Kung Fu not only teaches you self defense, but you can also improve your confidence, self esteem, flexibility, posture and overall fitness level. Kung Fu is especially beneficial to kids and teens, as it gives them a level of discipline and self worth that will stay with them throughout their adolescence and into adulthood. Use these steps to learn about Kung Fu.
o 1Contact your local martial arts academy for lesson information. Classes are usually divided by skill level and sometimes by age group, as to allow for appropriate partnering. Visit Get Into Martial Arts website for a school directory organized by state.
o 2Surf the web for Kung Fu video downloads. Videos by Wing Lam are great, as he is well practiced in all areas of Kung Fu and has videos in each area. Look for titles like Iron Body Master's Kit, which goes through many moves and focuses on using Kung Fu to body build.
o 3Place an ad in the paper or check the paper under the "Work Wanted" ads. This also applies to online classifieds, like Craigslist.org. Many times independent teachers will list their talent and lesson information in a local classified ad.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Great Wall of China Tour Packages
The Travel Channel notes that at around 4,000 miles of combined walls, the Great Wall of China is the longest man-made structure in the world. It was built from rock and dirt between the 5th and 16th centuries to protect China's borders from invasions. The monument has long been a draw for visitors and there are many companies that offer package tours spotlighting the Great Wall of China.
Laurus Travel
Laurus Travel offers a 9-day Golden Triangle Luxury China Tour that begins in Beijing, China's second most populous city. Sights include Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City and an optional excursion to the Peking Opera. On the fifth day the group travels to Xi'an for a day of exploration at the Great Wall of China and an evening stop at the Spirit Way at Ming Tombs. The group will also visit an archaeological excavation site in Xi'an and enjoy a more leisurely walk on the Great Wall. After a visit to a Buddhist monastery in Xi'an the group flies to Shanhai and will visit the Shanghai Museum and Yu Garden, and enjoy an acrobatic performance.
Laurus Travel, Inc.
3195 Granville Street, Suite 45
Vancouver, British Columbia
Canada V6H 3K2
604-438-7718
iExplore China: Hiking the Great Wall
iExplore's hiking tour of the Great Wall of China also beings in Beijing. The group will enjoy some of the capital city's sights including the Temple of Heaven and the Imperial Palace on a guided city tour as well as a rickshaw trip through the Hutongs. The tour group will also visit a local family to take part in afternoon tea. From Beijing the group will take a three-hour drive to Simatai, the starting point of a day of hiking the Jinshangling portion of the Great Wall of China. Approximately 67 towers from the Ming dynasty are located along this section of the Wall, including the Storehouse Tower which was used as a military headquarters. The tour will enjoy a picnic lunch during their hike. The next stop is the Mutianyu portion of the Wall, a 90-minute drive from Simatai. After a few hours of hiking the group will move on to the Juyongquan Pass area of the Wall. The tour also includes a stop at the Olympic Green before returning to Beijing.
iExplore
833 W. Jackson, Suite 500
Chicago, IL 60607
800-439-7567
Explorient: Great Wall Trekking Adventure
Explorient's Great Wall Trekking Adventure is a seven-day, six-night tour that kicks off in Beijing. Tour participants will have some free time to explore the city and also enjoy guided tours of sights such as the Summer Palace, as well as a special Peking duck dinner. From Beijing the group will drive to Badaling, which according to Explorient is home to the more restored area of the Great Wall. Then it's on to see the architecture at the Shuiguan section of the wall before returning for dinner in Beijing. The next day the tour will leave for Jinshanling, where they will experience a hike through mountain roads and villages leading them to Gubeikow. The next day finds the tour group hiking for a full day en route to Simitai to see the famous watchtowers and the mountain ranges between China and Mongolia.
Group participants will also experience a cable car ride from the top of the Great Wall in Mutianyu, followed by a day's hike of that section of the Wall, including a trek up the Heavenly Stairway, which offers a panoramic view of The Great Wall of China. The group then returns to Beijing.
Explorient Travel Services, Inc.
