Kako naj bi bila videti prava Kitajska - pa ni! - How the real China should look like - but it does not!

Pingyao, 29. in 30. maj 

Tako sem prispela v slavno mesto Pingyao. Je staro, ohranjeno in do sedaj edino res videti kitajsko (priznam, naslov sem si sposodila iz Lonely Planeta).  Stavbe so videti kot je bilo verjetno pol Kitajske leta in leta nazaj. A ko sem se malo sprehodila naokoli, sem spet dobila občutek, da je precenjen. Že res, da je glavnih nekaj ulic prijetnih in lepo ohranjenih (ali obnovljenih), da je mestno obzidje veličastno, da na ulicah ni prometa, toda le nekaj ulic stran stavbe razpadajo.

Zdi se mi, da so Kitajci razumeli, da staro in zgodovinsko prinaša denar, da turiste to zanima, in ponekod je videti res očitno prizadevanja za obnovo mest, stavb, templjev - kot so bili pred kulturno revolucijo. Grem stavit, da bo ta država čez nekaj let videti veliko starejša kot danes :-)

V Pingyau sem si izbrala najbolj znan hostel in dobila najčudovitejšo sobo do sedaj. Ogromna postelja je postavljena na zidano klop in jo obdajajo zavese iz krasnega materiala, ki je videti kot svilen brokat. Tudi pohištvo, blazine, pregrinjalo so izbrani z okusom. Res sem plačala kar precej, a si cisto zasluzim, saj imam dva dni počitnic od potovanja :)

Vsa zadovoljna sem vrnem na recepcijo, kjer mi možakar pravi, da je ravnokar prispelo še nekaj Slovencev. Malo skeptično ga pogledam, saj se mi je zdelo bolj verjetno, da se Kitajcu Estonija, Slovakija ali Pensilvanija sliši čisto podobno. Pa sem sla vseeno pozdravit. In glej ga šmenta, res so bili Slovenci! Par, ki potuje po svetu že več kot leto dni in njena mama, ki se jima je pridružila za nekaj tednov na Kitajskem. Dan smo preživeli skupaj. Šli smo si  pogledat nekaj znamenitosti v okolici Pingyaa, zvečer pa, kot se spodobi - spili pivo ali dve in se naklepetali.

Tako …  sprehajam se zadnji dan v tem mestu po ulicah, ki sem ga že trikrat prehodila po dolgem in počez. Čakam na vlak, ki odpelje šele ob 22h. Peeeking, prihajam!!!

Pingyao, 29. and 30. May 
So I arrived to this famous ancient town of Pingyao (I admit, I borrowed the title from Lonely Planet) where the houses are as they probably were all over China years ago. It is well preserved in the center but all in all once again I have a feeling that it is a bit overrated. It is nice enough town with intact city walls, low buildings, streets free of traffic, but just behind the few main streets houses are falling apart. 

Chinese understood that the ancient and old brings money, and they make a lot of effort to restore an old China, a lot of which was destroyed during the cultural revolution. I bet in a few years China will look much older then today:)

In Pingyao I chose to stay in the most famous hostel in town and got the most beautiful room ever! It is in a lovely beautifully restored traditional courtyard. The bed is enourmous and put on a bench made from bricks. The curtains, bed cover, pillows, are all made from traditional fabrics and are just beautiful, as are the pieces of furniture.

Yes, it is a bit pricey but as this stop I consider a resting day, it s completely worth it.
All happy I returned to the reception when I was told that some Slovenians arrived. Skeptical at first, knowing that to Chinese anything like Slovak, Estonian or Pensilvanian sounds probably the same, I go and say hi to the people. But they were really from Slovenia! A couple who is traveling around the world for more then a year, and a mother who came to join them for a couple of weeks. We have spent a day together, visiting some sights around Pingyao and after, naturally, shared some drinks and a good chat.

Next day, I just wandered around the city and must admit I was pressed to continue. The train to Beijing leaves at 22.00. 

Xian - mesto glinenih bojevnikov - Xian - city of terracotta army

Xian

Po dobro prespani noči na vlaku sem se po prihodu v Xian (čeprav je bila ura šele 6 zjutraj,) počutila tako fino, da sem šla spet kar peš do hostla. Bila sem tako blizu enega od dveh razlogov, ki sta me privedla na Kitajsko: to so Bojevniki iz terakote, da se mi je zdelo, da ne morem vec cakati. In so resnično izjemni.

