Posts Tagged ‘Wangfuying’

  • IL-KULURI TAĊ-ĊINA (6 Parti) X’hemm għall-bejgħ

    Opportunita' biex tersaq lejn in-nies tal-lokalL-ibliet ta’ Peking u Shanghai huma ideali għal dawk li jħobbu jduru l-ħwienet u jixtru. Dan minħabba li fihom hemm triqat twal li donnhom ma jispiċċaw qatt, miżgħuda b’għadd ta’ negozji ta’ kull xorta.

    Ħwienet antiki li jbiegħu għażla ta’ oġġetti tradizzjonali tarahom spalla ma’ spalla ma’ stabbilmenti oħra moderni bi prodotti tal-aktar ditti popolari. Imbagħad issib ukoll swieq differenti li jagħtuk lok biex tħuf u tesplora għal xi ħaġa mhux tas-soltu jew għal xi affari tajba bi prezz orħos. F’dawn il-postijiet, ma trid tinsa qatt illi ċerti affarijiet jistgħu ma jkunux ġenwini.

    Ix-xiri huwa mod ieħor ta’ kif tista’ tersaq qrib in-nies tal-lokal sabiex issir tafhom aħjar, speċjalment fl-inħawi fejn wieħed huwa mistenni li joqgħod jiġġebbed għall-prezz. Kultant il-lingwa hija problema f’dawn l-ibliet għax mhux kulħadd kapaċi jitkellem bl-ingliż. Madanakollu, m’għandix dubju illi jekk veru ssib xi ħaġa li tolqtok, b’xi mod jew ieħor se toħloq mezz kif tiftiehem.

    Triq Qianmen – Pekin

    Din it-triq tibda min-naħa tan-nofsinhar ta’ Pjazza Tiananmen, matul l-assi ċentrali ta’ Pekin, u hija twila madwar kilometru.

    L-oriġini ta’ din iż-żona popolari tmur lura għaż-żminijiet antiki tad-Dinastiji Ming u Qing, meta dan il-post kien diġà magħruf għall-fieri tal-lanterni, għat-teatri u għad-djar tat-tè. Sfortunatament, fl-1900, dawn l-inħawi ġew maħruqa kompletament meta l-Alleanza tat-Tmien Nazzjonijiet attakkat lil Pekin.

    Triq Qianmen  – PekinIt-triq preżenti nbniet mill-ġdid u tqassmet f’erbgħa żoni li ġew iddedikati għall-kultura, għall-ikel, għax-xiri u għad-divertiment. Infatti, hekk kif toħroġ minn ħanut u tidħol f’ieħor, tħossok bħallikieku sibt ruħek f’xi dinja oħra.

    Ħwienet eleganti li jbiegħu ġojjelli u ħwejjeġ mill-ifjen issibhom biswit ħwienet aktar sempliċi mimlija bi kwantità kbira ta’ oġġetti u suvenirs. Ristoranti magħrufa fid-dinja tal-Lvant bħall-Mc Donalds u l-KFC jikkompetu ma’ dawk tal-kċina tradizzjonali Ċiniża bħar-ristorant Qianmen Quanjude li hija rinomata ħafna għat-tisjir tal-laħam tal-papra.

    Għal min ma jħobbx jimxi wisq, hemm tramm tiela’ u nieżel b’mod regolari ma’ din it-triq. Iżda jekk trid tassew tgawdi dan il-post, l-aħjar hu li timxi.

     Wangfuying – Pekin

     Iż-żona Wangfujing hija famuża ħafna kemm man-nies tal-lokal u kif ukoll mat-turisti minħabba li fiha wieħed isib bosta ħwienet ta’ kull xorta matul medda ta’ żewġ kilometri. Intant, dan id-distrett jifforma wkoll parti mill-istorja taċ-Ċina peress li jmur lura għas-sena 1260.

     Bħat-triq Qianmen, anki hawn wieħed jara taħlita sinifikattiva ta’ prodotti tal-Lvant u tal-Punent fejn minbarra ditti popolari li aħna mdorrijin għalihom, wieħed jista’ jitpaxxa wkoll bi ħwienet bħal Shengxifu li hu mfittex għall-kpiepel, b’Tongshenghe li hu stabbilment magħruf għaż-żraben, jew bid-dar tat-tè Wuyutai.

