Trip to Jingzhou (Part 1)

Last week, I took a trip to a small city near Wuhan.  Jingzhou is the ancient capital of the Chu dynasty.

The city still has an intact stone wall encircling the old city.  You can walk around the entire city on the wall, and visit a number of intact Chinese temples to different Chinese divinities.

I actually had planned to go to Jingzhou the week before, but it had rained.  Instead, I had spent a coulpe of days resting.

I am glad that I waited, because they day I went was very clear and warm.  

Jingzhou is a much smaller city than Wuhan.  The air is alot cleaner and, at least in the old city, they seem to have tried to prevent over building.

I initially had planned to take a train to Jingzhou in the morning and return in the evening.  However, I over slept.  Hard to believe, I know.

It was Saturday, so I decided to sleep late.  I have been feeling a little funky lately, but I rallied in the afternoon and headed to the train station in Hankou.

Buying a train ticket close to a national holiday can be a major life event in China.  I had several men cut the line in front of me.  When you see the lines that there are to get a ticket, you can understand why this often becomes a contentious issue.

Anyway, I waited patiently for about a half hour in line for my ticket to Jingzhou.  While in line, I practiced how to buy my ticket. "Hankou dao Jingzhou" and "Toudeng chou Jipiao" and "Via Yi Ban Houche".

When I finally got to the ticket window, I was politely told, with a smile, that I needed to go to the neighboring window to get my ticket.

Now I was foist into the hapless position of a line cutter!  I was not shy in jostling against the neighboring line to get to the window.  I did, however, let the first 4 or 5 people in line get their tickets.

I finally got my ticket, which left on a train about 3 and half hours later.  This gave me some time.

I sauntered out of the train station, and headed towards what I perceived to be a nearby park, where, perhaps, I could zou lou amongst the trees and stretch my legs.

I was delighted to find that the Wuhan museum (not the provincial museum visited earlier) was only a block or two away.

So to the museum I headed.  More about that in a future post.

 On the days before national holidays, it is pandemonium in the ticket office at the train station!

 People are like dumplings bobbing in hot water!

As you can see the lanes are conveniently marked in Chinese.  Train times are clearly marked on the big board in flashing red Chinese characters.  It is very friendly to foreigners!  (Actually, the staff of the China Rail System are exceptionally friendly and helpful to Laowai.)