Picture the scene: dirty streets bustling until bursting point; cold, unwelcoming stares from a race aggressive by nature; questionable table manners with the "see-food" diet clearly all the rage and the very audible slurping of soup and noodles followed by the occasional appreciative belch; the almost customary retching and subsequent spitting of phlegm and mucus anywhere and everywhere; the public toilets that take public literally with the often undignified squatting over malodorous, doorless toilets often accompanied by an audience; and finally, the biggest language barrier known to man. This could only mean one thing. Welcome to China!China, with a population of 1.3 billion and the worlds largest growing economy (and construction boom to match), is daunting even for the most experienced and intrepid of travellers. From the indecipherable menus to the impossible to translate street signs. From the blank expressions to the rather comical (and often still indecipherable) use of charades and sign language by means of communication. China could test the most patient of patient. Nevertheless, with its fascinating ancient history combined with some of the worlds most picturesque scenery including being the proud owners of over 30 world heritage sites, China offers nothing less than an epic adventure. From dining out to using public conveniences, everything is guaranteed to be an unforgettable experience.
The first two days in the Orient (comprising Jinhong and Kunming) threatened to see me packing and running back to Laos with my tail between my legs. From laidback to uptight we had come from the land of smiles to the land of scowls. After day two China had left me with an extremely sour taste in my mouth, leaving me with the impression that the Chinese were the most vile and despicable parasites on Earth!
If spitting was a contest in the Beijing 2008 Olympics, China would win gold. They spit everywhere: on the streets, on the bus, from car windows, even in the Internet cafe! Nowhere is sacred from the large globules of slime. It is enough to turn the strongest of stomachs and quite peculiar for a nation still gripped by SARS paranoia. Forget SARS...TB anyone?
The hunt for food was always a challenge, involving many a long trek trying to locate something that looked (or smelt) remotely recognisable. It is not uncommon to see snake, dog or shark fin soup as the dish of the day. As for what smells like barbecued turds as you stroll along the street...gross! Hoping and praying for a pictorial menu, eating often resulted in sitting in the most local of outlets,
laughing nervously as the Chinese characters jumped glaringly from the menu. An embarrassed chuckle, shrug and a point towards the adjacent table's food generally constituted food ordering. As for Chinese table manners, pigs at a trough springs to mind! Nevertheless, much of the food proved quite tasty (including the ever-reliable egg-fried rice and the deliciously more-ish steamed buns) and who couldn't resist the dehydration induced by an MSG overdose? (Makes me wonder how the Chinese manage to produce so much spit!?!).Being typically British and therefore naturally polite and courteous, the rude and aggressive nature of the locals was hard to bear. "Queueing" is clearly not a word in the Chinese vocabulary with queue jumping the norm along with the often very forceful pushing and shoving. Alighting the train always makes for an interesting experience with one often becoming embroiled in the stampede. Even toilet business offers anything but a dull moment...trust me, I've witnessed ladies barging into an occupied stall whilst the previous occupant barely has time to pull up her knickers!
Having been confronted by an angry toilet attendant who, rather than politely ask for money chose to scream and shout and use physical force, I decided on the motto most apt for China: if you can't beat
'em, join 'em! Nothing that an angry tone and gentle counter attack couldn't sort out. In fact, as our travels progressed, "accidentally" clipping ankles with our extremely heavy luggage whilst being swamped by the hordes became quite fun, with not so much as an angry glance back.As we headed towards our next destination, my heart was someplace else. Get me out of here, I cried inside. As if by some miracle, by some twist of fate, there was light at the end of the tunnel. Dali. This was the almost mythical China that we had been looking for.
Dali is aesthetically beautiful, with a dramatic mountain backdrop on one side and a beautiful lake not too far on the other. With its walled old town, cobbled streets, traditional architecture and Tibetan influence (with Tibet a mere stones throw away), Dali is also reminiscent of the good-old days (with the exception of the food and Christmas decorations being the only Western influence). With the locals playing badminton, cards or Chinese checkers in the streets, women of all ages knitting their wares and, being much friendlier, greeting us with huge toothy grins (hallelujah), this was the China that I had always imagined.
