China - Japan April 2009 Trip Report
 

I have never posted a trip report before but feel that I owe my fellow Fodorites one for all the great help I have received off this site over the years. I will be posting live as I go and hope to have as much detail as possible as to help others in the future. 



I will start off by saying that I am 100% Canadian born Chinese but do not speak or understand much Mandarin at all. My mandarin consists of the phrases yes, no and I don't know. I speak Cantonese but in Beijing I mine as well be speaking Spanish, no one understands me. So if I can get through my first 2 weeks, so can anyone. I am traveling with my 50/50 wife (half Brit, half Chinese) who also is mandarin challenged just like me. I will start by posting my itinerary. I had lots of help on this from my dad (who is an avid Fodorite, and other Fodorites, (thanks Hawaiian Traveller, rkwan etc)).



April 6: Victoria/Beijing
April 7: Beijing, Arrival 4:20pm
April 8: Beijing
April 9: Beijing
April 10: Beijing
April 11: Beijing, Depart 5:00pm /Xian
April12: Xian, Arrival 7:00am
April13: Xian, Depart 11:00am /Guilin Transfer 2:00pm/Yangshou Arrival 4:00pm
April 14: Yangshou
April 15: Yangshou, Depart 6:00am/Longsheng, Arrival 9:00am, Depart 3:00pm/Guilin Arrival 7:00pm
April16: Guilin Depart 1:00pm/ Guangzhou, Transfer 2:00pm /Jiangmen Arrival 5:00pm
April 17: Jiangmen
April 18: Jiangmen, Depart 7:00am/Hong Kong, Arrival 11:00am
April 19: Hong Kong
April 20: Hong Kong
April 21: Hong Kong, Depart 3:10pm/, Tokyo , Arrival 8:30pm
April 22: Tokyo
April 23: Tokyo/Hakone
April 24:Hakone/Kyoto
April 25:Kyoto
April 26: Kyoto
April 27: Kyoto
April 28: Kyoto/Tokyo
April 29: Tokyo
April 30: Tokyo
May 1: Tokyo/Victoria


Flew business class for the first time ever in my life. Once you go business class you'll never go back. I have always flown cattle class and I strongly suggest that anyone out there who can afford it, if your flight is over 6 hours it is worth every penny, From the comp lounge, to the fact that I was sipping Champagne before I was taxiing. We were eating a 3 course dinner while we were still ascending, got to order from a menu no less!! Also the ability to recline your seat in to a horizontal position is huge. My wife slept 90% of the way!! It is bitter sweet though as I can never fly cattle class again. I kept peeking back at my poor flight companions that were sandwiched between two others with there knees implanted in the seat in front of them, poor guys. I knew from that moment on I would beg and borrow to ensure I will be flying business class because that is where it is at. They don't even care if you wear your seatbelt, the bathroom is always available and smells of the finest flowers. Even the flight attendants are more attractive LOL. When you leave your seat they even fold your blanket for you when you return. Anyways...enough about that. 



Got into Beijing on the 7th at 4pm. Had booked at the Days Inn Forbidden City for one night just to make things as smooth as possible for my first night in China. Booked it for 400 Yuan, about $80 CDN through the Days Inn website including one breakfast. Non English understanding taxi driver had trouble finding it. Ended up dropping us off at our back-up hotel and we caught another cab from there to Days Inn. No big deal as cabs in China are CHEAP!!! I swear if I had done the same trip in Canada it would have cost me at least $60 CDN. Two cabs only cost me maybe 30 Yuan!! $5 CDN. Amazing. No need to take public transport in China. Cabs are giving it away. I thought my cabbies meter was broken at first, as it moved so slowly.

We checked in at Days Inn and the front desk spoke great English. Room was a bit disappointing at first, as I am accustomed to 5 star North American hotels and although the room has had slapstick new renos, it was not as clean as I would have liked. I planned on moving the next day from my first impression. However after we checked in and realized that the hotel itself caters to westerners (even has cheeseburgers on the room service menu), location perfect, I decided that I can overlook a few small sanitary issues. I am now on my second day and the place is really growing on me. It’s got charm and character.

We checked in at 5pm and went straight to the Wang Fu Jing night food market, which I have heard so much about. It was totally overrated. Although there are tons of stands they all served the same thing over and over again. Meats on sticks, noodles and sugar covered fruits. I am all for street meat on sticks but to be honest it was quite dry and not very flavorful. Also the smell and the crowds make it unappetizing. We ended up in a hole in the wall in an alley located in a Hutong near our hotel and got a great meal for $60 Yuan! There are tons of hole in the wall restaurants near the Days Inn. Just pick a busy one, point at other tables around you with dishes that look appetizing and go for it. We had a great dinner. Be prepared in for local diners to be smoking and butting their cigarettes on the floor and spitting on them to make sure they are out.
Observation: it seems that picking your nose and hocking massive loogies in China is the norm. In fact I have started doing these things myself to fit in and you know what...its great LOL. When in Rome...

