by Richard L. Weaver II, Ph.D.
I really didn’t think anything about it when it happened because her action fit into a pleasing matrix of supportive, encouraging, positive behavior; however, it was such a treat that I decided to write a letter describing her actions. This is the letter I wrote:
Mr. Anthony Sprenger, Branch Manager
Key Bank
1088 Louisiana Avenue
Perrysburg, OH 43551
Dear Mr. Sprenger:
This unsolicited letter is designed specifically to extol the virtues of Monica Kernahan — an outstanding Key Bank client-service representative.
We have been associated with Key Bank since it took over State Home Savings Bank in 1984. Previously we had done all our banking with State Home Savings, and when the change occurred, we then did all our banking with Key Bank; thus, our association with Monica goes back as far as 1985 — twenty-four years of wonderful, caring, respectful service.
The most recent example of her adeptness and capability took place within the last fifteen minutes; however, it is a true and representative example of the many associations I have had with her during the near quarter-of-a-century relationship.
On January 9, 2009, I took out a second Key Equity Option with Monica which she promptly deposited into my Key Bank checking account. At the time, this was a second Key Equity Option account. Although we did not discuss it, monthly payments for the first Key Equity Option were automatically deducted from our checking account.
On February 14, 2009, I received the first notification that the “Total Minimum Payment” of was due, and an envelope was enclosed for payment. I called Monica at 12:50 p.m. on February 23rd to make certain that the payment would be made automatically, and she assured me she set up the account in that manner.
Well, to make a long story short, at 11:45 a.m. today (02-27-09), she called me (unsolicited and unexpected) to let me know that as of yesterday, the automatic payment had taken place. It was simply a call to inform me, keep me posted, and let me know that she was on top of things — making certain that my concerns were her concerns and that full closure had taken place on this account.
Mr. Sprenger, it is precisely this kind of service, kindness, and attention to detail that has caused me to return again, and again, and again to Monica (and, obviously, Key Bank).
Monica discharges her duties and then some. She helps bank clients and then some. She assists those who ask for information and then some. And, Mr. Sprenger, I am always impressed with her thoughtfulness, sensitivity, and unrestrained compassion. The friendliness and generosity she has displayed are truly representative of outstanding service, and I feel she is an excellent model of excellence for Key Bank.
There are several lessons here for those who want to “extol the virtues” of others who have touched their lives in direct and positive ways. The first key is to find out exactly who should be contacted. It is not just the immediate supervisor for he or she may not carry the weight necessary to present your comments to others. You need to find out who is the person who can make a difference, get the correct spelling of that person’s name, and get the exact address (or phone number) to which to send your letter.
A phone call alone may not have the impact you desire, does not provide a permanent record, and may not be passed along. What I have found is that a letter serves these purposes best for several reasons: 1) It can be copied, and a copy can be given to the person about whom you are writing. 2) A copy can be sent to those in superior positions, or to whose likely to have the most influence. 3) A copy can be put into the employee’s permanent file.
The second lesson for those who want to “extol the virtues” of others is to be specific. Notice in the letter that I included exact dates of when things occurred. Also, I described exactly the behaviors I was talking about—leaving nothing to the imagination of anyone reading the letter.
The third important lesson is to make certain that your comments tie the behavior or actions of the employee to the business or organization he or she represents. That is exactly why I wrote, “Mr. Sprenger, it is precisely this kind of service, kindness, and attention to detail that has caused me to return again, and again, and again to Monica (and, obviously, Key Bank).”
A fourth lesson is to add an evaluation of the employee. Tell exactly how the employee’s behavior made you feel, how it helped you, or what it looks like from a person on the outside. Leave nothing to chance. Once again, I added a final paragraph to the letter: “Monica discharges her duties and then some. She helps bank clients and then some. She assists those who ask for information and then some. And, Mr. Sprenger, I am always impressed with her thoughtfulness, sensitivity, and unrestrained compassion. The friendliness and generosity she has displayed are truly representative of outstanding service, and I feel she is an excellent model of excellence for Key Bank.”
