Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2005/08/23
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Hi Tina, I have been to China only for work so my experience is limited to Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen. [Nope, not born there :-)] There are plenty of interesting subjects in the big cities but the bulk of the population lives inland and away from cities. In Beijing, I found just walking around the side streets with the markets and small shops interesting. There has been a very large scale internal migration in China toward the coast which is booming. Large as in 150M people. There are many examples of abject poverty and wealth in cities like Shanghai. You are going to get stared at especially away from the cities. Relative few people speaks English in the country side. The biggest issue is the smaller towns and villages will probably be accommodations. The small town hotels will typically only accept Chinese clients (not even oversea Chinese like me though I might be able to sweet talk them into taking me in). China is very much a cash-based society though that is slowly changing the in the big cities. The only place where your bank cards will work in the ATMs are at the Bank of China (and only at the major branches). I was told cashing traveller cheques also has to be done at the Bank of China. Credit cards are accepted mainly at Western standards hotels and nicer restaurants though that could be a hit or miss proposition. I have seen the Yangtze cruise pictures from other people - not terribly interesting. Photographically what would be more interesting would be to go up some of the smaller tributaries of the Yangtze. The Yangtze itself is dirty and the banks are heavily industrialized. The Forbidden City, Great Wall and Summer Palace is worth a visit though you are likely to see more foreigners there than any other place in China. :-) Older parts of the cities are more interesting though definitely dirtier. China is proud of the modern bits, not the older bits of the cities. So much of the older neighbourhoods are been torn down. Be careful about politically sensitive subjects. Your guide should assist you in that regards. Even though China has become more relaxed politically in recent years (make more money!), never forget that China is not democracy and the rule of law doesn't work the same way as it does in the West. You are shielded to a certain extent by your skin colour. Contact me off-list if you would like to dig deeper into things. Regards, Spencer On Aug 22, 2005, at 16:49, Tina Manley wrote: > LUG: > > My husband and I are going to China in October to use up our > frequent flier points and take a few photos ;-) We've rented a > condo in Beijing from October 19th-26th and plan to do several side > trips with a guide from there. We leave from Shanghai on November > 8th. What should we do from October 26th until November 8th? I > would love some rural countryside trips, but we can't do what we > usually do and rent a car and roam around. Everything has to be > planned in advance with a guide and/or driver. My husband thinks > the Yangtze River cruise would be nice but the web sites with those > huge cruise ships give me claustrophobia. I'm afraid I would be > photographing other tourists :-( > > Who has been to China? What would you suggest? > > Thanks in advance for any advice!! > > Leically, > > Tina > Since this is vacation and not work, I'll probably be taking my M7 ;-)