Aug 11, 2009 12:00 AMA brief comeback of low fares airlines? Going East!
Ryanair shocked me yesterday with their offer. Until Wednesday midnight, they are offering £5 all inclusive fares to many destinations from London and €5 all inclusive fares from many European cities. I managed to secure three trips, which all cost me £30 in total! This time, as previously, I am going East. I booked a flight to Sandefjord to see my friends, and a concert; a weekend in Stockholm (so overdue!); and a weekend in Bratislava (after 25 years of absence). I could not believe how lucky I was. I thought that low fares have gone. I tried so many times to get cheap flights to Berlin, but there was no chance at all. The prices did not want to start below €150 total. I can still remember times, where I managed to hop to Berlin for less than €40... I could see my family there more often! Even now, I was hoping for cheap Berlin transfer, but even this offer did not produce good fares for me.
Uh, so it seems that Monday night, about midnight, is good time to scoop some good deals from Ryanair early...
For this late summer and autumn escapades, I also managed to secure hotel accommodation rather cheaply, both in Stockholm and Bratislava (in Sandefjord, I am staying with friends), for €25 and €15 per night, respectively. I tried hostels, but they were more expensive!! And many had no availability.
On a separate occasion, I booked €30 return flight to Gdansk to see my brother for his birthday. If all goes well, I will drop to see my parents in Ustka and my friends in Slupsk.
Aug 05, 2009 12:00 AMChina - photo albums in the making
There is no way that I will post 3,511 photographs on Globo from the trip to People's Republic of China this year. But there will be a fair bit of that. I am thinking to create the following albums:
1. Shanghai
2. Hangzhou
3. Xi'an & neighbourhood
4. Chengdu
5. Nanjing
6. Beijing
7. Datong & neighbourhood
8. The Great Wall of China - Mutianyu (almost done, and already live)
So, the picture will trickle in and in and in. As soon as there are a few photos in the album, I will open it. I will try not to overwhelm the members with too many submissions at a time. It may not be possible to finish all the albums this month...
Aug 04, 2009 12:00 AMChina - so, how much did the holiday cost?
Over two weeks, from the 18th July to 2nd August, including intercontinental and domestic flights, I spent £1,825 or so. The flights alone cost £680 or so for the intercontinental; and £460 or so for the domestic ones. The costs were as follows, and exclude souvenirs, of which I actually did not buy that many:
Intercontinental Flights £680
Domestic Flights £460
Accommodation £240
Food £90
Soft drinks £20
Beer and cocktails £135
Tea £5
Entry fees and tickets £60
Taxis £90
Trains £20
Coaches and buses £10
Metro £5
Other costs £10
By staying at the international hostels, I was spending on average £16 per night. Public transport in the cities was really cheap with single tickets costing less than £0.20. The cost of beer cropped up due to expensive venues in Shanghai and Beijing, where they charged over £5 per pint. Food was relatively inexpensive and I would have spent less had I not splurged a little in Datong, Shanghai, and Beijing. Many local eateries could feed a hungry tourist for less than £2.
Aug 03, 2009 12:00 AMChina Holiday - the last word
I am back home. Next time, I will seriously consider flying direct to London. I am getting really tired with the German airports, particularly Frankfurt, where transfer passengers have to go through multiple metal detectors, even when transferring from one Lufthansa flight to another!
Anyway, the holiday is over. It was full of adrenaline. Some good, some bad. Some really awful. I am not very happy to say that I did not find the country very friendly at all. I could probably get used to the lack of courtesy on the streets and in the public transport, to the harking and spitting everywhere, and inconsiderate loud behaviour. But what happened on the last night at the hostel was totally unnecessary. I do not want to dwell on this subject any more, and I would rather just put it behind me. However, I think I still ought to mention it in my report on Beijing, otherwise my travel report would not be complete. But that will be the last of it.
