The Great Wall Part 2!

Today the Great Wall - Chapter Two!  We visited the Jinshanling Section with the aim of seeing the wall in a more original condition.  We climbed up to the wall and  walked from tower to tower eventually walking some of unrestored (dangerous!)parts. It was perfect weather, blue skies and very little wind, so not too cold = about -10!  This part of the wall is about 2 hours from Beijing so not very popular with the usual tourists.  We found the drive interesting and it was so nice to get out of the city.  
Unfortunately there were a few hawkers, this time they were the local farming people, but they were so 'in your face' that it was annoying.  Have to say though that they were so a fit that they could climb over the wall like mountain goats. Once they left us alone we were able to enjoy the wild and magnificent beauty - fantastic!
 

Shopping and Pizza!

Today was shopping and pizza. Very western!
I went for a skate first thing this morning and watched a man swim!!! I was skating on over 200mm of thick ice but a section had been broken through and is kept clear for anyone who would like a dip....NOT US!!

Goodness Gracious... Great Walls of Fire.....

Today the Great wall... WOW - the photos say it all.
Makes me want to break out in song....
Goodness Gracious... Great Walls of fire.....dum de dum ... build me baby....
Yeah!!  (You should know the tune!!)

Beijing at Last

Last night we caught the overnight train to Beijing.  When we got to the train station it just seemed like a seething mass of people, thank goodness we had a guide to get us sorted or we would probably still be there trying to find the right place. The train was surprisingly clean and comfortable, or as comfortable as Asian beds are.  We had someone sharing our compartment who snored all night.  In fact at various stages of the night he was joined by David and Ella, all snoring!  It was a fabulous trip and I (Chaz) spent quite a bit of the night staring out of the window at the countryside that could be seen in the dark.
Our next guide was waiting for us on the platform in Beijing and, even though we knew it would be cold, it was still a bit of a shock.  Our hotel is right in the centre of the city close to all sorts of interesting sights and sounds.
We walked to a park about 50 minutes away where David had read about ice-skating and yes it was frozen and yes David was able to skate! The locals were shoving themselves around on the ice on funny little iron chairs powered by hand held ice spikes..

We met some Kiwi's who have been here for three and a half years and they gave us some tips on what to do and see.
This afternoon we walked to Teiniman Square.  Amazing to actually be in a place that has been so important in Chinese history.
Still can't find great food though!  We have struck the 'yellow line' a few times - keep behind it or else...?  And plenty of guards!  Tonight we witnessed the lowering of the flag - seemed quite a ritual including goose stepping.

Tomorrow the Great Wall!

Hard Water!

Ella having a go at walking on water! Thick ice - over 200mm.

Terracotta Army

The Terracotta Army was worth the visit.    The history behind their creation was interesting and going to that extent to protect a tomb
seems rather excessive.  Apparently the Emperor had all the workers knocked off so no one would know about them - hence no record in history up until their discovery in 1974 by a farmer Mr Yang - 'who is a national treasure' - (he was there the day we went). We did chuckle at a couple of chairs among the warriors - maybe they though the warriors needed a rest after standing for so long :-} The walk out was like going thru a mine field - all the crap etc and hawkers who seem to come standard with any famous site now
Xi'an - the gateway city was a bit grim apart from a massive defensive wall around the old city. It did snow while we were there, not quite a white Christmas, but it was close.  We have tried to get a local SIM card but it seems to be impossible in China to buy a pre-paid card, so will have to wait till we get to Vietnam - hopefully.

Christmas Day

Christmas Day
This would have to be the most unusual way we have ever celebrated Christmas. We were woken at about 5.30 when Ella started vomiting! Thankfully we had let her open her few Christmas presents last night. She managed to survive the trip to the airport - only just and then the flight to Xi'an. Shanghai was really smoggy today, it was amazing to us that the planes could even fly as the runways just disappeared into the gloom.
We flew Hainan Airways, a Chinese airline, but thankfully they did give information and instruction in English. At one stage I looked up from by book to see the flight crew lined up, two abreast at the front of the plane. I expected to see them start goose-stepping down the asile any moment! Instead they made some incomprehendible announcement, clicked their heels together and bowed.
We were met at Xi'an airport and driven to the old part of the walled city. It is much colder than Shanghai, only 1 degree when we landed, but the city is more open and less smoggy even though there are 8 million people here.

