Walking to China (traveling alone). How much does an independent trip to China from Russia cost?

The purpose of this book is to answer two questions: “How to travel around China on your own without knowing Chinese?” and “Why is China interesting?” The author uses a non-linear way of presenting information, which is familiar to Internet users, allowing him to show China in all its diversity.

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The given introductory fragment of the book A traveler's guide to China (Dmitry Finozhenok, 2015) provided by our book partner - the company liters.

We're traveling around China

How to travel around China on your own

Idea independent travel traveling through a country whose language you do not understand seems pure madness. But if a Chinese peasant from a remote village can easily cope with this, then is it worth giving in to the villager? big city? Moreover, transport system China is designed for huge passenger flows, and therefore is well thought out and surprisingly passenger-friendly.

According to the visa regime for Russian citizens, the territory of China is divided into two unequal parts: mainland China and special administrative regions (Hong Kong and Macau).

About Mainland China

Formally, this term is not entirely correct: two areas of Hong Kong (Kowloon and New Territories) are located on the mainland.

To visit mainland China, Russians require a visa (the most popular visas are tourist visas for 15 and 30 days), Hong Kong and Macau allow visa-free entry for a period of up to 14 and 30 days, respectively. Remember: when visiting the Special Administrative Region, you are leaving the area covered by your main Chinese visa. Therefore, if Hong Kong or Macau - intermediate point your trip to China, you will need a double-entry Chinese visa.

Large international airports China (Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Chongqing, Dalian, Shenyang, Harbin, Guilin) ​​offer visa-free transit with the possibility of entering the city for up to three days. It is important to remember that when registering transit visa Electronic tickets in Russian are not considered documents confirming departure.

A tourist visa to China is the only thing that cannot be done without the help of a travel agency. Even if you apply for a visa yourself, you will need an invitation from a Chinese travel agency or hotel. You can do everything else when preparing for the trip yourself.

Route selection

Despite the enormous leaps that China has made over the past thirty years, only a small percentage of Chinese own English language and even less so for Russians. All a tourist can hope for is globalization. The more modern a Chinese city is, the more friendly it is to foreigners and the easier it is to live in it.

How to find out modern city

American sociologist Richard Florida, the author of the concept of the creative class, established a direct relationship between the level of tolerance and the innovative potential of a city. The modern city creates an environment open to change, which attracts not only creative people, but also bohemians, migrants, various subcultures and minorities. Therefore, the easiest way to find a modern city is to follow them. If you want to find bohemia, look at night satellite images (the brighter the city glows, the more intense night life); if you want to find geeks, look for Comic-Con venues, etc.

The second limiting factor in choosing a route is climate. Most parts of China are quite hot in summer. Therefore, cities are a smart choice east coast, where the proximity of the sea softens the heat. It should be remembered that in the very south of China not only tropical downpours are possible, but occasionally typhoons are also possible.

You should also pay attention to the level of air pollution in the cities you plan to visit. Try not to stay long in places where the pollution index exceeds 100 points. Data on air pollution levels are updated daily and are available at http://aqicn.org.

The further you go south, the more diverse and vibrant nature becomes. Anyone who had to return home with southern resorts, remembers the depressing impression of a gray and lifeless city, compared to the south. Therefore, it is better to start your journey from the north of China and move south.

Between cities

In terms of size, China ranks third in the world, its area is only half the size of Russia. However, the country's transport system is built in such a way that almost every corner of the country is separated by a day's travel from the capital.

Cartographic illusion of grandeur

If you look at the usual political map world, it may seem that four or five Chinas can fit on the territory of Russia. But this is just the result of distortions that are inevitable when transferring an image from the surface of a sphere to a plane. The closer to the pole the territory is located, the stronger this effect. For example, China is five times larger than Greenland, but on the map they appear almost identical.

There are two main types of transport: plane and train. High population density in South-East Asia allows many low-cost airlines to operate effectively. Unfortunately, given my height of two meters, an airplane with front seats supporting my knees is not the most comfortable way to travel; I prefer trains, especially since the shelves in them are noticeably longer than Russian ones, and I only have to spend the night once.

CHR (China High-Speed ​​Railroad)

Thirty years ago, the main type of locomotive in China was the steam locomotive. The first high-speed train appeared in China in 2007. Today, the length of high-speed lines (200 km/h and above) is 16 thousand km, which is more than all other countries of the world combined. The next generation of high-speed trains, currently undergoing testing, already accelerates to 500 km/h. Trains have become serious competitors to airplanes and have practically replaced them on short routes (up to 500 km).

