Sorry for the delay in my posting.  I've had trouble with my photos, but now have it resolved.


The trip to China was my second journey into a Communist controlled nation. 

More than 20 years ago I traveled to East Berlin, where I might have had a hand in bringing down the famous wall.

That journey into East Germany lived up to every expectation that I held for a communist state.  The drab architecture, old cars, slouching citizens and anemic economic activity were evident, even in the city-state of Berlin, where the Communists were trying to put on their "best face".

China, by comparison, was the exact opposite of the decaying Soviet satellite. 

While China is facing the current economic downturn, the streets were filled with a determined and eager populace.  Market activity was infectious.  Store shelves were brimming with all forms of food, both domestic and "western". 

Of course there were remnants of the old form of communism.  Certainly, the Chinese had built rather drab, utilitarian buildings that remain in use.  But in the next block a large crane was completing a gleaming glass high rise. 

And the streets were filled with all forms of transportation.  The famous Chinese bicycling population has given way to scooters and cars.  The latest Mercedes, Volvo, Buick and Toyota offerings were plying the streets. 

On occasion I spotted these strange four wheeled contraptions:


They look like a cross between a garden tiller and an old pickup truck.

They are a diesel vehicle, that moves rather slowly.  However, they are capable of carry heavy loads of material. 
For decades, these were a mainstay for developing the Chinese infrastructure.  From hauling products to market, or cement for building new roads, these vehicles helped to create the modern China.   Despite that illustrious history, these vehicles are now found mainly in the remote parts of China, supplanted by larger trucks and tractors.