Nanjing used to be the Chinese capital hence it’s name 南 = South 京 = Capital. Nanjing has around the same population as Switzerland. It is a boomingtown that tries to compete with Shanghai. Nanjing is greener with it’s many parks and is less crowded than Shanghai. During my stay in the city the weather was only mediocre but warm and without rainy days.
On my first day I walked from my hostel towards the city center along narrow roads with plenty of food stalls and sellers. It was very nice as I was the only westerner and the area was not touristic at all. I watched people playing Mahjong for money. Seems like Chinese Chess is less popular here.
The hostel was relatively quiet in the evenings and mostly Chinese people stayed there so it was a good place to relax and unwind. The next day I went to see the lake with the many islands. It was free to get in to the park. It was nice to walk around and hop from one island to the other. In the late afternoon I went to see Confucius Temple. Unfortunately the Chinese have turned this place into a massive shopping area. Basically every place in China that attracts lots of tourist also attracts the stalls and shops. Confucius Temple itself was not too exciting either because there was no explanations. Nevertheless it was very nice to see at night with all the lights and boats on the canal.
The next day I went to the Nanjing Massacre Memorial Museum. It was free to get in and it was very well made. It was very intense to see how the Japanese invaded Nanjing in 1937 and how brutal they were. There was a huge sign saying that it is forbidden to take pictures. Of course two meters away from it all people were taking pictures – typical.
One thing that is totally different and actually very nice in China, is how people would go to a park and practice tai chi, dance, play their instrument or just play some cards and chess. Wherever you go people would just go after their hobbies outside and it is completely normal.
hy sweetheart, nice to hear from you! have been wondering where you were hanging around. Deeply missing you, I have to admit. what are your next travelling plans? here in switzerland everything is going us usual, which means spring is delayed. anyway we had today a nice dry golf round, but now it rains again. you heard about sandra & mark, they finally were lucky and found a very cute appartement. hope to hear soon from you, what`s about skyping the next couple of days? Lots of love & kisses baby&babylino