Lost in China

Starting from yesterday, I can turn on air conditioner in my room…how nice….now i can enjoy sleeping at night without mosquitos biting all over my body left the red dot remarks everywhere. I used to leave my windows wide open to let fresh air can goes easily into the room, make the room is not so hot. But then as the results, not only fresh air come in, along with that, the cruel mosquitos who never tired suck in your blood….Whole saturday I spent watching Korean movies, A story about a cook servant who then became a doctor in a palace, the setting is around 15 or 16th century, in the time when Ming Dynasty ruled China.

The interesting is, that this movie taught me the work ethics and lots of philosophy that I find it so useful in life…..I thought it is completely correct, that when you do a work, you should give all your heart and your effort trying to make the best of it……be serious in your work, always digging in things that you should learn….no one can reach success without hard works or rely on talent only……..this is also the morale I grasped when watching an interview of a (also) Korean singer who hits the world lately….It’s all about hard works that make him ‘big’ as he is now….his life story just burst me into tears. I thought we should learn from Korean people about giving out your best in everything you do…..I guess this morale which makes Korea steps ahead Indonesia. Come on my fellow Indonesian, we are blessed with rich natural resources, we have everything only lack of fighting spirits……so try your best in everything. AJA AJA FIGHTING.

What you give to life, life would bring it back to you…..

It’s kinda a bit late to write this one but i guess it is still part of our journey in China—the final pieces to complete the puzzle. Our last trip in China was the trip to Tibet at the end of last September. As some of you might have known, that we planned this trip soon as we came to China but for my self even before i left Indonesia. I still remember vaguely I watched National Geographic on TV a couple years ago, it was all about Tibet, Lhasa, Dalai Lamas and since then i’ve became fascinated with Tibet and set my heart that one day I must go to see this place. So when the chance came to visit China, i didn’t think twice….it was one big step closer to Tibet. I searched high and low on the internet,summed up all the information including the cost and other technical things on how should i get there. But still, i need companion, this kinda hold me back….due to several reasons, some of them are because i’m a girl….a small one, which is physically impossible for me to defend my self if i get attacked by stranger and also this was my first trip abroad. It wasn’t China that we talked about….it was Tibet, sounded  a ‘no where’ place, far, isolated, off the beaten track and unaccessible. I didn’t even have any idea what’s the status of this country, is it a country, a state under China or??? but then I found out that Tibet is a special administrative region under China, it is called TAR, Tibet Autonomous Region. 

Lucky for me, i have friends who shared the same interests and passion, Edwin and Fitrix, Both of them were also excited about Tibet, so Fitrix arranged everything and contact the travel agent to take care of the trip and documents needed. We decided that we should try the new railway Qinghai - Tibet, which just been opened for 2 months and looks people rushing to take on this train. This raised up our excitement for the trip. It still several months to go but we already dream and imagining the trip, the train, Tibetan culture etc every day and the news about the train and Tibet were always on CCTV 9, driving us crazy…….counting time to time.

Oops, i need to work now…will continue the story later…..oh yeah, i remember one moment when we went to Ganden Monastery, 30 km outside Lhasa, by jeep and we passed along Lhasa river, it was extremely gorgeous…..very very beautiful, i could never can forget it….and the songs You’re Beautiful by James Blunt kept ringing in my mind.

You’re beautiful…You’re beautiful….You’re beautiful…It’s true….I saw your face in a crowded place and I don’t know what to do….’cause I’ll never be with you…..

for Mr. Sta*R*bucks, for all beautiful memories we had…

A couple days ago we went to Indonesian Embasssy which located in the diplomatic area close to bar streets Sanlitun. We never officially report our selves and last Wed eventually managed to have a visit to Indonesian embassy. A friend of Fitrix who works at the embassy set up our visit and also arrange a meeting with the Ministry of Economic to have a little talk with us. We talked about lots of things, our condition, weather, traffic to tsunami, earthquake which recently hit Indonesia. After that, following the standard procedure, we brought along passports, working permit and photos and report ourselves to the embassy officer. Having a look at our papers, she told us that our staying has been illegal in China. The officer said that we should report ourselves to the embassy within 30 days after the arrival otherwise it will be considered as an illegal stay and will be fined in case of overdue. We are late for two months and the fine will be 5000 RMB or equal to 5,7 million in Rupiah

How surprised we were with this, we thought that everything has been taken care by HR including residence and working permit. So far that i could recall that once i got here, the secretary asked for medical report, passport and visa to administer for all the permits. So when the secretary came up with working permit, i thought everything has been settled down. Apparently, HR here is not quite familiar with the procedure moreover our coming here is a new thing for them. Nevertheless, i still be grateful this problem was disclosed and solved soon. I can’t imagine so much troubles we run into, if by the time we should leave and not having residence permit. Course we can’t leave this country without it.

