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Hello!
Quite tired so apologies if parts of this don't make sense (will explain tiredness later.)
So we're about two week into our time in China and by now feel quite at home with the Chinese and habits.
We started off in Beijing - after leaving the train and our Vodkatrain group (great bunch) we managed to navigate the metro and find our hostel in one of the 'hutong' districts. The hutongs are very cool, little alleys where local people serve street food. We were in a great location, just a few minutes from one of the main streets (Wangfuijing, for anyone who's interested) and not far from the major attractions.
We found there was lots to do in Beijing. We had 5 days, much longer than the rest of the tour group from the trains but we were pretty busy despite thinking we would be able to chill a bit - think that's probably kind of us though, we want to see everything and don't mind getting up early or walking a long way to see it!
The Forbidden City (in the picture) was a really interesting early insight into Chinese culture, I would sum it up as ordered beauty. It was incredible architectually and really colourful and huge but also very symmetrical and all the colours were the same (red, blue, gold and green (I think)). Also it was our first experience of Chinese tour groups. I expect you'll have seen Chinese tour groups if you've been to almost any major tourist attraction worldwide but of course in China there are twice as many, alll wearing matching silly hats and a guide speaking very loudly into a microphone - some good crowd dodgeing was needed!
Now as I said earlier we're keen to see everything and this has meant that food has been slightly side tracked at times. We've eaten of course (I'll get on to that later), don't get worried mum, but sometimes our mealtimes have been slightly out of sync. We get up too late of don't realise how long something's going to take and end up not having lunch till like 3. We're getting better though, just got to be ultra planned and have snacks at all times!
Naturally we went to Tiananmen Square but it was slightly uninspiring, I don't mean to sound stupid but it's kind of just a square. We didn't get to see Mao's body (much to Briony's disappointment - after Lenin her biology mind has become slightly fascinated,) and there was a nice memorial in the middle but it was nothing compared to the Forbidden City of some of the other sights.
Beijing had some lovely parks that we enjoyed despite sometimes having to pay. The Chinese seem to use their public places really well with kites, tai chi, crazy diabolos, card games and a really cool outdoor fitness playground thing (being me I found it cool - it was full of older people out - flexibleing me.) We went pedaloing around a large lake in the Summer Palace on our last day which was a nice relaxing activity to end our stay in Beijing and escape the hustle and bustle of the city.
Oh and I almost forgot the Olympic Stadium which we (wisely I think) went to see one evening. The Bird's Nest is pretty spectacular if a bit ugly at the same time. We didn't go in it but it was nicely lit, as was the Water Cube across from it and is cool thinking about what had gone on there.
Right. The Great Wall of China. What do you say?We did a tour with our hostel (to Mutianyu) which worked out really well and wasn't too expensive. The Wall is just epic, it was a bit hazy so of course our photos won't do it justice but it's incredible to think of the effort that went into building it - it must have been very effective in keeping those Mongols out. One of the lesser known facts about the Great Wall is that it's really steep in places - you pretty much have to clamber up the steps like a ladder which meant tired limbs at the end of the day. It's a awesome structure and the landscape around it is beautiful as well.
And so back to the train station and on to Xi'an. A nicer train than the several that have gone before but we pre-booked and paid a handsome sum so slightly to be expected. Very easy this overnight train business - just slept and when we woke we got off, nothing like 4 days.
The taxi ride to the hostel was interesting as even less English is spoken in Xi'an so had to do lots of gesturing and pointing at maps but got there in the end. Oh I forgot to mention, Briony's been quite ill with a cold/cough/flu thing so did very well to carry on in Beijing and then needed a day in bed in Xi'an. That left me to explore the city a bit on my own which was strange but fun and then organise what we were doing the next day; Now the main reason we were in Xi'an was the Terracotta Warriors. We navigated a public bus to get there but it was well worth it. Over 6000 figures and horses, made over 2000 years ago to go with the tomb of an Emperor to continue his dominance in the after life, they were only discovered in the 1970s. Crazy how they were there for so long, makes you think what else lies undiscovered under our feet! Oh and every single figure is different - it took 700,000 people to make them all. We wondered round and they were incredbile but it was more the story behind them that I found more interesting and more wonderous.
