第一站我们便去了俊美秀气的颐和园，那里千变万化的长廊绘画艺术作品和灵气的山水交融，仿佛时空倒流。

接着我们来到了香山植物园，一丛丛，一簇簇鲜艳欲滴的桃花绽放着如孩童般的笑颜，园里的人告诉我们，如果早几个礼拜，还可以观赏到灿烂夺目的樱花。

平日为营生忙忙禄禄的新加坡人当然不能错过北京著名的长城，去领略其张显的霸气，可参加一日游，还有雄伟的故宫，里面正有些精美的文物展览。

另外，可以带孩子去天文博物馆，观赏天体的形成，宇宙的演变。附近的动物园也是孩子最喜欢的去处。

值得一提的是位于北京前门的百年老店:北京同仁堂总部，是爱好中华医学的朋友不可错过的地方，古色古香的内外装璜，内有名医坐堂，还可当场看病抓药。

By the time I wrote this blog, which is way too late after the so-called "golden 72 hours," after which period the survival of the trapped could be deemed as a miracle, especially considering the complexity of aftershocks, landslides, telecommunication breakdown and rainstorms in this case, yet every single one of the medical staff, search team and relief supply troop from the People's Liberation Army (PLA), from the rescue forces of the Red Cross Society and the China Charity Federation, from the volunteer indivuduals and corporations coming from other provinces, Taiwan, Hong Kong, as well as overseas, is still racing against time to find survivors and attend the wounded,  the confirmed death toll of the mass disaster has reached 19,509 and counting, and numerous others were buried in debris (Xinhua reported).

Let's pray for the survivors, let's mourn for the deceased compatriots, and most inportantly, let's do something more than crying and expressing condolences, like volunteering to donate blood and money, or offering help at the scene, to hold their hands, look into their eyes and tell them that we're get through this horrible disaster together.

The following  bank accounts receive donations to assist Wenchuan earthquake relief efforts:

After several concrete experiences of riding in a Beijing cab, I can safely come to the conclusion that there is rarely one moment when a Beijing cab driver keeps his mouth shut.

They seem to be the know-all in town and anxious to know it all about you: what's so heavy in your bags, who's calling on your cellphone, why in a hurry, why not some music, where do you come from and stay in town, how do you like the city, the weather, the food, the day, the road, and various other topics of samll talks.

And it's so weird that, as prying as it may sound, you might not feel the slightest trace of offence in most cases. Probably because of their warmhearted attitude, and their witty way of conveying the conversation.

Even when it comes to a guest who is prone to keep most of the feelings to herself, like I am, they can still manage to mutter to themselves all the way from the spot you hail the cab down to your final destination.

My formative education of Beijing Olympic Games was indeed given by a cab driver over my twenty minutes ride in his carriage.

And it was his idea to make a detour to the National Stadium, aka Bird's Nest, which was under construction. Here is a photo taken from inside the car.

早上听到当闹钟用的无线电新闻说"中国中部、差不多是中国人口最多的城市。。。成都地震，900学生死亡"，大城市成都大地震，那么大伤亡！那还了得！震惊之下，赶紧上新浪网，一看104死亡，放下心来，然后听到电视里说900学生"believed"死亡，或者"might"，更加放心，心里说，哼，美国新闻，就是浮夸，耸人听闻，不确定的猜测估计也敢乱发呀。据说美国媒体发布的缅甸灾难死亡人数就比中国媒体的要多得多。

然后，新浪和别的中文网站显示的死亡人数开始成千增加了，才知道地震在都江堰附近，确实离成都不远！

成都怎么可以地震？中国怎么可以地震？多灾多难的中国，刚经过一场罕见雪灾打击，人民还在修生养息，怎么经得起这样的大地震？

如果要地震，为什么还是在中部人口密集的地方？查看一下中国地图，成都，真的就算是中部了。中国不比美国，没有那么长海岸线和可耕地，西部有那么大的不适合人居住的荒原，地震，为什么不发生在那些无人的戈壁滩？

而四川、特别是成都，那是富庶的天府之国啊！以前去成都开会的路上，乘着火车进入四川，只见沃野平畴，如锦似绣，景致与江南无异。特别是成都，气候湿润，物产丰富，丝绸衣物都便宜，麻辣又香又鲜美，小吃便宜又好吃，抄手、肥肠粉、夫妻肺片、凉粉、罐罐面、珍珠圆子、魔芋、芝麻糖、麻辣米糕、鸳鸯火锅，。。。品着鲜香的麻辣，再去杜甫草堂仿古，去武侯祠拜谒，想象着峨眉山的秀丽，体会着嘉陵江的深沉，向往着九寨沟的奇幻，。。。情不自禁迷醉在四川的风情里，流连忘返。

