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Yesterday, I nipped from Suzhou to Shanghai on the train - a dry run for Thursday.
Over the last 5 years, the station at Suzhou has changed beyond all recognition, in fact, an entirely new one has been built. It's gone through many changes and this, I think is almost it. I think it's finished. Man, the train systems in China are second to none. The new building is huge, gleaming marble floors where once there were regular tiles, automated gates where there were cattle like metal railings with pushing and shoving and rushing of great numbers of people. It's clean, safe, efficient and luxurious. And that's only the station in Suzhou. On the platform, it is also orderly, the train stops so that the doors to the carriages stop exactly at the related number on the platform. No moving up and down looking for the right carriage.
The train itself is quite astounding travelling from Suzhou to Shanghai in 35 minutes with 2 stops in between and covering 150 kms. You do the maths - it flies. There are neat rows of cushioned seats in air conditioned carriages with loads of leg room, service hostesses that
my wriggling wu gui
the first time it has moved in 7 days. look like air hostesses with tiny hats and neat uniforms and tiny microphones. I really don't want to ever get out. I'm thinking I could live here, on this train and just travel back to the UK. Don't make me leave.
China train systems 1 - UK a big fat 0!
Shanghai station is still the same as ever. Over crowded, unautomated, pushing, shoving, spitting and no escalators -this you notice if you have a back pack, suitcase and laptop. It is a great distance from getting off the train to getting out of the station and then there is the heat and the pushing and the queues for taxis
I love it though. Shanghai is a real gem. I booked into the Astor for Thursday until I leave and it was too hot to do anything - being 35 degrees, so I nipped to M's for lunch.
On waiting in Shanghai station to go back to Suzhou, I sit and read. I'm the only fair haired person in thousands. I find a seat and settle, get my book out and ignore my surroundings. I'm nudged from my reading by
M. on the Bund.
I love this view from the terrace and always look up to see this. :) a young girl of about 7 years old begging. Mostly, I give to anyone busking, or working hard. I hand over a hundred plastic bottles and cans from the hostel to the bottle collectors in Suzhou, every day, I give to the erhu player, I give to the blind girl singing in Ping Jiang Lu, the the blind man with one leg on the subway in Shanghai, to the old man sleeping in the street, I buy tortoises, feed stray cats and generally give to anyone who really needs it but i won't condone this. child begging in the stations IS NOT A JOB OR A CAREER. I used to give to these kids. I've seen them with smashed hands, missing limbs and alone but now I don't because I've learned how it works and I feel that if we give to these kids, it perpetuates this lifestyle and make it into a job. It isn't. There are different ways for them. And they do have parents who circle round.
She pushes into my space, knocks me with her knee and grunts. Because I am sitting down, we are eye to eye and I say in perfect
Mandarin, plain as day, clear as crystal, I will not give you any money. She grunts again, her sticky hand nudging my sweaty arm, her dark brown eyes staring straight into mine and I won't be intimidated even though we are now becoming a scene. I don't budge an inch. I repeat myself and sit steadfast, sprung like a cat waiting for anything that she may throw at me. I prepare for the worst, but she only glares and I glare back, she grunts again in defeat and moves on.
I return to my reading and still disagree with child beggars in the station.
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James Gallacher
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Enjoy!
Tracey thoroughly enjoying your blog from the highs to the lows. Blog on blog on!