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China: A Wonder of a Trip The Kaeru Kid offers his number one suggestion for the trip of a lifetime. The time to visit is before the Olympics.
Part 1 of two parts. Bill discussed preparing for a trip by reading guidebooks, contacting the tourism department of the country to be visited, asking travel agents, asking friends who have been there, and searching the Internet for any tips. Bill obviously is a great source for ideas on independent budget travel to Japan, so if you have any questions about this subject, email me and I will ask Bill to answer them. My discussion was titled “My Number One Destination Suggestion And Right now, costs are relatively inexpensive for everything from food, rooms, transportation and shopping. However, costs will certainly escalate once the Olympics start, and they will remain high. Pressure on the Chinese government to revalue the artificially low Chinese currency will increase, and travel in China will no longer be the bargain it is right now. Mark Twain wrote, “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow mindedness.” Any pre- conceived thoughts you may have about travel in China will be changed by a visit. China is one of the great cultures of the world and has influenced every nation on the planet. Evidence of China’s past greatness is evident in the architectural wonders located in the capital city of Beijing. Some of these wonders include the Forbidden City, the Great Wall, the Summer Palace and the Temple of Heaven. A visit to China should begin in Beijing and end in Shanghai. These two major cities have large international airports where fliers have access to an almost endless variety of travel destinations. A good reason for ending your trip in Shanghai is that timely travel in this immense country requires flying from city to city, and domestic airlines have very strict weight limits. Therefore, goods bought at the beginning of your trip will require you to carry them from city to city and to paying extra for each flight that the weight limit is exceeded. Shanghai is the commercial center of China, so many wonderful souvenirs and goods can be found there at very competitive prices. Most if not all of the items you will see for sale throughout China can also be found in Shanghai. And if you fly home from Shanghai, international flights tend to be more weight lenient. New Airbus planes in immaculate condition transported us between cities, but the food on board was as poor as any other airline. An American Airlines flight from Los Angeles required a transfer to Japan Airlines in Narita on the final leg to Beijing. Even JAL’s food was not appetizing. Why can’t JAL serve bento boxes like those offered at Japanese train stations, or vendors sell them in the terminal? Reading guide and history books about China before your visit will greatly enhance your enjoyment, since tour guides are not always the best source of information. Try to see the Chinese movie “Curse Of The Golden Many of the bathrooms in China are of the “hole in the floor” variety, so when in need, ask for “Western style” toilets. More of them are now being provided in popular tourist areas. Always carry toilet paper and hand sanitizer with you on every excursion. A mesh net with a strap to carry bottled water over your shoulder will also come in handy on any trip. The population of aging Chinese is growing, but the Chinese Government has not provided sufficient recreational facilities for all of them. The resourceful elderly gather in park areas such as those around the Temple of Heaven. Groups gather informally to play cards, music, exercise, dance, make crafts, or whatever special interest attracts a particular crowd. There are people who had suffered strokes and other debilitating illnesses doing simple rehabilitative physical therapy with help from friends or relatives. We visited the Underground City, a place most tourists and even Beijing residents do not know about. Knowledgeable tour guides should be able to provide directions. The Chinese government was concerned about foreign weapons threats and so had over 60 miles of tunnels constructed underground that were wide enough for trucks to drive through. The tunnels contained areas for hospitals, kitchens, dormitories, etc. Special ventilation systems were designed to filter any noxious agents. Most of the tunnels are now abandoned but could be made functional very quickly. The short tour ends in a large room being used as a silk factory and salesroom. Prices were reasonable and the silk was of good quality, so we purchased some as a way of saying thank you for the free tour. Discounts are offered right away but lower prices can be obtained by just asking. The most famous culinary dish in Beijing is Peking Duck, and the most famous restaurant, Quanjude, opened in 1864. They must be resting on their reputation because I thought the Peking Duck in the USA and Hong Kong tasted better. Breakfast is usually included with a hotel stay. Most tourist hotels offer a choice of American, Chinese and Japanese breakfast items. Each morning, I looked forward to tasting all the different choices. Mrs. KK quickly tired of Asian breakfasts and stuck to American fare, whereas I loved eating congee (also known as jook or rice gruel) and all the various pickles, fish, and other items to add to this dish. I never tired of trying Chinese food during our three-week stay. There were disappointments, but nothing ventured, nothing gained. For those visitors who tire of Chinese food, there are many American fast food outlets and there are always restaurants that serve food from around the world. The number one day trip from Beijing is a visit to the Great Wall, now officially one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Estimates of its length range from 6,200 to 31,000 miles. It was designed to thwart attacks by the Manchus and Mongols. Its failure to stop invasions from the north demonstrated the folly of a fixed defense such as the French Maginot Line during WWI. Close to the Great Wall are the 13 Ming Tombs. Only three of the tombs have been excavated. Many large mounds indicate where the tombs are located, but have not been excavated because of associated costs. Also, local and international archaeologists are in the process of developing techniques that will preserve fragile items that would quickly deteriorate when exposed to oxygen. What treasures remain to be discovered and will there be evidence of looting as in the Egyptian tombs? During our trip we flew to Lhasa, the capital of Tibet. The new train service to Lhasa takes two days and did not sound appealing at the time. Because Lhasa is located at an altitude over 12,000 feet, it is easy to become winded with any exertion. Bottled oxygen is sold in hotels if you need it. The Potala Palace, traditional home of the Dalai Lama, requires climbing many steps. We took our time and rested frequently since we were not in a tour group and could proceed at our own pace. I wondered if drinking coca tea like they do in Peru would have helped. During the invasion of Tibet by the Chinese government, many Tibetan people were killed. Architectural, cultural and religious artifacts were destroyed in an effort to exert Chinese control. China is now trying a different tactic: financial incentives encourage Chinese immigration. This tactic has worked so well that now the Chinese outnumber the native Tibetans. And the new railroad will provide easier access for even more We visited the old capital city of Xian. Close to the city is the location of the Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses of Emperor Qin. Emperor Qin was A huge building has been erected over the large pits containing the warriors. This climate-controlled building provides comfortable viewing of this fascinating and incredible scene. A display of swords belonging to the terra cotta warriors revealed they were in remarkable condition, because chrome plating was used in their creation. Chrome plating was not used in the West until the 1940s, when Germany discovered the process. The Big Wild Goose Pagoda in Xian was built in the 600s to house treasured Buddhist scriptures. These scriptures were carried from India to China by Xuan Zang, a monk from the Tang Dynasty (600-664). He acquired the scriptures during his decade-long travels and studies in India. Xuan Zang translated these scriptures from Sanskrit to Chinese over a 19-year period. As a reward for this venerated work, he was made head of the temple in Xian. There were two sects at the Indian temple where Zang studied. One was vegetarian and the other ate meat. The meat-eating sect was running out of food but they believed God would sustain them. A wild goose flew into the wall of the temple and was killed. The monks viewed this event as a sign to become vegetarians and named the temple the Wild Goose. Zang named his pagoda the Big Wild Goose Pagoda in memory of that story. Xian was also a major destination along the Silk Road. Muslims carried Las Vegas Tidbit: It is that time of the year again for Aviation Nation I will repeat the tips I have given before. Do not buy the program at the entrance, since a free events paper is handed out once inside the gate. Bring lots of water (I freeze the water), a lightweight folding chair, sunscreen and a head covering to protect against the sun. Read the full story at www.AviationNation.org. Best of all, this is a free event although there is a small charge for a shuttle ride. |
