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China 2017
  • Johanne Brookes
November 2017

China 2017

A 12-day adventure by Johanne Read more
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  • Trip start
    November 4, 2017
    Johanne BrookesChina 2017Traveler

    In Flight Entertainment

    November 4, 2017 in Turkey ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    Currently at 35000 feet and about an hour from Beijing. Turkish Airlines have been really good. We started in the No. 1 lounge at Birmingham airport which offered a range of meals and snacks and was generally quiet and quite relaxed. First flight was to Istanbul very comfortable. Good in flight entertainment nice touchscreen system that came out of the seat. And there was more food, meze followed by lamb. Then we arrived in Istanbul and went to find the Turkish Airlines Lounge. It was amazing, vast. Showers, suites. Multiple food choices, tons of entertainment including Scalextric, golf simulation and a pool table. Dad was particularly impressed with the help yourself bar stocked with a range of high end brands. I had a tiny Henessey cognac (Mandy sized) whilst Dad helped himself to a JD and coke. Only a short stay here and then off to find our next flight. The Beijing business class in some ways hasn't felt as plush as the short haul. That was a new (or recently refurbished) plane. This is a bit more scuffed but it has very friendly staff, an in-flight chef and they make up your bed for you! Yet more food... Different meze followed by chicken. Then a few hours sleep (4ish) and breakfast. Salad, cheese, another warm seeded bagel followed by scrambled egg with mushrooms and tomato. Now we are on the final descent to Beijing.Read more

  • Johanne BrookesChina 2017Traveler

    in Beijing day 1

    November 4, 2017 in China ⋅ 🌙 4 °C

    So after a final spectacular scene from the plane window we landed at Beijing. it is unsurprisingly huge and so the queue for "foreigners" was long but relatively quick only about 30 minutes. There was a slight moment of excitement when we realised we needed to complete an arrivals card and we were now onlt 5 olaces from immigration. No one tells you about the cards, there are no signs just a discrete heap on a table just next to the queue....nearly a nightmare ..if we'd have been sent back arrgh. Then baggage claim and a chaotic customs scan. then we couldnt find our greeter, and then an epic traffic jam into Beijijng. so despite having landed ant 4 it was 7:30 before were ready to hit the streets.
    We walked back from the hotel to the peoples freedom road (?) where there were some tableau celebrating the 68th anniversary of the PRC, fabulous - i think I like the silk road camels best. the Freedom roadwas enormous 10 lanes wide. we then wandered back to our hotel where we decided to hit the noodle bar as we only wanted a snack. of course what we got were two huge bowls - wanton noodles for Dad, speciality lamb for me. Not much lamb but packed with chilli and barberries - yum.
    Now back in our room, thin walls but well appointed, smells rather bordello like at the moment as Dads aftershavw has leaked and we are airing everything off....    Read more

  • Johanne BrookesChina 2017Traveler
    The camels.... All made from plants
    The Three gorges and ShanghaiCamels and ships... The silk road?Happy DadDancing in the streets1

    An evening stroll

    November 4, 2017 in China ⋅ 🌙 4 °C

    Those camels... Amongst other things

  • Johanne BrookesChina 2017Traveler
    1This is Beiing's Golden Season
    18:15 am in Tiananmen Sq2Its a ridiculously large basket of fruit and flowers..The PRC flag the only emplty space for milesMinority chinese lining up for the Forbidden City

    Tianamen Square

    November 5, 2017 in China ⋅ ☀️ 10 °C

    So this morning we have been to Tiananmen square and The Forbidden Palace. Both completely amazing, but for different reasons. Tiananmen:very glad we had a guide, the queues for security were phenomenal. Also amazing was the mass of people queuing for Mao's tomb, approx 2hrs for a few seconds view according to our guide. The square is enormous and full of parties of Chinese people mostly, few westerners. The trees are still in leaf although the weather is chilly 0 degrees this morning. Photos later from my cameraRead more

  • Johanne BrookesChina 2017Traveler
    2animals on your roof denote your rank...9 animals is best
    A water pot scarred inn the Opium WarsThe much more peaceful womens quarter'sThe moat...enough earth was removed to make a mountain behind the cityAmazing decorationIt is a female lion...it is playing with a cub not a ball (thats how you know...)

