China our way! A 23 day trip report of independent travelers in May 2009.
Jun 10th, 2009, 06:57 PM
#62
Wow, they've really poshed up the bus to Leshan! Mine ('04) had very loud video, but no seat belts and no attendant! I took a boat from near the bus station in Leshan - I bought a ticket from a kiosk on the waterfront, but had to wait a long time before the boat left. There was also a rickety looking ferry leaving from the same place, but that also gave you less time in front of the Buddha.
Jun 11th, 2009, 04:17 AM
#63
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Thanks for your support! As for Xi'an, it was so much better than I expected. For some reason recommendations were to see the soldiers and get out. It deserves much more time. I think Xi'an was the most pleasant town we visited. We were there 2 days and needed another. Ride bikes on the city walls, visit the Mosque and the streets leading up to it. Go out to the Big Pagaoda and see the water/light show at dark, 9 p.m. for us. The museum is said to be wonderful. I wanted to go but ran out of time.
Taking the public bus is an easy way to go see the warriors. The return bus was hard to find.
I'll write more details soon.
thursdays, time to go back to China! It sounds like things are progressing very quickly. I found China no harder to travel in than Europe is. Only big problem was at the airports when things didn't work. They need English there, I'll say it again. Oh, and the bathroom situation. That was the worst part.
Taking the public bus is an easy way to go see the warriors. The return bus was hard to find.
I'll write more details soon.
thursdays, time to go back to China! It sounds like things are progressing very quickly. I found China no harder to travel in than Europe is. Only big problem was at the airports when things didn't work. They need English there, I'll say it again. Oh, and the bathroom situation. That was the worst part.
Jun 11th, 2009, 05:39 AM
#64
Images - so many places, so little time! I need to go back to India, too. I thought the bathroom situation in the big tourist cities had been improved? I know on my last trip there was a stellar loo in the Temple of Heaven park. But did you read this: http://www.fodors.com/community/asia...uat-toilet.cfm ? Or, I wrote "Seven Steps to Happy Squatting" at wilhelmswords.com/faq/index.html .
Jun 11th, 2009, 06:08 AM
#65
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Yes, I saw that. How true!! I only found a few decent bathrooms. No doors in some. Whenever possible I'd go for the handicap toliet, but often the door would be locked. Twice it was in a utility closet. Even airports had pits. This must be the next thing China updates!
May 22
Breakfast was much quieter today at our hotel. The tour groups had left. The women working here at the desk are very helpful in translating my English into Mandarin for the taxi drivers. Often they’d discuss among themselves, and then one would write it down for us.
If you go to Chengdu don’t miss the Qingshiqiao Market. We visited the food stalls, again, a very large area brimming with seafood, meat, produce and even Miracle Whip and peanut butter! This is located southeast of the river. We took a taxi. Chengdu is quite large so if you decide to walk to these locations it’s going to take too much time. The market area was extremely busy. Much of it faces the outdoors, with trucks still arriving with all kinds of food in Styrofoam containers. Meat and fish lay directly on the ground. It was a mess. Bags with chicken legs sticking out of the openings, whole pig snouts, hoofs, chopped up fresh fish, bags of turtles, frogs wrapped in leaves and piles of Zong-zi, the glutinous rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves, were piled everywhere. Baskets full of spices and piles of eggs filled out the selection. This was one of the most amazing markets I’ve visited.
Indoors the market continues. The produce is upstairs, but this area still doesn’t seem very clean. We walked past a pile of plucked chickens on the dirty floor. As we circled back the chickens were off the floor, ready to sell. I read that this area has pet markets, birds and other items, but we only saw food.
Walking down the street looking for the other markets we noticed a Carrefour store. We know this store from our French travels. It was clean and crowded. Dumplings and cookies looked tasty. We bought Chinese DVD’s for $2 each. They work in our region free DVD player! After a few more purchases here we needed to return to our hotel, dropping off our purchases.
Wuhou Temple (武侯祠) or the Temple of Marquis Wu is next to Jinli Street. In fact there is an entrance to the Temple from the Jinli Street promenade. Admission is 60rmb, which is high, but luckily the Panda card entitled us to free admission. There are large red curved walls circling this site. Large forests of bamboo and gardens fill the grounds. I’m not sure of the historical significance for this site, but we enjoyed our time here. The weather in China had been fantastic during our stay. We had very little rain. A downpour occurred here just as we sat down in the tea garden for a tea break. Thankfully it stopped raining just as we finished our tea!
Since we were at Jinli Street we browsed the food stalls which offer take away food just across from picnic tables. There is an interesting selection here, but the meat on a stick, (titled bunch of meat), vegetable filled pancake and sticky rice rolls seemed safe. The noodles were a bit too spicy for me, but my husband braved a bowl. You can buy much more adventurous food here. We shared a table with a Chinese family who was very pleased we were trying some of the food selections and were impressed at our ease of using chop sticks! This is a good area for a quick lunch. A Starbucks is also located here. We used it for wifi and I had to purchase a coffee cup for our daughter who collects them.
The Thatched Cottage of Dufu is another large, garden area on the western side of Chengdu. It was a long taxi ride from Wuhou Temple. Still, taxis are inexpensive. So many people ride bikes here also. It’s an adventure each time you’re on the road. On one trip our taxi was rear ended. I’m surprised there aren’t more accidents. We also saw a woman lying in the street, having been hit by a car. I mentioned this situation to someone in Beijing. They said that there has been a campaign in Beijing teaching the taxi drivers to drive more safely. Evidently this campaign hasn’t reached Chengdu yet.
The Thatched Cottage grounds are very large. Don’t miss the cottage, it’s in the center, but you must take a left turn after entering, don’t walk straight ahead as we did. It’s surrounded by beautiful hydrangeas and cherry trees. There are also ruins under roof here which are interesting. A map would be helpful. The Panda card is accepted here also.
For dinner this evening we walked to Beijing Duck which was directly across from the Crowne Plaza hotel. This area is more upscale than the area we stayed in, but was easy walking distance. Nicely dressed women employees of the restaurant were outdoors welcoming customers. They’ll take you upstairs in an elevator to the 3rd or 4th floor where the restaurant is actually located. I read that there would be lines, waiting for a table, but this didn’t happen. We were seated immediately. Menus in China can be books. There are pages and pages of choices. The waitress will wait at your table while you look through the menu. They want to take your order immediately but we always needed time to browse the menu so felt under pressure. We chose the ½ duck of course which was only 38rmb plus 10rmb for the “pancakes” and 2rmb for the scallions and sauce. Each item is ordered separately. The duck was very good, but not as delicious at the duck we had in Beijing. They also brought out soup and watermelon. With drinks our meal was 77rmb.
Tomorrow we have a very early wake up call, with an 8:00 a.m. flight to Xi’an.
May 22
Breakfast was much quieter today at our hotel. The tour groups had left. The women working here at the desk are very helpful in translating my English into Mandarin for the taxi drivers. Often they’d discuss among themselves, and then one would write it down for us.
If you go to Chengdu don’t miss the Qingshiqiao Market. We visited the food stalls, again, a very large area brimming with seafood, meat, produce and even Miracle Whip and peanut butter! This is located southeast of the river. We took a taxi. Chengdu is quite large so if you decide to walk to these locations it’s going to take too much time. The market area was extremely busy. Much of it faces the outdoors, with trucks still arriving with all kinds of food in Styrofoam containers. Meat and fish lay directly on the ground. It was a mess. Bags with chicken legs sticking out of the openings, whole pig snouts, hoofs, chopped up fresh fish, bags of turtles, frogs wrapped in leaves and piles of Zong-zi, the glutinous rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves, were piled everywhere. Baskets full of spices and piles of eggs filled out the selection. This was one of the most amazing markets I’ve visited.
Indoors the market continues. The produce is upstairs, but this area still doesn’t seem very clean. We walked past a pile of plucked chickens on the dirty floor. As we circled back the chickens were off the floor, ready to sell. I read that this area has pet markets, birds and other items, but we only saw food.
Walking down the street looking for the other markets we noticed a Carrefour store. We know this store from our French travels. It was clean and crowded. Dumplings and cookies looked tasty. We bought Chinese DVD’s for $2 each. They work in our region free DVD player! After a few more purchases here we needed to return to our hotel, dropping off our purchases.
