Mark Halliday Travel Log: RTW 1995

RTW: AROUND-THE-WORLD 1995

China-India-Poland

In early May I began a six-week around-the-world business trip. It was my first international trip for LaCoste and Romberg in two years, but provided some new destinations!

The first two quick stops were in Utah and Oregon to visit family and friends.

I then flew to Beijing via Korea, arriving in China on my birthday, May 9th.

CHINA

The first week consisted of day-long meetings in smoke-filled rooms.

Teams of people from government agencies were negotiating to buy gravity meters.

Great food was the highlight in Beijing, including some Sichuan dog for variety.

On the weekend I flew to Xian, the old Chinese capitol.

A day tour included the famous terracotta warriors and the beautiful old walled city.

The second week was at a trade show in Qingdao, a city on the Chinese coast across from Korea.

This beautiful seaport was colonized by Germany around the turn of the century.

It is surprising to see catholic churches and European architecture in normally drab and grey China.

The food was astonishing; a large plate of SCORPIONS fried in red chili oil was the most challenging!

Very crunchy, and you feel the little stingers as you munch! I also had very strange dreams that night....

We toured the original German-built brewery, now home to the most famous Chinese beer, TsingTao.

I heard a favorite "chinese answer" during the brewery tour:

I asked the guide:

Is the beer made today brewed the same way the Germans brewed it originally?

The answer:

We have no idea how the Germans brewed their beer. The beer we produce today is better than the beer the Germans produced.

Then I spent a weekend in Shanghai, China's biggest city.

It is truly one of the great sights of the world.

Oceangoing ships passed by in front of the famous Peace Hotel where I stayed.

This jazz band is a famous tourist sight in Shanghai.

From Shanghai I passed through Bangkok.

A day tour allowed me to visit some great Buddhas I had missed on previous trips.

I then stayed in Singapore for a night, visiting another customer, before flying to India.

INDIA

Arriving in Madras (now named Chennai), I had two days to look around in between work duties.

This huge ceremonial chariot is in one of the city parks.

There is an intersting snake farm to visit.

The beach in Madras is nice, but strange.

Indians only go into the water a short ways, and with their clothes on!

I think most people do not know how to swim, and fear the ocean.

The Indian representative then accompanied me to Hyderabad, where we visited the National Geophysical Research Center.

I gave a lecture on gravity meters, and tried to help repair a broken instrument.

Next: four days to play in the old Portuguese colony of Goa

on the west coast of India.

Goa is famous for its beaches

and catholic churches.

The mummified feet of Saint Francis Xavier, who died in 1552.

Every ten years they bring him out and millions of people make a pilgrimage to Goa to have a look.

Old Portuguese Fort Aguada

Aguada Beach Sunset

Beach Walking

These fishing boats are pulled up on land before the Monsoon season starts, and turned into houses with thatched roofs.

After the Monsoon they will return to ocean duty.

I had 12 hours in Bombay (Mumbai) before a 2 a.m. flight to Europe.

This allowed me to visit the famous Gateway to India monument,

and hang out at the Taj Palace hotel.

It is much too hot and humid to enjoy India in May just before the monsoon. Still, I was fascinated with this glimpse of southern India, and hoped to return soon to do some exploring.

POLAND

First I visited one of the research institutes in Warsaw, Poland.