The final week of our tour was in a city called Taipei, in a country called Taiwan… also known as Formosa… or… the Republic of China. A relatively small island of the coast of the People’s Republic of China, Taiwan is essentially the island nation founded by exiled Chinese people belonging to the parties defeated by Chairman Mao’s Communist party in the revolution in the middle of the 20th century. The Republic of China was founded here by Chiang Kei-Shek and the nation quickly adopted free market capitalism and free trade with the west. Eventually Taiwan developed its own culture and ideals separate from mainland China; more than 80% of Taiwan’s population is made up of ex-pat Chinese and many have operated on the pretenses that one day they would be reunited with their rest of their people. At least reunification was one of the intentions of Chiang Kei-Shek’s party initially when the great separation began. There is a joke among the Taiwanese that the reason some of Taipei’s city planning is so random at times is because it was never predicted that the separation would last this long. But somehow the communist party of the PROC never blew over as hoped and they remain divided more than 50 years later. Through Chairman Mao’s “cultural revolution”, the massive famines, and the oppression of opposing political ideas, mainland Chinese never considered reunification; or at least weren’t permitted to by their leaders. In fact The People’s Republic of China still doesn’t recognize Taiwan (ROC) diplomatically. And you know what?… I think these days, the people of Taiwan don’t really mind. Taipei has grown into a wonderfully vibrant, cultural, and financially successful city. It’s a flourishing modern nation seemingly not in need of any approval from its curiously obstinate and hostile older brother.

Of all of the cities we’ve been to, Taipei is probably the city where Karen Mok (or Muh-On-Wei in Mandarin and Cantonese) is the most famous. She needs more bodyguards and attention here than usual but she amazingly handles the attention gracefully and still manages to just be “one of us.” She’s been such a sweet person to work with. So much so that I still forget that people will recognize her everywhere we go and it’s still a little surprising to see any of her MANY giant advertisements at any shopping center… pretty much anywhere. I look up and see the familiar face and say to myself… oh, yeah… I sell drugs to that girl. Well… on stage that is… ba-dum-CHIEE!!! It’ll be cool to see what happens with her career in the future. At the closing night party she told me she gets no break. One day off and then back into PRESS mode to promote her NEW ALBUM… it’s such a tough life isn’t it?

The theatre here is GIANT and the masses flooding the stage door perfectly illustrate the show’s success. They love theatre here and they love nightlife and culture. They want to bring RENT back maybe later this year and I’m pretty sure that anyone involved in this production would come back. It’s that kind of place. Lovely and amazing.

The city streets are covered with VESPAS. The little motor-scooters are probably in more abundance out there than cars. They are quick and easy to get around in, navigating in and out of traffic, and are cheaper over all, I guess. When you pass an intersection it looks like you’re about to be attacked by a biker gang!... but, it’s just all the scooter people who filtered through the cars and trucks to be at the front of traffic behind the red light. Sometimes you see whole families on them. We saw a father, mother, and two children one time, all strategically positioned for optimum space on the family scooter.

They also have a new skyscraper in Taipei called Taipei 101. It is currently the tallest building in the world and it has the FASTEST two elevators in the world too! I couldn’t believe how quickly we went up and the pressure-orienting device is amazing. You hardly feel like you’re moving at all and even the ear popping is minimal. The building has a giant ball built into the middle – close to the top, that apparently is some architectural triumph that stabilizes the building in the case of extreme winds. It doesn’t seem like it would be the latest in technological innovations, but there it is, available for viewing and photographs. It reminds me of what they might use on the Flinstones for stabilization if they ever built a skyscraper in Bedrock… of course instead of a big iron ball it would be a giant Elephant hanging from common rope and he would look over at the camera and say, “Just HANGIN around… and you thought YOUR job was BAAAAAAAD!” The other funny thing about 101 is it seems like there are no other buildings in Taipei that even come close to its height! It IS the skyline! ONE skyscraper! THAT’S it!

I also took in the Chiang Kei-Shek memorial and the Sun Yat-Sen memorial (He is considered the founding father of Taipai.) Both are beautiful and feature each gentleman in statue form sitting in big square chairs (like Lincoln AND Mao Tse-Tung.) National pride in Taiwan seems really healthy, either because of or in spite of their troubled history with the mainland. Education is on the up and up too. Another place of interest that I visited was the Longshan Temple. It was packed with people all there to pay their respects and pray for a successful new year. The year of the DOG!