Wuhou Temple (武侯祠) or the Temple of Marquis Wu is next to Jinli Street. In fact there is an entrance to the Temple from the Jinli Street promenade. Admission is 60rmb, which is high, but luckily the Panda card entitled us to free admission. There are large red curved walls circling this site. Large forests of bamboo and gardens fill the grounds. I’m not sure of the historical significance for this site, but we enjoyed our time here. The weather in China had been fantastic during our stay. We had very little rain. A downpour occurred here just as we sat down in the tea garden for a tea break. Thankfully it stopped raining just as we finished our tea!
Since we were at Jinli Street we browsed the food stalls which offer take away food just across from picnic tables. There is an interesting selection here, but the meat on a stick, (titled bunch of meat), vegetable filled pancake and sticky rice rolls seemed safe. The noodles were a bit too spicy for me, but my husband braved a bowl. You can buy much more adventurous food here. We shared a table with a Chinese family who was very pleased we were trying some of the food selections and were impressed at our ease of using chop sticks! This is a good area for a quick lunch. A Starbucks is also located here. We used it for wifi and I had to purchase a coffee cup for our daughter who collects them.
The Thatched Cottage of Dufu is another large, garden area on the western side of Chengdu. It was a long taxi ride from Wuhou Temple. Still, taxis are inexpensive. So many people ride bikes here also. It’s an adventure each time you’re on the road. On one trip our taxi was rear ended. I’m surprised there aren’t more accidents. We also saw a woman lying in the street, having been hit by a car. I mentioned this situation to someone in Beijing. They said that there has been a campaign in Beijing teaching the taxi drivers to drive more safely. Evidently this campaign hasn’t reached Chengdu yet.
The Thatched Cottage grounds are very large. Don’t miss the cottage, it’s in the center, but you must take a left turn after entering, don’t walk straight ahead as we did. It’s surrounded by beautiful hydrangeas and cherry trees. There are also ruins under roof here which are interesting. A map would be helpful. The Panda card is accepted here also.
For dinner this evening we walked to Beijing Duck which was directly across from the Crowne Plaza hotel. This area is more upscale than the area we stayed in, but was easy walking distance. Nicely dressed women employees of the restaurant were outdoors welcoming customers. They’ll take you upstairs in an elevator to the 3rd or 4th floor where the restaurant is actually located. I read that there would be lines, waiting for a table, but this didn’t happen. We were seated immediately. Menus in China can be books. There are pages and pages of choices. The waitress will wait at your table while you look through the menu. They want to take your order immediately but we always needed time to browse the menu so felt under pressure. We chose the ½ duck of course which was only 38rmb plus 10rmb for the “pancakes” and 2rmb for the scallions and sauce. Each item is ordered separately. The duck was very good, but not as delicious at the duck we had in Beijing. They also brought out soup and watermelon. With drinks our meal was 77rmb.
Tomorrow we have a very early wake up call, with an 8:00 a.m. flight to Xi’an.
Jun 11th, 2009, 08:21 AM
#66
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> I found China no harder to travel in than Europe is.
I'd just like to pick this comment out from the very welcome long and detailed report so that the many who approach this board thinking that although they usually travel independently in China they'd probably better take a tour can and do take note.
Peter N-H
I'd just like to pick this comment out from the very welcome long and detailed report so that the many who approach this board thinking that although they usually travel independently in China they'd probably better take a tour can and do take note.
Peter N-H
Jun 11th, 2009, 09:03 AM
#67
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Thanks Peter. This is true.
May 23
My one regret leaving Chengdu is that we had no time to visit the Live Water Garden 活水公园 http://www.keepersofthewaters.org/lwg.cfm. Samantha Brown from the travel channel highlighted this garden on her Chengdu show. There is never enough time to do everything I plan!
5:30 a.m., time to catch a taxi for the airport. Thankfully one was waiting outside the hotel doors, although the driver was sleeping! We had an 8 a.m. China Southern flight to Xi’an. On the return trip from Chengdu to the airport there is a toll to pay so this trip was 58rmb. The drive is around 30 minutes I think. Not only was our flight on time, this pilot was the best we had. Smooth take off and landing for a change! This is a 1 hour flight. Breakfast was served, which was 3 different types of breads. Our flight flew over beautiful, deep mountain ranges, and the air was clean on our arrival.
Once we collected our luggage we hurried outside to find the airport bus to the Melody Hotel in the center of Xi’an. No English sign was available and the driver couldn’t speak English but there was only one bus sitting there. The driver pointed to a sign which was a map of Xi’an showing where the bus stopped. It’s in the center of the city walls, so I was sure this was the right bus to take. They leave hourly, on the hour and tickets are 25rmb per person. The bus is air-conditioned, very nice. Store your luggage underneath. We paid once we were underway. Once we arrived and got off the bus, a travel agent met us trying to get our business for tours in the Xi’an area. She said she worked at the Melody Hotel. I told her we didn’t need any help. She was persistent. This happened to us at several locations in China. They see a westerner, they assume you need a guide.
We had a booking at the Citadines, which is an easy walk from the airport bus stop. Getting off the bus, walk to the right. At the first street turn left. Cross the street, walk one block down and you’ll see the tall hotel on your right. We reserved a studio apartment here. It’s very nice to have the space, a small refrigerator and tiny kitchen area. The apartment has a nice flat screen television, which had ESPN channels, so we wouldn’t miss the Monaco Formula One race!! The hotel is dated, so it’s not extremely attractive. Free wifi is available in the lobby area only, not the rooms. There is a small sitting area adjacent to the check in area, which was private and a good spot to call home or check email. The price was $59usd per night, with breakfast an extra charge at the adjoining restaurant.
Needing lunch we ate at Star Ferry Restaurant on the corner. Unfortunately we didn’t order the dim sum because it wasn’t on the menu. It was available for the asking, we learned later. Our lunch was tasteless.
Xi’an city walls contain a very attractive, reasonably sized town. I realize greater Xi’an covers a lot more area, but it’s inside these walls you’ll spend most of your time besides the trip to the Terra Cotta Warriors. The town is easily walkable. It’s clean and pleasant. The only flaw I saw was the sidewalk construction as we walked to the southern gate where we collected bikes for our ride around the city walls. A large mall is located at the circle near the Drum Tower.
Beginning with a walk to the Drum Tower we bought 40rmb combination tickets for this and the Bell Tower. I don’t think you have to visit both on the same day but we did. A musical program is preformed here, but it was lunch break so we missed it. People were actually in the chairs waiting for the performance although it wouldn’t begin for 2 more hours. The break is from 11:30 – 3:00. The view from the outdoor railing of the drum tower is excellent. Take your photos of the Bell Tower from here. The muslin market is also visible. Kite vendors line this area. They’re selling a string of small kites that are all connected in a long trail. The kites come in smaller packs and larger packs. I loved them!! We bought several at 10rmb per package for the larger size. Our grandchildren love them!
The Beiyuan men Islamic Street near the base of the Drum tower offered all types of food. We decided to explore this street for a bit and found some interesting dining options. I wish we were able to eat the piles of cherries filling the wagons, but we never chanced eating fruit we couldn’t peel. The watermelons looked delicious also. Bird cages lined the trees and shops bordered the streets. It’s a wonderful, lively area. We returned later for some shopping.
Next we wanted to climb the Bell Tower. We walked under the street through the long underground passageway. There was supposed to be a walkway under the road to approach the Bell Tower. After searching and searching for it, we found that it was closed. Back outdoors we had to brave the traffic and cross the busy street. Since this was a circular area it was a bit tricky. Again, upstairs along the outer railing is a wonderful area to take photos. Another American family was touring the bell tower, with their college age daughter who lives in Beijing now. Xi’an was the favorite city in China they’ve visited. We used our compass to find which direction the southern gates to the city wall were.
The sidewalk to the Southern Gate is under construction, but making our way through we arrived at the gate. Unfortunately we missed seeing the Forest of Steles 西安碑林 which is said to be located just inside the southern city wall, near Wenchang Gate. There is a collection of over 2,000 stone tablets here.