    Forbidden City

    November 5, 2017 in China ⋅ 🌙 6 °C

    After Tiananmen square we walked through a subway adorned with carvings (and supervisory soldiers) to the south entrance of the Forbidden City. Enormous thick walls and and multiple layers make it seem like an optical illusion... The further you walk the further away it seems to be... Once in we joined the mass of Chinese tourists and pushed and shoved to peer into buildings. Lots of grim reminders of colonial Britain... Huge brass water pots scarred by British soldiers who thought they were gold and wanted a piece! The main thoroughfare was packed all the way through but eventually we destroyed to the Ladies quarters and the tourists largely evaporated. Our guide told us tales of ancient times and Chinese jokes and took endless photos of Dad and I.Read more

  • Johanne BrookesChina 2017Traveler
    2Poor Driver
    Our guide Nia and her bikeInside a courtyard

    Hutongs

    November 5, 2017 in China ⋅ 🌙 6 °C

    After the Forbidden city an early lunch - this required a short drive through the chaotic traffic - all slow moving but very random and the parking makes Birmingham look like valet parking. Spicy peanut chicken with cucumber and beef in yellow bean sauce. The for a rickshaw ride around the Hutongs - Beijing's traditional residences built around courtyards.I felt sorry for our driver but him and his bicycle rickshaw coped ok - our guide followed on a bike! This area is a warren of houses and although many dont have their own bathrooms they are inordinately expensive and apparently rarely sold just passed down through the family. China is a mass of interesting contradictions. We walked into on of the courtyards and talked to the owner who told us about the variety of fruits and veg he grows in virtually no soil. Apricots, grapes tomatoes allsorts of stuff. The hutongs have no street windows and no obvious signs of wealth or status but apparently in pre-communist times it was the number of lintels over your doorway that indicated your rank and the shape of the doorstop - book shaped for a civil servant , drum shaped for a soldier...Fascinating and very nearly lost to the redevelopers.Read more

  • Johanne BrookesChina 2017Traveler
    2Another impressive lion
    2A temple to the female buddha2water caligraphyMonkeyThe covered walkwayExhausted..on the marble bridgeon the way out

    The Summer Palace

    November 5, 2017 in China ⋅ 🌙 6 °C

    Last stop of the day was a brief visit to the Summer palace. Like the Forbidden city you could spend days here but we only scratched the surface. This place has been burnt down 3 times since it was originally built in 1750..so this is the last version1903 or so. A favourite place of the Dragon lady who was the power behind the throne for the last 4 emperors. Kunming lake was misty and surrounded by autumnal leaves but the palace was a cacophony of installed speakers and shouting tour guides. We watched a bloke doing water calligraphy using a special sponge tipped wand, apparently it is a good activity for the retired - I recommended it to Dad but he wasn't keen. The highlight really was a 750m covered walkway along the lake edge that ensured that the women could walk whatever the weather without getting wet or tanned. This was decorated with scenes from legends and classical books including a scene from Monkey. Car access was very difficult, much hooting and honking - our driver is amazing - Its a big car and she maneuvers it with if not exactly ease but definitely with bravado. Traffic was slow on the way back to the city - a good hours drive of solid traffic, not far but very busy - and that was a Sunday afternoon. I expect it wont improve as the week kicks off.Read more

  • Johanne BrookesChina 2017Traveler
    Dad
    No idea we passed this on the street on the way back to our hotel

    Dad's first Proper Dining Challenge

    November 5, 2017 in China ⋅ 🌙 5 °C

    After a nap we needed food, we thought peking duck would be a logical choice and we noted the address of the nearest recommended venue. However it must have moved or closed or we couldn't recognise it...so we walked round and found a Beef hot pot restaurant ...no English spoken but the menu had translations...I think that was the first bit that unnerved dad - intestine hotpot didn't seem to appeal nor black tripe and that was just what we spotted before an accommodating staff member trotted over with a translated phrase on his phone - "we have a two person special would you like that"? What we got was some vegetation - still growing in a pot, some crispy carbohydrate of some sort, two trays of raw beef, two pots of funky peanut'y sauce and a huge steaming pot containing taro, peppers, beef, and lots of coriander. We worked out a method for cooking the beef by gripping it between enormous cooking chopsticks and swirling it in the pot..tasty but chewy, we crunched some of the unknown golden fried carbohydrate and then the staff took pity on is and came to help us out. We'd been doing it all wrong...mostly slowly and inefficently rather than anything else. Except for the fried carb..which we were supposed to add to the stock until it went floppy...and took on the consistency of old leather. By this time Dad had decided he really didn't care for beef and in the end I decided I couldn't cope with anymore coriander..I had done my best to avoid but it kept sneaking through. We admitted defeat, finished our Yanping Beer and paid up... An interesting experience but not as good as last nights noodlesRead more

