Our last day in Beijing
31 jul. 2015
🇲🇳
vanuit Mongolië
Friday, the last day in Beijing, 31 July
After the breakfast started we the day with a walk to the Square Tian'anmen. There was already a lot of people in the streets. We walked on the right side from the Forbidden City till the Square. It took one hour. First again through the security scan and than were we again on this enormous square. What an ambiance, what an atmosphere, people from all over China. We walked slowly to the mausoleum from Mao, the line for the entrance was about 1,5 km....
On the square were we very interesting for the Chinees people, some came to us to ask to make a photo from us..... You see... We are special!
We were leaving the square by the Chang Andie, the road between the square and the Forbidden City. We walked about two kilometres to the west and than we took the Fuyou Jie, a street with all the ministries, beautiful big buildings, protected by a lot of soldiers and Police. After about 3 km back to the east and we entered the Beihai Park again, but now from the other side.
There were now a lot of boats on the water.
We had lunch on the lake side. After the lunch we took a Ricksha to the hotel for a short break.
After the breakfast started we the day with a walk to the Square Tian'anmen. There was already a lot of people in the streets. We walked on the right side from the Forbidden City till the Square. It took one hour. First again through the security scan and than were we again on this enormous square. What an ambiance, what an atmosphere, people from all over China. We walked slowly to the mausoleum from Mao, the line for the entrance was about 1,5 km....
On the square were we very interesting for the Chinees people, some came to us to ask to make a photo from us..... You see... We are special!
We were leaving the square by the Chang Andie, the road between the square and the Forbidden City. We walked about two kilometres to the west and than we took the Fuyou Jie, a street with all the ministries, beautiful big buildings, protected by a lot of soldiers and Police. After about 3 km back to the east and we entered the Beihai Park again, but now from the other side.
There were now a lot of boats on the water.
We had lunch on the lake side. After the lunch we took a Ricksha to the hotel for a short break.
The afternoon we spend in the city, on the main street, the food street and the streets around.
On the end of the afternoon we took a Heineken in the Heineken café, between Dior and Rolex.....
We had diner in a very fine Chinese restaurant on the six th floor of one of the buildings here.
Again delicious food on the Bar-b-que in the table. We took a good bottle of wine and the best meat what they had. Our way of handling with the meat was not the Chinese way, so the charming woman
from the restaurant was doing it for us.
After the diner we were walking at home. On the way home we met two women who were very interested in us and France. After a while I explained that we were broken.... No Yuan's anymore... They were
directly not interested anymore.... Hi, hi...
So, we walked at home, because we had also no money anymore for a taxi....
It was a perfect last day of our holiday.
Tomorrow morning at seven o'clock is the driver there and are we going to the airport.
We are flying in 8 hours to Moscow, there 4 hours waiting time and then the last flight 4 hours to Paris.
We can looking back on a special and unique holidays with a lot of impressions from three total different countries.
In a few days we write a final story about this holiday, but I can tell you that we enjoyed every day, even when it was raining.
We hope that you enjoyed our short story's till now.
Park day in Beijing
30 jul. 2015
🇲🇳
vanuit Mongolië
Thursday, 30 July
Today was a day without a planned program. We decided to visit the Jingshan Park. Close to our hotel and in the past a part of the Forbidden City.
After the breakfast we visit first the roof from the hotel to see the temple from the Jingshan Park. It was a five minutes walk to the main entrance from the park.
We were amazed about the beauty of this park. By the entrance already a lot of flowers and beautiful plants.
The park is dated from the late Mind- dynasty period. Here was the last Emperor hanging him self. After that was there no Emperor and government more. The people were lost and in the North of China was no food anymore. They started to live as cannibals. It was a disaster for the country. Local politics started with very high taxes what mades the people more lost. There was a lot robbery, it was a very bad time.
The reason that he was hanging himself was a attack from the army of Li Zicheng, big 400.000 soldiers. When the Emperor noticed that he had no chance against that army, was he going to the feet of the Jingshan Hill and hanged himself. That was in 1644.
The hill is an artificial hill, made from rocks from everywhere in China. On the top is a temple with a Buddha who is looking over the whole Forbidden City.
We were climbing to the top of the hill, a good start from the day. The weather was bad. Cloudy, fog and rain. We used our umbrella's regular.