A fifth lesson involves the final portion of your letter: your signature. When you sign your letter, be complete. An anonymous letter, for example, serves little purpose and is unlikely to get much attention. When I signed mine, I not only used my name, but I added my position as president and CEO of And Then Some Publishing, LLC, and I added my address, phone number, and my e-mail mailboxes (URLs). Incidentally, I was notified immediately by Mr. Sprenger that he had received my letter, appreciated my comments and my business, and was sending a copy of the letter to the regional office.
I have to add a footnote to all that took place. I went into Key Bank today (February 16, 2010), and when I saw Monica, I asked her if she had received the plaque she expected. You see, my letter—that letter alone—won her recognition in both the region and district, and in competition with others vying for employee of the month, Monica won the competition. The certificate, “The Great Lakes WOW of the Month” was signed by Chuck Sulerzyski, Regional President, and Jim Hoffman, District President.
When I asked Monica if I could see the certificate, she immediately asked me if I wanted a copy of it. Naturally, I said, “Yes,” and she took it off the wall, proceeded immediately to the copy machine, and I have a copy of her certificate here at my computer as I am writing this essay—just one more example of the “friendliness and generosity she has displayed [that] are truly representative of outstanding service.”
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At WriteExoress, even though the goal is to sell software, there are some excellent suggestions for writing letters of appreciation. Along with my suggestions above, their essay, “Appreciation Letters: Write a powerful letter of appreciation that makes the right impression, or makes someone feel special,” offers brief additional ideas.
At wikiHow there are steps, tips, and warnings for writing such letters in the essay, “How to Write a Letter of Appreciation,” originated by Nicole Willson, Ben Rubenstein, and Sondra C. Anonymous. This is a very useful web site.
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Copyright June, 2011, by And Then Some Publishing, LLC.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Beijing IV: Tackle the Basics
by Richard L. Weaver II, Ph.D.
We are touring the best-preserved imperial palace in all of China, the five-century-old Forbidden City located in the center of Beijing. Our guidebook, Beijing Encounter (by Lonely Planet), says that the 14 Ming emperors and 10 Qing emperors “became absorbed in the splendor of life inside the palace. The royal mealtime took up much of the day. By the time Empress Cixi took power, she was getting twice-daily meals consisting of over 100 dishes” (p. 11).
Just as in other countries (such as Istanbul/Constantinople, Turkey) the “lap of luxury could be a detriment to imperial rule and Chinese leaders were often ignorant of the living conditions outside the palace walls” (p. 11). The dull task of actually ruling the people was turned over to court eunuchs. Emperors, instead, spent their time eating, collecting concubines, and writing poetry. Many [emperors] died at a young age because of poor diets, no exercise, and a life in the lap of complete luxury. Who would trade a longer life for such self-indulgence and immoderation — total hedonism!
We visited few of the 9,999 rooms in the Forbidden City. We did, however, wander off the main walkway to see some of the museums located at the sides of each open square. More than a million workers built the City, and workers, to this day, are thought of and treated as the bottom rung of the economic ladder.
An example of how workers are viewed is revealed on Chinese currency. The 5.00 RMB note comes in 2 sizes. The large one, with Mao’s picture is truly worth its value (about $.74 U.S.), but the small 5.00 RMB note, which depicts a beautiful young man and woman (workers), is nearly worthless (pennies), according to Michael Ye, our previous tour guide in Beijing. And as Ye pointed out, it is clearly a political statement. (As an aside, we did not know the difference between these bills, and a taxi driver refused to take our small 5.00 RMB note, and we didn’t know why until it was explained to us by one of the Marriott employees who could speak English clearly. If Beijing wanted another problem to solve that would make the City more “user/tourist friendly,” it would be: Get rid of the small 5.00 RMB note! Take care of the basics.
To show how the belief in symbols and colors dominated the life of the Chinese, we saw colors, symbols, and animals that are believed to bring peace, prosperity, happiness, longevity, and a continuance of ruling the people in every square and outside every pavilion. Their beliefs were clearly revealed as we walked the main path through the Forbidden City.
