China (Taishan, Shandong) Sept 2010 D-4 & D-5

Map of Taishan, Shandong, China

Hostel: Taishan International Youth Hostel - CNY45 dorm (2 nights)

Train: Beijing>Taishan - CNY79 (hard seat)
Bus: CNY8
Entrance fee: CNY202 (Taishan, age 60 - discount 50%) + CNY30 (Tai Temple)
Food & groceries: CNY70
Sundries (walking stick) - CNY25
Total expenses incurred: CNY504

From Beijing, we took a train (due to the weekend and heavy booking, we bought 2 standing tickets CNY79 each) from Beijing to Taishan. Arriving around 20.00, we took a motor trishaw to our hostel.

Mt Taishan, Shandong - the next morning, we took a public bus to Tianwai Cun at the foot of Mt Taishan, a UNESCO site. As a senior citizen (age 60+), I was entitled for a 50% discount for the entrance ticket (CNY62). To get to the Midway Gate to Heaven, we took an internal minibus (return CNY32) as it would be too strenuous for both of us to walk uphill.

From the Midway Gate to Heaven, we took a cable car (one way CNY80) to Moon View Peak, near the Nan Tien Men. This part of the cable car journey was quite scenic as seen from the top.

Rocks inscribed with calligraphy and ancient Chinese Taoist characters singing praises to the high and mighty Mt Taishan !

Taoist temples, smoky incense sticks, brass locks chained together blessing good fortune, wealth & prosperity to worshipper's family.....

Visitors making their ascends and descends following the Path of 18th Bends (1,600 steps - 0.8km) to the summit. After reaching the summit, we took a slow and steady walk down hill - passing 1,600 steps which took 3 1/2 hours to reach the mid-way car park !

Cool, fresh misty mountain air awaits you at the peak !

" Taishan is 1,545m high; a distance of 7.5km to climb from base to summit, a total of 6,600 steps; 5 Chinese emperors had climbed Mt Taishan. Lucky me with the help of a cable car ride, I managed to scale Mt Taishan with ease. In 2001 Labor Day, 60,000 people loitered onto the summit ... scary isn't it ? Thanks god, I was not one of them !

The Secrets of Life: Time is like a river. You cannot touch the same water twice because the flow that has passed will never pass again "