City guide: Shaoxing
This is just a miniture guide to the city of Shaoxing with lots of recommendations for you all to experience for yourselves! Shaoxing is a big and bustling city with lots going on. Shaoxing, with its population larger than that of the whole of New Zealand, is a vibrant city, located in the northeastern Zhejiang province, in the People’s Republic of China. Located on the south bank of the Qiantang River estuary, it borders Ningbo to the east, Taizhou to the southeast, Jinhua to the southwest, and Hangzhou to the west. Shaoxing central districts of Yuecheng and Shaoxing are now part of Hangzhou built up area which is home to more than 7 million inhabitants. There are definitely richer and poorer areas in the city, but everything seems localised with some really good shopping and markets. Although some of the flat blocks are a bit small and seem a bit out the way, they are perfect for foreigners who would like simple accommodation. Living in Shaoxing is pretty easygoing and there are great transport links, as the train station is located right in the centre of town and both major bus stations are within a 10-minute taxi ride away. The taxis are very cheap, with starting costs at just 7 yuan which is the equivalent of around about 70p! The city is not too long a distance from all the main places of interest and travel making weekends away ideal when you have time to relax and enjoy what China has to bring!
Duration of train journey from Shaoxing to:
Shanghai – 2hrs (fast train) 3hrs (overnight sleeper)
Beijing- 5hrs (bullet train)
Xi’an – 23h14m
Haining – 59m (fastest) 1hr42m (slowest)
Zhuji – 1hrs24m (fastest) 2hrs43m (slowest)
Bars
The bars in Shaoxing are very safe places to wine and dine. They all have free-of-charge cloak rooms and are sometimes a mix of foreigners and Chinese people, depending on where you go. In Shaoxing there are not many other westerners so you are treated in the most special way. You will feel like an admired celebrity! It is good because alot of people speak at least a little English.
70’s bar – 70’s bar in Shaoxing is a great bar to start the night. They serve delicious food there as well as something a little different with their ice-cream bread pudding, snails and fresh banana milkshakes! It’s good to share meals if there is a large group of you as the food goes further with lots to choose from and you get a bit of variety at the same time! This bar can be found on Jiefang Road.
It is a wonderful atmosphere at Mecca as everything is outside. There is a long line of white tables inviting you to sit down and enjoy the delicious fresh food that is cooked there to your liking!!! You can also sip beer or orange juice and watch the sunset behind a pagoda. Although these kinds of places are mainly full of Chinese people, they are always wanted to be-friend you (even if they can’t speak English) and will more often than not invite you to drink at their tables! They may also offer you a sneaky cigarette which you must accept with upmost gratitude. If you don’t want to smoke it just put it in your pocket and tap it as if to say “I’ll save it for later”. It’s a lot of fun, especially with a lot of people! The atmosphere gets pretty lively. You can learn the dice drinking game there too, which is an essential skill to learn in China.
Western Restaurants are easy to find. McDonalds, Pizza hut and KFC can all be found in the centre of the city. You can also find pasta and other western dishes in some restaurants in the centre.
Things to do in City Square
After a hard days work, all you will want to do is kick back and relax. The atmosphere in City Square is easy and comfortable and also entertaining! There are often people playing musical instruments, dancing or doing exercise and people can join in as they like! Also in the square, there is a small pool house under the Opera building where one can socialise, drink a beer and get competitive!
Tourist Attractions
Lu Xun’s Former Residence
Lu Xun lived from September 25, 1881 until October 19, 1936 and is one of the major Chinese authors of the 20th century. Considered by many to be the founder of modern Chinese literature, he wrote in baihua as well as classical Chinese. Lu Xun was a short story writer, editor, translator, critic, essayist and poet. In the 1930s he became the titular head of the Chinese League of the Left-Wing Writers in Shanghai. It is well worth paying a visit to his former residence where you will find his old kitchen, study room and gallery. There are quaint shops where you can buy souvenirs to take home and the beautiful waterways running between the architecture is definitely not to be missed.
Shopping and Markets
Shaoxing has a lot of big shopping malls and a couple of big department stores in the central areas with everything you may need! It also has a well-know local night market which begins at 5pm every day (providing the weather is dry) and continues until 9pm! One thing I learnt about going to China is it’s very easy to haggle and avoid paying full price! Once you have the basic numbers up to 20 under your belt, you could save a lot of money and have a lot of fun! From umbrellas, clothes and jewellery, to caps, belts and lighters, there is something for everyone!
The local supermarkets have nearly everything you need. There is a supermarket in City Square called Trust Mart/Wal-Mart where you can buy not only food, but shoes, bags, clothes, bedding and allsorts! There is also another supermarket, Auchan, which is a bigger version of Wal-Mart, with different shops, bars and restaurants surrounding the main building. In most of these supermarkets it is relatively easy to find western-style food and most importantly, chocolate!
Shaoxing also has two cinemas which will always have an English film on, including Harry Potter and Transformers along with many others!
There is also a small “old street” which is filled with shops as well as a lot of good little Chinese restaurants and tea houses to try out.
Shaoxing does not have a metro system however taxis are so cheap it is almost not needed!
City guide: Xi’an
Xi’an is a city in central China very famous for it’s proximity to the Terracotta Warriors, with over 8 million people living in the city around 4000 of them are foreigners.
Thanks to the city wall having 4 main gates named North, South, East and West, navigation around the city centre is quite easy despite the lack of English signs. There are many tourist attractions, good restaurants, bars and markets in the area and it’s cheap to get around by bus, taxi or even motorbike taxi (if you’re brave!)
The 4 sides of the city wall are very different and some are more foreigner-friendly than others;
North side – Although the North Street (which leads from the city centre to the North Gate) is a fairly bustling place with shops and small restaurants, once you go through the gate it seems to quieten down a lot, if eating out you might struggle to find places with picture menus or English translations, on the plus side this could lead you to discovering something delicious that you’d never think of trying before.