We began our tour of the Forbidden City by walking to, and looking into — from barriers outside swarmed by hoards of pushing and shoving Chinese tourists — the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the palace’s biggest structure, which was the site of the imperial’s grandest events.
Inside the hall, the throne is guarded by two luduan (beasts which can detect truth) — mythical beasts that can understand all languages and cover a distance of 9,000 leagues in a day. Outside some buildings at the Summer Palace, we saw cranes, elephants, and lions. And a male and female (the female is always on the right) lion can be found guarding the outside of many buildings to help ward off evil spirits.
Following the Hall of Supreme Harmony was a Hall of Central Harmony and a third called the Hall of Preserving Harmony. Behind the Hall of Supreme Harmony is a 55.77-foot-long marble carriageway, the wall of which supports a large, carved dragon. A dragon represents power and the authority of rulers.
The Palace of Heavenly Purity housed Ming and early Qing emperors, and the Palace of Earthy Tranquility served as the empresses’ quarters. Many of the present museum buildings along both side of the various squares, were the halls formerly used as the concubines’ or eunuch’s living quarters. One emperor is known to have at least 3,000 concubines.
At the northern end of the Forbidden City through the Gate of Terrestrial Tranquility is the Imperial Garden. Built in 1417 during the Ming dynasty, it was the private garden of the imperial family, and it is the most typical imperial garden in China. At a Chinese website, in an essay on “The Forbidden City,” it says, “This garden was used exclusively by the imperial family to sip tea, play chess, meditate and generally relax.” The garden included rockeries, walkways, pavilions, carbuncular and deformed cypress trees, and, I might add, based on our visit, wall-to-wall tourists.
We left the Forbidden City very tired of walking, and we were pointed in the direction of a taxi stand. We walked a long way to a corner where taxis were forced to stop, and there, a Chinese lady who spoke flawless English helped us secure a taxi, made certain the driver knew where we were going, and even came over to make certain everything was fine as we departed.
On this day (Day 3 in Beijing), we walked to the Railway Station (just a ten-minute walk from our hotel), walked over the boulevard in front of the station via a pedestrian overpass, and had dinner of 2 spicy-chicken sandwiches and a vanilla milkshake at McDonald’s. Because you cannot drink Beijing water (discussed in my second Beijing essay), we chose not to trust the food at the numerous Chinese restaurants available. Why chance an intestinal problem just as we’re facing a long flight home the next day?
Our stay in Beijing has been delightful, and on the last day when we opened the curtains, we saw the sun for the first time in Beijing — or in more than a week. The weather while we’ve been here (late March-April 1st, 2010), has been refreshingly cool (especially after the heat and humidity of the early cities we visited on this cruise).
We exchanged our money back from Chinese yuen (about 522.50 RMB) to U.S. currency (about $76.00 U.S.) which took us about one-half hour at the same exchange center/bank we used when we first arrived in Beijing. It was a complicated, paper-heavy transaction which required the use of passports, numerous signatures, and money counted at least 3 times.
Princess cruise line provided the shuttle to the airport, and we discovered that Beijing has one of the most attractive, tourist-friendly airports in the world. It is clean, toilets are spotless, airport personnel are helpful and friendly, and the methods used for boarding the aircraft are efficient and effective. What a delightful way to end our Southeast Asian experience!
-----
At Wikitravel the essay on “Beijing” offers Beijing history, orientation, people, travel, climate, demographics, as well as where to eat, shop, and sleep. This is a complete website and is a good place to begin for its broad orientation.
At Epinions.com there is a very complete essay on Beijing, entitled, “Everything You Need to Know About Beijing,” that offers a lengthy review of the city covering such topics as A. Overview of the city; B. Weather; C. Money Issues; D. Transportation; E. Lodging; F. Dining;; G. Tourist Attractions; and H. Shopping.
-----
Copyright June, 2011, by And Then Some Publishing, LLC.
