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20
Oktober		metropolis and outback

It sounds like I am permanently on holiday, but be sure it is not like that. Enough work and regular live in between these small highlights. Nevertheless, after Qinhuangdao, two more weekend trips: Shanghai and Jixian.


Shanghai…


Jin Mao tower…stunning again. The adjacent Shanghai Financial Center, Chinas new Number One regarding the height, has risen by about 50m since last visit with family in May.

Sashas…it is really nice to eat good old European food like Pizza or sirloin steak and sit outside in comfy chairs and relaxed atmosphere at a warm 20° C.

the Formula 1…is interesting, earcrushing and impressive, yet one time is enough if you are no absolute enthusiast.

meeting German colleagues….so good to have opportunity to talk!

 

Jixian…


slow train…3 ½ hours for what would be 1 ½ in a car. Price for the ticket: RMB 8 (0,80 €).

homestay… sleep at a local families house. Costs RMB 50 including meals. We save it for next time and check in at Jinsui Hotel.

Baxianshan…highest peak of Tianjin municipality. Egoistic Johannes leaves a slightly worried Christina behind and disproves the Park Rangers schedule by running up the last section and coming back after 45 minutes, just in time to reach the bus to go back to the park entrance.

Jixian…Tianjins northernmost county. Mild climate, fruit trees in abundance, mediterranean landscape and clean air. Truly good regarding the poor density of natural highlights in northern China.  

bathhouse…one of Chinas good inventions. A big wellness center usually featuring a whirlpool area on the first, massage and chillout on the second and sometimes entertainment and food on the third floor. The one in Jixian was great relaxation after hiking Baxianshan.

Jiuba…Chinese word for pub or bar. There was none in Jixian, only karaoke clubs…no party night that day.


3
Oktober		Where the Great Wall meets the Ocean
After some weekends in Tianjin it was time for a weekend trip again: Qinhuangdao, about 4 hours north east from Tianjin, the closest place with acceptable beaches and the place where 'Great Wall meets the Ocean'.I met Christina, my friend from Indonesia, early morning and we went to the bus terminal at 'Honqi Lu'. After arriving I asked 'mai piao nar? ...Qinhuangdao'. The answer was not as hoped... too long explanations. Something wrong! Look for the next English speaking person. I asked a young girl. Not too good English but it was clear: no bus from here in the morning, we have to go to another terminal, the information in my brochure was wrong. At 9:30, two hours later we were finally ascending our bus at a station 15 km away. Next surprise: it is a sleeping bus!! Three rows of narrow bunkbeds, two neat passages in between. Too funny! Slightly short for my 1,91m, but not bad at all. We left Tianjin and toured through unexciting landscape in northern direction. Smooth and comfortable lying, sleeping a bit... until one disadvantage of the bus became more and more obvious. No toilet! After 2 hours Christina started asking... after 2 1/2 hours we asked the driver... but it was only after 4 hours that the bus arrived in Qinhuangdao and we hurried towards the next toilet. The bus left us in the middle of nowhere and continued to Dalian. We found some locals, they wanted to drive us to our hotel... but did not find the key of their car. Obviously it has not been used for long. Finally a taxi drove us. The hotel was a good choice, directly behind it: the beach. Yes beach! Walking in the sand and, after changing clothes, even swimming. Chilly, but nice to smell and feel the ocean. A beach in northern China...'tai hao le'... that's great. For dinner we went to Baidaihe, a holiday resort which was founded around 1900 by foreign missionairies and engineers and by now a summer resort for the rich: members of the communist party and winners of the economic hype during last decade. It is a nice small town with lots of restaurants and tourist facilities. Luckily the 'Golden Week' (Chinese holiday also called mid autumn festival) only starts on Monday and therefore most people needed to work (it is only 3 days free, but Saturday and Sunday most people work in advance and then get a full week free). We were gratefully welcomed into the restaurant. All of them with bilingual menues. Good but no help: the two languages were Chinese and Russian... most foreigners here are Russians who spend a cheap holiday not too far away from their country. Next day we visited the tourist attractions in near Shanhaiguan: 'First Pass under Heaven' ... only god knows why it is called like that. Looks just like a section of the city walls. Second place: 'Laolongtou' / 'Old Dragon Head' the place where the Great Wall ends in the Ocean. For the way back we took the train: a slow train that stopped in every small village. Beginning of 'Golden Week', half China travels somewhere, it's crazy to get any ticket. We arrived 8:15 p.m., I kept on motivating Christina to hurry. 8:43 we were in my apartment, 2 more minutes to the second half of Woman Soccer World Cup final: Germany - Brasil.


  
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