Actually, I am planning to write a few reports from this trip, which should complement my travel log and better illustrate the places (more photos in the reports than in the logs). I am thinking a report on Beijing, Datong, Nanjing, Chengdu, Xi'an, Shanghai, and maybe one on Hangzhou, too. And one special one - that will break the template a little, or a lot. So, I will need some time to make sure they read as they should. There might be a couple this month but the rest will have to follow later. I also need to catch up at work, and with the swine flue outbreak, I think I will be very busy.
Obviously, I took a lot of photographs (3,511 to be exact), and these should start appearing shortly. I will try to put them in albums for the ease of viewing.
As far as the itinerary went, I did not go to Suzhou (too much partying in Shanghai and Nanjing), Badaling Great Wall (bad weather), and Lhasa (for reasons stated below in the travel log), but managed to visit extra two places around Datong that I had not planned to see. And made new friends, which is always a bonus for staying in hostels!
Aug 02, 2009 12:00 AMBeijing (CN) - on the way out
I am sitting in the First Class Lounge at the incredible and spectacular Beijing Capital Airport (PEK), still disbelieving what happened last night at the hostel. Over 120 countries on my clock and I have never been attacked by locals just because I am a foreigner, a visitor to the country. Even in places commonly considered unfriendly or unsafe, like Dem. Rep. of Congo or Somalia! But it just had to happen in People's Republic of China! And although it was a racist attack, the bandits almost killed the Chinese hostel manager.
I am trying to reflect on the entire situation. It is clear to me now that the hostel was completely unprepared for an attack like that. At the beginning, the personnel even refused to call the police. This was strange, as they should have been more concerned about the guests' safety and the safety of their own!
The police also shocked me. They took over 20 minutes to start to deal with the situation. They just stood passively as the racists ran around the hostel terrorising everyone and beating people! And at the end, the officers intimidated the travellers by taking their passports and interrogating them! I was not impressed!!
Well, anyway, I knew this holiday was not going to be perfect. Even before I took off, there were massive challenges about my route and then, a few disappointments en route. But as things picked up a little in Nanjing, Datong and Beijing, the conclusion of the holiday just could not be worst! As I look at this from the perspective of all my travels to date, this was the most awful and horrible travel experience in my life and the worst situation I have ever been!
Unless the hostel improves their security procedures, I am not looking forward to go back there. And I think it will be quite a long time before I start considering a trip to China again.
Aug 01, 2009 12:00 AMBeijing (CN) - the last day and the last night
While browsing through shops at the Pearl Market, across from the Temple of Heaven, I found this simple Chinese eatery opposite the market's north door. I tried diced chicken with peanuts and chilli and it was fabulous. And on my last day, I went to Wangfujing Dajie. On the sixth floor of the Beijing apm Centre was this Thai inspired restaurant called Yummy Yummy. I tried their expensive chicken curry (¥45). It was yummy! Spiced to perfection, gently sweet and very large. Worth every penny!
The main mission however, was to get the Peking Duck. I went to Jian Guo Gate Restaurant at 24 Jianguomenwai, in the Chaoyang District. The whole duch was ¥168.
After a great night out, coming back at hostel at 6 a.m. (and the night before at 7 a.m.), I took it easy. I went for window shopping and the Olympic Park, until they lit up the Cube and the National Stadium. But a giant thunderstorm broke out, and it was raining badly.
When I got back to the hostel, three racist Chinese guys attacked a couple of guests from the hostel just because they were foreigners, and then broken into the hostel and attacked the staff. They threatened a few guests in the bar. They badly hurt the hostel manager, almost killed him. They kicked him down to the floor and kicked his head. They would have killed him if one of the guests from France did not stop them. The police came late and they did not do anything for about 20 minutes even as the racists started breaking items in the bar. It was very scary actually. They managed to terrorise the entire hostel. Only when more police came did the situation improve.
Now, I'm having my last beer in the bar, and will leave for the airport early in the morning.