East side – This part of the city is packed with restaurants, small shops and big supermarkets, within the city wall is the well-known East street (Dong Da Jie 东大街)you can find souvenirs, crafts, clothes and snacks in many of the shopping centres not to mention the infamous nightclub ‘1+1’. Xingqing Park is roughly 10-15 minutes walk from the East gate and is a great place to relax, if you go in the morning you’ll find many groups of people doing Tai Chi and even musicians go out there to rehearse most days so listen out for the sound of an ‘Er-hu’ or ‘di-zi’!
West side and Gaoxin district– The area around the West gate is the newest (and probably cleanest!) part of the city, there are lots of Western restaurants a couple of Irish bars and the best hotels in town. There’s a large shopping centre full of expensive clothes and a Starbucks, so if you’re missing home comforts this is the place to go, bear in mind that you will probably end up paying Western prices in this area too.
South Gate and surrounding area – For a mix of Western and Chinese culture the South gate really is the best place to be, the streets are full of bars, really good street food vendors and restaurants that have pictures on the menus. The Defuxiang bar street is nearby and further down the main road towards the university area is Xiao Zhai (the Student city), the Baihui market is a maze of shops selling wacky clothes, electricals, counterfeit DVDs, you name it. Then the Big Goose Pagoda and Tang Dynasty are not far, another area full of excellent restaurants and quirky little shops, although this area tends to be more touristy than others.
Getting around
Public transport is very cheap and readily available in Xi’an, buses generally cost 1-2 Kuai and a taxi to the city centre from the east side of the city will certainly be no more than 15, bear in mind the changeover times, when taxi drivers start and end their shifts as it’s difficult to get a taxi then. Motorbike taxis are cheaper and Boom boom cars (you’ll soon see where the name comes from!) are cheap although definitely not very safe, good fun though!
Shopping
For all of your basic food, clothes and toiletries there is a huge Walmart in the Lucky King Shopping Centre on Jin Hua Nan Lu, there are English signs and they even sell some Western brands (no cheese though unfortunately!) There’s also Ren Ren Le supermarkets dotted around the entire city that are usually slightly cheaper and a market and mini-supermarket on down a little alley on Hu Zhu Lu.
For cigarettes, alcohol and snacks there are small shops quite literally down every street, follow signs for these characters 烟酒 most are open every day until midnight, if you can’t speak Chinese be prepared to take a phrasebook or a pen and paper to draw pictures of what you want!
A visit to Xiao Zhai is a must if you’re shopping for clothes, accessories, DVDs, CDs etc, jump in a taxi and tell the driver ‘Xiao Zhai, Bai Hui’ from the East side of the city it’s quite a journey so expect to pay around 30 kuai. The Bai Hui market is a maze of shops and stalls selling pretty much everything you could ever need, not to mention the 3 floor book shop and other quirky little shops around the surrounding area known as Student City.
There are market stalls and a Western supermarket in the centre around the Bell Tower area, due to this area being very popular with tourists it’s quite difficult for foreigners to get a good price.
As with all shops or stalls that don’t have prices on their wares, be prepared to haggle. Also in this area is the KaiYuan shopping centre and a loads of clothes and shoe shops, follow the loud techno music to find them! For real designer clothes head down to South street, for fake ones check out most other shops in the city.
Eating out
Whilst in Xi’an it is a great idea to try some of the local cuisine, the most famous dishes will be either dumplings or Chinese HotPot, both of which are delicious.
The HotPot restaurant on HuZhu Lu （互助路） has great service and is very reasonably priced, you can fill the table with good food for about 100 kuai, just be sure to take a fluent Chinese speaker with you and in winter try the warm ginger coca-cola. There is a restaurant in the middle of the market that serves tasty and cheap Jiao Zi (dumplings) and they even have pictures that you can point to when ordering food.
Another popular dish is the Chinese hamburger – rou jia mo (pronounced a bit like Roger Moore!) generally chopped up pork and peppers crammed into a small toasted bun, there is also a veggi version with spicy shredded potatoes but they’re slightly less common, one of either should cost you no more than 3 or 4 kuai.
Street food vendors are generally around on every street at certain times of the day and serving pancakes, wraps, soups, noodles, deep fried bread with your choice of filling and also the dreaded ‘Stinky Tofu’… which unfortunately lives up to it’s name. If you’re walking along and the air is suddenly filled with the foulest stench you can possibly imagine, then there’s probably a Stinky Tofu stall around, if you can get past the smell it’s actually quite tasty! Expect to pay anything from 1 to 5 kuai for a portion of street food, it’s definitely worth trying a bit of everything if you can.
As for restaurants in the area you’ll find plenty in the city that have English menus, there are many along the South Street that are reasonably priced and if you’re missing Western food head over to Green Molly’s in Gaoxin district, Xi’an’s only Irish bar! Park qin bar at the Shu Yuan hostel by the South gate also serve reasonable Western food and regularly have Pizza nights, BBQ nights and ‘Make your own dumpling’ nights.
If you are in the vicinity of the Big Goose Pagoda, the bar and restaurant street is definitely worth a visit. Amongst the cafes and bars you’ll find excellent restaurants serving various cuisines Korean, Japanese and Indian to name just a few.
For a great Chinese meal and a warm welcome head to ‘Double Happiness’ next to Gallop International English school, they have a picture menu and although the staff can’t speak English they are extremely foreigner-friendly, you might even get an occasional free glass of Bai Jiu. The food is delicious and you can get an enormous meal for next to nothing, the staff are delightful and very willing to help you practice your Chinese.
