Day 25 - Wu Dang Mountain (Part 2)

Guess what will I be doing today??? I will be climbing the first mountain in my life!!!! =)

I woke up at 5 30am to start preparing for the strenuous day ahead!!! The room was extremely cold, as high up in the mountains, the tempurature will definately be colder then on the ground. After preparation, I woke Meow lin up and we started taking turns to use the bath room. At exactly 7am, we were all ready to check out of our room and leave our bags at the counter, as it will be too heavy to bring along for the climb. We also heard from some of them, that the water and lights were all not working in some of the rooms. So, we were very lucky to still have both the lights and the water working, but the sad news is, the heater isn't working!!! >.< After we had a simple breakfast, we headed off for the climb!!!




After breakfast, we gathered at the main lobby before the climb to prep us for the strenuous trip ahead. At just the main lobby, the temperature was already so low that, we can actually breathe steam for our noses and mouth. After the prep, we headed of for a short walk before actually reaching the starting point for our climb. It was very refreshing to be able to take a walk in the cold morning. At the starting point, the tour guide told us that this was only the beginning before a very strenuous climb, as the climb was actually many steps to overcome and that the whole process needs about 5 hours to the top and back down.





We started by having funny talks about the climb and took many amazing photos with the fog as the background. There were many steps down and it was not a good thing. It just meant that, on the return trip, we had more steps to climb =( My legs cannot take this. For the first few hundred steps, I was still feeling fine and ready to climb more!!! But after a few hundred more, I could not take it anymore and was ready to quit, so I told the girls to go on without me. But soon after, a fellow resident teacher from the university kept encouraging me to continue and that is was very near and we will be able to reach very soon. So, I felt more determined to make it up the mountain as we were very near. But after reaching the next resting stop, i realized that t was not the final stop and there were still a long way to go. So, i just sat at the resting stop and decide to slowly get up the mountain. After sitting for a while, Wei Qin joined me. as she is not feeling well too and she wants to take a short break. So, we asked everyone to move on without us and we headed up slowly by ourselves.





As the both of us were not feeling well, we took many short breaks during each few steps that we climbed, to prevent us from puking =( It was a very crowded day, as there were many tourist who were trying to get up the mountain to pray to the Daoist temple. As we were heading up the mountain, we saw many labourers lift chairs with tourist seated in them, up the mountain. =( This is extremely tough work, as some of the tourists are quite heavy and climbing up - hill is very tiring.











After climbing back to the starting line, we took 03 shots, without Fathullah. Sadded. =p We went exploring to some cliffs behind the shops and found a spot where the view is exceptional. And there are 3 groups within the 6 of us (without Fathullah); Hazel and I, Si Hao and Meow Lin and Noor and Eline. So, we took some photos and waved hello to the tourist above us. =)After exploring the unknown path, we went back to the hotel and grabbed our bags and took the shuttle bus down the mountain. When we reached the bottom of the mountain, we were already running late. So, we rushed to the resturant and had a very late lunch. It was actually the first time where we were eating at such a fast pace, unlike when we are dining in Singapore. After having the late lunch, we boarded the bus and had a 5 hour journey back to the dorm.








Reflection

Singaporeans are people who are laid - back and relaxed and like to take their time for perfection. While the Chinese are fast - paced, everything has to be done within the shortest time possible and it has to be done correctly. So, when we were late for the lunch and the bus ride back to the dorm, this irritates the chinese tour guides, as everything has to be done fast and efficiently. Therefore, we have to "do what the romans do", and be as quick as them, in order to show respect.

Loves, Charmaine

Day 24 - Wu Dang Mountain (part 1)

Today, my alarm rang at 5 30pm. Why? Because, we are going to Wu Dang mountain today!!!! =) Excited, as this will be the first time, I actually climb a mountain!! A real mountain, unlike Bukit Timah HILL. Looked through my bag to see if I have forgotten anything.

