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Yesterday did a day trip to Shanghai just to get a glimpse.  Early morning train and about 1 and a half hours so nothing too difficult even if train station ticket offices are a bit like facing NHS doctors receptionists at 9am on a Monday morning to ask for an appointment.  Then my first chance to try out their metro which thankfully easy enough.

Checked out the French concession area, old town, Bund and main streets so a lot of walking and for some reason seemed to get lost more than normal, surprise given the landmark tower buildings are tall enough. French concession area nice.  Tree lined streets with fairy lights, chic shops and a touch of elegance.  Could do with a few more French concession areas in China  – ouch, shouldn’t say that.

The old quarter nice enough but seen many of those places now in China so not too bothered.  Biggest disappointment was the Bund and waterfront, my main reason for coming.  The whole area just one huge Chinese size building site for the EXPO 2010.  Not sure when it is but in any other country would say its 5 years away from completion but this is China so it will be completed.  So whole riverfront closed off and the buildings being renovated or knocked down.  Couldn’t happen anywhere else but here.  So anyone planning to come to Shanghai best wait until after 1010.  It has to be said even without the pollution and building work the Bund had a slightly depressing feel, large gloomy buildings with a back drop of grey skies.

After that the plan was to do the tradtional English thing of having a few beers on Christnas Eve and trying to get the last train home ( actually second to last train).  Actually not easy, Shanghai night life might be ok but the Chinese drink tea and a tea crawl not quite the same.  So I thought find one bar by which I mean not the expensive place serving imported BUD, failed at that so ended up by drinking cans from the shops.  At least cheap and had the same effect.  Then it was a case of trying to get back worse for wear,  which on a British Rail cattle truck is no problem but on one of their ultra smart jobs I felt a bit embarrased – their trains very good, even at 170km per hour didn’t feel like we were moving.

Missed the last bus back to the hotel by 6 minutes so then a long walk home. Then went night clubbing until 4am but can’t remember much about it.

Probably a late one tonight and then an early start and a 27 hour train journey to Xiamen.

Been a hectic few days since leaving Wuyuan.  What I planned to do in 10 days somehow got narrowed down to 4. After leaving Wuyuan took the bus to Tunxi and then to Xidi. Some pleasant scenery on the way with rollings hills and woodland.  Arrived Xidi about 5pm.  Its a small village but a UNESCO world heritage site and very popular with the Chinese so was expecting a buzzing place.  Instead it was more like a ghost town, quite spooky with its maze of narrow alleyways and high concrete buildings.  It derives its fame due to dating back to 1047AD and its Huizhou architecture. In days of yore the boys would be kicked out at 13 to make their fortunes elsewhere and having done so built fine buildings here and in many other villages in the area.  With numerous ancient buildings the place is basically a living museum now dolled up as a major tourist attraction, helped by its attractive setting and in summer probably very scenic surroundings. Stayed 2 enjoyable nights there, helped by having a not so ancient room as it was very cold at night. 

Next day did a trip to Hongcun, another UNESCO site.  Surrounded by a splendid lake it is another ancient Huizhou village of large concrete buildings and a maze of alleyways and full of budding Chinese artists.  A very photographic place surrounded by the lake and wooded hillsides so easy to relax and thankfully few other tourists. 

Then Sunday morning an early start from Xidi with a bus to Huang Shan, China’s premier mountain and one of China’s top sites and my main reason for coming to the region. Given the cold I decided to opt for the cable car up, stay a night at the top and then walk down.  Didn’t quite go according to plan, got out the cablecar, went to walk down the steps and went flying on the ice. With a full pack plus food and water my ankle made a horrible crack and I had visions of being at the top of a mountain with a broken ankle.  Thankfully it did eventually settle down enough to continue walking but after that didn’t fancy risking a night on the top. To make it worse minutes before I had bought metal grips to attach to my trainers but hadn’t bothered to put them on. But all was not lost and for the next few hours had an awesome time  treking around the mountain with a lovely couple from Shanghai and the girl had been twice before so knew her way around.  The scenery was wonderful, harsh and rugged in the cold winter air with snow falling and despite the cold, the slippery paths hard to beat.  The ancient towns and historical places are nice but for me China is at its best with its stunning scenery, even in midwinter.  At least with the snow it felt like December and Christmas.  I have to add whereas any mountain presents challenges this being China there are steps and hand rails most of the way so nothing to difficult and they do try to keep the paths clear to a reasonable degree.  And with an ATM machine and police station at the top hardly wilderness, but given the entrance fees and costs the ATM machime probably a wise move.

After a few hours slipping and sliding and with snow falling I took it for granted the Chinese couple would take the cablecar back down and give me a good excuse to follow.  But this is China and not ASEAN, so no “I’m tired , I’m hungry” after 10 minutes of walking.  So it was a hard, extremely painful slog to the bottom.  But a wonderful day out, great scenery and just the thrill of being at the top and making it down again hard to beat.  But with a swollen ankle checked into the first hotel only to find there was no hot water – or maybe it was solar heated !,  a freezing cold shower and its hard to believe how water can actually still flow when its so cold.  At least the food was good.

Next morning having buried myself deep into the duvets I missed the alarm so had the hotel staff banging at the door and a bus waiting outside to take me to Hangzhou, not a good start !.  But the -9 degrees outside soon woke me up.  Arrived Hanhzhou wanting everything to be easy as wasn’t in the mood for hassles.  So everything was hassle.  The bus station on the edge of the city and nothing seemed to flow, not helped by having no clear idea where I wanted to go bar its famous West Lake.  Luckily a local took pity and gave me a lift.  But then spent the next 2 hours trying to find accommodation, the hotels being at the high or  mid range end and more geared up to groups, certainly didn’t seem to want to discount their prices and by the end started to hate the place.  But eventually found a nice place near the lake and if I win the lottery can walk outside and buy a Rolls Royce, Lamborghini or Ferrari if I fancy !.

Hangzhou is nice.  If any one wants to come to China but scared of the imagined hassles, fly into Hangzhou.  This is China lite.  A beautiful lake surrounded by hills and forests with pagodas and bridges and all things nice it is a loverly, spotless, manicured China and worthy of its reputation. Excellent views, walks, scenery and bilingual signs  and all the western names its hard not to be seduced especially after after too many hours on buses.  A great place to relax and enjoy Christmas and certainly no shortage of Christmas trees, decorations and never ending Christamas songs.  However might do a quick side trip to Shanghai for Christmas Eve, I take it trains do run at Christmas in China !.

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