Our train trip on the CHR, which is the new fast train network, took just over four hours from Weifang to Beijing. The trip was very comfortable and several friendly locals chatted with us along the journey. One entertaining young man spoke excellent English - he works with CCTV (television) in advertising, so enjoys being able to speak both Chinese and English.
A Canadian man came up to chat with us when we were in the train. He told us how he has worked in China as a teacher of English since 2003 - each year he has a 10 month contract then he and his wife head home to Canada for 2 months. He told us he is an English Language co-ordinator for a large area in China and told us how he only employs Canadians and Americans and that he won't employ Australians, New Zealanders, South Africans and British - he said he doesn't want anyone with an accent teaching English!!!! I felt like giving him a serve about his loud personality and his loud twangy accent - but I said nothing and remained calm!!
Charlie told us not to worry about our transport in Beijing and that someone would be there at the train station to pick us up. Once again we entered a very busy train station and once again there was James at the front of the line to meet us. He had been in the north on business so was able to pick us up together with one of Charlie's twin sons, also named James. Charlie's twin boys are both almost 20 and attending University, James here in Beijing and Bob in Wuhan City. It was great to meet up with Charlie and his wife Kelly once again. We had visited in both 2006 and 2007. The only difference this time, is that Otmar and Antoinette are in Australia - it seems a little quiet without them. Wu now works for Charlie and for our stay in Beijing, he took us out and about to most places.
We spent one day with James and then the following day he flew to another city before flying home to Angela in Chongqing. In the evening we went down to the Restaurant street to the Mongolian Restaurant and had a very enjoyable hot pot dinner. As it can be difficult to obtain train tickets, Pat and James headed off to purchase our train tickets for the following Tuesday for the 13 hour train trip from Beijing to Erlian, close to the Mongolia border. Our Chinese visas will expire on the Wednesday, so we have to ensure we cross the border on or before the 15th June.
To help ease vehicle congestion on the streets and freeways in Beijing, the government has introduced a plan whereby you must not drive your vehicle on certain days of the week when the registration plate ends in particular numbers - for example - on Mondays if your registration number ends in either 2 or 7 you must leave your vehicle parked up - otherwise suffer the fine of 100 to 200 RMB (divide by 6.8 for Australian equivalent) for as many times as you are caught on the day. Tuesdays numbers are 3 and 6.
One day Wu, Pat and I headed out to the Olympic Stadium which is nicknamed The Birdsnest. On our last visit in '07 it was still under construction, in preparedness for the opening of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. The stadium is huge once inside - it was great to see it first hand - we spent a couple of hours walking around the different levels. Wu took us to the rebuilt hautong area of Beijing - it is a shame that the original hautong area has been razed to the ground and the modern "old design" structures stand in their place.
Charlie suggested that we have Chinese names for when we visit China as it is very difficult for Chinese people to pronounce our English names. My Chinese name is Wei Bo Sha (pronounced WE BOW SHA) and Pat's Chinese name is Wei Bai Cui (pronounced WE BUY TSUI) - Wei is the surname for Wells which is always placed at the front of the christian names. I think that's pretty cool!
We have been in Beijing twice before, so we didn't need to do much sight seeing, instead we enjoyed some casual shopping - particularly at the Silk Markets. On our Silk Market day, Charlie's wife Kelly joined us for lunch and then we continued shopping in the afternoon. We stocked up on some gifts for the family and had a great time, with both Kelly and Wu joining in the fun of the bargaining. A girl remembered Pat from 5 years ago when he bought a set of golf clubs from her - she said he was such a hard bargainer she can never forget him. I did mention that man loves to bargain!
Charlie comes from a village in the southern area of China, so he took us to meet some of his friends he grew up with in that same village. Over the years they all moved to Beijing and are in the throes of expanding their already booming media and film business. With the Chinese film industry at an all time high there is a lot of work available and many businesses have already established themselves as clients with them. We wished them the best of luck in their new and expanded venture.
After a tour of the business premises, we visited their apartment for fruit and tea, after which about 16 of us headed out to a restaurant for, once again, a magnificent meal. This round table (3 metre diameter) and lazy susan (2 metre diameter) would have to be the largest we have seen with a seating for 16. A little 5 year old girl sat next to me and we chatted a few words in English - yes she is now learning English at school.
Not too far from Charlie's home is a Home Furnishings and Building Materials Centre - we think Bunnings is big - this place covers blocks and the shops go on and on and on .... If you think of something to buy, yes it can be bought here. We spent many hours wandering around and checking out the gear .. it is mind boggling.
Not too far from the house, is what we refer to as the Restaurant Street - there must be about 50 restaurants fronting the street in a space of about 250 metres. As you can imagine, it's a different place for dinner each night - no need to double up here!
On our last day in Beijing we had quite a few things to do, namely post a box of shopping and gifts home and stock up on some of our depleted medications before heading into Mongolia. I very sheepishly made an appointment to have my hair cut and coloured - remembering full well that my last episode at a hairdresser in China left me with bright yellow hair - somewhat looking like Big Bird's sister!!! I need not have worried - the salon was excellent, the staff were friendly and the outcome was perfect - not to mention the price of 130 RMB, which is approximately $18.50 Australian.
We said goodbye to Kelly this morning, as she is travelling to Shenyang for a 3 day business trip and won't be able to join us for dinner this evening. She is hoping to fit another trip to Australia into her busy schedule and include some time to visit Dingo Beach for well earned relaxation.
It was our shout for dinner on our last night in Beijing, so it was suggested we go to a Western restaurant, which we did. All had a great time and seemed to enjoy the Western style food. Back home we finalised our packing in readiness for our train trip to Erlian on the Mongolian border the following morning.
After saying our goodbyes to Charlie, Wu and James took us to the main Beijing station. After boarding our train we checked into our cabin for the 13 hour journey to the border of China. The train trip was quite good until we started crossing the Gobi - dust came pouring into the carriage and it became quite a dusty journey in the last number of hours before arriving at Erlian. We decided to head up to the Restaurant Car to wash down the dust with a cold beer. We met up with a couple of Aussies also having a beer, so after lunch the blokes chatted on for quite some time. At Erlian we checked into a hotel close to the station - it was great to have showers and wash our clothes, to get rid of the dust.
In the morning we took a taxi to a busy square full of Russian Jeeps - this was to be our mode of transport to cross the Chinese border into Mongolia. It was quite an entertaining day with all the goings on and the unbelievable movement of people and goods. We made a monetary deal with the driver and he indicated for us to sit in the front bucket seat and the area between the two bucket seats, on which he placed a little carpet. We noticed there was very little leg space behind the front seats so were pretty happy with our positions.
Well the people kept coming and the goods kept coming! About an hour later when we were finally leaving there were the 3 of us in the two front bucket seats; 2 men and 2 ladies behind us in quite a small space; the back was loaded up with our back packs and many goods the people were taking across the border into Mongolia - when lo and behold he put 3 more ladies in the back with all the gear! There was one lady I could not even see - she was buried somewhere amongst the gear. To top it off, when we reached the border a box with a portacot was placed on the bonnet in front of the windscreen! Vehicles were loaded to the hilt - boxes and parcels were tied onto the back bumper - items were tied underneath the vehicle and just basically anywhere there was a space it was pretty quickly filled. What a day! Also lined up on both sides of the border are hundreds of loaded trucks waiting for clearance to cross.
After clearing immigration we headed into the Mongolian border town of Zamyn-Uud. We checked out the train station to buy onward train tickets - no such luck - after a lot of hours we found out that there is no ticket available for the next 5 days on the 17:35 train - we certainly did not want to spend 5 days in Zamyn-Uud, which is recorded as the hottest town in Mongolia. Pat and I decided to check into a hotel and come back later. A young Mongolian guy who attends University in Washington DC befriended us and said he would help us in any way he can. There were 4 other westerners there as well, so we were able to converse about our plight - we were all in the same boat.
We returned to the station a little while later and came across our Mongolian friend telling us he had the solution - we can buy tickets for the following evening for the express train to Ulaanbataar. I was standing back in the line and he told me he would buy our tickets for me. He went up to the front of the line - pushed past some people and the next minute he was asking for our 2 passports and 68,000 Togrog ($60 Australian) - he then exited the queue with our 2 soft sleeper tickets for the next night - yet another 13 hour train trip. How good - we would have still been in Zamyn-Uud if it had not been for him! We offered to tip him for helping us - he refused - he said he enjoyed being able to help. The other 4 westerners were also booked onto the same train. The only thing I was not looking forward to was the dusty overnight journey.
We walked up to the local Internet Cafe and logged onto our email - now we are in Mongolia we can access our GMail quite easily - also Google, Facebook and Blogs are now able to be accessed - thank goodness - it makes it a lot easier for us. Many Mongolian children surrounded us in the internet cafe - all saying hello in English and telling us their English names. They were great kids and we had a lot of fun with them on both of our visits to the internet cafe. Our tour company in Ulaanbataar sent an email to say that they will pick us up from our transport when we arrive in the city - that's something now that we won't have to worry about - excellent!
