Beijing pt 2

The rest of the first day was spent carousing the Olympic Park and exploring other parts of the city. Taking cabs really portrayed how big and spread out the city was, and we quickly learned the subway was the best way to get where we wanted. The city seemed to get more and more clean as we approached the Olympic Park; upon arrival it was pretty obvious we were at the center of modern China.The whole area was tastefully landscaped, and even all the surrounding buildings were impressive. Of course the density of Chinese tourists was unfavorable, but the park is so big and wide open it was hardly noticeable. We paid to go inside the Birds Nest and even got to walk around on the field. The big screen was playing the opening ceremony, and on the field there were displays of the costumes worn during the performance. We wondered when all the 'Beijing 2008' logos would be removed, and the venue be used for events other that a tourist attraction.


We had talked to a number of people about getting to the Great Wall, and read about how it is tricky to find a good way to get there at a good price. It is about 2 hours drive from Beijing's city center that would cost $70 or $80 at least to take a cab. Luckily we spotted that our hostel took trips to various sections, and we were eager to go somewhere other than the touristy part. Even the guidebooks tell horror stories of the tour bus infested 'Badaling' section of the wall. We opted to go to the 'Secret Wall' trip which included a guide, transportation, and lunch for just over $30.
The van, packed full of travelers, left early in the morning and we drove for a good 3 hours. Along the way we picked up our guide (above) and drove pass one of the more popular sections of the wall already packed with people. The van stopped on the side of a dirt road and we got out to just started following our guide. Mike and I were the only ones who could communicate with him, and he was started to get chatty after he found out we could speak Chinese.
It took about 30 minutes to get to the wall, and we hiked along top of it for a good hour. There were no signs or renovation, or even people for that matter. We simply walked along one of the wonders of the world in its original form- we saw no one the entire time. Although we missed the grandeur and perfect photo opportunity, I felt more impressed by seeing the scale of the wall in its ancient form. It made the building process and implications of the wall more real.

After a few hours of hiking our group descended to a village and had our authentic Chinese meal. Many of the travelers had only been in China for just a few days and found the food much more exciting than I; there were still some vegetable dishes I had never seen which I hope to see again. Among the travelers were two 'traveling German carpenters', two Irishmen, a couple from England, and an ex subprime salesman from Lehman Brothers. That night I went out on the city with the latter, mostly on a Lehman severance package's tab. The rest of the trip you'll have to ask me to hear about. I will just leave you with a picture of Beijing's airport, which was almost as impressive as the Bird's Nest. It is the world's biggest airport, and the coolest I have ever seen.

Beijing pt 1

Last weekend Mike and I went to Beijing to see the things one has to see while in China- the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, and that picture of Mao above Tienanmen Square. It actually ended up more economical to fly, unless we were to sit 12 hours both ways in hard seats. We flew in pretty late, and got into the Lonely Planet recommended hostel without any troubles. The hostel had a comfortable living room that always had a movie playing, a great kitchen, and was less than a kilometer from Tienanmen Square on a popular hutong. Beijing is famous for its back streets of old houses and shops found throughout the city. It is quite the sensation to see the vast development that has happened and walk behind a few buildings to see people living like it was decades ago.

The next day we decided to stay within the city. Beijing, although the second biggest city in China, seems more spread out than Hangzhou. The roads are wide, the buildings are not too tall, and there is just a comfort of having space. Comfort also comes from it being the most developed city; one can easily tell the city has been scrubbed clean for the Olympics. It does not have the busy, messy, on top of you sensations of Shanghai. Beijing feels modern but has the historic importance and presence to maintain character. I liked Beijing.

We walked through Tienanmen Square, the largest public square in the world, and got the obligatory pictures. At least two or three groups of people asked to take pictures with us.


