Planning China

I planned visiting China for years. For a while, I planned a bicycle tour through the country, but selecting a feasible path which would include all the sites I wanted to visit was not a real option and I dropped the plan.

A few years afterwards, I found myself in a long trip to South East Asia. The blend of people that migrated from China and a Hindu-Buddhist culture was intriguing and a kind of "two for the price of one" opportunity. During one of my stays in Vientiane, I decided it was time to take a look at the birthplace of these kind people. I walked into the Chinese Embassy, issued a visa and entered China through its backdoor.

Traveling

Eager to see all the places I have heard about, I decided to travel by train. The almost thoughtless, impulsive decision turned out being the best approach. No other transport offered equal accessibility, comfort, speed and close contact with the land and its people.

The huge distances among Chinese cities, forced the creation of a very efficient and comfortable network of trains. All the cities described in this journal are covered by it except those south of Kunming in Yunnan. South of there, buses with sleeping berths connect the towns.

However, I used also other transports. The speedboats connecting Hong Kong with Macao were an exhilarating experience and the over one hundred years old tram still working in the island offered a glimpse into a long gone Victorian Era.

The Experience

Despite the many difficulties of such a trip – the Chinese language being the most irrelevant one – China opened itself to me and offered many of the most awesome sights I ever saw: snow covered dunes, wild camels on the ancient Silk Road, Shanghai East-West dichotomy, and above all many close encounters with people belonging to cultures completely different from anything I knew. Adopting a very common term – and important principle of the Chinese culture – it was a very "convenient" trip, rich in sights, encounters, culture and … surprises.

Targeting the Problem

How to plan a trip in a continent-sized country? Trying to cover as much as possible or concentrating on a single area? Is a compromise between the two possible? Roughly a round country, China’s shape hints to a radial solution to the problem.

Regardless the entry point to China, the best strategy is to look at such a visit as centered at the main country crossroads – Xian – and from there to explore the different corners of the country; a trip around the borders is still not feasible.

Draw four radial lines from Xian: one to the west, leading to Urumqi and Kashgar, the second to the south, connecting it with Yunnan, the third to the southeast, to Guangzhou and Hong Kong and the fourth to the northeast, reaching Beijing and Shanghai. Traveling in such a fashion, most of the main attractions would be covered.

Next, place the desired arrival point along one of these lines; from there, advance to Xian and explore other two lines. The last line should lead to the departure point from the country; albeit nowadays you can flight from Xian to attractive international locations as Chiang Mai in Thailand.

Visa Considerations

This plan is not perfect, but is feasible in a month since all the locations are excellently connected through the railway, and thus is suitable for a normal vacation.

Forty days would be better; this can be done using the regular thirty days visa, while taking advantage of the fact that Hong Kong and Macao issue a different visa on arrival.

Internet

Blocking of popular news websites is common in China. Renting a private office in luxury hotels for an hour is cheap and solves the problem.

Don’t be shy; I entered one with dirty clothes, a decrepit backpack and unshaven and was treated by the private secretary that came with the office as if I was Marco Polo himself.

Hotels

Over time I visited China several times. I always reached my destinations without making hotel reservations. Except for the Chinese New Year season, I never had trouble finding suitable rooms; even during the holidays I never was left without a bed to sleep on.

However, communications with the staff were a recurring problem. In a typical event, I was showing the insufficient Chinese characters in my guidebook to the receptionist in a remote city. She didn’t speak any English and couldn’t understand my forced juggling with the guidebook.

Exasperated, she did the most unexpected thing. Taking a piece of paper, she rapidly filled it up with Chinese characters and pushed it under my nose. The gesture was clear in the Chinese context: regardless their spoken dialect all Chinese people use the same characters, thus she expected me to be able to decipher a written text. Soon I found a linguistic bypass and managed to check into the establishment.

As a token for their troubles with the analphabetic traveler, I gave the reception a bag of special coconut candies I brought from warmer places. Until I left, I became their favorite guest and many unasked extras mysteriously keep appearing in my room.

