal Evacuation in 1668 At the beginning of the Qing Dynasty, forces attempting to restore the Ming Dynasty led locally by Li Wanrong captured and occupied Dapeng Fortress for ten years. This capture had significant ramifications for all the inhabitants of the coastal areas of southeastern China. The Imperial Court was afraid other local peoples might join the rebellion led by Zheng Chengong in Taiwan and implemented “The Edict of Coastal Evacuation,” forcing local people from Fujian through current day Shenzhen to abandon their homes and move inland. For example, in Xin’an County (equivalent to Hong Kong and Shenzhen combined), the population dropped from what had to be significantly more than 40,000 in 1668 (the population was just under 40,000 when Xin’an County was established in 1573) to approximately 2,000 in 1669. So many people died during the forced evacuation that land incentives had to be  June 2015 | SWIC Magazine | 43

created to re-populate with people from other areas. (This is apparently when the Hakka people came to the coasts in strong numbers.) Upon recapture, now recognizing its key strategic position, the Dapeng Defensive Garrison was reorganized as a regional command center. This naval battalion commanded the nine guard-stations of Donchongkou, Shuilutang, Lantau Island, Hongxiangiu, Yantian, Guanhutang, Lao Dapeng, Shangshatang and Xiashtang, as well as the four forts of Tuoning, Fotangmen, Nantou and Lantau Island. It remained active in defending against pirates. In fact, one of the most famous navy generals (admirals is an English term!) was Liu Qilong (c. 17721826), whose exploits “exterminating” Japanese pirates in the Qing dynasty were so appreciated that the Daoguang Emperor personally wrote his funeral oration as well as conferring the title “Zhenwei General” (majestic general, or general who inspires awe). Liu Qilong and his wife, Mai Lin, were buried in Jipadi of Dakengshang Village, Dapeng City. Their remains were found and moved in 1984. The Shenzhen Museum displays personal items such as a bronze hai top, white jade snuff bottle, glasses and a bronze tobacco pipe excavated from their tomb. The Liu family compound is on the west side of the main north/south gate road. Qing Dynasty and the Battle of Kowloon in 1839 The first skirmish of the Opium Wars occurred near Dapeng on September 4, 1839. British man o’war ships bombarded Chinese Naval Forces (after Chinese forces refused to sell the British food and water following the

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death of a local citizen, Lin Weixi, in an argument with British soldiers). In any case, this attack was successfully repelled by Chinese forces led by Lai Enjue (1795-1849) with a motley fleet of Chinese naval ships and local fishing boats against superior forces. In recognition of this great initial victory, the Daoguang Emperor allocated funds to refortify and rebuild Dapeng. Lai Enjue and the Lai Family The Emperor also promoted Lai Enjue to general, and to the delight of visitors today, conferred the funds for him to build the most impressive mansion in the city as well as update the fortress. The 2,500 square meter mansion is aptly named the “Majestic General’s House.” The Daoguang Emperor also took care to honor Lai Enjue’s father, Lai Yantai (1778-1840). After his death in 1840, the father was also promoted to “Zhenwei General,” continuing a family military dynasty started by Lai Enjue’s grandfather. In the three generations, the family proudly produced five generals including Lai Enjue, his grandfather, father, uncle and a cousin. Look for multiple Lai mansions (family compounds) scattered around Dapeng. The Lai family’s illustrious history includes alleged descent from a younger brother of a king in the Zhou Dynasty (c. 1045-250 BCE). The village has supposedly not changed much since it was rebuilt at the onset of the Opium Wars in 1839, albeit suffering from benign neglect, the ravages of nature, and more recently, migrant workers searching for cheap housing. Fortunately, the Shenzhen Municipal Government recognized in time the value of the site for tourism and

has invested in restoring and saving it. It is also the first state-level key protection unit of cultural relics in Shenzhen. You can see the success of this effort in the beautifully preserved city. The Dapeng Fortress Museum was organized in 1996 to manage and research historic relics and to encourage tourism. There are old granaries, wells, temples, parks, the Dapeng Museum, and General Lai Enjue’s Mansion to visit. Temples There are five temples on the map of the fortress. The two largest are the Tian Hou Temple (not surprising to find a sea goddess temple in as seafaring city) and a temple dedicated to the mythical Yan and Huangdi Emperors, mythical beings regarded as the ancestors of Chinese civilization. There also used to be one located in the North Gate dedicated to Guan Yu (died 219 CE), who became deified as a result of his revered fighting/leadership ability, loyalty and moral righteousness - a logical choice for a military town. There is even a small Tu Di Gong (minor provincial daily affairs, agriculture and weather god) Temple instead of the typical small shrine found in most rural towns. The Dapeng Museum is located across from the General Lai Enjue's Mansion in the southeast quadrant. This delightful, small museum exhibits information on ancient inhabitants of the area, history of the fort and its early involvement in the Opium Wars, weapons including Portuguese cannons, maps of key battles, objects of daily life, history of the Lai family, and descriptions of famous people from Dapeng.