75 Maiden Lane
Suite 805
New York, NY 10038
800-785-1233
Laurus Travel
Laurus Travel offers a 9-day Golden Triangle Luxury China Tour that begins in Beijing, China's second most populous city. Sights include Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City and an optional excursion to the Peking Opera. On the fifth day the group travels to Xi'an for a day of exploration at the Great Wall of China and an evening stop at the Spirit Way at Ming Tombs. The group will also visit an archaeological excavation site in Xi'an and enjoy a more leisurely walk on the Great Wall. After a visit to a Buddhist monastery in Xi'an the group flies to Shanhai and will visit the Shanghai Museum and Yu Garden, and enjoy an acrobatic performance.
Laurus Travel, Inc.
3195 Granville Street, Suite 45
Vancouver, British Columbia
Canada V6H 3K2
604-438-7718
iExplore China: Hiking the Great Wall
iExplore's hiking tour of the Great Wall of China also beings in Beijing. The group will enjoy some of the capital city's sights including the Temple of Heaven and the Imperial Palace on a guided city tour as well as a rickshaw trip through the Hutongs. The tour group will also visit a local family to take part in afternoon tea. From Beijing the group will take a three-hour drive to Simatai, the starting point of a day of hiking the Jinshangling portion of the Great Wall of China. Approximately 67 towers from the Ming dynasty are located along this section of the Wall, including the Storehouse Tower which was used as a military headquarters. The tour will enjoy a picnic lunch during their hike. The next stop is the Mutianyu portion of the Wall, a 90-minute drive from Simatai. After a few hours of hiking the group will move on to the Juyongquan Pass area of the Wall. The tour also includes a stop at the Olympic Green before returning to Beijing.
iExplore
833 W. Jackson, Suite 500
Chicago, IL 60607
800-439-7567
Explorient: Great Wall Trekking Adventure
Explorient's Great Wall Trekking Adventure is a seven-day, six-night tour that kicks off in Beijing. Tour participants will have some free time to explore the city and also enjoy guided tours of sights such as the Summer Palace, as well as a special Peking duck dinner. From Beijing the group will drive to Badaling, which according to Explorient is home to the more restored area of the Great Wall. Then it's on to see the architecture at the Shuiguan section of the wall before returning for dinner in Beijing. The next day the tour will leave for Jinshanling, where they will experience a hike through mountain roads and villages leading them to Gubeikow. The next day finds the tour group hiking for a full day en route to Simitai to see the famous watchtowers and the mountain ranges between China and Mongolia.
Group participants will also experience a cable car ride from the top of the Great Wall in Mutianyu, followed by a day's hike of that section of the Wall, including a trek up the Heavenly Stairway, which offers a panoramic view of The Great Wall of China. The group then returns to Beijing.
Explorient Travel Services, Inc.
75 Maiden Lane
Suite 805
New York, NY 10038
800-785-1233
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Famous Features of the Great Wall of China
Considering the Great Wall of China is
thousands of miles long, it is easier to learn about in sections. The wall has
several famous features that attract tourists who want to uncover its history.
These features include a marble platform, watchtowers, and passes that served
as trade posts and military fortifications in Chinese history.
Cloud Platform
The Cloud Platform (Yuntai), also called
"Crossing Street Tower," is a section of the Great Wall of China
built in 1345. It supported three pagodas--the tiered towers with several
over-hangings common in China and Japan--but lasted for less than three
decades. The Cloud Platform also supported the Great Peace Temple, but in 1702
a fire destroyed it. It now stands alone as a marble archway and platform for
people to enjoy scenic views. Its exterior and ceiling house carvings; images
of animals, the Buddha and flowers; mandala patterns, and inscriptions of
Buddhist scriptures.
Juyong Pass
Juyong Pass, or Juyongguan, is near Beijing
and was built in the 5th century and updated during the Ming Dynasty between
1368 and 1644. National Geographic states that it served as a trading post and
military fortification. It rests in a ravine, and its scenic views of green
trees and colorful flowers make it popular among visitors. People can still
make out the inscriptions and carvings that adorn its walls.
Badaling
Badaling is the most popular site for
tourists, as it is the highest point of the Great Wall of China. It rises over
1,000 meters above sea level, and standing on the watchtowers affords visitors
scenic views. While modern features include handrails and vendors for tourists,
historically it was built during the Ming Dynasty and served as a military
bunker.
