Jake Make Cake Take 2

Twice in a week?  This guy likes cake.  Today it's Jamie Oliver's 'bloomin' brilliant brownies'.  They are pretty brilliant.  I love Jamie, he's a bloomin' genius, and in minutes I turned this lot:

  

 Into these bad boys:

 

 

Not a birthday this time.  Tomorrow at work we will be raising money towards Macmillan Cancer Care as part of the World's Biggest Coffee Morning campaign.  It's a great cause (and an excuse to gorge on sweets) so get involved y'all.

Jake Make Cake

This is my second attempt at making Nigella Lawson's Chocolate Guinness Cake. Last time it was a bit of a hit (go me), so I'm hoping Dad will appreciate it on this, the day of his birth.

You know it's going to be a good recipe when the first two ingredients are butter and Guinness.

The secret ingredient here is the bicarbonate of soda which passed it's use by date in 2002. You literally can't find this stuff anywhere. Except maybe at the back of your parents' herbs and spices cupboard.

Such an easy cake to make, and oh so deliciously moist and tasty. Nigella says the icing is optional but I'm going to call BS on that. It might just contain cream cheese, icing sugar and double cream, but it is the perfect accompaniment and makes the cake look badass too. No option, it has to go on.

And here it is.  OK so it doesn't really look up to much but that's just my shoddy photography.  With the right lighting and whatnot, it would make your mouth water.  What matters most of course is the taste, and it tastes goooood.  Seriously good.  Give it a try y'all.

Great Wall of China Marathon

Why?

I think it was Laura Drullie who told me about the Seven Continents Club.  It's simple really, run a marathon on each continent and you're a member.  I'm not saying I'm going to make the cut, but I'm starting to think that I might give it a shot . . .  Obviously I'm choosing to ignore the £10,000 price tag for running a marathon in Antartica.

So with North America ticked off the list (New York in 2008), it's Asia's turn.  And what better place than on the Great Wall?  There are two marathons held there each year, the Great Wall Marathon and the Great Wall of China Marathon.  I chose the latter because it's cheaper to enter.  A lot, lot cheaper.

Training

I'll be honest, I didn't do a lot of training . . .  Yes I did some runs and some stair work but it definitely wasn't enough.  My excuse is that I couldn't face running around Tianjin.  It's dusty and full of people!  Stair training is tough because it is incredibly boring, but I did manage 2,000 steps on one day.  That was fun.

Briefing

On April 30th we were invited to a posh hotel in BJ where we collected our race packs.  Inside were our race bibs and, after being No. 16868 in New York, I felt strangely proud to discover I was to be No. 2 (I am aware that the number means absolutely nothing).  In total there were 150 people running either the full marathon, half-marathon, 10km or 5km.  About 70 were running the full course.

Race outfit = looking good.

The organisers introduced the marathon route which you can see here and also told us about the dreaded steps and hills that we would be facing.  Here is a chart showing the change in elevation during the run.  We were also told that one part of the wall involved a 75˚ incline (and therefore a 75˚ decline on the way back) which freaked me out a bit.

A runner tackling the 75˚ decline.

Race Day

The buses were scheduled to leave at 05:00 so I was up at 03:00 to get ready.  I didn't mind because it meant I could catch the first half of the Manchester derby!  I snoozed a bit on the coach but mostly talked to my fellow runners who were all great and a truly international bunch.

The start/finish line of the marathon.  The flags give you an idea of all the different nationalities that were represented in the race.  I think the Union Jack is in the top right.  Not too sure how many Brits were there.

 At 09:00, after a lot of waiting around and some interesting warm up exercises, it was finally time to start.  The first half of the marathon involved running on a trail by the wall as well as on the wall itself.  There weren't too many steep inclines but going uphill was very tough.  The path could be slippery in places and I actually hit the deck at one point.  Luckily there was no damage done and as a bonus I don't think anyone saw me go down.  It was quite a hot day and there were bugs everywhere (I definitely swallowed a few).

The views from the wall were absolutely spectacular and I almost wish I had carried a camera with me (but glad I didn't because it would have been a burden).  Here are some great photos from the GWCM website which give you an idea of the conditions.

A runner on an old stretch of the wall.

A view over the marathon route.