Most train numbers in China begin with a letter indicating the train category. There are six main types: C, D, G, K, T, Z. Category K is assigned to fast trains, there is a certain irony in the fact that it is currently one of the slowest trains in China ( maximum speed– 120 km/h). Category T stands for express trains, these are the same express trains, but with fewer stops. Category D is intended for high-speed trains, their speed reaches 250 km/h. Categories G and C are assigned to bullet trains, whose maximum speed is 350 km/h. For safety reasons, trains of the last three categories operate only during daylight hours; at night, these tracks are used by category Z trains and luxury night express trains.

Beautiful is far away

If the bullet train ran along the Vladivostok-Moscow route, the travel time would be only 32 hours. Now Russian Railways requires more than six days for this.

Life on wheels

IN high speed trains(D, C, G), as a rule, there are only seat place, on night trains of category Z – only compartments. And only fast trains and regular express trains have compartments, reserved seats, and seats.

Access mode

A train ticket is required to enter the platform and exit the station. Do not throw away your tickets until you have left the station building.

The numbering of seats on Chinese trains differs from Russian ones; the shelves on one side of the compartment have the same number. To distinguish them, the type of place is indicated: lower, middle and upper. The third, top bunk is only available in reserved seat carriages. It is located high enough to easily stretch your legs, but since the distance to the ceiling is not great, you literally have to crawl onto it. The lower the shelf is, the more expensive ticket, so passengers in the lower bunks feel like wealthy people.

This is how the tickets indicate the lower, middle and top places respectively.

When traveling on the train, you are issued a plastic card - a substitute for a ticket. It is your pass to the train if you want to go out for a walk at the stops. If you lose this piece of plastic, you will have to buy your ticket again. Half an hour before the passenger arrives at their destination, replacement cards are collected and tickets returned, so there is no fear of missing your station.

How to find your train

Chinese train stations are designed for huge passenger traffic, so they are easy to navigate. After passing the entrance control, find on the main board the number of the waiting room for your train (if the stations have several waiting rooms), in the waiting room - use the train number to find the exit to the platform. 20-30 minutes before boarding, the gates open and the stairs lead only to your platform. If you are not sure of your decision, just show your ticket to any station employee, he will definitely help.

Traveling on a Chinese train is quite pleasant. All trains long distance Air-conditioned, soft traditional Chinese music creates a tranquil atmosphere, and large windows allow you to admire the scenery.

It is not necessary to take food with you on the train; carts with hot food regularly travel around the carriage. The food is aimed at the Chinese, but the lunch box contains five or six dishes, of which perhaps three or four will be tasty. You will have to prepare tea and coffee yourself; at the end of the carriage there is a tap with boiling water, and each compartment has a thermos.

Bed linen is not sold on trains; one set of linen is used throughout the entire train route. Therefore, never buy tickets with landing at intermediate stations. The towel is not included in the linen set.

The Chinese produce a lot of garbage, but they clean it up regularly. Every couple of hours the guide cleans up the place, including wet cleaning. If you do not want your suitcases to be walked over with a cloth, do not place them under the seat, use special luggage racks.

In China, you can buy train tickets no earlier than 20 days before the departure date, so when you go on a long trip around this country, you will most likely not have a full set of tickets on hand. How to solve this problem with the least amount of vacation time?

The most comfortable option is to order tickets in advance with delivery to the hotel. The advantages of this approach are obvious: all you have to do is pick up your tickets from the receptionist. The main disadvantage is that delivery only works in large cities. In addition, since you order delivery of the ticket on a date and not a specific time, you will have to stay at a hotel for at least two nights. Of the several delivery ticket services I've used, http://www.chinatripadvisor.com left the best impression.

One country, one time

Since 1949, the entire territory of China (except for the autonomous regions of Xinjiang and Tibet) has had a single time, GMT +8. This greatly simplifies travel planning, but the further you go east, the more daylight hours shift. In summer in Shanghai, the sun sets at seven in the evening.

If your trip lies far from big cities or if you simply don’t want to waste a day in some city, you can order your purchase in advance electronic ticket, for example, through http://www.china-diy-travel.com. All you receive is your reservation number. After printing out the document sent to you, you go to the station, and at a special ticket office you receive regular ticket. If you need help finding this ticket office, find any station employee and just show him your printout, he will tell you where to go - tested from my own experience.

End of introductory fragment.

I’ll tell you separately about our railway experience and how we got food on this trip. We made all our trips between cities in China by train.

These were our requirements for the dishes. It's good when a cafe has a menu with pictures. I generally like dishes with sweet sauce, although I can't eat a lot of them. But Lena didn't like them.

In general, the Chinese have a special love for sweets - it’s almost impossible to even find bread that isn’t sweet. We didn’t find bread there at all, as we understand it.

All the sausages we tried, although they looked similar to ours, tasted disgustingly sweet.

