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Wok is going on?!
The ancient capital of the Chinese empire, Xi'an, was the start of the fabled Silk Road which crossed China, Persia, and eventually led to Rome. Descendents of early traders still live in the Muslim quarter of the city, which comes alive at night in a flurry of sights, smells and great street food which meld flavours of the middle and far East to eyebrow singe-ing effect. |
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Man or mouse?
Influenced by the invading Huns from the north, Mongolian hotpot. Meat and vegetables on skewers are selected from large baskets. They are then dipped in either the mild boiling broth on the right or the chili-stoked monstrosity on the right. Obviously, the locals scoff at anything other than the hot variety. Spicy peanut sauce doesn't really help to cool it down at all and the happily innocent smiles now seem tragic in light of the punishment that was later inflicted on our digestive systems! |
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The 8th Wonder of the Ancient World
For some reason, the fact that Emperor Qin Shihuang created a life-sized replica of his entire army of several thousand warriors - cavalry, arms, chariots and all - in clay, bronze and wood was omitted from the history books. So in the early 1970s a couple of peasants digging a well just outside Xi'an came across the pits where this incredible achievement was buried. The emperor's mausoleum has yet to be excavated but according to legend includes a copy of his empire (not life-size) with rivers of mercury running in perpetual motion through some mechanical process. Indiana Jones-ville, Arizona! |
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Words fail me ...
but Robert's expression says it all! |
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Shanghai - Whore of the Orient
That was back in the days when Britain traded opium through China, helping to turn Shanghai into a den of vice and iniquity! Now Shanghai is a symbol of the 'new China' - rapidly industrialising and wildly commercial. The Pudong area in the picture was a grassy swamp only 12 years ago. Now by night it looks like a futuristic scene from Bladerunner. |
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Sampling the local cuisine
Magnus and Robert experiment with the more exotic side of Chinese food, KFC mashed potatoes - with gravy! |
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The Robert sleeps tonight
Kids, don't mess with wild animals - even bronze ones - they can bite! |
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Blow that harp, baby!
Robert surprises Magnus with a belated birthday present. For some reason, the first tune that came out was the 'Star Spangled Banner' - perhaps a moving personal tribute to Cheryl's homeland. |
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The Joy!
Shanghai was packed with DVD shops selling classic movies for 8 Yuan (about 1 euro). The Godfather trilogy for 3 bucks - yes please! We stocked up on collections of a whole set of our favourite movies: Cheryl got Run Lola Run, Breakfast at Tiffany's and Amelie; Magnus found Betty Blue, 2001: a Space Odyssey and Jean de Florette while Robert bagged Mission Impossible (2), Blade (2) and Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves... How we chuckled, knowing that we had stocked our DVD larders to the brim with goodies for the price of only 2 or 3 DVDs at home. |
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BUSTED!!!
...and the sorrow. Robert, sent back with the DVDs to Amsterdam, had them confiscated at Schiphol Airport. Most were copies and so - through some freakish technicality - illegal! An as-yet-unquantified fine awaits us but here's hoping Team Fall Guy Robert managed to avoid the rubber glove (TM Rob Simmons, 2001)! |
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Too many chiefs...
Send three team leaders on holiday and what do you get? Chaos! Here Cheryl and Robert while away a happy afternoon disagreeing about the direction to take next. |
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Suzhou - Humble Administrator's Garden
Just out of Shanghai, Suzhou is packed with gorgeous gardens, created by wealthy administrators in the Emperor's court. The perfect way to relax after the urban buzz and pollution of the big city. |
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Suzhou canals
In between the perfectly constructed gardens is a network of beautiful canals. Just like Amsterdam (but with better weather!). |
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Is the fame going to his head?
Perhaps it is his close association with legendary lady-magnet, Marc van Bommel, or maybe the celebrity-status accorded him by the locals but Robert's behaviour seems to be becoming more erratic. Here he shows us a pose he has put together for a future cover of Men's Health with a look he describes as 'Blue Steel'... |
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Meeting the locals
Always one for getting the 'real' cultural experience out of any situation, Magnus shows Robert and Cheryl the way by attempting to open a dialogue with a head-shaped rock. "It wasn't entirely successful but it's the trying that counts", he bleated defensively afterwards. |
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A magical waterworld
Shanghai's new aquarium is a fantastic collection of some the most spectacular animals in the world. The sharks, turtles, upside-down fish, feeding penguins, salamanders and ghost fish (pictured) were graceful and spectacular - a perfect way to spend an afternoon. |
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And then he was gone...
No sooner than he had arrived - it seemed - it was time for Robert to go. A final hug, the Triumvirate Power Move (TM) and he was off to re-stoke the fires of the digital revolution and work on his new house back in Amsterdam. |
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Semolina milkshake by neon light
The Nanjing Donglu is a neon-tastic Shanghai shopper's paradise till late at night. The latest drink fad is milkshake with round balls of semolina which are sucked up through a fat straw. Verdict: the strawberry milkshake part was nice! |
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| - go to next section : Yellow Mountain, Yellow River |
| - go to previous section : Famous Robert |