Beijing
Trip Start
Sep 03, 2007
1
186
220
Trip End
Jun 17, 2009
Beijing,
China
Friday, October 17, 2008
Revised plan is now finish packing, forget breakfast and catch a taxi across to the other hotel in Kowloon. We check out, paying for laundry (64 UK pounds), phone calls to the UK bank (total 30 UK pounds) and 3 UK pounds for the 'free' local calls to arrange car hire. Eeeeeh, it's all good fun being an international jet setter!
Out on the street and remembering yesterday's taxi palaver, we flag down a taxi and show him the Kowloon hotel card before we get in. No, won't (can't?) go there. Nor the next, nor the next. The clock is ticking and we start to walk to where the other taxi was in a stand yesterday. The stand has several taxi's, all of them empty. As we start to walk on another taxi comes round the corner and Norah flags him down. OK, can do.
We hop in and he sets off through the busy but as yet still moving traffic and heads towards the east tunnel, so we've now been through all of them. We keep moving and after thirty minutes arrive at the other hotel. We ask him to wait and go in and retrieve the dollars. Back in the taxi and on to the airport express station at Kowloon, which is closer to the airport and to the Air China check-in. All done and two bags gone by 8am, we're back on track (if not slightly ahead).
The fast modern express arrives and whisks us across Kowloon and then 'Lantau Island', onto the man made airport island. Through the busy immigration and security departments and then a breakfast, after which we sit at the gate for our 1040 flight to Beijing. A quick duty free check shows only four Johnny Walker types, there being no sign of the cheapest 'red' - so a JW rating of 4 for Hong Kong.
There are too many passengers for the scheduled 737, so a borrowed Airbus A321 is used. Climbing out of HK we are soon in cloud and the smooth flight of two and three quarter hours gives us time to have a relaxed meal. Relaxed, except for a pair of Chinese children sitting behind us and arguing about a games machine, kicking the seats and generally being a noisy pain. I was surprised at this, as I believed all Chinese youngsters were well behaved but not so. More surprising was that the parents seemed unwilling or unable to control them. This was the first bad behavior we had experienced from kids since leaving home and came as a bit of a shock. Maybe we're closer to home than we think!
We descend into Beijing .....and descend .......and descend. Usually at several thousand feet you get a view of the ground before landing but here there was nothing but 'cloud'. Just before touchdown the airport building roofs came into view and we were down. It was like landing in fog. As we taxied in, the runway and other aircraft were lost in this 'fog', until as we arrived at the modern terminal buildings we realized that this was the infamous Beijing smog. Visibility was down to a few hundred metres and it was early afternoon!
As usual people stand up and grab their bags as soon as the plane halts, we stopped bothering about being off quickly long ago. This time they stand......and stand but there is no sign of the door opening. The captain comes on the intercom to explain that as they've arrived at Beijing earlier than the scheduled arrival time (as they've used a bigger, faster plane), there is no one available to drive the passenger gantry crane and let us off. Eventually someone turns up and the doors are opened.
In the new terminal they had put moving walkways, 'travellators' but instead of walking along them the passengers just stopped as though it was an escalator. You could have walked on the corridor faster and I eventually gave up and did that.
After a long walk we came to a train for a ten minute ride to the main airport terminal. We had obviously landed at a satellite terminal probably built for the Olympics. Off the train and through a polite and friendly immigration before the baggage hall. Yes.... two bags and it's looking good.
We change HK dollars into Chinese yuan and go and join the long, official taxi queues. Out in the air there's a general smell of smog and the temperature is cooler, being down in the low 20's - someone take pity on us! As our turn comes we are directed to a taxi and I show him our hotel address. No, don't know that, so we find another taxi, no, he doesn't know either. I have a habit of writing the target hotel name and address and if possible, phone number down before we set off. The taxi controller is a bit perturbed at us still being there and questions the last driver. After a bit of an interchange over the address note, the driver is pressured into phoning the hotel. My Chinese is nil but the facial expressions and voice tone goes something like..."Is that RJ hotel?", "Where the chuffing heck are you?", "You're chuffing here?"
Our driver is definitely not happy but as he is told by the thin controller to now take us, we load our cases with minimal help and he sets off. There are good roads out of the airport, showing the Olympics infrastructure and as we progress towards the city they become busier with traffic and our driver soon develops into Mr Definitely Grumpy, slapping the wheel and cursing at every holdup. Maybe it's a good job we don't speak the language here.
We continue through the yellowy smog towards the city and every time we slow down he opens the window and we can taste the pollution. He puts on the radio and there's a monologue going on which I can only describe as a Chinese Mike Harding (a northern England comic of the 1980's). If we could only understand it I'm sure it would be entertaining.