Another thing we should add from our last trip to Beijing, is that our cost of living (regardless of accomodation, since it’s all has been provided by company whereever we stay) in Beijing probably will be much cheaper compared to living in Yan Jiao. For example, with 10 Yuan you can have a quite nice meal in a mal in Sanlitun area compared to Yan Jiao where at least you need 25 Yuan. Sanlitun is a place where a lot of expats inhabited, just like Kemang in Jakarta. Lots of cafes, bars, mals to be found here. A place for nightlife and entertainment with relatively cheaper prices.   

photo by edwin 

Today the sky is so blue and it is a hot sunny day for sure…but is it the hottest day for summer in China…??? dunno…

According to this information, today we have 33 Celcius with 41% humidity…quite hot and clear but still mois I think…we’ll have hot sunny day until Sunday and turn to a little bit rainy on Monday…rain in summer…???

Long time ago in Indonesia, some people said in one of the forum that it’s not right if one TV show has an English title but the whole show content is in Bahasa.

For example: ‘Indonesia Solution’, ‘Breaking News’, ‘Famous to Famous’ etc. At that time, I don’t give a damn. I don’t care because I still can understand the show, either in English or in Bahasa it’s no problem for me or us.

But then somehow I got here in Yanjiao, China for months. And I found out that there are some TV shows have an English title. Like ‘English Program’ (damn, they call their show as an ‘English Program’…). At the first time, I’m so excited when I read the titles. I thought it’s a TV show with an English, but hey…!!! You’re not even close. It’s only English at the title but the whole TV show is in Chinese, and don’t forget that they have a subtitle just below the screen. In English…? Nope, still in Chinese.

Then, I just realize the complaints about Indonesian TV shows. Gosh, I miss watching understandable TV shows…

I felt annoyed for the past two days due to several reasons.

First, was due to the ‘careless’ driver that driving us from the hotel to the office, pick us up for lunch then driving us back to the hotel. The drivers are always changing, not always the same person, and this one was the worst. Most of our drivers are lousy ones, we just couldn’t figured out how on earth they can get the license because safety is the last thing that ever come to their mind. Looks like they were actually born to be Formula 1 racer but due to unfortunate fate they just happened to be just ordinary driver.

The problem is they hardly hit on the brake if needed, they just don’t want to and they don’t have enough patient to wait and give a way to other cars. Sometimes, they took the opposite lane just because they didn’t want to wait and it’s quite often/common for us to be in a hell condition when our car had to face to face with other car or truck. 

Saturday, June 24, 2006

Exactly what do you expect when you go to the zoo…??? Is there any special creature there…??? Well if I’m going to Beijing Zoo, it’s only Panda that can attract me. Other than Panda…??? mmhhh…Fitrix said there is a big aquarium there, the biggest one in the world. OK then, we’re going to the zoo.

First visit is Panda, the Chinese national treasure. I thought it’s white and black. Nope, it’s brown and black. Maybe this Panda need shower. This animal is a shy one, we hardly found the opportunity to take a picture of it. If you satisfied with it’s back then it’s done, but we want this Panda facing our camera. We found 3 Pandas indoor and 2 Pandas outdoor, and still we’re not satisfied with the pictures. We could only watch them eat. Eat what…??? I think it’s bamboo. Yup, they eat bamboo.

Sunday morning, June 4, 2006 ready to go to Beijing and meet our friend Pak Catur from Indonesian Embassy.

After finishing our unique breakfast at the hotel, we packed and get going to the ‘Jiao Gan Yuan’ bus station in Yanjiao. This is our first time going to Beijing by ourself. The latest time we went to Beijing together with our friend Ziao, who stay just across to Andam hotel room.

It’s quite easy using public transportation from Yanjiao to Beijing. Stop at the ‘Ba Wang Fen’ bus station (5 RMB) and get a taxi to Beijing Hotel/Wang Fujing Street (about 20 RMB).

That day we need to change our US$ to RMB, Pak Catur showed us the ATM to change our money in Beijing Hotel. Interesting for me, changing the currency using machine. Maximum amount for one trasaction is 400 US$, you can use the machine as you often as you need. This machine always on line with the currency fluctuative at the market, so maybe in different day you will find a different rate for your currency.