The admission onto the City Wall is 40rmb. Once you climb the stairs if you turn east and walk a bit there are bicycles for rent. They are old, the brakes don’t work to well, but it was great fun riding the whole way around the walls, stopping often for photos. Bike rental is only 20rmb for 100 minutes. You must leave a 200rmb deposit with the bike rental desk. Several different locations rent bikes, so you must not forget which one you rent bikes from. Only this location will return your deposit. They are very strict about the 100 time limit also. Don’t lose the receipt they’ll give you. We arrived back in 98 minutes. I guess you must pay extra if you’re late.
We began our ride, stopping often for photos. It was wonderful! After an hour we checked the time and figured out if we didn’t pick up the pace, we’d never return on time. The 2nd half of our ride we had no time to stop. The trip is bumpy and my kickstand kept falling down. If you look down into the town at certain points along the wall, you’ll notice ruins of rubble, with people still living amongst it. We also took note of the where the bus station was since tomorrow we’ll be taking the public bus to the Terra Cotta Warriors.
I was so very tired at the end of the ride, and I needed food. Mistakenly we stopped at the McDonalds next to the Xi’an Kaiyuan mall so I could get a hamburger. It was horrible. My husband was much smarter, not ordering food since he indulged at the Islamic Market. We walked through some of the mall noticing kiosks for a product my husband’s company manufactures. Items are marketed differently in China.
This evening we took a taxi to the small pagoda, looking for a recommended restaurant, called Maogang Xiangcaiguan. I only had the name in English which I showed to several people in the area, but no one had any idea where it was. We never found it. The small pagoda had closed. There is a fence around it, and it wasn’t visible from the gated area. Others begged to be allowed inside, since it had just closed, but the guard didn’t allow anyone to enter. The road outside the small pagaoda is named Youyi West Road. Directly across from the pagoda we ate at an excellent restaurant whose card I can’t locate. The name starts with Quin I believe. It’s the nicest restaurant in this immediate area and many local people were going inside. The waiter suggested Beef and Peppers. It was very tender and excellent. We added rice and other side dish. With drinks dinner was only 80rmb.
The area around the Big Wild Goose Pagoda 大雁塔 has a water show every evening. We took a taxi from the restaurant to the Big Pagoda. He needed to let us off a good distance from the pagoda because the area around the pagoda is just a pedestrian zone, no cars allowed. He tried to explain this to us but we didn’t understand. My foot was hurting a lot, it was almost 8 p.m. when we thought the show began. An underground passageway accessed this area, with a sign noting that the fountains were straight ahead. The main entrance to the plaza is on the south end, the same side the water fountains are located. Some people climb the area directly adjoining the pagoda which is above the water fountains to view the show from above. We joined them at first, but they were crowding, pushing and shoving. We left the area and joined the public in the square below, where the actual fountains are located. The cement borders are good places to sit and enjoy the show, except there are water jets that will spurt out from the cement. Some young girls were in the way of these jets and were drenched with water.
The show actually began around 9 p.m. It must be dark before it’ll begin. The whole area erupts with water fountains, dancing to music, with different colored lights shining on the fountains. People run into the water playing, and photographers are set up seeking people who like their photos taken. It’s a lot of fun watching the scene, although we stayed dry on the side lines. In 20 minutes, the show is over. Everyone empties out of the plaza looking for transportation back to town.
No taxis were available. The buses were full, with long lines waiting to board. The only way we could return was by rickshaw. First we said no to several offers, but desperate we finally agreed. The driver put 3 fingers on his arm. How can this just cost 3rmb?? He shook his head yes, so we got in. He rode all the way back to the drum tower, which was very close to our hotel. I thought we should pay him more than 3 rmb for this long trip, so we offered him 10. He became very angry, shaking his head no. It turns out that 3 fingers that he displayed on his arm, actually mean 30rmb, not 3 rmb. My husband was angry with him, but I was just happy to be safely back to the area. It was a long ride amongst the traffic.
The drum tower and center of Xi’an were lit up beautifully in the dark. We love Xi’an.
Adjacent to the area with the Big Wild Goose Pagoda is Tang Paradise Garden. This is a paid admission area which is quite large and also has a waterfall show in the evening. If we had stayed an extra night I wanted to see what this area has to offer.
May 23
My one regret leaving Chengdu is that we had no time to visit the Live Water Garden 活水公园 http://www.keepersofthewaters.org/lwg.cfm. Samantha Brown from the travel channel highlighted this garden on her Chengdu show. There is never enough time to do everything I plan!
5:30 a.m., time to catch a taxi for the airport. Thankfully one was waiting outside the hotel doors, although the driver was sleeping! We had an 8 a.m. China Southern flight to Xi’an. On the return trip from Chengdu to the airport there is a toll to pay so this trip was 58rmb. The drive is around 30 minutes I think. Not only was our flight on time, this pilot was the best we had. Smooth take off and landing for a change! This is a 1 hour flight. Breakfast was served, which was 3 different types of breads. Our flight flew over beautiful, deep mountain ranges, and the air was clean on our arrival.
Once we collected our luggage we hurried outside to find the airport bus to the Melody Hotel in the center of Xi’an. No English sign was available and the driver couldn’t speak English but there was only one bus sitting there. The driver pointed to a sign which was a map of Xi’an showing where the bus stopped. It’s in the center of the city walls, so I was sure this was the right bus to take. They leave hourly, on the hour and tickets are 25rmb per person. The bus is air-conditioned, very nice. Store your luggage underneath. We paid once we were underway. Once we arrived and got off the bus, a travel agent met us trying to get our business for tours in the Xi’an area. She said she worked at the Melody Hotel. I told her we didn’t need any help. She was persistent. This happened to us at several locations in China. They see a westerner, they assume you need a guide.
We had a booking at the Citadines, which is an easy walk from the airport bus stop. Getting off the bus, walk to the right. At the first street turn left. Cross the street, walk one block down and you’ll see the tall hotel on your right. We reserved a studio apartment here. It’s very nice to have the space, a small refrigerator and tiny kitchen area. The apartment has a nice flat screen television, which had ESPN channels, so we wouldn’t miss the Monaco Formula One race!! The hotel is dated, so it’s not extremely attractive. Free wifi is available in the lobby area only, not the rooms. There is a small sitting area adjacent to the check in area, which was private and a good spot to call home or check email. The price was $59usd per night, with breakfast an extra charge at the adjoining restaurant.
Needing lunch we ate at Star Ferry Restaurant on the corner. Unfortunately we didn’t order the dim sum because it wasn’t on the menu. It was available for the asking, we learned later. Our lunch was tasteless.
Xi’an city walls contain a very attractive, reasonably sized town. I realize greater Xi’an covers a lot more area, but it’s inside these walls you’ll spend most of your time besides the trip to the Terra Cotta Warriors. The town is easily walkable. It’s clean and pleasant. The only flaw I saw was the sidewalk construction as we walked to the southern gate where we collected bikes for our ride around the city walls. A large mall is located at the circle near the Drum Tower.
Beginning with a walk to the Drum Tower we bought 40rmb combination tickets for this and the Bell Tower. I don’t think you have to visit both on the same day but we did. A musical program is preformed here, but it was lunch break so we missed it. People were actually in the chairs waiting for the performance although it wouldn’t begin for 2 more hours. The break is from 11:30 – 3:00. The view from the outdoor railing of the drum tower is excellent. Take your photos of the Bell Tower from here. The muslin market is also visible. Kite vendors line this area. They’re selling a string of small kites that are all connected in a long trail. The kites come in smaller packs and larger packs. I loved them!! We bought several at 10rmb per package for the larger size. Our grandchildren love them!
The Beiyuan men Islamic Street near the base of the Drum tower offered all types of food. We decided to explore this street for a bit and found some interesting dining options. I wish we were able to eat the piles of cherries filling the wagons, but we never chanced eating fruit we couldn’t peel. The watermelons looked delicious also. Bird cages lined the trees and shops bordered the streets. It’s a wonderful, lively area. We returned later for some shopping.
Next we wanted to climb the Bell Tower. We walked under the street through the long underground passageway. There was supposed to be a walkway under the road to approach the Bell Tower. After searching and searching for it, we found that it was closed. Back outdoors we had to brave the traffic and cross the busy street. Since this was a circular area it was a bit tricky. Again, upstairs along the outer railing is a wonderful area to take photos. Another American family was touring the bell tower, with their college age daughter who lives in Beijing now. Xi’an was the favorite city in China they’ve visited. We used our compass to find which direction the southern gates to the city wall were.