记得道教胜地青城山，树深林茂，山色苍翠，空灵幽静，仙风道骨，让你把仆仆风尘一洗而空。

记得从成都去都江堰游玩的路上，公路的隔离带上种的都是芙蓉花，那耀眼的粉红，给成都增加了很多浪漫情调，让人想起杜甫杜甫《春夜喜雨》的诗句"晓看红湿处，花重锦官城"。成都，就是个鲜花盛开的地方。

记得那天都江堰云雾缭绕，山水如黛，宁静安详，感觉好象凭空跌入一幅古典的水墨画，如梦如幻，只有那饶有情趣的吊桥，有惊无险，晃晃悠悠中游人的大呼小叫，给这幅幽美的山水画增加了动感。

那样一幅安宁美好的都江堰山水画卷，怎么可以被破坏？那么多活蹦乱跳的生命，怎么可以霎那间被夺去？中国难得有一个天府之国，父老乡亲难得有一些安居乐业的日子，为什么，还要经历这样的大地震？

但愿这是伤亡最小的大地震。但愿再没有更多地震。但愿地震只发生在无人区。

天佑中华！

I just lied there, with my eyes and mind wide open, reviewing what information I've heard and gathered on the internet, and wondering what it will be like for my first date with some of the the world's most endangered living fossils.

Well, after bouncing out of the bed way before the alarm rang, trekking all the way from the city center to the area outside the Third Ring Road in the picturesque Northern Suburbs, and forking out 30 yuan to get in, my friend was superised to notice no traces of fatigue on me at all.

"Behold! Behold!" I cried out every time I saw a ginat panda, no matter it is basking languishly in the sun or climbing agilely to get its food, brazenly ignoring the prohibitive regulations against speaking loudly while visiting, "Isn't it adorable? Isn't it?"

"What else are you expecting?" she asked.

"You don't understand, this gonna be very much differenet. " I replied, couldn't stop myself from taking a picture of each and every one of them. "Just remember that they are as old as the long-extinct dinosaurs."

"And consider ourselves super lucky, because whatever the folks see and adore in San Diego Zoo, Zoo Atlanta, Memphis Zoo and the National Zoo in DC, as well as the Berlin Zoo, Mexico Zoo, Tokyo Ueno Zoo, and Chiang Mai Zoo, they are bred in here in the first place!"

"Cool! Just give me one picture in your pile, OK? I'm gonna make others jealous!!"  

This topic is much of a cliche, at least for native residents coming from these two places.

From the official point of view, Beijing and Shanghai are always prioritized as the first and second city of the oldest continuous civilization in the world.

But the comparison between residents, as well as all other aspects about the two cities, has constantly brought into hot debate, on the internet, in the press, or by word-of-mouth.

While the rest of the world think fairly high of both cities, Beijingnese and Shanghainese look down upon each other fiercely, as they do with other ethnic Chinese, the latter attitude being actually understandable, since they simply stand out, as the elite groups of richer, better-educated, more open-minded people.

As far I can tell, the special feeling of superiority towards specifically the other group of folks can be generalized as follows: Beijingnese are disgusted with Shanghainese's overdone snobbery, shrewdness and standoffishness, while Shanghainese hates Beijingnese's forever brag and boast and boorishness.

I surely don't think any of this would be totally it or would do any justice to either side. And I'm not gonna buy any of the arbitrary conclusion that either Beijing or Shanghai is a better place.

But have I mentioned a customary saying I overheard the other day? The whole sentence can be loosely translated into: Beijing is China's Beijing, Shanghai is the World's Shanghai.

This makes much sense to foreigner visitors, for whom it's simply a matter of choice. If you wanna take in some insight into the profound ancient Chinese culture, Beijing is the place to be. If you wanna conquer the culture shocks with ease, invest on Shanghai.

While some say Chengdunese idle away their time strolling, some say they enjoy their time sitting back and sipping several cups of tea or two, or simply lazing away the entire day doing nothing more productive than playing chess or mah-jong, Chengdunese themselves express and define their concept of lifestyle as: Just go with the flow like a fish swim with the current through the sea of life.

Either way, they live their lives in such a relaxed pace that those who are accustomed to the frantic urban pace would find hard to believe, to resist and to fall in love with.

The best place to have the first hand and most direct experience of their lifestyle is the teahouse. It certainly is not the unique phenomenon in Chengdu, but you simply can't find another place that carries on more ubiquitous a street life scene, more contagious a folk culture and more versatile a socializing function than Chengdu's teahouses.