The potatoes there are also all sweet.

By the way, we liked Chinese beer.

As a result, we developed our own set of requirements for dishes:

• 不辣 - búlà - not spicy,
• 不甜 - bùtián or 不加糖 - bùjiātáng - not sweet,
• 没有豆腐 - méiyǒudòufu - without tofu.

Sometimes we also need to tell them to pack the dish for us to take with us. We simply showed this phrase written in Chinese. It's time for us to learn it:

请把这到菜给我包 - Qǐng bǎ zhèdàocài gěi wǒ bāo.

Maybe you will find it useful on your journey.

One day we tried to order baozi. The menu had no pictures. We saw the familiar hieroglyph 鸡 - Jī - chicken. We were delighted and decided to order baozi stuffed with chicken. They were tasty, but we didn't find any chicken there. There was 鸡蛋 - Jīdàn - egg. We knew what the word sounded like, but we didn't remember how to spell it.

A good review about Chinese food was written by the owner of the Way2China blog, Anna, in the article What and How the Chinese Eat.

Made it 65 minutes before departure. I swore off arriving at the departure time by train.

LESSON

• Before big transfers or flights, leave a day in the departure city - there is always somewhere to walk there, and you definitely won’t be late for the plane.

Despite the fact that China is becoming increasingly popular with tourists all over the world every year, reviews on the Internet from our compatriots about trips to China are, to put it mildly, ambiguous, so let's talk about those features of the country that may be unacceptable for some travelers.

1. If your passport is valid for less than 6 months from the end of the planned tour, choose another country

At the Chinese consulate, all documentary formalities are strictly observed, so in order to avoid problems with obtaining a visa and trip disruption, it is better not to take risks and take care of a new passport in advance.

2. If you are not ready for the additional hassle associated with obtaining a Chinese visa

There is nothing fundamentally difficult in preparing documents for obtaining a Chinese visa - no unnecessary certificates are required, only a foreign passport, an application form, copies of a Russian passport, a photograph and an invitation from the Chinese side. Consular fee for a tourist trip is 1,500 rubles. Moreover, if you are planning to vacation in Hainan, then when departing on a direct flight from Moscow, you do not need a visa at all!

Mountain Lake in China

3. If you basically fly only on charter flights, then - alas!

You can only get to China regular flights airlines Hainan Airlines, Aeroflot, etc. Planes fly from St. Petersburg to Beijing on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Accordingly, the duration of the trip should be “adjusted” to the airline’s schedule. Flight time is about 7 hours.

China

4. If when traveling by train you are used to buying out the entire compartment in order to feel comfortable, then in China you will have to fly by plane

In China it is impossible to buy a coupe in whole or in part, that is, if the program excursion tour If you plan to travel by train between cities, you will have to share a four-seater compartment either with tourists from your group or with the Chinese. There are no two-seater coupes. As a rule, travel between cities is overnight and lasts approximately 12 hours, for example, between Beijing and Xi'an.

One of the entrances to the Forbidden City

If this issue is of fundamental importance to you, the option remains to move to domestic flights. By the way, China has very developed air traffic and a fairly high level of flight safety. Baggage rules in hand luggage even more stringent than those accepted throughout the world.

China

5. If you cannot tolerate tobacco smoke, choose another country or stock up on a respirator

The Chinese smoke a lot. Accordingly, almost everywhere there is a smell of tobacco, there are smoky rooms in hotels, and guests also smoke in hotel lobbies. Smoking is prohibited in train compartments; in restaurants you can choose a room for non-smoking visitors.

Chinese outback

6. If you are on a special diet or are very picky about what you eat, take your favorite foods with you.

A lot has been written and said about the fact that Chinese cuisine is very unique, but how suitable it is for you personally, you will only understand, so to speak, “on the spot.” Some people do not have enough meat - indeed, the basis of the Chinese diet is stewed, boiled, stewed vegetables, noodles and rice. Some people cannot tolerate spicy and salty foods. If in Beijing, Shanghai and other large cities you can still find food adapted for Europeans, then in the provinces this will be a problem. You will find the cutlery we are used to only in large cities; in the outback you will have to eat with chopsticks. Of course, in China there are places favored by the British and Americans, where the cuisine and other amenities are at top level, For example, nature reserve pandas, but this is rather an exception.

Giant statue Buddhas, Leshan

7. If you experienced culture shock visiting public restrooms in the former Soviet Union (or modern India) and never want to see them again, then choose another country to travel to.

All public toilets in China are free. Tourists who have seen Soviet “conveniences”, when they see Chinese ones, think “scoop”. Indeed, very similar: two soles and a metal bowl at floor level, no toilet paper and a corresponding smell. So for those tourists who do go to China, advice - take it with you toilet paper and wet wipes.

