Zhongshan - Day 4

If all goes according to plan, today I should be visiting Guangzhou with Julie and possibly Maylin.  I was wrong about Maylin, she didn't come.
Well, the day started with the usual big breakfast buffet to set me up for the day, but today I needed to go to eat earlier as I was meeting Julie at 8.40 am.  For those interested, this a video of the breakfast buffet.  Western food on the left, Chinese food on the right. (I still can't post the actual video here so it is hosted offsite)

https://1drv.ms/v/s!AnTXs8bPCbfPraN-6z7b94zjxGMX3g

Well the traffic was heavy and we got to the station with minutes to spare...But minutes weren't enough.  We missed the train.  It was easy enough to change the tickets and we booked on the next train.  Standing from only.
There were empty seats, presumably booked later in the journey.  The Chinese , as obedient as ever, just stood by them.   I am British.  I sat down, then on my cue so did everyone else!
Guangzhou was busy.  Very busy, never really seen so busy!  People everywhere, swarms of them, and every second shop was a Chinese New Year shop.  So we headed off to the Church which quite conveniently closed for lunch as we arrived.  So we went for lunch.  Noodles, beef and mushrooms.  Quite nice.  The next move was to get to the Han Museum.  Not far but it meant returning to the subway hoards.  We managed to navigate the system and the crowds, but the subway was filling up!
Not the best of photos!  Trains are stable enough, the problem is mine!  We used subway tokens!
We finally got to the Han museum.  It was very impressive.  Apparently it had won numerous architectural awards when it was built.  I don't think it won one for disability access!  There were stairs after stairs after stairs.  Nice to look at not easy to use...and really difficult to adequately photograph!  Apparently it was all built around a Han dynasty tomb that was discovered more or less intact in 1986.  The contents were on display.  Cooking utensils, musical instruments, personal remains and treasure!  Here are a few photos!
The black area is the Han kingdom.
hi
A wine vessel
A selection of cooking/eating vessels
Above us a selection of porcelain pillows.  Yes, they are porcelain and pillows.  Donated to the museum by a Chinese couple.  These pillows were, apparently very popular at the time of the Han dynasty.  Not quite sure I understand why!
Both at th museum and on the way back to the metro, some other things caught my eye.  The first was this amazing tree.  It is a particular type of tree, so not so amazing for Chinese, but I was impressed.
On the way back I saw a couple of water deliverers bikes push-bikes.  Each bottles weights 18.5kg.
The top one looked like it was made to carry 18 bottles 333kg, and the bottom one 20 bottles 370kg.  Respect to the one who rides either of those!  I reckon it would pop the tyres of my push bike!
We then headed back to the church.  It was opening time!
It was slightly more difficult to take pictures inside, but I tried!
After all this, I had an ice cream with Julie and we discussed that next.  Julie had several more possible items on her list, but frankly I was knackered.  We decided to head back, and after a few problems at the station trying to buy return tickets and trains selling out, we finally made it back to Zhongshan, and took a taxi to a street her friend Berry had recommended.  The picture below is me in the front if a taxi with the driver 'imprissoned in the other side!  Zhingshan is not a dangerous place...I think this is more of a fashion item!
Then dinner at a Cantonese restaurant and a longish walk home through a market area, where I spotted a tiny temple.
A nice,  but tiring day.
One thing us starting to annoy me though.  Small motorbikes and electric cycles have a designated part of the pavement to drive on, but China being China and business needs to be done at all costs, they don't always stick to it.  If the one n front is going slow, then the one behind wants to overtake.  They tend to do this on the pedestrian part of the pavement.  So often I have two motorbikes coming towards me, the overtaking one helping for me to move.  At first I moved out of the way as best as I could, but after nearly being clipped a few times, I used plan two, carefully.  I look the driver in the eye and point for him/her t go around me.  It works, but I am always ready to move if it doesn't!

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