Following a walk to the Three Pagodas (which, it has to be said, look far more impressive from a distance) we hired clapped-out bicycles and cycled several miles to the lake and through peaceful
neighbourhoods, getting some perplexed yet curious looks from the locals as we became lost in a maze of narrow, dusty streets. The evenings were spent walking around the pretty and vibrant town, warming our cockles over bottomless pots of green tea and taking full advantage of the Western (MSG free) food on offer. A three-hour bus journey took us to Lijiang, another of China's treasures. As with many of our Chinese destinations we arrived, map in hand, yet impossible to get our bearings! Looking confused and gormless eventually bore fruit in the form of a young couple with basic English who not only took us on the bus to the old town, but also escorted us to our impossible to find hotel. From this point we loved the Chinese!
Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Lijiang old town oozes traditional Chinese charm, with its myriad of sparklingly clean canals and cobbled lanes, seemingly an endless maze impossible not to get lost in. Lijiang mixes old with newly restored buildings, adorned with traditional scarlet lanterns swaying in the breeze.
A trip to Lijiang (especially in summer) is a reminder that China has the worlds largest population, being the number one holiday destination for the Chinese. The fact that tourism is aimed primarily
at the Chinese, thus retaining Chinese culture and traditions (rather than losing its identity in the name of tourism), works to China's credit. The hordes of (non-spitting) tourists roaming in packs are simply proof that very few can resist the charms of Lijiang, Black Dragon Lake being one of them (entrance Y60, free after 6pm).With its mirror-like lake, ornate pavilions and the snow-capped Yulong mountain backdrop adding to the magical scene, Black Dragon Lake is the calm from the commotion. It is a place of true tranquility and serenity and the perfect spot to indulge in some lakeside sunset rose tea. Romantico!
Following a delay due to treacherous weather conditions and an hour of some very nerve-jangling turbulence, we landed in Chengdu, home of the Giant Panda Breeding and Research Centre (tour Y90 through The Loft Hostel). The freezing and densely foggy conditions merely added to the experience as we got up, close and personal with these huge yet docile creatures, a species so unusual that scientists still cannot quite decide if they are in fact a bear, member of the raccoon family or a whole new breed of their own. With the almost eerie, shrouding mists we could at least pretend that they were in the wild. The babies in the nursery were adorable and just as dopey as their human counterparts. It was wonderful to get the opportunity to see these beautiful creatures, despite our bus driver-cum-guide insisting on spitting every ten paces. There's nothing quite like adding the threat of tuberculosis to an already endangered species.
Another short hop took us to Xi'an, the former Chinese capital, in time for Christmas Eve. Nothing could have prepared us for the havoc as we alighted the airport bus at Xi'ans Bell Tower. With the locals rushing around, making last minute yuletide preparations, Xi'an resembled a human ant farm. When it came to catching a cab, again the Chinese reputation for queue jumping preceded them. Nevertheless, we eventually arrived at our posh hotel, a special treat from Santa!
Glad rags on , we hit the town for quite possibly the most surreal Christmas experience we have ever had. With roads closed the streets were overflowing with revellers donning flashing Christmas hats and
Santa masks, setting off fire crackers and releasing hot-air lanterns into the air. The Chinese clearly recognise Christmas as an excuse to party!!! Literally hundreds of thousands if festive party goers aimlessly walked the streets around the beautifully illuminated Bell Tower, spraying each other with 'snow' and silly string and sweetly wishing us a "Mewwy Cwissmass" before bashfully running away. It was absolute carnage but most of all a very enjoyable and jovial carnival atmosphere. To prevent drowning in the sea of people Steve and I sought sanctuary in the Bell Tower Hostel for a yuletide bottle of vino. Sadly, Santa's PA clearly didn't pass on our hotel address so to make up for our empty stockings we visited the Army of the Terracotta Warriors, one of the worlds most significant archaeological discoveries.
Although I was initially skeptical (afterall, it wouldn't be difficult to coordinate the digging of a big hole and the sculpting of several hundred statues), the Terracotta Army was better than expected. The documentary viewed beforehand putting the find into its historical context made it all the more impressive.
Comprising 54km2 and taking 700,000 men 4 decades to build, the site was built as a mausoleum for first Emperor Qin Shi Huang, with the warriors arranged in battle formation to affirm his rule in the afterlife. What is more impressive than the fact that no two warriors look alike is the fact that only a small area of the site has been excavated, so one can only wonder at how many more treasures lie entombed beneath your feet.
