Back in UK (11 Dec 2010)
Our flight was, as usual, too long but Cathay Pacific's in-flight entertainment is pretty good and helped pass the time. Famiy and friends have already welcomed us home and we have a family get-together tomorrow. Judy now has her bus pass!
So that's the end of this trip to China. Lots of good memories. Not sure when we shall go again but 2012 looks likely.
Thank you for your interest and comments. We wish you all the best for this very special season of Christmas
So that's the end of this trip to China. Lots of good memories. Not sure when we shall go again but 2012 looks likely.
Thank you for your interest and comments. We wish you all the best for this very special season of Christmas
Hong Kong (10 Dec 2010)
We've made it as far as Hong Kong. Peter was a bit surprised to be asked to drnk some TCP at Kunming Airport security to prove it wasn't a dangerous substance!. Now a 7 hour wait for the flight to London, but HK Airport is so much nicer than Bangkok, so we don't mind
University Visit (9 December 2010)
Peter was at last able to meet with Professor He (pronounced more like “her”), Vice-President of Yunnan Agricultural University and Head of the Apiculture Research Institute. The meeting had been delayed because Peter was ill. We only had 2 days left here in China before going back to England, so it was good of the professor to fit the meeting into his busy schedule at short notice. Also present were Tan Ken, another professor on the staff of the institute and Professor Wu Jinmin who spent a year at RAC Cirencester and who now liaises with foreigners on behalf of the university.
Why did we meet? Firstly because the Gloucestershire Beekeepers Association wants to establish a link with the institute and we needed to discuss how to do this.
But also because the institute is keen to host a visit by a group of British beekeepers and we needed to start making plans. The visit is likely to happen in the spring of 2012, which might just about give us enough time to get organised.
After the business, Peter was treated to an excellent lunch. A taste of good things to come?
It should be an interesting visit and could include sight-seeing in other parts of China. Anyone interested, get in touch.
Sadly, the visit to the university meant that Judy had to go on her own to the farewell lunch with Cathy, our Chinese teacher, and some of our fellow students. They had a good time. We shall miss them.
Looking forward to being home on Saturday!!
Why did we meet? Firstly because the Gloucestershire Beekeepers Association wants to establish a link with the institute and we needed to discuss how to do this.
But also because the institute is keen to host a visit by a group of British beekeepers and we needed to start making plans. The visit is likely to happen in the spring of 2012, which might just about give us enough time to get organised.
After the business, Peter was treated to an excellent lunch. A taste of good things to come?
It should be an interesting visit and could include sight-seeing in other parts of China. Anyone interested, get in touch.
Sadly, the visit to the university meant that Judy had to go on her own to the farewell lunch with Cathy, our Chinese teacher, and some of our fellow students. They had a good time. We shall miss them.
Looking forward to being home on Saturday!!
Judy writes…… (5 Dec 2010)
I thought you would like to see a picture of one of the gifts Peter received when he was ill in bed. What do you think it is? He could just about lift it while I took the photo! Two weeks on, he is making excellent progress, but I’ve banned swimming for now. Our apartment looked as though we had been celebrating Harvest Festival and we were very grateful for all the fruit, tea and meals we received.
(Paul Hider's blog has a picture of Peter and Paul having home schooling due to illness http://oceanofmorality.weebly.com )
(Paul Hider's blog has a picture of Peter and Paul having home schooling due to illness http://oceanofmorality.weebly.com )
Shopping is still a lot of fun. I was interested to see ‘Cut Muggle’ being sold in WalMart. I wondered if some of the cast of ‘Harry Potter’ had come to a sticky end in the fruit department. It is still difficult to choose between ‘seaweed’, ‘cucumber’ and ‘pastoral tomato’ flavoured crisps and I still haven’t got my head around watermelon flavoured toothpaste. Peter wanted pro-biotic yoghurt to aid his recovery, but I couldn’t read the labels on the cartons, so going by the pictures the choice was between ‘pea’ or ‘holly berry’, he said either would be fine!
I spent my Chinese lesson practising ‘how to ask for a box at the post office’. This was because you take your goods to the post office, buy a box and pack it there. I wanted to send home summer clothes so that I had more room in my case. I produced my bag of clothes and, with an interested circle of spectators, recited my lines. The postal assistant giggled and asked, “What size do you want?” in very good English. We then went through my vocabulary list together, “Air mail or sea mail?” “Please may I have a customs form?” and “How much will it cost?” She packed the smallest possible box and selotaped it expertly, with various helpful comments from the audience. I thought the service was wonderful, and quite interesting for the queue that formed behind me. Some of the stamps were very pretty (everyone admired them).