The sidewalk to the Southern Gate is under construction, but making our way through we arrived at the gate. Unfortunately we missed seeing the Forest of Steles 西安碑林 which is said to be located just inside the southern city wall, near Wenchang Gate. There is a collection of over 2,000 stone tablets here.
The admission onto the City Wall is 40rmb. Once you climb the stairs if you turn east and walk a bit there are bicycles for rent. They are old, the brakes don’t work to well, but it was great fun riding the whole way around the walls, stopping often for photos. Bike rental is only 20rmb for 100 minutes. You must leave a 200rmb deposit with the bike rental desk. Several different locations rent bikes, so you must not forget which one you rent bikes from. Only this location will return your deposit. They are very strict about the 100 time limit also. Don’t lose the receipt they’ll give you. We arrived back in 98 minutes. I guess you must pay extra if you’re late.
We began our ride, stopping often for photos. It was wonderful! After an hour we checked the time and figured out if we didn’t pick up the pace, we’d never return on time. The 2nd half of our ride we had no time to stop. The trip is bumpy and my kickstand kept falling down. If you look down into the town at certain points along the wall, you’ll notice ruins of rubble, with people still living amongst it. We also took note of the where the bus station was since tomorrow we’ll be taking the public bus to the Terra Cotta Warriors.
I was so very tired at the end of the ride, and I needed food. Mistakenly we stopped at the McDonalds next to the Xi’an Kaiyuan mall so I could get a hamburger. It was horrible. My husband was much smarter, not ordering food since he indulged at the Islamic Market. We walked through some of the mall noticing kiosks for a product my husband’s company manufactures. Items are marketed differently in China.
This evening we took a taxi to the small pagoda, looking for a recommended restaurant, called Maogang Xiangcaiguan. I only had the name in English which I showed to several people in the area, but no one had any idea where it was. We never found it. The small pagoda had closed. There is a fence around it, and it wasn’t visible from the gated area. Others begged to be allowed inside, since it had just closed, but the guard didn’t allow anyone to enter. The road outside the small pagaoda is named Youyi West Road. Directly across from the pagoda we ate at an excellent restaurant whose card I can’t locate. The name starts with Quin I believe. It’s the nicest restaurant in this immediate area and many local people were going inside. The waiter suggested Beef and Peppers. It was very tender and excellent. We added rice and other side dish. With drinks dinner was only 80rmb.
The area around the Big Wild Goose Pagoda 大雁塔 has a water show every evening. We took a taxi from the restaurant to the Big Pagoda. He needed to let us off a good distance from the pagoda because the area around the pagoda is just a pedestrian zone, no cars allowed. He tried to explain this to us but we didn’t understand. My foot was hurting a lot, it was almost 8 p.m. when we thought the show began. An underground passageway accessed this area, with a sign noting that the fountains were straight ahead. The main entrance to the plaza is on the south end, the same side the water fountains are located. Some people climb the area directly adjoining the pagoda which is above the water fountains to view the show from above. We joined them at first, but they were crowding, pushing and shoving. We left the area and joined the public in the square below, where the actual fountains are located. The cement borders are good places to sit and enjoy the show, except there are water jets that will spurt out from the cement. Some young girls were in the way of these jets and were drenched with water.
The show actually began around 9 p.m. It must be dark before it’ll begin. The whole area erupts with water fountains, dancing to music, with different colored lights shining on the fountains. People run into the water playing, and photographers are set up seeking people who like their photos taken. It’s a lot of fun watching the scene, although we stayed dry on the side lines. In 20 minutes, the show is over. Everyone empties out of the plaza looking for transportation back to town.
No taxis were available. The buses were full, with long lines waiting to board. The only way we could return was by rickshaw. First we said no to several offers, but desperate we finally agreed. The driver put 3 fingers on his arm. How can this just cost 3rmb?? He shook his head yes, so we got in. He rode all the way back to the drum tower, which was very close to our hotel. I thought we should pay him more than 3 rmb for this long trip, so we offered him 10. He became very angry, shaking his head no. It turns out that 3 fingers that he displayed on his arm, actually mean 30rmb, not 3 rmb. My husband was angry with him, but I was just happy to be safely back to the area. It was a long ride amongst the traffic.
The drum tower and center of Xi’an were lit up beautifully in the dark. We love Xi’an.
Adjacent to the area with the Big Wild Goose Pagoda is Tang Paradise Garden. This is a paid admission area which is quite large and also has a waterfall show in the evening. If we had stayed an extra night I wanted to see what this area has to offer.
Jun 11th, 2009, 11:29 AM
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Images2 and Peter might this not be a little too strong:
> I found China no harder to travel in than Europe is.
Yes, you can travel China independently, and we did too, but it does present more challenges than Europe. For example, the language is very difficult and has no cognates with any of the usual European suspects. You can easily learn some tourist Italian, Spanish or French but it's next to impossible to make yourself understood in any language spoken in China. You stand no chance of reading anything unless it's written in English. In Russia or Greece you just learn a new set of letters and you're good to go. Not so in China.
European food is much more similar to ours than Chinese. Deciphering Chinese menus and selecting food is not easy, even for the adventurous eater. Food safety is an issue in China. I can't think of a European city in which I would only eat fruit I peel myself.
Usually European airports and train stations have signs in several languages and staff that speak or understand English. That's not the norm in China, especially once you're out of the main cities. You mention lack of suitable bathrooms. Certainly that's not as much a problem in Europe.
You mention many times that you were surrounded by touts. Yes, that happens in Europe but certainly not to the same extent. Unwary tourists are probably more likely to be taken advantage of in China than Europe. You stand out in China much more than you do in Europe.
None of these are deal breakers for independent travel but they do pose challenges and should be recognized.
> I found China no harder to travel in than Europe is.
Yes, you can travel China independently, and we did too, but it does present more challenges than Europe. For example, the language is very difficult and has no cognates with any of the usual European suspects. You can easily learn some tourist Italian, Spanish or French but it's next to impossible to make yourself understood in any language spoken in China. You stand no chance of reading anything unless it's written in English. In Russia or Greece you just learn a new set of letters and you're good to go. Not so in China.
European food is much more similar to ours than Chinese. Deciphering Chinese menus and selecting food is not easy, even for the adventurous eater. Food safety is an issue in China. I can't think of a European city in which I would only eat fruit I peel myself.
Usually European airports and train stations have signs in several languages and staff that speak or understand English. That's not the norm in China, especially once you're out of the main cities. You mention lack of suitable bathrooms. Certainly that's not as much a problem in Europe.
You mention many times that you were surrounded by touts. Yes, that happens in Europe but certainly not to the same extent. Unwary tourists are probably more likely to be taken advantage of in China than Europe. You stand out in China much more than you do in Europe.
None of these are deal breakers for independent travel but they do pose challenges and should be recognized.
Jun 11th, 2009, 12:34 PM
#69
"You stand no chance of reading anything unless it's written in English." Not entirely true. With some minimal practice I could recognize a number of place names, and things like exit, entrance, toilet, bank, chicken, tofu, rice etc., and I learnt some of the numbers. Street signs are fairly easy - the signs for north, south, east, west and center crop up all over the place, and you just need to pattern match the rest to a map. I stand a much better change of learning to read some Mandarin than I do of speaking it.
Lack of English can be a problem in Eastern Europe, too - I found that the second language was often Russian or German. And there was a serious shortage of English speakers and signs in Russia. Not such a problem in Western Europe, I agree.
Lack of English can be a problem in Eastern Europe, too - I found that the second language was often Russian or German. And there was a serious shortage of English speakers and signs in Russia. Not such a problem in Western Europe, I agree.
Jun 11th, 2009, 01:08 PM
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Marija,
All your points are valid, but none of them posed real problems for us as far as being able to travel. I guess I was so worried before we left that there would be large challenges along the way and that never materialized. I’m not very good with language so I chose to ignore it. My husband actually recognized several characters after a week. He enjoyed figuring out a bit of the language.
