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You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
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Oct 14, 2010 02:00 PM Xiamen - tropical China...
I like this city from the first day... It is not like other monster-cities of China. Some half a million inhabitants only... Beautifuly located on the coast, with nice skyline and hills in the background... Easy to navigate, with simple bus system (1 yuan a ride). And it is warm and sunny here: trees are in blossom, people are easy-going. I am in the tropics, where day tempersture reaches pleasant 29 deg Celsius...
I stay in the international youth hostel (last stop of the city bus 1 from the station). Nice place, except... the mosquitoes. As usual in the tropics... They have nets in the windows installed but they are still inside. Bring your own net or the repellent to sleep better - I did not expect such a case!
Just 300 m from Nanputuo Temple - the main buddhist temple of the city. They charge 7 yuan entry fee but it is worth to be there early in the morning - before the tourist groups arrive... You will see chanting monks in orange dressing and worshippers lighting incense.
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Oct 13, 2010 02:00 PM China - how to get railway tickets...
I have ny next segment of rail journey - not much - just over 1000 kms... :))
I tried to buy my ticket few days ahead. At the station there is usually a crowd waiting in front of the ticket office. Do not expect a special English-speaking desk... So It is better to ask in your hostel - let's them write for you on the piece of paper in Chinese where and when you want to travel...
I did. The clerk in the window was looking at the paper and he said: tickets for today and tomorrow only! I found somobody speaking some English to explain, but the answer was the same... There should be a special window at the big stations for advance, 10-days purchase - but who knows where?
In the big towns there are little railways booking offices in the downtowns. Ask at the hostel - your chance will be better there. That's what I did. They charge 5 yuan more per ticket but they shold know few words of English and they are likely to find you other connection in case if there is no space on the train of your choice. I have my ticket to Xiamen! Let's go!
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Oct 12, 2010 02:00 PM Les baguettes de Hangzhou
Do you remember a lovely song "Les biciclettes de Belsize?"
Well, now - in 6-million Hangzhou I sing it "Les baguettes de Hangzhou" Why? After a number of consecutive days on rice and noodles only I have just round the corner French patisserie where they offer fesh and crispy French baguettes /7 yuan each/. Oh la,la!
I stay in the Mingtown youth hostel conveniently located on the West Lake, close to the center of the city. They charge 40 yuans for the dorm bed with a YH card.
I do not speak Chinese and often I have problems. But they are easy to solve. Today I wanted to buy a honey. Shopkeeper did not understand what is honey but after my short demonstration (with bzzz... bzzz... (what the bees do) and mniaam... mniaam... - he brought me a jar of honey (for 15 yuans). Everybody had a fun!
The nicest part of old Hangzhou is located around the West Lake. Can you imagine green hills with pagodas, temples, gardens. Boats sailing to the small islands on the lake? - People say that it is like a the image of traditional Chna in the pill... I took a walk around the lake. The weather unfortunately is wet, so it is only half of the pleasure... May be next time...
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Oct 11, 2010 02:00 PM Guanyin Goddess Statue - 33 m-high!
There are many temples on the Putuoshan Island. Those on the green mointain ridge are connected by the path - I was going from temple to temple enjoying the views and the atmosphere of the sacred places... Eventually the path took me to the main Puji Temple - biggest on the island. Ponds full of the lotus flowers are there and huge statue of the Buddha of the Future. Crowd of pilgrims inside...
But the best-known place on the sacred island is the huge, open-air terrace with the 33-m high statue of the Goddess of Mercy - they call her here Guanyin... Well, with hundereds people around it is hard to contemplate the landscape. But this is China - 2-mln city is recognized as small one... It is very hard to find the place to be alone! Now I should tell you something sad: on arrival to the island they charge hefty 160 yuan "as the fee for the entry to the scenic area" - if you are pilgrim or not - that's also China!
Back on the mainland I plan to take the train to Huangzhou - another historic place... Cloudy, rainy evening - I pray for the better weather!
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Oct 10, 2010 02:00 PM Putuoshan - The Sacred Island
Do you remember when I was climbing Mt Emeishan?
There are four sacred places for the Bhuddist believers in China.
I saw Emeishan. Putuoshan Island is the next one. The island is small enough to visit all in two days. Ningbo - the 5-mln city act as a gateway to Putuoshan - in the bacck street on the Old Bund I found "Passenger Ferry Terminal" (Signs in chinese only).
They sell here tickets (73 yuan) for combined bus+speedboat service. 4-5 departures per day.
The bus segnent to the port of Dixie takes more then an hour. Then they will lock you in the speedboat (no open decks - I do not like it, but no choice!) for another hour ride through the bay.
A lot of pigrims come to the island byt also group tours. For the foreigners it it out of the main trach place - I din not see any other "Lawai"... Hotels on the island are expensive, no hostels. But a charming lady was waiting for me in front of the terminal. She wrote "100" on the piece of paper and took me to her house. I like this - such a homestay gives me opportunity to know more about the locals. I bought a kilo of plain rice in the shop (7 y) and she boiled it for me ioin the kitchen. Tasted like in the French restaurant!