Brez težav bi jih lahko poimenovali osmo čudo sveta. Vsak obraz je drugačen, izdelani so v naravni velikosti in služili so cesarju kot vojska v posmrtnem življenju. Glede na njihovo število je videti, da se je res bal tekmecev v onostranstvu. Izkopavanje in restavracijska dela še vedno potekajo in morda jih bo čez nekaj let na ogled se  več.

Na poti nazaj sem srečala dva fanta in dekle, ki so zjutraj prišli istočasno kot jaz. Šli vsi skupaj nekaj pojest. Privoščili smo si kitajske cmoke v restavraciji, kjer hrano pripeljejo kar na vozičku in vse, kar moraš storiti je, pokazati s prstom, kaj bi. Tako vsaj enkrat veš, kaj dobiš, pa še takoj je na mizi. Enostavno in odlično! Bi rekla, da je bilo to ena od boljših stvari, ki sem jih jedla na Kitajskem. Pa se odlična družba popotnikov. Ure in ure pogovorov o potovanjih, dogodivščinah, pripetljajih, destinacijah ... Počutila  sem, da sem res tam, kamor spadam :)

Xian je precej sproščen, kar me je dohitelo naslednjega dne, ko sem res pozno vstala. Šla sem po karto za vlak, saj je treba tu vse karte kupiti vsaj dan ali dva vnaprej, da potuješ takrat, ko želiš. Je pa res, da ko je enkrat karta kupljena, ni več izmišljevanja.

Kasneje sem vandrala po mestu. Obiskala pagodo ali dve, si ogledala muzej province Shanxi,

za večerjo pa zavila v muslimansko četrt. Si izberem kar eno restavracijo, pred katero so pekli meso na palčkah (take mini ražnjiče),

jih pokažem natakarici, ki pokima in me pelje do hladilnika in mi ponudi koka kolo. Še vedno ne razumem ravno, kakšna je bila povezava! A sem vseeno dobila svoje ražnjiče s pomočjo ene prijazne Kitajke, ki je verjetno opazila, kako obupano gledam. Prav nenavadno, ampak čedalje bolj opažam, da geste, ki imajo povsod po svetu podoben pomen, tu ni Kitajskem nekako ne dosežejo učinka. Ena častna izjema je drgnjenje palca in kazalca, kar seveda pomeni denar. Kitajci so nori na denar. V vsakem templju molijo za dve stvari:  da bi imeli denar in da bi dolgo živeli.

 Tako je danes moj zadnji dan v Xianu.

Sem ga spet pol prehodila (tako največ doživiš), šla nazaj v muslimansko četrt na kosilo, zdaj pa odtipkavam ure do  nočnega vlaka za Pingyao.

Xian,

27. maj 

After a good night sleep on the train even an early arrival to Xian wasn't so bad. I walked again over half of the city to my hostel. Being so close to one of my 2 reasons for being in China - the Terracotta Warriors (the other one being the Great Wall) I felt I couldn't wait another day to see it, so I went right away. And they are a sight! It really could be the 8th wonder of the world. All those expressions on the faces, not two being alike, the enormity of work behind it and also the enormity of the excavation and restoration work being done. One word: impressive!

On the way back to the hostel I met some people who were staying in the same hostel and all together we went for diner. Chinese dumplings in a restaurant where they bring all sorts of food on the chariot and all you have to do is pointing. You know what you get and it's immediately on your table:-) Very easy and good as hell! One of the best meals I had until now in China. And the pleasure of company of backpackers. Talking hours about traveling, destinations, experiences, - I felt like I'm right where I belong.

Xian is quite relaxed city. Next day it proved to me. I had a late start and figuring that's only one thing I absolutely have to do that day is going to the train station and buy a ticket to next destination. That's one thing in China: one always has to buy tickets in advance which basically means that once it is bought you can't really change your mind.

Later on I just walked around the city (I m really doing enormous amount of walking). I visited the Big Goose Pagoda, the Shanxi museum and for the dinner I chose the Muslim Quarter. I walked into one restaurant and I pointed to some meat on the sticks which looked like it will be barbecued. The lady takes me to the refrigerator and wants to give me a  Coca Cola! I still don t understand what was the connection! But I got my meal with the help of some nice Chinese girl who probably saw a dispear on my face. Chinese are really not skilled in gesturing. The all-around-the-world gestures here most of the times mean nothing. One notable exception being rubbing index and thumb together which of course means: money:-)

And today, being my last day in Xian, after some obligatory sightseeing I went back to Muslim Quarter for lunch, where I met this Brazilian girl and had a great lunch and great company, and now, here I am, typing away the hours before the night train to Pingyao.

