Chong Qin 重庆

Poll: To Chong Qin 重庆...
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Yes, I'm going...
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Yes, I had been there.
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1 25.00%
mmm.... something else
25.00%
1 25.00%
Total 4 vote(s) 100%
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#1
Rainbow 
I step out of the "bullet train" and it's an amazing sight.

Thousands of passengers, coming out of the train simultaneously.

Following the crowd, I head for the exit.

( I do not have a good idea how to get to my hotel but my choice of transport is always public bus/mrt. Taxi seldom comes into my mind. )

The crowd had disperse quickly and now it's all quiet.
I stood in front of a large city map and trying to figure out how to get to my hotel.
On the map, there seems to be a MRT going somewhere near and I need to double confirm.

I summon up my brightest smile and asked one passer-by. He shook his head and says he is not from the city.

I asked another person and he stood in front of the map and he is not sure whether there is a MRT or not.

mmm... very tricky hur?

I look up again and saw my answer walking to me.
A teenager in school uniform... sure enough, the map is too new, the MRT had not operate yet. Instead, I'm suppose to take bus xxx or bus yyy to the city.
Got it.

I drag my luggage up to ground floor and found my bus easily.

The bus ride is similar to Singapore except the aircon is not on and must roll down the small window.

I'm impressed by the tall apartments building blocks along the way to city center.

When almost everyone alighted in a bus stop that looks like commercial shopping belt, I followed them and get down too. (very adventure, right?)

Again, inside the bus stop, there is a large map of the vicinity.
Only trouble is, I am in a very complicated junction with lots of small lanes and some of them are of triangular shapes.
mmm.... ask law... what to do?

Following a general direction, I dragged my luggage along the main road for about 20 minutes and reached a place that I suspect is my hotel.
I walk around and look for hotel logo.... no luck.
Wait a minute, there is a restaurant with famous Chong Qin Hotpot.
Isn't it my hotel address? Yup, it's upstairs... the waitress told me.

Checking in was pretty fast and as usual, my toilet does not have solid wall, instead it's translucent glass wall. (romantic? if you don't want this type of romance, then better choose your hotel carefully)

Mmm... the water tank (mineral water) dispenser in my room is running low, let me call for top up. (incidentally, there is a red switch behind the dispenser, turn-on to boil the water for tea)

Few minutes later, an elderly woman knock on my door and boy, she is strong - consider her age... lugging the huge bottle.
I feel bad and hand her some money.
She stared at me and then realised what happen and shaked both her head and her hand and walk away... leaving me holding my money in awk.

Huh

Enjoy reading...
Live with Passion, Lead with Compassion
2013-06-16
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#2
Is this yr real story
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#3
Yes, my friend.

You will have your real stories too.

Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri and Happy National Day...
Live with Passion, Lead with Compassion
2013-06-16
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#4
Rainbow 
The following described my day from Chengdu to ChongQin....
a typical day for me :-)

At 6am, the fire engines already loaded and moving out of their home base. It could be a routine drill as I do not sense any urgency in their maneuver.

The skies is still dark but I'm sure the sun light will come out soon.

I walked pass the small roadside eatery... mmm... the eggs looks very delicious... but I did not stop.

I had a better plan... Yesterday, I saw a famous local xiao chi just around the corner, along the main streets. That's where I'm going to have my breakfast.

After breakfast, I waved and boarded a taxi to the train station.

The taxi driver stopped at a major road. After collected my money, he pointed to a small lane and asked me to walk inside.

I dragged my luggage inside and found a huge square surrounded by buildings. I walked towards the central building and saw many many counters (at least 20) and lots of people queuing too.
I looked around and noticed that there is one counter with only few people and it says something like "Fast Train".
I'm going to try my luck.
Yes, I got my tickets to Chong Qin in less than 10 minutes.

Everything so smooth, I activated my next plan - visit Chengdu Panda Sanctuary.
Where is the taxi stands? (I normally did not take taxi unless needed. Now, I need to go and see the panda and back in 4 hours.) Oh, there is a Yong He Dou Jiang (soya bean), let me take-away and board the taxi.

The taxi stopped at a bus-stop and again, after collected my money, pointed to a long and empty road and wave me off.

