The group concluded its trip Nov. Abbott, president of the Union Grove chapter of the Business and Professional Women, has been active in the group since Formerly a nurse for 23 years at Southern Wisconsin Center, Abbott has run Abbott Rentals, a property investment and management company, since She is serving her first term on the Dover Town Board.
Everywhere the delegation traveled, they had the finest hotels, banquets at lunch and dinner, expert guides and translators, and first-class transportation.
They never had to stand in line for tickets and had eighth row, center stage seats at an opera. Meals were served in banquet rooms, even when they were in restaurants. The people hosting the delegation came from the upper echelon of Chinese society. And except for a brief visit to a Beijing neighborhood, time spent with everyday residents was brief at best.
Nonetheless, the delegation did sample aspects of the Chinese culture, from customs such as how to toast to Chinese cuisine. Ornamentation in their living quarters was sparse. But food was an entirely different matter.
Abbott said the cuisine is heavy on seafood, surprisingly light on rice and served in several courses. Communism was apparent during the trip. Abbott said the delegation knew it was being shown just what officials wanted it to see. She said there was a strong military presence in Beijing. And she said retail outlets were almost overstaffed, evidence that people are placed in vocations. She said she was impressed with the scientists and professionals the delegation met at the Island of Science and Technology in the city of Wuxi.