Photo by Tania Hartland

Ancient Inhabitants It is interesting to note that human settlement in the area significantly predates the fort. For example, directly to the west, on the other side of the peninsula on Dapeng Bay, lies the historical site of Shabin, Xiantouling, the earliest known settlement of humans in the area dating from 7,000 years ago. They lived on fishing, farming and hunting, not too dissimilar from some local residents. The relics found from this site include coarse, white clay pottery decorated with geometric string and shell patterns, long stone adzes for smoothing/carving rough cut wood, and grooved polishing/grinding stones. History of the Fort The exhibit on the history of the fort includes events leading up to the Battle of Kowloon and the Opium Wars. This room also includes photos of opium paraphernalia and the depressing, dopey haze of opium dens, and a photo of Lin Weixi, a local Chinese man who was killed on July 7, 1839, in an altercation with British soldiers when he tried to stop them from making trouble in Tsin Sha Tsui, Kowloon. This incident preceded the Battle of Kowloon and explains the high tensions leading into the battle. Weapons For those interested, it appears to be an exhibit mainly of arms from the time of the Battle of Kowloon. Objects of Daily Life of the Lai Family: Many items on display including jewelry were recovered from the Lai tombs. Famous Dapeng People There are over 25 military leaders

from this small town. Some are pictured on the walls here. A Chinese friend helped translate some of the stories. Huang Dimei married into the Dapeng community at age 18. She is honored here for aiding Red Army guerrillas by concealing crops and hiding the spouse of a Red Army leader. Her husband ran the Red Army radio station and her older and younger brothers were in the Red Army. Lai Zhongyuan, descendant of the famous Lai Enjue, joined the army to fight against the Japanese in 1938, and in 1946-1949, chose the Liberation Army under Mao. Yang Zhongan (19071978) was a famous war hero for leading air force bombers to destroy an air base in southwest Japan. He died in Taiwan. Luo Gui (1929-1997) joined the Army at the age of 13 and the Party at 17. He was active in the Guangdong region and participated in the Korean War and one of the Vietnam Wars (not the USA one!). Liu Heizi (1917-1946), in his brief life, helped rescue an American pilot, killed a traitor and fought the Japanese at Hong Kong Airport. Dai Zuowen (1903-1931) was a leader of the Hong Kong deckhand “1925 Big Strike,” joined the Party in 1927 and was killed by Nationalist forces in 1931. Current Inhabitants There are still 76 families in Dapeng City speaking the unique Dapeng dialect and are known as the “Pengcheng People.” Officers and soldiers came from many different places. Some brought families, some married the local women. Their spoken dialects mixed and formed a special dialect used in the military camps, with the characteristics of Guangdong and

Hakka dialects. If you are lucky, you may spot one of the women wearing a huge hat with cloth curtain, the typical old-fashioned head garb of Dapeng. Not mentioned in the museum is one of the most famous Dapeng natives of today. Deanie Ip, a famous Hong Kong actress, who at age 65 joined the ranks of Katharine Hepburn and Sophia Lauren when she won the Venice Film Festival’s Coppa Volpi as Best Actress in 2011 for her performance in Ann Hui’s A Simple Life as Chung Chun-tao “Ah tao,” an aging servant who has served one family for four generations. Her singing Cantopop and acting careers span more than 30 years.  How to get there: From  Shenzhen Airport: Airport Express #6 to Liuyibu (Luohu) -> Bus E11 to Dapeng -> Bus B756 to Dapeng Suocheng From Yinghu Bus Station in Louhu: Bus E11 to Dapeng -> Bus B756 to Dapeng Suocheng From Futian Bus Station: Bus H92 to Dapeng -> Bus B756 to Dapeng Suocheng Address:  Dapeng Community, Dapeng New District, Shenzhen 518120 深圳市大鹏新区大鹏街道鹏城社区 Website:  http://www.szdpsc.com/ Cost: 20 RMB per person (students half price) includes entrance to General Lai Enjue's Mansion and Dapeng Museum. June 2015 | SWIC Magazine | 45

WE AT

AT Dapeng Fortress MAY 2015

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Photo credits: Tania Hartland

June 2015 | SWIC Magazine | 47

Dongshan Temple By Elaine Campbell

D

ongshan Temple was built in 1394, the same year as Dapeng Fort, after a famous Song Dynasty feng shui master named Lai Buyi observed purplish mist over the mountain. Purple is associated with the North Star, the alleged abode of the Celestial Emperor. It is identified with spiritual awareness, healing, and immortality. He suggested to the villagers that a temple built here would bring them luck, so they complied. The temple prospered and suffered in tandem with the nearby fort. It was restored beautifully during the Qing Dynasty in 1854, occupied by Japanese forces in World War II, and looted and destroyed during the Cultural Revolution. Only the granite arch entrance, a pagoda, and two bell pillars remain of the earlier structure. They also recovered part of a stone plaque engraved by the famous General Lai Enjue in the mid-1800s, now in the Shenzhen Museum. In 1992, local villagers and Chinese living overseas donated over 1 million yuan to rebuild the temple, including a Taoist Hall of the Great Immortal Wong. The hall was demolished in 2010 because it did not meet building safety standards and because the mixing of folk immortals and Buddhas did not comply with Buddhist traditions. The brochure at the temple stated, “This baffled general worshippers.” The temple’s most recent reincarnation, as a primarily Buddhist temple, was inaugurated in 2012 under the administration of the Nanua Monastery in Shaoguan and with the support of the Chinese government at all levels. The Lai family (see article about Dapeng Fortress) was again represented, this time by Lai Haimin, Chairman of Hongrongyuan Real Estate Group, who with his wife, donated more than 20 million yuan to build the Main Shrine Hall! The renovation is colorful and spectacular. Every view seems to

