3 cities in china

**beerlaodrinker** · 24-03-2013, 06:02 AM

I posted a couple of weeks back asking punters if they had any info about Guangzhou in china, and got some great advice, The best advise i got was STAY THE FUK AWAY FROM IT DURING THE CANTON TRADE FAIR, Cheers cheekyman, im taking that advice, and its now on to plan B, we will fly from vientiane to Kunming, then fly domestic to chongquing, from there take a bullet train to chengdu then back to kunming to fly back to vientiane , ive booked all the tickets and hotels and we will be gone a bit over a week, I can (and have) googled a bit looking for info on all these places but i would rather get it from TD punters, has anyone been to any of these places, the good the bad the ugly?

Cheers

**Neo** · 24-03-2013, 06:12 AM

Interesting journey mate. I look forward to pics of smog, birds and beer.

**cheekyman** · 24-03-2013, 06:30 AM

Sorry I cannot advise you on your new itinerary - never been to those places.

Have a great time I look forward to your updates on the trip.

PS Avoid the "harlots"

**pseudolus** · 24-03-2013, 06:46 AM

Chongquing, a couple of years ago, was THE KTV and MASSAGE destination in the world. Every hotel had a "venue" with goldfish bowls in excess of 300 specimens. I did hear that a crack down happened due to some sporting event, but I would guess they are up and running again

**beerlaodrinker** · 24-03-2013, 07:10 AM

^ Her indoors will be riding shotgun on this trip, But them KTV places sound interesting, if i can find em through all that smog, Will do an update when i get back for sure

**slackula** · 24-03-2013, 07:39 AM

I worked in Kunming for a little over a year opening a hotel about 15 years ago, it was a blast and I had a great time but fucking cold in the winter. Nice people and nice general atmosphere.

In the local markets they sell fish (carp or tilapia I think) grilled over coal, probably super unhealthy but damn tasty

I was grabbed at the airport because I had some Fawlty Towers videos in my luggage, my interpreter and I explained that they were training films for the hotel and I was waved through!

The stone forest is worth a visit too. Enjoy your trip.

**beerlaodrinker** · 24-03-2013, 08:12 AM

Originally Posted by quimbian corholla

I was grabbed at the airport because I had some Fawlty Towers videos in my luggage, my interpreter and I explained that they were training films for the hotel and I was waved through!

Classic, ive booked into the grand park Kunming hotel , hope it wasnt that hotel you gave them the Basil Fawlty style hotel management training, On the other hand a Chinese Basil would be highly entertaining

**slackula** · 24-03-2013, 10:40 AM

Originally Posted by beerlaodrinker

Classic, ive booked into the grand park Kunming hotel , hope it wasnt that hotel you gave them the Basil Fawlty style hotel management training,

The place I worked at for the opening was the Holiday Inn when it opened, I understand it became a Westin sometime later so you will probably be spared from the pearls of wisdom I shared with them and my training legacy!

**El Gibbon** · 24-03-2013, 10:46 AM

Although my experience is dated (by a lot circa 2000) I still have the same advice. Chongquing an industrial complex was dirty and smoky most of the time. Now Chengdu is a fabulous city, very modern and the regional hub. Even had a 70's rock and roll club then.... patronized by mid to high income natives.

If your into such things, a day trip to "The oldest operating irrigation system in the world" is a fun day. Long long ago a man decided to trap the runoff from the snow melt in the Himalayas. The river in dry times was very wide but only a few inches deep. He and his sons and future generations built an island in the middle, can't remember the exact dimensions but approx. 4 -500 meters wide and over a kilometer long. On one side the terrain dips by quite a bit and he figured if he could fill the dip with runoff he could save the water for dry season. It took several generations to build it but it worked and is still there. The locals can give you directions on how to get there via van etc. A nice trip and a walk along the sides or on the island is fun and the food was great. The man is considered one of the more important figures in Chinese folk lore. Statues of him and his sons abound.

Another spot is the Chinese Panda research forest. Here you will find different pandas living in somewhat their natural habitat. Of interest to me were the little brown and white ones, the size of a small dog or large cat.

I was told that Sichuan province is the ONLY province in China that is 100% self sufficient, water, agriculture, industry, mining etc. In fact it is known as the bread basket of China. The trip to the irrigation site (the name escapes me) is through some of the most verdant countryside you'll find in Asia. Being a temperate climate it is most like the mid west/west of the US.

If I were to spend time in China it would be totally in Chengdu. In a past life I had offices in 7 different cities in the country and Chengdu was by far the most enjoyable.

One problem you'll face is travel within the country... don't know about today but the only airline worth a crap was Dragon Air and it still was dodgy.

Lining up in an orderly fashion for anything is unheard of throughout the country, sharpen your elbows LOLOL. Ticketing for most venues is two tiered so be ready.

Have a great trip.

E. G.

**beerlaodrinker** · 24-03-2013, 12:00 PM

Cheers el gibbon, the plan is to spend a night in chongquing flying in with china southern, booked online already so as to save a bit of time when we arrive , from what i can gather Chongquing is big and grubby , but i want to see all that, i also want to take a ride in a cable car over the yangtze river and maybe visit the general stillwell museum for a bit of history,And the Bullet Train To chengdu sounds good to, its not the fastest one in china but at 250 kms it should manage to scare the shit out of me and the missus 1 day and 1 night ought to do it, heard good things about chengdu also looking forward to that as well

**El Gibbon** · 24-03-2013, 12:20 PM

Way back when establishing the business, we heard that Chengdu was the best entry into China there was. Fairly modern people with brains on the whole, good education. At the time they were considered "first adopters" of modern lifestyles. Could have changed in the interim but was always my favorite.

E. G.

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