Bude, pande, pa prav nič več - Buddhas, pandas and not much more

22. maj  

Chongqing sem zapustila naslednje jutro. Še kar je deževalo. Pot na ultra-modernem ultra-hitrem vlaku pa je minila čisto brez posebnosti. Linija med Chongqingom in Chengdujem je ena najhitrejših na Kitajskem, saj je razdalja skoraj 400 km premagana v dveh urah. Nasproti mene je sedela Kitajka (no, kdo pa drug:-)), ki je nekje na polovici poti le zbrala pogum in me vprašala, kaj počnem na Kitajskem. Malo sva poklepetali, saj je znala res dobro angleško. Poleg tega pa živi v Chnegduju, in kdo bi bil bolj primeren kot ona, da me posadi na pravi avtobus do centra mesta.

In spet se je ponovila stara zgodba, da mi je voznik ves zadovoljen kazal, da moram dol, meni pa niti približno jasno, kje sem. Spet sem bila trdno odločena, da pot do hostla, ki sem si ga izbrala, prehodim. Hodila sem več kot eno uro. Vmes seveda vsaj enkrat ali dvakrat šla v napačno smer, a na koncu le našla svojo posteljo.

Ker je bilo zgodnje popoldne, sem si mislila, da je najbolje, da si na hitro ogledam mesto in pustim za naslednja dva dni glavna dva razloga, ki sta me privedla sem: največji kip Bude na svetu in pande.

Chengdu je eno redkih mest na Kitajskem, kjer še stoji kip bivšega voditelja Mao Zedonga. 

Mao Zedonga

Sem ga šla seveda pozdravit in fotografirat. Nato pa dalje pogledat samostan Wenshu, ki ga sploh ni bilo enostavno najti.

samostan Wenshu

Sem že mislila obupat z iskanjem, a se je okolica kar naenkrat spremenila iz visokih stolpnic v nizke, simpatične tradicionalne stavbe. Videti je, kot da so nekaj ulic okoli samostana prilagodili turizmu, jih nazaj preoblekli v tradicionalni slog in jih spremenili v trgovinice, restavracije in galerije.

Naslednji dan je bil dan za obvezen obisk največjega Bude na svetu, ki ponosno sedi na bregu reke in zre v daljavo. Moram priznati, da me je pustil hladno.

Res je veličasten, a zaradi nepregledne množice turistov je vse skupaj nekako spominjalo na Disneyland. Kaj bo šele pri Bojevnikih iz terakote sem si mislila!?

Zvečer sem obiskala Sicuansko opero z vsemi njenimi najbolj znanimi elementi: spreminjajočimi obrazi, lutkami, sencami rok.

Res zabavno in vredno ogleda.

Naslednje jutro pa je bil cas za pande. Spet je deževalo, a tokrat se je izkazalo, da je to prava sreča, saj pande ne marajo vročine in če bi bilo toplo, bi se skrivale, tako pa so bile zunaj, se igrale, jedle, počivale, zganjale vragolije ... pred našimi očmi.

In res lahko rečem, da kaj tako srčkanega pa že dooolgo nisem videla.

Ko sem plačala izlet v hostlu, sem se dogovorila, da me voznik pusti na železniški postaji. Nisem pa pričakovala, da bo ustavil nekje sredi ogromnega križišča v več nivojih, kjer je se taksi težko dobiti. Ko sem enega le ustavila, je samo odkimal in šel dalje. Pa naslednji tudi in naslednji. Joj … pa saj ne morem biti tako daleč ali tako blizu, da se mu ne bi splačalo peljati?! si mislim. Gledam ubogi zemljevidek v Lonely Planetu in se odločim, da je do postaje nekako 3 kilometre.  To lahko prehodim - si rečem naglas in prav nič prepričljivo začnem korakat. Pa se ustavi poleg mene mladenič na motorju in  mi nekaj kaže. Samo upam, da to pomeni, da me lahko pelje. Mu pokažem znake na kosu papirja, ki (menda) pomenijo železniška postaja. Pokima in mi pokaže dva prsta ter ju prekriža (kar pomeni 20 juanov). Hitro pokimam in mu zlezem za hrbet. Pa sva šla v nemogoči kitajski promet večmilijonskega mesta, kjer je edino pravilo, kdo je močnejši. Izkazalo se je, da je bilo hudo daleč. Peš ne bi nikoli prišla pravočasno. Se mi zdi, da me na tem potovanju res res spremlja sreča.

In tako sem se z malce tesnobe vkrcala na svoj prvi nočni 16-urni vlak. Na pol sem pričakovala umazanijo, smrad, hrup, pljuvanje, a ne bi se mogla bolj motiti! Prav nasprotno -celo WC je bil popolnoma sprejemljiv! Zaspala sem kot bebica vse tja do Xiana.