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demand a photo. You walk in past the imposing Grand Front Gate, which is inscribed on the back, “Repent and turnaround, the shore is not far behind.” In the first courtyard, the Buddhist Bathing Pool has a statue of Prince Siddhartha, who was born in Nepal and raised in India in the warrior caste to be a great military leader. In his late 20s, he rejected this upbringing to become eventually the great spiritual leader known now as Buddha. He is standing on lotus plants, symbolizing the emergence from mud to attain enlightenment. The hand pointing down apparently means welcome, blessing or charity and the one pointing up indicates “fear not” or protection. The first building up the 31 stairs, representing the 31 realms of existence from ancient Buddhist cosmology, is the Hall of Heavenly Kings. The laughing Buddha with his big belly occupies the center; he represents love, kindness and friendship, and the incarnation of the future Maitreya Buddha. He is accompanied by the four Heavenly Kings, who each guard one direction of the world. The protector of Buddhism, Vitasoka stands behind. The Main Shrine Hall is directly behind on a higher level. It is made of lovely, dark reddish-brown Burmese merbau wood, which is very durable and resistant to both rotting and insects. The whole building is made without a single nail using the classic mortise and tenon joints. As seems appropriate, the roof is made from “purple” clay roof tiles. The Buddhas of Three Worlds are enshrined within. Sakyamuni (another name for Siddhartha) is in the middle, Bhaisajyaguru, Buddha of Medicine and Healing is on the left, and Amitabha (Infinite Light) Buddha is on the right. Of interest, it is believed that if you chant his name, Amitabha, even a few times, you may reach enlightenment, hence the chanting on the tapes as you enter. The cavities in the statues were

filled with devotees’ donated jewelry in 2011 (representing rejection of worldly goods?) and are surrounded by 500 Arhats, which are Buddhists who have achieved enlightenment. To the left is Merit Hall, representing three transformations of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva (the goddess Guanyin in China): the TwentyFour-Arm Avalokitesvara reaching out to the suffering, the Children-Giving Avalokitesvara, and the Wish-Fulfilling Avalokitesvara. There is only one Buddha so Bodhisattvas are the equivalent of saints. The hall’s counterpart on the right is the Hall of Bliss and Longevity, corresponding to three transformations of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva: with a Five Dhyani Crown (five traits of Buddha), as a bhiksu (monk), and saving sentient beings from hell. Ksitigarbha is known for his vows to instruct all beings in the six worlds before the future Buddha arrives and to empty all the hells. He is usually depicted with a staff to open up the gates of hell and a wish-fulfilling jewel to light up the darkness. On right side of the Main Shrine Hall is the Hall of Samgha-arama (garden of learning for monks) and the Bell Tower. On the left side is the Hall of Patriarchs and the Drum Tower. At the back of the Main Shrine Hall is the Tripitaka Sutra Pavilion (library of Buddhist texts) and the Center for Traditional Culture Learning. The monastery opens with a bell and closes with the evening drum.

WE AT

A Visit to Dongshan Temple May 2015

Photo credits: Tania Hartland

June 2015 | SWIC Magazine | 49

T reasure

x

Hunting

Text and photos by Linda Walsh Plans worked out, map in hand, supplies in your pack, and off you go to find some new “uncharted” place; you can’t wait to find the treasure you seek! Does this sound exciting? Well, there are quite a few ways to go on modern day treasure hunts. Maybe the place is not “uncharted,” but just new to you, or it may even be an area you already know! As you travel around Shenzhen, I can almost guarantee that you have been VERY close to some of these "treasures" without even knowing that they existed! The treasure is not gold, or

anything materialistic, as most people think of treasure, but it is the success of finding the location….that “X” on the treasure map…. and the journey you took to find it. So what are these treasures and how do you find them? To get the most of all these types of treasure hunts, it’s best if you register on the websites listed so you can record what you find.

We'll start with letterboxing, which was the start of modern day treasure hunting. It began in England many, many years ago. You follow a set of clues to get you to the exact spot where the treasure is hidden. You have your own logbook and rubber stamp, and when you find a letterbox, there will be a logbook and rubber stamp in it. You swap stamps in the logbooks and return it to its hiding spot. Many letterboxes have unique hand carved stamps representing where they have been found and eventually you acquire quite an interesting collection. Currently, there is only one letterbox in Shenzhen, but hopefully more will appear soon! See if you can find the one here. You can also place one of your own to help the game grow in Shenzhen! Check the map on one of the websites, as there are some letterboxes in Hong Kong, other cities in China, and many places around the world! Maybe in your home country! Read more or register at www.letterboxing.org or www.atlasquest.org.