You’re right, conditions aren’t as comfortable. I missed the wonderful food of France and outdoor cafes where you can just relax the afternoon away. I really missed a glass of wine in the evenings! The fresh strawberries, cherries etc. looked so tempting, but no, we never chanced eating any. I did get tired of Chinese food, and got really hungry at times. We brought granola bars and dried fruit with us so when nothing else was available, we snacked on those. The other tiring thing was brushing our teeth with bottled water. It just got irritating not being able to use tap water in the bathroom!
Touts were a problem in Yangshuo and the Kowloon side of Hong Kong. We learned to wave our hand horizontally at these people and they’d understand we meant NO. Yes, we stood out and this did make the vendors more aggressive. I was surprised how I could take photos and walk almost anywhere with no objections.
None of this obstructed our travels though. I’m very happy we saw the major sites in China. It was wonderful meeting some of the people, sharing some moments with them. Now China isn’t a total mystery to us which is valuable, but it’s not a country we’ll want to return to again and again as we do Europe.
Thanks for clarifying the challenges we faced along the way.
All your points are valid, but none of them posed real problems for us as far as being able to travel. I guess I was so worried before we left that there would be large challenges along the way and that never materialized. I’m not very good with language so I chose to ignore it. My husband actually recognized several characters after a week. He enjoyed figuring out a bit of the language.
You’re right, conditions aren’t as comfortable. I missed the wonderful food of France and outdoor cafes where you can just relax the afternoon away. I really missed a glass of wine in the evenings! The fresh strawberries, cherries etc. looked so tempting, but no, we never chanced eating any. I did get tired of Chinese food, and got really hungry at times. We brought granola bars and dried fruit with us so when nothing else was available, we snacked on those. The other tiring thing was brushing our teeth with bottled water. It just got irritating not being able to use tap water in the bathroom!
Touts were a problem in Yangshuo and the Kowloon side of Hong Kong. We learned to wave our hand horizontally at these people and they’d understand we meant NO. Yes, we stood out and this did make the vendors more aggressive. I was surprised how I could take photos and walk almost anywhere with no objections.
None of this obstructed our travels though. I’m very happy we saw the major sites in China. It was wonderful meeting some of the people, sharing some moments with them. Now China isn’t a total mystery to us which is valuable, but it’s not a country we’ll want to return to again and again as we do Europe.
Thanks for clarifying the challenges we faced along the way.
Jun 11th, 2009, 01:20 PM
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Breakfast at Larry’s Singapore restaurant which is connected to the Citadines hotel wasn’t to our liking. The charge was 35rmb.
When we left our hotel we wanted to find a taxi to the railway station, Xian Railway Station 西安火車站, which is just outside of the north gate. The bus station is next door, just east, of the railway station where we’d take a public bus to the Terra Cotta Warriors. Taxi drivers were waiting, but they wanted to take us all the way to the Terra Cotta Warrior site. We just declined and walked out to the main road where it was easy to find a taxi willing to drive to the railway station. We never showed the taxi drivers our desired destination until we were already in the taxi. This never created a problem, except for the restaurant location in Chengdu which was near the 3rd ring road.
Many #306 / tourist bus #5 (same bus) were lined up at the bus station. When one filled, it left and the next bus was used. Buses were leaving continuously. Bus fare was just 7rmb and the trip took 1 hour. The bus made a couple of stops along the way. The university was one stop, then a site where almost everyone got off. This turned out to be the opening of the 2nd China poetry Festival and it was attracting a large crowd. We also drove by a “great pyramid and the sphinx”! Really! This must be another tourist site. I’ve been to Egypt and this reproduction isn’t too good! The bus also drives by several “terracotta” factories with full size replica warriors.
When we arrived at the Terra Cotta Warriors site the bus stopped in the back of the parking lot. We found the entrance fine, declined all offers to be guided around the site and bought tickets. I think they were 90rmb each. On the back of the ticket is an ad for Brother Industrial Sewing Machines. I love to sew, so I know this company. They have a factory in Xian. There are excellent western bathrooms just after the entrance gates. We proceeded to Pit 1 which had most of the warriors and chariots in the back. All these figures were built with local clay, and then fired in a kiln. After firing they were painted. Local people built tombs over this site and evidence of these tombs is also seen on the site. This site was found in 1974 by local farmers who were drilling a well. The site of the well can be seen in a front corner of Pit #1. The oldest brick wall in China is also in this pit. We spent over an hour in Pit 1. There were no crowds, so it was easy to take photos. We then went to Pit 3, followed by Pit 2. Pit #3 has many soldiers without heads. In pit #2 a terra cotta general, a kneeling archer and the warrior with saddle horse are displayed in glass enclosures. Weapons that had been covered in chrome are also displayed.
After viewing the pits we went into the gift shop, which was very expensive. Then we saw the film which is in the round. We didn’t care for the film.
Several men were selling box sets of cheap Terra Cotta Warriors. Their asking price started out very, very high. They tried to explain this was still less than the price in the gift shops. We just laughed and moved on. Finally the price of 10rmb was offered. At this point we bought 2 sets for our grandsons.
After spending 3 ½ hours at this site we looked for the exit which wound all the way around to the back, past many vendors who were very aggressive. It’s an attractive area, but we weren’t sure if it was an exit. Finally we arrived at the parking lot but nowhere could we find bus #306 for the return trip back to Xi’an. We came across a smaller bus #914 which also returned to the same bus station. My foot was in a lot of pain so we decided to just take this bus. I couldn’t search for the other bus any longer. This was a mistake. This bus drove a different route, parallel to a road that was under construction. The road we took was dirt and deeply potted, for a long while, very bumpy, with a drop off on the right side. I wasn’t very happy with the ride but felt so very sorry for the people who lived in the poverty we passed. Although the trip only took about 12 minutes longer than the #306 bus route, it seemed to take much longer. We parked right next to bus #306!
Back at our hotel we checked our e-mail and took a rest. We still hadn’t visited the Grand Mosque清真寺. Huajue Xiang is the alley the mosque is located on. There are signs above you as you walk down this street. Look up! We passed it, not seeing the small street which runs off the main street. Finally we asked for help and a nice gentleman walked us to the correct small road. There are many vendors selling a lot of merchandise down this road. It’s a nice selection, with great shopping opportunities. This is different from the food street Beiyuan men Islamic Street, but in the same area.
First we visited the Mosque with its gardens and 5 courtyards. Admission is 25rmb. The architecture is Chinese. It’s not too large and is well worth visiting. The only building you can’t enter is the Prayer hall. As we left a bride was coming down the alley with people throwing confetti.
Silk kites were available in the shops lining the lanes around the Mosque. Prices started at 120rmb, but after hard bargaining I bought 2 silk and bamboo kites for our grandsons for 60rmb each. One was a dragon and the other an owl. The first shop let me walk, but the second was willing!
Needing a break from Chinese food we decided to eat at Pizza Hut. I know, but I was so hungry and pizza sounded really good! The wait was long for a table. Pizza was expensive compared to Chinese food. Most of the drinks available were “fountain” drinks so we couldn’t order those. Wine was on the menu but not available. Finally our food arrived and it tasted just like the Pizza Huts in the U.S. Excellent crust also. After dinner we were thrilled to find the Formula One Monaco race on the television in our room. We had another early flight in the morning, to Beijing. My husband actually packed our suitcases, as I collapsed into bed enjoying the race!
Breakfast at Larry’s Singapore restaurant which is connected to the Citadines hotel wasn’t to our liking. The charge was 35rmb.
When we left our hotel we wanted to find a taxi to the railway station, Xian Railway Station 西安火車站, which is just outside of the north gate. The bus station is next door, just east, of the railway station where we’d take a public bus to the Terra Cotta Warriors. Taxi drivers were waiting, but they wanted to take us all the way to the Terra Cotta Warrior site. We just declined and walked out to the main road where it was easy to find a taxi willing to drive to the railway station. We never showed the taxi drivers our desired destination until we were already in the taxi. This never created a problem, except for the restaurant location in Chengdu which was near the 3rd ring road.