With more room in my case, I went off to shop. Winter fashions fill the shops, but sadly, I don’t think I can fit this furry pink and white creation into my luggage. I’m sure my daughters/daughter-in-law would be the centre of attention dressed in this, but I’d have to buy three to be fair and I suspect this one is unique. Has anyone seen it in Oxford Street?.
(You can add a comment by clicking on the small “Sibleys in China” tab above.)
(You can add a comment by clicking on the small “Sibleys in China” tab above.)
The English Impatient (25 Nov 2010)
This bit’s from Peter. Sorry there are no pictures but what would you like to see?
Last Friday morning I was fine and shared an enjoyable breakfast with Andrew. By lunchtime, I was in bed, running a temperature and unable to walk as far as the bathroom.
The recently opened Bless China International Clinic has a doctor on call, so Judy made the phone call. Dr. Tim, an extremely helpful American, diagnosed pneumonia, and prescribed antibiotics and bed rest. Not much choice about the latter!
Tim texted me the prescription in Chinese and Andrew took my phone, with prescription, to the pharmacy to fetch the medication. I’ve been in bed most of the time ever since. Feeling a bit better now but still lacking energy.
I have been so grateful for Judy’s cheerful nursing care (her Girl Guide nurse’s badge has proved its worth.), for Andrew’s helpfulness and for the support and encouragement of many friends, both here and in UK.
I have to confess to being a rather impatient patient, lying in bed thinking of the things I could be doing. However, it’s given more time to think things through and to read books, something I don’t usually do enough of.
We were disappointed at having to cancel a meal with a couple of friends, including a member of staff from the AgriculturalUniversity. We had planned to discuss how to develop the link between their Beekeeping Research Institute and the Gloucestershire Beekeepers’ Association. I hope we can rearrange this before we leave.
And, of course, I’ve been missing my excellent and enjoyable Chinese lessons at Robert’s School. But I have learned the Chinese word for pneumonia.
Last Friday morning I was fine and shared an enjoyable breakfast with Andrew. By lunchtime, I was in bed, running a temperature and unable to walk as far as the bathroom.
The recently opened Bless China International Clinic has a doctor on call, so Judy made the phone call. Dr. Tim, an extremely helpful American, diagnosed pneumonia, and prescribed antibiotics and bed rest. Not much choice about the latter!
Tim texted me the prescription in Chinese and Andrew took my phone, with prescription, to the pharmacy to fetch the medication. I’ve been in bed most of the time ever since. Feeling a bit better now but still lacking energy.
I have been so grateful for Judy’s cheerful nursing care (her Girl Guide nurse’s badge has proved its worth.), for Andrew’s helpfulness and for the support and encouragement of many friends, both here and in UK.
I have to confess to being a rather impatient patient, lying in bed thinking of the things I could be doing. However, it’s given more time to think things through and to read books, something I don’t usually do enough of.
We were disappointed at having to cancel a meal with a couple of friends, including a member of staff from the AgriculturalUniversity. We had planned to discuss how to develop the link between their Beekeeping Research Institute and the Gloucestershire Beekeepers’ Association. I hope we can rearrange this before we leave.
And, of course, I’ve been missing my excellent and enjoyable Chinese lessons at Robert’s School. But I have learned the Chinese word for pneumonia.
China – full of surprises! (15 Nov 2010)
Every day in China brings a new surprise, usually more than one.
We were invited to a “party” by some very generous Chinese friends. The invitation said 3pm so we took a leisurely walk of about mile to our friends’ home. When we got there at about 3.15pm, surprise! We were the first to arrive and our hosts were still doing their weekly wash! We were, of course, made very welcome and treated to shelled walnuts and glasses of tea to keep us going. The tea was served as it often is in China, the tea leaves put in the glass and hot water added. Your teeth act as the strainer.
Our hostess then began phoning the other friends who had been invited, no doubt explaining that the British guests had sprung a surprise on her by arriving only 15 minutes after the time stated. Several other ladies turned up and set to work in the kitchen – for a couple of hours.
We passed the time watching Chinese TV with the two daughters of the house, Jing and Ping, aged 11 and 14, who also enjoyed looking at our family photos and playing computer games on our laptop.