Enough changing money, than we straight go to the Great Wall at Badaling. It’s about 1.5 hour from Beijing to the north area, ussualy (according to Pak Catur’s information) it will be a traffic jam on the weekend but so far it’s still OK for us. We passed several tunnels, the longest tunnel is about 300m (please cmiiw about this one). It was remind me about the tunnel when we use the train from Jakarta to Bandung, it’ll need 1 minute to pass that tunnel and you just 30 minute ahead of Bandung downtown. Damn, I miss that city. For me Bandung is still my beloved hometown, the best poko-na mah lah.

We arrived at Badaling on the afternoon, just about 1.5 hour before lunch. Pak Catur helped us to arrange the tickets and I was quite surprise that he’s not came along us. Yup, just the four of us climbing this world treasure. Pak Catur will wait on the park area, he said: "I’m too often to climb Great Wall, it’s too bored for me now. You just go head, it’s OK. The tickets are available for back and fort. And remember do not buy another tickets to enter the Great Wall, the tickets you hold now are for the ‘cable car’ and to enter the Great Wall, back and fort."

So, we use the cable car to climb. One cable car is available for 6 person maximum. One seat (for 3 person) facing at the front and one seat facing at the back. We’re so excited about this, well…not so excited because to be honest I’m concerning about the capability of this transportation instrument. But hey, we’re survived…this cable car is quite strong and save but maybe a little bit dirty and stink. You won’t smell this stink if you’re not in China… : )

Once you arrived at the other side of cable car station, than you can continue entering the Great Wall. There are many souvenirs seller there, we have to be clever to bargain. Or you can buy the souvenirs at the souvenirs shop at the cable car station, quite cheap. I bought an enamelware, not a special one but at least ‘I was there’ hehehe…

Great Wall is always be an amazing construction, imagine that this world treasure was built during teh earlier of Zhou Dynasty at about 700 BC and still stand firm until now. I heard that this construction is the only human creation that can be seen from the space. The construction of the Great Wall, drew heavily on the local resources for construction materials, was carried out in line with the local conditions under the management of contract and responsibility system. A great army of manpower, composed of soldiers, prisoners, and local people, built the wall. The construction result demonstrates the manifestation of the wisdom and tenacity of the Chinese people.

The wall of Badaling has a total length of 3, 741 meters with an average height of 8 meters The highest part is 15 meters. The total area for a tour is 19, 000 square meters. The top of the wall can permit five horses to be ridden abreast. There are arched doors at the inner side of the wall with very little distance between each two doors. Thearched doors lead you to the top of the wall by stone stairs.

Badaling became a very important military strategic place since the Spring and Autumn Period (770 BC - 476 BC) and the Warring States Period (476 BC - 221 BC). Many incomplete parts of the wall were proved to be built in the Warring States Period.

The Great Wall has long been incorporated into Chinese mythology and popular symbolism. The most beautiful of several legends is about the collapse of a section of the Great Wall caused by Meng Jiangnu, who cried bitterly over the death of her husband in the construction of the Great Wall. This legend has been spread widely through textbooks, folk songs and traditional operas. It is well-known in China.

For complete story of Great Wall, kindly click here. 

After Badaling, we still have another targets to climb the Great Wall at Simatai (specially on winter(?)). We heard that this location is a beautiful site, but it’s too far from our place here. Yeah, maybe someday we have an opportunity to go to Simatai (and Cheng De, and Terracotta, and…).

Thanks in a million: Pak Catur from Indonesian Embassy. 

We just got back from the meeting about XX oilfield with the people from Shenzen. Actually we didn’t participate actively since it was delivered in Chinese and all of us can’t speak Chinese. So, it was really a boring moment for us, listened to what these people talking bla…bla…bla. A little help came from the presentation slide, enabled us, at least to guess what were these people talking about.

We were sleeping last night, while the phone rang waking us up, a call to attend the meeting in the morning, in the nearby hotel. Apparently, they didn’t intend to invite us initially, but changed their mind later. And another strange thing was we were not invited to have lunch together with them, whereas the presentation finished at 12.10 and that’s about the time for lunch and everybody was ready to have lunch in the same hotel but a driver was asked to drive us back to our hotel instead. It’s quite funny for us but so far we’re just fine. We think that maybe they didn’t set up the lunch with additional 4 people or because we have limitation for food (halal food) and they ordered kind of food that we couldn’t eat…….or they wanna have a crazy and wild party after the tough meeting, complete with belly dancer and alcohol drinks…..huahahaha…..(just our imagination) and didn’t want to invite us. Anyway, that’s not a big problem for us. We can go back to the office, put our –s on the seat, turn on pc and write this post for you.