The view was nice from the top, but the weather...... We made a nice walk through the park and we met a lot of people who were dancing or making old Chinese music.
We had lunch in our "canteen" a small restaurant near the Hotel. We took today, because it was raining, a bottle of wine, Chinese wine. (You must always find a good reason)
In the afternoon were we visiting Beihai Park. Again a beautiful Park with a lake en several small temples and a lot of recreation boats. We walked there around the lake. Also here several people were dancing. The nature in this Park was very beautiful, the main flower is the Lotus. In the lake are a lot flowers, we don't know the name, but it is family from the lotus, only very big. The leaves have a diametre de 50 cm and the flowers are also big.
Today was a day without a planned program. We decided to visit the Jingshan Park. Close to our hotel and in the past a part of the Forbidden City.
After the breakfast we visit first the roof from the hotel to see the temple from the Jingshan Park. It was a five minutes walk to the main entrance from the park.
We were amazed about the beauty of this park. By the entrance already a lot of flowers and beautiful plants.
The park is dated from the late Mind- dynasty period. Here was the last Emperor hanging him self. After that was there no Emperor and government more. The people were lost and in the North of China was no food anymore. They started to live as cannibals. It was a disaster for the country. Local politics started with very high taxes what mades the people more lost. There was a lot robbery, it was a very bad time.
The reason that he was hanging himself was a attack from the army of Li Zicheng, big 400.000 soldiers. When the Emperor noticed that he had no chance against that army, was he going to the feet of the Jingshan Hill and hanged himself. That was in 1644.
The hill is an artificial hill, made from rocks from everywhere in China. On the top is a temple with a Buddha who is looking over the whole Forbidden City.
We were climbing to the top of the hill, a good start from the day. The weather was bad. Cloudy, fog and rain. We used our umbrella's regular.
The view was nice from the top, but the weather...... We made a nice walk through the park and we met a lot of people who were dancing or making old Chinese music.
We had lunch in our "canteen" a small restaurant near the Hotel. We took today, because it was raining, a bottle of wine, Chinese wine. (You must always find a good reason)
In the afternoon were we visiting Beihai Park. Again a beautiful Park with a lake en several small temples and a lot of recreation boats. We walked there around the lake. Also here several people were dancing. The nature in this Park was very beautiful, the main flower is the Lotus. In the lake are a lot flowers, we don't know the name, but it is family from the lotus, only very big. The leaves have a diametre de 50 cm and the flowers are also big.
We had a real Park day to day. Nice, but we walked a lot. Totaly about 18 km.
Tomorrow our last day here in Beijing. We have the plan to visit the Square Tian'anmen again.
The Great Wall en the city...
29 jul. 2015
🇲🇳
vanuit Mongolië
The Great Wall
The weather forecast is not sure for today, heavy rain or Sun.... When we waked up, it was foggy. So, for the security bought we two umbrella's. The guy asked thirthy Yuan, but after a while we had them both for ¥ 20 (Yuan) that's about € 1,42 for one umbrella, and of cours the Made in China quality! We were prepared for the day.
Our driver was exact on time. There was a lot traffic, but without traffic jams.
Two hours later were we in the valley by the Great Wall. The Great Wall is build from about 400 BC, the construction of the biggest part of the wall took 200 years. The mountains are in the North of China about 1500 m high. The wall is here 5 km long, all the stones were brought upstairs by hand. A very heavy job. The Chinese people call the Wall also the biggest cemetery in the world. Many people died and they put them in the Wall, that was the easiest way to loos the corps.
From the parking was it 5 minutes to the tramway, an cable tram to the top of one of the mountains.
Impressing, what a construction, every five hundred meter is an security post and every kilometre a watchtower. When there was an enemy located by a soldier on a watchtower, than was there a soldier running to the next security post, so knew every one very fast that, par example Ginggis Khaan, was seen.
We walked about six kilometre to the west side on the Wall. It was very heavy. When we were back, I looked on my phone, to the healthy App. Result: we made 9.971 steps but we climd 65 floors! And that by 37 degrees with a little bit Sun. Than can you understand how broken (and wet) we were.....
We were very happy that is was not raining.
At three o'clock were we back by the hotel, we took first a small lunch and after that a nice douche.
