Evening in Kaifeng

Following the banquet, most of us attended a pub called Sun Dry, I believe, which was the first bar in the city. The entire place was filled with Henan University students, most of them were female English majors. There were a few male students among them who were also English majors, but this is not a common major for boys when compared with math, science, and engineering. They were interested in talking about American hobbies, school, and western traditions. It was very nice to interact with other students to learn their perspectives on life and how our two cultures differ. Students here do not go out in the evenings as much as Americans students do because the school gates close around eleven each evening. Yet, Chinese like to Karaoke and sing songs by Lady Gaga.

Banquet in Kaifeng

While in Kaifeng we went to a banquet with many other workers from Henan University, our host, including the vice president of a department who studied to become a molecular biologist. Dr. Weinstein and Kim Havercamp were the guests of honor. Tonight was when I learned how much the Chinese love to drink their liquor, particularly baijiu. Others said it burned their throat when they drank it, and most of them used green tea as way to get rid of the taste. For food, there were cold dishes served along with hot ones and a plate of full mini crabs; so many dishes were presented that a lot of the food went to waster. By the end, everyone was merry and well fed.

Iron Pagoda in Kaifeng

At another site, the Youguo Temple, the Iron Pagoda had similar decorations around it. there is a misconception behind the tower because even though it is called an Iron Pagoda, it is not actually made from iron; it only resembles the appearance of iron. It was originally built of wood during the Song dynasty, but the current structure made of brick was reconstructed in 1044 after a fire. Most of us climbed the pagoda, thirteen stories tall, while ascending a very narrow and poorly lit staircase. However, I could get great aerial pictures of the surrounding grasslands and buildings. There were openings, or cut-outs, along the way where I could look out to see my progress while climbing the tower and also enter into in case another person was moving the in opposite direction as me.

Buddhist temple in Kaifeng

We went to a Buddhist temple that had a statue of a lady with 1043 arms and eyes because she was the third daughter of a family who gave her hand and eye to save her father's life. The temple had hundreds of little gold statues of gods who slightly resembled Buddha, but each had a different specialty/ power and a different pose to match this. I never knew how involved the religion is because I was under the impression that there was only the one main Buddha figure. Flowers, gazebos, and incenses surrounded each structure to provide a peaceful environment.

Train ride to Kaifeng

After visiting this location we went to a train station at hour in the afternoon for our trip to Kaifeng, which lasted about fourteen hours. The trains were soft sleepers where four of us were in a bunk-bed compartment with our luggage. It was a one of a kind occurrence, but it made me feel claustrophobic because there was very little air circulation. We ate dinner on the train with typical foods such as rice, steamed vegetables with a sauce over it, and scambled eggs mized with different ingredients. We would arrive at our destination around six thirty in the morning on the following day.

Shanghai

We toured the city afterwards by visiting the Bund, Nanjing Road, and Old Shanghai City. The Bund, by the Huangpu River, had an underground tunnel that took us beneath the water. The tunnel was lit with vibrant colors, and while we traveled in a little car the narrator said random words such as fossilized rock and molten magma as we went through; it was very Willy Wonk like.

Chongqing Folk Village

A Qing era gate at the Chongqing Folk Village

The Marble Boat at the Summer Palace

The University of Akron Travel_Study in China Program

Every summer The University of Akron sponsors a Travel/Study to China Trip. we generally visit four cities in China: Shanghai, Kaifeng, Xi'an, and Beijing.

If you are interested in traveling with us one of these years talk to Dr. David Ayers at the Office of International Programs at The University of Akron.