  • Johanne BrookesChina 2017Traveler

    Bits from yesterday

    November 6, 2017 in China ⋅ ⛅ 10 °C

    So these are some bits I had forgotten yesterday. Walking across Tiananmen Sq. with someone distantly playing a Chinese flute - a very distinctive sound. The smell of the nanmu wood used in the buildings, - it repels bugs apparently whilst not bothering humans. A conversation with Nia our guide about the film Peking Opera Blues - which has an LGBT story in it if I remember correctly, she described it as a classic film which cheered me up and then pointed out wistfully two gay men in the crowd in front of us "so good looking but they are gay"...I hadnt clocked them. Good to see at some acceptance here. Also somewhere in the Summer palace amid the cacophony one of those chinese stringed instruments turning a view of the lake into something so perfectly matching my imagination.Read more

  • Johanne BrookesChina 2017Traveler
    Dad & I at the start of our wall walk
    Completely fabulousDad & Mr T-shirtDespite what our guide said the characters in the hillside dont say Hollywood2A guide for life?Scary steps

    The Great Wall at Mutianyu

    November 6, 2017 in China ⋅ 🌙 9 °C

    Early start and relatively little traffic got us up to the wall by 9:30 am. The drive up was fascinating small towns and an area that is a popular resort area for chinese people to visit at the weekend. We passed "picking farms" and fishing spots and many places were subtitled in English. "The Meat Shop", "Household necessaries and goods" "professional Chef cooking fish". Apparently in spring this whole area is pink with blossom from wild apricots, wild pears and the cultivated fruit too. The roadside stalls mostly had just hawthorn fruit and chinese dates now though. At the wall were could have walked up but opted for the cable car, 40 minutes walk our guide said....not for dad and I; the climb to the cable car station made us huff! The ride p was about 4 minutes and sadly we just missed the car that proudly proclaimed Clinton rode in this car in 1998. Our guide took us up took some photos for us and left us to wander. The car brings you to watch tower 14 and you can either head up to tower 20 or down to about number 8. We thought it more sensible to head up whilst we were fresh - either way you have to get back to 14 for the car down. A flight of 8 very high steps had to be climbed on watchtower 14. Then to get down and on to the wall proper was a vertigo inducing steep flight of stairs, I could only negotiate these by clinging to the edge and not looking over the wall at the mountains and valleys stretching away below. once on the wall the surface was good and the wall undulates over the mountains sometimes stepped, sometimes flat and sometimes there is a cruel sharp descent and ascent down to and up from bricked up archways. Occasionally there are watchtowers you can climb to look out across the landscape, one of these had an enterprising souvenir seller in it. when he offed us his range of teeshirts we said we didn't want to carry them up with us. The wall climbs gradually in a roller coaster fashion until watchtower 19 where it ascends steeply to the last accessible tower in this stretch. Unfortunately that ascent takes around 25 minutes and so we could only get part way up before having to turn round to rendezvous with our guide at 12:15. Obviously otherwise dad and I would have bounded up there like little spring lambs. We sat for a while about a third of the way up watching the crowds increase as it got later and marvelling at how fit small children are... some of them were skipping up that long flight of steps. Eventually we started our descent and ended up in the tower with the souvenir man - who recognised us...Dad had been debating the "I climbed the great wall" teeshirt but on hearing the price decided it was too much (200RMB) as we headed out the price fell to 100 and so Dad was pursuaded. Mr Souvenir then insisted on having his photo taken with Dad, taking mine and dad's photograph and then ushering us on our way with a variety of enthusiastic farewells, as we disappeared out on to the wall he appeared again pressing a rather nice key ring into Dad's hand....we must have paid well over the odds for that T shirt!
    The crowds were much larger on the return leg and we were pleased to have seen it in a comparatively quiet moment. All too quickly we were back at the shuttle bus with Nia.    Read more

  • Johanne BrookesChina 2017Traveler
    1Duck service

    Peking Duck

    November 6, 2017 in China ⋅ ⛅ 8 °C

    So how could we leave Beijing without having duck? Fortunately there was a specialist duck restaurant in the next door mall. It is a huge mall, and one of 3 locally...(Chinese socialism is an amazing blend. On the drive earlier there were fabulous exhortations to further progress and socialism, community and loyalty but the malls are enormous and shiny - you could be anywhere. The people seem prosperous and we haven't seen a single rough sleeper (though there any number of reasons for that?). Our guide told us that in China men retire at 60 and women at 50 so as to make sure there are jobs for the rising generation. I could be retired!!). Anyway after wandering the shiny floors and watching the iceskaters on the rink at the bottom of the atrium we found our Duck.
    Crispy skin, pancakes and everything you would expect. The chef came to our table and sliced it in front of us...unlike at home the result includes the head...
    Stuffed we toddled back to the hotel and treated ourselves to a drink in the bar after which we returned to our room. It then transpired that dad hadn't paid for the drinks or given our room number but being westerners we stand out sufficiently for them to pursue us to our room! Very red faces on our part    Read more

  • Johanne BrookesChina 2017Traveler
    Contemporary Chinese poker players..all the financials are done on WeChat
    Lunch in the GreenhouseOne of the supporting buildings ...name changed at various points in its lifeThe symbol of the Beijing Tourist authorityQuietening down now...

