Beijing Nearing End, Apr.30.2012

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MondayApr.30.2012 - Beijing

This day like some in the past have not gone well for me, it is not really China's fault, per se, I think.

Looking back on Beijing in particular, I have encountered some insurmountable diffficulties because of the language mostly but other things too just seem not to have fallen into place for me like they might have done had I not faced the Shanghai problem and the elderly woman on the tour bus getting lost in the market and our delaying leaving to try to find her.

I was not able to get my hostel, Sun Garden, to make my train booking for me through an agency like I tried to do when I bought my Da~tong ticket, Y54 ticket price, Y10.00 commission, not really that bad considering, well considering what I encounter by doing this myself.

First, I waste time, the better part of a morning if I am lucky, and I am to some extent, lucky that is. So, I am up early no problem, however, I need to make sure where to go and precisely how to get there too. I wait for the lazy girls to rise as they are late to rise and are nowhere to be found until later. So, I ask the more-difficult-to-get-along-with elderly man who seems to be the one really "running" the hostel, who admittedly helps me or so it appears to the nearest metro station, 'out the door right and then left at the corner'. This simple direction, by hand, no English, is not as easy as it might seem at first glance. I do this, but the metro station is nowhere to be seen; try as I might for help, I only finally get someone who points in the easterly direction; yes, great! The help in Beijing is wonderful but indeed a little sparse. I try and after asking many others, stumble my way to a station, but it is Dongzhimen on Blue Line #2 instead of the more-easy-to-find Zhangzizonglu, Line #5, up the street if I had turned left from the Sun Garden hostel?

Nevertheless, up to the challenge, I get to the Beijing Railway Station on Line #5-#2 Blue Line. It is funny how, when you do not know where you are going, you could be standing right around the corner from something as big as Beijing's railway station and still get lost looking for it if it is just slightly hidden from direct view. Fortunately, I get lucky and spot the rail station.

Everyone needs to know if you go to this rail station to buy tickets, proceed to the far right coming out of the metro and head right of the KFC outlet. Never mind the long lines you first spot once out of the metro -- they mean nothing to you, though I have still to find out why there were lines here in the first case. I asked, however, to no avail as no one spoke sufficient English, or enough to explain the reason to me. Also know that you need to find queue no. 16 in the building indicated Ticket Office as this is the line where there is supposedly an English clerk, so the sign above says. I got my ticket; it was rather cheap, only Y82, but more so because it was for standing only on the overnight train.

Now, I want to get the hell out of Beijing right about now and will go to some length to do so, but standing? REALLY! I know I will manage, and will try to find some seat along the way but still? Does it really get tougher than this to travel China? Well, you stay tuned as I will tell you more of this kind of tragedy, unless of course, my luck takes a turn for the better. Maybe Pingyao and southbound will work more to my advantage. One thing for sure, I will plan much further forward and not count so much on luck and timing and spontaneity, nor others for help. Oh, by the way, the reason for the "Beijiing jinx" cast over me is that I am back for the second time during a 3-day May 1 national holiday (Labour Day) and everyone, well at least many of the over 1.2 billion Chinese, well ok, the more than 20 million area and out-of-towner Chinese, likely more, are making their way for Beijing festivities of one kind or another. And, I am getting in their way!

Well, with the train ticket in hand, I have the day off to do as I will and I have chosen to visit the 2 temples closeby, the Honghegong/Lama (called also the Temple of Heaven - not really a temple though) and Confucius. Both are well worth the effort, in particular, the Lama temple, as they are doing most of the incense burning and there are fires burning too! This is the biggest Tibetan Buddhist temple outside historic Tibet; it was converted to a lamaserry in 1774 after serving as the residence of Emperor Yong Zheng. If there is one temple to see, this is supposed to be the one! I tend to agree at this juncture but will be able to be more definitive once I pass through into Tibet.

In Confucius temple, it is a more sombre occasion, rather more like a mausoleum and one finds much more peace and quiet. According to LP there is a ghastly footnote to this temple. Beijing writer Lao She was dragged here in August 1966, forced to his knees in front of fiercely hot bonfires to confess his "anit-revolutionary crimes", and beaten. He drowned himself the next day in Taiping L.

From here, it was back to the hostel to shoot more hutong pictures, but on the way, I stopped to eat in something I learn is a well known eatery. It is an all Chinese affair but I enter and seek a seat only to be helped by one of the customers. He helps me order based on my best description of a Vietnam Pho and I get dumplings soup with some meat and green peppers (must eat lunch here again tomorrow before departing PEK). This couple is from out of town and drove into the city for a strawberry festival!?? He shows me his Canon 24-70mm lens on his Canon 50D, same as my lens on my 5D. I am surprised to find out that his lens may have been less expensive than mine??? The couple are quite well to do.

At the table chatting away, a girl approaches; she says she overhears me say I am from Canada and wants to speak English undoubtedly. Her name and pic I get; she has chosen Helen for her English name but her Chinese name is ZhangQianwen, [e-mail], and she is 12 yrs. old and mature beyond her years. She asks many many questions. She wants to go to the U.S. or Canada to study one day but is finding it difficult to get her English in hand for the test she must pass to go abroad. She admits to me that all she does is study?

All in all, not a bad day. I head back to the hostel while shooting a few hutongs along the way, but my CF card is near full with about 16 pics remaining. I was questioned while shooting the hutongs by someone who wanted to know why I would want such pictures. I told him the truth, to some extent, that that was really the way we China and not the pictures we find on TV back home. Back at the hostel, after a shower (PEK is so dirty!!), I download pics (over 2000 on one CF and 300 on another CF card, and I blog. I want to get ready for Goulu tonight, last night in the city! Will take the 50mm lens and a flash gun.

(Note to Self: I must blog frank views and opinions on the country, people and culture, tourism.)

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