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Family Travel

10/30/2018

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Bayonne, France festival: Fete de Bayonne (2014)
PictureMy dad, Liv and I in Shanghai (2018)
Spend the time.  Spend the money.  There's something about family travel that bonds like nothing else.  Everyone is on vacation.  No work.  No school.  No XBox.  No friends.  A sure guarantee all five of us (sometimes six, with my dad) are smiling simultaneously.  When we are discovering new places and having new experiences together, we are happy.  

Start early.  We did not get our kids accustomed to flying long distances on purpose.  We lived in California; it was out of necessity. But it taught our kids to be patient travelers.  The more we exposed them to the country and the world, the more they wanted to explore.  And as we journeyed, we all became better people.  We are more tolerant, patient, understanding and adventurous because of our travels.

Go far, not just in terms of distance.  Go far outside your comfort zone.  The western hemisphere is amazing.  We have seen a lot of Europe and have had unbelievable adventures.  But China, Jordan, Cambodia and Vietnam are different.  And even though our kids are in their mid-teens to early 20's, that's just the start.  We all have the travel bug.

I'm not sure how much we will be able to travel over the next decade or two.  We are putting three kids through college and we are all busy.  But I know that if it's possible, we will do it.  As we always have, we will not be getting a larger house or nicer and newer cars.  These are first-world privileges we can live without.  But every penny not spent on those things will go toward seeing parts of the world that are not first-world.  

Spend the time.  Spend the money.  Start early.  Go far.

Lerma Spain, 2015
Halong Bay Vietnam, 2017
Beijing China, 2018
Copenhagen Denmark, 2018
Hoa Lu Vietnam, 2017
Wadi Rum Jordan, 2017
Tel Aviv Israel, 2016
Sergiev Posad Russia, 2018
Zhangjiajie China, 2016
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Mountains and Monkeys of Zhangjiajie

10/23/2018

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Zhangjiajie is one of the most breath-taking sights in all of China, all of Asia, and all of the world. The national park in Hunan Province consists of spectacularly tall rock structures, many of which are free standing and remarkably thin. You have probably seen the mountains' likenesses in the move "Avatar". The Zhangjiajie mountains inspired James Cameron, the director, to animate the floating mountains in the movie.

Before ascending to the paths at the top of the mountain where we see these "floating mountains", we ride a glass elevator to the top. Although they squeeze as many people into the elevator as possible, it is a fulfilling experience because of the spectacular view. 

The well-trodden paths allow tourists of all hiking and climbing abilities to travel. Along these paths, it is common to see monkeys. The sight of the monkeys, along with the stunning background, add to the astonishment we feel in Zhangjiajie. As if the winding paths and towering mountains are not enough, the park recently added a glass walkway that resides on one of the sheer cliffs. While traversing this walkway, we get one of the best views of the floating mountains, and one of the most thrilling examples of the altitude at which we stand. When we look at the floor, we are exhilarated by the thousands of feet that stand between us and the base of the mountain.

Zhangjiajie is certainly unlike anything else I have seen and will leave those who go there humbled and gratified to experience such natural wonder.  Come join me on a Chow Fun adventure to one of the most beautiful mountains in the world. 
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Blueberry Flavor Lay's Potato Chips?

10/16/2018

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乐事 is the name Frito Lay uses in China.  The pronunciation is "luh sure"; the meaning is "happy things".  This is a great example of the marketing issues related to Chinese characters.  Companies that use characters that sound like the name of the product or company may alienate end users because the actual meaning of the characters has a negative connotation.  An example of this is KFC's branding.  At first, the translation of "finger lickin' good" in Chinese was "eat your fingers off".  In China, Mercedes Benz came into the market as "Bensi" because it sounds like Benz.  The problem is that "bensi" means "rush to die".  Needless to say, they changed the name. 

