I'm getting the hang of bus #78. I know where it stops, how much it costs (1 yuan which is about 15 cents) and most importantly - I know where it goes. It takes me to one of the most popular shopping strips in Nanjing - Hunan Road. This place is so popular it has a full length neon sign stretching right across the road - "Welcome to Hunan Road".
The shopping is extensive if you are the size of a 10 year old girl. I have yet to find a Ms. Big and Tall store. I did find a cool hoodie with Chinese embroidery in XXL that just barely fits - if it doesn't shrink in the wash. I didn't buy it yet. Still holding out for something I really love.
At the end of Hunan Road is a section of the city wall built in the Ming Dynasty (they sure like their walls).
And behind the wall is an incredible lake and park called Xuanwu Lake Park.
It's a serene escape from a city that never slows down and NEVER STOPS HONKING. Behind the walls you can escape the chaos to walk through cherry trees and weeping willows.
And what better way to see a large park then to rent a broken down, miniature sized bicycle built for two. Yes, Greg and I set out for a little spin on this ill-fitting contraption with wonky steering and squeaky brakes. We saw fountains and gardens, beautiful flowering trees and men with impossibly long fishing poles. It was the type of outing I had been hoping for since I arrived.
That little taster of sighseeing has kick started my plans to see more of this crazy city. I'm actually starting to get the hang of the city. Two simple rules - ignore the stares and watch for traffic. Pedestrians DO NOT have the right of way - even when they are supposed to have the right of way.
Here's a little Fodor's Nanjing history. Nanjing means Southern Capital. It was the capital of China for six dynastic periods, which means nothing to me since I don't know the periods or how long they lasted. During the 14th century, the Ming Dynasty built a wall around the city for protection. And boy did they ever build a wall. It is an impressive piece of architecture. I'm hoping to see the South Gate - a fortress with courtyards and tunnels. That's next week.
Stay tuned for excursion #2 - taking the subway! Bus #78 can only take me so far.
2 comments:
Wow sounds like a fun outing. I was laughing about the clothes shopping. A Chinese friend of mine was shopping in China and couldn't find a shirt his size, he asked the clerk if there was anything bigger and she told him "there's a fat person store down there," and he's definitely not fat. Ah the Chinese bluntness, you can appreciate it as long as it's not directed at you.
Mavis I'm not sure if you'll be able to access this on your computer given the limits imposed on it, but here's an article from Cbc saying that the American Embassy had advised against any Americans traveling to Lhasa, Tibet. There have been violent protests with gun shots and burning vehicles. Here's the link:
http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2008/03/14/tibet-protests.html
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