Farewell to China (But not forever)

[MaartenSFS]

Well, it wasn't long ago that I was 18 years old and arrived in China with no education, money, or Chinese language ability. Over four years had passed since then and I brought back a lifetime of memories..

I got married to a minority hilltribe girl when I was 19, saw some amazing animals like cobras and foot-long centipedes, witnessed a brutal sword-killing, explored the depths of the subterranean underworld, pushed myself beyond my limits in the study of martial arts, struggled and succeeded with Chinese, braved the chaos of Chinese traffick on scooters and motorcycles, ate things I wish I hadn't, and ventured forth into areas where no foreigner had ever been..

These are the things that I will choose to remember about China; not the rapid modernisation that has destroyed most of Chinese culture in the cities and is deteriorating the environment at an alarming pace. This period in my life has shaped me into what I am today; a strong, independant person. Because of the hard times and insanity of it all I now know that anything else that stands in my way will pale in comparison. I came back to become a policeman and will use the skills I have honed in China and other countries to do my utmost. If anything, I just have an even greater lust to explore the rest of the world.

And now, without further adieu, my website dedicated to my travels in China:

http://sites.google.com/site/tourdemaarten/

Please click on Photos to view pictures about culture, landscape, nature (Including plenty of invertebrates), and travel by motorcycle that were taken during my last year in China. I certainly wasn't able to photograph everything, but I think these photos can give viewers some glimpse of what my life was like there. Enjoy.

 

[AlanMM]

Leuke foto's. Moet een fantastische belevenis geweest zijn!

 

[Gold Skulltula]

ate things I wish I hadn't

DUCK FEET! ..and erm fish eyes.

I'm sure you can top those!

Thanks for sharing your website with us. I feel privileged to be able to peek into your story, even for a minute.

 

[MaartenSFS]

Leuke foto's. Moet een fantastische belevenis geweest zijn!

Ja, het was een hele onderneming. Maar het gekste is om weer in het Westen te zijn.

 

[MaartenSFS]

DUCK FEET! ..and erm fish eyes.

I'm sure you can top those!

Thanks for sharing your website with us. I feel privileged to be able to peek into your story, even for a minute.

One day I came home late and my wife gave me a bowl of noodles. I was sitting at my computer checking my E-mail and eating at the same time. I called to my wife: "What kind of meat is this? Is it liver?"
Wife: "Yes, sure."
Me: "It doesn't taste like liver.."
*Turns on light*
*Is horrified to see that it is thick ribbons of blood red pig's heart*

That's just one example. Others like cooked chicken blood and fried insects are up there, as well..

It was my pleasure to share it. I think that everyone should visit a third world country at least once in their life and stray out the tourist areas, if only to appreciate where they are from more and to understand that their actions create ripples and consequences throughout the world.

 

[Endagr8]

Amazing photos. It's pictures like that that remind me how much I hate deforestation .

 

[MaartenSFS]

Amazing photos. It's pictures like that that remind me how much I hate deforestation .

If you hate deforestation you should see the mining. You know the famous conical karst of southern China? They dynamite them, strip mine a bit, and move on to the next one, leaving half of a mountain. The limestone they carry off in lorries (trucks) without a top so the debri flies everywhere and the people are living in dust clouds.

There are "mountain graveyards" in China that stretch for hundreds of kilometres, where every single mountain has been destroyed. And the deforestation happened long before that. :wall:

 

[Endagr8]

If you hate deforestation you should see the mining. You know the famous conical karst of southern China? They dynamite them, strip mine a bit, and move on to the next one, leaving half of a mountain. The limestone they carry off in lorries (trucks) without a top so the debri flies everywhere and the people are living in dust clouds.

There are "mountain graveyards" in China that stretch for hundreds of kilometres, where every single mountain has been destroyed. And the deforestation happened long before that. :wall:

:wall: :wall: :wall: :wall: :wall: :wall: :wall: :wall:

 

[Galapoheros]

Man that sounds like a crazy adventure, that's awesome. I'm curious as to what brought you to China and where it is that you are going back to? That may not be something you want to answer, I'm just curious. Congrats on all the experience, kind of a wild ride.

 

[MaartenSFS]

Man that sounds like a crazy adventure, that's awesome. I'm curious as to what brought you to China and where it is that you are going back to? That may not be something you want to answer, I'm just curious. Congrats on all the experience, kind of a wild ride.

It was indeed.. I went to China because I didn't know what else to do with my life and to study martial arts. I was treading water and didn't have anything to lose and a had a lust for adventure.