After that all we took a electric ricksha, fast and clean, to the main boulevard from Beijing. What we, Europeans, thinking is that Beijing the city is from the million bicycles, now, that was fifteen years ago. Its now the city from normal luxury cars, and many electric cars, scooters and bikes. They do everything to clean the air from this city with 24 million habitants. The public transport is also electric.
The weather forecast is not sure for today, heavy rain or Sun.... When we waked up, it was foggy. So, for the security bought we two umbrella's. The guy asked thirthy Yuan, but after a while we had them both for ¥ 20 (Yuan) that's about € 1,42 for one umbrella, and of cours the Made in China quality! We were prepared for the day.
Our driver was exact on time. There was a lot traffic, but without traffic jams.
Two hours later were we in the valley by the Great Wall. The Great Wall is build from about 400 BC, the construction of the biggest part of the wall took 200 years. The mountains are in the North of China about 1500 m high. The wall is here 5 km long, all the stones were brought upstairs by hand. A very heavy job. The Chinese people call the Wall also the biggest cemetery in the world. Many people died and they put them in the Wall, that was the easiest way to loos the corps.
From the parking was it 5 minutes to the tramway, an cable tram to the top of one of the mountains.
Impressing, what a construction, every five hundred meter is an security post and every kilometre a watchtower. When there was an enemy located by a soldier on a watchtower, than was there a soldier running to the next security post, so knew every one very fast that, par example Ginggis Khaan, was seen.
We walked about six kilometre to the west side on the Wall. It was very heavy. When we were back, I looked on my phone, to the healthy App. Result: we made 9.971 steps but we climd 65 floors! And that by 37 degrees with a little bit Sun. Than can you understand how broken (and wet) we were.....
We were very happy that is was not raining.
At three o'clock were we back by the hotel, we took first a small lunch and after that a nice douche.
After that all we took a electric ricksha, fast and clean, to the main boulevard from Beijing. What we, Europeans, thinking is that Beijing the city is from the million bicycles, now, that was fifteen years ago. Its now the city from normal luxury cars, and many electric cars, scooters and bikes. They do everything to clean the air from this city with 24 million habitants. The public transport is also electric.
Also is the last 15 years the mentality changed. They are now also cleaner in the streets, no paper or other trash on the ground. You see the people using the trash cans in the street.
We started this day about 200 years before Christ, but when we arrived in the main street, we were directly in 2015 after Christ. What a beautiful and modern boulevard is that. All the famous marks
are there. From Longlines till Hermes, but also Zara and H&M, a super modern centre. One of the street to the boulevard is the "food"street. Here you can buy everything what a Chinese eat, from
beautiful fruit till grilled Fish, from nice Pekin-ducks till scorpions or big spiders. We made some photos from them. Every insect is there, some are still living. Enjoy it!
We took a simple diner in the street with a bottle of beer, after seeing all that nice food was this enough for us.
The way back was a bit complicated. The taxi driver did n't know were our hotel was, so, we were talking with the driver. Some other people saw that, also a ricksha driver. He knew the hotel and
could bring us for ¥ 50, we want the trip for ¥ 20 and no more. A guy, who was a witness, told us: "take the bus, it's only ¥ 10. So we say thanks to him and we crossed the street for the bus.
While waiting for the bus came the ricksha again and he told us that ¥ 20 was okay, so we were fast back in the hotel.
It is now 21h50, and I was looking on the health app on my phone, we walked today 17.160 steps ! Enough for a whole week, I think we sleep well this night.
Highlights de BEIJING
28 jul. 2015
🇲🇳
vanuit Mongolië
Square of Tian'anmen, the Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven.
Rain, rain and again rain.... It was raining the whole night. It was still raininng when we were leaving. Our driver had 2 umbrellas for us, so it was not such a problem, but when we were on the
big Square Tian'anmen, stopped the rain slowly.
It should be pity when we should have rain by the most important places from China.
We visit first the Square of Tian'anmen, or also called the Square of Heavenly Peace. This is the biggest square in the world, it is 55 Ha big. There is place for about 500.000 people.
On the place is an statute for the last revolution, the Monument to the Peoples Heroes. Ditecly behind the statute is the Mausoleum de Mao.
Then is there the Big Hall from The People, a building were the Chinese government have there meetings and were the receive the politicians from abroad.
On the head of the square is the entrance from The Forbidden City.