The Journal

As per the planning considerations presented here, this journal contains – besides this overview – four entries describing each one of the axes recommended here for such a trip. The specific order of such a trip would depend on the entry and exit points of the visit to the Middle Kingdom, locally known as "Zhōng guó" (中國)

Highlights

Beijing: The former last imperial capital is nowadays one of the main world’s capitals, where the Forbidden and Summer palaces coexist with sturdy Communist plazas and monuments. The Mao Zedong Mausoleum, the nearby Dashalan Market and the rapidly disappearing Hutong neighborhoods offer a very local flavor to such a visit. Nearby, is Badaling – a wonderfully restored stretch of the Great Wall.

Xian: An ancient capital of the Middle Kingdom, Xian is the central transport hub of the country, has the best preserved walled city and an intriguing army of terracotta warriors.

Shanghai: The economical engine of the country, Shanghai has a beautiful European quarter just in front of modern skyscrapers.

Yunnan: The most colorful province in China is a boundary zone between the Chinese culture and the South East Asian ones and offers a bit of each world.

Nanning: Located between Kunming and Hong Kong, Nanning offers some of the most beautiful natural sights in the country.

Hong Kong: The former British territory is a dizzying twister of activity, beautiful bays, green mountains and shopping malls.

Macao: The former Portuguese territory offers a startling blend of Sino-Portuguese cuisine and architecture.

Lanzhou: On the geographical center of China, Lanzhou offers great views of the Yellow River – the cradle of the Chinese culture and a glimpse into the people of Central Asia.

Urumqi: On the far west, the farthest city from the oceans offers a fascinating mixture of Chinese, Central Asian and Russian features.

Kashgar: sitting on the Silk Road, this town has changed very little since the last camel’s caravan departed and offers weekend market which has changed very little since Marco Polo visited it.

Entering China:

Entering a country from a gate few know about it and even fewer have crossed is an exciting experience and promises to transform the rest of the adventure into a winner event. This is the case of the Boten-Mohan cross between Laos and China.

The best deals to South East Asia are to Bangkok. From there it is inexpensive to continue overland to Nong Khai, and then crossing the Friendship Bridge to Vientiane. The Chinese border cross at Boten can be reached from there traveling through Udom Xai.

Visas to China can be issued in Bangkok and Chiang Mai; in Thailand, and in Vientiane and Luang Prabang in Laos. A regular visa is good for thirty days and is issued usually within three to seven days, faster visas can be issued at a premium; it is important to remember that China does not issue visas on arrival.

The Boten-Mohan Border Cross

This border is the last place where is possible to get rid of Laotian money, so if the bank is closed wait for a tourist entering from the other side.

After finishing the immigrations paperwork, head north until the minivans’ concentration appears at the left: this is the main form of transport to Mengla, the next town to the north.

As Mohan, Mengla is a small town and not a very attractive stop. It is better to start early in order to reach Jinghong during the same day; minibuses from Mengla do the last leg in a few hours. In such a way, it is possible to see the sunset reflected from the Mekong in Jinghong in the same day.

Jinghong

While entering from the Chinese Deep South, Jinghong is the first Chinese town of a significant size and a good one to meet the local culture for first time.

Jinghong is the main city in Xishuangbanna, one of the wildest and more diverse areas in China; while traveling around, pay attention to the varied structures of the different ethnic groups living in the area, and their specific crafts. Bamboo fish traps – the oldest known technology in South East Asia, dating back thousands of years – can be seen on the little streams running parallel to the roads.

The Mekong River (here known as Lancang River) takes here its first steps and is still blue and without the dark, sunburned hue which tints it in South East Asia.

The town is an interesting mix of cultures: Burmese and Dai; Han, Hui, Hani, Jino, Yi, Blang, Yao and Wa, which creates an exciting kaleidoscope mixing South East Asia with China.

The Dai have their unique architecture, which depends heavily on bamboo and their tasty food while the Burmese, that arrived mainly as refugees in the last decades manage a significant part of the town businesses, especially those dealing with jade.