8. If you prefer silence and privacy, and your personal psychologically comfortable space is one and a half meters - choose another country

There are many people in China. Not even that - there are A LOT OF PEOPLE in China! This fact actually entails many different consequences, namely: everyone constantly touches each other with their elbows and other parts of the body, they talk quite loudly, therefore very noisily, they look with sincere, but completely unceremonious curiosity at everything interesting and unusual, for example - you

Against the backdrop of the Great Chinese wall

9. If your travel budget involves an amount of less than 50 thousand rubles per person, then you need to choose another country or take out a loan

Most a budget option to get acquainted with China - a week-long tour to Beijing. Today it costs from 50 thousand rubles per person. If you want to see Xi’an (Terracotta Army) and Shanghai within a week’s stay, expect to pay at least 70 thousand rubles per person. To not only see the main cities, but also relax for a week on Hainan Island, budget from 100 thousand per person. Treatment in China is very popular among the stars of domestic and international show business - both in the central part and on the island of Hainan.

In order to feel comfortable when planning a tour and during the trip itself, you can use the installment payment service, which is offered, for example, by our company for up to 7 months at 0% per annum.

Village with rice fields, China

10. If your vacation falls during the Republic of China Day or Chinese New Year celebrations, travel to another country

There are two grand holidays in China - the founding day of the People's Republic of China and the Chinese New Year. During these periods - from 28.09 to 04.10 and the last ten days of February to the beginning of March (celebrated according to the lunar calendar, so there are no exact dates) - China has official public holidays, and all Chinese begin to travel en masse within the country. Hotel prices triple, and tourist sites Pandemonium begins. So it is better to plan your trip for other dates. The ideal time, especially for combined tours, is spring and autumn, when it is warm on the mainland and not very hot on Hainan Island.

Among other tourists, China

In conclusion, I want to say: I am sure that a trip to China will not leave anyone indifferent. Our tourists return from this diverse country with invariably positive impressions.

Panda

If you have any questions, write to: [email protected]

How and where is it better to travel to China?

China is the pearl of Asia. A country that accommodates not only a billion people, but also all kinds of tourist diversity. Considering that China is a fairly large country, the first thing you need to do is designate your route and what you should see. In the Celestial Empire you can find both megacities and protected areas, ancient cities.

Beijing - trip to the capital

The main starting point when traveling to China is Beijing. We must remember - this is the most expensive city in China. Its pricing policy is several times higher than prices in other cities. This is due to the fact that it is one of the main tourist areas.

Not worth visiting tourist places during national holidays. Since they will be crowded not only with tourists, but also with the Chinese themselves. If you are interested in the natural resources of China, Beijing is definitely not the place for you. Despite the fact that the capital is a fairly expensive city, there will be no problem with budget housing. For a small amount of money you can easily stay in a three-star hotel near the city center.

If you find yourself in Beijing, you can see such attractions as Summer Palace, the Great Wall of China, the Forbidden City and adjacent Beihai Park, the Temple of Heaven, the Yonghegong Buddhist Temple and Tiananmen Square. These tourist attractions will cost you quite little. However, when visiting the Great Wall of China, you can visit several adjacent museums for free.

The main thing to remember in Beijing is that it is the main center of tourist scams. One of the popular schemes is when you are invited to a small teahouse, some unfamiliar Chinese becomes interested in the fact that you are a tourist. He wants to get to know your culture and tell you about China. Such people often know English quite well and, most likely, the establishment to which he will lead you will be practically empty. The Chinese will offer you to place an order, regardless of the prices, and will recommend what to order. So be sure to look at the menu.

As a result, they will bring you a bill for a large amount, and your new friend will offer to pay most. But at the same time, your part will still cost more than according to the menu. Such people often negotiate with the owners of such tea establishments to deceive tourists. Therefore, always look at the prices and do not trust the Chinese.

Shanghai

Another city in China that is definitely worth visiting is Shanghai. What to watch here? For example, the Pearl of the East is the name given to a huge television tower 468 meters high, which has long become the hallmark of this city. It’s worth climbing this tower to admire the views of the city at night - there are Observation deck and even a revolving restaurant for special connoisseurs.

If you are looking for entertainment, then take a walk along Nanjing Lu Street, which stretches 14 kilometers from the embankment into the city. Part of the street is a pedestrian zone, here you will find restaurants, shops, street vendors and other entertainment that always attract tourists. However, car roads and the multi-tiered interchanges here are also striking in their scope and scale.

Shahai is also known for Yuyuan Park, also known as Joy Park. If you like traditional Chinese park style, then you will definitely not be indifferent to this park. There are rocks, picturesque bridges, various plants of unusual shapes and types, and pavilions that decorate the park and create an atmosphere of good mood.