After dinner we wandered around Wang Fu Jing area (Beijing Times Square???) and then went to bed, we were exhausted.

April 8, 2009


Woke up 4am. Nothing was open. Waited to about 6am and things started opening up. Had the breakfast buffet at Days Inn. 1 Breaky was comped the other cost about $60 Yuan. I am a restaurant owner and I have to say there buffet was fantastic!! I DO NOT give out praise to buffets with ease either. There presentation was good, selection fantastic (both Asian and Western) complete with omelet station (Cook couldn't actually cook omelets, more like scrambled eggs with fillings but who cares tasted great), attentive efficient service, top quality bacon (which I think is the mark of a good breakfast buffet, often you get that deep fried burnt pork jerky crap) and I could go on forever, I was very impressed will be back tomorrow. 


Side Note: The service in China is unbelievable. I am a restaurant owner and if my staff could be anywhere near as attentive or hardworking I would be a happy guy. There are armies of staff waiting to serve you in medium to high end restaurants and the hole in the walls are just as good as the are all owner operators. Us North Americans need to take some lessons in how to run businesses from a service stand point.

We left our hotel at 7:30am and walked 5 minutes to Tiananmen Square, It was great. Lived up to all the historical significance and grandeur, soldiers were on guard, and the best part, was not too crowded, we got there early enough. I have been before in the afternoon and it was a zoo.
Side note: Pack summer clothes, we thought it was going to be cold but the weather has been great, in fact I am about to go out for dinner 7pm and I am still in shorts and T. Pack a light windbreaker and you are good to go.
Observation: It’s strange; no one in China wears shorts. These people must have built in AC. Here I am in shorts and T sweating my bag off and most of them are wearing pants, sweaters and jackets!

Also the heat had not yet hit. I remember last time I went in the afternoon the smog and heat was unbearable. Hung out around Tiananmen square, checked out the garden and then went to Forbidden City. A must see and do it early if you can. Less crowded, cool weather, can get through a lot quicker. Got approached by private guides but we declined. No need. Just Wikipedia it right before you go, maybe watch the Last Emperor and give er. Furthermore they have plaques explaining everything anyways so don’t bother with the auto tour earphones either Just the size and architecture alone will make you appreciate it.

We didn't bother with the mountain (Jing Shan) at the end of it but you could. We walked back to the hotel. Rickshaws were all over us but we wanted to walk. Ended up taking a shortcut through one of the many Hutongs which was really cool. Wife got a bit nervous in the Hutongs but the people were very non-threatning. Just living their life, minding their own business as we travelled through their backyard.

Went back to the hotel where I booked all my domestic flights and train through the front desk (no charge!) great service. We then went to Noodle King for lunch in Wang Fu Jing (quick, good and cheap) $15 Yuan for a bowl of noodles, and took a taxi to the zoo. Cost $30 Yuan. I really wanted to see Pandas which is why we went but I must say...

Disclaimer: I am by no means an animal activist or a guy that kisses his dog or a huge animal lover but I do respect wildlife and the Beijing Zoo does not. Zoos in my opinion are about research and education, not exploitation. All of the animals seemed sick, depressed and dying, no exaggeration.

The Pandas were trying to eat (as that is all they do) and people were yelling at them and calling them to come over like a household pet, just crazy. At one point one Panda just got up and walked to a corner of his cell and turned its back on the crowd and buried its head in its lap. Do you think this stopped the crowd, no way, the cat calls (or Panda calls I should say) just got louder. I have been to many Zoos and often there are signs like "do not stare the animals in the eye" etc, basic courtesy but in the Beijing zoo no way.

We got to this one part where they had 6-8 big game cats just caged up in 10 by 10 cells. Everyone was crowded around these cells taking pictures, posing by holding peace signs no less with no consideration for the animals. It looked like death row. I swear at one point I made eye contact with the Jaguar and it looked so sad, I thought it was on the verge of tears! I am not a sensitive person but man it was very sad. We were so disgusted I snapped a few pics, which I will look to post on a website and left immediately. I really implore all people that give a hoot about animals wild or domestic to boycott the Beijing Zoo. It really is tragic. Well my wife just got up and we are off to Quanjude for Peking duck. I am off to the wall tomorrow and will continue my rant...until then Fodorites.

Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant is located right in the heart of Wang Fu Jing. Fairly expensive we had ½ a duck, some veggies, couple of beers and it cost $240 Yuan! Pretty expensive for Beijing. It was ok, nothing special I have had better at home. I would suggest for others to just find a local restaurant and have Peking duck there.

April 9, 2009
We contacted a guide name Konglin (Fodors and Trip Advisor recommended) when we were still at home and hired him to take us to the Great Wall Mutianyu and Summer Palace for the day. It was a bit pricey $800 Yuan not including entrance fees but from my research and asking around hiring a cab to take us to the wall would have been about $500-$600 RMB anyways not including Summer Palace. Furthermore there are no guarantees your cabbie will speak English and with an hour ride each way I had lots of questions that needed answers so I went for it. The Great Wall was of the highest importance to my Wife and I so I didn’t want to mess around.
I contacted Konglin upon arrival in Beijing and we set up a day to go after checking the weather forecast.
Side Note: Beijing is very polluted so when you go see the Wall make sure you pick a nice day if you can as visibility can be poor if the weather is not great. Visibility is required to appreciate the full beauty and vastness of the Great Wall.

He was supposed to pick us up at 7am but he got sick so he sent another guide instead, John, and he was great. Great English, great personality and a nice brand new luxury vehicle to boot. Although Konglin didn’t show, he called us shortly after meeting with John to check in and make sure we were cool with the switch. I thought that was nice of him. He also called us after we were dropped off as well to see how things went and told us if there was anything else he could do for us just call him. Here is John and Konglins contact info. I would be partial to John as he did guide us so I know first hand what he is like, but I am sure Konglin is good too.

John
[email protected]
13611079697
www.Beijing-driver .com

Konglin
[email protected]

It took us about an hour to get to the Wall. John took us through the countryside to get there (he said that there was a highway as well but that this way was quicker and more scenic) and boy was it. John is a talented driver and has lots of information about the surroundings. Conversation was great, not forced, and his local knowledge was fantastic. He is a Beijing native so we were in good hands.

We got to the wall and at first the visibility was decent but not great. John predicted that once we got up there the wind would do its job and it would clear up. He walked us up to the ticket booth, got us our tickets and lets us get after it. It was cool too because John knew all the staff working the wall so all of the solicitors just left us alone for the most part.

We chose to buy the tickets $60 Yuan per person for the Chairlift style up (you can also take a Gondola) and toboggan down. As soon as I got on the Chairlift and the Wall came in to view, it really took my breath away. For some odd reason the beauty and sheer size of the wall made me very emotional. I had goosebumps on my arms and tears in my eyes. It is just so grand words cannot describe how impressive it is. Although some believe the Great Wall was ultimately a failure, those people have not seen it live, they couldn’t have. It is magnificient.

When we got to the top a solicitor yelled at us from the wall to come this way and we followed thinking she was staff. Of course she wanted to take our pic, sell us pop, etc. There are all types of solicitors on the wall selling things. They were a slick bunch too. They spotted a Canadian flag on my wife’s backpack and sure enough they were all rocking Canadian Olympics pins and flags as well on their clothing. I guess they figured common ground would result in better sales! Oddly enough they didn’t have flags of any other nationalities on their clothing I guess bleeding heart Canadians are their prime target LOL. Figures.

At the top of the wall you have a choice, left or right. We chose right first. When I first stepped on the Wall I have to say my legs were a bit shaky. It is really high up, steep and the first part is also not level, it has a slant. We are in decent enough shape so it was not that difficult for us but it was very, very steep in parts so if you have small children, or are wickedly out of shape or have a heart condition I would not recommend this part for you. If you do not have any of these then go for it. It was awesome. All the towers can be explored, you can get on and off the wall and there is a sense of accomplishment when you come to the end where you are not allowed to go past. We must have taken 500 pics! When we got back to the starting point a solicitor said the magic work “BEER?”. So there I was, sun shining having a cold one on top of the Great Wall. How cool is that!!

Side Note: It is pretty impressive how the solicitors walk coolers full of beer, pop and snacks to the top of the wall daily. It must be a good hour straight up just to sell pops for $10 Yuan each!!

After my beer break we went left and it was way easier. Not as many stairs, very flat, not steep at all yet the effect is still there. I recommend this part to anybody. By the way John was right, the wind came and it cleared up just great. We finished the Wall in just over 1/1/2 hours and it was time to go down by toboggan.