The second half of the course involved a lot more steps and climbing but this section of the wall had been rebuilt which made it a lot easier to run on (where there were flat bits).  By this point there were more tourists on the wall.  At times this could be a bit frustrating as it was difficult to pass them on the narrow sections but it was great to have them cheering you on too.

The last stretch was pretty tough (take a look at the elevation map again) as there was a steep downhill staircase to conquer.  All I could think as I was going down was that I'd have to come back up again once I'd reached the turning point at the bottom.  That was definitely a low moment!  But I got through it and, despite my right leg cramping up a mile from the end, made it home in 5:41:54.  The organisers held up a red ribbon for each runner which was a great touch.

A very happy and relieved man!

All Done

Crossing the finish line was a HUGE relief and a great feeling.  I'm very happy with my time but for those who are interested, I believe the quickest time was around 3h 30m which is just unbelievable.

This marathon was completely different to New York in so many ways but it was an incredible experience and I feel really lucky to have been able to take part in it.

Post Marathon

From finishing the marathon up until this point I have mostly been eating, drinking and sleeping.  My legs don't seem to be hurting too much which is a massive bonus.  After New York my quads were screaming with every step.

I treated myself to a massage today.  It was mostly great, but occasionally incredibly painful.  The masseuse punched me, kicked me and at one point stood on my back.  As if my body was a surfboard.  Oh and she stuck her fingers in my ears.  Right in.

Jake's Marathon Tips

Most people have stopped reading by now but I thought I would just give a few of my marathon tips (because I'm so experienced).

1. Comfort is key.  Wear clothes that are designed for running.  Also, chafing is a very real concern.  Plasters on the nips is how I roll.
2. Buy some Skins (compression clothing), I can't recommend them enough.  I think the reason my legs are not burning today is because of these manly tights.
3. I get very hungry when I run far so I've started to carry energy gels such as these.  Tasty and they give you an energy boost (duh).
4. Prepare your body by drinking lots of water in the days leading up to the run.  Also stick to basic foods the night before.  No vindaloos etc.  I think most experienced runners recommend pasta.
5. A lot of runners think that you shouldn't listen to music when running.  I think at big events it is better not to so that you enjoy the atmosphere and occasion, but I'm glad I had my iPod with me on the wall.  Sometimes you need an uplifting song to keep you going.
6. Final tip, get advice from an experienced marathon runner who knows what they are talking about rather than some guy who has run just two.  You know how to use Google.

Spring Festival 5: MH to Hangzhou

Our journey from Huangshan to Hangzhou was slightly odd.  We were taken out of town by a minibus which dropped us off at a petrol station in the middle of nowhere.  Five minutes later and a coach full of Chinese people arrived and picked us up.  Unfortunately there was one seat too few so a Chinese man was made to get off for me.  I tried to protest but the the coach driver was having none of it.  We then drove for another twenty minutes or so before stopping again.  This time everyone got off the bus, leaving just us foreigners to complete the journey to Hangzhou.  Very strange and definitely the work of Mr Hu (see previous post).

Our hostel in Hangzhou was very cosy and we had a whole attic room to ourselves.  Unfortunately the showers were downstairs (and outside) but we made it work.  Oh and there was a puppy so the girls were happy about that.

Hangzhou is a very popular tourist destination in China as it is the home of West Lake.  Many cities in China have a West Lake, but Hangzhou's is known for it's beauty and history.  Su Dongpo, a famous Song Dynasty (960 - 1127) poet, once compared the Lake to Xi Zi, the most beautiful woman in ancient China.

Ripping water shimmering on sunny day,
Misty mountains shrouded the rain;
Plain or gaily decked out like Xizi;
West Lake is always alluring.

Unfortunately the weather was pretty poor (standard) and, it still being winter, everything looked a bit grey, but we still had a great time hiring bikes and cycling around the water.  The girls got the usual attention from the Chinese tourists and locals and for the first time some of them also wanted to take pictures of me.  Hurrah!

I imagine that the lake and the surrounding gardens would look absolutely spectacular in the summer so hopefully one day I will be able to come back and see it in all its glory.

After our strenuous day of cycling we decided that we deserved to get ourselves booked in for a massage.  Some parts of it were very relaxing, other parts were downright painful but I think I felt a lot better for it.  At £19 it was actually quite an expensive treat (on a Chinese teachers salary) but it did include tea, snacks and a shower afterwards.  Not too shabby.

