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Published: June 28th 2007
June 2 - 6
While Jillian and I waited for our backpacks, Rob went to the guy holding a name card with his name on it. It was our taxi to Mix GH. I prayed my backpack made it and my bad luck with "delayed" luggage didn't follow me across the world to Asia. With backpacks in hand we followed our driver to the taxi. For 2 o'clock in the morning this dude was sure chipper. He had to get gas at one point and asked us to get out of the van. Skeptisism kicking in, we all thought that he would speed off with our bags. Safely back in the van, I felt a little bad about thinking such thoughts of what seemed like a decent man. At Mix we signed in, paid a deposit and asked if there were others in the room. We were told we got the last 3 beds in a dorm room of 6. Well looks like there were going to be some pissed off backpackers when we barged in around 3 in the morning! Boh well.
Upon waking up the same day but just later....can't remember now what time it was....had
some breakies/lunch or brunch as some like to call it (hu hu....feeling kinda giddy right now...anyway). Since most of the day was gone we decided to take in the Chengdu sites and leave the panda thing for the next morning since it's best to go in early. So the 3 of us, with a map in hand, headed to the Wenshu Temple (5 RMB), the largest and best preserved Buddhist temple from the Tang Dynasty. A very nice chinese man on a bike nontheless, saw that we had a map and asked where we were going (in chinese of course). He totally showed us a back way to get to the temple, walking his bike along side of us. And who said the chinese avoid helping foreigners! (Well not all chinese are helpful as I've come to learn). The monastry was quite nice. I didn't take any pictures because I wasn't sure if it was allowed plus I would have felt a little weird doing so anyway. (aside - There is more to the monastry.....I discovered a couple of days later when I returned...will get to that in a bit). Anyhu. After the temple we walked around some then headed
for the town square (Tianfu Sq., I think) which ended up being freggin' further than we thought. We stopped in a some swanky hotel since I had to use the toilet. Oh man that was the best toilet ever in China! YAY! Found Jillian and Rob sitting comfortably on one of the several comfy couches in the lobby. We totally didn't look like we belonged but nobody told us to leave so we just rested for a little bit....talked about food.....buffet style....We continued on our way to get to that damn square. Well we thought we found it and it wasn't anything special so we headed back to the GH in the rain. For dinner we had the famous spicy hotpot!! We didn't get the wimpy two options, one mild and one spicy, we got the hardcore fullon spicy one!! Well, actually Rob kept telling the waiter, la la la la la, meaning spicy. So that's what we got. It was spicy BUT you know, I've had spicier in Singapore at a Sichuan restaurant. How brutal is that. Hmmm let me clarify.....the spiciness in the hotpot in Chengdu was spicy but it was that hotness where when you eat more
Mmmm hotpot!
No mild hotpot for Gillian, Rob and myself...spicy all the way man!then your whole lips and mouth become numb and you can't really taste anything else you put into your mouth. The sichuan restaurant in Singapore was more a tingly feeling on the lips but you could still taste what you ate. And for that I like the Singapore one better. I don't like when you can't taste your food anymore because it's too numb. Don't get me wrong, it was good but just not enjoyable after a certain point. For dessert, we went for much deserved ice cream. Hmmm was it good but goddamn, my stomach was a little sore afterwards.
