weninchina.blogspot.com

Photos: Soups at Obento-ya, Minneapolis

2012-02-04T14:22:00.000-06:00

Obento-ya is our favorite Japanese restaurant here in the Twin Cities - an intimate, inexpensive bistro serving homestyle izkaya cooking and sushi. I took our daughter there last night after school...

You can never go wrong with a nice big bowl of udon. The shrimp and vegetables are lightly battered and fried - seaweed and green onion on the side to mix in.

She loves the miso with tofu cubes - and so do we. If you have a cold or are feeling run-down, a nice bowl of this will bring your health and spirits right back up.

Hainan Airlines - American Airlines codeshare services: potential routes for Summer 2012

2012-01-29T21:28:00.000-06:00

In December 2011 American Airlines and Hainan Airlinesannounced they would begin a transpacific codeshare arrangement. American wouldplace its AA code on Hainan’s flights between Seattle and Beijing, and ondomestic Chinese flights from Beijing. Hainan would place its HU code onAmerican’s flights from Beijing to Chicago, and from Shanghai to Chicago andLos Angeles, as well as on connecting flights in North America on American.

(Click map below for expanded view of transpacific codeshare services:)

Each carrier’s rivals on either side of the Pacific had alreadycreated strong cooperative links (Air China and its subsidiary ShenzhenAirlines with Star Alliance partner United Airlines; China Southern and ChinaEastern with SkyTeam partner Delta), so travel industry observers figured ahookup between American and Hainan was likely as they were the last majorcarriers left unaffiliated.

Details of specific flight connections are still beingworked out between the companies and are unlikely to be announced before Spring2012. However, I’ve examined the current Winter 2012 timetables for eachcarrier to anticipate just what kinds of new connections are likely to beoffered:

At Shanghai, neither carrier brings much to therelationship. The Chinese government allocates routes, fares, and frequenciesamong the various domestic carriers (much like how it was done in Americapre-deregulation), picking who gets to dominate certain cities. The authoritieshave decided Hainan Airlines will have the slimmest presence in the country’slargest city – giving them only 7 daily flights from the international airportat Shanghai-Pudong, and just 5 daily flights from the downtown airportShanghai-Hongqiao.

American’s arrival from Los Angeles gets in too late toconnect to any HU departures at Pudong. The Chicago arrival comes in a bitearlier, allowing for connections to the major city Xi’an and resort centerHaikou. Heading eastbound, thereis a possible daily connection from Haikou to the Los Angeles flight, and onthe Chicago flight, travelers from Haikou, Xi’an, and Lanzhou could makeconnections.

With these meager connecting opportunities in the People’sRepublic, the value of the codeshare agreement as far as Shanghai is concernedis to help Hainan’s local sales team book more corporate travel into the U.S.A.

(Click map below for two-way connections via PVG:)

At Beijing, Hainan Airlines has a much stronger presence,running a connecting hub with multiple banks of flights to dozens of domesticcities – as well as a growing number of overseas destinations. The HU flightsto and from Seattle connect smoothly to many Chinese cities. Hainan’s operationis based out of the “old” side of the airport; mostly in Terminal 2, with a fewflights from Terminal 1 just next door.

American Airlines has a daily run from Beijing to Chicago.AA flight #186 leaves PEK at 6:55 am on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday,and at 7:55 am on Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday. This flight arrives ORDbefore breakfast and delivers connecting passengers to their final destinationsin the Midwest and East Coast by lunchtime. AA flight #187 arrives inbound fromChicago at 11:30 pm Beijing time. American’s flights use the new Terminal 3 complex on the far side of theairport.

You may suspect that late-night arrivals and early-morningdepartures at Beijing don’t make for easy connections, and you would becorrect. As it stands today, any connection heading into China or heading outto the U.S. would require an overnight stay in Beijing. (On the airport groundsare two full-service hotels: a Hilton and a Langham Place.)

The late-night-early-morning timing was not AmericanAirlines’ choice; they had requested mid-day slots when the route was approved.The Beijing airport authority had other ideas. Perhaps now with a strong localadvocate it might be possible to shift the timing of the Chicago run to allowfor good connections on both ends so that AA and HU can both profit. (Aseparate question would be if American could move its flight to Terminal 2 toallow “walking” connections instead of requiring passengers to use shuttlebuses.)

If we assume the timing for AA #186 and #187 stays as-is,early-morning departures from Beijing that American may want to put their codeon could include:

Chengdu
Chongqing
Dongying
Fuzhou
Guilin
Hailar
Harbin
Kunming
Lanzhou
Manzhouli
Mudanjiang
Shanghai-Hongqiao
Shanghai-Pudong
Shenzhen
Urumqi
Wenzhou
Xi'an
Xiamen

Flights from these cities get into Beijing late at night, somay be potential code-share candidates:

Changchun
Changsha
Changzhi
Chengdu
Chongqing
Haikou
Hailar
Hangzhou
Harbin
Hohhot
Jiamusi
Jinjiang
Kunming
Mudanjiang
Nanchang
Nanning
Ningbo
Qiqihar
Sanya
Shanghai-Hongqiao
Shenzhen
Urumqi
Wenzhou
Wuhai
Xi'an
Xiamen
Yinchuan

Cities that have both inbound and outbound potentialcodeshare are shown on this map (click for larger view):

To recap, while the Hainan-American partnership isimportant, at present there are few new service possibilities forU.S.-originating passengers looking to travel beyond Beijing. If American’sChicago-Beijing flights can be rescheduled, however, a significant number ofnew connections may become possible. The HU-AA connections through Shanghaiwill be useful for only one or two cities, and are not likely to developfurther.

We will keep watching developments in this association withgreat interest – follow @weninchina on Twitter and bookmark this blog for thelatest news.

Steaming cauldron of Congee!

2012-01-21T21:15:00.003-06:00

Also tonight at Hong Kong Noodle, we ordered this US$8 ... cauldron... of chicken congee. That order was enough for 7 servings! (Looking forward to leftovers tomorrow!)

Read more about wonderful congee at our weninchina article: http://www.weninchina.com/Food/Congee.html

Food photo - Beef Brisket LoMein

2012-01-21T21:08:00.001-06:00

Had a wonderful meal tonight at Hong Kong Noodle at the University of Minnesota. Here's the beef brisket lo mein. That beef just flakes apart West Lake-style, sublime flavor. The steamed greens were just that right texture between snappy and melt-apart.

Atlanta airport new international terminal almost ready

2012-01-14T15:10:00.001-06:00

All the Delta widebody fleet types have now been tested with the gate equipment, and interior fittings are almost complete. (Still, I have to wonder about the English-only signage...)

Beautiful Shanghai timelapse video

2012-01-09T22:46:00.001-06:00

Courtesy of the Chinese travel service ctrip.

Book Review: Tokyo on Foot by Florent Chavouet

2011-12-23T10:00:00.000-06:00

This unique presentation of one foreigner’s exploration of the world’s largest city over six months was never intended to be a guidebook: no star ratings for luxe hotels or interviews with celebrity chefs here - and wasn’t supposed to be a social commentary: don’t look here for studies on gender roles or the Occupy Movement. But a guidebook (of sorts) is what this simple artist’s sketchbook has become; one filled with the (usually humorous) views and comments about everyday life and ordinary buildings around the various districts of central Tokyo.

Florent’s district maps may be easier to use than the ones in the Frommer’s guidebook - and clearly show the most important places for family travelers, like good supermarkets and convenience stores and coffee shops; the photogenic spots and nice parks and walking-path shortcuts.

Tokyo is not called a beautiful city (except perhaps at night, from a high building, when you can soak in the lights) - but Florent’s colored-pencil sketches give individual personality to even the most ordinary row house or storefront. And his cartoon drawings of shopkeepers, commuters, students, and local police - while, well, simple cartoons, still move past stereotypes and cliches to reveal humanity and show you details you might not ordinarily notice from the tour bus or running through the airport. (Mr. Chavouet’s blog - in French - continues his studies.)

When our family travels we like to use public transport and walk around, eat simply and try to experience parts of everyday life in the cities we visit. The flowers poking up in an alleyway are no less beautiful than the ones in the Imperial gardens, after all. This book brings back nostalgia we have for our time in Japan - and gives us ideas for our next trip.

Whether you’ve been to Tokyo already or are looking for ideas for a future stopover trip, this book lovingly shows the real side of the city, and is great entertainment.

For more media, product, and service reviews about traveling through and learning about Asian culture, please visit http://www.weninchina.com/Reviews/Reviews/Reviews.html

Our Tokyo article links:

Narita Airport Guide: http://www.weninchina.com/Airports/Tokyo_NRT.html
Tokyo Stopover: http://www.weninchina.com/Travel/Tokyo_Stopover.html

Media review: Teach Me Chinese... and More Chinese

2011-12-22T08:00:00.000-06:00

Teach Me Tapes is a Minnesota company that for many years has created and distributed workbooks and music for teaching many world languages, including Japanese, Russian, Korean, Hebrew, as well as Spanish and the other workhorse European tongues. In addition, they also produce materials for teaching English as a second language. I had dinner with the owner and manager several years ago at an education-industry convention, where I learned much about the disconnect between social interest in a language-learning product and the actual sales results; plus the investment needed to put a professional product together. (However, I purchased this title at list price this year from my local Lakeshore Learning store.)

This book compiles the company’s two original titles (Teach Me Chinese - A Musical Journey Through the Day, and Teach Me More Chinese - A Musical Journey Through the Year) and includes an hour-long CD with 41 tracks.

The songs include a fair number of classic English-language nursery rhymes such as The Wheels on the Bus, and Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes. These songs are used for the company’s other language workbooks, too, but of course the songs and translations are unique to each book. So while this does mean the songs are not intended to teach about Chinese culture, it does mean that the content cover a great many common words including:

family members
animals
parts of the body
daily routines
clothing
colors

The songs are primarily sung in Mandarin, without English translation, although a few extended tracks are performed in English. [This is in contrast with the Sara Jordan materials reviewed previously in which every song is half-English-half-Mandarin.] The instrumentation is simple; the music stays in the background so the listener can clearly hear the Mandarin words. Extra care has been taken to accurately present Mandarin tones, too.

My daughter - currently a kindergartner at a Mandarin immersion school - quickly recognized several of these songs the first time I played her the CD. (I’ll take that as an endorsement!)

The accompanying workbook/coloring book has all the song lyrics in Pinyin, with English translations further back; the images and text, however, are all hand-drawn - literally handwritten Chinese characters, Pinyin, and English words. Some characters and words are crammed into the frame of the picture - readability is not consistent. This seems to be a missed opportunity when this twin-title book was compiled. On the other hand, the drawings are of Chinese kids and families (in Western settings and with Western friends) - it would have been easy for a publisher to recycle ethnic-ambiguous artwork from a book for some other language, so these illustrations are a well-thought and appreciated effort.

The primarily-Chinese songs and all-Chinese activity pages make this compilation attractive for immersion settings. The presentation is simple and easy to follow for non-native speakers, though, so it should be considered for home use, too. For preschoolers to second-graders, you’ll get a great deal of play out of the CD, and the activity pages could be kept as good reference materials. The price also makes this a solid value compared to the individual books.

For more media, product, and service reviews about traveling through and learning about Asian culture, please visit http://www.weninchina.com/Reviews/Reviews/Reviews.html

Book Review - Exploring Hong Kong by Steven K. Bailey

2011-12-20T07:00:00.000-06:00

This travel guide recently appeared at my local Barnes & Noble and immediately set itself apart from the traditional books on its shelf. After leafing through a few pages I recognized Mr. Bailey’s approach to travel writing had much the same spirit as what we are trying to do here at weninchina.com.

The book is oriented by geography much like other travel books (Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, New Territories, etc.), runs a similar page length (just over 180 pp) and price ($14.95). However, it is different from the usual Fodor’s or Lonely Planet guides in two important ways: first, it does not go into any depth on which restaurants / clubs / hotels are in the must-see-and-be-seen-at category; no HK Disney reviews; and no interviews with local tastemakers. (After all, despite its recent 2009 copyright, these things change in a blink in HK.) Second, the author uses very specific activities - such as riding the Travelator from Central up to the Mid-Levels, hiking down from Victoria Peak, or crossing Lamma Island by foot - as a framework to tell longer stories of the history and people of Hong Kong.

And instead of trying to cover every neighborhood, Steven goes into depth on a narrow set of places that a first- or second-time visitor may be more likely to explore. His chapter on Victoria Peak, for instance, runs 22 pages. Steven also dedicates multiple pages to specific enthusiast activities that I’ve never seen in traditional guides - airplane spotting, train watching, military history, law enforcement, and several more. (I learned about a pair of excellent airliner-watching spots that I’ll have to try next time!)

Another unique and handy section is dedicated to activities especially appropriate for hot and rainy days, that kids and parents can all enjoy.

There is a thoughtful emphasis throughout the book on how to get around Hong Kong quickly but inexpensively - often including walking directions from MTR stations or ferry terminals (as that’s how the locals really move about).

