Here is the last thread about my train journey, in July 2010, from Moscow to Beijing.
The links towards the first threads :
Moscow
Across Siberia
The Great Baïkal
Going to Mongolia !
Ulan Bator and the surroundings
Experiencing the Gobi desert
1- Waking up on board, after the exhausting crossing of the Mongolia-China border (see the sixth thread) :
2- It's amazing how the lanscape has suddenly changed so much in one night while previously, it seemed that it changed so slowly day after day.
3-Passing by Datong. Huges Appartments blocks going up :
4-
5- Yes, we can see it... the Great Wall of China !
6-
7- The train passes by a lot of industrial zones in northern China :
8-
9-
10-
11- Little houses and new appartments blocks :
12-
13- No idea of what that means... but as an european tourist, chinese characters seemed so exotic, that I had to take the pic !
14- Trucks... I love them.
15- Another stop in a train station :
16-
17- First bicycle seen in China. I had to take that pic !
18-
19-
20- A huge catholic (?) church in the middle of chinese countryside. I didn't expect that.
21-
22- Chimneys. We see hundred of them in China on the way to Beijing :
23- The most striking difference between China and Mongolia, as soon as we crossed the border, was that quasi-permanent fog due to high level of humidity.
24- Before arriving at Beijing, the train passed through a spectacular valley :
25-
26-
27-
28- Workers along the tracks :
29- The outskirts of Beijing :
30-
31-
32-
33-
34-
35- After 9,001 km on a train since Moscow..., here we are, Beijing !!! Goodbye the train !
36- Outisde the Beijing train station. Lot of people... and the heat, plus humidity, is unbearable.
37-
38-
39- Beijing's sky... a subtle mix between humidity and smog. Positive side of it : we can stare at the sun, in the middle of the day, without any risk.
40- Mao and the Forbidden City :
41-
42-
43-
44-
45-
46-
47- Visiting the Great Wall in the middle of this fucking mist :
48-
49-
50-
51- Visiting the Forbidden City. I think it's the
greatest pic of all my trip :
52-
53-
54- So many people. So much heat and humidity. Not the greatest conditions to enjoy the visit :
55-
56-
57-
58-
59-
60- Beijing is like the clash between extreme modernity and extreme dereliction :
61-
62-
63- Grandpas playing dominos in the park :
64- Grandmas dancing on sino-eurodance music in the park :
65-
66-
67- Beijing's alley :
68- Seeing a Kung-Fu Shaolin show at the Red Theatre :
69-
70-
71- In the subway of Beijing. Extreme modernity :
72- Just a pic of the hotel where I stayed for three nights :
73- A night bar near my hotel. They didn't have Heineken actually.
74-
75- In front of a restaurant, early in the morning :
76- Don't look at me... I'm just a tourist ! Listen to your Chef !
77-
78-
79-
80-
81-
82-
83-
84-
85-
86-
87-
88-
89- Here is the view from my hotel room, on the 6th floor :
90-
91-
That's all ! It was time to fly back to Europe, after three days in Beijing.
Some funny personal facts about my stay in Beijing :
- I eated in numerous chinese restaurants, but also, for the first time of my life, in a KFC.
- ....and for the second time of my life, I eated in a Burger King (first time was in London back in 1997). I have to say they have particularly tasty burgers. Why there isn't any BK in France ? well, whatever...