I’m not gonna lie, I was unsure if it was very safe at first when I was on my way up, but after seeing a local father strap his 2 year old to one and shoot down I was ready to go. They don’t go very fast and you can control the speed with ease. It was fun and a great way to end a spectacular experience. All in all, the Wall was everything I thought it to be times 10!! I have been to the Wall before at different part and it was nowhere near as good. Mutianyu is the way to go.

John then took us to the Summer Palace. Although the Summer Palace was really pretty and relaxing, it was pretty anti-climatic after the wall. If you have time in your schedule, try to give the wall its own day as you are pretty spent after emotionally and physically. Summer Palace was good though. Very windy but lots of families were having picnics and it seemed like a really cool place to just chill. We enjoyed it. Spent about an hour there and then took off. Probably could have spent another hour or so but we got the jist and it was cheap $30 Yuan per person so it was fine.

At this point my wife had a bit of cold and was not feeling 100% so we decided to give John an early day and had him take us back to the hotel. We got him to take us to a Bank of China (this is where North American bank cards work for sure), go by a pharmacy and then drop us off. John was great. At the first bank our card didn’t work, so he took us to another where it also didn’t work. We thought it was the machine but figured out that it was our actual bank. We had left back ups back at the hotel so we got John to just drop us off at our hotel, paid him and said our goodbyes. He was very patient with us…here I am thinking “man this guy must think we don’t have cash, two banks and we can’t get money, he must be getting worried” but he was very gracious and helpful and after we paid him he took us to another Bank of China so we could try another bank card (which worked this time) before he left. Thanks John!!

Helpful Tip: China is a cash society, not everyone accepts Credit Cards and even if they do, running your Credit Cards in China can be sketchy (scams, etc.). Traveler’s checks are not easy to use either. The only problem is that when you are on the road for a month, you don’t exactly want to pack 10K with you either. Furthermore not all ATMs in China will work for you so bringing your bankcard is ok, but not that great as only 10-20% of the ATMs work (for North American bank cards). The rick is to just use cash advances through your Visa. They do charge you $5 CDN ATM fee but your Visa works at all ATMs and the exchange is fair.
Well this has been a pretty great day and I am about to head for dinner. Will post again tomorrow. Stay tuned…

Nicely written report, following every word. Am going next week with an OAT tour but am planning going on my own to MUtianyu instead of Badaling with the group. Will try to get a cab rather than a guide/driver but, as a lone female, should I hire a guide, do you think? Thanks.

Karen

Thanks so much for your report jayc. I love hearing of your experiences which is a great help to us, as we're leaving for China in a couple of weeks.

Have a wonderful trip!

What's your dad's fodorite screen name?

hawaiiantraveler, this is Sam, jayc's dad, you were very helpful with our trip last year, thanks again.

Sam.

Great report. We're going to Shanghai and Beijing in September. We may use either Konglin or John to take us to the wall. Your trip sounds great.

Hi Jason and Kirsten,

Good to hear about your trip.
I'm interested to hear more because its been thirteen years since I've been to Beijing.
About getting cash using VISA, you may have to pay a hefty interest charge, especially if you missed a payment because you are on the road. Check your VISA statement online to see what if any charges are so you won't be surprised.
I'll be in HK/China/Taiwan from 4/12 to 5/06, but looking at your itinerary, we will not cross path with each other.
Looking forward to the next episode of "Chan's great adventure in little China"!!!

uncle Jack.

Karen: I think you should be ok hiring a cab but if it were me I would probably hire John or Konglin. Its up to you. Depends on how confident you feel or if you can speak Mandarin. It can't hurt to e-mail them. Maybe you will get a better price as a single. Definatlely go to Mutianyu instead of Badaling. I went with a tour last time and didn't have nearly the experience I did this time. Love to hear about your experience when you get back.

Uncle Jack: I have been checking my VISA statements daily as I have my CPU with me so it looks fine, the only catch is a $5 charge but I think you get that with back card as well. TOo bad we won't see you. Have a good trip.

Gpanda: Definately use one of them. They offer tours for everything, both really nice guys. Well worth the $$$.

Will post again after our day...

Last night we went to the “Retaurant of Hakka Town” (that is not a typo, just Chinglish) right across the street from our hotel. It was fantastic. We had some type of freshwater fish deep fried and braised in soya, stir fried lotus root (my favorite), beef and gailin, several large Tsingtao’s and rice for $150 Yuan with tip. Just great. I ate tons but felt really good after. That is the thing about China, I never feel gross after the food is not heavy at all.