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The next kind of treasure hunt is probably the most popular- geocaching. Geocaching started in the year 2000, and now there are over 2,600,000 geocaches worldwide! Over the past year, the number of geocaches in Shenzhen has grown to about 175. Geocaching requires a GPS unit or a smartphone app to locate geographical coordinates. Coordinates can get you within about 15 meters of the exact spot, then you must put your thinking skills in action. Sometimes, further hints are given, and sometimes, there are even "spoiler" photos in case you are having a difficult time finding the treasure. When you find the “cache," there will be a logbook for you to sign. Depending on the size, the cache may have trinkets or toys in a container which you can trade. Most caches in urban areas like Shenzhen or Hong Kong are macro size, often magnetic, and only have a small log included. The problem with finding these is that there are almost always other people nearby watching you. These people are called "muggles," and you have to be careful that they don't see you find the cache because if they don't understand what you are doing, they may vandalize the cache after you leave. I have had to give up finding many caches in the city because of all the muggles! www.geocaching.com You must purchase the official app, but other free ones are available.

Munzee capping is called the 21st century scavenger hunt, and you use a free smartphone app to play. You search for a small QR code attached to something, scan the code and earn points. Sometimes, it is even virtual and just by having your app open and getting in the right place, you collect it! Many times, geocaches will also have a Munzee in the cache. www.munzee.com

The last game I will mention is a free app for your iPhone/iPad called Snapling. You search for pictures that other players have “planted” in different locations. When you find the right location, you line the picture up as close as possible on your phone and “snap” the same picture. You score points by finding and planting photos. Photos need to be of stationery objects. A flower blooming or a group of your friends will not be there when the next player tries to match the picture. Statues, buildings, signs, etc are normally good choices (although those could also quickly change in China). There are currently about 30 photos for Shenzhen.

So next time you have some free time, try something new, get your family or a group of friends and go treasure hunting!

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Sea World Photo Scavenger Hunt Text and photos by Linda Walsh

A

scavenger hunt is when you try to find as many things as possible from a list. There are usually teams, and you see which team can find the most. Normally, you collect the physical items, but for this hunt, you just take a picture when you find an item so you can prove that you have found it. If you are doing this as a single family or group and not competing, you can just check things off on the list. This list is for Sea World in Shekou. Everything on the list can be found without actually entering shops or restaurants. Look in the windows and doors and all around outside. Nothing is on the outer perimeter along a main street. Everything is on street level, but note that since area C kind of has two street levels, (along Wanghai Rd is above the level the ship is on at street level) you will actually look on two levels (B and 1) in that section. You also should walk through the inside of the L’amour shopping mall on the first floor.

1. A red lantern 2. Orange table umbrellas 3. A cow 4. A lifeboat 5. A shelf with books 6. Chili peppers 7. A massage chair 8. Live bamboo plants 9. A lion 10. A sun with a face 52 | SWIC Magazine | June 2015

Some things on the list may not seem to make sense, but once you see them, you’ll understand. Most are some sort of representation of the item, but some are the actual thing. Some are big, some are small, and many in between. Look up, look down, look all around… Pay attention to details! Some are easy and some are hard! Some will have more than one possibility. If you can’t find something, unfortunately, it may be gone, you know how quickly things can change here! Try to find as many items as you can. When you find something on the list, take a picture of it to prove that you have found it. I would recommend 1 - 1 1/2 hours to search. If you do it as a group, set a place to meet back up after a determined time and see who has found the most. Have fun!

11. A sunflower 12. A tape measure 13. A weathervane 14. A row of teapots 15. An ostrich 16. A green chair 17. The year “1962” 18. The Eiffel Tower 19. Coffee beans 20. A bouquet of flowers

21. An American flag 22. A sliding board/slide 23. A blue and white striped pole 24. A heart 25. A shark 26. An elephant’s head 27. A giant “U” 28. A Lucky Cat/Maneki Neko 29. A colorful fish 30. A Euro symbol €

June 2015 | SWIC Magazine | 53



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ave you ever had too much on your mind or been tired, tipsy or just plain forgetful and left an item in a taxi? Well, I have, and I learned that there is a wonderful resource in Shenzhen that solves this problem.  Here is my story: My friend from Holland came over to visit me in Shenzhen. We spent a couple days in Hong Kong and had a great time shopping and sightseeing. When it was time to leave, I was a little sad because I had to say goodbye to my friend, but also a little happy because I had filled a big suitcase with very special items. On my way back to Shenzhen, I found out that there was an event with friends that I wanted to attend right away. I went straight to the restaurant from the border with my suitcase. Good food and a couple drinks later, my husband and I took a taxi home with my suitcase in the back. After we wished the guard in our complex a good night, I realized to my horror that I had left my suitcase in the trunk of the taxi. I ran back to the street, but the taxi was already gone. Then I also realized that I had forgotten to ask for the taxi receipt. So there I was in the middle of the night, feeling