That afternoon we watched with great interest at the people lined up along the platform with all their stacked up boxes, bags and luggage heading for the central market place in Ulaanbaatar where they hope to make some good sales and also some extra money. We're actually very pleased that we were not able to get tickets on the 17:35 train!! After a pretty full day, we hit the hay onto a very hard bed and a seed pillow! Welcome to Mongolia!
We spent a leisurely day in and around Zamyn-Uud while we waited for our 21:35 train to Ulaanbataar. Check out time at the hotel is 5pm, which makes it very convenient when travelling on a night train.
Our train arrived and with trepidation I entered our carriage! What would be in store for us? Wow - no need to worry - the train was brilliant! The carriages are timber panelled, squeaky clean and the whole train is air conditioned! There'll be no dust in this train tonight! The provodnitsa (carriage attendant - she who must be obeyed) welcomed us onboard with a cup of tea and gave us our linen pack for our soft sleeper beds. A young Japanese man Yasuhiro joined us in our cabin and organised himself in the top bunk, leaving the 2 lower bunks for us. We put out the lights and locked the cabin door - we all had a great night's sleep in the dust-free, air-conditioned carriage. Even the toilets are kept very clean on this train.
Our driver picked us up at the station and took us to the tour company's office where we finalised plans for our 21 day overland tour of Mongolia, which will commence on 20th June.
Pat has been reading about the Guesthouses in UB, so after some walking around we checked into one he had read about - The Golden Gobi, which is easy to find alongside the State Department Building. This little place, where we will stay for the next 3 days, is a beehive of activity, with people coming and going all day long. There are all kinds of nationalities staying here and many different age groups - however I think I can say with certainty that we are the most senior residents! We went shopping at the deli and bought lovely bread, ham and cheese for lunch. In the evening we sat on the front patio with several travellers and listened to many interesting stories.
We haven't done many of the usual tourist jaunts around the city, as these places are being covered in the first and last day of our organised tour. There are many shops for buying local goods, which we enjoy checking out. In the evening we relaxed with a couple of drinks and sat on the front patio once again listening to the many interesting travellers' stories.
We have had a very eventful day today. Pat had a very restless sleep and kept waking up with excruciating pain in the left side of his mid to upper back. Checking out his symptoms in our medical books for travellers, did not clarify just what might be wrong. Pat being Pat, on the evening prior, he lifted and carried a large sack of onions into the kitchen of the Guesthouse - I told him to leave the work to the locals!! He just can't help himself - he always likes to help out.
We took a taxi over to the UB International Hospital and were welcomed by Benita, a Kiwi who is the Administration Manager and also a nurse and paramedic - immediately we felt we were in good hands. It was very heartening to hear that all the Doctors speak fluent English. She set about organising urine tests to commence before the Doctor arrived. We had the option of a Mongolian or Ex-Pat Doctor - Benita said take the Ex-Pat as he is just the best and is also an Orthopedic Surgeon. The Bulgarian Doctor arrived, gave Pat a very thorough examination, organised kidney scans and blood tests - later on he followed up with a drip to begin treatment.
The results were good - all Pat's tests are clear thankfully. It is very fortunate there is no kidney problem and Pat has been diagnosed with a badly strained back. He has been ordered to bed rest for the next few days before we head out of Ulanbaatar on our trip. The Doctor said he'll be fine to travel but also gave Pat strict instructions that he is not to horse ride or camel ride while on the trip. He was telling us that just this week he treated a man with a broken leg, after he was thrown from a horse; the second tragedy was when a lady's water bottle fell from her back while she was riding a camel - it frightened the camel and he threw her off. The lady is now in Singapore for treatment - he said very sadly that if she survives she will have brain damage. Good enough for us - there'll be no horse or camel riding on the trip. Pat is sleeping at the moment, so I have had the opportunity to finish off my blog. Till next time.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Friday, June 17, 2011
Dali in Yunnan Province to Chongqing and Weifang in Shandong Province
The taxi arrived at our Hotel early in the morning to take us to the bus, as promised, to head out of Dali to Lijiang. The ancient cities are so much more interesting than the new cities - they usually lie alongside each other. I heard two young Asian girls chatting behind us on the bus and I wondered why they were speaking in English. We met later on and found out that Yvonne and Ruth had come from Singapore and were doing a trip into the mountainous area of Yunnan Province. The reason for the English is that English is the primary language spoken in Singapore.
The girls were being picked up by a lady from a guesthouse in the ancient city of Shuhe, a few kilometres away from Lijiang. The lady said she had accommodation available for us also so we headed off to her guesthouse. Our landlady belongs to the Naxi minority group living in this area of China.
The following morning we hired a mini van and visited the ancient city of Lijiang. The cobblestone streets wind their way around the little town - small channels less than a metre wide are tucked into the side of these roadways and are fast flowing with fresh water from the mountains. Little shops and businesses front the streets and vendors are selling their wares. Following a big day out and a lovely dinner we headed back to our cosy room and had the best night's sleep in quite a while. The crisp mountain air is very nice here in Shuhe with an altitude of around 3,200 metres above sea level, halfway up the Tibetan plateau.
Pat was told that China has a plan to build 30,000 klms of fast rail line over the next few years. It is amazing how fast China is progressing, we have noticed quite a few changes since our last visits in 2006 and 2007. One huge environmental issue China is tackling is to rid the country of plastic bags - the people are just like us and trying to remember to always take their own bags for shopping.
In the ancient cities there are a couple of minority groups who are among the last remaining matriarcial societies in the world - the women work to earn a living - the women own the land and buildings and the husbands stay at home and look after the children and keep house. The women in this group are also able to have several husbands ... the mind boggles. These women make their own cloth and operate looms in their shops to make beautiful shawls for sale.
A trip out to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain National Park held a great surprise in store. The man, Zhang Limou, who produced and choreographed the opening of the Olympic Games in China, has staged the Lijiang Impressionist Show which is held daily at the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. This is not just a show - it is a spectacular with a cast of hundreds participating. There would have been about 2,500 people in attendance, with Pat and myself the only whities. In the spectacular there were participants from all the minority groups singing and dancing and telling their stories - the show came complete with horses - it was a wonderful spectacle.
After the show we took a bus to a chairlift and headed up in the chairs to the yak meadows at a height of 3,600 metres. We visited a Monastery and walked on a boardwalk through the yak meadow which was full of yaks happily grazing. One thing for sure is that we get plenty of walking on our travels - we must ensure we keep up the activity when we get back home.
We boarded the Shangri-La bound bus with Yvonnne and Ruth, but decided to stop off at Tiger Leaping Gorge which is one of the steepest gorges in the world - a length of 16 klms and a distance of 3,900 metres from the river to the top of the mountains. Pat clearly remembers learning about this gorge when he was a child, so it has been on his list of places to visit - his Bucket List. We spent the night at a village called Walnut Grove and enjoyed the hospitality of Tina's Guesthouse. The restaurant was on a deck overlooking the gorge - here at dinner we met a tour group who had completed a trek along the gorge that day. The group of 8 was comprised of New Zealanders, French, Swiss, Brazilians and headed by a Chinese lady.
We headed back to the village of Qiaotou the following morning and waited for our Shangri-La bound bus just outside a little restaurant. The staff were busy washing and preparing vegetables on the footpath, when the boss very kindly brought out two small stools for us to sit on while we waited for our bus. When the bus neared they all let us know that this was our bus - no chance of missing it.
We gave our bus driver the well deserved title of "The Best Bus Driver in China". He was a very courteous and safe driver who did not take crazy chances like all the others we have come across. I'm not sure how the road rules work here in China, but there seems to be no respect for other traffic, road markings, bike riders, bicycle riders and even pedestrians. If there is a space it seems that the driver will head for it - regardless if it's uphill going around a bend, crossing a double line or whatever! Drivers pull out in front of each other without looking - it seems that it must be the responsibility of the driver behind to ensure there is no collision. Your life is in your own hands even crossing the streets on pedestrian crossings - the traffic just keeps flowing through - it seems to be up to us to dodge the vehicles on the roadways which might be up to 5 lanes wide.
The driver let us off at Shangri-La's Old Town where we received an email from Yvonne and Ruth to say they had reserved a room for us at Nima Guesthouse where they are staying. Shangri-La which marks the start of the Tibetan world, changed its name from Zhongdian in the past few years. We really enjoyed walking the streets of this old city and sat down in the town square to enjoy a BBQ lunch which was cooked on wooden skewers over little BBQ's with open coals. We went back to the same lady each day for lunch while we were in Shangri-La .. she would see us heading in her direction and would beckon us over to her little table and chairs. At 7:00pm each evening the tables, chairs, BBQ's, stalls and umbrellas are all cleared away - in readiness for the local dancing and singing which continues on for many hours into the night.
We climbed the steps to visit the central Temple which has the world's largest prayer wheel at the top. The prayer wheel is painted gold and it can be turned with the assistance of at least 8 to 10 people. The following morning we hired a driver who took us out to the wetlands of Napa Lake nature reserve which is surrounded by a large grass meadow. Here we saw yaks, horses and sheep grazing on the grasslands and pigs roaming about - the spring flowers were also in bloom along the way. Our driver, who is the local Mayor of his village, took us into his home to see how they live. The Tibetan style house was very large with several rooms, including a very large sized prayer room and a kitchen with the most ornate woodwork we've ever seen in any home.
