Visiting Naxi and Yi People

When taking a tour to China, one needs to get out of the large cities and into the countryside to see the real China. Above you will see examples of Yi and Naxi people in remote villages outside of LiJiang which is in Yunnan province. Having a guide with you allows you to visit with the locals and be able to see how they live and work. It is normal to be able to visit their homes and chat with them over a cup of tea. They are often as interested in you as you are in them. I made a house call with a veterinarian who was passing by on his bicycle and found it very interesting talking to him and the farmer while he was tending to the farmer's Yak and horse

. There are many opportunities learn about China and to visit local people in the countryside with a guide. These opportunities often become the highlight of your tour with good memories. Tours to China is my business but I often never think I am working but enjoying the fruits of my labor as well.

New Monastery at LiJiang

If you will be going to LiJiang you do not want to miss seeing the new Monastery that will be finished soon. The old one which is over 200 years old is at the bottom of the hill. The artists and painters were still working on it when I visited it this past November. The artwork inside is fantastic and I watched as the lead artist drew the outline for the painters to fill in. This is about an hour and a half from LiJiang overlooking a beautiful lake. Near by are villages of Naxi and Yi people as they live their daily lives which you can visit without a flood

of tourists. I visited several homes with a local friend of mine that grew up in the Naxi village but lives in LiJiang. I also made a house call with a local doctor who was giving shots to some water buffalo and played with a new born who was only two weeks old. Tours to China is my business but sometimes I think I also have too much fun and experiences to call it work.

Xuankong Si - The Hanging Monastery

Just 50 miles south of Datong is the Hanging Monastery dating back over 1,400 years. It is held up by poles driven into the cliff as well as being supported from below. It can all be toured although no monks have occupied it for several years. I have included it in my packaged tour which I call the Ancient Capitals tour but can be included in any private custom tour too. Between Datong and Taiyuan there are many sites to stop and visit such as the largest Wooden Pagoda in China, caves that people live in yet today, villages built semi-under ground, mansions once lived in by rich land owners and now open to the public as museums and much more. This is an itinerary that starts in Beijing, goes to Datong, Taiyuan, Pingyao, into Xian and over to Luoyang before going back to Beijing or on to Shanghai. Tours to China has been my business and passion for 25 years exploring and visiting the remote corners of this culture rich country.

Shenyang Puppet Government 1930's

In 1931 the Japanese invaded China and set up a Puppet Government in the Shenyang area of north-east China. General Zhang and his son lived in the house below and were part of that government. Shenyang which is an industrial area of China with automobile factories although has modern buildings is still like China of the 1980's in many ways. Few western tourist go there and I stayed in the old Holiday Inn although a new one has just been built for mostly foreign businessmen to stay when working in Shenyang. The house was built at the turn of the century and was occupied by the Last Emperor who left Beijing after being driven from the Forbidden City and replaced by the first President of China, Sun Yet Sen about 1916. The house is fantastic to visit and all the furnishing are still there and original. Shenyang is also the site of the founding of the Qing Dynasty in 1644 and a small Forbidden City is still there and being well maintained as a tourist attraction although few people visit it each day. It may not be a major tourist city to visit but it has a great deal of history connected to it from the 1600's through the Japanese occupation with a beautiful memorial museum shown here. For more on Shenyang contact us.

Be Careful Booking Hotels in China

You need to be careful booking hotels in China. For my clients I do not book less than 3 star hotels except in very remote areas where it may be necessary. Trying to save money in China can be a disaster if you try to save it with hotels. Here is a typical 2 star or less hotel as an example. The photo with the t.v. is actually the lobby with a desk in the corner as a front desk. I stayed at this hotel in a small tourist town just outside Chengdu just to show people what a local 2 star or less hotel looks like. No western tourists stay here but it was the "best" hotel in the town. Yes, that is a Squat Toilet you are seeing in the bathroom. The shower with no hot water available was a shower head out of the wall and drained onto the floor which had a drain. Note the sink had no hot water faucet. Cost was $35 a night. Breakfast was not included. It did have heat but no air conditioning and this area becomes very hot and humid during the summer. I write this just to show what to expect from most 2 star or less hotels although some can be fairly clean. Tours to China has been my business for almost 25 yearss; but my real passion is the culture and the people.

people.

Don't Overlook Factory Workshops

When guides mention Workshops, it doesn't really sound that interesting at first; but don't overlook the opportunities to see crafts and local products being made by hand. You do not have to buy them of course. Above you will see a rug workshop where they are all made by hand. I think it is amazing that they can make these rugs using just a photo or drawing to make each rug individually. I have several in my home and they wear like iron. The other photo is a small workshop that makes leather products. I sketched out a shoulder bag that I wanted made for a day bag to carry my cameras, water and snacks in during the day. The young man made some suggested additions and I picked out the leather and color that I wanted. I came back in three hours and it was all finished. The quality and workmanship is excellent and only cost me $22 U.S. There are many large workshops as well as local small ones that craft many different products including pottery, rugs, clothing, cloisonne, furniture, jewelry, jade and the list goes on. Ask your guide to give you some suggestions and I am sure they will be able to give you ideas. One of my favorite places for seeing and buying hand made crafts is LiJiang Old Town north of Kunming. As a tour operator I go to China often and will be spending four days in LiJiang and I am sure to find some special gifts to bring home for Christmas too. For more ideas contact us at interlak@eskimo.com

Biking in China

There are many places to go biking in China; however Yangshuo area outside of Guilin is my favorite because of the scenery and the town. You can take the Li River Day Cruise from Guilin to the small town of Yangshuo set amongst the haystack like hills surrounding it and along the Li River. There are flat roads and trails to ride and you really will get the feeling of being out in rural China amongst the locals. It does help to have a guide with you and there are many local guides who speak excellent English and can translate and show you the places to visit. Bikes rent for about $2 to $3 U.S. per day. You can also hike in this area as well as go on a motorized rickshaw ride if you do not want to go biking. Guide costs vary depending on the length of day. The shirt I have on I picked out because the Chinese characters seemed nice....it actually says, "I have No Money". Great to ward off the sellers and got many chuckles from the locals who thought I didn't know what it said. As a Tour Operator to China for over 25+ years, I still like to take time out to enjoy myself with a day of fun now and then. For more information and details on Travel in China and specialty customized tours to your interests, contact us at interlak@eskimo.com Our web site is at www.interlakechinatours.com