    Iżda ċertament f’dan il-lwog, l-aktar parti indimentikabbli huma t-triqat tal-ġnub li spiss ikunu mimlija bin-nies. Infatti dan il-post żgur li mhux rakkommandabbli għal min jiddejjaq fil-folol jew għal dawk li l-istonku tagħhom ma jiflaħx wisq. Dan għaliex proprju hawnhekk, it-turisti jistgħu jtiegħmu l-għeruq tradizzjonali tal-belt ta’ Pekin, partikolarment bl-għażla ta’ ikel eżotiku li wieħed isib għall-bejgħ.

    Kebabs taz-zwiemel tal-bahar u tal-iskorpjuni hajjin f'Wangfujing, PekinFil-fatt, inti u miexi f’dawn it-triqat, ma tistax ma tiġix impressjonat bir-riħa qawwija ta’ kull xorta ta’ tisjir. U trid jew ma tridx, tinġibed b’kurżità biex tara x’hemm ħalli forsi dduq xi ħaġa. Minn daqshekk, l-għażla hija biss f’idejk għax il-prodotti huma varji mmens. Jiddependi biss minn kemm inti avventuruż hekk kif fost l-ikel issib: frott frisk, prodotti moqlijin, kebabs b’kull xorta ta’ laħam inkluż dak tal-ħaruf, tat-tiġieġa, tal-majjal, tal-istilla u taż-żiemel tal-baħar, tal-insetti u tad-dud u tal-iskorpjuni ħajjin!

    Jekk dan kollu ma jħajjrikx jew saħansitra jaqtagħlek l-aptit, xorta waħda għandek fejn tintilef fil-ħwienet l-oħra mżejjna bi prodotti varji li juru l-ġmiel tal-kuluri taċ-Ċina. F’dan il-post huwa biss int li tagħmel il-limitu ta’ kemm u x’tista’ tixtri: skont kemm ikollok flus u skont x’jogħġbok. Fost il-lista twila ta’ prodotti ssib: żraben, affarijiet tal-ħarir, ħwejjeġ, kreazzjonijiet tal-injam u l-bronż, maskri ta’ kull tip, ġugarelli u kwantità bla tarf ta’ suvenirs.

    Tant hemm x’tara f’dan il-post, li żgur li ma tinsih qatt il-ħin li tqatta’ fih.

    It-triq Nanjing – Shanghai

     Triq Nanjing – ShanghaiShanghai hija belt għal kollox differenti minn Pekin u dan huwa evidenti ħafna hekk kif tibda miexi fit-triq Nanjing. Maħsuba li hija l-eqdem triq li ġiet iddedikata għan-negozju fiċ-Ċina, il-mijiet ta’ ħwienet matulha fuq kull naħa, jibqgħu sejrin għal madwar ħames kilometri.

    Hawnhekk il-ħajja hija aktar rikka u dan jidher mill-ħwienet b’ditti lussużi ferm bħal Dior, Chanel, Armani, Prada u Calvin Klein. Bil-vetrini tagħhom armati bi prodotti modernissimi u pjuttost għaljin, dawn il-ħwienet erħielhom jikkompetu bejniethom biex jattrattaw kemm jistgħu mill-kwantità kbira ta’ nies li kuljum tmur tippassiġġa fl-inħawi. Infatti, apparti li hija magħrufa għax-xiri, din it-triq hija popolari kemm man-nies tal-lokal u kif ukoll mat-turisti għall-kultura moderna li kapaċi toffri Shanghai.

    Fl-għaxija, it-triq ta’ Nanjing tagħni ruħha b’atmosfera pjuttost spettakolari billi diversi ħwienet u binjiet għoljin ikunu mixgħula b’ħafna dawl.

    Yuyuan Bazaar – Shanghai

    Snajja' tradizzjonali fil-Bazaar Yuyuan, ShanghaiDan il-bazaar jinstab ħdejn il-Ġnien Yuyuan. Il-ġmiel tiegħu qiegħed fl-arkitettura mibnija b’injam skur u bi stil tradizzjonali. Barra minn hekk f’dan is-suq, wieħed isib diversi ħwienet ta’ snajja’ antiki li jkunu qed ibiegħu prodotti distinti fosthom: oġġetti maħduma mill-ħarir, illustrazzjonijiet ta’ artisti folkloristiċi, xogħolijiet u għodda tal-kalligrafija, xogħol tal-bamboo u l-injam, affarijiet tal-bronż, settijiet tat-tè tal-porċellana, ġojjelli maħduma mill-jade u perli mill-għadira Taihu.

