UNIT10

　　A Solitary Quest

　　From my suite of rooms

　　atop the Holiday Inn

　　I surveyed the narrow alleys below me.

　　Only yesterday had I left

　　my frantic North American life behind,

　　to avail myself of an opportunity

　　to travel to China.

　　I wished to spend time

　　researching material for my thesis

　　pertaining to Eastern religions.

　　The hotel was in close proximity

　　to the heart of the old downtown.

　　Innumerable activities were happening below me.

　　People surged along the street sometimes

　　stopping to bargain with street vendors.

　　Cucumbers, tomatoes, apples, oranges

　　and grapes were heaped on hand carts.

　　The variety of fruit available

　　provided a virtual feast for the eyes.

　　Deliverymen jogged along

　　pulling enormous loads of cardboard.

　　To a Westerners eyes cars merged

　　unbelievably without incident.

　　It appeared to be a dubious process

　　to negotiate the traffic

　　and even cross the street.

　　However, rather than lounging indoors,

　　I decided to venture outside

　　to explore the colorful world below.

　　I was interested in

　　locating a church to attend,

　　as today was Sunday.

　　On the street I made tentative enquiries

　　about locating a Christian chapel.

　　At times the congestion of people

　　hampered my progress.

　　Stares from passers-by made me feel conspicuous.

　　The weather was hot and humid

　　and there was some possibility of a typhoon

　　reaching the city later in the day.

　　After several false leads

　　I found myself standing

　　in front of a very old Christian Church,

　　established by missionaries during the last dynasty

　　and at the beginning of the last century.

　　With the onset of a light sprinkle,

　　I made a hasty retreat to shelter

　　in the doorway of the church.

　　The familiar refrain of well-known hymns

　　rang out within the church.

　　I felt drawn inside to

　　join the fellowship in a foreign land.

　　Even though our languages differed,

　　my gracious hosts nonetheless,

　　made room for me,

　　and made me feel welcome.

UNIT10

　　A Solitary Quest

　　From my suite of rooms

　　atop the Holiday Inn

　　I surveyed the narrow alleys below me.

　　Only yesterday had I left

　　my frantic North American life behind,

　　to avail myself of an opportunity

　　to travel to China.

　　I wished to spend time

　　researching material for my thesis

　　pertaining to Eastern religions.

　　The hotel was in close proximity

　　to the heart of the old downtown.

　　Innumerable activities were happening below me.

　　People surged along the street sometimes

　　stopping to bargain with street vendors.

　　Cucumbers, tomatoes, apples, oranges

　　and grapes were heaped on hand carts.

　　The variety of fruit available

　　provided a virtual feast for the eyes.

　　Deliverymen jogged along

　　pulling enormous loads of cardboard.

　　To a Westerners eyes cars merged

　　unbelievably without incident.

　　It appeared to be a dubious process

　　to negotiate the traffic

　　and even cross the street.

　　However, rather than lounging indoors,

　　I decided to venture outside

　　to explore the colorful world below.

　　I was interested in

　　locating a church to attend,

　　as today was Sunday.

　　On the street I made tentative enquiries

　　about locating a Christian chapel.

　　At times the congestion of people

　　hampered my progress.

　　Stares from passers-by made me feel conspicuous.

　　The weather was hot and humid

　　and there was some possibility of a typhoon

　　reaching the city later in the day.

　　After several false leads

　　I found myself standing

　　in front of a very old Christian Church,

　　established by missionaries during the last dynasty

　　and at the beginning of the last century.

　　With the onset of a light sprinkle,

　　I made a hasty retreat to shelter

　　in the doorway of the church.

　　The familiar refrain of well-known hymns

　　rang out within the church.

　　I felt drawn inside to

　　join the fellowship in a foreign land.

　　Even though our languages differed,

　　my gracious hosts nonetheless,

　　made room for me,

　　and made me feel welcome.