Portrait of an LBX

Jour 213 (23/04/10)

Yanshan(砚山)-Zhongheying(中和营)

Province du Yunnan(云南省)

- 92km -

Un peu paresseux, nous ne quittons aujourd’hui notre hôtel que vers 10h. Petit dèj de nouilles et de youtiao (油条, sorte de longs beignets), et nous partons à un rythme pépère sur une route somme toute tranquille, presque pareil qu’avant, mais heureusement quasiment toute plate. Et cela tombe bien, car le genou d’Andy fait encore des siennes! Espérons que ce n’est pas le signe d’une nouvelle blessure qui l’empêcherait de rouler! Entre ses problèmes de vélos et ses infortunes médicales, le pauvre a transformé un bonne partie de son tour des campagnes de Chine à vélo en tour des hôpitaux de Chine en car…

Selon les normes chinoises de sécurité, à quelle distance d'un plan d'eau doit se situer une prise électrique?

"Appliquer complètement la politique ethnique du Parti. Promouvoir le développement prospère commun de toutes les ethnies."

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By Evan

The mosque of Shadian will be Southeast Asia's largest, by Andy

So since our last rest stop in Yanshan (硯山縣), we have coursed peacefully through rolling mountains inhabited primarily by Yi in small villages or Han in ugly concrete burgs — no surprises there. However, two days ago, after a climb to 2000 m (1.25 miles) high and subsequent plummet, we were in for a surprise. As we approached the town of Shadian (沙甸鎮), the frequency of halal restaurants (清真飯店) increased sharply, to the extent that the non-halal eateries actually had to announce themselves as just plain old Chinese (漢族飯店). Curious, Alexis and I made our way into town, under the sign in Chinese, English, and Arabic pointing us toward “Moslem Street (穆斯林街).” Immediately after making the turn, we were staring down a kilometer long boulevard straight into the biggest mosque I’ve ever seen — I mean the place gives St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican a run for its money.

We found Andy, who had ridden ahead, in front of the mosque chatting with three old men. Before we arrived, Andy had been told that the mosque will be the largest in Southeast Asia (confirmed on the town’s website — I suggest you watch the video on the home page if you understand Chinese and are curious) once it’s opened for service in August. Its total cost is over 100 million yuan (一億元), or over $14 million USD, all furnished by local businessmen as a part of their obligatory Zakat tithings, and it will be able to accommodate over 10,000 worshipers. A minute after Alexis and I arrived, one of the old men, the one who spoke the most enthusiastically but also in the least understandable dialect, invited us for a dinner of noodles in his house. As usual, we accepted, whereupon our courteous host led us toward the town center. (more…)