Photography in the book is by Steven’s wife, Jill Witt, and is of high quality, although I’d have liked to see much more to accompany and illustrate the conversational text. There is some repetition in the book’s “how to get there” sidebars as well, although not noticeable if you aren’t reading the book straight through. Maps of local neighborhoods give the basics but could be a bit more fleshed-out (although if you’re also using a conventional guidebook or one of the many free maps you can get in HK, that is perhaps not a big issue.)

Overall, the book strikes the tone of a friend who lives in HK and wants to take you to the things people don’t see when in an organized tour group - often just a block off the ‘beaten path’ or around the corner of a building. My family’s experience holds this to be true, too - we found Victoria Peak to be a much more relaxed and friendly place once we walked to the back-side of its shopping center so our daughter could ride on the playground equipment and we could watch the Pacific Ocean - or in walking along the footpath on the side of the mountain almost to ourselves. Along with the expected and still-exciting activities like riding the Star Ferry and watching the evening laser light show on the harbor, Steven shows us the quieter and less-stereotyped vision of Hong Kong that is no less fascinating.

If you’re planning to spend three or more days in Hong Kong, even if you have been there before, this book is highly recommended reading, especially for families.

For other reviews of media, products, and services around travel in Asia and understanding Asian culture, visit http://www.weninchina.com/Reviews/Reviews/Reviews.html

Our Hong Kong-related articles can be found at:

http://www.weninchina.com/Travel/Hong_Kong_Stopover.html

http://www.weninchina.com/Airports/Hong_Kong.html

Another awesome slice-of-life video

2011-12-05T20:45:00.001-06:00

Tremendously creative timelapse video of the streets (and ferryboats) of Ho Chi Minh City (aka Saigon). Very well-edited. We've wanted to check out Vietnam for some time now - although after this I know we'll stick to taxis and public transport when getting around...

Video: Night Taxi Timelapse in Hong Kong

2011-11-27T21:06:00.001-06:00

Posted tonight on YouTube by Agence-France-Presse (AFP); nicely done. I really miss Hong Kong...

weninchina.com now on Google+

2011-11-24T21:07:00.001-06:00

Our Google+ page is now up and running.

Stop by and +1 us into one of your Circles, I guess is what we're supposed to say. For now, I just want to learn what G+ can do, figure out how to integrate it with all the other media pieces like our Facebook Page, YouTube channel, and Twitter feed.

There are some new media reviews coming soon, an article about Chinese "Lucky Numbers", and the seasonal update on Transpacific flight options. Stay tuned, and drop us a note with any suggestions, feedback, or just to say "Ni hao."

Still more Milk Coffee reviews!

2011-11-15T21:42:00.001-06:00

While I continue to advocate for your local dairy to follow the lead of their Asian comrades and start putting half-gallons of rich milk coffee on supermarket and convenience store shelves across America, in the meantime I’ll keep presenting the various single-serve options you may come across.

The Milk Coffee Review Criteria are:

1. Creaminess. On the one side are the super-dense drinks like Vietnamese Café Su’a made with condensed milk, almost toffee-like in thickness. On the other side is watered-down coffee. An ideal milk coffee texture should resemble 2% milk – not too fatty but not too watery. Our scale is 0 = water; 10 = thick condensed milk.

2. Flavor. This is a more-complicated judgment, subject to individuals’ taste – as all the different drink options at Starbucks will attest. There seems to be a four-way balance in the drinks I’ve tried: water – chocolate – milk – espresso. A good milk coffee doesn’t have to shy away from cocoa notes but can’t ignore the coffee beans (otherwise it’s just chocolate milk.) Our scale looks at M = Milk; C = Chocolate; E = Espresso. 0 on the scale is weak; 10 is overpowering.

3. Price per serving. Milk coffee is supposed to be an everyday beverage, not a premium treat.

4. Caffeine punch. 0 for no effect; 10 for jarring.

The products in today’s review are:

Mr. Brown Cappuccino Iced Coffee, from King Car Foods of Taipei, Taiwan

Taiwan and Japan have a deep relationship of trade, tourism, and food culture, so it’s not surprising that manufacturers there also caught on to the milk coffee trend. What is perhaps surprising is that it took until 1982 for production to begin; however, the brand began to be exported in 1986 and now reaches to 50 countries. The King Car firm, per their German website, (can’t find one for America...) is involved in “drinks, food, biotechnology, aquaculture, horticulture and chemical production.” Just like Ma and Pa back on the farm.

The brand and character design are a riff on Suntory’s “Boss” coffee

You do see this brand in Japan so the quality control is respectable. Again, like the UCC drink reviewed last time, the can is steel; it’s meant to stand up to containership travel.

Creaminess - 4: Not unpleasant by any means but not necessarily better than average.
Flavor - If you’ve ever had an older specialty coffee brand like Butter-Nut, this is the taste that comes through. There is a nutty, caramelly, almost burnt undertone going on - but I’m not getting the espresso note as much. E = 5; C = 1; M = 3
Price - at $0.99 per 240 ml can, it’s one of the more-affordable options. (How do they afford the cost of the can?)
Punch - 3: I literally took a nap about an hour after drinking this can.

Recommendation: it’s a product you’ll have a reasonable chance of finding at your Asian grocer, and it’s ‘good enough’ if there are no other convenient choices. But I wouldn’t stock up on the stuff.

Frappuccino - Coffee flavor, from Starbucks of Seattle, Washington

This is the one milk coffee product most Americans will be familiar with; it is available everywhere - groceries, convenience stores, mass markets. They package it in recyclable glass containers that resemble old-fashioned milk bottles; the small size comes 4 to a carton; the larger size is sold individually.

Creaminess - 6: it’s a well-blended drink from first to last sip with good body and without any chalkiness. It’s not particularly rich-tasting, but by no means is it watery.
Flavor - You can certainly taste the milk in this drink, unlike many of the other products reviewed here, but it’s a coffee-based formula first. If you like Starbucks’ house blend, this is what it’s based on; that flavor comes through strongly. A little hint of chocolate delivered by the sugar (but they make other flavors if that’s what you really want.) E = 7; C = 2; M = 6
Price - The 12.5 ounce bottle as shown above runs $2.39 (Target) to $2.69 - $2.99 at convenience stores.
Punch - 5: right down the middle, nothing too extreme but adequate for a morning pick-me-up. They make an energy drink based on this with extra caffeine and vitamins, but I won’t be reviewing that on this site.

Recommendation: You’ve already had it, so you know if you like it or not. The packaging is way too excessive and the distribution chain is way too complicated - so the retail price per serving is far too high. If the UCC Kona Blend milk coffee can be imported and sold for $1.99 per can, you know you’re getting overcharged with this.

DyDo Milk Coffee, imported from Osaka, Japan

This is a brand I came across at a Seven-11 in Hong Kong in November 2010; have not been able to find it in the States or Vancouver. The company specializes in bottled beverages - coffee, tea, water, and nutriceuticals.

Creaminess - 5: like the Frappuccino, very well-blended and no grittiness, although a lighter texture and a bit more watery. More like a milk tea, if you’ve ever had one of those.
Flavor - The milk flavor was present but not strong; the coffee flavor was nice but not nearly enough of it in the drink. E = 5; C = 1; M = 4
Price - came to about $1.25 US - about average for the premium single-serve milk coffee brands available in Hong Kong.
Punch - 4: This was a pleasant morning accompaniment to a hotel-room breakfast of toast and fruit but not meant to be a keep-you-awake drink. Mornings start slowly in Asia, anyway.

Recommendation: if you’re in Japan or Hong Kong you’ll want to compare this to other brands; it was the easiest-to-obtain in Hong Kong; good quality at a reasonable price. DyDo has a Shanghai division so you may be able to get something similar in the PRC. If it ever becomes available in North America, put it on your “do-try” list.

For more product and media reviews about Chinese and East Asian culture, food, and travel - and resources to help you and your children learn more, visit www.weninchina.com/reviews.

New Hong Kong video! With Hello Kitty!

2011-11-14T21:20:00.001-06:00

Epic levels of cuteness abound.

Come see our other videos at the weninchina YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/weninchina and our Hong Kong "stopover guide" at http://www.weninchina.com/Travel/Hong_Kong_Stopover.html

Book Review: Lost on Planet China by J. Maarten Troost

2011-10-10T23:16:00.001-05:00

I originally read this book when it was released in hardcover back in 2008, but seeing the softcover version on a display last weekend at Barnes & Noble triggered me to go back and revisit it. I remember liking the book the first time through; how would it hold up?

Troost - who’s been published in the Atlantic Monthly and the Washington Post - doesn’t want to be called a “travel writer”, as his other books about exotic locales were written after living for extended periods among regular citizens in places like Vanuatu and Eastern Europe. While ‘ethnography’ might be a more-appropriate word for his other two books, here this books’ entire premise is Maarten traveling from place to place in China over several months, having wacky adventures, and writing a small essay about it. That’s a travelogue, and because he visited a different city each week he just doesn’t achieve the depth of cultural understanding found in his other works.

I’m not knocking the approach; if a publishing company wanted to make me an offer like that I’d jump immediately. (I even have an itinerary sketched out, and essay outlines for all the other parts of weninchina.com.) But then again I’m not trying to write a humor book or a picture of a people in transition.

Now, having read through the book again, I’ll still say it’s a fast-paced, fun, light read. There are 24 chapters, but the tone Troost uses is dry and conversational and one could finish the whole book in less than a week of evenings after the kids have gone to bed.

Looking over the notes I took, however, gives me the idea to make a Chinese Travel Channel Special Bingo - Troost hits all the obligatory observations and statements you’ve seen in every documentary and guidebook. Here are my entries for Chapters 2 and 3:

Crazy driving / astonishing traffic
Children peeing in inappropriate places in public areas
Food made of animal bits we don’t eat in the West anymore
The Cultural Revolution was really evil
Blowing Noses
Crossing the street is dangerous
Chairman Mao
Crazy ads on TV
Luxury goods on ostentatious display
June 4 is a mystery for Generation Y
Smog in Beijing / dust storms

He circles all the way around the country, out through Shaanxi and Sichuan onto Tibet, then down through Yunnan to Guangzhou, up through the Yangtze Delta and finally into the northeast, ending with a boat ride along the Yalu River at the North Korean border, wishing to go back to the States.

I have to compare this book now to Kosher Chinese reviewed in an earlier entry. Both books are alternatingly funny and poignant, both are light reading, but Lost could have been Kosher if Troost had stayed put in one place for a couple months instead of taking the Grand Tour and hanging out with other Westerners. Take for instance how each author covers the gap between Han and non-Han ethnicities: Lost shows the absurd ‘surface’ of Han tourists in Yunnan having fun looking at Westerners interact with Bai people, whereas Kosher follows several young hill-tribe girls in Guiyang over two years, gets to know them and shows how the cards are stacked against them even though they keep trying. Both stories are true, but the latter one really helps you learn about what’s actually going on.

A book of just ‘surface’ observations can be fun, but too much at one place starts to feel like snarking, even though the author has only good intentions. Lost on Planet China is ultimately a highlight reel; a spice to add to your reading meal - entertaining in controlled doses, and with a balanced diet of other China media - but not a standalone dish.

For additional media and product reviews about China, its culture, and traveling around Asia, visit http://www.weninchina.com/Reviews/Reviews/Reviews.html

Book review: Chinese Folk Tales, Volume 1; adapted by Zhao Jie

2011-10-07T22:33:00.000-05:00

Our daughter is now attending a Mandarin immersion school here in the Twin Cities, and each Friday is a library day. For this past week’s reading she chose this compilation of 8 short stories, printed in both Chinese characters and English. Published in 2005 in Beijing by Dolphin Press, this softbound book features full-color traditional illustrations on every page (which is why our sweet kindergartner chose it.)

These are legitimate and old folktales, although we aren’t told from when, what part of the country, or what religious/political order. They aren’t arranged with any particular theme or arc; each story is self-contained, and there’s no discussion by the translator or publisher to help non-native readers understand the context and “moral” of any story. Having read *some* Chinese history I can identify a few characters, but these stories just raise questions and leave me with nowhere to go to learn more.

The second issue is with the quality of the translation; this was clearly done in Beijing, in an academic setting, quickly, by someone (or a team of someones) who hadn’t spoken English conversationally with Westerners. The vocabulary swings from college-level to preschool-level without warning, phrases are awkwardly stuck together, and dialogue sounds like it came from the 1960’s. Characters are not clearly identified, and titles are not explained. Word choices are often dull: several stories refer to “devils” when we would use more-precise words to describe monsters, like demon, phantom, or satyr. Another story tries to explain how the Jade Emperor severely and negligently fouled setting up how the rain would fall, causing extreme flooding, but the words used literally make it sound as if he made a .03% accounting mistake.

The third issue with several stories is the almost random inclusion of implied or outright violence - political retribution, attempted assassination, and choking death. And let’s not forget the story of Yan Song, who basically prostituted his daughter to the Emperor’s court in order to gain political power (although that word isn’t used, the meaning is still there.) While I know Chinese society has adapted differently and is used to a different level of behavior - and that we can’t judge the past through today’s morals - the book is clearly intended for a Western audience.

Parents will need to pre-read each story before telling it with children - to use age-appropriate words, think up explanations and questions to get their child’s response, and to decide how they’ll phrase what goes on in certain scenes to still convey the main idea without getting dragged into explanations they don’t necessarily want to have at that time / age.

