Terminal photos on Flickr

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The Beijing Diary

Day 5 – The Journey Home

The plan was simple enough. From Beijing, to Shenzhen airport, to Macau ferry terminal. We should be home in Macau before the evening news end at 8:30. But this is a long diary entry so you know something wrong happened. You can skip reading this one if you want.

We left our hotel before 12 noon, aboard two taxicabs, headed for the Beijing airport. I, together with three others, was aboard the second car, following the first taxi. So far, so good. A few meters away, our driver was asking us something, motioning “1-2-3” on his hand. We couldn’t understand him but after awhile, we deduce he meant what airport terminal were we suppose to go. Uh-oh. We didn’t know and we don’t have cell phones to ask the others on the first taxicab. We “handsignalled” our driver to overtake the first cab so we can ask what terminal but our driver couldn’t understand us. Our last resort was to shout loud enough for the others to hear us. “Sonny! Anong terminal?!!!” After a few shouts, they heard us (thank you cotton buds) and signaled “3”. We motioned to our driver “terminal 3”. A few minutes later, we saw them flash “2”. We told our driver that it was terminal 2 and we made sure he understand.

The drive from our hotel to the airport was about an hour, along the beautiful suburban areas on a wide highway. We were still following the first taxicab. So far, so good. But nearing the airport, after the highway tollbooth, our driver overtook the first taxicab. We would’ve preferred to follow them but I saw a sign pointing to the terminal 2 airport and that’s where we’re headed. But as I look back, I thought I saw the first taxicab slowed down and turned right towards terminal 3. Uh-oh…

We got off our cab on the drop-off area and were waiting for the others. Minutes and a number of taxicabs passed and still no sign of them. The girls went inside the terminal to ask if we’re on the right one. They returned after awhile and told us that yes, we’re on the right terminal. But where were the others? After about half an hour or more, the others came, aboard a different taxi and were fuming, noses flaring. They got into an argument with the first taxi they were on about which terminal to go. After checking in and a hearty lunch, everyone was in a good mood.

We arrived in Shenzhen airport about half an hour or more late. There is a ferry service to Macau from that airport and we were hoping we can still catch it but the last sailing was 5:30 in the afternoon. We were at the airport around 6:30. We have to take two taxicabs again to the Shekou ferry terminal (uh-oh, not again) where we were hoping we can catch the last sailing to Macau at 7:30. Thankfully, our taxi drivers know where we wanted to go, but we arrived at the Shekou terminal at 8pm.

Our last resort was to sail to Hong Kong then to Macau even though we know that will take lots of time and effort. Fortunately, we saw that there is a ferry sailing to Zhuhai, a mainland city next to Macau at 8:30. From the Zhuhai ferry terminal, we can take a short taxicab ride to the Zhuhai-Macau boarder and walk across. But our concern was if our Chinese visas would allow us to go a different Chinese province from Shenzhen. We asked the ticket booth personnel and she said it was okay. We wanted to make sure and fortunately, a Chinese who speaks fluent English helped us and asked Chinese immigration officials to confirm if we’re allowed to go to Zhuhai. It was a “go”. But the ferry to Zhuhai was a slow-moving old ferry, not unlike the high-tech, fast ferries we were accustomed to board going to Hong Kong or Shenzhen. Well, it doesn’t matter. As long as it will take us home.

Around midnight, we were resting on our own beds, inside our own respective flats in Macau, already reminiscing about our memorable Beijing trip. I believe there were smiles on everyone’s lips as we sleep, even though we have to endue an 11-12 hour travel just to get home.