Even in Shanghai, you can go to the Jade Buddha Temple, which was built back in 1882, or visit the Longhuase Monastery, which is both the oldest and largest monastic complex.

But it’s not just luxury shops and skyscrapers of millionaires; there are also poor neighborhoods in China. And if you want to get to know this country better, you should look not only at the front side, but also at the back side.

Hong Kong

This is not China itself, but its special administrative region. But here you can learn no less about its culture than in its other provinces. An important point is the fact that Hong Kong is a fairly cheap territory of China. Its southern part is of greater interest, since the north of Hong Kong is an economic zone. The southern part is the area where you can find the same things as in China, but cheaper. There are big cities, natural beauty, Buddhist temples. Located on the island.

One of the prides of Hong Kong is its own Disneyland. It is much more compact than other Disneylands in the world, it contains oriental motifs, but in terms of entertainment and themed areas it is not inferior to its larger brothers. But it beats them due to more affordable prices.

Also here you can look at Victoria Peak - this is the most high point Hong Kong, its height is 552 meters, and to get to the top you will need to ride a cable-rail tram, and this in itself can be an interesting adventure.

If you want a break from the big city, visit the fishing village of Aberdeen. Here you can have lunch at a water restaurant, rent a boat to take a ride around the village and look at sampans - these are traditional houseboats that were popular in China in the early centuries and still exist today. At the same time, see how simple people live local residents– helps to understand the country.

An additional bonus is that Russians do not need a visa to Hong Kong if the stay is no more than 14 days and if you do not plan to leave somewhere. But if you are going to Beijing or Shanghai, you will have to apply for a Chinese visa. Ordinary areas of Hong Kong are similar to all others in Major cities China - cramped, crowded, a lot of signs and houses piled on top of each other:

Macau

Macau, also known as Macao, is another separate administrative region of China along with Hong Kong. It is located in southern China, so it is quite possible to come here on vacation in winter, at this time it is about +15 degrees, but if you want it to be warm and sunny, come to Macau in November-December.

This place used to belong to Portugal (it was a colony), so here you can see an interesting clash of European and Chinese styles in architecture, as well as in the way of life.

Here you should look at strange fortresses, mansions and other buildings, as well as try extraordinary local cuisine. By the way, Macau was returned to China only in 1999.

What to do in Macau? Of course, play all kinds of gambling, it’s not for nothing that this area is considered the gaming capital of China. Casinos and other gambling are legalized here, so it’s no wonder that thousands of adventurers from all over the world come here, so why not come from Russia too? In fact, Macau is the Chinese Las Vegas on an equally grand scale.

Tibet

This the best place to spiritualize your personality and the opportunity to get to know mountainous China. The big plus is that you can visit many temples for free. The only thing recommended is to leave small offerings. You can also make a wish and buy a fairly cheap souvenir for good luck.

And, as a bonus, walking through the mountains, you can enjoy beautiful views for free. But in this case, you should still use the services of a guide, since it is easy to get lost there. To make it cheaper, you can join large groups with other foreigners.

One of the main tourist areas of Tibet is the Potala Palace. Palace complex, which includes the palace itself, the temple and big park. You can hire a guide and go on a short or long trek along mountain paths, staying in small hotels for tourists, but here you will need some special equipment, for example, trekking poles, as well as clothing and shoes suitable for such hikes.

However, it is not for nothing that Tibet is called the Roof of the World - it is worth coming here in order to understand yourself by going on this spiritual journey. Forget about entertainment, restaurants, luxury hotels - come to Tibet and get something much more important for your self-development.

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“Do you want to go to China alone, without a group of tourists?” the Khabarovsk travel agency worker looked at me with undisguised horror. “You’ll get lost there, if only because you don’t know the language!” “I assure you, everything will be fine, just help me get a visa!” - I insisted.

The desire to see the Celestial Empire was so strong that the instinct of self-preservation was dulled, and an inner voice persuaded me to fly, because “there are so many interesting things there!” At the same time, I wanted to move around the country on my own, without the standard tourist “look left, look right.” It turned out that this is not at all difficult. Moreover, in my opinion, this is the most correct way to see the country in all its diversity. Of course, it would be nice to have friends in China - this automatically solves the most difficult issue - with the language. Moreover, knowledge local color and the advice of “insiders” can significantly reduce not only your transportation costs, but also insure against monetary losses, and in some cases, save your stomach.

Towards the language barrier!