Mutianyu
Mutianyu, which the Ming Dynasty saw
reconstructed, was the site of several battles in Chinese history. It served as
a military stronghold when Emperor Yongle made Beijing the capital during his
reign in the first quarter of the 15th century. Attacks continued during the
reign of child emperor Zhengtong in the second quarter of the 1400s. Mutianyu
houses 22 watchtowers and is now popular among tourists, according to National
Geographic.
Monday, December 26, 2011
A magical morning at the Great Wall
We had been warned that the overnight train to Beijing was often late getting in, but it pulled in almost exactly on time at six am. Tony and the boys had slept well -- I had woken up at nearly every station we stopped at on the way, but wasn't too dreary. The driver I had arranged was waiting for us on the platform, and soon led us to his van parked in the adjoining garage. There were huge puddles everywhere as we headed out of the city, and he told us that it had rained heavily the night before, which had broken the heat somewhat.
By 8 am, we were pulling into a nearly empty parking lot at Mutianyu. Most of the vendors had not yet set up shop, and there was no line to go up. I had been thinking that we'd take the cable car up and the toboggan ride down, but I didn't communicate that clearly to the driver when he bought us our tickets, so we wound up with tickets for the chair lift up instead of the toboggan. Not a big deal. Daniel was a little freaked on the chair lift, but Tony held his hand, and he was brave. He actually said he was happier on the chair lift than he would have been in the cable car (enclosed, but higher) -- who knows? The chair lift goes right over the toboggan run, and he was a little stressed about it looking down at the twists below.
I'm not sure I have the words to describe how magical it was to be on the Great Wall in the cool morning mists, nearly on our own. You see the nearby watch towers fading into the distance, but then you look at the other ridges, and realize that there is wall at the top of them as well. I took a ton of pictures, but I think I'll need to tweak them in photoshop a bit to get the buildings to stand out from the mist a bit more. Some of the passages between towers are ramps, rather than stairs, and Nicholas enjoyed running down them at full tilt -- and he could do so without crashing into anyone. One of the towers had stairs going up to the upper level, so we hung out up there a bit. We made our way almost to the cable car tower, and then decided to turn back before our magical moment became too much of a slog. By then (maybe 9 am) there were more people on the wall -- not anything that I'd really call a crowd, but it was no longer quiet and empty.
We made it back to where we started just before 10 am, and were among the first groups to ride the toboggan down. It turned out to be a quite gentle ride -- we had to slow down significantly to avoid ramming the chairs ahead of us. But we all enjoyed it. We spent a few minutes bargaining with the souvenir sellers -- Nicholas bought a magic trick, and Daniel a low-quality chop with his name on it -- and then headed back to the car, just as most of the tour buses were pulling in. I can't recommend more strongly that if you're going to the Great Wall to get there at 8 am.
What with Beijing traffic, it took us until about 12.30 to get to our hotel. It's in a traditional Beijing neighborhood (hutong) and the driver had to turn down a narrow street clogged with pedestrians and bikes. We got stuck for a while behind a propane delivery truck and squeezed by with very little margin. The last half a block was so narrow that the driver simply gave up and asked us to walk it, which we were happy to do. When we checked in, our rooms weren't quite ready, so we happily left our bags behind and went back out to explore the neighborhood. The narrow pedestrian street was Nan Luogo Xiang (South Luogo Street) which turns out to be a trendy street, sort of like parts of Greenwich Village or Soho in New York. Lots of young Chinese with cool hair cuts walking around and eating pudding and ice cream.
In the evening, we walked over to the nearby lake neighborhood, where we rented a paddleboat, walked around a bit, and had hot pot for dinner. A good welcome to Beijing.
By 8 am, we were pulling into a nearly empty parking lot at Mutianyu. Most of the vendors had not yet set up shop, and there was no line to go up. I had been thinking that we'd take the cable car up and the toboggan ride down, but I didn't communicate that clearly to the driver when he bought us our tickets, so we wound up with tickets for the chair lift up instead of the toboggan. Not a big deal. Daniel was a little freaked on the chair lift, but Tony held his hand, and he was brave. He actually said he was happier on the chair lift than he would have been in the cable car (enclosed, but higher) -- who knows? The chair lift goes right over the toboggan run, and he was a little stressed about it looking down at the twists below.
