Dujiangyan

Morning, Day 4 (25th October 2012)

After alighting and getting off at Dujiangyan Railway cum bus station, I encountered another problem. I fell for the tout's cheap offer of RMB10 to get to Dujiangyan¸instead of taking the public bus as I had originally intended. After a short distant in his car, he started offering his service of bringing me around Dujiangyan. What do I need him for when I could do things on my own! Further more, he could not speak a word of English and what use was his service when communication was impossible? To cut a long story short, his slow driving and sales tactics were getting to irritate me. I raised my voice and finally, he dropped me at an entrance where no visitors were seen. I questioned why there was nobody around and whether that was the correct place. He insisted yes and seeing that the sign on the building indicated that he was not lying, I alighted and paid him RMB10. It was at the Anlan Dujiangyan entrance.

The Dujiangyan entrance ticket was RMB90. I had originally thought that Dujiangyan was a river bank and covered fairly flat land. Instead, the area or rather the path, leads up and down hills throughout the scenic area. There were some old temples and pavilions around. The hour and a quarter long treks ended at the main entrance to Dujiangyan, in Dujiangyan city.

Dujiangyan city surprised me too. It was lovelier than I had expected. The street in front of the main entrance has been turned into a lovely pedestrian walk with a stream running alongside it and trees lining the street. The buildings were beautifully designed. I could not make it out whether they were old or new buildings but they were very aesthetically done.

I had lunch there, and the best meal in Sichuan. The lady boss advised me where to get a bus to get to Mount Qingcheng. Instead, I told her I wanted to go to the CRH Railway Station and from there to Mount Qingcheng Station. She told me to go to the main road to catch a taxi to the CRH Railway Station. The taxi fare was RMB20, without the use of meter.

At the Dujiangyan CRH Railway Station, I tried to buy the ticket at the ticketing machine but it required a Chinese ID. I have no choice but to go to the ticketing counter. The ticketing lady was very rude. She asked me to hurry up with the payment when I told her I wanted to go to Qingcheng Shan. I did not even know the fare and when I asked, she said RMB5. The passport was required for the ticket purchase. On hindsight, I could have key in my passport number at the ticketing machine instead of having to face this rude woman.