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.

Hey jayc, its Aunty Queenie here. Glad to hear you two are having a wonderful time there! And completely on your own...
Too bad about the Xi'an experience. It could have been very different had you had an excellent guide showing you the most important and significant things of this ancient city.
Will be following along with you on all your reports. Fascinating reading!!!

April 13, 2009

Woke up early again. We always do when we are on vacation. We find the best time to explore cities, is before the norm wake-up. We decided to head towards the Xi’an walls and check them out.

Got there about 7am and found out they were not open until 8am. That was fine, we were happy to walk around the surrounding area.

We explored all the surrounding streets and stumbled upon a park right outside the Xi’an walls, where music was blasting and people were dancing. It was a really great scene. My wife (who’s a part time aerobic instructor and teaches a class called Dancefix, please visit her website at www.dancefix.ca. There is nothing quite like a shameless plug) wanted to break a class down for them but we didn’t have time. Too bad, it would have been comical. Maybe in Guilin ☺.

Side Note: All of the parks in China are very heavily used. People dancing, playing chess, Tai Chi, etc. It is really wonderful. In Canada you find parks completely abandoned and empty. Parks are not made by space, but with the energy of the people that use them. I really wish that my non-English speaking Grandma had parks like this to go to back home. Seniors practicing Tai Chi, dancing, etc. She is very isolated back home, not a big enough population. I think she would be very happy living in Xian or Beijing. Maybe in another life…

We started getting hungry so we looked for a quick bite. We stumbled upon a busy local restaurant that served bowls of Tofu, I know this a Dofu Fai in Cantonese (you can have it sweet or savory, we chose sweet), soup with bean curd, bamboo and chili and all types of deep fried breads to dip in them. Chinese donut, onion cake, deep fried bread stuffed with pickled condiments, chives cilantro. We had quite the spread for $10 Yuan!! It was absolutely scrumptious and just what we were looking for. Again the food in Xi’an is incredible. Next time I am in China I will come here just to eat for a few days with no more than $100 Yuan in my pocket.

While we were enjoying our breakfast with several other locals we started hearing some serious arguing going on. It got louder and louder. Although I don’t speak Mandarin, we all know swear words in every foreign language so I knew things were getting heated when I kept hearing “tah mah de” loudly. A lady customer was accusing the lady vendor of not giving her proper change. Next thing you know things escalated and they started hitting each other. It was crazy! When I say crazy I don’t mean the fighting either, what I mean is it is crazy for $10 Yuan we got an excellent breakfast and a show o boot!

What makes this more puzzling is that we paid $10 Yuan for our breakfast. How much could they be really fighting over, a couple of Yuan!! I guess when my Dad said people over here will kill you for a Yuan he wasn’t kidding. My wife felt fairly uncomfortable after the scene and lost her appetite but I wasn’t about to leave all the good food unfinished, so I polished it off. The fight worked out great for me LOL.

After the fight we went to check out the wall. After paying $80 Yuan we were in (the tourist attractions in Xi’an seem really steep, we didn’t even go in the Drum Tower because it was so expensive).

The Xi’an city walls are very scenic and impressive. The views in the morning are just remarkable. Worth every Yuan. The contrast of old and new is so cool I am getting goosebumps just thinking about it right now. I take back all my negative comments about this city. Like most of my best friends in life, I hated Xi’an at first, but its charm, history and food really grew on me and now I love it and will have to return someday, hopefully with my children.

The wall was virtually deserted except for a few locals getting in an early morning jog. How awesome would it be to go for your daily jog on the Xi’an city walls? Pretty cool. I am an avid biker back home so I had dreams of riding a tandem bike with Kirsten on the wall. No go, the shop wasn’t open yet. It wasn’t going to be open until 9am and we had to depart the hotel at about 10am to catch our flight to Guilin so it wasn’t meant to be. Did that stop me from riding a bike on the Xi’an wall? Heck no! I talked a rickshaw driver into letting me take Kirsten on one while I drove it, $20 Yuan.

It was hilarious as our driver was running beside us while we were moving, I guess to make sure he was working LOL. Some drivers in Xi’an have ethics, unlike that numb nuts driver from yesterday. I kept begging him to get on the rickshaw with my wife, as I wanted the weight of two people so I could see what it is like for him. He declined, and said “he would feel uncomfortable, as I was his boss, he was the employee”.

