While touring the silk route in the western part of China, we encountered some weird interaction between our young Uighur guide and the Han border official. Han is what the westerners called "Chinese".  The special interest groups here have brainwashed us with evil intentions that the Han race majority are the Chinese while other minorities in China are not Chinese.

Our young Uighur guide, Mohamed,  a Muslim, a college student was denied the required pass to go to Kuche, a border town in Xinjiang province. The Han border guard said his old pass was invalid because of his new residency in Urumqi city and the pass was issued in Kashgar city. We had to proceed to Kuche without Mohamed,  the tourist guide. He had to stay behind and was furious and upset. I was worried that the behavior of the border guard might  drive Mohamed, the young tourist guide to become extremist.

After the whole day of driving and sight seeing,  we came back from Kuche and Mohamed was still waiting there outside the border guard office (a shed). He was still upset. I told him that when he graduates from college he can take the official examination become a government official and his rank will be much more important than the border guard. To be an effective manager he cannot be upset with all the errors that the little guys make. I reminded him that in Chinese, there is a classical saying that says "The important persons do not mind the little persons faults."  Then he said that felt much better and not upset anymore. I donated $150  for his scholarship. He was paid only about $8 a day by his tour company.

Before we went on to the Silk Route, we were in Guangxi, a subtropical province in China. While walking in the hilly area of the rice terrace, and while looking at the hills,  I stepped into a ditch and fell. My face was bleeding like a faucet. A Chinese lady said she would call the doctors. What doctors? The closest town is hours away. I told her it is not necessary.  Within minutes there are 15 people came. They have emergency medical boxes. Some one cleaned my face with antiseptic, some one got some bandages. In a few minutes I was all patched up. They are the M.D.s  from a hospital in Xi An province, thousands of mile away. They were tourists touring the same area.

Then I used some herb on the wound and it healed in a few days with no scar. Thanks to the kind doctors from Xi An province.

I also want to thank Agnes for helping Roma with her expert body work.

Joe Hing Kwok Chu