Our show closed on Sunday night the 13th of February. It capped an exciting and enlightening tour for a bunch of American city kids, out on the WORLD for a bit. One of the reasons I accepted the job in the first place was to take advantage of an opportunity visit many great places that otherwise I would probably never see. That sentiment was absolutely fulfilled in the past four months… and I made some great friends too. This is Jeff for RENT in ASIA… signing off.

Uh, how do you… uh… how do you sign off again? Oh, for crying out loud I only did it for the dramatic effect. I’ll just push the PUBLISH button. THANKS for reading! And THANKS ASIA for having us! It’s been GREAT!!! And now……..Back to NYC!!!

The North Korean Side is pictured.
The Demilitarized Zone is about 55 km from downtown Seoul to the northwest. Jeremy, Allison, Trey, and I made the trip our last day in Seoul. To visit the main area at the border you have to go through a series of checkpoints culminating at a base run by the UN and the JSA (the Joint Security Administration.) The base is operated by 10% US Military and 90% ROK Soldiers (Republic of Korea.) It is quite small in size but the importance of the security that it represents is invaluable. There hasn’t been any active fire at the base since 1984 when a Soviet defector crossed successfully amid the expected resistance from the North Korean Army, but the risk is still real today in the sense that neither the UN nor the JSA can absolutely guarantee safety passed the neutral area. Because of this you have to sign a form absolving the UN of any responsibility before you enter…. That you “knowingly” entered a warzone if you are the dramatic type… it doesn’t seem quite like a warzone these days, but it is definitely ominous and oddly quiet. I’ve found that it’s difficult to describe exactly what it feels like to be there. There are many landmarks. The “Freedom Bridge” built solely for the exchange of POW’s after the war, Unification Park which commemorates Korean War Heroes, and “The Bridge of No Return” which basically needs no qualification.
The North Koreans built a village that no one lives in that just constantly plays propaganda over loud speakers to share their message with the world. South Koreans built a village that people are “Paid” to live in. Apparently they are paid well and free of taxes, but they must be in the village at least 9 months out of the year and have to be inside by 11pm… also they harvest some wicked ginseng!!! The South Koreans erected a giant Flag on a towering flagpole near there too evidently to entice the North Koreans further toward Re-Unification. North Korea responded by erecting the tallest flagpole in the WORLD that every day hoists the biggest FLAG in the WORLD (North Korean Flag naturally, and weighing in at a WHOPPING 600 POUNDS!!!) It can only be raised by a series of machines… but they get the point across… everyday. It is astounding… you can see it for who knows how many miles.

We had the distinction of entering the actual room where the armistice was signed in the late 50’s and what has become the diplomatic meeting point in the era since. It is odd. It is a small rectangular room with a low ceiling. There are a few desks placed meticulously at right angles and in the center is a long table dividing the room exactly in half. The rest of the room is symmetrical at perfect opposites from the center and there are two doors. One to North one to South. We walked through the room in two single file lines, careful not to do anything “out of the ordinary” whatever that means. And stood on the North side of the table. WE WERE IN NORTH KOREA YA’LL!!! I mean… well, technically at least. ROK soldiers were positioned in various and very SERIOUS locations throughout the room and the surrounding area. One stood right at the head of the table straddling the border. On the table was a microphone so we were warned not to say anything defaming the North Koreans or Kim Jong Il, because they could hear everything. After we left that room we walked to a more distant vantage point where we could see North Korean Soldiers standing guard. If ever need be, right outside that room to the right and left is where the two armies can stand literally centimeters apart! But when I was there only the South Koreans were close. Two ROK soldiers stand, fists flexed with one eye behind the corner of the building and the other looking straight through, holster poised like it’s high noon in an old western… except… damn, these guys looked INTENSE! They had on such dark sunglasses that you could never see their eyes.

As the tour continued we also had an American Army Soldier escort we drove to more remote locations around the border for photo opportunities. His name was Vinnie and he used to be an Army Ranger in the special forces. He had spent extensive time in Iraq and Afghanistan and simply stated to us that he decided without hesitation… “he did NOT want to be a career Army guy.” So to serve out the rest of his duty he requested to be stationed at the DMZ in Korea… to save as much money as he could before returning to his home in Sacramento California… or as he put it… “the greatest place on Earth.” Makes sense because up where he is there is no way you can spend ANY money… there is NOTHING around! He said in no uncertain terms that he wants to spend the rest of his life in California… away from the Army… I have no idea what this guy has seen.