22. maj  

I left Chongqing next morning by train to Chengdu. Completely uneventful journey on a super-fast super-modern train which reduced traveling time to only 2 hours. On the train the Chinese girl (hardly a surprise, huh:))next to me started talking to me in a quite good English. As she lived in Chengdu, it was easy for her to put me on the right bus after we arrived. But again I was just showed off at some crossroad and just guessing where I was, started to walk. I was determined I will walk all the way to the hostel. Which turned into more than 1 hour. Of course I took the wrong road once or twice, but at the end I have found my bed.

As it was early afternoon I figured it is best to see a bit of the city and leave for next day the main two reasons which brought me here: the biggest Buddha in the world and pandas.

Chengdu is one of the last chinese cities which stilll has the statue of former leader Mao on the main square. I passed, said hi, took a picture and continued to visit a Wenshu monastery, which was more difficult to find then anything else until now. I was wandering around like crazy and wanted to give up, but suddenly the area completely changed, from ultra modern to some cute low buildings in traditional style. It seems that they have turned some streets around monastery back into traditional buldings and is now major tourist area with shops, restaurants and galeries.

 Next day I have done the obligatory trip to Leshan, to visit the biggest Buddha in the world, but I admit it left me cold. It is enourmous, sits solemnly on the river bank, but million thousands tourists around it makes it feel like a Disneyland.

In the evening I saw a Sichuan opera with all the classics: changing faces, changing clothes, hand shadow, puppet show. Amusing and entertening.

 And then next morning, pandas. It rained, but I realised that it is a good fortune because pandas don't like it hot and would hide, but in the cold morning they were out, playing and eating and just hanging. Really cute.

I agreed with the hostel that the driver will leave me at the train station on the way back from panda base, but I didn t expect to be left out in the middle of enourmous interchange crossroad. I flagged down a taxi but he refused to take me! I asked next one. Same result. What's going on?  I can t be so far or so close that they refuse to take me! I try to figure out from the poor map in Lonely planet where I am and decide that it's not more then 3 km. - I can walk- I say to myself and start walking without real conviction. And then this man on a motorcycle stops next to me, gestures something. I just hope it means that he is willing to take me. I show him the phrase Train station in chinese and he nods. To my relief also the price was completely reasonable and so we went. On the motorbike in a catastropic chinese traffic where the only rule is who is stronger. It turned out that it was really far. Walking, I would never make it in time. It's like the luck is really with me on this trip.

 Already when I arrived, I decided that I will leave the city in 2 days and this time would be by night by train. A real overnight 16-hour journey. 

So I borded my first chinese train, half expecting that it will be dirty, smelly, noisy, with men spitting all around. How wrong! It is all the opposite. Even the toilet was acceptable! So I slept like a baby all the way to Xian.  

39 in the rain by the mighty Yangtze - 39 v dežju ob mogočni Yangtze

Chongqing, 21. May 2012

So much is happening and I hardly find internet! Or time:-)

After leaving Yangshuo I visited the famous Dragon Backbone rice terasses north of Guilin and was not impressed:-) Some sights are simply overrated or I should come in different time of year. On the bus I met two girls, Laetitia from France and Mihal from Israel. It s strange, so far I have seen only women traveling alone:-)
As next day was my birthday, I decided that I will not spend 20 hours of that day on the train from Guilin to Chongqing and have treated myself with the plane ticket :) It turned out that also Mihal had to catch the plane from Guilin and we decided to share a room which meant much nicer hotel and lower cost.
Guilin turned out to be very very nice place with Moon (silver lights) and Sun (yellow lights) pagoda, great pedestrian area and a bar (well several of them, obviously:-) with live music. The singer had a fantastic voice and she agreed to sing a song just for me. For my birthday. It was very lovely evening and thank you, Mihal (did I mention that's a woman's name?) for spending it with me.

