Finishing our trip in Du Jiang Yan, a city not far from the epicentre of the 12th May Sichuan earthquake was a humbling experience. 7,000 people died alone in this city, 4,000 of them children in six schools that collapsed during classes. We had read the statistics before coming, 70,000 dead, 5 million made homeless and about the immense response from the Chinese people but we had not expected what we saw. Walking around a series of refugee temporary housing, we talked to people who were generally very friendly and happy to see us. The camps were well set up, extremely well in fact, much better than I have experienced in my 15 years covering conflicts and disasters around the world. Nearly every room had a TV and most were showing the Olympics. Rather than what we had thought would have been a negative reaction to the money being spent in Beijing, the people here seemed overjoyed at China's success.
Tonight we return home, tired but glad we embarked on this trip. Sitting in the stands at the beach volleyball in Beijing and looking down on the photographers rushing around to get the perfect sports picture I was glad I was on this journey and not with the other photographers. I guess my interest has always been people and this Olympics has had an enormous impact on the people of China. One student in Zhaoqing told me, "after these Olympics when someone asks me where I am from, I will be confident to tell them I am Chinese." This was the sentiment throughout the cities and towns we have visited. China will undoubtedly be stronger as a result.
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Typhoon Nuri upset our plans to get to the earthquake area as all flights were cancelled from Guangzhou yesterday. We are now waiting in an airport hotel for news of a flight to Chengdu.
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In the heat we have come to rely on fans and air conditioning but last night we had a black out and was left to sleep on the floor next to the windows. A hot and sticky night. Many Chinese still sleep with little to cool them, it's worrying to think that when this vast nation all ask for the basic luxuries we take for granted the planets energy consumption will sore.
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After arriving in Zhaoqing I decided it would be useful to climb the local mountain for an establishing shot. At 37 degrees in 90% humidity it was not my best idea, but I made it and the view was worth it.
With its crag like peaks sticking out of large lakes Zhaoqing is a beautiful place. We are told we have been very lucky with the weather as in summer it is usually unclear.
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Came across this lego version of the Olympic park. Not like the real thing but as close as most people in Hong Kong will get to it.
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Arriving into Hong Kong was a strange experience. The Special Administrative Region of China is both part of China and a very different country. Shu, my other team member and a Chinese national, had to apply for a special permit to enter whereas I, a British national, just needed my passport. A point that angered Shu considerably. “It’s like you having to apply for a permit to visit Manchester and yet people from other countries can enter without a problem” she tells me.
Crossing this small river is a simple and well organised experience as you pass from one world into another. A short walk but a very different atmosphere on the other side of the bank.
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Just arrived in Guangzhou in south China on route to hong kong. Its hot and sticky and we are ready for some sleep.
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In the streets of the ancient walled city of Pingyao I found a good picture of a family dressing in traditional costume for their pictures. This is a common site in China but with the backdrop of an old bridge I thought it worth shooting. After a couple of frames I was spotted. I thought they were going to ask me to stop taking pictures, or pay for the privilege but rather they insisted I posed with each member of the family for a photograph. Before I could leave a crowd gathered and one by one I posed for pictures. I guess this is a photographer’s payback for all the people I have photographed on this trip.
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Chinese trains are usually very comfortable as long as you reserve a berth in a sleeper. We managed to get the soft sleeper which is as good as it gets on a local train for an overnight journey from Datong to Pingyao. This was to be my first good night’s sleep since starting the project and with no need to wake early to go and catch the good light I was quite excited.
Shu was in the bed above me and we had two ladies opposite us. After two hours at about 1 Am one of the Chinese ladies left and was replaced by a gentleman who must have had the loudest snore I have ever experienced, and just about one metre from my head. Another sleepless night! Listen to him ...
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I was asked by our local Datong guide whether we preferred a tour of scenic spots or a trip down a coal mine. The choice was simple and two hours later we were sitting in an office at the Datong Coal Mine negotiating a price for joining a group of miners travelling 300 metres underground and then a further two miles underground to the coal face. Let’s be clear here, the trip was not specially organised for us, the mine has developed a tourist attraction by allowing visitors to experience the life of a coal miner, but this is very different to your usual Disney experience.
