Green Parks and Golden Temples

Sunday 3rd December 2006

Internet is still down today, so I have rearranged my day, as I was going to do some web work for friends. I first navigated the post office again which was compelling and expensive. I then took a route through the local fruit, veg and meat market. The dazzling colours of exotic and not so exotic vegetables piled high as locals rush to buy their goods. The smell of street food floating in the air, and the many dumpling vendors, rushing to keep up with demand. I walked to a park called “green lake” where i was met with an Aurora of colourful boats and lots of stalls selling foodstuff such as sweetcorn, kebabs and sweet potato. Locals out with their families walking and enjoying the sunshine created a vibrant atmosphere. I miscalculated my navigational skills, but all turned out well as I ended up in the flower and bird market where they were genuinly selling live turtles in little washing up bowls in addition to chickens in little plastic cages, knick nacks but not too many flowers. Further up the lane, someone calls out “you want kebab” – no thanks turtle on a stick does not do it for me. The afternoon I caught the bus to “temple palace” a park on the outskirts of the city, for a 40 minute journey 6p and £1.40 entrance fee felt like a bargain afternoon out. I am wearing just a t-shirt today its a gorgeous day, the sun is shining through the smog – it feels like a holi-day today. The return journey on the bus (6p back) music was playing, not chart music, not dance music, not classical music – oh no the chineese go one step further – “old macdonald had a farm” – eee aaay ee aaay oohh, and on that farm he had some turtles, eee aaay ee aaay oohh, and the turtles go “don’t make me into a kebab, eee aaay ee aaay oohh. Time to get my MP3 player out I think. A supermarket stop (not to walmart this time though nearly as gigantic) stocked up on a few nibbles including some interesting looking biscuits, juice and a bit of fruit that I trusted more than some of the street vendors. My new bargain purchase today was an orange padlock for 30p (the type you pay about £3 for in the UK) as my current padlock is malfunctioning. Chineese supermarkets are an experience to remember. Imagine Oxford Street in London on Christmas Eve with amplifiers at full volume banging out Christmas Carols. It’s very much like that apart from I was shopping around to the joyful sounds of “jingle bells” in both english and mandarin – Exquisite.

Hard as Stone

Friday 1st December

Today we are going to the Stone Forest. This first consisted of a bus that took me to a bus station where buses to the Stone Forest did not go. Armed with map the best I could do is point to the chineese for “stone forest” and get directed through pointing and saying “thank you” in Mandarin. Half an hour later I found the proper bus station and got pointed onto a random bus. The system is somewhat erratic here in China, for some buses you need to purchase tickets before you get on the bus, others you pay on the bus, this was apparently a pay on the bus type bus. An interesting stop at one of the outlaying cities was the source of my amusement as the street vendors came onto the bus selling sweetcorn, eggs, snails on sticks and drinks. To put it in perspective these buses are the 3/4 length ones and about 6 different people with their chineese hats get on and start wafting their food right under your nose, the universal word for no is to just shake your head many times. Some two hours later (I was told it would take about an hour) I arrived at a bus station where everyone got off – must be my stop though no sign of the Stone Forest. My pointing techniques are improving as I was directed to yet another “bus” – this time a very small mini bus enough room for 3 people yet over 6 of us (all others being chineese) were crammed in, along with some dead animal in a carrier bag. Lovely. Along this rickety road we went, dropping people off along the way. Although I had only paid 12p for this journey I was wondering whether it was worth the money. Eventually the driver pointed to me to get off the bus, I had arrived! Hurrah! The mass of chineese and japaneese tour buses decended upon me. As i walked down I got asked several times if i wanted “lunch” – it was only around 11.30 so no I did not want lunch, and anyhow I had brought my own somewhat more civilised lunch, I was still not game for dog on toast. Inside the Park the monstrosoties of the karst landscape rose above me, everywhere were these tall rocks, an amazing view. Shame about all the tourists though with their little red hats and the guides with the flags, “this a way” “that a way” “the other way”. Glad I was able to explore on my own in my own time. Luckily the trip back was less eventful as there was after all a bus direct to and from the Stone Forest to Kunming, which was nice and easy, until it dropped us all off at a completely different bus station. I name Kunming the “city of bus stations” – how many are there? The map I have with me has bus routes on so it was easy to find my way back to the Hostel. Tired and in need of some nice hot food, back at the hostel tonight was “hot pot” night, a free hotpot for all guests. Hot it was and very very tasty as we all dug in, placing the vegetables and meat into the pot, and helping ourselves. No sign of dead animals that I have known to have had as pets which was a good sign. I have decided to move hostels, not because the hump is a bad hostel, far from it, its lovely, the only problem is that it turns into a bar/club in the evening and there is no seperate room for those who just want to relax without the music blasting out. The music also penetrates into the rooms so its difficult to get sleep. I have chosen a hostel not so central for my next two nights, which I will go to tomorrow.