Inside The Dragon

I've really been enjoying the May issue of National Geographic. It's entirely dedicated to China...it's beauty, sheer size, diversity, and evolving culture. Amy Tan wrote a fascinating article entitled A Village on the Edge of Time about the Dong people. It's amazing to me to get a glimpse into the mindsets and traditions of this small ethnic group. Check it out.

The articles reminded me of my travels in China nearly 10 years ago. One of my favorite places was the Li River in the Guangxi Province. I will never forget the full-day river cruise through the beautiful limestone pinnacles.

Reading about the pressure to succeed that is often put on middle-class school children, made me appreciate my Chinese friends from business school and work. They have achieved so much. One good friend at The U of Chicago (I won't use his name) was one of the student leaders in the Tientiananmen Square protests in 1989. His stories are remarkable to say the least.

The magazine also has some pictures of the architecture for the Bejing Summer Olympics. The "Bird's Nest" stadium and the "Bubble Wrap" swimming venue are mod and super cool.