Nightlife
With a range of cafes, bars and clubs to suit most tastes, it’s difficult to find an excuse to stay at home in the evenings when living in Xi’an.
Most hostels within the city wall, including Park qin at ShuYuan hostel, have lively bars that generally stay open late and some serve food. Park qin is particularly good as they serve different kinds of food and the staff speak good English. If you’re looking for a quiet bar to relax then head to Oscar’s, near HePing gate (not far from the East gate), it’s popular with foreigners and locals and they have a good selection of wines and beers, not to mention a Western toilet!
If you’re musically inclined head to either one of the many KTVs in town or down a small road on the right inside of the South gate, on the left you will find a magical little bar with seats outside in summer and a cosy fire pit in winter. There’s usually live music, drinking games and encouragement to sing or play along, a great place to practice your Chinese.
If you prefer nightclubs then head over to East Street to the infamous 1+1 club, it’s a huge place with good table service and loud bizarre music. Although they’re a little smaller we found ‘Song & Song’ and ‘Salsa’ to be the most entertaining clubs. If you fancy having a pubcrawl then head to one of the bar streets, either DeFuXiang near the South gate or the smaller Bar street behind the Big Goose Pagoda park.
Tourist attractions
The main charm for tourists in the area is the famous Terracotta Warrior site, located about 2 hours from the city centre, you can arrange guided tours there at local Western hotels such as JianGuo and Golden Flower, alternatively there are regular buses from the train station. There you can also catch a bus to Huaqing Hot Springs and if you’re looking for a challenge there is a regular train and bus service to Hua Mountain, known for the dangerous hike to the top and breathtaking view of the sunrise from the East Peak.
In the city centre you will find the Bell Tower, Drum Tower and Muslim Quarter within walking distance of each other. Further to the south of the city is the Big Goose Pagoda which has a charming music and light show every evening around 9pm.
There are small Buddhist temples dotted around the city but the biggest and most famous in the area is the Fa Men temple, you can get a bus from the train station and there’s generally a couple of stops to visit tombs along the way.
Last but not least is the beautiful city wall that surrounds the centre of Xi’an, the entry fee for the wall is around 40 kuai and for 200 kuai deposit and 20 for 100 minutes, you can hire a bike to cycle around the wall.
Staying safe
Although Xi’an is generally a safe city crime does happen and in a different country the language barrier and cultural differences can make things even more difficult should the worst happen. The most common problem are pickpockets, keep your belongings safely tucked away and be particularly careful when talking to people you don’t know.
Street sellers can get a little over-persuasive from time to time, especially in areas where there are lots of tourists – simply smile and say politely, but firmly, ‘bu yao!’ which means ‘don’t want’ the majority will then leave you alone.
by Lindsay Webber (worked in Xi’an 2009-2010)
City guide: Beijing
Beijing, one of China’s ancient capitals, is an eclectic mix of old and new, as historic buildings and
modern infrastructure battle it out for predominance on the skyline. Unlike Shanghai however,
there is no clear winner, as Beijing manages to retain a degree of charm which emanates from the
centuries old hutong way of life that still manages to dominate certain areas of the city. This lifestyle,
having survived the destruction of the Cultural Revolution and the recent fast paced acceleration
of the country into modernity mostly intact, clings on alongside change to create a truly unique
atmosphere.
Beijinger’s see themselves as living at the centre of the world, but despite this arrogance or
maybe because of it, they still find time to take it easy, relaxing in the streets, strolling through the
alleys and gorging on delicious street snacks; dispensing with the hustle and bustle that seems to
permeate the majority of modern China. Having long been the political and cultural heartland of
China, Beijing provides much for the traveller to see and ample opportunities for fun or relaxation.
You can lose yourself for days walking through the narrow hutongs (small alleyways), simply
admiring the easy going Beijing way of life whilst the mix of renowned historic sights (such as the
Forbidden City) combine well with the city’s new landmarks, like the Bird’s Nest Stadium, to create a
truly diverse yet all encompassing cultural panorama of China. The city itself also serves a great base
to explore the surrounding provinces and is one of the best places to reach the iconic Great Wall
from.
Where to Stay:
Beijing has much to offer the traveller in terms of accommodation, from great hostels for the budget
backpacker to 5-star luxury for high rollers and everywhere in between.
For backpackers, a huge selection of cheap accommodation is available near Tiananmen Square,
in the Da Zha Lan Hutong Area, a ten minute walk from Qianmen Subway station, and possibly the
most central part of the city to be situated in. Close to Beijing’s major historical sights and with easy
access to the subway system, this area serves as a great base from which to explore the city, whilst
also providing much in the way of entertainment and nightlife, with the chance to meet other like
minded travellers at the hostels and nearby bars.
Most hostels in the area charge between 50 and 70 yuan for a dorm bed per night and have great
amenities on offer, with restaurants, bar areas and wifi all coming as standard.
Most hostels here will have English speaking staff and will be able to help arrange onward travel and
accommodation throughout the rest of China and detailed information on Beijing itself. Below are
a selection of recommended hostels in the Da Zha Lan Area, all of which are situated within walking
distance of one another:
Leo Hostel ( http://www.leohostel.com/), Guang Ju Yuan, 52 Da Zha Lan Xi Jie, Beijing
Leo Courtyard Hostel (http://www.leohostel.com/LCLH2.html), Xuanwuqu Zhushikouxi Dajie
Shanxixiang 22, Beijing
Emeperor Guesthouse: (http://www.hostels.com/hostels/beijing/beijing-emperor-guesthouse/
34903), 11, Ying Tao Xie ie, Qianmen, Xuanwu District, Beijing
365 Inn: (http://www.hostelworld.com/hosteldetails.php/365-Inn/Beijing/16667), No. 55 Da Zha Lan
West Street, Xuan Wu District, Beijing
During high season and Chinese national holidays, it is advisable to book ahead, which is easily
accomplished online.