Side Note: Chinese really seem to know their role and place in society. There is an obvious pecking order here and people just accept it. Huge class system.

My wife thinks that with those types of comments, combined with extra attention from Chinese females (obviously looking for Citizenship, I am getting hit on everywhere) that I am developing a King complex LOL. Maybe I am, but it is good to be King. Kirsten says that we are in bizarro world as back home she is hit on constantly and I get nothing, here it is the opposite. My ego would not fit on my small island right now.

After the Xi’an walls it was time for us to go. Our asses were still sore from getting raped by our cabbie yesterday so we decided to take the shuttle to the airport.

Right in front of the Melody Hotel (near Star Ferry restaurant) a shuttle leaves every 15 minutes. Bus is air conditioned and cost $25 Yuan per person, perfect. Just make sure you figure out which terminal you need to get off at, there are two at Xi’an airport. We are descending now so I better go, Yangshou or bust…
Side Rant: Its interesting…Chinese have no concept of personal space. When you stand in line they basically are right up on you, so close you can smell them. Is it just me or does there seem to be a mothball-smoke smell associated with most middle-older aged men and women. I am not trying to be a prick, but the smell is there. I am sitting next to a women on the plane right now and her arms and elbows have found there way to my ribs countless times, so much I can’t nap. I guess when you live amongst a billion people there is no such thing as personal space LOL.

Have I died and gone to Yangshou?

We arrived in Guilin on schedule. From the moment we saw Guilin from the airplane we both had ear to ear grins, it had been a while since we had seen so much green minus the smog ☺.

We hired a private guide for $2400 Yuan for 3 days. It seems a bit pricey, but we know Guilin is a rural area so we don’t mind paying extra for piece of mind. I will sum up the value of hiring a guide in this area for all the Fodorites later. We booked the tour through Jade Leo but he was sick (funny so was Konglin, I think this is code for double booked) but it was even better as he sent a guide named Eric that speaks Cantonese and English. It gives me a chance to hone my language before Guangzhou and Hong Kong.

Speaking a second language is like riding a bike, you never forget. I was a bit unconfident with my Cantonese as it had been a while since I NEEDED it, but once we got conversing I was letting it rip like I had never left Hong Kong. I was even using some cool slang and dropping the occasional “dew” and “lun” for effect to let Eric know I wasn’t your average banana.

He picked us up with no issues and had a driver as well, 2 for 1 Guilin special. I like having a driver and guide as the driver can do his thing and the guide can do his thing. For my wife and I, Guilin was love at first sight. The mountains, lush green vegetation, villages, rice paddies with farmers, water buffalo (something out of a scene from Big Bird in China my favorite childhood movie).

Eric started earning his money immediately, giving us the breakdown on Guilin and what to expect, describing sights all around us. We felt safe, secure and happy something we could not say about arriving in Beijing or Xi’an.

After about a half hour Eric and Horse (his last name is Mah which in Cantonese means horse so we have coined him the nickname) made a stop at a bridge so we could take some pics. We immediately saw a cormorant fisherman and the Li river with mountains in the background. The scenery just gives you a calming rush, especially after being in two huge cities. It felt like we could breath again both literally and metaphorically.

When we first pulled in to Yangshou we both immediately felt at home. It was like we had just started our vacation form our vacation! Like a Chinese Whistler, with a touch of Cabo, a whisper of Hawaii except with cheaper and better food!

Checked in to the Magnolia hotel, my dad recommended it and what a great call. We booked through Sino Hotel again although they didn’t have any deluxe rooms left, we booked the family room instead. It was $450 Yuan. It seemed a bit pricey but we were looking forward to a bigger hotel room so we went for it.

Side Note: Sino Hotel is fantastic. All of the China hotels are also spelt in Chinese which we have showed all Taxi drivers so they know where to take us, when you send in your room request they e-mail you back immediately and their response times on questions and requests are immediate, fantastic website and best of all no need for a credit card. We booked Magnolia last night at 9pm and arrived with no issues, just wonderful.

Man were we glad we did!!!!!! The room is huge with a great view of the street, hardwood floors throughout (the carpets in China hotels are disgusting, I am obsessive compulsive when it comes to dirty hotels so it has been tough for me, a lot of hand sanitizer on my feet before bed LOL), wireless internet (I was getting annoyed with those barbaric Ethernet Cables), glass stand up spacious showers, screens on the huge picture windows, soft mattresses, I could go on for while…lets just say if you are coming here look no further. I am a 5 star hotel guy and this place is right up there.

