Places in Kunming

Minority Vilage in Kuming

Stone Forest of Kuming

Bita Lake in Zhong dian

Tibetan People and Family

Songzanlin Lamasery

Zhongdian Paradise Hotel

Tiger Jumping Gorge

On the Way from LiJiang to Zhongdian, we visited the Tiger Jumping Gorge of Yang Tze River. We had to walk 500 steep steps down and then up again.

Going down the steps was not too bad. The scenary was beautiful. After taking some pictures we started walking back. Now I understood why so many Ye people were there carrying people up and down. Two of them would carry a tourist on a chair secured between two poles.

I did not think I could walk up the stairs. Thank God our son was there. He said, "Here mom, let me carry your purse" and took my umbrella as well. Shaded from the sun, I was able to make it back with many rest stops. Praise the Lord.

Could you see those people carrying umbrellas on the hillside in the last picture? I took it when we were at the bottom of the gorge.

Copyright © 2005-2006 Winnis Chiang, Parenting ABC

Who Directs the River?

"The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases." (Proverbs 21:1)

Do you know that the Yang Tze River starts flowing North to South until it turns? We visited the "First Bend of the River" at Jin Sha Jiang (River of Golden Sand). It is at this first bend where the river turns flowing West to East towards ShangHi. Amazing, isn't it?

Copyright © 2006 Winnis Chiang, Parenting ABC

What is Really Important?

"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. when he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it." (Matthew 13:44-46)

One thing I am really proud of and grateful for about our family is that we treat each other with acceptance and respect. In different provinces of China, we were taken to look at pearls (sea salt-water pearls vs. river clear-water pearls). Although not everyone (in a party of seven to ten people) was personally interested, we spent time in the stores examining and purchasing pearls for a very special lady in a young man's heart. Nobody complained or mocked. We supported each other.

I was asked to carry the pearls. "It is easier for a woman to carry pearls. They could be yours." The pearls were kept safe in my purse all the way back to the United States. As it turns out, those requests were very wise. I would not be able to sleep if those pearls were lost in one of our suitcases.

What is really important to you?

Copyright © 2006 Winnis Chiang, Parenting ABC

On the River

We were on this kind of boats cruising the river (posted on 8/10). Have you figured out the name of this river yet? Two men approached our boat trying to sell something to the tourists. I took pictures of them right next to our windows and when they were leaving.

What Differences Can Parents Make?

"By faith Moses' parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king's edict." (Hebrews 11:23)

We arrived the hometown of grandma and grandpa past midnight. We were surprised to find many relatives waiting to welcome us. The next morning, we had lunch with grandpa's nephews, nieces and their offsprings before walking to their old houses and visiting ancestors' graves. That evening, we hosted a banquet with seventeen tables. Grandma shared her immigration experiences and her faith in Christ. She also showed two of her paintings.

I never realized my husband had so many relatives because he grew up in Taiwan and U.S. with only three siblings and his parents. Lives for his cousins in China have been very different from his. I thought about my huge extended family and the thirty or so cousins I grew up with in Hong Kong. May be I have to take our son to HK one day.

One side benefit of going on this trip is a chance to be roommate with my sister-in-law again. She and I shared an apartment for three months almost 31 years ago (when she was still single). After honeymooning with her brother, I returned to Berkeley to finish college while my husband stayed in the South Bay for his first FT job.

My sister-in-law was deeply touched by the differences her parents made by leaving Mainland China. What could happen if they stayed in China instead of moving to Taiwan? What if they did not move to the United States with their school age (elementary, junior high, high school) children?

Copyright © 2006 Winnis Chiang, Parenting ABC

Train Ride

The train ride was six hours. We had three rooms (with two bunk beds). The countryside looked beautiful.


It had been a long day and the mad dash made me very tired. I enjoyed some quiet time by myself as the others explored the train. Look at what I was having for dinner!

Copyright © 2006 Winnis Chiang, Parenting ABC

Guang Zhou

We stayed in a condominium (with 4 BRs and 2 BAs) owned by grandma's friends. Here is the view of Guang Zhou from the 30th floor of a high-rise building. It reminded me of Hong Kong. So did the people on the streets!

On our second day, we were going to GuangXi by train. I was getting into the van when grandma asked, "Where are my paintings?" Although I was not in charge of her paintings, I remembered seeing the box lying on top of a credenza the night before (after she gave one painting to our host family).

Immmediately, I said, "Let me get it!" and dashed back into the building with our friends' maid (who has the key). With other residents getting out on different floors, the elevator ride to the 30th floor took forever. As soon as the maid unlocked the door, I grabbed the painting. Unfortunately, when we rushed to the corridor, both elevators were already going down towards the lobby. I started running down the stairs, telling the maid we had to hurry. I was hoping to catch an elevator on its way up and turn it around. After about twelve flights, I realized even if we caught an elevator, it would probably go up further before going down. We just have to wait.

I was happy to get into the van. Looking at my clock, I knew time was running out. We started praying. The driver's cell phone rang. It was our hostess in the other van, "There is a big accident on the freeway so we need to take short cuts."

The Guang Zhou train station did not resemble train stations in the States. There was no clear parking places and all we could see were people shoulder to shoulder. By the time our van arrived, our hostess from the first van already took grandma walking. We had to carry our luggages and walk past the people. In chaos, one of us fell down and hurt her ankle; two people almost got lost in the crowd, and we were led to a wrong door upstairs and wasted a few more minutes there.

By God's grace, we eventually got onto the train, about five minutes before it left the station! When we got to our cart, Grandma laughed, "Even so and so (our hostess) was thanking God at the end."

Copyright © 2006 Winnis Chiang, Parenting ABC