Before traveling, you need to be aware that in China everyone speaks only Chinese. English is used very little, mainly in big cities- Beijing, Shanghai or Hong Kong. At first, of course, it’s difficult to get used to: all signs, announcements, schedules and menus consist of hieroglyphs, which are rarely duplicated in English. At first, I was saved by a phrasebook, which contained not only a transcription of Chinese words, but also their spelling. After much practice, I, of course, learned to correctly pronounce basic expressions like “hello” and “how much is it,” but I realized that it is better to show more complex phrases by pointing a finger at a book. The fact is that there are so many dialects in Chinese that a Chinese from the north will never understand a southerner, and vice versa. For example, “forty-four” in northerners will be “si shi si”, and residents of the south say “si si si” - something like “shorok setyre”. The official language is Putonghua - translated " mutual language". To teach its citizens to speak the same way, the government is making a lot of efforts. You turn on some radio, and instead of music, all the way there are only conversations in Mandarin.

Where and how to go

Southern China is good at any time of the year. It’s better not to travel to the north in winter - the weather is practically no different from our Central Siberian weather. When choosing a route, you need to take into account your financial capabilities and the duration of the visa. For those who want to start their trip from Beijing, it makes sense to take a direct air ticket (about five hundred and fifty dollars round trip), and from there move around the country by train. If you have limited time, you can fly from city to city by plane - fortunately, in China they are affordable. I’ll tell you more about the railway service. Tickets for any destination can only be purchased at station ticket offices. The only problem is to explain which ticket you need and where you need it. Moreover, it is advisable to do this in Chinese, since even if the station has a window with a “Foreigners” sign, it is not a fact that the cashier girl speaks English.

You need to arrive at the station 20-30 minutes before the train departs - this way you will pass control relatively calmly. The train will leave minute by minute, and as soon as you get into a traffic jam of Chinese people who want to leave with you, all hell breaks loose.

There are several classes of Chinese carriages:

The cheapest ones are without seats. In them, passengers stand or lie on the floor - on newspapers, on anything; Sedentary. It’s better not to take risks if you’re traveling far and your back is acting up; Hard-slippers, reminiscent of our second-class seats, only with three tiers of shelves, the bed is already made, but there are no side seats; The compartments are similar to Russian ones, only the carriages are much cleaner, the beds are ruffled, and there are carpets on the floor. Every train has a dining car - after all, the Chinese are constantly eating something. On all trains, washbasins are located in plain sight, separate from the toilet, and thus morning queues for the toilet are a rare occurrence. But you can, for example, enjoy the spectacle of the morning washing of dentures, which an unfamiliar Chinese grandmother does with special care.

I traveled from Beijing to Jinan in a hard sleeper (about 6 hours), and the ticket cost me 73 yuan - translated into about 200 rubles in our money. The price of a ticket from Beijing to Shanghai (overnight on the road) is 250 yuan, that is, about 685 rubles. Inexpensive, but for me, for example, it was difficult to get used to Chinese trains. Mainly due to the fact that passengers constantly smoke, eat Doshirak noodles, talk loudly and without embarrassment - both men and women - walk around the carriage in long johns.

Where to live and what to take with you

A room with breakfast in a four-star hotel in the center of Harbin cost me 300 yuan per night (eight hundred and twenty rubles). The hotel was not bad, but only Chinese lived in it, and the staff did not understand a word of English. Attempts to ask where their gym was looked like helpless flapping of hands - with the purpose of gesturing to show “exercise machine”, and requests to wake up at a certain time caused confusion in the receptionist.

Hostels - youth hostels - can be a more economical accommodation option for young people. One bed in a double room at the International Youth Hostel, which is located right next to central station in Beijing, can cost 70 yuan (200 rubles) per day. Everything you need for life is available: a shower, a 24-hour bar and an Internet cafe. By the way, you can save even more if you stay in a “dorma” - a room with 3-12 beds and amenities in the hallway. Depending on the city, such housing costs 20-60 yuan (55-175 rubles) per night.

To this standard set of hotel search tools I will add one more - touts - an option to stay in private apartment. People offering “cheap apartments in the center of Beijing” crowd the train stations and ask for very little money. I haven’t tried it myself, but knowledgeable travelers assure me that there is no need to be afraid of them - here, unlike, for example, India, there is no danger that there will be any problems with these apartments.

When traveling, I advise you to take a comfortable backpack, good sports shoes - for long hiking, a thermos (boiling water is available everywhere and for free) and more of some small souvenirs such as nesting dolls - the Chinese love to receive gifts and may even help you somehow as a thank you.

What to see in China

Of all the cities, Beijing is, of course, the most impressive. Or, as foreigners call it, Beijin. After I visited it, it’s easy to understand Quentin Tarantino, who came here to film his film “Kill Bill” but was never able to leave. He bought an apartment in Beijing and, according to rumors, eventually plans to move to the Middle Kingdom completely. The city shocked me with its monumentality. I expected to see crowds of Chinese rushing somewhere with crazy eyes, a crush on the streets, traffic jams. But none of this happened. The flow of people moved smoothly and without hysterical bustle, as in Moscow.