Right behind Tienanmen Square is the Forbidden city. During the Qing and Ming dynasty royalty would rarely leave its premises, and peasants of course were forbidden to enter. It is a massive complex that would take days to see all on display. There are countless palaces and gardens and courtyards in which the inhabitants would play chess or drink tea or hold meetings. The squares and gates were massive. The entire time inside reminded me of how prosperous China has been, and its extravagence reminds me of its recent efforts in the Olympics.
After the forbidden city we went to a recommened resturaunt to eat the famous Peking Duck. While looking for it we were approached my a pair of women trying to 'practice their English' who insisted our destination was miles away and we should eat at their place. Once we got rid of them we found it right around the corner. Peking duck is a whole duck roasted, and then sliced in front of you. You are given garlic, a sweet sauce, and thin pancakes to roll it all up in. The result is quite tasty, and is the definitive specialty of Beijing.

What I'm Eating

I apologize for not posting lately. After reporting on my trip much of the happenings seem quite unremarkable to write about. I have been keeping busy with classes and extra study, as well as fun with friends. I have been riding my bike a lot either exploring the city or going to an area I have discovered. Chinese noodle shops have become a favorite place to eat. During lunch you are lucky to find a place to sit in what seems to be a hole in the wall; if you are not eating during a rush you can watch your noodles being made from dough and then boiled.
After the few weeks I've been here I have also developed quite the taste for bubble tea. Just recently 'developed' in Taiwan, bubble tea usually consists of cold milk and tea with small tapioca balls, bubbles, in the bottom. With a thick straw one's tasty beverage also becomes a snack, and nearly unlimited varieties have become available. Fifty cents- I drink too many I think.
The cafeteria has quite a selection of Chinese food; after quite a bit of experimenting I've found egg fried rice, cucumbers, spicy beef, or the pumpkin to be my usual's for lunch. It is appropriate to eat dishes oneself or to order a number of dishes for a group of people- which is customary in China. I find sharing a few dishes a great way to have a meal, rather than ordering a plate for each person as we do in the states. Though for a quick meal in the cafeteria I often order my own plates.
After being here one is certain to get tired of Chinese food. The usual complaint is the excessive use of oil, but there is also a certain aspect to most dishes which distinctly says 'made in China'. At first I would run to Western restaurants for haven, but lately I have found Korean and Japanese food even suffice. I have become a fan of Korean stone pots which is rice, then an array of fresh vegetables, then hot sauce and an egg served in a hot metal pot. Korean hot pots, more of a soup, also make a great meal. At the nearby Korean restaurants I like to go upstairs where you have to take off your shoes and sit on the floor; sitting on the floor offers a unique way to lounge while having a meal.
For a treat I like to go for sushi. A quick bike ride away is a Japanese restaurant with a conveyor belt which I could sit in front of all day eating Sushi. Although my wallet limits me to just under an hour usually. I have frequented another restaurant with maybe the best sushi I've had, but overall there are few places to eat Japanese.
I admit I miss a good sandwich, burrito, salad, or steak. But I have found the diet here to fulfill me quite well, given the freedom to mix it up. In fact I already anticipate missing quite a few dishes when I return to the states.

I'll start posting more regularly now.

Album

I made a PicasaWeb Album with most of my pictures from our trip, and will periodically add other photos.
http://picasaweb.google.com/joelferris

Photos from Lijiang

Early, before tourists are on the streets.

Traditional Music Concert

Mama NaxiOn our way to Tiger Leaping Gorge.

I need to note that many of the photos, likely the better ones, within the past few posts were also taken by Mike Criste.