very stupid for forgetting both of these things. I called my Chinese friend, and she phoned the Shenzhen Taxi Company, who could not help us. There are 100 taxi firms affiliated with the station, so they could not track anything. The assistant would think about it and call us back the next morning. After a not so good night’s sleep, she called us with a few options. First, go to the police station. The police could not ultimately help us, because they didn’t have cameras on the street where we live. So we went back to our apartment complex. There, they have a special video room full of TV screens, so we could see the images of the night before. Luckily, we knew exactly the time when we got out of the taxi and found the images with us and the taxi. Unfortunately, we could not read the license plate. The people there told us we had two more options. First, go back to the police with the exact time and images and see if they could see through another street where the taxi went and hope they had better images of the license plate, or second, go to another company which might find the taxi via GPS signals.

Successful Taxi Lost Item Recovery Story By Marieke Van Schijndel

W

e chose second option. We found the office, very luckily because it was open on a Sunday, but closed for lunch break. A little nervous, we entered the office at 2pm. We had to fill out a paper with questions. A really nice guy helped us because the whole form was in Chinese. The main information we had to fill out was: the time and place where we boarded the taxi, the time and place where we got out of the taxi and exactly how much we paid. Five minutes later, we received a note with the number of the taxi and the telephone number of the taxi company. We passed this information to my husband’s assistant, who called the taxi company, which gave her the number of the taxi driver. She then called the taxi driver. He still had the suitcase in his car; he had worked all night and would be working again in the evening. He promised us to come to our house to drop off the suitcase at 8pm. And he did! We wanted to pay him for bringing our suitcase back, but he refused, saying that he was sorry.

Artwork by Joschua Mueller

So even without the taxi receipt, you can report where and when you got in the taxi, where and when you exited the taxi, and how much you paid. Believe it or not, with this information, the taxi can be tracked, called, and asked to bring your lost item back to you. The service is free. I was very happy to have my suitcase back and wanted to share this story with my fellow expats so that any such travel blunders you might encounter will have a happy ending.  深圳市交通信息咨询服务中心 Lost and Found Center Shenzhen Transport Information Service 深圳市福田区滨河大道3002号无线电管理大厦7层 7F, Radio Management Building, No. 3002 Binhe Road, Futian District, Shenzhen  Tel: 0755-8322-8000 June 2015 | SWIC Magazine | 55

Our Tiny Neighbors Text and photos by Leah Walsh

Peninsula Park

If you were asked, “What are some interesting things in Shenzhen?” you would probably think of places such as Sea World or Splendid China, or the buildings or exhibits that you see there. But there is a lot that most people overlook, such as wildlife. These interesting places also have plants, which you may notice, but have you ever stopped to look closely at them, and what may be on them? I like looking for and photographing these little creatures found mainly on plants. Here are some of my favorite pictures of “Our Tiny Neighbors” in Shenzhen.

Fraser Place

Clearwing Tussock Moth Caterpillar Like most caterpillars, this one is quite different from the moth it turns into, which is quite plain.

Ricaniid Planthopper Nymph Peninsula Park

If you see a piece of fuzz on a plant, look closer; it may be a bug!

Green Lacewing Larva Green lacewing larvae put things on their back as camouflage.

Peninsula

Snail 56 | SWIC Magazine | June 2015

OCT Wetlands

Geometrid Moth Caterpillar Also known as an inchworm

Peninsula OCT Wetlands

Ladybug or Ladybird Beetle

Iceryine Scale Insect The fuzzy-looking fringe is waxy and secreted by special glands. Its body is bright orange underneath.

OCT Wetlands

Spider, ID unknown

June 2015 | SWIC Magazine | 57

More from Myanmar

Mandalay Meanderings Text and photos by Adele Arthur

M

andalay is one of those place names that conjures up all kinds of exotic imaginings, but unfortunately the reality is something quite different. The city actually reminded us of typical towns we have seen in China with uninspiring concrete architecture and hectic, exhaust fume filled streets. We had to work a little harder than usual to find the places of interest. Surprisingly, Mandalay is a very young city in an ancient land and was only founded in 1857 by King Mindon to fulfill an ancient Buddhist prophecy. It wasn’t to be a long dynasty as the British arrived in 1885 and stayed until 1945. Later, there was a huge influx of Chinese from Yunnan and Sichuan, and now, they make up nearly 40% of the city’s population. No wonder we thought it looked like a Chinese city! We visited the usual tourist attractions of Mandalay Hill and the Royal Palace, but for us, the most interesting sights were further afield. 

