Nanjing
We’ve just come back from a relaxing two day trip in Nanjing, staying at Dongjiao State Guesthouse. It is quite an elegant hotel with rooms at 458 RMB a person, although breakfast and meals are extra. There is a swimming pool and hot spa area, but there is not very much to do there. We wanted a quiet place to relax as an antidote to Shanghai.
This is our second trip to Nanjing and we deliberately chose to stay in the hills outside the city where you can find the Ming Tomb, the Sun Yat Sen Mausoleum, Soong May Ling’s mansion and Nanjing’s Botanical Gardens.
We wanted to escape city life for a couple of days to enjoy fresh air, trees and beautiful views. The best thing about Nanjing is that the countryside is so accessible from the city. We left Shanghai on September 28th before the National Holidays, which gave us two days of peace before Nanjing’s sights were overrun with visitors on the morning of our departure on the 30th.
My mum has been staying with us for 9 days during my half term break. Nanjing was an unexpected treat for her. The city is only two hours north of Shanghai taking the fast bullet train. Soft seat tickets cost only 93 RMB each way, but if you have to queue at the station or pay a 15 to 30 RMB (per ticket) commission to an agent.
Downtown Nanjing is just like a run of the mill modern Chinese city, but we ventured to Xuanwu Lake, Cinna Lane and to the Qin Huai River area to enjoy the lights of the night boat cruise. A colleague recommends a visit to the Nanjing Massacre Museum , but we were not in the city long enough to go.
I was pleasantly surpised by the food we ate. I normally get fed up if I eat Chinese food every meal without a break, but I really enjoyed servings of fresh prawns, fish and vegetables at our hotel and the Botanical Gardens.
Travelling on China’s train system is a necessary rite of passage. The infrastructure is amazing yet arcane. I don’t recommend rushing to get on a Chinese train, because you may have to walk a long way to get on the correct carriage in a hurry. My mother and I got separated from Jenny when we got on the wrong carriage and had to wait until Nanjing before we found each other again.
We’re back in Shanghai now enjoying full on city life once again. My mum has discovered the fabric market near our house and Chog the Cat will only let us rest if I sleep on the couch with him. Cats don’t like their routines to be disturbed. They prefer to vandalise others’ instead.