The driver took us to the wet markets where we saw yak, beef, fish, chicken and many other kinds of animals carved up for and displayed for sale. If the butcher has butchered a yak, for instance, the whole beast is on display on his counter with the head and hooves sitting at the front for inspection. It is so surprising that there are very few flies about and all the food is kept fresh and clean. Of course, the cooler temperatures would be a big help, unlike home where we have to keep everything refrigerated.
We have wi-fi in our room so it is great to be able to hook up to the internet and check our emails, even though the service is very slow indeed. When the sun begins to set the temperature drops considerably, so it is time to put on our jackets and scarves - we even had electric blankets to heat up the bed.
We met up with the Singaporian girls at Compass Cafe where we had a most welcomed cup of coffee - probably the best one to date. It started to rain and the power all went out, so this evening we went back to the Compass Cafe with Yvonne and Ruth for dinner and played the board game of Rummikub by candelight. The following morning we said goodbye to the girls and hope to meet up in Singapore on our return flight to Australia. We spent the day in the new city and did our washing in readiness for our flight the following morning. Our stay in Shangri-La was very enjoyable with clean fresh air and blue sky by day.
We had considered taking a bus to Chengdu but after discovering it would be a difficult 4 to 5 day trip over mountainous terrain we opted for the 1 hour flight across the mountains of the lower Tibet plateau. Our flight with Sichuan Airways was excellent and it was great to see the mountains from the air.
At Chengdu we checked into our hotel and headed out to do some shopping. We received an invitation to a Baby Shower for Kelli's new baby Bronagh Lee Jai-Wen Symonds, so decided we would like to send a gift for the shower seeing we would be unable to attend. We bought some gifts, found a post office and sent the package on its way to Mackay.
Chengdu is a lovely big city, but for us the pollution is an issue. We have come to Chengdu specifically to visit the Panda Research Centre - we have seen several documentaries on this centre and are happy to be able to see it for ourselves. We arrived at the centre at 7:15am the following morning and not surprisingly, we were the first in line to buy tickets. We left our bags at the Visitors' Centre and headed out on foot. The trip around the Panda Research Centre did not disappoint us - we would have seen at least 20 Pandas, from the playful young to the giant Pandas - many of whom put on a good show for us. Within the centre is another species called the Red Panda, which resembles an animal somewhere from a fox to a possum. Our visit to the Panda Research Centre was both excellent and enjoyable.
Now the fun begins .. we headed to Chengdu Train Station to book tickets on the fast train to Chongqing, where we will meet up with James and Angela (English names). We met James in Beijing in 2006 and then in 2008 he visited us at Dingo Beach, when Otmar and Antoinette brought him for a visit while he was on business in Australia. The train station was packed - there were about 50 queues of people and all with at least 100 people in them ... where do we begin?? We moved twice and then on the third attempt to join a queue Pat suggested I work my way along the line to see if anyone could speak English to help direct me to the correct window to buy the tickets to Chongqing. As I worked my way down the line people smiled at me but no one spoke English, until finally I came upon a lovely man and his wife who told me to stand in front of them and they will help me buy the tickets - a stroke of genius as he was about 6 people from the front of the queue. Within 15 minutes I was at the ticket counter and confirmed on the next train in about 2 hours time .. brilliant! I thanked the couple profusely and we then headed out for lunch before our fast train departure time.
We wondered how we would spot James at Chongqing train station - but the worry was not necessary - he was standing right in the front row at arrivals waving to us as we came through the barriers. It was great to see him and after getting into a taxi we headed to the Carol Hotel where James had booked us into a beautiful big room on the 21st floor. The room was very spacious and gave us fabulous views of all the river traffic up and down the Yangzi River.
Angela arrived a short time later and we all headed out to dinner. The Chinese love food and they love to eat .. our time in Chongqing has been fantastic and just like a great food festival. Nearby to our hotel is a newly built complex in the old Chinese style, complete with laneways and merchants called The Cave. We visited a couple of restaurants there and did some shopping.
We visited the Three Gorges Dam Museum and spent many hours enjoying the exhibits. At some of the laneways merchants make their own sweets - one such sweet is like a peanut brittle - the Chinese were very impressed at Pat's prowess on the large wooden mallet - flattening out the sweet's mixture. Of course, there are samples to be had along the way, so there's no reason to be hungry.
Sichuan Province is famous for the very spicy hot food they prepare, so Pat was ready for the challenge. We went to a restaurant where they served a hot pot with 2 rows for cooking the food in - the inner row was not spicy and the outside row was extremely spicy. James usually does not eat the hot spicy food, but together he and Pat made a formidable pair - I was more cautious and preferred to eat the milder dish.
On our final day in Chongqing we packed our bags in readiness for our flight to Weifang in Shandon Province. James and Angela met us and we went to the Inter-Continental Hotel for an amazing lunch - I enjoyed the coffee so much I backed up for a second cup. We said goodbye to Angela and wished her well for her forthcoming marriage to James, possibly next January. Angela is a beautiful young lady - we told James he is a very lucky man to have found such a wonderful future wife. Together with James we headed out to the airport - we boarded our 50 seater aircraft for our flight to Weifang and James prepared for his flight to Beijing.
Arriving in Weifang, we were enthusiastically met by Zhang & Yu and some other members of their family. We met Zhang and her family in China in 2006 and then in 2007 we met up in Beijing and she came to Australia to spend two months with us. It was an experience of a lifetime for her and a very enjoyable experience for us. It is amazing how people can communicate without a common language and a common background - but believe me - it can be done. In Zhang's time with us she travelled between Sydney in NSW and Dingo Beach in Queensland - we even fitted in a trip up to Home Hill and Ayr for a few days.
After arriving at the airport we headed off in two cars to meet Zhang's brother and his family - following the meeting we set off for a banquet dinner at a restaurant nearby. Zhang was very excited to show us her new car - since her trip to Australia she decided to get her licence and buy herself a car - it must be amazing for her to have achieved such independence in her 60's.
It was great to arrive back at Zhang & Yu's - into a comfy bed in a lovely big room, where we slept soundly for the next nine hours. Their grandaughter Tong Tong arrived at her grandparents' home for lunch. We last saw her when she was 9 years of age - she is now 14 years of age and a couple of inches taller than I am. Tong Tong has been learning English for quite a number of years now, so we have been able to have some wonderful conversations with her. It is also good experience for her to speak in English. Her grandparents are very impressed at her ability to converse so well with us. Unfortunately Tong Tong's parents are both working away from Weifang so we will not have the opportunity to meet up with them this time.
There are beautiful botanical gardens and a river close by to Zhang & Yu's home, so every evening after dinner we head out for a walk of about 3 to 5 kilometres. The pathways follow the river and are bordered on all sides by beautiful shrubs and trees. We have been very impressed by the number of gardens and parklands in Weifang, so I asked Zhang for some information. She told me that the government have many large nurseries and in the last few years they have taken on a programme to beautify the city of Weifang. Well they have done an amazing job, as the rivers, walkways and gardens - all complete with beautiful lighting are truly fantastic.
I have given Zhang's washing machine a good run - it's great to give our clothes a thorough washing. Every night when we travel we wash our clothes out by hand and hang them in the bathroom overnight to dry.
With Tong Tong's help we managed to set Skype up on Zhang's computer, so we've been catching up on a few calls - it's particularly great to be able to see our grandchildren, Flynn, Liam and Ayla.
We received wonderful news from Kelli and Lawrence - that being, they are going to Taiwan to pick up their new daughter, Bronagh Lee Jai-Wen Symonds on July 1st and will be there for 2 weeks. They asked if it would be possible for us to meet them in Taiwan to spend a few days with Bronagh - so as we say - nothing is impossible. We are now in the process of making inquiries for our travel to Taiwan.
Zhang took us to her Art Class where we met her teacher and fellow students. It was very interesting to see their style of painting. Following the class we were invited to have our photographs taken with the teacher and his students. We were made feel very welcome and enjoyed the experience.
We have met several members of Zhang's family including another son, daughter in law and their son. Families are still governed by the one child policy, however there are some exceptions to the rule. The latest we have heard is that if husband and wife are both an only child then they have permission to have two children. China has realised that the one child policy will create some issues down the track as there won't be enough population to do all the work and subsequently care for the aging population.
I have been having some interesting conversations with Zhang's grandaughter, Tong Tong (14 years of age) in relation to her education and how her days are managed. I'll write an outline of my understanding of her general day at home and at school where she is studying eight subjects, including English. She has gained recognition for her achievements in English - a Bronze Medal for her city Weifang with a population of 9 million, a Silver Medal for her Province of Shandong with a population of 95 million, and a Bronze Medal for the whole of her country of China which has a total population of 1.6 billion - now that is really some achievement. Congratulations Tong Tong!
