Penningtonnomad in China

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Temple of Heaven. Beijijng China. 6th July 2015
I write this now on my phone as my tablet has comitted harry carry. (or is that a japanese thing?) well ,it's no longer working, luckily my phone has saved the photos and blog....phew. Ive been in Beijing a few days and the noise, smoke and local wildlife is getting overwhelming so I decided to go to the Temple of Heaven, it sounds just what I need, it's abit of a hike, past Tianaman Sq, but I have a map, so made my way through the thong of the crowds, quietly zigzaging my way (clutching organs periodically) past shopping street into the now unknown. I took a quick bearing, and walked on, passing shops, banks, people sleeping, street sellers, still the signs were in English, bonus. I had to stop everyso often just to watch, as people went about there businsess. One guy passed me with a pole over his shoulder like the programme Kung Fu except he had a bloody great turtle trust up looking at me mournfully, the place is unreal. The traffic would cause Boris Johnson to have a headache, bikes mix with motorbikes mix with wierd contraptions (i'm sure the ''A'' team would be proud of.) cars lorries all weaving along, what the fatality rate must be is anyones guess. There is traffic crossings, lights indicate when it's safe to cross, this is misleading, as it's never safe to cross!!! I saw a green man light up, with a countdown clock ticking away from 40 down......thats nice of them I thought....now I'm not sure if the Chinese man on the CCTV saw me walking but the numbers went down quicker than the Bolt could run...I could just picture him laughing in his office....saying ..''Lun Engrish...lun....

I eventually made it, and walked through a big ornate gate, it was paradise. The noise of the streets, the hustle and bustle just stopped. The gardens went on for miles, all immaculate, Rose bushes, trees....it was Heaven. I walked in the shade and quiet watching families, people doing Tai Chi, dancing..really nice. Eventually I reached the gateway of Heaven Temple, with old buildings typically Chinese, Id gone back in time, and went to town with the camera....there I was happy as larry.
I must have spent the whole day there and walked miles, I still had to get back to the hotel so decided to call it a day, I decided it was time to try the metro, I was tired, must have walked about 20 KLM....I'm not sure what I was expecting, but it was modern, easy to use, reliable, it even had the lights to show on the map where you were.......... the next station....and the speaker in English to say the next stop....really well done, very impressed and not abit crowded....London undergrounds more crowded....even getting the ticket was no real problem...ive learnt to count to 5...and say thank you, and hello in Chinese...very proud of myself. I got back to the hotel had a shower, then went out for something to eat....I still didnt fancy another ''Bruce lee noodles bar'' ( honest thats the name) so I opted to push the boat out and went for a steak....and it was bloody lovely.

Day 16 Great wall Badaling........and lots of people. 7th July 2015
Id booked an excursion the day before to go to the great wall at Badling, it's the highest point of the wall and been refurbished to it's former glory, I will be going back to the wall during my travels ahead but was itching to see the thing, I paid 400 yen about 40 quid for a mini bus, guide, and to the the Ming tomb...Id meet up with some more travellers so was looking forward to the day ahead. It was an early start 7am ( your all going to bed). .The bus came and I got on, full of Chinese, oh well...we then drove around Beijing dropping these off and picking more up, eventually I'm glad to say there was about 9 westerners on the bus, from Argentina, Russia, Sweden, Ireland...and me...It took about an hour and a half but it was nice watching all the outside world. Our first stop was the Ming tomb, a palace complex where the last emperor was buried, he was buried in a great manmade mound to the South but no one knows where he is, I asked why it's not been excavated and she said they tried but many workers died ,also storms came so they stopped it as it was a bad omen.....I reckon the local ministers and fat cats looted the tomb years ago making them rich and decided to tell this story......It was a great place though. Somehow we reached a Jade factory next, after the guide started going on about Jade being the ''gold of China'' ...all Chinese wear it as a sign of wealth, before no mortal was allowed to wear it....then lo and behold we arrive at a jade factory....amazing coincidence that....and guess what in the Jade factory was a shop....eventually spending more time than the Ming tomb telling us how Jade is made, etc...we had lunch...in the factory....but was nice food.....no prawn crackers though....We reached the wall eventually and the crowds were already building up, coach after coach...we had to get a cable car up...which cost extra, once up we were given 2 hours to walk around before meeting the mini bus at the bottom. It was heaving!!! I couldnt lift my camera up at some points....I feared for my shoes....they will be coverd in flem by the end of the day. It was amazing to see, I looked past the crowds and the uncomfortable heat and stared in wonder ever since I can remember I dreamed of seeing this and now I'm here...so fantastic. I looked at the time and decided to headback, I wasn't sure how long the wait was for the cable car and didnt want to miss the bus. Thankfully it wasnt that long and arrived in plenty of time, and my shoes were flem free...happy days.