I really admire how "chill" Chengdunese always are. They can be genuinely happy in almost every situation and don't seem to become easily bothered by anything.

Just live through lackadaisical days after lackadaisical days of endless lackadaisical sun over endless refills of tea, with a lackadaisical attitude and tempo, what do you call this lifestyle, laid-back, or lazy?

After experiencing such traditional teahouse culture here and there throughout Chengdu, my friend concluded: "No wonder the Kingdom of Shu was the first to be conquered during the Three Kingdoms Period."

 沙特的国徽是两把剑和一棵树。初到的人常常以为这是国旗的图案。沙特人说，这两把剑就是政府和警察，而那棵树，就是待宰沙特人民。

911之后，全世界对恐怖主意一片声讨，殃及池鱼，对穆斯林也颇多微词。一次在沙特出差，沙特的工程师为了证明穆斯林酷爱和平。跟我讲了一个故事。说是n年前，蒙古人像一群猴子（原话如此），骑着马，杀了过来。和平的沙特人采取了不抵抗政策。一天，一家沙特人正在路上走，一个蒙古人冲了过来。蒙古人心情不好，想杀人泄愤，可是往腰里一摸，刀忘了带。于是喝令沙特人原地待命（真的是待命），回家拿刀。刀拿来了，沙特人果然还老实地呆在原地，等着砍头。

说是在沙特，如果一个人被警察抓了，只有抓他的人才有权利放他。于是说，有一个人被抓了，在监狱里苦等15年，连审讯的机会都没有。只是因为抓他的警察调走了，又刚好忘了他这码事儿。

这件绝对是真的。我们一个同事，在沙特开车。被后面的车追尾。于是下车理论，说你后面撞我，责任在你云云。沙特人二话不说，就回自己车上了。我们同事有些摸不到头脑，不知道他要干什么。沙特人开车，绕到前面，倒车，哐的一声撞上，然后说，现在你从后面撞了我，怎么说？

中东人民头上带着头巾，有一个头箍扎住。大多数人的心里，这是中东人民的传统服饰。可是中东人告诉我，这是英国传过来的，也不知这个可信度有多高。说到头箍，它的另一个作用，恐怕外国人就不清楚了。爸爸打儿子，用的就是这个。学生们在学校打架，也是这个先上。

在沙特，妇女不能开车，不能单独出门。看似没有地位，但一旦受到侵犯，比如被外人碰到身体，丈夫/父亲绝对有责任以性命保护她们。最轻的，也会被头箍勒住脖子，痛殴一顿。所以说，权利和义务是分不开的。

在中东，家族很重要。你在街上不小心得罪一个人，可能晚上就有50辆车堵住你的门口。做销售的，如果不懂你客户的复杂家族关系，可能得罪了一个集团，都还不知道怎么回事。所以，申请签证的时候，会要你填上你爷爷，你爸爸的名字。在中东，这很容易让人家知道你的家族渊源。

中东妇女，在yanbu的时候，连脸都要蒙上黑纱。到了riyadh，很多人不蒙脸了，甚至连头巾也有人不带了。到了巴林，连黑袍子也不穿了。到了伊朗，只要头巾就行。看到街上，小孩子穿着肥大的牛仔裤，别着ipod，踩着滑轮嘻哈而过，就知道，即使古老的沙特王国，也逃不过全球化的浪潮。

大浪淘沙，剩下的不一定都是金子。

附几张中东的照片。

Not that we have our eyes pleased with sightings of fine-figured girls, and our stomachs satisfied with plateful of cheap and delicious food, which is indeed an extraordinary selling point that few other cities in this country have been able to brag about as assuredly and deservedly as does Chengdu.

It is the way how Chengdu seems to satisfy everyone's requirement that amazed me most.

I always remember how came the decision to visit this city. My friend admires historic attractions to the point of fetishism, and I enjoy scenic beauty to the pont of obsession, so we brought our discussion of holiday destinations into a really hot debate. Then one of my other friend suggested: "Why not Chengdu? You won't regret it."

Of course we did not. Just take a look at the city attraction, like the Wuhou Memorial Temple

and the Thatched Cottage of Dufu

And don't forget that's only the prelude to the more culturally-rich and naturally-beautiful Mount Emei, Mount Qingcheng, Dujiangyan Irrigation System, and Sanxing Dui Relics!

No matter he or she is a bus conductor, sanitary personnel, construction laborers, office worker, street artist plying Erhu under the wall of the Imperial Palace, or an old lady working for the Residents' Committee of a community around a Hutong, they all share the same pride and joy of this ancient and bustiling city, they care about the past, present and future of the great nation and energetic country, and they are ready to share with you their sentiment as well.