Was the book interesting? Yes, I learned more about a few New Year’s traditions, and heard a story about one of Taoism’s Eight Immortals that I found quite funny. But is this a book I’d recommend? No; for a casual read with kids, or to try to learn more about Chinese stories and customs, there’s just too much work for not enough insight.

For more reviews of media and products to help you learn more about Asian culture, click on http://www.weninchina.com/Reviews/Reviews/Reviews.html

Book Review: Dreaming in Chinese by Deborah Fallows

2011-09-19T21:40:00.000-05:00

Deborah Fallows is the wife of Atlantic Magazine columnist James Fallows, and this pair, most notably for our readers, lived in China (Shanghai and Beijing) for three years. They traveled to many places in the country and interviewed many leaders, expatriates, and regular Chinese citizens, while also keeping house, shopping for groceries, and doing everything else normal people do.

Deborah’s PhD is in linguistics, so she was naturally inclined to pay attention to not just what people were saying, but how they were saying it. As she struggled to learn Mandarin (not enough preparation time in the States before moving to China; had to dive into the deep end of the pool when she got there) her observational skills were sharpened even more just to function in society at a basic level.

As she eventually got her head around the language she noticed how the language itself was affecting how people interacted with each other. By immersing herself in a different society, learn Mandarin, and talk with all kinds of people, she was able to test the question, “do our thoughts drive our words, or do our words drive how we think?”

After about a year of living in China, she started drafting essays to explain what she’d learned, using a particular word or phrase to illustrate a broader concept about Chinese society. This book is a compilation of those essays, 14 chapters in all, plus a question-and-answer section and pronunciation guide at the end.

Don’t mistake this for an instructional textbook; it’s much more a meditation on how everyday people get along in China, and how a Western stranger can start to make sense of all their different voices. Having said that, the book is an excellent complement to any language-learning you may want to do. She has chapters that explain tones, pronouns, and homonyms more clearly than almost any other source I’ve read, and the guide at the back of the book helps you clearly say nearly 200 common words and expressions. And the information and references are extremely current (hardcover was published in 2010; the paperback edition which just came out has updated web links for further reading.)

Each chapter is a quick read of 10-12 pages, and her writing style is relaxed and conversational. Spending time with this book is like having a cup of coffee with a good friend who’s just returned from Asia with a bag of little gifts just for you.

For other media and product reviews about Chinese culture and travel, visit http://www.weninchina.com/Reviews/Reviews/Reviews.html

Milk Contamination Update - September 2011

2011-09-14T22:41:00.000-05:00

Articles in the September 2011 editions of China Today and NewsChina magazines (neither available on their English-language websites) both address recent food safety scandals.

So far in 2011, per these sources and other news outlets, Chineseconsumers have put up with contaminated pork, dyed steamed buns (made withcardboard), recycled bread, recycled cooking oil, contaminated duck, poisonedbean sprouts, noodles, and peppers, seen watermelons explode in their fieldsdue to applications of artificial growth hormones, and pork cuts that glow inthe dark.

And as we’ve linked on the weninchina.com Formula Concerns page, tampering with China’s milk supply continued well after the 2008tragedies became common knowledge.

The China Todayarticle lists various regional and local law-enforcement initiatives put forthto encourage the public to report tampering and punish producers who violatethe law, inferring that food safety standards in the People’s Republic aresimilar or better than international and US regulations.

In contrast, the NewsChinaarticle cites a domestic expert saying Chinese dairy products “some of theworst in the world” and the majority of milk available “is no better thanordinary water.”

This article reports the regulations on bacterial density inraw milk were changed in 2010 to allow up to 2 million microorganisms permilliliter – 20 times more than the American standard, and 70 times higher thanthe Danish regulation. The minimum requirements for protein content were alsorelaxed and are now well below international standards.

NewsChina claimsin the article these changes were in the interest of the two largest dairycompanies, Mengniu and Yili (who together control over half the Chinesemarket), to allow them to use lower-quality, lower-priced raw milk supplies whichcan be processed at high temperatures, as opposed to traditionalpasteurization. The high-temperature method allows the milk product to beshelf-stable for up to 3 months so it can be distributed nationally, but italso requires adding protein and thickening agents. (The melamine added to rawmilk in the 2008 scandals was to make the milk appear to pass theprotein-standard tests.)

The article notes disagreement among Chinese dairy-industryexperts – milk processors cite the low quality of raw milk coming fromindependent farmers as the reason for needing lower standards, but others saythe low prices being paid by the processors are keeping farmers from improvingfarm conditions and equipment that would create better-quality supply. NewsChina notes Mengniu and Yili havegreater spending on advertising and distribution than on efforts to improvetheir supply chain quality.

Until this market imbalance significantly changes – as itdid in Western countries over the 20^th Century – to include dairyprice supports, farmer-led co-operative production organizations, andindependent and rigorous public health authorities, the presence of stiff lawswill not prevent further scandals. The ChinaToday article acknowledges this, quoting Xu Hu, deputy director of PublicOrder Administration of the Ministry of Public Security: “…the cost oflawbreaking is perceived as low, and the law will not really protect consumersand potential victims.”

For families traveling to China for adoption, it is stillrecommended to heed the 2008 milk powder / infant formula warnings, and bringformula from home or international brands picked up in Hong Kong. For adultsand older children just visiting, don’t avoid milk products (like ice cream)outright, but as with any food, pay attention to your senses – if somethingseems not right, eat something else.

More Milk Coffee Reviews!

2011-09-12T22:05:00.000-05:00

With tonight's milk coffee reviews, we try the original canned coffee - UCC, from Kobe, Japan; a brand we know nothing about - Mocca, from Suzhou, China; and another big brand from Japan, Sangaria, from Osaka.

The UCC and Sangaria products defined what canned milk coffee should taste like back in the early 1970s as they built distribution and became strong brands. The Mocca-brand product, however, is what we'll call shanzai coffee - in fact, I can't really determine just what they were trying to make it taste like.

For the full review, click to http://www.weninchina.com/Reviews/Reviews/Entries/2011/9/12_Milk_Coffee_Quest%2C_Part_2.html, and to see our other product and media reviews, go to http://www.weninchina.com/Reviews/Reviews/Reviews.html

Do you have your mooncakes yet?

2011-09-06T21:51:00.002-05:00

The Mid-Autumn Festival takes place Monday, September 12 here in North America. Check out the fun selection of different fillings, brands, and packaging at your local Asian supermarket!

Our decorative metal box here has a drawing of Chang'e, the Goddess of the Moon. Our background info about the Mid-Autumn Festival, explaining why Chang'e is so important, is at http://www.weninchina.com/People/Mid_Autumn_Festival.html.

Meanwhile, back in China, Beijing authorities have imposed a Mooncake Tax for when employers give their staff or clients any of these tasty pastries - that the recipient has to pay! They're calling it "unearned income"...

Family-friendly airport guide: Copenhagen

2011-09-06T13:03:00.000-05:00

Our second new airport guide released this week is for Copenhagen's Kastrup Airport (CPH). This sleek yet very comfortable facility will be seeing an increase in flights to China; Shanghai service will begin in the spring of 2012, and Beijing is already served daily.

CPH is very easy-to-use for traveling families. Retail and food options have plenty of child-appropriate choices, restrooms are convenient, and there are several play areas for burning off energy. (There are also several great places for relaxing-time, too.) Long-range and short-haul flights are only minutes apart and transfer procedures are efficient and quick.

Whether you're a Scandinavian family heading to Asia, or a North American family visiting Europe, this guide will familiarize you with the layout of CPH, its food and shopping, and security.

Our Copenhagen guide is at: http://www.weninchina.com/Airports/Copenhagen.html

Family-friendly airport guide: Seoul - Incheon

2011-09-05T21:14:00.001-05:00

Our third airport guide released this week is for Incheon Airport, near Seoul, South Korea (ICN).

There may not be another large airport quite so purpose-designed to make the connecting experience for families as smooth as at ICN. Play areas and nurseries are generously-sized and located throughout the facility. An astonishing number of food choices will satisfy any picky eater. There are TV lounges to zone out and Korean-culture activity centers for hands-on creative fun.

Flight transfers are simple, with a simple security check and close-by gates. Stopovers in Korea are also easy in either direction, as visas are not needed for kids with an onward flight. And Seoul has nonstop service to more places in China than any other foreign airport.

Our Incheon guide can be found at: http://www.weninchina.com/Airports/Seoul_ICN.html

Family-friendly airport guide: Amsterdam

2011-09-05T20:49:00.001-05:00

We are posting three brand-newairport guides at weninchina.com this week; the first is for Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport (AMS). This airport has more nonstop and direct service to Chinese cities than any other facility in Europe, and has consistently earned high quality rankings.

Even if you're just traveling into Holland - or through to another European country - this guide will walk you through the different sections of the airport, explain the different security procedures, and point out where to eat, play, and relax.

If you have several hours between flights, the world-famous observation terrace is a must-see. (I wish we'd had more time when we went through there this summer...)

Our Amsterdam guide is at: http://www.weninchina.com/Airports/Amsterdam.html

Media review: Bilingual Songs: English-Mandarin Chinese Vol. 1

2011-09-03T21:41:00.003-05:00

Sara Jordan Publishing is a Canadian educational materials company that has produced over 60 audio and book titles for early childhood; math, language, and social studies; and bilingual instruction. Their products are distributed through educational supply stores and catalogs, as well as directly from the publisher (both in CD form and digital download.)

Sara has dozens of titles available for teaching Spanish and French; this is her first entry into the Mandarin market. I had the opportunity to talk with her in 2009 at an educational tradeshow and purchased this CD from her (at a discount; regular price $17.95) to use informally with my daughter at home so that we can maintain some constant Mandarin exposure. For the past six weeks she’s had this disc playing at bedtime (so I’ve been listening to it quite a bit as well.)

There are 12 songs on the CD, plus instrumental versions of all 12. A songbook is included which shows lyrics in English, Pinyin, and Chinese logograms. Each of the songs are half-English-half-Mandarin; alternating either paragraph by paragraph, or line by line. The lyrics were written by a native Mandarin speaker and sung by native speakers as well. (And the English lyrics and singing are done with a mid-continent American accent - not a Canadian accent.) The songs introduce lots of basic vocabulary and phrases; titles include “The Alphabet,” “Counting to 10,” “Food,” and “Family.”

The music itself is not Chinese and does not use Chinese instrumentation; rather these are Western rhythms performed with instruments often used on children’s music (xylophones, drums, guitars, piano, etc.) and arranged in various peppy, energetic styles - feeling more like music of the Caribbean at times. Sometimes the music tracks overwhelm the vocals, but when you listen to the album frequently - as young kids want to do - you’ll pick up what’s being sung after a couple times through.

What does my daughter think? I have caught her humming some of the tunes during the day, and she is occasionally using Chinese number words. She does enjoy the music and wants to keep the CD on nightly rotation.

As a learning tool, running this CD as background music isn’t going to magically teach your child basic Mandarin vocabulary. This is really meant to be used with the songbook so that you or your child’s teacher can introduce specific words and phrases and reinforce them with the music. Likewise, your child isn’t going to learn anything specific about China or Chinese culture from this album - it’s a culture-neutral product used just to introduce and reinforce vocabulary.

I do recommend this disc; compared to CDs of “Chinese Children’s Music” produced in Asia, the arrangement of vocals and instruments, supporting information, and pleasantness of the music makes it much more suitable for beginning the teaching of Mandarin. The absence of military anthems and obscure poetic forms makes it much easier for kids in Western homes and classrooms to concentrate on learning the Mandarin words.

For more reviews of media, travel products, and other fun cultural items to learn more about Asian culture, click on: http://www.weninchina.com/Reviews/Reviews/Reviews.html

And of course, for advice and tips for families planning trips to China for adoptions or just for fun, click on http://www.weninchina.com/weninchina/Home.html

Product Review - Milk Coffee

2011-08-21T22:33:00.000-05:00

Some of the foods and flavors you experience in Asia capture your imagination and drive you to find them again back in the West. My first “food moment” came just the second night we were in China – a bowl of beef noodle soup in our little hotel restaurant. It cost just US$1 but was the most flavorful and tender meat I’d ever eaten. Since then, other foods and places have become icons to my heart (and stomach) – congee in Hong Kong, Japadogs in Vancouver, and a beverage called “milk coffee” in Tokyo.

A coworker who’d lived in France and traveled widely in Japan called milk coffee “just café au lait,” but that doesn’t really describe its texture or taste, or the role it plays in daily life in East and Southeast Asia.

Imagine a really smooth glass of chocolate milk, but with the rich roasted note – and caffeine kick – as a great cup of coffee. Then imagine it available in cans at every vending machine – and those machines warm the cans in the winter and chill them in the summer. Imagine it in 1-liter and 2-liter cartons at every convenience store and grocery, selling as fast as regular milk, and at a similar price. Imagine not just the dairy producers, but all the soft drink companies, beer brewers, and even tobacco companies offering competing brands. THAT’S how important milk coffee is in Asia.

In the Reviews section at weninchina.com, I'll compare three brands: Seattle's Best (from the USA), Pokka (imported from Singapore), and Freeze (imported from Thailand) - on the attributes of creaminess, flavor, price, and caffeine kick.