Next morning the flight to Chongqing was depressing as it rained all the way and after we landed and when I arrived to the city. Finding my way was difficult and I started to wonder why I have ever come to this town. I couldn't remember, I think it was the Yangze river. I didn't have intention to take the cruise but the city seemed like a good idea. But after being left in the pouring rain, not so much any more! The bus driver just showed me off the bus. I had no idea where I was and then this magic of traveling operates: I learned that the nicest people are young woman, so I just asked the first one I saw. In the shoe shop next to the bus stop. She couldn't speak English but immediately she referred me to somebody next door. It was a travel agency with English speaking girl who tells me everything: which bus to take, where to buy train ticket and where to change money. I walked, still in the rain, about 500 meters to the bank. By then I was quite wet and the bus station looked quite far. I stood under some roof picking up courage to continue and then, this nice lady from the shop behind my back, just comes to me and gives me: an umbrella. I was so grateful I could hug her!
I admit, it was easier with umbrella. I managed to find a hostel where they even gave me a double room for a price of single (for my birthday :-) The rest of the day turned out great. I didn't know much about this place but it turned out to be a modern city with some hidden treasures of ancient times, like the Arhat Temple and restored guild house. There are sky scrappers everywhere and next to them those old little streets where one has a feeling that everything is falling apart. I took a cable car on the other side of the mighty Yangze and back and then just relaxed with a beer and a book in a riverside cafe. 

Yangtze river

Reka Yangtze

Chongqing, 21. maj

Toliko se dogaja, jaz pa komaj najdem internet. Ali čas...

Zadnji izlet, za katerega sem se domenila v Yangshuoju, je bil obisk znamenitih riževih teras, narejenih v hrib, ki jih posrečeno imenujejo zmajev skelet. No, mene niso ravno navdušile. Morda je napačen letni čas ali pa je bilo enostavno preveč ljudi. Sprehod gre tudi čez vas, kjer imajo vse ženske dolge lase!

Na avtobusu sem spoznala Laetizio iz Francije in Mihal iz Izraela. Če razmislim, sem do sedaj med ljudmi, ki potujejo sami, srečala ali opazila samo ženske. Hm, le kaj to pomeni?

Ker je bil naslednji dan moj rojstni dan in moj naslednji cilj oddaljen 20 ur vožnje z vlakom, sem si podarila letalsko vozovnico iz Guilina v Chongqing. Izkazalo se je, da ima tudi Mihal (sem omenila, da je Mihal zenska?) letalo isti dan, zato sva se odločili, da si deliva sobo, kar je pomenilo veliko prijetnejši hotel in nižjo ceno.

Obema je bil Guilin všeč.  Čudovito osvetljeni Lunina (s srebrno svetlobo) in Sončeva (z zlato) pagoda, urejena in zanimiva peš cona v središču mesta, kjer sva našli teraso z živo glasbo. Pevka je imela čudovit glas in je eno pesem odpela zame, za moj rojstni dan. Bil je krasen večer in hvala ti Mihal, da si ga preživela z mano.

Polet naslednji dan v Chongqing je bil depresiven, saj je deževalo ves čas,

Chongqing

tudi po pristanku in se potem, ko sem se prebila v mesto. Tokrat sem imela več  težav, kako se znajti, in začela sem se spraševati, kaj me je sploh pritegnilo v to mesto. Menda reka Yangze, ampak v tistem trenutku bi šla kar kam drugam. Voznik avtobusa me je poslal z avtobusa na kar eni postaji in pojma nisem imela, kje sem. In v takem trenutku se zgodi potovalna čarovnija. Ker vse kar rabiš, je čisto blizu. Namreč, do sedaj mi je postalo jasno, da so najbolj prijazni ljudje mlade ženske. Zato sem se obrnila na prvo, ki sem jo zagledala. V trgovini s čevlji zraven postajališča. Seveda ni znala angleško, ampak me je takoj peljala v lokal zraven njenega, kjer je bila, neverjetno - potovalna agencija z angleško govorečo gospodično. Ta je vse vedela: na kateri avtobus moram, kje kupim vozovnico za vlak, kje zamenjam denar. 500 metrov do banke v dežju me je premočilo in ko sem stala pod naslednjo streho in zbirala pogum, da odkorakam dalje, se mi je izza hrbta približala starejša  gospa in mi podarila: dežnik! Neverjetno, kar objela bi jo!

Priznam, z dežnikom je bilo lažje. Našla sem hostel, kjer so mi celo dali dvoposteljno sobo za ceno enoposteljne. Kot darilo. Preostanek dneva je bil prav krasen, kljub dežju. Bila sem v mestu z neverjetnim kontrastom med starim in novim. V nebo segajoče stolpnice poleg razpadajočih hišic iz nekega drugega časa. Z gondolo sem se popeljala preko mogočne Yangze in nazaj, nato pa sem si ob reki privoščila pivo in sprostitev.