An outline of Tong Tong's Day: 6:00 am Tong Tong arises; 7:00 am she leaves on her bicycle for school; 7:30 am she must be seated at her desk in school for lessons to begin; 11:30 am she rides her bicycle to her grandmother's for lunch: 1:45 pm she returns to school on her bicycle to commence her lessons at 2:00 pm; 6:00 pm she leaves school and rides her bicycle to her home; 7:00pm after dinner she begins her homework and studies into the night; 12 midnight she goes to bed to have 6 hours sleep before rising.
The Chinese have a very committed and determined attitude toward study and education, it's no wonder that so many of them are high achievers. Tong Tong told me that only 66% of school students will achieve high enough marks to enter higher education and University, so it is very necessary for her to be very dedicated to her lessons and studies. Tong Tong also attends night school on Friday nights and attends special classes on Saturday - quite a work load for a 14 year old wouldn't you agree?
Zhang's husband Yu, often indicates to us that he grows his own vegetables, so we set off after a delicious Hot Pot lunch with some family members to visit what they call the plantation. It is alongside a major dam and is a series of market gardens which are individually fenced off with low bamboo fencing. Yu has his own allotment in which he grows many vegetables, eg radishes, lettuce, shallots, beans and other leafy green vegetables which we cannot identify. On the lower reaches of the dam there is a beautiful golf course and many gardens.
We headed home in the afternoon thinking that was the end of a great day, but no, we all prepared then to go out to a restaurant for an evening meal. We met up with some more very close family friends and went to a magnificent restaurant where we were shown to a private room. The food was really delicious - and the dishes just kept coming!
We were given boxes of beautiful gifts to take home with us, particularly kites for which Weifang is world famous as the International Kite Capital of the World. As these boxes are bigger than our back packs we'll pack them all up and ship a carton home to Australia. I'll list some of the names of the family and friends - you'll see and understand why I have to write the names down - here's a sample - Zhang Li Li; Jing Jing; Liu Jian She; Sun Ming Xiang; Wang Yi Xuan; Wang Quan Yong; Zhang Sheng Tang; Jiang Lan Fang; Zhang Xiao Min; Yu Wei; Yao Ning Ning; Yu Xiao Long; Zhang Lian Fang; Yu Hua Hui and the lovely Tong Tong. They are all so generous and very kind - they won't let us pay for anything but we have told them we will take them all out to a special restaurant before we head to Beijing later in the week.
Pat enjoys visiting the local fruit and vegetable markets which are close by to Zhang & Yu's home - he always comes back with lovely fresh food which he enjoys bargaining for. That man loves a bargain!
We had a good giggle today while we were on the local bus back from the city, where we managed to buy some footwear for our grandchildren. Two young girls standing near Pat were fascinated at the hair growing on his arms and giggled when they touched his arms - Asian men are fairly hairless. Just after that two ladies behind me were touching and feeling my curly hair - I guess because theirs is so straight and flat - we all had a good laugh.
Tonight Zhang and Yu presented us with two large paintings (which fortunately fit inside a cardboard postage roll) - Zhang has spent two months completing these paintings which are gifts from them to us, their Australian friends. It is amazing to see the detail and the work in these paintings, which we will treasure.
Our fast train tickets from Weifang to Beijing are booked for Thursday, where we will be met by Charlie. We met Charlie (through Otmar) in 2006 and 2007 on previous trips to Beijing. We are looking forward to meeting up with Charlie and his wife Kelly once again. They have twin boys who are both at University - one is in Wuhan and one is in Beijing.
This afternoon we made confirmation of the changes to our flights and we are now booked to fly into Taipei on 11th July to meet up with Kelli, Lawrence and Bronagh - it's going to be so exciting to have the opportunity to meet our new little grandaughter.
Fangtze is an area of Weifang, which is comprised of many German buildings from over 100 years ago. Some of these buildings are being bulldozed in the name of progress but a collection of them are being preserved and comprise a little village, complete with what was once a hospital. German beers are available for sale and an Art Gallery in the old hospital is a big attraction.
We have spent 9 fantastic days in Weifang, so on our last night, we took Zhang, Yu, family and friends out for dinner. Pat booked a private room in a restaurant close by to their home, so we were able to walk to the venue. Tong Tong sat between Pat and myself, so she was able to translate the conversations in both Chinese and English. Tong Tong told me that at school, the most important lessons for the students are English and Maths and that she enjoys the English very much. We have invited Tong Tong to visit us in Australia for a holiday when she is a little older - we told her family that we would look after her. Tong Tong thinks it is a very good idea.
The following morning we were awake early and prepared for our fast train trip to Beijing. Zhang was very sad that we were leaving, but we told her that perhaps we can visit Weifang's International Kite Festival another year - she is happy that we would like to do that.
The girls were being picked up by a lady from a guesthouse in the ancient city of Shuhe, a few kilometres away from Lijiang. The lady said she had accommodation available for us also so we headed off to her guesthouse. Our landlady belongs to the Naxi minority group living in this area of China.
The following morning we hired a mini van and visited the ancient city of Lijiang. The cobblestone streets wind their way around the little town - small channels less than a metre wide are tucked into the side of these roadways and are fast flowing with fresh water from the mountains. Little shops and businesses front the streets and vendors are selling their wares. Following a big day out and a lovely dinner we headed back to our cosy room and had the best night's sleep in quite a while. The crisp mountain air is very nice here in Shuhe with an altitude of around 3,200 metres above sea level, halfway up the Tibetan plateau.
Pat was told that China has a plan to build 30,000 klms of fast rail line over the next few years. It is amazing how fast China is progressing, we have noticed quite a few changes since our last visits in 2006 and 2007. One huge environmental issue China is tackling is to rid the country of plastic bags - the people are just like us and trying to remember to always take their own bags for shopping.
In the ancient cities there are a couple of minority groups who are among the last remaining matriarcial societies in the world - the women work to earn a living - the women own the land and buildings and the husbands stay at home and look after the children and keep house. The women in this group are also able to have several husbands ... the mind boggles. These women make their own cloth and operate looms in their shops to make beautiful shawls for sale.
A trip out to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain National Park held a great surprise in store. The man, Zhang Limou, who produced and choreographed the opening of the Olympic Games in China, has staged the Lijiang Impressionist Show which is held daily at the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. This is not just a show - it is a spectacular with a cast of hundreds participating. There would have been about 2,500 people in attendance, with Pat and myself the only whities. In the spectacular there were participants from all the minority groups singing and dancing and telling their stories - the show came complete with horses - it was a wonderful spectacle.
After the show we took a bus to a chairlift and headed up in the chairs to the yak meadows at a height of 3,600 metres. We visited a Monastery and walked on a boardwalk through the yak meadow which was full of yaks happily grazing. One thing for sure is that we get plenty of walking on our travels - we must ensure we keep up the activity when we get back home.
We boarded the Shangri-La bound bus with Yvonnne and Ruth, but decided to stop off at Tiger Leaping Gorge which is one of the steepest gorges in the world - a length of 16 klms and a distance of 3,900 metres from the river to the top of the mountains. Pat clearly remembers learning about this gorge when he was a child, so it has been on his list of places to visit - his Bucket List. We spent the night at a village called Walnut Grove and enjoyed the hospitality of Tina's Guesthouse. The restaurant was on a deck overlooking the gorge - here at dinner we met a tour group who had completed a trek along the gorge that day. The group of 8 was comprised of New Zealanders, French, Swiss, Brazilians and headed by a Chinese lady.
We headed back to the village of Qiaotou the following morning and waited for our Shangri-La bound bus just outside a little restaurant. The staff were busy washing and preparing vegetables on the footpath, when the boss very kindly brought out two small stools for us to sit on while we waited for our bus. When the bus neared they all let us know that this was our bus - no chance of missing it.
We gave our bus driver the well deserved title of "The Best Bus Driver in China". He was a very courteous and safe driver who did not take crazy chances like all the others we have come across. I'm not sure how the road rules work here in China, but there seems to be no respect for other traffic, road markings, bike riders, bicycle riders and even pedestrians. If there is a space it seems that the driver will head for it - regardless if it's uphill going around a bend, crossing a double line or whatever! Drivers pull out in front of each other without looking - it seems that it must be the responsibility of the driver behind to ensure there is no collision. Your life is in your own hands even crossing the streets on pedestrian crossings - the traffic just keeps flowing through - it seems to be up to us to dodge the vehicles on the roadways which might be up to 5 lanes wide.
The driver let us off at Shangri-La's Old Town where we received an email from Yvonne and Ruth to say they had reserved a room for us at Nima Guesthouse where they are staying. Shangri-La which marks the start of the Tibetan world, changed its name from Zhongdian in the past few years. We really enjoyed walking the streets of this old city and sat down in the town square to enjoy a BBQ lunch which was cooked on wooden skewers over little BBQ's with open coals. We went back to the same lady each day for lunch while we were in Shangri-La .. she would see us heading in her direction and would beckon us over to her little table and chairs. At 7:00pm each evening the tables, chairs, BBQ's, stalls and umbrellas are all cleared away - in readiness for the local dancing and singing which continues on for many hours into the night.