After one day China can we see the different between Mongolia and China. In Mongolia are more cheeps and goats than people and in China are more people than all the animals together in this
country. Were we walk, were we look, everywhere are people, people and people....
China is 6,1 x bigger than Mongolia, but there are 45 x more people... In Mongolia are 1,9 persons living on a square Km and in China are there 141,3 on 1 square Km. do you understand the
difference? Now, we discovered that everywhere! Photos without people..... Almost impossible.
We walked with all the other people to the Forbidden City, the place were the Din- dynasty was living. They started to build in 1402 and finished all the buildings in 1420. The structure of the
city is impressing.
There are so many buildings for even so much functions, always in red and yellow. Red is the colour from an nice ambiance and a nice temperature, warm.
In the heart of the city is also a beautiful private garden for the emperor with a fake rock.
It was a nice visit.
We had lunch in a fantastic nice real Chinese restaurant, famous for there noodles. We were the only Europeans. Nice when you understand nothing and no one talks English or French.
But we had our noodles with pork and salad. We were looking to the other customers how to eat. They put every thing in a big bowl, mix it and then you eat it with chop sticks. It was delicious,
very nice made and together with a beer..... Was it a nice lunch.
The next visit was the Temple of Heaven with the hall of Prayer for Good Harvest. An fantastic complex, a masterpiece of architecture from then13th century. The combination of technology and art is
perfect. The Emperor came there once or twice a year to pray for good harvest.
the temple is now on the list from UNESCO.
It was a very interesting visit.
At 6 we walked a bit in our small streets by the hotel. We found the National Art Museum and some people on a small park who exercises there hobbies. We were looking by several people, they liked
it very well that we gave them compliments.
We closed the day with a simple and light diner near the hotel. Today no rain, only a few drops in the morning. Conclusion: it was again a fantastic day!
Beijing, the Capital de China
27 jul. 2015
🇲🇳
vanuit Mongolië
Monday, start of our Chinese week...
Ni hao, hello China! The first station was directly in an totally different style from what we saw in Ruse and Mongolia. New and very modern. The name of the city was not clear, the Chinese were not speaking English and we couldn't read it, so one thing was sure, it was a small Chinese city.
The sun was already shining, and we had breakfast in the restoration wagon, it was a present from our Chinese servant.
We drove first through the "Mongolian" landscape, but then came a beautiful mountain landscape with a little bit fog. The train was rolling and rolling, through may be 50 tunnels (and then we say not to much), small ones but also tunnels from more then two kilometres.
At exactly 11h40 stopped the train in Beijing. We came out of the train and the station was full with people..... We waited ten minutes till the masse was away and then came our guide to us. Perfect. The car was outside of the station.... What a temperature.... About 38 degrees and very, very wet.
Our hotel was in the middle of the centre, about two hundred meters from the Forbidden City, it was a perfect choice on a perfect location!
First we visit a bank, because without Yuan's are you nothing herein this city. After then we walked very slowly -to warm- to the Jinghan Park, between the hotel and the Forbidden city, and we took a beer.... may two... I don't remember it exactly....
But, you need it here. We were looking for the weather the coming days.... Every day 36 degrees, but... With a humidity from 41%, so its feeling as 41 degrees! And that without Sun, because he is the whole day behind high fog...
Ni hao, hello China! The first station was directly in an totally different style from what we saw in Ruse and Mongolia. New and very modern. The name of the city was not clear, the Chinese were not speaking English and we couldn't read it, so one thing was sure, it was a small Chinese city.
The sun was already shining, and we had breakfast in the restoration wagon, it was a present from our Chinese servant.
We drove first through the "Mongolian" landscape, but then came a beautiful mountain landscape with a little bit fog. The train was rolling and rolling, through may be 50 tunnels (and then we say not to much), small ones but also tunnels from more then two kilometres.
At exactly 11h40 stopped the train in Beijing. We came out of the train and the station was full with people..... We waited ten minutes till the masse was away and then came our guide to us. Perfect. The car was outside of the station.... What a temperature.... About 38 degrees and very, very wet.
Our hotel was in the middle of the centre, about two hundred meters from the Forbidden City, it was a perfect choice on a perfect location!
First we visit a bank, because without Yuan's are you nothing herein this city. After then we walked very slowly -to warm- to the Jinghan Park, between the hotel and the Forbidden city, and we took a beer.... may two... I don't remember it exactly....
