Trains of China

Many people who have never ridden a train or not taken one for several years want to experience riding the trains in China.  Up to 10 years ago the trains all over China were similar to our trains of the 1940's.  Today some of those same trains are used in the more rural areas of China but here you see some of the new trains that have come on line.  The train with the mountains in the background is the new Tibet train that serves Beijing, Xian, Chongqing and Chengdu with stops in between.  I have ridden it from Lhasa to Chongqing for the experience and to advise my customers about it.  It seems just like a regular Chinese train however it does have oxygen equipment in each car as well as individual oxygen masks if needed.  I didn't find a need for them. The Tibet trains seem to always be full and costly.  Food should be taken with you as train food is not especially good.  The train goes all night as well as during the day so scenery is limited to daylight.  I spent two nights and one and one half days during my trip.  Coming from Lhasa because of the altitude we came east from Lhasa, across the plateau to near Xian and then south to Chengdu and finally Chongqing.  Sleepers are two upper and two lower bunks of mixed sexes.  They do have western and Asian style toilets and nice wash rooms.   Do I recommend it?  Not really, I think the new Fast Trains are more exciting as you see in the other photo.  The new CRH3 trains are capable of 350 Kms. per hour although kept down to 185 mph for safety.  They are not available on all routes yet because the rails must be updated to handle these faster trains safely.  I rode one from Chengdu to Chongqing this last year and it was super smooth with no clicking or side way motion at all.  It cuts travel time almost in half from the older standard trains.  Some cities no longer offer air service between them because of the fantastic service offered by the new fast trains as they are called.    If you want an even faster experience you can take the Mag Lev train in Shanghai to the airport that goes 284 mph.  It takes a bus about 1 hour and 15 minutes to get to the airport but takes the Mag Lev train just Seven Minutes!!!  For more on trains contact me at    interlak@eskimo.com     

   Click on the photos for a full screen view!

Meeting the Local People in Parks

One of the best ways to meet the local people in China is going to parks.  Parks are full of activities for everyone including children.  Chinese people love seeing foreign children and if you have your own children with you they will certainly enjoy joining in playing games.  Language never seems to be a barrier with children.  It of course helps to have a guide along to translate but you will also find many people speaking English these days and often like to practice their English with you.  Here you see the national pass time of the board game Marjon   Learning to play Marjon is a great ice breaker as you may often be asked to join in a game with them. There are tea houses and snacks served in almost all parks.  Here you also see an orchestra playing in the park.  They are non-professionals who join a club to play music.  You will also find chorus clubs practicing their music in the parks on weekends.  Let my 25 years experience in travel in China help you plan your own tour to China.  My web site is  www.interlakechinatours.com  We are a BBB A+ rated tour company here in Seattle.

China is known for its beautiful parks and gardens and you will find these all over China.  I even have a Garden Tour that I have put together for those interested in  Chinese Gardens and parks.   The park you see here is in Chengdu and also has a Bonsai collection that is hundreds of years old.
Click on the photos for a full screen view.

Little Known Old Summer Palace of Beijing

Most people know about the Summer Palace in the suburbs of Beijing on Kunming Lake or at least all the group tours go there.  Few people realize that there is an Old Summer Palace quite close by that often gets overlooked.  If you are a history buff, you may want to visit the Old Summer Palace which is mostly in ruins after the 2nd Opium War.  British and French troops took home most of the artifacts that were there. What you see here is the remains of the Palace Gardens fashioned after the French Gardens of Europe. During the 18th century rebuilding of the gardens by Emperor Dowager Cixi in 1888 was accomplished.   The first palace and gardens were built in the 12th Century by Emperor Qianlong and called Yuanming Yuan but also destroyed in the first Opium War.   In 1949 after the Revolution, the site was made into a  park where the ruins were preserved as they are today.  Few foreign tourists visit it but it is very close by to the current Summer Palace and can be visited at the same time.  Check out our web site at      www.interlakechinatours.com   
        Our 25th Year Of Doing Tours to China!