We were invited to a “party” by some very generous Chinese friends. The invitation said 3pm so we took a leisurely walk of about mile to our friends’ home. When we got there at about 3.15pm, surprise! We were the first to arrive and our hosts were still doing their weekly wash! We were, of course, made very welcome and treated to shelled walnuts and glasses of tea to keep us going. The tea was served as it often is in China, the tea leaves put in the glass and hot water added. Your teeth act as the strainer.
Our hostess then began phoning the other friends who had been invited, no doubt explaining that the British guests had sprung a surprise on her by arriving only 15 minutes after the time stated. Several other ladies turned up and set to work in the kitchen – for a couple of hours.
We passed the time watching Chinese TV with the two daughters of the house, Jing and Ping, aged 11 and 14, who also enjoyed looking at our family photos and playing computer games on our laptop.
The final guests arrived at about 6pm, just in time for the magnificent spread which emerged, one dish after another, from the kitchen. The last person to arrive was the man of the house. He runs a pharmacy, a fascinating place with many drawers full of mysterious Chinese remedies. He had been waiting for a phone call to tell him food was on the table before he shut up shop.
We were each provided with a bowl and chopsticks, so it seemed clear what we were supposed to do until – surprise! The bowls were filled with orange squash! We made the mistake of not drinking it immediately, so we had nowhere to put the food except straight into our mouths, forcing our hosts to find us two more bowls.
The meal followed the traditional Chinese pattern of our hosts putting various items of food into our bowls as fast as we ate what was already there. The last item was boiled rice in case the rest of the food had not filled us up (it had!). Eventually we had to cry “Chi bao le” (which roughly means “Full to bursting”) and the meal was over. We were so grateful to the ladies who had gone to so much trouble (and to Jing who washed up.)
We were given presents for ourselves and our children before we left and were then escorted all the way to the bus stop (another Chinese tradition).
We were each provided with a bowl and chopsticks, so it seemed clear what we were supposed to do until – surprise! The bowls were filled with orange squash! We made the mistake of not drinking it immediately, so we had nowhere to put the food except straight into our mouths, forcing our hosts to find us two more bowls.
The meal followed the traditional Chinese pattern of our hosts putting various items of food into our bowls as fast as we ate what was already there. The last item was boiled rice in case the rest of the food had not filled us up (it had!). Eventually we had to cry “Chi bao le” (which roughly means “Full to bursting”) and the meal was over. We were so grateful to the ladies who had gone to so much trouble (and to Jing who washed up.)
We were given presents for ourselves and our children before we left and were then escorted all the way to the bus stop (another Chinese tradition).
Just before we left, another surprise. The pharmacist got out a hypodermic syringe, etc. and began setting up a drip in the living room. We think it was for his wife who wasn’t feeling too well. We left before we found out for certain, just in case we got another big surprise!
Shangri-La (8 Nov 2010)
A Tibetan town high up in the mountains in the north of Yunnan has been renamed Shangri-La. The tourists seem to like it! We went there to visit a friend who is doing medical work there.
First, we were driven to Li Jiang, an ancient town restored for the tourists. We stayed overnight, however, not in the original old town but in a modern copy a few miles away! We were made very welcome in the Dutch owned Maple Leaf Hotel, built in the traditional Chinese courtyard style.
The next day, a memorable drive alongside the upper reaches of the Yangtze, past Tiger Leaping Gorge and then the climb up through magnificent mountain scenery to the Shangri-La Plateau (3,400m). The plateau is just that, a large flat area surrounded by mountains. Although it’s not officially in Tibet, the local people are Tibetans, yaks and all!
Even though it’s not winter yet, we were very grateful for the wood burning stove in our friend’s living room. Peter was a bit surprised to be snowed on as he crossed the open courtyard in his pyjamas (plus several jumpers etc.) to visit the bathroom! The snow didn’t last long but the cold did, so we needed to wear plenty of layers to keep hypothermia at bay.
First, we were driven to Li Jiang, an ancient town restored for the tourists. We stayed overnight, however, not in the original old town but in a modern copy a few miles away! We were made very welcome in the Dutch owned Maple Leaf Hotel, built in the traditional Chinese courtyard style.
