Trip to Jinan...

Woke up at around 7.15am today... *yawns* had breakfast and left for the train station. We arrived the station at 8.53am only to find that there were no more train tix. So, Audrey thought that we should take a bus. N so, we did. It was quite an enjoyable trip. Managed to see quite some scenery but we got tired along the second half of the journey and fell asleep for a little.

Arrived at the place......... It was SO cold! Windy... Haha... Our first stop, 'bao tu quan'........ (We took a bus there, wat an experience) It's a place where the 'pond's' filled with water oozing out from under the soil. Natural spring water of some sorts. A pretty place but not worth the 40RMB for entrance. I'll do a more detailed intro with the photos later.

We then walked past Jinan's 'shi zheng fu' where there's a shopping place at the basement (there's an aweful story about it). Stopped for a little at Crowne Plaza n Huier showed us ard level 1. It's a really nice and upscale hotel. :) Would have loved to see more of it but had to rush of for lunch 'cos Audrey's friend was waiting for us.

(wrote the above part yesterday. Shall continue today...)

We went to some forgot-wat's-the name to shop. Really a lot of stuff... but the company wasn't shopping friendly SO we didn't buy much. In fact we bought only a couple of things. :( The Wal-Mart's like China Wal-Mart. Sigh... we were seriously expecting more imported brands but it's just like any supermarkets we have here. Disappointing. Sigh...

I bought a pouch & redoxon. Think tat's abt it... It was a tiring trip tho... Slept in the bus on the way there and on the way back. It was already dark when we were leaving Jinan at ard 5.30... after i woke up due to the bumby road, I looked out of the window n saw many stars..... sigh... long journey, cold, dark enough to see so many stars... it made me think of my journeys to m'sia with my dad n bro... Sigh...

With that, I shall end here with photos... nothing much to blog abt the Jinan trip anw. So here u go!

Jinan's 'bao tu quan' east gate
(Val, Me and Huier... Dun we all look fair? Lol)

Val & I beside the tree of friendship!

Audrey, Val, stone, me and Huier

Taking photos with the bald trees which looks so fake that it looks clean and smooth

Some emperor wrote it
(Noting that they've been here)

Nice background... not anything significant

The very clear spring water...Here's a photo of 'our shadows' taking photo of the names of the springs here
(listed are 72 of the more popular springs)

Their 'guang chang' it marks the center of Jinan

I love this pic! Pretty city of Jinan!

Lobby of Guihe Crowne Plaza Hotel

It's kind of like a food street. Really nice...

I love the old buildings...

The 'restaurant' we went for lunch...

my lunch, 'hong shao niu rou' claypot n soup tat's a bit like 'mi hun kueh'

Bye bye, in the bus leaving Jinan