Helpful Hint: If you are from Canada and have a SIM card unlocked phone you can buy a China Mobile SIM card, replace your Canadian one and you now have a China phone to use. When dialing home all you need to do is dial 00-1-three digit city code-phone number. eg. For Victoria, Canada # 00-1-250-555-5555. After you buy your initial SIM card, all you have to do is go to any corner store with a China Mobile sign out front and ask for a recharge. They recharge in increments of 50 Yuan. The recharge slip is in English, all you do is call a number and it has English instructions on their voicemail as well.

April 9, 2009

We woke up later this am as we had a “free” day to do what we wanted. Had a leisurely breakfast and then strolled throguht the Wangfujing area. I needed a recharge on my SIM card (2 calls to Canada just ate the time up) and we didn’t have much else planned. We were out at about 9am and most of the stores were still closed. Most operating hours are 10am – 10pm. Since nothing was open we caught a cab to famous Silk Road to buy some gifts for friends back at home.

Silk Road is a mall that is 6 floors and full of knock off retail items. Watches, handbags, t-shirts, shoes, Iphones, cigarettes, golf clubs, etc. you name it they have it. At first the mall is very overwhelming and intimidating. Young girls are yelling at you to buy things and some even grab you by the arm to try to sell you merchandise. I didn’t mind this part so much LOL but my wife was not impressed, she doesn’t like anyone touching her except me LOL. Once she realized that they are amongst 100s of merchants and that they were just trying to make a living she accepted it. Just don’t take them too seriously, if you don’t want to look, politely wave them off and walk. Once they pull you in to their stall they back off considerably and are actually very helpful.

As far as bartering goes, it is pretty simple. We checked in stores in Wangfujing before so had an idea what prices we were willing to pay. Every merchant is different. Some start out with ridiculous prices, some are less aggressive like all business people. Some are hustlers, some are mellow. I appreciated the hustlers more, but my wife would only do business with the quiet ones. Basically have a price in your head and offer them ½. If at any point they are not budging, walk away and mean it. There was not one time they let us walk (which makes me think we paid too much) but we got our price that we wanted and that is all that matters. They need to make $$$ too.

Side Note: It was pretty funny as we were judging how much of a bargain we got by their reaction after the sale. One girl after selling me a watch, called me crazy and mean which made me feel like I got a great deal! The ones that bagged my purchases and thanked me I knew I had been taken LOL. And by taken I only really mean a few $$$. Nothing crazy.

All in all we got most of our gifts to friends and family knocked out for $300 Yuan. Not bad for a couple of bleeding heart Canadians. We got called some bad names and heard comments like “you are killing me”, in fact I got my wife bartering for two wallets for my nieces on video (that was worth $300 Yuan in itself!) and it was hilarious.

After Silk Street Mall we decided it was time for a Beijing foot massage. After Forbidden, Great Wall and Summer Palace we felt it was time.

We walked from our hotel to a spa called Dragon Fly. I believe this is a chain and I think I read about it on Fodors and that is also where John had suggested. If anyone wants to go they have locations all over China and a good website.

The spa itself is really nice. I was expecting much less but it was very clean, nicely renovated and had a nice air of calmness. I am not usually a big massage guy but I thought what the hell…

It was great I went for the 1 hour foot massage $130 Yuan, includes neck and shoulder rub and it was fantastic. I had sprained my ankle pretty badly about 2 weeks prior so it was pretty sore. My girl worked it out though and right now I feel like I am ready to walk the whole wall. Just what I needed. My wife was concerned that her feet were too dirty and didn’t want anyone touching them so she just went for the ½ hour $60 Yuan head and neck massage. When the girl came in to the room with a bucket of hot water and washed my feet first, I could feel my wife’s regret coming from her chair. It was really, really good. For $25 CDN, money well spent in my book. Afterwards my wife said hers was great but not long enough. After I rubbed in how great mine was she is planning on getting the full 1 hour foot tomorrow. I should have kept my mouth shut, it would have saved me some cash, but what can I say I love to gloat.

On the same street there are several hole in the wall restaurants just packed with locals. Huge variety: dumplings, noodles, rice dishes, SUBWAY!!!!. We had noodles, beef stuffed pan fried dumplings, Tsingtao again (you may think I am I drink a lot but beer is literally cheaper than water here) all for a staggering price of $60 Yuan!! God I love China.

Side Note: Everyone in China drinks beer with their meals. Also the beer here is not as heavy and goes great with the food. To be honest I don’t even know if they have alcohol in them. I can polish 3 big ones and not even have a buzz. Like drinking O’douls at home.

