Street Meat is Hard to Beat

We are gifted to have such a variety of cheap street food right outside of our hostel.  We have fruit, rotti, fried chicken, grilled meat, Pad Thai, and others depending on the day; each cart is actually the sidecar to a scooter, so they can come and go as they please.  For the most part it is all cheap, 20TMB ($0.65) per stick or piece and 30THB ($0.97) for a rotti, and delicious.  We then run into the 7/11 that is next door and grab a 640ml cold beer for 42THB ($1.36).  We watch them make the food in front of us, so I don't think we can get too sick from it.

The stick food is marinated in a savory sauce and comes with a cherry tomato and pepper on the end.  

The fried chicken is maybe a little overcooked and dried out, but the alternative could be dangerous.  The skin is crispy and seasoned with a spiciness that tastes great.  

The rotti is either plain, as Renee likes it, or a dessert, like the banana, condensed milk, and powdered sugar one I got.  

We did find a Swedish run place that had great pizza for 200THB ($6.49). While, it wasn't truly street food, it had the carts in front of it and it had draft beers for 49THB ($1.59). Great food and the owner was willing to shoot the breeze with us.

Train-ing Day

Hong Kong to Beijing to Xi'an to Shanghai to Hong Kong.  All by sleeper train and it only took about 67 hours and at a cost of $349.64.  Considering the distances traveled that was a pretty good price and I'd say it was more comfortable than flying.  There are two options on these trains: seat or sleeper, and those are divided into hard and soft class.  We only did soft seat and sleeper and from that we would not try either of the hard options.  The price difference is enough for the chinese but minimal for us.  The seat is a seat; either facing the back of another seat with an airplane-like folding tray or facing two other passenger that you share a table with.  No a problem, but we could not get comfortable enough in the seats to sleep restfully.  They are better padded with more leg room than an airplane, but the fact of the matter is that you are seated for 11+ hours.  We also ran into a problem with some locals that wanted to listen to some tunes as they fell asleep.

The soft sleepers sell out fast and we can see why.  You share the berth with two other passengers and each car has shared toilets and wash rooms.  No worries, everyone is courteous.  The sleeper berths have a small table and each bunk has a reading light and chinese-language TV.  Renee and I found these comfortable and easy to read/relax in.  The beds aren't the softest, but they must be softer than the hard sleepers that are in six person berths.  I would recommend booking your tickets as early as you can as these sell out first.  Though, tickets are always cheaper when you buy them at the station.  We used out hostel in Beijing and had to pay a 30-40 RMB ($4.42-6.34)fee per ticket.  Food is provided through a dining car or periodic carts.  It isn't the cheapest, so we learned to bring our own provisions in the form or granola bars one time and wine/cheese another.

After Xi'an we did not shower until we got to our hotel in Phuket.  We tried changing our clothes and washing our faces or using a washcloth when we could, but our hair was probably the dirtiest.  We had heard of a traveling remedy for greasy hair that involves baby powder.  The powder is supposed to attract the oil and make you look cleaner.  I went for it with talcum powder.  While my hair felt and looked less oily, I think I looked more like I put talcum powder in my hair than clean.  

Shanghai (at) Noon

Due to train schedules and whatnot, we were blessed with only 10 hours in Shanghai before we had to catch our next train.  We missed most of the city and have no real understanding of what it is really like, but we do know we want to go back.  The old, mixed with new architecture makes for a beautiful cityscape.  We went to the area call the Bund and from there we could see the financial Pudong area across the river.  The city was way too humid for September and after ducking in and out of the shadows for a few hours,and trying terrible seaweed ice cream, we settled on the aptly named Bund Brewery to avoid the heat.  Beers were 90RMB ($13.27) for half a liter of their own lager, ale, or hef.  All were good and they offered pint and liter sizes as well; we wanted to try all the brews with equal constitution, and stayed with the half liter.  

Terra Cotta Warriors: Come Out to Play

A placard says that real bone fragments were found at the site as well

The first step in seeing the Terra Cotta Warriors from Xi'an is to get to the railway station.  From there you can catch any one of the many 306 buses that run directly to the site when they fill up.  The voyage is 7RMB ($$1.03) and about an hour each way.  Once you get there you get to talk fairly far from the parking lot to the ticket booth, to the pits.  A fun jaunt that is included in the 90RMB ($13.27) entrance fee.  There are a ton of guides, hawkers, and shops that are also eager to get ahold of you money while you try to find the warriors.

