Last thursday I took another train ride from Wuhan to Yichang. I travelled through many small farms that look like they are still worked mostly my hand. They are nothing like the huge commercial farms you see if you drive through the midwest. They kind of remind me more of small family farms you see in rural parts of Massachusetts and New England. They do tend to be bigger though.
One thing that is undeniably better in China are the trains. Amtrack is a pale comparison to the modern high speed railway system here in China. The trains here are new, clean and are serviced alot better than in the US.
I have been on four round trip train rides so far. Only one trip was anything approaching uncomfortable.
Both trips to Yichang from Wuhan were very smooth. The seats are clean and reasonably spacious.
Below is a picture of the train I took from Yichang to Wuhan on Thursday night.
There are stewardesses that roam the aisles purveying drinks and snacks. On the train in Sanya they also sold beer.
The english messages on the intercomm system are rather weird. Passengers are told that "Smoking is harmful." and "Do not let the smoke touch the annunciator." In other words, don't smoke or it will set off the smoke alarm. I had to check my dictionary for the meaning of "annunciator". It is a valid use of an english word, but is very stilted and wierd to my American ears.
Chinese people pretty much disobey all posted signs. They smoke in train stations, on elevators, in banks, and on trains in between cars. On the shiny new high speed train, I noticed no one smoked. I kind of got the feeling people are kind of proud of their train. They have every reason to be. It is a pretty good rail system.
I was presented with a cigarette at a school and joined another representative of the school in a smoke. We stood literally in front of a no smoking sign, inside a school.
People after my own heart.
One thing that is undeniably better in China are the trains. Amtrack is a pale comparison to the modern high speed railway system here in China. The trains here are new, clean and are serviced alot better than in the US.
I have been on four round trip train rides so far. Only one trip was anything approaching uncomfortable.
Both trips to Yichang from Wuhan were very smooth. The seats are clean and reasonably spacious.
Below is a picture of the train I took from Yichang to Wuhan on Thursday night.
There are stewardesses that roam the aisles purveying drinks and snacks. On the train in Sanya they also sold beer.
The english messages on the intercomm system are rather weird. Passengers are told that "Smoking is harmful." and "Do not let the smoke touch the annunciator." In other words, don't smoke or it will set off the smoke alarm. I had to check my dictionary for the meaning of "annunciator". It is a valid use of an english word, but is very stilted and wierd to my American ears.
Chinese people pretty much disobey all posted signs. They smoke in train stations, on elevators, in banks, and on trains in between cars. On the shiny new high speed train, I noticed no one smoked. I kind of got the feeling people are kind of proud of their train. They have every reason to be. It is a pretty good rail system.
I was presented with a cigarette at a school and joined another representative of the school in a smoke. We stood literally in front of a no smoking sign, inside a school.
People after my own heart.
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