I'm not sure I have the words to describe how magical it was to be on the Great Wall in the cool morning mists, nearly on our own. You see the nearby watch towers fading into the distance, but then you look at the other ridges, and realize that there is wall at the top of them as well. I took a ton of pictures, but I think I'll need to tweak them in photoshop a bit to get the buildings to stand out from the mist a bit more. Some of the passages between towers are ramps, rather than stairs, and Nicholas enjoyed running down them at full tilt -- and he could do so without crashing into anyone. One of the towers had stairs going up to the upper level, so we hung out up there a bit. We made our way almost to the cable car tower, and then decided to turn back before our magical moment became too much of a slog. By then (maybe 9 am) there were more people on the wall -- not anything that I'd really call a crowd, but it was no longer quiet and empty.
We made it back to where we started just before 10 am, and were among the first groups to ride the toboggan down. It turned out to be a quite gentle ride -- we had to slow down significantly to avoid ramming the chairs ahead of us. But we all enjoyed it. We spent a few minutes bargaining with the souvenir sellers -- Nicholas bought a magic trick, and Daniel a low-quality chop with his name on it -- and then headed back to the car, just as most of the tour buses were pulling in. I can't recommend more strongly that if you're going to the Great Wall to get there at 8 am.
What with Beijing traffic, it took us until about 12.30 to get to our hotel. It's in a traditional Beijing neighborhood (hutong) and the driver had to turn down a narrow street clogged with pedestrians and bikes. We got stuck for a while behind a propane delivery truck and squeezed by with very little margin. The last half a block was so narrow that the driver simply gave up and asked us to walk it, which we were happy to do. When we checked in, our rooms weren't quite ready, so we happily left our bags behind and went back out to explore the neighborhood. The narrow pedestrian street was Nan Luogo Xiang (South Luogo Street) which turns out to be a trendy street, sort of like parts of Greenwich Village or Soho in New York. Lots of young Chinese with cool hair cuts walking around and eating pudding and ice cream.
In the evening, we walked over to the nearby lake neighborhood, where we rented a paddleboat, walked around a bit, and had hot pot for dinner. A good welcome to Beijing.
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Baihua Mountain
In the Mentougou District lies a natural botanical garden, Baihua Mountain Natural Scenic Area, which is over 100 kilometers (62 miles) from Beijing. This area has incomparable beauty, and magnificent scenery of gracefulness and steepness with numerous wonderful sights. Renowned for superb natural scenery and large quantities of exotic flowers and rare herbs, Baihua Mountain is a heavenly place on earth.
The rich natural resource of plants and animals is one of the characteristics of Baihua Mountain. The scenic area offers a splendid environment for more than 170 kinds of rare animals, such as leopards, black storks, golden eagles, brown-eared pheasants and gorals. Other wild animals including wolves, foxes, roe deer, hedgehogs, wild boars, badgers and wild goats also live here, along with more than 300 kinds of birds that gather here in spring and autumn. There are also more than 1,000 species of plants growing here.
Ant holes in the Baihua Mountain are also very curious. Thousands of holes are built on gentle slopes by hundreds of millions of ants. With the shape of hillocks, these holes are adjacent to each other, resembling small villages. The largest ones, 3 meters (9.8 feet) in diameter and one meter (3.3 feet) high, look like the grand pyramids. Quite unusual!
The Baihua Mountain is most famous for its large quantities of flowers. The flowers bloom at different times, for the temperature varies greatly with the elevation of the mountain. In early March, mountain peach bloom first. As the seasons change, different beautiful flowers decorate the mountain with a sea of flowers, including China rose, wild lilac, azalea, wild peony, red Jessamine, and many other species. Even in late October, tourists can have a good view of the charming wild opium poppy. The most marvelous flower is tropaeolum, which can only be found on the elevation of 1,800 meters (5,905 feet) to 2,000 meters (6,560 feet).
In a lap of the Baihua Mountain, there is a vast ice block which does not melt all year around. Even in hot summer, one can feel a chill in the air. The mountain shapes the ice block into a small waterfall. While just near the jade white ice block, one encounters another view with blooming flowers and flourishing trees.
