Beijing and the Surge

I spent this past weekend in Beijing.  On Friday after work, Meaghan, Bridget and I got a ride to the Shanghai train station with our unofficial teacher taxi driver, Song.  He's awesome!   He speaks really great English, most of which he's learned from driving staff around Luxu and Shanghai.   

 

Heading to Hongquaio Railway Station with Song

We took a 5 hour high speed train up to Beijing.   It's top speed was 306km per hour.  Really neat experience and I would happily do it again.  The only thing I would change is to always sit beside a Westerners...much different experience to sitting beside an Asian; personal space doesn't exist with the latter.  

On Friday night we got to our hotel (one of nicest I've ever stayed in!) and met up with Meaghan's parents, who had arrived the night before.  We went for a late dinner and got back around midnight.

We departed at 7am on a private tour....headed for the Great Wall.  Our tour guide, Jessie, want incredible.   It was a 1.5hours drive to the part of the wall we started at, so she spent most of that time giving up the history of Beijing, the 3 dynasties and the Wall itself.  

Experiencing the wall was incredible, and I'm happy to share details when I'm home.  I would definitely recommend this to everyone.  We had a clear, blue sky day.  Free from visible smog, wind and clouds.  We really lucked out.  Jessie got our timing just right, as there was hardly anyone on the wall with us until we were heading back.  

 

Looking out over the Chinese side (the other side is Mongolia)

 
 

 

On the wall with Bridget and Meaghan (and our much needed coffee)

 

 

Watch your step!  Steep, steep stairs!

 

Seriously, watch your step!

 

Hello from the Great Wall of China!

 

Beautiful views! 

 

Awesome photo taken by our tour guide, Jessie

 

This was our way down from the wall...I felt like I was 12!

After the wall, we drove another hour back to the Summer Palace.  An emperor had commissioned it as a 60th birthday present for his mother.  It took 15 years to finish, complete with a man dug lake.  It was hard to see the vastness of the lake and imagine men with shovels, digging it out.  It was insanely busy at this place though...I entered my happy place about 15min into our tour (also with Jessie). 

 Beautiful and worth the visit! (That is the man made lake...hand dug, using only shovels...incredible)

 

SO.MANY.PEOPLE. 

 

Jessie dropped us off back at our hotel, mid afternoon.   We had a few hours to relax before we headed for a walk.  Meaghan and Bridget took us down "snack street"; a tourist hot spot with any type of small creature on a stick that you could think about.  I entered my happy place about 30 seconds into this....experience.

 

Heading down "snack street"  Scorpian on a stick anyone?

 

We had a drink afterwards with Meaghan's dad and then headed on a bit of an adventure to a local brew pub, Great Leap Brewing.  It felt....very homey!  

On Sunday, we went for breakfast, and then to the Pearl Market (commonly referred to as the fake market).  Again, quite an experience that I am happy to share more about later.  Sunday night, we got tickets to go see an Acrobatic show.  It was about an hour long and very impressive.  On our cab ride back to the hotel, who should we meet, but this crew from Chatsworth, Ontario.  Strange hearing your name being called from another taxi in Beijing.

 

Meaghan and her parents racing us back to the hotel

 

All in all, a great weekend.  I don't think that I will be rushing back to Beijing, but I was happy to have experienced it.  I was also happy to be given treats from home that Meaghan's parents brought over.  Felt like a big hug from home for sure.  Thanks mama!

The Surge

Definitely feeling a bit of home sickness this past week.  Having exchanged a few messages with my sister, it's all been sorted.  :) thanks sista!

Much love xo

Top 10 Things I Learned Touring Around Shanghai Solo

10.  Stare back at people (every Asian) who can't take their eyes (or cameras) off you...80% of the time, the result makes you feel 10% less violated.

9. Elbows up in the underground, seriously.  Really glad I know how to body check...it's finally coming in handy, off the ice.  

8. ALWAYS KEEP YOUR HEAD UP OR YOU WILL GET DEAD (by way of scooter, bike, taxi, people) stopping on a dime has really taken on a new meaning in my life.

7. Walk when possible; to practice number 8, avoid number 10 and find new places to enjoy.

6. Invest in a phone with a battery that will last you more than 4 hours 

5. Don't enter a shopping mall with a timeline...they have a minimum of 6 floors and it will take you discovering each floor before you find the store you went in for.

4. Don't go into a Canadian-specialty food restaurant, expecting to order the Poutine (even if it IS on the menu board as their specialty)

3. Always bring a second pair of shoes if you leave your apartment wearing flip flops.  Always.

2. Be able to mentally transport to your "happy place" at the drop of a hat...especially while riding the underground.

1. Always meet up with pals to cap off successful solo time.  

 

Beautiful blossoms in Xujihui Park (created as a mini replica version of Shanghai)

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As many others before, I made the trek to Central Perk Cafe - it was impressive!

 

 

One example of MANY ridiculous grammar errors...

 

 

Found the Shanghai Patagonia Store...they are big fans of Obama 

Catching Up

Well, it turns out, teaching abroad with a full time teaching job (vs supply teaching in England), makes for a busier week.  My time here seems to be full...which is really great.  However, I'd like to find more time to sit and reflect and take it all in. 

Last weekend, I relived my teenage years when we celebrated the birthdays of 3 new pals.  On Friday afternoon we went to a batting cage pub.  Although this place was literally in the sketchiest area I've seen so far in Shanghai (think losing an organ sketchy), it was actually a nice place inside and very American.  We met up with a few other teachers after, at a well known foreigners pub. 

The next morning, we went to get our hair done.  It was a nice way to start the day.  A wash and a cut was on par, price wise, with Canada.  In the afternoon, about 10 of us went to play laser tag.  It was actually really fun.  We played for about two hours and headed back to my new favourite area, Tianzefang for a few drinks.  On Sunday, Meaghan, Bridget and I went to a breakfast spot in Tianzefang called Kommune.  It was really good.  We sat outside on their patio and were the main attraction for Asian tourists walking around.  

The school week went by fairly quickly.  I helped out with the volleyball club again - it's neat to see the students getting better.  After school on Friday, the Ultimate Frisbee team challenged the teachers to a game.  We played for 2 hours, baking and sweating in the hot, muggy and soggy air. Obviously, we crushed the students and won the game.

On Thursday night, a few of us went out for dinner with a pals parents who were visiting.  We went to a local BBQ restaurant, where they serve you with cigarettes in their mouths (yum!).  It was a nice evening, so we moved tables out onto the street and enjoyed dinner (most of it...I usually like my chicken well done instead of rare).  For our entire meal, we were a spectacle.  Luxu is not a very touristy town, so anyone who is not Asian looking draws quite a bit of attention. 

 
Luxu BBQ 

  

How we started last Friday night off in Shanghai, massive Mojito for 4.

 

My breakfast on this beautiful and quiet Saturday morning 

It will be a quiet weekend around here...but looking forward to the change of pace.  At the end of this month, I'm heading to Beijing and then the Philippines for a week!