The Adventures of Meridian Playa: China

China, 2009

When the swirling wind clears, Meridian sees a line of little men scramble past her carrying baskets full of vegetables on their backs. Their feet are bare and their clothes are dirty and wrinkled. Beyond the farmers Meridian sees gigantic cruise ships on a mighty river of brownish-green water. Looking one way, it feels like she is in a modern city. Looking the other, Meridian thinks she has traveled to an ancient, foreign land. But after venturing from one end of China to the other with her new friends Nicky and Lao, Meridian realizes that the mix of old and new is what makes this country so very unique. The three friends participate in a project to improve public health in a tiny village along the Yangtze River where Meridian tests her bravery on a rope bridge high above a rocky gorge and raging river. Then, she loses the Chinese national treasure in an instant of inattention. But in the end, Meridian Playa, Nicky and wise little Lao walk the Great Wall of China and have their breath taken away by its majesty.