Anyone been to China?

johngibo YPC · June 15, 2006

Came home from a trip to Taiwan and Thailand late May. Bangkok 38C humidity 92% so I know about humidity

No worries then! Not as bad in Beijing anyway.

As RBM said the best bits of the wall are a bit further away. The nearest parts are the most restored and the most touristy. We went to Simatai which was about 2/3 hours North of Beijing. We went in Winter so it was a bit of a mission to get too. However there are tour groups which go there in the summer. I sent some mates in the summer and they said it was still pretty deserted. A partially restored wall winds through the mountains. Its really quite something.

The forbidden city is good, and as RBM says is central and right by the Square. Get up nice and early and you can do the FC and the summer palace in 1 day. There is a public bus that takes you right to the Summer Palace but as your on the company card you may find a slightly more expensive but quicker way. I thought the palace was great.

Apart from that its just nice to experience Beijing. Eat Crispy Duck in a restaurant and do a bit of shopping. Your not a Lau Wai (foreigner) if you don't have a fake North Face coat! (not that you'll need one that time of year!)

I have a soft spot for Shanghai but we didn't ever really do the touristy thing there. Where i used to live was two hours from Shanghai and much more like real China. Shanghai is by far the most westernised city in China so we basically used to go every month or so for a bit of fun. We used to go on nights out down to the French Concession, plenty of pretty Girls looking to dance with Western guys. And then go to a big french supermarket the next day for supplies we couldn't buy at home (margerine, cheese that sort of thing.) Its got a great nightlife but stay on the pe jo (beer) and off the bei jo (worst spirit in the world).

Shopping is also good in Shanghai and its well worth going down the Bund. One half of the bund looks like Liverpool and the other half New York. They have a building which is an exact replica of the Liver Buildings without the birds. On the New York side there are many skyscrapers, including the JinMao tower. Get a lift to the top. It is shaped liked a donut so you can look all the way down the middle. It looks like somthing out of star wars. its well worth going on a river cruise as well. Especially at night where you can get some good photo's. Apparantly there is some good Museums in Shanghai but we never made it.

Anyway hope this helped. Have fun

I get told off for mentioning HK a lot... (is Johngibo here?),

i was only messin! its an old English custom!

Scally the Wag · June 15, 2006