How to narrow the eyes and extend the worldview

Travel to China Jade Dragon in November 2012 Author: Stas Nikulin. Rating: 5 -I believe that the services OutdoorUkraine fully justify the costs. Well, judge for yourself, first of all, it's just meganasyschennaya program, and secondly you literally "lead by the hand," not in the sense that the drag, which does not want to, but in the sense that nothing soared where to go, what transportation to order, where to stay, etc. Me to remember all the place names that I have mentioned, I had to rewrite our route, otherwise I would have forgotten. The main thing is not the name of the place and the feeling of it. Here. Come to China!

-What do you say, Stas? They say you went to China? How is it? Tell me ... What's to know who met that discovered for myself?

-Oh, I think my friend, you ask too many questions at once. It is impossible to conclude in a single response whole of China. I'm talking even about a billion people and a huge territory. China is primarily a feeling. It is mysterious and unknowable end by any of the Europeans Asian country filled with mountains, rivers, unusual people and the wisdom of the ages.

-Are you so confident that China is unknowable. Perhaps, after all possible to understand China? I agree that there are people other than us, but they have the same two arms and two feet. Let their eyes narrowed, but I'm sure they have aspirations are similar to our.

-Maybe you're right, but from the beginning people from all over the world try here hoping to find herself, to know your way, or just confine tourism, pleasure extraterrestrial landscapes and the delights of the local cuisine. For all your China.

-And yet, what China is just for you?

-Well, I think, the answer I was looking for my stay in China.

-Well, let's slight oversimplification. Tell us in order, as you prepare for the trip, as it was done, that you have visited?

-honest, preparations for the trip for me originality did not differ. Experience of the previous Nepal trek, as well as site content Autdorukraina, kindly provided me with all the information required. Uncomplicated equipment, backpack, things, documents, money, that's basically all.

-But not all had the opportunity to travel to Nepal. What stands in the first place to pay attention to?

-Like what? Of course themselves, their mood and purpose of the campaign. You're not going to just go from point A to point B. Think about what you supergoal set for yourself, what do you expect from the trip. Of domestic issues, be sure to Pay attention to the relationship with the bank. By the way, this is what was small dropper fly in general mead, which I strongly absorbed all two weeks of travel. Before leaving, be sure to ask the bank to be whether its cards work in China (better to give preference and Platinum Gold Card Maestro do not advise). Similar situation with the connection. As found, for example, a loudspeaker in China can only communicate when connected advanced roaming (to enable it to come to the passport office megaphone). In general, everything is solved, the main time warning in advance. Issue visas on which I am most concerned about, was in fact easily solved: 2500 rubles., weeks of waiting, that's all (have only because, if you go to Hong Kong, there visa-free travel, but at the entrance to the rest of China will still need a visa in Overall, this is a travel agency and the site of the Embassy). The important point is also offline translator (in android or  Apple is easy to find) better with characters recognizer Photo by (costs about 50 rubles, but it will help immensely.) Again, in China payment through Android Market problems, so the swing paid applications at home.

-Excellent, already something. So, let's start with the departure from Moscow.

- In Overall, nearly head-on, I was going to the airport. Unlike the previous Outdoor trips with in Nepal, I was flying from Moscow is not one, and on the part of a tour group, and even a bear, a leopard and a hare.

Flew in Kiev, where he joined the rest in t.ch. and Cyril himself. Route, of course, ridiculous - first away from Beijing, fly to Kiev, and then make a detour, but with more fun))), but the flight to Kiev like three hours, and then another 10.9 hours to Beijing. It is worth to stock up on plates with movies, audio books, ideas for reflection and all similar. Romp Aeroflot, expected to be Aerosvit screens seat back to watch a movie. Screens were really, not worked. Saved positive communication, life optimism and duty-free. Neighbor seat-Chinese taught us various Chinese obscene gestures, which are turned out to only figures that the Chinese show completely otherwise, like this (see picture below). True, hard to say that this was. Like, eight or nine. For the seven had to be extraordinarily bend the index finger, while there they also vary by region. In general, if the whole talk about the language, the pronunciation of the regions may differ so that even an interpreter to translate from Chinese into Chinese.

When plane landing in Beijing start to shake pretty, but now, after five more Flights for two weeks (and maybe 6ti), it seems that this was not shaken (If you compare it to our landing in the mountains). The route I Similar, but not very much. Said to be the city, mountains, places, and what else is needed? Remember the Chinese names blue tyun  tyun hsien (and of course, they sound very different than they can be written transliteration) can someone interesting, but is not necessary. Though, still, I fixed the key places, but at the end of the trip. I had known that from Beijing will move to the south.

-So, it all started with Beijing?

