Beer Print Fleece
10 days travel in China contracted with Barter
Beijing
I flew to China by Scandinavian Airways Copenhagen on September 15, 2005. Our first stop was Beijing. I stayed at the Central Plaza, which is owned by Holiday Inn. This was a great hotel that included an indoor pool and a gym, sauna and massage, also offers a babysitting service, business center and most important thing for any Chinese person, a karaoke bar.
The local hotel was adequate, but with taxis being so cheap it did not matter, the average taxi fares were 2 to 3 euros. Taxis are fine for trips short-term but long distance I would recommend alternative transportation, reason is that drive very fast and very near other vehicles, I was in about four near accidents.
The Great Wall was the highlight for me, the wall is very steep places if you have trouble walking you can get cable cars that take you over the wall. At the entrance of the wall there are plenty of restaurants and cafes and plenty of stalls selling clothes and designer goods false. From time to time during the day, people walk on stilts dressed in various costumes and can pose for several photos.
I traveled to the Great Wall in taxi it took about 30 minutes from downtown Beijing, the driver will wait, this is very expensive if there are any of you to share the fare, approved the new Disneyland which is being built for the Olympic Games 2007. I lost a stone in weight by taxi and needed a couple of drinks good for calming the nerves when I returned to my hotel.
Tiananmen Square was my Next stop, there are a large police presence here, there are also plenty of locals trying to sell souvenir , and tend to follow at all, I think that is one reason there is a large police presence. China appreciates the tourists so it is a very serious crime if the commission of a crime against tourism, knowing that this makes you feel very safe walking.
Tiananmen Tower is the entrance to the Forbidden City, you pay a small fee to walk around the Torre, and is really worth doing because you get some great pictures of this view of the square behind you.
Before joining City Forbidden is a huge courtyard with several stops and souvenirs for sale, you can also dress in authentic Chinese attire and have their photographs taken, this is really worth doing, the picture is covered with a hard plastic cover with the date printed on the bottom and is very cheap, around 4 euros for two photographs.
Entry into the Forbidden City was around 15 euros, I paid the price of admission slightly more expensive, because it gave them a tape and headphones, so that each part of the palace entered prohibited explained. It took about half an hour to walk along the Forbidden City you go in one end and out the other. A deposit is required for the tape and headphones, but accepting as collateral hotel key.
Some parts of Beijing found it very poor quality at night, and there is poverty there, besides the health conditions in the bars leaves much to be desired. We found a Chinese restaurant open 24 hours a day and the food was great. It's incredible how quickly they can learn to use chopsticks when hungry. The only side effect was that serves one dish at a time and the last dish that is served is rice. Food in the hotel was excellent and there was music most nights, the staff really cares for you, it seems, when the staff is done in most of the hotels are all English names, it is rather strange to call a Chinese man or James Frederick.
The Silk Market is the best place for shopping in Beijing get large dirt cheap copies, but you have to haggle. There are lots of cafes and bars outside the silk market, its great sitting outside because you can have a crack with the locals trying to sell junk and the atmosphere was very good. I have to say that given the language barrier, the Chinese are the friendliest people can can not really learn enough to you. "
I spent four nights in Beijing, which was great.
Xian
I traveled Air China from Beijing to Xian. This happened about 1 hour and 45 minutes, you get a small meal and tea and coffee on board. It was a 25 minute transfer from the Airport to Hotel. When I came out of the airport taxis were all lined up and the taxi was a VIP car, we were all very tired so just got into it thinking that would be depleted, but it was so cheap we hired driver and car for the next two days.
The Xi'an center is very new, there are plenty designer shops are very expensive. Eating out is mainly fast food, the likes of McDonalds will cost you 2 euros for a meal, there are plenty of seats in the old Xian sale of hot food, but you will not know what would be eating. Xian is not a place to shop, they only go there to see the soldiers Terracotta. I stayed in Xian for 2 nights and it was time enough.
I stayed at the Belfry Hotel which was the center location, the hotel was not as nice as the Plaza and the staff was very slow, but the rooms were very nice with the usual tea and coffee, TV with satellite channels and a living room, breakfast self was very nice.
