Catching Up on China
Wednesday, December 30, 2009 by Annie
So, we spent three weeks in China this Fall, broken up by a that month long side trip to Nepal. Annie posted early on in our time here, but we wanted to do at least more more post on our experience in this amazing country. Here goes...
China was tough to love at first. Coming from Japan, an ultra-evolved society, China and specifically Beijing felt like a work in progress. We expected this, but I think we had become quite comfortable with the superbly clean side walks, professional construction sites, western style public bathrooms, and civilized rules of the road. Things in China started off along those same lines, first in the newly constructed international terminal at PEK airport and also as you're whisked into town on the brand-new airport express light rail line. Then you get out of the subway at Fuchungman station and it hits you like a tonna bricks: bikes, buses, construction, vendors... all at dusk. It was slightly overwhelming... especially because I don't think we were all that weathered in developing countries at that point in October.
Our Beijing accommodation was northwest of Tian'amen. Place was cool, and COLD. Google "beijing hutong", look at pictures and you'll get an idea - door off an ally opens to a stone courtyard, lined with bedrooms and dorms. Our place also had a common room, free wifi and a staff - mainly this one lady, Juju who wouldn't quit with the hospitality, which really made the stay worthwhile.
We did the sites in Beijing, slowly becoming accustom to the style. Then we headed to Shanghai on an overnight train. Which, once we got into the Beijing train station - holy shite it felt like the entire city was trying to catch an urgent lift out of town that night - proved to be a very comfortable experience. It included complimentary slippers - which I can't get enough of and a bunk long enough for the tallest of travelers.
Shanghai was very very interesting. We had a great set up at a former colleague's place, who went above and beyond to secure bikes and touristy info for us. We did the biking thing, the pearl thing, a night out which included a twelve dollar, hour long massage at 11:30 PM and we were even able to meet up with a Medullan colleague, in town as part of her own China vacation. So Shanghai had all that going for it, but Annie and I both got a bit into the history of the place - western cultural and architectural influences, role in historical international trade, involvement in the Opium Wars, role in governmental struggles between Nationalists and Communists, its new found position as the economic powerhouse of China and its continued focus on outward perfection as it works to host the 2010 World Expo. The beauty for us was the ability to still walk through its old city and find the noodle shops, fruit, antique and book markets which have stood for centuries. We strolled through parks watching men and women play card, chinese chess and mahjong. Combine these things and you've got an exciting and interesting atmosphere that deserves some time.
We then spent 3 days in what's described as Shanghai's beach weekend getaway, a group of islands southeast of the city called Zhoushan. Unremarkable. Best part of the 3 days would have to be the food. Fish and other sea creatures sit in tanks, you point, negotiatevprice... once you're settled on your choice, it's pulled out of the tank, if necessary it's batted over the head a couple times, then steamed, poached, fried or grilled to perfection..add a vegetable, some rice and a few beers and you've got a meal. Delic!
Then back to Beijing...throw a failed attempt to get to Xi'an in there and it's back to the same hostel. This second trip was all about getting back to fly to Nepal, and getting to the Great Wall. We did and it was awesome! A lot of the historical significance was lost on us... 7th century BC, unified the sets of fortified walls already built around villages and states, modified, rebuilt, extended for centuries after that, mostly what you see now done done during Ming Dynasty, blah blah blah... What we took away from the day was that the Wall is a work of art and a pretty hefty hike. We walked the 12 km Simatai to Jinshanling section, which was gorgeous with numerous watch towers and a good stretch of natural, unrestored wall. It was surreal to see the wall meander through the hillside as far as the eye could see. Very worth the 3 1/2 hour bus trip out of Beijing.
During those last few days in Beijing we also spent some time in ArtSpace 798. It's blocks of galleries and studios for artists, west of city center. It was something I would have not expected to see in Beijing or China for that matter - a place for artists to express themselves and attempt to make a living from their freedoms of artistic creativity. In that way, Beijing impressed me and made Annie I both feel as though it would be a very interesting place to get to know better.
After a month long intermission in Nepal we made our second touch down in the region this time further south. Flying into Hong Kong just isn't what it was ten years ago when the landing strip was in the middle of the city but when a flight is uneventful I guess that's a good sign. Leaving the land of power shortage and chaotic streets of Nepal we found ourselves in one of the most affluent, lit up, organized cities in the world and right in the middle of the Christmas rush. We found Hong Kong to be beautiful and worth a second visit at some point in our lives but also felt the less populated southern Mainland call our names.
A horrific night bus ride north, left us in the middle of Yongshuo (southern guangxi province) in the middle of the night. Not calculating the trip time perfectly left us on the city's streets at about 4 AM with the only respite being an internet cafe with a dozen teenage dudes, smoking cigarettes, drinking red bull and playing online games . No worries- we know how to kill time online. Our time in Yongshuo was some of the trip's best due to our comfortable accommodations at the Giggling Tree and our love of peddle bikes on flat roads in the country. The landscape is flat farmland except for massive limestone peaks that rise fast and high. Needless to say we stayed longer then we expected.
Our time in China didn't start with love at first sight but it ended with a promise to return and explore further. It was time to move on to Southeast Asia and look under the covers of Vietnam.
