I got up around 7am or thereabouts and find my usual morning getting ready things but there was no internet at the hostel and I wanted more detail on a few things. I headed out and connected to the internet at my old hostel to get the information I wanted. I then picked up some dim sum as it was quite a lot and would hopefully be a more healthy breakfast. I ate it and then picked up some water and 2 eggs and I also still had some biscuits packed in my bag. I took the subway to the Olympic park and got out north of the stadiums in the park area. There was a tall tower nearby but I started off heading north around the south section of the park and got a better view of the tower over a lake. I went into the further north section of the park by crossing a bridge which was not visible as a bridge since they had disguised it. I walked around the forest area which had a few more trees and it was all ok but a bit artificial still for me and it needs a few more years to look more natural. I went back south across bridge the bridge and thought about voice recording the announcements they made in English and Chinese about being safe and not jumping the fences. There was only 1 exit from the park so after a walk to try to get to the tower and not finding a way I headed back to where I had started and had a look at the tower which was 90 yuan to go up. I carried on south and went to the Science museum which was big but cost to go in. There was an IMAX cinema there as well which may gave shown films in English and the hall had a big artwork piece. I left and the next building across a field was the literary hall and it looked shut or closed down so I crossed the river where there was another tower to visit although smaller and a ticket booth and a map. I was looking at the map and a student came and talked to me and we walked together and went round the birds nest stadium and took some pictures He had a translator app which works well and translates voices as well which had a picture of a parrot and I was thinking I should get if I can. We headed to the swimming cube which you have to pay to enter and was being used. I said I wanted to see the nearby temple so we went there and it was older than I expected 300-400 years or so. I was planning to visit somewhere else and the Chinese student decided to come as well so we took the subway to the summer palace where there was no food at a good price. It was 30 yuan entry and we both paid and went in and went across a bridge which had a kind of moat and shops around. We went up a hill to temple type buildings and the view back where we had come was ok. We went down and round to the lake where there was a marble boat which was nice but didn't look very old. Then there was a gate and we took one if 2 paths south and was on one with no information boards but it was quicker and nicer as it had bridges and went between lakes. My Chinese friend was not used to walking so much and I said if he was tired I would carry him which made him not be tired. We walked to the end of the lake where we got some views and there were steep arched bridges. Around the south there were tour groups and more people as we headed back north on the east side of the lake. We crossed a bridge onto an island which had places to see including a temple. We crossed back and went north to the end where there were lots of buildings there surprisingly as they weren't all on my map. We walked around and I got a bit bored but I always try yo see as much as I can and read the information. There was a route which went through a building we'd missed earlier but you had to pay only the tickets were no longer being sold for the through route so we went along the lake to complete full circuit. We left the palace and he went off to see hid friend with my details so I hoped he could work Facebook or email to stay in touch. It was late so there was no point in going to the other park palace and I took tube to ee the cctv tower. I got off a stop early to see a pagoda which was in a park. It was a nice and fairly tall pagoda with history to it. I carried on and the park was hard to leave, and I ended up climbing a railing to get to the road. I went to a supermarket and bought some food and ate it as I walked to the tower.
There was a small park in front but then no way to the tower and I looked at a drop down but instead I went round the safe, longer way and up to the tower. It was expensive to go up but still open as 2 people got tickets and went in as I was there. I took photos and went around the tower and it got dark and lights went on and I left and went across a footbridge to a park that was open and cost 3 yuan. I walked through the park in the dark and managed to follow the path. there were lights reflecting on the lake which looked nice so I took some pictures and when I crossed the bridge I got some good pictures of the tower reflecting in the lake. I left the park and headed south to a memorial where I took my shoes off to feel the ground on a grass patch which is something I like to do so I can say I touched/connected with the place as I hadn't really done that in china that I could remember and I would be leaving soon. I started heading back and went past a museum that looked shut. It had armoured vehicles outside or something and looked like it had been a military museum of some description. I took the subway home and bought some water with my change and when I got back to the hostel the internet was down and I wanted to plan Korea a bit so I found the bar area in the had hostel had internet and I booked a Seoul hostel that was open late as my flight landed very late. I read a bit and ate some more food before going to bed where there was a guy in my room who was snoring pretty loudly but my ear plugs meant I was able to get to sleep.
0 Comments
|
|