We are touring the best-preserved imperial palace in all of China, the five-century-old Forbidden City located in the center of Beijing. Our guidebook, Beijing Encounter (by Lonely Planet), says that the 14 Ming emperors and 10 Qing emperors “became absorbed in the splendor of life inside the palace. The royal mealtime took up much of the day. By the time Empress Cixi took power, she was getting twice-daily meals consisting of over 100 dishes” (p. 11).
Just as in other countries (such as Istanbul/Constantinople, Turkey) the “lap of luxury could be a detriment to imperial rule and Chinese leaders were often ignorant of the living conditions outside the palace walls” (p. 11). The dull task of actually ruling the people was turned over to court eunuchs. Emperors, instead, spent their time eating, collecting concubines, and writing poetry. Many [emperors] died at a young age because of poor diets, no exercise, and a life in the lap of complete luxury. Who would trade a longer life for such self-indulgence and immoderation — total hedonism!
We visited few of the 9,999 rooms in the Forbidden City. We did, however, wander off the main walkway to see some of the museums located at the sides of each open square. More than a million workers built the City, and workers, to this day, are thought of and treated as the bottom rung of the economic ladder.
An example of how workers are viewed is revealed on Chinese currency. The 5.00 RMB note comes in 2 sizes. The large one, with Mao’s picture is truly worth its value (about $.74 U.S.), but the small 5.00 RMB note, which depicts a beautiful young man and woman (workers), is nearly worthless (pennies), according to Michael Ye, our previous tour guide in Beijing. And as Ye pointed out, it is clearly a political statement. (As an aside, we did not know the difference between these bills, and a taxi driver refused to take our small 5.00 RMB note, and we didn’t know why until it was explained to us by one of the Marriott employees who could speak English clearly. If Beijing wanted another problem to solve that would make the City more “user/tourist friendly,” it would be: Get rid of the small 5.00 RMB note! Take care of the basics.
To show how the belief in symbols and colors dominated the life of the Chinese, we saw colors, symbols, and animals that are believed to bring peace, prosperity, happiness, longevity, and a continuance of ruling the people in every square and outside every pavilion. Their beliefs were clearly revealed as we walked the main path through the Forbidden City.
We began our tour of the Forbidden City by walking to, and looking into — from barriers outside swarmed by hoards of pushing and shoving Chinese tourists — the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the palace’s biggest structure, which was the site of the imperial’s grandest events.
Inside the hall, the throne is guarded by two luduan (beasts which can detect truth) — mythical beasts that can understand all languages and cover a distance of 9,000 leagues in a day. Outside some buildings at the Summer Palace, we saw cranes, elephants, and lions. And a male and female (the female is always on the right) lion can be found guarding the outside of many buildings to help ward off evil spirits.
Following the Hall of Supreme Harmony was a Hall of Central Harmony and a third called the Hall of Preserving Harmony. Behind the Hall of Supreme Harmony is a 55.77-foot-long marble carriageway, the wall of which supports a large, carved dragon. A dragon represents power and the authority of rulers.
The Palace of Heavenly Purity housed Ming and early Qing emperors, and the Palace of Earthy Tranquility served as the empresses’ quarters. Many of the present museum buildings along both side of the various squares, were the halls formerly used as the concubines’ or eunuch’s living quarters. One emperor is known to have at least 3,000 concubines.
At the northern end of the Forbidden City through the Gate of Terrestrial Tranquility is the Imperial Garden. Built in 1417 during the Ming dynasty, it was the private garden of the imperial family, and it is the most typical imperial garden in China. At a Chinese website, in an essay on “The Forbidden City,” it says, “This garden was used exclusively by the imperial family to sip tea, play chess, meditate and generally relax.” The garden included rockeries, walkways, pavilions, carbuncular and deformed cypress trees, and, I might add, based on our visit, wall-to-wall tourists.
