The snow in Luoyang never let up. I was lucky to get a seat on a train east to Zhengzhou where the airport was open. I flew back to Beijing. The weather in Beijing was clear so I made a side trip to Datong.

Datong
Shanxi Province
China

January 23, 2008

Dear Family, Friends and Runners Everywhere,

Did you know that Jan was a Marathon Man? Yes, it's true. Many years ago, my "salad days" coincided with the Running Explosion that erupted after the American runner Frank Shorter won the 1972 Olympic Marathon in Munich. I was one of the millions of insufferable, "I-own-the-road" joggers who clogged the streets and sidewalks of every city and town.

Datong
Shanxi Province
China

January 24, 2008

Dear Family and Friends,

The documents of the Polatschek Family record that I was born on a Wednesday morning, the 18th of September. According to the twelve-year Chinese Zodiac, I was born in the Year of The Dragon.

The Dragon is magnanimous, stately, vigorous, strong, self-assured, proud, noble, direct, dignified, zealous, fiery, passionate, decisive, pioneering, ambitious, generous and loyal. The Dragon can be arrogant, imperious, tyrannical, demanding, eccentric, grandiloquent, bombastic, prejudiced, dogmatic, over-bearing, violent, impetuous and brash.

My Zodiac element is metal (gold or silver). Metal personalities are tough and loves to take risks. They like to help others but have to be careful not to become hard-hearted! *
Am I a Dragon? Am I a Golden Dragon? Silver?

Chongqing, China
July 15, 2010

Hello Everyone,

Just to let you know I am OK.

The weather has been warm, humid and misty, with a little rain.  The heavy rainfall and flooding is south of my route through central China

So far I have been to Shanghai, Chengdu, Leshan and Chongqing.  I leave this evening for a three-night four-day cruise through the three gorges of the Yangtze River.

At the moment I am considering staying out here in the west to visit mountain areas and minority villages.

Changsha

Hunan Province

China

July 3, 2010

The guidebook is not very encouraging about his city of more than 2.7 million.  South of the city is the birthplace of Mao but since my time is limited here, I decided against a pilgrimage.

The guidebook mentioned the Hunan University.  (One thousand year history. 4600 faculty. 46,000 students.)

I haven't been on a college campus recently, so HU is my destination for the day. {C}