If you're headed for Asia, this is a taste to seek out!

http://www.weninchina.com/Reviews/Reviews/Entries/2011/8/21_Milk_Coffee_Quest.html

The Mid-Autumn Festival is coming soon!

2011-08-17T22:44:00.000-05:00

Our 80th article has just been posted at weninchina.com - talking about the stories, foods, and celebrations around the Mid-Autumn Festival.

This holiday is very easy to blend into Western family life - grilling tasty meats, having friends and family over, sitting outside around a bonfire on an autumn evening to enjoy the full moon and twinkling stars. You may already be doing this, not realizing you're celebrating a tradition going back over 4,000 years!

The stories behind the holiday are the stuff of action movies and romantic tragedies. Read all about it at http://www.weninchina.com/People/Mid_Autumn_Festival.html

Setting up a dedicated review section on weninchina.com

2011-08-10T22:41:00.000-05:00

With so many ways to distribute content - just alone we have the website, this blog, a Facebook page, a Twitter account, and a Flickr account I just started (and haven't loaded pictures into yet...) - I want to make sure good pieces like the book review from earlier this week don't get lost.

So I've set up a dedicated Reviews section at weninchina.com to start loading with product and service evaluations of travel, media, food, and anything else relating to getting around Asia with your family, or in raising multicultural kids.

I'll still be pushing content out through the other channels, too, but blogs, tweets, and wall postings don't organize as neatly as a website - and some of those services aren't available in the People's Republic.

Book Review: Kosher Chinese by Michael Levy

2011-08-07T21:34:00.000-05:00

Mike Levy was a language-arts teacher from Philadelphia suffering from a crisis of faith post-9/11. Wanting to use his talents toward a Big Global Purpose, he found himself in the Peace Corps in 2005 assigned to rural Guizhou Province teaching English at the university in Guiyang, getting paid the same subsistence wage and living in similar apartments as the local professors, and figuring out everything on his own with no outside support, for a two-year tour.

The 29 chapters go by quickly in a conversational and often funny tone, similar to a Bill Bryson or Sarah Vowell travelogue. Outside of a few weeks' training in Chengdu, Mike doesn't get to travel outside Guizhou, but that gives us readers the chance to really settle in and view an area that will never see a Hollywood film crew or breathless Travel Channel documentary.

As Mike gets to know his fellow teachers, his students, and other local kids, we get to hear the personal stories and decisions from real-life people with real-life ambitions, problems, and responsibilities. Should a professor put substantial money into buying an apartment, and can she find a mate when she makes more than most men? Will a talented and dedicated masters-student from Guiyang, knowing she has no career future in her home province, be able to find a future in the costal cities? What will the fates be of twin sisters, bright and hopeful and thirsty to learn, but born as ethnic minorities and living with their grandmother because their parents have migrated to the coast to find work?

Guanxi and party politics, ethnic contrasts and Chinese stereotypes of Westerners are all shown matter-of-fact, but the people are never shown as villains, just everyday folks doing what they've been taught or repeating something they've heard. It's a refreshing contrast to sensationalized mass-media China reports that never take time to have an authentic conversation with citizens, or who never leave Shanghai / Beijing / Hong Kong.

For those of us with children from China, this book strikes a powerful nerve as we can easily see our daughters and sons in the situations Mike relates. Would my daughter have faced a childhood of having to collect plastic bottles for the recycling money, or working in a back-alley kitchen, sleeping on a cot because home is too far to walk and she couldn't afford bus fare?

My little girl has an unbounded future. Reading this book reminded me of how much of an honor it is to be her father, and how much I owe it to the kids left behind to make sure she has the ability to pursue any dream.

Kosher Chinese is a 2011 release, available in softcover at a retail of US$15. Well worth a read for adoptive parents, for travelers heading inland, and anyone wanting a better understanding of everyday life in modern China.

Yum, yum, Dim Sum!

2011-08-04T21:05:00.000-05:00

We just didn't have the time to take in a real Guangzhou dim sum brunch when we were there to adopt our daughter. However, in our travels since then we've experienced a Saturday brunch in Chicago's Chinatown, and done the weekday dim sum at a great place in Hong Kong. We've also sampled the dim sum dishes at restaurants in other places in North America, too.

We have posted an article recently to share dim sum background and tips.

The single best piece of advice is to go with as many people as you can! The more your group can order, the more each person can try. Don't worry about ordering too much, as each dish is literally just a few bites. It's more fun in a big group, and you can be more fearless about taking items you don't recognize.

Take as long as you like - the food just keeps coming. Wow, I'm getting hungry just writing about it...

Dim Sum: http://www.weninchina.com/Food/Dim_Sum.html

It's a dirty job...

2011-07-31T18:19:00.000-05:00

Whether a short 1-city excursion or several weeks of bouncing around the country, when traveling with kids it's not practical to pack a different outfit for each day. We've just posted a new article to walk you through the options you'll have in taking care of your clothes - hotel services, hand-washing, and off-site services. There's also a handy checklist to get the best results from washing items by hand in Chinese hotel rooms.

New Article - "Laundry"
Related Articles - "Packing Checklist", "Coming Home", and "Dealing with Heat & Humidity"

Squat Toilets Scare Us?

2011-07-24T20:59:00.000-05:00

Perhaps one of the reasons why Western families don't often consider taking a trip to Asia is the fear of the squat toilet. Is it that you might fall on a dirty floor with your pants down? Is it the lack of privacy? Is it confusion about which way to face? Is it worrying about piddling on your legs?

Well, those are actually very good reasons.

However, nearly any place a traveling family is likely to visit or stay in China will have "Western" toilets available. Of course, like any trip to a Western country or state, that's no guarantee of a happy experience.

We have a new article posted to help calm your fears about toilets, explain the "sitty vs. squatty" debate, show you how to use a squat toilet, just in case, and give you the words to say and characters to look for.

Spot the American!

2011-06-29T21:48:00.001-05:00

Click on the photo to enlarge. Yes, the Little Mermaid is *really* that little...

Whether it's your first time outside the country or your 20th trip through Tokyo, whether you're on vacation or making a business presentation, dressing appropriately for international travel seems to be a particular challenge for us Americans.

I took this photo a couple weeks ago in Copenhagen at the Little Mermaid statue. The cruise ships were in town with tourists from all over, and there were also package tour groups in the city that day from Korea and Hong Kong.

Not that everyone was dressed as fashionably as the Scandinavians in this photo, but I think you can tell which person was the American.

And if you can see the difference, so can a pickpocket, or a beggar, or someone with an axe to grind, or a security officer who wants to impress his superiors. The point isn't to look Asian when you're in Asia - although wearing clothing that works with the climate is important - the point is to NOT look like a negative stereotype.

If you're traveling to adopt a child - or on a sales call - or just there to sightsee - remember that the quality of your experience overseas often depends on how others see you. You could be treated like a country bumpkin, or you could be treated with respect. You don't need to look like a fashion model; you do need to wear clothes that fit you well. Try your outfits on before you go, and look at yourself in the mirror.

Saggy pants and shirts that don't cover your belly? Clothes that are too big? Baseball caps? Leave them at home.

Some entries on weninchina.com that may help include -

Hong Kong Stopover Guide - now published!

2011-06-04T21:47:00.000-05:00

My wife, daughter, and I spent Thanksgiving week 2010 in wonderful Hong Kong, and we would happily go back in a heartbeat. The people are so genuinely nice, the food is so scrumptiously good, and there are so many fun things to do. And even having spent a week there, we could easily come up with another week's worth of activities!

We've posted an overview of the city to familiarize you with its neighborhoods, what things cost, how to get around, and access to the airport. And you can link to the videos we've recently published from there, too!

Video - Hong Kong Victoria Harbour

2011-06-01T22:44:00.000-05:00

Day or night the narrow strait separating mainland Kowloon from Hong Kong Island is abuzz with activity that kids of all ages will find fascinating. There are many family-friendly museums on the waterfront, and shopping malls and hundreds of food vendors are in easy walking distance. The Star Ferry is the traditional way to cross the harbor and only takes a couple minutes. At 8:00 every night, the city puts on a massive light, music, and laser show, using most of the skyscrapers on both sides of the harbor. Tourists and locals line up along the water for the spectacle, and everyone leaves with smiles.

This is our third Hong Kong video, and I think we may have good footage from our trip there last November for one or two more. Visit our YouTube channel to see them all!

3 new Airport Guides - Dallas, Detroit, Atlanta

2011-05-30T22:37:00.001-05:00

On Saturday, May 28, I spent the entire day in the skies and on the concourses of three of the biggest connecting airports for family travel: Detroit, Dallas/Ft. Worth, and Atlanta, investigating the features that matter most when taking your children along - places to play and cool off, restrooms, ease of getting around, choices of food and shopping.

Finally got back home to Minneapolis at 11:30 pm, and slept like a rock when I made it to bed...

I took hundreds of photos and pages of notes - and have spent the rest of the Memorial Day weekend putting them into order - to create three new pages on weninchina.com:

Detroit: http://www.weninchina.com/Airports/Detroit.html

Dallas/Ft. Worth: http://www.weninchina.com/Airports/Dallas_DFW.html

Atlanta: http://www.weninchina.com/Airports/Atlanta.html

Video - Tram Ride from Central to Kennedy Town

2011-05-26T18:04:00.001-05:00

Here's another video we've just edited based on footage from our Hong Kong trip last November.

Hong Kong is a vibrant, multi-layered city with something unique and interesting in every neighborhood. A great way to get to know the place better - for very little money - is to hop on one of the iconic double-decker trams that run across the north side of Hong Kong Island. They're not fast, but that's not the point: the view of everyday street life can't be beat. You can see every class of citizen, every kind of shop, the glossy to the mundane, all from your open window seat.

The trams are crowded in the financial districts but loosen up as you get further away from Central. By the time we reached the end of the line at Kennedy Town, we had the whole upper deck to ourselves. It's a great way to spend a few mid-day hours; you can hop on and hop off if you see something interesting - your Octopus transit card is happily accepted, and there are trams every few minutes.

This Saturday - the Day of Flying

2011-05-22T14:55:00.000-05:00

I'll be in the skies all day this Saturday, May 28, scoping out the family-friendly amenities and hidden quiet places of three more Transpacific gateway airports: Detroit, Dallas/Ft. Worth, and Atlanta.

My day will begin in Minneapolis/St. Paul at 6:35 am, where I'll be boarding Delta flight 2240 for Detroit. I'll be at DTW's McNamara Terminal from 9:20 through 12:30, when I'll board Delta 5762 bound for Dallas.

At DFW, I'll be arriving at 2:30 and checking out the new Terminal D, as well as C and E, then boarding Delta 2212 for Atlanta.

At ATL, I'll be arriving at 7:05 and departing at 9:55 back home to MSP on Delta 300, where I'll be landing about 11:30 pm.

If you have suggestions on play areas, restaurants, shopping, good restrooms, and spaces to chill out in, please send a reply here at Blogspot, or through my Twitter feed, @weninchina.

Am I a little nuts? Perhaps, but the fare was amazingly good and I need the segments :)

Video - Hong Kong Stanley Harbour

2011-05-22T14:13:00.000-05:00

One of my most favorite places in the entire world - the easygoing town of Stanley, on the southeast tip of Hong Kong Island. A quick and inexpensive bus ride from Central puts you right in the heart of this former fishing village turned artists' colony / shopping center / upscale retreat. Lots of dining choices, plenty of spaces to sit down and watch the world go by, and even playgrounds for the kids - you could easily spend the day here breathing the clean ocean air and listening to the waves.

Updated Flight Options Article

2011-05-15T08:41:00.000-05:00

Flying in and out of China is getting progressively easier, and we've never had so many options for adopting families as in this year. We've completely updated our Transpacific Flight Planning page to reflect all the new nonstops and connecting opportunities for Summer 2011. This resource includes links to the major carriers and maps of the different routes available for traveling home.

Hong Kong Airport Guide now posted!

2011-05-07T13:12:00.000-05:00

The 70th article at weninchina.com is now up - a handy family-friendly guide to China's front door, Hong Kong International Airport. Like our other guides to North American and Asian airports found in our Travel pages, we'll walk you through the arrival process, finding your way around the airport, talk about food and shopping options, review the restrooms, and point out kid-pleasing features.

HKIA is an amazing facility, and a popular choice for families adopting kids due to its closeness to Guangzhou, convenient flight options, and Hong Kong's Western customs, food, and lodging. With no transit-visa issues, Hong Kong is a great place to spend a couple days with your new child en route back home.

More airport guides are being prepared - watch for notices here and on our Twitter feed!

New Articles for April 2011

2011-04-30T20:32:00.000-05:00

Celebrating the return of White Rabbit candy to American store shelves!

Five new articles have been posted in the past week to weninchina.com. In the "Food" section, we add an entry on the dumplings known as jiaozi. In the "Safety and Health" section, we've added three articles with advice on handling different aspects of China's climate: "Dealing with Heat & Humidity," "Dealing with Cold & Damp," and "Sandstorms." And in our "People and Culture" section, some tips on getting out of uncomfortable situations without giving insult, at "Saying No."

Many new articles coming up!

