Final Thoughts on China and Travelsphere

China truly is an amazing country. It is also a country that is changing at a remarkable pace. While I was there I found out that the country is implementing masses of new ideas and policies to help protect its wildlife and people. New health care systems are being implemented, the taxes and restriction on farmers are being reduced to help keep people in agricultural jobs and on the whole it is a remarkably optimistic place.

The countries view of animals is also on the change. The importance of protecting its endangered species such as pandas has never been higher on the agenda. Attitudes towards the rights of animals are also changing. In Chengdu it was clear that people had altered how they thought animals should be treated and initiatives are being started to change views across the country.

Anyone visiting China will find a rich and friendly country. When I first arrived I was a little apprehensive as to how we would be treated by the locals. However, the best experiences I had were when we walked off the tourist trail and met people. Walking around the Chengdu back streets, taking the Rickshaw through Suzhou and heading into the older district of Chongqing gave me a view of the country that could so easily have been missed. I urge anyone who visits to do the same and go and meet the local people.

Travelsphere, the company I went with, were also excellent. They provided a tour guide and a different local guide for each place. All of our guides were excellent and clearly loved their cities. Special mention has to go to Rebecca in Chengdu and Chris in Beijing who really put in that extra effort. The tour manager, Bernie, also did an excellent job throughout to keep everything running smoothly which can’t have been easy.

I also have to say that all the hotels we stayed in were excellent with the staff always willing to help. I can’t really think of any reason not to recommend someone to come to China. It is one of the few places you can visit and still see a completely different way of life. China is quite simply the most amazing place I have ever been.

Travelling with Travelsphere also makes it incredibly straightforward and stress free as you have someone to guide you around and take you through airports and security checks. I don’t think I could have got around the country on my own, but anybody could see the wonders of this great country fairly easily going with Travelsphere. I can’t recommend the country and company enough.

I explored China with Travelsphere.

Heading for the Great Wall

Thankfully, the freezing weather had reverted to being merely crisp and the sky was still as clear as could be. This was, without doubt, a perfect day to visit the Great Wall. We would be heading for the wall in the afternoon but first up was a visit to the Ming Tombs. The museum part of the tombs was pretty standard fare and I soon wandered off to look around the grounds.

Behind the museum building was the main tomb. This was much more impressive and surprisingly high. I stopped to look at the assorted junk on sale. Picking up a piece of fake jade the seller told me it was cold and so had to be real. I replied to him that the temperature was just above freezing so of course the fake jade was going to be cold. he laughed and waved me away.

I walked up the steps of the tomb to be greeted with a stunning view of the nearby mountains. Rolling hills and blue sky’s gave the first hint of what we were going to experience when we reached the Great Wall later in the day. Our last stop before reaching the wall was the Avenue of Statues. Its name pretty much tells you what to expect. It’s an incredibly long avenue with amazing statues running along both sides and wonderfully coloured trees hanging over. It was remarkably empty when we arrived and I ran off to get some pictures before our group started walking down it and got in the way.

The expertly carved statues range from Chinese warriors to various types of animals such as horses, elephants and Chinese lions. At the end of the avenue is a giant turtle with a lions head. Rubbing the creatures head is said to bring good luck. Walking down the avenue was a real highlight as the trees and statues combined to created a wonderfully picturesque place.

Now it was time to go to the wall. It’s hard to put into words just how incredibly breathtaking the Great Wall of China is. You really can’t have any idea about the scale of the thing until the see it for yourself.

We arrived at the Badaling section of it and proceeded to take the more difficult of the two paths. Aside from a friendly Chinese couple we were the only people on the difficult section of the wall. I stopped and looked back towards the other section and noticed the hundreds of people all crawling along it. Into the distance it went like a great dragon.

Standing on the Great Wall with my girlfriend and not seeing another soul was one of the best and most unexpected experiences I have had. I just never imagined a section of the wall could be so empty. After having enough of the steep climb up the difficult section of the wall we retraced our steps and headed up the part filled with tourists. It took longer to move along due to the mass of people but was no less impressive.