In Thai history, Jinghong has a special place, since far in the past it was called Chiang Roon and was the cradle of their culture. Centuries ago, they were pushed southwards by the Han migrations and settled down in what nowadays is called Thailand.

Two main destinations within Yunnan await the intrepid traveler north of Jinghong; both can be reached with sleeping berths buses from the terminal located at the northern side of the town.

Dali:

From Jinghong to Kunming is possible to take the indirect way through Dali, a tourists resort in the mountainous zones of Yunnan. It lies on the western edge of Erhai Lake with the impressive Kangshan mountain range behind it.

The town is populated mainly by the Bai people, which in the 8th century formed here the Nanzhao Kingdom which held till the arrival of the Mongols to the area in the 13th century.

The old city still shows some signs and hints of its past splendor: part of the old walls is still visible next to the northern and southern gates. The town can be explored in less than a day; thus, Dali is mainly a suitable resting resort if you have been traveling too fast for too long.

No 2 Guesthouse, on Huguo Lu at the very center of town is a very basic place which caters for backpackers; there are no luxury accommodations in Dali.

Direct buses to Kunming depart daily from the post office at the Huguo Lu and Fuxing Lu junction at the town’s center at 06:30 and 18:00, every day.

Kunming:

The ethnical epicenter of China and Yunnan’s capital is one of the most pleasant cities in the Middle Kingdom. Arriving by bus from the south will confront the traveler with one of its striking characteristics: because most of the province is not connected yet to the railways network, it has - roughly - a million bus terminals.

Finding Beijing Lu, Kunming’s main avenue, is imperative in order to locate yourself in this maze. If arriving from the terminal for buses from the south, then advancing towards Beijing Lu leads to Camellia Hotel on Dongfeng Donglu, just next to the Consulate of Myanmar. Camellia is one of the main backpackers’ joints in town and a decent place to stretch yourself after a night in a too short bus berth. There are many kinds of rooms in its three buildings, hence it is recommended to check the available options with care before making a decision: some of them are extraordinary bargains while others are rather pricey.

To allow for an unstressed stay in town buying a train ticket is the next step since finding a free place on one can be a problem, especially during the holidays season. The train station is the very obvious building at the end of Beijing Lu, but the tickets office is in a small building at the station’s left. Approach the counter with the desired destination written in Chinese characters and with a clear decision regarding the preferred class of car since the clerks are very busy and will not spend much time with a mute foreigner.

Regarding the city, the best of China is always in the streets, in the small alleys leading to nowhere, and in the noodles’ soup stalls awaiting the hungry traveler around the next corner.

Reaching Xian:

The train to Xian – the crown of China – crosses the province of Sichuan and the city of Chengdu.

Despite its famous and spicy cuisine, Chengdu is an industrial city and not worth a stop in a short visit to the country. The train trip is awesome since it crosses more than one hundred tunnels in a broken landscape: waterfalls, old ladies carrying surprising amount of cabbages on their pained backs, narrow valleys and shaky huts await just outside the window – that’s on the rare moments when the train is not within a dark tunnel. Until the construction of the railway to Tibet, this stretch was considered the major engineering feat of the Chinese Railways.

The locals are friendly and won’t let you shut up during the entire trip; I had the luck of traveling with a party member in the same car and got some awesome insights into the local society.

Conveniently, in China most trains are scheduled so that they would reach their main destination early in the morning. A last word of warning, the climate change between sub-tropical Kunming and Xian is wild, especially during the winter, thus proper clothing for both climates should be taken.

Entering Central Asia:

Unless entering China from Central Asia, placing the western axis of the visit to China second in the list is natural. One of the main attractions in Western China is the Silk Road.

Beyond the predicted tours arranged by travel agencies across China, it is possible to travel along the road independently while stopping at its main stops: Lanzhou, Urumqi and the semi-mythical Kashgar. The regional markets in these cities offer unique sights which transfer the traveler a few centuries back in time. Nowadays, old flying carpets are used for covering the seats of decrepit motorcycles.

