RICE, SUGAR CANE, RUBBER GROWN
By Bob Van Leer

  (HAIKOU, CHINA, Oct. 23, 1991) - Today was a day of sightseeing and touring Hainan Island. Our bus took us about 70 kilometers southeast of Haikou to the Dongjiao Coconut Plantation which grows coconuts but is also in the very beginning stages of being developed as a resort.

  The drive showed us part of the island we hadn't seen. A lot of rice is grown, of course. We were told they get three crops a year here.

  There was also a lot of sugar cane and rubber tree plantations. There were a couple of small sawmills along the road. This area contains home towns for overseas Chinese, Mr. Liu said.

  Our bus stopped at a small harbor and we got into water taxis for a 10 minute ride to the plantation.

  There was a nice beach and we had an opportunity to swim in the South China Sea. The water temperature was about 70 degrees and quite pleasant.

  Lunch again was multiple courses featuring seafood. We are amazed at how many different dishes the Chinese can provide.

Chicken Head

  We had some freshed boiled prawns that were excellent. A chicken dish was served. The head of the chicken was served cooked and sitting upright on the serving dish, comb and all, as a decoration. We have been served this way before.

  Some sort of a mollusk was served that looked like a relative of the conch we have eaten in Florida.

  On the way back to Haikou we stopped at one of the Friendship Stores that mainly cater to tourists. This one had appliances and a tiny refrigerator sold for $440.

  A small microwave was $280 and a tiny clothes washer, $130. These are high prices for people who make $100 a month.

  Our group was starved for news. A section of a three-day old issue of the Asian Wall Street Journal was passed from hand to hand like a treasure.

  We were taken back to the hotel for dinner and we flew back to Guangzhou at 9 p.m. to spend our last night in the People's Republic of China.

  Tomorrow we are to board a train for a short ride to British-controlled Hong Kong.