We climbed the steps to visit the central Temple which has the world's largest prayer wheel at the top. The prayer wheel is painted gold and it can be turned with the assistance of at least 8 to 10 people. The following morning we hired a driver who took us out to the wetlands of Napa Lake nature reserve which is surrounded by a large grass meadow. Here we saw yaks, horses and sheep grazing on the grasslands and pigs roaming about - the spring flowers were also in bloom along the way. Our driver, who is the local Mayor of his village, took us into his home to see how they live. The Tibetan style house was very large with several rooms, including a very large sized prayer room and a kitchen with the most ornate woodwork we've ever seen in any home.
The driver took us to the wet markets where we saw yak, beef, fish, chicken and many other kinds of animals carved up for and displayed for sale. If the butcher has butchered a yak, for instance, the whole beast is on display on his counter with the head and hooves sitting at the front for inspection. It is so surprising that there are very few flies about and all the food is kept fresh and clean. Of course, the cooler temperatures would be a big help, unlike home where we have to keep everything refrigerated.
We have wi-fi in our room so it is great to be able to hook up to the internet and check our emails, even though the service is very slow indeed. When the sun begins to set the temperature drops considerably, so it is time to put on our jackets and scarves - we even had electric blankets to heat up the bed.
We met up with the Singaporian girls at Compass Cafe where we had a most welcomed cup of coffee - probably the best one to date. It started to rain and the power all went out, so this evening we went back to the Compass Cafe with Yvonne and Ruth for dinner and played the board game of Rummikub by candelight. The following morning we said goodbye to the girls and hope to meet up in Singapore on our return flight to Australia. We spent the day in the new city and did our washing in readiness for our flight the following morning. Our stay in Shangri-La was very enjoyable with clean fresh air and blue sky by day.
We had considered taking a bus to Chengdu but after discovering it would be a difficult 4 to 5 day trip over mountainous terrain we opted for the 1 hour flight across the mountains of the lower Tibet plateau. Our flight with Sichuan Airways was excellent and it was great to see the mountains from the air.
At Chengdu we checked into our hotel and headed out to do some shopping. We received an invitation to a Baby Shower for Kelli's new baby Bronagh Lee Jai-Wen Symonds, so decided we would like to send a gift for the shower seeing we would be unable to attend. We bought some gifts, found a post office and sent the package on its way to Mackay.
Chengdu is a lovely big city, but for us the pollution is an issue. We have come to Chengdu specifically to visit the Panda Research Centre - we have seen several documentaries on this centre and are happy to be able to see it for ourselves. We arrived at the centre at 7:15am the following morning and not surprisingly, we were the first in line to buy tickets. We left our bags at the Visitors' Centre and headed out on foot. The trip around the Panda Research Centre did not disappoint us - we would have seen at least 20 Pandas, from the playful young to the giant Pandas - many of whom put on a good show for us. Within the centre is another species called the Red Panda, which resembles an animal somewhere from a fox to a possum. Our visit to the Panda Research Centre was both excellent and enjoyable.
Now the fun begins .. we headed to Chengdu Train Station to book tickets on the fast train to Chongqing, where we will meet up with James and Angela (English names). We met James in Beijing in 2006 and then in 2008 he visited us at Dingo Beach, when Otmar and Antoinette brought him for a visit while he was on business in Australia. The train station was packed - there were about 50 queues of people and all with at least 100 people in them ... where do we begin?? We moved twice and then on the third attempt to join a queue Pat suggested I work my way along the line to see if anyone could speak English to help direct me to the correct window to buy the tickets to Chongqing. As I worked my way down the line people smiled at me but no one spoke English, until finally I came upon a lovely man and his wife who told me to stand in front of them and they will help me buy the tickets - a stroke of genius as he was about 6 people from the front of the queue. Within 15 minutes I was at the ticket counter and confirmed on the next train in about 2 hours time .. brilliant! I thanked the couple profusely and we then headed out for lunch before our fast train departure time.
We wondered how we would spot James at Chongqing train station - but the worry was not necessary - he was standing right in the front row at arrivals waving to us as we came through the barriers. It was great to see him and after getting into a taxi we headed to the Carol Hotel where James had booked us into a beautiful big room on the 21st floor. The room was very spacious and gave us fabulous views of all the river traffic up and down the Yangzi River.
Angela arrived a short time later and we all headed out to dinner. The Chinese love food and they love to eat .. our time in Chongqing has been fantastic and just like a great food festival. Nearby to our hotel is a newly built complex in the old Chinese style, complete with laneways and merchants called The Cave. We visited a couple of restaurants there and did some shopping.
We visited the Three Gorges Dam Museum and spent many hours enjoying the exhibits. At some of the laneways merchants make their own sweets - one such sweet is like a peanut brittle - the Chinese were very impressed at Pat's prowess on the large wooden mallet - flattening out the sweet's mixture. Of course, there are samples to be had along the way, so there's no reason to be hungry.
Sichuan Province is famous for the very spicy hot food they prepare, so Pat was ready for the challenge. We went to a restaurant where they served a hot pot with 2 rows for cooking the food in - the inner row was not spicy and the outside row was extremely spicy. James usually does not eat the hot spicy food, but together he and Pat made a formidable pair - I was more cautious and preferred to eat the milder dish.
On our final day in Chongqing we packed our bags in readiness for our flight to Weifang in Shandon Province. James and Angela met us and we went to the Inter-Continental Hotel for an amazing lunch - I enjoyed the coffee so much I backed up for a second cup. We said goodbye to Angela and wished her well for her forthcoming marriage to James, possibly next January. Angela is a beautiful young lady - we told James he is a very lucky man to have found such a wonderful future wife. Together with James we headed out to the airport - we boarded our 50 seater aircraft for our flight to Weifang and James prepared for his flight to Beijing.
Arriving in Weifang, we were enthusiastically met by Zhang & Yu and some other members of their family. We met Zhang and her family in China in 2006 and then in 2007 we met up in Beijing and she came to Australia to spend two months with us. It was an experience of a lifetime for her and a very enjoyable experience for us. It is amazing how people can communicate without a common language and a common background - but believe me - it can be done. In Zhang's time with us she travelled between Sydney in NSW and Dingo Beach in Queensland - we even fitted in a trip up to Home Hill and Ayr for a few days.
After arriving at the airport we headed off in two cars to meet Zhang's brother and his family - following the meeting we set off for a banquet dinner at a restaurant nearby. Zhang was very excited to show us her new car - since her trip to Australia she decided to get her licence and buy herself a car - it must be amazing for her to have achieved such independence in her 60's.
It was great to arrive back at Zhang & Yu's - into a comfy bed in a lovely big room, where we slept soundly for the next nine hours. Their grandaughter Tong Tong arrived at her grandparents' home for lunch. We last saw her when she was 9 years of age - she is now 14 years of age and a couple of inches taller than I am. Tong Tong has been learning English for quite a number of years now, so we have been able to have some wonderful conversations with her. It is also good experience for her to speak in English. Her grandparents are very impressed at her ability to converse so well with us. Unfortunately Tong Tong's parents are both working away from Weifang so we will not have the opportunity to meet up with them this time.
There are beautiful botanical gardens and a river close by to Zhang & Yu's home, so every evening after dinner we head out for a walk of about 3 to 5 kilometres. The pathways follow the river and are bordered on all sides by beautiful shrubs and trees. We have been very impressed by the number of gardens and parklands in Weifang, so I asked Zhang for some information. She told me that the government have many large nurseries and in the last few years they have taken on a programme to beautify the city of Weifang. Well they have done an amazing job, as the rivers, walkways and gardens - all complete with beautiful lighting are truly fantastic.
I have given Zhang's washing machine a good run - it's great to give our clothes a thorough washing. Every night when we travel we wash our clothes out by hand and hang them in the bathroom overnight to dry.
With Tong Tong's help we managed to set Skype up on Zhang's computer, so we've been catching up on a few calls - it's particularly great to be able to see our grandchildren, Flynn, Liam and Ayla.
We received wonderful news from Kelli and Lawrence - that being, they are going to Taiwan to pick up their new daughter, Bronagh Lee Jai-Wen Symonds on July 1st and will be there for 2 weeks. They asked if it would be possible for us to meet them in Taiwan to spend a few days with Bronagh - so as we say - nothing is impossible. We are now in the process of making inquiries for our travel to Taiwan.
Zhang took us to her Art Class where we met her teacher and fellow students. It was very interesting to see their style of painting. Following the class we were invited to have our photographs taken with the teacher and his students. We were made feel very welcome and enjoyed the experience.
We have met several members of Zhang's family including another son, daughter in law and their son. Families are still governed by the one child policy, however there are some exceptions to the rule. The latest we have heard is that if husband and wife are both an only child then they have permission to have two children. China has realised that the one child policy will create some issues down the track as there won't be enough population to do all the work and subsequently care for the aging population.
