Our last night in Shanghai we invited Joyce - the apartment secretary for dinner and she took us to a 'hot pot' or 'huoguo' restaurant, very traditional here!! You order chicken, vegetables, beef, noodles, tofu etc. and you boil it yourself in a hot sauce in front of you on the table. (which we thought was tomato soup first) and it will float up when its ready. The place was very busy with local guests and the vibe was fantastic.
We left from Shanghai and took the Magnetic train (430km/hour) to the airport. In Beijing it was very difficult to find the way to our compound since the taxi driver was only able to curse in Chinese. His car was not so big and new, but no other taxi was available and therefore we had all our suitcases packed on top of us. Beijing is full of flats, high buildings and highways and everywhere there are building sites. My parents said that China has a lot of money are that is way they are building new metro lines and more buildings. The people live in compounds, tall flats built in a square in between the highways. In the compounds are small parks, a gym and or pool, a tennis court, a clinic and shops. Our apartment was on the outside of the compound and was very noisy, since people were building day and night on a new subway station in front of our apartment. So we moved to another building which was on the inside looking at trees and fountains. In the second apartment we had more space and Steven and I had our OWN ROOOM!!!!!!
We went to the Forbidden City, the Chinese Imperial Palace from the Ming Dynasty to the end of Qing Dynasty. It is right in the center of Beijing. For 500 years it was the home for the emperors and their households and the ceremonial and political center of Chinese government. We went very early around 8:30 when it was not that busy, but when we left at 14:00 it was packed with tour groups. I had to find a quiet corner to close my eyes and feel the vibe how the Emperors and their concubines (wives and girlfriends of the emperors) lived. Also the Garden of the Palace was very special with old trees and the national flower - the Peony. This week we also visited a friend who used to live in Hout Bay, Audry. She invited us to come over for dinner and she cooked a GREAT meal and gave us many good tips about Beijing, it was much fun!
We learned already 5 words in Chinese and made a promise that every day we will add another 5 words!! Chinese language is not as difficult as I thought it would be. You must listen and read and learn a few words every day and hopefully I can say just a few things when we leave next month. Specially because the people here are very interested to say 'Hello' and are always curious although they do not speak English themselves.
We also met with my dads old friends WTP Pentermann and Jean Pierre Evers. Their wives Da Ya and May taught us more about China and we went in a seat with a bicycle in front to an old part of town with the traditional small houses, a lake and small shops. My mother said that that was how Beijing looked like when she visited it 20 years ago. Also she said that she cycled around Beijing, but now there are only cars....many cards and a few electric bicycles and scooters.\ |
| At some places it says "no spitting", but the older people still do! |
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| On the paper it says "No Sitting" and what do they do???? |