Admission Fee:
|
CNY 30
|
Opening Hours:
|
08:00-18:00
|
Bus Route:
|
929 Zhi (929支) from the west of Pingguoyuan Subway Station (地铁苹果园西) to Baihuashan Lukou (百花山路口), and then you could walk to the Baihua Mountain (百花山).
|
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Qinglong Lake Water Amusement Park
The Qinglong Lake Water Amusement Park is located in Qinglong Town, Fangshan District, only 37 kilometers (23 miles) from the Tiananmen Square. With a water surface area of 4,000 hectares (659 acres), it has the largest bathing beach in Beijing where 10,000 people can bath and play. Thus, it enjoys the fame of 'Little Coast in Beijing'. The lake was once a reservoir and developed as a tourist resort in 1995. Nowadays, it has become a large comprehensive area dedicated to entertainment, body-building, leisure and sightseeing.
The lake is like a valuable sapphire embedded in the area. When the lake is calm and weather is fine, the blue sky, white clouds, trees and hills are reflected in the large mirror, forming a stunning picture. When a breeze blows, the waves ripple as if a naughty girl winks. The lake sparks in the brilliant sunlight and the distant hill looks like an overlapping landscape.
The park offers tourists a wide variety of amusements including thrilling aquatic parachuting, high-speed motor boats, yachts, self-drive boats, rowing boats, pedalos, spaceships and interesting self-controlled flying discs. Dragon boat trip allows you to explore the lake and its panoramic view. Visitors can also swim in the natural river beach and paddle at the lakeside. In addition, there are other amusements for visitors to enjoy, such as lakeside fishing, a children's playground and a fruit garden. The accommodation and restaurants here are also excellent.
Admission Fee:
|
CNY 10
|
Bus Route:
|
616, 646, 917, 917 Zhuan (917专), 917 Zhi 3 (917支3), 952, 971 to Liangxiang Ximen (良乡西门), then transfer to small bus No.6 to the Qinglong Lake Water Amusement Park (青龙湖水上乐园).
|
Friday, December 23, 2011
Culture of Huangyaguan Great Wall
Huangyaguan Great Wall - Huangya, means "yellow cliff". The pass takes this name from the yellowish hills and rocks nearby. Originally built in Tianbao 7th of Beiqi (557 A D), the Huangyanguan was repaired for the first time in Ming Dynasty with bricks and for the second time in 1985. In 1986 it was listed as a key relics protection target of Tianjin city.
Now it is also chosen as a patriotic education and national defense education base of Tianjin. Besides, starting form 1999, there is going to be a special tourism activity there-International Field Marathon. With various forms of water towers presented along the walls, and the largest tower of the Great Wall "Phoenix Tower" and the most unique "Baguaguan Castle", Huangyaguan Great Wall is like a library of the Great Wall. By now 3025 meters of the Huangyaguan Great Wall, 20 water towers and a water pass have been repaired. This section has several featues:
Strong: With its walls and towers built on mountain ridge with an average altitude of 738 meters, the Huangyaguan is really overwhelming. To the east there is the cliff, and the west, crags. It winds its way across mountains like a dragon. Guarding a stronghold, it has been the north entrance of Jinxian.
Dangerous: On the mountains with peaks rising one higher than another, the Great wall jumps its way up and down as a linkage between the cliff and crags. Since the mountain is sloppy, the steps are very high. In some sections, it looks like that the wall is running straight up or down. When you look down, you will feel dizzy at the sight.
Beautiful: On Huangyaguan, you will be able to enjoy both mountain scenery and waterfalls and springs.
Ancient: With a history of over 1400 years, the ancient walls was first build in Beiqi, and reserved well until today. In Ming Dynasty, it was added with walls made of bricks.
Now it is also chosen as a patriotic education and national defense education base of Tianjin. Besides, starting form 1999, there is going to be a special tourism activity there-International Field Marathon. With various forms of water towers presented along the walls, and the largest tower of the Great Wall "Phoenix Tower" and the most unique "Baguaguan Castle", Huangyaguan Great Wall is like a library of the Great Wall. By now 3025 meters of the Huangyaguan Great Wall, 20 water towers and a water pass have been repaired. This section has several featues:
Strong: With its walls and towers built on mountain ridge with an average altitude of 738 meters, the Huangyaguan is really overwhelming. To the east there is the cliff, and the west, crags. It winds its way across mountains like a dragon. Guarding a stronghold, it has been the north entrance of Jinxian.