In architecture, two main directions are connected here: eastern and western. The first is represented by pagodas, with easily recognizable, curved roofs and the obligatory dragons as a design element. Secondly, skyscrapers, which do not block the space here at all.

Everyone who comes to Beijing for the first time begins their exploration of the city with the famous Tiananmen - Square of Heavenly Peace. It is the largest in the world, accommodating one million people! It is always crowded here - not only because of foreign tourists, but also because of the Chinese, residents of distant provinces, who come to take pictures at the mausoleum of Mao Zedong. Both adults and children fly kites in the square. Here you can also buy your own kite - in the form of a shark, butterfly or other monster.

On the square, I noticed a small child - about 3-4 years old, who had a hole in the back of his pants and his bare butt was blown by the wind. I thought it was my parents' oversight. But then I saw several more kids with the same strange cut of their pants. It turned out that thrifty Chinese do not like to spend money on diapers. The child wants to go to the toilet, sits down - and you're done!

In the mornings, around six o'clock, the Chinese go out to the square and practice group taijiquan - a melancholic exercise, the meaning of which consists of sluggish hand passes and careful steps from side to side.

Not far from Mao's mausoleum is the entrance to the Forbidden City - huge complex palace buildings where the great emperors of the Qing and Ming dynasties lived. Hundreds of pagodas, thousands of courtyards - the spectacle is amazing in its scale. Previously, mere mortals were forbidden to enter here, but now they can - for only 10 yuan (27 rubles).

Coming out of Forbidden City, you find yourself in the wonderful Beihai Park (Park north sea), where the crowned persons rested, apparently indulging in thoughts about the fatherland. Needless to say, the Chinese know a lot about landscape architecture. Half of the area is occupied by a lake, around which incredibly beautiful weeping willows grow. This park is loved by couples and calligraphers. The first - because here you can calmly kiss on the benches, the second - because you can draw hieroglyphs with water right on the asphalt.

From the park you can walk to famous Temple Heaven. Now China is probably the most unbelieving country in the world (ninety-five percent are atheists). And before they believed in Heaven and other deities. The road to the temple is already a test. You have to walk along a narrow stone path for about half an hour. It was very edifying when, panting and wheezing, I was overtaken at the last stage of the climb by a wizened Chinese old woman who covered the path easily and naturally.

There is a Wall of Whispers on the temple grounds. It is semicircular in shape, and this allows you to hear your interlocutor, even if he is standing a hundred meters away from you and muttering something under his breath. The Chinese love to have fun by standing at a distance from each other against the wall for hours and talking.

Fewer discoveries awaited me in Shanghai. Maybe because it’s very modern, or maybe because I didn’t stay there for long. This city has been called at various times: both the “Paris of the East” and the “Whore of China”... This is a city of adventurers, gamblers, sailors, opium dealers and opium addicts, a city of child prostitution and slave child labor, a city of socialists, communists and revolutionaries , the birthplace of the Chinese Communist Party, the cradle of the Revolution and the birthplace of the Shanghai Commune. It is home to 6.5 million people - one of the highest population densities in the world. There are a huge number of skyscrapers here. And they, unlike the Beijing ones, put pressure. Fashionable buildings easily coexist with old buildings, from which lines with laundry strung on them stretch in all directions. There is no shame in hanging old faded panties and leggings for everyone to see.

In the city center there is a wide asphalt space called People's Square. Processions and demonstrations were held here. In 1969, 2.5 million people gathered in the square to protest against Soviet Union. And now the walkers peacefully feed the pigeons.

On the streets you can see both young yuppies and informals. During the walk I had a chance to meet real Chinese punks. They had a very shabby look, despite the traditional skinny hair, spiked jackets, grinders and guitars on their backs. They themselves are skinny and unkempt. When they tried to play some Sex Pistols stuff in front of a department store, I wanted to go over and give them a hot lunch.

Walking in Shanghai is a must. Better - along Nanjing Lu, the main street. Bright shop windows, neon advertising everywhere. And shops, shops, shops. Nanjing Lu leads to the embankment of the Huangpu River. Once upon a time in colonial times, there was a famous sign at the entrance: “Dogs and Chinese are not allowed.” Today, crowds of Chinese and foreigners wander around here, admiring the view of Banda at night.

Rotten eggs and duck skins

It is often joked about the Chinese that they eat everything that flies, except airplanes, everything that moves on land, except a tractor, and everything that floats in water, except a submarine.

