Our first experience with Chinese trains. You can choose hard/soft seat of hard/soft sleeper. We took the train around midnight and would arrive at 6o'clock in the morning so we wouldn't have to pay for a night in a hotel. We tought we would be smart and safe money but eventually the first thing we did when we arrived in the morning was searching a hotel and sleep for another 4 hours :) . We took the hard sleepers, like we would do the rest of our journey. You can see it in the pictures, we sleep in an open dorm with six beds in one litlle place. For those six hours it was okay, we slept 5 hours because they woke us up at 5 o'clock, tapping our but the whole time to wake up. The trains are less comfortable and less clean then in Russia but they can be filled with much more people.
So after a good nap at a descend hotel, weird but true there are no hostels in Datong, we met Catrina and Daniel again. We met them in Beijing and they were gonna do almost the same trip like us so why not spend some time together?
So we waited for a bus who would bring us to the ancient Yunan Caves. It was suppose to leave in 5 minutes but left after 45 minutes when it was fully crowded and it dropped us off in the middle of the road. We were surprised, where were we? Surrounded by ten screaming motorcycling riders, we eventually gave in and payed them 5 yuan to bring us to the caves. And it was amazing. Even if all the touristic things around it irritated me so much, it was still worth it going there.
The next morning we met a taxidriver who wanted to bring us to the hanging monastery and a big ancient Pagoda. I can say that the Hanging monastery was nice to see but really disappointing if you pay for it to go up. You can see the monastery outside the gates and so it's really stupid to pay to go up and see nothing but the ticket office :/ But we don't have to moan because we could sneak in with the studentcards from Daniel and Catrina (many thanks by the way!). The same for the Pagoda, you can see it from the outside not worth to pay for it.
So we managed to get back before 4 O'clock and we hurried to change our trainticket so that we could arrive in Taiyuan before midnight. There was nothing more to see in the industrial city of Datong.
We arranged a sleeping place with Nancy, a couchsurfer from Taiyuan. So it was really relaxed to know that we already had a sleepingplace. Nancy was very nice but it was a bit a strange meeting an things didn't quit worked out. And the only thing we wanted to see was a museum, that was nice but not that we had to stop only for that. If you know what I mean. So we wanted to leave after 1 day but it started to snow, all lovely in the beginning. But after a couple of hours it was a lot. More then 0,5 m fell and it was total chaos in the city. We wanted to take the train but after 2,5hours waiting we knew he wasn't coming. So we booked a hotel, slept a good night and had a new idea the next morning: a bus! But stupid as we are, if there is a snowstorm, busses don't leave either :) So the only option : go back to the trainstation and wait. We were lucky, only 30 minutes later a train took us to our next stop : Pingyao.
The train we took was less comfortable :) We had hard seats that we had to share with 3 women and their babies. I'm so fond of little creatures, but these little ones in China don't have diapers on and it is so grose when they pee everywhere :/ Simon had his rainpants on, so he could sit in the peearea :) The wagon was filthy with spit and trash so we were happy it only lasted an hour.
Pingyao is a really old little village. Nice to wander arround for a couple of days. It was snowing here too, a lot of it. So when we wanted to take the train to Xi'an in the middle of the night, a couple of trains were canceled and delayed. The people we met in the hostel had to take a train with standingtickets for 10 hours (because there were so many people)! We were lucky, our train was delayed for only 30 minutes and we still had our sleepingplaces. But it was scary because some people said that there was another snowstorm coming and if we didn't leave on the next train we would be stuck for at least 4days!
When we arrived in Xi'an we went to an hostel, went for food and jumped on a bus to see the great terracotta warriors. I didn't had high expectations, about none of the touristic places, but it was great. We took a guide for the first time during our trip and it was worth it. She gave a lot of info, sometimes a bit like a robot, but Simon asked so many questions that we had the feeling that it is better to take a guide because otherwise you see some statues without the meaning. It was also good we went very late and the troops of tourists were already gone.
In the evening we met Sam and Amy again, our companions through Mongolia. It felt good to see them again. It was like seeing friends again after a while.
Next day we spent wondering around in the city, swabbing some books and try to stay warm. We met with Catrina and Daniel again and took the train to the south, to Guilin. 27 hours on the train, I can assure you, it's a lot! it was enough, espessially for Simon who became sicker by the hour.
Guilin is beautiful, I mean the nature. The city is one touristic place, but the suroundings are nice. Simon spent 3 days in bed while I arranged our visa-extension. Luckily he was better after a few days and we good go to the 'countryside'. Especially Yangshuo were we spent our time hiking and biking. A really relaxing time.
One week later we took the train to Chengdu, we stayed here one week relaxing, searching people to join us to Tibet ( who we almost found :) and tomorrow we leave for a nature park in the north for hiking.
Time for bed, good night,
big kiss
Saartje
vrijdag 20 november 2009
donderdag 12 november 2009
zaterdag 7 november 2009
Beijing (30/11 - 7/11)
Good evening everybody,
Just back from the big Chinese wall. Very nice, very smoggy, not a great view, but nevertheless worthwhile. Actually we would have gone yesterday but three couchsurfers let us down by not showing up at the meeting point. So we couldn't pay the driver. But yesterday evening I asked spontanious some Belgians in the street if the would like to join us for today and Hannes from Deinze has done so. Nice guy.... So we had a smooth ride in a small car to the wall where we did a walk for ten kilometers, after which the driver brought us back in the very smoggy Beijing center.
Suddenly I loose all my inspiration to write so I'll keep it short.
We were hosted by Rob, Dutch guy who lives here to study Chinese. We were lucky to sleep in his beautifull Hutong in a private room in a king size bed. We could use two of his bikes which made our Beijing experience much more nice. We felt free and home.