Vinnie walked around like he owned the place and you could see his camaraderie with the ROK soldiers. Some of them knew some English or at least the slang he’d swing at em. They’d smile and bump fists with him and shoot the shit… everybody just doing their duty. All South Korean men must spend at least 2 years in the military. Vinnie was special ops in the US Army and now he’s a tour guide at the DMZ… and… oh, yeah… he can’t wait to get back to California! And incidentally, there is also a One-Hole Golf Course on the base on the trail to the border… in 1988 Sports Illustrated penned it “The Most Dangerous Golf Course in the World.” I’m not a golfer personally, but c’mon fellas… would landmines really stave you off THAT much?... I thought not…

I have to RUN for now… I’ll post MORE pictures later. Trey got the GOOD shots. I’ll try and get some from him.

From the city ready to host the 2008 Olympics to the city that housed the 1988 Summer games. Seoul, South Korea! Incidentally, the first Olympic summer games that I genuinely remember... Well, okay… I remember Ben Johnson and Carl Lewis. South Korea also shared the 2002 FIFA World Cup with Japan and as a result of the two events… there are STADIUMS all over the place around here! Our theatre was in Olympic Park actually amid various arenas, but there is another area called Jamsil that has the big main stadium where they had the opening ceremonies. The place is still vibrant at Jamsil with the Baseball stadium and the Arena where two Seoul basketball teams (in the K.B.L.) play. Unfortunately I couldn’t make a game… they all conflicted with shows. The shows here have been good. The crowds were certainly the most energetic that we’ve had in a while and there is somewhat of an English speaking contingent in Seoul. There are military bases and students and maybe some expats. A lot of them returned for second shows and third shows bringing their friends. Like what people do with this show in the U.S.
Seoul is huge and there are people everywhere. The subway system is UNBELIEVABLE! There are 12 LINES! Maybe it’s smaller than the MTA in New York, but I’m not so sure… if you look at the map it’s bizarre… it looks like a practical joke! In addition to the sheer number of stops they are also a greater distance away from each other than I’ve seen in other cities. It covers MAD ground… I mean LOOK at THAT!!! The Seoul Metro is no joke! Because of such an extensive subway system and the MILLIONS of people on it every day you’d think that the streets would be a little bit less congested, but this is NOT the case. Traffic is a nightmare. You can’t get anywhere in under a half hour, which is why people always say… “just take the train.” In other words, Seoul is a bustling metropolis and people got places to go!

One of the places I’ve been so far was the National Museum of Contemporary Art in Seoul. When you first walk in you see an incredible piece. Korean artist Paik Nam June first unveiled this work in 1988 and it’s called "The More, the Better." It is a giant tower composed of 1003 video monitors, which make it 18.5 meters high and 7.5 meters in diameter. All of the TV monitors are on, showing various frantic images of color and world sights and news footage… pretty much like MTV in the ‘80’s. The combined effects of skylights and video monitors creates a mystic glow throughout the space. Basically these TV sets rant and rave constantly inundating the mind, as does pop culture. Quite interesting.


My favorite pieces were the international contemporary sculptures. Some of the coolest that I’ve ever seen. Outside is a vast sculpture garden of similar tastes. Innovative artists with points to make… that’s my kinda place. Check out the million little men of every different color holding up the glass and the 4 men pushing against the sphere in perfect opposition. There is something significant about seeing such art at this time... in the only divided nation left on earth.

Seoul is a hip, modern city and we’re happy to be here. It’s worlds apart from Beijing… basically from East to West… It makes sense given the history of this small country. Since the end of WWII and then after the Korean War, South Korea has been supplemented militarily by U.S. forces and diplomatically by the U.N. against North Korea and the threat of another invasion. It is an interesting time to be here given the social and political climate. North Korea is so secretive and so strictly communist. North Korea’s big brothers (the Soviet Union long since disbanded and China about to dominate the world marketplace) seem to have moved on from this way of life and ideology. So what’s going on in North Korea? No one knows right? The border between North and South Korea is about 150 km long and about 4 km wide. It’s known as the DMZ or… (cue the timpani)… The Demilitarized Zone! THAT’s where I went next. And I’ll tell you about it… in (timpani again)… the NEXT BLOG!!!
Much love from the baby brother peninsula!
Jeff