Passing through the edge of the busy city we eventually reach our hotel, by which time Mr Grumpy has settled down a bit and even says goodbye. We book in to a small modern hotel that is a part of an apartment complex and settle in to our basic but comfortable room overlooking the central area.
For dinner we go to the hotel restaurant and are the only people in it but they serve a tasty Chinese meal which costs us ten pounds.
Saturday 18th October
A lie in, breakfast at the hotel and then we walk out to find the nearest bank atm, using the hotel's directions. We pass the bus station, with no sign of the bank, and walk on. The street names are in Chinese and English but all the shops and other direction signs are all Chinese characters. We seem to be causing a bit of a stir, as people watch us pass, which is surprising after all the visitors they must have seen during the Olympics. Looking around we are asked "where you want?" We answer "China Bank" and are pointed up the street. Having learned to say thank you we answer "Sier, Sier", which gets an appreciated acknowledgement and soon we are in funds.
We walk back to the hotel past the local 'Tian Qiao square', a modern plaza with (dry) fountains and lights and opposite the local theatre.
We have two days in Beijing before our tour of China starts, as we want to see a little bit more than the tour basics. We had asked at the hotel about going to see the 'Summer Palace' and were told this would cost 1000 yuan, including lunch, with a driver all day. We decide to go on our own and in the street flag down a taxi. Hardly any of these guys speak English and he is lost at our 'Summer Palace' spoken request. Luckily I have a map of Beijing and show him where we are and where the Palace is. A big smile and "OK" and we're off through the even busier streets. I don't know if they're busier because it's Saturday or whether there's something special going on but our driver gets quite exasperated at the holdups, but not as bad as Mr Grumpy.
The smog is still there and we both can feel it in the back of our throats. The street scene is fascinating, with bendy buses crammed with people, cars chock a block on the roads and many bicycles about being used to carry people and goods. I saw one woman with a baby asleep in the handlebar shopping basket of a bicycle. The tall buildings are surprisingly modern (another one of those preconceived impressions) and there are quite a few gardens and landscaped verges along the roads. In the city we see another 'Skytower', I guess every major city has one. The apartment blocks are not as big or as congested as in Hong Kong, another surprise.
Our man makes a couple of phone calls to see if he can avoid the traffic but no. We finally make it to the Summer Palace after 65 minutes and buy tickets and hire an auto electronic guide.
The Summer Palace was originally built in 1750 for the Emperor to escape from the heat of the city and developed in the years afterwards. It covers 290 hectares, three quarters of which is the lake. In 1860 it was burnt down by invading Anglo - French forces and then rebuilt before being destroyed again in 1900 by invading forces and again rebuilt.
The classic Chinese buildings are set against a backdrop of mountains on a wooded slope around the great lake. There are many treasures from the dynasties of Emperors on display in some of the halls and the whole area has a relaxed feel (ignoring the thousands of visitors that were thronging here).
The smog has been left behind in the city and the clouds gradually give way to a sunny, blue sky and a lovely warm, autumn day. The crowds are busy and in some places we are jostled but there's no favouritism in it, everyone gets shoved. I guess in a country as populated as this you just push your way wherever you want to go!
We did find many people were happy to say hello, especially youngsters and I felt we were engaged in somewhat of an ongoing cultural exchange
Our electronic guide cut in with a spoken descripton at key points and showed us where we were, which was quite useful. We looked at a students display of Chinese art, a classic Chinese garden in the 'Garden of Harmonious Pleasures', climbed 'naffin' hundreds of steps up into the temples and down again, saw the marble boat (built just for an Empress to sit in), had a boat ride across the lake and walked over the seventeen arch bridge. The architecture and decoration on the buildings, especially the glazed ceramic tiles on the roofs, was fascinating and very impressive. A very good visit.
A taxi ride back to the hotel took thirty minutes, especially as it was with a driver who seemed miffed he had been left out of tomorrow's Shanghai F1 grand prix and was determined to make up for it. The whole day cost us 300 yuan against the 1000 asked (12 yuan to the British pound).
We decided to walk out for dinner and after checking on local safety walked a few blocks to the 'Hang Lian Peking Duck restaurant'. The menu, in Chinese and English, was authentic Chinese and even I backed off the 'roasted frog', 'black and white cow's belly', 'ducks intestines', 'roasted chickens feet' and all varieties of eel. You were right H, nothing is wasted here! The drinks menu was all in Chinese and was resolved by going to the bar and pointing - we settled for beer! Our roasted ling, noodles and chestnuts and veg were very tasty.