But, you need it here. We were looking for the weather the coming days.... Every day 36 degrees, but... With a humidity from 41%, so its feeling as 41 degrees! And that without Sun, because he is the whole day behind high fog...
After a small rest in the hotel and placed the story from Sunday on the blog, was it time for a diner. We walked a bit and found a nice modern restaurant.
During our diner started a rain, it started light, but after an half hour... Was it raining cats and dogs! The streets were like rivers... The water was in the street of the restaurant like a
waterfall. It was nice in the restaurant, because everyone was waiting on better weather, but.... We were waiting till about ten o'clock, it was dry, we walked back to the hotel and when we entered
our room.... Started it again. Let's hope its the only rain here during our visit.....
The way to Beijing....
26 jul. 2015
🇲🇳
vanuit Mongolië
Sunday, the way to Beijing.....
The train was exact leaving at08h00. We said bye bye to Bandi, and we hope him and/or his family once to see again in
France. You never know.....
After two hours rolling get the landscape a bit dryer, less grass and more
sand. Less animals and less people. We drove the whole day without stopping through the Gobi desert.
On the end of the afternoon we had a stop in Oelan Oede and in the evening we
arrived in Eryanhot, the last village before the boarder, so we had here the passport control from the Mongolian douane. It took two hours. At about nine
o'clockwe arrived on the Chinese boarder, first the passport control and than the amazing wheel changing.
In China is an other railway size. The European and Russian size from the
railway is the same, but in China they has a wider system. The result is that all the trains must change their wheels.
The train is rolling slowly in a big hall, where every wagon gets in a lift,
with all the passengers inside. A team of technicians is changing the wheels and in about two hours is the train, with a length from about 500 meters, ready for the Chinese railway
system.
Than we were driving the whole night through the North of China.
Last day in Ulaan Baatar
25 jul. 2015
🇲🇳
vanuit Mongolië
Saturday, last day in Ulaan Baatar.
We were leaving early. First to a monastery about 70 km south of Ulaan Baatar. A beautiful place, middle in the nature, but on a hill.... The parking was on the feet of the hill.
We were broken.... But it was not for nothing.... Beautiful. It was nice to see Buddha again.
After the visit to the city. We drove at two o'clock in a traffic jam in the city. One hour later arrived we in the hotel. We had a fast lunch near the hotel.
At 17h00 was Bandi there again, we walked to a bank for the payment from all his actions with us. He had also cards for a concert at six in a theatre in the centre.
It was a part folklore dance from the national Mongolian song and dance academia and the second part was the Grand Mongolian Ensemble, with 103 musicians. What was happening on the stage was
unbelievable, special the orchestra was phenomenal from quality. They played different pieces from Mongolian composers but also a modern song. It is an orchestra with other instruments than we
know, but with a perfection and a harmony...
After the concert we had a dinner with the Bandi family, it was nice to see his wife Myagmar (teusday) again, also his youngest son with wife and two kids were there. It was a very cosy evening.
Thanks Bandi! You was a fantastic host.
Sunday are we leaving by train to Beijing, we hope to arrive there Monday evening, so again one or may be two day silence .....
Last day in the park
24 jul. 2015
🇲🇳
vanuit Mongolië
Friday, mountain day...
Today cloudy! The sky is grey, in the night was it even raining a little bit.
We started the day with a walk to the top of the mountain behind our camp. The top was on about 800 m. When we came back was it time for the lunch.
Direct after the lunch were we driving to the top of other mountain on 1480
m. We took a road which was closed... He, Bandi, told us that the sign only was for tourists. So we were driving mostly of the time without road, but he knows the 56.000 hectare big park by head.
We arrived at the top. Amazing view, and we saw some deers and horses.
It was not yet enough for Bandi, he proposed an other mountain, one of the
highest in the park more than 1600 m high. It was a amazing trip, the car was working optimal and Bandi was in his element. He told us; the car is fantastic, but the driver is better hi, hi,
hi!
We enjoyed the view, on 360 degrees nature without a house or traffic, we
were there total alone. On the moment that we were leaving the top of the world, was there a small group Antelopes.. They were afraid of us and the leader of the group started to run... All the
other ones were following, an amazing action. We had also the luck to see a group of six male deers with beatiful horns.
We drove back to the living world from the camp and we were about at six
back.