On the second day our driver picked us up as agreed, despite the fact that she could not speak a word of English it was much sign language, laughing going on, and we all get along great. He took us to the Terracotta Warriors and found us an English speaking guide, the guide was with us for over two hours and he only charged us 14 euros in total strike, to say who gave him a tip. The reasons why the museum is spectacular, surrounded of mountains and countryside. One of the two boys who found the lives of soldiers along the path of the museum and live a simple life, visiting the museum quite often.
Museum admission is 8 euros, the money goes in the restoration of the soldiers, and at the moment only one third of the welds have been unearthed. Take many more years to discover them all, plus it is so expensive.
Like most people I read about the Terracotta Warriors, but that view in fact it really is amazing the detail that went into each and every one of them is really something to see.
When leaving the museum is swarmed by the locals trying to sell anything from cat fur Miniature terracotta soldiers, the guide told us not to touch anything, because once you touch is expected to buy.
After leaving the museum we headed over the fields where the driver stopped, bought fresh fruit that locals were actually selling directly from the fields.
We went to several markets on the way back to the hotel selling everything from food to clothing, do not stop because we were saving to Shanghai. The funniest thing was seeing a man on a three-wheel bicycle is a sofa with a woman sitting on the couch. You would not believe what people carried on their bikes.
Our driver picked us up the next morning to take us to the airport, which is a lovely boy he was. We checked and sat for coffee, we paid € 20.00 for 4 cups of coffee. You must do somewhere down the line.
Shanghai.
We traveled with Air China from Xian to Shanghai, it took about two hours. Once again we had a demolition nerve travel in a taxi from the airport to the hotel. We stayed at the Holiday Inn hotel in downtown Shanghai. We upgraded to do business in this hotel, which will cost only about € 20 extra. The room was fabulous with all modern facilities and a practice very much die in the jungle shower. Companies in the plant itself, verification, use the business lounge, alcoholic dinks and free breakfast from 6 to 8 pm every night with finger food naturally made the most every afternoon.
There three restaurants at the hotel and the food was absolutely fabulous, it was so cheap they were eating 3 and 4 fields all night.
Shanghai is a shopper's paradise, who have a brilliant outdoor market that sells all dirt cheap fake designer labels, once again you have to haggle, but you could spend every day its so great here and that is exactly what we did. There was a Starbucks in the back of the market where everyone would gather every two hours for a rest. There was a hotel next to the cafeteria you could have your hair and nails, etc do. One day my hair cut I have had a pedicure and manicure, plus a back massage all for 20 euros.
Shanghai is also the best place for nightlife. We found a great restaurant called Sasha, the restaurant was a beer garden where you can also dine. When the meal was finished, would become an outdoor club.
There are lots of restaurants and bars in Shanghai, which is never bored, so this should be your last port of call to visit China.
It gave us plenty of time to leave for the airport for our return flight to Dublin, but his entry was so slow in addition to all the various checks that had to happen, that almost made the flight.
We A stop for a night in Copenhagen we stayed at the hotel Zleep, two minutes in a taxi from the airport. The hotel was a bit like a hostel, had a living room with TV the ground floor where you can help yourself to drink tea, coffee or soft drinks.
Rooms were very small with two single beds, a television, shower, table and chairs. You can help yourself to hot drinks and muffins with ham and cheese for breakfast, I was a bit of a slump in all good hotels had in China, but for 30 euros each can be put with it, a lot of people bring the tax free and to sit and drink in the hotel, is a good idea because drinking is very expensive in Copenhagen.
In total, China was a great experience and I would not have missed it for anything. " I enjoyed every minute of it and believe me they have not bought until you have purchased in China.
Hotels in Dublin
Overview
The Chinese embassy in Dublin is only open for a few hours a day, and they do not accept postal applications for visas. The visa is applied directly in passport, no need for you to attend in person, anyone can do this for you.
In short, a great trip organized by Barter in Travel Cork – www.travelnet.ie
About the Author
Hi I am Alina Thomas
Chameli (2003) w/ Eng Sub – DVD – Watch Online – 6/10