International Travel

Shanghai lights

As China’s economy has grown explosively over the past quarter-century, so
too has Chinese tourism. Shanghai, the largest city on China’s coast, boasts
an expatriate community of over five percent (over one million foreigners in
a city of 24 million people). Coastal cities in general are heavily
Westernized, but the Chinese tourist can choose whatever degree of
Westernization s/he wants. The “Middle Kingdom” also features countless
historical monuments, from the 2000-year old terra cotta army in the tomb of
the first Qin emperor in Xi’an, to the Jin Mao Tower in downtown
Shanghai(currently the world’s tallest skyscraper, the blue-lit tower shown above).

As a completely different culture, however, China also has those
characteristic red flags to watch out for. Scams are not very common, but
they can be costly. One which I have heard about frequently, but never
myself experienced, is one of an attractive girl coming up to a male
tourist and asking to practice her English over a cup of tea (in an empty
teahouse). A bouncer (or three) then shows up and informs the gullible
tourist that the tea cost several hundred USD, and payment is then
“requested.”

Chinese are generally very polite, but never be too trusting in a completely
alien environment. Having a local business associate or connection is very
helpful for avoiding “tourist traps,” giving clear directions, bargaining (this
does not require a translator, but generally offer absolutely no more than
40 percent of a vendor’s initial price for anything, and stick to it).

Food sold from streetside vendors and low-end restaurants is also generally
unhygienic by Western standards. I would recommend sticking with upper-end
food, or otherwise bringing along a vacation’s worth of Immodium AD.

Virtually all hotels, from Shanghai Mariotts to at least one hotel in Rigazi,
Tibet, offer internet access for fairly cheap, and internet cafes are
everywhere. The business-inclined tourist will have very little trouble
staying in touch with the wider world, and China’s online-censorship system
is usually ineffective: certain domains and corporate-news sites are
blocked, but the vast majority of internet sites are easily accessible.

Tourism in China, even in the biggest cities, is eye-opening, and utterly
different from more conventional European vacations. It is also quite
inexpensive – after accounting for the plane ticket. And bargaining.

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