After reaching the eighth watch tower we decided to head back as the sun was going down and time was beginning to run short. As the light dropped so did the temperature and the wall was cast into shadow. We made it to the coach and watched as the sun set behind the wall. It seemed a poignant end to our Chinese adventure.

Freezing in Magnificent Beijing: Part 2

 Rising up from the underpass in Tian-An-Men Square, the incredibly cold hit me once more. A poor Chinese soldier seemed to be feeling it as well as he stood shivering on a box. Interestingly, most of the population of China don’t know that the Tian-An-Men Square massacre ever happened. The public were told that no one was hurt and the pictures weren’t broadcast.

There isn’t much you can say about the place apart from that it’s big and square. We headed off to wander around but didn’t get far. there aren't many young western girls in China and my girlfriend was attracting attention. It started with a couple of Chinese girls grabbing her and dragging her off for a photograph. While this was happening a line formed nearby of others who wanted a picture. It was a very strange thing to witness.

Eventually, I got her back from the adoring masses and used the opportunity to have one of her fans take a picture of the two us. We continued to walk around as the wind blew strongly across the open square. Back on the coach, and out of the cold, it was time to go to the 800 year old Summer Palace. The grounds of the palace are absolutely enormous. It also contains one of the largest man made lakes in the world.

The sun began to warm up the ground and the freezing temperature subsided. We followed the famous painted corridor along to the much heralded boat carved out of marble. Both of these are breath taking works of art but I was much more interested in the giant temple reaching high into the clouds. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the chance to see it close up.

It didn’t really matter though as every aspect of the Summer Palace is stunning. It’s just such an amazing achievement to think that it was ever built. Hopefully, I will get the chance to go back to it one day.

The evening brought the return of the freezing weather and a visit to a house in one of the older districts. Here we shared tea and talked about what it was like to live in fast developing Beijing. It was interesting but my mind was already turning to the next day. Tomorrow we would be visiting the Great Wall.

Freezing in Magnificent Beijing: Part 1

 Most of the time  in China the weather had been warm and humid. In Beijing it was bright, sunny and absolutely freezing. The drop in temperature was a real shock to system. Suddenly I was glad that I remembered to bring gloves.

The day started with a short visit Beijing Zoo to see the pandas. We ran to the enclosures as quickly as we could. Pandas are morning creatures so most of them were out and a large group of youngsters were busy playing.

While the majority of our group stayed looking at the youngsters I walked around to see if any of the other pandas were outside. In a nearby enclosure an enormous male panda, who we named Dave, was busy wandering around, finding food and generally being lazy. Dave the panda was certainly the cleanest bear I had seen so far. He seemed to be too mature to roll around in the mud.

We left Dave to his wandering and headed for the Forbidden City. The city is an amazing piece of work. It contains just under a thousand rooms and some of the most incredible architecture I had seen in China. Even though it was winter the gardens were still wonderful with a mixture of impressive pagodas, rocks and winter vegetation. Certain rooftops even had fine symbolic figures carved into them.

We moved through to the living quarters where the last young emperor would have played (Watch the film ‘The Last Emperor’), and out into one of the many enormous courtyards. The weather continued to get colder. Our journey through the city reached the great gate and we passed through and out, under a portrait of Chairman Mao, into Tian-An-Men Square. The place was heaving with visiting Chinese tourists taking pictures.

The main square is separated from the Forbidden City by a very busy road. The only way to reach it safely was from a nearby underpass. We excitedly rushed along to get to the other aside.

To be continued...

Drifting Down the Yangtze: Part 2

It was around 7am and cold. Still, we had to get up because this was the time we would be reaching the first of the three Yangtze gorges. After adding layers of clothes and water proof’s we walked out of the cabin and into the gloom of outside. With the rain pounding down, the sun still rising and the mist thick the ship was reaching Xiling Gorge. Xiling is the gorge you will see in all the promotional pictures and adverts relating to cruising down the Yangtze. Unfortunately, due to the water level rising, it has lost some of its scale and is no longer quite so impressive. It's still far from shabby though.