That evening, following a very cold yet entertaining fountain and light show at the Big Goose Pagoda, we went on the hunt for Christmas dinner!!! Licking our lips at the thought of turkey with all the trimmings we were lured into a restaurant at the sight of steaming hot tea being poured through the window.
Giggling between ourselves we pointlessly perused the unreadable menu, giving the waitress coy glances. Off she toddled, fetching the pidgin English speaking manager. "Chicken. You have chicken?" I asked, resisting the urge to flap my arms in demonstration. "Chicken?" asked the manager, bemused. "Errr...this is fish restaurant". Our dreams of turkey evaporated in an instant.
Having already made a start on the free-flowing tea we felt too polite to simply up and walk out and before we knew what was happening, the big, black, rubbery looking fish was flapping around before our eyes before being whisked into the kitchen where a bubbling cauldron awaited. Luckily, in a city with seemingly only a handful of foreigners, an American Mandarin language student was on standby at a nearby table to order the trimmings on our behalf.
After what felt an eternity our waitress returned with a huge roasting tin, placing it on the hot plate in the middle of our table. Immediately tucking in the American girl waltzed over instructing us to wait several minutes before we could begin. As we watched the whole, boned fish dressed in greens and boiling away with cloves and cloves of garlic (seriously, there was enough to annihilate whole vampire populations), we were finally given the nod to eat.
Have you ever tried skinning and filleting a fish using chopsticks? With an audience of five waitresses, giggling at our embarrassing efforts, our loyal waitress stood by our side and did it on our behalf. There she stood, patiently, throughout our entire meal, placing fish chunks on our newly acquired spoons, whilst pouring an endless supply of tea.
Feeling full after the very bland tasting fish (definitely not the delicious Christmas dinner we had envisaged), it was time to pay the bill. With the equivalent of 3 quid short (which, incidentally, amounted to half our bill), Steve rushed out, minus his coat, into the below freezing streets to find an ATM, our lovely waitress offering to accompany him whilst panicking that he would get cold.
Three ATMs and a very brisk run later Steve returned, shivering and empty handed. The ATMs had failed to cough up the goods. Thus returned the nervous laughs as we glanced back and forth at our expectant waitress. Again the American girl came to our rescue, translating as we explained our awkward and embarrassing predicament. Again we were surrounded by an audience as the staff pondered what to do, they themselves giggling nervously. Along came the manager who, after first agreeing that we could pay the remainder of the bill the following day then agreed that we could settle the full bill, due to our waitress being worried that we couldn't get back to our hotel without money for a cab. Whether they simply felt sorry for us being so far from home at Christmas, kind human nature and the festive spirit prevailed. To thank our lovely waitress we tried our hardest to give her a tip but, as tipping is not customary in China, she stubbornly refused. 40 minutes or so later we returned to a surprised gaggle of waitresses, cash in hand, having stumbled upon a functional ATM. A very merry Christmas was had!
Xi'an is a buzzing and bustling city with its centre concentrated behind its city walls, Xi'an being one of the few cities in China where the original city walls are still standing. Commencing at the Southgate (entrance Y40) we walked half the perimeter of the wall, the low visibility due to enveloping mists and lack of other tourists giving an almost eerie, mysterious silence in contrast to the chaotic, gridlocked streets just 12m below.
From Xi'an we took our first overnight sleeper train (which, apart from the incessant retching, was a very convenient way to travel) for a whistle-stop tour of Pingyao, perhaps one of the best-preserved ancient walled cities in China.
Arriving before sunrise to a closed hotel and what resembled a ghost town, we stopped off at a local cafe just in time to see the feeding of some ravenous animals! Sorry, I meant locals. In the meantime we pointed at some food and had ourselves a feast before catching up on a few hours kip once our hotel opened.