After we checked in and freshened up Eric took us to one of his favorite restaurants for lunch. Just 4 doors down from the Magnolia on the left. It was the best meal we have had since arriving. Having a local order for you helps out a lot. We had the local beer fish, green beans with chili’s and garlic and braised pork belly with taro root (I told you a whisper of Hawaii). It was a bit pricey $200 Yuan but we wanted to buy Eric and Horse lunch so for four people it was well worth it. The flavors were popping out of the dishes and the veggies were the freshest we have had since arriving in China. Maybe its part mental; but I assure you my palate is pretty accurate and honest no matter how I am feeling.

BEST PART ABOUT YANGSHOU: My wife has been feeling really sick yet she has been a real trooper. She has been stuffed up, coughing constantly, suffering bad headaches, skin breaking out. Her virgin non-smoker lungs just can’t handle the China pollution. But hours after we got to Yangshou all her symptoms are gone. Call me crazy but this place is just magic for us right now. This is the first afternoon she has declined the nap!

We are on our way to check out the Cormorant fishing so until then…

We met our guide at 7pm and walked down to where the cormorant fishing is.

Helpful Hint: When in Yangshou, take a powerful bug spray. There are mosquitoes everywhere. We had some so we escaped with minimal damage.

We boarded a boat and when we got there it was dusk and by the time we set sail it was dark. We were skeptical as how were we going to see anything in the dark?

We got our answer in about 15 minutes. The way it works is that you stay on your boat and meet up with a boat that has the cormorants and one fisherman equipped with lights and all. There is no warning, as soon as you pull up to the other boat they release the cormorants into the water and the boats race off side by side as the lights focus on the cormorants diving in and out of the water looking off fish. It seemed really staged and hokey but ever since I caught a episode of Survivor that featured this I have been fascinated with it ever since.

It seemed pretty stupid at first as all you saw was the cormorants diving in and out of the water not seeming to catch anything at all. It was pretty neat to see the birds up close and personal though. How close I would soon discover.

After about 10 minutes of watching the birds swimming and diving we docked at a small Island where we all got off. At this point the fisherman grabbed one of the Cormorants by the neck and squeezed 3 fish out him, all about 2” by 3”. It was pretty cool. The fisherman docked first so I don’t know if he had fish already that he fed the Cormorant, or if it was legit. Anyhow, we were able to see how it was done. Next the Fisherman invited people to go beside him while he placed the Cormorant on their arm so a picture’s could be taken. I have a really bad phobia of birds for some reason so when the opportunity came to hold the Cormorant I knew this was my chance to conquer this. Yes I did and yes I can.

It seems like the birds are being exploited, but to be fair this has been going on for a long time and what is the difference between making them catch fish for you or making them take pictures. Also it really seemed like the Fisherman has love for these birds and they were pets as well as tools so he could earn a living. No more harsh than water buffalo for farmers. It wasn’t the best thing I have ever done, but for one hour of my life if this is something that interests you give it a try. It’s decent.

After the Cormorants, we explored Yangshou’s night scene. And what a scene it was! Nightclubs galore pumping western music, great outdoor restaurants packed with tourists, all sort of street vendors selling everything from t-shirts to street meat. It was bustling and very lively. My wife and I plan to hit the bars tomorrow night after a good nights sleep. Walking around here at night for the first time in China without worrying about our wallets, traffic and solicitors was great. Food is cheap (our dinner was $40 Yuan), not too crowded and the vendors are not aggressive at all (unlike Silk Street Market). Going to bed now, will report more tomorrow.

I'm loving your report jayc! Thanks for all the great tips. We leave for Hong Kong and China in 3 1/2 weeks, so I'm thrilled for the details!

Have a wonderful trip!

Snack King Kong from days of old, -you are still the King! With your 6'2" frame, fair and clear complexion, those little ladies probably think you are a film star or something. And then when they realize you are Canadian, -whoa Kirsten, hang on to him tightly. Really getting a kick out of reading your adventures...now to see your photos!

jay, don't let your guard down, thieves are lurking at everyturn, you will always be a target, a rich tourist........
we love Yangshou, wait till you see the show.......