Chinese chefs profess the principles of culinary art that developed five thousand years ago. They love unexpected combinations of products: meat with sugar and fruit, seaweed with nuts, flower petals with hot pepper, hedgehogs with spices. In order to cook broth, for example, they can take beef, poultry and fish at the same time.

There are about 14 culinary schools in China, the most famous of which are Shandong, Sichuan, Jiangsu-Zhejiang, Beijing and Guangdong. The last one is the most “extreme”. It uses snakes, field mice, wild cats, dogs, fur seals, crocodiles, bear paws, monkey brains, and bird tongues. The technology of some dishes is simply savage. When preparing Kunming Lake Fried Carp, scraping the scales, cutting, frying and serving takes only four minutes. When the fish is served, it still opens its mouth and the gills move for thirty minutes. This agony continues even when the fish is eaten to the bone. The secret of such vitality is that the head of the fish is not fried and the central nervous system is preserved. In general, Greenpeace is resting.

"Queen of the Chinese table" - Peking duck. Instead of duck, however, they bring duck skins, which tourists are very surprised by. But if you come to a fish restaurant, it’s hard to make a mistake: everything swims in aquariums. You come up, choose, and ten minutes later they bring you the dish. True, it was difficult for me to come to terms with the fact that the selected fish was being killed with a shoe before my eyes, causing its entrails to scatter throughout the restaurant.

The Chinese also love rotten duck eggs. To prepare such an egg, you need to keep it in lime for 30 days! Its yolk is black and has an indescribable taste. The protein is like rubber, almost transparent in appearance.

In a restaurant of average level and below, the Chinese "of average level and below" behave absolutely, from a European point of view, like pigs: they blow their noses and spit directly on the floor, throw napkins, bones and scraps there, and yell at the whole room, especially when drink. By the way, they also cough on the streets - loudly, wiping their nose and mouth with their hand. Even women.

The Chinese love to put food on each other's plates. And when they bring the bill, a serious dispute breaks out between them: who will pay. Everyone strives to do this for everyone else in order to prove their privileged position. Our compatriots enjoy going to restaurants with the Chinese...

Behavior Observations

The Chinese are very loud people. Their guttural voices are one of a kind. Once in the USA, an anecdotal incident occurred. Two men from Guangdong province were having a peaceful conversation, but passing Americans thought they were about to get into a fight and called the police. The police demanded clarification, but the two interlocutors replied that they were talking “in a whisper.”

Why are they screaming? The Chinese believe that the stronger and higher his voice, the more convincing his arguments look.

In a country with a population of nearly 1.3 billion people, more than a quarter of the population regularly engages in sports. Mass physical education covers all educational institutions, enterprises and institutions, villages, units of the People's Liberation Army of China, the elderly and the disabled. The Chinese habit of doing group exercises is known throughout the world. Moreover, they do it at different times of the day. Many people study in groups and to music, but there are also individuals. There are athletes with sticks. They wave them like Shaolin monks right on the streets.

It is very common to see people walking backwards. This is probably an exercise for developing the vestibular apparatus. In every city there are courtyards equipped with shaping equipment, available to everyone, and free of charge. Old men dashingly throw their legs over the tall railings, and sometimes do the splits. And with millions of Chinese pedaling bicycles to and from work every day, they have toned legs.

Amid the craze for sports, the Chinese smoke and drink a lot. Vodka and cigarettes are sold everywhere, although their quality is terrible. There are 320 million smokers in China, twenty million of whom are women. Hence the large number of “nicotine deaths”. But no one indulges in this addiction on the streets - the Chinese prefer to do it in a quiet environment: in a restaurant or bar.

Overall, I'm happy with my trip. Maybe I didn’t see this country from the most romantic and glossy side, but, in any case, the trip left a lot of impressions and memories.

Yes. I agree with the previous comment that Beijing has long faded in comparison to Shanghai and Hong Kong, and is reminiscent of Moscow in the 80s, where the author saw so many unusual things, it’s incomprehensible, for me Beijing is always, on the contrary, just a transshipment base, other Chinese cities are much more interesting, in this case I don’t have referring to cultural monuments, of which there are many in Beijing.
25.07.11 Natalia

Indeed, the comment is very detailed. but it feels like the author visited China 10 years ago (the description of Shanghai is definitely 10 years ago, the spirit of communism is not in the air there, that’s for sure). although, perhaps, if you drive around the country in reserved seat carriage, it won’t even seem that way.
05.06.10 Olga

Good afternoon, thank you very much for such a detailed comment, because... I myself am planning to travel without a guide and it was important for me to understand how possible this is, and your review turned out to be more than decisive in favor of traveling without a guide, thank you again!
01.03.10 Yana