Hankyu Umeda Terminal by Hideki iiiiiiiiiii

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Osaka, Japan

Terminal Tower framed. by Lauren Spisak

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Port Terminal, Seattle by Falanx75

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Port Terminal, Seattle with the back-drop of Mount Rainier

Lisbon Cruise Terminal by Hawkeye2011

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Illinois Terminal 049 by Chuck Zeiler

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Illinois Terminal Railroad 049 at Wheaton, Illinois on November 26, 1964, Ektachrome by Chuck Zeiler. This car was built by American Car & Foundry in March 1910 as a trailer sleeper, numbered 504 and named PEORIA. It was retired December 16, 1939 and converted to MOW bunk car 049. On April 16, 1960 it was sold to Don Ross, later moved to the Illinois Railway Museum. It's probably safe to say this was the only time a Illinois Terminal interurban car visited Wheaton.

As built, this car was configured with five compartments on each side of a center passageway, with each compartment containing two berths. Each berth was 6 feet, two inches long, a half foot longer than a standard Pullman berth. A unique feature were windows for the upper berths. Toward the front of the car was a smoker and men's room. To the rear was a women's room (complete with an electric curling iron), heater compartment, and linen locker.

Terminal Point... by Dylan Davies

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Lothian Buses Volvo B7RLE Eclipse Urban 174 lays over at it's terminus at Craigleith Retail Park before departing on service 42 to Portobello King's Road.

Terminal by DalusCarosu

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Nils ericson Terminalen in Gothenburg, Sweden.

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Terminal blue by Erik Delvigne

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Yokohama (Japan) 2006. Ramp at the Yokohama boat terminal. No Photoshopping, they just got very blue light in there.

Terminal by Wicked Dark Photography

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This might be an old carriage house, but I'm not sure. It is strangely isolated on a corner, screened by trees and has a curious combination of old and new roofs.

Terminal by Ayas A.

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Rare old-style Fujinon 50/1.4 EBC with Thorium glass - wide open

Grand Central Terminal by Jeff Bergman

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Welcome to Grand Central Terminal, the largest train station in the world based upon the number of platforms. She is also one of the most visited tourist attractions in all the land with app 21 million visitors annually.

Shown above is the cavernous, Main Concourse which is an enormous – 275 ft (84 m) long, 120 ft (37 m) wide and 125 ft (38 m) high and constantly filled with bustling crowds. The main information booth, in the center of the concourse features a four-faced clock made from opal, and both Sotheby's and Christie's have estimated the value to be between $10 million and $20 million.

In autumn 1998, a 12-year restoration of Grand Central revealed the Main Concourse's elaborately decorated astronomical ceiling. The ceiling was obscured by decades of what was thought to be coal and diesel smoke. Examination revealed that it was mostly tar and nicotine from tobacco smoke. A single dark patch remains left untouched by renovators to remind visitors of the grime that once covered the ceiling.

There are two peculiarities to this ceiling: 1) the sky is backwards and 2) the stars are slightly displaced. It is commonly believed that the backways sky was intentional to so that the ceiling reflected God's view of the sky.

Transbay Terminal by Thomas Hawk

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terminal station by lina zelonka

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frankfurt am main (hesse, germany), central station

Terminal by Miguel Duran Perello

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Buffalo Central Terminal by Ryan Gaynor

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When passenger trains were king. Built by Fellheimer & Wagner for the New York Central in 1929, the Buffalo Central Terminal now sits in derelict condition as another day of abandonment comes to an end. Located just 2 miles outside of downtown Buffalo, this beautiful Art Deco style terminal has certainly seen better days. In its zenith Buffalo Central Terminal served approximately 200 trains a day. Constructed to serve 3200 passengers per hour it seems BCT was always to large and never really met its full potential as the Great Depression and an increase in automobile travel created an initial decline. Over a decade later when World War 2 began the terminal saw a large increase in traffic. Served by railroads such as the New York Central, PRR, TH&B and CN the terminal was also an important stop for name trains like the 20th Century Limited as well an unnamed trains. After the war a long decline began, continuing throughout the 60's and 70's when alternative modes of transport and a series of mergers brought the BCT to its demise. In 1979 passenger service ended at BCT and the new Depew station replaced the Art Deco giant. Many years of neglect left the terminal in very rough condition, however, efforts are being made by the CTRC to restore it to its former glory.

