31/01 /2011, Monday….. 2nd day Beijing–Tianjin Tours.

31/01 /2011, Monday….. 2nd day Beijing–Tianjin Tours.

7.00 a.m , I’m ready to went down to the lobby & enjoy my breakfast. The breakfast meals at the hotel restaurant are halal & no doubt. If you come to China, bring also English – Mandarin dictionary (with pinyin roman). This is because many China people about more than 80% can’t speak English even a single word (B-P). If you’re not nring a dictionary, it will be a little bit trouble for you to communicate & understanding the local citizen, B-) .

Here, Chang Feng Hotel staff also can’t speak English Language, Malay Language & Indonesian Language. Maggie Ma is not always with us at the hotel. So, there are major part of us using signal language to communicate with them. I’m a little bit lucky because I can communicate a little bit in Mandarin. If my late granpa Mansor still alife & follow our fieldtrip, he can be our translator because my late granpa Mansor was a Chinese Muslim & know to speaks Mandarin. B-) .



Eventough the meals at the hotel restaurant are halal & no doubt but the meal type aren’t the same as mostly hotels in Malaysia. No toast & butter. No orange juice, no omelet & no kind of meals which you commonly see in mostly hotel in Malaysia. There is only China halal traditional foods like fried kway teow, dim sum, fried rice China style & others China halal traditional foods. I imagine if that time there a toast with butter & orange juice for me to eat in winter, PERGHHHH, SHIOOOK WOOO !!! B-) . But I just eat it what they got as long it halal. B-) . Eventough there are spoon & fork in the table but I eat it using chopstick because I want a some ‘feel’ of being China in China, B-P (Eleh, in Malaysia also got chopstick maaa, B-D).

After we finished our breakfast, we went out from hotel building to the bus. Before we went in to the bus, we take it picture at froozed waterpool outside of hotel building. There are part among us who nearly slipperly including me. Those who near fall down because of slippery are those who earlier take it picture at froozed waterpool because don’t know the ice was too slippery. Lucky for those who snap picture later because they had already ‘alert!’. B-).

When all of us in the bus, we ready to move on. Our first destination on that day was Tian An Men Square, the largest city square in the world. As ussual, during our journey to to reach the next destination in China, we take the advantage to enjoy the view of capital Beijing which rapidly developing. Main road in capital Beijing also look clean. Seeing the environment of Beijing on that time, I started to feel that I’m not in the developing communism state but feel like I’m in the developed democracy nation.

During our journey to Tian An Men Square from Chang Feng Hotel, I see there are many finance, banking & petroleum companies had been dominated by China’s GLC & I can said here nearly non of the industries fields come from foreign company. Not like Malaysia, other than Petronas, CIMB, & Maybank, Malaysia also had Shell, Esso, HSBC, Al – Rajhi Bank & etc . In China, there only Sinopec (Petroleum company owned by China government), Shenzen Bank, Bank of Beijing, Agriculture Bank of Beijing, Architectural Bank of China & etc . Maybe this is the main reasons why China economy growth rapidly because the critical industries had been fully owned & controlled by the government without competitors from foreign firms.

We reached Tian An Men Square, I bring fieldtrip banner but Maggie Ma forbade me to bring the banner because there are security & patrol by China army at Tian An Men Square & Forbidden City, I didn’t ask why & what it up to with the banner with the army at Tian An Men Square & Forbidden City because I had already know through information searching about China at Google & 1 of the main reasons why banner can’t bring to the Tian An Men Square is because Tian An Men 1989 event. What actually happened at Tian An Men Square in the years of 1989? I think you better ask uncle Google by yourself. Uncle Google know everything what actually happened at Tian An Men Square in the years of 1989. That why Uncle Google if had been banned from the land of China & Borther Facebook also get the same faith like Uncle Google. I don’t want to tell you more about Tian An Men 1989 event in this blog or whatever online, broadcast & printing medium because worried that I can’t go to China again eventough I’m CLEAN! B-).

Back to the story when we reached Tian An Men Square, our group moved forward to Tian An Men Square. When you’re walking outside in China, avoid walking alone / separate for your own safety. Walk together or at least walk in 2persons not only for your safety but also avoid from being ‘surrounded’ by several street seller who will force you to buy their stuff like example winter hat, bird nest stadium replica & many more. Once we step down from the bus, there are several street seller coax us to buy stuff from them. If you don’t want to buy from them & already give ‘NO!’ & ‘DON’T WANT!’ hand signal, my suggestion for you is say to them in Mandarin by saying “Dui bu qi, wo shuo bu yao ! Zhen bu yao !” which mean “I’m sorry, I said I don’t want & I really mean it !” & if it still not work, saying to them “Hao lah ! Wo mei qian. Zhen dui bu qi, xie xie ni !” which mean “Fine, I’ve no money. I’m very sorry. Thank you !” & if that still not working, keep on walking & just ignore the street seller. Remembered, don’t be rough with them eventhough they make you uncomfortable when they following you & don’t you’re your voice to them. Just ignore them only. B-) .