We left China 2 weeks ago. What a different land it is. In the midst of incredible technological and cultural change, it remains trapped in a world of thought that is difficult for the western mind to comprehend. The fear instilled by Mao Tse-Tung and his ruling party’s intolerance to political opposition and the forceful suppression of alternative opinions about the state, are still evident in today’s China. People don’t have the right to protest, or ownership against the state. They don’t have the right to privacy, among other things commonly associated in the west with natural rights. In spite of “progressive” thinking by the present government toward industry and the free marketplace and in spite of technological advancements that have made individuals of the masses, the “masses” still exist in policy. What the government of the People’s Republic of China decides stands, without opposition. And however noble or logical the cause may be, differences of opinion are not tolerated. The result of which today might not be as disastrous as in Mao’s day; the world has changed… even China… But tension among people that have no real “rights” against a government is still there. It is so defined now… it’s so ingrained that it is submerged beneath the surface. Whatever atrocities carried out against foes of Chairman Mao’s vision for China, are apparent in memory only, giving Beijing an eerie undertone to the outsider. The city streets bustle with hurrying business types of all ages happily chatting on their cell phones or sipping their cappuccino from Starbucks, PUSHING their way through the overcrowded sidewalk to the overcrowded train station. Going about their lives how they see fit within the system, passing by soldiers who are keeping an eye out for anything out of the ordinary. In an odd way, it is sort of like kids who can get away with anything as long as the baby-sitter doesn’t find out… because she’ll tell ya mom! It appears to be similar to how we walk by cops in the U.S. but WITHOUT the opportunity of a lawyer if need be and no rights to speedy trial. The powers that be in China rule. Period. And they can get rich exploiting a system that has theoretical holes the size of Jupiter and use the idealism of a different time to maintain power. Naturally classes exist and there is the rub. And because of this, there seems to be a shift in the thinking here in this young century that makes the blend toward capitalism in China seem irreversible. That which Mao preached they must resist at all costs to maintain a righteous and proud China. A righteous and proud China that murdered free-thinkers and revolutionaries opposing Mao’s vision in the millions for decades… an ideology that seems to have outlived its time. The present China, dominated by a government still in the throws of this seemingly passed mentality, is a great country of great power and resolve, but certainly not without its hypocrisy. And since hypocrisy is built-in, not only in massive government but inside the human mind itself, the only question is… how MUCH hypocrisy can you live with? “Communist” China seems to be as fine with their share as we are, in the “democratic” United States, with ours. We both value safety and self-advancement, but in different ways. “Human” rights are different. Everything is different except for at the most fundamental level. Diplomacy and doctrine and policy and edict pile on to the sky, but two people sharing a smile or shaking hands never gets weighed down, because human interaction is the global language. Government, however necessary, is trivial. It’s the individual that counts. And therein lies our peace.

It’s so interesting to see the “world” outside of my own world. One where anything is possible given enough time and motivation. Whether or not the Chinese people influence their government to make changes toward advancing civil rights isn’t my business. Being a fellow resident of planet earth, of course I have my opinions, but I can only know from my angle in a world with infinite. Accepting is different from understanding, I guess.
Either way we left China 2 weeks ago. A country who's rich expansive history and culture is a brilliant joy to experience and is preserved by the Chinese people and the present Government with pride. It was enjoyable and definitely educational, but I don’t feel the need to go back. I’ll settle for watching the 2008 summer games in Beijing on TV.
I hope you guys are great. I’ll be back in NYC in 3 weeks!

No one can tell precisely when the building of the Great Wall was started but it is popularly believed that it originated as a military fortification against intrusion by tribes on the borders during the early Zhou Dynasty. Late in the Spring and Autumn Period (770 BC - 476 BC), the ducal states built "great" structures to prevent the attacks from other states. It was not until the Qin Dynasty that the separate walls, constructed by the states of Qin, Yan and Zhao kingdoms, were connected to form a defensive system on the northern border of the country by Emperor Qin Shi Huang (also called Qin Shi Huangdi by westerners or the First Emperor). After the emperor unified the country in 214 BC, he ordered the construction of the wall. It took about ten years to finish and the wall stretched from Linzhao (in the eastern part of today's Gansu Province) in the west to Liaodong (in today's Jilin Province) in the east. The wall not only served as a defence in the north but also symbolized the power of the emperor. – Travel China Guide.