June 2015 | SWIC Magazine | 59

Riding the Pick-Up Trucks Being too cheap to hire a taxi for the day, we decided to ride the pick-up trucks with the locals. We had no difficulty finding the starting place for the trucks to Sagaing, and the price was good at the equivalent of US$1.00 each, although it was probably double the going rate. The down side was that you have to wait until the truck is full before it starts off. That means that the roof is covered with sacks of onions and other freight, as many passengers as possible are squashed along the bench seats inside and a goodly number of hangers on are doing just that - hanging on! Sagaing is across the river from Mandalay and is a series of hills dotted with various temple complexes. We climbed the many steps up the hill for an amazing view. Below us, we could see paths and stairways crisscrossing the slopes and leading to a seemingly never ending supply of temples and monasteries. We needed to catch another pick-up to take us to Amarapura and the U Bien Bridge. Again, it was easy to find the starting place, but we were confronted by an empty vehicle and knew that we would be waiting for a long time. In the end, it was quite entertaining as the boy drumming up customers kept us amused with his antics. One lady argued extensively with him before finally boarding the truck. Only a few minutes later she changed her mind and started to walk off. The boy quickly ran after her and almost physically dragged her back! The U Bein Bridge is one of Myanmar’s photographic wonders, especially at sunset. The 1.2km long teak bridge offers fabulous silhouette opportunities with the ultimate pictures

60 | SWIC Magazine | June 2015

including solitary monks. There were no chances of anything solitary the day we were there, but we had a wonderful time taking about 250 photos from every conceivable angle. We even managed some reasonable sunset ones. We couldn’t stay right to the end of the sunset because we needed to walk back to the main road and somehow find some transport back to Mandalay before it got too dark. A local assured us that a bus did exist, but as daylight disappeared, it soon became difficult to identify what vehicles were coming along the road as all we could see were their bright headlights. Eventually, it was another pick-up truck that took us on board. This time, I just handed over the equivalent of US$1 for both of us, and it was unquestionably accepted. I knew we had been paying too much!

Mingun World Records Our next excursion from Mandalay involved a boat. Aimed at the foreign tourist market, it leaves every morning at 9.00am for the 10 kilometre trip up the Ayeyarwady River to Mingun. Before we could buy our tickets, we had to show our passports, sign our names and supply the name of our hotel. The river was busy with all kinds of craft, including boats laden with teak logs, so we had plenty to watch while we waited for our departure time. Mingun’s main attraction is an unfinished pagoda. Built between 1790 and 1797, it was going to be the largest pagoda in the world, but as is often the case with the grand dreams of kings, it almost ruined the country financially and was never finished. Just the huge base exists today, towering 50 metres high. In 1838, it was damaged by an earthquake, and large signs warn visitors that it isn’t safe to climb to the top although absolutely nobody takes any notice! Only a few hundred metres down the road is a more genuine contender for a world record. The Mingun Bell weighs almost 100 tons, stands 3.7 metres high and is 5 metres wide, and claims to be the largest functioning bell in the world. It has recently been surpassed by a new bell made in China in 2000, but they are conveniently overlooking this fact. Therefore, the Mingun Bell currently ranks as both second largest functioning bell and third heaviest bell in the world. Not so bad for an unknown tiny village in Myanmar. One of the fun things about the bell is that it is very user friendly. Visitors can make it ring using a wooden mallet and then stand inside to get the full benefit of surround sound! It is places like Mingun with its totally unexpected and unknown gems that make travel such a rewarding experience. 

June 2015 | SWIC Magazine | 61

SWIC Summer 2015 Activities TUESDAY COFFEE MORNINGS:

HIKING GROUP:

June 9 - Last Coffee Morning at Hilton before summer break

We will restart Monday mornings beginning August 17. Meet at McDonald's in Sea World at 8:30am. Bring lots of water and a sweat rag. Wear a hat and dress comfortably.  Led by Adele Arthur.

SWIC will meet informally for coffee each Tuesday morning at 9:30am at Hans Mix Cafe in Sea World (just to the left in front of the Minghua boat as you come from the metro). Present your SWIC membership card to receive 20% discount on all food and drink items.   August 25 - First Coffee Morning at Hilton after summer break

SMALL KIDS:  The Moms and Tots Group plans to continue meeting on Tuesday afternoons and Thursday mornings. 

ACTIVITIES: There will be activities during the summer. Linda Walsh and Ursula von Jeinsen have graciously volunteered to coordinate. If you wish to organize something, please contact them at [email protected].

WELCOME BREAKFAST: September 15 - Welcome Breakfast at Marco Polo Hotel in Futian (subject to change)

CONTACT INFO: Please come by for coffee, check the website or e-mail us at [email protected] with the subject heading "SWIC Summer Activities" if you are interested in participating this summer.  We wish everyone the summer they are hoping for. The SWIC Activities Committee

Welcome to International SOS Shenzhen Clinic Our clinic in Shekou provides quality integrated medical care to International SOS members, including: • • • •

