Entering Shandong province. We were expecting a little grander a sign to match our excitement at leaving Hebei. -Evan
Corn knows no provincial borders. -Evan
An abstract view of the mosque in Zhangguan, by Andy
Old door in the Hui (Muslim) town of Zhangguan. -Evan
A miniature side-mosque for women in Zhangguan, by Andy
Riding past a solar powered water heater store. We've seen no lack of solar powered implements being sold. -Evan
Talking to the mosque caretakers, by Andy
A bunch of cotton pickin' so-and-so's. Cotton is probably the second largest crop we've seen in Shandong, complete with bent-back laborers picking it in the fields, unfortunately minus inspiring hymnals. Some of the cotton on that truck migh just make it to a K-Mart near you soon. -Evan
Andy and the kids, by Evan
We've seen so many places like this, full of trash and seemingly nobody to care. -Evan
Halal chicken slaughter, by Andy
More corn. -Evan
Putrid streams, running black, by Andy
Woke up before dawn on the first night of camping in a patch of young trees next to a cotton field. -Evan
Zhangguan old town, by Andy
Our buds at the Yellow River pear distributorship who showered us with delicious pears and BS'ed with us for a while. -Evan
Triumphantly crossing the Yellow. -Evan
A grandfather and grandson duo, by Andy
A dinky truckstop restaurant on the side of a provincial highway, reminiscent of a lot of places we've eaten. -Evan
A side-mosque for women in the Zhangguan mosque, by Andy
Big enough for ya? Rip-off brand gas stations have a way of overdoing things to attract business. -Evan
Some junk-looking junkers hanging out next to a pontoon bridge close to the Lai Bay. -Evan
Grandmother and grandson in Zhangguan, by Andy
Got clogged in a small town market. -Evan
Mr. Zhang, his wife, and the newest Zhangs. -Alexis
Very ornate calligraphy of the party slogans, "unity among the races" and "together create harmony" in Arabic and Chinese hanging in Mr. Zhang's son's house. -Alexis
Mr. Zhang and his wife next to their humble house. -Alexis
Mr. Zhang and wife, by Andy
Our very welcoming Hui hotel family, the Zhang's. -Alexis
Corn, a baby cow, and two Frenchmen in a little out-of-the-way village. -Evan
The one on the left is called Moo Shoo, and the one on the right is Sweet'n'Sour. -Evan
Yes, I'm obsessed, but it really is everywhere. -Evan
The photographer returns. -Evan
Gilles looking wistful. -Evan
"Development is hard [concrete] reason." I guess there's been a lot of soft reason passing around the cornfields these days. -Evan
"It's just as good to have a boy or a girl." -Evan
"Have fewer kids, get rich quick, and run toward a decent living standard; put an effort into building a new farm village." It all makes sense now! -Evan
"Having a boy or having a girl - let nature take its course." Could only be improved by the addition of a, "no, seriously" at the end. -Evan
"Work hard to erect a civilized road industry that satisfies the people." Alexis took that to mean, "work hard to get a really hilarious sunburn on your back despite warnings from your wiser American friends." -Evan
Sign on left: "Study and implement the scientific development persective; construct a new socialist farm village." Sign on household entrance at right: "May the family prosper and the sources of wealth flourish" and "wealth and honor / auspicious" at bottom. -Evan
One of the many ghost-town-esque places we passed by in industrial Shandong, by Andy
Qingdao smokestack, by Andy
Qingdao harbor, by Andy
Qingdao beer from a bag, by Andy
Goofyass, dirty dome on the Qingdao waterfront, by Andy
Qingdao architecture, by Andy
Puppies for sale, by Andy
Dog seller, by Andy
One of the many ostentatious buildings erected by companies or local governments in random places in China. The downstairs of this one is clearly packed with boxes...a glorious warehouse, by Andy
Village gate, by Andy
Fortune, by Andy
Corn huskers, by Andy
Evan and a split-pantsed baby
From front to back: Mr. Chu's daughter, Mr. Chu, Mr. Chu's wife, Little Liu's wife, Little Liu, by Andy
Nature walk in Chujiawangwu, by Andy
Little Liu picking persimmons, by Andy
Stopping to pack a pipe on the Chujiawangwu resevoir dam, by Andy
Mr. Chu's daughter and dog, by Andy
Riding through some idyllic villages, by Andy
Farmer, by Andy