2010-11-26T06:02:00.000-06:00

While I haven't posted new articles at weninchina.com in the past few months due to heavy overtime at my employer, I have been gathering research, drafting articles, and editing. Plus, I've taken my family on a Thanksgiving trip to Hong Kong to take lots of pictures and collect lots of fresh insights. Finally, the airline situation seems to be changing every day, with many new flight options about to be available.

I've been working on "health & safety" articles such as "how to deal with the heat & humidity," "how to deal with cold & humid conditions," and "how to deal with sandstorms." There are also some cultural articles in preparation, such as "how to say NO." And of course, an airport guide for Hong Kong will be prepared...

Over the next month I should have several of these articles up on the main site. I hope you'll find them useful.

So, how do you get to sleep on long flights?

2010-11-22T16:42:00.000-06:00

I'm in Hong Kong this week with my wife and daughter to check out the sights (and it would appear, miss the awful weather back home.)

Thankfully, our little girl slept like a rock on both the flight from the USA to Tokyo as well as the Tokyo-Hong Kong leg. My wife got a few hours' sleep on each leg.

I, however, managed only about 90 minutes, and that was just after leaving Tokyo. At least the Hong Kong airport is incredibly easy to get through, because my brains were mush by then.

So what are *your* tips, as parents, for getting good rest on long flights? (Let's keep liquor and drugs out of it, since you still have to stay clear-headed enough to take care of the kids, right?)

Comment on this post - I'll add your ideas and other research for an upcoming article.

Now things start getting interesting!

2010-11-19T22:05:00.000-06:00

After years of waiting, we are now finally at the beginning of a major expansion of flying between the USA and China, and this is going to be great news for family travel!

American Airlines will be entering the Los Angeles - Shanghai market in April 2011, which will help keep a lid on fares.

The bigger news is a set of new routes Delta will be launching from April through July 2011: Atlanta - Shanghai, Detroit - Beijing, and most importantly for adoptive families, the return of Tokyo - Guangzhou service!

The Guangzhou flight will be operated by a Boeing 767-300, which is a much larger airplane than the 757-200 that predecessor Northwest Airlines used up to 2009. That should also make seats more available and likewise keep fares out of Guangzhou from getting out of control.

As schedules start to load, we'll be updating our Transpacific Flight Planning page with fresh details.

One Perfect Bao

2010-08-02T20:55:00.000-05:00

Had this absolutely perfect char siu bao last month at Ping, in Portland, OR's Chinatown.

The bun was steamed just enough to be puffy and warm, but still a little doughy and moist.

The pork was slow-cooked and succulent, juicy even without its sauce.

Plenty of cilantro for every bite to get a hit of fresh greens.

And the fried onion cracklins - so inspired - crunchy and approaching the flavor of crispy bacon.

And then I ordered another...

Link to our Portland (PDX) airport guide: Portland.html

Link to our article on Bao: Bao.html

Vancouver and Portland airport guides now added

2010-07-19T22:55:00.001-05:00

Continuing our series of family-friendly North American airport guides for Transpacific gateways, this week week we've added entries for Vancouver, BC and Portland, OR.

Both facilities are exciting, comfortable spaces with plenty of natural light and public art. Here are some scenes from Vancouver:

We walk you through the customs arrival process and connecting between flights, showing you how to get around, shop, and eat; and where your children can play or relax.

Some scenes from Portland below:

And be sure to check out weninchina.com's Planning Transpacific Travel page as the complement to help you determine which options you'll choose to and from China.

Family-friendly airport guides

2010-06-15T21:58:00.000-05:00

The big children's playspace in Terminal 2 at Chicago O'Hare Airport.

For many families, the adoption trip to China may be their first time across the Pacific or even out of the country. Even for experienced road warriors, a flight home from Asia may take them into an unfamiliar airport. Combine that with serious sleep deprivation and taking care of a new little person whom you've just met and are still trying to bond with, and you may not even be able to find your way through your own hometown terminal.

We're starting a new series of articles at weninchina.com to guide you through the primary North American gateways to Asia. We'll talk about your arrival, how long it will take to get through Customs, where your connecting flights are, and the features of the airport from a family-travel perspective. How are the restrooms? Where can we sit quietly and decompress? Where can the kids blow off excess energy?

This season, we've already posted guides to Seattle/Tacoma, Minneapolis/St. Paul, and Chicago O'Hare, with Portland OR, and Vancouver BC next on the list.

If you have suggestions, feedback, or want to share your stories with other travelers, please leave a comment here or email us at weninchinainfo (at) mac (dot) com. Hope you find these new guides useful.

Gotta disagree with Anthony Bourdain (in one small way)

2010-06-11T23:10:00.000-05:00

My wife and I went to listen to Mr. Bourdain a few weeks ago as he swung through the Twin Cities on a speaking tour. In person, he's the same guy as he is on the Travel Channel and in his books; intelligent and inquisitive, the 'bad boy' who really does care about ideas and words and authentic work.

Most of the hardcore foodies, restaurateurs, and hospitality workers of our city were in attendance that night instead of being on the job. They were looking for a good time from their hero and he certainly delivered, with frank talk about the compromised state of the food and media businesses, meditations on what it means to do something meaningful, and crazy travel anecdotes.

He advocates forcefully that the whole point of travel is to know a place and its people as they are, not as mere entertainment, and that a traveler shouldn't be plastic-wrapped from his or her surroundings, fed only the familiar food, media, and interpersonal interaction.

That means you as a traveler need to take people and experiences as they come. And getting back to food (it was a food talk), eating what the locals eat, where they eat it, and not demanding your familiar foods from home.

We liked his analogy of "when you're at your grandma's house, even if you don't particularly care for her cooking, when she makes you dinner, you eat it, because you love her and want to show respect." He also points out that you're much more likely to get better quality and safer food from the local cook sweating it out at the stand down the street, who serves his neighbors every day the foods they like to eat, than at the international hotel, where the local staff doesn't have the familiarity with Ceasar salad, and they know you're gone in two days.

(The only time I got sick in China was from an undercooked room-service shrimp and pork stir-fry, so I'm nodding my head in agreement.)

He also delivered indictments of the fast-food industry regarding factory farming, marketing to kids, and nutritional deficits. From that he was adamant about never patronizing fast-food chains, ever.

And there's where the headline of this post kicks in. I'm pretty sure that you, reading this blog and the articles at weninchina.com, do patronize a McDonald's, Taco Bell, or Burger King on occasion. I do too.

And I know you may be anxious about the food you'll encounter on your trip to China. Tony and I would both encourage you to be brave and "just try it;" if you've gone to the trouble of flying halfway around the world it would be wrong not to experience food the way your hosts enjoy it.

But in our time in China, my wife and I witnessed numerous families - bright, intelligent people who triumphed over homestudies and government bureaucracy - utterly afraid of walking two blocks down the street to McDonald's to get a cheeseburger. Not because of thoughts of what was in the burger, but anxiety of figuring out how to order. Would they make fools of themselves in a big crowd?

My belief is that if I can help you walk those two blocks and order something you're familiar with - and interact with local people - then you're a lot more likely the next day to walk one block further to that little bakery or noodle shop, or stop at the grocery store. So yes, my little language cheat sheet definitely gives you the words you need to order Combo Meal #2.

Getting out of your hotel and onto the streets is the best possible way for you to soak in your child's local culture, and every interaction will give you more memories and experience to draw upon as you work with your child to help her learn who she is as she grows up. I think Tony would agree with me on that one.

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Since we are talking about Chinese food, I have just posted new articles about Chinese Noodles (the original fast food) and Bao, those steamed buns with the great fillings. There's also a great article in this month's issue of the travel magazine Afar about xiao long bao, the "soup dumplings" famous in Shanghai and Taiwan.

In Beijing, the airlines have the hots for slots

2010-05-25T21:31:00.000-05:00

Whoa there buddy, don't get too confident about that start date...

Stuck in Chicago O'Hare for a month?

While US carriers are finally increasing nonstop service to China, the process this year hasn't gone all that smoothly.

American Airlines was due to start Chicago-Beijing flights on April 24, and had been selling tickets since November. Delta Air Lines has been advertising Seattle-Beijing service to begin June 4.

Even though both countries' governments have authorized the services (years ago, in fact), the airlines also need permission from the Chinese air traffic authority to land and take off at specific times at Beijing.

In American's case, the takeoff and landing slots they requested would have put their flight into Beijing at 1:55 pm, and out at 4:50 pm - very convenient. American never received the OK to use those particular flight times. But, they kept planning as if they were going to get them - all the way up to the day of the inaugural flight. Which they had to cancel.

The slots that American was approved for had the aircraft landing in Beijing at 2:20 am, and taking off at 4:20 am. Not exactly what you'd want if you were doing business in Beijing - or for trying to get a hotel room on your arrival.

American ended up canceling the flight for an entire month; today (May 25) is supposed to be the new launch date. And they're stuck with the 2:20 / 4:20 slots.

You can't always get what you want, either.

In Delta's case, the times they'd requested would have their Seattle run leaving Sea-Tac at 3:30 pm, arriving Beijing at 6:05 pm, and the return flight leaving Beijing at 1 pm, getting into Sea-Tac at 9:30 pm.

These schedules would have allowed passengers arriving into China excellent same-day connections on Delta's SkyTeam partner, China Southern, to dozens of domestic cities. More importantly, the eastbound flight would have been perfect for same-day connecting traffic from domestic Chinese cities - and for adoptive families, would have given them the option to take either of the first two Guangzhou-Beijing departures on China Southern.

The 9:30 pm arrival in Seattle would have hooked up with the "red-eye" runs leaving there after midnight bound for Delta's other hubs at Minneapolis, Atlanta, Detroit, and Memphis, saving families the expense of a hotel room somewhere on the way home.

The requested slots were also a clever bit of engineering for Delta, in that they could use their aircraft coming in from Seattle to turn around to make a run to Tokyo, with the inbound Tokyo flight turning around to head for Seattle. Their airplanes would spend less time on the ground and more in the air, making money.

You shouldn't be surprised to read that Delta's plans didn't go how they wanted, either. Delta's slots were assigned just over a week ago. Instead of arriving in Beijing at 6 pm, the actual arrival will be 11:40 pm. And instead of leaving Beijing at 1 in the afternoon, the departure will be 8:55 in the morning.

Comparing the two airlines, Delta came out better than American; the eastbound arrival into Seattle will now be 5:30 am, so travelers can clear Customs and make all the morning flight banks to both coasts and all Delta's hubs. But Delta still doesn't have a chance of connecting to Chinese domestic flights inbound or outbound, and flyers going through Beijing are still stuck with an overnight stay in each direction.

And now once again I'll have to modify the weninchina.com Transpacific Flight Options page...

United and Continental to merge; no difference for adoption travel

2010-05-05T21:12:00.000-05:00

By no means a surprise, the long-awaited completion of merger talks between fellow Star Alliance members United and Continental was announced last week.

While the combination will take some time for regulatory approval - and then more time to actually go about the process of splicing the companies together - as far as Asian travel goes, you won't see much difference for many years.

Both carriers are in the same alliance, so you have already been able to earn frequent flier miles on either airline. Both carriers already cooperate on Transpacific flights, and coordinate arrivals and departures at Tokyo and Beijing with their fellow alliance partners All Nippon and Air China.

Also, no new routes to Asia in general (except for some tweaks to Tokyo) - or China in particular - are expected to come out of this deal. United has again pushed back its San Francisco - Guangzhou service by another year, there's no indication they'll be resuming the Washington DC - Beijing route. There are simply not enough long-haul airplanes in the combined fleet to do any more Pacific flying than they already do, until later this decade, when the new United will start receiving Boeing 787 and Airbus A350 long-haul super-efficient widebodies.

So for foreseeable future, this news should not impact your adoption travel plans one bit.

China Eastern seeks SkyTeam alliance; eventually great news for family & adoption travel

2010-04-22T21:38:00.001-05:00

China Eastern Airlines, that country's #3 carrier, announced Friday it was applying for membership in the SkyTeam airline alliance, aiming for entry in mid-2011.

SkyTeam already has the country's largest airline, China Southern, as a member. China Southern's key hubs are at Guangzhou and Beijing; China Eastern's main hub is at Shanghai. SkyTeam also includes Korean Air with its large Seoul hub, Delta - with its strong Transpacific network and Tokyo hub, and will be bringing Vietnam Airlines and Taiwan's China Airlines into the network shortly.

The potential value in this action is very strong - Shanghai is not just a major financial center, but also a great destination for family tourism - and the new international airport at Pu Dong (PVG) is well designed with plenty of room to grow and no noise or zoning issues. Shanghai has built a magnetic-levitation train connecting the airport with the central city, and is extending it out to the older domestic airport, Hongqiao (SHA).