    Lunch and the Temple of Heaven

    November 6, 2017 in China ⋅ 🌙 7 °C

    So we hopped back in the car and settled in for the drive back to Beijing, in less than 5 minutes we had stopped at what appeared to be a greenhouse. It was our lunch venue, warm and verdant. Food was good, fried aubergine and potato in a garlic'y sauce, vegetable wraps (like duck with pancakes but veg and strips of egg) and a spicy chicken dish with a sharp sauce and unidentifiable crunchy fungus. This plus our exertions meant that both of us were struggling to stay awake for the drive back to the city. We got back and went straight to the Temple of Heaven. Large gardens much used by the local retired community for dancing and gambling and in the middle a square building. This lead to another covered walkway the balustrade of which was buried in groups of people playing noisy games of poker and Chinese chess.
    This brought us eventually to a central building and a gate which took us through to the centre of the complex including the magnificent Temple of Heaven, a Qing dynasty Daoist temple solely for the use of the Emperor. A circular building made entirely of wood (nanmu ), no nails or pegs and decorated inside and out.
    Surrounding buildings explained the rituals and the construction history/techniques. The crowds were thining and there was again Chinese music drifting from the dancing pensioners outside the complex.
    We were offered various options after but we settled for a return to the hotel to rest our tired trotters.    Read more

  • Johanne BrookesChina 2017Traveler
    In the waiting room
    Our trainOn board

    At the station

    November 7, 2017 in China ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    Waiting for the train to Pingyao. Our guide brought us to the station and shepherded us through initial ticket check, bag security etc and brought us to our waiting room. She carefully explained our train ticket, made me photograph the timetable on her phone and repeatedly reminded me to hang on to the tickets and check our strain number carefully. Then she told me that even in Pingyao we could call her if we were in difficulties and left us to it.
    The waiting room is huge room gathering passengers for our train and one to Futian. All necessary items are here, free phone charging ingredients stations, WiFi (if I could read the login requirements) , hot water for your noodle bowl plus shops selling gifts, toys, pre-done duck, and books.
    People are friendly and helpful; the young man behind us has been chatting a bit with Dad. A couple who had snaffled seats offered me a small space next to them.

    Once the gates open it was a bit of a push and shove to get through the barrier and down to the platform. We are in first class for this trip, huge picture window and we feel quite low down. The seats are aeroplane like with recline facilities, foot rests and power sockets. Sadly my adaptor does not fit... This is an intermittent problem I could only use it in one socket in our hotel room!
    We have a bottle of water and a gift pack of snacks as a peek of first class travel. Not sure what the contents are, I can identify a biscuit and a sausage of unknown origin but the rest is a mystery.
    We are now some 100 miles or so west of Beijing heading to Pingyao. The train is smooth and fast 300 km/hr, there are frequent announcements.... Not least is the reminder no to smoke for which according to the 2006 and 2014 edicts is subject to a fine of 2000rmb and if you cause an serious consequences you will be detained...all delivered in voice reminiscent of an old audio version of Brave New World..... Eeek.
    Outside a flat landscape of farms and small towns hurtles past. It is very hazy and the air quality is poor, when we stop at the stations you can taste a chemical / metallic tang.    Read more

  • Johanne BrookesChina 2017Traveler

    View from a window .