The next day, a memorable drive alongside the upper reaches of the Yangtze, past Tiger Leaping Gorge and then the climb up through magnificent mountain scenery to the Shangri-La Plateau (3,400m). The plateau is just that, a large flat area surrounded by mountains. Although it’s not officially in Tibet, the local people are Tibetans, yaks and all!
Even though it’s not winter yet, we were very grateful for the wood burning stove in our friend’s living room. Peter was a bit surprised to be snowed on as he crossed the open courtyard in his pyjamas (plus several jumpers etc.) to visit the bathroom! The snow didn’t last long but the cold did, so we needed to wear plenty of layers to keep hypothermia at bay.
It was fascinating to see the Tibetan village mud houses, with yaks in the fields and large wooden racks for drying hay, etc. We met a Tibetan lady, a patient in the sanatorium where our friend works. She spoke no Chinese, only Tibetan, but was clearly enormously grateful for the lifesaving treatment she had been receiving.
We had hoped to see some bees while we were there, but we discovered that the beekeeping is largely migratory and the beekeepers had moved their hives to lower and warmer areas.
But we did see the first of the migratory black necked cranes flying in from high in the Himalayas to spend the winter in Shangri-La. How exciting to see these large birds landing quite near us and starting to forage for food.
Our second day in Shangri-La was when the altitude sickness set in. Peter was quite ill and Judy wasn’t feeling 100% so we decided to fly back to Kunming from the modern little airport. In less than 3 hours we were back “home” in the warmth of SpringCity, as Kunming is known by the Chinese.
A short stay in Shangri-La but with unforgettable memories.
But we did see the first of the migratory black necked cranes flying in from high in the Himalayas to spend the winter in Shangri-La. How exciting to see these large birds landing quite near us and starting to forage for food.
Our second day in Shangri-La was when the altitude sickness set in. Peter was quite ill and Judy wasn’t feeling 100% so we decided to fly back to Kunming from the modern little airport. In less than 3 hours we were back “home” in the warmth of SpringCity, as Kunming is known by the Chinese.
A short stay in Shangri-La but with unforgettable memories.
Buses, birds and hot springs (1 Nov 2010)
On Thursday we set off for the Eastern Bus Station to catch a bus to Mile, which is about 2 ½ hours south east of Kunming. We were on our way to meet Christine and John, friends from England, who were on a tour of China.
The weather was cold and gloomy, and the Eastern bus station looked like a huge, black, Cold War bunker – not very inviting! However, we were cheered up by the lovely examples of Chinglish that we found inside. Would anyone like to suggest what happens in the Dishonoring Office?
The bus journey was uneventful except for the toilet stop in a place we named ‘PickleTown’ (hundreds of jars of pickle seemed to be the only thing on sale in all the shops). The ‘Ladies’ came into the top 5 of Judy’s ‘Loos I Never Want To Visit Again’. Unfortunately we stopped there on the way back as well, so it got double entry in the top five.
The weather was cold and gloomy, and the Eastern bus station looked like a huge, black, Cold War bunker – not very inviting! However, we were cheered up by the lovely examples of Chinglish that we found inside. Would anyone like to suggest what happens in the Dishonoring Office?
The bus journey was uneventful except for the toilet stop in a place we named ‘PickleTown’ (hundreds of jars of pickle seemed to be the only thing on sale in all the shops). The ‘Ladies’ came into the top 5 of Judy’s ‘Loos I Never Want To Visit Again’. Unfortunately we stopped there on the way back as well, so it got double entry in the top five.
There was no map of the complex, but Peter asked at reception where we could get supper and we were directed to the Banqueting Hall, which was in semi-darkness. We were the only people there, and the staff obviously weren’t too keen to cook for four, so we were then told to call for an electric car, which would take us to a restaurant. This duly turned up, and we were driven through the park to a restaurant where we were shown pictures of a number of Chinese dishes and we chose some food at random. It wasn’t the most successful Chinese meal we’ve ever had!
We discovered that we had to walk back to the Hotel (electric cars stop at 9pm) but this gave us a chance to get some idea of the layout of the complex. The next morning we went out for a walk and although the weather was cold and gloomy it wasn’t raining. For the first time since we came to China we saw lots of birds, including herons, kingfishers and hoopoes, which was lovely. We think they must have worked out that this nature reserve is the safest place to be!
