Month: January 2017

27th November

We awoke the next morning to some patches of sunshine.  Most importantly, however, it was warm!! We had longed for this! We finally ditched our trousers and coats for shorts and t-shirt and set about a few tasks.  We planned to do a bike ride from north Hainan to South and needed to get some maps and some cycling shorts.  We took our rented bikes for a spin to check them out and were pleasantly surprised by the quality of them.  Things were looking up!

After finishing our tasks, we headed for the beach for a much needed sunbathe and swim.  In common with the rest of China, the cycle lanes are shared with electric scooters which made for a fairly hairy ride across town.  Nevertheless, we arrive an hour later to golden sands. This was more like it!

After such a long bike ride, we needed some refreshment and the great thing about Hainan is that there are coconut trees growing everywhere J  We therefore bought a coconut to share and savoured the sweet milk as we lay on the beach soaking up some rays.

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After such a long time away from the beach, we also just had to swim!  Amazingly there were no local people in the water at all leading us to wonder if it was either dangerous or very polluted.  Neither it turns out although we did attract a lot of befuddled onlookers.  A whole group of Chinese gathered on the shore to take pictures of us frolicking in the surf!  No matter, it was fun J  We also got accosted by some 14 year olds who wanted to know about how children’s lives are in the UK!  And they also wanted… to touch my nose!  I declined, of course but poor Aoife had to spend the rest of the day reassuring me I don`t actually have a big nose (just bigger than the Chinese)!

We cycled back to our hostel to make plans for the ride the next day however after much deliberation we decided not to do the ride at all!  We decided that what we really needed was a week of seaside and sunshine J  Having made this important decision to sack the cycling, we headed out for some dinner at the local street food market! This was really excellent with little sit down tables and everything.  Once finished one dish, we’d run to another vendor for another one! With the luxury of sitting down  we could really get into it and before we knew what happened we had almost eaten ourselves into a coma!

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28th November

With little to do today except catch the train to Sanya, we started late and moseyed down to buy our train tickets.   Frustratingly, as a foreigner you can`t use the automatic ticket machines and this meant queueing for our ticket for about an hour.  Again, even though this was a shorthaul train (only 2hrs) we still couldn`t just rock up and get on and had to be allocated both a train and a seat. This meant that we had to wait another two hours at the station because all the earlier trains were already full.

By the time we arrived in Sanya it was late, but again, noticeably warmer than where we had come from! Yaay!  It was proper tropical weather and we headed out to find dinner wearing t shirt and shorts for the first time since Turkey!  We were staying at Dadonghai beach which is the most touristy of all the Sanya beaches and so there were plenty of seaside restaurants to choose from all serving delicious seafood.  After our experiences in Shanghai we knew what to do, however some of the prices were out of this world!  Lobster for 600yuan (about $90)/500g?!  That would have to wait for another day but after selecting a tasty looking white fish from the tank, we took our seats in anticipation of our meal J  It didn`t disappoint- the fish was just steamed with garlic and so, so fresh.  Accompanied by some stir fry vegetables, rice and a couple of beers…we were in foodie heaven!

We hit our beds tired, happy and looking forward to the prospect of a sunbathe in the morning.

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29th November

After a late start we made towards the sands but unfortunately the rain had followed us so despite being warm, it wasn`t the beachiest of weather!  Nevertheless, we sat on the sand and went for a swim (we`re British/ Irish  after all!).  We were also starting to unwind after our frantic schedule of the last few months and weren’t good for anything in the afternoon except a nap. I, Aoife, ventured off for a run, but it was hard to find a good smog and people-free stretch of land to stretch the legs. A lot of the sea front was sectioned off into private hotels and residences. We went for dinner later in a small glitzy looking restaurant (there were millions of the same style) off the main road and enjoyed some delicious food and a taster of chinese brandy…which is quiet a nice tipple!

 

30th November

The guilt of the last few lazy days had finally caught up and before we had even eaten breakfast we were out the door for a run.  We took some advice from the lovely friendly girl on reception, Liu. She advised us on where to go- it`s not so easy in China to find a good running spot because you have to pay into all the parks.  Also, there are people everywhere! Solitude is a rare commodity! However, we were well advised and managed a 7 or 8k run over some hills and then down to the local marina and back up over the hills of Dadonghai.  Having struggled our way to the end of this (a bit of a tough morning run!), we felt energised to head out to the Rainforest Park for an afternoon of sight-seeing.  We got there, bought the obligatory coconut off a man selling a few he had just cut down on the footpath right there! We went up to the ticket office only to find that our hostel had told us the ‘local price’ for getting in. The real price was the equivalent of almost $40 each for foreigners, and given we only had a couple of hours before closing time we decided to abandon this plan and find something else to do. Something cheaper 

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Fortunately, the park was near to Yalong Bay which is the posh bit of Sanya so we decided to check it out J  The great thing about being a western tourist in China is that the locals just assume you are wealthy however you look or behave. We were not behaving or looking particularly wealthy at this point in time, I can assure!  However, we boldly walked straight in through the entrance of the Marriot hotel, greeted the bell boys sauntered through to use their private beach and pool…No questions asked!  This was an excellent discovery as Yalong bay is the most picturesque of the Sanya beaches and by far the least crowded.  We spent the rest of the day lounging under the shade of the complimentary padded beach beds and parasols.

Thank you Mr Marriot J

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1st  December

The sun came out beeming today so we cancelled all thoughts of doing anything other than sunbathing!  We found a nice spot at the far end of the beach (as quiet a location as we could find on the main Dadonghai stretch) and settled in for a lazy morning.  After lazing around for about half an hour Seb suddenly noticed that there was something funny about the Chinese group we were lying next to.  Not only were there about 50 of them all sitting in a very tight pack behind us. But they were all men, and were all practically butt-naked!  Apart from the shocking thongs and mankini devices on display!!

Just check out the photos!  We’d have never seen such a collection of wierd and wonderful thongs/swimwear! To top it all, some of the lads were obviously worried about the tan lines that the thong straps were leaving because they undid the backs too!  It was all a bit too much for us! 

The other weird thing was that ever since we had got to China we`d noticed that the Chinese have a general aversion to the sun- so much so that the beaches in Sanya were almost more busy after dark than during the day.  But here were some avid sun worshippers, trying to get an all over tan…

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We decided to get some lunch to mull over the meaning of it, but upon leaving the beach noticed that we were both a bit pinker than when we arrived! Unfortunately the factor 10 we had been using in Turkey didn`t look like it was going to cut the mustard here!  We were pale after 6 weeks in the cold L

We headed back to our place and by the evening the burn had set in.  We headed out for supplies of industrial strength aftersun and better sun cream for the next day!

 

2nd December

We awoke just about the colour of lobsters.  Fortunately I wasn`t too bad- another day and it would be brown- but poor Aoife had burnt her eye lids and looked like a puffer-fish!! Her words, not mine 😉 We spent the morning icing her eye and face before heading out to find a sheltered spot for the afternoon, to read and hide from the sun. And what better option than to head back for the comfort of Yalong bay?!  This time we picked on one of the other resorts which was actually even nicer and settled in for sleeping under our parasol.

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3rd December

We woke up early, looking and feeling a little less pink from the day before and decided to venture off and see another part of Hainan. We decided on Houhai beach. This was a surfer beach about an hour east from us, where waves were plentiful and crowds less so! We hoped on a local bus and were there before we knew it. The beach didn’t disappoint. It had an alluring wildness to it. Smashing waves and impressive rockfaces in the back drop. The crowd were a lot more chilled there too, and more sparse 

Seb went off swimming in surf, not getting too far with the powerful tides at work! I sat in my shelter zone until the sun started to go down in the evening. Then we walked along the shoreline, passing by massive shipwrecks at the far end of this crescent shaped bay!  We sauntered back through the funky beachtown here and picked up some tasty corn treats before making our way back to the bus.

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We still had energy to burn when we arrived back in Dadonghai, so we set off on the hill run we’d sampled a few days before. It was pretty spectacular at night. No-one about and views of the ocean from high in the hills. We were invigorated and starving on return! So we went to the well known expat bar not far from our hostel and went all out with some burgers and chips! Talk about undoing good work 

We chatted away to some holidaymakers from Shanghai and then enjoyed some drinks and dancing to the tunes of the live rock band on stage!

 

4th December

Today we decided to venture to the areas busiest beach, Sanya bay! We decided to try brave the Hainan roads on an electric scooter. The Union Jack theme followed us here from the bedsheets in Haiou! But, inspite, we had a lovely spin on our leccy bike out to Sanya beach. We settled ourselves here for some swimming and reading. Later in the evening we strolled up the long beach, just as the fishermen were casting their nets to head out for their evenings work. Beautiful sunsets, with views across all of Sanya and the neighbouring bays!

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Once the sun went down, we belted up, in search of the famed Sanya seafood market. This was a huge fish market, taking place in a massive filthy dirty warehouse. It was thronged with peopl. There was water, blood and fish guts sloshing around the floors and vendors shouting and jostling over weights and prices. All sorts of fish imaginaeable were on display. Giant lobsters and crayfish hoping about in pots, and crabs climbing up the sides of buckets, eager to escape. Muscles, peri-winkles, urchins, squid and prawns. So many wish, wiggling about in bags, buckets and tanks. Some incredible to watch. Some absolutley gross! No sooner than we had arrived that we were accosted by a very very pushy Hainan lady. She had targetted us (not too many tourists in this place!) as customers who would but too much fish probably. Then she would lead us to her friends restaurant, and get some commission for getting us to eat there. The restaurant would cook our fresh fish for us, at an agreed price! This is how the system works here! Standing at a lofty height of about 4 foot, and a voice as loud as a brass band, she was too intimidating for me, so I pushed her onto Seb, and played the submissive woman, pottering along behind him as we wandered through the market. There was no beating her. We chose our fish (some prawns, peri-winkles and crabs) and after we paid for them (at fantastic value prices!) she led us off to her friends restaurant and got her reward! In fairness, it was a fine place to eat, with a great buzz and a happy flow of customers coming and going. We ordered some veggies, rice and beers and had a veritable seafood feast! We followed this with some mango sorbet (Mango freshly sliced and mixed about in a sort of frozen sink for a few minutes. Nothing added. Incredible!). It was already late in the night so we made tracks back to Dadonghai then, very full and satisfied!

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5th December

Our last day in the Hainan sun! We got the bus and went for one  final sunbathe on Yalong bay. We both managed to finish the books we were so slowing getting through over the preceeding few weeks! This was a very lazy day, just soaking up the last rays of sun. I for one wouldn’t be seeing too much of this for the next while anyway 

We ended the day with a nice seafood dinner down by the seafront and a wee drop of Chinese brandy then as a night cap!

 

6th December

Up early to get our bills, washing, packing etc in order. Time to leave Hainan! We said goodbye to the lovely staff in Sanya Backpackers hostel and then made our way to the airport in a taxi. By one o clock, we were in the air and bound for our final destination together….Hong Kong!!

 

We touched down in HK airport and were immediately blown away by the difference between HK and mainland China where we had spent the past 3+ weeks. This was like a different universe altogether. HK is remarkably clean, ordered, manicured. It’s like the anthisesis of the rest of China. We were looking at each other bemused…Had we accidentally flown to London?? That’s where we felt we could be. And expats everywhere. We were no longer the odd ones out!! It was only when we wondered outside to find our bus and the humidity hit that we were safely assured that we were not infact in London in December 

We enjoyed great views from our double-decker bus into town, passing the various islands around the HK region. The scale of infrastructure here juxtaposed with scale of vast rainforest vegetation is really something else! We found our hostel, a very cute spot with a rooftop garden, on the top of a skyrise building in the heart of HK. We settled into our hostel and then headed out for some noodles in one of the many fast food cafes around town.