Yubeng Villages and the Sacred Waterfall

The following morning we get up before sunrise and meet our group at the trail head. The workers are just waking up, and before too long the Han tourists will be behind us. It is chilly up there, but after just five minutes of hiking the trail turns into a sharp incline. The elevation and lack of breakfast makes for a very tough initiation. One of the girls from Poland quits. After an hour the trail is still going uphill and seems like it won't stop; so we decide to rest and get some nourishment at the first shack we see.
This shed has livestock running around, fruit for sale, and an older Tibetan couple apparently living out of the humble store front. Other than some flat bread and fruit and snickers we share a pot of yak butter tea. The pot turns out to be so plentiful that we all drink our share and still fill a large water bottle- which I proceed to drink the rest of the way up for energy. Yak butter tea tastes kind of like the milk left after eating cereal heated up, and is one of the things I miss most from Western China. We climb up, up, up for a good three hours until we finally reach the summit and can see our destination.
We had hiked to the top of a hill over looking the valley which holds Upper and Lower Yubeng Villages. Our plan was to make it to Lower Yubeng, find a place to sleep, eat, then hike to the scared waterfall. The hike down was pleasant and exciting. Although the later in the morning it got, the more the Han tourists started to appear.
As I mentioned in previous posts, we were traveling during National Holiday Week which is a time when many Chinese travel- a time one should avoid traveling. We watched prices go up throughout the week in hostels, restraunts, and transportation. We hoped to get away from the bussel of Chinese tourism, and to an extent we did. But it was still quite present. At the trail head I saw hoards of rich Han men and women decked out in North Face and Columbia gear- jacket, pants, layers, boots, hat, back pack, and walking stick. I was surprised how prepared some of them looked, although one could tell a store clerk in Shanghai or Beijing made quite a few sales offering unnessecary gear. I was quite impressed with the tourists intent though.
I should have known better. After hiking an hour or two we started being passed by all these Han- on donkeys. Wearing all their pricey gear and water proof boots, Tibetans lead them in hoards on donkeys up the trail with a few donkeys in the rear wearing their backpacks. I had heard the Chinese see no reason to struggle against nature, and their idea of tourism is only to reach the destination- this exemplified these ideas. They had the money to get all the way out here, and they did not feel like walking over this mountain either. Besides the donkeys (and the late night drinking songs) the Han tourists were not a problem. We reached Lower Yubeng a little after noon and promptly searched for a room. Most of the places were charging more than we wanted to pay (still under $10), but we bargained our way into paying about $3 to sleep in a hallway on matresses. We ate large bowls of fried rice and were headed to the waterfall before 2:00. The trail mousied along the valley by a creek for away. The forest was dense and green and cool. Many stones balancing on each other or prayer flags lined the trail, and eventually we started going uphill again. Near the end a few of us ventured off the trail and explored the ice at the foot of the mountain. Streams carved tunnels through the glacier which offered a unique hole to venture into. We basically spent the afternoon playing at the foot of the mountain.

Although we could see it for quite a awhile, we eventually made it up to the water fall. There were dozens strewn across the mountain's landscape, but this once in particular was certainly the most grand. Chris and I were the first at it's foot and watched a family run around in it for awhile. It was way too cold for us to do the same, and later learned it was for superstition. To run three times clockwise around the waterfall gives you good luck for the following year; we watched a father carrying his child through it crying, and then dry off by a smoking urn.
We returned pretty worn out from a very full day of hiking. A slow dinner and short evening until we were ready for bed. I slept quite soundly granted we were in the middle of a hallway with heavy traffic. The next day we planned to hike out and get as close to Kunming as possible.
So here is how we got home. Woke up at sunrise and hiked out. Got to the trailhead before noon and had met a man from Shanghai would offered us a ride to Deqin for free. However we found a ride to Shangri-la for about $60 and that was as good as we would get- even from Deqin. With few stops we got to the Shangri-la bus station at about 6:50PM. Immediately we were able to catch a sleeper bus to Kunming under the table, or something. We sat for two hours in the floor on one sleeper bus, and in the middle of nowhere in the middle of the night were switched to another bus. Our bed was in the back, and the three of us shared it with two other Chinese men for the remaining 10 hours. The bed was just wide enough to lay, too short for me, and we were unable to even sit up. The men smoked cigarettes and the back gets the worst bumps.
We arove in Kunming 5:30 and got another bus to the train station. From there we there was a long search for an ATM which accepted our cards, and we commenced to book a train to Shanghai.
At Shanghai we had to wait for two hours until the ticket offices opened, and finally caught a train to Hangzhou. It almost felt like home when the cab pull up to our dorms.

