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China/ Culture and study trip 2007
My second trip to China was in June, 2007 for 2 weeks. I traveled on a study tour course through Harrisburg Area Community College and received 3 college credits for the class. This trip was an amazing experience to say the least. In this order we traveled around China: Beijing, Luoyang, Xi'an, Zhangjiajie, Shanghai, Suzhou, and Hangzhou. As you can see we were very busy and didn't stay in any place for more than 3 days. Because we traveled to many different parts of China, every day and every city varied greatly.
I liked visiting a hutong and going on a rickshaw ride in Beijing, but besides that I think the lesser known cities were much more enjoyable.
Instead of flying to Luoyang we took and overnight sleeper train. This was definitely one of my favorite experiences in China. I would suggest that everyone who travels to more than one place in China take the train. Most Chinese people take trains more than planes so you feel less like a tourist and more like a resident. I enjoyed the train a lot because I got to view the countryside on the way to Luoyang. It's usually a tight squeeze and I've heard that luggage is more frequently lost(though our group was fine), but I say it's the way to go. Very fun experience and I would love to do it again.
Luoyang was an average city. You must have a translator as very few people speak English. The hotel service was horrible and phone lines rarely work. However, the city is pretty nice and their flower is the peony(one of my favorites!) Many souvenirs feature peonies here.
Xi'an is mainly known for their famous terra cotta warriors. Anyone who loves history will love this city because of the warriors, many museums, and the city's history in general is very interesting. It's a pretty modern city and I enjoyed my stay there. The old city gates are something everyone should see.
Zhangjiejie was the most interesting and unique place I've ever visited in my life. A lot of the people in my group hated the place, but it was my favorite town of the entire trip. Zhangjiajie is in the western part of Hunan Province and is home to the some of the most amazing mountains and sandstone pillars in the world. There are many minority groups in this area and the entire time we stayed here I never saw 1 other non-Chinese person. The place is gaining popularity, but has been virtually passed over by tourists and foreigners until very recently. I saw wild monkeys, climbed and climbed a mountain for hours, and took some of the best pictures I've ever taken. There is no pollution and you really feel like you can breath there. However, if you can't take humidity or thick fog on some days this isn't the place for you. Zhangjiajie is very remote and no one speaks English. It is absolutely impossible to stay here if you are disabled unfortunately. Everywhere you go you have to climb up or through or over something. It's great exercise and you really feel like you're on an adventure. Everything is cheap here-most souvenirs are under $2. The food is different than in other parts of China. Although this was my favorite place to visit it was also the only place where I got sick. You have to be very careful what you're eating or drinking. If you're looking for a different view of China I would recommend Zhangjiajie.
Shanghai was the exact opposite of Zhangjiajie. Everything is bustling with activity and everything is new. It is a great city and you can easily spend too much money here. I visited the Shanghai Art Museum which is now my all time favorite museum. There is a lot of traffic and a lot of pollution, but there's also a lot of fashion and fun things to do. I enjoyed the nighttime river cruise. You can really get a great look at Shanghai that way.
Suzhou is a gorgeous place! It has many waterways and canals and is often called the Venice of China. There are many gardens and nice markets. When I went it was raining and still managed to be stunning. It was a busy, but laid back place at the same time. I would have liked more time there. I did see a lot of tourists which didn't surprise me. You can see western influence in many places here, but you're still getting the "real China". I would like to go back.
In Hangzhou, there are many things to do. Tea is prosperous in the surrounding areas, so be sure to go to a tea plantation and enjoy a traditional tea ceremony. Also, West Lake is famous among everyone from locals to foreigners alike. It's a gorgeous place.
Both Suzhou and Hangzhou allow you to enjoy nature while staying in a city. It's uncommon and refreshing in these cities. They are within driving distance of one another and of Shanghai as well. The three cities make up what is called the "golden triangle".
Tips: No matter where you go in China, depending on your personal standards, you may find some things disturbing. You will see beggars who are often quite disabled. You will see many stray animals and animals for sale in markets who may not be taken care of very nicely. And you will see an extreme difference between rich and poor. You see the difference much more when you visit places like Shanghai. There are fancy cars, women who look like supermodels, and all the technology you could dream of, but there are also homeless people on the street corners. You have to be prepared before you go. I'm not trying to make a political statement and everyone has the right to their own opinions on why this is the case in China. These types of sights may not even bother visitors, but it did have an affect on me. China has some of the most beautiful scenery, interesting traditions and history, and a way of life unique to any other place. But in China there are issues that you have to be prepared to see. Each place is different and China is rapidly changing. I learned that China cannot be summed up by a visit to Beijing. China changes drastically from town to town and that is part of what makes it such an exciting and interesting place. Truly a world away.
