Saving Fish from Drowning - Heal Burma

SAVING FISH FROM DROWNING
Cheek to cheek, they stared into the darkness, at the blur of
whitened trees.
TO HELP MY FRIENDS find the right sensibilities for viewing Li­
jiang, I included in their itinerary the translated sentiments of a local
amateur archivist: “Throughout the last eight centuries, the frequent
earthquakes of this region, some measuring to a greatness of 7.0,
have rattled the teeth of its citizens, and shaken a few foodstuffs
from the cupboards, but not our determination to stay. Because of its
beauty, Lijiang is a place no one can ever leave willingly. But if you
must go, by peaceful old age or by tourist jet, look down from the
sky, and you will notice that Lijiang resembles an ancient ink stone
used for centuries to write poetry celebrating its antiquities and self-
replenishing virtues.”
This tribute to his hometown was quaint, and perfectly expressed.
But of course, most of my friends did not bother to read it.
As I had planned, the group checked into the best hotel Lijiang
had to offer. The Glorious View Villa was in the newer, rebuilt sec­
tion of town, directly across the street from the historic old town
with its ramble of lanes, small canals, and aging courtyard homes
with their snaky gray tiles and sun-dried mud bricks. The newer ho­
tels of Lijiang were bland but provided one essential tourist attrac­
tion: private toilets and baths. The Glorious View had other markings
of luxury: a marble-floored lobby lined with uniformed staff, who
had received extensive training in greeting customers with happy faces
and cheerful phrases: “Welcome!” “You’re welcome!” “You’re most
welcome!”
The rooms themselves were small, dull, and dimly lit by energy-
saving fluorescent bulbs. The twin beds, sheets, and towels were
newer and cleaner than those of any other hotel in the city. The car­
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