We traveled to China, Tibet and Cambodia this spring, after I spent the winter doing extensive reading on those countries, both their ancient cultures and modern governments. This was our third trip with Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT) They limit their groups to no more than 16. Our group had 15, only 8 in Cambodia. A local guide was added in each city. We were gone a month, flying via Japan right after the atomic catastrophe. We laughingly held our breaths while in the airport.
China is vibrant and crowded with a youthful population and huge sprawling polluted cities. The countryside is productive, but housing can be very primitive. Their capitalistic/Communist government seems to work for them at this time. While there, a well know dissident artist was arrested.
Nothing is built to last. Buildings begin to deteriorate and crumble after 20 or so years. The residents are relocated to better buildings, costing more money and the old buildings torn down for redevelopment. Our main Guide, Dairy, lived in on the 7th floor of a high rise in Xian with no elevator. She could be our guide, a very desirable job, because her mother took care of her one child. Dairy told us she could have another child if she wanted. She was delighted that her family was to be located later this year. The new building would have an elevator.
Much of their ancient art and culture was done away with or disappeared during the Cultural Revolution. The Forbidden City is filled with buildings that are mainly shells. Some of the furnishings are visible through glass partitions. Some old china ware is preserved in small buildings within glassed cases. We were shown nothing like our western museums. If they exist they must be preserved for the elite.
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