Stop and Smell the Roses

This photo was taken in 2008 on the train between Manzhouli and Harbin, China. Sometimes you have to stop to smell the roses. The rose has been used to display love since the ancient Greeks and Romans both used it to symbolize their goddesses of love, Aphrodite and Venus.

The View from the Back

This photo was taken in 2008 from the back of a train traveling from Manzhouli to Harbin, China. The ride takes about 15 hours and includes numerous stops throughout Inner Mongolia. It's a stunning trip as you can see the vast grass plains and the traditional yurt homes of Inner Mongolians. A yurt is a portable home made of wood lattice and usually covered in felt made from wool. If you're ever on the train from Harbin to Manzhouli, keep the curtains open and enjoy the scenery.

Kentucky Fried China

This photo was taken in 2008 in Manzhouli, China. Manzhouli is a small border town that is a few kilometers from Russia. But, while Manzhouli may uniquely have a Russian influence, it, like many other cities in China is feeling the influence of The Colonel. A new KFC is built in China everyday! The effects have yet to be fully seen, but I expect as China becomes more wealthy and more fast food places pop up, more obese people will pop up too.

Родина-мать зовёт!

This photo was taken in 2008 by Rosie O'Neill near Manzhouli, China. The statue in the picture with me is actually a replica of a famous Russian statue called "The Motherland Calls." The title of this blog entry is the Russian name. The original statue was built in Volgograd to commemorate the Battle of Stalingrad. When it was dedicated in 1967, it was the largest sculpture in the world, standing 86 meters(284 feet) tall. The statue in the photo is obviously much smaller. You can view a picture of the original statue by clicking here.

Donkey Cart

This photo was taken in 2009 outside of a restaurant in Manzhouli, China. Donkey pulled carts are not uncommon in China, especially in smaller cities. Many vegetable deliveries are still carried out by local farmers who can't afford cars or delivery trucks and have no other option but a donkey cart. When the donkeys become too old to pull the cart, they are slaughtered and eaten, usually as stuffing for dumplings. Such is the life of the sad, poor beast of burden.

Pretty Lights

This photo was taken in 2008 from the window of my hotel in Manzhouli, China. China is home to over 12,000 tourist hotels with approximately 1.3 million hotel rooms, or enough to house the entire combined populations of Iceland, The Bahamas, Belize, and Malta. Between 1998 and 2002, the number of tourist hotels in China went from 5782 to 8880, a 54% increase. Hotel prices in China range from well over 1000 USD a night to under 10 USD a night.

Matryoshka Square

This photo was taken in 2008 in Matryoshka Square in Manzhouli, China. Manzhouli is a small city near the Russian and Mongolian borders that serves as China's busiest land port. 60% of all of Eastern Europe's exports to China pass through Manzhouli. Manzhouli is also a main stop on the Trans-Siberian railway.