In the afternoon we went for a swim (more of a wallow) in the hot spring. This required us to walk to the pool in our white bath robes, but as it was a very cold day we put on jumpers, trousers, shoes, socks and outdoor coats over our swimming things, but under our bath robes, so we looked rather strange. Judy managed to drop her bathrobe in the water, so she was glad she had plenty of clothes to wear on the return journey (by electric car). We really enjoyed relaxing in the hot water.
On Saturday John and Christine left for a visit to the rice terraces, which are spectacular early in the morning on clear days. By this time the weather had improved enormously, so we hope they had a worthwhile visit and look forward to seeing their photographs. We went for one last walk around to say goodbye to the heron and the kingfishers and then caught our bus back to Kunming. The return journey was enlivened by a random diversion down a cart track because the main road appeared to be closed by roadworks. However, it soon became clear that there was no way that the bus (or the two lorries in front of us) could get very far along this narrow track, so they then had to find a way of turning around and getting back onto the road. By the time we had done this, traffic was moving along the highway. Why did our driver even attempt the detour? Another Chinese mystery!
We discovered that we had to walk back to the Hotel (electric cars stop at 9pm) but this gave us a chance to get some idea of the layout of the complex. The next morning we went out for a walk and although the weather was cold and gloomy it wasn’t raining. For the first time since we came to China we saw lots of birds, including herons, kingfishers and hoopoes, which was lovely. We think they must have worked out that this nature reserve is the safest place to be!
In the afternoon we went for a swim (more of a wallow) in the hot spring. This required us to walk to the pool in our white bath robes, but as it was a very cold day we put on jumpers, trousers, shoes, socks and outdoor coats over our swimming things, but under our bath robes, so we looked rather strange. Judy managed to drop her bathrobe in the water, so she was glad she had plenty of clothes to wear on the return journey (by electric car). We really enjoyed relaxing in the hot water.
On Saturday John and Christine left for a visit to the rice terraces, which are spectacular early in the morning on clear days. By this time the weather had improved enormously, so we hope they had a worthwhile visit and look forward to seeing their photographs. We went for one last walk around to say goodbye to the heron and the kingfishers and then caught our bus back to Kunming. The return journey was enlivened by a random diversion down a cart track because the main road appeared to be closed by roadworks. However, it soon became clear that there was no way that the bus (or the two lorries in front of us) could get very far along this narrow track, so they then had to find a way of turning around and getting back onto the road. By the time we had done this, traffic was moving along the highway. Why did our driver even attempt the detour? Another Chinese mystery!
Another mystery is why pictures won't upload today!! We'll try again but meanwhile you'll have to use your imagination.
A Sunny Day on the Farm (27 Oct 2010)
Some Chinese friends heard that Peter knew a bit about bees and asked whether we could visit to give some advice. It was a warm, sunny day, ideal for looking at bees. Our friend drove us for an hour or so through beautiful scenery up into the mountains. The road surface varied from not bad to pretty rough but he was a good driver and got us there safely. Another Chinese friend came along to translate for us. She speaks good English (and Chinese!) but didn’t know any beekeeping terms, so Peter had prepared a glossary of useful words. (Well, we think they were useful. She seemed to be able to get the message across.) Our interpreter’s very cute baby son completed the party.
At the farm, we found that they had bought 5 colonies of Chinese bees about 3 months ago. Yong, one of the farm workers from the Yi tribe, had been given advice by some Americans but didn’t really seem to know what to do. Peter opened up all the hives. Every hive seemed to have a queen but virtually no honey. The bees were in imminent danger of dying of starvation, especially as it’s nearly winter, when the bees must rely on their stored honey for survival.
At the farm, we found that they had bought 5 colonies of Chinese bees about 3 months ago. Yong, one of the farm workers from the Yi tribe, had been given advice by some Americans but didn’t really seem to know what to do. Peter opened up all the hives. Every hive seemed to have a queen but virtually no honey. The bees were in imminent danger of dying of starvation, especially as it’s nearly winter, when the bees must rely on their stored honey for survival.
It’s been the rainy season ever since the bees arrived on the farm, with little chance for the bees to fly and collect nectar. This year, the rainy season has gone on for a long time (better than last year’s severe drought). Yong was giving the bees an occasional squirt of sugar water from a hypodermic syringe but Peter felt more drastic measures were needed and showed Yong how to make a simple feeder for each hive which was then filled with sugar syrup. Yong was advised to keep topping up the feeders until the bees had adequate supplies stored in their honeycombs.
