Pianma

Yunnan Province

China

June 9, 2014 

At the height of the Japanese military power during World War II, their armed forces occupied large areas of China, blockaded the ports, and closed almost all of the roads.  “The Burma Road”  -the one open route that snaked through the mountains from India, through Burma to western China - was bombed by Japanese fighter planes.   Eventually, trucks ceased to transport goods to the Chinese Nationalist Army fighting the Japanese.

“The Hump” became the vital lifeline. 

Bingzhongluo

Gongshan County

Nu Jiang Liuku Autonomous Prefecture

Yunnan Province

China

June 11, 2014

My Dear Fellow Travelers, and anyone who yearns for adventure,

In the early morning hours, from my hotel window in Bingzhongluo, I gaze in amazement at the cloud-covered valley of “The Angry River.” “The Furious River.”  “The River of Rage.”  The Nu Jiang.    怒江

Amazed?  Sure.  I am feeling so fortunate to be here.

Stuck in the Mud!

Bingzhongluo

Gongshan County

Nu Jiang Liuku Autonomous Prefecture

Yunnan Province

China

June 13, 2014

Stuck in the mud!  Is that ever a good thing?

Despite the gloomy weather and the potentially muddy country roads, my guide Ilian and I decide to visit a Tibet style temple and to explore the mountain villages above Bingzhongluo here in the upper and remote reaches of Yunnan Province.  We hire a local man with a four-wheel drive vehicle.

Riga

Latvia

September 5, 2014

Dear Family and Friends,

In response to my letters and photographs from Latvia, my old friend and classmate Paul G. wrote the following:

“Thanks, Jan, for the virtual tour.  My wife and I will never visit many of the locations that you experienced.”

Paul’s sentiments are certainly understandable.  For most Americans who travel to Europe, Latvia is not a favored destination.  England, France, Germany, Italy and Spain top the list.    Who can gainsay the decisions to visit Buckingham Palace, the Eiffel Tower, Checkpoint Charlie, the Coliseum, or the Plaza de Toros? 

And yet, the decisions of many Americans are now changing.