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Published: December 10th 2007
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Breezy Rider
Kunming kite-flying posse rolls up The faux leather anorak pulled awkwardly over his hands, legs bound with a blue scarf, he sat, painfully, the train swaying from side to side. I couldn't help looking, and he craned his head to look at me. I felt someone else's stare and looked up. Two men, one small and chubby, the other with a long thin shrewd looking stare, standing in the gap between the carriages, taking a deep toke on his cigarette, held between his ring and third finger. Glancing behind, I noticed that the dining car was filled with police, who seemed to move, coming closer.
Prisoner, smokers and police looked keenly at me, the foreigner, the source of entertainment after midnight on the train from Chengdu. They all knew the situation and so did I - the toilet door wouldn't close. I yearned for the stern Russian Providnista, who would never have stood for (a) Squat Toilet (b) Broken Door and (c) Prisoner kept in train (I imagine she would have chucked him to the wild dogs by the platform, having first scammed 100 roubles out of him (says Alan)(get over the towel incident - says Aoife).
The squat toilet would have been fine,
One man and his kite
This fellow was approaching dangerous levels of serenity! I'm (almost) used to that, but the door was too big for the door jam, and earlier I'd managed it alone, but with this audience? I decided to return to the cabin, where I interrupted Alan who was counting the space between snores of our Chinese cabin-mate. He kindly held the door shut for me, wondering what mischief the prisoner had made in order to end up there on the ground.
Earlier the train had chugged through a beautiful, lush landscape of rice fields and farm-workers with straw hats, those from our school-books years ago (does anyone remember the books 'Is mise Xiao Wei ón tSín' - in Engish 'I am Xiao Wei from China'?). The next morning, familiar bang on the door, tickets returned and plastic tickets given (why oh why is there such a rigmarole relating to tickets?). Our cabin-mate had disappeared in night. In the morning light we yawned our way onto the platform, and were delighted that Jahn from our Hostel (the 'Hump' - grand, just don't stay on a Saturday if you like your sleep) was there to meet us.
Kunming - as a new friend of ours put it: 'it's not so
This is how we roll!
Wisdom is passed down the generations much that I love Kunming, it's just easy for China.' I recommend Yunnan as a start or the end to a Chinese adventure, if you like what we like - good times, nice weather, friendly people, interesting sights. We meant to get the bus to Laos after a night in Kunming, but ended up staying four nights, wandering the streets, filling our tummies with good food, having a few drinks in the bar, chatting to travellers. Some people end up in Kunming for a long time - we affectionately call these 'lifers' - and Helen (Alan's mum) suggested intriguingly that perhaps some of them are missing people - it makes sense, some of them certainly seem lost.
Spent a day wandering around looking at Pagodas but got distracted by people - elderly groups trying to outwit one another at Mahjong in the shade of fragrant trees, groups of men competing with brightly coloured bamboo kites, distant above the skyscrapers, each trying to get theirs highest. Youngsters showing off and teaching one another how to roller-blade. A real mediterranean vibe, it didn't feel like December, the Christmas trees and Santas in shops reminding us of the time of year. The
Chinese chess
A bronze tribute to a local pastime next day we pushed our way through the markets, where every fish you would ever want - from the lowly cod to the beastly shark - was dried and waiting your approval. Boys whispered in our ears 'Nike, Puma - you want shoooo-es?'. Outside the bank, ladies, respectable and less so, tried to entice us to 'change-a-money?' Mysterious concotions, drinks I think, were sold by Muslim girls from vats outside the Mosque.
One night we went out to the pub, with an Irishman of course, and were having a rare old time until two Chinese men and their sister/girlfriend decided to befriend us - one of the men was friendly ('you-a-beautifulgirl-ah') and the other was angry (falling and hitting his head on the corner of the table). Eamonn DeValera's heart soared from the grave with the fantastic use of the Irish language between the three Eireannach, far from home.
There's a fantastic canteen style restaurant in Kunming, which I think is aptly named 'My favor café'. And if you're sick of their offerings, there is also 'My favor restaurant' located next door. It was just so easy, that's the thing about this city, and the province of Yunnan
East Pagoda, Kunming
There was also a west pagoda, at the other end of the street! as a whole - we kept overhearing people saying things like 'this is my favourite part of China' and 'I thought all of China would be like this.' Simple things - they have pedestrian lights (AND THEY USE THEM). I'm happy to report that years of jay-walking and traffic dodging in Ireland does pay dividends in China, but the sad truth of it is, even with our agility, Chinese cities will defy our skills. In Beijing on one street there were five workers (some official, others just wearing the 'red' armband) all working to help people cross the road - needless to say they were utterly ignored.
On our last day in Kunming we had a really good day, wandering in the sun, people watching, sipping Oolang and Jasmine tea, delighting in being here, and that night, the DJ in the club down the road played a schizophrenic set that had us wandering in and out of bizarre and strange dreams, our teeth on edge.
China's been like that at times - upsy downsy - there's something about this huge country - beautiful and frustrating at times - she doesn't need us, China will go on whether we're
Mahjong
In the shadow of the East Pagoda here or not, so there's little concession to tourism - so intriguing, fascinating. Yes, the Chinese spit indiscriminately, and it's busy, polluted, crowded, the queuing system is non-existent. And yet they can be so friendly, helpful, the food is wonderful, culture ancient and fascinating, the countryside beautiful.
China is beguiling, that boy or girl you always like in spite of your better judgement. Originally we meant to leave two weeks ago, and we're still here, dragging the last hurrah out of our visas, so there is something about the country for us. Talking to fellow travellers, looking at our plans, we decided to revise - a few days relaxing in Kunming, a brief trip deeper into Yunnan and back to Kunming to catch a flight to Bangkok, to spend some time in the sun by the sea before Cambodia and Laos. Sounds like a plan.
China - we're her willing prisoners. But looking at our watches, we'll have to leave soon to get to see South-East Asia.
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Maire
non-member comment
hello
Stephen says to tell you "it's bloody freezing here"... It is; so your description of China sounds appealing. Enjoyed the photos. Would love to hear more about kite fliers. I'm being driven demented here by "help" from a certain young man I think you know well... (only 3 dots for an "ellipse" apparently).