We then ventured down to the tube. We had to make our way across the HK waters to Wan Chai, where I had arranged to meet up with my long lost friend Grace (whom I hadnt seen since we moved houses away from each other as kids!) and her husband Jodi. They brought us to a rooftop bar on the edge of the waterfront, where we had awesome views all over HK and where we enjoyed some really yummy gin cocktails! Great chats and great company! They told us all about their experiences, living as expats in HK and filled us in on the social and political side of things and the differences and divisions between HK and mainland China. Also, we had a great time getting very merry, and amazingly, we finally managed to get on the correct tube home! Thanks a million for great times in HK, Grace and Jodi!

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7th December

A bit worse for wear the next morning, our plans to do the famed HK hiking trail didn’t quite materialise unfortunately! We were a bit delicate and dishevelled. A serious breakfast was in order, and we found it at a hipstery café around the corner from our hostel. Home comforts were in order! We then mustered up the energy to head off sight seeing for the day. We crossed the bay on the famous Star Ferry, then took the old, almost vertical-running tram up to HKs Peak. This was pretty impressive!  We walked around the peak, soaking in the views around all the islands and bays and then made our way back down once we had run out of steam!

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By afternoon we had business to attend to. The mission was to buy a tablet for Seb to take on his onwards travels. I was given the job of lugging the laptop home! We hit Wan Chai electrics market stores. I’m usually a shopping fan and love a good market. But this was just tech from floor to roof! Painful! At one point I noticed I was the only female and non spectacle wearering person in the building! We eventually got out of there, tablet purchased, and then made our way towards the famed Temple Street night market. This place was fantastic! A fabulous colourful, bustling open-air market selling all sorts of eye-catching trinkets, and extending for hundreds of metres down the vibrant and charming Temple Street.

We were in search of a massive suitcase. Alas, friends, it was sadly almost time for us to go our separate ways. Seb would be going south from HK, towards New Zealand and then Australia. I, on the other hand, would be making the long trip home! All the way back to Dublin, where I first came from  . This had been the plan which had evolved slowly over the months of travelling. I would join as far as China, and then fly back to get down to business working and earning back some of the funds I had already spent doing this fabulous amazing trip!

Anyway, we needed a massive suitcase that we could load up with gifts and also fit in all Sebs things that he needed brought back to the UK before venturing on with just a backpack. I ended taking 33 kilos of luggage back with me. A little over my allowance of 20! 

After purchasing the suitcase, we stumbled across a food market full of eager customers stuffing their faces happily. The food looked good! We sat down to some mouth-watering fish and THE hottest chillies imaginable! Not sure if it was the flaming chillis, or the sudden realisation that I was infact leaving for home, but he looked very emotional sitting there on his plastic seat in that little food market )))

[peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-3bAfxzBh4m8/WGuojOo5UPI/AAAAAAAANF8/Y162GvKmq1kQxKcP1qlvlclf2ZBEr3PZgCCo/s144-o/IMG-20170103-WA0000.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371371421024211186″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”IMG-20170103-WA0000.jpg” image_size=”1200×1600″ ]

[peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-mccEI7d3w9M/WHDAY-2QWMI/AAAAAAAANPA/mpLs-9Koi482E0yFSsJ3XFLdF77WorG6ACCo/s144-o/IMG-20161210-WA0000.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6372805008149207234″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”IMG-20161210-WA0000.jpg” image_size=”1200×1600″ ]

8th December

We ventured out for a nice breakfast the following morning. Our last day as two oddsocks!! We made sure to get a good feed before venturing into the HK shopping metropolis. We had presents to get!  We headed towards the famed ‘Ladies Market’ and the shopping areas around this part of the city. Wandering around the stalls, admiring all the oriental designs, gifts and gadgets. Checking out the fake bags, haggling with the pushy vendors. I loved this! Seb, not so much. When it all got to much he would sometimes try lose the vendors by directing them towards me, and then he’d disappear off  behind racks of clothes to hide and go unnoticed! Being 6ft3 in China though, he stuck out like a sore thumb most of the time, so I can’t blaming for trying to steal the odd moments peace  .

Anyway, it was soon time to leave the market, and hurry back to the hostel! We had picked up most of the bits we needed before running out of time. We had planned to go to a nice sushi bar on our last night together in HK. We even got semi-dressed up for the occasion. We followed google maps which led us to a rotating sushi belt in an empty foodcourt in a snazzy supermarket! How had we got it so wrong?? We left there, obviously, and ventured into the after-work-business-drinks area of the city. This was a cool district full of bustling activity. We ordered a huge corn fed steak to share and washed it down with the most delicious red wine! There was an acoustic session going on in the bar next door, so we ventured in there for some laughs and a bit of dancing! And then, back to our hostel, feeling lucky to have had such an awesome time together, but also sad about what lay ahead the next morning.

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We were joined at the hip for four months! Together in the van. Just the two of us, pretty much all the time. Sleeping, eating, breathing, thinking! We were probably starting to morph into each other. But we weren’t sure. We had no-one to consult about this  

Going from this to being 20,000 miles apart was going to be a leap into the unknown to say the least!

And for all concerned, to put your minds at ease,  neither Seb or myself have been sectioned or admitted to any institutions since the oddsocks fission in HK. We’re well and hoping to fuse again some day in the right conditions 

 

November 19th

We awoke this morning to the gentle rocking of the train speeding us towards Shanghai and I settled into a comfy half sleep.  The train wouldn`t be in until after lunch so there was no need for an early start.  Except that one of the older ladies that we were sharing a compartment with was adament that it was time for me to get up!  Whether it was because Aoife was already awake or because she wanted to eat her breakfast without me on the bunk above or for some other inscrutable reason she made Aoife get me up.  Sitting in the aisle of a sleeper train is not brilliant fun being both uncomfy and boring- I was not happy.  Still we settled into a morning pot noodle and waited for Shanghai to arrive.  Finally, the old woman who had decided it was getting up time, decided it was nap time after all and promptly fell asleep snoring.  Despite the strong urges inside me to wake her as revenge, I decided a nap would be nicer and we passed another couple of hours in blissful sleep.

Anyway, having arrived we got the metro up to our hostel, where we got ready for a night on the town!  The cuisine is more spicy the further south you go but and we were keen to try a highly rated Sichuan restaurant in the French Concession area.  We arrived just in time because although we had the pick of the tables, 15 minutes later the place was jammed.  We ordered some greens and a chilli beef dish that was literally cut up red chillis stir fried with sliced beef.  This was so delicious despite being super hot; not just hot for the sake of it but because the heat added to the overal flavour of the dish.  Vowing to return, we headed out into the night to find a bar of some description.

We found the famous `bar street` of the French Concession and promptly started looking up it only to find the bar we had decided to go to had been shut down!   Actually when we really looked, it seemed as if a number of bars had been closed.  To much fun for China here perhaps?  We later learned the street had a curfew….perhaps the owners of these bars had been naughty 😉

We did, however, find an Irish bar with a good craic. It had a good drinks list too, so we settled in.  After we had been there about 20 minutes a group of expat lads arrived who we assumed must be some kind of sports team because they were dressed in womens clothes and obviously on a serious session! Sure enough it turned out to be the celebration of the Beijing- Shanghai rugby game that had taken place that afternoon. Anyway soon enough a good time was being had by all in this bar! Past midnight, we decided to call it a night and apparently just in the nick of time because just as we left the police arrived to call a halt to proceedings.  Officially drinking isn`t allowed outside the establishement after 10pm… perhaps our Irish bar will be the next ghost bar on the bar street.

 

November 20th

Today was our one year anniversary so a special celebration day was in order.  And what better place to celebrate than in Shanghai?  If we couldn`t find something nice to do here we wouldn`t find it anywhere!

After a quick breakfast we headed out to explore the ‘Bund’ area.  This is the original centre of Shanghai, so named because it was originally a bank on which ships docked to unload their goods.  Since it`s rapid development in the early 20th century, however, it has housed a remarkable line of beautiful buildings, most of which are either fancy hotels or banks.  We wanted to check out the Fairmont Peace Hotel which host a famous jazz band who are all in their seventies and some much older.  One of the saxophonists is 94!  Anyway we didn`t make a reservation because of the ridiculous minimum spend associated with it but decided we would come back at a good time to get a table.  We also checked out the Waldorf Astoria which is a really remarkable art deco hotel and we took plenty of pictures of us enjoying the facilities J

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We then took the ferry across the river to the New Pudong area which is a bit like Canary Wharf on steroids!  Huge skyscrapers everywhere including many with observation decks.  We had planned to take in the view of the city from one of these but unfortunately it was either cloudy or smoggy (its hard to tell in China sometimes) and we couldn`t see the top of the towers.  If you can`t see the top from the bottom, then you won`t see the bottom from the top!

[peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-896NDM4UrL8/WGuFSXZxt1I/AAAAAAAANEQ/WyHr_EFdgjoLAmF03T7hT9uEyuFa6gmrgCCo/s144-o/20161120_154333.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332648411969362″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161120_154333.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-fPYqz1c4T5A/WGuFSXv72uI/AAAAAAAANEQ/nS5BhVe52f00pkoGpO0BI8Mv2wOAi4t_gCCo/s144-o/20161120_151954.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332648504908514″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161120_151954.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ]

It was getting late anyway so after a brief walk around this area, we headed back to our hostel on the metro to get ready for our big night out!

The Jazz wasn`t a dissapointment.  It did take them a little while to get going but once the band were warmed up they had good groove! The cocktails were also divine- we particularly liked the hotel`s `old fashioned` which we`ll have to mix up when home J  All too soon it was time to leave and we headed out to ‘Lost Heaven’ for our evening meal.  This was the first posh Chinese restaurant we had been to and it was pretty special.  There was an amazing array of dishes on the menu including a number of flowers we had never heard of.  We settled on a few different dishes. We had already learned that you don`t order a main course each in these places, unless you want loads of food left over! One main and a vegetable stir fry plus rice is always loads of food. We also treated ourselves to wine and what turned out to be a $10 bottle of water.  Ouch!  From Norway! We ranted on about the scandalous price of the Norweigan water while enjoying our delicious food 😉 Finally full up, we were last to leave the restaurant and a little unsteady on our feet when we headed outside to get a taxi! After a bit of negotiation with the taxi drivers it became clear that none of the ones outside the restaurant would use their meter- they wanted a fixed, very high price of 100RMB (about $15) for getting us home.  I was having none of it (we had to get out of the one we were in- Aoife was not happy!) and we walked up the street 50m and hailed another one.  The ride actually cost 15RMB on the meter!  Great, fun night! J

[peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-KS7uKFA0huU/WGuFScrtmDI/AAAAAAAANEQ/62P5iv3-nE0EnYVwwGyX7SSUZ7-V78K1wCCo/s144-o/20161120_221258.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332649829374002″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161120_221258.jpg” image_size=”2988×5312″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-gKHmygHEb3k/WGuFSQxhxUI/AAAAAAAANEQ/dn6JguTPB0McbnTeaRlVzAb09oNP0O49QCCo/s144-o/20161120_221228.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332646632539458″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161120_221228.jpg” image_size=”2988×5312″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-vJo9Vbmfoyo/WGuFSb2TsqI/AAAAAAAANEQ/Fw3kfiAZ-C8tanvNUGH96fppZr6j7erawCCo/s144-o/20161120_211716.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332649605378722″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161120_211716.jpg” image_size=”2592×1944″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-U9BTAwmNMoM/WGuFSU1i_7I/AAAAAAAANEQ/QBCq5D3eTGo8kI0qqTsIHD_Ig1hWpLg6QCCo/s144-o/20161120_204141.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332647723138994″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161120_204141.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-h833o89iZSw/WGuFSSCFbpI/AAAAAAAANEQ/sesTpbrMrxM1QJe84X-fYH_l9lPEmOjAwCCo/s144-o/20161120_191343.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332646970420882″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161120_191343.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ]

November 21st

Suprisingly we were up fairly early and decided to begin the morning with some excercise to brush away the cobwebs.  I needed to start training for skiing so after 3 laps of the local park, Aoife ran on and left me, whilst I did some Pilates and the unfortunately named eccentric -leg- exercises!  After we returned to the hostel, a good breakfast was in order and we were then ready to face the day!  We wanted to find a small area of the French Concession famed for its tiny alleys and handmade souvenirs.  Unfortunately it was raining and by the time we arrived we were cold, wet and hungover.  A deadly combination!  We had to start with lunch but unfortunately because this area was a tourist hotspot you could get any flavour of food under the sun but no Chinese.  Eventually, however, we found a little noodle bar to serve us some dumplings and a tofu soup.