Hey Son,

A meal for two at 150RMB is a lot of $$$ in a casual setting.

Also there is no tipping needed in China!!!
Enjoying your report, keep them coming.

Dad.

Your old man is correct, 150RMB usually feeds four western sized guys. But knowing how much you can eat....Speaking of beer, there are two types of Tsingtao: a new draft and the old classic, both in bottles, but taste different.
If you liked the foot massage, try a body massage with hot oil....love reading about your trip, perhaps it will be even more interesting hearing from Kirsten's perspective?

uncle Jack.

You said it ggiant I am ordering lots of food. Can't help myself, as long as I eat it all, right! Also even though there is no need to tip here, I tip where I am from for good service, I want to do the same here. The people serving us have been really understanding, patient and helpful very tip worthy. In fact way more tip worthy than our 15-20% starving student servers back home. Also 5-10% makes them very happy!! I only tip in places where it seems the person serving me is an owner operator or related to them. I have been told that at the more touristy places if you tip the owner just takes it from the server...maybe I should implement that policy at Sams, wonder how long my servers would keep working for me???LOL Kirsten is also keeping accounts in a handwritten journal. You guys can read it when we get home.

It was so funny. We walked in to a very westernized Chinese mall in Wangfujing to buy a recharge card (again 2 minutes on a call to Canada destroyed my minutes) and there was a French open tennis exhibition going on. There was a cage set up with a gun that clocked the speed of your serve. There was a small Chinese guy serving the ball, barely registering on the gun. Then he passed me the racquet and told me to try.

I guess they had not built the exhibition for anyone over 5”5 so I had to modify my toss, otherwise I would hit the ceiling with my racquet. I started serving and the oohs and ahhs from the Chinese gallery made me feel like a pro. Then after a few serves (obviously I was only hitting at 50%, bum ankle, modified toss, limited space and all LOL) there was clapping and what do you know I had won a prize! LOL. Apparently if you serve over 130km (just a 131 km second serve for a seasoned pro like me) you win. They took me upstairs and gave me a stuffed teddy bear. It gets better...

Of course Kirsten (my wife) was not going to let me take all the glory so back down we went so she could try. It was hilarious...at this point the gallery had tripled and the guy running the thing looks at all 5 feet of her and goes, "for you, just 100km". 100km?? He mine as well just hand all of his teddy bears over. I am pretty sure you all know where this story goes.

Kirsten goes in to the cage and starts hammering the ball (all captured on live video by me). She registered 102km to the delight of the crowd. Was Kirsten happy…no way. She claimed that she could have done way better and if the guy hadn’t taken the racquet away from her she would have kept going…you see one thing about my wife…it wasn’t about the teddy bear, it was about getting past 131km and beating me LOL. Thought I would share that with you guys.

In every store we went as soon as we opened our mouths and spoke English we were swarmed by sales people all asking questions and trying out their English. It seems that the people working in these malls really appreciate the western life style and we were treated like royalty!

Side Note: There seems to be two parts of Beijing, old traditional China and the new age westernized China. Some of these malls over here look like a scene straight out of Europe or North America from the fashion sense of the people shopping, to the stores in them (Lacoste, Oasis, Nike, Boss, Bata, Mango, the list goes on), to the loud top 40 North American music bumping in the background, to the high prices! I was here 10 years ago and boy has it changed. People are so hip over here now. I am really starting to think that I could live here. Couldn’t say that last time.

Another free day coming up in Beijing before we catch the overnight train to Xi’an. Until then…

April 10, 2009

We knew we were taking the night train at 9:30pm so we took it pretty easy during the day. We made a bit of a mistake in Beijing. 3 days would have been plenty. Perfect itinerary looking back would be:

Day 1: Tiananmen, Forbidden, Jingshan Park (or whichever of the many parks in Beijing), Summer Palace or Temple of Heaven.

Day 2: Great Wall Mutianyu and maybe another section (Badaling) just for contrast. We thought the wall was so spectacular that it could use a whole day.

Day 3: Free day for some shopping, Birds Nest, Aquatic Center, whatever other sites you want and massages at Dragon Fly before you leave for the night train out of Xi’an.

Days Inn actually let us check out at 6pm which worked out perfect. They charge us $200 RMB, which we felt was reasonable. Allowed us to shower and have the room to hang out in during the day. Also saved us from carrying our luggage around Beijing so we could enjoy our last day.

