The Exchange - National Committee on United States-China Relations

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was chosen to design the Getty Center. Famous for his contributions to architectural modernism, Meier wedded his signature style to more classical materials in order to express the Getty’s roots in the past and belief in the future. We took the tram to the Center and walked around ourselves. <strong>The</strong> museum has some good collections, but it was the architecture and gardens that attracted me most. According to the guide brochure, the North and East Buildings evoke the qualities of light and openness that characterized both the Bauhaus movement of 1920s Europe and the Los Angeles buildings of early 20 th century architects such as the famous Frank Lloyd Wright. <strong>The</strong> architect knew well how to add water to the whole structure. <strong>The</strong> museum courtyard features a 120- foot linear fountain, combining architectural and landscape elements. Most notable in the Center is the Central Garden– the creation of the artist Robert Irwin, who called it “a sculpture in the form of a garden aspiring to be art.” It is a continual work-in-progress that changes with the seasons. As we strolled down the zigzagging path to the bottom of the garden, we followed the little stream which finally cascades over a stepped stone wall into a reflecting pool with a maze of 400 azaleas. At the base of the walkway, six large steel bowers provide support for three varieties of bougainvillea, which will eventually spill over the whole steel structures. It was late afternoon, and we stood at the end of the garden, looking down, we could see the skyline of the City of Angels spread forward; turning around and looking up, the Getty buildings were towering above. It was such an enjoyable view! And in front of the entrance to the Research Institute, I suddenly saw a whole line of my favorite flower, Birds of Paradise, also the official flower of L.A. It was like a dream to see so many of them in winter! New Mexico New Mexico is a new world to me since it’s so different from the other parts of Adobe architecture in New Mexico the country I’ve visited. Santa Fe is very attractive. <strong>The</strong> architectural style there is a mixture of Native American and Spanish influences. It is referred to as Pueblo-Spanish, better known as “adobe.” <strong>The</strong> primary element is adobe brick, which is made from mud and straw and then sun baked. Soft contours and flat roofs are traditional to adobe structures. Santa Fe is famous for its galleries, but I also enjoyed the Plaza a lot, where many Native American people sell hand-made products. I fell in love with the Indian culture when I was in Heard Museum with Margaret in Phoenix. How I love their pottery, blankets and baskets! But the good ones were way too expensive for me, so I only got a beautiful necklace for my friend. Taos is another place well worth visiting. It’s quite similar to Santa Fe, maybe more lovely because it’s not a crowded city. Mark and Dennis also took me to the “sky city” Acoma – an Indian village built on a cliff. <strong>The</strong> village is kept more or less original, so there’s no electricity or water up there. In fact, people have moved down to modern houses. <strong>The</strong>y only come up for ceremonies, or to sell stuff to tourists. It’s amazing why and how people built this village up on the cliff. Our guide explained about the four colors his people admired by living up there: blue of the sky, white of the clouds, red of the rocks and yellow of the earth. I was very interested in their way of living, but pity we only saw the ladders and stoves outside but couldn’t go inside a house to have a look. New Orleans <strong>The</strong> first stop in New Orleans, we took the steamboat “Natchez” to have a little ride on the Mississippi River. We passed some old wharfs, Domino Sugar Factory, an oil well and the old battlefield. We had a nice walk along the famous Moon Walk before going to Jackson Square, which was named after Andrew Jackson, hero of the Battle of New Orleans and the 7 th President of the US. <strong>The</strong> Jackson Monument – Jackson on a horse – is a good example of perfect balance because the entire weight of the statue rests solely on the hind legs of the horse. St. Louis Cathedral is right behind the statue. It is said to be the oldest continuously active Roman Catholic Cathedral in the U.S. It happened to be Easter when we were there, so I heard part of the mass inside the church. 26
People say that no visit to New Orleans is complete until you visit the French Quarter. This wonderful area has it all: exquisite architecture, elegant shops, lacy ironwork, jazz clubs, and, of course, Bourbon Street. <strong>The</strong>re may be nothing else quite like it in the whole country. Many of the buildings there date back to the 1700s, but now most of the architecture is Spanish, not French. <strong>The</strong> entire area consists of 120 blocks, nestled on the bend of the Mississippi River. We spent almost a day wandering around the Quarter: we did windowshopping in Royale Street - ten blocks of elegant antique stores, many of which have been owned and operated by the same families for generations; we tried cafe au lait and beignets (powdered donuts) in Cafe du Monde; I put on some fantastic Mardi Gras masks; we had lunch in Gumbo Shop and ordered their famous seafood gumbo, bread pudding and the most delicious crawfish etouffe. At night, we went back to Bourbon Street, which was crowded with people drinking, singing, dancing and <strong>The</strong> French Quarter laughing. Music came out of many night clubs, restaurants and souvenir shops. People were throwing strings of beads from upstairs to the crowds and girls were screaming. I didn’t like the crazy, sexy scene, but the happy atmosphere, yes. <strong>The</strong> street has attracted visitors from all over the world. We couldn’t get into Pat O’Brien’s to listen to some Jazz music because there was such a long line outside. Before it got too dark, we took the streetcar on St. Charles Ave. to go back to our hotel in the Garden District. Compared with the French Quarter, the Garden District is more gracious and stately. Developed mainly between 1840 and 1900, the Garden District runs from Magazine Street to St. Charles Avenue and from Jackson Avenue to Louisiana Avenue. It comprises one of the best preserved collections of historic mansions in the South. It offers brilliant examples of architectural styles and period designs. While we were taking a walk around Garden District along the treelined and flower-dotted streets, I couldn’t help admiring the beauty of architecture and nature mixed together. Trip to Chongqing Carmen De Yoe We are back from the Chang Jiang! A great trip! Chongqing was awesome with its combination of new skyscrapers and piles of rubble and sense of history and hills and crazy traffic and general sense of untamedness. Saw the bomb shelters, many are shops now. A man on our cruise knew all the history as his wife’s father was mayor of Wuhan and Shanghai under the Guomindang. I read a short history of China from mid–1800s until 1980 that Jean, our history professor friend, brought. Our guide says that Chongqing has had a McDonald’s for 18 months and has diet Coke. That leaves Luoyang with McDonald’s since January and no diet Coke. Just an interesting comparison. <strong>The</strong> cruise down the Chang Jiang was great . . . a little peace in all this travel. One of the most ironic things on the trip was when we went by tour bus to a building that housed models and maps of the new dam right at the dam site. We got into the building and there was no electricity so we couldn’t see much. It was ironic that there was no electricity there. <strong>The</strong>y will begin filling the reservoir in November. We saw so many towns rebuilt higher and old buildings abandoned. Mike [Carmen’s husband] loves the history reading from China too. Jean will be a great contact for me in La Crosse as I begin to [re-adjust]. She has been here four times and has taught Chinese history. She’s seventyfive and her mind is very sharp. . . We got back to Luoyang by train last night at 3:00 a.m. and slept late to catch up. I’m hoping Guan [Jigang] is back [from Beijing] and I’ll get to meet his wife for the first time. We need to chat with him today. We leave for Beijing to come home on the 23rd. I think I am ready for re–entry. . . This year has opened a huge world to Michael and me that won’t get shut. I am so anxious to welcome Anna [Cao Junli] and Li [Caixia] to La Crosse. . . 27
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