Dangerous: On the mountains with peaks rising one higher than another, the Great wall jumps its way up and down as a linkage between the cliff and crags. Since the mountain is sloppy, the steps are very high. In some sections, it looks like that the wall is running straight up or down. When you look down, you will feel dizzy at the sight.
Beautiful: On Huangyaguan, you will be able to enjoy both mountain scenery and waterfalls and springs.
Ancient: With a history of over 1400 years, the ancient walls was first build in Beiqi, and reserved well until today. In Ming Dynasty, it was added with walls made of bricks.
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Jedziecie do stolicy kraju kapitalistycznego...
Muzeum narodowego w Taipei nie zobaczylem, bo obudzilem sie tego dnia
juz po poludniu, w sumie nic dziwnego, biorac pod uwage, ze zasnac mi
sie udalo jakos po 5 rano, a i potem zezarly mnie komary. Jak tu spac
w sali pelnej podobnych do mnie plecakarzy, z ktorych kilku (w tym
chyba ten zwalisty murzyn z New Jersey) chrapalo niczym czterdziestu
Alibabow i rozbojnik. Pierwszy raz w zyciu spalem w tego rodzaju
hostelu... na jakis czas wystarczy. Najbardziej drazniaca jest plytka
forma rodzaca sie miedzy zachodnimi "podroznikami". Takie terefere-
polslowka nasycone nonszalancja, niezainteresowaniem i pozorami
uprzejmosci. Siedzimy w osmioro, kazdy stuka na laptoku, oczywiscie
prawie same maki, a na wiekszosci ekranow fejsus. Smrod skarpet.
Posrod nas gospodyni- mloda piekna Chinka, mowiaca perfekt po
angielsku, pol zycia musiala tej nauce poswiecic. Rano poszlismy z nia
i ze zwalistym murzynem na sniadanie, on dalej nadawal na tej samej
fali, dodajac jeszcze akcenty flirtu, ona odplacala mu sie tym samym,
ale - moze mi sie tylko zdawalo - raczej z jakims smutkiem albo
znuzeniem na twarzy-co ona wlasciwie robi? Prowadzi z kolezankami
hostel, co wieczor tacy sami powierzchowni zagraniczniacy, rzygac
musi sie chciec. A wszystko poprzedzone latami szlifowania
angielskiego.
Siedze od 3 dni
w Pekinie. Mieszkam w hotelu, a za dnia gosci i
oprowadza mnie Mengnan, rodowita Pekinka. Od razu zastrzega: te tlumy
ludzi na ulicach to wcale nie Pekinczycy, tylko przyjezdni, straszne
bydlo, rozpychaja sie lokciami, kradna, charchaja i pluja.
Rzeczywiscie, bardzo stolecznie tutaj- w metrze np. nie ma zwyczaju
wypuszczania wychodzacych, panuje wolna amerykanka. No i calosc
narzuca mi uczucie kopciuszka w wielkim miescie, chociaz gdzieniegdzie
juz bywalem.
Na poczatek terminal 3 lotniska w Pekinie- gigant, w srodku
zmiescilyby sie terminale Heathrow i Gatwick i byloby jeszcze miejsce
na Okecie. A potem np:
- reklamy wyswietlane w tunelach metra - na takich kilkusetmetrowych
ledowych ekranach, predkosc obrazkow zsynchronizowana z predkoscia
pociagu (przypomina sie Szanghaj i statki z reklamami plywajace po
rzece)
- beznogi zebrak wyposazony w sprzet naglasniajacy
- masa sklepow z bizuteria, ceny od 2000zl w gore
- uliczka piwna: 30 albo 40 barow jeden za drugim, w kazdym muzyka na
zywo, muzycy daja z siebie wszystko, od reggae, przez chinski pop do
bluesa. Przed barami nachalni naganiacze, maly browarek 35 juanow .
