Chongqing (Chunking) China - My Wife's Home Town
Chongqing (Chunking) China - My Wife's Home Town
Chongqing City lights, taken from a riverboat
When I came to China six years ago I was on my own, but getting a bit lonely soI joined a dating web site called "Plenty of Fish". I travelled to a number of cities to meet withwomen withwhom I connected on the web site. Because I'm not exactly a spring chicken, I was seeking a woman in her 40s or 50s, still a fair amount younger than me but then I'm pretty young for my age. Most people who guess think I'm at least 10 years younger than I am. Weil, what I discovered is that most Chinese women that age post photos with their description that were taken many years ago, and although they indicated that they spoke some English, their emails were invariably written by someone else who was more proficient in the language. Another problem of which I was aware was that many women in China were just looking for a ticket to North America, and apparently a lot of them who marry men who get them visas and take them toWestern countries leavetheir husbands soon after arrival in the new land. As far as meeting women goes, it was sometimes disappointing, but I did get to see a lot of China during the visits.
Iwent to Chongqing the first time to meet a woman who at the end of the weekend just brushed me off saying I was too old for her (notwithstanding thatshe took advantage of my body those nights). Although she was fairly attractive, and well off financially, I knew she wasn't for me anyway. However, that weekend I got to see the Flying Tiger Museum and the Three Gorges Museum. The Flying Tigers were the American fighter plane pilots who battled the Japanese during WW2. Theywerecommanded by General Stillwell, who lived in a home-officenear the airbase which was nestled into the side of a mountain so as not to be a target (Chongqing was bombed many times). The rooms were quite spartan, still brandishing the furniture and furnishings of theera - kind of Frank Lloyd Wright style, and there were many photographs of the pilots and others on the walls. The runways and hangers were no longer there, but must have been on the level land at the top or bottom of that mountain. There were also the Chinese Flying Tigerpilots who flew the cargo planes "over the hump" (the mountains) to Burma, needed since the rail lines and roads were bombed out, for transfer of supplies. I met one of the original Chinese pilots who was a guide in the museum. Not many of them survived that tremendously dangerous mission, he told me. I wish I had had more time to speak with him, but here is a photo of him and me standing in front of a big poster that was on the wall, showing him in his uniform with his wife and child during the war. A real coincidence was, since at the time I had satellite TV and could get TCM, acouple ofdays after I returned home TCM played the old "Flying Tigers" movie.
Buzz with one of the original Chinese Flying Tiger pilots (the pilot shown on the poster)
The most amazing museum I've ever seen was the Three Gorges Museum. The Three Gorges Dam is the biggest dam in the world, producing huge amounts of hydro-electricity. However the downside is that raising the level of the Yangtze River for many miles submerged many historical sites and caused huge numbers of residents to relocate. Many of the artifacts that would have been submerged were saved and housed in this museum.
Three Gorges Museum, Chongqing - resembles the dam
The displays were magnificent - life size dioramas, reproduction of interiors, etc. This is the home web site for the museum which provides a much better explanation and images that there is room for in this article: http://www.3gmuseum.cn/en/
Perhaps because of all the hydro-electric power generated by the Three Gorges Dam the city is able to really light itself up at night.
Chongqing from the river at night
Then I found my wife on Plenty of Fish. There was something about her picture on the website,that includedher daughter, that made me feel she was trying to say I would have to accept her daughter too. There was something very honest about that, and as I discovered, the photo was fairly recent. When I met her in a hotel lobby, she had surrounded herself with a few friends and relatives and could hardly lift her eyes to look at me, she was so shy. Not only was she shy, she was beautiful. There was little doubt in my mind that she would be the one for me. We spent more time together, travelling to romantic Souchou (the Venice and Garden Cityof China), Shanghai, and then got married. And now, more than three and a half years later, I know now how right I was to marry her.
My wife's photo with her daughter from the dating web site Plenty of Fish
Some more photos of Chongqing
The City Square and City Hall. I'm standing at the entrance to the Three Gorges Museum
You see lanterns everywhere
An amusement park - notice the Wizard of Oz figures in front
Glass blower making figurines in the old city
Night shopping in a mall
At an old Buddhist Temple gate
Liberation Monument at Chongqing City Centre
Hope you enjoyed the show.
Buzz
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I so enjoyed reading your story and sharing your pictures, Buzz. Your wife and her daughter are both beautiful, and as a mother, you are right about your assumption. She did put her daughter in the picture to say, if you want me you must also want my daughter. I see that you have not lost any interest in planes.
The pictures of China are amazing. Living there must be quite the adventure. I have always wanted to go, and I am hoping to get there sometime in the near future, after the girls are off in college. A bit of mommy and daddy time for us. Anyway, I hope that you keep posting these types of stories here. They are so interesting and enjoyable.
Buzz your wife and daughter are so beautiful! You're a lucky man. I also met my husband off of "Plenty Of Fish". Great pictures too.
Buzz,
This is most impressive both as a written piece and a photo essay. The night shots are spectacular and your family is beautiful.
The reason I didn't post this photo-essay in the photography group is because the only photos I actually took myself are the first, fourth, seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth ones. (I should have numbered them).
Hi Buzz,
To play it safe, photos/images posted from sources other than your own ought to be credited to the copyrights holder(s)/source.
The night shot (4) is just fantastic!
Fed,
Did you really meet your hubby that way? I giggled at the name of the dating service.
One day, I'll write an article about how I met Matt. It's rather odd, but it did have something about dating services...
Hi Buzz! These pictures are wonderful.
It brings to mind one of my regular customers at the hardware store. He's a local farmer and had a difficult time finding a woman that he could truly settle down with. He had been married a couple of times and has a son with one of them. Well, he decided to go to China to find a wife. And he did just that. I'm not sure how long they've been married, but she is such a sweet woman, and he adores her. It's amazes me (not in a bad way) the lengths some people will go through to find the "One."
Great story and pictures to boot Buzz! Thank you for sharing these experiences.
My wife grew up on a farm. She can go into a wild field and come back with a great meal of greens. She never ceases to amaze me with skills I had never before known about.
Very nice. Thanks so much for sharing the beauty.
Buzz, you really brought China alive for me. Your photos, falling into roughly three categories, are really spectacular.
Before, when I thought of China, I only saw in my mind's eye the sweatshops of many of the workers there. I saw the smog that we have come to understand is there. I did not see nor hear about any beauty there. Yet, you have managed to bring a different China alive for me. Lots of variety. The intensely human touch. Your photo with one of the last surviving Chinese Flying Tigers is really a precious piece of history.
And yes, your wife is very beautiful. I agree, how very honest of her to let you know about her daughter right away. Could you tell us something about the Chinese educational system?
Well, now it all falls into place "Buzz of the Orient". Thank you for sharing your photographs, and parts of your life with us. That's just really so very nice. Say hello to your wife and daughter for me.
Well, Buzz, I wrote a rather lengthy reply, then pushed the wrong button. I seem to do a lot of that. Anyhow, just keeping it short. I surely did enjoy your photos and stories. I'll be back for another look, and then I'll give a better reply. I still know what I'd like to say, but I'm obviously getting sleepy!!
Take care, Kara
Oh, there is my original reply, Buzz.And, I'll still be back!!