-In general, yes, fly to Beijing. Visible from the window of a night city full of bright lights. Great airport bytovushnye issues related to ATM and currency exchange right there in my head. Not much to poison them further narrative, I will say that you can only change the currency in the Bank of china (the process takes 40 minutes!), and withdraw more of the same ATM. Local money - yuan, one yuan is 5 rubles, take easily. A Ukrainians and the easier, because it is about one hryvnia.

-Bytovushnye questions, as you said, it's certainly good. But you yourself before talking about supergoal. What supergoal was with you?

-hard to say. I think that feeling. I wanted to turn everything upside down and look at life with another angle, understand, evaluate. Expect new ideas to life and work.

- A where you left off in Beijing?

-you know, right question, "descends from heaven to earth." Before that, you asked about the ideas and creativity, and here again the practical aspect. We headed to the Beijing hostel cabbed (subway was closed). By the way, all the taxis in China strictly state, which means that the price on the meter will be different, though some huckster and love podnakrutit or refuse to go on the counter, if the path Nedalny. Although I almost immediately drew attention to the fact that the Chinese trade is much easier than, say, the Turks and Azeris. The price is much simpler, spontaneous, and not have it head with glowing eyes that are so annoying in the southern representatives of the diaspora. For example, if you are Chinese, says the price of 100 yuan, then you are with a straight look on his face saying that 50, can not even get together to go after that, the price is likely to slow down. Here, however, we are not is a Chinese sights and fixed prices.

-But what impressed by Beijing?

-It may be Many of you reading this post, associate China with its narrow streets, the crowd Chinese, sitting on each other's heads, and with miles of noodles and spices, hanging from everywhere. I personally, for some reason, it came to mind such images. However, China is indeed very different. Allegory, like mine, have a seat be, and, yet, Beijing - is first and foremost one of the centers of Chinese ideology. I think you understand: Uncle Mao Tse Tung, the red flag, the tendency to megalomania around etc. Watching the Chinese, in the eye catches a lot of uniforms: police, conductors, bus drivers, tour guides, social status Many of them emphasized the strict clothing. Drivers, for example, dressed in white gloves. But our status was also quite clear to others: hiking bright jackets, trekking boots, and most importantly, rucksack on his back, well, on top of that, European. For many Chinese we are monkeys, which certainly need to be photographed. Me appears in the periphery of Russia, causing a stir negros, exotic, after all. Although, in the big cities, in the likeness of Beijing, this interest is less, and Here is what the provinces. And most Chinese short and they shuffling gait, and sometimes very funny to watch them.

- In Overall, you are traveling in a taxi ...

-We go to the taxi, street night time with Moscow differs by 4 hours. In addition to the roadway for window did not really see. If I did not know that we are in China and pay attention to the inscriptions with the characters, I would think that we were going on a night Spain, and perhaps unusual schedule and unusual situation dampen my perception of reality. In a country with a multi-billion public streets deserted. The next morning a crowd of people with a narrow slit eyes will re-shuffling of urban trails, but you need a good sleep. And here we have apparent overdose of the hormone of joy, so will sleep a little later in the hostel. By the way, he is. I mean, the hostel. On the street with parked bicycles and vintage cars, like the old Volga, is the entrance. By the way, Most doors in China, issued in the form of pagodas in the traditional Chinese style. The building itself may not be so hot, but the entrance arch to be 100. Next was a dream, well, then began to know the country.

-Stas, I am well I understand that you are unlikely to remember every inch of your trip. You can, talk about the key things to do.

-try. Let's start with meters, in which we went down the next morning: a decent, modern, like London.

In roomy cars and there is ventilation. At each station the canvas with X-ray machine for check oversized luggage. By the way, if you compare with Moscow, there these devices are not "for show". Do check luggage, as in airport. I have never seen in our framework detectors installed in subway, anyone used it. Came out of the subway, found the institution with the Chinese kitchen, that's what I really wanted. Stomach demanded> kitaychiny, and I was not going to contradict him. The first, with than met, were Chinese manti with some hot sauce, cooked yet green eggs and salads with obscure herbs. Taste absolutely unexpected, but I liked it.

After breakfast went to Beijing's famous square. My dad home as soon as picture I saw at once unmistakably said Tian An name> Men. There hangs a huge portrait of Mao Zedong  Tung. In China, the dominant ideology, similar to Soviet, have much in common. Jumping ahead a little, I say that We played the grandfather in the mountains Katyusha with Chinese words, so when Dad said the name of the area, I was surprised to exchange cultural experiences for our countries took place. In the main square there is the procession was, or holiday, general crowd of people, even a cordon. We are, however, no problem everywhere missed.

Passing area, we found ourselves in the Forbidden City of the emperors. The place, of course, cult. However, if you describe it, this stage as two peas similar at each other with identical squares pagodas. Ideal platform for Chinese  open-airs)) We saw pictures. While at seventh pagoda I was tired of doing the same footage. The Forbidden City large, full and we did not pass, though, I think, an idea made.