Usiedlismy przed jednym i zaraz pozalowalem wyboru, bo w sasiednim
koles zagral chinska wersje Takiego Tanga. "Nasrali wielkie i
blyszczace gowno tak jak Buenos Aires" oczywiscie przylepilo
mi sie do
ucha na nastepnych kilka godzin. Miauczykot i szczeka pies.
- mlodziez jakas wyzsza niz na Poludniu, lby pofarbowane na rudo, irokezy...
-Tiananmen - taki placyk w srodku miasta, kilometr na kilometr.
Mengnan wcale nie byla zdziwiona moim brakiem entuzjazmu dla Mao
Pekin jest tez pierwszym polnocnym chinskim miastem, jakie widze.
Pogoda piekna, 20-kilka stopni za dnia, 15 w nocy. Powietrze jest
przejrzyste na jakies 10km, moze te wszystkie newsy nt strasznego
pekinskiego smogu to tez propaganda?;-) Nie ma w kazdym razie lekkiego
smrodu typowego dla Kaohsiunga czy innych goracych miejsc bardziej na
poludniu.
Przedwczoraj odwiedzilismy rodzine Mengnan na dalekich przedmiesciach
(godzina jazdy metrem). Dwie grube ciotki, maz jednej z
ciotek-policjant, grube dziecko (11 lat, a wazy z 80kilo) i corka
jednej z ciotek - w typie latynoskim troche, przy kosci, ale w sumie
jedyna chuda. Ulepily cala mase pierogow, a pan domu polal (tylko dla
nas dwoch) kaolianga 58 wolt, do kielichow od wina, w sumie jakies
150ml. Wzialem lyk i powiadam- woda. Potem przyszlo do spiewania.
Pomyslalem ze zrobie wredny numer Rosjanom i podkradne Padmaskownyje
wieciera na konto Polakow (skoro tak mi dobrze szlo kilka dni wczesniej pod Hualien), ale kiedy skonczylem, ktoras z ciotek powiedziala:
- dobra, to teraz Katiusza.
Nastepnego wieczoru poszlismy do KTV. Nieopacznie powiedzialem, ze w
Chengdu bylo lepiej... takie granie na ambicji Pekinczykow moze miec
nieobliczalne konsekwencje. Zabrali mnie zaraz w inne miejsce, zdaje
sie Baby Face, gdzie znany standard: dwie flachy Hennessy, 16 butelek
z herbata etc. Mengnan uparla sie i oczywiscie zaplacila za wszystko
sama, a rachunek byl slony- jakies 800zlotych. Nie bardzo pamietam
powrotnej drogi do hotelu, ale caly dzisiejszy dzien to mocny kac.
juz po poludniu, w sumie nic dziwnego, biorac pod uwage, ze zasnac mi
sie udalo jakos po 5 rano, a i potem zezarly mnie komary. Jak tu spac
w sali pelnej podobnych do mnie plecakarzy, z ktorych kilku (w tym
chyba ten zwalisty murzyn z New Jersey) chrapalo niczym czterdziestu
Alibabow i rozbojnik. Pierwszy raz w zyciu spalem w tego rodzaju
hostelu... na jakis czas wystarczy. Najbardziej drazniaca jest plytka
forma rodzaca sie miedzy zachodnimi "podroznikami". Takie terefere-
polslowka nasycone nonszalancja, niezainteresowaniem i pozorami
uprzejmosci. Siedzimy w osmioro, kazdy stuka na laptoku, oczywiscie
prawie same maki, a na wiekszosci ekranow fejsus. Smrod skarpet.
Posrod nas gospodyni- mloda piekna Chinka, mowiaca perfekt po
angielsku, pol zycia musiala tej nauce poswiecic. Rano poszlismy z nia
i ze zwalistym murzynem na sniadanie, on dalej nadawal na tej samej
fali, dodajac jeszcze akcenty flirtu, ona odplacala mu sie tym samym,
ale - moze mi sie tylko zdawalo - raczej z jakims smutkiem albo
znuzeniem na twarzy-co ona wlasciwie robi? Prowadzi z kolezankami
hostel, co wieczor tacy sami powierzchowni zagraniczniacy, rzygac
musi sie chciec. A wszystko poprzedzone latami szlifowania
angielskiego.
