The train to Pingyao and new friends on the train

I hopped the train today at noon from Taiyuan to Pingyao, a historic town with mostly preserved buildings from 1000 years ago. When I arrived to the train station at my surprise I found that not only were all the train carts full, but there was also no standing room in the halls between the carts and in the doorways. I literally squeezed in there with my big bag. I sat on my bag, and slept with my head on my knees, at my feet lay a huge bag of potatoes. I slept for the first hour of my journey, with people standing all around me packed like sardines in a can. I was feeling that this might be what it was like back in the day in some countries ... it was a fun experience.

After, I woke up, I saw many Chinese men, some of them were farmers with big bags, staring at me and smiling ... at that moment I felt like conversing ... so, I took out my trusty phrase book ... I was ready to use it once more ... but before I could muster a question, a young guy came up to me and asked me some question in English ... we continued from there with the others watching. I would use my phrasebook for the usual set of questions and then a few extra ones that I could formulate based on a small list of words that are listed there as well. Turned out his name was An, he was 20 and from Pingyao, the place I was going to, but was studying English at a university in another town. I asked him if he knew any cheap hostels in Pingyao and he said that he will take me to one ... it all went from there, we talked about my trip so far and my route with the others watching observantly as I showed pictures and locations on maps. Before we got off the train, An asked me if I want to hang out with him and I was more than happy to do so.

When we got off the train, we walked to the hotel, where he negotiated a good deal for me and from there we spent the entire day together some 8hrs walking around. His English was not great, but we were able to communicate none the less through gestures and a combination of my phrasebook and his knowledge of English. He told me that he really liked the show Prison Break and I showed him my favourite show Lost. He took me out for some really cheap food at a very small outdoor restaurant; where I tried some new local dishes; I loved it, we had a soup and what is known as "Chinese sweet heart" ... he refused to accept my money and insisted on paying, no matter what I said. Eventually I insisted that I pay for him at a local tea place and so we went there.

The woman operating the tea house spoke English well, so we had a conversation with her as well. She told us how she had many tea shops now and imported her tea from her husband's town. She also shared with us some anecdotes from her encounters with foreigners; one day a Frenchman came into the shop and over tea he joked with her that the reason China was becoming strong is because everyone in China drinks tea :) An, told me that sometimes the prices are different for foreigners compared to locals, I was not surprised; the woman at the tea shop insisted that her prices were the same for both ... but I'm not sure, as we paid $5 for tea and I've paid 8 times less for the same quality in the past.

We kept walking around town and looking at many of the magnificent old buildings as I imagined life here long time ago on the same streets with these same buildings; you could even see the carvings in the ground from the wheels of the carriages from the past; it's amazing this old city managed to be preserved for such a long time. Me and An wandered around town and talked about Japan and other sensitive issues and his university and his class; which has 57 students learning English, but only 6 of them were men ... I told him that he was a lucky guy :) Eventually, night came and it was time for him to go back home to his parents.

Another day went by and yet again, I was amazed at how friendly people are in China and how he was willing to spend all this time with me, even though he was coming home for only 1 day to visit his parents.