During most of the year there is no choice but to return to Xian through the same way, since crossing the desert with buses from Kashgar to Golmud is a difficult task in summer and in winter.

Lanzhou:

Lanzhou is close to Xian, thus it creates the opportunity to take a third-class ticket without long-term damages. Using the sitting cars open a cultural window to the Chinese Proletariat. Moreover, sometimes it is difficult to find a place in the fast train to Ürümqi, thus breaking the trip in Lanzhou is a handy solution.

Lanzhou, the capital of the Gansu Province, is an elongated city split by the Yellow River – its main attraction and the cradle of the Chinese culture.

In front of the train station is a high building hosting the Hua Lian Lanzhou Mansion; from its top floors there are awesome views of the city. The rooms are big and comfortable and include a private bathroom with hot water at all times, the regular hot thermos service provided in most Chinese hotels and cables television; a single costs eighty yuan. The central part of the town is enclosed between the train station and the river, thus the hotel is well located.

West of Lanzhou, the usual signs in Chinese and Pinyin – its Roman transliteration – are exchanged by ones in Chinese and Arabic; learning the basic Chinese characters, especially those used in the names of the cities and for addresses is easy and very useful.

The main attractions in Lanzhou are:

Bai Ta Shan (White Pagoda Hill) is the main attraction in downtown. The temple was constructed during the Yuan Dynasty, apparently by a direct order of Genghis Khan, in honor of a Tibetan Lama. The 17m height pagoda has seven terraces and an octagonal body.

The Gansu Provincial Museum is in northwest Lanzhou, next to the western railway station and is dedicated to relics of the Silk Road.

The city is delimited to its south by the Lanshan Mountain Range, there is a chairlift to its top from the Five Springs Park.

Locally known as Huang He, the Yellow River was the cradle of the Chinese culture. Melted snow from Western China freezes back here in the winter months and offers unforgettable views.

Lanzhou was an important Buddhist center in the past, three caves sites in its surroundings feature Buddhist relics: the Maiji Caves which are located 45km southeast of Tianshui, the Bingling Caves on the Small Jishi Hill, 35km west of Yongjing and the Mogao Caves (The High Up in the Desert Caves) are 25km from Dunhuang on the eastern slope of Mingsha Shan (Mount of Echoing Sand). Visiting these caves demands a longer stay in Lanzhou.

Ürümqi:

Urumqi is the Xinjiang Autonomous Region capital; in Pinyin the letter "q" denotes the sound "ch" (like in chair), thus it is pronounced "Ooroomchee."

The Chinese claim it to be the farthest city from the oceans on earth, with some 2250km separating it from the closest one. Such a geographical location invites extremes: nearby is the oasis-town of Turpan, where a temperature of 58°C was measured; on the other hand during my first visit to the town in the winter the temperature dropped to -23°C. At such low temperatures, the moisture in the air crystallizes and the tiny crystals able to float in the air beautifully reflect the sunlight. Since the area is quite dry, only little snow falls on the town; the cars quickly press it down to form a slippery black ice. The locals have an attractive way to skid sideways on it while keeping their balance.

Ürümqi is a great place to taste Central Asian, especially Uighur delicacies: sugared fruits, nuts with honey and raisins in huge square blocks, shish kebabs and the many kinds of breads will provide a fantastic culinary experience and a worthy prelude to Kashgar’s market. Despite the cold, there are many food stalls on the streets, but however tempting, the food gets cold quickly once served. Popular restaurants keep their doors open, but cover the entrance with a very thick plastic curtain to insulate the interior. Regardless the protection and heating methods used, my last shish-kebab was always cold.

The main attractions in are:

The Red Hill is Ürümqi’s main landmark. The aubergine reddish rocks forming the hill are best illuminated and appreciated on the afternoon’s late hours, when light reflections create a magical effect. A beautiful pagoda and a park welcome the visitors.