After food we were a little bit cheered up and set about exploring the myriad of stores.  There were nice things here especially Chinese dresses and handicrafts but unfortunately everything was very expensive.  Perhaps a little surprisingly for a communist country (or perhaps not?) the Chinese are very shrewd when it comes to business.    This means, therefore, that as soon as an area becomes a tourist attraction the price for all goods in that area shoots up massively.  The best places to buy things therefore is usually the markets where the same stuff will be on sale but very cheap (if you’re a good haggler ;)).

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There was also a rather good food market which we stumbled into by accident.  Having a look round we realised that it was heavy on fish but that all the fish were live in tanks!  Basically you caught your own fish out of the little tank with a net and then gave it to the stall owner who prepared it for you.  Great, we thought, until we looked closer and realised that the fish were being gilled, gutted and scaled while still alive!  I usually have quite a strong stomach for that sort of thing but we were both a bit sickened by the idea of the fish not being killed before all of this happened.  None of the locals seemed remotely bothered however!  Chalk it up to cultural differences- the Chinese are obviously sticklers for freshness 🙂

We headed home after this, and after a bit of a rest we headed out to find Wang`s fried dumplings.  These were every bit as good as we had been promised but didn`t consitute a full meal.  Perhaps it was the fish gutting antics of the afternoon but nothing appealed to us apart from fish!  So we found a little restaurant, ordered something tasty and tried not to think about how it had been swimming around a tank a few minutes before…

[peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-MYCPBa9nK0k/WGuFSfdXkwI/AAAAAAAANEQ/-tdvuc99tzoNm-MQih-1Ff-BmMwy70GngCCo/s144-o/IMG-20161122-WA0003.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332650574516994″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”IMG-20161122-WA0003.jpg” image_size=”1600×1200″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-mg1JjC6qZqw/WGuFSXPw8fI/AAAAAAAANEQ/G0NZFZyTRnctLfOrRdYOKUsgpMkkuxIaQCCo/s144-o/IMG-20161122-WA0002.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332648369975794″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”IMG-20161122-WA0002.jpg” image_size=”1200×1600″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-jqIPumbfPG0/WGuFSUGY9iI/AAAAAAAANEQ/3IiBXJBo4ycZMpz6cjKUMdbPKlLMGjxewCCo/s144-o/20161121_215725.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332647525348898″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161121_215725.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ]

 

November 22nd

The lazy start we should have had the morning before happened today but we only had one thing important to do and that was fly to Guilin.  We headed into town first, however, for a bit of last minute shopping.  I had seen a nice man bag on the first day and was determined to go back and have another look.  After annoying the lady in the shop by trying out all the bags, I decided that it was stupid to buy one anyway because I would have to carry it all the way around China!

We arrived in Guilin and our hope for warmer weather was answered, just about!  After finding the hostel, we headed out for a quick bite to eat and hit our beds, dreaming of some sun after chilly rainy Shanghai!

 

November 23rd

We awoke today in need of an easy day.  The frantic pace of the last couple of months was finally catching up with us and was taking a toll on our desire to do anything.  Enthusiasm was hard to muster! It wasn`t helped by the fact that overnight the weather had turned absolutely freezing!  After breakfast we forced ourselves out of the hostel to see Guilin wearing every single piece of clothing we owned.

Guilin is a pleasant town and although the main sights of the region are not in the town itself, it makes a great base for exploring.  We did, however, have a walk along the river and lakes which flow through the town as well as seeing the Sun and Moon pagodas which are, apparently, the tallest structures of their kind in the world.  They were pretty impressive up close but not impressive enough for us to linger.  We decided to call it a day; the nasty weather meant the day was only really good for one thing.  Curling up inside and planning our next moves- and so we did J

[peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-OfTcHHYLHFA/WGuFSeedcaI/AAAAAAAANEQ/5QucrTPKQgAjaXqvSuYa-KzSnX8Zt6EcgCCo/s144-o/20161123_134522.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332650310660514″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161123_134522.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-PmmBxYGJSLs/WGuFSfvPddI/AAAAAAAANEQ/pPTQXMNERkkrx4pZTM7R7NPxHdAqjIpdgCCo/s144-o/20161123_131852.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332650649482706″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161123_131852.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-mi3sTk_mbaA/WGuFSaMdE6I/AAAAAAAANEQ/Wm254VcBy8swPGo9pNs6NhoDO9lolI5TwCCo/s144-o/20161123_125151.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332649161397154″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161123_125151.jpg” image_size=”2988×5312″ ]

It was a nice rest day, but we also needed a run to top it off.  Unfortunately, in the intervening time it had started to rain.  Much to the horror of the locals we decided to run anyway and to dire warnings of getting arthritis because of the rain we ran back round the lakes we walked in the morning.  The night time vista was something special- much more exciting than during the day and when we returned to the hostel an hour later our sprits were well lifted!

[peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-_CRuzzOuO5g/WGuFSRdN-oI/AAAAAAAANEQ/NvDZkLD41uM5wO2AEV9FwOu7wSWzsNqigCCo/s144-o/IMG-20161202-WA0041.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332646815791746″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”IMG-20161202-WA0041.jpg” image_size=”1200×1600″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-jhvgKpYAPUo/WGuFSRzyzwI/AAAAAAAANEQ/pQji3sDsX7c9-pNWG_C40-PsKjbDjTCJgCCo/s144-o/IMG-20161202-WA0032.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332646910480130″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”IMG-20161202-WA0032.jpg” image_size=”1200×1600″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-qLNnFUZjXdE/WGuFSUgWSAI/AAAAAAAANEQ/mOAvwd1rEiI5Ph30IkvwGaE0-79vNLxqQCCo/s144-o/IMG-20161202-WA0031.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332647634225154″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”IMG-20161202-WA0031.jpg” image_size=”960×1280″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-aWaPppKZx9I/WGuFSZtdKtI/AAAAAAAANEQ/4AQWBfN1_QoAOmlGM_irFHuPVRBBN-rkQCCo/s144-o/IMG-20161202-WA0014.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332649031379666″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”IMG-20161202-WA0014.jpg” image_size=”1280×960″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-SpV7CkWDk54/WGuFScmaLaI/AAAAAAAANEQ/nge50ciMT5INWNwaPr-RnaqMYbqfU0P5gCCo/s144-o/IMG-20161202-WA0002.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332649807130018″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”IMG-20161202-WA0002.jpg” image_size=”1600×1200″ ]

After warming up with a hot shower we headed out to the nearest food place we could find which was a bar serving western food and showing the ATP tour tennis finals.  Result!

 

November 24th

An early start this morning as we were heading out to the Longji Rice Terraces.   This famous landscape (along with a boat trip down the Lee river to Yangshou) was the reason we had set our hearts on coming to Guilin in the first place.  Expecting a tourbus to show up, in the end there were only four of us going from the hostel so we were bundled into a nice taxi and sent on our way J  The other two were a pair of Germans who were studying in Shanghai and taking some time to travel a bit whilst they were in China.  Amazingly (for members of the Briem family) their names were Charlotte and Valdemar which I think is one of the weirdest coincidences I`ve ever come across!

Anyway we passed a nice three hours chatting in the back of the taxi and decided to head up to the terraces together.  We were not disappointed by the views on offer.  The terraces have been crafted by thousands of years of hard labour- every available piece of hillside had be carved out into a flat plane for growing rice.  It is worth considering that these terraces also have to be perfectly flat and flow into one another so that they can be flooded in spring time.  We were bowled over by the shear scale of human endeavour!  Unfortunately, as is so common in China, this remarkable landscape is being developed with holiday cottages and hotels; there is already a cable car to the top for those unable or unwilling to hike the 45mins it takes to get there.  My advice is see this while you still can because in 5 years it will be changed forever.

In typical style, we weren`t satisfied with simply doing the normal tourist trail and after seeing the first viewpoint, we headed out to climb up to the highest peak in search of more views.  Alas the maps and signs were pretty poor and we were soon lost!  Eventually after hiking for a few hours we decided to turn around and go down to make sure we were back in time for our ride home!  On the plus side, on our way we found that the terraces were used for growing all sorts of food; not just rice 🙂 It was hard to resist delving into the locals chilli and berry plots!

After the long day of hiking we were in need of some rest and despite our best efforts at conversation, soon we were all asleep in the back of the taxi!  The other guys were also planning a boat trip down the Lee river in the morning but had booked into the more expensive (but potentially much warmer) luxury cruise.  We had booked onto a shorter trip on a bamboo raft which whilst more fun in the summer had the potential to cause hypothermia in these conditions!  We opted to change our minds and travel to yangshou in style!  Having made this important decision, we headed out for some dinner and live music. We found some awesome live music in a bar not far from the hostel. Soulful jazz….a very nice surprise!

[peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ucoCy-3El2M/WGuFST0VWMI/AAAAAAAANEQ/bXt6cwPTXpURQoDMKbIkCyb6Fb79vLypwCCo/s144-o/IMG-20161202-WA0040.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332647449614530″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”IMG-20161202-WA0040.jpg” image_size=”1600×1200″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-tmuz5U_FdAY/WGuFSXLCedI/AAAAAAAANEQ/ZFbGo_ItPQ8CfTgdtp4jlZk9Wbu-YYFjQCCo/s144-o/IMG-20161202-WA0025.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332648350153170″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”IMG-20161202-WA0025.jpg” image_size=”1600×1200″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-U8igmbSmZh4/WGuFSY-NgyI/AAAAAAAANEQ/0Kxck4RwZWIw_Qo3K3P9yWa9kU-wCZGHQCCo/s144-o/IMG-20161202-WA0023.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332648833221410″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”IMG-20161202-WA0023.jpg” image_size=”1600×1200″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-OmtVVowm0GI/WGuFSY23RBI/AAAAAAAANEQ/QBWrQsUaRnMzhJc_Hm7FAr7cxRhSHyZngCCo/s144-o/20161124_185534.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332648802403346″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161124_185534.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-MKO1-9ZSgVQ/WGuFSWuZWlI/AAAAAAAANEQ/dYiNQX9nevY2fNmH_Cpyd5a5uU4CZhZmACCo/s144-o/20161124_143122.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332648230017618″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161124_143122.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-hKNPtvsqCF0/WGuFSRZLfoI/AAAAAAAANEQ/vEgwNiNrv7IcasjDFcpschCKlC_Rt-8LQCCo/s144-o/20161124_142838.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332646798851714″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161124_142838.jpg” image_size=”2988×5312″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-uL6JdcXoL8g/WGuFScNzf1I/AAAAAAAANEQ/ttsg2QhTHEo1Jum9y4Ck1NSCLuB9joYmACCo/s144-o/20161124_142812.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332649703931730″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161124_142812.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Yjl2AZP4ncY/WGuFSYx2ouI/AAAAAAAANEQ/6PVKsK7chPA3IA4xBKww0uDjM9SrhmsbgCCo/s144-o/20161124_135408.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332648781390562″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161124_135408.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-93ha-6n8a1E/WGuFSRHTtTI/AAAAAAAANEQ/JsoVl0yN_7Ishz83oxeoSGloATyseXI_gCCo/s144-o/20161124_134812.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332646723892530″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161124_134812.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-TgfrmbXdk3w/WGuFSWyUpKI/AAAAAAAANEQ/x3mvvVJR8DYj-fj_3gQTcqGWGe9Wai2DQCCo/s144-o/20161124_133838.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332648246486178″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161124_133838.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-whL8bgPWSvs/WGuFSagB5oI/AAAAAAAANEQ/x3L1kN3PztAjgmuAIBd4oGbwFLpPCvvOQCCo/s144-o/20161124_130223.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332649243502210″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161124_130223.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-t2gHtGT8I7Y/WGuFSYGJNiI/AAAAAAAANEQ/raIepqfii4YLXz7E05Iln8u1hpCPyATOACCo/s144-o/20161124_125823.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332648598058530″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161124_125823.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Kke8Jhsblqk/WGuFSWn-W5I/AAAAAAAANEQ/RKiedKfQYkMkZ2bpAiOCCt_B3_OavhwrACCo/s144-o/20161124_125554.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332648203082642″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161124_125554.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-FLSA5Jciu8s/WGuFSU1FT9I/AAAAAAAANEQ/I4Mmfs0LmmYQeGd85o4JU1xo7QtSU0pswCCo/s144-o/20161124_124744.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332647721193426″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161124_124744.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-dGIR46oPvGM/WGuFSc0Kw9I/AAAAAAAANEQ/NbTkey-uY5kRDZ-M0xU9cGq1ONCjtua5ACCo/s144-o/20161124_123336.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332649864840146″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161124_123336.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-p0-cxr89D60/WGuFSbAdWXI/AAAAAAAANEQ/O14S8R5zf1ocRH4FuIDhUlW9_ROeL8QLgCCo/s144-o/20161124_122715.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332649379518834″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161124_122715.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ]