I walked for 2 minutes and luckily saw the Panda ticket counter on my right.
The rest is history, I run like mad from pit to pit and also watched the movie. Now, I understand why the scientist is so kang jiong when a new panda baby is bone... Hormone really changed the mother behavior to it's baby. Literally, the panda keeper literally risked their live to save the baby! (I wonder why Kangaroo and platypus do not have this problem? Both mothers encourage their new born to make their way to the pouch).

I also enjoyed the Koi fish pond. With a flute playing in the background (I imagine, of course), this is heaven! I let down my hair and do some reflections.

I walked back to the same bus-stop and later got a taxi back to train station. Same thing, the driver stopped me at the busy road and I walk inside the same lane.

It's lunch time and I noticed a busk of activities after I walked into the lane. There is a chinese saying, "Ming Yi Shi Wei Gui", this place is full of people... this is the restaurant belt.

I look at my watch and estimate that I had a good 30 minutes of lunch provided I can decide what I wanted to eat in the next 15 minutes. That will gives me another 10 minutes to pick up my luggage and another 30 minutes to wait/board the train.

I picked a noodle and bao shop and order a good feast!

Enjoy reading.
Tongue

Panda Party, anyone?
[Image: wptemp1.jpg]
Live with Passion, Lead with Compassion
2013-06-16
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#5
(27-08-2013, 10:10 AM)chialc Wrote: I picked a noodle and bao shop and order a good feast!


Got check what bao you ordered or not? They put 香 肉 in their bao in china.

香 肉 aka fragrant meat aka dog meat Tongue
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#6
wow uncle, u already retirement mode in overseas and enjoying life now?
envy
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#7
(27-08-2013, 11:20 PM)pianist Wrote: wow uncle, u already retirement mode in overseas and enjoying life now?
envy

not yet .. mine akan datang hehe Tongue
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#8
Rainbow 
Lesson learned.
My strategy of using ChongQin as base camp and do multiple day trips to tourist spots failed miserably. My last few days are not very productive at all. (yes, I do care about productivity even when on holidays). This strategy works fine in Europe/ANZ because either I was driving or there are ample transports to the tourist spots. However, in ChongQin, I’m not able to find enough transport schedule information and also the traffic/road conditions are really not predictable.

I had loss precious few days and I’m not getting what I wanted.

Change, Change, Change!
I look at the mirror and shout, “Change! Change! Change!”

I cannot do this alone. A few alternatives flash into my mind and got rule out immediately. They are either not economically feasible or operationally challenging.

I consulted my Chengdu friend and decided to join ZhongQin Lu 中青旅.
Immediately, I took action.
I go down to hotel reception and seek the direction to the closest ZhongQinLu.
“Easy, on our left, 20 meter. Walk down Hong Ya Dong洪崖洞 and at the basement. “
P.S. Hong Ya Dong is a must visit in Chong Qin. It’s historical building is built on a cliff, hugging each other. It’s a food paradise too.

Three days two nights to LeShan 乐山then ErMeiShan 娥眉山cost less than 100 bucks, everything included.

Mission accompanied!
Looking forward to join the tour tomorrow morning 6am.

http://www.sc666.com/upimage/Scenery/201...465919.jpg

to be continue...
Cool
Live with Passion, Lead with Compassion
2013-06-16
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#9
nice photos, I once back packed with a few friends around china by ourselves almost 10 yrs ago

Was quite eager as well rushing here and there trying to get from 1 place to the next but quite let down especially at some of these "ancient" places you see they put up a lot of advertising everywhere pasted on the walls, the doors, you suddenly see cafe or fastfood around the corner and you wondering how come they allowing these bumpkins to despoil the place well because it's not the real thing that's why nobody cares.

I found out that after so many wars and a cultural revolution, for a long time a lot of their ancient sites are actually places that have been broken ruins or in run down condition for a long long time and were purposely restored or newly built up replicas when the tourists started coming in. A lot of money went into all of it so they trying to get it all back.
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#10
chialc,

Hongyadong is indeed a marvellous place. Building a mall cum hotel by the cliff is indeed a testament to human creativity.

How is Capitaland's Chaotianmen (朝天门) redevelopment project progressing? Any picture to share? Chaotianmen is just next to Hongyadong.

By the way, how is "post Bo Xilai" Chongqing doing? Any sign of vice-related activities returning?

Thank you.
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