We are in China!

Since in China we get used to the new way of moving. 3 backpacks with esencials, and one with Elios in it, that often serves as his bed. We take buses and trains, going to the usuall tourist traps for sightseeing. We slowly get used to the walks with Elios in the back, and the attention that it brings to us. Though the backpack is made in China, they dont ever think of using one like this. Its an evenement in it self for them, and we become the tourist attraction for the chineese tourists. And there are alot of those!
We also get used to an enormous contrast with Mongolia. Instead of Eagles circiling in the skys above you we find plastic bags, and instead of sky we find smog, a type of a permament fog. SOmetimes its 200m thick, sometimes just 1,2 kms. Though those are the negative aspects to get used to, China seems very modern. At times we feel like were in some batman movie type Gothem city, with surrealistic buildings. Everywhere people. On any street there are crouds. And often in the evening and mornings anyone seems to be selling anything on the sidewalk. Asspecially on weekends people get together on squares to sing what seems to be patriotic songs, dance, do chi-kong or orther group activities. Alot of ongoing construction that seems to be neverending. Many new apartment building complexes, that are half empty because average citizen cannot afford such a flat. The work is very efficient, and seems to be going on through the night. The nature is fighting for survival, and it seems that almost everywhere food is cultivated even on construction sites. Modern seems to be an aproach to polution. Many electric bikes, or old transporting trike conversions, that allow them to move more freely while poluting less. It seems that on the streets we see more hybrid electric bikes than the old style man powered bikes. Even scooters are electric. The style of driving here is rather hard to get used to. Its as if the dever learned how to ride a bike, than got a luxury car and started driving. You mainly drive with your horn, not necessarily with your lights on. Though there are traffic lights, and for the most they are obbeyed, there are always people, electric bikes - and so why not - also cars trying to sneak through to get to their lanes. The horn serves as a warning, that soon you will be passed by another vehicule on any side so just keep on going with your previsable speed and let it happen... Crossing the road is also an art of sorts. The zebras are there just to help the croud effect. The more people gather in a single place, the more of a chance that they would be able to pass. Those are the first hand differances we see.
  We spent our first days in Datong, visiting the caves where the oldest Budda statues were carved in the caves. A huge complex that needs at least one day to really visit. We took a bus to Beiging, where we were hosted by Sabrina, a French couchsurfer living on a 25th floor of one of the appartments on a dynamically evolving avangard artist neighborhood.
She filled us in about the real prices of taxis and daily goods, and explained us how to get wround, bargain and hustle for our buys. It seems that in every touristic place the sellers will take advantage of you by asking higher prices. We have seen the Cricket market, where all kind of pets were for sale. Starting with crickets in capsules, that were ment to play for their masters for a good night sleep, or to poor squarels that were ment to jump around in furry in a cage... We have seen the summer palace park, and the Tianmin saquare. Afterwards we made our way to Jinan, where we were invited by a chineese chouchsurfing familly with their 4 year old daughter Uar, with whom Elios spent some nice playfull days. We were hosted by them for a few days, untill their leave for the holidays. The 1st oct Holidays is a real madness where everyone seems to be moving at once. The train stations are packed tight, and there are next to none free seats neither in buses or trains. This period we were able to wait out in Jinan, while staying at our hosts other apartment that was unfurnished but had a bed electricity and running water, wchich is better than an average squot in europe. Through our stay we did catch up on our emailing and went out to explore the city asspecially its parks. Our update has been made available by a friend who loaded up this text and chosen photos from Norway, as here in China blogs are banned as other google based sites. Next update will be in some other time...
This monday we go from Jinan to Nanjing in the direction of shanghai and south of it towards the hilly coast filled with tea plantations. We intend to find some non touristic rural place to experiance the other type of China. Our further deirection would be the general direction of Kunming.