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.