30 Jun 06 (Friday), 9pm. Alone in office, my eyes scanned
through Lotus Notes for one last time in case I missed any
important emails. After doing some quick housekeeping, I
eagerly shut down my laptop and changed into travel wear.
I am going to play backpacker with my mum for a week. Destinations:
Beijing and Qingdao.
I
have high expectations for this trip. Beijing is a Mecca
for history buffs like me. Buildings and structures that
influenced modern history were found here in close proximity.
These only appeared in history books previously. Now I am
going to physically embrace them. This is sheer excitement.
After
a 6-hour flight, I arrived to Beijing on a Saturday morning.
Cleared immigration and rushed straight to Shandong Airlines
in attempt to buy tickets to Qingdao. Although I didn't
managed to get tickets (flight was full), but experienced
some minor culture shock. (1) Was queueing behind a man
who was shouting at an airline staff for not refunding his
air ticket as he missed his flight. (2) People tend not
to queue up for anything. Perhaps it was a trend to do everything
first.
Plan
B was to take the train. Took an airport shuttle (RMB16/person)
and got to Beijing Train Station. There were no sleepers
available for the next 2 days and thus we have to settle
for normal seats. My tickets prints T77, Beijing-Qingdao
Express (RMB116/person). Counter staff told me that train
would leave Beijing at 2336hrs sharp. I have more than 12
hours on hand and had to find somewhere to go. Looked at
my Lonely Planet and saw Wangfujing (please don't laugh).
It was a touristy piece of shit but it was my first time
in Beijing and we have to start somewhere right?
We
left our luggage at some bag deposit shop (RMB5/bag/day)
and went to take the Ditie (i.e. Beijing Metro).
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Beijing
Metro. RMB3 (S$0.60) per trip anywhere on Routes 1 and 2.
This is actually enough to cover most places of interest.
In the background, people can been seen buying tickets from
a lady. In order to get into the paid area, another lady
at the gate will retain a portion of the ticket. There is
no ticket check when you alight. |
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Our
first meal in Beijing. After going through those touristy
streets of Wangfujing, we wondered into the backlanes and
saw this nice resturant (or eatery). Went in ordered a decent
lunch. Meat Ball soup, Spicy Toufu and Stired fried meat
with vegetables cost us RMB24. The food was good. But the
portions were too large. We barely finished half of it. |
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During
a hot summer afternoon, an old man selling newspapers taking
a snooze along a Hutong. |
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While
we were walking to Tiananmen Square from Wangfujing, we
walked into a small lane and found a Hutong. Tried to take
a peek but I wasn't sure if I was intruding.
Afternote: It was a shame not to hook up with any locals
during the trip and failed to actually see an actual Siheyuan
in Beijing. |
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In 1949,
the man stood here and announced to the whole world
that China was liberated. Almost 60 years later, his presence
is still being felt with the help of a portrait, under the
watchful eyes of a police guard. |
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My mum was eating "smelly"
(fermented) beancurd at RMB1/skewer. The prices decrease
by half once you walked further into the lane. It wasn't
pungent at all once you chewed it. Perhaps it was only the
sauce that was smelly. |
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We walked
past a typical Hutong along the backlanes of Wangfujing.
Although the lanes here are used by cars, small lorries
and bicycles, local residents were often seen relaxing under
a cool spot to escape the summer heat. |
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It is
summer time and drinking time! My mum was caught drinking
a Yanjing (a local Beijing Beer) to hydrate herself. Got
a shock when I paid for the beer, RMB1.80 per bottle (I
thought I heard RMB1.80). This is the CHEAPEST beer that
I had ever found in China!
I wondered there was a difference in the beer because the
Yanjing Beer were in a mixture of green and brown bottles.
There were no differences as explained by the young storekeeper.
It was simply because different bottles were used to refill
the "Liquid of Happines". |
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A giant
LED screen beside Beijing Train Station. It was a very special
day for the Chinese Railway Authorities because the inaugural
rail service (direct) between Beijing and Lhasa finally
started. CCTV provided hourly updates of this event and
continuously broadcasted the economic, social and technological
benefits of this service.
I am interested
to know how Tibetans thinks of this.
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People
going back to their hometowns after slogging in the nation's
capital. People coming to the nation's capital to fulfill
their dreams (or just simply to get their 3 meals fufilled).
1 Jul 06, 730pm. Beijing Train Station. |
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