With its part restored ancient grey-brick wall, dating back to c.1370, Pingyao really is an insight into ancient history. Another of China's UNESCO World Heritage Sites, a random wander around narrow, cobbled, dusty streets reveals an enchanting movie-set charm. Unlike Lijiang where the affluence of the old town has driven shop owners
to buy properties out of town, the locals live within the walls and go about their everyday lives in Pingyao: smoke billows from the roof-tops; laundry hangs outside ramshackled buildings; locals huddle around make-shift campfires after the winter dusk, careening along alleyways on their bicycles during the daytime. If not for the occasional restored eatery or guesthouse, Pingyao would be one heck of a step back in time. If it's real China you want, it's real China you get. Sadly, with time at the essence, we were aboard yet another sleeper train a mere 17-hours later.Moving further north to where the climate gets colder and the people get warmer, we arrived in Beijing, a capital at the height of Olympic fever.
Only Steve and I could be foolish enough to turn up in an immense city with only the ambiguous English name of our low-key hotel and expect a plain sailing transition from A to B. Nevertheless, a very helpful and patient taxi driver spent 20 minutes of his time phoning around to obtain an address before hailing another cab and sending us on our way. Miraculously, we arrived at our destination!
With the reputation for being one of the worlds most polluted cities, Beijing as bode well in its attempt to cut emissions in the run up to the Olympics, with haze-free brilliant blue skies and the roads surprisingly easy to cross (although I cannot vouch for those searing summer months). Beijing-ers are generally friendly and welcoming people, going out of their way to help the likes of us foreigners. In fact, it has to be said, the more foreign you look, the more the locals seem willing to help. As for my pet hate, spitting has (for the most part) been eradicated, with signs on the very efficient and shockingly cheap metro also encouraging better manners in preparation of the Olympics.
Beijing is a city of stark contrast, with an increasingly modern infrastructure entwined with fascinating and well preserved ancient monuments. As well as visiting Communist statement Tianenmen Square, traipsing the ancient, impeccably preserved Forbidden City (entrance Y40) and taking in some splendid panoramic vies from Jingshou Park (entrance Y2), we enjoyed many a stroll along Beijing's characteristic hutong, what many a local would describe as genuine Beijing. Comprising a maze of at least 2,000 narrow alleys surrounding the Forbidden City, the hutong are lined with ancient, historical and somewhat crumbling buildings, possessing a timeless charm sustained from Beijing's by-gone era.
In the words of Communist leader Chairman Mao, "he who has not climbed the Great Wall is not a true man". The Great Wall. If there is
only one reason to visit Beijing, the Great Wall is it. Built over 2,000 years ago by order of Emperor Qin Shi Huang (the Terracotta guy) to keep out barbarians (an effort which subsequently failed), much of the Great Wall has been reduced to rubble. What remains has been painstakingly preserved and, in parts, beautifully restored, leaving many an onlooker completely in awe of this world wonder.To avoid being trampled by the crowds of hotspot Badaling, we took a step off the beaten track and headed to Simatai, 110km NE of Beijing (Bus 980 & 970 from Dongzhimen Long-Distance bus station to Miyun, Y15. Negotiate taxi round-trip inc 3hrs at Simatai Y150 + Y20 parking fee). With parts of the masonry undergoing restoration, the rugged remains stretching for seemingly miles, exhilerating scenery and much fewer tourists provided a more authentic Great Wall experience. Simply approaching the Great Wall, which almost looked to be balancing precariously on the jagged tips of the mountains, was amazing in itself, allowing for full appreciation of this human feat.
Albeit a few days late, a white Christmas was had afterall, with a blanket of perfectly white snow draped across the mountainous terrain against the brilliant blue sky. We took a slightly unnerving cable car journey (Y50 return), what with the rusty cars in dire need of an overhaul, walking the last 500m or so until we were upon the wall itself. Covered in a thick layer of snow, the enchanting postcard picture perfect scenery was breathtaking. I had to resist the urge to throw myself on the ground to form snow angels, reminding myself I was indeed standing on an ancient relic.
A very short flight took us to the bright lights of Shanghai in time for the party of the year, New Years Eve! After first joining in the merriments at the Huangpu river, overlooked by the quirky Oriental Pearl Tower on one side and historical The Bund on the other, we headed to East Nanjing Road in search of some beer. In a nation of avid tea drinkers, it is perhaps no surprise that our efforts to find a watering-hole were in vain and after over an hour fighting through the frantic commercial strip, we were clearly in the wrong part of town. Nevertheless, we joined the frenzy of activity back at the river in time for the new year countdown and fireworks. Despite the lack of new year cheers, the toll of Big Ben and drunken renditions of Auld Land Syne, it was a very happy new year, albeit a very sober one!