The Tartar Mosque, also known as the Yanghang Mosque, is located at the southern end of Jiefang Nan Lu and offers a look into Tartar architecture. It features geometric carvings in wood and brick and an octagonal dome adorned with a crescent.

One of the most interesting aspects of the Southern Mosque is the displayed syncretism with Eastern-Asian beliefs represented in twenty-two dragons carved on the building’s ridge.

The People's Park occupies a big patch on downtown’s Urumqi, on the west bank of the Urumqi River and is also called the Park of Shared Happiness.

Located in Xibei Lu, the Xinjiang Regional Museum dates back to 1953 and displays treasures related to the Silk Road and the ethnic groups of the Xinjiang Autonomous Region.

If staying for a longer visit, then several attractions out of town can be visited:

The Tianchi Lake is called also the Heavenly Lake and the Pearl of the Heavenly Mountain. It successfully breaks the desert dullness of Xinjiang. It covers only above five square kilometers, but its unspoiled look and semi-circular shape created by melted mountain snow is unforgettable.

Seventy-five kilometers south of Urumqi is the Southern Pasture at the northern side of the Karawuquntag Mountain. Visitors are usually taken to West White Poplar Gully which offers sights of snowcapped peaks, waterfalls, dragon-spruce trees and wild flowers.

The Kanasi Nature Reserve is located in the Burqin County, nearby Altay City; nearby are the borders with Kazakhstan, Russia and Mongolia. The reserve encompasses the Altay Mountain, the Kanasi Glacier, the accompanying river and a lake at its end.

Kashgar:

The ultimate location in Western China is Kashgar, the mythical market along the Silk Road; please note that Kashgar is the Uighur name of the town and that the Chinese call it Kashi – stressed on the last syllable.

The excellent trains, K889 and K888, to and from Urumqi, are the best connections of the town with the world. Being one of the latest lines constructed by China Railways, they feature excellent cars; I have seen the modern two storey first and second class cars only here.

Though it is possible to travel with buses eastwards to Golmud, the area’s harsh climate dictates attempting that only during spring and autumn. Buses are available to northern Pakistan through the Karakoram Highway in the summer, from mid-April to mid-October. An invitation letter is needed for traveling to Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and the other former soviet republics in the area; any local tourism agency can arrange it as well as the traveling to there. If time allows it, an overnight trip to the Taklamakan Desert and to the Karakul Lake by the Muztagh Ata Mountain are recommended; organized tours are available from the town.

The town is an attraction on its own, especially the old parts behind the now almost destructed walls. Wandering around and looking at the mud-bricks homes rising from the desert, the Uighur music bands by the main avenue, and the mediaeval artisans in work is more than a reward for the long trip.

The huge statue of Mao, an oddity in modern China, is quite a sight by the central plaza. The varied ethnical make up of the place, with its Uihur, Tajiks, Kirghiz and Uzbekh peoples, provide a rest from the overwhelming Han majority elsewhere in China.

The market should not be missed and if possible, it should be visited in the weekend; the Central Asian food served there is a constant feast and is completely safe. Offering a colorful display of medieval merchandise, the market hardly seems to have changed since Marco Polo visited it.

Xian is connected to Beijing and Shanghai by trains of excellent quality and the trip is a pleasure; Beijing – the northernmost between the two – is the best choice to start with if the planned exit point from the country is Hong Kong. The night trains are planned in such a way that they arrive early in the morning, providing thus an interesting experience, saving a night in a hotel and leaving all the day free upon arrival. However, the train from Xian arrives at Beijing’s Western Train Station which is far away from downtown – the best way to span the distance while loaded with luggage is by taxi since the subway system doesn’t reach the place.

Beijing

Beijing is a mix of an Imperial and a Communist city; both styles share a taste for huge administrative buildings, despite the slight difference in the ornaments used by each; combining to this the fact that both regimes controlled vast areas of the planet, the result is a plethora of must-see blocks of cement, stone and wood.