Later that day we reached Wuxia Gorge. The entrance to the gorge was less impressive than Xiling but the landscape was much more dramatic. I ran from one of the ship to the other trying to take it all in. Any disappointment over the first gorge was quickly forgotten in this rugged landscape. Two gorges passed through we stopped by a smaller tributary.

Here we transferred into smaller boats and headed up towards Shennong Stream. Arriving at the entrance to the stream we moved to even smaller fishing boats and, under the power of ores, our journey began.

The Shennong Stream is a remarkably beautiful and serene place with its caves and rolling hills. Being in boats (barely) floating so close to the water made the experience all the more magical. Every now and then a race would break out between the different boats. Our oarsmen were by far the best and beat every challenger with our chants of encouragement.

One final race proved to be a step to far for our little wooden boat. The rudder literally came away in one of the oarsman’s hands and we drifted back to the dock.The adventure over, we headed back to the cruise ship.

Later that night we passed through the Three Gorges Damn. Moving into the massive locks was certainly impressive. It seemed to swallow us up like some huge, man made, sea monster.

Slowly, we sunk down to each new water level. The enormous scale of the thing coupled with the darkness and flood lights reflecting off the water created a suitably epic end to our journey along the great river.

In the morning we departed and after a brief tour of the damn, with a guide who had the most irritating voice I have ever heard, we started a day long coach ride to the airport. Once aboard, it was time to fly to the capital city of Beijing.

Drifting Down the Yangtze: Part 1

Early in the morning our ship began its three day voyage down the great Yangtze River. It was misty but dry and most of us were looking forward to a few days at a slower pace. It’s worth saying that even though the river level has risen quite substantially there it still retains a certain grandeur.

For most of the day I sat on the top deck just watching the scenery as we passed by. Huge cities rolled off into the distance, hills climbed away from the water and small settlements seemed to hang perilously close to the river.

Every now and then we would pass under huge bridges still under construction. It made me wonder what would happen when they met if one side had been built slightly off from the other.

Later that day we docked at a small settlement and headed off for a supposed haunted temple. The legend goes that if you are a bad person the ghost will appear to you while in the grounds. I felt the risk was minimal.

The weather was humid and it was a long way up to the temple, so my girlfriend and I decided to take the cable car. The temple itself was quite sinister and had many statues which at first seemed fine, but on closer inspection were quite hideous. I never worked out if the statues were meant to act like gargoyles and scare away evil spirits or if they were some kind of warning.

With much of the temple rebuilt it also lacked some of the charm we had found in the genuinely ancient sites around the country. There were still plenty things to look at though. A pagoda at the top of the hill was particularly impressive and housed and effigy of the man said to haunt the temple. It also served as the location to give me an unexpected fright.

While stopping for a picture near the pagoda we heard an incredibly loud explosion. Having got back up from the floor and wondering what had caused it we turned to see smoke rising from a nearby quarry.

The light was fading and we walked back down the steps to the boat. There was no denying that as the darkness drew in it was an incredibly eerie place. I managed to get back on the boat without being approached by the ghost so everything was fine. Early the next morning we would be heading through the first of the Yangtze’s three gorges so it seemed wise to try and get some sleep

A Busy Day in the Misty Mountains of Chongqing: Part 2

With the sun set we left the boat and headed into the midst of the neon lit city. Chongqing was proving to be a surprisingly vibrant and interesting place and I couldn’t wait to see what was next.

We made our way to the People’s Square. Here thousands of locals gathered every night to practice Tai Chi and ballroom dancing. People were gathered as far as the eye could see in the relatively low lit square. Another difference between Chinese and Western culture struck me as I walked around. In the gloom I noticed numerous bags put to one side with no one watching them. You couldn't do that in the UK.

I walked all the way to back of the giant square and stood at the bottom of the steps of the convention centre. It was almost pitch black at this end and I soon hurried back when I noticed a woman entranced in sword Tai-Chi, twirling blades around her, clearly hadn’t noticed me and seemed to be heading a little too close for comfort.