Went up the bus and started my 5 hour long journey. I slept throughout the whole journey and was only awaken for lunch. We had lunch at a restaurant / hotel that is near to the bus station of the Wu Dang mountain tourist site. It was a simple lunch with fish, potatoes, soup, vegetables, noodles and; oh ya donkey meat. Yup, donkey meat! My poor poor eeyore =(







After lunch, we headed back to the bus for a short drive to the Wu Dang Mountain tourist bus interchange to begin our expedition! The local tour guide told us that there will be 3 main attractions that we will be visiting.





The first attraction that we went to is called "Tai Zi Po", also known as "Crown Price Slope". There are many halls in the compound, and we were not allowed to take photos in some of the structures. The first building that we went into was the, Hall of the God of Wealth. The inside of the building was rather dimly lighted and much colder then outside of the hall. There was a stairway leading to another level in the building, but we were not allowed up. After visiting the Hall of the God of Wealth, we continued walking to another architecture known as "CangJing Tower". The second floor of the tower is used to store the Daoist Inscriptions, two side rooms on the first floor were storekeeper's rooms and a lounge were built to entertain honored guests. After leaving the tower, to move on to our next building, we saw a tree that had many red banners tied around it. We were very curious about what we saw, so we went to ask the tour guide what the significance behind it was about. The tour guide said that the tourist are trying to ask for good wishes for them or their family, and by tying it on the tree that is in the temple, the wishes will be fulfilled. Next, we visited the "Five clouds building". Over here, they served us tea and taught us about the proper way to fully enjoy Chinese tea. But we were looking around to buy gifts for our family, so we didn't manage to drink the tea. =(









After visiting the "Crown prince slope", we boarded the bus and went off to out next destination, Zi Xiao Gong, also known as "Purple cloud temple". The "Purple cloud temple" was built around the Yuan Dynasty (1271 - 1368AD). The "Purple cloud temple" consist of several halls, Dragon and Tiger Hall, the Purple Sky Hall, the East Hall, the West Hall, the Parent Hall and the Prince Cliff. The Purple Sky Hall is enshrined with statues of Zhen Wu at different stages of his life. Statues of Zhen Wu's parents rest in the Parent Hall. On the left side is the Buddhist deity Guan Yin, and on the right is the Shouzi Mother to whom couples traditionally pray for sons. The hall also houses cultural relics, including the Green Dragon Crescent Blade of Guan Yu some of which date back as far as the 7th century.







After exploring the temple, we headed off to our final destination, the hotel!!! It was a long bus ride, and when we reached the final bus stop, it was already 5pm. We took all of our bags and walked down the slope to our hotel. The hotel was huge!! It was divided into 3 blocks, and we stayed in block B. The room was alot better then our dorm, it had a TV and two huge single beds!! But we decided to bunk in with Eline and Meow Lin (they had a bathtub in their toilet!!) =) After setting our bags down, we went off to explore the nearby mountains with the tour guide. She told us that is was our free time, and we are only expected to meet at the restaurant at 6 30pm for dinner. So, we went to explore the mountain!!! We bought ice cream, saugage and corn as the before dinner snack!! ^^ For dinner, we were ushered into the VIP room (because we ate with the malay guys, and they can't eat some of the food. =p) The food was awesome!!! ^^
















See ya tommorrow, because we are climbing the mountain!!!!

Reflection

China is rich in both culture and the amount of land that they have. Unlike Singapore, where their lake is the size of our sea, they have so much more scenery then Singapore. Wu Dang mountain has spawned so much myths and legends that have attracted tourist from all over the world, it is now a protected area. It is really a wonder to be able to vist this well - known area.

