Quill of the Hill

January 2003 Page 2

A TRIP TO CHINA

Dr. Reece Boone and Ruth, his wife, traveled to China this past Fall and we asked if they would give us an account of their travels to share in the "Quill". Dr. Boone graciously agreed and what follows is the second account in a three-part series.

The next morning we toured Tiananmen Square, the site of past student riots, then boarded a modern electric train for an overnight trip of 500 miles to Xian. After breakfast we drove to a courtyard complex for a "dumpling" luncheon in the modest home of a middle-aged widow who was barely surviving in the rubble where once lived wealthy families over 300 years ago. Thus, we were exposed to the tumbledown slum section that is gradually being renovated by the government. We then drove to the outskirts of the city where in 1947 a farmer was drilling a series of wells when he encountered strange ceramic fragments and notified State officials. Massive excavations revealed the burial ground of the Emperor Quin Dynasty's (221BC-206C) Terra-Cotta Army of thousands of troops, horses and carriages. This museum-site is the largest in China and is considered to be the eighth wonder of the world.

The next afternoon we flew to Wuhan on the banks of the mighty Yangtze River, known for its frequent, devastating flooding with the loss of thousands of lives annually. We boarded a luxurious riverboat that carried 150 passengers for a five-day cruise that covered the 650 miles of the upper portion of the world's third longest river (next to the Amazon and Nile.)

As we continued upstream the terrain changed from flat to rolling then mountainous ground to the construction site of the Three Gorges Dam at Sandouping Village. When completed in 2009 it will be the world's largest dam, measuring 606 feet high and one and a half miles long. Besides providing flood control, it will give much-needed hydroelectric service, the opening of the upper Yangtze to heavy shipping and the irrigation value of the impounded water. Over 250,000 workers are involved in China's largest construction project since the Great Wall. The dam will raise the water level 325 feet, will inundate 13 cities, 140 towns, 1352 villages, 657 factories and 66,000 acres of fine farmland. Up to 1.3 million people will be relocated to new towns being constructed above the high water mark.

The object of our river cruise was to view the splendid scenery of the Three Gorges that will be inundated along with the many historical sites, museums, temples, etc. We were fascinated by the towering cliffs with markers indicating the future water levels and the destruction of cities and dwellings in progress, most of which was being done by hand as

so many unemployed people are available. We stopped daily to tour sites, returned to our boat for meals, lectures and nightly entertainment. As we were raised in the coal fields of West Virginia, it was of special interest to us to see small coal mines on the cliff sides emptying coal through chutes into tugboats in the river below. These gorges were almost beyond imagination and were a paradise for photographers.

(Part 3 in the February "Quill")

Keeping the Little Piggies Happy

It has been said many times that a person's mood is a reflection of the comfort level of their feet. It is very difficult to be happy when the "little piggie that goes to market" would rather stay home and soak in warm epsom salts.

Two internet websites include some very helpful hints of how we can take better care of the "little piggies" and our feet in general.

A Step Ahead Foot & Ankle Centers with the web address of http://www.asafoot.com/pd31.htm notes that according to the National Center for Health Statistics, a leading cause of activity limitation in older people is impairment of the lower extremities. In fact, more than 25% of nursing home patients can walk only with assistance ... or not at all. To live useful, satisfying lives as we get older, it's vital that we're able to move around. Foot ailments make this difficult, if not impossible, for some seniors.

Now ... here are some practical tips on maintaining good foot health care:

· Bathe your feet daily with warm water and blot dry ... never rub.
· Massage your feet with cocoa butter or a lanolin cream to help the skin retain moisture and stay soft.

· Soak brittle nails before clipping or filing.

· Keep your feet warm and dry.

· Exercise carefully but often; walking is one of the best forms of exercise.

· Wear comfortable shoes, and rest your feet whenever possible by elevating them above your heart level.

· Have an annual foot exam.

The web site titled "A Healthy Me" at http://www.ahealthyme.com/topic/srfeet notes the importance of wearing comfortable and proper fitting shoes, "Finding comfortable shoes that fit is the best thing you can do for your feet. It's especially important to avoid tight or high-heeled shoes that put undue pressure on the foot. The constant rubbing and pinching from this "fashionable" footwear are a major cause of corns, calluses, and bunions. (Not surprisingly, these conditions occur four times as often in women as in men.) Keep in mind that feet can become wider in your later years, so you should always have them measured before buying new shoes."

Table of Contents

Home

Page 1

"Beauty" by Ben Henneke

Page 2

"A Trip to China" by Dr. Boone

"Keeping the Little Piggies Happy"

Page 3

Rezzy Dent Says

Page 4

Roots n' Shoots n' Critters

Page 5