Jul 31, 2009 12:00 AMBeijing (CN) - emperors' palaces & great night out
The famous Summer Palace was not only a UNESCO-inscribed World Heritage Site, and a place swarmed with tourists, it was also a park, where the locals went to relax. The vastness of it guaranteed plenty of paths for walking, and the proximity of the lake had a cooling effect. One could simply sit on a bench, eat green pea or red bean icecream, and watch people, or take a boat and cruise the lake. There were a number of interesting structures to visit, too (¥30-¥60). They had been a late addition to the city landscape (18th century), but had been built in a traditional style to match the much older imperial venues of Beijing.
Cafe & Bar Berry, at 42 Sanlitun Street, the one with many bars and clubs, had Erdinger hefe weizen beer, both the light and dark versions (¥60, credit cards accepted) and had a good selection of okay wines and spirits. It was small and probably least sleazy than many of the bars/clubs in this area known for the many embassies. Just at the beginning of the street, by the Yaxiu Shopping Centre, Nigerian guys could secure a supply of any kind of stulating substances one would desire. They were really friendly and took refusal with grace and dignity, as well.
The street's bars-cum-clubs employed bands and singing groups to give 'live' performance to (doubtfully) pleasure the customers. Well, some of them were only slightly below average Idol's and X-Factor quality, whereas others just counted on their girl's attractiveness to do the trick. And it often worked!
Jul 30, 2009 12:00 AMBeijing (CN) - hmm... did the crowds ruin it for me?
I am back in Beijing. Today, I went to the Forbidden City and Beihai Park, and did some walking around, ate Chinese dumplings and drank beer. I also had some spicy diced chicken with peanuts and hot chillies.
The Forbidden City (¥60) was so crowded that it was almost impossible to enjoy. I started from the Tiananmen Square and worked my way up north. Sections of the city were closed for visitors and parts of the gates were covered in green mesh for renovations. This was really disappointing as the tickets cost exactly the same as when all parts of the city would be open. I am not sure if there is a time if day when it would be best to see the complex to avoid the crowds. I went at noon, hoping the heat if the mid-day would have deterred many visitors. The imperial enclosure was packed with visitors, vast majority of whom were Chinese. As with them, who seemed to have no concept of curteousy, visiting monuments was exceptionally hard and really unpleasant. I did not last very long in the Forbidden City, also as most things looked much alike.
The Beihai Park was quieter, however far from deserted. It was a little less interesting than I thought, and I am not sure it was worth the price (¥30).
Today, weather was strange. It must have been the smog. The sun was shining, but it was not getting through a strange, grey mist hanging above the city. I snapped a few photographs but they are unlikely to be any good!
Jul 29, 2009 12:00 AMDatong (CN) - city with great history
I had to get up early to catch my Beijing - Datong 07:30 am flight. Fortunately, the airport was only 30 minutes by taxi, and it was easy to call one from the street. I was a bit concerned about weather, as it was very foggy (smoggy?) flights might have been delayed. But that was nit the case. My flight left on time, and I landed in Datong, basking in sunshine, at 08:30 am. I quickly caught the airport shuttle (¥10) was at the hotel reception by 09:15 am. After having relaxed and eaten late breakfast (beef noodle), I embarked on discovering Datong country.
The receptionist, who barely spoke about ten words in English, insisted that it was just too difficult to go anywhere by public transport. I did want to cover a lot in a day, true. But I ambitiously claimed I could do it by bus. Actually, it was too late for that, and I was glad the hotel manager came and negotiated a car with a driver for me for the entire day. For a distance of 260 kilometres, I paid ¥340. I think that it was not a bad deal at all. This way, I managed to cover more in a day than I originally planned. It was a good day!
Datong in the Shanxi province, has over 2,300 years of great history. It had been the capital of the Northern Wei Dynasty, secondary capital of the Liao & Jin dynasties, and an important military centre of Qing & Ming dynasties. Yet, it does not sit very firmly among China's prime tourist destinations.
