Destination: Nanjing, China!

Nanjing called me back to China's Jiangsu Province to see the Middle Kingdom's former capital city. Sun Yat-Sen's Mausoleum was on my top list of places to visit, recognising the feeling Chinese people shared for Nanjing impressed me! I zoomed away from my Hubei Province base for Dragon Boat Festival without a seconds thought! Oh, Nanjing was golden! Chaotian Palace?

Not wasting one single second, I boarded my China 'High Speed Train' from Wuhan Railway Station bright and early! Bound for Nanjing South Railway Station cemented my Dragon Boat Festival trip. Xinjiekou on the Nanjing Metro had me all confused with its mammoth twenty-one exits! Thankfully I found my hotel in a respectable amount of time! Respectable? No! I didn't have time to make a pre-trip plan because work had been super busy before my June trip arrived, choosing a nearby station on the metro line I was ready for Nanjing to show me everything and more! Getting off the metro at Zhangfuyuan to find a small riverside walkway, centred around numerous hangouts frequented by Nanjing's elders, grandfathers played board games, as their wives cradled their newborn grandchildren without a care in the world. I stopped to take a glimpse of that scene, that form of 'everyday life' looked very organic. Nanjing had a lovely vibe, she was serving normality in the city! I'm still getting to know China, give me time! 

Chaotian Gong was in-sight, I had no idea that it even existed! Truthfully, I was in that much of a rush before that June trip to do my usual pre-trip research! I said that already? Yes! A former Ming Dynasty palace, nowadays Nanjing's Chaotian Gong informs visitors as part of the Nanjing Municipal Museum. I passed through the terracotta red gates, not having one single clue what I was about to see, I was excited! The near empty courtyard and gardens were filled with a sense of chill, considering it was the first day of a National Holiday I was very lucky to be one of the few visitors during that afternoon. I was schooled about the vast history of Nanjing, throughout my visit I was informed about the city's former days as the capital of China and it's main figure, the remarkable Dr. Sun Yat-Sen. I'm no history buff but I just can't say no to a bit of Chinese history from time to time! The stresses of the previous week just melted away, the serene and picturesque settings of Chaotian Palace were ace. Yes, China is just amazing! Steady on Nanjing! 

Still on my first day in Jiangsu Province, I wanted to see one more place before taking it easy because the day was pressing on. I made a swift detour from Nanjing's Chaotian Palace to the 1912 Casual Street. Sure, I was staring at something I could find along Wuhan's Han Street. I had a little look around to see only bars and restaurants present, before going underground once more. Heading for the Qinhuai River, stopping at Fuzimao to reach the waters of this Nanjing spur from the mighty Yangtze River, it was already nearing the hours of dusk. I had made up good time since stepping off my 'high speed train' from Wuhan, Hubei! I was hopeful to catch a glimpse of such a popular view. Without further ado, a most darling scene was handed to me with two views from both sides that were effortless to witness. The side that has been captured served a calmer vibe compared with the opposite side that had riverside restaurants and bars. My Green Tree Inn hotel room called me, I was getting tired. Go on Jiangsu! I loved that river! 

Nanjing wasn't the first place I had visited in China's Jiangsu Province, no I spent one week in Suzhou within the same province for training purposes during June 2015. Nanjing didn't have a strong presence of foreigners, saying that the vast majority of tourists that I saw were mostly Chinese tourists who were visiting from other parts of the country for the holiday. I was already looking forwards to the next day, I was planning to see the Mausoleum of Dr. Sun Yat-Sen, the pioneer that paved a way for China after the fall of the final Dynasty. The views of the Qinhuai River gave me life, I had managed to squeeze quite a lot into my first afternoon and evening in Nanjing. Leaving the maze of Chinese tourists behind, I headed back to Zhangfuyuan for some food. With my pizza in hand I wanted nothing more to go back and relax at my hotel with a bit of CCTV 9, the walk back to my hotel didn't go as planned because Nanjing had me loose my sense of direction! No, I didn't appreciate getting lost at all, it was an experience! No, never again, NJ!

Bright and early the next morning, the Sun Yat-Sen Mausoleum was calling me! That former Chinese figure was one of the reasons why I had chosen to visit Nanjing in the first place. Following the growing numbers of Chinese tourists from Xiamafang station on Nanjing's metro network, I kept to the well signposted path, I was expecting an epic climb to be ahead of me but I was pleasantly surprised to not have to hike too much! Closing a chapter on China's long dynasties, Dr. Sun Yat-Sen showed China that it could survive and become a prosperous country without the rule of its former Emperor's and their Empresses. Since visiting the 1912 Uprising Museum in Wuhan, I have taken a keen interest in the work Zhongshan did for China. I feel like I have found my historical China icon, got to love a bit of 'Dr. Sun Yat-Sen!' I tried not to be bothered by the growing numbers of tourists, it was getting more humid by the second, keeping it together I took my photos and proceeded to the top of the steps. Oh, Nanjing was serving it!

I couldn't believe the view from the top of the stairs, it was quite a height but the hazy skies masked the view slightly, but I was OK with that! Snaking around the long line I made my way into see the Mausoleum for myself, I was very impressed with what I saw and it slightly reminded me of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. with the large sitting statue of Dr. Sun Yat-Sen as it shared a pose similar to Abraham Lincoln. Two young guys stood at both sides of the entrance to the Mausoleum, they were holding 'No Photography' signs but that didn't mean nothing to one lady, she attempted to take several photos on her iPhone but I made it very clear to her that she was being extremely disrespectful. It wasn't even my history and I knew how to behave! The signs were bilingual! I really appreciated seeing another place of interest that schooled me further about Dr. Sun Yat-Sen. After making my way back down towards the main entrance I was so thirsty, instead of water I found beer! NJ, yes to 'Beer O'Clock!' Drink! 

I went back to Fuzimao because the area near the Qinhuai River had something more to show me. I decided to make a whistle-stop visit to the Confucian Temple, otherwise known as 'Dacheng Hall' to see a Nanjing site that had been hailed as a must see whilst in the city. Finding my way around the winding corners amongst the tourist appropriate oriental shops I found the gates to the Confucian Temple. Built in 384 I had a little look around the compact temple garden and peered into one of the main halls. The weather was getting gradually hotter, after giving the temple my full attention I took the chance to get some lunch, before making my next move. Bypassing Mochou Lake I took a taxi back to my hotel to catch some more CCTV 9. I needed to change the channel! For real? Yes! Refreshed and relaxed I took an early evening walk from my hotel to the centre of Xinjiekou, it showed me something of a 'NYC' style kind of skyline as the dusk fell that evening. Did I really have to return to Wuhan the following day? Yes, work called!

I had no idea how much shopping Xinjiekou had to offer, going back to the start I admired the same energetic sight that greeted me two days previously. I would be returning to a long and stressful week back at work in Wuhan the very next day, so I decided with some forward thinking to get my ASDA milk from the nearest Walmart that happened to be just off the main junction in Xinjiekou. Call me sad but I wasn't traipsing all the way to Jianghan Road after getting off that Wuhan bound 'high speed train' the next day! No way, Wuhan! Nanjing was golden, easing my stressed self I was feeling on top form to make the trip back to Wuhan. I saw everything and more during my Dragon Boat Festival trip, seeing my third Zhongshan point of interest will enable me to publish a special blog during the latter part of 2016. The Confucian Temple didn't blow me away but Nanjing's Chaotian Gong showed me why Nanjing was and still is China's Southern Capital! Nanjing you best stay golden! Let us not be strangers, I'll be back! 

Next Stop, Zhengzhou!

Desperately Seeking Adventure