So the first thing we did was fix our camera which worked out very well. We payed 28 euro and got back a working camera!!!
On halloween I went to the big Yen halloween party in the art district. Very expensive, but very nice. I just wanted to dance so badly, so I left Saartje who was very tired at the hostel and took a taxi to the party. 80 percent of the people was dressed in the weirdest figures, which made the party very funny. I could experience some of the 'best' techno dj's of Beijing, who pleased me very much.
That night it started snowing for a full day. 16 million ton of snow covered Beijing and made it freezing cold.
This week we visited the park with the remains of the old Ming city wall, the temple of heaven, the Tian'anmen square, the forbidden city, the forest parc, the art district 798, the Jingshan park, the Olympic district and the museum of technology.
Many more to see....
Our impression of the Chinese people is that they are very disiplinated, often very kind and helpfull and less filthy as we expected. But still when they ruckle we can't get use to it.
Oke, we have to go catch our train to Datong.
cheers
Just back from the big Chinese wall. Very nice, very smoggy, not a great view, but nevertheless worthwhile. Actually we would have gone yesterday but three couchsurfers let us down by not showing up at the meeting point. So we couldn't pay the driver. But yesterday evening I asked spontanious some Belgians in the street if the would like to join us for today and Hannes from Deinze has done so. Nice guy.... So we had a smooth ride in a small car to the wall where we did a walk for ten kilometers, after which the driver brought us back in the very smoggy Beijing center.
Suddenly I loose all my inspiration to write so I'll keep it short.
We were hosted by Rob, Dutch guy who lives here to study Chinese. We were lucky to sleep in his beautifull Hutong in a private room in a king size bed. We could use two of his bikes which made our Beijing experience much more nice. We felt free and home.
So the first thing we did was fix our camera which worked out very well. We payed 28 euro and got back a working camera!!!
On halloween I went to the big Yen halloween party in the art district. Very expensive, but very nice. I just wanted to dance so badly, so I left Saartje who was very tired at the hostel and took a taxi to the party. 80 percent of the people was dressed in the weirdest figures, which made the party very funny. I could experience some of the 'best' techno dj's of Beijing, who pleased me very much.
That night it started snowing for a full day. 16 million ton of snow covered Beijing and made it freezing cold.
This week we visited the park with the remains of the old Ming city wall, the temple of heaven, the Tian'anmen square, the forbidden city, the forest parc, the art district 798, the Jingshan park, the Olympic district and the museum of technology.
Many more to see....
Our impression of the Chinese people is that they are very disiplinated, often very kind and helpfull and less filthy as we expected. But still when they ruckle we can't get use to it.
Oke, we have to go catch our train to Datong.
cheers
woensdag 4 november 2009
China!!!
We are safely arrived in China after taking the train to the border, a taxi over the border and a mini bus which took us to Beijing.
The driver promissed us to leave from Erlian, the border town, at twelve, and we would arrive at seven in the evening. But as he has mongolian blood, and five other Mongols joined us, the bus left at one thirty and arrived at one in the morning. Luckely he brought us to a nice hotel.
This morning I went surching money in a cashmachine and realised we are in Azia! The smell, the air, the collors and the people! Different and appealing. Bicycles everywhere in every shape, with all kinds of shops on it, old, new, with or without electric motor. Hairdressers cutting peoples hair on the street, selling roasted castanjes, chicken, breads, dumplings, and many more special things which made me very curious. I love it here. Ginkgo trees all around,
I met two English speaking Chinese persons when I was asking around to find the bank, who helped me a lot.
After paying we had to find out where we were between the 15 miljon people living here. We called our CS host, Catrina, who said we had to take the metro. We first had to take the bus for 1 yuan each, instructed by a helpfull men, afterwhich we found a metro station. Uneleavable fancy, and very clear. The stopes are spoken in English and so are the signes too.
We are now sleeping for one night in the house, ancient monastery with foundations dating from 900 AC, of two kind Swiss girls who are studying Chinese. Tomorrow we will sleep in a youth hostel. But probably we wount sleep a lot as an other couch surfer will take us to a comedy show, afterwhich we go to a preparty, than a halloween party and finally an afterparty. Sunday we wil be sleeping very good, hopefully.
Sleep tight
kiss
simon
p.s : are blogspot is blocked here in china, so we will not be able to write so much.
The driver promissed us to leave from Erlian, the border town, at twelve, and we would arrive at seven in the evening. But as he has mongolian blood, and five other Mongols joined us, the bus left at one thirty and arrived at one in the morning. Luckely he brought us to a nice hotel.
This morning I went surching money in a cashmachine and realised we are in Azia! The smell, the air, the collors and the people! Different and appealing. Bicycles everywhere in every shape, with all kinds of shops on it, old, new, with or without electric motor. Hairdressers cutting peoples hair on the street, selling roasted castanjes, chicken, breads, dumplings, and many more special things which made me very curious. I love it here. Ginkgo trees all around,
I met two English speaking Chinese persons when I was asking around to find the bank, who helped me a lot.
After paying we had to find out where we were between the 15 miljon people living here. We called our CS host, Catrina, who said we had to take the metro. We first had to take the bus for 1 yuan each, instructed by a helpfull men, afterwhich we found a metro station. Uneleavable fancy, and very clear. The stopes are spoken in English and so are the signes too.
We are now sleeping for one night in the house, ancient monastery with foundations dating from 900 AC, of two kind Swiss girls who are studying Chinese. Tomorrow we will sleep in a youth hostel. But probably we wount sleep a lot as an other couch surfer will take us to a comedy show, afterwhich we go to a preparty, than a halloween party and finally an afterparty. Sunday we wil be sleeping very good, hopefully.
Sleep tight
kiss
simon
p.s : are blogspot is blocked here in china, so we will not be able to write so much.
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