Captivated by such a large public display of rhythm I stood and watched the thousands of people all having a good time together. It was amazing to think that in a city containing 32 million people there seemed to be such a sense of community.

After the People's Square came another type of square. We went to the main shopping district which is modelled heavily on Time Square. This was the only place in China that I came across the mass of neon that many people associate with Eastern cities such as Tokyo. It was filled with fashion shops and Western junk food places. Many of the group headed off for a burger.

 

I was more interested in just walking around taking in the lights. My girlfriend once again gave in to the lure of pretty tops and it was soon time to head back to the boat. Back on board we sat on the top deck. The giant neon buildings stretched along the waterfront. At 10pm all the lights in Chongqing are turned off to save electricity. As we watched each tower fall into darkness it seemed a fitting way to say goodnight to a remarkable city.

A Busy Day in the Misty Mountains of Chongqing: Part 1

I wasn’t expecting much from my day in Chongqing. Even though it had a population of 32 million people I had never heard of the city and as far as I knew we were just heading there to get on a boat that would take us down the Yangtze River.

It proved to be an incredibly busy day. In the morning we visited the Yangtze museum situated in Eling park. We were told about the Yangtze project and shown how the flooding of the river had changed areas along its bank for both better and worse. It was genuinely illuminating.

Walking back down the incredibly steep park (it is in the mountains after all) we came across a couple of incredible ponds. The pools have vegetation planted around them that when it drops its seeds change the colour of the water.

This created incredibly vibrant and natural colours. Add in a couple of ornate bridges and it created something of subtle beauty and real invention. It's amazing what can be achieved with a little bit of creative flair.

Colourful ambience appreciated we were heading for the city Monorail. It proved to be fun being packed in tightly with the local population. Many said hello and it seemed we were creating a bit of a buzz. Destination reached, we departed the train and descended down the steep steps into backstreets of the Chongqing old town district. It was fascinating to see how some of the poorer people went about their lives.

The back streets had an amazing atmosphere about them. Various kinds of Chinese dumplings, ducks, eels, clothes and produce from the various fruit and vegetable stalls were all on display. The streets did look poor but this was far from some kind of slum. It’s true that the people didn’t seem to have much but they were incredibly warm, friendly and interested in interacting with us.

 

Our adventure into the backstreets complete we headed for our boat. However, the day was not over as a night time tour awaited.

Chengdu and the Shadow of the Earthquake: Part 3

The next day brought a visit to the San Xingdui Museum in the morning. Our guide, Rebecca, had then arranged for us to go to Jinli Street in Chengdu. She seemed excited about us going here as normally people just pass through the city on the way to the mountains.

The museum was interesting and is built on a site where Mayan style artefacts have been found. This has caused a big stir in the Chinese scientific community as it brings about questions of how life evolved here.

There were lots of pots, masks and other ancient artefacts. It’s somewhere that's worth a visit if you are interested in objects displayed behind glass. There was also an excellent guided tour available for those wishing to know all the details and theories about what they found. As interesting as it was I was happy to leave and get back to mixing with the Chinese public.

Jinli Street proved to be a real delight. It is reminiscent, in some respects, to Shanghai’s Old Town area. As well as the standard shops there were also many street traders and numerous wonderful food smells. One man was creating animals by blowing into candy much like a glass blower would. I wasn't brave enough to eat candy animals someone had been blowing into I continued down the bustling street.

This was an area where it was clear that not many Westerners come and that made it all the better. I really loved getting these glimpses of the real China and it’s something I would urge anyone visiting to do. Just take a step away from tourist trail and you will find some truly wonderful things. Something you come to realise about China is that everything is made with an attention to detail.

Here I was in a simply shopping street and yet all the buildings were beautifully designed and there was even a beautiful water area in a small square. When it comes to art and anything ornate it has to be perfect.

Beside Jinli Street was the Wuhou Shrine. Most of the group were concerned with buying trinkets from the markets but my girlfriend and I worked out how to buy a ticket and decided to go in search of some tranquility.