During our walked to Tian An Men Square, many army patrol with army winter uniform. Same goes with the police wearing police winter uniform. When we reached at Tian An Men Square, we took a picture of Tian An Men Suare together. After photo session, we continue our walking to Forbidden City. Since the road traffic are busy, Maggie Ma led us to the Forbidden City through underground tunnel without need to cross the busy road. When we reached the Forbidden City, I see the picture of Mao Zedong hang in the center of Forbidden City main entrance. We continued our walking to went inside the Forbidden City. Forbidden City previously was a ancient China emperor till the collapse of Qing dynasty empire era, politic of China had entered the new era when absolute monarch had been replaced with communism republic system. After the absolute monarch system ended in that nation, Forbidden City opened to the public visiting as tourism destinastion. Kind a huge & wide of this Forbidden City because I’m feeling that we walking in the Forbidden City about more than an hour. Eventough the Forbidden City is huge, the environment view still beautiful & charming. There are group of armies marching in the Forbidden City.

After we finished walked in the Forbidden City, we went out from Forbidden City to the bus for our lunch time at the next muslim halal restaurant. When we reached there, there are 2 – 3 seller who look like Xinjiang / North West of China ethnic selling their traditional snack & shout in Malay Language “Rasa, rasa ! Halal, halal !” which mean “It halal ! Try taste !” outside the restaurant. My mom bought that snack & went in to the restaurant for lunch. After we finished our lunch, we went out to the bus. There were a local citizen auntie here selling table veil which the weave look like came from north west of China because I’ve seem that design at ‘Google’. After thet bought that table veil, they went in to the bus & we move on to Ma Dian Mosque for solat Zohor.

What make it interesting when you pray at China mosques in winter, there are hot water wudhuk place but the water is extremely hot. Therefore to neutral the water temperature, we took an empty mineral water bottle & fill up with half of cold water & another half of hot water, then we close the bottle with bottle cap & we shake the bottle & then using that water as wudhuk water. After finished taking wudhuk, we went in to the mosque for solat (pray). In Malaysia, when Malay Muslim & Chinese Muslim doing solat together, imam (Islamic priest) ussualy are Malay but here they (Chinese Muslim) are the imam. B-).

After finished doing solat Zohor, we move out from the mosque went in to the bus which waiting for us outside of the mosque. When we’re about to leaving the mosque, I’m gived alms to one of mosque committee using currencies notes of Malaysian Ringgit & China Renminbi Yuan. Why I’m giving alms using 2 currencies instead of 1 currency only? Here the answer > In China, their government had anchored their China Renminbi Yuan currency to US Dollar currency only. That why if you want to give alms using Malaysian Ringgit (MYR) only, this will be complicate them to convert the currency in their country. That why I gived alms used 2 currencies which is the alms that I used the currency of China Renminbi Yuan, they can spend it meanwhile the alms that I used the currency of Malaysian Ringgit, they can take it as souvenir. B-) . According to Maggie Ma, majority of China muslim community were Hui ethnic eventough majority ethnic in China were Han. Hui ethnic majority founded in north west of China provinces like Xinjiang, Qinghai, Gansu & Ningxia.

The next destination after done doing solat Zohor at Ma Dian Mosque is Famous Silk Centre for shopping to buy China silk. Before we start shopping to buy China silk, a short brief about how China silk process had been done was given to us in English Language. During my walked in the Famous Silk Centre building, I saw a picture of 4th former Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohammad shake hand with former People Republic of China President, Jiang Zemin which been hanged at the wall of that building. After the short brief had been given, now they can start shopping to buy China silk which been dominated by women. After finished bought China silk, it time to went the next destination.



Where are our next destination? We went to Fresh Water Pearl Center. Still with the shopping activity but this time we buy pearls. Same as Famous Silk Centre, before the shopping activity begin, a short brief about China pearl had been given first to us with special promotion to attract buyers especially women to drop money here. B-).

After finished shopping at Fresh Water Pearl Center, the shopping activity continued but this time we went to Sunny Gold Street Market. Here had no short brief like the previous shopping place before, B-). Here got t–shirts, shoes, pants, toys, gadjet & many more but overall, cloth, pants & shoes are the mostly sell here.

You might been heard your friends or relatives who return from China said that stuffs from China are quiet cheap. Yes, stuffs from China are quiet cheap but remembered, you need to bargaining & surveying first before you decide to purchase or not. This is because seller there know you’re tourist & once you step in to their shop, the price rate going up to gain more profit than ussual. This is happened to our tour group & I even do believed it also happened to others foreign tourist. Once I step in to the Sunny Gold Street Market, I found out the price are a little bit too expensive eventough we had convert China Renminbi Yuan to Malaysian Ringgit to see the comparison. Make it worse, there are no price tag been put in their shop which make the seller can say whatever price they want. B-).

To bargain, you need to switch off your emo for a while because they hardly trying to sell expensive to you so that they can gain more & more profit for themselves with any kind method of selling psychology like “ You crazy arrr ? Can’t not with this price lah. I’m death you know !”. What a great acting they had. B-) . There were a scenario when we nearly want to pay, suddenly we changed our mind not to purchased & went out from there, get ready with with WTF words from the seller in Mandarin like “Bendan!” which mean stupid, “Shang Qing Ping !” which mean crazy & many more of WTF words. B-). My advise, if you don’t have intention to shopping, better don’t show your interest to buy because this will annoying the seller eventough you’ve right not to purchase after you’re getting ready to pay but suddenly change your mind.

