Great Wall of China

The tour of the Great Wall that a group of people in the dorm took was awesome! We went to a section of the great wall that wasn't fully restored. The only reason way some places of it were restored was to allow people to keep walking along without having to get off.



It took us about two hours, leaving at 8:30am, to get to the section of the wall that we would be trekking. The weather outside was beautiful with the sun shining through and burning off the little bit of haze in the atmosphere. The temperature was a hot 35 degrees; but there was a breeze constantly going, and plenty of watch towers to go in an cool off in the shade for a little bit.


There was about a hundred foot drop behind me!



All of us from the hostel
Left to right
Lloyd, Jordan, John, and me.

Pictures!

Hangzhou



Train ride



Nanjing



Shanghai

Party at the Expo

Through networking and luck I was able to attend a party hosted by the Angola pavilion. There was only supposed to be expo employees at the party, but by the time we got there no one was checking for badges anymore and I don't think anyone would have cared anyway. But the party was just like any other partying a club, only there was people from all over the world having the time of a lifetime.

USA Pavilion Review

I went to the USA pavilion a little ambivalent, having heard from foreigners and Americans alike that it wasn't so good. I say nay to the nay sayers of the USA pavilion. It was one of the best that I had seen up to this point, not because I am an American (which certainly doesn't hurt my appreciation of it) but because it was one of the few that I felt stuck with the theme of the expo "Better City, Better Life". It wasn't an ad for tourism or trying to showcase why moving their or building up industry would be beneficial to ones self.
It was welcoming to all that came to the pavilion, and tried to showcase what it has done to improve the way people in America live, and how to create a sense of community. The underlying theme of the expo was green technology, and how to keep expanding while improving the environment around us. The USA did this with through the use of three videos that all gave examples of green technologies, and the conservation of resources.

The USA pavilion did stile a cord with me, as a person, as tourist, and as an American.

Nanjing

A city of great historic significance throughout China's long existence. It was the capital of China twice during two different dynasties. As well as being the capital for a short time of the rebel Taiping government in the 1800s. The father of modern China, Dr. Sun Yat-sen, was placed to rest here with a huge mausoleum built in his honour. Also one of the biggest displays of wartime brutality happened here when it was occupied by the Japanese during WWII, with the Nanjing massacre.
But aside from all of the history that surrounds Nanjing it still had a really interesting, and fun night life. I went through a couple of different night markets, and also had some awesome food at more then one street stall. While there I also re-meet a Danish couple that I had last seen about a thousand miles away in the south. What else is cool is I am supposed to meet them again sometime soon in Shanghai!

Hongzhou

With it's giant lake in the middle and old time tea houses, it was certainly a place not to miss. I spent three days in the city of over 6 million people which sadly was a mixed bag of wants. The first full day I was there I spent walking around the lake and visiting some of the pedestrianized streets. But around 4 in the afternoon it started to rain, and didn't let up until the next morning. But even after al of that it was still off and on rain the rest of the time I was there. So I wished I had spent less time there, because the rain hindered a lot of the outdoor activities that the city had to offer.

So what do you do when it is raining in a city that doesn't have a lot to do inside? You play cards with new friends and enjoy $.50 local beer.

A fast definition of Chinese traffic laws

One ways: Haven't seen any; but I have a feeling that they would still be multidirectional.

Single doted line: Play chicken. Bigger vehicle always wins.

Single solid line: Same as above.

Double solid yellow line: Stay on your side, unless your a bus, then pass whoever is going to slow even with incoming traffic.

Stop lights: Ah if the road looks clear, go for it!

Yangshou

One of the most touristy places in China for westerners, was by far one of the most fun places I have been to so far. There isn't a lot in the way of museums, or cultural happenings. But the outdoor activities where amazing.

On the first full day there, a group of us went on an all day bike ride focusing around the rivers and small villages. We biked between 15-20 miles over smooth, rocky, and paved roads.

The second full day I went on an all day hike between two of the major villages that where close to where we were staying. The hike took a out 5 hours and we walked a little over 9 miles.

Yangshou is one place that if I had allowed it I would have stayed longer then four nights.

Late night train to Guilin

Riding a night train was a new experience for me. What was great about it was it only cost me $27 dollars! Something completely unheard of in the States. The "room" held six passengers stacked three high, and two across. The reason at I call it a "room" is there wasn't a door into the hallway or really a divider of any kind.
While I was in the train station waiting, another Chinese kid helped me to make sure I made it on the proper train. He also taught me how to read the ticket so I would know where I was going to be sleeping.