Next morning we went to visit the Giant Panda Breeding Research Base (30 RMB). The GH has tours for 70RMB but we were told by others that it's doable on your own. Wanted to take a bus but the direct bus didn't start til 11am and that was too late to beat the crowds. So we took a cab (23 RMB each way split between 3 of us was pretty cheap) and got there for 8am. I was pretty impressed by the facilities and I normally do not like these types of places. The enclosures were large with
amble amounts of food and play things to keep the bears occupied....although eating keeps them occupied for most of the day. They were pretty active too which was nice to see considering one usually sees caged animals doing nothing 'cept sleep. That is another reason why we went early. There were some pretty playful subadults, well one in particular that kept pestering another. Not sure if they were siblings or what but it was pretty flippin' hilarious. The bully would not let up on biting or pushing but the "weaker" would just take and not move away or fight back. It was making the most hilarious noises too!! Something I've never heard before and almost sounded human-like. If you've ever seen the movie "Bear" then you know what sound I am talking about. Hahaha. The cubs were very cute. They were in their own compound, the nursery. There were at least 10 of them running around, climbing trees, eating, and causing trouble. Take away the panda's, one would think it was just a playground for kids, with slides, boardwalks, climbing things. One cub was enjoying his time on this one toy (see pic) and everyone sat it coming, as he
leaned back the whole thing flipped over throwing him off!! It was hilarious. The cub walked away looking totally embarassed. He didn't look back. Hahaha. You could get your picture taken with an adult panda or with a cub, of course it would cost you an arm and a leg but you could do it. I heard one couple with a boy talking about it and how cute it would be as a Christmas card! Hell if you can afford it, why not? Plus it will help out the centre! I kept thinking how I got to do stuff like that for free for my masters degree 'cept with polar bears.....same same but different! I thought too about possibly working here. I didn't talk to anyone about a job cause first of all, I didn't know who to ask, and second of all, I don't think anyone spoke english. I figure I will learn chinese first before asking about working at the centre. Lastly we did the museum and it was alright. The exhibits of the stuffed animals were pretty pathetic looking. They were super old and dusty, looked like they haven't been tended to in quite some time.
Later in the day, the 3 of us went to a local market. It was different from the standard markets cause this one was in a mall and was like 3 freggin' levels. There was some nice stuff but no where to try on. Jillian was trying to find some shorts but had trouble finding her size. I too was looking at shorts but like Jillian was having a little difficulty. One shop in particular with two girls working found our western size quite amusing and kept laughing. We did make fun of our bigger size but they kept going on about it, drawing a crowd, so it was time to leave. I don't understand how they can buy things without trying them on. Needless to say, we walked out of the market with nothing. And we walked out at another exit, I believe on the other side of the building. We got turned around and eventually just hailed a cab back to the GH. Rob and Gillian left that evening for Xi'an. I was on my own again, which I haven't been in quite some time now. I think the last time was in Vietnam from Dalat to Kontum,
Just like kids
Next thing he was on the ground. Hahaha. before meeting up with Jody and Tianne. Crazy. Didn't want to eat the GH so I went to find some local food. I ended up at the Wenshu Temple again because it had a vegetarian restaurant. Holy disappointed in the food. It wasn't worth what I spent which was way too much. And it was hard to order just for a single person since all the while we order communal dishes because there are always a bunch of us. So of course I ordered too much. After the disappointing dinner, I walked around another part of the Wenshu Temple, it was more the whole compound. This is where I discovered how big the area is. IT was beautiful. Many locals take leisurely walks, do exercises, or just chit chat with friends on the many benches. I was amazed at this one buildling, not too sure what it was, either another monastry or library....the architecture and design and detail were absolutely breath taking. I could have starred at it for longer but thought people were looking at me weird.
I was trying to figure out what the hell I was going to do. Planning my next destination and getting stressed
again. But then I stopped and was like "Lindsay why you stressin'. Take a freggin' day and just relax. You don't have to do anything." So that is what I did. The day of doing nothing didn't really work out so much cause I was on the internet pretty much all day dealing with stupid tigerairways and their not accepting my credit card - both of them! I was trying to book my cheap flight from Macau to Singapore. The price went up from the first time checking it in Lijiang but not by much; however, after all day and not being successful with my bookings, it went up a lot....I mean it was still cheap comparatively to normal prices but compared to what it was originally!!! I was pissed. I had to get my friends from Singapore, Kevin and Joanne to book the damn flight thinking their credit card would work. And it did!! So I was flying to Singapore at midnight on the 17th from Macau.