The shrine proved to be one of the best surprises of the trip. It was different to the gardens we had already seen and was still very much in use by worshippers and monks. The many sections contained interesting architecture, mostly revolving around circles and long passage ways, with large areas dedicated to the most amazing bonsai tree dioramas.

One particularly stunning piece of the shrine was a long red tunnel which had trees growing high above it and arching over forming a natural roof. We walked around the place several times trying to take in the elegance and ambition of it. It was odd to think if it wasn’t for the earthquake that we would never have had the chance to visit the place. We found it very hard to leave.

The morning would bring the flight to the mountain city of Chongqing but I would have been happy to stay in Chengdu for much longer.

Chengdu and the Shadow of the Earthquake: Part 2

Next morning and after one of our group was late to the coach, causing us to get stuck in heavy traffic, we were on our way to the mountains to see the pandas. On the way our lovely guide Rebecca, who’s Chinese name translated as ‘rainbow’, told us that after the earthquake it was now unknown how many wild pandas were left. She also made it very clear that in this region animal cruelty is on the decline and that anyone who kills a panda will be given the death sentence.

Chengdu began to give way to rolling farmland and misty mountains and eventually we started to ascend to the panda reserve high above Ya’an. The mist was thick and the rain was the kind that soaks you through in several seconds. However, we were in the mountains of one of the most humid regions in the country so it wasn’t exactly unexpected.

The landscape was stunning and suitably dramatic. After surviving the ordeal of the coach being swung around the stupidly small roads (with a shear drop on one side) we reached 1800 feet and it was time to see some pandas.

As soon as the coach stopped my girlfriend and I went bounding off leaving everyone behind. Reaching the first habitat an adult Panda had duly set about stripping a piece of bamboo. They really are magnificent creatures and though they look cute and cuddly I wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of their razor sharp claws. They are also very fast and excellent climbers.

It was feeding time and keepers went into the various areas with leaves and fruit. A panda in the habitat began to stir and wander over for its lunch. Another decided he wanted his own food and climbed up a tree to find some.

Our guide took us around to where some new born cubs were being monitored. We could only see them through thick glass and flash photography was strictly forbidden as it can blind them when they are so young.

Ya’an is linked to the Wolong Panda Reserve and after the earthquake they took in a large number of the bears. As a result massive construction was under way to make room for all the new arrivals. Male pandas need a lot of space and if put together will fight once they reach adulthood. The sudden influx of Pandas from Wolong had put strain on this much smaller center, but it was clear the problem was being sorted out as quickly as possible.

We went to see some of the rescued pandas living in a different part of the reserve. Some of them were still nervous about what had happened and either hid away or tried to climb as far from the ground as they could. Our guide explained that the keepers take a very soft approach towards these bears so not to cause them undue stress.

The highlight of the day was when some of us were lucky enough to actually sit next to a young panda and feed him. The 18 month old bear named Hua ao wasn’t particularly interested in me. He sat eating his leaves and only really turned to me when he had run out of food. In all I must have spent around five minutes with him but it is something that will stay with me for a long time.

Time was up and we begrudgingly started the long walk to the coach. My girlfriend and I said goodbye to every panda along the way before we finally made it through the gates to the outside world.

Chengdu and the Shadow of the Earthquake: Part 1

The next part my exploration of China had been changed quite substantially from the one I had intended to do. Originally, I was planning to head to the panda reserve at Wolong. Unfortunately the earthquake had completely destroyed the reserve and killed many of its staff.

The city of Chengdu had not suffered any major damage but almost everyone here knew someone who had been killed or injured in close by towns and settlements. Indeed, only a few miles away a town had been completely destroyed. After the earthquake the population of Chengdu had slept on the streets in tents for weeks with many too afraid to go inside their houses.

After reaching the beautiful Tibet Hotel I was determined that now we were actually staying in the city (instead of merely passing through on the way to Wolong), that I was going to explore it. The city is somewhat of a hidden gem. Walking around the streets revealed a vibrant and friendly people who seemed to be proud that I was taking the time to see them go about their lives. There aren’t many lights in Chengdu but at no time did I feel threatened.