    November 7, 2017 in China ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    We've by on the train for about 2 hrs now. After the first 150 or so km the air quality improved dramatically and we could see across the plains of fields to tower blocks and distant towns. We had a long pause at one station and after that mountains appeared. For a few minutes we passed extensive quarrying works; entire mountains being chewed up. For the last 15 minutes we have been in a tunnel, at 200km/hr (the speed has dropped in here) that is a long tunnel. I suspect that the scenery we can see from the windows is the scrubby mountains we saw from the air. Some dramatic valleys and rivers appear occasionally but mostly it seems to be just hills/mountains and the odd sign of human lives.
    Meanwhile the overhead screen shows a variety of information.... All about how the trains and tracks are built. Some tourist type info. Some adverts. How to exercise in your seat. How jade ornaments are produced and of course some behavioural and political messages.
    Travelling more slowly now less than 200km /hr and arriving in a huge industrial city, factories, cooling towers, cement works (for all the stone from those quarried hills) and lots of identical new tower blocks and lower level apartment buildings.    Read more

  • Johanne BrookesChina 2017Traveler
    1Lanterns are the main source of street lighting
    Courtyard in our hotel1Silent scooters glide everywhere scattering touristsEven the drainage covers are impressiveThis our courtyard, the door on the right leads to our room

    Pingyao

    November 8, 2017 in China ⋅ 🌙 20 °C

    Arrival is deceptive, the bullet train deposited us at an anonymous new station and we met our new guide and Mr Yang the driver. It immediately felt different; in Beijing sleek modern Volkswagen driven by our expert driver who glided through the chaos of the city traffic. Mr Yang's car was a battered people carrier with the back row of seats weighed down by a vast gas canister, our bags got tucked in round it and it didnt move. Th car too had slightly fraying seat covers and a golden plastic Mao on the dash. The traffic here is less chaotic more plain batshit, but very friendly none of the temper and cursing that would result at home from the sorts of manoeuvres that are standard here. As we came off the practically deserted new highway we were in an area of apparently fairly new but already tired looking shops and apartments. Pingyao outside the walls is a boom town loads of new blocks of flats going up and according to our guide most people want to live outside the walls. Only the elderly who like to look at the tourists like living inside the walls. Pingyao county has a population of 500,000 and they seem to be heading for the city, although currently only about 40,000 live there. A sudden stop to avoid a vehicle that had moved into our lane but coming towards us...this was avoiding a funeral. Trucks and people carrying glittery decorations, a small truck with a painted coffin and an extended golf cart with some additional mourners - the coop could learn something - it certainly didnt seem very solemn. Mr Yang drove through a large set of gates (only locals can do this and even then they are restricted) and threaded the large car down tiny alleys to our hotel. Within the walls the city a mix of Ming and Qing architecture and the oldest part of the walls - the clay core, dates back 3000 years. our hotel is a hutong; a courtyarded building. It is completely lovely to look at a brick and wooden structure and our room is one of or 8 around a courtyard, there are a number of other courtyards so I suspect the place is larger than it appears. Snag one I cant connect to the internet - I have wifi but there is some sort of DHCP issue that stops it authenticating on my phone - the tablet is fine however. Having issued us with a map our guide left us to it and we set off for a wander. Snag 1 - the map only has english names for 4 streets. Those four streets are not named in the city, lots of other named streets but they are in chinese on our map. however we wandered happily past lots of tourist aimed shops as well as ordinary shops, historic buildings and tiny alleys that led into the unknown. We are the only western faces here as far as we can tell - on the streets the crowds were all chinese and we have been thoroughly stared at by the elderly locals who are (and it is such a terrible cliche) inscrutable - a smile, a wave, a nihao get no response.... However in a phenomenon I havent experienced since my last visit to Hong Kong we did get collared by three sets of students doing surveys...all spoke impeccable English, one set insisted on photographing us to prove we were real, one lot videoed the whole thing and the last ones were most ecstatic to find us but didn't insist on verification. After this we needed snacks - so Portuguese custard tart for dad and a black sesame & custard dipped slice of white bread for me (not what I expected but nice).
    We eventually navigated back to the hotel for Dad's power nap - this is when we discovered the weakness of the mapping - still we got back eventually. Dad napped and I swore at the phone trying to sort the internet issue. At last we decided we needed food - our guide had helpfully given suggestions and there was one other recommendation (People dont com to Pingyao for the food!) but sadly we couldn't find one of them, one was empty - so despite the recommendation it was rejected and the last we didnt fancy - chicken with mushy shrimp, or a selection of duck tongues were the high points so we decided we would scoot back to our hotel - apparently most people eat at their hotels here. So we got lost again, but by now it was dark, and we were hungry /hangry - no lunch we were on the train and we could see that places were closing down for the night.......very stressy. when we finally stumbled in the staff were not thrilled to see us but they sorted some food and a much needed beer for us. Fortified we went back out for another wander around and managed not to get lost. At 10:30 we returned to our overheated hotel room - no aircon lots of heating- again - I have been too hot to sleep now for three nights...at which point the bathroom plumbing started to play up - it is ok now but we might need a man with plunger in the morning - too exhausted to worry about it now though.    Read more