 

November 25th

The rainy, gale forced winds we awoke to start convinced us that we had definitely opted for the right boat cruise!  It was not a day to be frolicking around outside!  An early start, followed by a coach ride had us on the water by 10am ready to cruise down the river to Yangsho.  Our cruise included a guided tour in English as well as Chinese.  This was hilarious!  The lady rattled on in Chinese for what seemed like hours only to utter a single sentence in English afterwards giving the most banal of facts.  The best part was that every time we came to a noteworthy view, we were invited upstairs to `take photos`.  No mention of actually looking at the view!  This wasn`t the first time this had happened and we were starting to think that Chinese tourism mainly consists of taking photos and, presumably, looking at them in the future! The posing displays on the upper deck were priceless. We got involved too of course 

Despite the rain, this was a really breathtaking, remarkable landscape- just look at the photos!  It was worth every penny of our tour money and we arrived in Yangshuo very wet and very happy! We saw one or two unfortunate groups braving the conditions on the skimpy exposed bamboo rafts… It just looked deathly! Our hearts went out to these poor soaked, frozen souls!

[peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/–x_tflWEQh0/WGuFSUNm0LI/AAAAAAAANEQ/-fhuH7cy6Bo99eblkuHxgu6ksts2Tom2ACCo/s144-o/IMG-20161202-WA0017.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332647555616946″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”IMG-20161202-WA0017.jpg” image_size=”1200×1600″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-wddL-zoHbUs/WGuFSUUceVI/AAAAAAAANEQ/Yr6hE6_aoAwt3LLZQRDgdtb3vSo7jsZEQCCo/s144-o/IMG-20161202-WA0016.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332647584299346″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”IMG-20161202-WA0016.jpg” image_size=”1600×1200″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-82w2Sw8fIig/WGuFSV5V31I/AAAAAAAANEQ/UpJaeQU__oE8Ti6jWaPygX07Jv2xGjVXwCCo/s144-o/20161126_115304.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332648007491410″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161126_115304.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-JGplPcljYwI/WGuFSbX8jNI/AAAAAAAANEQ/oSduNZXdaX4HmMQlRPB2Ycqlj-7an8ACwCCo/s144-o/20161125_120454.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332649478032594″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161125_120454.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-uokSn-A2mGM/WGuFSbyQqpI/AAAAAAAANEQ/qSVVmJATbnsy_mPohS88i9zsr4hU9lMiwCCo/s144-o/20161125_120440.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332649588402834″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161125_120440.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-y0frSWkle54/WGuFSW1uIeI/AAAAAAAANEQ/2NrT246fxNQd_LwCGGDfb_J0XSAE0AS7gCCo/s144-o/20161125_114622.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332648260739554″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161125_114622.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-DkDT70oCIm0/WGuFSXNQqoI/AAAAAAAANEQ/624FB5FYTG0aB-wxJipiCupOXp9tNM2SwCCo/s144-o/20161125_114533.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332648359471746″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161125_114533.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-aLilM3CQoG8/WGuFSVXcpGI/AAAAAAAANEQ/bfpevjwbUv8H_Re31ppmhpgtYsI4OdzRQCCo/s144-o/20161125_114334.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332647865328738″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161125_114334.jpg” image_size=”2988×5312″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-6eArtsm20W4/WGuFSYFZ75I/AAAAAAAANEQ/pZ9n5L_GVqYUrovcHjujPZhaZT3f1kwFwCCo/s144-o/20161125_111144.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332648594960274″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161125_111144.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2OIdGHgbTjE/WGuFSYpmOmI/AAAAAAAANEQ/LeccIfSZrwAuoTE6BDyW1kAIJ1YKCZcuQCCo/s144-o/20161125_110530.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332648746760802″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161125_110530.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-t1rcEqojHMU/WGuFSdibarI/AAAAAAAANEQ/xGtYe_i2E8EAUvlA8UzmZBW0rOBjygwvACCo/s144-o/20161125_110136.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332650058869426″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161125_110136.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-r1pbHElNVaY/WGuFSf5w0QI/AAAAAAAANEQ/JlVNTPumWxsZu16JN7dHFzm35b1nNBafQCCo/s144-o/20161125_105004.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332650693611778″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161125_105004.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-NqzmmygGATA/WGuFST7ys6I/AAAAAAAANEQ/tPHmGc0zRLkzXEx7eikDal8dD1KfggALwCCo/s144-o/20161125_103818.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332647480898466″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161125_103818.jpg” image_size=”2988×5312″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-dKdptCk4wkE/WGuFScxwHPI/AAAAAAAANEQ/3nnMwlWVHqoO1vfp4oRQjyQH8-kpC_XwgCCo/s144-o/20161125_102816.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332649854704882″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161125_102816.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ]

Having arrived, we settled into our hostel and went out for a night on the town!  Yanhshuo is unfortunately very touristy.  So much so that it took us a while to find any Chinese food for sale!  Apparently the Germans are well represented here because there was a whole street of German eateries J  We did eventually find  Chinese food and this was followed by a visit to another live music bar of a similarly high standard to Guilin.  The live music in China is really excellent- open mic nights are a common theme in neighbourhood bars and in typically Chinese style, the standard is really very high.  Somewhat differently from the UK, however, none of the performers write their own songs- this is considered a job for songwriters.  The performers are just hoping to be noticed and signed by talent scouts.

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26th November

This would be our last day in Yangshuo and we were due to fly out to Hainan in the evening.  Of course there was still time for a bike ride and we planned to set off with Charlie and Valdi to find the Dragon Bridge!  Naturally, everything didn`t go according to plan and shortly after setting off, Aoife broke her bike J  Unphased, after a short trip back for a replacement we were on our way… and then promptly got lost!! After a good few hours riding along footpaths, river fronts, dirt roads and through winding villages, we finally made it to our destination. The ride there was spectacular though! The bridge itself when we arrived was very cute, though mobed with tourists!  The same amazing peaks we had boated through the previous day were the backdrop to this stretch of our cycle.  In the foreground were farms growing tropical produce.  Amazing stuff! Delicious smells!

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After a quick bite to eat we decided to take the faster route back, to ensure we made our flight and were reunited with our friends.  We all headed to the airport, satisfied with our few memorable days in Guilin.  Of course, we still had a flight to navigate and a hostel to find at the other end!  The flight with Hainan airlines was something of an adventure.  We were late boarding the plane but instead of leaving late, we taxied at speed to the runway whilst the stewardesses frantically tried to get everyone seated and the luggage stowed away.  One guy sitting in front of us had his seatbelt stuck and couldn`t get it fastened.  After much frantic pulling it still wouldn`t come.  Time was up, the engines started to roar and with a gesture to `hold on tight` the stewardess scuttled off for her own chair, leaving the poor guy perturbed and unbelted! Apart from this excitement, there was also a slight hiccup with our accommodation as you can see from the photo of the bed sheets below! Obviously this was no problem for me but if Aoife hadn`t been so tired I reckon she wouldn`t have slept in them at all!  As it was, it was well past midnight and sleep was beckoning.  Sometimes, sacrifices are called for J

[peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4G9pHwxr0Ms/WGuFSdrZ7gI/AAAAAAAANEQ/gBNWpdGNO68xmwm7FvoQK4kiw1zDq-4WQCCo/s144-o/20161127_110548.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332650096520706″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161127_110548.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ]

 

November 12th

We both had early landings into Beijing International Airport. And were full of anticipation!  China was set to be a totally different experience, with a huge cultural gulf between what we were used to (even though we’d been travelling for months).  The first challenge was to change terminals at the airport.  At least some (But by no means all) signs were in English. This was lucky because Chinese bears no resemblance whatsoever to any alphabet I’ve ever come across J  Anyway, I decided to follow some fellow tourists through the airport and found the terminal transfer bus.  After a few minutes I found myself in Aoife’s terminal, waiting in our agreed rendezvous spot- Starbucks 😉 It’s amazing how befuddled a lack of sleep makes you so we ended up having to get a taxi to our hostel….we couldn’t tackle the buses in our dozy states!  After a brief encounter with a chancer taxi driver (who wanted 500RMB to take us into town) we found a cab and showed our hostel name in Chinese and settled in for the 45 minute ride.  Taxis, it turns out, are a cheap way to get around in China. They’re metered and  state regulated. The whole ride only set us back 80RMB (about £9).  We were dropped at the end of our street and we started the 400m walk up to our hostel only to find… construction works blocking our way!  The whole street was upturned, with bricks and dust and shovels everywhere! We were sent one way, then the other and couldn’t find our hostel- no one seemed able to help. Every question was met with a shake of the head or “no”.  (We only realised later that in China, people tend to do this when they don’t understand what you’re saying- not because they don’t know).  In the end, one of the old construction lads took pity on us, opened up the hoarding and brought us to the hostel (which was fully inside the construction site!).  It felt like we had arrived in an oasis and we put our heads down for a badly needed sleep J

We woke at about midday and set about exploring the local hutongs (small, winding Beijjing backstreets).  What a difference sleep makes- we were now excited by the change of culture and eager to get on and see what Beijing had to offer J.  First stop was breakfast- Chinese food…..or food as they call it here:))))- We stepped into a little café for some prawn wonton soup.  Delicious!  Such a welcome change after the heavy stans food we’d been eating for the last while.

