Aside from the Great Wall, taking the ditie (subway) everyday is the second most exciting thing for me in China. The chuzuqiche (taxi, most convenient and expensive) is not as exciting as the gonggongqiche (bus, slowest and cheapest), while the bus is not as fun as the subway (middleline, fast and cheap). I like to walk with the crowd, people watch, switch subway lines, and run to the door before it closes on me, which happened once. My friend waited for me at the destination. =)
Before going anywhere, I always look up the lines I need to take and walk to wudaokou which is the nearest train station (25 minutes walk, long, but good exercise). Xizhimen and Dongzhimen are usually the two stops I always go to switch subway lines. Here are some photos of the experience! Enjoy! I hope you have a lovely day today and these posts will bring some smiles.
Taxis come in 6 colors, all gov run, are metered and start at 10 kuai. You can see the orange and green taxis in the foreground. I observed that these taxi drivers are not as competitive as vietnamese taxi drivers. Maybe because they all work for one company. Many times, I would ask them to take me to a place, and if it's not on their way or if they simply don't want to go there, they'll turn you down, and you'll have to find another one. Taxis are not also the fastest mode of transportation due to traffic jams. This week, Beijing is try something out for the Olympics to clear up the pollution. Only odd numbered license plates can go on odd days. Evens, vice versa. If you go on a wrong day, you have to pay a 100 yuan fine, if you go on the high way, you'll have to pay another 100 yuan. Public transportation: taxis, buses, subways, trains, still operate as normal. I don't know if it's working...it's been four days, and I don't really see the difference in the sky. Reports show a decrease in smog, and it's really nice not having to dodge so many cars while crossing the streets. =P
Limited space on the public bus, usually extremely crowded, but I'm still happy because public transportation is fun...I get to experience what normal chinese people take everyday...I'm sitting on the edge of someone's footrest (her leg is behind me).
Friends on bus...this is their first and last time, my american friends do not like the bus at all! They never returned. =(
Saving the best for last!
Rainy days, I'll see kids at the subway station with these lotus leaves for an umbrella. It's fun. I think they hold the second one on their lap to not get their clothes wet, catch the rain when it falls.
Happy friends and I on the ditie! need to end for now...take care, guys!cliffhanger: i want to post up all the places I've toured...this is more for myself to not forget before i leave this friday - temple of heaven, imperial palace forbidden city, tiananmen, summer palace, hutong (beijing small alley), great wall, peking opera, chinese traditional acrobatics, happy valley amusement park, bell and drum tower, and beijing zoo. yikes, too many! =)
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