The first time we visited the Wall was at the closest, most accessible location of Badaling. This area is the one visited by all foreign dignitaries and casual tourists... equipped with the "new" Chinese flag. It’s basically Disney World for people who want to walk on the GREAT Wall. It is celebrated with tourist trinkets and memorabilia vendors, well equipped with hand rails, smooth walkways, and dependable stairs. The odd thing is that it’s been so maintained and renovated that it might as well have been built in 1970’s and don’t get me wrong, that was a great decade but frankly… where’s the history in that? About an hour and a half outside of Beijing, Badaling remains the most populated section of the wall by far and it was a fun little excursion for half the day. It is Great Wall-lite.

However, the SECOND time we visited the wall we ventured to a more distant section, a segment of the Wall named after the nearby village of Simatai. This area is a 3 hour drive from Beijing and is absolutely the opposite type of experience found at its more commercial wall-brother of Badaling. Perched high upon a mountain side, the hike at Simatai begins at the base of the mountain and is a good 30 minutes before you even get to the Great Wall… (at Badaling the hike STARTS on the wall in a tiny town that... seriously... has a Starbucks… that's really a whole other discussion.) Absolutely, and thankfully I got MUCH more of a sense of History at Simatai. It was a marvelous sight to behold. The walk up the wall was steeper and the stone itself much more dilapidated. Various areas along the wall were precarious because of such decay and finally I got the historical context… as well as the breath-taking view of the Wall snaking through the mountains into the distance in BOTH directions! The higher we climbed the farther into the distance it would boast… and with only a handful of tourists across the entire stretch we were virtually alone. THIS is what I always imagined the Wall would be like; a giant testament to the ingenuity and persistence of its own particular age which is naturally, slowly succumbing to ruin. I would stop occasionally and look out over the mountain and feel the utter stillness and complete silence of the entire visible countryside sweep across me. It was awe-inspiring. And I will always remember the thrill of being there on a brilliant, blue-skied winter’s day, breathing in the peaceful wind that has blown over these mountains and carved rock for centuries, and hiking to the top of the mount. It was a humbling presence the Wall. Beautiful and mystical. Magnificent, proud, and silent. Only a collection of stones, meticulously placed by man… and yet, somehow over time it has become a part of the natural scenery there... it looks like it belongs there. And that’s how I’ll remember it.

The majestic Great Wall of China at Simatai!

“Things develop ceaselessly. It is only forty-five years since the Revolution of 1911, but the face of China has completely changed. In another forty-five years, that is, in the year 2001, or the beginning of the 21st century, China will have undergone an even greater change. She will have become a powerful socialist industrial country. And that is as it should be. China is a land with an area of 9,600,000 square kilometers and a population of 600 million people, and she ought to have made a greater contribution to humanity. Her contribution over a long period has been far too small. For this we are regretful. But we must be modest-not only now, but forty-five years hence as well. We should always be modest. In our international relations, we Chinese people should get rid of great power chauvinism resolutely, thoroughly, wholly and completely… We must never adopt an arrogant attitude of great-power chauvinism and become conceited because of the victory of our revolution and certain achievements in our construction. Every nation, big or small, has its strong and weak points… Socialist revolution aims at liberating the productive forces. The change-over from individual to socialist, collective ownership in agriculture and handicrafts and from capitalist to socialist ownership in private industry and commerce is bound to bring about a tremendous liberation of the productive forces. Thus the social conditions are being created for a tremendous expansion of industrial and agricultural production… The socialist system will eventually replace the capitalist system; this is an objective law independent of man’s will. However much the reactionaries try to hold back the wheel of history, sooner or later revolution will take place and will inevitably triumph... It is a movement for carrying out a nation-wide debate which is both guided and free, a debate in the city and the countryside on such questions as the socialist road versus the capitalist road, the policies, the working style of Party and government functionaries, and the question of the welfare of the people, a debate which is conducted by setting forth facts and reasoning things out, so as correctly to resolve those actual contradictions among the people which demand immediate solution. This is a socialist movement for the self-education and self-remolding of the people. ”
- Chairman Mao Tse-Tung 1956-57

Beijing, China, January 2006.