Thus, the visitor may spend a long time exploring them and still miss the main treat of the town: its people and their culture. My idea of exploring the place is to begin with the unimportant things: visiting the Dashalan Market, checking out the local food, exploring a Hutongs, learning some Chinese characters while trying to find an address and if having some spare time, dedicating it to the regal monuments. Under pressure, three days may be enough to see most of the attractions; however, a week is more sensible. However, three sites are the heart and soul of Beijing: The Forbidden City, the adjacent Tiananmen Square and the Summer Palace.

Built from 1406 to 1420 at the very center of Beijing, the Purple Forbidden City was the Chinese imperial palace from the mid-Ming Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty and Imperial China in 1911. It was the Emperor’s home as well as China’s ceremonial and political centre. The complex covers 720,000 square meters and includes 980 buildings with 8707 rooms; it was declared a World Heritage Site in 1987. Since 1924 it has been transformed into the Palace Museum; part of its collection of imperial artifacts was taken to Taipei where it is displayed at the National Palace Museum.

The Forbidden City is nowadays accessed through the Tiananmen Gate, on the northern side of the square with the same name. The "Gate of Heavenly Peace" was originally built in 1420 as a replica of a gate in Nanjing (the Southern Capital) and got its final shape and name in 1651.

Tiananmen Square is the large plaza named after the gate at its north, separating it from the Forbidden City. The square includes several important structures, among them the Great Hall of the People (or National Legislature), the National Museum of China, the Monument to the People's Heroes and the Mao Zedong Mausoleum. The square is 880 meters (2887 feet) south to north and 500 meters (1640 feet) east to west, making it largest square in the world. It has great cultural significance as a symbol because it was the site of several key events in Chinese history, the last of them being the 1989 violent protests when at least hundreds of unarmed democracy-activists were massacred by the People's Liberation Army on the orders of Deng Xiaoping.

The Summer Palace (literally the Garden of Nurtured Harmony) was originally known as the "Garden of Clear Ripples;" it got its modern English name after Empress Dowager Cixi transformed it into her summer palace during the 19th century. It covers almost three square kilometers, three quarters of which are covered by a beautiful lake and includes palaces, gardens and the artificial "Longevity Hill," which was built with the soil taken out for the artificial lake. It was declared a World Heritage Site in 1998.

"Paris of the East" or "Queen of the Orient?"

Modern trains connect Beijing with Shanghai, on the Yangtze River Delta; the trip is an experience on itself. Moreover, following the trend, the most modern train in China (and the world) is a magnetic levitation one connecting Shanghai with its airport at flying speeds.

Shanghai shows an interesting dichotomy which is reflected in the names of its two main areas: Puxi and Pudong. Puxi is the western bank of the Huangpu River; it hosts the Bund which is maybe the most European enclave in Asia and includes awesome structures ranging from the neo-classical HSBC Building to the art-deco Sassoon House. Pudong is the eastern bank; it includes some of the tallest and most extravagant buildings in the world. The unforgettably red and spiky Oriental Pearl Tower is Asia’s tallest tower; nearby, the Jin Mao tower located nearby is China's tallest skyscraper, and the world’s fifth. In a poetic sense, the city is a message of its people to the world: the future is in the East.

Since the city is the largest in China (and eight largest in the world, with over seventeen million inhabitants), the visit to Shanghai is an urban one: all the attractions are within the city’s limit and reaching them with the superb subway system is a breeze. The Frenchtown, the Bund and Pudong provide entertainment for a couple of days at least as well as a break in an almost western city, before the urge to see the rest of the country wins.

The city was formally recognized as one in 1553, when a wall surrounding it was constructed. However, it didn’t reach any prominence until the end of the nineteenth century. By the end of it had become the main economic and cultural center in the country as well as one of the biggest ports in the world. Thus, most tourists’ attractions in town are not historical in nature.

Shanghai displays a rich blend of religious heritage; especially it is an important Christianity center in China, as shown by the impressive Xujiahui St Ignatius Cathedral. Not far away, the She Shang Cathedral is China’s only Christian pilgrimage site. The City God Temple is the largest Taoist temple in town; it is dedicated to three historical figures; widely considered as the city protectors. The Longhua Temple is the main Buddhist center in Shanghai, and the Xiaotaoyuan and Songjiang mosques the main Muslim centers.