Walking back we needed sweat shirts! As we walked along the road we could see coloured lights in the sky. They didn't move, so couldn't be aircraft and were too high to be on buildings. Eventually we figured out they must be kites but they were so high and strung out and the uppermost ones were flashing different colours. We had seen a guy at the Summer Palace flying a kite combination that had several kites vertically along the control line, presumably giving more successive lift and these could be the same. It was a fabulously intriguing sight to see the coloured lights hanging and swaying in the night sky.
Sunday 19th October
An easy start and a walk to the nearby 'Temple of Heaven'. On the way we passed the local department store. Norah wanted some socks, so we joined the throng inside. All signs and labels are in Chinese (characters) and as H says, it could read "free socks today" but there's no way you'd ever know. We wander round, being jostled on all sides as the Chinese don't take any prisoners in a crowd. Eventually we spot socks and after a lot of sign language, Norah successfully emerges.
We risk crossing the main road, where being on a pedestrian crossing gives you no rights at all and arrive at the Temple. It covers an area of 270 hectares and was the main centre for the Emperors to worship the gods, especially to pray for a good harvest.
The great park was busy but had a peaceful feel on this sunny morning. As with the Summer Palace, areas of it had discreet, instrumental music playing from speakers and this added to the tranquil effect.
We walked round the park and visited the temples, halls and the great marble 'circular mound altar'. The architecture and its decoration was again fascinating. As we walked back through the park people were sitting, playing badminton, practicing Tai Chi or just strolling around with their families. The whole atmosphere was calm and tranquil which made a pleasant day's visit.
We returned to the hotel in the late afternoon ready for the evening's tour meeting.
6pm and we meet our Chinese tour leader, Andy and our fellow travellers; Simon and Lucy from the UK, James and Robyn from Oz, Francois and Dallas from Canada. After paperwork and info we go out to a local restaurant for a real Chinese blowout of nine different dishes, including Peking (or should that be Beijing?) duck. Stuffed, we walk back to the hotel, calling in at a local supermarket for snacks for lunch tomorrow.
Monday 20th October
OK, so name some of the things we know related to China - NO, forget takeaways! Clue: how about construction? Today we are going to visit the Great Wall of China, well just a little bit of it, as it's 7600 km long.
Up, breakfast and on the bus for 7.30. We drive through the busy Monday morning streets where the traffic is moving well. I was surprised not to see more bicycles but Andy tells us that China is becoming more affluent and there are 8000 applications for new car licences each day. This is good except that it is causing increasing traffic problems and car use is regulated.
Two hours later and we have passed out of the city suburbs into the countryside at the edge of the mountains. Here we stop and can see the Wall on top of the mountain ridges. Now, how many hours hike is it up to the Wall? Over half an hour if you're fit, or you can ride the cable car to the ridge like we did. These guys are organized, as befits one of the most famous landmarks in the world. The base near the car park is packed with tourist souveneir stalls, beer and water sellers, fruit and food stalls, books, art and paintings, clothes stalls ( including white fox pelts), Russian arctic fur hats and loads of T shirts. You don't get that at Hadrian's Wall do you? Oh, yes, H, we did see the camel, waiting to give people rides!
The cable car takes us up the mountain and we climb to a view point for our first proper look at the Wall. WOW!!!!! It snakes over the mountains in both directions, until it disappears in the mists (sorry smog, which was slowly building up again) on the mountains way in the distance. This is a fantastic sight. I've always admired the Romans and did go (only recently) to see the Roman Wall in the UK but the sight of this makes Hadrian look like he was playing with Lego bricks!
We set off along the Wall, with watchtowers at every 100 (?) metres. As well as the castellations, there are arrow slits along both sides (was that just to hedge their bets?) and stone gutters for rainwater. The steps constantly vary in height from a couple of inches to a serious fifteen inches in places, varying all the time with the gradient. We get misty (!) views of the mountains in the distance and the surrounding forests are changing into glorious autumn colours.
The Wall is busy with people, mostly Chinese schoolchildren but is not crowded and we are able to see all the detail in the construction. After an hour we come to an exit point and whilst Norah waited, some of us went on to climb the next part, which rose on a slope of about 60 degrees up to the next two towers, passing on the way three buildings which appeared to be officers' quarters.
At the top of the slope notices warned of no admittance and the Wall appeared to be overgrown and in disrepair onwards. We backtracked down the steep slope ready for the final descent.
Now how do you get down? Walk, if your legs can still take it. They had built a ski lift down to make it easier and that was Norah's choice or....
"You're going to do WHAT !!!!! "........................Part 15
.........................you can toboggan down !!!!
