Touring China... Watch out
Hey y'all I finally decided to start my blog, yes I know I've already been out of the country for about 2 weeks but its been hard to find time and a place to blog. So right now i'm in Hong Kong in a internet cafe.. or more of an arcade There are about 200 computers here and looking aroung I see that i'm the only one that is not playing a game. The decible level is pretty close to a nightclub so don't be suprised to see me in hearing aids. Soooo what have I been doing these past few weeks? Okay so I went to Beijing and Xi'an to tour with Alice and her parents... Bare with me if you can. Oh and sorry that I don't have any pictures up yet, those will come in due time in the mean time humor yourself with the following engrish: "Danger! Hot Work Below!" Yeouch!! Hansel is so hot right now.
Now for part one of my touring China tirade!
4 words, Avoid tour bus tours.
They leave you tired, broke, over stresed and frustrated.
Okay okay, that's a little harsh... how about, Avopid tour bus tours in China? See I'm not generalizing anymore. So I am not that exstatic about the week long tour to Beijing and Xi'an, but I firgured that somethihg like this would happen. I'm not a tour bus kinda buy. I like freedom, flexibliliy in an American kinda a way... Throw the schedule out the window! This is not what a tour with a tour bus is like.
4 Days in Beijing
2 days in Xi'an
Great wall, Summer Palace, Great Buddhist Temple, Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, Emperors park, Heavenly Temple, Government Administratino Buildings, are just a few of the places I got to check out. But the truth is we spent so little time in each of them (about an hour or less) that its hard for me to be able to appreciate them. We were herded by the guide one place after another as cattle header for the slaughter. Okay I am being a little critical, and I'm not saying that touring is.. wrong, for some people its how they have fun, tourism is good for a country, its economy, don't get me wrong. But I can tour without a company pushing me around. How about...
Avoid tour bus tours in China if you don't like the structure?
Whoa, I'm seeing a whole new perpective to this now. So I went with Alice and her parents, which explains why I went with the bus in the first place and I really appreciate them for inviting me to come and exjperience all the sights with them. Kudoo's to them. I also see that its not the tour guides or any of the people involved on the tour either for the basis of the tirade. Perhaps its the role that we put ourselves in... or the system places on us when we become 'tourists'. Wow this post is becoming a little long, so i'm gonna break it up through a couple of days :) I mean, while touring do we really get a truthful view of the culture? Do we get to see the current culture not only the historical?
Some things to think about. As for Hong Kong, quite the crowded city but i'm enjoying it, the food is great! And tonight i'm picking up a friend from the airport.. some of you might know him from Toronto, Ryan N. Anyway's I've really got to go to the bathroom right now so I have to end it. Maybe its something I ate.
Till next time!
Now for part one of my touring China tirade!
4 words, Avoid tour bus tours.
They leave you tired, broke, over stresed and frustrated.
Okay okay, that's a little harsh... how about, Avopid tour bus tours in China? See I'm not generalizing anymore. So I am not that exstatic about the week long tour to Beijing and Xi'an, but I firgured that somethihg like this would happen. I'm not a tour bus kinda buy. I like freedom, flexibliliy in an American kinda a way... Throw the schedule out the window! This is not what a tour with a tour bus is like.
4 Days in Beijing
2 days in Xi'an
Great wall, Summer Palace, Great Buddhist Temple, Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, Emperors park, Heavenly Temple, Government Administratino Buildings, are just a few of the places I got to check out. But the truth is we spent so little time in each of them (about an hour or less) that its hard for me to be able to appreciate them. We were herded by the guide one place after another as cattle header for the slaughter. Okay I am being a little critical, and I'm not saying that touring is.. wrong, for some people its how they have fun, tourism is good for a country, its economy, don't get me wrong. But I can tour without a company pushing me around. How about...
Avoid tour bus tours in China if you don't like the structure?
Whoa, I'm seeing a whole new perpective to this now. So I went with Alice and her parents, which explains why I went with the bus in the first place and I really appreciate them for inviting me to come and exjperience all the sights with them. Kudoo's to them. I also see that its not the tour guides or any of the people involved on the tour either for the basis of the tirade. Perhaps its the role that we put ourselves in... or the system places on us when we become 'tourists'. Wow this post is becoming a little long, so i'm gonna break it up through a couple of days :) I mean, while touring do we really get a truthful view of the culture? Do we get to see the current culture not only the historical?
Some things to think about. As for Hong Kong, quite the crowded city but i'm enjoying it, the food is great! And tonight i'm picking up a friend from the airport.. some of you might know him from Toronto, Ryan N. Anyway's I've really got to go to the bathroom right now so I have to end it. Maybe its something I ate.
Till next time!
posted by Chris at 3:14 AM
2 Comments:
Hey...glad that you've started this up. Keep posting!! :) Enjoy China! :)
yay for news from you! it's too bad you didn't get to wander around in the various destinations on your own. it is definitely more fun that way, from personal experience.
anyways, something you ate is giving you trouble?? oh no...did you eat seafood, ie. shrimp??? ah!! ;)
have fun!
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