Day TWELVE - 15 March 2013

Today is day twelve. 15 March is the day that I am scared of. It is the day our results are released. Once I wake up, I log on to NPal and check the results. It was not as good as my friends, which I did poorer than last semester. My reaction was like ‘chey like that only’. I know my result would not be good from the start as common test had made me lose my confidence. As long as I know where I am going after I graduate I will be fine! J The first thing I did was to inform my parents through an online chat called QQ (a China MSN). They were a little disappointed but support me of my decision after graduation and glad that I planned my future properly although they do not want me to suffer so young like they did when they were at my age. That day we had our Crime Scene Presentation in the afternoon. I was the Forensic in the Presentation that I had to explain all the evidences that are found in the crime scene. I feel that it went well and we went for hotpot for dinner as a small celebration. We went for the two-in-one hotpot again, but this time with more people, our lecturers and the guys. We are a total of thirteen people, a very big group. We ordered our food and enjoy it all the way with two rounds of food, we are sure big eaters!

One thing is our shirt stink after the hotpot. Our lecturers separated from us and we continued walking. After walking a while, we decided to go play billiard with the guys

While Karize and PeiPei go shopping, the rest of us went to play billiard. We had a lot of fun as there were many funny shots like Wilson missing the balls and all the photo bombers! We made a lot of noise laughing and talking that the shop owner asks us to keep quiet in an angry tone. Those were that memories that we will have after returning to Singapore!

At first, we have one child in the car and then another childish teenager that could not fit into the car and still want to try.

We also have a lot of photo bombers all around.

It was an enjoyable and fun night for me, a way of releasing stress after knowing our results! And there, the day ends will me packing my bag for tomorrow’s Red Cliff Tour! J

Picture were all from Jodie as i was playing with them!

Day ELEVEN - 14 March 2013

Today is day eleven in Wuhan also the White Valentine’s Day. Today was a free day for us to prepare our Crime Scene Presentation. My group members and I worked together to do the 10minutes video. We worked really hard that we ate Maggie Mee and drank milo for lunch. We finally complete it and tried to rehearse. We even got our classmate also our roommate, Li Si, to be our guinea pig and try to watch the presentation to solve our case. Also, we miss the outing with the rest to town today. Heard from Li Si that, town is selling all the things that we have in Singapore like Uniqlo and Starbucks. We were envy of her and make sure that we will go town one day during our next free day. In the evening when we were going for dinner, we tried to cross the road and went to the supermarket opposite. We walk all the way to the very inside of the streets to explore and saw many restaurants selling dog meat and rabbit meat. My friends were disgusted except for me and Karize even she owns two dogs. We quickly walk past the restaurants. We finally settle our dinner at a shop that sells noodles. I again try the 热干面. I was so hungry that I finish the noodle in less than 5minutes!

After which we continue walking and shopping. We went to a shop that sells mainly girl’s things. We were inside the shop for very long and my friends are checking out all the things like phone cases and nail polish. I stoned there thinking of the presentation tomorrow which I need to present. I finally bought a mask which prepares for the Red Cliff trip this Saturday. I have heard of Red Cliff from the movie as well as from my father who like history of China especially the Three Kingdoms Period. I am so looking forward for the Red Cliff Trip as I will be experiencing it for my father just like my previous trip to the Great Wall of China in BeiJing. Today ended with rehearse of my presentation and an early sleep to prepare fully for tomorrow! Goodnights! J

Day NINE & TEN - 12 & 13 March 2013

On the ninth day in Wuhan, we had normal lesson, lunch and dinner as usual. Today is already the tenth day in Wuhan. We had our last lecture, Criminal Law that is tested in Common Test 1. After lesson we went for lunch in school canteen. I eat a different kind of 热干面. It tasted the same as the previous one. We went again shopping at the supermarket. My friends bought pens for their Singapore friends while I wonder around looking for things to do. After which we went back to hostel to take a rest. At about 12.45pm, we meet everyone at the bus bay to leave for the Coca Cola Factory tour.

Hubei’s Coca Cola Factory was built in the 1998 January. It has 4 major brands under, Coca Cola, Sprite, Fanta, Coke Zero. We first sat down at a room where they show us a video of the factory’s history. Beside the video, there are a showcase of products by coca cola like chopsticks

We were then brought to the walkway with windows that allow us to look into the factory.

Throughout the walkway, we see a lot of machines for different uses like packaging, cleaning of bottles, inspection of bottles, filling of bottle and the sending to different outlets in Hubei.