Went to Leshan to see the big Buddha, now the biggest in the world by default because the one in Pakistan (I think) was destroyed. Well lets just say I wasn't
impressed. If you want to say you saw the biggest buddha in the world then go but if not then........it totally wasn't worth the 70RMB plus the 45RMB bus both ways. I even got the student discount rate of 35RMB and it still wasn't worth it. Since my Ontario health card didn't work at TLG for a student rate, this time I gave me driver's license and voila it worked. Hehehe. I mean the Buddha is big but I think it was the mass of tourists pushing along the stairs, and the nasty hot weather that wasn't making it any fun to be there. The one good thing about this trip was meeting Anna on the bus back. She worked on the bus, sort of like a bus stewardest (or more PC bus attendant). She didn't speak much english and my chinese is very limited but we tried to chat with my mandarin book handy. Eventually I understood that she invited me out for dinner. Why the hell not? I had to wait for her to finish work, which was just cleaning up after the people on the bus, washing floors and windows, etc. When she was done, we met
another friend of hers, Liu Chun Yan that was finishing cleaning another bus and went for some dins. They both were hoping that I would be in Chengdu for awhile because they wanted me to teach them english. They were disappointed that I was leaving the next day. We went to a restaurant that I assume they go to frequently cause they knew the owners. I think everyone there was like "what the....?" when they saw me. Dinner was good consisting of suan la yu (sour and spicy fish), tu dou si (sliced potato), and this spicy vermicilli dish. I would get frustrated with myself when I couldn't understand what they were asking me. They would write it down but only a couple of pinyin words I would know. They totally paid for dinner, which was super cool, and then they even bought me a little gift, a pink bear accessory that you put on your mobile. Walking to the bus stop we would opoint out things, like tree, road, car, etc and tell each other what it was in english and chinese. The best way to learn! They are awesome girls. I find that usually tends to happen when
I am having a shitty day or whatever, there is always someone who makes my day. These 2 gals were it!! Speaking of, I need to call them which should be interesting.
Taking the suggestion from one of the staff at Mix Hostel when I asked about towns/cities to see while in Sichuan, I planned to head along the Sichuan-Tibet Hwy to Kangding - Tagong - Danba - (Wolong) - back to Chengdu taking min. 5-6 days. I could see the Tibetan lifestyle and landscape without actually going to Tibet. Well that was plan anyway until I totally changed my mind (day of seeing the big buddha). He mentioned another option as well about traveling to the minority villages in southeast Guizhou but because of my time constraint didn't suggest it. I don't know why I changed my mind all of a sudden and especially the day before leaving. It was unlike me and actually felt quite freeing and I was happy with my decision. Maybe it had something to do with heading in the same direction I will be traveling anyway (eastward) or just the fact that I had more interests in seeing minority villages. I was
thinking of doing an overnight in Kaili then wanting to go to Xijiang, Leishan and work my way south to Zhaoxing but I didn't think I would have enough time to do all. Then from Zhaoxing either head straight to Yangshuo, Guangxi (via Guilin) or go to Longshen first then Yangshuo. All depends on time and how many stops I do (but in actuality as you'll read in next blog it really depended on mother nature!). With the new plan in mind, I asked the GH to book an overnight train to Guiyang for me, with a commission of course. Much to my disappointment they could not because the offices were closed. I had to come back at 9am to do it.
9am the next morning, the day I was leaving (I believe the train left close to 3), the GH called again but this time they said they couldn't do because there wasn't enough time before the train departed to bring me my ticket so I had to go the train station myself and do it! Alrighty, my first tain station experience coming up! She told me there were only top hardsleepers left which was fine by me.
