As nearly 80,000 rescue workers toil day and night while stricken parents watch for any sign of life from their children buried beneath collapsed schools, Sichuan Province’s infrastructure is slowly becoming operational again. The death toll has climbed to 15,000 and it is estimated that more than 25,000 people are still buried under collapsed buildings.

Shards of good news are celebrated amidst the horrible tragedy. Yesterday a three-year-old girl was pulled out alive after 40 hours beneath her parents who died to save her life. A pregnant woman in her eighth month was rescued with her mother from her flattened home. But tragedies outweigh the good news as the entire nation watches the rescue efforts and mobilizes to help the people of Sichuan Province. Shanghai municipality alone has pledged not only medical and rescue staff and materials but also nearly US$ 2 million in monetary aid.

Railway traffic was stopped on Monday, May 12 after the earthquake affecting over thirty passenger trains as well as over one-hundred freight trains. No rail passengers were reported to be injured. Only one line, the Baoji-Chengdu link is not yet operational due to quake damaged bridges and rail beds.

Fifty foreign tourists and journalists stranded at Wolong Nature Preserve (a Giant Panda protection base) have been accounted for and are organized at a local hotel.

Drinking water has been tested around the quake-affected areas and is being reported as mostly safe. It is not advised for travelers (non-locals) to drink tap water anywhere in China. If you do drink tap water, it should be boiled first.

Electricity has been re-supplied to approximately forty percent of the homes cut off after the earthquake. Nearly 700,000 households were affected.

Source: Shanghai Daily

The death toll is still rising and workers are working around the clock to pull survivors from the rubble in and around Wenchuan, the epicenter of the 7.9 magnitude earthquake that has taken more than 12,000 lives as of this morning (Wednesday, May 13). In a massive relief effort, over 50,000 troops have been sent by China’s government to help victims but roads and transport lines were devastated in the quake and aid is slowly getting through.

What Can You Do? According to CNN, “China is welcoming donations of money and material but not relief workers because officials say the country’s roads cannot handle additional traffic.” The site lists several organizations that are gathering contributions for China’s relief:

• Red Cross
• World Vision
• Mercy Corps
• Save the Children

Travel to Sichuan Province & Chengdu: The US Embassy in Beijing website says that the status of Chengdu’s airport is unclear so travelers should check with their travel agents and airline offices to find out if flights are landing. The airport has been closed to commercial airlines, saving limited traffic for the aid effort.

An earthquake measuring 7.9 in magnitude rocked Sichuan Province Monday at 2:28pm local time. It was felt as far as Beijing and Shanghai and large buildings in both cities were evacuated. So far, the quake has taken over 10,000 lives and the toll will rise as rescuers work to free children and adults trapped in collapsed buildings and schools.

What can you do? Red Cross China is coordinating relief to the area and is “encouraging financial donations” according to CNN.

Travel to the Area It was reported yesterday that Chengdu airport was closed. Many roads in the area have been damaged as have train lines. If you are traveling to or from the area, you should try confirming all details with your travel agent or airline office to find out whether transportation is open to the area.

Last week the newspapers were covered with reports of children dying of complications from Enterovirus 71 (EV71), a virus that causes Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease especially among children. HFMD is a very common illness among children under six and we’re coming upon its peak season of June and July. While most of the deaths are localized to one village in Anhui Province in central rural China, cases of deadly EV71 have been found in Guangdong, Hainan, Guangxi, Hunan and Zhejiang Provinces.

Is it time to panic? Should you cancel your business trip for fear of bringing it home to your kids? The answer is no, but you should be fully aware of what’s happening and how to take proper precautions. As of the weekend, the death toll was 34; this is extremely low in a population as large as China’s. And fortunately, the disease is reported under control in the worst-hit Anhui Province village. But the disease is certainly still cause for concern and the Chinese government is taking it quite seriously, instituting mandatory reporting of all cases of HFMD.

What should you do? I attended a clinic last Friday about the outbreak and the physician told us the best precaution is to keep hands clean, as the virus is spread through bodily secretions. So, wash your hands every time you get a chance and obviously, try to avoid travel to the worst-hit areas.

Read More:

• Traveling to China - Health and Medical Concerns
• Answers to Questions about Traveling with Kids to China
• US Embassy in Beijing's Advisory about EV71 in China
• The CDC Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease Page

The Wall Street Journal just posted a great article on eating in Beijing. Most of the eight restaurants on author Stan Sesser’s list are unknown to me so I’ve already printed out the list and will carry it with me next time I go to Beijing.