Whilst walking through the streets of Hangzhou we spotted these helpful signs.

I like how they need just 4 characters for the first poster but 5 characters to say "No spitting".  I also like that they decided to include a picture with the second poster.  Gross.

Spring Festival 4: SH to Mount Huangshan

Our trip to Mount Huangshan (Huángshān 黄山) was made at the last minute and so we didn't have accommodation arranged for when we arrived.  Some Americans we had met the previous night in Tunxi (a town nearby) had told us about a man called Mr Hu who would be able to provide food and shelter at a very reasonable price.  But how were we to find this Mr Hu?

It turns out that Mr Hu finds you.  As our bus arrived into Tangkou, Mr Hu pulled up in his ride and ferried us to his lovely (but ridiculously cold - no radiators remember) hotel.  He insisted that he just happened to be passing by when he saw us, but I put it down to some kind of sixth sense.  Or perhaps the bus driver gave him a heads up.  Either way, according to the guest book at Mr Hu's Hotel,  he seems to enjoy a monopoly over foreign visitors.

In his defence, you can see why.  He speaks English, his hotel is cheap, his wife cooks great food, he's incredibly knowledgeable about Mount Huangshan (after 30 years of working as a guide), his guests can enjoy discount entry to the nearby attractions, he'll help book accommodation on top of the mountain and he'll even arrange tickets for a bus or train out of there.  Seriously, if you ever go there, look him up.  Here's a link to (fellow ELA) Priya's excellent blog which has a picture of the great man.  Oh and the wonderful "English Breakfast" they served at his hotel.

We all agreed that the best way to spend our first afternoon in the mountains would be to visit the hot springs.  I think we spent about 5 hours floating around in the pools.  It was glorious.  Until you had to get out.

On our second day we decided to walk up the lower half of the mountain before getting a cable car to the top where we would stay one night.  It was a cold day so we made sure we were nicely layered up.  Two minutes in and we had all stripped down to our t-shirts.  Climbing up steps is hard work.

As the Spring Festival holiday had not yet begun we had the path to ourselves as it wound passed waterfalls and through lush bamboo forests.  We didn't even have to queue for the cable car which took us up to the peak of the mountain where a white, winter wonderland was waiting for us.

Although it was fun to play in the snow (for about a minute), we quickly realised that the snowy, misty and foggy weather would not allow us to experience any of the spectacular views that the mountain is renowned for.  We did encounter a wild monkey though.  It was terrifying.

There are a few hotels on the top of the mountain.  Naturally we stayed in the cheapest.  £10 for a dorm room bed.  The next morning a few of us decided to walk down the mountain.  It was cold, wet, slippery and steep but it did allow us to briefly glimpse some beautiful views of distant peaks poking out from the sea of cloud below.

Whilst stumbling and struggling down the stairs we were frequently passed by Chinese porters who were practically running up the hill with supplies for the guests at the top of the mountain.  They would carry huge loads on their backs whilst wearing little more than plimsolls on their feet.  It was quite an incredible sight but unfortunately I didn't take a photo so here's one I found online.

Mount Huangshan is definitely worth a visit and if you get lucky with the weather, the views will be absolutely incredible.  Recommend staying with Mr Hu, climbing the mountain with one or two nights on the top before climbing down and visiting the hot springs to relax and rest your weary legs.

Next stop, Hangzhou.

Spring Festival 3: NJ to Shanghai

Before I get to Shanghai, I thought I would talk to you about central heating.  Exciting stuff I know but in China, the central heating system in all houses, schools and offices is actually controlled by the government.  Regardless of the weather conditions or current temperature, every year on November 15th it is turned on (cue smog) and then on March 15th it is turned off again.

On top of this it turns out that cities in southern China do not even have central heating systems.  In theory this is because the winters are a lot milder in the south.  All I can say is, it still gets cold.  Very very cold.  There were nights in hostels where we were wearing wooly hats to bed.

Anway, our next stop Shanghai (Shànghǎi 上海) was just a short bullet train ride from Nanjing.  Despite the cold, overcast and occasionally wet weather, we had a really nice few days just walking around and seeing what it had to offer.