We continue the touring to a small place which resembles a museum. This place places all the products that was produced or received from organizations all over the world.

The first cute thing that we see is the polar bears holding bottles of Coca Cola.

Then we went on to the showcases of different cup design like the Beijing Olympics and the 12zoodiacs.

There also pictures of celebrities’ ambassador like Jay Chou, the soccer fifa. There are also a lot other products like small violin case, bicycle, small car and small olden musical player.

The last cute thing I saw is a cute baby picture that is depicted at the history part.

We left after the tour and back to our hostel. We continued our Crime Scene Presentation preparation and rest til the next day! J

Day EIGHT - 11 March 2013

After the Wudang Trip, our lesson continues as per normal. Today is the eighth day in Wuhan. We start our IS module of China Culture today. We got a teacher from the Wuchang University of Technology to teach us about the Culture. She teaches us the History, Geography and specialties in Hubei province where Wuhan is located at. Wuhan is the Capital city of Hubei. So, the teacher continued history and geography plus the specialties in Wuhan. The thing that gives me the most prominent impression is the food in Wuhan. Most of us were all hungry after looking at all the picture of food in her slides! Straight away after her lesson, my usual friends and I went to the canteen and try to look for food that our teacher mentioned during the lesson. I tried the ReGanMain (热干面). It was fragrant and delicious. The sesame peanut smell from the noodle attracted all of us!

We went to the supermarket in school to replenish our water. We at the same time shopped for more snacks! We always have the mindset of YOLO (you only live once); hence we try the rice wine that we bought at supermarket. The rice wine had no alcohol level and that it tasted sweet.

We also bought funny kinds of snacks including Winnie the Pooh’s snack. It is a milk cake that got the shape of Winnie the Pooh. It tasted the same as Singapore any other cake and only the shape is unique. In China, you really find all kinds of special food you never see it before in Singapore!

 At night, the street food stalls changed! We again tried the different kind of wraps that look like Singapore’s Roti Prata. It tasted differently of course compared to Singapore, but the wraps tasted almost the same between the stalls.

 

The day ended where we discussed on our Crime Scene Presentation. J

Day SE7EN - 10 March 2013

 Rise and shine!! The day starts coldly with checking out our hotel and a breakfast at the mid of Wudang Mountain! The breakfast here was sumptuous! There is the main food which is the buns and noodle soup, as well as hard-boiled eggs! And my favourite porridge!

My camera got locked after breakfast and I could not take any more pictures when I was at the two different peaks. All the pictures below are from PeiPei

The first peak we climb (no sure of the peak’s name) til the XuanDi Temple (玄帝殿). We walked from our hotel to the peak. It was a tiring and cold climbing but a great experience for us as Singapore do not have mountains for us to climb. On the way, we see many temples and beautiful trees with slashes that people put on the trees for blessing.

We walked all the way in til the XuanDi Temple. At the side there are shops selling tea leaves.

We continued walking and saw many locks at the side of the wall. We were curious and took a closer look on it. The locks have carvings on them. These locks are similar to the slashes where the names on the locks will receive blessings from the Wudang Mountain. PeiPei, Jodie, Li Si and I did the lock together for our family that cost us 30yuan each.

My LOCK! -->



We lock it near the FuShouKangNing (福寿康宁) that means good fortune, longevity, and peace which is the blessings we want for our families

Also, the wooden sword from Wudang Mountain was unique and that many of us bought one. I believe that it will be a great souvenir for me to remember Wudang Mountain after I get back to Singapore. Very quickly, we come back down to the bottom of the mountain and goes for lunch. It is again a 10-course lunch with 9dishes and a soup and that the dishes are almost the same with 50% vegetables. This really show how healthy is it to stay in the mountains

After lunch, we proceed on the second peak we will be climbing. This time the peak is much higher and that we have to take a cable car ride up for 8 minutes and walk for another an hour before we really reached the peak.

 

After the ride, we climbed multiple stairs. We first reached this place where people settle down for small snacks and take a breather before continue climbing the stairs.

We climbed a whole series of steps, be it gentle or steep and finally reach the Golden Peak (金顶). There is another saying that behind the temple of Golden Peak you will put a coin at the wall. If your coin stays there, it means good luck.

Lucky for me that I succeed in putting my coin and it stayed there the second time I tried.

The one directly pn top of the note is my coin!

