CITY OF THE VIOLET CROWN

What meager words should I choose to describe the awe inspired by the Parthenon illuminated on a perfect moonlit night? Or the view from atop the Areopagus? Or the majestic sight of the legendary Acropolis? Suffice it to say that words escape me. My first night in Athens is spent wandering the city in ideal Mediterranean fall weather. There is a soft romanticism in the air which I thought only existed in fiction. Musicians serenade passersby. Couples stroll arm in arm the ancient marble streets without a care on earth. Candlelit sidewalk cafes beckon with the sounds of warm conversations and laughter over the clink of wineglasses. All my anxieties seem miles removed, and I marvel at how many endless centuries of history have shaped this place, this cradle of western civilization.

The temples and monuments honoring ancient Greek gods; Zeus, Ares, Apollo, and of course, Athena, are a testament to both the ingenuity and the devotion of the ancient Greeks. Here was the birthplace of democracy, philosophy, and western architecture, among many other pillars of modern civilization. To imagine the scope of what was undertaken by the ancients, with only primitive means at their disposal, is overwhelming. It is no wonder that the ancient Romans emulated the Greeks.

Tourism is the leading industry in the city, which draws crowds from across the world to witness its beauty and grandeur. One day, after spending the morning on the Acropolis, I visited a quaint little café in the Plaka, a popular village within central Athens. I’m proud to say that I was mistaken for a local. Restaurant and shop personnel speak both Greek and English very well, so I took it as a compliment that I was addressed in Greek, because I usually try to make it a point not to automatically give off a “tourist” vibe. While dining on a cheese soufflé and a delicious frappe, I met a lovely fellow American named Nina and we had a nice chat about the sights in Athens. She recommended I visit the new Museum of the Acropolis (still under construction, but allowing some visitor access), and I urged her to visit the Odeon of Herodus Atticus, an ancient theatre in the shadow of the Acropolis.

After lunch I was sitting on the marble steps in front of the Spanish Embassy when I was approached by an amiable Dutchman named Floris and his delightful young son (whose name I cannot pronounce, much less spell). Floris, luggage in tow, asked if I could be so kind as to help them find a hotel. You see, he had promised his son a trip a European city of his choice, and the little tyke had selected Athens. In the spirit of adventure and exploration, they had simply purchased plane tickets and embarked on the journey without as much as a tentative itinerary. I admire this risk-taking, carefree quality in Europeans. It is something that many Americans, me included, could learn a great deal from. I took the venturesome duo to my hotel, which may have been nicer than they needed, but they were so grateful and kind that my dwindling faith in humankind was instantly rekindled on the spot.

There is too much beauty in Athens to express. The most powerful spot for me was the Areopagus, where the Apostle Paul spoke to the Athenian philosophers about a “God who dwelleth not in temples made by hands.” Go there for yourself. Visit the Parthenon, visit the Academy, visit the Parliament building and the monument to the Unknown Soldier, visit the ancient Agora, see the Arc of Hadrian, but most of all, wander the city and take in the atmosphere, the people, the culture, the history, and the splendor. It will be time well spent. Athens is a living city, a city whose love for life is unavoidably contagious.

HUADU GLOWS WITH LIFE

The more time I spent in China, the more I felt that something amazing is occurring there, like the massive awakening of a people long hindered from revealing their true potential, and I felt privileged to be along for the ride (if only temporarily). The street market in Huadu is quite an experience. Think noisy carnival in the midst of a vast construction project; a contemporary urban garage sale packed with people until the late hours. The sounds of bargaining and hawking and techno music fill the hot, damp evening air as we stroll down the avenue, passing vendors displaying everything from lingerie to cell phones. One guy offered to cut my hair, which I declined, but I did break down and purchase a watch, which the seller assured me was made with “real metal.” A bargain at 20 Yuan, it stopped working 2 weeks later, lasting about 13 days longer than I expected. The animal market was truly a shocking ordeal. The smell of flesh and blood permeates the dank air, as merchants pedal snakes, turtles, chickens, fish, ducks, and much more. Butchers chop and weigh meat of the very freshest variety, and we draw more than a few stares from locals as I try to hide my revulsion. I wonder how many foreigners they encounter wandering through these halls of death. My guess is not many. We were looking for boiled scorpion, but couldn’t find any.

We used Huadu as our transportation hub, catching buses to other places of interest from a station in front of the New Century (a ritzy modern hotel), and other buses or vans back to the campus afterwards. We enjoyed a wonderful Korean meal one afternoon (aside from the Kim chi, which I will never like no matter how open-minded I try to be).