Hawaiiantraveler, do you live in Honolulu, wife and I will be there in December 7 for a week, if you are in town, can we buy you a drink!

Sam.

Guard is up, don't worry, be happy. Just got up weather is perfect. Really excited for the day.

Auntie Queenie: we will be posting pics on a site when we get home, I will forward you the link.

Images2: I am jealous, we have had such a good time I wish I was leaving for this trip in 3 1/2 weeks as well so I can relive it!

You're trip isn't over yet jayc. Enjoy every minute of it! I'm looking forward to your report on Yangshou as well! We've also hired a guide there. We're spending our first night in the area in Ping'an (at the rice terraces) then 3 at the Li River Retreat just outside of Yangshou.

Thanks again!

Sam,

Would love to meet and have a drink! Email me when the time is closer and if we are in town we would love it!

pgomes8721 at aol dot com

Aloha

Images 2: We just came back from Ping'an (Longsheng Rice Terraces) today. Had a great experience. I wish we had stayed up there instead right now we are in Guilin which is not really that great. We just went for a walk around town and felt people were just glaring at us in a way that made us feel uncomfortable. I would skip this city if I could do it again. The people in Ping'an are really nice and friendly. Going form Yangshou/Longsheng to Guilin is a real shock to the system. Will have the whole trip report posted soon. Enjoy, you are going to love it.

Hi Jason & Kirsten

Really enjoy reading your report. I can feel the excitement in your voice, feels like we are travelling right along side with you. Your dad is right, watch out for those thieves, they work in pairs. Kirsten, you must, must, take advantage of the massages, it so cheap. Can't wait to read more. Stay safe, healthy, and happy!

Uncle Whyte & Auntie Jennifer

Really enjoying your trip report, as we are leaving for China in 2 weeks. Also going to Beijing, Xian, Yangshuo and Hong Kong. Can't wait for you to finish !

indiancouple,

never did have a chance to thankyou for your wonderful detail report to Spain last year, not only did I enjoyed it, we stayed at some of the same hotels you stayed. You were a great help to our most enjoyable 13 days in Spain.

Have a nice trip in China.

Sam.

Hey Channy, it's big burr, happy for you both having the time of your life, keep on going ok and hear more from you later.
Barry

Thanks samuell, glad I could be of help. Now you have reminded me of Spain and made me nostalgic !

April 14, 2009
“Long live the Queen”

We had breakfast at a great local restaurant. It’s really nice how all of the Yangshou restaurants have outdoor seating. Congee with pork and century old egg, meat filled buns (what meat I don’t know but it was good), Chinese donut and Guilin noodles (rice noodles like spaghetti in a spicy broth with peanuts and pickled vegetables delicious!) for $10 Yuan. We will be back tomorrow before leaving for Longsheng.

After breakfast Eric came and picked us up. We started our day by walking around a local village right near Moon Hill. It is always interesting to see how the locals live. We took some great pics of water buffalo, farmers (with permission) and just walked around and enjoyed the landscape.

Next we went to Moon Hill Park, something that I was not expecting to be that great, but it was excellent. Moon Hill is a mountain with a hole running through the middle. It looks like an archway.

When we first pulled in to the parking lot, a group of local solicitors ran after the car. They were yelling and so excited we thought we had offended them somehow. We were both so alarmed that we rolled up our windows and felt moderately uncomfortable. We definitely did not get out of our car right away. Turns out they just wanted to sell us water. We felt like celebrities as we got out of the car. The solicitors surrounded us like the Paparazzi LOL. We kept saying, “boo yow leh” (no thanks), but did that stop them…heck no! They were a persistent bunch. We started our ascent to the top (about ½ hour from the bottom) and picked up two fans along the way (double meaning, you’ll see later on in this story). Along with our guide, two women (in their 60s) started following us up the hill.

With our guide and the two women, all of a sudden we had an entourage. The women were friendly enough and I could pick up bits and pieces of what they were saying. They were commenting on how beautiful my wife was. I was proud ☺, these women must know that with me flattery will get you everywhere. We thought they would get the hint that we were not going to buy anything, but after about 10 minutes they were still walking with us, keeping a respectful distance, but following us no less. At first it was uncomfortable but then I just had to laugh and figure if you really want to make the hike with us then why not? The more the merrier, we didn’t feel threatened, what were two little Chinese ladies going to do?