Armed with a piece of paper with chinese writing claiming I want to buy a train ticket to Guiyang, hard sleeper I made my way to the station (20mins). There was a mass of people outside the station, some standing but a lot of them sitting or lying next to their personal belongings. It appeared you aren't even allowed inside the station without a valid ticket! Not knowning where to buy a ticket I showed a security women checking tickets my piece of paper. She pointed straight ahead. Could she have pointed to the line-up of people in front of window that read "Information"? Well I sure didn't think so at first, so I went into a part of the building where you buy snacks and "left luggage" is found. I asked another worker and again she pointed outside, toward the line-up I assume. And that is where I went. The line was pretty damn long. Last in line I asked the woman in front of me, ha asked I mean showed her my paper, but she wasn't going to help some foreigner. A younger chick lined up behind me so I asked her and she was nice enough to
inform me that I was in the correct line. It's funny because whenever I ask for help or show them paper with chinese writing, EVERYBODY around has to get closer to listen. Even the ones that weren't helpful have to listen. Anyway. I saw some guy get pulled from the line by security (many were walking around) for butting out his cigarette on the ground. Security made him pick it up, throw it out and he had to pay a fine! Hahaha. They should patrol and do the same thing back home. The good thing was that he didn't have to go to the back of the line, he reclaimed his place. Almost at the ticket window there were so many lazy ass people that didn't want to do the wait and were either budding in front of people or asking those in line to buy them tickets (giving them money of course). I counted 5 people that cut in front of those in front of me. I was pissed but nothing you can do about it. I had some random chinese dude come up to me from somewhere, he just sort of appeared, asking me where I was from
and where I was going in english and then he was gone. O-K! My turn, I had the ticket lady my slip of paper and she told me the price. She said it too fast I couldn't catch it so I motioned for her to write it down, she showed me the screen. I was surprised and pleased (at first) with the cheaper cost (~120RMB) compared to the hostel doing it (~220RMB). When I was walking away I feared that it was so cheap because she made a mistake and gave me a hardSEAT not SLEEPER. The ticket was in Chinese so I couldn't read it. I had to have peace of mind, so I busted out my mandarin book, searched for the chinese words hardseat = "yingzuo" and hardsleeper = "yingwo" and asked one of the security patrols. They reassured me that my ticket was for a hardsleeper, middle bunk. I was very happy but pissed about the middle bunk. Oh well, I'd rather have middle than a freggin' hardseat. I made a very trying purchase of a chinese sim card at China Mobile, again having to use my mandarin book. 100RMB later and thinking I got screwed since
I couldn't call anyone, I was back at the GH packing up my shit.
I was waiting to leave when I heard a familiar voice. I fuckin' know Jacob's laugh anywhere now!! They just arrived from Lijiang. I knew that I was going to run into these guys one more time. Hehehe. We caught up briefly and said our goodbyes once again. This time for good probably since they are going to Tibet. Maybe upon their return we'll meet again somewhere in China. Took a taxi to the station this time and the guy gave me this very fragrant flower petals on a string. The smell was addictive too! Inside the station was quite busy but not the pushing masses I was expecting. Maybe it was the tons of security that kept everybody in check. When the gates opened for my train, people filed through and I made it to my car/bunk unscathed and my bags were not razor-bladed. The middle bunk wasn' that bad. I was impressed with the china trains....always surprises me. Why do people take sleeper buses when the trains are so much nicer!! And there is no need to do the softsleeper and spend the
extra money because the hardsleepers are just fine! There were fold down chairs along the aisle for those on the middle and top bunks. I sat there and read and studied chinese until it was sleepy time. I didn't talk with anyone. I was surprised, cause I was expecting, people particularly younger generation to be wanting to talk to practice their english but noone has started any sort of conversation. I guess it goes both ways, I don't start any chinese conversation....well cause I can't, not yet anyway. Just lik the trains back home, staff come around with overpriced food items but unlike at home, you can also buy tiger balm for those aching backs from the bunks. Hehehe. I ate my instant noodle soup I purchased before getting on the train. It's always best to go to the toilets at the beginning of the journey cause by the next day or even a couple of hours later, they are quite disgusting. I put my daypack by my head (big pack under the bottom bunk) and went to bed around 9pm only to be woken up around 10 by my phone ringing. It was Yu Yang. I emailed him early
Hardsleeper
Not too shabby my new number and told him to call me to make sure my damn phone worked. I told him to call back in 2 mins as I didn't want to be rude and chat in the sleeping area so I went between the cars. I answered his call like a chinese "wei?" and he was totally confused. After I started laughing he knew it was me and he actually thought he dialed the wrong number. Hahaha me so funny. I set my alarm for the morning because I'm always paranoid that I will miss my stop but not so likely when your stop is the last one. Anxious for more sleep because I still had more traveling to do the next day.
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Jaime
non-member comment
meh
i say meh cos i had no idea what to call it. hahha i like the cheeky panda...was he headbutting the other one? anyhoo....laters!