    Suq tal-ikel f’Shanghai

    Waqt li nkun imsiefra, napprezza ħafna dawk il-mumenti meta jirnexxieli niskopri xi post li ma jkunx ippjanat fil-programm. Hekk ġara meta ġurnata minnhom tlabt lill-gwida biex jeħodna f’xi lwog fejn stajna nosservaw aktar mill-qrib il-ħajja ta’ kuljum tan-nies tal-lokal u dan ġibidna ‘l ġewwa lejn xi triqat inqas ċentrali ħalli nżuru suq tal-ikel li jinqdew minnu l-familji ta’ Shanghai.

    Bejjiegh tal-grancijiet f'suq f'ShanghaiMill-ewwel laqgħatna l-kuntrast bejn l-atmosfera sempliċi ta’ dan is-suq u l-isfond sofistikat tal-bini għoli u modern, tipiku ta’ din il-belt. Hawnhekk il-prodotti kienu rranġati mal-art, fil-kaxxi jew fil-gaġeġ u l-bejjiegħa erħielhom jgħajjtu biex isejjħu l-klijenti jew biex jikkustinjaw magħhom fuq xi prezz.

    Anki f’dan il-post, is-sensi tagħna ġew invażi minn għadd ta’ attivitajiet, irwejjaħ u ħsejjes. Kien hemm minn kollox għall-bejgħ fosthom ħaxix, frott, ħut, granċijiet, frott tal-baħar, weraq tat-tè, bajd ta’ diversi tjur, tiġieġ, sriedak, papri u ikel ta’ kull xorta. F’gaġġa minnhom, ilmaħna wkoll xi ġriewi żgħar ħelwin u f’qalbna tlabna li min kien ser jixtriehom, riedhom biex irabbihom u mhux biex isajjarhom!

    Bla dubju, wara dawn l-esperjenzi interessanti u vivaċi f’dawn il-ħwienet u s-swieq differenti, nemmen li wieħed ikun qed jitlef ħafna jekk ikun f’dawn l-ibliet u ma jżurx almenu xi wieħed minnhom.

     (Dan l-artiklu ġie ppubblikat fit-Torċa tat-8 ta’ Frar 2015)

    2015.02.08 / no responses / Category: Torca - Features & Articles

  • Shop around for the best look at life on the streets

    Qianmen Street – Beijing.JPGNanjing Road – Shanghai.JPG

    Calligraphy stall in Yuyuan Bazaar, Shanghai.JPGA poultry seller in Shanghai.JPG

    The cities of Beijing and Shanghai are definitely a mecca for those who love shopping. Never ending roads brim with hundreds of shops which offer an endless choice of all sorts of products.

    Ancient shops of different traditional trades stand side by side to modern ones which sell famous brand commodities. Flea markets provide the opportunity to look out for unusual items or for a good bargain but one must always keep in mind that most of the items are not genuine.

    Shopping can also be a way of getting closer to the locals especially in those areas where one is expected to negotiate the price. At times language could be a barrier since not all the Chinese can communicate in English. However, somehow, if you really want to purchase something, you’ll surely find a way to get across.

    Qianmen Street – Beijing

    Qianmen pedestrian street runs south from Tiananmen Square, just along the Beijing central axis for about a kilometre.

    This popular zone bears its origin to the ancient times of the Ming and Qing Dynasties when it was already renowned for its lantern fairs, theaters and tea-houses. Yet unfortunately, in 1900, this area was burnt down to ashes when Beijing was ransacked by the Eight-Nation Alliance.

    The present Qianmen Street has been rebuilt into four zones with particular areas designated for culture, food, shopping and entertainment. Stepping from one shop to another is like entering into a different world altogether.