Eating:
Beijing has a lot to offer for the culinary adventurer, from the staple noodles and rice so associated
with oriental cuisine to the ubiquitous chicken feet, the obscure snake skins or hauntingly delicious
dog kebabs. Whether you choose to be adventurous or prefer to stick to what you know Beijing
abounds in plentiful dishes for everyone.
Beijing, as a cultural hot pot, serves up a plethora of different tastes with influences from all over
the country readily apparent. While this results in the city having its own distinctive dishes, there
are also vast numbers of restaurants serving food from the many provinces of China, from the
Cantonese dishes of the south to the Muslim orientated food of the far West provinces. And of
course if none of these appeal there’s always a McDonalds or KFC on practically every street corner,
both of which have ‘happy hours’ around lunch time when a big mac meal only costs 15 yuan (about
£1.50).
Street Food: Found throughout the hutongs across the city, street food vendors serve up a variety
of delicious snacks all hours of the day. Anything from dumplings, to barbecued chicken hearts on a
skewer, it’s all good. Some of the tastier Beijing specialties are the pancakes, cooked up with chilli
and different meats.
Beijing Food Bazaar: This large outdoor food market is essentially one large collection of street food
stalls stretching along the road. A bit pricier than you’ll find in the hutongs it is does however offer
some interesting, different foods perfect for the adventurously minded traveller wanting to try the
weird and exotic. This market offers all manner of Chinese ‘delicacies’, from simple noodle dishes to
an endless array of insects: silk worms, scorpions, crickets and spiders to name a few. You’ll also find
other interesting dishes, such as snake skin, starfish, monkey kebabs and dog kebabs. A great place
to try all the food you’d never dare to back home. Situated east of Tiananmen Square on Wangfujing
Street. This street runs into one of the main shopping areas of the capital, and many more local
Chinese delicacies can be found down the small streets branching off this road.
Urumqi Restaurant: This Muslim restaurant serves what is, in my
opinion, and the opinion of many other travellers, the best food in all
of China, or at least Beijing. A bold claim perhaps, but the food is truly
on a different level to many other restaurants, due in part to its
unique, western Chinese menu which makes a change to the Beijing
flavours and is heavily influenced by a combination of central Asian
spices and Chinese spices. Serves a wide variety of dishes, from
Xinjiang province. The deep fried eggplant is a must try as are the
lamb kebabs, noodles and Xinjiang dark beer (Da Zha Lan West Street,
Xuan Wu District, Beijing). You’ll be guzzling down chicken gizzards
and relishing sheep stew all night long.
Helen’s Bar and Restaurant: Serves decent western style food for those that need a break from
chopsticks. Also has a great selection of Chinese food, including curried rice and noodles at very
affordable prices. Situated next to 365 Inn it tends to function more as a bar during the evening than
a restaurant (Da Zha Lan West Street, Xuan Wu District, Beijing).
Must Try Dishes:
Peking Duck: Found across the world, it’s nevertheless only in Beijing that you get the authentic
taste. The best place to try this is one of the many local Beijinger run restaurants down the hutongs.
Roasted and served with plum sauce and pancakes.
Dumplings (Jiaozi): Great as a snack or part of a meal, come in all varieties, meat or vegetarian.
Kebabs: Served up everywhere. Chicken hearts became my personal favourite! Kebabs will only set
you back around 1-2 yuan a stick and range from lamb and chicken meat to gizzards, tendons and
kidneys. Be adventurous and try all you can, the last one you expect to taste nice may well become
your favourite.
Drinking:
Beijing has everything to offer the drinker and party goer from cheap, street-side beers to
expensively flamboyant cocktails in high end clubs and establishments.
When the Chinese drink they drink hard. One word you will quickly become accustomed to when
drinking with the Chinese is ‘Ganbei’, which translates literally as ‘Dry Glass’. A form of toasting
essentially, which results in you having to down the entire glass in one. Drinks are however drunk
out of smaller glasses than back home.
In Beijing, most western drinks will be available but obviously at inflated prices, especially in
comparison to the local drinks. A beer from a local restaurant will cost from 3 to 10 yuan for a
large bottle. The local beer is Yanjing, a Beijing brew, found on tap in many places whilst bottles of
Tsingtao, China’s most famous of beers are available everywhere.
The other local favourite is the fiery Chinese vodka, which starts at 10 yuan in price for a bottle of
what is essentially paint-stripper and increases in price depending on quality, although how much
better a 60 percent spirit can taste I do not know. This spirit can be purchased in most supermarkets
and shops. The Chinese drink it straight and a night can become extremely intense extremely quickly
when the ganbei begins with this drink.
Bars:
Da Zha Lan West Street: The heart of the Beijing backpacker scene, this street, home to many
hostels, is also home to a large number of bars. Frequently restaurants along here will double up as
places to drink and the lively street restaurants will keep a continual supply of beer flowing for their
customers late into the night.
Helen’s Bar: Already mentioned under restaurants, Helen’s is the liveliest bar on Da Zha Lan Street.
A great mix of teachers, travellers and students congregate here every night of the week drinking,
swapping stories and talking about the state of the world until the early hours of the morning. The
music playlists range from salsa to club music, the drinks are cheap and no night is the same.
Sanlitun Bar Area: Entire streets devoted to the cause of drinking, this is Beijing’s premiere drinking
region. An area popular with expats, young Chinese and students, home to a great variety of bars
and clubs catering for all your needs. Drinks here will on average be more expensive than other
areas of the city, but it’s a great place to meet and drink with English speaking locals and expats.
Chaoyang District, Beijing.