I have been having some interesting conversations with Zhang's grandaughter, Tong Tong (14 years of age) in relation to her education and how her days are managed. I'll write an outline of my understanding of her general day at home and at school where she is studying eight subjects, including English. She has gained recognition for her achievements in English - a Bronze Medal for her city Weifang with a population of 9 million, a Silver Medal for her Province of Shandong with a population of 95 million, and a Bronze Medal for the whole of her country of China which has a total population of 1.6 billion - now that is really some achievement. Congratulations Tong Tong!
An outline of Tong Tong's Day: 6:00 am Tong Tong arises; 7:00 am she leaves on her bicycle for school; 7:30 am she must be seated at her desk in school for lessons to begin; 11:30 am she rides her bicycle to her grandmother's for lunch: 1:45 pm she returns to school on her bicycle to commence her lessons at 2:00 pm; 6:00 pm she leaves school and rides her bicycle to her home; 7:00pm after dinner she begins her homework and studies into the night; 12 midnight she goes to bed to have 6 hours sleep before rising.
The Chinese have a very committed and determined attitude toward study and education, it's no wonder that so many of them are high achievers. Tong Tong told me that only 66% of school students will achieve high enough marks to enter higher education and University, so it is very necessary for her to be very dedicated to her lessons and studies. Tong Tong also attends night school on Friday nights and attends special classes on Saturday - quite a work load for a 14 year old wouldn't you agree?
Zhang's husband Yu, often indicates to us that he grows his own vegetables, so we set off after a delicious Hot Pot lunch with some family members to visit what they call the plantation. It is alongside a major dam and is a series of market gardens which are individually fenced off with low bamboo fencing. Yu has his own allotment in which he grows many vegetables, eg radishes, lettuce, shallots, beans and other leafy green vegetables which we cannot identify. On the lower reaches of the dam there is a beautiful golf course and many gardens.
We headed home in the afternoon thinking that was the end of a great day, but no, we all prepared then to go out to a restaurant for an evening meal. We met up with some more very close family friends and went to a magnificent restaurant where we were shown to a private room. The food was really delicious - and the dishes just kept coming!
We were given boxes of beautiful gifts to take home with us, particularly kites for which Weifang is world famous as the International Kite Capital of the World. As these boxes are bigger than our back packs we'll pack them all up and ship a carton home to Australia. I'll list some of the names of the family and friends - you'll see and understand why I have to write the names down - here's a sample - Zhang Li Li; Jing Jing; Liu Jian She; Sun Ming Xiang; Wang Yi Xuan; Wang Quan Yong; Zhang Sheng Tang; Jiang Lan Fang; Zhang Xiao Min; Yu Wei; Yao Ning Ning; Yu Xiao Long; Zhang Lian Fang; Yu Hua Hui and the lovely Tong Tong. They are all so generous and very kind - they won't let us pay for anything but we have told them we will take them all out to a special restaurant before we head to Beijing later in the week.
Pat enjoys visiting the local fruit and vegetable markets which are close by to Zhang & Yu's home - he always comes back with lovely fresh food which he enjoys bargaining for. That man loves a bargain!
We had a good giggle today while we were on the local bus back from the city, where we managed to buy some footwear for our grandchildren. Two young girls standing near Pat were fascinated at the hair growing on his arms and giggled when they touched his arms - Asian men are fairly hairless. Just after that two ladies behind me were touching and feeling my curly hair - I guess because theirs is so straight and flat - we all had a good laugh.
Tonight Zhang and Yu presented us with two large paintings (which fortunately fit inside a cardboard postage roll) - Zhang has spent two months completing these paintings which are gifts from them to us, their Australian friends. It is amazing to see the detail and the work in these paintings, which we will treasure.
Our fast train tickets from Weifang to Beijing are booked for Thursday, where we will be met by Charlie. We met Charlie (through Otmar) in 2006 and 2007 on previous trips to Beijing. We are looking forward to meeting up with Charlie and his wife Kelly once again. They have twin boys who are both at University - one is in Wuhan and one is in Beijing.
This afternoon we made confirmation of the changes to our flights and we are now booked to fly into Taipei on 11th July to meet up with Kelli, Lawrence and Bronagh - it's going to be so exciting to have the opportunity to meet our new little grandaughter.
Fangtze is an area of Weifang, which is comprised of many German buildings from over 100 years ago. Some of these buildings are being bulldozed in the name of progress but a collection of them are being preserved and comprise a little village, complete with what was once a hospital. German beers are available for sale and an Art Gallery in the old hospital is a big attraction.
We have spent 9 fantastic days in Weifang, so on our last night, we took Zhang, Yu, family and friends out for dinner. Pat booked a private room in a restaurant close by to their home, so we were able to walk to the venue. Tong Tong sat between Pat and myself, so she was able to translate the conversations in both Chinese and English. Tong Tong told me that at school, the most important lessons for the students are English and Maths and that she enjoys the English very much. We have invited Tong Tong to visit us in Australia for a holiday when she is a little older - we told her family that we would look after her. Tong Tong thinks it is a very good idea.
The following morning we were awake early and prepared for our fast train trip to Beijing. Zhang was very sad that we were leaving, but we told her that perhaps we can visit Weifang's International Kite Festival another year - she is happy that we would like to do that.
Northern Vietnam to Yunnan Province, China
We boarded the train from the Gold Coast to Brisbane International Airport and checked in with Singapore Airlines for our flights to Singapore and further onto Hanoi in North Vietnam. We're on our way.
Our advance booking at The Little Hanoi Hotel which included an airport pickup eliminated being hassled at the airport by the hoardes with "Please come to my Hotel" - it was especially welcome after 19 hours of travelling.
Heading into Hanoi on the freeway I was very quickly reminded we were actually in Vietnam - we passed a farmer on his scooter which had a .5 square metre wire cage loaded up with about 7 live piglets - all jammed in and hanging out through the wire in every which way. It was only a few minutes further on when we passed a scooter with a sole driver who was transporting two queen size mattresses which met at the top above his head! What a hoot!
The Little Hanoi Hotel is in the French Quarter of Hanoi, close by to most places. Our accommodation at $28 US per night for a double deluxe room includes breakfast each morning and complimentary airport/train transfers. Our room is large with a massive king size bed and this little hotel is as clean as a whistle. The staff are very friendly, attentive and helpful.
The best way to see a place such as Hanoi's Old Quarter is to set out on foot - so off we went. Close by Hoan Kiem Lake is the Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre which puts on a fantastic show. This form of puppetry originated in North Vietnam, is over 1,000 years old and is enjoyed by all. The puppets are mounted on long sticks with the operators working from behind curtains in feet deep water. This form of entertainment had its origins in the paddy fields. The show is comprised not only of puppetry but also of music, drumming and beautiful singing. Our dinner in the evening at our hotel was wonderful Vietnamese cuisine. I'll give the strong coffee a miss but I am enjoying the Vietnamese tea. Apparently the terminology "Dog Lover" takes on a whole new meaning in North Vietnam - so we'll steer clear of dark meat and choose chicken!
The following day we set off on a long walk to visit Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum, his vestige and home on stilts which are all located within the Presidential Palace area. Ho Chi Minh, the man, affectionately known as Uncle Ho is revered by his people and was known for his simple style of living, gentleness and the dedication he had to his nation and people.
We bused to Halong City and were then taken out to our Junk "Poseidon" for 2 days of cruising in Halong Bay. Vietnam is well known for it's beautiful area of Halong Bay which is comprised of more than 3,000 islands in the Gulf of Tonkin. The limestone pinnacles of the islands jut out of the sea and the scenery is spectacular. The food onboard our Junk was fantastic and we thoroughly enjoyed the activities of kayaking and caving. Our three day trip has been organised by our hotel and so far so good, it has been great. In the morning we visited Cat Ba National Park where Pat joined a group for a walk and climbed 300 stairs (steep and dangerous) to reach the lookout which was used during the war. We had an overnight stay on Cat Ba Island, visited Monkey Island and spent a couple of hours lazing on the white sandy beach while the monkeys showed off in the trees behind us. Back on board the Poseidon we had a delicious seafood lunch before heading back to Hanoi. We were very warmly welcomed back to the Little Hanoi Hotel by Lily and the evening staff and were handed the keys to our lovely room 201.
Ninh Binh is approximately 90 klms south of Hanoi - here we visited the ancient city of Hoa Lu which was the original ancient capital back in the 10th century. There are very few ancient ruins in Vietnam, said to be a result of bombings during the "American" war. Pat chose to take a 12 klm bicycle ride from Hoa Lu to Tam Coc - I chose the air conditioned van due to the 40 degree heat. The surrounding countryside is just what Vietnam is depicted as - lush brilliant green rice paddies, water buffalo and their handlers in conical hats working in the fields. These conical hats (which are brilliant for cool and shade) are worn by just about everyone - even me.
Tam Coc is known as The Halong Bay of the Rice Paddies as this area has the same limestone rock formations as Halong Bay. We climbed onto a little row boat to see the Ngo Dong River wind its way through the paddie fields. Mostly girls row these boats and they alternate between the use of their hands and feet for rowing - quite fascinating to watch. They also push the paddles when rowing as compared to us - we pull the paddles when rowing. We rowed 3 klm upstream and crossed under 3 grottos (keep your head low). On the return journey Pat took over the main paddles and had a row for about one kilometre - our guide enjoyed the little bit of relaxation on the 6 klm round trip. We helped row from our seats with shorter paddles - sore shoulders next day served as a reminder.
