Changing China
Giant on the move
Obama at the Great Wall
Aides say U.S. President Barack Obama really enjoys sightseeing breaks during the hectic schedules of his foreign trips, since they let him clear his head.
The blustery wind on the Great Wall on Wednesday may have helped as well, as Obama broke away from tour guides and walked alone for a few minutes to Badaling’s third watchtower.
Mao said “Bu Dao Changcheng Fei Hao Han” which can mean “You aren’t a great man until you’ve been to the Great Wall” but also implies “You aren’t a good Chinese until you’ve been to the Great Wall.”
Nixon said “I think you would have to conclude that this is a Great Wall and it had to be built by a great people.”
China’s close shave
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******How would you like to sport a Tiananmen square or the Great Wall on your head ? Then just step into Jiangshanxiu salon.******National flags are placed at the entrance of the salon in Zhengzhou, capital of Henan province in central China and staff wear naval uniforms and the song ‘Ode to the Motherland’ plays in the background.******Ahead of the 60th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China, which will be celebrated countrywide on October 1, salon manager Cao Bin has given more than 30 customers patriotic cuts and styles – and says that’s only the start.******You can also choose a design from the real life models — the staff.******Becoming a walking work of art is absolutely free, it will just cost you time as some designs can take anything up to two hours.******Click below to watch the hairdressers in action.********* ******Video credit: REUTERS/Max Duncan******Photo credit: REUTERS/Donald Chan
A moment away from the Olympic mayhem
Mao Zedong once said, “He who has not climbed the Great Wall is not a true man.”
Tell me about it.
After experiencing the mayhem of the Olympic torch relay on Thursday, there was time to treasure a moment of pure tranquility. The calf-wrenching walk up a one-in-two incline is worth every step. Up at the top of the wall you feel like some minuscule character in the background of a Chinese painting.
A homely alternative?
By Kitty Bu
For many of the tourists expected to descend on Beijing for next month’s Olympics, an authentic Chinese home may be where the heart is. Beijing has recruited over 1,000 households to provide rooms during the Games. Like all other aspects of the Olympics, the “home stay” experience is regulated, with officials inspecting the ventilation, lighting, sanitary conditions, fire safety, bathroom facilities, location, transportation — and even the family pets. Other requirements include the “Olympic families” dressing appropriately, having good manners and basic Olympic knowledge, as well as the willingness to act as tour guides.
The restrictions have not put off film critic Zhao Jing, who has decided to rent out her own bedroom to help visitors make the most of their China stay. And she’s already got her tourist — a German man. “Because of globalisation, young people’s lifestyles are becoming more and more similar,” Zhao reckons. “This friend is coming to China to experience the country’s authentic culture. He wants to have a similar lifestyle to Chinese people. He wants to know how Chinese eat, drink. All I need to do is to show him how I live.”