Quaint little villages, by Andy
Scenes from a Shandong mountain village, by Andy
Desolate highway scene in northern Shandong. -Alexis
Industrial wasteland in northern Shandong. -Alexis
More wasteland. -Alexis
Inexplicable patterns of green growth on a Shandong river. -Alexis
Industrial wasteland. -Alexis
Bombed out and depleted, northern Shandong. -Alexis
The Linhai Ecological Exposition Park, conveniently located in the middle of nowhere among oil derricks and miles of gray, polluted, desolate landscape. -Alexis
A decent meal eaten outside of Binzhou which was paid for by a drunk ex-military man now in the lamb and dog meat business. Evan plays with a young hunting dog. -Alexis
Like meets like on the north shore of the Yellow River. -Alexis
Ambiguous "15" marker on the Yellow River. -Alexis
A full function bathing facility. -Alexis
What happens in Qingdao... -Alexis
Two adorable Tibetan mastiffs for sale off a major highway outside of Qingdao. -Alexis
"How badass am I? I sell Tibetan mastiffs." -Alexis
It had been a long, rainy day. -Alexis
A grundle-buster trail leading into some quaint villages. -Alexis
Gilles in the cotton. -Alexis
Evan's best impression of Gene PerSimmons. -Alexis
Our 15 year old LBX friend holding a "hanging melon" in Chujiawangwu. -Alexis
Crazy old Mr. Chu, a little lit on baijiu. -Alexis
Sand dredging from the bottom of the Chujiawangwu reservoir. -Alexis
My other ride is a touring bike. -Alexis
Evan picks at a breakfast of packaged sausage, salted peppers, cauliflower pork, and pickled roots as Little Liu looks at his cell phone on top of the kang bed in Mr. Chu's house. -Alexis
Mr. Chu's adorable 10 year old daughter. -Alexis
One of these cyclists is not like the others... -Alexis
When the farmers get bored in Shandong, they go plough surfing. -Alexis
Coming into the Shandong mountains. -Alexis
"Yeah, 4 of them. No, I never hit the baijiu before lunch." -Alexis
Cornfield bike repair. -Alexis
"Planned birth is honorable; illegal birth is shameful." And I thought only Catholics knew that trick. -Alexis
Gilles on his stallion. -Alexis
A very ornate hearse in a Shandong mountain village. -Alexis
A farmer knocking persimmons loose for Alexis in a mountain village. -Alexis
A mentally disturbed man wandering around a small village in Shandong muttering loudly to himself. -Alexis
Moving on up. -Alexis
A power plant marrs the sunny blue sky in Laiwu - Andy
A Hui Muslim man works the crap (literally) out of 25 meters worth of lamb intestines.
The entrance to the mosque in Tai'an. The characters read: Love the country. Love religion. - Andy
Muslim moons combined on a traditional Chinese roof in the 600-year-old mosque in Tai'an - Andy
The fermentation room in the Taishan Shengliyuan baijiu factory. Workers shovel sorghum into pits, cover it with plastic and a layer of mud, and let it ferment for 40 days. - Andy
Steaming the alcohol out of sorghum in the Taishan Shengliyuan baijiu factory. - Andy
Inside of the Taishan Shengliyuan baijiu factory - Andy
Getting a tour from the shift manager, Mr. Wu -- very passionate about baijiu - Andy
Steaming the alcohol off of sorghum - Andy
Workers on bags of sorghum - Andy
Lunchtime nap on bags of sorghum - Andy
A worker at the Taishan Shengliyuan baijiu factory - Andy
Shoveling sorghum into pits to ferment - Andy
One happy baijiu worker - Andy
Baijiu workers -- they gave me a shot of the stuff right from the machine after this shot. Much better than from the bottle in the store, which is after they water it down to cut down the alcohol level - Andy
Smokestacks at the power plant attached to the Huafeng coal mine - Andy
Station Manager Wang, who heads up the Huafeng Coal Mine TV Station (yes, they have their own TV station to broadcast coal mine news and related propaganda), takes us on a tour of the coal facilities with an accompanying cameraman. Who knows what they will turn that footage into - Andy
Power plant smokestack at the coal mine - Andy
Hauling gas canisters up steps at the coal mine - Andy
Coal cleaning facilities and the top of the attached power plant at the Huafeng coal mine - Andy
Another scene from the Huafeng coal mine - Andy
Workers spray the ground at the Huafeng coal mine - Andy
The residential area of the coal mine town of Huafeng - Andy