Terminal T4 by Francisco Ruiz

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Sony dsc

Trailways Terminal Restaurant by Streets of Washington

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Before it built its new terminal at 12th Street and New York Ave NW in 1954, the Trailways bus company had a small depot on New York Avenue. For its new terminal, the company took over the bottom two floors of the stately 1930s Capital Wallpaper and Paint Company, located next door at the southwest corner of 12th and I Streets NW. They added a restaurant (seen in this postcard view), lounge, and waiting area and then built the arcade for boarding buses in the adjoining lot, tearing down the old depot and using the open space for buses. This terminal was adjacent to the Greyhound Terminal, located catty corner on the south side of New York Avenue. Trailways remained here until 1984, when it moved to a new terminal at 1st and L Streets NE behind Union Station. Three years later Greyhound bought Trailways and followed it to a spot behind Union Station. A large office building was constructed on the former Trailways site at 12th and New York Avenue in 1988.

LAX Terminals by DBC

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Terminal 5, 4 and the south half of the International Terminal.

terminal data lll by patrick boury

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san francisco international (sfo) - millbrae, california

Grand Central Terminal by Örgüt Çaylı

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New York, USA

TWA Terminal by Desolate Places

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Trailways Bus Terminal by Streets of Washington

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Before it built its new terminal at 12th Street and New York Ave NW in 1954, the Trailways bus company had a small depot on New York Avenue (to the left of this postcard view). For its new terminal, the company took over the bottom two floors of the stately 1930s Capital Wallpaper and Paint Company, located next door at the southwest corner of 12th and I Streets NW (seen here on the right). They added a restaurant, lounge, and waiting area and then built the arcade for boarding buses in the adjoining lot, tearing down the old depot and using the open space for buses. This terminal was adjacent to the Greyhound Terminal, located catty corner on the south side of New York Avenue. Trailways remained here until 1984, when it moved to a new terminal at 1st and L Streets NE behind Union Station. Three years later Greyhound bought Trailways and followed it to a spot behind Union Station. A large office building was constructed on the former Trailways site at 12th and New York Avenue in 1988.

terminal service by Riex

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SFO International Terminal, bar closed because of the pandemic.

LAX terminal by Mark Harris

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Overview of Terminals 1,2 and 3 at LAX

Reading Terminal Market by Darren LoPrinzi

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A scene a bustling Reading Terminal Market in Philadelphia PA.

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terminal warehouse by jennifer blakeslee

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Terminal B by atmtx

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Mineta San Jose International Airport, San Jose, CA

The San Jose Airport is undergoing a major renovation and expansion. This is the new Terminal B that is nearing completion and is only partially open to the public.

Since my original flight back to Austin was cancelled, I had 8 hours to fill. I stopped in to take some shots as I walked from terminal A to terminal C.

Terminal 1 by Beatrycze.

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It looks and sounds like a time machine. But it’s not. It’s an 800ft tunnel that connects concourses B and C in Terminal 1 of Chicago O’Hare International Airport. Designed by Helmut Jahn, it’s not a typical tunnel. Moving walkways pull globetrotters through the long passageway beneath multicolored neon lights that race along its reflective ceiling. Undulating illuminated walls and chiming transcendental music complete the time-warped effect. When people emerge from the escalators into the United terminal they might expect to find themselves in the year 2050. More likely they are running late for a plane that’s about to take off promptly in the year 2012.

Terminal Sadness by Giovanni Savino Photography

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Goodwill outlet store.Queens, New York.

Still Open by Paul Fortini

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Chicago Greyhound Terminal with Presidential Towers in the background. This terminal was scheduled to close in September, 2024, however as of the photo date, still remained open. The tail end of some buses are seen.

Ferry Terminal Sunset by Richard Van Eck

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Seattle Ferry Terminal.

Florida Sampaloc Terminal by FalconStarXpress

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