Many #306 / tourist bus #5 (same bus) were lined up at the bus station. When one filled, it left and the next bus was used. Buses were leaving continuously. Bus fare was just 7rmb and the trip took 1 hour. The bus made a couple of stops along the way. The university was one stop, then a site where almost everyone got off. This turned out to be the opening of the 2nd China poetry Festival and it was attracting a large crowd. We also drove by a “great pyramid and the sphinx”! Really! This must be another tourist site. I’ve been to Egypt and this reproduction isn’t too good! The bus also drives by several “terracotta” factories with full size replica warriors.
When we arrived at the Terra Cotta Warriors site the bus stopped in the back of the parking lot. We found the entrance fine, declined all offers to be guided around the site and bought tickets. I think they were 90rmb each. On the back of the ticket is an ad for Brother Industrial Sewing Machines. I love to sew, so I know this company. They have a factory in Xian. There are excellent western bathrooms just after the entrance gates. We proceeded to Pit 1 which had most of the warriors and chariots in the back. All these figures were built with local clay, and then fired in a kiln. After firing they were painted. Local people built tombs over this site and evidence of these tombs is also seen on the site. This site was found in 1974 by local farmers who were drilling a well. The site of the well can be seen in a front corner of Pit #1. The oldest brick wall in China is also in this pit. We spent over an hour in Pit 1. There were no crowds, so it was easy to take photos. We then went to Pit 3, followed by Pit 2. Pit #3 has many soldiers without heads. In pit #2 a terra cotta general, a kneeling archer and the warrior with saddle horse are displayed in glass enclosures. Weapons that had been covered in chrome are also displayed.
After viewing the pits we went into the gift shop, which was very expensive. Then we saw the film which is in the round. We didn’t care for the film.
Several men were selling box sets of cheap Terra Cotta Warriors. Their asking price started out very, very high. They tried to explain this was still less than the price in the gift shops. We just laughed and moved on. Finally the price of 10rmb was offered. At this point we bought 2 sets for our grandsons.
After spending 3 ½ hours at this site we looked for the exit which wound all the way around to the back, past many vendors who were very aggressive. It’s an attractive area, but we weren’t sure if it was an exit. Finally we arrived at the parking lot but nowhere could we find bus #306 for the return trip back to Xi’an. We came across a smaller bus #914 which also returned to the same bus station. My foot was in a lot of pain so we decided to just take this bus. I couldn’t search for the other bus any longer. This was a mistake. This bus drove a different route, parallel to a road that was under construction. The road we took was dirt and deeply potted, for a long while, very bumpy, with a drop off on the right side. I wasn’t very happy with the ride but felt so very sorry for the people who lived in the poverty we passed. Although the trip only took about 12 minutes longer than the #306 bus route, it seemed to take much longer. We parked right next to bus #306!
Back at our hotel we checked our e-mail and took a rest. We still hadn’t visited the Grand Mosque清真寺. Huajue Xiang is the alley the mosque is located on. There are signs above you as you walk down this street. Look up! We passed it, not seeing the small street which runs off the main street. Finally we asked for help and a nice gentleman walked us to the correct small road. There are many vendors selling a lot of merchandise down this road. It’s a nice selection, with great shopping opportunities. This is different from the food street Beiyuan men Islamic Street, but in the same area.
First we visited the Mosque with its gardens and 5 courtyards. Admission is 25rmb. The architecture is Chinese. It’s not too large and is well worth visiting. The only building you can’t enter is the Prayer hall. As we left a bride was coming down the alley with people throwing confetti.
Silk kites were available in the shops lining the lanes around the Mosque. Prices started at 120rmb, but after hard bargaining I bought 2 silk and bamboo kites for our grandsons for 60rmb each. One was a dragon and the other an owl. The first shop let me walk, but the second was willing!
Needing a break from Chinese food we decided to eat at Pizza Hut. I know, but I was so hungry and pizza sounded really good! The wait was long for a table. Pizza was expensive compared to Chinese food. Most of the drinks available were “fountain” drinks so we couldn’t order those. Wine was on the menu but not available. Finally our food arrived and it tasted just like the Pizza Huts in the U.S. Excellent crust also. After dinner we were thrilled to find the Formula One Monaco race on the television in our room. We had another early flight in the morning, to Beijing. My husband actually packed our suitcases, as I collapsed into bed enjoying the race!
Jun 11th, 2009, 03:55 PM
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> Images2 and Peter might this not be a little too strong
Yes, but only a little: the key issue is that those who prefer to travel independently should understand that it's perfectly possible to do so, and they shouldn't be considering booking a tour if they prefer not to. Indeed, just to take one example, summer China is full of gap year 18-year-olds travelling well beyond the usual heavily visited destinations discussed here. As you said, none of the difficulties raised is a deal-breaker, and in fact the difficulties of most are overstated, and there are tens of thousands of independent travellers in China to prove this.
Difficulties of the kind mentioned are mostly in the eye of the beholder, and what's impossible for one is too negligible to mention for another.
> Unwary tourists are probably more likely to be taken advantage of in China than Europe. You stand out in China much more than you do in Europe.
I think tourists stand out clearly wherever they go, but the point here is that the *more* a visitor to China engages with the tourism industry the *more* likely he is to be duped: in fact it's practically guaranteed, whereas the independent traveller is able to do much better for herself, avail herself of a great deal more choice, and pay proper prices.
The Chinese tourism industry has long fed itself on promoting precisely the fear of a language and cultural gulf the better to pick the pocket of the visitor. Those on organised tours are very thoroughly fleeced, and those who hire local guides are typically taken for a ride in two senses at once. Independent travellers carrying their own reference materials, not booking in advance, and who talk to other independent travellers just arriving from where they are about to go do a great deal better.
It must also be understood just how fundamentally fake China travel is in a way that's quite independent of the degree of support, planning, or organisation any visitor chooses to accept. To take the example of Lijiang, discussed above: One of the main sights is a 'palace' that didn't exist prior to the recent earthquake, but was built on the site of ordinary people's houses in order to make the town more attractive to tourism; many of the rebuilt houses are no longer in the local style and are very shoddily constructed; the Naxi dress admired above was actually designed by the local Han (main ethnic group) Chinese tourism authorities as an improvement on the original, and all those working in hospitality in the old part of Lijiang are required to wear it, despite the fact that most are not themselves Naxi. In short, there's no truth in tourism in China, but you're likely to get nearer to it by reading widely and certainly not by listening to any tour guide.
There's a very lively discussion of some of the problems with organised tourism, including postings from someone who wants to deny that independent travel is possible at all, at:
http://www.fodors.com/community/asia...--reliable.cfm
For an account by someone with no previous Asia experience who travelled independently in China, and who effortlessly overcame the not-very-difficult difficulties raised, see:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...7&tid=35159504
Again, the point about the modestly greater degree of complication in China over Europe is well taken, but the degree is modest.
Peter N-H
Yes, but only a little: the key issue is that those who prefer to travel independently should understand that it's perfectly possible to do so, and they shouldn't be considering booking a tour if they prefer not to. Indeed, just to take one example, summer China is full of gap year 18-year-olds travelling well beyond the usual heavily visited destinations discussed here. As you said, none of the difficulties raised is a deal-breaker, and in fact the difficulties of most are overstated, and there are tens of thousands of independent travellers in China to prove this.
Difficulties of the kind mentioned are mostly in the eye of the beholder, and what's impossible for one is too negligible to mention for another.
> Unwary tourists are probably more likely to be taken advantage of in China than Europe. You stand out in China much more than you do in Europe.
I think tourists stand out clearly wherever they go, but the point here is that the *more* a visitor to China engages with the tourism industry the *more* likely he is to be duped: in fact it's practically guaranteed, whereas the independent traveller is able to do much better for herself, avail herself of a great deal more choice, and pay proper prices.
The Chinese tourism industry has long fed itself on promoting precisely the fear of a language and cultural gulf the better to pick the pocket of the visitor. Those on organised tours are very thoroughly fleeced, and those who hire local guides are typically taken for a ride in two senses at once. Independent travellers carrying their own reference materials, not booking in advance, and who talk to other independent travellers just arriving from where they are about to go do a great deal better.
