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I love steamed buns and was always on the lookout for vendors that looked hygienic. The place I found in Xian looked great and they had four different kinds, each with a different filling.

China 1998 - Part Three: Xian & Beijing

Dougburnett
2003-11-22 16:39:38

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takes the most torturous route along the ridges and is always a stiff climb either up or down. I walked along some in both directions and then headed back to the parking lot for the mad dash back to Beijing. Then I spent the afternoon with more shopping.

Wednesday, April 22, 1998

Well, all good things must come to an end and now it was time to leave. I was up early to check out and then took a taxi out to the airport. I had a 9:00 flight but for some reason they wanted me there early. After waiting in the departure lounge we finally left at 10:00 - something about weather problems. It was a 13 hour non-stop flight back to Detroit where I arrived at 11:00 the same day, having crossed the international dateline.

TAXIS: I feel I could entitle my travelogues, Chinese Taxis - there was no group I had more contact with. Despite what I have written, on the whole my experiences were good. Certainly no worse than any other third world country I have visited.

Most drivers used their meters without being asked and I got to my destination with little hassle. The problems I had were more related to language than larceny on the part of the driver. I also found that all the taxis had meters and, with the exception of Xian, also had picture ID of the driver and a number to call if there were problems.

There were also lots of women taxi drivers - even in the larger cities. I found them to be both more courteous and cautious. When I had a choice, I always rode with them.

Rickshaws (three-wheel bicycle cabs) were a little more difficult to deal with as you must establish the price in advance. These guys always asked for too much and then often refused my counter offer. Walking away was the best approach - if they were interested, they would call me back. Once destination and price were agreed upon I had no problems - in fact in Suzhou, I preferred the slower pace of the rickshaws.

CONCLUSION: China was a wonderful place to visit - it was a curious blend of the traditional and the modern. Massive five-star hotels share the same block with tiny alleys where wash hangs from the lines and old men sit playing cards. There was always something interesting to see - it was a wander's paradise.

It was, as I have said, quite easy to get around. That comment must be understood in the context of my very limited exposure: six cities in 18 days. Farther off the beaten path, I'm sure is a different experience.

That said, any reasonably experienced traveler should be able to get along fine in the places I visited. You must, of course, do a little homework. A good guidebook is essential to help familiarize you with the cities you will visit. Knowing a few Chinese characters - at least for the cities you will visit - is useful. In addition, a few words of Chinese - "shea, shea" (for thank you) - will earn you a lot of smiles. Other than that, pointing will get you what you want in most cases.

It is my hope that this travelogue will encourage other travelers to forego the guides and tours and to explore China on their own. There are many interesting things to be discovered.

Copyright Doug Burnett

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