Beautiful Yangshuo - Čudoviti Yangshuo

17th of May 

My cycling guide was called Kevin, 22 and he accompanied me on a motorcycle! I couldn't help not to make fun of him a little bit. And gave him a little lesson about pollution! It is heart breaking to see the amount of pollutants of all sorts being discarded into environment every minute even in such a beautiful area as Guanxi province. The day was nice,although hot as a furnace. I did some hill climbing and cave exploring. I met Laura, a girl from UK who was on her way to HK, where she wants to live and work after working in Beijing!! At the age of 24 really everything is possible! We really enjoyed the cave. A helmet was about as far as security measures were concerned :-) The way in is in water so we were paddled in on a boat, and then walked in extremely low corridor before arriving to hot spring pool. A bath seemed a must and we just didn't care we had to go into the water in our underwear :-) Outside at 35+ we would be dry in minutes. After lunch, we went different ways but she promised to dig out some useful info to make my life in Beijing easier. The way back through rice fields, some hills, villages, across little streams ...was really great.

Next day I visited a 900 years old city with a group of chinese tourists. They took a lot of pictures of me :D It s so amazing how many things can be explained, understood, asked just with the help of hands, gestures, body language ...

Yangshuo

Guangxi

17. maj 

Mojemu vodiču na kolesu je bilo ime Kevin in prišel me je spremljat z motorjem! Seveda sem se malo ponorčevala iz njega, pa nisem si mogla kaj,  da mu ne bi malo popridigala o onesnaževanju. Srce parajoče je gledati ogromne količine vseh sort onesnaževal, ki se vsako minuto spuščajo v okolje celo v tej čudoviti provinci Guanxi. Dan je bil prijeten, vroče sicer kot v peklu, a vseeno sem zlezla na en hrib in v eno jamo. Tik pred tem sem srečala Lauro, mladenko iz Anglije, ki se je naveličala pekinškega kaosa, kjer je delala, zdaj bo pa poskusila najti delo v Hong Kongu. Pri 24ih je pa res vse mogoče :-) Po kosilu sva šli vsaka svojo pot, a mi je obljubila, da me bo napotila k svojim prijateljem v Pekingu, da mi bo lažje prestati kaos glavnega mesta.

Nazaj grede sem biciklala mimo rižev polj, čez potočke, skozi vasice ... lepooo, prečudovito.

Finding my way in China(ese) - Kako se znajti po kitajsko

It has been 4 days since my last  (and only:-) entry, because I had to find the way around the Chinese system, which (surprise, surprise!) also blocks the bloggers. Thanks to my friend Ursa in Slovenia I can continue describing my journey...

So, I was leaving Hong Kong, .....16th May 2012 - After quite an early start I figured that it should be more interesting to cross the border on foot. Even after 1997 (the year it was returned to China) HK maintains independence in many areas, meaning also that one crosses real chinese border only after leaving Hong Kong. So, I took a metro to the last station in the northern part of town and then just followed the crowd which was unbelievable. It looked like all those people had some business in China judging by all sorts of goods they were carrying and the direction they were taking.

The border town is called Shenzhen and I knew I need to take a train to Guangzhou. Really simple. Just follow the crowd. Everybody took the train. And then the real China began. I didn't have any intention to stay in Guangzhou as there is not really much to see. To me, it was just a gateway to Guilin and the gorgeous karst region around Yangshuo where I wanted to spend few days. But on the train station impossible to find if there is a train, I tried bus station where I was so glad that the girl at The Tourist Support Desk spoke English that I have thanked her like 4 times. So bus it is. Only 6 hour something drive meant that I had to take the last one (in order to arrive in the morning, and not in middle of the night) and spend around 10 hours in Guangzhou. I decided to see a bit of town with the help of Lonely Planet. A museum seemed a good idea, but imagine a backpack of 14 kilos on the back, 33 degrees C, 88 % humidity. You can guess I didn't get far :-)) But I passed some enormous buildings and on all of them it was written something like: textile wholecentre trade....Enormous amounts of cheap Chinese clothes, fake bags, accessories and alike....Now I really can say that I know where they come from :-))) The rest of the time I have spend in a park, Starbucks cafe and the bus station.

At 23.30 finally I boarded my bus only to be awaken around 5 and rudely asked where I was going.

-Guilin, I said

-And then? the man continues. I was already alert. What is this? some sort of investigation? Then he said: Yangshuo? Which was true and it turned out we were there, but of course I couldn't know that we will pass it. All sleepy I get off the bus and stand there kind of lost. Transport was offered but I had no clue where I wanted to go. I didn't even find where I was on the map. -Perhaps you want to check our hostel? - I hear behind me. At 5 in the morning that sounded like a great idea and I followed the man. The room was exactly what I needed, just  2 minutes away, the price was fine, he brought me a breakfast and beer(!!!!) and started to sell his excursions packages. Exhausting, but expected!!! After quite a bargaining (the beer tactics didn't help:-))) we agreed on everything I wanted to do in the region and I started with biking right away.....