During my last evening in China, I was looking for some souvenirs of what I perceived as Chinese culture, such as a scroll featuring calligraphy and Chinese artwork. Locating such commodities in a place like Huadu is no easy task. Everyone is selling new technology and practical things, and there is next to no interest in cultural artwork or historical artifacts. However, after much searching, we found several excellent wall hangings with hanzi characters in a secluded bookstore on the third floor of an unassuming shop. Also, I wanted a Yao Ming basketball jersey, but mistakenly inquired of Albert if he knew where I could buy a Mao jersey. After much laughter at visions of Mao Zedong playing for the Houston Rockets, I assured him that if a Mao jersey existed, I wanted that too. I wish I could have captured more of this place and stolen it home with me.

CHINA RESHAPED MY WORLD

What an exciting, progressive, impressive, overwhelming, and authentic place is China. I am already drawn to return to this dichotomy of light and darkness, aspiration and despair, hope and desperation. My favorite parts of China are its levels of discomfort, of unfamiliarity, of enlightenment, and of danger. I wonder how many tourists visit this country and don’t ever really see it. Take this small piece of advice…when you travel, don’t bring your expectations with you. Enter with open eyes and a clean slate. The place will carve itself onto your psyche in a genuine and powerful way if you allow it. Pay no mind to reviews on Trip Advisor, which are full of luxury seekers. Be a truth seeker. If all you want is dependable room service, excellent cuisine, beautiful views, the highest level of comfort and the greatest amount of stars for your restaurants and hotels, then do the world a favor and seek these things closer to home.

There is no way to describe China without contradicting yourself. It is a nation of contradictions. Any traveler who experiences this cannot help but view it with equal levels of awe and disgust, and to describe it with both fondness and aversion. Be assured, if you have feelings within you, China will bring them out.

Tomorrow I leave for Greece, the Greek Islands, Turkey, and Israel. I wish you all the best until I return with more stories. Thank you for sharing the adventure with me.

AN AFTERNOON IN GUANGZHOU

Today we take the relatively short bus to Guangzhou (also known as Canton), the third most populous city in mainland China. Half of the world’s cranes must be here, as construction crews modernize and renovate the face of the city around the clock. The first place we journey is underground to the brand new state of the art metro system that snakes its way beneath the massive city. The slick and efficient trains are packed beyond imagination, and Albert advises me take my wallet out of the “sucker pocket” (back pocket) and guard it more closely. We disembark at a stop called “Comic City”, which we soon discover is an extravagant and colorful shopping mall. Several signs display slightly flawed English translations, such as “Please Do Not Littering”, or “Stay Here is Prohibited”, which most likely refers to homeless people or loiterers. Hey, at least they are trying. In America, it’s English or nothing.

After perusing the aisles of pirated DVD’s and various electronics (avoiding fashion clothing stores like the plague) we stop at a quaint but sleek looking sushi bar and order all-you-can-eat. We are seated and given hot tea and fruit flavored soda, and the rules are explained to us. There is conveyer belt carrying an assortment of sushi dishes by, and we may take any we like (except those on blue plates, which are expensive gourmet dishes). Since each color dish has a certain price value, we immediately decide to eat at least double the value of our “all-you-can-eat” price. Also, we insist on eating more than everyone around us, and make a big show of measuring our stack of plates against our neighbors. The young Chinese couple next to us thinks it is all just hilarious, and explaining why we consumed so much, Albert jokingly tells them, “We are robbing them,” which only elicits more laughter.

Next we head over to “Beijing Street”, a district of the city boasting the historically preserved remains of roads dating back to all of the ancient dynasties of China. The roads lie at various levels beneath the ground, and can be viewed through glass floors in the center of the main street. As usual, tourists are interested in China’s past and tradition, while locals are attracted to the future and to progress.

I get to do my own bargaining for the first time with a street vendor, who punches his price for a jade bracelet into a calculator and shows it to me. I push the calculator away, wanting to practice my Chinese, and tell him the price is too much, and offer a lower amount. We eventually settle on a price, and although I probably could have bought it for less had I been shrewder, I feel satisfaction for having navigated the transaction successfully on my own. On the streets, although littering is common, there are tireless workers everywhere sweeping the roads with giant witch brooms and gathering trash.

We later visit a peaceful nature park on an island in a lake in the heart of the city, with serene walkways winding through dense greenery offering splendid views. It is a perfect example of the eternal battle between civilization and nature. In China, progress and expansion are crushing nature, but it is good to see parts of it preserved even within sprawling cities. We stumble across a small deserted carnival, and after playing a few short games of air hockey and one involving shooting at multicolored balloons, the dreary staff is crushed to see us leave.