Visiting China

[CWret]

My trip to China was a long time ago (1995) and as i recall it was not as controlled or as restricted as Susq but also not nearly as care free as Tom or Gerrit. Maybe because it was sort of business and pleasure combined (5 days at a conference followed by two weeks of tourists hot spots). Getting the visa was an ordeal and took a couple of trips to the Embassy in Toronto + proof I’d been invited to the conference.
The trip was absolutely great. Loved every minute (almost- could have skipped that day of diarrhea).

 

[Susquatch]

The range of experiences makes me wonder how others describe a visit to Canada.......

 

[PaulL]

Well, I don't know what to say Tom. I've been there 3 times and all three were the same. I couldn't even get a visa without the Chinese government approved letter of invitation. The first time was 20 years ago, and the last time was about 7 years ago. None of them were tourist Visa's to designated tourist areas. That's why I said tourists were handled differently. I would assume mountain climbing would be classed as tourism. But visiting an individual or an industrial location isn't classed as tourism.

Business visa or tourist visa? I believe those are handled differently.

 

[Ironman]

You don't get to go wherever you want when you go to China. The only way to visit him and see his place of work is if you get him to invite you officially through the Chinese Gov't. You will also be on a short leash and cannot go anyplace else. Your host will have to report your whereabouts on a regular basis and takes fully responsibility for your conduct.

You can go to the regular tourist traps without this but you take your own risks when you do so. If people see you elsewhere, they are required to report you and get a reward for doing so.

Boy, things must have changed since I was there in 2012. I wandered where I pleased, and visited different mine equipment suppliers. I had to have a $350US visa to enter the country. Some people I met took me to dinner and an ancient village where the streets were waterways like Venice. Took a ride on that 350km/hr train.
The country and people impresses me, the government is too similar to ours to be likable. People there have the same worries we do.

 

[Susquatch]

Business visa or tourist visa? I believe those are handled differently.

I'm not really sure. I don't remember. I was definitely there on business and was scared shitless of getting caught playing games, so it was prolly a business visa. Canadians go to the US all the time claiming a pleasure visit and then do what they want. I wasn't playing that game in China.

 

[DPittman]

The range of experiences makes me wonder how others describe a visit to Canada.......

I guess reports of a visit to Toronto vs a visit to Warner, Alberta might be very different also.

 

[van123d]

Until I changed jobs 6 years ago I spent the previous several years travelling all over Asia for work. I would usually be in mainland China about 3x per year. I would say my experience is middle of the two extremes reported here.

Yes you needed a business visa which required an invite letter. Your first visa was 3 or 6 months. Second visa was 1yr, then after that was 3yr I think? Something like that.

I was in various industrial areas. Once I was in China I was generally free to move around. Passport would be checked at various locations as you moved in/out of different economic zones. I would have a driver provided by companies out of convenience as I was not attempting to drive there. As said above it was possible they were reporting but I was unaware. I would often not have a fixed schedule and would be arranging my schedule while I was there and then just requesting they send me a car to pick me up. Regardless of whether they were phoning in or not I assumed the whole time I was there I was being tracked. Just as I assume we are being tracked in this country.

Mainland China is the one country in all of my travels I would prefer not to go back to. It was generally dirty, food was not great, and difficult to get by with English.

 

[JustaDB]

Testicle festival .......must be an Alberta thing

Not that I'm aware of. Used to be one in Montana.

'Testicle Festival' in Montana no more

It's known as 'the craziest, most unpredictable festival' in Montana-- Testicle Festival. After 35-years, the Testy Fest is no more. Matt Powers, who is the owner of Rock Creek Lodge

www.montanarightnow.com

I jes' luvs me some fresh, breaded, tender, fried in garlic butter prairie oysters from 4 month (or so) old calves. Nummers.

Saw "Prairie Oysters" listed on a menu in a restaurant in Calgary near the Tower a number of years back. Thought, What the hell? They brought out a coupla nuts the size of large hard boiled eggs, and looked like 'em, too. Yuck. Sliced 'em up, tried 'em, thanks but no thanks. Not prairie oysters. Gimme the young ones.

 

[Janger]

Amazing stories. Such a range of experiences. Thanks for all the posts!

 

[jcdammeyer]

I spent about 4 weeks total in Hong King in the early nineties and into the New Territories. Commuted by train to work every morning. Also two trips to Tai Pei. The Dutch company I worked for needed to do upgrades on the Trim & Form machines sold to the various semiconductor manufacturers.
Never really in official China since Hong Kong was still British at that time.