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Refreshed from the feed and from our sleep,  it was time for some culture!  We were staying in the Dongcheng North district so decided to see the sights on our doorstep first.  First stop was the Llama Temple.  The change in architecture was pretty striking.  We had left behind the middle eastern minarets and madrassas; in front of us were oriental temples and pagodas.  The construction of the temple was quite amazing.  All the structure was made from bamboo, some of which was well over a foot in diameter.  After drinking our fill of the architecture we started to explore the temple.  We noticed that everyone was burning incense and then praying to the giant Buddahs. We had to get involved! So we found incense sticks and got kneeling 🙂

[peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-HaxsvcskOUI/WGuFSStTeUI/AAAAAAAANEY/cjr1hWFazHUV-ytEBfaO5G8KfJPEMvQmQCCo/s144-o/20161112_162044_001.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332647151696194″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161112_162044_001.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-QquHFR8vaX8/WGuFSf7K2eI/AAAAAAAANEY/HuLQ_-LmISIotSTvYnzUyiCAmeoZ1H3_ACCo/s144-o/20161112_162013.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332650699512290″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161112_162013.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-r0eGhqoKcBY/WGuFSY2I4wI/AAAAAAAANEY/6aCmhdKFxs4rZiZIQk36fIrTaJSD1hEwgCCo/s144-o/20161112_161349.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332648799363842″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161112_161349.jpg” image_size=”1944×2592″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-3mzt3NdddW4/WGuFSVwsN5I/AAAAAAAANEY/pJYC5UH-WNcFOr2tnBz6jcevRvKzQxDcQCCo/s144-o/20161112_154831.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332647971207058″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161112_154831.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-UjlqOpkXO1Q/WGuFSUfs0kI/AAAAAAAANEY/C60NDTp0B2oVHW-0O0VPVvlD6DNXZH4qwCCo/s144-o/20161112_154540_001.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332647631508034″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161112_154540_001.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-NjCj93B3gRc/WGuFSaVnCxI/AAAAAAAANEY/ZaHrg6tyMnwhWzogTnkuidSYUNKJMpQdQCCo/s144-o/20161112_154337.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332649199799058″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161112_154337.jpg” image_size=”2988×5312″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-RLPvlCeoGko/WGuFSRHX6QI/AAAAAAAANEY/aj1xdL_VnaM22vITewn3352LD68sz81qACCo/s144-o/20161112_154030.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332646724167938″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161112_154030.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-9HrnORnbVBk/WGuFSaelDNI/AAAAAAAANEY/m_Qv83azz4M0csAp6S0ALZBWVmX2QzGBgCCo/s144-o/20161112_153530.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332649237417170″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161112_153530.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ]

After we’d had enough of sightseeing we decided to head down into town to try and find the famous Wangfujing night market.  After a bit of a search (Wangfujing street is actually a huge shopping street, more reminiscent of New York) we entered through a lantern lit arch and marvelled at the madness on offer…Street food and shouting venders everywhere! Spring rolls, whole deep fried squid, meat kebabs… and BUGS!  OMG there were loads of different varieties of cockroaches and scorpions for sale.  What to do?  We couldn’t rightly leave without trying the bugs could we?!  Once you get over the fact you’re eating bugs they are surprisingy… tasteless.  Perhaps not worth it?  Whatever, we washed the bugs down with some beers and a whole squid which was delicious J  After a walkthrough this enchanting bustling market we had a go at haggling for some trinkets (We only bought two hats) and then decided to head home.  It’d been a long day afterall!  By the way, in case anyone is thinking of visiting China, the real price the vendors here are looking for is between 10% and 30% of their first price 😉 We learnt this after paying over the mark for a hat!

[peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-EfQVJ0wYOTY/WGuFSS79SVI/AAAAAAAANEY/N37eTVHDiCwuXGBJx20nMRXdGHQj-JaYgCCo/s144-o/20161112_184526.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332647213156690″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161112_184526.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-5P8tLv0bZUc/WGuFSQtbnII/AAAAAAAANEY/Yzw6LfxkMO8GG62x6RXLSe-D8OO8YHg-wCCo/s144-o/20161112_184209.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332646615358594″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161112_184209.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-7aK8rQgYcFs/WGuFSSOKJ0I/AAAAAAAANEY/I_e0zdXQWSkueHFMch0ApBt1azzt2hJkgCCo/s144-o/20161112_180956.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332647021061954″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161112_180956.jpg” image_size=”2988×5312″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-BdpkLsmMbBs/WGuFSZ8XuCI/AAAAAAAANEY/LI1zMBSNkEUXy_VKCmUd_RAPScOA8OFgwCCo/s144-o/20161112_180445.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332649093937186″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161112_180445.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/–FojI3xWFqo/WGuFSVdua2I/AAAAAAAANEY/NhDqtZowfIE1BSZG3ipxiet5dkUvpuUNQCCo/s144-o/20161112_175842.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332647891659618″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161112_175842.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ]

[peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-A3z0o-9A3To/WGuFSSx1UvI/AAAAAAAANEY/8V821yGNfqIl8YL101ych9wyh2zro0EbgCCo/s144-o/20161112_184531_001.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332647170691826″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161112_184531_001.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-EfQVJ0wYOTY/WGuFSS79SVI/AAAAAAAANEY/N37eTVHDiCwuXGBJx20nMRXdGHQj-JaYgCCo/s144-o/20161112_184526.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332647213156690″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161112_184526.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ]

By the time we walked home, we were hungry again (not enough meat on those bugs!) so we decided to check out one of the restaurants local to our hostel.  The food was a revelation! Infact, the food all through China was really really delicious! Before the trip I was seriously wondering how I would manage a whole month on Chinese food but actually it is very light, vegetable heavy and full of tasty spices. Nothing like the stodgy, gloopy Chinese you get at home.  Unfortunately whilst beer is quite cheap, wine is extremely expensive in China.  This perturbed Aoife a bit 😉 After looking through the menu for a minute, however, we noticed that Chinese rice wine was only 8 Yuan.  Sorted! We ordered one teapot of this before dinner and another after with some beers in between (the wine is served hot and is more like a dark spirit than wine).  When our bill arrived we noticed we had been charged 80 Yuan for the wine- thinking there had been some mistake we queried only to be told that each teapot contains 5 measures!  We had managed to spend more on drink than on our entire meal.  Oops J  Never mind- it was fun anyway!!  Fully satisfied we hit our beds ready for a more sleep.

 

November 13th

We awoke full of energy and well rested. We made our way to the Forbidden City! This is a huge palace at the heart of Beijing which the Chinese Emperors used to rule the empire.  The reason for its name is that during the time of the emperors it was forbidden to enter (the penalty for trespassers was death).  Another quick outing for my Student Card (thanks Cambridge!) and we were in. China is great for student discounts 😉 Despite having seen a myriad of palaces over the last three months we were genuinely impressed by this one.  The scale of the place was incredible to behold and coupled with the Chinese architecture, it left us in awe.  The clock room is a particular highlight showcasing a remarkable collection of pieces which were given as gifts to the Emperors.  I won’t waffle on about them; have a look at the pictures J

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[peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-mSrYQiZ10Ps/WGuFSXEasiI/AAAAAAAANEY/ydBjeZ_icHovJAAJ8pwc4SJuqXWuYHCQACCo/s144-o/20161113_140444.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332648322380322″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161113_140444.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-IuVI94jgVes/WGuFSQdqB7I/AAAAAAAANEY/Nu3bGRHWjF0TmyhT-w33GpMHFTjngXHnwCCo/s144-o/20161113_134327.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332646549194674″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161113_134327.jpg” image_size=”2988×5312″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-1Hf5W9hmJnQ/WGuFSch5YEI/AAAAAAAANEY/rvmHDoKY2iI3eHFTJiqBB6mMiPKWJ8_3gCCo/s144-o/20161113_130344.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332649788203074″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161113_130344.jpg” image_size=”2988×5312″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-fkwJTopQlIA/WGuFSWhQw1I/AAAAAAAANEY/ELDJ-5T4VHgo1AOzU3S1fsrnV88w_uF7wCCo/s144-o/20161113_130034.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332648174928722″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161113_130034.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-S8DhhqNkQXA/WGuFSSLgepI/AAAAAAAANEY/Fr_1rt–EMAooc97Mn1Pb7Ds9p6PXtRjQCCo/s144-o/20161113_125727.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332647009942162″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161113_125727.jpg” image_size=”2988×5312″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-QJg4QSPCovk/WGuFSfWEkMI/AAAAAAAANEY/KWa6f-6DqeMKOgAakgX9euHB6AsWrSHZwCCo/s144-o/20161113_125704.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332650543911106″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161113_125704.jpg” image_size=”2988×5312″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-f9ZIVa1Te9E/WGuFSVDWJMI/AAAAAAAANEY/HcFz-VkHTx80kCAiVAipEAnxnxDXWP8LQCCo/s144-o/20161113_121407.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332647781016770″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161113_121407.jpg” image_size=”2592×1944″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-lOaEbUMqwa4/WGuFSSNG7qI/AAAAAAAANEY/yz4rBaY9-GAAED2G7zJMYXqPJrFj2XmQQCCo/s144-o/20161113_121344.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332647016656546″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161113_121344.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ]

[peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-DQiFzRCUVcA/WGuFSbqaUsI/AAAAAAAANEQ/zHUwSYObTl4pDUalreLjRYqW-zzTPjZOQCCo/s144-o/IMG-20161120-WA0037.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332649555481282″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”IMG-20161120-WA0037.jpg” image_size=”1600×1200″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-J_1uu4eaVhA/WGuFSZBEIJI/AAAAAAAANEQ/u_Gd2mcwivoos-nfN8_0zpgnNe_xZFYDACCo/s144-o/IMG-20161120-WA0034.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332648845189266″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”IMG-20161120-WA0034.jpg” image_size=”1200×1600″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Vg0RgVADymM/WGuFSQdHtuI/AAAAAAAANEQ/aoVH1OiSlzw4PjWqHWNLyXgM9PADkcjfQCCo/s144-o/IMG-20161120-WA0032.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332646546945762″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”IMG-20161120-WA0032.jpg” image_size=”1200×1600″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-xtLkGH9LstM/WGuFSednVpI/AAAAAAAANEQ/GNAt-r0jID4lzFeiqkwXafYgTcmRd23dgCCo/s144-o/IMG-20161120-WA0031.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332650307114642″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”IMG-20161120-WA0031.jpg” image_size=”1600×1200″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-nH7GSK_O9-0/WGuFSVqiHYI/AAAAAAAANEQ/oXPPR2McXxsSB4o_ONIPH8mmM5KgZ6DkACCo/s144-o/IMG-20161120-WA0028.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332647945379202″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”IMG-20161120-WA0028.jpg” image_size=”1200×1600″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-l6yxHNk1Aec/WGuFST_n_dI/AAAAAAAANEY/Z6CQ62Gfxw4LZlUGucvPmSItHEMXEkqdgCCo/s144-o/IMG-20161113-WA0019.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332647496973778″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”IMG-20161113-WA0019.jpg” image_size=”1200×1600″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Qq9PtdrWs9g/WGuFSbnoy7I/AAAAAAAANEY/S4k87tmRzRMPtBCjgsiEsQaI4WP7EPyWACCo/s144-o/IMG-20161113-WA0018.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332649543846834″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”IMG-20161113-WA0018.jpg” image_size=”1200×1600″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-pZVRzXLFlbI/WGuFSbYgw7I/AAAAAAAANEY/TlI5_Uz7q5YaAPhqARVVTPUGeMZEiifMgCCo/s144-o/20161113_142239.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332649480405938″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161113_142239.jpg” image_size=”2988×5312″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-CQdZ3Te90w0/WGuFSc-ufWI/AAAAAAAANEY/1BDi9ziEIl8q99DlR03EIUlJrl4psXtqgCCo/s144-o/20161113_142145.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332649909124450″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161113_142145.jpg” image_size=”2988×5312″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-1ulKrQ3tjbw/WGuFSVANoSI/AAAAAAAANEY/G5ZHSDFrcccqs2ncOcnp77ZZAbyu-mIgACCo/s144-o/20161113_142133.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332647767875874″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161113_142133.jpg” image_size=”2988×5312″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-NQ9dbEdFIPk/WGuFScXhiZI/AAAAAAAANEY/yMD5NmBLfv0qgL_ZbjlCAkVjSCT1ocIjwCCo/s144-o/20161113_140700.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332649744697746″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161113_140700.jpg” image_size=”2988×5312″ ]

 

After the palace, we headed town to Tiananmen Square, opposite Forbidden City.  The scale of this place is huge!  And the change in architecture very striking.  In a way, the walk out of the classical architecture of the Forbidden City, across a 10 lane highway and onto Stalinist Tiananmen Square neatly summed up the amazing mix of culture and history of this rapidly changing city.  We got the obligatory photographs on the square and decided to move on- there’s nowhere to sit on the square and it’s full of police.  When coupled with the freezing weather it was hardly the moment to linger!

[peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-PE-NagZlejs/WGuFSc7iotI/AAAAAAAANEY/XoYoVf6-t9MjNKrQW6eDVRoquxMTLrBawCCo/s144-o/20161113_152253.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332649895764690″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161113_152253.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Ef9McvqHKpQ/WGuFSXFfWdI/AAAAAAAANEY/IYplFl8X_-Yfv-AIwwwjGiwwILX6EFqdwCCo/s144-o/20161113_152239.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332648326879698″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161113_152239.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-xldk47xWx1U/WGuFSXCil-I/AAAAAAAANEY/cDKAjOdu8LAUNrHBuNDO5f7L_M6quclMACCo/s144-o/20161113_152218.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332648314509282″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161113_152218.jpg” image_size=”2592×1944″ ]

We spent the evening at a Kung Fu show which, whilst pretty amazing, made us fill rather fat and unfit. Three months on the road hadn’t done us favours in that department 🙂 The Kung Fu students were breaking iron rods with their heads!  Incredible!  We met an American father and son who were also touring Beijing.  The conversation inevitably turned to Trump and we felt heartened and sympathetic that amongst Americans there is as much worry as we have about the future.  After the show we returned to the hostel.  I don’t know whether it was missing home, or the Americans we had met whilst at the show, but suddenly we had a hankering for western food, threw conscience and unfitness-guilt to the wind, and settled into tasty burgers and chips J

[peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-TVcwtpDapU4/WGuFSSl69_I/AAAAAAAANEY/rLYkHkdTpUs287oQgVYAeUBkMpswjoWYgCCo/s144-o/20161113_200929.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332647120730098″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161113_200929.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-r185kWn96is/WGuFSSWjAgI/AAAAAAAANEY/r4PFw2DmN28alarIfo0vx6y5thfNw5nqwCCo/s144-o/20161113_190921.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332647056245250″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161113_190921.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-S1VvOiKfjB8/WGuFSVrqWpI/AAAAAAAANEY/EzcRzUndUlcnAnrL3qhYPhVPOvIqx-DiwCCo/s144-o/20161113_184946.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332647950113426″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161113_184946.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ]

 

November 14th

We had an early start today as it was the big trip to the Great Wall!  The wall is the longest wall ever built and served to protect the Chinese from Mongolian invaders (which it didn’t- when Genghis Kahn conquered China he observed that a wall is only as strong as those manning it.  He had bribed his way in J).  Whatever the strategic usefulness of the wall, it is an incredible sight to behold and a testament to the high regard that security was held in those days.  You can choose between different areas to visit, some of which are very well restored and akin to museums, some are completely wild, almost derelict, and some in between.  We had signed up for a 4hr hike along a part restored section that promised to give a bit of both.  We were not disappointed; we hardly saw another tourist all day (except our tour group), the sun finally came out for us and we had really enjoyable day hiking J

[peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-XDxAbXTcmOk/WGuFSRTUa0I/AAAAAAAANEQ/pKIMYiu1F0czyWP1NIh0CQ5an-QBGWuAgCCo/s144-o/IMG-20161120-WA0025.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332646774270786″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”IMG-20161120-WA0025.jpg” image_size=”1600×1200″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-z8egq_5lXUA/WGuFSXuw6sI/AAAAAAAANEQ/yPsw-PmiXiQlGER0nyjf9gvT2ZOwqLZxgCCo/s144-o/IMG-20161120-WA0024.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332648499997378″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”IMG-20161120-WA0024.jpg” image_size=”1200×1600″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-K6iYg5XAttA/WGuFScXj_ZI/AAAAAAAANEQ/BxAu8hb_l7QbLF74a3wjIPv_SBs9c6xPgCCo/s144-o/IMG-20161120-WA0023.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332649744858514″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”IMG-20161120-WA0023.jpg” image_size=”1200×1600″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-n8pnrbBg860/WGuFSfwS2pI/AAAAAAAANEQ/oUi3dUxpir8rzP0HELVncI8vC8K-j6g3wCCo/s144-o/IMG-20161120-WA0022.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332650653899410″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”IMG-20161120-WA0022.jpg” image_size=”1200×1600″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-U9D481qUeW0/WGuFSe_xvyI/AAAAAAAANEQ/JPBocBMOIQAGtCIBKInVGsziCUO1tn9XwCCo/s144-o/IMG-20161120-WA0021.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332650450403106″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”IMG-20161120-WA0021.jpg” image_size=”1600×1200″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4Zo3JnYX_KE/WGuFSRw3aCI/AAAAAAAANEQ/-sj1HOnvXbUHgTkeWyVgpQWZOKa879UCACCo/s144-o/IMG-20161120-WA0020.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332646898198562″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”IMG-20161120-WA0020.jpg” image_size=”1600×1200″ ] 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src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-fHFJVNMaVdY/WGuFSREe0FI/AAAAAAAANEY/pk9JLYPtJOMg9WVKuSoZjT6XosvKMVaWgCCo/s144-o/20161114_132100.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332646712037458″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161114_132100.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ZR1mzjDu3eM/WGuFScvJzvI/AAAAAAAANEY/GYugA7t2Dsc7hjBFR8XRNWtQD8hQXf7ZgCCo/s144-o/20161114_124739.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332649843805938″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161114_124739.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-uQdqy8c-X7M/WGuFSYbflLI/AAAAAAAANEY/h8sNbdEuW5YgAxnIvOb3UGAImIxYYg-VACCo/s144-o/20161114_122656.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332648687604914″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161114_122656.jpg” image_size=”2988×5312″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-K-MMFe9ehro/WGuFSfWcboI/AAAAAAAANEY/AhZWeFqeC8oLa03Z7VqShJIW1HmSnAE2ACCo/s144-o/20161114_122600.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332650545475202″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161114_122600.jpg” image_size=”2988×5312″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-0UNfTOHxwnM/WGuFST2E6nI/AAAAAAAANEY/XrRoAxUGc0sLdEiIjTPzZ6PIxMhm9FlEQCCo/s144-o/20161114_122538.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332647456926322″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161114_122538.jpg” image_size=”2592×1944″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-_hW9RP3Of8g/WGuFSbMAxrI/AAAAAAAANEY/6Fh1_OjiKJ4owYnxQtsCtRpj7uBcI0fpgCCo/s144-o/20161114_120510.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332649427977906″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161114_120510.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-LQ8h85OQiAc/WGuFScudbHI/AAAAAAAANEY/6fylMIyOx4c8ljGqYQ0Lx_WaAycOvT_MQCCo/s144-o/20161114_115332.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332649840897138″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161114_115332.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Ik1cU2tD6sA/WGuFSRAueaI/AAAAAAAANEY/ZKINsX74lTIPNvgsWItQB2W0Omc6qKk8gCCo/s144-o/20161114_115314.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332646696286626″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161114_115314.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-eQ27F49eG48/WGuFSU50OpI/AAAAAAAANEY/yrebqj97wwkNWDt0w6Nfxhw1U5XS-BM3ACCo/s144-o/20161114_114641.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332647741045394″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161114_114641.jpg” image_size=”2592×1944″ ]

By the time we returned, we were famished!  Determined that we should sample the famed “Peking Duck” whilst actually in Beijing, we sought out one of the famous restaurants in town that served it. We wandered through the Hutongs and found a very exciting looking area with plenty of bars and restaurants on the riverfront- things were looking good, although there was no sign of the restaurant.  The lady in the hostel had given very confident directions- clearly she thought it was obvious!  We were starting to get seriously hungry by this point and in no mood to dilly dally over finding our food… Finally we stumbled across a place with a plastic duck outside- surely this couldn’t be the entrance to a posh restaurant?!  We did a quick check of the Chinese name (no English writing) and it seemed to match what we were looking for so we went inside.  It was like entering the Tardis- the inside was bright, spacious and even had a Koi pond!  Excellent.

We were seated and ordered our dinner- we even treated ourselves to wine J  I can confidently say the Duck here is the best I have ever eaten by some considerable margin.  So juicy and tender and not fatty. It practically melted in the mouth.  We were also given a demonstration of the correct way to build a duck roll for ourselves.  Now I know youre all thinking we couldn’t have possibly needed that right?  But have you ever made one using chopsticks instead of your hands?  Exactly!  This needed some serious finger dexterity and although our chopstick skills couldn`t compete with the waitress, we didn`t embarrass ourselves totally 🙂

[peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-aKyIRDuBHfI/WGuFSQtsdBI/AAAAAAAANEQ/CQ8DDjZER_YgFXIk3dtqF5kjXC1Z7L-hwCCo/s144-o/20161115_142631.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332646616462354″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161115_142631.jpg” image_size=”2988×5312″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-nWS1OuvUuxo/WGuFSW80L3I/AAAAAAAANEY/bAxITu6LbTgCBvkILfSMGgSnbmRI4congCCo/s144-o/20161114_202306.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332648290496370″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161114_202306.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4VbGMLWPKpo/WGuFSU7OCaI/AAAAAAAANEY/wEZxO0Pm0p4k-A7ugtwE7cpAIwCYLUVnACCo/s144-o/20161114_193046.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332647746931106″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161114_193046.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Cw-7vWOes4U/WGuFSXe9h-I/AAAAAAAANEY/3Z0apFXWJnoDEtSYYdmjbiJm1UMeYDlcgCCo/s144-o/20161114_193044.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332648433715170″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161114_193044.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ]

After dinner, we decided a nightcap was in order and set about finding a nice bar to relax in.  Unfortuntately the Chinese have a penchant for exotice dancers in their bars and trying to find one without was tricky.  Luckily there were also a few music bars just along the way from the restaurant so we settled into one of these only to find the drink prices so outrageous that we turned on our heels and went back for a beer at the funky bar next to the hostel.  This turned out to be a good decision and we went to bed tired and happy 🙂

 

November 15th

Whilst walking around town we had been impressed by the facilities on offer to cyclists in Beijing and today we decided to make the most of them!  Although the roads are pretty frantic, there are separated cylce lanes (although you do have to share these with a myriad of other vehicles such as electric scooters, tuk tuks, pedestrians and sometimes parked cars…) and we decided that we`d be safe enough to have a go.

First stop was the Drum Tower and by a lucky coincidence we arrived just as a drum performance was about to start.  The drums were used to signal the time to residents of the city much like, for example, Big Ben.  The drums, however, are seriously massive!  The largest was easily 2m in diameter.  We`ve uploaded a video for you guys to see what all the fuss is about J  After the drum tower, the next stop was the bell tower next door.  The was also cool to see although we never did figure out what the difference in purpose is between the drum tower and the bell tower since both were used to signal time.  This one contains the largest cast bell in China and is 600 years old and weighs 63 tonnes!

[peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-yXQpUPXRPpQ/WGuFSWiODeI/AAAAAAAANEQ/y2NNqiN4HGYhn1ggGwovAB9r-LusZ5hPQCCo/s144-o/20161115_115721_001.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332648178945506″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161115_115721_001.jpg” image_size=”2988×5312″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-A1F8l5rJi5M/WGuFSW3fdRI/AAAAAAAANEY/ITM6Qvvb8rc1YddHHQ45_P1JaBPAjxqjwCCo/s144-o/20161115_125349.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332648268166418″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161115_125349.jpg” image_size=”2988×5312″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-OmmeAmYYvnI/WGuFSbn01nI/AAAAAAAANEY/29K67e9c2JgeC4EqA8AlU17eTz9sZwc7gCCo/s144-o/20161115_115813.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332649544636018″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161115_115813.jpg” image_size=”2988×5312″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-jIpiXBQX7YU/WGuFSdUmVtI/AAAAAAAANEY/SgUbZZfDB4480T-QWpV2ler6jKM_Nr96gCCo/s144-o/20161115_113219.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332650000864978″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161115_113219.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ]

After taking in the two towers we moseyed onto the Confucious temple.  Confucianism is important to the Chinese way of thinking however our sight seeing powers were diminishing by this point and we really only had a cursory look inside the temple and accompanying Imperial College.  It was time for some lunch!

[peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-v7EAwXWOwjg/WGuFSc_OQdI/AAAAAAAANEQ/STC2_gTL4_QDr9pM9XUZFPnvl3m7ZhH9wCCo/s144-o/20161115_131032_001.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332649911206354″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161115_131032_001.jpg” image_size=”2988×5312″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-rYyuXpMD-RM/WGuFSSZtSZI/AAAAAAAANEQ/XMdy1LGcsv8cmMeE8bV-zMq5tbLOe11tQCCo/s144-o/20161115_130719_001.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332647069501842″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161115_130719_001.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Kh8KELf6VTc/WGuFSXHkNwI/AAAAAAAANEQ/MNGbilDSiVUBeQdxA4A-L85whDt3IvosQCCo/s144-o/20161115_131541.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332648335587074″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161115_131541.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-otsK8TBGK08/WGuFScrInnI/AAAAAAAANEQ/PIy9xTXuRwkh29VzKqV6VKR1OcdKCzqQACCo/s144-o/20161115_130820_003.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332649826950770″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161115_130820_003.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-US5lMFTxSP0/WGuFSf9s5OI/AAAAAAAANEQ/WoChpQXyGykdNBQeBupvHOk45VLNYqbRACCo/s144-o/20161115_130745.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332650710131938″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161115_130745.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ZjPvFlPwwF8/WGuFSSHQ3ZI/AAAAAAAANEY/vEMg298VzZEC2GXaOzt3e3NoonkrHUVOwCCo/s144-o/20161115_130724_001.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332646992141714″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161115_130724_001.jpg” image_size=”2988×5312″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-A41ZSUT5jHg/WGuFSTLoKNI/AAAAAAAANEY/fJjhdFfftDYPABnpHgbd-jGW8at-5BjcwCCo/s144-o/20161115_130335.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332647278880978″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161115_130335.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-15iQ-jgMIcE/WGuFScqbGuI/AAAAAAAANEY/pIGaHvdFsGkWoi7TSNc_PF6o4OzFzcugQCCo/s144-o/20161115_125156.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332649823967970″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161115_125156.jpg” image_size=”2988×5312″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-QMFvoeqwdDI/WGuFSTn38XI/AAAAAAAANEY/RlESZ6Q3qwgVEGt82kYLJVAFnZ7POFscgCCo/s144-o/20161115_124328.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332647397355890″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161115_124328.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ]

We stopped our bikes in a little street market that we`d seen when walking to the duck restaurant the night before and decided to sample some of the local stuff.  All the locals seemed to be eating some kind of tripe (yup, pig intestines!) and although it didn`t really appeal we thought we`d better get with the programme and try it!  It was nice enough, especially if you added lots of soy and chilli however it didn`t really have any particularly distinguishing features apart from being cheap J  The pear tea that we bought to go with it, however, was heaven in a glass!  The Chinese really know how to do things with fruit and this tea was a delicious brew of pear and spices.  It was just the ticket to warm us up and get us going for some more sight seeing action.  We also tried a wierd looking fruit stick which turned out to be crab apples dipped in hard sugar syrup.  These were also fantastic with a lovely bittersweet contrast between the crab apple and sugar.  Aoife was particularly taken with them as you can see from the photos!

[peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-s76vNPACUX0/WGuFSU_ss3I/AAAAAAAANEQ/O8Gy53AP8dcy40aumayQ2q3-zqBaeqvDgCCo/s144-o/20161115_145544.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332647765717874″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161115_145544.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-OOck8pgb3Ng/WGuFSbN-TMI/AAAAAAAANEQ/-J-xi2F8sCY_ihuqvW2K_VeAqXm_OTkegCCo/s144-o/20161115_143736.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332649436204226″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161115_143736.jpg” image_size=”2988×5312″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-SKNpeoFdpN4/WGuFSV2NqsI/AAAAAAAANEQ/Xx9MEPuQhuso8VhH5fFUKReIlcTP-MrtgCCo/s144-o/20161115_142716.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332647994370754″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161115_142716.jpg” image_size=”2988×5312″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-lDUa4qu9-70/WGuFST-VELI/AAAAAAAANEQ/BSE_T3iwf8gRZvzg-B25UgXWr4xLI1dnwCCo/s144-o/20161115_140001.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332647491539122″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161115_140001.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ]

 [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-yihGxLMaBt8/WGuFSdFLACI/AAAAAAAANEQ/2AX4rH1a-wAJSWJeTIKN-EUPWeq7w48yQCCo/s144-o/20161115_162441.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332649936158754″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161115_162441.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-_3o_5iZHxNU/WGuFSfTHOjI/AAAAAAAANEQ/uxPkvsj1h7ojkadmIe8GyfJy1WJ9KZfXQCCo/s144-o/20161115_162311.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332650531502642″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161115_162311.jpg” image_size=”2592×1944″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-uAQIekZP098/WGuFSRJZi1I/AAAAAAAANEQ/flUbNsq7krUej3vR6dyr-naZvhQerh_kQCCo/s144-o/20161115_155938.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332646732663634″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161115_155938.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-AKpk73yVkHU/WGuFSaNPruI/AAAAAAAANEQ/ES8OPsXsC_EMd4UGB7zpHg30qLnU41E8wCCo/s144-o/20161115_155830.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332649164713698″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161115_155830.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-79-zZnFZbrE/WGuFSdCjZhI/AAAAAAAANEQ/XmOea3pNrF8NQuSG_z9cnkJhcgzQEJc0QCCo/s144-o/20161115_153618.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332649925174802″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161115_153618.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ]

We spent our afternoon strolling around the Temple of Heaven park and then headed back with our bikes to the hostel for a quick shower and change before heading out to go back to the Wangfujing market for a street food dinner.  This time we successfully avoided eating any discusting bugs and feasted on delicious deep fried squid, kebabs, sticky rice, spring rolls and more fruit dipped in syrup!

[peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-iQl44nE5u7Y/WGuFSTCY4nI/AAAAAAAANEQ/YCQMPNySzNs2kS6rDahmdlewZCt8zhCPACCo/s144-o/20161115_202132.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332647240131186″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161115_202132.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-nviU5mTL-pk/WGuFSS1WdQI/AAAAAAAANEQ/0BcL5rfYNDsXSU7g6hhiX-Mx52xNy4hKACCo/s144-o/20161115_201533.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332647185446146″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161115_201533.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-eKPQjOB4zbI/WGuFSYTr14I/AAAAAAAANEQ/2U0VpLitojEk7F27j3pmUdVPS3JIqphlgCCo/s144-o/20161115_201514.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332648654854018″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161115_201514.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-YfKSOV_rYPs/WGuFSXNw8WI/AAAAAAAANEQ/rv16WJaOiu84A2rflUxannHqhHxKb2wuQCCo/s144-o/20161115_201507.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332648361587042″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161115_201507.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ][peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-AEKzBIAcEJY/WGuFSXW6trI/AAAAAAAANEQ/wSGkhGuIuW4hiKvmWFIUdTYsQQlS4XeewCCo/s144-o/20161115_202650.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332648399976114″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161115_202650.jpg” image_size=”2048×1152″ ]

After an hour of feasting on everything we could find, we felt we really ought to walk the 3km back to our hostel and were so invigorated by the time we arrived that we dipped into a little back alley jazz bar just round the corner.  This was the music experience we had been searching for the previous evening!  A quirky little atmospheric bar with a few jazz musicians rotating through the stage and a crowd of about 20.  The music was excellent, the beer reasonable and the crowd friendly.  What more could we ask for?!

[peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-jM-X1s00YCY/WGuFSdB8SCI/AAAAAAAANEQ/G3SYe6_83vsMnGmRkkwXwmYO2iBRuSsxQCCo/s144-o/20161115_234850.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332649922611234″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161115_234850.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-7GBdDMvpeyY/WGuFSUO1FRI/AAAAAAAANEQ/Y1KIVfbueMI3gEv-e-bILdNvMadqfDU-wCCo/s144-o/20161115_215544.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332647560746258″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161115_215544.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ]

 

November 16th

The Summer Palace was the final big sight of beijing that we hadn`t been to, however after our night of jazz we were feeling a bit tired.  We therefore decided to satisfy our inner child instead, by going to the zoo!  The idea had been planted in our heads a few days earlier by the Americans we met at the kung fu show and what better way to spend a lazy day than seeing the animals.  We were particularly excited about seeing the Giant Pandas.

Unfortunately, we quickly realised that Beijing Zoo didn`t pay the kind of attention to animal welfare that you’d hope for, and our excitement at seeing what is a very impressive collection was dampened by a sense of guilt at supporting the place at all.  Whatever, we had bought our tickets and so had done our bit to support it anyway. No point running out. it had a pretty impressive collection of animals in fairness! By the end, neither of us could think of a single large animal that wasn`t represented at the zoo and, conditions aside, we`d had a lovely time, and a bit of a laugh? Surely better than going to another palace 😉

[peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-foMiXe6Hj0w/WGuFSUW_mmI/AAAAAAAANEQ/bNpZnYSME-o26l3Im04aKlTzk83aAol8gCCo/s144-o/20161116_153042_001.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332647594990178″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161116_153042_001.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-MU_i5LasHs0/WGuFSdfTK4I/AAAAAAAANEQ/RGSbzk20Hl48xr6zLWuqN4H995YTewAjQCCo/s144-o/20161116_125152_001.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332650045746050″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161116_125152_001.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-WSOlvL1uzK4/WGuFSQgc56I/AAAAAAAANEQ/aO3eFZO9FWEHUEvz0Oi0DPGTUAORi3-_gCCo/s144-o/20161116_140739.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332646560917410″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161116_140739.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-O7KpgoD7ua0/WGuFSSdYVrI/AAAAAAAANEQ/QHFOGTfDi_gb4xlyojZoWYKjRjHT-FHlwCCo/s144-o/20161116_132549.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332647084906162″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161116_132549.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4WDv1nImhjI/WGuFSWeVfuI/AAAAAAAANEQ/SRPTNJePfSIVPTHVIEWQEhqfvktJa53kACCo/s144-o/20161116_125124.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332648162655970″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161116_125124.jpg” image_size=”2988×5312″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Yg0GXJ7KOJk/WGuFSf8NIPI/AAAAAAAANEQ/lqVmRd7cqVMNRKBIJe4dFAbH5PDI_1C0ACCo/s144-o/20161116_124916.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332650703855858″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161116_124916.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-IpbDg9ZF7P4/WGuFSZaCGxI/AAAAAAAANEQ/nU6qVkVtY48NPIcWTA_JKO5kyXeVsDgqgCCo/s144-o/20161116_124122.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332648949914386″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161116_124122.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ]

It was time to leave Beijing and our hostel had helped us book tickets for the overnight train between Beijing and Xi`an, a journey of 14hours.  This promised to be an adventure!  We`d done a little research on how to catch the train in China and when we got to the station we were glad we had because it is quite bewildering!  Think Kings Cross at rush hour with about 3 times as many people all going in different directions and all the signs in Chinese…  It`s fairly different to getting a UK train in a few other important ways too.  Firstly, your tickets are allocated with your passport number on so you have to go through security to get into the train station in the first place.  Second, you can`t just turn up and get on the train.  You need to be in the waiting area at least half an hour before hand.  Thirdly, tickets are hard to come by and everyone is allocated a seat or a bed so once the train is full it`s full.  We booked four days in advance and still didn`t get on our first choice of train.  And finally, of course, you`re sleeping on it!  Anyway, we decided the best policy was to get in our waiting area and then just do what everyone else did J  We got a few supplies together and got ourselves onto the train in good time and settled ourselves in.  The comparments are pretty cramped in Hard Sleeper (the cheapest sleeper class) with triple bunk beds however once youve got yourself in there`s enough room to do what you need to do and people are surprisingly respectful of each others personal space (particularly considering that in China, such a densely populated country, personal space is a rare thing to find yourself with!) ).  We drank some wine we brought and grabbed some pot noodles off the food trolley that is circulated every half an hour or so. By the designated lights off time of 10pm, we were ready for a good night`s sleep.

 

Novemeber 17th

The night passed fairly quickly considering we were sleeping on a train and we awoke bright and early and ready for our first day in Xi`an.  On the whole, the train experience is pretty good and is a very cheap way to get from A to B- the ride to Xi`an had set us back about $40 each which is very good value for a trip of 14 hours that doubles as a hotel.

[peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-cF4ZeMDE-QI/WGuFSRRTAAI/AAAAAAAANEQ/eu5BhaCCszgfgC3b–jRsIvYQGtRuNa4gCCo/s144-o/20161117_100813.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332646765789186″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161117_100813.jpg” image_size=”2988×5312″ ]

The purpose of our trip to Xi`an, of course, was to the see the famous Terracotta Warriors.  The Warriors were created and burried with the Emperor Qin who was the first to unite China.  Although there is still some debate as to why, it is thought that Qin assumed he would also be an Emperor in the afterlife and would therefore need an army.  The scale of this site really is something to behold.  It is still unknown how many figures will be unearthed as the dig is still a work in progress but so far around 5000 have been unearthed.  From the live dig it is clear that although a lot of damage was sustained to the warriors over the 2000 years that they`ve been buried, there are some which are surprisingly well preserved, even coming out whole.  We spent the day seeing the three pits, and left the area very happy we`d come.  This really was extraordinary.

[peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-6dpCYubZkAU/WGuFSWtvQlI/AAAAAAAANEQ/XEXlmXP_3eERak8WBEN60Suy2fLvO8GsACCo/s144-o/20161117_142434.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332648227258962″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161117_142434.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-EWeRU5I_haQ/WGuFSY5ql9I/AAAAAAAANEQ/9bRd1SiiEUEG5-i_rm-XiXvYiY7kWPXvwCCo/s144-o/20161117_135618.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332648814155730″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161117_135618.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-h7KyQXyij20/WGuFSS8bAMI/AAAAAAAANEQ/LdDD92CZUOArHqrGYQD5T2nmBr6wKyjrQCCo/s144-o/20161117_135508.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332647215104194″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161117_135508.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-FCHLf3yiWHw/WGuFSXrp1jI/AAAAAAAANEQ/Bi5w9-MdpHIDRDcmUHYrDHuJNw20fuLnQCCo/s144-o/20161117_134610.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332648486950450″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161117_134610.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-dqtzDeZgJiA/WGuFSW1cTUI/AAAAAAAANEQ/9WE1ncONhQE3qgK-LEijk8UIwaK6TBs3gCCo/s144-o/20161117_132510.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332648259571010″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161117_132510.jpg” image_size=”2988×5312″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-q1xKbj5buI4/WGuFSWb3U4I/AAAAAAAANEQ/3awCChPEdFAzk4ki9RiuXVlQQhbkyA34gCCo/s144-o/20161117_132202.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332648152290178″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161117_132202.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-n8tREy0WAJ8/WGuFSfsxiTI/AAAAAAAANEQ/R3yS6Xi0JbAMcpmVJ2ufT4sDKsx1Vv0RgCCo/s144-o/20161117_132133.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332650639132978″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161117_132133.jpg” image_size=”2988×5312″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-CX43TyRj9Mg/WGuFScX2IgI/AAAAAAAANEQ/1LMkUYE94OE1i4uM9ES_a4wIRfAxDcuggCCo/s144-o/20161117_131155.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332649746047490″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161117_131155.jpg” image_size=”2988×5312″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-hMSnoB_47Oo/WGuFSfoG-SI/AAAAAAAANEQ/G6Ve_yX8xawCpDONSnQWIFG9esv-9KaAwCCo/s144-o/20161117_124156.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332650619566370″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161117_124156.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ]

After tucking into some wonton soup (we were starting to get the hand of finding Chinese food we liked now) we headed back on the shuttle bus to Xi`an to find our hostel.  By the time we finally got in it was dark and we were extemely tired and hungry- the overnight train journey had definitely taken its toll on us!  On the plus side we were given a free welcome beer at the hostel….  Result!  After a quick shower we headed back into the hostel bar for another beer and soon realised we weren`t leaving.  Too tired/lazy 😉 We therefore ate some lovely food there and got a well deserved early night J.

 

November 18th

We awoke a little bleary eyed today after the exertions of the previous few days and decided we needed to brush away some cobwebs with excercise.  Xi`an has very well preserved and maintained city wall which are wide enough to cycle around the top of- what better way to see the city?  The 14km cycle took us a little less than two hours and when we came down we felt much more awake!  The old city wall give an indication of how important and busy a city this once was.  Xi`an is the old capital of China and must have been a hugely important city to have had such a large area enclosed by a city wall.

[peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-e7t3aLZo7-k/WGuFSed7cUI/AAAAAAAANEQ/iFI42MVB2FIt9a64OOEY9jyU9JgKFvpHQCCo/s144-o/IMG-20161120-WA0017.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332650308432194″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”IMG-20161120-WA0017.jpg” image_size=”1200×1600″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Akk9G2miDGQ/WGuFSdThT9I/AAAAAAAANEQ/7ao1xEPnJgcxIL6Y8F0NNn2sw-y80YIHgCCo/s144-o/IMG-20161120-WA0008.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332649996341202″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”IMG-20161120-WA0008.jpg” image_size=”1280×960″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ggh6MCH1r8Y/WGuFSR8QKrI/AAAAAAAANEQ/ijrM2Y7b_v8VifGHWqhzaoI5THTD4dx_ACCo/s144-o/IMG-20161120-WA0006.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332646945958578″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”IMG-20161120-WA0006.jpg” image_size=”1600×1200″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-rBoo53vsbM0/WGuFSfxjmnI/AAAAAAAANEQ/b3qdvHzEq7AbKiVYqClgUVfSCV6fmsqcQCCo/s144-o/20161118_135112.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332650659191410″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161118_135112.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-YsYdLx1loiM/WGuFSYTsRdI/AAAAAAAANEQ/G1wGgf-WHpAHy0t9K__A8It4RPzeC-g2ACCo/s144-o/20161118_133417.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332648654882258″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161118_133417.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-kf8aqbOF6bc/WGuFSX97bgI/AAAAAAAANEQ/7DOX1jG2PW0UVq_XM4lND9n1tFwvgQw9ACCo/s144-o/20161118_132743.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332648563600898″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161118_132743.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ]

After our wall trip we ate a bit of lunch in a noodle bar and then hit the other `must see` sights of Xi`an namely… the bell tower and the drum tower!  Of course, we`d already seen one of each of these in Beijing and we were curious to see how the differed here.  The answer is not a lot!  Although they were very nicely preserved buildings, we weren`t enthralled enough to linger and soon moved on to look for some dinner.  Happily, we stumbled upon another night market with more tasty looking street food!  They also had some rather nice terracotta warrior chess sets…which I had to buy despite the obvious problems associated with carrying a chess set around for months J ….(I, Aoife, used my well-honed haggling skills on the vendors in Xi’An, and got Seb a steal of a deal on the chess set ;))

The market was a bit different from Beijing and apart from being cheaper than Wanfujing Road market, the food was also tastier.  We were enthralled by the street vendors preparing their food on the street whilst they sold it, in particular the kebab guys who were carving raw meat off carcasses hanging in front of their grills before skewering it up and getting grilling.  At least you knew what you were eating was real lamb and not dog or some other alternative!  We also tried the Chinese beef burger on account of it having the largest queue of locals in front of the stall- it was actually worth the wait!  Kind of like the shredded brisket burgers you get in trendy London bars now (except about a 10th the price!)

[peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-sILvHMVzO0Y/WGuFSYe7jDI/AAAAAAAANEQ/hXDzDaC9WCEdDg2z7f02JA32662cOT-VwCCo/s144-o/20161118_171344_001.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332648702020658″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161118_171344_001.jpg” image_size=”2988×5312″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-3F-4WV5qZtM/WGuFScMgfKI/AAAAAAAANEQ/3yIThkLVkRsLNTwJB9DRFJmL1HgN0TapACCo/s144-o/20161118_183932.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332649698491554″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161118_183932.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-OeCcdJEayLE/WGuFSTD1K5I/AAAAAAAANEQ/3KqXcc0sh0k9xyha82Aob_aEvHzKXmpJgCCo/s144-o/20161118_175551.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332647246179218″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161118_175551.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-pjZ5vxNqeRE/WGuFSeH7lWI/AAAAAAAANEQ/EXrYD35V8f4_U-AcBRorTAKK3evtjcstACCo/s144-o/20161118_172438.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332650216166754″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161118_172438.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-SxmA_Gu4NGk/WGuFScxJStI/AAAAAAAANEQ/m0vBgtD8BAAQFC5jZETYJWU5z_YCgarQQCCo/s144-o/20161118_172217.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332649852160722″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161118_172217.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-LpX4hza4suc/WGuFSXU6dXI/AAAAAAAANEQ/GaYcmkOjlkEM1AdLr1BtG9x31nkBrvQbgCCo/s144-o/20161118_172145.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332648391570802″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161118_172145.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-duVBbEtnJ3A/WGuFSXM_VGI/AAAAAAAANEQ/Zdope1qlMPYOJS3wC4Ws4sUC9kQfPX4KwCCo/s144-o/20161118_172033_001.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332648358335586″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161118_172033_001.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-nQ-NR0wG5cQ/WGuFSfM6paI/AAAAAAAANEQ/9bWnpBUfAmc-RiA8mXc2VeUc1ddrIKwLwCCo/s144-o/20161118_171921.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332650505512354″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161118_171921.jpg” image_size=”2988×5312″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-D-KmNw1LX0Q/WGuFSct2HzI/AAAAAAAANEQ/4ZJ92OKgG48dE7UXfJUePzRQx9JG2Kj7gCCo/s144-o/20161118_171839.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332649838321458″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161118_171839.jpg” image_size=”2988×5312″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-96KaHKlKE4c/WGuFSeyvFkI/AAAAAAAANEQ/D8eAIjXyJtA6orgqidjZBH-MLOzjvOzOwCCo/s144-o/20161118_171315.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332650395702850″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161118_171315.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-UjUW9yeYp8Q/WGuFSWf397I/AAAAAAAANEQ/qVT09VUfqxExHgYjjaOtL2Z0r7nhWMV6wCCo/s144-o/20161118_164725.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332648169109426″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161118_164725.jpg” image_size=”2988×5312″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-K3Wjjwswz88/WGuFSQ8DdRI/AAAAAAAANEQ/IVtYD0TzxYoQ1Gt4i0kqUj18hatKxLdcwCCo/s144-o/20161118_162948.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332646676690194″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161118_162948.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-6SE2P0FUP9w/WGuFSYHEbzI/AAAAAAAANEQ/YanRAeziu_gpYAqzObKUhjIQLfEie609QCCo/s144-o/20161118_162913.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332648601939762″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161118_162913.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-E5GJWMpycEU/WGuFSVwBRvI/AAAAAAAANEQ/0jTVLdHqI04SViz8iZpCLmFamImBLTEFQCCo/s144-o/20161118_161548.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332647968392946″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161118_161548.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ]

Finally, the time came for us to get on board our train for Shanghai.  It had been a whistle stop tour of Xi`an but probably about the right amount of time; we settled into our bunks in eager anticipation of what we might find in China`s biggest city!

[peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-iFzb8blFrLM/WGuFSTA-38I/AAAAAAAANEQ/0BZdPkpFT9cHXYbrbxWa6VJLRiAxqoI7QCCo/s144-o/IMG-20161120-WA0039.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332647234232258″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”IMG-20161120-WA0039.jpg” image_size=”1600×1200″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-mX1jP993SrE/WGuFSeM8_-I/AAAAAAAANEQ/RZhd_IZw8W4uEWGlOXstwJT3WQVurx3SACCo/s144-o/IMG-20161120-WA0038.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332650237231074″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”IMG-20161120-WA0038.jpg” image_size=”1600×1200″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-BPG25vajJ_w/WGuFSRnwMeI/AAAAAAAANEQ/jCmqJh2FVUwgq8pMUJF_N5NgXGKq7JaiwCCo/s144-o/20161119_140636.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332646859977186″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161119_140636.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-b_H5lekn-XE/WGuFSY6FH8I/AAAAAAAANEQ/5haEZd4zF6kSlIHHc_b1VXA8S15SAvKwACCo/s144-o/20161118_213916.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332648815894466″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161118_213916.jpg” image_size=”2988×5312″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Fb_749cKdwc/WGuFSeRqqnI/AAAAAAAANEQ/oscFwkKXCK0yRoLOFgov6KW67S_hKmlxQCCo/s144-o/20161118_213409.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6371332646546342417#6371332650257001074″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161118_213409.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ]