I was very interested in the discussion about the 80s, because my first visit here was for our 10th wedding anniversary in 1983! I haven't heard anyone mention a date as far back as that yet.
One of my memories is of everybody wearing grey, khaki or blue Chinese suits. But things were changing! You could see bright flashes of neon pink socks underneath the sober exterior. It was the very beginning of private enterprise. We did a river trip from Guiling to Yangshuo, and on the jetty in Yangshuo as we disembarked there was a long row of people, each selling maybe two or three oranges - all they had of their own crop to sell.
It was a great experience - no private cars except at the hotels. A bicycle was the most prized possession.
What a change in thirty years. We now live in China in a small town, but compared to then it is luxury.
Posted on: Do you have...?
April 15, 2008 at 2:34 PMI was very interested in the discussion about the 80s, because my first visit here was for our 10th wedding anniversary in 1983! I haven't heard anyone mention a date as far back as that yet. One of my memories is of everybody wearing grey, khaki or blue Chinese suits. But things were changing! You could see bright flashes of neon pink socks underneath the sober exterior. It was the very beginning of private enterprise. We did a river trip from Guiling to Yangshuo, and on the jetty in Yangshuo as we disembarked there was a long row of people, each selling maybe two or three oranges - all they had of their own crop to sell. It was a great experience - no private cars except at the hotels. A bicycle was the most prized possession. What a change in thirty years. We now live in China in a small town, but compared to then it is luxury.