A place which must be visited, even if not planning to stay there, is the Pujiang Hotel, which was founded in 1846 as the Astor Hotel. Its superb location alone justifies settling down there, since it is north of the Bund, across the bridge over the Wusong River. The hotel is well maintained and very few modern additions were made to the dark-wood 19th century setting: the elevator still operates with an on-off handle!

Shanghai is the place in China to indulge with Western food – especially with bread which is still a rarity in China; Wagas in the way to the municipal library offers excellent sandwiches, the Gino Bakery branches offer specialty breads which double as snacks and Mr. Donuts offers something sweet for the coffee. The best place offering an internet connection is the Municipal Library – the visit there can be combined to the one to the Frenchtown and to the house of Dr. Sun Yatsen.

Leaving for the Southeast

If following the plan described in this journal, and having no intentions of visiting Hubei and Hunan – the main provinces connecting Xian to Hong Kong, then it makes sense to advance from Shanghai to Guangzhou or directly to one of the ex-colonies - Macao or Hong Kong.

The way from Xian to southeast China passes through the provinces of Hubei and Hunan.

Wuhan, Hubei’s capital, is an industrial city with little to offer but the sights of the Yangtse River which divides it in two. Changsha is Hunan’s capital and next to the birthplace of Mao Zedong, many key events in his life happened here, and as a result the town is an open museum for the Communist Era.

If short in time, skipping these two cities is not a disaster; in such a case, Guangzhou can be reached directly from Shanghai - some valuable time would be saved. Guangzhou is the city better known as Canton and the gate to Hong Kong and Macao; the last two let control the length of a stay in China since they issue automatic visas on arrival. At least, by the end of any visit to a country, I always find myself with a too short visa; thus, planning the trip so that the last day of the visa is spent in Guangzhou allows to cross over to one of the ex-colonies and to remain a legal visitor in the country.

Guangzhou:

Guangzhou is the home of what we call Chinese Food in the west, although after tasting it, is hard to make the connection between your favorite take away at home with the food sold here. The prices in the city are relatively high, but there is a suitable hotel not far from the train station; cross the big avenue in front of the station through the elevated way and be sure to descend in the side opposite to the McDonald’s branch. Continue walking along the avenue perpendicular to the station, called Renmin Beilu, and the Xi Shu Hotel will soon appear by the left. The rooms are big and include all the commodities; a single costs 100Y.

One of the main attractions in the city is Shamian Island – the former foreign concession – it can be reached by foot, just follow the Renmin Beilu south (it changes name – Bei to Zhong to Nan – or North to Central to South Avenue) until the Pearl River and then advance west one long block, or take the subway from the train station.

After a month in China and with the prospect of visiting Hong Kong ahead, a visit to Guangzhou cannot last for long. If planning to fly away from Hong Kong, then it is reasonable to advance first to Macao and then crossing the Pearl River Mouth with one of the exciting Hoover Boats serving the line. Buses to Macao depart close to the above mentioned hotel; ask for details at the reception.

The immigrations terminal connecting the Zhuhai special zone with Macao is not very clear; if arriving by bus, then climb to the next floor and follow the crowds. If you decide to skip Macao, then the best is taking the train to the Shenzhen special zone; the terminal there is next to the immigrations and after finishing the passport stamping process, there are trains connecting the terminal with Kowloon, the mainland part of Downtown Hong Kong.

Money Concerns:

China’s Yuans are widely accepted and easily exchanged in Macao and Hong Kong. Macao’s colorful Patacas are accepted and exchanged only in Macao; in Hong Kong they’ll get a bad exchange rate. Hong Kong dollars are accepted and exchanged everywhere. Roughly the three currencies are similarly valued, with the Patacas being a bit less worthy than the other two.