 

 

After five months in a city that has very little in the form of entertainment, culture or tourism, it was very refreshing to visit museums, have a great choice of food, find bars that served decent drinks and most importantly, not be stared at when walking down the street!  In the French Concession area, there was almost as many foreigners as Chinese people.  This might not seem that amazing to you but it blew my mind. 

We were in the area to find the Shanghai Propaganda Poster Art Centre which we had read about in our Lonely Planet Guide.  It turned out to be located in the basement of an apartment block which was in the middle of nowhere.  Despite the strange location, they have a great collection of old Chinese propaganda posters from the last century on display.  Here's one of my favourites:

As a forward thinking city, Shanghai also gave us some glimpses of what the future might have in store for us.  Apparently multi-coloured dogs and 'urinals with a view' are where we are headed.

Shanghai is a fantastic city and has much too much to see and do in three days.  Hopefully I'll get to go back again before I head home in the summer.  Next up is a trip to the countryside and an attempt at climbing Mount Huangshan, the Yellow Mountain.

Spring Festival 2: TJ to Nanjing

Getting a train at 7:00am is never fun (and neither is realising that, on arriving at the station, you've left your passport at home . . . poor Fiona), but doing so meant that we had a good day and a half to explore Nanjing (Nánjīng 南京), the next leg on our tour of China.

After dumping our stuff at the cosy Jasmine Hostel, we headed into town to see the old city wall.  Unfortunately the wall at Zhonghuamen had been closed so that preparations could be made for the upcoming Spring Festival celebrations.  So we basically ended up spending the afternoon looking at, and walking next to, a big wall.

After the excitement of the wall, we made our way into town and found a bustling central touristy area by the Qin Huai River.  There there hundreds of stores and stalls selling the usual tat and questionable snacks.  There was one diamond in the rough though, Sarah's new favourite treat; glazed strawberries on a stick.

Back at the hostel we decided that there were not enough "what do you call a man who . . . " jokes in the world.  Here are some of our attempts:

What do you call a man who tells it like it is?  Frank
What do you call a man with bailiffs at his door?  Owen
What do you call a girl on the toilet?  Dianarrhea

We're genuinely quite proud of the first two.  I think we called it a night after the third.

We had big plans for day two.  Plans that did not allow for time wasting or spontaneous adventuring.  Slightly unfortunate then that the first thing we did was walk into a random museum that was not in fact the Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall.  If you're a fan of silk, then the Yunjin Museum is for you.

I don't really know how to talk about the Nanjing Massacre, a period that is also known as the Rape of Nanjing.  Before coming to China I hardly knew anything about the massacre and I'm not sure that there are many Westerners who do (although Zhang Yimou's recent film Flowers of War might help to change that). 

What happened following the Japanese capture of the city in 1937 is nothing short of horrifying.  The photos, diary entries, stories and eye witness accounts that are on display at the museum are incredibly moving and frequently impossible to comprehend.  For those who want to learn more, there are thousands of sites dedicated to remembering the atrocity.  As always, a decent place to start is wikipedia.

The museum itself is very well organised and all displays have English translations.  If you ever visit Nanjing then the museum will probably be top of your list of things to see and rightly so.  Despite the horrendous subject matter and sombre atmosphere, I would say it was one of the most interesting museums that I have ever visited.  It is certainly an unforgettable experience.

In the afternoon we opted for a bit of fresh air and greenery and so made our way to Zijin Shan Park (lit. Purple-Gold Mountain).  There was greenery, but I'm not too sure about fresh air.  Throughout the park there are many historical sites to visit.  We decided that we wanted to see Dr Sun Yat-Sen's Mausoleum (mainly because it was free).  Dr Sun is often referred to as "the father of modern China" and as such, his mausoleum attracts millions of Chinese tourists every year.  The buildings were beautiful and the view from the top would have been spectacular had it not been for the smog filled sky.

On the way back to the hotel we popped into a Western bar for some cocktails and nachos.  Very classy.  Despite having been in the city for only a day and a half, we all agreed that Nanjing had made a great first impression.  Not only does it have historical significance and legitimate tourist attractions but also trees, parks, rivers, lakes and even hills (it's amazing how much I miss hills).  Poor old Tianjin just can't compete.