19 Sep 2009: Nanjing Museum 南京博物院

Read about the Nanjing Museum in the internet. Looked grand and having lots of antiques to see. Indeed, was expecting something close to Beijing's Palace Museum's!

It's was around 2.30 pm in a Saturday afternoon. Hopped into a cab and thought it won't take long to arrive (according to the map). Indeed, it was not far and cost only RMB16 (approx. SGD3). Nevertheless, the traffic condition was terrible! The entire journey was accompanied by 'horns' (that reminded of Bangalore!). Was wondering why people were so impatient!? And where on earth these vehicles heading to? It's Saturday afternoon... It already past lunch time so long! Workers would have left the workplace long ago. Right?


At last, arrived where the Museum was... but it's the opposite! And the cab stopped!!! "What? You mean You wanted me to alight and cross THAT road?????" That was the biggest horror I faced! How could I cross such a busy road??? 2 way traffic with no road divider!!! There wasn't any traffic light!!! How to cross????? That was so terrifying!!! But the cab driver insisted, " Get out and cross the road... follow those people out there!". What else could I do? Get stuck in the middle of the road was not joke! At last, it took me more than 10 minutes brave through heavy traffic to cross the road... That's one of the most hairstanding encounter here! I felt as if it was longer than a day! At one point, even thought of backing up... but it won't work 'cos the return direction was opposite... Still have to cross and take a cab from the opposite road! Sigh...


After wiping my cold sweat... at last arrived at the Museum... Quiet... there wasn't any sign that said "Ticket booth". So entered... There's a security checkpoint set up. As I walked forward, that security guard raised the voice and uttered a string of words in a very unfriendly manner with his finger pointing at the entrance. Hey, what were you trying to say? You expect visitors to under your string of words that came out at bullet-shooting speed? Though I'm Chinese, I'm not a local... I couldn't make out what you were trying to say!

Back to the entrance, at last, I saw a booth that issued tickets - free tickets! Really don't understand why bother to ask visitors to collect a ticket and drop it at the security checkpoint while the entrance is free? I really couldn't understand! The saga continued when I was about to send my bag to go through the scanner. The guard impatiently signal me to walk through the security 'gate' and carry the bag with me! Wow! What an experience! One big question mark: What's the point of having that security checkpoint when it wasn't put to its rightful use? Or was it because I look Chinese and therefore, Chinese needed not go through the same SOP? Really puzzled over it.

It's not doubt, the collection was rich... and I saw one difference between the oriental and european 'wall art'. Read about it in the photos.

Shopping for postcard was always the last ritual in any museum visit. Same here. Bought a stack of postcard that cost me about RMB15 (I think). Handed over a RMB20 note and cashier rejected... why? It was because it's too giam-cai. So, they reject their own currency notes! Was it because it's a 'high class' place so only clean notes were accepted? Well, well... that's the impression I brought with me, at least... Ha! what a joke!