Family practice Annual health checks Preventative Care Pharmacy

24 hour Assistance Centre: Beijing 400 818 0767 Hong Kong +852 2528 9900 International SOS Shenzhen Clinic Opening hours: Monday to Friday 9am - 6pm, Saturday 9am-1pm Clinic appointments: (0755) 2669 3667 No. 6 Nanhai Avenue, Industry Mansion (East Annex), Shekou, Nanshan District, Shenzhen 518067 深圳市南山区蛇口南海大道6号工业区大厦附楼 518067

www.clinicsinchina.com

62 | SWIC Magazine | June 2015

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TLI SHENZHEN

The best choice for learning Chinese • Established in U.S. in 1956 • 60 years leading brand in global Chinese education field • Ranks in “Top 10 Language Schools Worldwide” • 20 global TLI language centers • USA, Canada, Japan, Taiwan, Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Tianjin, Suzhou, Dalian, Guangzhou • Innovative up-to-date teaching materials and teaching methodology • Excellent professional experienced teaching team • Student centered learning approach according to each learner's goals and needs • Tailored classes and specific purposes programs

LANGUAGE CLASSES Survival Chinese Practical Chinese (I,II,III,IV) Business Chinese Picture Story Chinese Character HSK (I-VI） Children Chinese Classes

CULTURAL CLASSES Chinese Cuisine Chinese Dinner Etiquette Painting and Calligraphy Taobao Chinese Traditional Clothes Tea Ceremony Taichi, Kungfu, Fengshui

Phone: 0755-21618221/ 13714774816 Email: [email protected] Website: www.tli.com.tw www.tlichinaonline.com www.facebook.com/tlishenzhen Address: Room 1209A, 12th Floor, Ming Wah International Convention Centre (next to Fraser), Shekou, Shenzhen 深圳南山区蛇口龟山路明华国际会议中心C座1209A

June 2015 | SWIC Magazine | 63

WE AT

End of the WORLD

TENNIS Party

64 | SWIC Magazine | June 2015

Photo credits: Tania Hartland and Jennifer Scogin

WE AT

Another fantastic year in WORLD TENNIS!! Our annual “End of the WORLD (Tennis)” party was a smashing success! We met at Eden Garden on the rooftop of the Hilton, had food, drinks, and great entertainment, and then danced the night away. Jennifer Scogin helped begin the club 3 years ago, and this was her last year as Tennis Queen, as she is leaving China. Such a great way to have a good time together and also to say goodbye. It was so much fun! Thanks to everyone involved in this incredible club… love you all. But thankfully it’s really not the End of the WORLD! Cindy Reynolds and Lara Mannell will be the new Tennis Queens for next year! We look forward to a new chapter of this amazing club full of wonderful, strong women! The WORLD without TENNIS is a WORLD without LOVE... -- Jennifer Scogin May 2015

June 2015 | SWIC Magazine | 65

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To advertise in SWIC’s quarterly magazine, please contact [email protected]. We will need your ready-toprint, 300 ppi ad file in jpg, png, or pdf format. Advertising rates in RMB:

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There are so many topics: • Human interest stories • Cultural discoveries • Day trips in and around Shenzhen • Travel stories in Asia • Advice and tips • News from SWIC groups and events

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Full page 1350 Half page 800 Inside cover 1750 Back cover 2000 Full payment must be made prior to first printing.

All ad submissions are on a first come, first served basis. SWIC limits the number of ads in each issue to provide full editorial content to its members. Advertising is also available in the form of an e-mail business forum sent twice a month to our members. Business Forum rates in RMB: 1 month 6 months Member/Sole proprietor Current magazine advertiser Non-magazine advertiser

66 | SWIC Magazine | June 2015

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SWIC members are enthusiastic about helping each other and sharing their expat experience. Contributing to the magazine is one of the ways you can do that.

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And it doesn’t always have to be a long article. Maybe you have some (high resolution) pictures or blurbs about: • Some amusing signs or sights in China • A SWIC event • An event in Shenzhen To avoid duplicating topics, please discuss your idea first with the editor before sending your magazine contribution to [email protected].

Merchant Discounts

Show your SWIC ID to receive discount RESTAURANTS & CAFES Amigos 10% discount Monday - Friday on Tex-Mex, pasta, and pizza menu. Address: Shop Z107-109, Sea World Phone: 0755 2683 5449 Backstube [the better bakery] - NEW 10% discount on purchases over 100¥ paid by cash. Address: Shop 24-1, Coastal Rose Garden 2, Shekou Phone: 0755 2681 0468 Boathouse 10% discount on lunch menu, 22 RMB all you can drink coffee. Western menu featuring seafood chowder and cheesecake. Address: Shop 16, Coastal Rose Garden 2, Shekou Phone: 188 1857 5457; 150 1252 3379 Bombay Indian Cuisine 10% discount on large menu of authentic Indian cuisine. Address: Shop Z116, Sea World, Taizi Rd. Phone: 0755 2667 6049 E-mail: [email protected] Captain’s Bar 10% discount on food and beverages, 5% discount on wholesale items. Address: Peninsula 1, Shekou, near the lighthouse Cheers 10% discount on drinks Address: Shop 60, Coastal Rose Garden 2, Shekou Phone: 0755 2683 2864 George and the Dragon 10% discount on Western fare, happy hour excluded. Address: Unit 3 behind Taizi Hotel across from Bank of China, Shekou Phone: 0755 2669 8564 E-mail: [email protected]