We left the Forbidden City very tired of walking, and we were pointed in the direction of a taxi stand. We walked a long way to a corner where taxis were forced to stop, and there, a Chinese lady who spoke flawless English helped us secure a taxi, made certain the driver knew where we were going, and even came over to make certain everything was fine as we departed.
On this day (Day 3 in Beijing), we walked to the Railway Station (just a ten-minute walk from our hotel), walked over the boulevard in front of the station via a pedestrian overpass, and had dinner of 2 spicy-chicken sandwiches and a vanilla milkshake at McDonald’s. Because you cannot drink Beijing water (discussed in my second Beijing essay), we chose not to trust the food at the numerous Chinese restaurants available. Why chance an intestinal problem just as we’re facing a long flight home the next day?
Our stay in Beijing has been delightful, and on the last day when we opened the curtains, we saw the sun for the first time in Beijing — or in more than a week. The weather while we’ve been here (late March-April 1st, 2010), has been refreshingly cool (especially after the heat and humidity of the early cities we visited on this cruise).
We exchanged our money back from Chinese yuen (about 522.50 RMB) to U.S. currency (about $76.00 U.S.) which took us about one-half hour at the same exchange center/bank we used when we first arrived in Beijing. It was a complicated, paper-heavy transaction which required the use of passports, numerous signatures, and money counted at least 3 times.
Princess cruise line provided the shuttle to the airport, and we discovered that Beijing has one of the most attractive, tourist-friendly airports in the world. It is clean, toilets are spotless, airport personnel are helpful and friendly, and the methods used for boarding the aircraft are efficient and effective. What a delightful way to end our Southeast Asian experience!
-----
At Wikitravel the essay on “Beijing” offers Beijing history, orientation, people, travel, climate, demographics, as well as where to eat, shop, and sleep. This is a complete website and is a good place to begin for its broad orientation.
At Epinions.com there is a very complete essay on Beijing, entitled, “Everything You Need to Know About Beijing,” that offers a lengthy review of the city covering such topics as A. Overview of the city; B. Weather; C. Money Issues; D. Transportation; E. Lodging; F. Dining;; G. Tourist Attractions; and H. Shopping.
-----
Copyright June, 2011, by And Then Some Publishing, LLC.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Beijing II: Tackle the Basics
by Richard L. Weaver II, Ph.D.
We are taking a private tour with our tour guide, Michael Ye. We also have a driver who speaks no English and has a small picture of Mao and a jade Buddha hanging from the rear-view mirror for good luck. We have already toured the Great Wall (discussed in Beijing I). From the Great Wall, Michael continued to educate us about China and Beijing. He told us, for example, that whereas the U.S. has a big middle class (45-50%), China’s middle class amounts to only 15%. These are mainly young, educated, and sophisticated Chinese who are likely to help forge a new direction for China. He explained that the “new” China is similar to “capitalistic communism,” and all land in China is still owned by the government. There is no private ownership; people only rent it.
Michael considers himself part of China’s “new” middle class and, too, thinks positively about communism and the role Mao Tse Tung played in advancing China. Mao is widely viewed as one of the most respect Chinese leaders of his time.
Beijing, despite its attempts to open up and become more westernized and “user/tourist friendly,” has major problems to overcome if it wants to truly become “user/tourist” friendly. First, is pollution. They are aware of this and working on it. The tree plantings (mentioned in Beijing I) are designed to ameliorate some of the effects of the Mongolian sandstorms. (About a week before our visit, as noted in Beijing I, it was severe, and it affected both Shanghai and even Hong Kong and Taiwan, but it had mostly dissipated in Beijing by our visit there.)
Also, to help their pollution problem, they have moved all factories out of Beijing. Having the Olympics there (2008), helped expedite this move. Also, car use is restricted in Beijing (although the effects are hard to notice). Gas in Beijing is expensive ($4.00 per gallon U.S. when we were there). All those wishing to drive in the city must pay an $8.00 per day (U.S.) tax. This may have made a significant change, but it is not noticed by tourists, and pollution remains a serious problem. Traffic, then, is a second problem.