You are taken to a room to change into the same clothing the miners use then through a side door you join the queue of workers to be taken down the mine. It is as real as you get and an amazing experience. Once at the coal face you split off room the workers and are taken on a walking tour that introduces the different technologies used over the years ending up at a surreal gift shop. You then rejoin the miners, this time covered in soot, for the journey back to the surface. Altogether a fascinating way to spend the afternoon, the only drawback is that they are strict on no pictures so there is nothing to show for the experience.
picture: DJ and Shu about to descend.
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Up at 6 AM in Datong and there is a lot of activity. With all the factories closed down to reduce pollution in Beijing the locals are enjoying unusually clear skies. The local park is full with people exercising, playing sports and out walking.
I take on some people playing badminton but make a fool of myself because the light wind keeps moving the shuttle and I keep missing it. That is my excuse anyway!
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No need for sunscreen we foolishly thought looking out of the window at a smoggy sky early yesterday morning. Catching the clean and well organised subway system to the Olympic park where the beach volleyball was being held the sun started to come through and after two matches my face was getting very burnt.
Again the organisation was impressive and very different from the China we are used too.
In the evening we went to the national stadium for a gymnastics sesion. After the Razzmatazz of the beach volleyball it seemed very quiet but good to watch all the same.
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Shu arrived at the groom's house at 4 AM as I was still in Shenyang waiting for a flight to Beijing. Following all the rituals they finally made it to the reception by noon by which timeI had made it to the hotel to meet them. It was a strange mix of western and Chinese traditions, all watched by the relatives from Henan.
This was Shu's picture taken as the groom arived t the reception.
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Just been attacked by these very drunk women at the football in shenyang. If I charged 10 RMB for every time someone asked to take my picture I would be a rich man.
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With half an hour still to go and having only seen one goal in two games I decided to make an early exit. The North Korean fans had quietened down, as the long day seemed to be affecting everyone. I went out of the stadium and was guided to a line of buses all with their doors closed and no sign of moving. I asked a policeman if I could get a taxi and he guided me to a line of people walking down a road ahead. Here is where China came right back to meet me. We had been directed to walk down a busy highway. Now getting a taxi in China is generally not too hard but on a busy highway competing with hundreds of other spectators keen to get home early is impossible. We ended up walking half way to Shenyang before a kind man offered us a lift. As is the case often here the Chinese spectators around me thought nothing was strange at all.
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Have just taken my seat for the first event of the 2008 Olympic Games. Since arriving in Shenyang yesterday I have been underwhelmed by the enthusiasm for the event. As I sit amongst a large group of passionate North Korean supporters and look out it appears the stadium is only half full. It is women's football but for the city of Shenyang this is an enormous event. Two taxi drivers and one headmaster (who gave me a lift earlier) all seemed happy the games had come to Shenyang but not overly excited about attending. In a factory I was in this morning to arrange some later filming, I was told the workers were too busy to get time off to attend a game.
In a small camera shop two hours before kick a shop attendant told me I needed to hurry if I was going to make the start. They had suggested all ticket holders should be at the stadium three hours before kick off but I left the hotel one hour before and was there in plenty of time. The security was noticible but very smooth. I was impressed. It was like stepping out of China for just a few hours to enter this organised sedate and very clean world.
Labels: Team A
Finishing our trip in Du Jiang Yan, a city not far from the epicentre of the 12th May Sichuan earthquake was a humbling experience. 7,000 people died alone in this city, 4,000 of them children in six schools that collapsed during classes. We had read the statistics before coming, 70,000 dead, 5 million made homeless and about the immense response from the Chinese people but we had not expected what we saw. Walking around a series of refugee temporary housing, we talked to people who were generally very friendly and happy to see us. The camps were well set up, extremely well in fact, much better than I have experienced in my 15 years covering conflicts and disasters around the world. Nearly every room had a TV and most were showing the Olympics. Rather than what we had thought would have been a negative reaction to the money being spent in Beijing, the people here seemed overjoyed at China's success.
