Back to Beijing for the Second Time

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DAY7-9: Hangzhou/Shanghai

Today, we made the long drive back to Shanghai, where we visited the Bund and Shanghai Old Street (Cheng Huang Miao). I remember little more about this right now. We did also make our way back to see more of the same only and thus there is little to add here.

We did later visit the Jade Buddah Temple, a 1882 structure with 2 jade Buddhas sent to China from Myanmar/Burma. I have been to Thailand and was not impressed.

That night we were all off to eat local Shanghaiese food. And, they call it "cuisine"?

The next day. we were free to roam about town. L had a friend who took us out into the city to see what we might not have seen otherwise, but we saw little more of real interest to me. We were back to the Bund, Chinatown and ... who cares?

China is wonderful no doubt about it, however, Shanghai does not offer much more than big buildings and shopping districts and restaurants and bars. It has no real unique appeal. It is like being in any city in the West or like being in Abu Dhabi, high buildings, very impressive, but like Abu Dhabi, there is not much real local culture to be enjoyed. Or let's be fair and say, there is little but after that, very little else. Honestly, I'd rather be back in Beijing to see some of the outer city sights than be in Shanghai. And, because of this, I now feel I have to return to PEK to search out more of this culture.

Our last day in China on the tour at least found us in the financial district to see the tall buildings and shop, shop again, please? It turns out that one of the older crew gets herself lost and because of this and the close call in getting the Toronto-bound group out -- they have to hurry out to the airport and are thus unable to drop me to the Fast Train. Instead, I follow them out to the airport and this prevented me getting to Beijing on the Fast Train at 4 1/2 hrs. versus a 2 hr. plus flight

So, I take the Maglev high-speed train, Y40, 245km/hr. or so, from Shanghai airport/SHA7 minutes to downtown to then make my way by metro to the Shanghai Railway Station; cannot recall how I made the metro work for me but I took Line 2 about 6-7 stops to the People's Square stop and changed to Line #1 for 3 stops to Shanghai Railway Station.

I endured such pain before eventually finding the English queue for foreigners -- as we need passports to board the trains in China. It was a brutal 30 minute wait in line after searching the right queue for over 1 hr. with all my gear on my back or in my hand. This is not all one of the easier things I do while travelling! On the road, I find travel days terrible.

Nevertheless, I find my ticket wicket only to learn that there is no room on the Fast Train and there is only 1 ticket left for PEK (not going to tell you the price; you need to ask me face-a-face and maybe, maybe I will spill the beans on this one).

So all I have open to me is an overnight train, leaves SHA at 8:12 and arrives PEK 7:14 am next day.

The train trip is uneventful for sure but I get a bed and TV of little value to a non-Mandarin speaker. I probably fell asleep early and the next day rose very early.

The next morning Sat Apr28/PEK on the train I meet Wu Zaiqiang, who is from Shadong N. of PEK. He has a daughter and older son and his wife is from north region close to Mongolia. He is so kind and we chat in the early morning getting into PEK. In the end, he walks me to the metro; and I take the Blue line #4 to Red Line 1 for 4 stops and take Line 5 North to Dong si instead of Zhangzi Zhong Lu to get to 9 Dragon House on one of the Hutongs. I need to walk about 10 min from Dong si station after coffee at the golden arches restaurant and eventually find myself on Dongsi Qi Tiao at walk into the Sun Garden directed some old woman who tries to help me among many others. At the Sun Garden, some young woman help me get to the 9 Dragon only to learn that my arriving a day late allowed them to give my room to others (they are full since this is the front end of a 3-day May 1 holiday and everyone is in Beijing). I search for other hostels, all full and return to Sun Garden for a 2 day stay.

I pretty much use this day to chill and see to plans and the blog and pics and more or less as little as possible. Later in the day, I go out to shoot the hutongs in Beijing near the hostel only. There are many many pretty opportunties and many many, many people letting me take their pictures. Returning late to the hostel, I arrange a tour and relax.

On Sunday April29/PEK, I am up for a day-tour to Badaling at the Wall, Y180 or so which is to include the Ming Tombs and some 1or 2 factory outlets for shopping. (Nothing to tell you on this blog about what actually happend, that, like some other things that befall me of this ilk, will have to be told face-a-face and only if you persist in asking and pressing me for the details.)

Returning early, I take advantage again to shoot the hutongs; all good. And later I try to find accommodation for my run into Da~tong. This turns out to be more than a little painful and more or less not attainable, so I change course and decide to stay another night in PEK and lose Da~tong and leave earlier for Pingyao if I can get a train overnight which I have to get myself from the train station????? This will only be decided the next day; train station opens early at 8:00am. Need also to extend yet again hostel in Pingyao later in the day. Much work to do tomorrow, but I want to visit Goulu street in the night-time before finally leaving PEK.

Now, perhaps I will do nothing but pack a little. I propose only one more Tsingtao.

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