Fuddland
I used up one of my valuable days off this week to take a day-trip to , the capital of the Liaoning Province. Catching an early-morning train meant I was able to gawk at the many dozens of people practising their
Although it’s only forty or so miles from , the train ride to takes an hour and a half, during which time the staff patrol the carriages selling all manner of food, drink and chunky magnetic bracelets, but the most interesting part of the journey was getting on the train in the first place. You’re lulled into a false sense of order as everyone forms nice calm queues along the platform, but then the train pulls up and mayhem ensues: there’s a rush to the nearest door, followed by several minutes of tense moshing as the passengers disembark, then it’s elbows everywhere as everyone pushes everyone else in the clammer to get on board. After a few moments of allowing the elderly couple ahead the opportunity to get on board, a near-miss with the sharp end of an umbrella meant I was soon able to surpress my Englishness for long enough to secure a seat.
I was hoping that as we left behind my home city, I’d be able to see some more of the countryside, but alas everything was shrouded in either smog or mist [probably some combination of the two], so I took to studying a bit of Mandarin instead, until we eventually pulled in to ’s South station.
My friend, colleague and fellow day-tripper Alan successfully bartered for an English-language map from a chap just outside the station, whilst I tried to figure out why there was a quarter-scale tank perched atop a column.
Comments
Daisy | 2006 / 03 / 31 – 15:21
Must have been quite a job getting it up there, by crane do you think?
David | 2006 / 04 / 02 – 19:01
Re #2: I should imagine so. That, or a tiny driver and glue on the tracks.
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