Chairman Mao died in 1976 the father of The Peoples Republic of China, the face and voice of 20th century China, and a hero of mythic proportions to many generations of Chinese people. The following year in the south portion of Tian’anmen Square in the center of Beijing, the Mao Tse-Tung Memorial Hall was completed and it is where the man lies today. His body has been preserved using the same process the Russians used with Lenin’s body, and is available for viewing several hours a day. We got there on a beautifully chilling January day and waited in the queue to see the chairman (among very few other international tourists.) They make you check all of your bags and cameras across the street and then they let in a few hundred at a time. The military presence is heavy and you can feel the guards’ eyes on you discerning if you pose any threat. Several people were pulled aside and checked (frisked or with metal detector) then we marched in through the gate turning at right-angles in the designated path in the square outside the entrance. At one point we were stopped and a soldier said something in Mandarin over loud-speaker, and instantly half the crowd rushed toward a small grey hut and returned to the line with flowers and smiles. Eventually, upon entering the building, they laid the flowers on top of thousands already there at the foot of a giant sculpture of the Chairman sitting in a big square chair (much like the Lincoln pose, except Mao is smiling.) and we walked into the mausoleum. I probably got about 45 seconds of viewing time but it was enough. You get within about ten feet of him, there are pathways on both sides, but they don’t let you stop and stare you HAVE to keep moving. So in a minute it’s over and you’re outside again… well in the gift shop actually. It was an incredible experience. This man is STILL entirely revered by the Chinese. His iconic status and popularity don’t seem to have faded much in the past 30 years since he died. You could feel the awe and respect for him. Chairman Mao, The revolutionary who fought for the rights of the masses, who built China as we know it, and professed to lead as a dictator and a member of the working class. (Oh, and at the gift shop I got this great Chairman Mao thermos MUG which is presently occupied by my COFFEE... I also bought a book of his quotations.)

Just north of the Mausoleum and of Tian’anmen Square is the appropriate OLD world tribute to Chinese history, the Forbidden City, or the Imperial Palace of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. This year it is 600 years old and it is from here that 24 emperors ruled the whole country for almost 500 years!!! Now we understand why Chairman Mao was so significant and beloved. His vision was to abolish the imperialist, bureaucratic, and aristocratic-class ways of thought in favor of classless, peaceful, working masses. That’s why he’s such a hero of the people! The entrance to the Forbidden City is called the Gate of the Heavenly Peace and today Mao’s Giant Portrait hangs directly over the center doorway – which only the Emperor could pass through in the old days. The Palace is basically a huge fortress of beautifully designed buildings that housed the Emperor, Empress, concubines, eunuchs, and the rest of the Emperor’s PEEPS!!! (sorry, I couldn’t resist.) Apparently he almost never left the confines of the 720,000 square meter complex… well, they said it was very rare of him to leave. After an audio tour narrated by… you guessed it… Roger Moore… the tour finishes in the Imperial Garden at the North side of the City. Oh, and even though it’s 600 years old all of the buildings are made out of WOOD so they’ve been burned and rebuilt many times, but (according to Moore’s soooo trustworthy proper British accent) each time they were reconstructed exactly as the previous one, so… y’know… there aren’t any escalators or flat screens… although I’m told the NEW Palace of Earthly Tranquility outside the Imperial Garden has wireless… yikes. I’m sorry again… it’s just that this Blog entry is so SERIOUS… MAN…

Beijing is COLD and industrial and spread out. Largely, it doesn’t have the type of architectural design that screams art and individual culture, but more of efficiency, order, and culture of the faceless millions. The winter adds the grey skies, chilling wind, and leaf-less wiry trees spaced exactly on the side of the 14 lane road to the north of Tian’anmen square – Fuxingmenwai Dajie, alive with muted colored – mundanely styled vehicles, some of them motorbikes with coverings, bicycles with bundled riders, or small government trucks. It has that cold-dank-eastern-communist-block-type feel to it (at least I think that’s the term they used to use in the Krushev Interior Decorating School in Moscow… incidentally, the K.I.D. School has, in the past 10 years, shifted somewhat in general design-thought towards a more colorful end. I heard they helped with Richard Simmons' new place in South Beach… y’know interns earning credit.) I imagine that with warmer weather and the developments in place for the coming 2008 Olympic Summer games, this city is soon going to have somewhat of a different look and possibly a different vibe, but this is what it is today. In January 2006.

OUTSIDE of Beijing to the north is the GREAT WALL OF CHINA; the incredible 5,000 kilometer, 2500 year old (at some parts) marvel of ancient China. There are many different places to view the wall here, and we went to two: Badaling and Simatai. The picture here is from the more remote location of Simatai. It was a beautiful blue sky day... and I will write about THAT… later. Thanks for reading guys. I hope all is well. Have a great rest-of-January. I hope it’s not TOO cold where you are.
Yours, from over HERE,
Jeff

Hong Kong at sunset from the hotel. 

Hong Kong at night from Victoria Peak. 

View of Hong Kong from the Hotel. 

Looking UP! 

The Big Buddah watching over the Mountain side.