Macao:

Except for its beautiful architecture, it is hard to discern the colonial past of Macao nowadays. The main gambling center of the region is expensive and finding budget accommodation is a hard task. I thought myself blessed when I found the San Va Hospedaria, Rua da Felicidade 67, an adapted colonial building with charming rooms bearing 19th century furniture, placed at he very center od Macao’s downtown and asking just for seventy Patacas per night (around ten dollars) in a private room featuring; that feeling changed quickly once I discovered old-fashioned bedbugs around midnight.

The famous Sino-Portuguese cuisine can be found in Hong Kong, hence, staying more than the essential in Macao is not necessary. From the pier it is a trip of less than one hour to Hong Kong in Hoover Boats shaped like space shuttles, called here speedboats.

Hong Kong:

One of the highlights in China, Hong Kong is a welcoming city offering staggering views, endless shopping options, an incredible mass transport system which includes 19th century trams and small alleys with the best fusion cuisine in the world. Most foreigners get a three-month visa on arrival and that makes the visit here a relaxed one.

Visiting Hong Kong is a very different experience from the one to the typical Asian city – no other city combines so perfectly two so different identities, allowing the visitor to feel at home but still be able to visit an Asian city at any moment he wishes to. Moreover, Macao’s influence is discernible mainly in the form of small local restaurants which serve exquisite Sino-Portuguese meals; it is worth looking for them.

A usually overlooked activity is trekking in the New Territories: the mountainous topography and the pleasant climate of the area transform it into an ideal place for such an activity. Shopping is a hard work in Hong Kong: there are at least thirty shopping centers in the island and more than that in Kowloon – a thorough comparison of prices before buying something is almost impossible to achieve.

Hong Kong has excellent mass transport systems: trains, subways, buses, ferries, trams, turbojets, escalators… and all of them are so efficient that people do not know their way around. However, the best way to study a city is to walk through it, not just arriving to its main landmarks. Fortunately, Hong Kong is an easy town for walkers with wide sidewalks and drivers respectful of traffic lights and signs.

Starting such a research project is easy; a good spot for that in Kowloon is the Seaside Promenade at Hung Hom, from where if you continue south along the promenade you will reach after a few minutes the High Speed Ferry Pier and just after it Tsim Sha Tsui at the tip of the Kowloon Peninsula. A few minutes later is Canton Road, taking it to the north until Haiphong Road results in two options for ending the walk: the first is the pleasant Kowloon Park, and the second is to enter the huge Harbour City Mall.

Another enjoyable area to research is the Hong Kong Island itself. From the Star Ferry Pier, you can walk along the Elevated Promenade keeping the harbor at your right till the entrance to the Central to Mid-Levels Escalator. Climb with it till Conduit Road and continue to left, gently going downwards until you reach the Zoological and Botanical Gardens.

If you don’t feel like stopping there, a little bit east from the gardens’ end you will find the beautiful Hong Kong Park and at its base the huge Pacific Place Mall, where you can stop for a honestly earned coffee.

Up and down the Victoria Peak is just another attractive option for a healthy walk within the city limits. Around the Victoria Peak is an easy stroll of about an hour through Lugard and Harlech Roads; you should start it from the Peak Tram Upper Terminus.

Leaving China:

It is possible to buy a one-way ticket from Hong Kong to Bangkok; they are inexpensive and once there the cheapest flights to anywhere in the globe are available at the best prices.

A good place to search for a ticket is the "Time Travel" agency inside the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon; they offer a professional and efficient service and will check availability in dozens of airlines for you. The main problem with such a scheme is to find a free place in one of the many flights leaving the island and flying through Bangkok – but cancellations occur and I got a place in a flight to Helsinki less than forty-eight hours after my first entrance to the agency.

The new international airport in Hong Kong is huge, efficient and comfortable, but beyond two branches of Pacific Café and one Seven Eleven selling ready meals – including an awesome one of eels with rice - it has little entertainment to offer; arriving at the last moment is possible and recommended due to the ultra-punctual airport line of the subway.