Siedze od 3 dni
oprowadza mnie Mengnan, rodowita Pekinka. Od razu zastrzega: te tlumy
ludzi na ulicach to wcale nie Pekinczycy, tylko przyjezdni, straszne
bydlo, rozpychaja sie lokciami, kradna, charchaja i pluja.
Rzeczywiscie, bardzo stolecznie tutaj- w metrze np. nie ma zwyczaju
wypuszczania wychodzacych, panuje wolna amerykanka. No i calosc
narzuca mi uczucie kopciuszka w wielkim miescie, chociaz gdzieniegdzie
juz bywalem.
Na poczatek terminal 3 lotniska w Pekinie- gigant, w srodku
zmiescilyby sie terminale Heathrow i Gatwick i byloby jeszcze miejsce
na Okecie. A potem np:
- reklamy wyswietlane w tunelach metra - na takich kilkusetmetrowych
ledowych ekranach, predkosc obrazkow zsynchronizowana z predkoscia
pociagu (przypomina sie Szanghaj i statki z reklamami plywajace po
rzece)
- beznogi zebrak wyposazony w sprzet naglasniajacy
- masa sklepow z bizuteria, ceny od 2000zl w gore
- uliczka piwna: 30 albo 40 barow jeden za drugim, w kazdym muzyka na
zywo, muzycy daja z siebie wszystko, od reggae, przez chinski pop do
bluesa. Przed barami nachalni naganiacze, maly browarek 35 juanow .
Usiedlismy przed jednym i zaraz pozalowalem wyboru, bo w sasiednim
koles zagral chinska wersje Takiego Tanga. "Nasrali wielkie i
blyszczace gowno tak jak Buenos Aires" oczywiscie przylepilo
ucha na nastepnych kilka godzin. Miauczykot i szczeka pies.
- mlodziez jakas wyzsza niz na Poludniu, lby pofarbowane na rudo, irokezy...
-Tiananmen - taki placyk w srodku miasta, kilometr na kilometr.
Mengnan wcale nie byla zdziwiona moim brakiem entuzjazmu dla Mao
Pekin jest tez pierwszym polnocnym chinskim miastem, jakie widze.
Pogoda piekna, 20-kilka stopni za dnia, 15 w nocy. Powietrze jest
przejrzyste na jakies 10km, moze te wszystkie newsy nt strasznego
pekinskiego smogu to tez propaganda?;-) Nie ma w kazdym razie lekkiego
smrodu typowego dla Kaohsiunga czy innych goracych miejsc bardziej na
poludniu.
Przedwczoraj odwiedzilismy rodzine Mengnan na dalekich przedmiesciach
(godzina jazdy metrem). Dwie grube ciotki, maz jednej z
ciotek-policjant, grube dziecko (11 lat, a wazy z 80kilo) i corka
jednej z ciotek - w typie latynoskim troche, przy kosci, ale w sumie
jedyna chuda. Ulepily cala mase pierogow, a pan domu polal (tylko dla
nas dwoch) kaolianga 58 wolt, do kielichow od wina, w sumie jakies
150ml. Wzialem lyk i powiadam- woda. Potem przyszlo do spiewania.
Pomyslalem ze zrobie wredny numer Rosjanom i podkradne Padmaskownyje
wieciera na konto Polakow (skoro tak mi dobrze szlo kilka dni wczesniej pod Hualien), ale kiedy skonczylem, ktoras z ciotek powiedziala:
- dobra, to teraz Katiusza.
Nastepnego wieczoru poszlismy do KTV. Nieopacznie powiedzialem, ze w
Chengdu bylo lepiej... takie granie na ambicji Pekinczykow moze miec
nieobliczalne konsekwencje. Zabrali mnie zaraz w inne miejsce, zdaje
sie Baby Face, gdzie znany standard: dwie flachy Hennessy, 16 butelek
z herbata etc. Mengnan uparla sie i oczywiscie zaplacila za wszystko
sama, a rachunek byl slony- jakies 800zlotych. Nie bardzo pamietam
powrotnej drogi do hotelu, ale caly dzisiejszy dzien to mocny kac.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)