We ordered burgers from room-service for our dinner, as it is Christmas Day, they were less than average, but the dinner was delivered by three staff members, one dressed at Santa Claus. It was worth is just for that bit. Certinaly not your average Christmas.
Hope to get our guide to help us get a SIM card tomorrow so that we can text home.
Thankfully Ella is feeling a little better tonight and tomorrow we are off to see the Terracotta Soldiers and then the overnight train to Beijing. Temperture tomorrow is forecast to be a low of -3C and high of 4C. Just getting us prepared for Beijing.
Merry Christmas from us.

Last day Shanghai

Thursday - more taxi rides! The first was the best yet careering through narrow streets while hanging out the window ....gawping as usual at the teeming life. The second ride was a bit over the top for all of us - open road speeds, taking on buses....!
We visited the 'knock off' market at the Museum of Transport and had great fun looking at all the brand copies and bargaining for  a few bits of clothing. Pssst - want to by a Rolex or iPhone? 
Then we visted the Yuyang area and wandered among the restored traditional buildings followed by some back street wandering looking at local life - people living on tiny streets, working out of tiny spaces or from the edge of the street. 
Shanghai has some amazing modern architechture - some buildings quite stunning but the contrast with some of the street life is hard to comprehend.  Traditional beliefs are evident in building thru feng shui and things like the lion statues out the front of buildings - these are to bring good things into the building through the mouth (why it is open) eg money and happiness.

Exploring

Exploring the local food markets (equivalent to our Farmers Markets)

has been a real eye opener - all sort of meat and all parts of the
animal (some we don't recognise), live fish ducks and chickens and
food that look very dangerous! Great fun though.
Oh the toilets! The extremes - one we used was just a channel which you squat over - a low partition, no door and no loo paper.   Was a bit weird seeing people squatting and reading the paper or talking on a mobile. No soap or basin. But the toilets in the Financial Tower are a work of art! Heated toilet seat (ring of fire) and a little contol panel for the clean up. You can do a front or back wash, choose the pressure and temp and move the spray oh so gently up your cra... I mean nether regions. If fact was almost better than the view.  I recommend a good dump if you visit that place. And the hand dryers are cool as well!
Today we are heading of sight seeing again and tomorrow we fly to Xi'an. Christmas day will be very different - not sure what we will eat as some of the food is not the best!
Hopefully the next post from Xi'an
(via email)

Shanghai Again

Hi Folks (Chaz) From our hotel room we can see the most amazing highrise buildings and the most incredible mix of traffic.  Shanghai is a city of contrast and change as they get ready for the 2010 Expo.  Sadly lots of the original buildings are disappearing and being replaced with new and much less interesting ones.  We used taxis to get about today - incredibly cheap and hassle free as long as we got the people at the hotel to write the names of the places we wanted to go in Chinese characters.  Very few people speak English and the ones who do are difficult to understand.  We did meet one man who was keen to practice his English with us and even knew that Wellington is the capital of NZ.  We visited a market that was full of sewing supplies - stalls with only buttons, or threads - I was in heaven even though I didn't actually buy anything!  We went to the top of the World Financial Centre tower - 100 stories high and with glass floors on the observation deck.  Obviously one of the tourist attractions being prepared for Expo, it was a bit like a Sci-fi movie.  The lift was so quick that we had trouble with the pressure in our ears.  Heights are not my thing, but it was a pretty amazing feeling like we were on top of the world - the third highest building in the world and the highest observation deck.  It was a clear day so we were able to see a reasonable distance in spite of the smoggy air. One of the most incredible things we saw during or taxi rides were the masses of seemingly tangled power lines connected to poles overhead.  It is like the sort of thing people send around via email. The taxi rides were interesting, fast and furious, often without road markings, weaving between buses, bicycles, scooters and the incredible amout of construction going on.  Often it is easier just to shut your eyes and hold your breath. (Great fun hanging out the window as we roared around! -Dave) Unfortunately we had a minor problem and have lost all of the photos from our trip around today after the memory card decided to go on holiday! (posted via email)

