Last Day in CHONGQING
I met Steven from England at my hostel on the second day of my visit. He is in his mid-50’s and doing a ‘round the world’ trip. He has some amazing destinations in mind! We decided to travel together on my last day since we both wanted to see many of the same things.
Three Gorges Museum
Recently opened, the new Three Gorges museum is a must for history and culture buffs. It is a magnificent piece of modern architecture. It hosts a display on the new dam and river and the relics that were either lost or moved to higher ground when they raised the water levels. There are also exhibits on the recent history of Chongqing and the War years, and the ancient culture of the Ba people.
I was particularly impressed to see so many signs in English, as well as some nice ‘clean’ bathrooms on each level! Strangely enough, however, after enjoying the first exhibit hall because of the wonderful English signage, none of the remaining exhibit halls contained English signs and descriptions. Most disappointing – I hope they will improve on that in future. But the building itself is definitely worth seeing.
Chongqing’s Great Hall of the People
Chongqing’s Great Hall of the People is traditional and mirrors those of China’s ancient classical dynasties. It closely resembles an enlarged version of the Temple of Heaven in Beijing. The surrounding People’s Square was featuring a German Festival while we were there, so we decided to take a break to ‘sample’ some German Beer and Sausage – yum!
Ci Qi Kou Village
We caught a taxi to take us 14km out of the city centre to Ci Qi Kou Village. Shortly before arriving, we spotted “Po Lun Temple” and agreed to check it out while we were there. Ci Qi Kou Village consists of houses dating from the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Much of the two and three storey construction is of bamboo and timber. Blue bricks and pillars set off the white stuccoed walls, while the windows are covered in lattice-work.
The village was a nice escape from the highrises of Chongqing. The three notable attractions of the village are the tea bars, the artists’ studios and the Shu Embroidery workshops. It is said there are more than 100 tea bars, each with their own particular characteristics. Once called Long Yin, the village gets its current name from all of the porcelain relics and kilns that have been found there.
We wandered away from the main streets where all the ‘souvenir shops’ are, climbing up the steep staired alleyways where we could view more of the locals engaged in their daily activities. We got lost a few times until a woman helpfully directed out of the maze. We eventually had to climb all the way to the main street before continuing our search for the Po Lun Temple.
On the way, however, I spotted the Perfect Time International Youth Hostel! I knew I should have stayed here! Although the town is outside Chongqing, there seems to be lots to do here – there are lots of small restaurants, tea houses and shops – enough to keep me busy, that’s for sure. We went into the Hostel and found the atmosphere very welcoming. Wandering through to the back, we found a big living room where people were watching TV. There is even a bar at the back, where a young man offered us some nice cold local beer!
Seeing a large deck outside, we decided to take a break for a short while. Settling back on the deck with our cold brew, we both expressed regrets that we both didn’t get rooms at this hotel. Next time, I promised myself!
I haven’t said much more about those moquito bites on my ankles (they’re pretty bad), but the manager of the hostel certainly noticed them! She came out minutes later with some medicine which she insisted on applying to my ankles. She even poured some into a small bottle for me to take with me! Such great hospitality, and we weren’t even staying there! Next time, for sure, I will be staying at Perfect Time International Youth Hostel!
We were given directions to find Po Lun Temple (Bai Ya Temple) and sure enough, it was less than a 5-minute walk away! It was built in 535-556 AD and has quite a history. The power of Buddha in the old temple is very pure and strong. It is said that all can find the truth of the universe here. All I know is that this very beautiful place was built in the Ming Dynasty and is now a protected historical site. That’s a good thing!
CLOSING NOTES
You know, I initially traveled to Chongqing simply for one purpose: to see the Dazu Rock Carvings. I expected nothing more than that. But, as a result of my good/bad experiences, I discovered that it is the people of Chongqing who made my short holiday something truly special. I will be back! CHECK OUT MY PHOTOS using the Link which is located on the right side of your screen.
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