Trains
I'm really into trains. Right now, I'm into a lot of things, per usual.
But trains... Trains are awesome. Trains go so many places, you can show up right before departure and you don't need to check any bags. In China, they're organized, clean and reasonably priced. Trains are pretty cool.
My Province
Me and a couple of my colleagues traveled, by train, to another famous spot in Fujian province- our province. We wanted to check out the houses of the Hakka people, called tulous. And we wanted to stay in one! We'd heard that you couldn't stay in them anymore, so we were pleasantly surprised that, actually, you can. These traditional houses are typically round with an open inner courtyard and most of them are really old. The open, inner courtyards reminded me of European flats, but the round shape is unique and the limited number of windows facing out, gives them a mysterious look. And the red lantern decorations and old-style tiled roofs are really pretty.
The above photos are of a rectangular tulou, that has been modernized and turned into a hostel. The hostel we stayed at!
Interestingly, because of their strange appearance, they were mistaken for missile silos during the Cold War!
Tulous are a popular thing for Chinese tourists, and not a few foreigners, to visit, but there isn't a lot of detailed information about how to get there and get around the area they are located in, online. At least not in English anyway. Thankfully, my amazing teachers assistant/ aka The Reason I'm Sane and Actually Happy teaching 25, 6 year old, ELL students, helped us set things up.
China knows how to turn everything into a money making and worthy tourist site. They lit up the tulous at night! Beautiful.
'They' also sneakily snapped everyone's photo, in the daytime, and sold nice key chains for less than $1.50. With how many tourist funnel through there, it might be a profitable venture. I definitely considered buying one. The amazing part was how fast they printed, cut, put together and hung up the finished product. I was almost shocked into buying one.
.
The area has an obsession with bamboo. It. Was. Everywhere. They made dishware out of it as well as many delicacies. I bought a bamboo cup for my travel souvenir. For starters, you could get bamboo dried, smoked bamboo and pickled bamboo at restaurants. We were served it pickled for breakfast and ordered bamboo shoots for dinner.
Bamboo drying in the sun.
Bamboo shoots are on the right and taro buns on the left. I liked the bamboo a lot. A taro is a tuber and they are purple. The buns were too chewy for us to enjoy. There is yummy ginger tea in the bowl.
Buying some tea.
So these are bridge alternatives. They were everywhere in this area, though I have not seen them anywhere else in China. People can cross them and the water can flow freely through, too. They are not as precarious to cross as they look.
To top off the tulous' unique attractiveness, they have tea and rice terraces, and mountains as their backdrop.
It was another great 3 day weekend getaway in China!
Other Things I'm into Right Now
I'm really into trains. Right now, I'm into a lot of things, per usual.
But trains... Trains are awesome. Trains go so many places, you can show up right before departure and you don't need to check any bags. In China, they're organized, clean and reasonably priced. Trains are pretty cool.
My Province
Me and a couple of my colleagues traveled, by train, to another famous spot in Fujian province- our province. We wanted to check out the houses of the Hakka people, called tulous. And we wanted to stay in one! We'd heard that you couldn't stay in them anymore, so we were pleasantly surprised that, actually, you can. These traditional houses are typically round with an open inner courtyard and most of them are really old. The open, inner courtyards reminded me of European flats, but the round shape is unique and the limited number of windows facing out, gives them a mysterious look. And the red lantern decorations and old-style tiled roofs are really pretty.
The above photos are of a rectangular tulou, that has been modernized and turned into a hostel. The hostel we stayed at!
Interestingly, because of their strange appearance, they were mistaken for missile silos during the Cold War!
Tulous are a popular thing for Chinese tourists, and not a few foreigners, to visit, but there isn't a lot of detailed information about how to get there and get around the area they are located in, online. At least not in English anyway. Thankfully, my amazing teachers assistant/ aka The Reason I'm Sane and Actually Happy teaching 25, 6 year old, ELL students, helped us set things up.
China knows how to turn everything into a money making and worthy tourist site. They lit up the tulous at night! Beautiful.
'They' also sneakily snapped everyone's photo, in the daytime, and sold nice key chains for less than $1.50. With how many tourist funnel through there, it might be a profitable venture. I definitely considered buying one. The amazing part was how fast they printed, cut, put together and hung up the finished product. I was almost shocked into buying one.
.
The area has an obsession with bamboo. It. Was. Everywhere. They made dishware out of it as well as many delicacies. I bought a bamboo cup for my travel souvenir. For starters, you could get bamboo dried, smoked bamboo and pickled bamboo at restaurants. We were served it pickled for breakfast and ordered bamboo shoots for dinner.
Bamboo drying in the sun.
Bamboo shoots are on the right and taro buns on the left. I liked the bamboo a lot. A taro is a tuber and they are purple. The buns were too chewy for us to enjoy. There is yummy ginger tea in the bowl.
Buying some tea.
So these are bridge alternatives. They were everywhere in this area, though I have not seen them anywhere else in China. People can cross them and the water can flow freely through, too. They are not as precarious to cross as they look.
To top off the tulous' unique attractiveness, they have tea and rice terraces, and mountains as their backdrop.
It was another great 3 day weekend getaway in China!
Other Things I'm into Right Now
Besides trains (and travel obviously), I'm also currently into biographies, tea, lotus root and running.
I've read all the biographies of missionaries who came to China, in the Christian Heroes Then and Now series done by YWAM, this year. After reading Bound for Burma (while in Burma!/Myanmar), in February, it seemed like the next logical step. There are 7.
In fact, I've read 23 books, so far this year.
Tea. On this trip, I picked up some Fujian red tea and I can't get enough of it. I try to get ginger tea whenever I'm dining out, as well. It might be time for me to attempt making it myself. The spicier the better.
Lotus root. It's interesting looking and starchy, but less so than a potato. In fact it's kind of crunchy. And it's delicious.
Running. I'm not back to where I was a year ago, but I'm doing better than I was a month ago. I guess this is currently an 'I'm trying to get back into' thing more than an, 'I'm into' thing. I am happy I bought a treadmill, because I don't believe it's healthy to run outdoors with the pollution.
I feel like a trader ending my I-Love-China-Weekends post with the word pollution, so I'll end by linking a couple new additions to my 'To Visit in China' list: Xian, Harbin, Sanya.
The world is full of wonder full places.
I've read all the biographies of missionaries who came to China, in the Christian Heroes Then and Now series done by YWAM, this year. After reading Bound for Burma (while in Burma!/Myanmar), in February, it seemed like the next logical step. There are 7.
In fact, I've read 23 books, so far this year.
Tea. On this trip, I picked up some Fujian red tea and I can't get enough of it. I try to get ginger tea whenever I'm dining out, as well. It might be time for me to attempt making it myself. The spicier the better.
Lotus root. It's interesting looking and starchy, but less so than a potato. In fact it's kind of crunchy. And it's delicious.
Running. I'm not back to where I was a year ago, but I'm doing better than I was a month ago. I guess this is currently an 'I'm trying to get back into' thing more than an, 'I'm into' thing. I am happy I bought a treadmill, because I don't believe it's healthy to run outdoors with the pollution.
I feel like a trader ending my I-Love-China-Weekends post with the word pollution, so I'll end by linking a couple new additions to my 'To Visit in China' list: Xian, Harbin, Sanya.
The world is full of wonder full places.
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