The issues that SkyTeam has to work on to make this move a success include:

China Eastern's limited international reach - only a few routes to Europe and Australia, a daily nonstop to Los Angeles, 5-per-week service to Vancouver, and 4-per-week service to New York JFK. The carrier has only a small fleet of A340 and A330 long-range craft (and a few old A300-600R mid-range birds); 787s are on order but only enough to replace the older A340s and A300s, and maybe get Vancouver and New York to daily frequency.
The timing of the North American flights is not convenient for connections on either end. The LAX and Vancouver flights leave those cities after midnight; arrivals are too late to make any West Coast or mid-continent flights. The JFK flight arrives mid-afternoon and leaves at 4:35 pm; OK for Florida connections but not timed well for other traffic.
Right now, Shanghai's Pu Dong airport handles the international flights; while Hongqiao takes the domestic runs. Hongqiao is certainly more convenient for the city's residents and businesses, but the two airports are as far apart as Baltimore and Washington-National ... farther than JFK and Newark, or Houston-Intercontinental and Hobby. Maybe when the maglev train is complete, shuttling between the airports will take only a half-hour, but today, that journey will run at least a couple hours. And you still have to re-clear security.

So, in the next two years (since most of you in the adoption process will only be getting to China then...), SkyTeam needs to convince its members:

To re-time its North American (and Australian) services to arrive Shanghai in early afternoon instead of dinnertime. Doing this also pushes the arrival times into North America early enough to clear Customs and make connections to inland cities.
To build several banks of domestic connecting flights from Pu Dong
Delta already flies a daily 777 run to its megahub in Detroit, but it doesn't connect with families leaving Guangzhou. (China Southern only flies to Hongqiao from Guangzhou at that time of day.) Again, adding some early morning Pu Dong domestic flights would allow adoptive families to make an easy connection; Delta doesn't need to change the eastbound flight times by even a minute...
Though, with better feed from inland Chinese cities, Delta might want to consider adding a few additional nonstops to major hubs - PVG to Minneapolis, Seattle, and Atlanta in that order

It's an interesting time to be watching the travel business. We'll keep you informed as to your Transpacific options on weninchina.com's flight planning page, updated every quarter. A fresh update was loaded yesterday!

(Photo courtesy PhillipC via Flickr, Creative Commons 2.0 license)

China Southern Airlines' Guangzhou-Los Angeles nonstop: comments

2010-04-05T21:39:00.017-05:00

Looking at the map, the only nonstop service from Guangzhou to the USA would seem to be the simplest choice for returning adoptive families. No intermediate connections, no ground travel to Hong Kong, no worries about your child’s visa and passport status.

Comments on other blogs recommend the inflight service on China Southern’s long-range flights (compared favorably to other Asian carriers – which means several steps up from US-based airlines, even in economy class…). You earn Delta SkyMiles and can even book the entire trip through Delta.

So, why hasn’t this flight been the automatic choice?

For many years, the flight ran only 4 days per week – which meant extra days spent on Shamian Island if your consular appointment didn’t mesh with the flight. With the Spring 2010 schedule, however, they’ve added a fifth day, so we will see if the added convenience translates into more business.

The flight arrives Los Angeles at 7 pm. After getting through Customs, most of the same-day connections to US cities have long gone, with only a few late, late night departures to the East Coast and some Midwest airports available. The LAX website says the China Southern flight averages a delay of 27 minutes (18% of the flights are delayed by more than an hour.) If your connection is missed, then you’ll have to find a hotel room in L.A. on very short notice, and that’s a hassle you’d like to avoid at all costs on this trip.

Arrival at LAX is at the Tom Bradley International Terminal, an experience regarded neither as smooth nor particularly friendly. Waits can be long, especially when there are numerous arriving flights – and there are plenty of Mexican flights arriving at 7 pm. Also, the multiple-terminal arrangement makes it a hassle to move your bags and family – especially after a long haul – and after sunset.

We’d like to offer some suggestions to China Southern and Delta:

Move the departure time from Guangzhou up by 2 to 3 hours, allowing an arrival at LAX in the 4 pm – 5 pm range. This would open up connections to the entire West Coast, as well as permit Mountain Time Zone families to make the dinnertime flight to Delta’s Salt Lake City hub, where they could catch the last bank of flights to their hometowns.
Departure from LAX could be moved up a bit as well without affecting potential connections. The arrival at Guangzhou would be earlier as well – around 5 am – but this would give families ample time to clear Chinese Customs, freshen up and stretch their legs, and have a good meal before continuing on to their adoption cities. The China Southern Boeing 777-200 that operates this flight would have enough time to operate a turn to Beijing and back before heading out to L.A. again.
As the economy begins to improve, be ready to add Monday and Thursday frequencies to make this a real daily service. SkyTeam won’t be able to make Guangzhou a genuinely competitive East Asian hub without strong frequency on key routes – in sharp contrast to Hong Kong and Cathay Pacific’s double-daily and triple-daily nonstops to L.A., San Francisco, Vancouver, etc. Mainland carriers have to allocate their aircraft and staff less efficiently than we’d care for, and operate some routes for purely political reasons, but they still have to make some profit – and that comes from long-range routes to major business centers.

For the full discussion of all your Transpacific options, check our flight planning article at weninchina.com. We'll be posting another update there soon to reflect the Summer 2010 flight schedules.

(Photo courtesy Phinalanji via Flickr, Creative Commons 2.0 license)

JAL chooses to stay in oneworld; adoption travel choices through Japan still poor

2010-02-28T13:43:00.000-06:00

In previous postings I'd discussed the changing landscape of US-Japan air service and how new possibilities for China adoption travel might come about. With the bankruptcy and re-organization of Japan Airlines, speculation was strong for a tie-up with Delta and the SkyTeam alliance, which might have been very interesting for new service between Guangzhou and North America.

However, this scenario will not be happening, as JAL has decided to stay in its current partnership with American Airlines and the oneworld alliance. JAL and American intend to form a joint venture to plan and market their Transpacific services. But JAL's bankruptcy recovery plan calls for sharply reducing international service, and American flies to Tokyo from only a handful of U.S. cities.

Therefore I don't foresee the JAL-AA combination offering much new competition - whether in new city-pair connections, or through permanently reduced fares - anytime soon between the U.S. and China.

JAL files for bankruptcy: impact on China adoption travel?

2010-01-20T23:07:00.001-06:00

This week's widely-anticipated announcement of Japan Airlines' bankruptcy and restructuring does not have much immediate impact for adoption travel:

JAL services to China have been largely positioned for the local market, shuttling business travelers to the primary Chinese cities (with most of the seats to just Beijing and Shanghai,) plus some short-haul leisure routes to places like Dalian.
Services out of Guangzhou do not connect to the North American flights leaving Tokyo - whether on JAL or its current oneworld alliance partner American Airlines. Remember, your child's Chinese passport prohibits her from leaving the airport security zone, so an overnight stay in Tokyo on the way home is out of the question.
JAL did not offer "adoption fares", and so have priced themselves out of consideration for the short-notice travel that these families require.

There is speculation that after JAL has restructured, the airline may switch alliances and join the SkyTeam grouping. There are several good reasons why this may happen:

American Airlines does not offer many flights to Tokyo - with its own aircraft, AA serves Los Angeles once daily, New York JFK once daily, Chicago O'hare once daily, and Dallas/Ft. Worth twice daily; and does not directly serve any other Japanese cities.
The main Asian partner in oneworld is Cathay Pacific, based in Hong Kong, and it basically flies to the same places that JAL flies. There's no need to fly from America, Australia, or Europe to Hong Kong and then connect to Japan when you could just fly straight to Japan.
SkyTeam offers the broad network of Delta Airlines, flying to 10 US cities from Tokyo. Delta also has rights to fly local traffic from Japan to other Asian countries (a legacy of Northwest Airlines,) which American does not have.
SkyTeam also offers nearby Korean Air and its big 24-hour hub operation at Seoul-Incheon. Incheon is easily reached with short-haul aircraft from any Japanese city. This is appealing because Tokyo-Narita airport is short on landing slots and restricted on hours of operation. Plus, if you can schedule an extra trip with your aircraft overnight, that lets you more easily cover your fixed costs.
Korean Air also serves more cities in China and central Asia than JAL. This would help JAL compete better for corporate travel contracts.
JAL must also consider how it will compete against the very strong Star Alliance combination of local carrier ANA-All Nippon Airways, plus United Airlines, Continental Airlines, and Air China. United covers many US cities from Tokyo, and has rights to fly local traffic to Asian cities. Continental covers parts of the US that United doesn't, and brings its Pacific Island services to the table - very popular with Japanese leisure travelers. Finally, Air China has a strong hub operation at Beijing, easily reached with short-haul jets from Japan.

American has reportedly offered JAL over $1 billion to stay in the oneworld alliance. Delta, it is rumored, has put a similar number on the table (and its SkyTeam partners may be chipping in as well.) However, the trustees now in charge of JAL's management have said they won't make any new commitments until after they've put their restructuring into place and installed new permanent management. It may be late 2010 before we learn what they decide.

Even if JAL should join SkyTeam, that company would need to be willing to modify its business model to at least give more emphasis to connecting traffic between China / SE Asia and North America.

We will be watching closely, and will update the weninchina.com "Planning Transpacific Flights" page as your options for China travel change.

"Open Skies" for Japan; what does it mean for China adoption travel?

2009-12-27T21:18:00.000-06:00

With announcement of the US-Japan accord to allow full air carrier access and deregulated pricing between both countries, action is already underway to reshape codeshare arrangements, joint fares and scheduling, and even possible investment in financially-troubled Japan Airlines. Tokyo's close-in Haneda Airport, which has been restricted to domestic and limited regional service, may also soon see nonstops from North America.

While this development has the potential to bring US-Japan service levels up and fares down - as we've seen between the US and Europe - what if any impact does it hold for the adoption traveler trying to get home from Guangzhou, China?

At weninchina.com, I've just updated the Planning Transpacific Flights article to reflect options available for Winter 2010. The loss of Northwest's morning nonstop from Guangzhou to Tokyo-Narita has complicated the process of selecting airlines and flights for adoption travelers to be sure, but other options have started to gel, including the growth of Beijing as a gateway for the Star Alliance carriers, and the rise of Seoul-Incheon as an excellent hub between Asia and North America.

What has surprised me in researching the available flights this season is the complete lack of connecting options out of Guangzhou to North America via Tokyo. Just one year ago this was the primary route home. Today, even though there are three daily nonstops between these two airports, none of them are timed to connect onward to ANY flights to the US mainland or Canada.

If the United-Continental-All Nippon (ANA) transpacific joint venture is approved, what I'd like to see right away is for the 9:15 am All Nippon departure from Guangzhou to Tokyo moved up by two hours. This would allow that flight to easily connect to the entire eastbound bank of United, Continental, and Air Canada departures. (The aircraft which flies this route sits overnight at the gate in Guangzhou, so it's not going to be too much of a hassle.) This one step would restore virtually all of the same-day two-connection possibilities between Guangzhou and North America that were lost when Northwest pulled out in February 2009.

ANA has stated they want big growth in 2010 from international service and alliance opportunities. Sounds like this would be an easy first step, and would make life a lot easier for hundreds of families.

Here's a tip!

2009-11-21T22:12:00.000-06:00

In honor of National Adoption Day, we'll cross-post another column just published on weninchina.com. View the full article here for additional resources and links. With 55 articles, dozens of downloads, and hundreds of links, weninchina.com is ready to help you prepare for your adoption trip to China!

Tips on Tipping

If you read various travel websites and guidebooks, you’ll find conflicting information about giving tips in China. Older sources - pre-2005 - tend to say there is no tipping, ever (as is still the refreshing custom in Japan.) Sources aimed at upscale travelers imply that they should give similar gratuities as they would in the West. Most sources, however, tend to not give any clear advice.

It is true that Communist ideology as practiced up to the 1980s would have discouraged front-line workers from providing exceptional service for monetary reward. Standing out from the rest of the brigade would not have been smart, and there wasn’t disposable income for that kind of behavior anyway. And across Asia, there is a strong cultural norm of selfless hospitality, which has discouraged the idea of tipping. However - and we haven’t seen any tourist resources talk about this - Chinese society has indeed had a long tradition of giving small gifts to those who provide service. The twist on the idea is that the gifts have been given to business associates, government officials, or those of higher social class as a way to cultivate guanxi. (We talk about the kinds of small gifts you’ll want to consider bringing in a separate article.)

Tipping for hospitality workers is a new idea to the mainland, and it has spread in direct proportion with the exposure an area has had with Westerners:

In bigger cities, foreign chain hotels, fancy restaurants and expatriate bars, and “tourist traps,” there will be more of a tendency for workers to expect gratuities from Westerners.
In smaller towns further away, at Chinese-brand hotels for local travelers, and neighborhood cafes, workers may not have any expectation or familiarity with the concept of tipping.

Will workers refuse tips? Probably never. Will you have an awkward moment or two? Yes. Just like back home.

What to plan for

Your adoption agency will brief you on how much to budget for lump-sum gratuities which will be distributed to tour guides, drivers, and your local contacts. These people are providing specialized, highly-focused service, and we all want to make sure they are fairly compensated.

For bellhops, porters, room service, and laundry delivery, have 5 or 10 yuan ready to discretely hand out. (If you haven’t had a chance to change currency yet, one or two US dollars will suffice.)

At restaurants, a service charge is usually added to your bill. If you want to, you can leave 3 to 5% on the table. (Compared to the 15-20% customary in America, it feels like you’re cheating, but there’s no need to feel guilty.)

