The emblem of Jinan

The first two month in China I spent in Jinan to study Chinese. For our understanding Jinan is a quiet a big city with nearly 5 mill. Inhabitants - but for China’s relations this is rather a small and rural city. They have here an "Everbright Bank" and the "Evergrowing Bank" and not to forget the "Book Foreign Language Bookstore" …so obviously this is the place to be :)

Compare to Shanghai, Jinan is very Chinese... that means very loud due life takes place on the streets, very chaotic (especially the traffic – advice: never ask the taxi driver to get you very fast to the airport...rather book another flight or just close the eyes ;-))) and a bit dirty.


Food is very often prepared on the streets


Street market in Jinan...


Another street market picture..


A family eating on the street

Most of the people do not speak English which leads to very interesting situations...especially when you go shopping, try to by an airplane ticket or try to explain the taxi driver where you would like to go (even with a map in your hands ;-)). But usually it works out fine…somehow.

One of the main hobbies of the Jinan inhabitants is to observe the foreign people living in Jinan very closely :) (There are not so many foreigners in Jinan). So, if you wandering though the streets in Jinan it is not very seldom that the people start staring at you. After a while you get used to it :).
Another interesting experience was when I tried to buy a spoon in the supermarket and ask one of the employees where to find a spoon (of course in Chinese ;-)). After a view seconds I caused traffic jam within the supermarket, due suddenly everybody stopped and watched me how I desperately try to explain in Chinese that I want to buy a spoon.


Me and Daniel trying to buy tea....in china green tea is not just tea :)


Chinese people like to buy their food fresh as possible :)


Turtle soup?

Another very famous hobby of the Jinan inhabitants – especially the taxi drivers – is to start a conversation with you. It does not play a big role here if you able to understand them...they just keep on going...very patient people ;-)).

But the most famous hobby of the Chinese people is to get photographed with European people. So, if you dreamed of getting a model....China offers some opportunities for European people :).


Me and my new best friend the taxi driver

On the second weekend in Jinan (in July) we planed to make an excursion to Taishan. Taishan is one of the holiest mountains in China and lies about 100 km from Jinan away. It was said on Taishan you have the most beautiful sunrises of whole China. So we thought we definitively can not miss this unique spectacle :).


Starting point to climb the Taishan



So we started on a Friday afternoon...fully motivated, to climb the Taishan, which is roughly 1545 meters high. It was also said everybody that climbs the Taishan will get 100 years old...so, I can say I really felt 100 years older when we finally arrived on the top of Taishan...after about 5 hours, 10.000 steps and 5 bottles of water later. This is not a joke.. :) After the half - also about 5.000 steps – I couldn’t feel my legs anymore... After this excursion I avoided to climb steps for several days :)



Tourist trap...they try to sell their souveniers the whole way up to the top




First break...


Cute dog we saw on our way...


A Temple we passed on our way to the top


No comment...


Nice view...

Anyway, as we finally arrived at the top at about 22:00 PM...we were quiet happy, very exhausted and hungry. The last bit of the climb we had to climb in the dark...but this was not a problem due there were lanterns everywhere. So, luckily arrived we walked into the next hotel, got something to eat...and immediately fall asleep...:).


Somewhere on step number ????


Supposed to bring good luck


Nearly there...just three hundred steps to go :)

The next morning we got up at 4:00 pm in pleasant anticipation to see the most beautiful and spectacular sunrise of whole China. To see it we had to climb up another half an hour....and guess what...of course we had to climb more steps :). On the top we found ourselves a nice place. Besides us were about 80-100 Chinese people keen to see the sunrise...so the place was quite packed...as a lot of things in China...you get used to it :). Well, but this morning...it got lighter and lighter...but obviously the sun decided not to appear...instead we had a lot of fog. See yourself:


A little bit tired an exhausted we are waiting for the sunrise :)


It is getting lighter....


...and it is getting lighter...some people decided to catch up with some sleep...but where is the sun?


Day arrived...no sun...but a lot of fog :(


In between Juliane and Melek decided to join the Chinese army :)


Finally, on our way back....we see some blue sky

So, as you probably can imagine Taishan was quiet an experience...but nevertheless who can say from himself/herself that he/her already climbed 10.000 steps in once :)