Gold Coast 5% discount with no service charge on any meal, except during happy hour (5 - 7 pm) Address: Shop 118, Haibin Building, Sea World Phone: 0755 2667 6968 Grissini 5% discount on a diverse Western menu. Address: Shop Z205, Sea World Phone: 0755 2668 8379 Hans Mix Coffee 20% off any beverage, food item, or merchandise. Address: 031-033, Zone A, Sea World HH Gourmet Bagels + More 5% discount weekdays only. All products are made on the premises, from pastrami to bagels! Address: Shop 43B, Coastal Rose Garden 2, Shekou Phone: 0755 2683 9259 Jordan’s Bar 10% discount on food and beverages. Address: Shop 55, Coastal Rose Garden 2, Shekou Kosmo Wellness Cafe 15% discount on healthy drinks and snacks. Address: Shop Z105 - 106, Sea World Phone: 0755 2686 1419 McCawley’s Irish Bar and Restaurant 10% discount on food and beverages, excluding happy hour and holidays. Address Sea World: Shop Z118, Sea World Phone: 0755 2668 4496 Address Peninsula: Shop 109, Coastal Rose Garden 3, Shekou Phone: 0755 2667 4361 Web: www.mccawleys.com Little India 10% discount on regular dinner menu items, weekdays only, excludes set menus.  Address Futian:  No. 18B Basement North of Coco Park, 138 Ming Tian Rd., Futian Phone:  0755 8317 4827 Address Shekou: No. 116 of 6 Building, NH Ecool, Taizi Rd., Shekou  Phone: 0755 2686 0020

June 2015 | SWIC Magazine | 67

Merchant Discounts

Show your SWIC ID to receive discount RESTAURANTS & CAFES CONTINUED

CHINESE LANGUAGE SCHOOL

Roma’s Restaurant 10% discount on a Western menu featuring many fine French dishes. Delivery in Shekou. Address: No. 4 Taizi Rd., across from Sea World Phone: 0755 2683 8492

Linda Lee Interactive Chinese 5% discount on Mandarin courses and free textbook with CD. Quarterly clearance sale of English books for children, SWIC members can have greater discount. Address: Villa B, Bihua Rd, Crystal Garden, Taizi Rd, Shekou Phone: 0755 2686 2031

The Terrace 10% discount on beverages and on a great menu of Western and Thai foods before 6pm. Excludes set lunch and promotions. Free delivery! Address: Shop Z201, Sea World Square above Starbucks Phone: 0755 2682 9105 Web: www.theterracechina.com Viviano Italian Restaurant  10% off regular menu items, excludes lunch specials and happy hour. Address: A2-2002, Sea World, above Pacific Coffee Phone: 0755 2682 8680

GROCERIES The Butcher Shop 10% discount on fine meats, cheeses, and wine. Address Sea World: 1st floor, Honlux Hotel, Sea World near McCawley's Phone: 0755 2685 8295 Address Rose Garden: Shop 47, Coastal Rose Garden 2, Shekou Phone: 0755 2686 3352 Nogogo Online Groceries 5% discount on fine food, foreign brands, plus free delivery for online orders. Address: 1st Floor, Building 2, Zhongjian Industrial Building, No.18, Yanshan Rd. Shekou Phone: 0755 2667 2080 Web: www.nogogo.com Silver Palate 5% discount on Western groceries. Free delivery in Shekou. Address Rose Garden 2: Shop 18, Coastal Rose Garden 2, Shekou Address Peninsula: Shop 3-4, Coastal Rose Garden 3, Shekou Address Taizi Rd.: Shop133 &134, Bitao Center, Taizi Rd, Shekou, near QSI

68 | SWIC Magazine | June 2015

TLI - Taipei Language Institute 10% discount on Chinese courses Address: 1209A, Building C, Ming Wah International Convention Center, Seaworld, Shekou Phone: 0755 2161 8221

BEAUTY, SPA, & HEALTH Lotus Spa 30% off individual spa and 10% off spa packages. Address: Shop 17, Coastal Rose Garden 2, Shekou Phone: 0755 2160 6450 Simply Beauty - NEW 15% discount off beauty treatments: Manicure ¥35, pedicure ¥55, manicure with gel ¥89, false nails ¥60. Address: No. 238 Nanshui Walking Street, Shekou Phone: 185 7661 4724 Tonan Salon 10% discount, only on hair services. Address: 2nd floor, Hong Long Apartments, Sea World Phone: 0755 2668 3907 Tone-Up Town Health Museum - NEW 15% discount on spa treatments. Address: Sea World Plaza (by Raindrops Cafe), Shekou Phone: 0755 2668 8785 TONI & GUY Sea World 25% discount on haircuts, colors, and highlights. Address: Shop 103, Zone C, Sea World Phone: 0755 2290 9521  

PHOTOGRAPHY Double Happiness Photography 20% discount. We specialize in newborn, children, maternity, family, and wedding photography. Phone: 130 7694 3201

June 2015 | SWIC Magazine | 69

70 | SWIC Magazine | June 2015