Friday, June 10, 2005
PRC
The original plan had been to work our way up through China over the course of a couple of weeks, but as with the few plans we've made on this whole jaunt, it didn't hold up. So hence we found ourselves taking a plane up from Hong Kong, which worked out to be quite cheap I'm pleased to say. And into Beijing. National past-time - spitting (this involved hacking up half a lung then depositing it as loudly as possible on the pavement in front of you).
Beijing is in fact a curious mix of capitalism and communism in co-existence - huge shopping arcades; art students pushing their exhibitions (don't start me on this one), over-priced street food, all sitting alongside a shambolic bus network (just like London really) and sycophantic behaviour towards a dictator (don't start me on this one either). The place is also a building site; either hotels being built in time for the Olympics, or historical buildings (the few that weren't razed to the ground) being renovated. This latter point made site-seeing a little difficult as those places that aren't closed seem to be surrounded by scaffolding. The one exception to all this is the wall which is indeed great, in both senses. Having done a lengthy walk along it, we're probably now the owners of the largest photo collection of it too. We even made some friends along the way.
Anyway, I know that you regular readers (all two of you) only want to hear about the country's transport and food options. Well, the train network was fast, clean, comfortable and efficient. This we discovered by taking an overnight train down to Xian to visit the terracotta warriors (or the terracotta worriers, as the signposts informed us). In between such cultural highlights, we also ended up having dinner at Nicola's penfriend Sunman's where she cooked us a feast. Surprisingly, this happened to include potatoes. Not having had anything that wasn't rice, noodles, or rice and noodles for all of a week I hadn't realised just how much I was missing such home comforts, so the whole bowl was decimated in no time. We also had the opportunity to try out the local whiskey - aka moonshine. Suffice to say I'm glad I only had the one.
Beijing is in fact a curious mix of capitalism and communism in co-existence - huge shopping arcades; art students pushing their exhibitions (don't start me on this one), over-priced street food, all sitting alongside a shambolic bus network (just like London really) and sycophantic behaviour towards a dictator (don't start me on this one either). The place is also a building site; either hotels being built in time for the Olympics, or historical buildings (the few that weren't razed to the ground) being renovated. This latter point made site-seeing a little difficult as those places that aren't closed seem to be surrounded by scaffolding. The one exception to all this is the wall which is indeed great, in both senses. Having done a lengthy walk along it, we're probably now the owners of the largest photo collection of it too. We even made some friends along the way.
Anyway, I know that you regular readers (all two of you) only want to hear about the country's transport and food options. Well, the train network was fast, clean, comfortable and efficient. This we discovered by taking an overnight train down to Xian to visit the terracotta warriors (or the terracotta worriers, as the signposts informed us). In between such cultural highlights, we also ended up having dinner at Nicola's penfriend Sunman's where she cooked us a feast. Surprisingly, this happened to include potatoes. Not having had anything that wasn't rice, noodles, or rice and noodles for all of a week I hadn't realised just how much I was missing such home comforts, so the whole bowl was decimated in no time. We also had the opportunity to try out the local whiskey - aka moonshine. Suffice to say I'm glad I only had the one.
# posted by William and Lucinda @ 6:46 pm 
Comments:
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Actually Will, you have 3 readers. I have been following your exploits regularly. I just haven't had anything "pithy" to say! Lucinda seems to be keeping you nicely in line.
Hope you're enjoying the adventure.
Ms Love's (soon to be Mrs Wylie's) Aunt
Hope you're enjoying the adventure.
Ms Love's (soon to be Mrs Wylie's) Aunt
# posted by 
: 5:18 pm
: 5:18 pm
Beijing - London .... don't get me started ....
2008 Olympics - 2012 Olympic [London ga]zzzzzzzzz?
China's national pastime = Malaysia's national pastime (much to Lucy's distaste at the time). Must be the Chinese Malaysians, then.
Terracotta worriers - wouldn't you be worried if thy'd turned you to terracotta. [anyway, apparently 6-8 months ago this sign was just fine, until Wylie gave them spelling and punctuation lessons!]
RE photos
"A feed" - it would help if you ate the food and not the chopsticks, then.
"Wall" - you'll obviously have to go and check out HAdrian's too to attain your "2 great walls of our world" badge. Apparently you can see that from space too.
Oh yes, can you bring me back some prawn balls (#54) and 1x#43 and 2x#78, whilst you are there.
Enjoy PRC
Reader 1
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2008 Olympics - 2012 Olympic [London ga]zzzzzzzzz?
China's national pastime = Malaysia's national pastime (much to Lucy's distaste at the time). Must be the Chinese Malaysians, then.
Terracotta worriers - wouldn't you be worried if thy'd turned you to terracotta. [anyway, apparently 6-8 months ago this sign was just fine, until Wylie gave them spelling and punctuation lessons!]
RE photos
"A feed" - it would help if you ate the food and not the chopsticks, then.
"Wall" - you'll obviously have to go and check out HAdrian's too to attain your "2 great walls of our world" badge. Apparently you can see that from space too.
Oh yes, can you bring me back some prawn balls (#54) and 1x#43 and 2x#78, whilst you are there.
Enjoy PRC
Reader 1
# posted by : 1:31 pm
: 1:31 pm << Home
