Day 7 - 31st August 2008

This morning we went on tour again, to Hankou District’s Riverbank Park, a few of our classmates went to church though.

The park has three sections, designed and built along the riverside, it stretches for as long as 7km. So, the time that we spent there was just walking, taking photos with interesting statues, ate ice cream, and talking.
The park is the same design along the stretch that we walked upon, and its Water amusement park was closed, leaving only gardens and trees. The fountain was not activated too.

I think its quite sad, because Singapore does not have the same for such a spacious and airy park without mosquitoes and mud and sand just for walking. If not I think it’ll be really popular for families and friends to just get away from city life and enjoy some quiet time together.

After the park, we walked about 20 mins to Bu Xing Street (walking street) it is the equivalent of Singapore’s Orchard Road, but it cannot be compared with because the most expensive shops were the sports shops such as Nike, Adidas, Converse for example. Everyone shopped and shopped and shopped like typical Singaporeans, we stood out from the crowd because of the way we spoke and dressed. Oh wells. What to do?

Had lunch at a Korean restaurant, its VERY different from Seoul Garden and many times better! There were meats and clams and vegetables and soju! Korean wine, like Japanese sake. But the alcoholic content is 20.1%. We all tasted it and and had different opinions about it.
After the shopping and lunch, we slowly made our way back to the meeting point, and went back to dorm.

The others went out to play volleyball, which we bought and shared amongst us, I stayed in dorm all the way, and had Cup noodles again.

-sam


Our Korean Lunch

cheers to good health!

The restaurant hostess and I

Please dont interrupt our chess game.. hahah!

An olden day, european building

Isnt she serious with her work?

Golden Disco Ball!

Having fun!

The more we get together, together, together...

Under a coconut tree or Trees!

Yangtze River's Second Bridge

The bridge and the river int he background

the main gate of the riverbank park

A shipping port

A man singing opera with the musicians accompanying

Day 6 - 30th August 2008

Got to report at Main gate at 8.15am today. The tour guide, Xiao Ling gave us hats for easy identification.

Our first stop was the Hubei Provincial Museum, one of the top ten museums in China, Hubei has a lot of history and culture. Along with the archaeological findings that occurred in Hubei, Its no wonder that it is ranked Top Ten.

The museum has a lot of artefacts, treasures, and ancient scriptures. I enjoyed myself walking around and looking around because it was all so interesting. We couldn’t take many proper photos due to the museum not allowing flash from cameras. Over time, the light will erode and disintegrate the artefacts.

Next, we had our Lunch at Mei Shi Street (Mei Shi = Delicious Foods). The concept is like Lau Par Sat, but the size is very much smaller. There were not enough seats to go around. Had lunch with Benjamin and Karen, ordered Beggar’s chicken, char siew chee cheong fun, and 2 portions of xiao long pau, it was accompanied by honeydew sago drink, soya bean and black tea pearl drink. What a scrumptious lunch!

Had to walk a good 15 mins to Yellow Crane Tower after lunch, it was raining but we marched all the same. When we arrived, there were so many things to see and it was impossible to finish all of it. Haha, we managed a 90% tour though.

There are Miracle Rocks, rocks with special imprints that are not manmade. Pavilions, A large bell, and wall mounted pictures of ancient folk.
Yellow Crane Tower was so named because in the past, there was a man who owned an eatery at the top of the original tower, (Each dynasty had their own Tower, because it always somehow burns down) he was a very good man with a kind soul.
One day an old man came begging for food, and the owner always welcomed him, and never charged him a single cent. This happened for a whole year before the old man finally approached him and thanked him for his gracious hospitality and gave him a yellow crane.
This crane was a magical creature because it was a picture drawn on the wall, when the owner claps his hands twice, it will jump out and sing and dance. The crane’s magical powers spread far and wide, and the owner made a lot of money from many customers.
After ten years, the old man felt that the owner has made enough money and came to ask back for the crane. It turns out, that the old man was Lu Dong Bin, one of the eight immortals.

