Last night I finally figured out how to use “du” the Chinese version of google maps to figure out bus transfers. I need the visual map to find my locations. Then it gives me alternatives of bus vs bus and subway to reach my destination based on where I am. There is a different bus app, but it doesn’t show any maps, you can only pull up the bus#/bus stops in chinese. So not very helpful for me. If only I would’ve figured it out 2 hours sooner! My plan was to go to bed early.
I was up at 7:20 and while I was showering my father-in-law takes Ethan out to get breakfast. We waited till they got back and by then time everyone ate then got through the single bathroom it was 10 A.M.! I grabbed us drinks to go with the packed snacks before we headed out the door. We were finally ridding a different bus. We(I) used to ride this bus all the time going into town. I have taken the bus this same route, so once I had a visual it seemed familiar. We got off at a certain stop, walked back to the perpendicular street and had the option of riding 2 different busses to the stop we were looking for, at the back of The Forbidden City and the front of Jingshan.
These 2 busses were both available from stops with the same name but located 100 meters apart. My thinking is they have too many busses for one stop so they basically split the stop in two. Course both busses we were looking for, were at the different locations of the same name. We missed the first bus we were looking for, we went to the wrong bus stop of the same name.
The Forbidden City is packed, as is this area, so much traffic on the road and streets right here. A mishmash of busses, taxis stopping in the middle of the road to pick up a fare, cars pulling U-turns or 3 point turns right in the middle of the packed 4 lane wide road, besides people darting across and the bikers thinking it’s safer than their people clogged bike lane.
Once we enter Jingshan it’s all blocked out and peacefully quiet. Jingshan is known for their peony gardens and the 5 temples along a small ridge, the middle one being the highest. We got more drinks, it’s already too hot. When we reach the top that has the best view of The Forbidden City and city skyline its 101 degrees out! This is the only part of Jingshan that is every packed with people. Everyone wanting to take their picture in front of The Forbidden City. So we follow suit. The rest of the small mountain is covered with little walkways and seating pavilions.
Coming down the other side of the mountain and out of Jingshan we cross the street and walk 3-4 minutes down a road that houses a few Hutong and people trying to get you into their rickshaws. No thank you, this is one of the scams in the city. Outside the east gate I buy cheap water from someone selling it out of their packs and stand behind the person already getting tickets. She leaves and someone just walks up and cuts in front of me. It’s a short line, just me standing there. Hello! After she gets her tickets another lady tries to do the same thing and cut me. Still only me in line. I swipe my hand down to stop her as I hear the ticket takers at the door behind me laugh. She was like huh?
Once inside we were met with a beautiful scene, the walk onto the island and up to Baihai’s white dome as well as the moat filled with pink waterlillies and old fashioned single long oar/rutter boats. The kids have been wanting to get out on the water, so we check it out. 40 yuan for half hour or 60 yuan for a full hour. I figure we’ll be too hot for an hour. So we take the half your, are joined by two other ladies and off we go. So nice and leisurely, especially when someone else is rowing. They had already closed by the time we got back, due to a storm coming. We got on the last boat of the day!
We climbed up the billy goat paths to the center of the island and the white monument at the top, where you must buy another ticket. The boys said don’t bother someone asked if you can get inside it and the ticket seller said no. If it was not worth it for the Chinese to visit, not worth it for us either. Getting down took a lot longer. We wanted to walk down a different path, that resulted in lots of dead ends and paths stopped for construction. The souvenirs being sold here weren’t as nice as at the Summer Palace.
More drink and icecream stops as we walked to the North side of the park. We could see the storm coming and the rain falling in the distance. We decided to leave forgetting about the 9 dragon screen wall! But we made it to the subway just as the rain drops started to fall. Instead of taking the subway all the way home and ending up having to walk 2 very long blocks in the rain, we switched to the bus and took the same bus home. The rain felt great on our hot red faces from temperatures getting up to 103 today. The rain shortly dropped it to 87. Once it stopped raining it dried quickly and was back up 93.
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