Peter began opening hives without smoke but wearing gloves. The bees seemed quite docile, so he took the gloves off – and was stung three times! However, he can report that Chinese bee stings are much less painful than stings from Western bees.
During the morning, we met the chicken which was to be our lunch. We sat around a small table, shaded from the sun and eating chicken, rice and vegetables. Very tasty.
After lunch, we were shown around the farm. We saw the red peppers drying in the sun and were intrigued by the number of dogs chained up in various places. All became clear when we were invited to come back next month for the dog barbecue, a traditional annual event. We are assured that dog has a good flavour, a bit like goat, but we’ll probably give it a miss this year.
A lovely day out and hopefully the bees will be all ready for the blossoming fruit trees in the spring.
During the morning, we met the chicken which was to be our lunch. We sat around a small table, shaded from the sun and eating chicken, rice and vegetables. Very tasty.
After lunch, we were shown around the farm. We saw the red peppers drying in the sun and were intrigued by the number of dogs chained up in various places. All became clear when we were invited to come back next month for the dog barbecue, a traditional annual event. We are assured that dog has a good flavour, a bit like goat, but we’ll probably give it a miss this year.
A lovely day out and hopefully the bees will be all ready for the blossoming fruit trees in the spring.
Demolition Kunming (24 Oct 2010)
One of the big surprises awaiting us this time in Kunming was the heaps of rubble everywhere. The city fathers (?) seem determined to drag the city into the 21st century, whatever the cost. There is little left in the city of interest to tourists.
Peter wanted to take some American friends by bus to the swimming pool. The bus used to go along a narrow street, lined with busy and interesting little shops, before turning into an industrial area devoted to anything made of stone, including building blocks, paving slabs of many kinds and statues for the garden such as a copy of Michelangelo’s “David”. But now the bus route no longer exists. It’s been replaced by not one but three wide dual carriageways with cycle tracks and underpasses, cutting swathes though shops, homes, stone yards and all. “David” now stands forlornly by the roadside, the vandals having done rather disrespectful things to him with yellow paint.
This story is being repeated all over the city with once charming little streets looking like earthquake zones or Coventry after the blitz. Modern tower blocks and shopping malls are being built in their place. What has happened to the people who used to live and trade in these streets?
Outside the city, the small towns and villages still retain their charm. Maybe fewer mod cons but friendlier places to live.
We did go to the swimming pool - by taxi!
Peter wanted to take some American friends by bus to the swimming pool. The bus used to go along a narrow street, lined with busy and interesting little shops, before turning into an industrial area devoted to anything made of stone, including building blocks, paving slabs of many kinds and statues for the garden such as a copy of Michelangelo’s “David”. But now the bus route no longer exists. It’s been replaced by not one but three wide dual carriageways with cycle tracks and underpasses, cutting swathes though shops, homes, stone yards and all. “David” now stands forlornly by the roadside, the vandals having done rather disrespectful things to him with yellow paint.
This story is being repeated all over the city with once charming little streets looking like earthquake zones or Coventry after the blitz. Modern tower blocks and shopping malls are being built in their place. What has happened to the people who used to live and trade in these streets?
Outside the city, the small towns and villages still retain their charm. Maybe fewer mod cons but friendlier places to live.
We did go to the swimming pool - by taxi!
More Bee News (17 Oct 2010)
Well, here it is, the top bar hive which Peter hopes the bees will like. The carpenter did a really good job for about ₤20. Very reasonable compared with UK prices but still too much for the villagers who, we hope, will eventually benefit from the project. The aim is to find local craftsmen who can make hives from easily available materials. Almost anything will do – bamboo, wattle and daub, concrete, etc., as long as it’s weatherproof.
There was a mix up over the size of the entrance hole, owing to the difference between centimetres and millimetres getting lost in translation, but Peter can easily enlarge the hole so the bees won’t have to breathe in as they come and go. I’ve already had one comment from a beekeeping friend that the sides should not be vertical but should be a catenary shape (i.e. what you get when you loosely hang up a washing line.) This is to stop the bees sticking their combs to the sides of the hive which would mean they couldn’t be lifted out for inspection. However, I am assured that this is not a problem with the Chinese honey bee. We shall see!
Peter was also able to get some beeswax from a local honey shop. The lady found a large lump of it under the counter and managed to hack some off with a meat cleaver (not easy). But it should make the hive smell right for any passing bees looking for a new home.