I’m always looking for good recommendations, especially from fellow travelers. However, I have to argue with his “Best Avoided: Eating in Hotels” tip. Made in China in the Grand Hyatt is still one of my all-time favorites. Touristy? Yes. Expensive? OK, yes, compared to local restaurants. Delicious? Heck yes! There’s good food everywhere, that’s the joy of eating your way through China.

Read Mr. Sesser’s article at here.

The weather is beautiful in Shanghai these days. If you find yourself here and wishing to spend a little bit more time enjoying the outdoors, may I suggest a trip to Hangzhou?

Hangzhou is a beautiful city only two hours from the teeming hulk of Shanghai. Decidedly quieter and slower paced, Hangzhou has a lot to offer a temple lover or a nature lover. If it’s the city you want to see, most of the sights are centered around Hangzhou’s famous West Lake. You can spend the whole day there wandering the classical gardens, taking slow boat rides on the lake or meandering around the lake’s exterior on bicycles.

If escaping the city is what you’re after, make Hangzhou your launchpad to Fuchun Resort, where you can live in style and luxury for a few days while getting pampered. Or, head to the hills. The Long Jin (Dragon Well) tea from the hillsides surrounding Hangzhou is the most famous in China. Book a room in an old villa through Moganshan Lodge and spend the weekend breathing fresh air and walking through the forest.

Photos of the West Lake, © 2007 Sara Naumann, licensed to About.com, Inc.

May is usually my favorite month in China. You can pretty much depend on it being warm and balmy but the heat and humidity of the summer have not yet set in. The country has greened up and flowers are in full bloom. You often get some clear blue skies in the major cities and there's just an overall good feeling in the air.

Northern China, such as Beijing and Qingdao, are beautiful. You'll be relatively dry and the temps are lovely. Across central and southern China, such as Yangshuo or Guangzhou, it will still be damp, but the temps have warmed to such a degree that it won't feel uncomfortable. You'll still need your rain gear, but you should see a lot of nice days.

Don't forget, Labor Day kicks off May on the first so if you are wondering what all those flags are suddenly doing out, that's why. It got shortened to a one-day holiday this year so traveling during the first week of May won't be such a hassle. Get out and enjoy China in May!

Xiao Long Bao has made a deep impression into my very soul. I find myself wondering what I will do without them should we ever leave Shanghai. This is how darn good they are. Shanghai's signature dish, "little basket dumplings", are the epitome of unbelievable Chinese cuisine and part of a well-kept secret. While Chinese food may be ubiquitous worldwide, you can't get anything like what they serve in China outside. Ever heard of Xiao Long Bao? I didn't think so.

So, let me introduce you to this wonder of all Chinese dumplings, of all Chinese food, in my mind. Served in bamboo steamers, these little round dumplings – when made right – combine paper thin flour wrappers, succulent minced pork and a delicate broth to bring you a taste sensation like nothing else.

Read my article about Xiao Long Bao and you'll want to come visit China to eat, if for no other reason.

Photo: above, truffle-infused foie gras xiao long bao from Le Platane, below, the steaming window of Nanxiang's take-out xiao long bao stall in Shanghai.

Southern Barbarian has garnered a faithful and loving following and for good reason. Not only is it the only restaurant in Shanghai offering authentic Yunnan cuisine, it does so consistently in a low-key, no frills atmosphere. Folks come for good (seriously good) food, not for fancy drinks or a house DJ in the corner.

Southern Barbarian (the nickname of the owner) is giving its loyal patrons another reason to go: they’ve opened an upstairs lounge. Having taken over the pole dancing (!) school upstairs, they've turned it into a very cool lounge with free wireless and a corner bar offering Shanghai’s most diverse range of brews from all over the world.

Have a drink before dinner or hang out upstairs after. Either way, you’ll probably find me in the corner hovering over my laptop and a bowl of Yunnan Street Noodles.

Are you going to be in China during August? Were you giving Beijing a miss because you don’t have tickets to the games and you figure hotels were booked out months ago? I’m happy to report that as of this week, rooms are still available.

CTrip, China’s leading online travel agency, found rooms available when I inquired for as little as 1044rmb (that’s about US$ 150 right now) in a Chinese 2-star hotel. This is not bad considering the China Daily recently quoted hotel prices on average being inflated by 800% during the Olympics.

So, don’t despair. Even if you don’t have tickets to the games, you can book a hotel now and at least hang out and soak up the atmosphere in Beijing. Despite the controversy surrounding the torch relay, the Olympics are sure to be a spectacular celebration.