Whilst we took photos of the sites, the Chinese tourists took pictures of us. With foreigners still a reasonably rare sight in China and what the Chinese perceive to be our very unusual looks we were walking, talking zoo exhibits. With subtelty not their forte the Chinese simply gawp. You could literally be rubbing shoulders with somebody and they will be craning their necks to rather discomfortingly stare at you. Whilst we would move to avoid ruining someones photo it would
transpire that they were in fact taking photos of us, or taking photos of their friends, shuffling around to ensure that we were hovering in the background. Shanghai was no exception, although the tourists took the more bold approach of simply asking us for a photo. Several people even wanted to spend the day with us! As strange yet amusing as it was, the attention became a tad overwhelming, thus we made our excuses and power walked away. Why anyone would want to be famous I don't know. Needless to say, a great country if you crave attention!Whilst in Shanghai we made an evening visit to the observation deck of the Jinmao Tower (entrance Y60 08.30 - 22.00), affording spectacular views of Shanghai, almost ablaze with colourful, neon lights.
Our final day was spent on a day-trip to Tongli (via Suzhou, express train from main train station Y26 each way, 40mins. Bus Suzhou to Tongli Y8 40mins. Entrance to old town Y80), our second favourite
destination in China (with the best still yet to come). Dating back over 1000 years, Tongli is a beautiful, weather-beaten ancient canal town, much like the Venice of the East! With original cobbled streets, meandering canals, stone arched bridges, whitewashed buildings and black-tiled roofs, Tongli is another step back into China's ancient past. Many of its buildings have even kept their traditional facades. Tongli is a great place to stroll around aimlessly or to visit a number of old residences (most noteably the Pearl Pagoda and Tuisi Gardens) for their beautiful and serene Koi ponds. Had we known how amazing this place would be we would have stayed the night but sadly we had to head back to Shanghai.Saving the best 'til last we arrived in Yangshuo, Guangxi Province (Flight Shanghai to Guilin, luxury bus from outside train station Y15
1hr), our number 1 spot in China!A well trodden backpacking destination, Yangshuo is a bustling town with vibrant atmosphere, surrounded by beautiful countryside and orange groves, undeveloped rural villages and a high concentration of fairytale limestone peaks that line the Li River. Although more developed than the likes of Pingyao or Tongli, Yangshup still manages to retain its ancient charm.
Following a day of lazy relaxation we partook in yet more lazy relaxation by way of a peaceful boat trip along the dreamy landscape of the Li River (Y40 plus Y5.5 each way for bus to Xinping). Yet more breathtaking scenery was observed the following day when we cycled 35km, trespassing (and thus getting lost) amid farmland and orange groves, careening along winding roads through the beautifully picturesque, otherwordly scenery. The icing on the cake was the hike up to Yueliang Shan aka Moon Hill (entrance Y15), a limestone pinnacle with a moon-shaped hole, affording breathtaking views of the lunar landscape, how I visualise the world to have looked at the dawn of time! But, perhaps the best reason to visit Yanghshuo is the beautiful village of Xinping, another of China's ancient treasures.
Nestled alongside the Li River, Xinping is a calm, peaceful town where the locals while away the hours drinking tea, playing cards and generally just mooching around. A brilliant place to spend mindless hours people watching!A night in heavily polluted Guangzhou and a short duration in Portugese influenced Macau thus ended our Chinese odyssy. Known as the Las Vegas of the East, Macau is a great place for the spendthrifts...not so great for the likes of us skint travellers!
From a dark beginning to a dark end. From incomprehendable to awe-inspiring. China certainly delivered the adventure that it promised and by far the most challenging yet interesting and exhillerating travelling experience. China is rather like marriage; you must be tolerant, accept each others differences and love each other unconditionally for it to work. For all China's bad points, these are outweighed by the good. For each disgusting spitter or rude and aggressive queue-jumper, there is a new generation of polite and
well mannered youngsters, indeed China's biggest asset. Despite the negative start, China finished as a very positive experience and we will actually miss this country and all its little quirks!Now, one last greenie as we ditch our newly acquired bad habits (and more aggressive attitude to match) and once again succomb to the lure of Bangkok...
