Goodbye strange, wonderful, normal, loud, soft, patient country. I have been your guest for only a few days. It has changed. My perception, that is. The tongue does not sound as foreign, I have somewhat gotten used to the noises of the city. Know which buses to take where, have made peace with my stinky hotel, and the fact that ther eis no internet cafe close by.
Thank you for being with me while I figure stuff out, about me, about the world, about how it should be, and what I can just let go.
This last day I sniffed the countryside of Fujian. Sniffed, because really, I dorve there for 4h, was there 3h, and drove back. But the drive gave an impression of how things are in the countryside, like that time we drove through Rajastan in India. After a while you have a feel for it. I would have still loved to sleep there, for a night, but all in due time. This is how it played out this time.
I got to see houses that were round. And huge. Called Tolou. Enough place for 400 people during its best times, In the 16 and 17 hundreds... It was structured concentric, and like a mini-village inside its walls. Still, today, people live there, and - I suppose - enjoy and condemn what comes with the company of a close knit comuhnity. Fu jin tao visited there one time, and that is a big deal. It was mentioned several times. Also, I prayed there, was kind of coaxed into it by this elder lady who, of course wanted a donation for the god afterwards, and for the incents she provided me whith. I bowed three times with the incents, and wished my wishes, for my self, for my friends, for my enemies and for the world.
Met Tina and Sarah, who were my great company during the day, as well as my translator. so that I could actually get some of what people said during this "Chinese only" tour. Lots of tourists, by the way! but all from China. We saw one "non-Chinese" tourist couple, that was it.
Oh, and I met a lady, actually Tina and Sarah met her - that inspired me. I want to emanate so much kindness, grace and love when I grow old. Actually, I would like to do that now, but I hear things take time:)
Will get up at6 tomorrow, take the bus to the airport, and back to HongKong. I am actually thinking: Should I rather try and take an earlier flight into Karachi? Maybe I can try when I reach the airport tomrow. Otherwise I would reach at ~12noon tomorrow, and would have to be back there at 2pm the next day...Lets see...
Can you believe I am getting a cold? I feel like I have a sore throat. Bought some Oranges and wil go to bed soon. Promise. Might either be a manga chinese virus, or the fact that the airconditioning is on/ off/ on/ off/.. during the day depending on where I am, and, of course we (and also: I) sweat when its hot. There is a healthy sheen that covers the skin basically all the time, and everything (including the matress I sleep on) is damp...
Goodbye China, thanks for all the wonderful people I could meet!
And to you,m my friends - will speak to you from the airport or Hongkong!
