hello, hello people. I’m in Nanjing right now, and i’ve managed to grab the good computer at the hostel. people in hostels are really nice, open-minded people with much to share, until you threaten to infringe on facebook time or skype time.
i’ve been here since wednesday, and its been as different a few days from Tai’An as Beijing to Tai’An. They have several universities here that have many foreign students, so not being the centre of attention on the street is a nice change, but also a little disappointing i’ll admit. i got here on my first night after a long train journey and was starving for something that wasn’t a pot noodle with boiling water from the train’s tap. i asked some american people and Carly pointed me in the direction of a place that did mexican. i cast my thoughts back to how i felt a bit guilty when i’d last had it in Vietnam, but also why i’d got it in the first place. after dinner got chatting with a German guy called Toby. he mentioned there was a spot round the corner that did a beer for 3Yuan (30p), so we went on to there. my trip out to get some food and head back for an early got slightly remanaged. i was there until half four chatting with some guys from Tanzania and the Sudan and the Congo, and other African countries. it’s been a good spot to go for a drink and meet all kinds of people. last night there was a south african, canadians, americans with feathers in their hats, mongolians, chinese, and of course Marty the socially inept Slovenian. i listened to his obnoxious ranting for about two hours as he told me what ‘the real kung fu’ was, the ritual of tea, and why he hated the southern English people. bit of a tosser really. but it was interesting to see how someone is after they travel around the world for 15 years. i’ll be back in July i swear!
Nanjing also has stuff to do in the daytime i should probably add, and i have been doing that. on thursday i went to the city wall and walked around. it was nice to get up into the breeze and away from the slightly oppressive air on the streets. the smog is a bit overpowering here sometimes. the sky stays the same colour pretty much 24 hours, only getting dark when i evening has proper set in. maybe i’ve just been unlucky. but kevin and others say they miss the stars. aside from the dirty air, nanjing is my favourite city so far. it’s vibrant, lively, and doesn’t have the strict, set structure feel that beijing had. the people seem easy going, and the student population always helps.
since nanjing has been the capital for the chinese on several occassions for long periods of time, it also has heaps of history. today i went to the nanjing massacre museum which is built over the 10’000 body mass grave. it really is a period in human history that people should know about. especially western people. i’d only heard of it before i came here. the museum told the story that is literally quite hard to believe when you’re faced with photos, witness statements and bones instead of just numbers on Wikipedia. but the museum tour ended on a positve note, outlining the good relationship China and Japan share now, and a park with monuments and gardens devoted to peace.
tomorrow i think i will go to the Zhongshan area. it’s a big park, and that will be a real decider for me since i loved the parks in beijing. im not decided whether to leave on sunday or monday because i might be squeezed for time in the HuangShan area. i’ll go out tonight and see what happens. i don’t want to be late because i might be forced to drink more. i’m no longer allowed to ask for beers or cigarettes; “don’t ask daniel, just take”. absolute geezas. if i lived here for one or two months, apparently i might allowed to buy beer. i’m geniunely considering it.
i’ll write soon! schaboi! xx
Tags: Nanjing