After about 15 minutes Kirsten and Eric started to slow down. The elevation change and the heat were getting to them. When we stopped to rest both of our fans produced fans and started fanning themselves. When they saw how hot we were, they started fanning us. I made a joke and told them don’t worry about me just fan my wife. They obliged….next thing you know Queen Kirsten had 4 fans, 2 following her up the mountain, 2 frantically fanning her LOL. They followed her all the way up to the top, providing her human AC, making comments on her beauty and giving her what little English words of encouragement they knew, like “almost top!” and “3 Minute!”.

When we made it to the top they were smiling and seemed really happy they came along. Of course I bought a beer from them $15 Yuan well spent. The view from the top was spectacular. I cannot paint this picture with words. The Great Wall is magnificent but on the other hand it is man made. Something of this beauty created by Mother Nature draws other feelings and respect out of me.

Once at the top you are literally standing under the archway of the hole in the Hill with a fabulous view of the Yangshou landscape, surrounded by mountains and even with hot air balloons in the background. You could hear the bats inside the caves, and the condensation from the caves was raining down on us. It was stunning. After several pics I asked the ladies if I could have a picture with them. They were very flattered and both had genuine smiles (gold teeth and all) as the posed with the Queen for a shot.

After we made it down I wanted to give them some money for fanning the Queen Bee. Here is the thing that impressed me the most, they refused the money and continued to point at their drinks for sale. I felt really bad that I had offered them the money when I understood. You see; they are not beggars or scammers. They are in business, business people. They came up the mountain with us to sell water and beer, not to beg for money. They fanned the Queen because she was hot, not because they wanted $$$. I was moved by their hustle, their kindness and will remember these two women for the rest of my life. I thank them for once again showing me the pride and work ethic of the Chinese working class.

After Moon Hill Eric took us to Yulong River where we took a Bamboo raft down the river. The drive there was really interesting. We were driving on very rural roads and the scenery was very rustic. Farmer’s homes and lifestyle were very much on display.

The Yulong River ride was ok. I enjoyed myself but could take it or leave it for the $200 Yuan we paid. It made for great photos and was really nice at first but after about 20 minutes it was enough and I was just looking to get off, but still had and hour and 10 minutes to go. I wouldn’t recommend it, but I wouldn’t be against it either. Your choice; if you want to go, I am sure some people would love it. I just hate being on a body of water and not being able to dive in and swim (there were some local guys swimming but I didn’t have the nerve). Give me a powerboat and wakeboard over a bamboo raft any day LOL. The weather was perfect for a river ride though and it was an experience to remember.

After the river ride we were pretty spent so we went back to the hotel. At this point it was very humid and hot. Had to be 32C at least. I think I had heat stroke as I started to feel pretty bad. That or it was the 5 supersize beer I had the night before. We had a quick bite and laid down for a long afternoon nap, we wanted to be fresh for the “The Impressions of Lie Sanje” Li River Light show the coming evening.

The Li River light show was spectacular. Prices range from $150 Yuan person to $800 Yuan per person depending on your seats. Just get the cheap ones, there is not a bad seat in the house. You sit on a huge stage that is set right on the banks of the Li River. After we grabbed our popcorn and iced teas (I love any excuse to consume copious amounts of “corn”) we were set. Suddenly they kill the lights and you are in the pitch dark. You can barely make out the shadows of the Yanghsou mountains surrounding you, the crickets songs get louder as the lights go out, there is a strong feeling of anticipation in the air. Then……a spotlight hits the first performer on a bamboo raft in the middle of the river and she starts singing her song. She had the most beautiful voice.

Then they hit the lights and light up all of the mountains around you in different colors, the crowds goes wild with cheers and clapping, kids are cat calling. What an intro and the show just gets better from there. I won’t spoil it or do it injustice by trying to describe it any further. Anyone coming to China would be foolish not to see this show.

Observation: They must use many old folk songs during this show as many of the audience members were singing along, really adding to the atmosphere. I have noticed that the Chinese love to dance and sing. It is very common to hear workers singing while they work, drive, eat! I guess that is where my sister gets it. Anytime there is music (they seem to really enjoy heavy techno beats here surprisingly, old and young people alike) you will see people just dancing randomly, often with stern faces, it is a riot. We are starting to do it as well.

