China-Latin America: Similar spots
June 1st, 2009Apologies for the recent lack of activity here. I’ve been traveling (currently in Puerto Varas, Chile) and have been trying to keep computer time to a minimum.
Anyone who travels is occasionally (or constantly) reminded of where he has been. Whether we like it or not, a mountain skyline, a village’s music, a drive along a coast remind us of past travels. So, in the spirit of my time on the road (and this blog’s theme), I thought I’d offer up some thoughts on places I’ve been and the China destinations they reminded me of (however superficially). Fellow travelers, add your own additions below!
1. Cuzco, Peru – Lijiang, Yunnan
Though historically these two destinations are nowhere near the same size (Lijiang was a small picturesque Naxi village, while Cuzco was capital of the Incan empire), the cobblestone streets, the mountain backdrop and pushy tourism industries put these two cities in the same league for me. Actually, Cuzco struck me as a mix between Lijiang and the Yunnan backpacker mecca Dali, with its narrow winding alleys lined with tour agencies, pizza restaurants, cafés and bars.
2. Iquique, Chile – Qingdao, Shandong
Both sprawling seaports combine good seafood, high-rise construction and patches of urban beaches. Iquique is hemmed in by large sand dunes to the east, while Qingdao is now pushing up against Lao Shan in the same direction. Though not in the red-roof Bavarian style of Qingdao, Iquique’s Plaza Prat retains its own early 20th century architectural flavor. Also, while nowhere near as famous as Tsingtao beer, Iquique even has its own local brew: Iquiqueño.
3. San Pedro de Atacama, Chile – Kashgar, Xinjiang
Aside from both being desert towns, these two cities initially seem to share little else in common: The former is a largely traditional Muslim town with heavy influences from “the Stans” across the border; the latter is a tiny backpacker bastion in the Atacama Desert. However, the dust and sand, the starry nights and stone/adobe buildings in San Pedro reminded me more of Kashgar’s old quarter than any other place I’d been. Now, if only llamas and alpacas could survive in the desert like camels do in the Silk Road town.
4. Lake Titicaca, Peru/Bolivia – Tai Lake, Jiangsu
Who would have thought that setting out from Puno, Peru, the world’s highest navigable lake is presently slimed like one of China’s high-profile ecological disasters? As you head out further into Lake Titicaca, however, the green algae layer recedes and the water takes on the deep blue unlike anything found in Central China.