Taxi dirvers in Beijing, for instance, are known to be overly talkative, you should be prepared.

在中国，上海的南京路大名鼎鼎，来自全国各地的行色匆匆的游客们熙熙攘攘川流不息，南京路永远是生机勃勃喧闹欢腾的。如果南京路是上海气派非凡的前门，那么淮海路就是上海人悠闲购物的后花园，上海时尚风格和品味的象征。相比之下，淮海路上的行人，表情是优雅从容的，步履是淡定安然的。

春天的时候去淮海路，空气里充满了任是千幢万幢高楼大厦也挡不住的春的气息，在色彩缤纷的橱窗的渲染下，和法国梧桐树新叶间飘散出来的花粉一样撩拨人的心弦。些微的凉意，吹面不寒杨柳风，只是提醒你冬日正在远去，万木正在复苏，生机蓬勃的季节已经来到。

夏天喜欢去淮海路，是爱那翠绿梧桐树提供的荫凉，和那响彻一条长街的蝉声。本来上海的沉闷暑热象个低矮密实的蒸笼，捂得人透不过气，烤得人昏昏恹恹的，空气是凝滞固化一般，可是淮海路上，那千树齐鸣的蝉声，就冲开了一条条通向碧空的清幽小径，缕缕悠远的清音仿佛调弄着阵阵清风，拂动着团团绿影袅袅起舞，顿时绿荫葱笼，凭空生凉，让人精神振奋，神清气爽。

秋天的时候，淮海路的空气中淡淡地散漫着糖炒栗子和桂花的甜香。我手里经常会捧一包刚从食品店买的新出炉的良乡糖炒栗子，与女友款款而行边剥边吃，因为心思在吃上，一路就只是浏览着橱窗。热乎乎的栗子，那样香甜软糯。吃的心满意足时，就在心里感叹一声：有时候，快乐的概念，就那么简单具体地落实在手中一把栗子上，特别是走在淮海路上。

冬天的上海，极少下雪，雨水也较少，晴和天气去逛淮海路，更是特别的温暖祥和。周围的高楼把寒风严严实实地挡在外面，可以尽情沐浴在冬日暖洋洋的太阳下，再到哪家百货公司的楼上去吃客排骨年糕，外面金黄酥脆里面雪白软糯适口的年糕片，一样油炸得金黄焦香的排骨，浇上浓烧赤酱咸中带甜的卤汁，吃的心里也一片富足的暖意。

一年四季，淮海路真是风和日丽雪月风花的代名词。

淮海路襄阳路口有个襄阳公园，入口处不远的两排整齐的参天巨树，秋天可以拍出最美的落叶照片。上海人喜欢螺丝壳里做道场，公园虽小，四季樱花杜鹃海棠牡丹等花卉也有百余种，儿童乐园棋室茶苑报廊休闲亭售品部一应俱全的。

淮海中路有个国泰电影院。不管是最新出品的"十面埋伏" ，还是经典片的怀旧放映，进去坐上两小时，沉浸在醉生梦死的剧情里，再回到外面街上体会流光溢彩的现实人生，总让我恍惚一阵的。

淮海路是属于馋嘴女孩的。乔家栅有精美的上海糕点，第二食品店长春食品店里可以买到大白兔奶糖奶油五香豆杏花楼月饼和目前正流行的鸭舌头鸭膀，惠佳美地、"唐轩"、"全聚德""吴越人家" 有纯正中餐，太仓路的新天地是上海新建的美食天地, 第二食品商店隔壁的美心酒家有特色菜蚝油牛肉，点心也不错，可以在"沧浪亭" 和"味千"吃面，在淮海路的支马路----雁荡路休闲街上的各式小餐馆里享受各地特色风味。

淮海路是属于女人的，服装店最多。云想衣裳花想容，多少女人在淮海路悉心收罗了万千风情，又漫不经心或者精心尽意地给世界各地洒满了明媚的春色。

记得有一家服装店，每次跟女友去试衣服，总觉得镜子里的自己特别婀娜多姿，照了又照，舍不得走开。后来有次突然发现是店里的镜子不仅光线柔和使人肤色娇艳，而且有使人显修长苗条的特殊功效，让每套衣裙都显得亮丽出色，"弹眼落睛"，让人爱不释手。奇妙的是，从那家店买的衣裙，到家后并不走样多少，穿起来也总是窈窕合度玲珑剔透的。