There are several seller who aren’t influent in English Language, Malay Language & Indonesian Language. For tourists who can communicate in Mandarin even a little bit might not facing a problem to communicate with local seller but for tourists who can’t communicate in Mandarin at all, hand signal & calculator obly the better solution to communicate.

When you enter shop for shopping in China, make sure you’re not alone because might be fear that you will be surrounded by seller who look coax but forcing you to buy their stuff. Make sure you at least have companion with you either your friends or relatives.

You’ve right to bargain in China because mostly stuff which been sell here were not original from cloth brand to electronics brands stuffs ( Even mostly iPhone, iPad & Blackberry also not original ). B-) . Watching tourist & seller argue & fight for bargaining is a normal scenario in China. It not limited to Malaysian tourist but even European tourist also the same. B-).

After an hour in Sunny Gold Street Market, I decided to take a rest for a while outside that building. There were many of us still inside the Sunny Gold Street Market for shopping. Eventough Beijing are rapidly moving forward but the beggars volume are also increase. There are several beggars who came to me beg for money & I give a few Yuan to them. Feel awkward why Beijing which more developed than Kuala Lumpur had many beggars. Maggie Ma explained that not only Beijing rapidly developed but also others China main metropolitan cities also developed. According to her, eventough China getting developing from time to time with many tall & modern skyscrapers but the reality is the poverty also hike up. This is because in China, there were no middle class people. There are only elite class people & poor class people not like Malaysia which had middle class people who not rich yet not poor. According to Maggie Ma again, rich people in China are very super rich & poor people are very poor.

That why many development been built & develop in China because that development are only for elite class people & not for the whole China people generally. Poor people have to work harder to sustain their life survival. I keep on talking with Maggie Ma & asking “If that so, why China economy growth are remarkable?” & Maggie Ma answered “If many poor China people work hard to sustain their life survival & at once make the rich get even more richer in China, how come China economy growth are not remarkable?” Maggie Ma continued “Eventough we are poor, what else can we do other than keep on working to sustain our life survival? We’re not democracy nation which can throw out our opinion or even to make a street protest” I’m speechless for a while. I’m started thinking about my nation, Malaysia. Suddenly I’m feel fortunate and thanks god in this soul. When the first time I step my foot on this land of Beijing, China ini, I’m starting to feel impress with their developing they get as result I criticized my own nation but it appear that my nation had her own unique ways in bringing her people to the top of glorious.

After all of us finished their shopping, we went up to the bus & ready for next muslim halal restaurant for dinner. On our journey for dinner, I see my friend put in local line sim card into her cellphone. For your info, if your cellphone line got no ‘roaming’, you can purchase local line prepaid sim card here to make calling or text messaging. I encourage you to use China Mobile line here because of it better coverage when in China. B-).

We reached the next muslim halal restaurant for dinner, they look like exhausted. Of course, all days shopping can make our energy went down, finally we get energy back after we finished our dinner. After dinner, our bus send us back to the hotel. When we reached at the hotel, we went to up to our room but there were part of us not yet sleep. My mom invited me went out with herserching & buying fruits & drinks for a lite supper. We walked about 500 metre from hotel building, there is a fruits stall. “Lao ban niang, zhe ge duo qian ma?” (Lady Boss, how much is this ?) I’m asking the seller how much price of a box of strawberries there. “Na ge, yi xiang, yi shi ba kuai!” (That one, one box, 18 yuan > about MYR9.00 per box). “Ok, er xiang !” (Ok, 2 boxes !). A local citizen compliment my ablility to speak Mandarin & asking me where I came from & I reply “Wo shi Malaixiya ren !” (I’m Malaysian !).

Seeing this local citizen, I think she know a lot about Malaysia because she ask me what race am I? Malay, Chinese, Indian or what? I said “Wo shi Malai ren buguo wo you de gong gong shi muslim hua ren !” (I’m Malay but I had my late granpa who is Chinese Muslim). As I mentioned earlier previously which I can communicate little bit in Mandarin & when that local citizen continued talked to me in Mandarin, I answered “Shemian? Oppps, dui bu qi. Wo wang le. Wo keyi shuo hua wen yi dian dian. Wo bu mingbai ni xian zai shuo ge wo!” (Pardon? Opss, sorry, I’m forgot that I can communicate in Mandarin a little bit. I don’t know a single word that came out from your mouth right now.). That local citizen said it OK! & what I speak just now was good enough. That what she said.

After bought the fruits, me & my mom went to grocery shop nearby to buy a soft drink. Here, we’ve no doubt buying drinks compare than foods because we assure that beverages here are halal & no doubt (Exclude alchohol drink). After finished bought fruits & soft drinks, we went back to the hotel. I eat a few strawberries before I sleep. Let SLEEP! Wan An! (Good Night!).