  • Johanne BrookesChina 2017Traveler
    It is a living town too

    Morning in Pingyao

    November 8, 2017 in China ⋅ 🌬 20 °C

    As the hotel is quiet we locked our outer door and left the inner door ajar... So a bit coolerlast night - hurrah. It is another clear sunny day and the Chinese music sound track is playing around the hotel courtyards. Breakfast was very interesting - undiluted orange cordial (with extra sugar if you needed it) no water anywhere, otherwise black tea and hot milk or coffee. A mix of European and Chinese dishes, the European included a sweetish spam like substance. Even the white bread was sweetened. Salted roasted peanuts were good though. Looking forward to seeing inside more of these courtyards and buildings today along with a walk around the walls.Read more

  • Johanne BrookesChina 2017Traveler
    The court is in session!
    RooftopsThe Magistrates GardensYaMen StreetYing Xun Gate on the City Walls

    A morning tour of Pingyao

    November 8, 2017 in China ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    A beautiful sunny day and we met our guide Marina in the hotel at 9:30. Our first stop was the ancient government building. Although largely rebuilt (some was lost/destroyed during the cultural revolution) the core was 1300 and included tax offices, a prison and the magistrates courts. It also included the government tower which gave great views over the city. Overall very interesting if a bit grim, prisoner human rights not being high on their agenda. I must read some more of the Judge Dee stories when I get home.

    Whilst wandering we talked to our guide about Pingyao, this area is known as two black, two white based on the chief products: black vinegar, black coal, white noodles, white wine. Coal is still the key fuel source, when we were wandering in alleys last night we could smell the coal.

    After this we headed onto the city walls which form a 6km circuit round the old town. Again a good opportunity to peer into courtyards. The views managed to encapsulate old and new Pingyao, old towers in the foreground and new construction in the background. After this short walk we descended to the Confucius Temple, which was our guide's High School until 2003! The central hall was there then but students were charged 3¥ to go in it! Now they have reinstated the temples and the surrounding buildings and the fences and some walls are Apparently in prayer ribbons bearing the name of students taking exams or thanking Confucius for their achievements... So it rather confirms the idea that however hard people try to suppress belief systems they just go underground until that passes (Putin's Russia?).

    Our guide also wanted to discuss schools and exams - this arose out of the government house visit and her temple high school. Apparently she had to get up at 6 to be ready to go to school at 6:30, a half hr bike ride. On arrival at 7am they read for half an hour, then ran for 30 mins. Then an hour for breakfast, lessons till 12:30, two hours for lunch then back for lessons till 5:30-6pm, tea and then a final session 7- 9pm. She said it was hell, I wouldn't argue! She also mentioned that really the cultural revolution wasn't much taught about in school which concentrated on history from 3000 bce to 1900 or so. On reflection it makes sense... I doubt our curriculum includes much from 1950 onwards....

    Our final stop was the first Chinese bank founded in 1823. They were dyers with 6 branches across the region until they decided that financial services were more lucrative. So instant bank with 6 branches! They were clever, inventing watermarks that could only be seen in light from a specific lamp and a coding system that used ordinary characters from a poster on the walll to hide details of transactions and dates so that if info was lost it was useless.

    After this Dad and I went for a drink (freshly squeezed apple juice) and arranged to meet Marina tomorrow for our ride back to the station. The rest of the day was ours to wander.    Read more

  • Johanne BrookesChina 2017Traveler
    No Idea at all...
    Poker players againTemple of the Household Gods1Lunch (for Sam!)Project Manager God?Dad heaven - an icecream filled waffle

    Pingyao Wandering

    November 8, 2017 in China ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C

    So we wandered on to South Street aiming to look at tourist tat and debate lunch. All of a sudden we were mobbed a party of 30-something (rather than easily amused teen) Chinese people grabbed us and used us as their photo prop. Swapping people in and out as they clicked away. No idea what it was about, it made them laugh a lot though! Weird but funny.