Now we were warned about it but it's still quite weird/very amusing. The Chinese like to take photos with Westerners. Well, they like taking photos generally - actually take photos of absolutely everything and there's been some very funny poses. We had it in Beijing with people asking to take photos which we have always obliged to mainly because we find it so funny. At the Terracotta Warriors we had our photo with a cute small boy, in the Forbidden City, 2 girls were sneakily taking photos of us from a cafe so I got the camera out and started taking photos of them back. It's all been very nice (oh apart from one weird guy on TS who wanted us to take of photo of just him but maybe lost in translation) unlike the staring which does get a bit tiresome after a while.
After Xi'an (the Muslim Quarter was lovely) we headed to Shanghai on another overnight train. Now we haven't really properly experienced Shanghai yet, we needed to book transport to Hong Kong for next week as have a flight on the 12th so we spent the day we arrived and the following day sorting that out. This was the one time when Chinese efficiency has failed us - there were no trains (our preferred/expected mode of transport) we were told by everyone we asked and so have booked a flight (fingers crossed it's ok.)
We did wander down the Bund, by the river which seperates the skyscrapers and financial distirct from the more cultural bit but little else as we're now in Huangshan. We got a bus (also slightly problematic as had to wait for ages in the bus station) and made it to Huangshan City -or Tunxi as it seems it can be called - and am currently in a nice hostel in the old town bit.
We returned from the mountain this morning - Huangshan - and it was utterly amazing. We got up at half 5 yesterday and then 4 this morning (hence the tiredness) but it was so worth it. We would defintely encourage anyone who comes to China not to miss it. It is a lot of walking though, in true Chines style it's all stone steps and so we climbed all the way up yesterday morning (took about 4 hours) and were greeted by unbelievable views of massive granite peaks, with jagged edges and dots of green trees across them. We went to the highest point and wandered round in awe at the landscape before eventually finding our 'hotel' after about 8 hours walking. It was also lovely weather and so we were sweaty and smelly by this point (not to mention a bit of sun burn.) We were in rubbishy dorms but didn't really care too much as got up for the sunrise this morning so didn't spend much time in them, the sunrise was the icing on the cake despite getting frozen waiting for it! And the back down we came and back on the buses to where we are now. Up there with the best day we've had so far - partly as it was so different to the big cities of China that we've seen so far!
Oh and food - we took cool little parcels of fried rice up to the mountain yesterday - generally it's been really good, nothing like Chinese at home, although all the menus are relatively similiar; chow mein noodles, dumplings, lots of spice and colour and rice and meat kebabs. Beijing had some incredible street food and we one night we ate a huge pot of really tasty 50p street noodles. Also in Beijing we tried shark kebabs as well as little insect things (not quite sure what they were - looked like little scopions?) which were all nice and edible. The top food has probably been the strawberry sticks which we had in Beijing again and our coated in sugar. So we've eaten well.
Right so that'll do I think, brought you guys up to date, as some of you may have realised facebook is blocked in China (we were surprised that it actually is) so haven't posted these links on there or anything, cheers x
- comments
Tim Sounds like you are having an inspiring time! You seem to run into your fair share of creepy people..... :D I bet those noodles don't match the Sainsbury's 28p instant noodles - my staple food :) Glad you're embracing all the opportunities you get, hope you keep having new experiences and that briony feels better soon x
Rachel Campling Sounds amazing Joe and I like the way you write about it - I can hear your voice as if you're saying it! Thanks for your birthday text - sweet of you. We had fab time. Mum and Dad just left Edin this morn after their walking trip - all good. Anyway love to you both and keep having an amazing time! The Aunt xx
Fred(dypops) Great to hear from you Joe, and via technology that, at my age, I'm only just getting acquainted with. I admire your resilience and enterprise. I'm thinking of how I would cope if I undertook the same kind of trip.......perhaps I'll plead age and not even try to think about it! Look forward to hearing more from you..........and love to Briony - hope she's feeling better.
Rae Campling Really enjoying hearing your news. It sounds amazing - a real trip of a lifetime! Hope Briony is feeling better. Look forward to the next installment. Love, Rae, Marcus, Hannah and James xxx
Angela Campling Just printed off your blog - yet to read thoroughly - we wrinklies are so short of time! Great to hear all about it - you are doing brilliantly and we're basking in your reflected glory! Hope Briony is maintaining improvement and that you are keeping well. Lots of love, Grangie and Gramps x