Last week, the Stockdales went to China to see the sights.  While we were there, we discovered that many of the myths/propaganda that are perpetuated about China are untrue.

Myth # 1 – The air and environment in Beijing is dirty and polluted.  FALSE, none of the pictures of the Stockdales at The Forbidden City have any kind of haze in them, especially since they were taken in the late morning, not at sunset.

Myth # 2 – People in China are poor.  FALSE, this lady is so wealthy she is talking on her cell phone while playing on her iPad and she has a bee costume for her dog and her dog has orange ears.

Myth # 3 – They won’t let random people in China control the traffic signals.  FALSE, they leave the cabinets open so Mrs. Stockdale can manipulate the lights at will.

Myth # 4 – The acrobats in China cannot support their entire bodyweight with their mouths while their feet are contorted over their backs while twirling things that resemble pizzas.  FALSE, see the undisputable photographic evidence.

Myth # 5 – The Chinese never want their pictures taken with American children.  FALSE, again see the undisputable photographic evidence.

Myth # 6 – The Great Wall is small, dull, and boring and no one from Leawood, KS ever goes there.  FALSE, The Great Wall of China is actually pretty darn cool, especially when another tourist points at the big little Stockdale’s sweatshirt and asks if she goes to Barstow in Kansas City because they live in Leawood.

Myth # 7 – Xi’an (the city with the Terra Cotta warriors) is polluted and looks like a toxic waste dump, it doesn’t have a Subway, and this is just some random guy signing the book, not the actual farmer who discovered all this back in the 70s who received $10 for his efforts.  FALSE – see indisputable photographic evidence.

Myth # 8 – Fog cannot delay your flight back to Seoul for three hours and make your children almost miss Halloween and thereby scar them for life.  FALSE – see the indisputable photographic evidence.  The screen says there is HEAVY FOG at noon in a city that is about hundred miles from the ocean or a significant source of moisture.  In no way should you construe that this is air pollution that is preventing you from making out the ginormous Airbus A380 behind our plane on the tarmac.  Remember, the sign says it is HEAVY FOG.

Remember, you should never ever believe all those nasty rumors you hear about China.  The Stockdales have been there, they should know!