We have heard that Beijing station is an absolute nightmare so we decided to give Konglin a call and ask if he would drive us there and take us in for a fee. He graciously agreed and at no charge! He wanted to make up for not showing the other day because he was sick. We tried to pay him but he refused. He is a really nice guy. His girlfriend came with him they both speak flawless English (Beijing University International Trade Grads) and he actually has a van, so for anyone coming to Beijing with 2 or more and need a good guide he is your man.

When we arrived at the Beijing station we were so glad we had Konglin with us. It was very, very chaotic and intimidating. He guided us through the thousands of people to our gate and then left us. Again we offered to pay but he declined.

Side Note: Whenever we mention to Chinese that we are from Canada 90% of the time the first they say is Steve Nash! Basketball is huge over here (like hockey in Canada, Football in US, Soccer in Europe) and it seems Steve Nash is one of the most loved players. I guess they can relate with his size, speed and heart LOL. Almost all of our conversations with Chinese turn to basketball when we mention we are from Canada. When we mention that Steve is from our hometown they are delighted. I don’t usually like to name drop but I am in China and he is like a god out here. Bigger than Le Bron, Kobe and I dare say maybe even Yao!! Just a small town white boy from Victoria, BC well known and loved by all Chinamen, amazing. Nash needs to get on the Chinese marketing ASAP. There is a huge market for him here.

When Konglin left us we felt like little kids abandoned by their parents, lost little souls. I am not going to lie, for the first time since we have been in China I felt anxious and overwhelmed. It was exciting and what I thought China was going to be more like. It all worked out though. We ended up sitting in the waiting area beside a guy that spoke English. It was funny, as people started to line up for the gate I went to leave my seat (which was in high demand) and the guy beside me grabbed my arm and shook his head, “to early” was his advice. That is when his friend, a Xian native, started talking to us in English. That definitely helped calm us down.

When we boarded the train finding our cabin was very easy. I am not sure if it is the same for all trains in China but the soft sleepers are basically at the back of the train.

When we booked we did not get a quote for one seat, but got a prices for a soft sleeper car for 4 (which means we would be sharing with two strangers) $470 Yuan per person, and a soft sleeper for 2 (called the deluxe cabin I think) for $750 Yuan per person. We paid the $750 Yuan as we did not want to share. It is a lot more RMB but we figured the flight would have been $750 anyways, we saved a night of hotel, saved at least a half day and wanted the experience with privacy.

We made the right call. The cabin is very spacious, complete with bathroom, TVs, table, hot water pot, closet, storage space, linen, blankets and AC. My wife has taken many sleeper trains (backpacked all over Europe) and this was by far the best sleeper she has ever been on. She claimed to have had the best sleep since getting to China.

Me on the other hand slept OK but not great. The train is very loud and creaky and there a lot of bumps on the track along the way. But I definitely could not blame the bed. It was hard (as usual for China) which I don’t mind, but amazingly I fit! I am 6”3 and I thought my feet would be hanging off for sure. Not at all I have ½ a foot to spare.

Side Note: They allow people to smoke everywhere. As a person who just quit smoking the “EASY WAY” (I am referencing a book by Allen Carr, anyone who reads this book has a 90% chance of quitting, great book) I find it just awful. I don’t mind if people want to suffocate themselves with poison as I used to be one that thought I enjoyed killing myself slowly as well, and I don’t even really mind in restaurants, but on an enclosed train?? Really?? I guess if I were one of those poor souls who thought I enjoyed smoking I would be singing China praise so I can’t complain, just observe and be glad that I am choosing a long healthy life, instead of smoking.

After a decent night of sleep we were both up at 6:00pm and the views from the train picturesque and tranquil. Trees blossoming, green mountains and rice terraces with the sun rising, more beautiful parks, homes carved right into the hillsides (that is very amazing, something to be seen), rural homes, basketball courts, the list goes on, the picture I am seeing would take a million words. This scenery made the chaotic night and restless sleep more than worth it. Terracotta Warriors today!! Can’t wait….

April 12, 2009

Arrive at Xian train station….
Here is the China I remember! Chaotic, dirty, heavily populated, beggars at your feet! Getting out of the station was crazy. And right beside us was a family of 5 Brits making their way through the station, kids aged 0-4 stroller and all, unbelievable. This gave us the confidence we needed, if they can do it do so can we. Catching a cab was easy and CHEAP! I though Beijing was cheap, their meter starts at $6 Yuan (Beijing $10). Our cabbie was awesome, shortcuts galore and 10 Yuan later we had arrived at Bell Tower Hotel.