China was tough to love at first. Coming from Japan, an ultra-evolved society, China and specifically Beijing felt like a work in progress. We expected this, but I think we had become quite comfortable with the superbly clean side walks, professional construction sites, western style public bathrooms, and civilized rules of the road. Things in China started off along those same lines, first in the newly constructed international terminal at PEK airport and also as you're whisked into town on the brand-new airport express light rail line. Then you get out of the subway at Fuchungman station and it hits you like a tonna bricks: bikes, buses, construction, vendors... all at dusk. It was slightly overwhelming... especially because I don't think we were all that weathered in developing countries at that point in October.
Our Beijing accommodation was northwest of Tian'amen. Place was cool, and COLD. Google "beijing hutong", look at pictures and you'll get an idea - door off an ally opens to a stone courtyard, lined with bedrooms and dorms. Our place also had a common room, free wifi and a staff - mainly this one lady, Juju who wouldn't quit with the hospitality, which really made the stay worthwhile.
We did the sites in Beijing, slowly becoming accustom to the style. Then we headed to Shanghai on an overnight train. Which, once we got into the Beijing train station - holy shite it felt like the entire city was trying to catch an urgent lift out of town that night - proved to be a very comfortable experience. It included complimentary slippers - which I can't get enough of and a bunk long enough for the tallest of travelers.
Shanghai was very very interesting. We had a great set up at a former colleague's place, who went above and beyond to secure bikes and touristy info for us. We did the biking thing, the pearl thing, a night out which included a twelve dollar, hour long massage at 11:30 PM and we were even able to meet up with a Medullan colleague, in town as part of her own China vacation. So Shanghai had all that going for it, but Annie and I both got a bit into the history of the place - western cultural and architectural influences, role in historical international trade, involvement in the Opium Wars, role in governmental struggles between Nationalists and Communists, its new found position as the economic powerhouse of China and its continued focus on outward perfection as it works to host the 2010 World Expo. The beauty for us was the ability to still walk through its old city and find the noodle shops, fruit, antique and book markets which have stood for centuries. We strolled through parks watching men and women play card, chinese chess and mahjong. Combine these things and you've got an exciting and interesting atmosphere that deserves some time.
We then spent 3 days in what's described as Shanghai's beach weekend getaway, a group of islands southeast of the city called Zhoushan. Unremarkable. Best part of the 3 days would have to be the food. Fish and other sea creatures sit in tanks, you point, negotiatevprice... once you're settled on your choice, it's pulled out of the tank, if necessary it's batted over the head a couple times, then steamed, poached, fried or grilled to perfection..add a vegetable, some rice and a few beers and you've got a meal. Delic!
Then back to Beijing...throw a failed attempt to get to Xi'an in there and it's back to the same hostel. This second trip was all about getting back to fly to Nepal, and getting to the Great Wall. We did and it was awesome! A lot of the historical significance was lost on us... 7th century BC, unified the sets of fortified walls already built around villages and states, modified, rebuilt, extended for centuries after that, mostly what you see now done done during Ming Dynasty, blah blah blah... What we took away from the day was that the Wall is a work of art and a pretty hefty hike. We walked the 12 km Simatai to Jinshanling section, which was gorgeous with numerous watch towers and a good stretch of natural, unrestored wall. It was surreal to see the wall meander through the hillside as far as the eye could see. Very worth the 3 1/2 hour bus trip out of Beijing.
During those last few days in Beijing we also spent some time in ArtSpace 798. It's blocks of galleries and studios for artists, west of city center. It was something I would have not expected to see in Beijing or China for that matter - a place for artists to express themselves and attempt to make a living from their freedoms of artistic creativity. In that way, Beijing impressed me and made Annie I both feel as though it would be a very interesting place to get to know better.
After a month long intermission in Nepal we made our second touch down in the region this time further south. Flying into Hong Kong just isn't what it was ten years ago when the landing strip was in the middle of the city but when a flight is uneventful I guess that's a good sign. Leaving the land of power shortage and chaotic streets of Nepal we found ourselves in one of the most affluent, lit up, organized cities in the world and right in the middle of the Christmas rush. We found Hong Kong to be beautiful and worth a second visit at some point in our lives but also felt the less populated southern Mainland call our names.
A horrific night bus ride north, left us in the middle of Yongshuo (southern guangxi province) in the middle of the night. Not calculating the trip time perfectly left us on the city's streets at about 4 AM with the only respite being an internet cafe with a dozen teenage dudes, smoking cigarettes, drinking red bull and playing online games . No worries- we know how to kill time online. Our time in Yongshuo was some of the trip's best due to our comfortable accommodations at the Giggling Tree and our love of peddle bikes on flat roads in the country. The landscape is flat farmland except for massive limestone peaks that rise fast and high. Needless to say we stayed longer then we expected.
Our time in China didn't start with love at first sight but it ended with a promise to return and explore further. It was time to move on to Southeast Asia and look under the covers of Vietnam.
hey guys! happy new year! i just wanted to check in b/c there hasn't been an update in a little while. you might be out of range, but thought i would drop you a line. much love, Molly G.
Wow...Such amazing pictures, they continue to be.... Thank you.