Štiri dni je minilo od mojega zadnjega (in edinega) zapisa, ampak imam dobro opravičilo, saj sem morala pogruntati, kako naj nadaljujem z objavljanjem zapisov, saj je (kakšno presnečenje!) tudi dostop do spletnih dnevnikov na Kitajskem zablokiran. A zahvaljujoč moji ljubi Urši v Sloveniji lahko nadaljujem s pisanjem (hvala Urša, zlata si).....

Zapuščala sem torej Hong Kong.... 16. maj 2012... Nekako se mi je zdelo, da bo bolj zanimivo prečkati mejo peš kot s kakšnim prevoznim sredstvom, zato sem se zapeljala z metrojem do zadnje postaje na severu mesta. Hong Kong ima namreč tudi po letu 1997 (ko je bil vrnjen Kitajski) precejšnjo neodvisnost na mnogih področjih, tako da se tudi prava kitajska meja prečka šele na njegovem robu. Z metrojske postaje nič lažjega kot slediti množici. VSI so šli v isto smer! Na Kitajsko. Neverjetno kakšne količine blaga se valijo čez to mejo! Kot da ima prav vsakdo nekakšen biznis tam preko :-)

Mesto na meji se imenuje Shenzen, kjer sem vedela, da moram na vlak. Enostavno. Samo slediš množici, kupiš karto in prideš v Guangzhou. In potem se Kitajska res začne.... Nobenega namena nisem imela ostati v mestu, saj menda ni nič posebnega. Morala sem tja samo zato, da ujamem avtobus ali vlak dalje do Guilina, ki naj bi bil moja izhodiščna točka za čudovito kraško pokrajino okoli Yangshua, ki je bil moj cilj za nekaj dni. 
A po prihodu mi na železniški postaji nikakor ni uspelo ugotoviti, ali sploh je vlak do Guilina in kdaj, pa si mislim, poskusimo z avtobusom. Bila sem tako vesela, da je mlada dama na informacijah govorila angleško, da sem se ji menda 4x zahvalila. Samo 6 ur in nekaj dolga vožnja je pomenila, da je bolje, da grem z zadnjim busom, saj tako pridem na cilj v jutranjih, in ne v nočnih urah. Je pa pomenilo tudi, da moram nekako zabiti 10 ur v Guangzhouju.

Guangzhou

Kaj lažjega z Lonely Planetom v roki! Obisk muzeja na primer... Aha, po nekaj korakih, pri 33 stopinjah, 88-odstotni vlagi in 14 kilam na hrbtu mi je bilo jasno, da ne bom prišla daleč. :-)) Ampak sem pa šla mimo nekaj ogromnih stavb in na vsaki je pisalo nekaj v stilu: tekstilni grosistični center.....Gromozanske količine kitajskih oblačil, ponarejenih torbic, modnih dodatkov in podobnega... Zdaj res lahko rečem, da vem natanko, od kod vsa ta roba prihaja k nam:-))) Preostanek časa sem tako preživela v enem parku, v Starbucks cafeju in na postaji.

Ob 23. 30 se torej končno spravim na bus, pa me nekaj pred peto že budijo. Prav grobo me nekdo sprašuje, kam grem.

-Guilin, pravim.

-Pa potem? Možakar ne odneha.
 Jaz pa že pokonci. Kaj je to? Nekakšno izpraševanje?
Pa pravi: Yangshuo?
To je bil res moj namen, pa se je izkazalo, da smo že tam, samo jaz seveda nisem vedela, da se bomo tu ustavili. Tako sem ob 05.00 vsa zaspana in pomečkana zlezla z busa in malo izgubljeno obstala ob robu ceste. Prevoz mi je bil seveda takoj ponujen, a se mi še sanjalo ni, kam hočem. Saj na zemljevidu nisem našla niti, kje sem.  "Ali bi morda hotela pogledati naš hostel?"  slišim za sabo. Ob 05.00 zjutraj se je to seveda zdela imenitna ideja, pa sem sledila tipu. Soba je bila vse, kar sem potrebovala, 2 minuti od postaje, cena ok, tip mi je prinesel celo zajtrk in pivo (!) in seveda začel prodajati svoje izlete. Ker sem itak vedela, kaj hočem in po hudem pregovarjanju (saj pivo ni delovalo:-) sva se zmenila, kako, kdaj in kaj in tako sem čez dve uri že biciklala v nov vroč dan...