淮海路最适宜知心女伴们一起去逛，一边说说体己话，或者嘴里细细嚼着话梅鸭肫肝的小零食，一边在服装店里审视评论一排排衣装。不过，上海有个不公开的说法，如果有位男士，不管他是北方人还是南方人，如果他能够耐心地陪你逛遍淮海路，跟你一起品尝小吃，还有帮你拎着包，等在试衣间外，等你换服装出来，认真评说一句好或者不合适，特别如果他工作上又特别大刀阔斧叱咤风云的话，那他作为男朋友的第一关起码已经通过了。

去年回国我几次去淮海路，白天逛着总是贪婪地倾听此起彼伏的蝉声，如痴如醉。有天傍晚路过一家东北小餐馆，看里面居然有不少空座，想起自己回国后大餐之余只是忙着抽空重温上海小吃的滋味，心念一动，就进去尝尝东北风味。除了必吃的水饺，点了久闻大名的酸菜粉条。等到端上来一看，十块钱居然结结实实的一盘，而且里面分明放了好多肉丝。别说吃，我看着那满满一盘就很累，又开始祁人忧天地担心他们这么平宜的价格如何在寸土寸金的淮海路长期立足？终于忍不住走过去给服务台的小姐提意见：一是份量完全可以减少一半，十块钱的东西千万不要给这么多，上海么，人人知道物价昂贵的，而且上海人追求小盘菜精致昂贵的感觉和气氛，二是既然这酸菜粉条里有肉丝，就一定要把肉丝写到菜单上，因为上海都是这风俗，象菜肉大馄饨实际是只见菜不见肉的。长圆脸眉清目秀的小姐回答说：我们东北银（人）都知道，酸菜粉条如果不放肉，味道要变掉，没法吃的，所以不用写。我说你真是东北人了？她说是吉林来的。我临走又建议说店堂里的招牌上还可以把东北的介绍写得煽情一点，那样生意会更好。进驻淮海路不容易，希望她们吃客盈门，生意兴隆吧。

我也在龙凤金银珠宝店过了一把讨价还价的瘾。晚上灯火通明生意略显阑珊的店堂里，搬个椅子坐在柜台的镜子前，让营业员拿一串串珍珠项链在脖子上手腕上比划着，偶尔看一眼外面淮海路上的人潮涌过来涌过去，恍如隔世，今夕何夕的感念一闪而过，说说笑笑真真假假把八折的项链砍到对折，我说买两串，营业员说这么低的价格必须经理特许，却兴冲冲站起身找经理去了。

回美国前我在淮海路紫澜门买了一套紫罗兰色的齐膝套裙，全毛面料，高雅大方的款式，精致细巧的做工，冬衣夏卖，居然只合二十美元。我知道美国店里多的是职业套装，我也没什么机会多穿，可是那种特殊的面料款式和色泽，是千山万水外还可以触摸到的高雅雍容和精致考究的标志，一如淮海路，一如上海，即使收在衣橱里也堪慰思乡之心的，穿在身上，更是梦幻的衣衫。

不管离开上海多远，淮海路都是一条繁华和温馨的河流，蜿蜒在我的梦乡，滋润着我的游子心。

While for me, high-browed culture and high-engergy activities are not really my thing. Beijing  has  indeed an abundance of that and I enjoyed all of them during my stay and framed those memories in photos for future review.

But it is the group of Beijingness and the way they live their daily life that impressed me most.

Trueborn Beijingnese are easily recognizable by their "R" accent, which is redundantly used at the end of practically every other phrase. Beijing colloquial language is very much different from the kind of language you have listened and learned in your Putonghua (Mandarin) class.

Listening to them is quite an experience. They use very concise yet multivocal phrases, a musical tone, a clear and lively timbre and an easy and deliberate altitude to organize and sophisticate their speech to the point of concinnity and sagaciousness.

Listerning to them engageing in a verbal fight or something is an even more fascinating experience. They are so self-dignified that they seldom use dirty words, or escalate their reciprocal verbal counterattacks into physical combat.

No kidding, it's considered as an art, and it has to be heard to be belived. Yet for out-of-towners, chances are you're getting insulted and don't even have any clue!

Chunxi Road was just as bustling as Nanjing Road in Shanghai and Wangfujing Street in Beijing, with a slightly smaller scale, but more groups of beautiful girls. My friend was a pretty girl herself, and would always stand out in streets, but not here in Chengdu. She grumbled jokingly that she would never come back to this city again.

Chengdu food was super delicious. As a typical first-timer traveler, I was fool enough to eat to my heart's content the very moment our first dish was served. I was not quite ready to receive so heaping a plateful of food for so reasonal price and there was practically not enough space for the rest of our meal only after two or three dishes. So I took the chance to take a photo. I only wished I could have another stomach along!