When I think about Nanjing and my time there, this is a pretty typical scene for me. I have to admit something, though, I've only been there during winter time (2 winters in a row, now!:).__I guess the tile was popular in the nineties, and SO many buildings are covered with it. The problem is of course how dirty tile gets. It's not easy to clean, and I'm sure the dust from all the other construction doesn't help, either!__I was told that over %50 of Nanjing is under construction! I don't think this is uncommon these days, for a city to be under SO much construction.__Well, so as to why I like Nanjing. NOW, I have to say again that OUT OF the places I have been to, I like Nanjing the best. This leaves a LOT of room for a change of opinion, as three cities isn't exactly representative of such a diverse place as dalu (mainland China).__I've been to Shanghai, where relatively few people stare at foreigners (actually, I think I stare at foreigners more than any Shanghai resident!! Once, I was walking down a busy avenue in Shanghai at night, and these guys caught my eye. I couldn't place them. They looked almost like Hui, a Chinese minority, but they weren't dressed as though they were even from China, let alone from the country side (it's a subtle difference, but definitely there). I just kept staring, even as we were way past them. The guys must have noticed me staring at them, and as they walked into a bank (for the ATM I suppose, as it was night), they turned and shouted, "Faguoren!"-FRENCH! Boy, was I embarrassed!).__I've also been to Suzhou, where people either ARE a foreigner, or they're trying to sell something TO a foreigner (or they're a Chinese tourist, but sometimes I even think a small perk of going to Suzhou is being able to see foreigners from ALL over the world, which is admittedly really cool. I saw Spanish, Japanese, and Korean tour groups at one of the gardens we went to, and even translated the Spanish for my hubby and his friends:).__I guess in Suzhou I just felt, well, accosted. I am not, obviously, an American born Chinese, and my red hair and height pretty much marks me even in a huge crowd. There's NOTHING about me that would let anybody know I'm up on any kind of Chinese history, culture, politics, or language. So I guess I should just suck it up while I'm in Suzhou and try not to get frustrated. It's hard though, because, as I try to explain to people sometimes, I don't exactly feel like I'm a "tourist." My majors are East Asian Studies and government (I'm thinking I'll do my honors thesis on the interactions between Fulian and the govt regarding birth control policy), my husband is Chinese, I speak Mandarin (albeit not well enough to tell complicated jokes or defend my first-adopt decision), many of my friends are Chinese...I even teach Sunday School to Chinese kids IN CHINESE!__So am I your typical tourist? Probably not. But in Suzhou they don't care, and honestly, there's no way for them to tell. I've considered making a T-shirt that says "Ni Kanbuchulai, keshi wo hui!" or mabe just "wo ting de dong nide hua!" but so far I've been to letharic to get startd. Therefore, I still have to face the dudes still try to talk me into riding in those pedi-cabs w/ the McDonald's-sponsored awnings (unfortunately no pics of that, but I hope you can picture the typical three wheeled bycicle-cab w/ the seat in back, and a vinyl awning over the passenger seat, bright yellow, w/ those universal "arches" like a big iron brand....).__Do I sound uncomfortable w/ this situation? I am. So that's why I Suzhou is not my favorite (although the city is beautiful, I will admit--pics later if I can find 'em).__Now on to Nanjing.....(I'm drawing this out and making Nanjing sound way better than it is :P.
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