SIGHTS AND ATTRACTIONS:
Forbidden City: Once the abode of China’s emperors, and now a major tourist draw. The scale and
the oriental grandeur of the ‘city’ is staggeringly impressive, but as with most Chinese tourist spots the
number of tour groups also becomes unimpressively staggering. To escape the throngs a great spot
to visit is the temple atop Jingshan Hill, directly opposite the north gate, for outstanding views of the
Forbidden City and the rest of Beijing.
Tiananmen Square: The people’s square, the largest public square in the world, also has one of
the highest densities of CCTV and security anywhere in the world. A must visit, even if it’s just to say
you’ve been there, it’s great fun to simply stroll through the crowds of Chinese tourists seeing how
many of them try to photograph you or ask you for a picture. Watch out for the not so well disguised
secret plain clothes police who tend to march around in small formations with umbrellas in hand for
some bizarre reason.
Summer Palace: On the outskirts of the city, this tranquil retreat can find you in either isolation or on
the tourist trap. Stay away from the lakeside, where the tour groups descend in droves and instead
head into the interior, along the small paths and rivers to find the picturesque areas where locals fish
in the sunshine and perform taichi atop small hills and temples.
Hutongs: The hutongs are where you’ll find Beijing life at is simplest and most enjoyable. The
hutongs, essentially small alleyways, are the lifeblood of the city, providing an interconnecting network
across the capital that teems with local life, restaurants, families, men playing cards in the streets and
people barbecuing at night. Take in the sights and smells, you can stroll around for days, surrendering
yourself to this serene manner of city living.
Bird’s Nest Stadium: One of the modern symbols of the city, easily reached from subway line 8.
Designed and built for the 2008 Olympics, once inside you may become confused by the sight of
Chinese visitors racing around the track on Segways. Some interesting exhibitions are to be found
dotted around the stadium. Head out of the Bird’s Nest into the Olympic village too, which is teeming
with life and an extraordinary number of kite flyers. The whole area looks spectacular when lit up at
night.
Great Wall: An ancient proverb declares that you are not a real man until you’ve climbed the Great
Wall and the Great Wall does live up to its hype. It’s an unbelievable monument to human ingenuity
and engineering and when you stand atop one of its many towers you can’t help but feel slightly bad
for the Chinese that it never once managed to do its job properly. The wall stretches for thousands of
miles, and from Beijing many segments can be reached on a day trip. Scrap the tours and make your
own way, public transport runs to most of the spots but its best to check online or locally which buses
to take and when for up to date details. The easiest spots to reach are the most crowded so it pays to
put some effort in. Badaling is a restored section where the tours head and is best avoided. Mutianyu
is also a restored section but head onto the ruins at the end and you can walk for ages admiring
the rugged hilly landscape and the ruins of the wall in peaceful solitude. Mutianyu is reached by a
combination of public bus and mini bus.
Dragon Gorge (Long Qing Xia): A magnificent, natural gorge outside of Beijing. Take a bus past
Badaling, then get off in the next town and take a taxi to the entrance. The only way to really see it
is on a boat ride, which will cruise you along the turquoise, emerald coloured waters while you sit in
awe at the natural crags rise above you and surround you. The best part is the bungee jump which
plunges you towards the river. How safe it was I don’t know but it was certainly exhilarating.
Markets: Beijing is a great place to load up on cheap purchases. Markets dot the city, selling
electrical goods and cheap yet extremely convincing fake products, sunglasses and designer bags
and clothing. At all markets, it is essential to haggle and haggle hard. The sales girls will start at
ridiculously high prices and you just have to be patient and enjoy the backwards forwards battle
until you arrive at an acceptable price. The actual price will generally be as low as ten percent of the
original asking price, if not lower.
Hong Qiao Pearl Market: Next to the Temple of Heaven, south of Tiananmen Square on subway
line 5. This epic, 5 storey indoor market has everything you could ever dream of purchasing. It’s
aggressive, crowded and there’s a high chance you’ll get ripped off if you’re not careful. Intense
bargaining is commonplace, but once you get the jist of it, it can be great fun and terribly satisfying
when you get a good price.
Transport:
The Olympics resulted in an upgraded Metro system for Beijing and so getting round the city is a
stroll in the people’s park. A flat rate of only 2 yuan is charged for each journey, aside from the
airport express which charges 25 yuan each way. Subway maps are available everywhere and signs
and announcements are in Mandarin and English. All of the city’s main sights have a subway stop
close by and it is the simplest, most efficient way to get around the city.
Inter-City: As the nation’s capital, Beijing’s transport links are obviously abundant. The recent
High Speed Rail will get you to Shanghai in only 5 hours, the same time as a flight when you factor
in waiting times. The High Speed is ultra-modern and ultra-efficient and can be taken as far as
Hangzhou in the south. To the East it branches across to Tianjin and also to Qingdao, home of the
famous Tsingtao beer brewery, a journey of about 4 hours. There are numerous long distance bus
links and train links. The cheaper options, i.e. the slower options, tend to book up quickly so forward
planning may come in handy, especially if you plan to travel on weekends.
Shanghai: 5 hours on High Speed, 12 hours by bus or slow train
Xi’an: 20 hour sleeper train
Qingdao: 5 hours on High Speed, 10 hours by bus or slow train
Tianjin: 1hour High Speed
Hong Kong: 2 days
Beijing also has numerous international train links. For many it is the end or start of the trans-
Mongolian or trans-Siberian railways which extend from Europe. Ulaanbator, Mongolia’s capital,
can be reached as can Russia. From Beijing, trains also extend south towards Hanoi in Vietnam and
across the country to Lhasa in Tibet.