 

[Mcgyver]

I have eaten some questionable things, especially in my bar hopping days, but I can honestly say, that a testicle festival never crossed my mind.

you knows, you might have a ball!

Zero appeal to me, hearing about the penis restaurant in China and seeing a bucket full of the raw materials was more than enough to keep me away from such affairs.

 

[Susquatch]

Zero appeal to me, hearing about the penis restaurant in China and seeing a bucket full of the raw materials was more than enough to keep me away from such affairs.

It isn't just what they eat it's how they eat it. I have zero interest in eating anything out of the same serving dish that someone else drooled on or stuff fell out of their mouth into. It was nothing short of revolting.

 

[Mcgyver]

It isn't just what they eat it's how they eat it. I have zero interest in eating anything out of the same serving dish that someone else drooled on or stuff fell out of their mouth into. It was nothing short of revolting.

So you ate at the penis restaurant?

I agree on the food there. I like meat, the rest of the animal not so much so. Like bullfrog soup is the entire frog chopped up and dumped in the pot. yuck. The whole food thing stems from the challenges of getting enough protein for that many people. A Chinese doctor I know, she jokes she'll eat anything that can't faster than her. Suppose its what you are used to, glad I grew up in a protein abundant land.

One thing I did notice though was no dairy of any kind and no carbs..... and no obesity. Coincidence? I think not. Rice was for the poor and dishes that arrived were always meat, fish ,various animal parts and vegetables. I'd ask for a rice so I didn't whither away but was the only one eating it.

Open at your peril

Really? A restaurant that only serves penis?

At this Chinese restaurant, there's only one thing on the menu... and it's probably the last part of the animal you would want to eat!

www.timetravelturtle.com

 

[DPittman]

It isn't just what they eat it's how they eat it. I have zero interest in eating anything out of the same serving dish that someone else drooled on or stuff fell out of their mouth into. It was nothing short of revolting.

I am a hunter and my family are ranchers/farmers, I've come to the conclusion that if "meat" is not a muscle or it is an organ, than those bits and pieces are for the cats and dogs and I don't want to eat it. And that includes livers, hearts and tongues!

 

[Susquatch]

So you ate at the penis restaurant?

Not that I knew of. Lots and lots of stuff on the rotating tables I did not even look at let alone sample.

I agree on the food there. I like meat, the rest of animal not so much so. Like bullfrog soup is the entire frog chopped up and dumped in the pot. yuck. The whole food thing stems from the challenges of getting enough protein for that many people. A Chinese doctor I know, she jokes she'll eat anything that can't faster than her. Suppose its what you are used to, glad I grew up in a protien abundant land.

Yup, if it moves it gets eaten. Song birds, reptiles, caterpillars, grubs, worms, bugs, guts, body parts, organs, brains (sometimes alive).

I'm a meat guy too. Like you, I lived on rice all three times I went. Rice and branded coke-a-cola. Didn't touch the water either.

One thing I did notice though was no dairy of any kind and no carbs..... and no obesity. Coincidence? I think not.

Come to think of it, you are right! I never saw any dairy either. Just as well, cuz I prolly wouldn't have touched that either.

Rice was for the poor

And Susquatch

and dishes that arrived were always meat, fish ,various animal parts and vegetables. I'd ask for a rice so I didn't whither away but was the only one eating it.

Some of my colleagues only are rice too.

Open at your peril

Really? A restaurant that only serves penis?

At this Chinese restaurant, there's only one thing on the menu... and it's probably the last part of the animal you would want to eat!

www.timetravelturtle.com

No thank you.

 

[Tom Kitta]

It is true that cheese is an issue in China - they are not big on it / milk products in general as well as coffee. They cannot believe we can eat things such as cheese - for them its like what a penis food is for us - not all of China.

It is not true at all that you cannot get more "normal" food - chicken is plentiful and out away from Beijing it tastes very good as it is 100% organic. I frequently taken dishes with some cool mushrooms and some beef.

I would assume dishes that are more exotic - anything with 4 legs other than table and chars - are far more expensive.

Lots of dumplings of every type.

Yes, rice is there but for variety you can go with noddles. In big cities its more or less similar to Canada - in Shanghai everything is in English and food can also be the same as in Canada.

One interesting note is that hot water is available everywhere for the nuddles - they have lots of "Chinese" instant soup choices. Beer is cheap as well, at least compared to other places I been to. I had some beer at local airport next to the shop selling it. Just squat with the locals, enjoy your beer and your noodle hot soup.