China
Friday, December 30, 2005
Yes, as the title says it, I am currently spending time off in China with my family. We joined a tour group - there are thirty of us and it's been really fantastic!
I'm quite sure the ultimate question you are all asking yourselves when you read this blog entry is - "Why is it that Azzie can blog now, and not anytime before this?" *eyebrows raised*
Well, after the overnight train ride from Shanghai to Beijing, and a whole day out yesterday with the new tour guide, Hassan, we landed in a serviced apartment-hotel at night, where in every room there is a computer, with (guess what) FREE internet service. How cool is that?! YEAH BABY! *thumbs up*
Since arriving here, China's weather (cliche as it may sound) did not welcome me well. It was extremely cold (I think we went to Huangzhou first?) and I certainly did not like the idea of having my meals literally swimming in oil (come on, try and imagine a soup consisting mostly not of water but of oil) or thick sauce/gravy that gives you that uncomfortable heaty feeling in your throat sometime after consumption. I shouldn't complain really, because I think without it I could not possibly adjust to the weather as I have now - but I know it won't help me back in Malaysia. I am constantly feeling hungry too - I eat practically anything almost every hour (which is really bad). My lifestyle is definitely going to change after this experience - now that I know how it is like to have your day jammed pack with all sorts of activities to keep you occupied, and unless you have allocated the time to actually make it down to the gym, you can forget about getting consistent exercise. I haven't been to the gym since Wade made me embarrass myself lifting weights in front of many people in Fitness First (KL) and for some odd reason I'm not really bothered about it (as I usually would when I do not do any single form of exercise or sport three to four days in a row).
There is this dangerous language barrier that exists if you have no idea whatsoever on how to communicate in Mandarin. The only few things that majority of the Chinese here would understand are 'discount' and 'tea'. Seriously. I think I really have to consider taking up Mandarin :/ Why even consider? Because China truly is a magnificent place to visit, and I think it'll do me justice if I could communicate with the people here.
I won't elaborate on too much, but I will write of some of the interesting things we did (and came across) so far. Shanghai is definitely a shopper's heaven, and Huangzhou is full of beautiful plants, regardless the weather or season (though the tour guide, Ing, insisted that it looks the best during spring). We visited a few places controlled by the government such as the silk factory, the jade-making centre, crystal making centre, herbal medicine research centre, and the pottery. I must say we've learned a lot from these visits, for they do not only intend on selling us their items, but they actually reveal to us every single step of the processes involved in the production of whatever they were selling. Beijing however, is very historic, and for a person who has her mind wandering or sleeping during every history lesson in school, saying this would really be something. What was strange though, was finding Starbucks Coffee in the middle of the Forbidden City (home of the Emperor of China in the olden days - when hierarchy decided who is to become the ruler of China). The Great Wall was really something, too. I could only manage just about three hundred steps back and forth respectively, as the bitter cold made its way through my boots and the steepness and unevenness of the steps irritated me. Oh, and if you do have the chance, do ask me to show you the recording I made during the climb up the Great Wall - it's really a good laugh! (Won't spoil it here, I'm telling you, that recording is worth more than a million words could ever express!).
Anyway, I should really get some shut eye. The past few days had me waking up real early and going to sleep real late, so yeah, instead of seeing any real live panda bears around here, there's one staring right back at me every time I look in the mirror. Hee!
Merry Christmas, and A Happy New Year!
ear!
10:04 PM Azzie's got style