Honestly speaking, impressions were already over the edge but somehow it was only the beginning of our great Chinese way.

More, of course, we tasted Peking duck. This is generally a different story. Chinese it is not especially eating, it's just like the face of Chinese cuisine. Her many which offer, but most pathos, is to eat it in a central multi-storey restaurant. Forgotten in the face, the name, but there spinning tables and duck make the "right" - you have to eyes divided into shares and put each on a separate plate, with their spices. Not low price, but worth it. The duck goes well with white or red wine.

-What else remembered as a Great Wall of China? Saw it?

-Of course, but it near Beijing. Before her we got. The area in which we were, called Mu Tian O.

I By the way, I do not know how to outdo China in performance. I think Sochi facilities all together, compared to the Great Wall of China, seem small pisyulkoy)) And now we have not mastered such work, to build a couple of miles, and the rest of the saw cut the budget.

On Great Wall of China raised the couple. We are very well caught photo shoot, I thought I'd need it the services they host)) Here is the bride in red dress.

- A not afraid to go up and down the wall?

-Frankly, it not too high. Its main feature is the length. A descent was all fun, we bobsled ride at the local. True, for some reason the instructor to climb all hugging, both in principle and the rest to move out.

After such impressions wanted some fresh, and that too many stones. But I mentioned that China is different, even within the framework of Beijing. Next we went to the old imperial palace. I hardly remember what it was exactly Dynasty residence, but I can say that the park is incredibly beautiful. We just were there in the late afternoon, so were able to witness the sunset rays reflected in the mirror of water. Divided, with the benefit were a radio. In the park Chinese families walked, came across tourists. I walked along the lake, ride on the boat, climbed to the Buddhist stupa. In China Buddhism spread doctrine, but it is a separate issue, and not all of it is as smooth as it could be. Again, remembering Nepal, turntables with prayers and the Dharma. In general, insanely beautiful, calming. Here for clarity.

-But, as you already mentioned China, this is not only Beijing and its surroundings, with which other parties you open up China?

-I think it's about next point of our trip, then we went to Huashan. If you try to briefly describe Huashan, it rock. Here are the mountains, where everything smoothly, but here, on the contrary, there were many sharp cliffs, and activities including my fear of heights. The coolest feeling This is when you begin to fear to be overcome. On Huashan and it had everything you need. We were going for all four peaks Huashan, Plus, there had a wonderful trail on the edge of the cliff. Imagine you attach insurance, and you start to his movement, holding circuit, mounted on the edge of a cliff. Accordingly, on the one end solid rock, and the other - the endless open. Heart ekaet still somewhere ekaet below the belt, and you're frantically clinging to the chain. And, sometimes it was necessary to disperse to other tourists that this path is returned, it was very fun))) I asked Cyril, our guide-head to make a couple pictures, it came out very nice.

Not all the way, from our group ventured into the transition. Space relative to the rock, where they could stand, took about 30 cm, so fun I had no limit. When it got dark, we spent the night there on Huashan. It's cold, of course, but with him were warm bags. At night, we were accompanied by a sound like the sound of vomiting stool. It turned out it's Chinese residents as an expectorant. We have repeatedly encountered with like. Blame had spicy food and could (could more closely related to cities). But then, during the nights, it appears that someone really bad. I even specifically went out to check. When morning came, we went on, continuing to evaluate the Chinese variety.

-Wow, what it was then?

- A What followed was a train heading to Xi'an, I it seems, the cradle of Chinese culture. By the way, the train I foolishly took the beer chicken leg. Just not the one that everyone thought, and a chicken foot)) In packaging, of course, it was not clear, but when opened, it was horrified! But thought, is it eating Chinese, and I have to try ... The dish was terribly sharp and in general, not the best example of the Chinese food industry.

- In Overall, all the joy in the stomach were butterflies, and you have sharp chicken feet?

-Well, something like that. We also met on the train with the sociability of the Chinese, with whom I practiced the difference in the pronunciation of the words: bed linen, chicken leg and paytsza (Weapon is). On hearing the sound was all about how "> paydzi." While a bottle of beer and chicken leg I added predisposition to the Chinese language, so I eventually learned how to to utter those three words, though the morning I forgot them again ... Also the word "beer" in Chinese is "pizhU»)))

-I feel sorry for you, I had to get acquainted with the exotic parts of the chicken body. Tell me now of Xi'an.

-> Xi'an, a beautiful Chinese city, something like cultural capital. There's a lot of pagodas. Main, I think, four, each its name. This gigantic structure on the Sian areas. And the station overlooking the city Xian wall, which stretches through the center of the city. At the top of the wall can be taken in Rent a bike and ride. Incidentally, in Xi'an is Muslim Quarter (Chinese Muslims, hard to believe) and abundant provides tools for calligraphy (brush, ink, special paper). In....