After trying, we walk down again! Before we leave for the cable car ride to the bottom of mountain, we took a photo! :D

We were also freezing cold that when we talk, there is cold air coming out from our mouth. It was so cool as it was my first time breathing cold air out of my mouth. It was just a pity that I could not take a picture of it to show it to my family in Singapore.

Also, before we reach the cable car we bought some specialty. They are迁实糕 and 瓜子酥. As we come down from the cable car, we bought more specialties like Peanut cake (花生糕). Another group photo before we leave!

Our Wudang Trip came to an end and we took another 5hours ride back to our hostel! GoodNights! J

Day SIX - 9 March 2013

Our weekends started very early. We took a five hour bus ride to the Wudang Mountain (武当山) and we stayed there for two days one night. I have heard of Wudang Mountain through various martial arts movie like Karate Kids and The Heavenly Sword and The Dragon Sabre. I heard some history of Wudang Mountain from my Father as well. The first beautiful scene I saw was ouptside our hostel. An ‘egg yolk’ for my breakfast!

The five hour bus ride was long and tiring. Most of us were sleeping in the bus. When we reached, we had a 10-course lunch, 9 dishes and a soup. The 10-course meals only appear in Wedding banquets in Singapore which is rare for us.

After lunch, we went to the Prince Slope (太子坡) to explore. We have to climb a flight of stairs to get there.

The Prince Slope is said to be the place where the Prince give up his status to pursue in practicing Wudang martial arts and Taoism. He is then bestowed the sacred title of ‘ZhenWu’ and that Wudang Mountain is named after him. The temple was built in such way to suit the mountain slope pattern and the zigzag walls that flow along the mountain surface.

After the stairs, we come to see this Good Fortune, Prosperous and Longevity (福禄寿)

This Good Fortune, Prosperous and Longevity are the highest state of a happy life. Hence praying for good fortune, prosperity and longevity is a tradition culture of Wudang Mountain which is a way to express wishes. We then proceed on to the ‘FuZhenDian’ (复真殿) which is a National Key Point Cultural Relic Preservation.

We then continue to look at the various temples and historical sites.

As we walked, we come across a big water pot. There is also a statue of dragon in the pot. It is said that if you tossed a coin into the water and the coin lands on parts of the dragon statue, it will bring good fortune. Some of us tried it and it was really hard to get as of refraction and reflection.

Walking further, we come to this ancient building that is hand-made by the locals in the olden days. It is very obvious as of the different lengths of the windows that in the past there were no ruler or measuring tape for the locals to measure the wood that is used to build the building.

Next on, we went to the Purple Cloud Hall (紫霄殿).

Before we enter the hall, we come across a small bridge. Below the bridge is a lake and on the lake there is a statue of a snake on a tortoise. The ZhenWu Emperor is standing on this tortoise and snake that symbolizes wiping of the vices in the lower world. Again, we climbed up a flight of stairs to the Purple Cloud Temple.

It is said that the Purple Cloud Temple is the best-preserved temple that still keep its original flavor as it was in the Ming Dynasty. It is regarded as a rare example for scenic researchers on the buildings of the Ming Dynasty. Above the temple, there are 4 immortals that are protecting the temple, ensuring that no devil is there to create troubles. The 4 immortals are said to be JiangZiYa’s four sons. The sons asked JiangZiYa for a post in immortals and that JiangZiYa put them on the Purple Cloud Temple to protect it and that tied them with metal chains to the temple that prevent them from falling off the temple roof. (Two of them at the back, two at the front)

At the back of this Purple Cloud Hall, there is the Parents Hall (父母殿). It is said that when the children pray in this hall, it will give good blessings to the parents.

Following on, there is a wall with many carvings. These carvings indicate the various stories and blessings in the olden days which include blessing for those studying to be scholars and names of generals who had contributed to the country greatly to be blessed with good wishes.

Before we leave the temple, I saw this male that is carrying bricks. It interests me as only during the olden that people would carry things in the way he does



After a long day we went to mid-mountain’s hotel for a rest. We unpack our belongings and rest before dinner. Again, dinner was 10-course with 9 dishes and a soup. Since afternoon, 50% of the dishes were all vegetables which are good for health and especially when we are in a Taoism Mountain and they mostly eat vegetables to keep healthy and strong.

After dinner, my friends and I gather at my room to play and eat snack together, a bonding time. We played UNO together where I keep losing all the way. Unlucky me! The day ends where all my friends went back to their room and rest. J