On our return journey to Hanoi we had 3 retirees from Melbourne sitting in the front row of seats behind the driver - they kept us entertained with their commentary on the magnificent and experienced driving skills of our driver. I find it better to sit behind and not look at how they overtake a vehicle with 3 vehicles coming at us from the opposite direction ... yes we definitely are in Vietnam!
Back at the Little Hanoi Hotel we were given fresh towels for showers before they organised our taxi to the train station for our overnight journey on the "Orient Express" to Sapa. Our 4 berth cabin was very comfortable, however, very early in the evening a young man joined his lady friend in the top bunk - making our cabin a 5 berth instead. How the hell they squeezed 2 people into that bunk I'm not sure, but there were no complaints from them!
We checked into the Mimosa Hotel in Sapa for $10 (discounted from $15) per night - later, again discounted to $8 per night for a 5 night stay - great value with views across the mountains and a large room and bathroom. Prices in Vietnam are very cheap if you are prepared to shop around - some hotels are highly priced but can lack the down to earth atmosphere of the smaller ones.
As it rained shortly after we arrived, we decided to spend the day walking in the town of Sapa and through the bustling markets. In the evening we met up with Debbie & Ian from Nelson in New Zealand for dinner - we first met up at Halong Bay on Monkey Island. They are avid bike riders so were giving us some encouragement to travel on a motorbike - they claim it to be one of the greatest ways to get about and see the mountains and the hill tribes. Pat hasn't ridden a motorbike in 35 years so we quickly dismissed that idea.
The women from the hill tribes dress in their traditional clothing - carry their large baskets (or babies) on their backs and offer their homemade wares for sale. They tend to follow visitors for ages asking for your name, how many children and grandchildren you have, what are their ages and whether they are boys or girls - they also want to know how old we are. Life expectancy is lower in Vietnam, so by the time people reach 60 they are looking at the end of their lives - they think it's amazing that we are in the same age group and travelling about so ably.
The following day we decided to throw caution to the wind and hire a motorbike. Pat chose a 125cc bike and we set off for the day, covering over 100 klms. Warren and Patty from Lismore also hired a bike from our Hotel, so we all set off together. We left the bikes at the top and hiked down to the Cat Cat Waterfall alongside Cat Cat village and later visited another village called Ta Van. At one point we picked up 2 young ethnic village girls of the Hmong Tribe who wanted a lift up the mountain (3 on a bike???).
When we reached the village at the top we were invited into their home to meet the family and see their home. This was a great treat - especially to meet "Mama" who is considered to be very old at 80 years of age - she made my Mum at 82 look like a youngster! It was a privilige to be welcomed into their home with its scant furnishings including a couple of small stools, a table and a sewing machine. The earthen floor in the very large kitchen came complete with a chook and 6 chickens running around! The bedrooms were upstairs in a loft area and the timber home was very cool inside out of the heat of the sun. In one corner of the kitchen was a large drum full of black dye which they use for dying the cloth they weave for their traditional clothing. We met the ladies' brother who was caring for his 3 small daughters - we presume his wife was in town selling her wares.
We took the village pathway back to the main road which was very rocky and rough in parts. The villagers and the children are very friendly - as as we rode by lots of them would wave and call "hello". After lunch in Sapa we set out to find some caves - we overshot the turnoff by about 10 klms so headed back to Sapa and experienced travelling through rain whilst on a bike! Hmmm! Stinging rain, insects and foggy glasses. Hmmm! We met up with Debbie and Ian for dinner and thanked them for encouraging us to hire a bike. It was a magnificent day - one we'll never forget.
Rain seems to have set in so it looks like we will be on foot for a couple of days. We were lucky enough to see a colourful funeral procession heading through Sapa - hundreds of people in front of and behind the deceased person - relatives of the person were all wearing white headbands.
In the evening we joined up with Ross & Sally from Townsville and Linda & Bill from Paluma - there certainly is no shortage of Aussies in Vietnam. We ordered a large Hot Pot for our table and thoroughly enjoyed the evening and the cold refreshments. Ross & Sally have also retired and like us they spend 3 months of the year travelling overseas and a couple of months touring in their caravan back home. Saturday night is the Love Market here in Sapa, so we're off tonight to check out the attractions. We booked our bus tickets to Bac Ha and hope to visit the Sunday markets when we're there.
We were approached by an elderley lady to buy her wares in Sapa - we were later told that she is very famous all over Vietnam because she is 90 years of age and has married a man of 30 years of age - apparently it was the first marriage for both.
Bac Ha's markets are very well organised - plenty of shade and places to eat and drink. I didn't like the animal markets where they were selling off animals for food - amongst the animals were about 6 beautiful little Husky puppies - they were only being inspected as food not as pets - it kind of turned my stomach a bit - I had to walk away.
Well it's still raining so we've decided to head to Lao Cai on the Vietnam/China border and cross the border today. All was going fine when Pat's Lonely Planet of China was confiscated - we tried to encourage the border guard to let us take it as we have had it on 3 previous trips into China - he said NO - PLEASE CO-OPERATION!!! Reluctantly Pat handed it over. About 100 metres away from the border we boarded a bus for the 9 hour trip to Kunming, when a young man came on board and asked if we'd like a copy of the Lonely Planet - it was the same version but a newer book for $20 so we took it. We'd be lost without our Guide Book - an essential for independent type travel.
We spent a couple of days in Kunming which is a very big city - I am very impressed with the beautiful tree lined avenues and the cleanliness of the streets - perhaps there has been a big turnaround since the Olympics. We checked into the Camellia Hotel where Pat and Kelli stayed about 12 years ago. Our morning walk in the City ended up being about 12 to 15 klms. Along the way we visited an old Palace and enjoyed listening to a group of elderley musicians playing their traditional string and flute instruments - their Conductor was also an elderley gentleman.
We decided to take the train to Dali, which ended up being an 8 hour trip in a hard seat train. In our compartment there were 5 people sitting on the two lower bunks. The trip was pretty uncomfortable and following on from our big day of walking I was feeling pretty wrecked. A lady directed us to a lovely hotel just outside the main gate of the Ancient Walled City of Dali - we hit the hay at 9 pm and didn't get up until about 8 am - I guess it was a kind of jetlag.
We have noticed lots of construction here in Yunnan Province, namely freeways, new fast train rail lines, bridges, high rise residential buildings and generally lots of construction - we can't see that the GFC has affected this part of China - perhaps China also had a stimulus package programme. Travelling through rice paddies the fields are full of workers - ploughing and planting and all are working up to their knees in water. The countryside is covered in rice paddies with rice and vegetables of all varieties being grown.
Dali at an altitude of 1,900 metres is a beautiful old City with a range of mountains as a backdrop and it has been built alongside Lake Erhai Hu. This ancient city in Yunnan Province is located at the foothills of Tibet. The buildings are traditional old style Chinese with pictures etched into the walls - depicting the scenery and lifestyles. The town has a series of channels winding their way through the cobblestone streets - these once supplied the city's drinking water.
Our advance booking at The Little Hanoi Hotel which included an airport pickup eliminated being hassled at the airport by the hoardes with "Please come to my Hotel" - it was especially welcome after 19 hours of travelling.
Heading into Hanoi on the freeway I was very quickly reminded we were actually in Vietnam - we passed a farmer on his scooter which had a .5 square metre wire cage loaded up with about 7 live piglets - all jammed in and hanging out through the wire in every which way. It was only a few minutes further on when we passed a scooter with a sole driver who was transporting two queen size mattresses which met at the top above his head! What a hoot!
The Little Hanoi Hotel is in the French Quarter of Hanoi, close by to most places. Our accommodation at $28 US per night for a double deluxe room includes breakfast each morning and complimentary airport/train transfers. Our room is large with a massive king size bed and this little hotel is as clean as a whistle. The staff are very friendly, attentive and helpful.
The best way to see a place such as Hanoi's Old Quarter is to set out on foot - so off we went. Close by Hoan Kiem Lake is the Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre which puts on a fantastic show. This form of puppetry originated in North Vietnam, is over 1,000 years old and is enjoyed by all. The puppets are mounted on long sticks with the operators working from behind curtains in feet deep water. This form of entertainment had its origins in the paddy fields. The show is comprised not only of puppetry but also of music, drumming and beautiful singing. Our dinner in the evening at our hotel was wonderful Vietnamese cuisine. I'll give the strong coffee a miss but I am enjoying the Vietnamese tea. Apparently the terminology "Dog Lover" takes on a whole new meaning in North Vietnam - so we'll steer clear of dark meat and choose chicken!
The following day we set off on a long walk to visit Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum, his vestige and home on stilts which are all located within the Presidential Palace area. Ho Chi Minh, the man, affectionately known as Uncle Ho is revered by his people and was known for his simple style of living, gentleness and the dedication he had to his nation and people.