PS: Make sure you visit a Buddhist Temple in China! I absolutely love visiting the temples. My favorite is Shaolin Temple...it was incredible. Also the Bai Ma(White Horse) Temple was very nice.
PPS: You can view my photos from this trip here: http://community.webshots.com/user/lovingindigo?vhost=community
I liked visiting a hutong and going on a rickshaw ride in Beijing, but besides that I think the lesser known cities were much more enjoyable.
Instead of flying to Luoyang we took and overnight sleeper train. This was definitely one of my favorite experiences in China. I would suggest that everyone who travels to more than one place in China take the train. Most Chinese people take trains more than planes so you feel less like a tourist and more like a resident. I enjoyed the train a lot because I got to view the countryside on the way to Luoyang. It's usually a tight squeeze and I've heard that luggage is more frequently lost(though our group was fine), but I say it's the way to go. Very fun experience and I would love to do it again.
Luoyang was an average city. You must have a translator as very few people speak English. The hotel service was horrible and phone lines rarely work. However, the city is pretty nice and their flower is the peony(one of my favorites!) Many souvenirs feature peonies here.
Xi'an is mainly known for their famous terra cotta warriors. Anyone who loves history will love this city because of the warriors, many museums, and the city's history in general is very interesting. It's a pretty modern city and I enjoyed my stay there. The old city gates are something everyone should see.
Zhangjiejie was the most interesting and unique place I've ever visited in my life. A lot of the people in my group hated the place, but it was my favorite town of the entire trip. Zhangjiajie is in the western part of Hunan Province and is home to the some of the most amazing mountains and sandstone pillars in the world. There are many minority groups in this area and the entire time we stayed here I never saw 1 other non-Chinese person. The place is gaining popularity, but has been virtually passed over by tourists and foreigners until very recently. I saw wild monkeys, climbed and climbed a mountain for hours, and took some of the best pictures I've ever taken. There is no pollution and you really feel like you can breath there. However, if you can't take humidity or thick fog on some days this isn't the place for you. Zhangjiajie is very remote and no one speaks English. It is absolutely impossible to stay here if you are disabled unfortunately. Everywhere you go you have to climb up or through or over something. It's great exercise and you really feel like you're on an adventure. Everything is cheap here-most souvenirs are under $2. The food is different than in other parts of China. Although this was my favorite place to visit it was also the only place where I got sick. You have to be very careful what you're eating or drinking. If you're looking for a different view of China I would recommend Zhangjiajie.
Shanghai was the exact opposite of Zhangjiajie. Everything is bustling with activity and everything is new. It is a great city and you can easily spend too much money here. I visited the Shanghai Art Museum which is now my all time favorite museum. There is a lot of traffic and a lot of pollution, but there's also a lot of fashion and fun things to do. I enjoyed the nighttime river cruise. You can really get a great look at Shanghai that way.
Suzhou is a gorgeous place! It has many waterways and canals and is often called the Venice of China. There are many gardens and nice markets. When I went it was raining and still managed to be stunning. It was a busy, but laid back place at the same time. I would have liked more time there. I did see a lot of tourists which didn't surprise me. You can see western influence in many places here, but you're still getting the "real China". I would like to go back.
In Hangzhou, there are many things to do. Tea is prosperous in the surrounding areas, so be sure to go to a tea plantation and enjoy a traditional tea ceremony. Also, West Lake is famous among everyone from locals to foreigners alike. It's a gorgeous place.
Both Suzhou and Hangzhou allow you to enjoy nature while staying in a city. It's uncommon and refreshing in these cities. They are within driving distance of one another and of Shanghai as well. The three cities make up what is called the "golden triangle".
Tips: No matter where you go in China, depending on your personal standards, you may find some things disturbing. You will see beggars who are often quite disabled. You will see many stray animals and animals for sale in markets who may not be taken care of very nicely. And you will see an extreme difference between rich and poor. You see the difference much more when you visit places like Shanghai. There are fancy cars, women who look like supermodels, and all the technology you could dream of, but there are also homeless people on the street corners. You have to be prepared before you go. I'm not trying to make a political statement and everyone has the right to their own opinions on why this is the case in China. These types of sights may not even bother visitors, but it did have an affect on me. China has some of the most beautiful scenery, interesting traditions and history, and a way of life unique to any other place. But in China there are issues that you have to be prepared to see. Each place is different and China is rapidly changing. I learned that China cannot be summed up by a visit to Beijing. China changes drastically from town to town and that is part of what makes it such an exciting and interesting place. Truly a world away.
PS: Make sure you visit a Buddhist Temple in China! I absolutely love visiting the temples. My favorite is Shaolin Temple...it was incredible. Also the Bai Ma(White Horse) Temple was very nice.
PPS: You can view my photos from this trip here: http://community.webshots.com/user/lovingindigo?vhost=community