The director of the light show was also the director of the Olympic Games opening ceremonies. A lot of similarities were apparent between the two performances. Picture the 2008 Opening Ceremonies, but set on the Li River. WOW!

I had been searching for the same rush and feeling I got from the Great Wall since arriving and this show delivered. The magnitude, unity, creativity and beauty are indescribable. The amount of time, effort and skill needed to flawlessly execute this performance is mind blowing. It really gives me a sense that if something like this exists in the world, anything is possible.

After the show we had some more Beer Fish for dinner (I could eat it once a week, will try to re-create it with Salmon or Halibut when I get home) and we were bagged.


April 15, 2009
“Rice Terraces”
This morning we set out for Longsheng. Regretfully, we backed up our bags and we goodbye to Yangshou. Longsheng lived up to my expectations and more. It was breathtaking. The drive to Longsheng is very scenic. You can see rice terraces all along the way, as your vehicle snakes it’s way up the mountain.

I will begin by saying that the drive itself is quite treacherous. The road is very narrow; a lot of sharp/blind corners and most of the steep roads do not have railings to keep your vehicle from plummeting to its demise. Not to mention the good chance of a head on collision. There were definitely a few times I grabbed on to my “oh sh*t handles”. If the weather is not good, I would consider rescheduling, trust me it would be pretty risky. Horse faired very well though and got us there in one piece. It is about a 3-hour drive from Yangshou. We left at 8:30am and got in about 12:00pm with one pee stop. It was worth the long journey. The excursion itself was enjoyable so don’t be discouraged to go to Longsheng because of the long drive, you don’t even notice it with the beautiful scenery in the background.

We had a private guide (which I think is the way to go) but you could take a taxi or a tour bus as well.

We went to the Ping’an village and once we paid an entrance fee we continued to drive another 15 minutes to an even higher village. When arriving you get out and walk your way to the top. It is about a ½ hour hike.

There are people that offer to carry your luggage up……..and if you want there are rickshaw workers that will carry you up as well. Most of the people being carried up were older, but there were a few westerners that were younger that used the service. Shameless in my opinion, but I guess their laziness is someone else’s living. Some of the luggage and human carriers were older than my Grandma! It never ceases to amaze me what people here actually do for a living. It is humbling and very extraordinary. I know for a fact I could not make a living carrying luggage or humans up a steep hill all day at this sort of altitude. The rickshaw operators were charging $180 Yuan per person to the top.

The views on the way up are even more magnificent than the pictures I have seen. Every picture you take is a keeper. You are surrounded by postcard scenery. The best part is you can observe the farmers working the terraces. You can hear the hundreds of streams that run through the town and paddies. The air is even fresher than Yangshou’s; true countryside, virtually untouched and very clean.

When you get to the top the views are just incredible. At the summit we took lots of pics and then kicked back at the local café, had a drink, wrote some postcards……man this is the life. The weather was just perfect, sunny with an occasional breeze. The breeze reminded me of that scene in the movie Fearless, where Jet Li winds up in a village that resembles Longsheng (if you are coming to China I recommend you watch this flick as well as the Last Emperor) and when the breeze comes up all the farmers stop working for that moment and let the breeze re-energize them. As the breeze came up I looked at my surroundings and I stopped walking to enjoy the same gentle wind these farmers have been enjoying for hundreds of years.

I wish we had stayed the night up there but we have to move on. Time is starting to be of the essence. Next time I will stay for sure. There are lots of little hotels and Inns and seemed really safe. Lots of tourists around….all colors, shapes and sizes. The local people were very friendly, not pushy or threatening at all.

Side Note: Because I have heard so may negative stories about China, I came here with my guard up, scared of getting ripped off at every turn. For the most part all the locals have been really good to us. I think sometimes a smile and a “ni hao” go a long way. Of course they are going to try to get some of your tourist money, but in a legitimate manner. Sometimes you pay more than you should. However, even at home if we can charge more for something than less, we do it too. Chinese local people overall are good-hearted, good natured, friendly people. They have been really, really good to us.
Side Note: I am sitting in the car driving back to Guilin and the car is just filled with a wonderful scent from all of the orange trees blossoming around us. China has many different, strong smells, both good and bad.
After we left Longsheng we made our way to Guilin. Yuck, what a contrast. It’s like beauty and the beast. Here is what I have to say about Guilin: don’t bother. If you already have Yangshou, Lijiang or the rice terraces in your itinerary don’t waste your time. Also the people here are not as welcoming. Something about their mannerisms and the way they glare at you. Sorry Guilin, you may be cheap, but money isn’t everything. Off to Guangzhou , Jiangmen tomorrow to visit family I have never met, and check out the village where my great grandfather lived. I am bursting with anticipation and excitement.

