China, a land of intrigue
Trip Start
Apr 10, 2006
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22
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Trip End
Jul 24, 2006
Beijing,
China
Sunday, May 7, 2006
I was staying at Downtown Backpackers and was in a three bed dorm, which for the first night I had to myself. The room was sparse, with whitewashed walls, but clean and the bed comfortable and en suite had plenty of hot water, although you needed your own toilet paper and couldn't flush it away. The staff were friendly and helpful, and the lodge had it's own dining and sitting room and internet cafe.
My first morning I felt tired and so headed out for a short stroll to the Forbidden city. Eight hours later with blisters on my blisters I returned, but I didn't care as I had had an amazing day
Ballroom dancing
. I had firstly entered Beihai park, and it being Sunday and the end of a weeks holiday was enthralled with the huge number of Chinese, playing, dancing, singing or just strolling around the beautifully laid out gardens.Passing through the park and it's temples undergoing repair, I entered the forbidden city, a myriad of tiny streets and alleys connecting courtyard after courtyard each with it's dynastic rooms and temples.. Dust was everywhere and it seemed unkempt a tragedy for such a wonderful place, but I later learnt that just three weeks earlier Beijing had been hit by a huge dust storm and was finding it difficult to recover. Some parts had been repainted and restored and looked fabulous, and gave an inkling into how life must have been in that era.
Beyond the forbidden city lay huge quadrangles with magnificent dynastic stone buildings, and above vast stepped areas. One could only imagine the throngs of people lining these steps to pay homage to their emperor.
Then surrounded by huge magnificent government buildings was the infamous Tiananmen square, today bustling with Chinese tourists. To one end, adjoining the main piazza where Chairman Mow would stand and salute his troops and watch with a wry smile as his nuclear missiles and hardware paraded past, hung a huge poster of the man himself.
I was buttonholed by a young Chinese girl who spoke reasonable English. She claimed to work as a secretary in North China for an Audi garage and was on holiday leaving by train tomorrow - all sounded plausible but why latch on to me? I was wary and ducked away by going to the gents and exiting a different way from the entrance
Chinese dragon
. I later read a note in the lodge that this is a common occurrence, a ruse to get you to spend money on them, etc, etc. So my instinct it appeared was right.I walked to a market, along the banks of a lake and along a street full of guarded entrances that I could only assume were government buildings and minesterial homes.
I had expected an abundance of hostility towards westerners, but in fact I found the opposite; a polite curiosity, and even some comments and giggles on how large my nose was - well at least I've got one!
Following a well earned rest, I headed out that evening, looking for the main shopping area. I got lost again, and feeling hungry, I entered a bar which promised good food. The manager, Andy, was a really nice guy, his English was excellent and he told me how he had befriended a Dutchman who rang regularly which helped his learning. Andy had left university where he was studying engineering and was now working for his sister in the bar. We chatted about life in China and the effect the Olympics could have on business and a host of other subjects. Although I hadn't realised it on entering, the bar doubled as a kind of brothel, and girls came and went through the evening. Andy did ask if I wanted a girl, but having declined the subject was never bought up again, and I was still treated with respect. The food as promised was good, and the beer (I stuck to Bud Light's) was cold. It was a fun and very interesting evening, overshadowed only by the taxi driver getting lost and taking over an hour to get me back to digs.