Cool isn’t it? Chinese myths and legends. Anyways, we took a lot of photos this day, and by the time we got down from the tower, many students were already purchasing souvenirs for friends and families.

Went back to dorm and had maggi noodles for dinner again. Too tired to go out.

-sam


Ancient Folk and poets that ever visited the Tower

The crane with snake curled at its feet standing on a tortoise was given to Hongkong in 1997.

The bell

At the food street

Karen and a chrysanthemum rock

On the way up to the tower

The bell, the red roof was what was left of the Qing Dynasty's Yellow Crane Tower, it was all burnt down in 1884

A picture of Lu Dong Bin flying away on his crane after reclaiming it

Golden Hair Pins from the museum

Lacquered Mandarin Ducks from the qin and han dynasty section

This is a gold water goblet
The prehistoric man section of the museum which featured Homo Sapiens (cannibals)

Karen and I with a view of the museum
The scroll section

Jade Dragon Earrings
A gold belt crusted with precious gemstones (fit for a royal)

The tomb of the Marquis, this was found in Hubei, proof of Hubei's history dating back 3000 years

The coffin of Marquis Yi, it was buried with 23 other coffins, and many sacrificial items and servants. (including 15 females)

Karen and I with our Tour Hats!

Xiaoyu, our tour guide

2 cranes standing on two tiger's backs. the original is drawn as well.

A crane with antler's, ancient chinese had really good imagination!

Famous men from Hubei

Day 5 - 29th August 2008

Main entrance of Wugang

My Lunch. Look at the drinks, Reminisce!

Wugabg's first steel sheets.

Its says that the factory is of International standards with products dominating markets local and overseas.

Marching towards lunch!

Benjamin, Myself, Julian, Chinxiang (clockwise)

Random Shot! (we take a lot of these everywhere)

On the bus towards wugang.

Mr Puah, our lecturer!

A pharmacy.

View of a crossroad


We got up really early again, it seems to be falling into a pattern. Went on a coach with ECE to Wugang, its Wuhan Steel Making Company.

When the bus went into the company’s property, I was awed, the size of the place was somewhat like sentosa’s area, and it was really cool. When we saw the furnace, it was as if watching a movie scene come alive! We were quite a distance from the furnace, perhaps 90m, but the heat was intense and strong. No photos were allowed in the entire steel mill, so I couldn’t show you what I saw. The steel thinning factory was cool and vast. A 12mm steel sheet is being processed into a 5mm one, the process is long and involves many equipment, machines and manpower. Interesting.
At the end, there was a monument of the mill’s first roll of steel sheet, thus we were finally allowed to take photos of it.

Went back to the university, and had lunch at this halal inn, Amirah and Fizah brought us there, the ECE students went as well, it was really fun going in such a big group. I had noodles again, it just so happens noodles are yummier than rice in Wuhan!

Went window shopping after lunch along the same street. After which, we went back to the hostel. Didn’t step out after that, had cup noodles in dorm.
Today’s schedule was quite short, which gave us the rest of the afternoon time to take naps and do our work.

-sam

Day 4 - 28th August 2008

Its raining!

Taken inside the restaurant.

Inside the canteen of the university.

My roommate, Karen!

9 Courses, the 10th course, dumplings, couldnt fit in.

Thats us having dinner.

say cheese!


Today had IS module with the Chinese Teacher, Xiaoling. She was really entertaining and well spoken in English, and giving us a background of Hubei and Wuhan, I felt that I learnt a lot. I have always loved history and culture, and with China’s 5000 years of rich cultural and history, I was even more intrigued.

After class, we had lunch at the school’s canteen. It was a first time for us, and the food was edible, but ... don’t think we are comfortable with the cuisine.
After washing up, went out to company Karen and the guys to buy stuff at Macdonald’s area. Came back and asked everyone else’s opinion to go to a Chinese restaurant for a good dinner. There were 13 of us, and we had 10 courses! Haha. Food is good, food is cheap.

Went back in the rain, joked all the way and washed up. Did some work and fell asleep.

-sam