One of the things I did on my unexpected stopover in Shanghai recently was go for a train ride. How would you like it if this were the normal speed for trains?
This is on the Maglev train which runs from Shanghai airport to the city – it covers 30km in 8 minutes. You see cars on the roads that run alongside it and they look to be standing still – when they’re probably actually doing 80-100 km/h
This was in Wangfujing, which is the fashionable shopping area in Beijing.
Phwoooar!
Did I mention how boring it is sitting around in airports? Well today in Beijing it was snowing, so flights were delayed and/or cancelled all over the place. End result – missed connection in Shanghai to Sydney and will now be flying back tomorrow night. So I’ve got a day in Shanghai to fill in. Shanghai is somewhere I’ve been wanting to visit – but not as an unexpected addition to a month away from home, especially with another week away coming up next week.
Anyway, better make the most of it and check out The Bund and Nanjing Road, maybe some other things. Not to mention riding on the Maglev train.
Its my last few hours in Beijing and I have a sore throat. It might be due to the cold weather, but I am blaming Tuesday night’s karaoke (KTV) bar adventure for it. Especially my efforts at Bohemian Rhapsody – those high notes were a killer. Not to mention that song just goes on and on. Fortunately there was beer, lots of it, and snacks. All good fun, and ended up costing less than $10 each for 3 hours or so of singing and drinking.
Better start packing soon, my flight is just after lunchtime, and I get home tomorrow lunchtime.
I see a little silhouetto of a man,
Scaramouche, Scaramouche, will you do the Fandango
Thunderbolt and lightning, very, very fright’ning me
(Galileo) Galileo (Galileo) Galileo, Galileo figaro
Magnifico I’m just a poor boy and nobody loves me
He’s just a poor boy from a poor family,
Spare him his life from this monstrosity
Easy come, easy go, will you let me go
Bismillah! No, we will not let you go
(Let him go!) Bismillah! We will not let you go
(Let him go!) Bismillah! We will not let you go
(Let me go) Will not let you go
(Let me go) Will not let you go (Let me go) Ah
No, no, no, no, no, no, no
(Oh mama mia, mama mia) Mama mia, let me go
Beelzebub has a devil put aside for me, for me, for me
So you think you can stone me and spit in my eye
So you think you can love me and leave me to die
Oh, baby, can’t do this to me, baby,
Just gotta get out, just gotta get right outta here
My last free day in Beijing for this trip. Been here 3 weeks now, 4 more sleeps now before I fly home. I really like Beijing, but am really looking forward to getting home.
Looks like the last couple of days here are going to be cold and maybe snowy. No doubt a foretaste of what it will be like when I come back in December.
I decided to give this a miss today. Likewise starfish.
About as adventurous as I’ve been with the eating here has been pig’s feet we had as part of lunch yesterday, which was quite ok. We nearly talked ourselves into the spicy stirfried bullfrog, too, but wimped out.
PS …. I forgot to mention before, the scorpions were still wriggling.
It did snow here today, more than I’ve ever seen except when I’ve been to a ski field. Here’s what I could see out of my hotel room window. (I know, I know … for Northern Hemisphere people snow is no big deal, but for Australians it is a novelty. I live in one of the coldest parts of Australia, and we get snow (enough to settle on the ground) maybe once every 5 years).
However, it eventually did stop snowing in the afternoon, so I caught the subway to Yuanmingyuan Park to have a look around. As you can see, lots of snow there, too.
Not to mention a few snowfights going on, and the odd snowman. And lots of workers to sweep snow off the paths. And, did I mention, it was pretty damn cold? I think it got to all of 2 degrees. Tomorrow, its -6 to 3 degrees.
Its about to turn cold here in Beijing. In fact it might even snow tomorrow. So today was time to take advantage of what might be one of the last days of nice autumn weather in my time here, by taking a long walk around the Shichahai area, with its lakes, hutongs and historic buildings. Here’s a couple of photos I took.
That is the Bell Tower. It dates back to 1272, although the building currently there was a reconstruction done in 1745 after the previous tower burnt down. It is 48 metres high and inside is a bronze bell that weighs 63 tonnes and is 7 metres high. It also requires you to climb a long steep flight of stairs to get up to the top.
This is a view across Lake Qianhai towards the Bell Tower and the nearby Drum Tower.
The area around the lakes is full of bars and restaurants. Below is what one of them offers.
Really, what more could you possibly want?
Went to the Great Wall at Mutianyu today. It was spectacular – not only the wall but all the autumn foliage on the trees.
A bonus was the toboggan ride back down from the wall. And yes, fast food in the form of Subway has found its way to the Great Wall of China … what next? A McDonalds on top of Uluru?
So far in my first week in Beijing, I’ve eaten plenty of good and cheap food. Beijing duck (and a whole lot of other food) one night, all for just over $20 a person. A team dinner last night at a restaurant in a hutong off XinJieKou, selected by one of our Chinese colleagues to give us foreigners a taste of authentic Beijing dining, cost all of $15 each. Never mind lunches where we can get a really good meal for less than $5.
However, I can say with great certainty I won’t be trying the menu at Guolizhuang restaurant. It specialises in penises, of many different animals, boiled, steamed, sauteed and fried. Yummy! (actually this place is quite close to where we ate last night).
Weekends are for sightseeing, and thats what I did today. Specifically Yonghegong temple and Tiantan Park. Here’s a photo of each.
Tomorrow, I’m off to the Great Wall at Mutianyu, which is about 90 km from the middle of Beijing.