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Oct 09, 2010 02:00 PM China: beer is close, but bread far away...
Just over the stone bridge, some 50 m from the Mingtown Youth Hostel I have a little shop to buy my food. Popular Tsingdao beer -big bottle - cost there only 4 yuan, an egg -0.60, but you will not find there such a basic product like a bread :))
To get it you have to go to the downtown - in the bakeries sellind cakes you will find it paying 9 yuan for 300 g - expensive!
My laundry is already dry so it is time to pack up an to say bye to Suzhou - in the late afternoon I plan to reach the island of Putuoshan....
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Oct 08, 2010 02:00 PM Just married in Suzhou - China
No, it is not me, dear Friends :))
But every morning when I am leaving my hostel I see young couples and professional photographers on along the canal taking souvenir wedding pictures in the romantic scenery of the stone brigges, old houses etc. In the morning the lighting is better. I took the opportunity to take also few such a wedding pictures - I will upload them from home...
It was another interesting day: I took a walk to the pagodas of Suzhou (at least 4 of them in this town)
I found also interesting the Confucius Temple - for the first time in my life on the altar I saw a huge portrait painting of the Master (entry is free).
And in the afternoon I took a city bus 518 (4 yuan) to get to the another little watertown: Luzhi - about 20 kms away.
Luzhi with its canals and bridges is not as big as Tongli but also has this historic atmosphere. And what is important for the backpacker - they do not push you to pay the entry fee to take the outside pictures. If you wish to visit the temple or the mansions you have to pay.
Our 518 bus stayed more then half an hour in the traffic jam on the return way. Yes, there are traffic jams in China so do not plan excursions out of the town for the last day of your stay - you can miss your flight or train!
I ate 12 pieces of my faviurite bao-ji (steamed buns with meat & vegies inside) for the dinner. I hope I will sleep well anyway. Have a good night too!
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Oct 07, 2010 02:00 PM Water towns of China
They call Suzhou, where I am now "The Venice of the East". Because of many canals, stone bridges built centuries ago and overall romantic landscape... Mingtown Youth Hostel where I stay is one of the most atmospheric hostel I saw in China. Located in the old mansion on the canalside, houses just 20 rooms or so... I pay 150 yuan for a single with bath (I need it after my hardcore 42-hours journey from Turpan).
There are gardens, pagoda and temples to see in Suzhou, but I decided to escape the crowds and go to Tongli - little water town - just 18 kms away. Bus cost me 8 juans each way. Tongli is also the water town connected to the historic Grand Canal. It is small and compact, with well preserved old streets. I enjoyed it... except the entry fee - they charge hefty 80 yuan to cross the bridge. And all the bridges all well guarded, Locals go for free, normal people live there so it is like the living museum, but the guards will stop you for sure to collect mney - you are "lawai" - like a gringo, easy to recognize. Enjoy Tongli anyway!
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Oct 06, 2010 02:00 PM Hardcore travel on hardseater...
There are four classes on Chinese trains: comfy soft sleeper, hard sleeper, soft seat and hard seat. Computerized reservation system allows you to book any train 10 days in advance - not earlier... Book as early as possible! I went to the station 5 days ahead and I got only hard seat for my T-54. OK: car 5 seat 12 - window. The problem is that Chinese sell also standing tickets to the hard seat cars...
Can you imagine 42 hours journey in the crowded car? Practicaly you cannot stand - there is no space for that. And to get through the crowded aisle to the Asian-style toilet is like an expedition through the jungle of the people sleeping in the corridor! Want a hot water? Pass your cup or bottle over the heads and it will come filled in 10 minutes or so... Fellow passenders were nice to me: they offered unknown fruits and vegies and tried not to lay on me...
The electonic screen shows the speed 133 kms/hour... I was waiting for the Suzhou station a long time... Extremely tired, dirty I took a motocycle taxi to the youth hostel. Welcome to the Eastern China!
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Oct 05, 2010 02:00 PM 4000 kms on train T-54...
I started the next stage of my rail journey through China. Train no T54 goes daily from Urumchi to Shanghai... When you are coming to the station first there is ticket check, then security screening then you must wait in the line udred the flag of your train. You are alloed to get to the platform only 10 minutes before train arrival (another ticket check at the entrance), The you form the line and wait. It is coming! Stoped! Now everybody can run to the door. Why, if the seats are numbered? To get enough space for your luggage on overhead racks. Chinese carry a lot of luggage!
Why I decided to go 4000 kms in one stage? Usualy people stop n the way in famous Xian, but I have been already there. During such a long journey you will see snowy mountains and desert, camels and donkeys on the pastures, deep gorges and huge rivers and much more. It is another big adventure!
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