The friendly atmosphere seemed to be spread right across the city. People gathered outside office buildings for evening Tai Chi, danced in groups in the streets and played Mahjong in bars, all the time waving and smiling as I went about my exploration.

I have never been in a place before where the people seemed to be so happy that someone from the outside had taken the time to simply look around. I had this feeling a few times in China but it was never stronger than here. Despite, or maybe because of the earthquake I found Chengdu to be one of the friendliest places I visited. If I lived in China it would be here.

Eventually I left the warm welcome of the back streets and headed back to the Hotel. Tomorrow was a real highlight as we would be heading up into the mountains to the Panda reserve at Ya’an.

Xi'an and the Aircraft Egg: Part 2

The draining events of yesterday over, it was nearly time to say goodbye to china’s ancient capital. Before leaving though there were a couple of places left to visit.

First up was the Wild Goose Pagoda that towered over the park which surrounded it. There are two goose pagodas in Xi’an. The older one, which we went to see, was damaged by an earthquake hundreds of years ago and as a result many of the floors are inaccessible and the roof has crumbled. Because of this a new pagoda was built for those who wish to worship there.

Around the base of the pagoda people were gathered to partake in a morning routine of exercise and Tai-Chi. The various groups, each with their own style, were all friendly and inviting if you had the courage to join in.

Some simply performed to music while others tried to keep balls on a ping pong racket or danced with swords.I couldn’t imagine thirty people in London walking the streets with swords and going to a park to exercise together.

The grounds of the pagoda was one of the most peaceful places I have ever been. There was such an air of calmness and gentility that it seemed some magical force was protecting it from all the ills of the outside world. The ceremonial bell inside the grounds rang, the people moved off to work and it was time for us to move on once more. The last stop before the airport was the local jade factory.

In China jade is worth more than gold.You can tell if jade is real by putting it in the palm of your hand. If the jade warms up then it's fake. Jade should always be cold and not warm up. The colder it is the better the quality.

We went on many tours of factories in China (many of which are designed to relieve you of money), but it was well worth seeing some of the magnificent craftsmanship and detail they put into the sculptures and jewellery.

All that was left was head to the airport. We left the home of the Terracotta Army behind and jetted off into the earthquake hit Sichuan basin and Panda country.

Xi'an and the Aircraft Egg: Part 1

Sometimes you do something stupid without realising it. Today was my turn and the location was the plane carrying me from Shanghai to Xi’an. For some reason at this time, on this day, the half a hard-boiled egg sitting in front of me on the in-flight food tray, despite being slightly brown, heavily salted and a bit crystallised, looked perfectly fine and I ate it.

We arrived in Xi’an and boarded the next coach. Our new guide was clearly crazy. He told us to call him Spencer. He had picked this because his old English teacher couldn’t pronounce Chinese names and made all the children in the class pick new ones. After the long story which relayed the origin of why it was Spencer he picked (after Spencer for Hire), we asked what his Chinese name was. He told us it was Jimmy.

It was exactly twelve hours after eating the egg that I regretted it. 3am and I had food poisoning. I spent four hours being sick before it finally subsided. This may not sound like a ringing endorsement for the city or the company I went with, but the Hotel was excellent in getting me extra water (you can’t drink tap water in China), and the Travelsphere rep looked after me very well. It’s always nice to know that should something go wrong on holiday that the people there to help you actually know what they're doing.

The alarm went off at 8am and I was not in the best shape. However, I was determined not to miss seeing the Terracotta Army due to half a hard-boiled egg. I managed to get to the coach and was then mothered by just about everyone else I encountered that day. We were heading for the warriors in the afternoon but our first stop was the ancient Xi’an city walls.

It was early and freezing. I struggled to get up the steps to the wall and became increasingly frustrated with my lack of energy. I never normally feel the cold but here I was finding it difficult. It wasn’t fun but the walls were so impressive that I’m glad that I managed to climb them. Anyone visiting Xi’an shouldn’t overlook the city walls, as they are unique and quite beautiful in their way.