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Shanghai Arrival

We are in China! Had a great trip from Singapore and were met at the airport by Cherie from the company I did our travel planning through.  Was a great relief to see her as we have delt with a China based company and I was a bit anxious that everything was above board (after paying all via the web!) NOTE: Blogger is banned in China - it has taken me quite a while to work around this to make this post - but it may be our last until we leave ... I hope not! Photos may be impossible....  Usually I write straight into the blog but I may have to do it all via email (mistakes included!) Driving into Shanghai was so interesting - we were captivated by the city scape - and the contrast between the different buildings - from small hovels and houses to huge apartment towers and modern buildings. The city seems to have a certain vibe about it though - with extreme contrasts.  We went for a short walk tonight and were amazed at how some live and do business amongst the surrounding city scape.  Small shop houses with tiny local business's running out of tiny gaps in buildings or out of a bike/cart. And Stuff averywhere!!  Christina bought mangosteen from a small shop and Ella choose some wrapped biscuits forom a tiny shop that only sod a selection of wrapped bikies a few loose sweets and some seeds!  I just gawped at everything - especially a motorbike repair shop with parts all over the road and a shop selling live ducks jammed in a cage ..... and got warned about taking a photo - at least I guessed that is what he said....  All this so close to a view of a modern tower a bit like Skytower. Nice and cool but no rice yet!

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Around Singapore

It has been a busy couple of days! We have spent most of the time amongst the more traditional
culture (and rice!) of Singapore rather then the more modern western based culture. The contrast between the modern and traditional is still evident but it seems like modern will win. The skyline is full of construction cranes and the tech the runs Singapore eg the MTV transport - is impressive. Hey and no chewing gum stuck to everything like other cities we have been to. (hmm I wonder if they have rice flavoured gum...?)

Shop Houses in Little India

Little India has been our favourite area and we have spent a lot of time there.... oh and the food! Breakfast this morning was roti-prata at Little India and we have loved eating the local food cooked in tiny stalls rather than the western fare. Amongst the markets, Elton's wife Jacintha is a master bargainer and we have enjoyed spending time in fossiking around with her 'local' knowledge.

Last night we did a night walk down Orchard drive and were gaping at the Christmas lights and sheer amount of people - felt a bit like being in Disneyland......

This time tomorrow we will be in China! After the heat of Singapore it will be strange stepping out of the plane into winter.


The New bearing down on the old!

Orchard Road Lights

The Young Clan

The Wedding

We had a long day yesterday culminating in Elton and Jucintha's wedding Celebration at the Ritz. We managed to see a bit of the other side of Singapore - a bit more gritty and non tourist - some of the culture that makes Singapore what it - the Indian and
Chinese influence. I think Ella has finally got used to seeing lots of dead things and animal bits hanging in windows. Strangely Christina declined Pigs Organ Soup - and I didn't have any because I play the piano.....

(Chaz) The wedding blessing last night was prettey amazing and thankfully the groom
did get there, after being stuck in Melbourne when the airport computer system
crashed. It was held at the Ritz Carlton, a six star hotel - as the local kept telling us. Amazing hotel with incredible Christmas decorations. There was a huge mountain with a train track and houses, all of frosting, gingerbread, etc, that you could break bits off to eat - we didn't! Everyone was with in traditional Indian dress and I am so glad that I managed to buy a Punjabi suit to wear. The bride's mother was so amazed that I would 'honour' them in such a way - and
I thought it was fun! The food was interesting, all traditional Northern Indian. Ella was in narn bread heaven. The Christmas lights on the way back to the railway station were amazing.
It poured yesterday and the monsoon canels were full of brown water in no time.
It is easy to see why then have them. Of course I didn't take an umbrella, but at least you dry out quickly. With the rain, thankfully the humidity and temperatures were lower. We went to Sin Lin Square, a six story electronics department store - David heaven.
Singapore is an amazing place, but it does remind us that we really do live in
paradise.




Singapore seems to be in a constant state of construction

Oh what to buy......