There was an aluminium tubed toboggan run that ran all the way down the side of the mountain........that's for me! Saying (final) goodbye to my dearly beloved I walked to the ramp, gave the man my ticket and received brief instructions - "Push lever go, pull lever stop, lean in bend, no stop, no photo". Simple enough. I climbed on and slowly built up speed on the varying slope line. Once I'd checked that it would actually stop it was great fun, even managing to take some photos on the.....Oh sorry - "No photo!". Leaning into the bends was quite exhilarating and I was sorry when I caught up some toboggans lower down and had to slow up. A great way to get down the mountain and an exciting end to this fabulous visit. Now, what's the British Bob-Sleigh Association's address?
We arrived back at the hotel mid afternoon and rested ready for our next foray. At 4.30 we met up and took taxis to the 'Red Theatre' for a performance of 'The Legend of Kung Fu'. Now I was hoping that this was not going to be too touristy cheesy and it was supposed to tell the story of a young Shaolin monk and his development. There was a bit of a predictable storyline but it was very well choreographed and acted, especially the acrobatic scenes and the Kung Fu parts, which included being supported in the stomach by spears and also being smashed onto a bed of nails under a concrete flagstone. The music and spectacle was good and we really enjoyed the show.
Then it was into a local restaurant where we were ushered upstairs, so as not to frighten the clientele, for another feast. This, with beer, cost us the princely sum of two pounds each. The full day ended with a taxi back the hotel.
Tuesday 21st October
At 8.30 we're out on the busy streets to catch a jam packed local bus to 'Tian'anmen Square', the great plaza in the centre of Beijing. It's name comes from the nearby gate to the Emperor's Palace, the 'Gate of Heavenly Peace', on which hangs the iconic portrait of Chairman Mao Tse Tung. There is an enormous queue, stretching hundreds of yards, of people waiting to pass through Mao's mausoleum, a magnificent edifice at one end of the square. Also in the square are elaborate statues and a giant 'monument to the people's heroes'. The overall effect of the Square is subdued by the thousands of people here but is still very impressive.
After looking round the Square we pass through the Gate and enter the 'Forbidden City', where the Ming and Cing emperors ruled China. People throng everywhere and as we enter the inner courtyard we see the great palace where the emperor's lived and made world famous by the movie 'The Last Emperor'.
Everything is on a magnificent scale and the palace has been utilized as a museum of the dynasties of the emperors and on show are thousands of exhibits from giant jade carvings, great gold sculpted treasures, jewellery, clothing, ornaments, weapons and displays of the dynastic life. It is a fascinating display which only uses a fraction of the 8500 rooms that make up the palace.
There are courtyards, gardens and even a three storey theatre with a stage on each floor. This was a fabulous visit and showed the extent of the majesty of the emperors. It left us tired out from walking around the great site and climbing countless steps.
From the Palace we decided to cram in one more temple and as we approached the line of waiting taxis, the police appeared and scattered them. We walked up the road but none of the, now wary, taxi drivers would stop until one, after checking his mirrors, swerved into the kerb and as we bundled in, zoomed off.
At the 'Lamasery of Harmony and Peace', which had been an old imperial palace, we entered the Buddhist temple grounds and visited the decorative buildings with their majestic gold buddhas. Worshippers were burning incense and leaving gifts in the temples and this added to the atmosphere of the site.
My main interest was in the last temple, where there was a 26 metre tall Buddha, carved out of a single piece of sandalwood. This majestic idol, covered in gold leaf, towered over all and was a very impressive sight
A taxi back through the rush hour streets to the hotel, gave us half an hour before we set out again for dinner. Catching a crowded bus we travelled across town to the 'Wangfujing' district, a bright area of modern shops, including Dior and Gucci and restaurants.
For a three hundred metre length, down one side of the road, were food stalls, at which you selected from the fresh food and it was cooked in front of you. The array was tempting and amazing. From chicken, squid, beef kebabs and fish to lamb's kidneys, silkworms, centipedes and starfish - all deep fried while you wait. I settled for a lamb's kidney kebab - you'd have enjoyed it John, I certainly did.
From there we went to a nearby shopping mall and its food court with an array of dishes but as all the labels were in Chinese, you weren't sure what each dish actually was. We settled for chicken curry and noodles.
After eating we caught a bus back to the hotel, passing the splendidly illuminated Tian'anmen Square. Time for a beer as we sat out in the cooler but pleasant, autumn night air before bed.