No, I'm not a fifteen year old girl so I don't mind sharing. ;P I'm actually back in the U.S. now because my parents are here (Lansing, Michigan). I suppose I should update my profile at some point. O, and it was a wild ride. I almost died on several occasions whilst driving and caving.

 

[Ritzman]

Was that any particular dog and cat that I saw on the menu?

 

[josh_r]

welcome home man. there are lots of things here in the US to see as well. if you ever make it to the west coast, i can try to meet up with you and show you some nice stuff over here. did you bring your wife with you??

 

[rustym3talh3ad]

ok all i wanna know is WHY on earth did u come to lansing? lol nah since ur here come check out the sites of East Lansing girls lol...they're amazing.

 

[MaartenSFS]

Was that any particular dog and cat that I saw on the menu?

The dogs are related to Dingos. I think they were called South-East Asian or Chinese wild dogs or something. They are found all over here (Correction, THERE) and we just call them Dingos because an Australian told us they are identical to the ones he's seen in Aussie. They have another called 狐狸狗 （Huligou = Fox Dog), which is more massive and has thicker hair like a husky but is the same colouration, slightly more reddish perhaps, which I think they also eat. These two may be related.

As far as cats are concerned, they were rarely consumed in my pressence in my [previous] area of China, but they just seemed to be stray domesticated cats. The worst thing I ever saw was when I went to the market with a friend during Chinese New Year and a man was holding a living cat by the tail and using a blowtorch to roast it. The cat made a terrible sound that I can still recall vividly to this day.. :wall:

In China they say that the more the animal suffers before it dies the better it will taste. I have seen boiled [alive] puppies for sale and they hang dogs on barbed wire to drain their blood.. These "people" actually don't treat other people much better (unless they are kissing your arse because they can get something from you).

 

[MaartenSFS]

welcome home man. there are lots of things here in the US to see as well. if you ever make it to the west coast, i can try to meet up with you and show you some nice stuff over here. did you bring your wife with you??

Haha, thank you, but I'm not home yet (But FAR closer than over there). Too bad you never had a chance to visit when I was there. I may take you up on your offer someday, though. At the moment my wife is waiting on the visa (6 - 8 months ) and I am preparing to study and work my arse off so funding is limited.

I can't believe how blue the sky was in New York, though. Really puts Beijing to shame.. Beijing was like a massive dust/pollution cloud. Most of the cities in China are but the far countryside is still pristine. Remember that if you ever visit China. I recommend Yunnan province and Hainan island.

 

[MaartenSFS]

ok all i wanna know is WHY on earth did u come to lansing? lol nah since ur here come check out the sites of East Lansing girls lol...they're amazing.

Hahahaha, I know, mate. The question is why did my parents come here??? As soon as I finish studying I'm going up north to Traverse city, Petosky, Mackinac Island or something. I'm sure the girls are nice but I'm happily married. Besides, most Western women are too... something. Exceptions are Southern Europeans.

Anyways, although the capital area is very ugly, the sky has been blue and it's been sunny almost everyday since I've been back. So, at least for this China veteran, there is something to appreciate.

 

[Ritzman]

In China they say that the more the animal suffers before it dies the better it will taste. I have seen boiled [alive] puppies for sale and they hang dogs on barbed wire to drain their blood.. These "people" actually don't treat other people much better (unless they are kissing your arse because they can get something from you).

Wow.
I'm all about respecting how another culture eats/what they eat. I know that one mans pet is another mans dinner in a different part of the world. But I can't believe that they actually think the meat will taste better if the animal suffers before it dies. That is so sad to me.

You have some amazing pictures BTW.

 

[MaartenSFS]

Wow.
I'm all about respecting how another culture eats/what they eat. I know that one mans pet is another mans dinner in a different part of the world. But I can't believe that they actually think the meat will taste better if the animal suffers before it dies. That is so sad to me.

You have some amazing pictures BTW.

I agree with you. This is unacceptable to me. You see old women with little nets trying to catch the last of the tiny fish left in the rivers and ask them why they still catch them and not let them grow up to make more and they say:"Ïf I don't get them someone else will." Unfortunately, the majority of the world thinks this way and we are the exception.

They also eat monkey brains from living macaques that they drug and it's head sticks through a hole in the table and they use sharp spoons to dig it out. They also eat living mouse fetuses that are named after their squeaks. :evil:

Thanks about the pictures, though.