Without the water running, it really doesn't look like that little boy statue is taking a pee... - Andy
The residential area of the Huafeng coal mine town - Andy
A banner in Huafeng that tries to throw in every catchphrase adjective in the current CCP vernacular: "Build a rich, strong, democratic, cultured, harmonious, socialist, modernized country..." Yeah...we'll work on that. - Andy
Sign reads: "Chives / Chicken Shit." Would you like separate bags for those, sir? -Evan
Qufu, the birthplace of Confucius, knows how to jump on the bandwagon. -Evan
Streetscape just outside the city wall of Qufu. -Evan
One of several power plants we passed in Western Shandong. -Evan
"It is forbidden to burn straw." For me, the smell of burning straw is intertwined deeply with biking through Chinese countryside, as they burn it literally everywhere. This particular village is trying to crack down. -Evan
"It is strictly forbidden to burn straw; violators will be punished to the full extent of the law" and "It is everybody's responsibility to prevent the American white moth." -Evan
"Be concerned for the growing up of girls." -Evan
A coutyard entrance reminiscent of many we've seen in Shandong -Evan
The road ahead. -Evan
"Life must have a decent standard; the population must decrease" as we pass through a road about to be paved for the first time. -Evan
A tree grows in Shandong (probably the oldest tree I saw in the whole province). -Evan
A de-corning machine, common sight around Shandong, not like the ones sold by Dr. Scholls. -Evan
"Planned Birth unites you, me, and him; heartfelt service warms 10,000 families." -Evan
He knows a thing or two about hard work. -Evan
"It is forbidden to determine the gender of a fetus without medical need." -Evan
We keep on talking about the back-breaking work the old people do around here, and this is some of the proof. If I had been 5 seconds earlier, I could have gotten this one without the "who the $%*& is that?" expressions on their faces. -Evan
The end of the road. -Evan
On the way to the fields. -Evan
Those are some Shandong haymakers. -Evan
"Zis is de face ze frenchman like to make!" -Evan
I don't care how many baozi you make, buddy; you'll never outsteam that cooling tower. -Evan
"Those peasants who carry out Planned Birth shall be rewarded." With a piece of candy? -Evan
Catching a ride. -Evan
Chinese Jimmy Carter, tending the peanuts. -Evan
Another corn machine in front of a dog party. -Evan
"One child - in goes the Intrauterine Device; Two children - your tubes get tied; Birth without a license - abortion." Is that the reward they were talking about? It's a lot more poetic sounding in Chinese, but that's exactly what they mean. These people don't F around. -Evan
This sign says that peasants who comply with Planned Birth will receive 60 yuan per month per person starting at age 55. So they've resorted to bribery in addition to guilt and threats. It's like they're using my mom's playbook! -Evan
Walkin' the sheep. -Evan
Mr. Liu insisted we photograph him with the awesome glasses on. -Evan
A female shepherd, one of hundreds of shepherds we saw that day, nods off in a pavilion while her flock grazes just off the Yellow River dike. -Evan
Camping in an "area." -Evan
Farm land traffic jam. -Evan
Farm kids just getting out of school. -Evan
This village had the most intense propaganda we've seen yet. This is yet another huge public space covered with Planned Birth slogans. -Evan
Planned Birth in 50 simple questions and answers, in two parts. -Evan
Second half. -Evan
"23. What are the basic requirements of Shandong's Planned Birth measures? Answer: All married couples who have the capacity for bearing children but are not within quota should use birth control. We encourage all women who've already had one child to use an IUD (Intrauterine device). All women who've had two children will have their tubes tied. In cases in which birth control, IUDs, or tube tying are not appropriate, all pregnancies that fall outside the scope of Planned Birth will be terminated." -Evan
The guardian of the biggest, newest Mao statue around. -Evan
It's soybean season now, and everybody is out tossing piles of dried soybean plants up in the air to get the beans to fall out - on the sides of absolutely every road around.