Wednesday October 22nd
Today we were going to visit the Great Leader. Leaving Norah in bed I was catching a crowded bus at 7.30am with the others. On the way to the bus I see a woman walking a 'pekingese' dog - Beijing / Peking? The little dogs, also named 'lion dogs' because of their potential ferocity, were originally bred to fit into the drooping sleeves of the emperor's robes and thus protect him. My dad used to breed Pekingese and he told me that. At Tian'anmen Square we joined the (already) great queue of people, which snaked round half the Square, heading towards Chairman Mao's mausoleum. Dozens of minders kept the crowd regimented and moving between the long yellow lanes marked on the square. We had been told to bring nothing, for security reasons, although we started getting concerned at the signs saying ID was required. This seemed a logistical impossibility and we continued, hoping that it would not be needed.
After an hour the queue split, with each half going into a left or right security building. As with airport security, it was empty pockets and walk through an electronic scanner. Once cleared, we merged again and walked up the great steps into the enormous mausoleum building, which had taken only six months to build following Mao's death in 1976.
Inside was a great stone statue of him in the entrance hall and in the next chamber the line split again as we entered the solemn' Hall of Last Respects', where the great man was laid under a perspex cover. It was all very dignified and impressive and seemed fitting that the man who had been instrumental in the founding of the Peoples Republic of China should now be visited by the Chinese people.
An empty bus took us back to the hotel and whilst the others went off to visit the Summer Palace, Norah and I finished packing and checked out of the hotel, leaving our bags for collection later.
We needed to post a parcel home and after trying a couple of China Post offices, found out that we had to go to the international post office in the city. We set off and headed through a 'hutong', the old style Chinese district of narrow streets and crowded houses, which are disappearing as the city is modernized. The bustling area reminded us of Vietnam and Cambodia. We were intercepted by an old man, who spoke quite good English and insisted on guiding us through the area.
We caught a taxi to the post office, where we received a dismissive response from the customs area but a charming young lady guided us through the procedures, including them wrapping it for you. Surface mail was six weeks time or air mail was two weeks - what are they using carrier pigeons?
The job done we found the nearest BTR subway station and decided to have a play. I wanted to go to the railway museum near Tian'anmen Square and with a bit of help we figured out which way to go on which subway line.
We got off at Quinan, yes, sounds familiar and they change the names just to keep you on your toes!
The railway museum was undergoing refurbishment - aardvarks! OK, last site was the Olympic stadium, the 'bird's nest', which involved four line changes, all assisted by different maps showing the different lines in different colours, all good fun! We got there and the spectacular area and stadium seemed lost without the crowds of people to bring it alive. It was still quite an impressive construction though.
A taxi was the easiest way to get back to the hotel, even so we got stuck in very heavy traffic on the way. Safely back and we had time for a coffee before a final dinner in Beijing.
The dinner was at a nearby restaurant and another banquet. I'm calling it a banquet only because the benefit of being in a group means we can have around eight dishes and this gives us a good selection. It is working out, including beer, at between two and three British pounds a head. Not bad, is it?
Back to the hotel, collect the bags and take a taxi to the Beijing Railway Station, a grand building on the style of the old English stations and packed with people. Here we will catch the overnight train from Beijing to 'Shanghai'. We work our way across the main concourse and up to the waiting rooms level, which are all packed and we stand and wait. An electronic information board is headed 'Train Number; Destination; Platform and Departure Time', very useful. Unfortunately, all the working details underneath are written in Chinese and completely undecipherable. It's another 'free spanners today' syndrome H.
Time to board and Andy decides to let most of the throng go and we saunter with our bags down passageways and through turnstiles in the usual jostling queues. I start to enter one turnstile, with people immediately in front of me, and get repeatedly shoved in the back. I shout and turn round, only to be faced down by two little old ladies who have decided I'm not moving fast enough!
Now on a walkway above the many tracks, we find our platform and eventually our coach in the long train. We are travelling second class this time ie six bunks in one compartment. Oh and you don't get a door with that either! Two get the top bunks and Norah and I the middle and bottom of one side. We are joined by a very friendly Chinese couple, who speak no English and a friendly interchange develops, even if most of it is in sign language.
It is now raining heavily and as the train pulls out through the city we pass through an enormous new station, where a streamlined 'bullet' style express train is parked. We pass through the suburbs, gradually leaving the lights of the city behind as our train, very smoothly, accelerates into the night.
As we enter the country side it is about 9.30pm and I decide to go to bed and get whatever sleep I can. No one bothers to get changed and we just lie on our bunks fully clothed, with a quilt in case we get cold.
Comments
Meal
A chinese takeaway will never be the same!
Perhaps we can take you to China Red on your return.
Love Ann and Colin x