I think the site is interesting, but I don't know how much of it is really ancient.  The army was found in 1974 by a farmer and it seems like the transition of tourist trap was a little too quick.  I won't say that the whole thing is fake, but it seems a little too convenient to find something like this without any written or oral history passed down.  Whatever, it was something to see and the craftsmanship was very good.  I overheard a guide tell someone that each statue has more than 200 parts in it, but that could be exaggerated.  There are signs saying that excavation continues and they have even put some of the better preserved pieces in glass so everyone can see how detailed they are.  Renee and I saw this on the day we were going to catch a train, so we only spent an hour at the site so we could catch the bus back in time.  I'd say and hour is all you really need unless pottery is your thing or you want to splurge for a guide that will fill you in on all the details.  

Xi'an

While kicking it in Xi'an, China, we figured a ride on the city wall was in order.  The wall has been restored and it turned out to be much larger than I had anticipated.  But, as an added bonus, there is a bike rental place on top.  After paying 40RMB ($5.90) each to get on the wall, we can rent bikes for 20RMB ($2.95) each with a refundable 200RMB deposit.  Well we wanted to save on the deposit cost and be extra cheeky, so why not get a tandem bike?  The bike worked fine, though it was a little wobbly from having a bent front end.  To go all the way around the wall it took us about 110 minutes and that was with an easy, steady pace with only a few stops for quick pictures.  The view during the day was of a normal Chinese city in my mind, but they sure know how to light up the place when the sun sets.  

That night we went out for for a dinner recommended by Lonely Planet of yangrou paomo at Lao Sun Jia.  I could it it everyday.  It is a beef soup with noodles and spices with bread crumbs thrown on top.  Super delicious as all the flavors mixed perfectly.  The restaurant was pretty hard to find and we walked past it several time, but we just worked up an appetite for the 24RMB ($3.54) per person we paid to share a bowl with beers.  

Little Sheep, let me come in

We found Little Sheep, a place on Ghost street (a popular restaurant area) that served Mongolian hot pot.  The food was very good and it helped to pacify Renee's shabu shabu craving.  We ordered the original broth that had a water based soup side and an oil based spicy side.  The meat and vegetables were ordered to go with it and we mixed them in as we saw fit.  The meal with beers and a water came out to be 60 RMB ($8.81) each and hit the spot after our long wall hike.  As the broth boiled down, the spicy side got spicier and the soup side just got more delicious.  All around a great experience and Lonely Planet did not lead us astray.

There Are No Escalators at the Great Wall; But There Are Cable Cars and Slide-way

After pondering the several different sections of the Great Wall that are accessible from Beijing, we decided on the Mutianyu portion.  From Dongzhimen Subway station we walked to the Dongzhimen Bus Terminal that is right outside of the station exit and took bus 916 for 11RMB ($1.62) to Huairo to transfer to a minibus/car for 25RMB ($3.67) that took us to the wall.  The whole ordeal seemed a little sketchy at first, but it all worked out as planned and is probably the cheapest way to get to this section in about to hours each way.  Our hostel offered tours for 190RMB ($27.91), but it seemed like we would have less time at the wall and more time at some shopping center where the tour company gets a commission.  We repeated the journey in reverse to get back to the hostel, though we had to pay 30RMB ($4.41) per person because the car service knew it was late and we just wanted to get to the bus.  The cost for admission to the wall was steep at 45RMB ($6.61), with the added bonus of the ticket becoming a postcard with postage after it was checked; so we will see if it gets delivered.  

The benefit of this section of the wall is that it was restored fairly accurately, has 23 towers, and offers a beautiful, mountainous environment around it.  If people are pressed for time they can take a cable car to and from the parking lot and wall, but that seems to be too lazy.  Renee and I spent over five hours there and we were pooped from all the climbing.  Just to get to the wall from the parking lot was a three kilometer uphill hike and then the wall itself climbs up and down the surrounding hills.  The steepest hike is between tower 22 and 23 with 455 steps to the end of the tourist section where you then have to turn around.  

There are a few vendors on the wall selling water, snacks, and beer; they were not too annoying and even a god-send depending  on how hard you tackled the climb.  The real treat is taking the toboggan, "slideway," down from tower 6.  It was pricey at 50RMB ($7.35), but our legs thanked us for the reprieve.  You can get going pretty fast if there aren't any pokey people in front of you.  

The wall seemed a little bit of a let down in terms of what we expected, but I guess we didn't know what to expect as it looks like pictures we had already seen.  I'd say it was worth it and we would probably try a different portion to see if it could inspire any awe in us.  One option for the truly dedicated is a 7km hike between two portions of the wall that are not as restored and less touristy; next time!  