The next task is to find some bees. A friend has found an apiary which he has offered to show us, so that’s a possibility.
This week we are both visiting a farm where there are bees but no-one who knows how to look after them. Apparently, they sting people. And they leave their hives and don’t come back! They are hoping Peter can offer solutions to these problems. Again, we shall see. Meanwhile Peter is trying to improve his knowledge of Chinese beekeeping terms. Must see if there’s a website . . .
The first week in November, we are up in the mountains with a Dutch friend who wants Peter to give advice on honey production and also on how to use the wax to make candles. Yet again, we shall see. (Well, we will if the candles work!). It’s pleasantly warm in Kunming just now but it will definitely be thermals for the mountains.
There was a mix up over the size of the entrance hole, owing to the difference between centimetres and millimetres getting lost in translation, but Peter can easily enlarge the hole so the bees won’t have to breathe in as they come and go. I’ve already had one comment from a beekeeping friend that the sides should not be vertical but should be a catenary shape (i.e. what you get when you loosely hang up a washing line.) This is to stop the bees sticking their combs to the sides of the hive which would mean they couldn’t be lifted out for inspection. However, I am assured that this is not a problem with the Chinese honey bee. We shall see!
Peter was also able to get some beeswax from a local honey shop. The lady found a large lump of it under the counter and managed to hack some off with a meat cleaver (not easy). But it should make the hive smell right for any passing bees looking for a new home.
The next task is to find some bees. A friend has found an apiary which he has offered to show us, so that’s a possibility.
This week we are both visiting a farm where there are bees but no-one who knows how to look after them. Apparently, they sting people. And they leave their hives and don’t come back! They are hoping Peter can offer solutions to these problems. Again, we shall see. Meanwhile Peter is trying to improve his knowledge of Chinese beekeeping terms. Must see if there’s a website . . .
The first week in November, we are up in the mountains with a Dutch friend who wants Peter to give advice on honey production and also on how to use the wax to make candles. Yet again, we shall see. (Well, we will if the candles work!). It’s pleasantly warm in Kunming just now but it will definitely be thermals for the mountains.
Beehive news (5 Oct 10)
We’ve decided where to put the bees, so now we need a hive suitable for Asian honey bees (Apis cerana). Peter made a drawing (the time at college spent on technical drawing wasn’t wasted after all) and he also used a small cardboard box to make a not-to-scale model.
The box originally contained a tea maker. The side of the box made interesting reading. Under the heading: “Design the characteristics” are such gems as “The disassembly design make it clean and convenient” and “It is made with German’s top edible material”
Peter and an American friend met with Mr Cheng who manages the carpentry workshop. He seemed to understand exactly what was needed and took away both the drawing and the model. A few days later, Peter visited the workshop to see progress. The man doing the job was able to hear and speak but only in Chinese. The model was nowhere to be seen but he did have the drawing. He seemed to think, however, that the top bars should go along one side. (The clue is in the name, “Top bars” and, yes, there was a Chinese translation on the drawing.)
Today Peter found a smart looking box but because the carpenter was using thicker wood than expected, there was only room for 14 top bars instead of 15. The top bars have to be the exact width that the bees like to have for their honeycombs so the carpenter’s plan to make the bars narrower so as to get 15 in the box was not a good idea. The drawing had disappeared, so Peter had to cycle home for another copy. And point out that the hive also needs a roof as shown on the drawing and the model, both of which were no longer around. However, the model was eventually found and the hive is promised for next week.
Any helpful comments from other beekeepers very welcome.
Peter and an American friend met with Mr Cheng who manages the carpentry workshop. He seemed to understand exactly what was needed and took away both the drawing and the model. A few days later, Peter visited the workshop to see progress. The man doing the job was able to hear and speak but only in Chinese. The model was nowhere to be seen but he did have the drawing. He seemed to think, however, that the top bars should go along one side. (The clue is in the name, “Top bars” and, yes, there was a Chinese translation on the drawing.)
Today Peter found a smart looking box but because the carpenter was using thicker wood than expected, there was only room for 14 top bars instead of 15. The top bars have to be the exact width that the bees like to have for their honeycombs so the carpenter’s plan to make the bars narrower so as to get 15 in the box was not a good idea. The drawing had disappeared, so Peter had to cycle home for another copy. And point out that the hive also needs a roof as shown on the drawing and the model, both of which were no longer around. However, the model was eventually found and the hive is promised for next week.