    Elegant shops selling expensive jewellery with a particular focus on jade stand next to bargain outlets bursting with a multitude of souvenirs and knick knack objects. Popular Western fast-food outlets like Mc Donalds and KFC compete with traditional Chinese cuisine such as Qianmen Quanjude Duck Restaurant for the attention of hungry clients.

    An old style tram runs from north to south of Qianmen Street. However, for those who really want a taste of Chinese culture, walking is definitely better.

    Wangfuying – Beijing

    Wangfujing is very famous both with locals and with tourists as its outlets extend over a total length of about two kilometres. This flourishing business quarter dates back to 1260 and it has a long interesting history.

    In the wide main street, once again, West meets East since one finds huge shopping malls with international designer brands standing next to Beijing renowned trades, such as Shengxifu hat store, Tongshenghe shoe shop, and the Wuyutai tea house.

    However, here, the real delight for tourists lies in the narrower side streets which look rather like a busy beehive. Indeed, this zone is definitely not recommended for those who hate crowded places or for those faint at heart. For this is where you’ll witness the roots of the traditional Beijing, especially through some of the exotic foods which you will be offered.

    The different smells coming out of the numerous food stalls will entice you to look closer and maybe to try out something. The vast choice will consist of fresh fruit, dumplings, fried foods, and plenty of kebabs with all sorts of meat including lamb, chicken, pork, starfish, seahorse, worms, insects and live scorpions!

    Nonetheless, if you lose appetite, there is still more to see and buy in the other outlets which boast the true colours of China. Your preference and the amount of money which you are ready to spend will be the only limits. Exquisite shoes, silk scarves and ornaments, clothes, wood creations, colourful masks, stuffed pandas and toys, and a torrent of souvenirs are some of the items available in a much longer list.

    At the end of this visit, you’ll feel as if you have just been through a whirlwind of experiences. Definitely unforgettable!

    Nanjing Road – Shanghai

    Shanghai is a different world altogether from Beijing and this is clearly evident whilst walking along Nanjing Road. Believed to be the first shopping street in China, this road stretches for more than five kilometres with hundreds of different shops on each side.

    Here, shopping malls, department stores and boutiques with luxury brands like Dior, Chanel, Armani, Prada and Calvin Klein compete for clients’ attention with elegant and costly products. In fact, more than a pedestrian shopping street this area has also become a zone for both locals and visitors in order to experience the culture of modern Shanghai.

    It is best to visit Nanjing Road in the evening when the area is fully lit and quite spectacular.

    Yuyuan Bazaar – Shanghai

    This is an outdoor bazaar which stands next to the famous Yuyuan Garden. Its attraction lies in the wooden architecture of the shops and market stalls and in the traditional items which they sell.

    Since Shanghai is close to Suzhou, one will find a good choice of silk products here. Moreover, amongst the amazing array of traditional Chinese products, one can select amongst paintings by folk artists, calligraphy works and tools, including ink, paper, brushes, pens, and ink slabs, bamboo and wood carvings, bronze wares, porcelain tea-sets, jade pieces and pearls from Taihu Lake, to mention only a few.

    There are no boundaries to what you can actually find whilst exploring this bazaar. Indeed, in offhand corners, you might see people selling small animals and reptiles, and also bracelets of simple but fragrant flowers.

    A food market in Shanghai

    It is very easy to find yourself completely enthralled by the exciting and dynamic city of Shanghai, thereby feeling urged to explore also other areas which are outside the usual guided tours.

    Particularly endearing is the sheer contrast between the ultra-modern neon-lit high rises lying at the background of the raw and coarse atmosphere of meagre street food stalls where many locals gather to buy their grocery needs.

    Once again, your senses will be fully assaulted with unusual activities, smells and sounds. Here you can observe the wide choice of foods available which includes eggs of different poultry, river and sea fish and crustaceans, vegetables and fruit of whatever type and size, and various herbs and tea leaves.

    Live chicken and ducks look out from cages whilst one of them is being killed and cleaned there and then for a customer. Cute puppies look out expectantly from other cages, their destinies depending on who’s going to buy them.

    Surely, a visit to any of these markets should be included in one’s itinerary in order to experience the real China.

    (This article was published in the Travel Supplement of The Sunday Times of Malta dated 11th January 2015)

    2015.01.11 / no responses / Category: The Sunday Times - Articles