Features, OCT 06

ME CHINESE - Beijing's Greatest Hits
by JENNIFER CHANG, founding editor

J. Chang left the North American continent for the first time in July and returned at the end of August, just a bit worldlier. These are excerpts from her journal documenting observations on the other side of the world.



The Forbidden City is so-called because it was off-limits to commoners for over 500 years. The complex was home to the Ming and the Qing Dynasties and stood as a symbol of imperial rule until it faced destruction by angry mobs who would have liked to have seen it razed to the ground during the Cultural Revolution. Premier Zhou Enlai had the good sense to demand that they not lay a finger on it. Today, the Forbidden City rakes in the tourist dollars and is accessible to anyone who can pay the 40 yuan admission fee, and you can even rent a cassette tape narrated by Roger Moore.



BELGIUM - Try Everything
semester@sea.wldly
by ALEX BUDAK, staff columnist

This summer Alex spent 10 weeks studying abroad through Semester at Sea, a floating university, where he took classes while aboard the ship, and made explorations around Europe when the ship docked. The journey took him to Iceland, Norway, Russia, Poland, Belgium, France, Ireland and Spain. Here is the fourth of a multi-part series where he shares his journey with us.



Waffles in Belgium, it should be noted, are not quite like their American cousins. Waffles in Antwerp more closely resemble fried cake. Also, you can forget asking for “a little syrup” on your waffles. Here, you choose a couple of toppings, which range from whipped cream and cherries (my personal favorite), to a chocolate coating, to ice-cream, whipped cream, or sprinkles and chocolate sauce, as one of the girls I was with had. Amazingly, it seems despite how many things you can think of throwing on top of a waffle, the price it seems never tops 3 Euros. It is, therefore, more of an artery and cavity-challenger than it is a wallet-stretcher.



SOUTH AMERICA - The Adventure of Peru, Part 2
Letters from a real-life archaeologist
by CALIFORNIA KAY, staff writer

Intrepid archaeologist California Kay trekked through into the heart of Latin America this summer. The following is the first of a three-part series documenting his adventures in the form of the letters he sent home to his dear ones.



I spent most of my time in the rural town and archaeological site of Pampa Grande, a spectacular desert region surrounded by mountains on one side and a glowing green river valley below. The area is recognizable by thousands of impressive ceramic sherds strewn about the ground, the best of which were taken by looters, evidenced by looters pits that dot the land. Two majestic huacas, or pyramids, which have somewhat endured the tests of 1,500 years, earthquakes, and El Niño events, sit boldly in the Peruvian sun, and a somewhat treacherous climb to the top of the largest of the two gives you a splendid view of the land and the people below. Only these remnants are evidence of the Moche empire that once existed one thousand years or more years before the Inca Empire.