Hey Jayc/Kiki,

It's your brother! Your trip sounds breathtaking so far! Who knew you were such a deep brother?.....When you were talking about the Great Wall i got goose bumps! I'm glad you two are safe and having a great time. I think you're right when it comes to going anywhere having you guard too far up, I believe it can hinder your experience if you get to carried away. Mind you, I think you and Kirst might have had a bit more love from the locals because you are Chinese. Anyways, I hope you guys keep having fun! Keep up the report.

Sean

maybe one year the whole family should take this trip again together or whoever wants to go, i am in just to eat!
Barry

I think that is a great call Burr. China won't know what hit them! We would all have a great time here and we could bring Grandma, she would be very happy. You can eat here off $100 RMD for a week! When we went out for dinner with the whole family 15 people, private dining room, 16 dishes, $500 RMB, unreal. Will have the village post later on today. Leaving for HK now.

We remember the Li River Light Show, it was fantastic, a must see for anyone visiting Yangshou. Total different pace of life in HK, tall buildings, construction happening everywhere, hustle and bustle of people. Everyone seems to be in a rush to do or go somewhere. Have fun. Can't wait to read more.

April 16, 2009
“Gone Buoy! (Cheers!)”

We flew from Guilin to Guangzhou and then made our way to Jiangmen by cab ($320 Yuan) about an hour and a half drive. My relatives met us at the airport so they could make the journey with us. We hit it off right away. They are really nice people.

We checked in to Yucca Hotel. My family got us a fantastic rate $400 Yuan and it is the first 5 star Hotel on our trip. It’s a real

treat to finally be in nice hotel. Yucca Hotel is very grand. Its got a massive lobby and every amenity (shopping malls, 6 restaurants, tennis courts, spa, night club, two swimming pools) really, really nice. Hotels I have stayed at in the past of this caliber would have been ten times the price!

After a afternoon nap, our relatives came and picked us up and took us out for dinner. I guess when you go out for dinner in China with a big group you get your own room and server. My experience with big family dinners in Canada has always consisted of seafood (lobster, crab, shark fin) very pretentious dishes but not in Jiangmen. All of the dishes my relatives ordered were dishes of peasant food, stuff my Grandma had been cooking for since I was born. There was braised pork belly, goose, lotus root, spinach, steamed chicken, each dish was one I enjoyed and enjoyed eating very much. Best part only $500 Yuan to buy dinner. A song for how mush food we got. Man I love this country!

The relatives were pretty surprised that I had eaten everything they ordered before but I guess they failed to realize that I have been eating my Grandmas cooking since I was young. We do not have royal bloodlines, we are a family of peasants and that is probably why I can relate (and enjoy this food) more than the pretentious kind.

After a great dinner we went back to my relatives house for drinks. I was very impressed with how large and beautiful their homes were. Very nicely renovated, well furnished, in fact my Aunt even had a media room complete with 100 inch projection screen! I also discovered that night that my Uncle is very talented. He is a Chinese opera singer and a very famous Calligrapher (artist). He gave us some beautiful works of his art and after way too many drinks (I was not used to the Chinese Wine, we call it cooking wine back home, no matter what you do, don’t touch this stuff) they took us home. They were great people, my kind of people, loud, boisterous, and down to earth. I really enjoyed their company.

April 17, 2009
“I think it was the mountain meat”

The next day my Uncle picked us up at 9:00am as were going to head to the village where my Great Grandfathers old house (technically speaking I guess it is my house now) is and where my Uncle had grown up. I have heard many stories from my Grandma about “heng ha” (village) and was very excited to go.

Along the way we stopped at a local village retail store to buy some supplies as we were also going to visit my ancestors gravesite. I didn’t realize there were so many things to purchase in order to do it. It was a very big production. We bought incents, firecrackers, paper money, paper gold, candles, booze, apples, tea eggs, a whole roasted suckling pig, sugar cane, bread, chopsticks, oranges everything you would need for a big picnic.