I thought we were heading back to the hotel, but then she started talking about Silk.....uh oh.....and yes sure enough we ended up at a silk factory....which surprise surprise is a shop as well....an hour and a half I waited there, we must have spent more time shopping than in the actual sights.....no tip from me. It was a good day though. Tomorrow I will be checking out of this hotel and going into one behined Tianamen Square, no more luxury...no more single room....I will be roughing it....but guaranteed to meet up with some people....so looking forward to it.

Day 17 new hotel....new people.....new travel...8th July 2015.
I got up, had a shower, got all my stuff together, and checked out. I didnt fancy walking all that way with my bags, so went on the metro, I got the ticket, and was helped onto the right train by some locals, It was still a 10 minute walk to the hotel once my stop arrived , I checked in and dumped my stuff in the room, I will be sharing with an Australian guy, Daniel, but he wasn't there yet. I went off into the Hutongs and streets camera in hand having a last explore, I have enjoyed Beijing, but ready to leave now. We have a welcome meeting at 6pm get to see the rest of the group and whats in store. I'm glad I did a tour, I dont normally go for them but knowing how difficult the language barrier and culture shock is it was a good decision. I miss the interaction as well. I would go for days without speaking to anyone....hard to imagine I know...so a welcome change.
I have noticed how the noise is almost umbearable, and I'm deaf.....even worse now probebly after this trip, everything is loud, speakers at full volume.....even people on the phone, Ive come to the conclusion that most of these people have phones but no batteries....they are saving up for them.....so to look cool they stop everynow and then, get out the mobile and shout to their relatives in Shangahi...they can probebly hear them as well....

I go to the meeting and meet up with my new travel companions. Three Australians, 2 Irish, 2 Swiss, an Argentinian and three of us Brits. a pretty mixed group but all seem fun. We have an itinery, the usual questions and were all out at 6pm for a Peking duck meal in an authentic Chinese restuarant. Our guide is called Jane, well at least that's what we call her I couldn't even begin to prenounce her real name, so Jane it is. She speaks excellent English and has a good nature so were all in good hands. I decided to get another shower and change, it was hot today, meet my new roomey, and go out.
We had to walk a fair way to the restuarant, everyone was fresh and excited, chatting away, you get a good feeling about the group. The Argentinian lady cannot understand most of the conversation bless her so I started chatting away to her in Spanish, now my Spanish is not good, but Argentinian Spanish is even more difficult, very fast and different , but we muddle through. We arrived at the restuarant and all sat at one round table, Jane ordered, and then plate after plate just kept coming, We were given chop sticks at our welcome meeting and, no one thought we'd actually have to use them......but we did.... I thought I'd starve to death, food flying all over the place, peoples laps.....but believe it or not i'm pretty good with them now...(not swallowed a plate yet;-))..I really enjoyed it, not like the Chinese i'm used to, buffet style, on the table, picking off your food onto a small plate and your bowl of rice....mmmmmm. It was a good night, We walked back through the Hutongs, back streets, so busy and bustling, bought some fruit and eventually found our way back to the hotel.

Day 18 first road trip as a group...9th July.
The first morning I was up and about, got my snacks water and food for the bus ride we were going to the wall about three and a half hours East of Beijing, finally leaving the smoke noise and bustle. The wall was an unrestored stretch we were going to and staying in a really small village in a '''home stay''...where you get to meet and live with families. In for a penny in for a pound, if they try to feed me something i don't recognise ..or don't want to recognise then I've got my snacks...man with a plan. We reached the village and it looked like something from the TV programme Kung Fu....surrounded by mountains, I was blown away. We were given our rooms and I was really surprised, it was a big courtyard with each of our rooms surrounding it...I was back in time, the rooms were smashing. We went out for a wander, quite an attaraction for the villagers, Ive attached the photos of the village so you can see the views...believe me I took ALOT.
Dinner time we were greeted by a smiling happy laughing lady, it was her house, she ushered us to our table and out came the banquet, again a buffet table style. Armed with my chopsticks there was no stopping me...dumplings, beef and cabbage, rice, sweet and sour chicken.....mmmmm loved it.
As a group we are still getting to know each other, I can't write about them as they will be reading this :-) so I will be nice .....ish...Sitting upsatirs now outside in our courtyard its so peaceful, no noise, fresh air, lantrns lit, and great conversation. I love travel :-). Value is Day 15. Temple of He

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