[BACK] [NEXT]
Letter 45
Wednesday 26.05.10
It is an uneasy night. The train is rocking and rolling and moaning and
humming and squeaking all through the night.
At 1.30 I have a feeling it`s almost dawn, so it is a long night.
At last some activity from my neighbors. It`s hardly dawn here at 5.30,
but according to the schedule, we should arrive at 6.18. I sit by the
window and look out. Intoxicating fertile landscapes. Misty blue
mountains on a foreground of long edged hills draped in green. I must
mainly imagine the green colour in this dim light. A new variation of
Sichuan landscape.
The lady comes and change the plastic card back into a ticket. So it
won`t be long. I go to pour some water in my face. When I come back I
hear a wellknown sentence: "Xia yu le". Yes, apparently. In the growing
light you see that the surface of the road is wet.
When one of my fellow passengers shouts in his mobile phone, I learn a
new expression: "Ni shou shen`me?", directly: you speak what? Or in my
words: What did you say? - Pardon?
I don`t know if it`s Chongqing North or Chongqing Central we will arrive
at. I bring up the knife with the compas. We`re moving towards south
east and later direct east. So my guess is that we have gone north west
around the city and now are heading for Chongqing Central. That`ll be
perfect. I can take a taxi, I know the direction and it`s not more than
2-3 km.
I arrive at Tinas Hostel a quarter to seven. Everyone`s asleep. The guy
in the reception opens his eyes, but as I don`t speak, he sleeps on.
This is Chongqing - nothing is horisontal for long - then there`ll be
stairs. In this house too. Very charming. I quickly locates Tinas
Garden, a shielded terrasse. I find a sink and hot water for my tea and
soon I`m cutting a banana, an apple and an orange for the mysli. It
starts raining again and here I`m sitting in thye rain enjoying the
morning. This drumming of the rain gives a feeling of a cottage in
summer.
Now it`s almost 8, so someone ought to be awake?
 |
 |
|
| Tina's hostel was a bit hard to find | They're working hard with the bamboo sticks... |
The girl in the reception is friendly and speaks good english. They have many
kinds of rooms, but when she offers 20 in discount for a single room with
private bathroom AND aircon, so I get it for 90 RMB I accept. I liked this place
from the moment I stepped in. The room is perfect: a small table and a chair so
I can write and with a shelf too. There`s also a room under the TV and a small
table at the bed. Big tiles on the floor, electrical kettle and a shelf for
hats! The best room for the prize in China.
When I`m out to ask for train, busses, metro aso. A guy enters the reception
saying: "Are you from Denmark? The one with the bicycle?"
I`m a little confused. Am I wellknown in all of China? I feel I know he in some
way. "I worked at the Mix Hostel..." and now I recognize him. I don`t remember
his name but the voice is right. And suddenly we`re almost family and I have to
tell about then and now.
I go out to find the supermarket and return 4 hours later, but WITH my shopping.
After having it located I went on towards the center chasing Metropolitan Tower,
where the danish consulate is.
A danish/chinese girl helped me trying to get in touch with the school in
Maoxian and the english teacher. She`s not here any more, but has moved to
Shanghai. Her substitute I also know from emailing and she`s just now out of
town too, but there`s still another young dane here with a vietnamese sounding
name. He`s the one I meet when I`m let into the consulate on the 31th floor.
His danish language is perfect, but he has both vietnamese (the parents) and
chinese (the grandparents) ancestors. He`ll be here still 1 1/2 months before he
goes back to continue his studies - mandarin and chinese culture.
I thought I`d just say hello, but Hans Halskov is not so busy today, so they
invite me for lunch right away. I don`t even notice exactly where we go, just
that we go up high. The restaurant slowly turns while we`re sitting there eating.
It`s obvious they know the place. I have to tell and I`ve lots to tell now it`s
in danish. It`s the first time for so long. So I havn`t time to ENJOY the meal
completely. It`s all delicious. Especially a dish with eggplant - divine.
Hans has been in Yingxiu with the ambassador on the oneyear day and he offers
his help regarding my book. He has also had another daughter since last time,
she`s now 16 months and all the girls speak to her in chinese while he speaks
danish. So she`ll learn, she will!
When I`m back into the street, I`m a bit confused. We part at the Metropolitan
Tower and Hans gives me a badge from the embassy. 60 years it says on a red
background because of the 60-year old diplomatic cooperation between Denmark and
China. In the start of 1950 Denmark and Sweden as some of the first countries
recognized China.
I`m so happy about it.
 |
 |
|
| ...when they ARE working... | ...they really do - also without... |
I walk in the wrong direction. There was a corner with a gigantic
picture probably of Chongqing when the newest skyscapers have been
finished. I use it to determine the direction. It`s not until later I
take a look at it. But it`s not this picture!
It turns out that it was so big that it is on two corners - and between.
So now I find the right corner - and there`re no problems.
I want to buy a ticket for the train tha day after tomorrow. There is a
fast train that only takes 2 hours. Unfortunately it leaves from
Chongqing North, but that doesn`t matter. There are ticket offices (those
that just charge 5 RMB) near the monument. That`s as close as she can
get. I get a noten with the name for such an office written in chinese.
It`s not that easy. Many are tourists themselves. In the end after yet
another failure someone says: "Can I help you?" It`s a girl with her
father and some classmates too. There is a loud discussion, they do not
agree, but they have to accompany me there, that`s for sure. We stop.
The daughter goes to ask, yes it`s possible. I think it`s a travel
company but they have one counter for train tickets. I could have
managed the rest on my own, but the girls want to. I get my ticket and
wave goodbye to the family, now there`s also a mother it seems, I didn`t
see her before.
I drift around looking for Chao Tian Men where my Yangtze Cruise started
(by bus) two years ago. I reach a place where there`s a view to the
Jialing River. Has the opera been finished? Something very strange are
there in front of my eyes. It looks like a somewhat misdrawn picture of
a ferry seen from the side. Merely straight lines and strange angles.
I find the square. Ah, from here it looks more interesting, but nice?
 |
 |
|
| ...but there's nothing to do most of the time | Chongqing's skyline in the mist |
A westener comes smiling against me and tells me that now he`s not the
only white man here. When I answer, he asks if new maybe should speak
danish? A musical ear. Not many can tell I`m danish.
He`s from Romania, a political refugee in Denmark. Later an economic
refugee in Germany. We talk for a long time in the square. It starts
raining and when everybody wants to sell us umbrellas, we bring out the
equipment. He has a thin plastic bathing cap toput on his head and I
have my umbrella from Maoxian. I sensed the possibility of rain and
brought it. Now it`s useful. We end up going by bus together. When we`ve
almost reached my hostel it takes a wrong turn and I leave after first
having shaken hands on a cheerful meeting. Maybe we`ll meet in Chengdu?
The road doesn`t trick me. There are some stairs here, they have to end
down my road, so I don`t have to go back - quite right!
Now I hope the kitchen is still open. It`s 18.55?