Fast food restaurants - no tipping, just like everywhere else. At coffee shops, however, keep your eyes open for a tip jar. If there is one, watch what other people are doing (a few coins is probably sufficient.)

Not that you’ll see many, but when you inevitably go to the Friendship Store, you’ll see a washroom attendant there in the restroom. Leave some small change or a small bill.

Taxi rides are very inexpensive compared to the US or Japan. While most guides say there’s no need to tip, there’s no harm in rounding your fare off to the nearest 5 or 10-yuan bill.

Should you tip in US dollars?

Older resources would say yes. We are saying no, use local currency. The dollar isn’t worth what it used to be, and there’s something kind of patronizing about it. Plus, while the hotel staff can readily exchange USD for RMB, your barista will have a hassle converting foreign money into something useful.

What do I say?

Nothing, just a smile and nod. You’re both probably a little nervous, anyway.
“Keep the change” translates as loo zhao ling chEEn bah
“Good service” translates as lee-yung HOW deh foo woo
Or, just go with the all-purpose “thank you,” SHay shay

What else works?

If you receive truly notable service, don’t be shy about expressing your appreciation. Smile, especially in front of management! Tell your fellow travelers, and give the place repeat business if you can. Finally, post your recommendations on message boards, your blog, and with us at weninchina.com.

Swine Flu / H1N1

2009-11-17T21:41:00.000-06:00

Note: excerpted from a more complete article at our home site, weninchina.com. Check out our new content - packing lists, tipping advice, essential Mandarin phrases, and more!

Easy to get, easy to spread. Be careful.

The Spring 2009 outbreak of the H1N1 flu strain sent Asian countries into crisis mode immediately. Initial efforts in China and Japan focused on isolating people believed to be carrying the disease, especially those traveling from Mexico. It is now clear the virus had already spread around the world before governments were broadly aware.

Now that the initial wave of the disease has passed, we have learned that the virus passes more easily than the typical flu, over a longer period of time. You can infect other people before you even start feeling symptoms yourself, and for a few days after you start feeling better.

We have also unfortunately learned that while this strain seems no worse than typical flu among adults, and that the elderly seem to have some degree of immunity, children are affected with severe symptoms far more than the normal rate.

Asian countries, having borne the tremendous cost of the 2006 SARS epidemic, are especially sensitive to the potential of mass disease. Their governments are under immense public pressure to take rapid, concrete action at the first sign of trouble, even if later on such action looks far out of proportion to the actual threat.

In case your area is closed off

With H1N1 now widespread, enforced quarantines against entire airplanes or hotels are not effective, and there have not been recent news articles about these tactics being used against the flu. (But, there was a town in western China shut down in Summer 2009 due to a plague outbreak, so that is an option for authorities to use if they feel they need to.)

However, in the event that an outbreak does become severe enough that local or national governments do have to close off the area you are in – which could be just your hotel, or even your city – do not expect special treatment just because you are working with the government on your adoption. (Local officials are likely going to be stuck in their apartments, too.) As a foreigner, you’re going to want to keep a low profile and stick to your hotel. Comply with any directions you are given by Public Security or hotel staff, and rely on your local adoption agency representative’s advice.

If the delay is several days, get in touch with your airline to let them know you’ll need to make changes for your trip out of Guangzhou. They will understand your situation and help as best they can; carriers in Asia have had to become flexible about dealing with these kinds of events.

What you can do to prevent getting sick – and to protect your child

Be immunized with the H1N1 vaccine as soon it is available to the general public in your area. If you are traveling in Fall 2009 – Winter 2010, ask your travel clinic or family doctor if you can be on a priority list, as your child will certainly be at high risk.
Also get the standard flu shot, if you have not already done so.
Wash your hands often, and use hand sanitizer (gel or wipes) liberally. Be sure to include sanitizer as you pack for the trip.
Maintain a healthy distance from family or coworkers who show flu symptoms. You cannot tell from symptoms alone which strain a person is infected with; not that you want the “regular” flu, either.)
Get plenty of rest, exercise, take fresh air, and eat a healthy diet. Adequate sleep has also been found to boost the effectiveness of the flu vaccine.
If you feel fine, there’s no need to wear a face mask.

In case you do get sick on the trip

Talk with your agency rep as soon as you start feeling symptoms (fever, runny nose, coughing, sore throat.) He or she will determine if you need medical intervention. From personal experience – my daughter and I both caught it in October 2009 – I can tell you that the onset of symptoms happens almost instantly: a rush of fever, nausea, and lack of appetite.
Try to isolate yourself as much as possible. If the weather is nice, fresh air and sunshine will help you mood as well as your immune system. In case of smog, definitely keep inside.
Sneeze into your sleeve, or keep plenty of tissues around. Face masks help somewhat in this case to keep you from spraying more virus into the air.
Get plenty of sleep and fluids. (The soups in China are exactly what the doctor ordered…) Use ibuprofen (Advil) or acetominofen (Tylenol) to keep your fever under control.
Only travel if absolutely essential, such as for signing paperwork, and use a mask in public for such trips. Skip the sightseeing, not that you’ll feel well enough to do it.
With luck, the fever will break in a couple days, but if your condition worsens, call the hotel front desk and ask for medical attention.

Physical preparation for your trip

2009-11-01T12:31:00.005-06:00

Making sure your body is ready for two weeks in China should involve more than merely getting shots at the travel clinic. (But by all means, go to your travel clinic! Great article about it in this weekend's Denver Post here.) You’re not running a marathon, but there are times when your strength will be tested:

Sixteen hours in an airplane each way - not in business class
Standing for possibly hours in line, often holding your toddler, for passport checks, security screenings, baggage, and at the consulate
Climbing the Great Wall - while you’ll go to the “tourist area,” that doesn’t mean it’s flat or easy
Walking all the way through Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City
Thick smog, extreme heat, tropical humidity, intense sun
Extended periods without access to modern toilet facilities
Getting sick from - something - whether food poisoning or the flu
Lifting and carrying your new 20-pound child, especially if she is your first child...

The conditioning you’ll want to do depends on your current fitness level, of course, and talk with your physician about your goals and any special considerations you may have.

Some activities that worked well for us, and other travelers, included:

Hiking at the park for 40 minutes every night
Wearing a backpack or kelpie to get used to the feeling, then adding a small amount of weight every day or two (such as a paperback novel) to build endurance
Stair-climbing or crossing rugged terrain
Losing weight, but keeping well-hydrated
Stretching and exercises to promote flexibility (very useful for keeping comfortable in the airplane)
Plenty of sleep in general. China’s time zone is too far out of sync with North America to try re-setting your internal clock ahead of the trip, however.

We wish we could say that doing these things allowed us to scale the Great Wall for miles without losing our breath, or to trek through the alleyways of Guangzhou without noticing the heat, but that wouldn’t be true. But the conditioning did help - we wouldn’t have gotten as far as we did, or enjoyed the trip nearly as much, if we hadn’t prepared.

With the current worries about the H1N1 "swine flu", these activities are also beneficial to helping your body ward off the virus, or help you recover should you be infected.

Another benefit of the physical training was that it helped us pass the time between referral and travel more quickly. We felt like we were accomplishing measurable progress toward our goal with each step, and taking control of something when so much was out of our hands.

The time we spent together gave us the chance, too, to talk about our hopes, expectations, fears, and plans.

Finally, the conditioning we did before the trip was the last real extended run we’ve had of proper exercise - our lives with a toddler since then just haven’t given us that kind of flexibility!

What are your Chinese food favorites?

2009-05-21T22:19:00.003-05:00

We've just posted our 48th article on weninchina.com: "Raves and Regrets". With this essay, we want to build a long list of Chinese foods and snacks that families traveling for adoption should try during their stay in-country. (Likewise, there's another list of must-miss food experiences.) We're looking for everything from fine cuisine to fast food, as long as it's affordable and readily accessible.

If you've been on the adoption trip, have traveled to mainland China on business, or are a citizen, please send us your food suggestions and personal experiences!

Three New Articles at weninchina.com

2009-05-03T21:07:00.003-05:00

A new crop of columns is now posted at our main site, weninchina.com. First, read our suggestions about what kinds of food you should bring along on your adoption trip. Next, learn a bit more about some of the exotic tropical fruits that may end up on your plate. Finally, for families waiting for their travel date, a quick introduction to blogging and why you should consider doing it.

Several more articles are in the pipeline for this season, including thoughts about how to relieve the anxiety of giving gifts to government officials, the logistics of car seats, a new climate map with clothing suggestions, and a call for readers to send in their favorite new foods (or those they'd warn other families about.)

The weninchina team will be on the road in Tokyo the first week of July, taking advantage of the cheap airfares and looking for family fun. We'll post from Japan, and gather resource material for a more-in-depth full article on the main site. (Tokyo travel tips, must-see locations, must-try places? Email us!)

Finally, a big thank-you to the team at FWCC for kindly including us on their resource list for adopting parents. We appreciate the vote of confidence.

The Makings for Another Interesting Meal

2009-03-18T21:12:00.003-05:00

Start with a good base of Szechuan-brand Bean Sauce; go for the HOT stuff!

Roast Eel Chili in the handy serving tin

Stock up on Sea Cucumber - right next to the squid. Remember to look for the Forzen variety, not the frozen stuff.

First, the jokes. Aren't they awfully small to try to extract from the poor fish? Oh wait, that's not it. What, they take a melon baller to the fish meat?

Now, the reality. I've actually eaten these in Beijing. It's ground-up fish mixed in with flour to make kind of a tiny dumpling. They're a little smaller than marble-size; you have to chew them a bit and they have a stronger fishy taste than Westerners are used to. Good way to incorporate protein and use all the fish, I suppose, but it did make the teenage daughter of one of our fellow families barf. Oh, watch out for tiny fish bones.

Probably not something I'd put on the "must try" list...

Transpacific Air Travel Options: Korean Air and Asiana

2009-02-15T16:34:00.016-06:00

Continuing our series of "how do I get home from Guangzhou, now that Northwest is dropping service?", we discuss the availability of flights through South Korea. You are permitted to take your child through Seoul's Incheon Airport on her Chinese passport with US visa, as long as you have a same-day connection and don't leave the secure zone.

This is good news for adoptive families, as Seoul (airport code ICN) offers excellent coverage to both the US and Canada. Strong business ties between Korea and China have also led to frequent services covering many cities.

The two long-range carriers based in Korea are Korean Air (airline code KE)and Asiana (airline code OZ). KE is the bigger and older of the two.

Korean Air is a significant member of the SkyTeam alliance and has strong operational ties to partner Delta Air Lines, so you can earn SkyMiles or WorldPerks miles. KE has aggressively added service to North America, opening up markets such as Las Vegas, and serving Los Angeles four times a day. KE offers two departures from Guangzhou, which connect to the North American cities shown on this map. (KE also flies to Washington Dulles as well as Dallas/Ft. Worth, but you can't make those on a same-day basis from Guangzhou.)

KE then offers onward connections in North America with SkyTeam codeshare flights on Delta or Northwest.

Flying into China is a little more complicated depending on what North American gateway you would be coming from. The early-morning departures out of LAX, Las Vegas, Toronto, and New York JFK offer the broadest range of same-day connections. Flights from Atlanta, Chicago, Honolulu, San Francisco, Seattle, and Vancouver arrive Seoul later in the day, when most departures to China have already left, although you can make good connections to Shanghai, Beijing, Wuhan, Kunming, and Shenyang. Otherwise, you could opt to spend a night at the airport hotels and then catch morning flights to the other cities shown on the map.

Korean companies have significantly invested in nearby Shandong, Liaoning, Jilin, and Heilongjiang provinces, so not surprisingly KE and OZ put most of their aircraft into those cities. Not too many adoptive kids come from the Northeast, however. KE does have morning flights to Changsha in Hunan, and afternoon flights to Wuhan in Hubei and Kunming in Yunnan, so that does help some of you.

As of the time of this posting, I have not been able to get a press contact to answer my questions about adoption fare availability.

For a sample short-notice routing, however, the "everyday" fare is reasonable. KE's website gave me a fare of $1081 roundtrip, leaving LAX on March 7 and returning March 22.

Unlike some other airlines, you cannot book an open-jaw routing on KE's website, so you'll need to phone them to make a reservation.

Contact info:

Website: www.koreanair.com

Phone: 800-438-5000

Asiana Airlines is a member of the Star Alliance, so you can earn United Mileage Plus points with them (Air Canada, US Airways likewise). They do not reach as many North American destinations, nor do they offer the frequency of Korean Air. However, if your child is coming from Zhejiang or Jiangsu, OZ offers service where KE does not.

Here too, not every North American city Asiana flies from has even service to/from China. Families traveling from Vancouver (actually on an Air Canada codeshare) don't make all the possible outbound connections on the same day, so would require an overnight stay in Korea.

Asiana also reaches San Francisco and Seattle, but you can't make a same-day connection going home from Guangzhou, so that's why they don't appear on this map:

Asiana likewise has not replied to my questions about adoption fares. However, on the same LAX-Guangzhou roundtrip routing I used for Korean Air above (leave March 7, return March 22), OZ quotes a fare of $909 - more than $100 cheaper than KE.

The OZ website also does not support open-jaw routings, so you'll need to call their reservations desk.

