Horns blared as I walked down the side of a mountain near the town of Dali in Yunnan Province, China.
The central Chinese government had declared three days of national mourning for the victims of the 7.8 earthquake that struck Northwest China last week.
That afternoon, everything in China came to a standstill as the nation mourned for the dead. The sound of the horns broke the silence of the mountain side. Workers in the fields below put down their work and stood for a few moments.
Even though I was in Hong Kong during the earthquake, I did not feel the quake. Some of my plans were disrupted for my trip to China. I tried to make my way toward the area.
I have been unable to access the earthquake area near Chengdu. Landslides, damaged roads and heavy rains made it impossible for me to head into the area. Internet access has been sporadic, making it difficult for me to post my progress while traveling in China.
The remote location of the earthquake has made it difficult for aid workers and the Chinese government to help victims.
For three days, the government banned all entertainment on television. I flipped channels to see news broadcast after news broadcast showing disturbing images of injured survivors and collapsed buildings.
The voice of one woman sobbed and spoke in broken Chinese. I asked my Chinese friend what was going on.
The woman was recounting how her husband (a teacher) had saved four children by shielding them with his own body, resulting in his death.
"It's very sad," my friend said.
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