On the way to the gravesite we picked up three other relatives that still resided in the village. Local farmers. When we arrived we had to actually hike up a mountain about 10 minutes and the gravesite was located in the most random, but very beautiful spot, in the middle of nowhere. The graves themselves were not headstones, but just basically piles of dirt with smaller piles on top to symbolize each person that has passed away. I asked my Uncle how often they come here and he said once a year and this year they delayed it to wait for us to go, I was honored. The three relatives we picked up along the way had come a few days previously and landscaped the gravesite. I guess after a year the site becomes over grown with weeds and grass. They had done a great job. It looked really good (as good as a grave site can I guess, I have nothing to compare it to really).

We laid some mats on the ground and began to set the meal up for our ancestors to enjoy. We set each person that had passed chopsticks, a small cup of rice wine and laid all the food in front of the mounds of dirt. We then stuck candles and incents in the mounds of dirt (in threes for some reason), poured out the liquor on to ground, put our hands together and kowtowed to them.

Next we started burning the paper gold and money to ensure our ancestors had plenty to spend in heaven. Next came the firecrackers (personally was my favorite part). I remember when I was young I used to love playing with firecrackers. I was obsessed with them at Halloween. Never in my life would I have thought it appropriate to light packs of firecrackers and throw them on top of my ancestor’s burial plots as a sign of respect. Could you imagine going to the graveyard in North America armed with firecrackers, lighting them and then throwing them at the gravestones? You might get arrested LOL!

After the ceremony it was time to eat the food that we had brought. I had observed many flies and insects landing around and on our food we were about to consume (not to mention the food had been baking in the hot sun for two hours out in the open), but when my Uncle started cutting up the pig and handed me a piece what was I going to do, say no? Sometimes you just have to go with it, when in Rome…I knew from the moment I started eating I was going to pay for it later. It was quite a scene. Here is my Uncle hacking off pieces of pork and passing it around, here I am with sugar cane in one hand, a massive piece of pork in the other, everyone was eating making all sorts of noise and the best part, just discarding our garbage on the ground, we were like starved barbarians, it was awesome!

Not only were we blowing up firecrackers at my ancestor’s site, now we were stuffing our faces with food and then just littering our garbage right there on the ground. If westerners could just see this scene they would probably be shaking their heads LOL but I guess every culture has their quirky traditions. I have never had so much fun “bai san” (visiting ancestors gravesite) before.

After we left the gravesite is was time to go visit our family home. When we first arrived it was very emotional for me. As I walked in to the home you could still see remnants of my ancestors that had lived there before. Farming equipment, pictures hung on the walls, bed frames, the bathroom pot was still there. I was actually very surprised and shocked at how beautiful the home was. The finishing’s were very detailed and it even had wood trim (crown moldings) throughout. Although it was in very rough shape (wear and tear) I could see that when Chan Sing had this house built ,it was one of the nicest in the whole village. Two levels complete with sundeck! Standing inside the house made this trip all worth it. As a person I really believe to move forward in life it is important to know who you really are, and where you came from. I have a new found appreciation for my Chinese roots, Chinese relatives and my village.

After the house we walked around the village for a bit. I was pleasantly surprised at how beautiful my village actually is. I thought that I would not see any beauty in it and that it was going to be gross and dirty (don’t ask me why) but in fact it was quite the opposite. I loved being there and could actually see myself living there in another life. My Uncle on the other hand seemed to just want to get out of there. I guess when you spend your life trying to get out of somewhere, going back has a different meaning and feeling for you. After we walked around our local village we went back to my relatives house for some tea and fruit. In there yard they had a Guava tree and my Uncle picked one for me immediately and said I should try some. I should have known better when it was rinsed off with tap water not to eat it, but I couldn’t resist. It was delicious.

The only problem is that if you do the crime, you are going to do the time. After eating copious amounts of mountain meat (it was so good I had four helpings) and then finishing it off with fresh Guava right off the tree rinsed with local tap water, I spent the next ten hours on and off the toilet LOL. I could hear my doctor back at home going “you idiot” but sometimes in life we all must make sacrifices in order to enjoy experiences to the fullest. My butt and tummy may be a bit sore, but it was worth and I would do it again LOL. Some experiences are just priceless.