Shangri-la and following Transit

hangri-la is of course a fictional name coined in the novel The Lost Horizon. It is also what the Chinese government decided to called this city, formerly Zhongdian, to encourage tourism. It worked. On our way we called Harmony Guesthouse, referred by Mama Naxi, and had them meet us outside the old town to show us the way to our beds. Maybe we just got into the right circuit, but it seems that many of the hostels set up a network or referrals along all the popular destinations. Upon entering the Harmony Guesthouse's wood-fire heated common room we immediately recognized a face or two from our Lijiang hostel. One girl was head southeast to get away from the cold while another pair was planning on going northwest to some hiking near Tibet. We got information from the latter.

The rest of the evening was spent resting and strolling around town. Shangri-la itself is not the most charming place, contrary to what the name suggests. In fact we were all a little anxious to leave once we got here- we just were not sure where to go. The next day had scattered showers which hindered my plan of renting a bike and going into the grasslands. We also decided that we wanted to head north away from the crowds and towards Tibet; that meant we would have to wait until the following morning to catch a bus.
We found time between the rain to visit the largest monastery in Yunnan province. It was time well spent exploring the various temples and interacting with some of the monks. A few of us were even invited into a private room by an older monk, and shared tea with him. He only spoke Tibetan.
That night I went shopping- outdoor gear in Shangri-la turned out to be extremely cheap. I purchased an Arc'teryx windstopper fleece for under $30. I would have purchased more for gifts but sizes and selections were quite limited. We found a restraunt with a Nepalese chef and ate some wonderful Nepal-Indian food as well as some local dishes mostly involving yak meat. Eventually Chris and I ended up playing pool with a director from Beijing and a government worker from Shangri-la late into the night. Neither of us knew how long tomorrow would be.
Woke up before sunrise and hardly ate so we could catch a taxi to the bus station. Turns out there are no tickets until noon, and that is too late if we want to make it past Deqin. As we wondered around the bus station still waking up and wondering what to do we run into four college students trying to go to the same place. We decide to rent a van. The other members included Argped from Hungary, Elong from China, as well as Justine and Christine from Poland. They were all students in Kunming, Yunnan's capital.
Now when we had a van with just Sharon and Omer it felt crowded. Add two more men and it got quite uncomfortable. Also add incessant Tibetan techno, winding mountain roads, little to eat, and elevations higher than I've ever been- it was a long, long 4 hours smashed into the back seat. I survived solely because the drive was also one of the most beautiful, interesting, and exciting (dangerous) I have experienced. The entire route was carved along mountains. We would pass large trucks on the outside of a blindcurve which had no barrier between us and 300 feet of air to the river. We were constantly passing a ragtag group of workers doing something to the road, and seeing evidence of recent landslides. In fact were the first to stop in front of a landslide which we watched being scraped from the road (pic below). We also nearly reached 14000 feet above sea level (pic below).
In Deqin we ate at a Muslim restaurant and part ways. The three of us got a taxi the a neighboring town, Feilai Se, in order to go to a cafe which we were told has good information on the area we intended to hike. The Migratory Bird in fact was helpful- an English map and the owner made sure we caught the last bus going towards the trail head. The bus was packed with Tibetans, many had bags of produce or some other substance villagers carry on a bus. The bus ride was a crazy, 3 hour descent towards our destination 'Hot Springs Village' which is mostly just hostels to house the trekkers. We ran into another landslide which we watched machinery push the debris into a gorge, and then traffic to commence across the 8 foot wide pathway.

After passing by a few villages near the bottom and losing most of the passengers, the driver stops and says he is not going further. He and a girl which came out of no where, who speaks some English, claim that Hot Springs has no more places to sleep and we should stay at her hostel which is just one village away. We are skeptical. Its not outrageous since it is getting closer to National Holiday in China- one of the holidays infamous for hoards of Chinese traveling. We also learn that the bus driver lives in the immediate vicinity so we sharply say no thanks and walk. Its past dinner time, and we learn exactly how far Hot Springs is so we pay another person to take us there.

It is surprisingly packed with Chinese tourists (I'll describe later), but after a bit of haggling we get beds. We eat a decent dinner of noodles at the hostel and are pleased to see that our van companions made it as well. We arrange to meet them at the trailhead at sunrise and go to bed shortly after the sun sets.