Tag Archives: Beijing

On the D Train – China

On the D Train - China

On the D Train – China

I rode the D Train from Beijing to Shanghai. Sure, it may have cost me a little over $100 for the trip, but I can assure you it was way-better than walking. I left Beijing at about 9::30 P.M. and got to Shanghai around 8:30 A.M. the next morning. O.K., sleeping on the train was hardly like sleeping in my own bed at home. But the experience was significant. There are 3 levels of sleeper train service in China. The D Trains are the middle class lf train. It was nice, to say the least. I hope no one at AMTRAK sees this picture. I wouldn’t want the to go running to the administration and ask why they can’t have trains this nice.

Burning Incense

Burning Incense

Burning Incense

It’s called the Lama Temple and it’s supposed to be the main Buddhist Temple in the Beijing area. I’m not sure if that’s true or not, but I do know that it’s on all of the main-list-of-attractions for virtually every source I checked. What’s going on in the picture is that people are praying/worshiping and burning incense. They had to burn it outside as they weren’t allowed to burn it inside the temple. It made for some interesting fragrances.

Filming Giant Pandas

Filming Giant Pandas

Filming Giant Pandas

I’m at the Beijing Zoo. I’m there to see the world famous Giant Pandas. I’m taking pictures of the Pandas. I notice I am one of hundreds of people taking pictures of the Pandas. The Pandas are interesting but the people who are capturing the Pandas on film or magnetic media are even more of a spectacle. Sure the Pandas are cute. But so are the people. They follow the Pandas as they move about the Panda compound. They ooohhh and aaahhh and the kids scream to their parents. The male of the household has the camera and he tries to shake himself of the female and the kids so he can get the best possible record of the Pandas for posterity. He’s a technician, after all. Combine the Pandas and the people and it’s quite a show.

Street Sweeper

Street Sweeper

Street Sweeper

The streets in Beijing are very clean. The reason is all the street sweepers. They do a great job. I think the Chinese have a habit of keeping lots of people employed in jobs that wouldn’t be really popular in the United States.

Cool 3-Wheeler

Cool 3-Wheeler

Cool 3-Wheeler

I loved this little car. Then again, technically it probably wasn’t a car. It was more of a 3-wheeled motorcycle with a body placed on it. It didn’t have a steering wheel or a dash. It had a motorcycle handlebar and motorcycle gauges setup. It did have a driver’s seat for one driver and a back seat for 2 people. There were four doors. I saw all kinds of contraptions like this in Beijing. I really liked this one. It reminded me of a BMW Isetta I once owned.

Delivery – Beijing

Delivery - Beijing

Delivery – Beijing

It looked like it might have been a group of Pizza Hut delivery vehicles. I wasn’t sure. I didn’t see the words Pizza Hut anywhere in sight. However, the log sure looks like the Pizza Hut log. Maybe that’s the whole point.

KFC – Beijing

KFC - Beijing

KFC – Beijing

I kept hearing one complaint over and over again about the KFC’s in Beijing. That one complaint was that there aren’t enough of them. Those Chinese people really like their southern fried chicken.

Subway – Beijing

Subway - Beijing

Subway – Beijing

It’s the Sub of the Day. Just like back home. I’m not sure if they do a good business or not. I didn’t hang around to watch traffic in or out. I went in to get an oatmeal raisin cookie, which I consider to be really good back in the states. By the way, the cost of the Sub of the Day was a little over $2.