Booked through sinohotel.com, recommended by my Dad. Since we were in Xi’an for only one night we decided to book ($468 Yuan per night). Good thing we did, they are full! Busy season in China I guess. Upon arrival we got solicited by a driver for Terracotta. He wanted $400 Yuan. We told him we would think about it. Room wasn’t ready so we went for breakfast.

Right outside our hotel was a little restaurant called Star Ferry. It was clean, cheap and the food fantastic. We had Dim Sum and Congee for $70 Yuan. It was really, really good. Some of the best Dim Sum I have had and I have had a lot. It seems like it is a Hong Kong inspired restaurant as their menu has everything!

On our way back to the hotel we asked several cabbies how much to Terracotta and we got responses from $300-$350 Yuan round trip. We decided to go with the driver from the hotel for $400 Yuan as he spoke English and Xi’an seems sketchier than Beijing. Plus we only had one day here so we wanted things to be quick and smooth so we went with what we thought was the best option against everything we have read or been told.

Our Driver immediately started soliciting us, and took us to some crappy museum. Anyways, long story short his name is Henry and although he didn’t really scam us, we would heave been better off getting a cabbie from the street. All you Fodorites out there, don’t make the same mistake we did. It wasn’t that we minded the $400 Yuan, as we were willing to pay. It was the soliciting we didn’t appreciate. If a driver from a hotel in Xi’an approaches you, he will not make your life easier (especially if he is named Henry) just charge you more $$$.

To make things worse when we left the Warriors and asked about the goose pagodas (we had agreed prior to leaving if there was time he would take us) he started moaning about traffic. The guy was a total tool and at this point I was about to drag his skinny ass out of the cab and start throttling him, so for his sake I told him to just take us back to our hotel before I do something I would regret.

As far as our Terracotta Experience goes we are going to play the one word game, as that is all it deserves: Overrated, expensive, crowded, tourist-trappy (making up words to fit the game), boring, EXPENSIVE ($90 Yuan per person)…said expensive already but considering the Great Wall was only $50 Yuan per person I was choked at the entrance fee (again I keep comparing things to the Wall, I guess that is why it is so great).

Don’t get me wrong, the story is really cool and I appreciate the history of it but lets face it, it sucks. For the money you have to pay to get to Xi’an, let alone overnight train it, the cost and everything else it sucks big time. My advice is that if you have not had a life long dream to see the Warriors or do not have a huge hard on to experience the history of Xi’an (6000 years of history) save your cash and skip Xi’an altogether.

We are now back at our hotel, I will say that the sites near our hotel are really cool. The drum and bell tower, Muslim quarter and City Walls. You can really feel the history here. I am glad we came, but equally glad to be flying to Guilin tomorrow.

We spent a good amount of time exploring in and around Xi’an near the Drum and Bell tower and I have to take some of my comments back. Henry is still a nob, but Xi’an is a pretty cool City. There is an incredible mixture of old (City Walls, Bell Tower, etc.) sitting right next to new (McDonalds, Starbucks, Western Shopping Malls). The contrast is so unique. As we walked up and down the city streets there was a unique energy combined with excitement. It was a warm evening and the streets were just packed, but it didn’t feel overcrowded or overwhelming, instead it was as if everyone was on vacation, like the same feeling you get walking Kalakaua St. in Waikiki. Very cool.

The food is fantastic and very well priced. They have tons of street vendors selling everything from pineapple to deep fried tofu, all for $1-$2 Yuan, delicious. We spent most of our time just exploring the City Walls, Bell Tower, Drum Tower, Malls, Muslim Quarters never without food in our hands. Nothing takes the sting out of being ripped off earlier in the day like some good street meat and a bustling downtown core.

We ended the evening on a good note, not even thinking about the days previous adventure, and excited for the day to come. Guilin here we come!

we too thought the warriers are over rated and we know the history. we did find the drum and bell tower were awesome, both day and night...........and the Muslim Qtr.

Am I the only one reading your report??

no, there are others lurking about. Loving all the details and waiting for the Japan sticker shock, lol

Aloha!

I am still following the report; as a matter of fact, I check in first thing in the morning. Not to-day though, as it is Easter, so came in late. As mentioned after first post, I leave Tues. so am following closely. Thanks for an enjoyable read.

Karen

Thanks for the ongoing and wonderful report, jayc!

While my itinerary was quite different, I think I reached a similar conclusion: parts of China are fascinating, but other parts are neither out of the ordinary nor worth a major detour. And while the country is certainly vastly different in terms of tourism than it was 10 or 20 years ago, it can still be a challenging place.

rizzuto, I an loving your report as well! Will post Guiling later, have a great story form this AM to share with you guys in Xi'an as well.