There are over 300 historical remains and sites of ancient relics, among which one has been listed by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage Site. They are the Yungang Grottoes, carved meticulously with Buddha images, dating back to 400s AD.
The street running south of the old Drum Tower was full of cafes that were humming with locals having their drinks, usually tea. Some of them looked triendier than others, some a little run down, I guess. But one could find Datongers in all sorts of them. I had a peek in a couple of them in the evening, and was under the impression that they really took their time, chatting rather loudly about... actually, I had no idea what about. I also liked an impromptu street night market, which developed right in front of my hotel. It did spawn a quick crowd, who came to check what was new and fashionable in the kitch and cheap (and completely silly and useless) toy department. I saw no-one actually buying anything. Datong was called the city of dragon walls, not just because of the unique Nine Dragon Wall. There were 4 One Dragon Walls; 1 Three Dragon Wall; 3 Five Dragon Walls; and one wall with circular 'dragon seals'.
The Yungang Grottoes are the largest and earliest group of Buddha statues preserved in China. They are located at the foot of Mount Wuzhou, about 15 kilometres west of the centre of Datong city, and still within the suburbs. The group of 53 grottoes carved in solid rock stretch over 1 kilometre from east to west. The construction of the grottoes started at the time of the Northern Wei dynasty in 453 AD. They hold over 51,000 statues, the largest of which is more than 17 meters high, and the smallest is only 2 centimetres long.
The site is visited mainly by Chinese travellers. I spotted only three other foreign-looking people, when I went. The public transport is rather difficult and the easiest way to get there is by taxi, which can be organised by the hotel, for a really good price. It should not cost more than ¥50, including waiting time.
I spent about an hour and a half over there, concentrating on the twenty largest and better decorated grottoes. And there were some awesome and huge Buddha statues! Entry was ¥60.
About 70 kilometres southwest from Datong, in Yingxian, there was the Wooden Pagoda, aka Sakyamuni Pagoda, part of the Fogong Temple (¥60). It was built in 1056 during Liao dynasty and had a total height of 67 metres with the diameter at the base of 30 metres. It claimed the title of the largest surviving wooden strcture tower building in the world. It was of an octagonal shape, and from the outside, it looked that it had five floors. In fact, there were four hidden levels inside, making the total nine floors. The pagoda was great indeed, but the entire town of Yingxian was exceptionally picturesque. For the first time on my entire trip, I really felt that I was in China! Traditional and looking very old houses with curved roofs lined all streets in the core of the town. Wherever I turned, I saw a temple-like building housing shops, banks, restaurants, or simply households. This was the greatest surprise of this holiday. I only found out about the place, after I arrived in Datong, and Yingxian appeared like a superb place to escape the world for a couple of days.
Again, some 70 kilometres away from Datong, in the south-westerly direction; about 40 kilometres east of Yingxian, there was the magnificent Beiyue Hengshan Hanging Monastery (entry: ¥60) This monastery was the very reason why I travelled to Datong at all. It is located on the west cliff of the Gold Dragon Gorge at the Hengshan Mountain, 5 kilometres south of Hunyuan. It was first built in 491 entirely of wood, based on half-inserted crossbeams, skilfully supported by hidden rocks to form a combination of rock and beam and column up and down, and a fixed match of the corridor and parapet, according to physical mechanics and gravity. It is considered a masterpiece and phenomenal example of the great knowledge of construction mechanics over 1,500 years ago! It is the only architecture on high cliff in China. Some freak twist of nature created rain at the temple. Everywhere else in the county there was plenty of sun! But right at the entry to the gorge, in those magnificent mountains, it just had to rain cats and dogs! What a strange twist of fate?! I was gutted! I was hoping to spend some time at the monastery and take plenty of pictures. Instead, climbing the cliff was risky as the path was slippery, and I had to borrow an umbrella from the taxi driver, so I could take just a few snaps. Such a shame! Well, at least I saw a lot more that day elsewhere.