It must also be understood just how fundamentally fake China travel is in a way that's quite independent of the degree of support, planning, or organisation any visitor chooses to accept. To take the example of Lijiang, discussed above: One of the main sights is a 'palace' that didn't exist prior to the recent earthquake, but was built on the site of ordinary people's houses in order to make the town more attractive to tourism; many of the rebuilt houses are no longer in the local style and are very shoddily constructed; the Naxi dress admired above was actually designed by the local Han (main ethnic group) Chinese tourism authorities as an improvement on the original, and all those working in hospitality in the old part of Lijiang are required to wear it, despite the fact that most are not themselves Naxi. In short, there's no truth in tourism in China, but you're likely to get nearer to it by reading widely and certainly not by listening to any tour guide.
There's a very lively discussion of some of the problems with organised tourism, including postings from someone who wants to deny that independent travel is possible at all, at:
http://www.fodors.com/community/asia...--reliable.cfm
For an account by someone with no previous Asia experience who travelled independently in China, and who effortlessly overcame the not-very-difficult difficulties raised, see:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...7&tid=35159504
Again, the point about the modestly greater degree of complication in China over Europe is well taken, but the degree is modest.
Peter N-H
Jun 12th, 2009, 05:07 AM
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Images,
My next trip is Singapore,Thailand,Myanmar and Laos. Leaving in October and just started the planning.
Glad my report on China was helpful. I loved that trip and will hopefully get back there soon.
My next trip is Singapore,Thailand,Myanmar and Laos. Leaving in October and just started the planning.
Glad my report on China was helpful. I loved that trip and will hopefully get back there soon.
Jun 15th, 2009, 08:55 PM
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Nywoman, the local Lijiang girl's name is Xiaolu, she is a Naxi and one of the co-owners of the Minimal Lounge Professor Qian's private driver. She attended 2-years of college majoring in tourism and japanese, she told us few independent japanese travel to Lijiang, they only come in groups. Qian is teaching her english and let's her drive travelers around if he doesn't need her. He lives in Baisha and invited us to visit his home built in tibetan style.
Jun 16th, 2009, 05:11 AM
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May 25
Our HaiNan airline flight departs from Xi’an for Beijing at 9:20 a.m. The information I had said that the Xi’an airport buses depart every hour on the hour from just outside the Melody Hotel, to the airport. Tickets are 25rmb and the trip takes about 1 hour. The buses leave at 6 a.m. – 8 p.m. We woke at 4:45 a.m. so to be sure we’d be on the 6 a.m. bus.
When we checked out of the Citadines Hotel we had to wait while an employee went up to our room and checked it. I used the hotel hair dryer the night before and it was sitting in a different location than we found it. They questioned us about the hair dryer and we had to wait until they saw that it was still in the room. Not a very professional way to check out your guests.
Walking to the Melody Hotel we arrived at 5:35 or 5:40 a.m. One bus had already been filled with passengers and was pulling away. 2 more airport buses were ready to be loaded. Taxi drivers were also trying to get passengers for 60rmb for the airport trip. It was a very busy place. We took the 2nd bus and arrived at the airport at 6:20 a.m. There was no traffic on the roads at this early hour. We ate breakfast at the airport. It was horrible and expensive. The security line moved quickly and good bathrooms were inside the terminal. Our HaiNan flight had a lot of leg room, and very polite flight attendants. We were handed a package of roasted green peas and tea and orange juice. Many seats were empty. This was our favorite airline in China.
Beijing looked very smoggy as we flew in. Later a wind blew in and seemed to clear the air. The airport express train is signed very well in the airport. Follow the signs downstairs. There is security to pass through before you can enter the area for the train. You may not have any aerosol cans. Tickets are purchased here for 25rmb each. I had a tip to sit backwards on the train since it would reverse direction after the lst stop. Well we got on the train at Terminal 2 and it never reversed direction, so sit forwards from this location! We got off the airport express train at Dongzhimen station, the end of the line. It is necessary to climb a long flight of stairs when leaving this station. I motioned to a guard about an alternative and he indicated we must go up these stairs with our luggage. Arughhh. Once we were outdoors, we decided to get a taxi to our small courtyard hutong hotel.
The small hotel was located near Dongdan metro stop, but since we didn’t know quite where it was, we thought it best to have the taxi take us all the way. I had excellent directions from our hotel, in Mandarin. The first 2 taxis we approached wouldn’t take us. A black taxi driver was badgering us about taking us for 100rmb. We firmly said no. It was frustrating having the other taxi’s deny taking us. Finally we found one who grudgingly agreed. It took a bit of extra effort on his part, finding our hutong, but he did it without calling ahead. Bonnie, the owner was surprised he made it without help. The taxi trip was 17rmb.
I purchased a good Beijing map on Amazon I think. The map is Borch Beijing map. We were very happy with this map although the metro map isn’t quite up to date. New lines are opening in Beijing, as the one to the Summer Palace is now open.
In Beijing I wanted to stay in a small courtyard hotel. Many of those recommended seemed overpriced, and I wasn’t sure the locations were good. I searched and searched on different internet sites for an appropriate courtyard hotel. Finally we decided to book Emperor's Guards Station Courtyard Hotel www.emperorsguards.com
Address: No. 51, Beijige Santiao, Dongdan Beidajie, Dongcheng District. This was just a 5 minute walk to Metro lines 1 and 5. It was also just a 5 minute walk to an entrance to the Oriental Plaza Mall which is a wonderful mall. We could walk through this mall to the other exit which emptied onto Wangfujing Street. We thought the location was wonderful. The hutong itself was not touristy, just a normal hutong, which is gray and drab.
It’s difficult describing this hutong courtyard hotel. The photos on the web site are accurate, except that it’s more rundown than the photos look. We booked directly and paid 580rmb per night for a double room, 1 large bed, and private bathroom. Breakfast is included, but it’s very poor. There is free wifi, but Bonnie didn’t mention it when we checked in. We didn’t ask, and ended up using the wifi at Starbucks in Oriental Mall the first 2 days. Then we discovered from another guest the password for the wifi, and we had good access for the remainder of our stay. Our bed was very comfortable, the room clean and a good size. The bathroom had very hot water, but was pretty rough. The sink is decorated and nice, but all the plumbing is open and the shower drains into the bathroom, in front of the toilet, behind the sink. I hate this situation. The TV didn’t work very well. Bonnie was very nice, when she was there, but a nice young man really runs this small hotel, not Bonnie. She’s the face you see when you arrive and leave, but the young man is actually running the hotel. He sleeps on a tiny bed in a tiny room with the hotel computer. There are only about 5 rooms, and one courtyard which needs fresh paint. I think the rate should be lower also. Along the hutong there are a couple of tiny shops great for buying drinks and snacks. Also very good fried egg muffins are for sale each morning, very fresh and hot for .22 cents each. This ended up being our daily breakfast. Who knows, for the right price we may stay here again, I’m not sure. The bed was large and very comfortable. We met several international guests here, all very kind people. That was the best part!
Our HaiNan airline flight departs from Xi’an for Beijing at 9:20 a.m. The information I had said that the Xi’an airport buses depart every hour on the hour from just outside the Melody Hotel, to the airport. Tickets are 25rmb and the trip takes about 1 hour. The buses leave at 6 a.m. – 8 p.m. We woke at 4:45 a.m. so to be sure we’d be on the 6 a.m. bus.
When we checked out of the Citadines Hotel we had to wait while an employee went up to our room and checked it. I used the hotel hair dryer the night before and it was sitting in a different location than we found it. They questioned us about the hair dryer and we had to wait until they saw that it was still in the room. Not a very professional way to check out your guests.
Walking to the Melody Hotel we arrived at 5:35 or 5:40 a.m. One bus had already been filled with passengers and was pulling away. 2 more airport buses were ready to be loaded. Taxi drivers were also trying to get passengers for 60rmb for the airport trip. It was a very busy place. We took the 2nd bus and arrived at the airport at 6:20 a.m. There was no traffic on the roads at this early hour. We ate breakfast at the airport. It was horrible and expensive. The security line moved quickly and good bathrooms were inside the terminal. Our HaiNan flight had a lot of leg room, and very polite flight attendants. We were handed a package of roasted green peas and tea and orange juice. Many seats were empty. This was our favorite airline in China.