The lights of Hong Kong - Luči Hong Konga

Hong Kong

Well, the mysteries of internet... In this super modern city veeery difficult to find one. I guess beacuese everybody is having the iphone and wi fi everywhere. So, Here I am typing in come coffee place. Like Starbucks. What can I tell after these first 3 days. It started with uneventful 11-hour flight, during which I chatted with my German neighbor who went to Japan to avert major crisis in his business - producing valves for cars and trucks! 
Arriving in HK from airport was easy due to great instructions from hostel owner. I m sleepin right in the middle of Kowloon! Great busy area. My room is the smallest possible on the 8th floor of some 15 storey building. Everything here is in the sky! High up somewhere. I had my first lunch which happened to be crocodile (great!) and then slept for 15 hours (I know, shame on me:-)), and next day visited Macau, former Portuguese colony. Not much to say. A lot of Casinos and some former European glamor. In the evening I crossed the Victoria harbor just for the panorama of illuminated skyscrappers. It cost 0,25 cents one way. For the magic of it, it could be triple! But it is public transport, as there are no bridges connecting Kowloon and Hong Kong island. Today the trip to Big Buddha was excellent idea. It was hot and sticky and rained, but the statue is magnificent. It is the biggest state of sitting Buddha mad of bronze in the world. The shame is that it just feels like a part of nearby Disneyland with all the souvenir shops and cheap stalls. You should spend and spend and spend. The late afternoon I just walked the streets of Hong Kong island and on the way to the ferry wandered into an art exhibition. Imagine me, all sweaty after baking in the sun all day in the Hong Kong high society (I checked the shoes:-) sociable event, but the hostess was really nice and even offered me a glass of wine. Just fabulous. And tomorrow across the border to real China.

Eh, skrivnosti interneta... V tem super modernem mestu sem ga komaj našla. Tipkam v kavarni, kjer sem zjutraj pila kavico:), saj je to edini javni internet, na katerega sem naletela. Kaj naj torej povem o teh prvih nekaj dnevih. Vse se je začelo z nič posebnega 11-urnim poletom, med katerim sem med drugim klepetala z mojim nemškim sosedom, ki je moral v Tokio preprečit krizo na področju:  avtomobilskih ventilov! To je namreč edini izdelek, ki ga proizvaja njegova firma!

Pot z letališča v mesto je bila mala šala, saj me je lastnik hostla oskrbel s super navodili. Spim sredi Kowloona v 8. nadstropju 15-nadstropnega bloka. Tu gre vse v višave, saj je prostora bore malo. 
Potem sem šla jest in naletela na krokodiljo restavracijo (hehe, ni kaj, prav odlično) in nato spala 15 ur. Naslednje jutro pa šla pogledat Macao. To je bivša portugalska kolonija, kjer je še čutiti nekaj nekdanjega evropskega glamurja. Mesto ni nič posebnega, a čisto simpatično. Zvečer sem se s trajektom, ki predstavlja javni prevoz, zapeljala prek zaliva Victoria Bay samo zaradi osvetljenih nebotičnikov, ki so na vsaki razglednici Hong Konga in bila navdusena nad pogledom, danes pa šla pozdravit Velikega Budo. To je največji iz brona narejeni sedeči kip Bude na svetu. Kip je veličasten, le pot do tja spominja na Disneyland, kjer naj bi na vsakem koraku samo zapravljal in zapravljal. 
In sedaj zvečer sem se šla zgubljat po ulicah in naletela na otvoritev v eni umetnostni galeriji, kjer me je gostiteljica kljub mojemu videzu (in verjetno vonju) po celem dnevu švicanja vseeno povabila na ogled in kozarec vina. Kaj naj rečem: to je to, zaradi česar hodim po svetu...

Jutri grem čez mejo in upam, da pridem do Guilina.

Lp :)

Pred odhodom

Pravzaprav ima moja mami prav. Zakaj pa ne bi še jaz sproti napisala, kaj se dogaja. Končno enkrat grem na pot za več kot en mesec - celih 7 tednov, pa ni šment, da se ne bo kaj takega zanimivega zgodilo, da bi bilo za objavo:-) Bom poskusila. najprej pa, kaj moram še postoriti pred odhodom? Denarce dvignem in razkužilo še kupim. Ostalo pa menda imam.

Me je ravno kolegica vprašala, če grem sama pa se ji rekla, no ja na Kitajskem je vsaj ena milijarda Kitajcev, tako da čisto sama menda ne bom . Takšnale so moja ramišljanja nekaj ur pred odhodom. Se javim.