"Nanliu Market - the implementation of Planned Birth is a foundational policy of Our Nation." Nanliu was a fun place to hang around. -Alexis
The phallic monument to progress at the coal mine, these two sides read, "firmly remember responsibility; loyalty to the corporation" and "extract brightness; contribute warmth." -Alexis
The railcar leading to the top of the waste rock mountain. It may not look big here, but see later for scale. -Alexis
The coal cleaningp lant, shrouded in haze. -Alexis
Coal mine workers. -Alexis
The other sides read, "Love the country; love the corporation; love the family" and "scientific development; together create harmony." -Alexis
Comical cartoon illustration of the "8 glories" and "8 shames" to educate the workers. -Alexis
"The market is our guide; the customer is the center; seek life in quality; seek development in reputation." -Alexis
"Love the country; love the country; love the family." Would be more fitting with the addition of, "even the goofiest looking of dudes can become supreme leader of China." -Alexis
The entrance to the mine, "Loyalty; respect for work; love for one's position." -Alexis
"Safety first; production second." Actually this isn't a bad motto. -Alexis
A scene from the Hui neighborhood leading up to the rainbow gates that lead into the mine, and the waste rock mountain within. -Alexis
A closer look. -Alexis
Mao overlooking the progress at the mine. -Alexis
The windows where the workers pick up their safety equipment. -Alexis
The angled belt that moves workers in and out of the mine. -Alexis
Picking up equipment. -Alexis
The waste rock mountain next to the power plant at the coal mine. -Alexis
Coal workers. -Alexi
Harmony square, recent site of the group wedding of 22 patriotic couples. -Alexis
Families enjoy the recreation section outside of the mine. -Alexis
Older housing units at the mine. -Alexis
Retirees enjoying their recreation center. -Alexis
Male retirees in the recreation area enjoying the statues of... yeah. -Alexis
Pavilion full of coal mine retirees. -Alexis
The living section was FULL of great signs. This one reads, "How to manage the family: be thrifty and hardworking; treat people honestly and considerately; venerate science; oppose superstition; educate children; love to study and make progress." -Alexis
Another housing complex sign: "We must strongly encourage a society that values civilization and courtesy; taking pleasure in helping people; loving and protecting public property; and obeying laws. Encourage people to be good citizens in society."
"Take it into your own hands to enact Planned Birth; accelerate family harmony and happiness."
"Respect the old and love the young; equality among the sexes; marital bliss; thrifty and hardworking." So are you saying this is where we're trying to get, or does that supremely harmonious family in the picture mean we're already there? -Alexis
"Standards of virtue for employees: to love one's position, one must love one's corporation; if you respect work, you will feel proud; work should adhere to strict standards; handling affairs should be fair; always adhere to promises; quality service is good; fulfill duties and responsibilities; safety must be protected; work should be intensely scrutinized; contribute light and heat; innovation comes from high efficiency."
Cityscape from outside of the coal mine. -Alexis
Qufu and their upholding of the Confucian ideals of merchandising. -Alexis
Places to go, people to see. -Alexis
I'm not sure it's safe to let children play with Ultraman dolls while facing rearward on scooters. -Alexis
Sign reads, "It is strictly forbidden to burn straw; purify the ecology and the environment." That old man has a mischeivous straw-burning look about him. -Alexis
Dusty Shandong village. -Alexis
"Composite utilization is good; straw becomes a treasure." -Alexis
A oft-seen look of concern and surprise on the face of an old lady as we traverse her village. -Alexis
Freshly ploughed over field, probably used to contain corn and now full of winter wheat seeds. -Alexis
"If get pregnant a second time, you must have a license." -Alexis
Another amusing cartoon about fire prevention. -Alexis
"Those who illegally bear children must pay the full amount of 'societal raising [children] fees." -Alexis
"It is strictly forbidden to screen the gender of fetuses or to decide oneself to abort a fetus." Message here: we'll do that for you. -Alexis
A field being irrigated in front of a power plant. No, there's nothing wrong with the camera, and it was noon. That's just pollution. -Alexis
"It is forbidden to cohabit before marriage or have children out of wedlock." Man, they take the fun out of everything! -Alexis
Old lady hanging out in front of her shack. -Alexis
Dressed sharp for moving a wheelbarrow around. -Alexis
Little old ladies are up and at 'em just like everybody else. -Alexis
One angle of former staff officer Mr. Liu's amazing decor. -Alexis
The other side. -Alexis
The man himself in the middle. -Alexis
Mr. Liu basking in his house's excellence. -Alexis
Soybean separation is more fun in groups. -Alexis
Strange patch of sand along the Yellow River. -Alexis
The second Mr. Liu, the farmer, approaches us in the [common] "area" of poplar trees as we finished breaking down camp. -Alexis
Burning straw along the Yellow River, a serious no-no in some nearby localities. -Alexis
Riding through what a week ago were corn fields, by Andy
A woman prepares to water a recently planted field in front of the hazy backdrop of a coal-fired power plant, by Andy
Another Mr. Liu, who approached our campsite on the Yellow River in the morning, sprinkling fertilizer on his crop of winter wheat, by Andy