Any helpful comments from other beekeepers very welcome.
Back to School (27 Sep 10)
Judy has been back to Robert’s School to see her former colleagues. They have offered us free Chinese lessons with other Western staff, so Peter has had his first Chinese lesson with Paul (our English friend) and he says their teacher is very good.
School has been chaotic because of the mid-autumn festival. All the students had to go to real school on Saturday and Sunday to make up for the time off they had on Thursday and Friday which were public holidays. This meant there were no English lessons, so the students were supposed to make up their missed English lessons by coming into Robert’s School during the day on the Thursday and Friday (their holiday). No doubt they were thrilled about that!
Since last year, the school has a new, more obvious entrance at street level, decorated with pictures of staff and students. We were pleased to see Judy on one of the pictures. This picture is borrowed from Paul’s blog (always fun to read). Can you spot Judy??
Mid-Autumn Festival on the Farm (22 Sep 10)
Peter was asked to go with 2 Americans and a Canadian to have a look at a small farm about an hour’s drive north of Kunming to see whether it was suitable for bees. A newly opened motorway made it an easy journey, as long as we avoided the potholes which have already appeared in the road. We stopped in the nearby town for a breakfast of noodles and dumplings. The farm is in a hilly, tree-covered area – not ideal for farming but a beautiful place to visit. This week it’s the mid-autumn festival - hard to believe when the weather is still hot, hotter than an English summer. The farmer and his wife were preparing the traditional moon cakes which everyone eats to celebrate. The moon cakes were being cooked out of doors over the hot ashes of a wood fire. The fillings can vary but these seemed to be filled with bean curd. We were treated to freshly cooked moon cake, still hot. Much nicer than the factory produced ones which are everywhere in the shops this week, some of which we suspect were unsold last year and have been put back on the shelves again a year later.
Peter and the Canadian went for a walk in the woods to see what was growing. The Canadian is a forester from British Columbia so has lots of experience of bears. (Just like Judy’s cousin Glen who has written books on what to do if you meet a bear!). However, no bears today and no bees either but the area looks as if bees might like it.The shaded roof of the farm building looks an ideal place for hives, so the next step is to get a hive. Near where we live in Kunming is a Christian-run carpentry workshop which employs deaf people. We hope they can make us a hive if we cannot pick up a second-hand one. On the way back from the farm we bought local honey. It’s green! Wonder what flowers the bees were visiting.
They let us in! (16 Sep 10)
We liked Cathay Pacific! Their website works better than most, their service is friendly and efficient, their fares reasonable, their seats have enough leg room and their aeroplanes fly (and land!). Cathay Pacific is Hong Kong based so we flew from Heathrow to Hong Kong, where the transit lounge is much more relaxing and the seats more comfortable than Bangkok airport where we’ve spent many uncomfortable hours.. At Kunming it took them a while to align the aircraft with the air bridge, but eventually we were allowed to step ashore (?). Chinese immigration officials spent a long time debating whether the picture in Judy’s passport was really her, but finally they decided to take a chance and let us into China. Our cases on the conveyor belt a very welcome sight and Andrew Hay’s smiling face even more so. The hair-raising journey from the airport through Kunming traffic made us feel really at home. (Couldn’t be more different from Cheltenham!) The flat is much as we left it a year ago, including the view from the window – a typical Chinese view, although maybe the swimming pool is not so typical
We’ve already met a few old friends – Toilet Roll lady and Milk Lady There are actually two milk ladies – sisters – so we never know which one is serving us). Judy has been in touch with PJ at her old school where they are hoping she might be able to help out a bit this term. But they are offering us both free Chinese lessons. Andrew introduced Peter to his latest projects including a much improved water purification plant. He is still having difficulty in getting feedback from the people who are using the equipment in the cyclone and earthquake areas. They’ve probably got more urgent matters on their minds. Peter has offered to help on the technical side but what he’ll actually be able to contribute remains to be seen! We’ve discovered that they’ve changed the layout of the local bus station. If you followed our previous blog you will know of our fascination with Kunming buses. The old blog is still there, even though we can no longer access it in China, hence the new blog address. You can visit it at http//:peterjudysibley.blogspot.com/
Off to China again
We're due to arrive in Kunming on September 14. We'll be staying in Andrew and Anna's flat where we were before. We have a 90 day visa, so we should be able to see lots of old friends and make some new ones. Watch this space!