Beijing looked very smoggy as we flew in. Later a wind blew in and seemed to clear the air. The airport express train is signed very well in the airport. Follow the signs downstairs. There is security to pass through before you can enter the area for the train. You may not have any aerosol cans. Tickets are purchased here for 25rmb each. I had a tip to sit backwards on the train since it would reverse direction after the lst stop. Well we got on the train at Terminal 2 and it never reversed direction, so sit forwards from this location! We got off the airport express train at Dongzhimen station, the end of the line. It is necessary to climb a long flight of stairs when leaving this station. I motioned to a guard about an alternative and he indicated we must go up these stairs with our luggage. Arughhh. Once we were outdoors, we decided to get a taxi to our small courtyard hutong hotel.
The small hotel was located near Dongdan metro stop, but since we didn’t know quite where it was, we thought it best to have the taxi take us all the way. I had excellent directions from our hotel, in Mandarin. The first 2 taxis we approached wouldn’t take us. A black taxi driver was badgering us about taking us for 100rmb. We firmly said no. It was frustrating having the other taxi’s deny taking us. Finally we found one who grudgingly agreed. It took a bit of extra effort on his part, finding our hutong, but he did it without calling ahead. Bonnie, the owner was surprised he made it without help. The taxi trip was 17rmb.
I purchased a good Beijing map on Amazon I think. The map is Borch Beijing map. We were very happy with this map although the metro map isn’t quite up to date. New lines are opening in Beijing, as the one to the Summer Palace is now open.
In Beijing I wanted to stay in a small courtyard hotel. Many of those recommended seemed overpriced, and I wasn’t sure the locations were good. I searched and searched on different internet sites for an appropriate courtyard hotel. Finally we decided to book Emperor's Guards Station Courtyard Hotel www.emperorsguards.com
Address: No. 51, Beijige Santiao, Dongdan Beidajie, Dongcheng District. This was just a 5 minute walk to Metro lines 1 and 5. It was also just a 5 minute walk to an entrance to the Oriental Plaza Mall which is a wonderful mall. We could walk through this mall to the other exit which emptied onto Wangfujing Street. We thought the location was wonderful. The hutong itself was not touristy, just a normal hutong, which is gray and drab.
It’s difficult describing this hutong courtyard hotel. The photos on the web site are accurate, except that it’s more rundown than the photos look. We booked directly and paid 580rmb per night for a double room, 1 large bed, and private bathroom. Breakfast is included, but it’s very poor. There is free wifi, but Bonnie didn’t mention it when we checked in. We didn’t ask, and ended up using the wifi at Starbucks in Oriental Mall the first 2 days. Then we discovered from another guest the password for the wifi, and we had good access for the remainder of our stay. Our bed was very comfortable, the room clean and a good size. The bathroom had very hot water, but was pretty rough. The sink is decorated and nice, but all the plumbing is open and the shower drains into the bathroom, in front of the toilet, behind the sink. I hate this situation. The TV didn’t work very well. Bonnie was very nice, when she was there, but a nice young man really runs this small hotel, not Bonnie. She’s the face you see when you arrive and leave, but the young man is actually running the hotel. He sleeps on a tiny bed in a tiny room with the hotel computer. There are only about 5 rooms, and one courtyard which needs fresh paint. I think the rate should be lower also. Along the hutong there are a couple of tiny shops great for buying drinks and snacks. Also very good fried egg muffins are for sale each morning, very fresh and hot for .22 cents each. This ended up being our daily breakfast. Who knows, for the right price we may stay here again, I’m not sure. The bed was large and very comfortable. We met several international guests here, all very kind people. That was the best part!
Jun 16th, 2009, 05:58 AM
#79
"had to wait while an employee went up to our room and checked it" - this seemed to be common in mid-range hotels in China. Not the guesthouses patronized by foreign backpackers, and not the more expensive ones, but the ones least likely to see foreigners.
Jun 16th, 2009, 06:07 AM
#80
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Interesting. It's the first time we experienced this.
Needing lunch, the young man who worked at our hotel walked us to Wangfuijing Street. It was important to get our bearings. It’s easy to find once we knew exactly where we were, but it took a bit of learning. We needed big landmarks! A food mall is located right off Wangfuijing Street at the Arts & Crafts Emporium. We took an escalator downstairs to access it. First we bought a food card with 50rmb of value on the card. We used it a 2 locations and was just enough for our lunch. Dining is at communal tables.
I thought the East gate of the Forbidden City was a good spot to enter this site with no lines. It’s a long walk to this gate. It is no longer a public gate for the Forbidden City. Guides are still trying to get your business here, but only employees can enter at this gate. A rickshaw driver waited, knowing some of us would need a ride to the front entrance. I agreed! He rode around the moat, saving us a very long walk.
There were no lines to enter the Forbidden City. Entrance tickets were 60rmb, a fair price compared to many other sites in China. We choose not to hire a guide. I was amazed how empty this site was. Maybe going in the afternoon is a good idea! We spent 3 hours inside, taking an ice cream break along the way! This shop was near the clock museum which has an extra admission. I didn’t find this museum very interesting. There are so many walkways in the back corners of the Forbidden City that go on, and on. Once we walked to this area we were exhausted, and time was running out. There was no way we could see everything inside the Forbidden City. We brought a map of the interior with main sites marked, and I took notes from reading up on the site before we left for China. This information was enough for us. I planned on seeing Jingshan Park after visiting the Forbidden City but we were too tired to go on. We returned to this park later in the week.
After a rest back at our hutong, we walked back to Wangfuijing Street. I found this street boring. At the end of the pedestrian area, by turning left, we found the night market, which is a strip of booths full of bugs on a stick and other interesting food booths. I wasn’t brave enough to try any of the food, not needing to get sick at this point. There are a lot of good photo opportunities though!
Returning to the Oriental Mall we bought a muffin at Starbucks so we could access wifi and read our e-mail. This was our lifeline while in China! Our daughter was great sending photos of our new 1 month old grandson!! In the lower levels of this mall are several restaurants along with a grocery store. We bought a bottle of French wine at the supermarket, which proved to taste nasty! We chose a Thai restaurant for dinner, then walked back to our room for a good night’s sleep!
Needing lunch, the young man who worked at our hotel walked us to Wangfuijing Street. It was important to get our bearings. It’s easy to find once we knew exactly where we were, but it took a bit of learning. We needed big landmarks! A food mall is located right off Wangfuijing Street at the Arts & Crafts Emporium. We took an escalator downstairs to access it. First we bought a food card with 50rmb of value on the card. We used it a 2 locations and was just enough for our lunch. Dining is at communal tables.
I thought the East gate of the Forbidden City was a good spot to enter this site with no lines. It’s a long walk to this gate. It is no longer a public gate for the Forbidden City. Guides are still trying to get your business here, but only employees can enter at this gate. A rickshaw driver waited, knowing some of us would need a ride to the front entrance. I agreed! He rode around the moat, saving us a very long walk.
There were no lines to enter the Forbidden City. Entrance tickets were 60rmb, a fair price compared to many other sites in China. We choose not to hire a guide. I was amazed how empty this site was. Maybe going in the afternoon is a good idea! We spent 3 hours inside, taking an ice cream break along the way! This shop was near the clock museum which has an extra admission. I didn’t find this museum very interesting. There are so many walkways in the back corners of the Forbidden City that go on, and on. Once we walked to this area we were exhausted, and time was running out. There was no way we could see everything inside the Forbidden City. We brought a map of the interior with main sites marked, and I took notes from reading up on the site before we left for China. This information was enough for us. I planned on seeing Jingshan Park after visiting the Forbidden City but we were too tired to go on. We returned to this park later in the week.
After a rest back at our hutong, we walked back to Wangfuijing Street. I found this street boring. At the end of the pedestrian area, by turning left, we found the night market, which is a strip of booths full of bugs on a stick and other interesting food booths. I wasn’t brave enough to try any of the food, not needing to get sick at this point. There are a lot of good photo opportunities though!
Returning to the Oriental Mall we bought a muffin at Starbucks so we could access wifi and read our e-mail. This was our lifeline while in China! Our daughter was great sending photos of our new 1 month old grandson!! In the lower levels of this mall are several restaurants along with a grocery store. We bought a bottle of French wine at the supermarket, which proved to taste nasty! We chose a Thai restaurant for dinner, then walked back to our room for a good night’s sleep!
