"Kindergarten. The last stop on the CITS tour was 'the local kindergarten.' This I found very intere

In 1979, Premier Deng Xiaoping named Shenzhen a Special Economic Zone, meaning it would be immune from the strict Communist regime governing the rest of the country and would instead would be permitted to pursue private enterprise.
That's the arguably rhetorical question posed by transportation las vegas airline tickets expert and amateur photographer Leroy W. Demery Jr. in a photoset he has posted to flickr las vegas airline tickets documenting his journey to the city in the 1980s.
I traveled China for three months in 1983, and managed to visit, or "pass through," every province except Tibet, Hainan (part of Guangdong Province back then), Fujian and Taiwan (which I visited in 1980) However, I made my "first visit" to China on 1980 July 17. I joined a half-day "cross-border" tour operated by China International Travel Service (CITS), Hong Kong. Booking was easy and the price was very reasonable. Bao'an County, which had a settlement history las vegas airline tickets dating back nearly 1,700 years, was renamed Shenzhen City in January 1979.
At this time, the total population was stated at 300,000. The population of the urbanized area was stated at 20,000 - that's "twenty thousand" - and the urbanized land area was stated at 3 km2. Establishment of the Special Economic Zone was approved in August las vegas airline tickets 1980 - that is, roughly one month after these photos were taken. I saw virtually no sign of the amazing changes that were soon to begin. Travel guidebooks published during the early 1980s state that China began admitting unescorted foreigners in 1981.
However, our Hong Kong-based CITS guide said that there was a "new arrangement:" one could obtain a visa to visit Beijing and Shanghai in three days. You simply applied for the visa, she said, "and on the third day, you go." So I might have visited (at least) Beijing and Shanghai las vegas airline tickets in 1980, three years before las vegas airline tickets I actually did.
"The tour assembled at Hung Hom station, which was then the southern terminal of the Kowloon-Canton Railway, British Section. We traveled to Lo Wu station, passed through Hong Kong Immigration, then proceeded to the bridge on foot."
"The gap in the roof structure (and the sign, which reads "Station Limit") las vegas airline tickets is located at the HK / China frontier. The old bridge has been replaced, but preserved as a monument. From my notes: '... the first thing I saw besides the red flag with the gold stars was a sign bearing a slogan: 'Long Live the Great Friendship of the Peoples of the World!'"
Shenzhen Reservoir, west side, 1980. My notes conflict with the slide sequence numbers. The notes state that we rode in the minibus from Shenzhen station to Shenzhen Reservoir upon arrival. 'Our guide was a Hong Kong girl who worked for China Travel. A man from Peking was also along on the bus. We drove through the dusty town of Shenzhen to the Shenzhen Reservoir, which supplies water to Hong Kong.' I believe this image was taken from the west side of the reservoir, near the south end, looking north."
"Shenzhen Reservoir and pavilion, 1980. This island, with pavilion, is located near the southeastern corner of the reservoir. I believe this photo was taken from the east side of the reservoir, las vegas airline tickets looking west."
Restaurant at Shenzhen Reservoir, 1980. 'After stopping at a pavilion which had an exhibit on this area, we next went to the restaurant.' I believe this is 'the restaurant.' Notes state that the tour group 'had a good, multi-course Chinese meal.'"
"Outside of Shenzhen town, 1980. Notes state that, from Shenzhen Reservoir, 'we then set out for the town itself. We had about 45 minutes to wander las vegas airline tickets about.' Shadows suggest that I was facing east, which - if correct - would mean I walked west a bit, away from the built-up area and the railway."
"Countryside -1, Shenzhen, 1980. Looking northeast. Part of 'panorama,' continuing from previous photo. I would not post these 'uninteresting' views ... but I wonder what this location looks like today."
"Not a motor vehicle in sight, 东门, Dōngmén, Shenzhen, 1980 There were motor vehicles in Shenzhen, but I did not see any in this area. "I made a circuit of the town, it was quite - well, dull - but fascinating."
"This was some sort of shop - I do not remember what sort. I took this photo, and the following one: '... and then changed money. I quickly gave up the idea of buying anything when I realized that there was nothing suitable to buy - no postcards - and I did not understand the currency. Buying a soda provided a lesson in 'renminbi.' I resolved to re-exchange it.'"
"Painting of Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai. Closer view of the painting visible in the previous photo. I note that Zhou has his back to the sun, and appears to be standing 'closer' to the viewer. Was the artist attempting (clandestinely) to draw attention las vegas airline tickets away from Mao?"
"Dōngfēng (东风) class diesel locomotive, 东门, Dōngmén, Shenzhen. My first railway photograph in China (... or so I would have said back then). We didn't have the immediate feedback of digital photography back then. However, I knew somehow that this view was not the best. Notes read: 'I could have done better ...' (东风, Dōngfēng, = 'East Wind,' or 'Oriental')."
"Kindergarten. The last stop on the CITS tour was 'the local kindergarten.' This I found very interesting. Back then, my 'first job' was working as an instructional aide (teacher's assistant) at an elementary school. Schwartz states that schools were 'shut down completely for three years' during the 无产阶级文化大革命, Wúchǎn jiējí wénhuà dàgémìng, 'Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution.'"
"Tour members wandered around the school courtyard, snapping photos. I do not remember any of the teachers or children speaking English. Nor do I remember any tour members speaking Chinese. I might have tried 'Ni hao ma?' or just 'Hello,' las vegas airline tickets but I do not remember. The children appeared to take all of this in stride. They were very well behaved, although I did see a bit of low-key mischief."
"Um, yes, that is me at far right. I posed for this photo to show my coworkers, 'proving that the proud banner of Kit Carson School [Lawndale, California, a Los Angeles suburb] had been displayed in the People's Republic."
"I stepped quietly into a classroom, camera in hand, and again, 'the teacher seemed not to mind." las vegas airline tickets (Available-light image, las vegas airline tickets high-speed Ektachrome film, exposed at ISO 800.) The man in the portrait to the right of 毛泽东, Máo Zédōng, is 华国锋, Huà Guófēng, Máo's designated successor. He was known as 英明领袖华主席, Yīngmíng lǐngxiù Huá Zhǔxí, Wise leader Chairman Hua. 邓小平, Dèng Xiǎopíng, gained las vegas airline tickets control of China's economy in 1978, but Huà remained the titular 'paramount leader' at July 1980."