After managing to climb the steps to the wall and the pagoda on top of it, I then had to get all the way back down so the coach could head for the main event. Today was clearly going to be an endurance test as when we arrived at the site it was a half hour walk to the main buildings. After passing through two security checkpoints we finally arrived at the main dig site.

I have seen pictures of the warriors before but it was truly astounding just how many of these soldiers there are. It was like walking into the Indiana Jones warehouse where they keep the Lost Arc. I stood there trying to take it in.

The Terracotta Army, all with unique faces and subject to pain stacking reconstruction, stretched out into the distance. It crossed my mind that this was the largest domino display in the world waiting to happen.

As well as the main dig site there were also other buildings that contained the more unique statues that were found. Archers, horses and a lone crouching warrior are all on display here. There are also bronze works and an amazing bronze chariot to see. It is unlikely that these pieces will ever be allowed to leave China as they are so valuable.

While walking around the site the usual junk sellers appeared with boxes of replica soldiers. This started a game between everyone as we all tried to get them for the cheapest amount. The price started at 100 Yuen (about £10), three steps away from the seller and the price had dropped to 60. My girlfriend gave in and bought some, two more steps and another member of the group picked them up for 30 Yuen. By the time we had finished our tour and reached the coach the price was down to 10 Yuen for three boxes.

Shanghai Noon Becomes Shanghai Nights: Part 4

As the sun fell the rain stopped. Even though it had cleared away much of the smog over the last few days, it was nice to experience Shanghai without my hood up. Tonight it was time to see the city lights.

We headed for the Chinese equivalent of the space needle (only taller), to get a proper look at the city. The sky scrapers in the business district really are enormous and, having never seen a skyscraper in person before I was stunned just how massive the things are. Equally impressive was the amount of Chinese junk sellers that had replica light up models.

At the top of the tower, thanks to all the rain clearing the pollution, you could see for miles and miles. The neon stretched as far as the eye could see and it was a truly breath taking sight. Sadly my camera couldn't cope with the reflection from the security glass. The tower itself had a long shaft inside it which went straight down a bar on one of the floors below.

Having a mild fear of heights I had to force myself to look down it. The fact I was almost lying flat on the floor with both arms held around the safety barrier didn’t help to make me feel any more secure. I got some odd looks.

Leaving the tower we headed for the Bund again. There were still sellers of assorted junk but it was much calmer and clearer at night. For the first time I could see across the river to all the pretty lights on the other side.

For some reason I was persuaded to go on the tourist tunnel which travels under the river. It takes about ten minutes and was one of the most pointless things I have ever done. It’s a tunnel which a cable car travels along with a few flashing lights in the ceiling and some leaves and netting. Make sure to give it a miss if you come to Shanghai.

Night exploration over, it was back to the hotel to await the morning. The next day brought a beautiful sun rise over a clear Shanghai skyline. The buildings shimmered and the whole place looked completely different.

On my last day I had found the city that so many people seem to fall in love with. If I ever find myself there again I really won’t mind. All that was left was to take the super fast Magnev train to the airport.

The journey didn’t take long as it hits 433 Kilometres an hour at top speed. The last piece of excitement was reserved for when a train passed going the other way, also doing 433 Kilometres, which sounded like a tank had hit the window. Nerves recovered it was time to head for the ancient city of Xi’an.

Shanghai Noon Becomes Shanghai Nights: Part 3

Getting up early I looked outside to see the rain was still at full strength. Today however, I would not be wandering around Shanghai. No, the adventure was to take place in a city a short distance away named Suzhou. The city is famous for its waterways and gardens. It contains three of the national gardens of China and I was going to see two of these.

To get there I had to navigate Shanghai central station which was fairly straight forward. At the other end things were different. A surge of people poured off the train and out into the, still under construction, Suzhou station.

This meant it was almost impossible to see where I had to go. After that came the trial of getting across the eight lanes of traffic outside. Remarkably, I made it across unscathed and after the mornings excitement it was time to head for the Lingering Garden for a more peaceful experience.

The garden is much like many Chinese gardens in that it focuses heavily around the elements of stone, water, plants and buildings. It’s the way these things are combined that make it so breathlessly enchanting.

