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.

Sweden and Switzerland launch joint campaign to help Chinese tourists tell them apart

Sweden and Switzerland have launched a joint campaign to help Chinese tourists say the two countries share .
While confusion is not just a problem for the Chinese, he became a particular problem for those in the Asian nation because the names of the two countries are written the same in Mandarin - Ruidian (Sweden) and Ruishi (Switzerland ) - and start with the same symbol.
In order to dispel confusion, Swedish and Swiss consulates in Shanghai launched a competition on the Swedish consulate website that asks the Chinese to come up with funny ways to help people keep the two separate countries

The two European countries - known for its chocolate , cheese and watches, one for Ikea , Volvo and Seventies pop group Abba - have often been confused for each other among the Chinese .
The problem stems largely from the fact that the names of the two nations are written the same in Mandarin - Ruidian (Sweden) and Ruishi (Switzerland) - starting with the same symbol , as the Consul General of Sweden Victoria Li in China.
In an effort to end the confusion, the Swedish and Swiss consulates in Shanghai launched a competition on the Swedish consulate website , asking the Chinese to come up with funny ways to help differentiate the two countries. Bids may be accepted as a blog , cartoon , photo, short or in another format.
The winner of the best presentation will receive a 12-day trip in Sweden and Switzerland, and is scheduled to report on their impressions of the two countries to the rest of the trip , the website states . Entries will be accepted until November 20.
The organizers have also designed a logo depicting a humorous campaign mounting objects and people associated with Sweden and Switzerland on separate maps of each country.
Map of Sweden with meatballs , a Viking, Pippi Longstocking in the books of Astrid Lindgren, and two cartoon characters male with a heart between them symbolizing gay marriage, which remains illegal in Switzerland. Map of Switzerland has cheese fondue , the Alps and a picture of Roger Federer. China can not be the only country struggling to say Sweden and Switzerland outside . Residents of Spanish-speaking countries are also victims of the confusion that Sweden is spelled " Suecia " in Spanish while Switzerland is called " Suiza .
Sweden and Switzerland are not the only destinations that have caused confusion among travelers. Last month , a British holidaymaker hoped to discover the architecture of the Alhambra Palace in Granada, Spain, but wrongly flew across the Atlantic to the tropical Caribbean island of Grenada after an error reservation confusion. Earlier this summer , two American tourists were taken to the wrong continent after an airline has confused two airport codes .
The misunderstanding between Sweden and Switzerland is not the only incident that Chinese tourists were recently in the light. Last month, the Communist Party leaders of Tourism has published a "Guide to Tourism civilized " urging for the first time Chinese travelers to reduce bad behavior , including public displays of nose -picking , swimming pool - dirt and discussion of pork in order to improve the country's image abroad. China was the biggest spender on international tourism last year, surpassing Italy, Japan, France and Great Britain, and is the source of market fastest growing tourism in the world, according to the latest figures from the World tourism Organization earlier this year .

source Sweden and Switzerland launch joint campaign to help Chinese tourists tell them apart

Chinese tourist murdered in Phuket ?

Chinese woman Jiang Ghengyne died shortly after 16 hours from blood loss with Phuket police investigation still causing the death of her husband in what is now a double tragedy mysterious .
original report
PHUKET : The body of a Chinese tourist was found in a room of Phuket splattered blood station today, after the wife of the man jumped from a balcony. The six-hour drama Broken plans for a group of 18 Chinese tourists who were visiting Central Festival Phuket and enjoy a city tour . Most of the group were about to sit down to breakfast when the woman jumped from a second floor balcony , bringing the staff and other guests on the run.

more information about phuket

Inside the room the couple, the staff found a dead man under a sheet on the bed , with blood soaking bedding and floor, extending into the toilet. An electric kettle was severely damaged and a reverse lamp. Upstairs was a piece of flesh. A note says in Chinese : '

We 'll be together forever ! 

The woman was transported to Mission Hospital then transferred to Vachira Phuket Hospital , where she remains in serious condition under close supervision. The couple were named Li Ming , 42, and his wife , Jiang Ghengyne 43 . Their tour party arrived in Phuket on November 22 and was due to fly tomorrow.
It is believed they have a child , who remained in China. The brother of the woman was on the tour. Although it seems an intense struggle can take place before the man died , the police keep all options open. Packing for three sleeping pills were found in a trash can. It is possible pillow may have been used to smother the man, but he also had serious injuries to his forehead.
The woman suffered a cut to the throat and other parts . No knife was found in the room . Common access to the balcony was available from all rooms on the second floor line . In Thailand, the ground floor is considered the first floor to the second floor jump is not fatal. Station in the city of Phuket where the tragedy took place , the Pago Design Hotel Phuket, has only been open a year.

source : http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews/381483/stranded-tourists-rescued-off-phuket

It is described as online newest hotel Phuket Town '' . . . unique design fashionable and luxurious comfort for your stay unforgettable. '' The tour party had spent several days at a resort in Patong and transferred to Pago 21 o'clock last night . Detectives are now trying to piece together what happened during the nine hours between arrival and the woman jumped from the balcony.
chinese tourists

Why luxury market in China is changing!

Why luxury market in China is changing! 

Excessive reception fees , misuse of company cars or trips abroad deemed unnecessary ... Not less than 16 699 people were fined for violating the new rules of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) imposing more sober representatives of public administration , reported Monday, November 17 the new China news agency , citing the Central Commission for discipline Inspection , policeman single party. Early December 2012, the Political Bureau of CPC , chaired by the leader Xi Jinping, had launched an ambitious cutting waste , aimed especially red carpets, floral , luxurious banquets watered expensive liqueurs and other extravagances which benefited the CCP officials .

Violation records are spread over a period of about eleven months. However, such commitments are regularly proclaimed at the top of the regime and often remain wishful thinking , fueling a resentment in the population, which criticizes willingly exorbitant privileges enjoyed by leaders.

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.

  

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