The third problem is the aggressiveness of Chinese drivers. Pedestrians do not have the right of way, even in well-marked crosswalks. Cross at your own risk — or peril! It isn’t the constant changing of lanes, entering abruptly onto a heavily-used traffic lane, or driving at high speeds, but it is driving without any regard for pedestrians and their safety.
The fourth problem is as serious as all of the first three: you cannot drink the water. Even in the most sophisticated, expensive, and luxurious hotels (and the Beijing Marriott City Wall Hotel is one of these), you are warned not to drink the water. Even the residents must boil their water first, and most depend on bottled water. We bought a 1.5 liter (big!) bottle in the local market for 6.00 RMB (about $.90 U.S.), and we will have some left over because we have been carrying bottles with us (which we re-filled on the ship) from the Four Seasons’ Hotel in Bangkok.
Beijing needs to tackle their problems with a vengeance.
Getting back to our tour with Michael Ye. From the Great Wall, we went to the Beijing Rin-Ze Jade Garden Trade Company where we saw carvers of Jade at work, huge jade pieces, as well as attractive room decorations. Then we were led into a massive (about the size of a Walmart store) salesroom where all sizes, shapes, and colors of jade were for sale. There were few other people in the store, and the clerks spent time with us showing us how to tell real jade from plastic. (It’s hard to tell the difference just by looking at it.) We bought nothing.
Having visited the Great Wall and the jade factory, it was time for lunch, and we had a typical Chinese lunch (where many on tour-bus excursions were also eating) in a restaurant at the back of another massive-sized salesroom of all kinds of Chinese cultural artifacts. Called the Yu Long Friendship Store, their prices are less than the hotels, more than the local markets, but guaranteed for quality and workmanship. We are not shoppers, but the food in the restaurant at the back of the store was delicious. (Although the food was good, as an aside, I have had much better Chinese food in a variety of U.S. restaurants.)
After the Great Wall, the Jade Garden Trade Company, the Friendship Store, and lunch, we visited the Summer Palace. At a Chinese website, the essay on “The Summer Palace,” describes it like this: “The Summer Palace is the largest and best-preserved imperial garden in China. Its Chinese name, YiHeYuan, translates as 'Garden of Nurtured Harmony' or 'Garden for Maintaining Health and Harmony.'” The essay continues, “As its name implies, the Summer Palace was used as a summer residence by China's imperial rulers - as a retreat from the main imperial palace now known as the Palace Museum (or 'Forbidden City') - a pleasureground in the countryside, yet near to the city. The Summer Palace is virtually a museum of traditional Chinese gardening that uses rocks, plants, pavilions, ponds, cobble paths and other garden styles to create a poetic effect between different scenes. . . .”
Unfortunately, because of the continuing rain, fog, and pollution, we were unable to see the dragon located on an island in the middle of the huge man-made lake. The Palace was spacious and lovely, and you can see why emperors enjoyed the ambiance of these gardens. That you could feel despite the inclement weather.
The tour of the Summer Palace ended our private tour with Michael Ye.
In the third Beijing essay I will discuss Tiananiman Square and the Forbidden City. I will also mention taxi-cab pirates. If there was a fifth problem Beijing needs to solve with respect to making the city more “user/tourist friendly,” it would be the problem they have with pirates. You cannot have tourists being subjected to even the possibility (or merely the thought of) price-gouging by uncontrolled, rogue pirates. It is not a pleasant thought, but it is a real and pervasive threat.
-----
At the website ChinaReport.com, Doc Ben has an essay on: “About Beijing Taxis,” which gives the following tips for using taxicabs in Beijing: “1) Get a Cab at your Hotel. This way the Doorman or Concierge at the Hotel can translate your destination to the driver, and this may avoid any mis-communications. After this you will have a better drive. 2) As most drivers still have difficulty communicating in English, for exotic destinations, I advise to bring a map of your destination area. This way - if a problem occurs or they head the wrong way ( with you along ), you can simply point your destination out to the driver. If you have Chinese names on your map you are a champ! 3) Be sure you have a licensed cab with a working taxi-meter. No meter , no go. 4) Don't be fooled into a pre-arranged price. At tourist-sites drivers may come up to you and offer a price. If you are not familiar with the low prices in Beijing, you may be fooled and pay double of zilch. Ooooh well, get over it and learn !”