Loves, Charmaine

Day 23 - Cherry Blossom

IS class started at 9am today, and it is the last lesson for the whole trip, which means that the trip will be coming to an end. We have all talked about how we felt about coming on this trip before and now, we are almost leaving. =( At the beginning of this trip, it was a very slow journey, as we did not know our way around and it was only the 7 of us. But now, 4 weeks has passed, we made many friends along the way and we know our way around like the back of our hands (not really the back of our hands, but you know what I mean^^). I will seriously miss this place!!! =( =( =(

For the last lesson of the trip, Ms Grace taught us about the philosophy of China. As all of you know that, China is one the largest country in the world, so the lesson of philosophy has to be split into 2 portions to be taught, so it will take up the whole day. But Ms Grace managed to teach the whole lesson in just 3 hours, so we ended class at 12pm, and we are able to go see the Cherry blossom in Wu Han University. Yay Cherry Blossoms!!!! =)

After lessons, we went to have our lunch first. After lunch, we headed back to our room to do a very united 03 girls dress code, colour leggings. Yes, colour leggings. Eline wore blue, Meow lin wore orange, Hazel wore maroon and I wore red. Together, we look like power rangers. So, we decided to “repel” from each other like how opposite magnets do. As the colours of our legs were too striking and standing together will make us look weird. After donning our costumes, we went to the university in a “bread” van.

After arriving at the university, we walked around and took many beautiful photos of the Cherry Blossom. The locals find that the common pink cherry blossoms are too plain, so they find that the white cherry blossom are the most beautiful of all, BUT as a all – time fan of red, the red cherry blossoms are much better than any of them. However, after walking around the whole campus, I still can’t find any red cherry blossoms. So disappointed =( Only after we left the campus and on our way back to school, did we find red cherry blossoms. =) After travelling for an hour plus and stopping to pump fuel, did we reach our school^^ But we were cheated from the “bread” van driver. The story goes like this; in the beginning, he told us that we would only have to pay RMB60 (S$12) for the WHOLE trip. But he charged us for the fuel (RMB50) and the detour to East lake (RMB40). So the whole trip cost RMB150, but if it was converted to Singaopore's currency, it will only cost S$30.











Reflection

After learning about the philosohy of China, i have a deeper understanding of the history of the culture of the ancient land. China has produced many well - known poets and political figures, that till this day remains the hot topic among many

Day 22 - Written test

Today is the day of my written test!!! Oh my god! I’m so anxious for the time of the test to come quickly!!! My motto for the test: Get it over and done with! =) But it doesn’t mean that I will give slipshod work. So please do not misunderstand my motto!!!

On the way to the examination classroom, I saw many of my classmates studying while walking. The road to the examination hall is connected to many roads where cars will drive through, yet they are so engrossed in their final revision that road safety was the least of their concern. The only thing that was passing through my mind was, stop stressing me! >.<

Once we entered the classroom, we were immediately ushered into our seats by Ms Neo and the test commenced! The test was do – able and passing should not be a problem. I hope. >.<

After the test, Ms Neo decided to let us off, as we studied till late for the test. So, it was off to shopping for us!!! We traveled to the shopping mall by an hour’s bus ride, and the ride was so bumpy that we couldn’t stand straight. We saw something interesting on the bus ride. There was a couple that was standing in front of us, waiting for someone to get off, so that they can sit. After waiting for awhile, someone did get off, but there was only 1 seat available, so only 1 of them can get to sit, so the guy sat down. But the girl proceeded to sit on the guys lap, like it was very common in China. The shopping mall is unique in the sense that, there was an indoor and outdoor building, and there are 4 levels for you to shop through and the stuff are relatively cheap. I am partially cured of my shopping addiction by going there! And, we shopped straight for 6 hours! =p We decided to eat at the sushi bar that was located in the indoor building for our dinner, and our dinner only cost RMB100+ (S$20+), which is more economic than Sakae Sushi, but Sakae taste so much better!







Reflection

People in China are very innovative, in the sense that, they are able to think out of the box to make their life more convenient. For instance, this morning on the bus. In order to let them both sit, they do not mind being embarrassed or guilty that they are occupying the available space for people to stand in.

Loves, Charmaine