    After that we needed lunch, the rejected but recommended restaurant from last night. Very good, shrimp and cashew nuts for dad, I had chicken in a sharp sauce with peanuts. We got a bonus dessert... Something fried... A sweet bean filled dumpling and one that might have been sweet potato....
    We had to share our table - with the cat. After some fuss he curled up on my jacket whilst we ate. As soon as our chopsticks went down though it was a game to keep him from being all over the remains of our dinner.
    Next we aimed to wander to the Temple of the Household Gods via tat. I had lots of fun haggling over a brass bust of Chairman Mao. The place is fascinating; the very centre is tourist oriented but outside that you get a sense of a normal life being lived. When doors are open you can peer into courtyards and glimpse real life; cabbages, electric scooters, and drying washing.
    The sun disappeared by early afternoon today it has been very still and so the air quality has dropped considerably. Visibility is significantly reduced and back here in the hotel now I can taste dust and smoke. Pingyao may be pretty but the surrounding area is full of industry and it is notoriously dry so the air quality is poor. All the cars have a film of dust on them and the Temple Gods are filthy.
    Post Mao we went to the Temple of Household Gods. This includes the land God, three gods of wealth, a kitchen God and a door God amongst others. All the gods looked like they hadn't been cleaned ever but it was a working temple incense in the burners, candles were lit and offerings of fruit were stacked in front of the gods. One of the gods seemed a little neglected - the God of project managers.... (See the photo), I need to hunt now for the God of Application Engineers....
    A brief sit in the grounds watching leaves being diligently swept off the grass (in China grass is not for walking on or picnicking on apparently - it is there to be looked at!) and then we were back on the wander... I want a tasteful fridge magnet. I found one but the vendor and I could not agree a price.... But I was confident that I would soon find more. Unfortunately though the evidence suggests he has a monopoly on the fridge magnet market... I may have to go back and renegotiate.    Read more

  • Johanne BrookesChina 2017Traveler
    1

    Evening in Pingyao

    November 8, 2017 in China ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    So after the abortive magnet hunt we sought the consolation of street food: A waffle type thing filled with green tea ice-cream and jam. Then an amble back to the hotel resisting taking yet more photographs, it is a breathtaking place and every corner offers another view or something of interest. Back to the hotel for Dad's power nap (which is when I do some of this - I have barely opened a book this holiday!). Refreshed we went in search of dinner, straight there no getting lost, a place recommended by Marina. Packed out, well organised we were handed an iPad which was both menu and ordering system. Dinner was accompanied by a large beer, the dust and smoke had caught in my throat. It is pretty horrendous when the breeze drops and once they light their coal stoves in the early evening it is quite chewy. Food was good and plentiful. Crispy noodle wrapped shrimps for Dad, pork balls in Sweet and sour sauce for me (but nothing like we get at home these were lovely unbattered spheres, scattered with sesame, we skipped rice in favour of fried eggplant. After dinner we walked the long way back to our hotel. On to Xi'an tomorrow.Read more

  • Johanne BrookesChina 2017Traveler
    Discreet hotel signage
    Mr Soup is everywhere, as is the stream of vinegar displayPingyao city wallsA sentry towerWedding in Pingyao 1Wedding 2

    Last Morning in Pingyao

    November 9, 2017 in China ⋅ ⛅ 32 °C

    We are going off for last walk around the city walls before returning to the station. A less good night's sleep; too warm again and the bed is a bit firm, according to Marina one lot of guests each demanded 8 pillows - so they could line them up and sleep on them. Breakfast was slightly better today - we found the omelet man. A walk around the walls and reduced sleep - I will need to set an alarm so we don't sleep past Xi'an. A last look at the hotel too - the music is off again, I wonder if it drives the staff nuts - the equivalent of constant Chopin or something. I confess that the appeal is wearing thin for me.Read more

  • Johanne BrookesChina 2017Traveler
    A glimpse into a hutong
    I think this is where the local authority within the walls is locatedEverything is checked and graded from toilets to templesBelow a clay section of the city wallfabulous doorwaysDining choices

    Last Observations in Pingyao

    November 9, 2017 in China ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    "The police will do neat police, at neat pace, three in a row, in twos". Sign outside Pingyao police station... Part of a whole series of information about how the police will behave. There is a similar set for the fire station and also because the whole town is largely wood on brick bases there are reminders that "fire watch is on everyone's head" on lots of buildings and at junctions.

    We have walked stretches of the wall inside and out. Out by the south gate there is a large park where people do Tai Chi, fan dances (must be something different in China!) and other exercises. Today is looked like teenagers from school doing some sort of PE.

    Inside the walls large sections are still clay rather than brick, and cheerfully, at various points where there is nowhere to run but into people's houses, there are sections which tell you that it is dangerous & do not stop. And on the opposite side of the road there is often a large heap of clay, so the warnings are not scaremongering.
    The road just inside the wall is full of winding alleys, ambling dogs and of course people appearing out of nowhere on those sneaky electric scooters. So it is interesting in its own right. I popped into a small shop and bought unidentifiable snacks for the train. One might be fried chicken flavour pringles.. But who knows...

