Currently, we are sitting on the bullet train from Chongqing to Chengdu, going from the mountain area to more of a plains area. I’ve been told its like going from Western Wyoming to Eastern Wyoming and Nebraska.
I did not sleep very well on the cot they put into our room as it was a folding cot and every time I moved the top and the bottom of the bed raised up. Not a very comfortable sleep. Mom on the other hand slept like a baby through the whole night. Around 9:25am, a nice car came to pick us up at the hotel and we were driven not even 5 minutes away to the Chongqing Children’s Hospital where we were let off on the basement level and had to find our way with our guide/translator/doctor from NY (all the same person) up to the correct floor and then we had to walk to an entirely different hospital building outside and up another elevator to the correct floor. When we finally made it, we were rushed down the hallway to a classroom where about 20 people were sitting, waiting patiently for mom’s lecture. We were a bit late (as the lecture was scheduled to start at 9:30am), but not our fault that we were late…. We rushed in and mom immediately put her thumb drive into their computer and transferred her power point. Both mom and dad have learned that they have to save all of their power points as 2003 versions because no one has any newer version of Office. She prepared herself, got out all of her notes and starting talking. She did very well. She talked for about an hour with a few stops for translations, though everyone seemed to understand enough English to get by a little. She then answered many questions and then we were done.
We got a quick tour of the very busy hospital and then were escorted to the President’s (head of the hospital) Office where we sat in her office and talked for a little while and then of course, took a group photo. Because we were running late on time, we had lunch where the staff has lunch in the hospital in a private room rather than the other place we were planning on going to. The food was okay.
Escorted by the president’s assistant and our guide, we were taken back to the hotel in a large car to get our luggage and then we did a little sight seeing. We were given some information about Chongqing and on the paper it said we would see “An old ropeway which local people used to cross the river, still in use today.” Well both mom and I thought it was an old walking bridge or swinging bridge and would be really neat to see. When we got there- in the middle of the city next to the river, it was just an old tram that crossed the river!! We were very surprised, but as with everything on this trip, not too shocked with the English translation.
We then went to see a cave, with a waterfall right in the middle of the city. This city was built in the mountains and so the buildings are built into the hillside. We did some shopping in this area too and bought some nice gifts. It was one of the calmest places we’ve been to look at nice Chinese things.
At 3pm, we headed to the train station. Our guide and the assistant went into the station to see if they could find some people to help us with our luggage and they came back to the parking lot where we were waiting in the car with two guys and a little trolley. They took all three bags, plus our guide’s bag and the assistant went with them to a different section of the station and we had to go through another entrance. We entered and the woman looked at our tickets and then as we were about to put our luggage on the scanners, our guide told us to stand back in the corner. We had no idea why and then some man started yelling at the ticket woman and our guide went over and started yelling back. She then informed us that we couldn’t enter yet because it wasn’t time for our train and that is why the man was yelling because if she let us in then he wanted to be let in. Wow. They’re like babies. So we waited for a few minutes just inside on the side and then she said we could enter. So we went through security and waited in a completely packed area for the train to arrive.
A few minutes before the train left, we were allowed onto the track and we found our car, boarded and all of our luggage was neatly placed near our seats. It was very nice of the assistant and the other helpers to do this for us. We got settled on the train- though mom and I were facing backwards- had a nice 2 hour ride to Chengdu.
We were greeted by six people who helped us with all of our luggage up and down lots of stairs and then finally into 2 large cars and then we were taken to a beautiful, 5 star hotel in downtown Chengdu. We went up to our room and had just a few minutes to quickly change into nicer clothes for a large dinner. Our room is a single again so I’m again sleeping on the floor.
Dinner this evening was at a wonderful restaurant with many Nephrologists who dad has been working with and then some Pediatricians and other doctors and nurses from the hospitals we are going to visit during our 2 days here. There was lots of food and so many different options. As with all of our meals, the lazy susan on the table starts with just a few dishes and by the end of the meal, the table is covered with different dishes, elaborate designs and piled on top of each other. It’s a fun experience. I didn’t really eat very much, but we did have a very good tomato soup and some spicy tofu that was delicious. This food is Sichuan style food, so it is very spicy and much better than any other food we’ve had. I also still do not understand why many of the rooms we eat in has a television on in the background- it makes no sense to me!
After dinner was finished, we walked back to the hotel and came up to the 28th floor to our room. The honking is still occurring all the time too and even this high up, we hear everything. My phone again stopped working this evening and I had to spend another half an hour on the phone with Verizon fixing it… what a huge PITA!!!
The next few days are going to be extraordinarily hectic with things we have planned for us, dinner’s and lunch’s with the Mayor of the area and some sightseeing. I will try my best to keep up, but the posting may be a bit delayed.
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