For things to do in Beijing, check out the website Beijingtraveltips.com, and an essay there called, “Beijing! Travel Tips.” The tips there, including pictures, cover Beijing nightlife, shopping, eating, tourist travel, transport, sights, tips, hotels, and an online store.
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Copyright June, 2011, by And Then Some Publishing, LLC.
We are taking a private tour with our tour guide, Michael Ye. We also have a driver who speaks no English and has a small picture of Mao and a jade Buddha hanging from the rear-view mirror for good luck. We have already toured the Great Wall (discussed in Beijing I). From the Great Wall, Michael continued to educate us about China and Beijing. He told us, for example, that whereas the U.S. has a big middle class (45-50%), China’s middle class amounts to only 15%. These are mainly young, educated, and sophisticated Chinese who are likely to help forge a new direction for China. He explained that the “new” China is similar to “capitalistic communism,” and all land in China is still owned by the government. There is no private ownership; people only rent it.
Michael considers himself part of China’s “new” middle class and, too, thinks positively about communism and the role Mao Tse Tung played in advancing China. Mao is widely viewed as one of the most respect Chinese leaders of his time.
Beijing, despite its attempts to open up and become more westernized and “user/tourist friendly,” has major problems to overcome if it wants to truly become “user/tourist” friendly. First, is pollution. They are aware of this and working on it. The tree plantings (mentioned in Beijing I) are designed to ameliorate some of the effects of the Mongolian sandstorms. (About a week before our visit, as noted in Beijing I, it was severe, and it affected both Shanghai and even Hong Kong and Taiwan, but it had mostly dissipated in Beijing by our visit there.)
Also, to help their pollution problem, they have moved all factories out of Beijing. Having the Olympics there (2008), helped expedite this move. Also, car use is restricted in Beijing (although the effects are hard to notice). Gas in Beijing is expensive ($4.00 per gallon U.S. when we were there). All those wishing to drive in the city must pay an $8.00 per day (U.S.) tax. This may have made a significant change, but it is not noticed by tourists, and pollution remains a serious problem. Traffic, then, is a second problem.
The third problem is the aggressiveness of Chinese drivers. Pedestrians do not have the right of way, even in well-marked crosswalks. Cross at your own risk — or peril! It isn’t the constant changing of lanes, entering abruptly onto a heavily-used traffic lane, or driving at high speeds, but it is driving without any regard for pedestrians and their safety.
The fourth problem is as serious as all of the first three: you cannot drink the water. Even in the most sophisticated, expensive, and luxurious hotels (and the Beijing Marriott City Wall Hotel is one of these), you are warned not to drink the water. Even the residents must boil their water first, and most depend on bottled water. We bought a 1.5 liter (big!) bottle in the local market for 6.00 RMB (about $.90 U.S.), and we will have some left over because we have been carrying bottles with us (which we re-filled on the ship) from the Four Seasons’ Hotel in Bangkok.
Beijing needs to tackle their problems with a vengeance.
Getting back to our tour with Michael Ye. From the Great Wall, we went to the Beijing Rin-Ze Jade Garden Trade Company where we saw carvers of Jade at work, huge jade pieces, as well as attractive room decorations. Then we were led into a massive (about the size of a Walmart store) salesroom where all sizes, shapes, and colors of jade were for sale. There were few other people in the store, and the clerks spent time with us showing us how to tell real jade from plastic. (It’s hard to tell the difference just by looking at it.) We bought nothing.