But the name is not why I write this week.  It's actually about the flavors.  It's hard to read the names on the bags in the above photo, but trust me, they are not Sour Cream and Onion.  Flavor preferences vary from country to country.  That's why in China, we see Blueberry as a Lay's potato chip flavor.  And then there is Numb and Spicy Hot Pot,  Lemon Tea, American Classic and Italian Red Meat, to name just a few.  And it's not just Lay's.  Oreo's original flavor in China is not the same; it has a lower sugar content.  And chocolate Oreo's do not even resemble the chocolate to which we are accustomed.  China has flavors that we have never seen like orange/mango, banana cream, grape/peach, green tea and raspberry/blueberry.

It's fun to go to the grocery store in China and see all the variations on what we know as the "norm".  Let's go to China and check it out!  

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A glimpse of a rural Chinese market

10/9/2018

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There are daily markets all over China where locals do their shopping.  It's the way everyone shopped, all over the world, before the convenience of grocery stores.  In 1800's America, there was a bakery, a butcher and a fruit and vegetable stand.  People had time to stop at many shops.  Everyone knew the local farmer, butcher and baker. 

When I go to Stop & Shop, I don't know the people at the bakery, the seafood counter or the meat counter and frankly, I'm glad.  I am so busy now that I often hide from people I see at the grocery store because I don't have time to stop and chat.  There is always a meeting, a phone call, another errand or a time to pick up a child.  

That's why the local markets in China are so intriguing.  It brings us back to a time when life was simpler and less stressful.  The video clip above is a glimpse into that time.  There are butchers and bakers, farmers and fishermen.  Everyone knows each other.  I hear snippets of conversations about family members and holidays.  I catch the smiles and laughs and pats on the back.  Grandmothers carry grandchildren on their backs as they peruse the merchandise, while the babies' parents work.  There is a sense of community in these markets that is lost in America, or maybe it never existed.

Slabs of raw meat lies unrefrigerated on tables.  Flies visit every stall without prejudice.  The cleanliness of the markets is probably similar to America in the 1800's.  That will scare most Americans so much they will not ever visit China.  Their loss.  If you are brave enough for a Chinese adventure, please join me!
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Circles and Lines

10/2/2018

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As I peruse the photos I've taken over the years, I am struck by the continuity in shapes. Regardless of the province or town I visit, or the locales I frequent, circles and lines are constant.  In vegetable markets, round red tomatoes are placed next to long orange carrots.  Circular potatoes are housed next to long thin scallions.  In the Forbidden City, the towering red doors are decorated with lines of large ornamental gold knobs:  circles in a line.  The zodiac masks in the galleries and museums have large round eyes and are decorated with designs of color and ink lines.

Maybe this is the case in the rest of the world.  I guess that in most markets, galleries and sites, there are circles and lines, but for some reason, the continuity of shapes in China strikes me. 

Perhaps it's the combination of the shapes and the bright colors that strike me.  Non-GMO vegetables are naturally vibrant.  It does not matter how many fruit and vegetable markets I visit, I am always in awe of the colors.  The use of bright colors in art and architecture is also fascinating.  Red is a lucky color, believed to bring health, wealth and happiness to those who wear or decorate with it.  Traditionally, brides wear red dresses (white is the color of funerals).  Red envelopes filled with money are given away at Chinese New Year.  As Americans, by comparison, we see very little red in our homes, our clothing and our buildings.  This is shocking compared to the more muted palette to which we are accustomed.
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Come with me to enjoy the circles, lines and bright colors of China!

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    Lauren Drazen

    I have traveled all over the world, including adventures in China, Taiwan, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Israel, Jordan, Turkey, Greece, Italy, Spain, France, Switzerland, England, Denmark, Russia, Costa Rica, Jamaica, St. Lucia, Dominican Republic, Canada and Mexico.  My greatest love is introducing Americans to the sites, traditions and people of China.  My hope is to give travelers a new lens through which to see the world.

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Lauren Drazen
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lauren@chowfuntours.com

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