We bused to Halong City and were then taken out to our Junk "Poseidon" for 2 days of cruising in Halong Bay. Vietnam is well known for it's beautiful area of Halong Bay which is comprised of more than 3,000 islands in the Gulf of Tonkin. The limestone pinnacles of the islands jut out of the sea and the scenery is spectacular. The food onboard our Junk was fantastic and we thoroughly enjoyed the activities of kayaking and caving. Our three day trip has been organised by our hotel and so far so good, it has been great. In the morning we visited Cat Ba National Park where Pat joined a group for a walk and climbed 300 stairs (steep and dangerous) to reach the lookout which was used during the war. We had an overnight stay on Cat Ba Island, visited Monkey Island and spent a couple of hours lazing on the white sandy beach while the monkeys showed off in the trees behind us. Back on board the Poseidon we had a delicious seafood lunch before heading back to Hanoi. We were very warmly welcomed back to the Little Hanoi Hotel by Lily and the evening staff and were handed the keys to our lovely room 201.
Ninh Binh is approximately 90 klms south of Hanoi - here we visited the ancient city of Hoa Lu which was the original ancient capital back in the 10th century. There are very few ancient ruins in Vietnam, said to be a result of bombings during the "American" war. Pat chose to take a 12 klm bicycle ride from Hoa Lu to Tam Coc - I chose the air conditioned van due to the 40 degree heat. The surrounding countryside is just what Vietnam is depicted as - lush brilliant green rice paddies, water buffalo and their handlers in conical hats working in the fields. These conical hats (which are brilliant for cool and shade) are worn by just about everyone - even me.
Tam Coc is known as The Halong Bay of the Rice Paddies as this area has the same limestone rock formations as Halong Bay. We climbed onto a little row boat to see the Ngo Dong River wind its way through the paddie fields. Mostly girls row these boats and they alternate between the use of their hands and feet for rowing - quite fascinating to watch. They also push the paddles when rowing as compared to us - we pull the paddles when rowing. We rowed 3 klm upstream and crossed under 3 grottos (keep your head low). On the return journey Pat took over the main paddles and had a row for about one kilometre - our guide enjoyed the little bit of relaxation on the 6 klm round trip. We helped row from our seats with shorter paddles - sore shoulders next day served as a reminder.
On our return journey to Hanoi we had 3 retirees from Melbourne sitting in the front row of seats behind the driver - they kept us entertained with their commentary on the magnificent and experienced driving skills of our driver. I find it better to sit behind and not look at how they overtake a vehicle with 3 vehicles coming at us from the opposite direction ... yes we definitely are in Vietnam!
Back at the Little Hanoi Hotel we were given fresh towels for showers before they organised our taxi to the train station for our overnight journey on the "Orient Express" to Sapa. Our 4 berth cabin was very comfortable, however, very early in the evening a young man joined his lady friend in the top bunk - making our cabin a 5 berth instead. How the hell they squeezed 2 people into that bunk I'm not sure, but there were no complaints from them!
We checked into the Mimosa Hotel in Sapa for $10 (discounted from $15) per night - later, again discounted to $8 per night for a 5 night stay - great value with views across the mountains and a large room and bathroom. Prices in Vietnam are very cheap if you are prepared to shop around - some hotels are highly priced but can lack the down to earth atmosphere of the smaller ones.
As it rained shortly after we arrived, we decided to spend the day walking in the town of Sapa and through the bustling markets. In the evening we met up with Debbie & Ian from Nelson in New Zealand for dinner - we first met up at Halong Bay on Monkey Island. They are avid bike riders so were giving us some encouragement to travel on a motorbike - they claim it to be one of the greatest ways to get about and see the mountains and the hill tribes. Pat hasn't ridden a motorbike in 35 years so we quickly dismissed that idea.
The women from the hill tribes dress in their traditional clothing - carry their large baskets (or babies) on their backs and offer their homemade wares for sale. They tend to follow visitors for ages asking for your name, how many children and grandchildren you have, what are their ages and whether they are boys or girls - they also want to know how old we are. Life expectancy is lower in Vietnam, so by the time people reach 60 they are looking at the end of their lives - they think it's amazing that we are in the same age group and travelling about so ably.
The following day we decided to throw caution to the wind and hire a motorbike. Pat chose a 125cc bike and we set off for the day, covering over 100 klms. Warren and Patty from Lismore also hired a bike from our Hotel, so we all set off together. We left the bikes at the top and hiked down to the Cat Cat Waterfall alongside Cat Cat village and later visited another village called Ta Van. At one point we picked up 2 young ethnic village girls of the Hmong Tribe who wanted a lift up the mountain (3 on a bike???).
When we reached the village at the top we were invited into their home to meet the family and see their home. This was a great treat - especially to meet "Mama" who is considered to be very old at 80 years of age - she made my Mum at 82 look like a youngster! It was a privilige to be welcomed into their home with its scant furnishings including a couple of small stools, a table and a sewing machine. The earthen floor in the very large kitchen came complete with a chook and 6 chickens running around! The bedrooms were upstairs in a loft area and the timber home was very cool inside out of the heat of the sun. In one corner of the kitchen was a large drum full of black dye which they use for dying the cloth they weave for their traditional clothing. We met the ladies' brother who was caring for his 3 small daughters - we presume his wife was in town selling her wares.
We took the village pathway back to the main road which was very rocky and rough in parts. The villagers and the children are very friendly - as as we rode by lots of them would wave and call "hello". After lunch in Sapa we set out to find some caves - we overshot the turnoff by about 10 klms so headed back to Sapa and experienced travelling through rain whilst on a bike! Hmmm! Stinging rain, insects and foggy glasses. Hmmm! We met up with Debbie and Ian for dinner and thanked them for encouraging us to hire a bike. It was a magnificent day - one we'll never forget.
Rain seems to have set in so it looks like we will be on foot for a couple of days. We were lucky enough to see a colourful funeral procession heading through Sapa - hundreds of people in front of and behind the deceased person - relatives of the person were all wearing white headbands.
In the evening we joined up with Ross & Sally from Townsville and Linda & Bill from Paluma - there certainly is no shortage of Aussies in Vietnam. We ordered a large Hot Pot for our table and thoroughly enjoyed the evening and the cold refreshments. Ross & Sally have also retired and like us they spend 3 months of the year travelling overseas and a couple of months touring in their caravan back home. Saturday night is the Love Market here in Sapa, so we're off tonight to check out the attractions. We booked our bus tickets to Bac Ha and hope to visit the Sunday markets when we're there.
We were approached by an elderley lady to buy her wares in Sapa - we were later told that she is very famous all over Vietnam because she is 90 years of age and has married a man of 30 years of age - apparently it was the first marriage for both.
Bac Ha's markets are very well organised - plenty of shade and places to eat and drink. I didn't like the animal markets where they were selling off animals for food - amongst the animals were about 6 beautiful little Husky puppies - they were only being inspected as food not as pets - it kind of turned my stomach a bit - I had to walk away.
Well it's still raining so we've decided to head to Lao Cai on the Vietnam/China border and cross the border today. All was going fine when Pat's Lonely Planet of China was confiscated - we tried to encourage the border guard to let us take it as we have had it on 3 previous trips into China - he said NO - PLEASE CO-OPERATION!!! Reluctantly Pat handed it over. About 100 metres away from the border we boarded a bus for the 9 hour trip to Kunming, when a young man came on board and asked if we'd like a copy of the Lonely Planet - it was the same version but a newer book for $20 so we took it. We'd be lost without our Guide Book - an essential for independent type travel.
We spent a couple of days in Kunming which is a very big city - I am very impressed with the beautiful tree lined avenues and the cleanliness of the streets - perhaps there has been a big turnaround since the Olympics. We checked into the Camellia Hotel where Pat and Kelli stayed about 12 years ago. Our morning walk in the City ended up being about 12 to 15 klms. Along the way we visited an old Palace and enjoyed listening to a group of elderley musicians playing their traditional string and flute instruments - their Conductor was also an elderley gentleman.
We decided to take the train to Dali, which ended up being an 8 hour trip in a hard seat train. In our compartment there were 5 people sitting on the two lower bunks. The trip was pretty uncomfortable and following on from our big day of walking I was feeling pretty wrecked. A lady directed us to a lovely hotel just outside the main gate of the Ancient Walled City of Dali - we hit the hay at 9 pm and didn't get up until about 8 am - I guess it was a kind of jetlag.
We have noticed lots of construction here in Yunnan Province, namely freeways, new fast train rail lines, bridges, high rise residential buildings and generally lots of construction - we can't see that the GFC has affected this part of China - perhaps China also had a stimulus package programme. Travelling through rice paddies the fields are full of workers - ploughing and planting and all are working up to their knees in water. The countryside is covered in rice paddies with rice and vegetables of all varieties being grown.
Dali at an altitude of 1,900 metres is a beautiful old City with a range of mountains as a backdrop and it has been built alongside Lake Erhai Hu. This ancient city in Yunnan Province is located at the foothills of Tibet. The buildings are traditional old style Chinese with pictures etched into the walls - depicting the scenery and lifestyles. The town has a series of channels winding their way through the cobblestone streets - these once supplied the city's drinking water.
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