Having visited the Great Wall and the jade factory, it was time for lunch, and we had a typical Chinese lunch (where many on tour-bus excursions were also eating) in a restaurant at the back of another massive-sized salesroom of all kinds of Chinese cultural artifacts. Called the Yu Long Friendship Store, their prices are less than the hotels, more than the local markets, but guaranteed for quality and workmanship. We are not shoppers, but the food in the restaurant at the back of the store was delicious. (Although the food was good, as an aside, I have had much better Chinese food in a variety of U.S. restaurants.)
After the Great Wall, the Jade Garden Trade Company, the Friendship Store, and lunch, we visited the Summer Palace. At a Chinese website, the essay on “The Summer Palace,” describes it like this: “The Summer Palace is the largest and best-preserved imperial garden in China. Its Chinese name, YiHeYuan, translates as 'Garden of Nurtured Harmony' or 'Garden for Maintaining Health and Harmony.'” The essay continues, “As its name implies, the Summer Palace was used as a summer residence by China's imperial rulers - as a retreat from the main imperial palace now known as the Palace Museum (or 'Forbidden City') - a pleasureground in the countryside, yet near to the city. The Summer Palace is virtually a museum of traditional Chinese gardening that uses rocks, plants, pavilions, ponds, cobble paths and other garden styles to create a poetic effect between different scenes. . . .”
Unfortunately, because of the continuing rain, fog, and pollution, we were unable to see the dragon located on an island in the middle of the huge man-made lake. The Palace was spacious and lovely, and you can see why emperors enjoyed the ambiance of these gardens. That you could feel despite the inclement weather.
The tour of the Summer Palace ended our private tour with Michael Ye.
In the third Beijing essay I will discuss Tiananiman Square and the Forbidden City. I will also mention taxi-cab pirates. If there was a fifth problem Beijing needs to solve with respect to making the city more “user/tourist friendly,” it would be the problem they have with pirates. You cannot have tourists being subjected to even the possibility (or merely the thought of) price-gouging by uncontrolled, rogue pirates. It is not a pleasant thought, but it is a real and pervasive threat.
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At the website ChinaReport.com, Doc Ben has an essay on: “About Beijing Taxis,” which gives the following tips for using taxicabs in Beijing: “1) Get a Cab at your Hotel. This way the Doorman or Concierge at the Hotel can translate your destination to the driver, and this may avoid any mis-communications. After this you will have a better drive. 2) As most drivers still have difficulty communicating in English, for exotic destinations, I advise to bring a map of your destination area. This way - if a problem occurs or they head the wrong way ( with you along ), you can simply point your destination out to the driver. If you have Chinese names on your map you are a champ! 3) Be sure you have a licensed cab with a working taxi-meter. No meter , no go. 4) Don't be fooled into a pre-arranged price. At tourist-sites drivers may come up to you and offer a price. If you are not familiar with the low prices in Beijing, you may be fooled and pay double of zilch. Ooooh well, get over it and learn !”
For things to do in Beijing, check out the website Beijingtraveltips.com, and an essay there called, “Beijing! Travel Tips.” The tips there, including pictures, cover Beijing nightlife, shopping, eating, tourist travel, transport, sights, tips, hotels, and an online store.
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Copyright June, 2011, by And Then Some Publishing, LLC.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Beijing I: Tackle the basics
SMOERs: Words of Wisdom
"If a wise man behaves prudently, how can he be overcome by his enemies? Even a single man, by right action, can overcome a host of foes." --Saskya Pandita
Day #256 - Show prudence in all that you do.
SMOERs: Self-Motivation, Optimism, Encouragement Rules! - Daily Reminders for Outstanding Living
An everyday guide full of quotations to uplift your spirits. This is one of six motivational quotations for Day #256.
Free 30-Day sample: smoers.com
"If a wise man behaves prudently, how can he be overcome by his enemies? Even a single man, by right action, can overcome a host of foes." --Saskya Pandita
Day #256 - Show prudence in all that you do.
SMOERs: Self-Motivation, Optimism, Encouragement Rules! - Daily Reminders for Outstanding Living
An everyday guide full of quotations to uplift your spirits. This is one of six motivational quotations for Day #256.
Free 30-Day sample: smoers.com
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