The naturally forming rocks, taken from a special lakes neaby, produce the most bizarre shapes and the way the place is so meticulously organised shows why many people do indeed linger in the Lingering Garden. It proved a nice contrast to the free for all that was the mornings train journey. Even the rain began to ease. Energy suitably restored I was ready to move on.

Next, it was time to experience the main canal route through the city. Onto the boats we went and down the river we motored. Travelling down the canal gave me a good chance to see a different side to the city. The boat passed many of the poorer areas. People waved and smiled at us as they washed their clothes in the river, all the while, maintaining a proud dignity.

Boats docked, there was still more travelling to do. This time by Rickshaw. My girlfriend and I scrambled in and we, along with some others, sped off in a convoy of rickety carriages held together by tape and bits of rag.

The rickshaw was one of the best experiences I had in China. It allowed us to access hidden streets and the feeling of constant danger from the mad drivers moving straight across main roads was both terrifying and exhilarating.

It also meant that we could stop and see the local fish market and reach the incredibly well hidden opera museum. It was amazing to find such a unique building filled with colourful costumes stuck down a back street.

I walked through it, moving out into the courtyard area, and was greeted with the site of a wonderfully elegant outside stage. It turned out to be a very interesting place I wouldn't have found if not for a wobbly rickshaw.

Rickshaw fun over, we arrived at the Humble Administrators Garden. This was much bigger than the others and had a more open feel. It was also busier. There was very little peace as I took in the water features and strikingly designed buildings.

I think I preferred the Lingering garden, but that is not to say that this one isn’t a very special place. The open style and more enthusiastic use of greenery helped the garden stand out from others I had seen.

The gardens visited, canal traveled along and my bones suitably rattled by the rickshaw it was time to head back to Shanghai. After commenting on the efficiency of the trains on the way out the return journey was inevitably delayed. The train eventually arrived in Shanghai and we departed. This was the end of the day for some but for me it was time to see Shanghai by night.

Shanghai Noon Becomes Shanghai Nights: Part 2

A new day brought more rain but, if anything, it added to the appeal of my next location. Today I travelled to the old town section of Shanghai. Most of Shanghai looks European having been owned by various nations over the years but Old Town Is irrepressibly Chinese.

Shanghai was proving to be a real Russian doll of a city. Hidden inside it was this wonderful area of old buildings and inside Old Town, over a zigzagging bridge that passes by an ancient tea house, was the lovely Yu Garden.

The garden is made of many different sections. The theory behind it is that evil spirits can only travel in straight lines so dividing up the garden safe guards against them. It also allows for observers to take in and appreciate each small area.The Yu garden really is a master work and the use of stone, water, buildings and plants create something incredibly delicate, peaceful and subtle, yet painstakingly detailed and uniquely Chinese.

Garden fully appreciated and rain still falling, I headed out into the bustling narrow streets of Old Town. This was the first place that looked like the China I had in my head. The many shops created an exciting atmosphere which I easily lost myself in.

Amid the trees filled with red wishes and lanterns, street musicians provided a suitable movie soundtrack. I stood and watched as the rain drops fell from the ornate rooftops in the way they can only do in the East.

Time spent, next up was the famous Nanjing Road (China’s equivalent of Oxford Street). Now, I’m about six foot three in height and stand well above most Chinese. However, I don’t stand above their umbrellas.

Nanjing road was an assault course of dodgy brollies being aimed straight at my eye line. I managed to dodge them, along with the crazy drivers and yet more people selling junk, as I made my way down the street.

Next time you think Oxford Street is busy just take a walk down Nanjing Road. I lost my girlfriend on a couple of occasions to the lure of shiny tops in the open plan shops. As I could see for miles there was little danger of us becoming separated. My height had not gone unnoticed by a few members of my group either and as the tour went on they started using me as a light house to guide them through the sea of endless Chinese.

The day ended with a trip to see the world famous Shanghai acrobats. I didn’t take any pictures but they were excellent. In terms of leaping and swinging and other such ridiculously dexterous pursuits they clearly are some of the best I have ever seen.