globtr: October 2013

Thursday, October 31, 2013

2013 October, Long Trip - China, Beijing

2013 October, Long Trip - China, Beijing

I met local people and they told me where is a market I can buy all kinds of electronic equipment.
Firstly I visited a TV building and I went by underground number 5 to Tiantandongmen.
They told me also to be polite and bargain a lot. If something costs 1000 RMB I should pay for it around 10 max 20 RMB. It was the last day so I knew already that this is true.
It is a tourist place. Near the underground station I met people from USA and inside many more foreigners. They pay more than I do. That's why it is so hard to bargain now.
But I got a good price for SD card. Other people I met told me that they bought speakers last year and they're still working.

http://www.tour-beijing.com/blog/beijing-travel/top-10-beijing-markets/

The building has 4 floors with different accessories on each one. There are clothes, souvenirs, bags, gold and electronics of course.

It was a good day to bargain a little bit. I need to check where local people shop.

View from my hostel

Near my hostel

TV buiding

What to see in Beijing

Toilet at the Tienanmen Square

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

2013 October, Long Trip - China, The Duck

2013 October, Long Trip - China, Beijing Summer Palace

I took the underground number 4 to Belgongmen (The Summer Palace). Underground ticket 2 RMB. The entrance is near the underground station exit. Unfortunately, they didn't accept foreign student cards (entrance fee 30 RMB). You can buy a combo ticket or one to the Palace which I bought as I am not a big fan of all museums. There is a lot to see and you can spend all day in the park (palace). From the highest point I saw a yellow patch on the lake. I thought that it would be nice to see a famous Dutch duck here which was created by one artist and host by Beijing for the Beijing Design Festival. There were selling small ones everywhere.
This Duck has already visited 12 countries and it was in Beijing for 2 more days.

From the Summer Palace I went to Qianmen, to see my Chinese friends and to eat duck. It was a famous renovated hutong with well know shops in Europe.

We stayed there till 23 and I took almost the last underground to my hostel.

The Summer Palace

Welcome to the Summer Palace

The Duck but small one

The Summer Palace

Everywhere they eat instant soup

The Summer Palace - view from lake

The Summer Palace and the Duck

The Duck

Evening in Beijing

Near the Tiananmen Square

Duck

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

2013 October, Long Trip - China, The Great Wall

2013 October, Long Trip Beijing Great Wall

I chose to go to Mutianyu to see the Great Wall, which is an original part. There are two buses in the morning and two return ones.
The buses are at 7am and 8:30 am - the return ones are at 2pm and 4pm.
The bus terminal is located near the Donghzimen subway station. From there, take exit B, go straight and turn left after you pass a big building with an indoor bus terminal, keep going straight until you find a bus terminal with a metal fence around. Go inside and follow to the last parking lot. Bus number is 867. I used IC swipe and I was charged 6.40 RMB only one way, 40% of the normal price. Bus 867 has different destinations from the same bus stop. Mind it please.
My bus was almost 1h delayed and it took 2h to get to the last station.
On the way to the ticket office there are shops but I got better prices in the city for all souvenirs.
A ticket to the Great Wall costs 45 RMB, you need to pay separately for cable cars.
It was a cloudy day so the views weren't as great as they could be on a sunny day.
I entered it via a fake cave and I spent more than 4 hours on the wall.
My way back was quite easy. I paid 60 RMB for Toboggan slide. It wasn't a dangerous one and it was 6 minutes of good fun. I took the last bus to Beijing. Unfortunately, there was traffic so it took me almost 3h.