Ah, while I don't like paying for pure;ly touristy stuff, I did get a "I climbed the Great Wall" shirt.  The trick that the hawkers play is to say it cost a dollar, and then when you are looking they move the decimal point over and hope you don't know the conversion.  A dollar is 6.7RMB, but the woman said the shirt was 65RMB.  I called her on her bluff and she tried to say it was a mistake, but that 7RMB would be too cheap.  After some back-and-forth, and threatening to walk away, I got the shirt for 12RMB ($1.76).  Yeah, it was cheap; but it was made in China, so I'm sure she still made a profit.  

Great Wall of Taste and Value!

We have discovered a new love.  I'm thinking of going steady with it, and Renee isn't jealous; she may even join in.  I'm not talking about a human, but rather a dumpling. . . We have patronized to this shop three out of three days we have been in Beijing and will probably return in the morning.  The owner/dumpling maker now recognizes us and laughs.  The menu is huge, around 20 different varieties and we have only just skimmed the surface.  He only can say "Herro" and I motion for a serving by holding up my finger.  So far eight dumplings cost 4 rmb ($0.60) and I'd say that is a deal.

Today we ventured to a fried chicken stand to accompany our dumplings, and we were not disappointed.  A piece fried drumstick cost 2.5 rmb ($0.38) and is super crispy with the added curry/other spices putting the Colonel to shame.  Over all our stomaches and wallet (16 dumplings and 2 drumsticks for $1.92) agree, this is the greatest food (street or restaurant) we have had.  We offer our sincere apologies to the Peking Duck that previously held the much-coveted title.

Mao Morbid

(pictures will come when I'm not stuck behind China's censors)
Today we went to visit Mao and bring the number of dead communist
leaders that Chris has visited to two out of three. It is free to get
into the Mao memorial that is located at the south end of Tiananmen
square, but no bags or cameras are allowed inside, so you can check
those for 5rmb ($0.73) at a luggage check to the right of the national
museum from the square. We unexpectedly got help from a local and we
were gifted with the ability to tip him 30rmb ($4.41) for his
services; he asked for 150rmb ($22) while posing as a museum worker.
After being corralled though barricades intended for far more people
we went through a security checkpoint that emptied us into a foyer
that included a giant sitting statue of Mao and single flowers left by
mourners. After that the line is split into two that that we could
quickly proceed on either side of the clear coffin that eerily
illuminated his face. Armed guards and attendants kept the line moving
so everyone got a quick glimpse before the memorial closes at noon.
The sight is odd but nothing new after seeing Ho Chi Minh and it is
good that it is free; it could be a waxed sculpture for all we know.
We wondered around a replica old-style neighborhood that is just south
of the square, and clearly recreated for the 2008 olympics. The area
was mostly retail and chain stores, a very interesting looking
Starbucks is there, but more authentic restaurants and souvenir shops
are located behind the buildings accessible through alleys. We grabbed
way too much food, a beef and noodle soup and red-bean spring rolls,
for 66rmb ($9.69) with cola.
We got lost looking for the Summer Palace and decided to go the the
National Stadium, "bird's nest" instead. Luckily a single subway ride
anywhere is 2rmb ($0.30) and a single bus trip is 1rmb ($0.15). The
station for the Olympic venue is called, easily enough, Olympic Sports
Center and it spits you out with the neat in view. It seemed like any
other stadium I've been to and I would have rather seen an event there
but hey, we saw it in person.

Temple of Heaven: Heavenly?

The Temple of Heaven park was pretty nice and only costs 15RMB ($2.21) to enter; the through pass is recommended, 35RMB ($5.16), as it gets you into the sights within the park that would cost 20RMB ($2.95) each otherwise.  The park is fairly large and a ton of locals seem to just hangout there and play card games while smoking.  The sight carry a meaning that is lost on someone who isn't interested in Chinese history.  The architecture was nice and I'd say it was worth it to escape to an oasis within the city.  An added benefit is that the (in)famous pearl market is located just to the exit A at the Tian Tan Dongmen subway station that also serves the park.  Renee got pearls and I got to haggle, so it was a win-win for both of us.

I also tried the popsicles that seemed to be very popular with the locals; 3RMB ($0.44).  What flavor do you think the unbecoming white, frozen treat would be?  Plain? Mystery? Coconut?  Dim sum? Rice? Nope. BANANA! Yes, the yellow fruit gets a white makeover for the sun-scorched set.  I know bananas are yellow on the inside, but that isn't the color I usually associate with them.  Oh well, they are popular and cheap. So, who is really going to complain?