By Richard Collett (spent time in Beijing summer 2011)
City guide: Jiaxing
Jiaxing one of the smaller cities of China, is situated very near to Shanghai. Ten years ago, Jiaxing was still a farm city and while currently developing very quickly, still offers aspects of ‘old China’. By this I mean there are still very traditional ways of life among the local people, compared to the likes of Shanghai where I travelled, which I felt was very westernised. Jiaxing therefore is one of the best places to experience real Chinese culture. Being part of the Zhejiang province which is one of the richest provinces in China, Jiaxing is a very ‘green’ place meaning lots of beautiful parks and places to walk are offered instead of just looking at city walls. It is also one of the cleaner cities in China and this therefore provides extremely comfortable living.
It is evident that the local people of Jiaxing are still not used to foreigners. If you do choose to visit or stay in Jiaxing then do be prepared for people to stare at you. Thankfully I had read about this ‘celebrity stare’ before I arrived so it did not come as a shock to me but the people really did not hold back in stopping at take a good look at you. Many times I also got asked to have my photograph taken, particularly in the touristy spot where Chinese people would come from other cities to visit. While we from the west might find this unusual it did not in any way suggest that the local people were unfriendly, in fact I found them to be quite the opposite. People often smiled and laughed with me, speaking in Chinese and while I had little of their language myself, they were always keen to help when I tried signalling or explaining as best as I could. Very few local people in Jiaxing speak English so it would be very helpful to know the basics however I seemed to get by without struggling to learn too much. In places like shops and restaurants if you could not understand each other I often found that they would call a friend who could speak English or find someone who was able to help. It goes without saying that you are made to feel very welcome as a foreigner in Jiaxing.
Travel and Transport
As mentioned earlier, Jiaxing is very near to Shanghai. From Jiaxing rail station you can take the ‘G-train’ which is the fastest, taking just 20 minutes at a cost of roughly 40RMB for one way. There are also other options to Shanghai from this main rail station, with cheaper but slower trains. While staying in Jiaxing I also used this station to catch the fast train to the very famous and beautiful city Hangzhou, mentioned to be one of the most desirable cities to live in the world. Another beautiful city I visited easily was Suzhou, where silk is very famous and you can visit a silk factory for free to see how it is made. To get here I took a bus from the bus station in the centre of Jiaxing, which journey took about 50 minutes and costing around 60RMB return. To get to more local spots I personally used taxis because they were so cheap however I had friends who caught buses around the city and believe it was very easy and cost no more than about 3RMB to the majority of stops. Rickshaws are also very easy to catch, though it’s a good idea to agree on how much you’re paying the driver before getting into one because they might overprice it.
Shopping
While I was staying in Jiaxing, a new shopping centre was opening called ‘Diamond’, which promised to open chain stores such a Nike and Dior. Diamond centre also had a Carrefour supermarket in which you could buy both Chinese and foreign produce. Other larger supermarkets in Jiaxing were RT Mart, Walmart, and a place called Auchan, which was the largest of all. All of these were no more than a 10 minute taxi ride away from the centre. For clothes shopping, most of the local people recommended travelling outside Jiaxing to near towns about a 10 minute taxi ride away where you can also visit the nearest Starbucks coffee. Here was the better choice for fashion with many Korean clothing stores and more choice regarding sizing to fit the larger person. In the centre of Jiaxing however there are many boutique style shops when you can buy a variety of clothes ranging from about 30RMB to 3000. There are very few western stores but these few included sports stores and clothes stores such as the French ‘cachecache’. If you did need to buy a lot of clothes or shoes etc, fortunately Shanghai is near enough to do so without hassle.
Restaurants and eating out
This city is certainly not short of beautiful food and a large variety of choice for eating out. I also found it to be so cheap in near enough all of the restaurants that I rarely had to visit the supermarkets for things to cook. There are many smaller restaurants selling basics like noodles and fried rice for the equivalent of 50pence and these are down pretty much every side street. ‘Mai Wan’ was a small area of restaurants situated against Jiaxing’s lake, which was a lovely spot to eat particularly in the evening. Here there were Chinese, Japanese and a wonderful Thai restaurant called ‘King Thai’ that I regularly found myself visiting. There is also a Papajohns American pizza house here- much nicer than the nearest Pizza Hut if pizza is what you’re missing! I also found the Se Chuan food in Jiaxing extremely tasty and it was also very popular among those who enjoyed spicy food. For day time snacks the best place to visit was ‘Breakfast Street’ which was a road away from Huifeng Square in the centre. Here you could find many traditional Chinese foods all at a very low price and all extremely tasty. The food is literally cooked on the street at little stalls and included things like pancakes, a variety of noodles and many Chinese dishes that you didn’t necessarily know what was in them! However if appearances don’t bother you then I really would recommend the street food because it was always the tastiest! My favourite meal in the evenings was usually BBQ. My local friends recommended it to me and it really was amazing. Unlike western BBQ’s where we do it ourselves in our gardens, these were more shops where you picked out of the fridge what you wanted to eat, told the cooks whether you wanted it spicy or not and then simply sat on the rickety tables outside and waited for them to bring it to you. These evenings were the most fun, the best tasting and the cheapest!
If you’re missing food from home then there are a couple of McDonalds,KFCs and other western pizza type restaurants in the centre of the city however I really recommend that you try as many local dishes as possible because they really were delicious!
Vegetarians
Jiaxing might not be the best place for those new to being a vegetarian because a lot of their food is cooked with pork seasoning. However there are a few very nice Buddhist and Vegetarian restaurants where I ate a few times, these being delicious and including mock meat so there was plenty of choice and as a vegetarian you weren’t limited to just rice or tofu. The local markets were also a favourite spot for my vegetarian friends who found a large selection of fresh vegetables at little cost, which they could then fry up and avoid the meat seasoning in many restaurants. It’s also a good idea to learn the Chinese word for ‘vegetarian’, at least then if you’re eating with others you will be able to explain and hopefully find a dish to suit you.
Things to do in Jiaxing
At first being told that I was going to one of the smaller cities, and after realising that there was little information about it on Google, I was worried that there would be little for me to do in my spare time in Jiaxing. This however was not the case. Perhaps if you’re really into big nightlife then the city wouldn’t be your first choice though. While there are many KTV/Kareoke bars, there is little going on past midnight and you would really have to travel at least half an hour to find the busier more popular night clubs. Jiaxing I found to be more of a relaxed place to be which really suited me. While it was very busy and lively in the day the evenings were fairly peaceful and enjoyable. The BBQ’s often attracted people to drink but again nothing really lasted past midnight.
If it’s not nightlife you are looking for then I really would recommend Jiaxing as a place to live. It really was one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. There are many parks that you can walk in, all are lit at night with traditional Chinese lanterns and generally run alongside the rivers or lake and the scenery is just amazing. I believe that these places are becoming harder and harder to find in China with the fast rising building work but Jiaxing has kept its traditional Chinese decor and it was truly wonderful.
If you have a spare day I recommend you walking to South Lake. Surrounding it are beautiful parks and this is one of the places where you can actually climb up a Pagoda and see the beautiful view of the city. Here you can also catch a boat which takes you along the water around the city of Jiaxing.
‘Moonriver’ was another amazing place that I feel lucky to have visited. This was a stretch of cobbles that was a popular tourist spot for both foreigners and the Chinese. Here you could find traditional gifts and souvenirs such as silk, pearls, Chinese fans, real jade, Chinese knots and many other beautiful gifts either for yourself or for family and friends. If you could picture ‘old China’, Moonriver would certainly be the image that springs to mind because of the sheer effort that has gone into keeping the buildings traditional and beautiful. At Moonriver there are also many lovely restaurants. Here was also the place where Jiaxing came to life in the evenings, where many local people sat outside either eating or drinking at the bars here or simply enjoying the cheery atmosphere.
This little place is called ‘Moonriver’ because of the bridge that leads into it running over the river leaves a moon shape on the water when lit in the evenings.
It is difficult to put such a beautiful place into words but please feel free to look at my pictures.
If you’re interested in understanding a place that is proud of its culture and has kept Chinese traditions, I thoroughly recommend you visit Jiaxing. I didn’t want to come home!
By Elissa Thackwray (worked in Jiaxing summer 2011)
City guide: Huzhou
The City
Huzhou is a medium-sized city with a population of about 3 million, located in the Yangtze River Delta. It is not far from Shanghai and therefore best to access from Pudong International Airport- just take bus No.2 to the South Bus Station, from there the will take you about 3 hours.
Even though Huzhou may seem large to us Europeans regarding its population, in terms of city life you can’t compare it to European cities of the same size like Manchester or Berlin. Some people say there isn’t much going on but I reckon it’s a good place to live. It’s a very clean and safe city, easy to get around and not as hectic and busy as other Chinese metropolis. There aren’t many foreigners around so you will have to get used to the celebrity status as people will constantly stop to turn around, stare and wave at you or greet you with a loud “Hello!!”
SHOPPING:
Almost everything is located in the city centre and circles around the brand new Ai Shan Square with a big shopping mall and numerous Chinese and Western brand stores, cafés and restaurants (e.g. Li Ning, Jack & Jones, Adidas, Dairy Queen, Pizza Hut, KFC, etc). Ji Bei is another large shopping centre nearby, and there’s also a huge indoor market with plenty of little shops and a Tesco supermarket on the opposite side of the road. Generally markets are a more interesting and typically Chinese way of shopping, and a way better place to haggle! Apart from Tescos, one of the biggest supermarkets is RT Mart, it’s not really in the centre though so you best take a taxi there.
SPORTS:
There’s a stadium with a gym, basketball, tennis & badminton courts and even an Olympic-size swimming pool (£2 per swim). The public aerobic sessions that take place on the football pitch almost every evening are free of charge and not only hilarious to watch but also fun to take part in! Jumping up and down and stretching to Katy Perry & Lady Gaga remixes together with 2000 middle-aged women (and men!) is an unforgettable experience!
LEISURE:
Huzhou has many little parks, often located at busy street corners or near river banks, which makes them perfect little oases of calm to escape the rush hour traffic. The most beautiful one is Lotus Flower Mansion, where you take a stroll along the little footpaths, hire a pedal-boat or just have a (non-alcoholic) drink at the teahouse. Generally, visiting a teahouse is a must! Jiamu Tea House was the best I went to, you pay roughly £5 per person for the tea and you can literally stay the whole day in one of the private rooms, chill out with your friends, watch films, read… and the best thing- you get served little snacks the whole time! You can choose between fruits, sweets, little skewers- it’s amazing!
FOOD:
As everywhere in China, Huzhou has tons of great restaurants, so I can’t really give any particular recommendations here. I personally liked to go to Beef Hot Pot near Ai Shan – not only their hot pots but the food in general is lush, and for all Mandarin illiterates among us- their menus have pictures! Hot pots are great, you order loads of different plates with raw meat, veg, and other stuff and sink everything in a special broth until it’s boiled. I recommend little pork roulades, quail’s eggs, tofu or for the more adventurous among you- ox’ stomach or pork blood!
For some quick but good lunch, skip the usual McDonalds and KFC and go to Old Uncle (yellow sign with a bearded man), the Chinese version of fast food. I also liked the canteen-style restaurants where you can see the food on little plates and pick whatever you fancy. Surprisingly for me, bakeries seem to be very popular in China and you can get some yummy doughnuts, cookies and cakes there. And you should definitely not miss out on trying some soup, dumplings or skewers from the movable stalls you find at every street corner! If you have a sensitive stomach, just don’t buy anything that’s been cooked in oil, because usually it’s been used the whole day.