Contact info:

Website: us.flyasiana.com

Phone: 800-227-4262

Summary:

The option of flying through Korea has good potential depending on where specifically you will be meeting your child. Fares are good compared to the Japanese carriers, and more cities in China as well as North America are reached with just one connection. If more kids were coming from Northeastern provinces, KE and OZ would likely be a first-choice for many parents. However, with both of these carriers, where you are coming from and where you are going will make a big difference.

Transpacific Air Travel Options: Hainan Airlines

2009-02-11T21:22:00.006-06:00

Second in our series of airline profiles for China adoption trips is a relatively new carrier across the Pacific, Hainan Airlines. Hainan (airline code "HU") only started service to the US in June 2008, flying between Beijing and Seattle.

This airline is relatively young - starting in 1993 - and flies a modern Boeing, Airbus, and Embraer fleet. They are the #4 domestic carrier in China and cover all the major cities with a robust schedule, award-winning service, good safety record, and competitive pricing. It is entirely possible some of your city-to-city transportation in China will be on this carrier.

Of keen interest to adopting families is the excellent schedule offered in both directions. Flight HU 496 leaves Seattle at 1:20 pm on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday (plus Friday, beginning in April) and arrives Beijing at 4:35 pm, with plenty of time to make connections to 16 other cities, including Hangzhou, Xi'an, Haikou, Taiyuan, and Guangzhou. This is great for families who are pressed for time or money, and want to proceed directly to their child's adoption city, skipping the tourism break in Beijing. (And if you do want to stay in Beijing for a few days at the beginning of the trip, well, you're right there!)

Coming home, the 8:30 am out of Guangzhou connects with plenty of time to make HU 495, which leaves Beijing at 4:20 pm and arrives Seattle at 11:40 am (again, four days a week.) The Seattle run uses a brand-new Airbus A330-200 with seat pitch of 32" in Economy - which is the same as you'd encounter on Northwest. All seats have an inflight entertainment system with 50 video channels and 50 audio channels, plus games. Both Chinese and Western meals are served inflight.

The Seattle timing is perfect for clearing Customs and making onward flights to the whole West Coast, as well as key cities in the Midwest and East Coast.

(EDIT: The Summer/Fall 2009 westbound schedule is exactly the same as posted above. The eastbound flight now leaves at 2:00 pm, arriving Beijing at 4:40 pm. No change to connection availability.)
Hainan Airlines offers a very competitive everyday fare structure. I entered a sample itinerary on the airline's website out of Seattle for March 4 to Beijing, returning from Guangzhou March 21, and got a fare for under $1000. Hainan also offers through-ticketing via Seattle on Alaska Airlines, American, and Continental to select US and Canadian destinations, also with surprisingly good fares.

While this airline does not specifically offer an adoption-fare program, the quotes you'll find from their website for close-in dates definitely represent a bargain. I have talked with the airline's US General Manager, and he tells me they are in fact looking into setting up an adoption desk. They have received government approval to add service to Chicago and Newark, although with the current economic crisis, those new routes are on hold.

In summary, Hainan Airlines offers adoptive families good value for money and a quality product. Families whose kids hail from Zhejiang, Shaanxi, Henan, and Guangdong will also appreciate being able to fly to those provinces on a same-day connection if they wish to skip the Beijing stopover.

Contact information:

Web: www.hnair.com/us

Phone: 888-688-8813 (US and Canada)

Transpacific Air Travel Options: ANA-All Nippon

2009-02-08T13:19:00.005-06:00

With Northwest Airlines pulling out of Guangzhou in March 2009, there will no longer be an American-flag carrier serving the city all adopting families leave from. I have been conducting research and contacting airlines' press offices for comment and suggestions; over the next few weeks I'll discuss some of the other options available.

Let's start with the Japanese carrier ANA - All Nippon Airways. Tokyo's Narita Airport is ANA's home base, which means no hassles regarding your new child's Chinese passport. ANA is a member of the Star Alliance, so earning miles on your United frequent flyer account is straightforward. And ANA serves a number of destinations in China, most importantly Guangzhou. ANA, not surprisingly for an Asian carrier, has a good reputation for service, and as an English-speaker, you will not have any problems.

When you look at the ANA timetable, however, connections out of Guangzhou back to America are slim. Only San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Honolulu can be hooked up. From these three cities, going to China, connections can be made to Guangzhou, Shanghai, and Beijing (except for L.A., which arrives too late to make the Beijing flight.) Click on the map below for an expanded view:

I ran airfares on a typical short-notice adoption routing: leaving San Francisco March 4 to Beijing, returning from Guangzhou on March 19. The total trip came to about $1600 per person. If you want to book a third seat coming back from China (which we highly recommend), expect to pay around $900 for the one-way. You'll have to call their reservations desk, as you cannot book a one-way ticket from China to the USA over their website.

The spokesman I've dealt with confirms that ANA does not offer special fares for adopting families. When you do get your placement date, you'll be paying the higher no-advance-notice fare. With the current economic crisis, even the short-notice fares aren't too bad, but these do tend to go up in the summer months. And when the economy does get stronger again, prices will get even steeper.

The limited connections available with this carrier also mean you will have to spend at least one more night inbound to China - while a Beijing stopover is a great idea to help you with jetlag, and to see the sights before Placement Day, if you are trying to economize by flying directly to your child's provincial capital, ANA is not going to be your first choice.

Contact information:

Phone: 1-800-2-FLY-ANA (US 50 and Canada)

Web: www.anaskyweb.com/us/e

More grocery goodies

2009-01-25T21:01:00.004-06:00

Feeling thirsty after a great Chinese New Year party?

This might be good, as long as it's not syrupy. Someday I suppose I'll try it.

It's Asparagus Beverage. Umm, no. Think I'll pass, despite the nice illustration and smiley face on the can.

Now this is a product I have tried and heartily recommend. The producer is Elisha Waters from Fujian, and these are lightly flavored mineral waters. They have the orange and apple you see here, and also peach and lychee. All very nice; about 99 cents here in the States.

NWA/Delta merger: One thing you won't see for much longer

2009-01-15T21:42:00.005-06:00

With the Spring 2009 schedule, Delta has announced it will stop the Saturday-only "extra" flight between Minneapolis and Tokyo-Narita, leaving the route with just one daily nonstop. This will mean MSP will no longer see two 747-400 aircraft simultaneously at its gates.

Over the next few weeks I'll explore how much more difficult it is becoming for adoptive families to make their China trip. 2009 was supposed to have been a year that saw unprecedented expansion of flights between the USA and PRC; instead carriers have cut back existing services and deferred - indefinitely - serving the new authorities they so fiercely sought just a year ago.

They're out there, waiting for you...

2009-01-11T21:26:00.005-06:00

Take a deep breath and pull it together before walking through those doors. Yes, your family is hiding behind one of the banks of arrival monitors, with balloons and stuffed animals and cameras. They're happy and proud and excited, and they have no conception of how exhausted you are. (And of course, your new child has no idea who these loud strangers are.)

One last dose of patience and composure is what you have to leave for yourselves, to use at this moment. These are people you love. And you don't have the strength or the mental wherewithal to tell them to leave you alone for a few days while you figure out where your bathroom is and how to cook for yourselves and get over the China Colon Syndrome.

Be kind. You're almost home.

40 articles and counting!

2009-01-04T08:45:00.006-06:00

Like a bowl of Shanghai-style beef noodle soup, weninchina.com aims to be filling, nutritious, and something you want to have available every day.

We've just published our 40th article about the China travel experience for families. Unlike the traditional travel guidebooks, which are organized around the various regions of China, we realize each family's timeline and itinerary is different. So we've set up our website more like a Dim Sum cart - pick what you're interested in and swing back for more when you're ready.

We've organized information into categories that apply wherever you land:

Lodging - including links to many of the most commonly-used hotels for adoptive families. Most of you will not be staying in well-known Western chains. There are important differences between a Chinese "5-star" hotel and what we would call "5 stars."

Space - what you should expect about the layout of your hotel room
Bathrooms
the Beds - they aren't like hotel beds back home
Cribs
Electrical Outlets and Converters - not every region in China uses the same kind of plug, and the outlets are difficult to find in your hotel room
Light Switches - quite possibly the first minor annoyance you'll encounter in the country. Yes, the switch in your hotel room does not work like you'd expect it to...
the Breakfast Buffet - the only meal you know will be coming at a consistent time. Here's how to make the most of it.
your hotel room's mini refrigerator - it's the same appliance, but there's something you don't know...
your Room Safe - a must-use tool

Food - it's good, and for the most part, inexpensive.

Chopsticks - yes, you need to learn how to use them
KFC / Pizza Hut - these Western chains have made interesting adaptations for Chinese tastes, and should be on your list of things to try. There's no need to be afraid of ordering at the counter for yourself!
Starbucks - because we can't live without good coffee, and you won't find any at your hotel
Congee - it's what your child is eating; you should know what it's about

Travel and Tourism - advice about getting there, getting around, and getting home.

Planning your Transpacific flights - more difficult since you have to leave from Guangzhou. We list and discuss several options
Tokyo Narita Airport - a quick overview of where many of you will connect through
Chinese Domestic Flights - what to expect as you move around the country
Departing China - baggage strategy, getting through Guangzhou Baiyun airport, and what to expect for security
Preparation for coming home - dealing with jetlag, relatives, and re-integrating into your 'normal' life. Includes a checklist of things you'll need to have done or arranged for before you leave for China.
Shamian Island - the adoptive parents' refuge in Guangzhou. Includes a downloadable map to use when walking around.
Traffic in China - amazing and hair-raising
Passport & Money Holders

Money and Shopping - never enough of the former, never enough time for the latter...

Money Basics - what the bills and coins look like, what to call them. China is very much a cash-based society, and you'll be using this knowledge every day.
How to Exchange Currency - you'll be carrying a lot of it; here's where to go and how the process works
Shopping for Groceries - a great and inexpensive way to get to know the Real China, not just the touristy stuff. It's something you can do on your own - and endlessly entertaining.
Olympic Souvenirs - while a little outdated, still a good read concerning knockoff goods and how to determine what is authentic merchandise

Sa fety and Health - to supplement what your doctor or travel clinic has prepared you for

Baby Formula Advisory - current information and government links regarding the tainted milk scandal of 2008
Problems with Time Zones - jetlag when arriving in China isn't as much of a problem as that the local time zone doesn't fit the day/night cycle well
"China Colon Syndrome" - will happen to you. Here's some help on how to deal with it.
Spraying for Bugs - be aware, be prepared
Physical Preparation for your trip - ideas on how to get ready for your two weeks away from the normal routine
Crossing the Street - if you think the traffic is crazy when you're in a vehicle, then consider what it means for you as you walk around!
Dealing with the Smog - when you encounter it, you'll remember it always. Here are some ideas on how to get through it until your next city.
Email and Internet Monitoring - you may encounter some frustration, but it's not personal.

People and Culture - explaining some of the things you'll see on your trip, and ideas for back home

Karaoke - is a huge industry in China. You might or might not get roped into it...
Umbrellas - are used for more than rainshowers. If you want to fit in quickly, here's a good idea.
Boats on the Pearl River - Guangzhou is a busy port with lots of traffic, and Shamian Island is a perfect spot to watch it from.
Lucky Fish - why do Chinese have pictures and hangings of fish everywhere?
the China Daily newspaper - your nightly reading assignment
Chinese TV stations - in this case, watching TV can be considered to be 'good for you', and we do heartily recommend it!
Chinese Learning Resources - for you and your children to use "back home". We profile and recommend several publishers and book distributors.

We hope to see you soon, and invite your comments, questions, and suggestions at weninchinainfo@mac.com.

Love of Groceries

2009-01-02T12:59:00.009-06:00

We enjoy shopping at our excellent local Asian Market (United Noodles in Minneapolis) and usually go at least once a month. Not only is it a great way to stay connected to Chinese culture, but prices and selection for vegetables, spices, rice, noodles, and frozen foods are amazingly good, even better than the warehouse stores!

When we walk in the door, the scents immediately remind us of China. Our daughter gets to see many more faces that look like her own. It feels like "home."

And we get to explore the great variety of familiar and unfamiliar foodstuffs on the shelves. The labels remind us of what American food used to look like twenty or thirty years ago. (How I miss the old Red Owl chain...) Love the artwork - check out that mackerel in the bottom photo!

Look at this.

2008-12-30T21:41:00.006-06:00

I work in the educational publishing business, which shares many of the same suppliers with the much bigger toy industry. Among the many trade magazines that find their way into my mailbox, each quarter one arrives from the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, chock full of feature stories and advertisements from the many design firms and factories in the Pearl River Delta.

It's fun to read through the magazine to see what new characters I can recognize. And I'm always on the lookout for that one advertisement to totally blow the minds of my coworkers. Last quarter it was for a factory that specialized in extremely - disturbingly - accurate reproductions of assault firearms ... placed next to an ad for baby toys. How sweet.

This quarter, well, see for yourself:

Yes, an entire factory devoted to producing nothing but eyeballs. Could you see working for a company like this? At some gut level I realize that *someone* has to make all the eyes for dolls, plushies, robots, what have you, but somehow this seems a bit TOO specialized.

Wonder what kind of vision insurance they offer?