Dandong - Dalian - Beijing

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Right, second blog entry of the day, and a big update on everything we've been doing! Now back in Beijing, and can hardly believe I'm flying to Tokyo on Wednesday! Will go back to Dandong and update from there 😊

So, we went to the North Korean restaurant. It was... really interesting, actually. The decor was cheesy and very 70s, 'We Are The Champions' was playing, and we noted that they were selling Evil Imperialist Capitalist Coke, but the waitresses looked very cute, decked out in their little blue hostess outfits and matching shoes/hair clips. We ordered some standard Korean fare - love Korean tea - and it tasted pretty good, but what was funniest was that our waitress really wasn't all that friendly. We decided that they must have thought us to be American, and sure enough, at the end of the meal, one of them asked us where we were from. After saying the UK, they were all smiles (obviously we're not quite as imperialist/aggressive as certain other countries) and gave us a massive wave as we left! After that, we went down to the riverfront, and took some truly staggering snaps that says a lot about the state of North Korea right now. Will pop them up as part of this entry.

The next day was pretty busy and action-packed! In the morning we headed back to the 'Museum' to 'Commemorate' US 'Aggression'... I use that punctuation because to call it a museum would be to do a disservice to an actual museum - 'pile of nonsense propaganda' would perhaps be a more apt term. If you'd been American/South Korean, you would have been pretty offended to hear that China and North Korea won the Korean War, and along the way 'slaughtered' or 'annihilated' various enemy forces - no mention made of Chinese/N Korean casualties. Honestly the biggest nonsense, and completely offensive to the Chinese people to feed them this rubbish. Rant over!

Had a really great afternoon - got the bus out to the Tiger Mountain Great Wall, which runs parallel with North Korea. The wall was pretty amazing - not very touristy at all and although restored, very interesting. Also very steep in places! Got some really good views over North Korea although, as ever, not very much was happening. The coolest bit was definitely a rather random woodland walk right along the border with the Axis of Evil Itself - barbed wire fence and sweetcorn plants included. Megan and I both flouted international law (as we found on when reading a sign afterwards...!) by waving at a North Korean man, throwing stones over the fence and taking mega-zoom snaps into the country! We got a boat ride along the river that serves as the border to a place called One Step Across - and there we were, 20 metres or so from North Korea. Took a random, very unexpected snap - thought I was snapping a little spy hut but there's a man in it too! Will put it up. Very very interesting afternoon.

The evening saw us have the most amazing seafood BBQ ever... a little family-run place, you sit outside and they cook the food through then you just BBQ it to how you want it... the most amazing value for money as well - we had (wait for this): giant prawns, a whole mackerel, chicken wings, squid, tofu, mushrooms, a whole plate of clams, aubergine, four drinks... for less than 8 pounds. We reckoned all that amazing, fresh seafood would be about 60 quid in the UK. Definitely an experience you can't have anywhere else.

The next day, we got a bus to Dalian... but even that comes with its own China surprises! There was a bus at 11am which had tickets, and we were in plenty time for, but would the girl sell us tickets...? Of course not! She would have much preferred it if we'd gone at 1, and so we had to. Had a few issues when we got to Dalian, involving various chancers trying to overcharge us for various hotels; eventually a lovely Chinese girl befriended us and sorted out a good deal at a decent place for us... honestly, it felt like we were never going to find anywhere! Went out for dinner and a wander and had another amazing BBQ... and probably the most fast-paced service of all time... somewhat scary with waiters rushing around with hot coals though! We then decided to find an internet cafe to use... quite a normal thing to do, you might think...? In Dalian, no way! We tried 6 (count 'em!) places and we were refused every time, for not having a Chinese ID card (quite expectedly, you have to say!). Very frustrating, and of course no-one could give sufficient explanation of why not. We ended up shouting at quite a lot of people that night...! We suspect that it might have something to do with Dalian's quite big Russian population - but still really annoying!

The next day, we had a bit of Dalian exploration... it's supposed to be the Hong Kong of the north but not entirely convinced. There was a pretty cool Russian street, and the buildings were so unusual, but it had been allowed to get into such a decrepit state that it was disappointing, especially since the street was full of stalls selling exactly the same tat. Seems like more energy is being put into new, shiny high-rises. The rest of the day we just wandered and had more internet arguments...! Got lots of snacks for dinner, which were yummy, and discovered that the world's shiniest grapes can be found in Dalian. We'd booked a bus for that night, so in true Chinese style turned up for it nice and early and again, in true Chinese style, got approached by lots of stirrers and chancers... ended up with quite an audience...! Sometimes in China, you really just have to laugh.

Got the scariest ever night bus back to Beijing: no seatbelts (or seatbelts that are hidden out of sight because honestly, who would want to wear a seatbelt?!), the windscreen had a crack in it, and one driver started telling the other how to use the indicators... cos that's really what you want on a night bus - a novice driver! He really couldn't use the gears either. Was pretty happy to arrive in Beijing!

Since then, have been living a pretty happy expat life! Stayed with Summer over the weekend, and went out for dinner at a country and Western bar... so incongruous compared to the last three weeks! Went to visit some of her friends yesterday who live in a HOUSE (quelle novelty!) and had barbeque and wine! Today I've moved to a hostel which is really nice, although I'm suspecting a wee touch of damp! Pretty lucky, mind you - I'm in a four-bed dorm but I'm the only occupant thus far, so should have plenty space for getting ready tomorrow - not bad for 4 pounds a night! I have my DLA office visit tomorrow, which I'm really looking forward to - got the Tokyo office visit on Thurs, and both should be very interesting. Went and got some clothes made yesterday, as me and Chinese sizes are NOT friends! Got a skirt and shirt made, and really pleased with both - and very happy given they were whizzed together in under 24 hours! Also went and found the office today, so I know where I'm going tomorrow. So that's tomorrow, then on Tues I might do the Summer Palace, then off to Tokyo on Weds! So excited - so many adventures yet to begin!

Right, have rambled enough. Picture time!

Jen

Quick postscript - internet is so bad in the hostel that I've had to come to an internet cafe, and no option to upload photos. Soon, I promise!

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