Tour Meals in China

There are three main things that people usually ask about touring China.  Hotels, transportation and MEALS. There is plenty of food in China....you will not go hungry is an understatement.  Food is hospitality in China. As my Chinese friend says,  "Chinese people like to do two things  1. Eat Chinese Food   2. Talk about Eating Chinese food.  After 25 years of traveling throughout China I agree and understand why.  The variety of food is fantastic and so different in each area of the country.  Most people are on tours of one kind or another.  A budget tour gets budget meals of course.  A good tour gives you a variety of food.  Group Tours today in order to keep their prices low have gone to many Buffet restaurants to save costs.   Nothing wrong with Buffets if they are good.  Food is prepared and put on steam tables to serve the many large group tours that must stay on a schedule because other group tours may use the same restaurants.  I do Private Custom tours for my clients and insist on sit down and be served meals that are cooked individually for the customer.  Your likes, dislikes and allergies are considered by your requests.  I also must consider a budget for meals depending on the value of the tour which can range from Budget to Deluxe tours.  You see here a deluxe dinner my wife and I are having along with a typical standard lunch that we had one day.

As I said earlier, there is no lack of food or variety in China.   I also suggest to my clients that 3 large meals per day is way too much food and to plan on having some dinners on your own as part of your China experience.  I myself like to have a bowl of noodles with chicken and some dumplings at a small restaurant now and then rather than a large dinner every night.   Breakfasts at the hotels are generally very large buffets with western and Asian food with everything under the sun to choose from.   I hope this helps you with your tour plans.

  

          Check out our web site at:  
                    www.interlakechinatours.com

In our 26th year of doing Quality Tours To China and Tibet

Largest Buddha in the World

The Largest Buddha in the world pictured here is the Leshan Buddha carved into a cliff in the year 713.  The Buddha is 215 feet tall and one finger is about 6 feet tall.   Carved into a cliff it overlooks the meeting of the Dadu and Min rivers outside the city of Leshan.  Located just south of Chengdu in Sichuan province it can be visited in one day or on the way from Chengdu to Chongqing by car. As you can see there is a stairs carved into the cliff to go to the bottom or you can view the Buddha close up from the platform at the top.  There is also a boat trip that takes you on the river and passes back and forth in front of the Buddha for a great photo opportunity. Just 20 miles north of Leshan is the Thousand Buddha Cliffs with over 2,400 Buddhas carved during the Eastern Han Dynasty.  As a tour operator we usually visit the Panda Experiment station in the morning near Chengdu and then take people to Leshan to see the Buddha before returning back to Chengdu or on to Chongqing.  As we do custom tours many other sights in that area can be included such as Yellow Dragon Creek Village, WWII museum or the Thousand Buddha Carvings.

               Click on the photos for a full screen view!

Elderly Man

One of the most interesting times in China can sometimes be the most simplest.  I and a friend were walking in the countryside when we came upon the elderly man in this photo.  He was very intent on cutting strips of bamboo into lengths from a nearby forest of bamboo.  He was using a meat cleaver to cut the strips into very neat and straight strips.   Through my Chinese friend in translating for me we found that he was making strips of bamboo for his daughter and son to take to the market and sell them for making bamboo products.
Many families often have 3 generations living under the same roof and each one contributes to the welfare of the whole family.  The elderly often take care of the grandchildren or some other chore that may bring some extra money to the family.  Earlier I wrote  about the elderly lady who was selling peanuts if you check back in the blog.  After a nice conversation with him, he finally said that I was only the 2nd white person he has ever seen.  So of course I wanted to know who and when was the first.  He never looked up but said,  "A naked lady swimming in the near by river...many years ago".    I could only laugh and told my friend that I must be a great disappointment to him.   Some of my most memorable moments in China are these encounters with the local people.  They have always been very open, friendly and hospitable often welcoming me into their simple homes for a cup of tea.  In 25 years of travel throughout China I have had many of these moments that make good memories and some lessons learned as well.
                Click on the photo for a full screen view!

Hiking in China

Many people like to combine hiking with their tour to China.  There are many places and some very convenient to fit into a China Tour.  Nothing like getting out into the countryside for a hike in the mountains, along the rivers  or just out to small villages without a lot of tourists.  There are hikes for every level of hiker from easy strolls to avid hiking and climbing.   Most hikes can be done in one day however there are others where you can stay in hostels along the way like the Tiger Leaping Gorge hike or hikes where you are out for two or three days and sleep in tents such as the 4 Sister Mountain area shown here.  There are countless day hikes in just about every area of the country for those with limited time too.  For more information on hiking in China contact us at   interlak@eskimo.com    Click on the photos for a full screen View!