    Eventually we came to South Street, one of the four main roads (guess what the others are called) that cross the town. We turned down to head back towards our hotel and ran straight into a procession of some kind - wedding we think, although there was no obvious bride. Though after the dancing people and decorated carts there were a number of dark cars with red ribbons on them she could have been in one of those.

    FYI according to Marina the shops that front onto the main streets in the central pedestrian core cost around 100,000¥ per year. There must be a fortune to be made from souvenir hawking otherwise they couldn't command that price. South Street and the others sell principally lacquer boxes (often subject to import restrictions), carved chunks of glass (or nuts or something that appeared to be a dried potato... (When carved it produced a white bead too)), and what look like old ornaments: Buddhas, Maos, mahjong, old coins, and other random brass objects. Probably all brand new and carefully aged somewhere... I will think of these stalls every time I look at my little brass Mao.

    Finally a fridge magnet was purchased along with a "burnt cheese" tart for me and a baked apple for dad and we set off back to the hotel... And ran into the wedding party, where I glimpsed an elaborately decorated young woman in one of the cars.

    Back to the hotel to await our lift to the station. Whilst waiting we heard what sounded like fireworks?? . When Marina arrived we asked her about the procession - yes it was a wedding, there were a number in Pingyao today because it is a lucky day in the Chinese lunar calendar. This also accounted for the noise firecrackers to celebrate the wedding. Apparently the are no longer allowed in big cities but out here in Pingyao it is fine.
    Last car ride here; this was another hair-raising ride through new Pingyao. The new city is being expanded at the rate of knots and a big new attraction is being built - Water Town, not an aquatic theme park but a vinegar production tour. At the station we were guided to the security barrier - there is x-ray baggage scanning at all stations and carefully initial ticket/passport checks just to get in. You get checked again before boarding the train.    Read more

  • Johanne BrookesChina 2017Traveler

    2nd Class Train Travel

    November 9, 2017 in China ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    As Pingyao is a small stop it wasn't possible to get first class tickets first this leg... They are all booked by through travellers from Beijing. So we are in the busier 2 class this time. Smaller seats they squeeze in 5 to a row, 3 on one side and 2 on the other. Fortunately we are on a two and I have a window although the air pollution means nothing much can be seen.

    At the station we were carefully marshalled to the platform and once there we were all stood behind a line 2m back from the platform edge, with a guard patrolling to make sure we were in the right place. Each carriage position is marked on the platform.

    From the window you get so many intriguing glimpses; a trafficless country road that winds through trees but has a red banner across it with what is probably a socialist slogan on it.. Maybe it is the biggest road in the area... Maybe it is keep out message... Who knows.

    The landscape we are travelling through seems to be a plateau cut by intermittent canyons. There could be hills quite close but the awful air quality prevents you seeing them. You can taste the dust and something metallic in the air every time we stop at a station.    Read more

  • Johanne BrookesChina 2017Traveler
    The Drum and Bell Tower
    The kebab meat is freshWhat this doesn't capture is the noise, everyone hawking their stuff like mad.

    Xi'an First Impressions

    November 9, 2017 in China ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C

    Waiting for dinner. We are behind the Drum & Bell Tower in the Muslim quarter. Xi'an is different again from Beijing and Pingyao, lots of traffic, lots of street life and the sadly the first beggars we have seen. We walked from our hotel about 200m to the tower and all of a sudden we were in a crowd of people all shouting to sell food, queuing for food and generally having a good time. Loads of stalls selling things on sticks including, I think, whole crab but as it was covered in batter it was hard to tell. As it is raining a little we have come inside to eat, Chang'An (Xian used to be called Chang'An) chicken for me, shrimp meat with nuts and vegetables for Dad and eggplant with long beans to share. As it is the Muslim quarter we are washing it down with a jug of water melon juice.... The whole lot is costing about £17 which about usual for dinner.
    On the table next to us they are settling an argument with rock paper scissors!
    Oops I seem to have ordered the long beans with chilli. All good though.
    As it is raining back to the hotel without lingering. This time we have studio apartment on the 11th floor inc mini kitchen (but I am not intending to cook!). It's quite a contrast from our courtyard room.    Read more

  • Johanne BrookesChina 2017Traveler

    Waking up in Xi'an

    November 10, 2017 in China ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C

    Another "firm" Chinese bed- it was like sleeping on a dining table. But it was cooler - we actually have an opening window. And I could listen to the sounds of Xi'An This morning we've had a brief look at the roof garden . It gives great views over the city; last nights rain has washed out the pollution. That was before investigating breakfast: Fried chicken with black pepper and vegetable rice nice if not very breakfast'yRead more

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