Bars & Clubs
You’ll probably end up going to the same places over and over again after a while, as Huzhou doesn’t have THAT much to offer in terms of nightlife. However, some cool places for a fun night out are:
Jack’s Bar: This bar has a pool table and beer on draught served in Oktoberfest-style Mass glasses, they do shots too. The owner Jack and most bartenders speak fairly good English. Has the relaxed and cosy atmosphere of an English pub.
Forest Bar: The place to meet foreigners, many of whom teach English or do business in Huzhou. The bar has a great atmosphere thanks to the outdoor area where you can sit during summer nights and enjoy a cold beer- beware of the mosquitos though, they are nasty!
Lily Marleen: The biggest and most popular club in Huzhou, if you say the name the taxi driver will know how to get there. You pay roughly £35 for a table and you can choose to get about 15 beers or a bottle of whisky for that. The amazing thing about Chinese clubs is that you can even order tray of fruits, barbecue skewers or dried beans and nuts to munch on. It is likely to happen that you will be invited to drink, smoke and play drinking games with others. Usually people have only good intentions and are simply curious to get to know you. The music is basically the same in every club: Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Eminem, Chinese Pop and sometimes even German techno! They always have dancers (female and male!) too.
SOHO Bar: Basically the same as Lily Marleen just a bit smaller, sometimes has Chinese singers performing Rihanna, Usher, Enrique Iglesias or Lady Gaga songs… they’re pretty good actually! Packed on Fridays and Saturday, which means it will be hard to get a table, but usually the club empties quickly after 1am.
Manhani: Only recently opened, has a little dancefloor that can be elevated, drinks are pretty expensive. As a foreign guy, in this place you’re very likely to have the company of some of the club animation dancers, who usually like to hang around your table, play the dice game with you and sneak a few of your beers 😉
Queen: Another new place with the main difference of having a big dancefloor- most other clubs don’t have them and people usually just dance next to their tables. Plays only trance music.
KTV: Chinese Karaoke, very popular among Chinese people and an experience you shouldn’t miss out on! The best but also most expensive KTV is the one on the top floor of the cinema building on Ai Shan Square, a very posh place but with a good choice of music- also for those who do not know any Chinese songs by heart!
Things to explore around the city
Huzhou is very close to Hangzhou (40min by bus), the capital of Zhejiang province, famous for the West Lake which is a popular tourist destination. Huzhou itself is located at the south bank of Taihu Lake, where I recommend to take a look at the Sheraton Hotel which is being built in the middle of the lake right now, it’s just as impressive as the Burj Al-Arab in Dubai, I swear!
Anji County is also only a day trip away, it has a bamboo forest and some local specialties like green tea and bamboo liquor are produced there. So if you have one or a couple of days off, there’s plenty to explore in the area! In terms of souvenirs, Huzhou is known as the City of Silk so you can find silk of good quality but with affordable prices in the local shops.
By Anne Konrad (worked in Huzhou summer 2011)
City guide: Xuzhou
Xuzhou is a fairly large city with plenty of restaurants, shops and markets. It is part of the Jiangsu province and is situated quite closely to some major cities, such as Beijing, that you can get to by train. It can take up to 10 hours to get to some cities depending on which train you take (fast train or sleeper train). Two teachers last year went to Beijing for a weekend and had no problems, so I would definitely recommend travelling during your teaching period if you cannot afford the time after your placement. There are plenty of taxis in the city and we didn’t have any problems with using them.
Restaurants
There are a wealth of restaurants in Xuzhou, many of which you will be shown. There is plenty of food on offer on the street, however, some people prefer not to eat street food due to risk of illness (personally I had no problems). The only street food I would recommend avoiding is that of the night market (a market I will get to later on).
There are plenty of fast-food restaurants such as McDonald’s and KFC, so if you do feel slightly homesick then you could visit these; they are generally cheaper than typical English prices, but more expensive than the average meal in China. If you cannot speak Chinese then you shouldn’t have a problem with ordering food from here as whenever they see someone western they automatically grab a menu with pictures.
On the topic of western food there are pizza huts; however, they are quite expensive compared to another pizza restaurant that we found. Once you have got to find your way around Xuzhou you will be able to find this easily. It is near Starbucks (yes there is a Starbucks) which is just round the corner from the Golden Eagle (a shopping centre I will mention later). You will be able to see the sign for the pizza restaurant, if I remember correctly it was called Baker’s Oven. We only found it in the final week of our placement hence why we only went once, if we had known about it beforehand I’m sure we would have gone again as it was fairly cheap and tasted just like pizza in England.
There is also another restaurant that serves western food; this is also just around the corner from the pizza restaurant and the Golden Eagle. I don’t know the official name of this one, we all called it ‘western pasta leisure’ as there are several random words on the front of the restaurant and these three looked close enough to each other to make an amusing sentence. The food here is a bit more expensive than some restaurants, but the food is nice, they do club sandwiches, special fried rice, chips and various other dishes, but it was definitely a nice place to eat as there is an outside eating area. You can also order a very large pitcher of beer here quite cheaply, which is what we tended to do if there were a few of us, although it tends to go quite quickly!
The Starbucks is split into two sections, there is the main part where you can order you food and drinks and it is made there. There is another section however, literally a 1 minute walk from the other, it is just that this has more seats (still inside) and has fountains on the outside. You can still order food and drink from here, but the drinks are made at the other one, so you have to wait just a little longer. The food and drinks are what you’d find in your average Starbucks back home. The language barrier here also isn’t an issue just like fast-food restaurants; they know the English names of all of the drinks. The prices here are the same as English prices.
There is also a dairy queen (an American ice cream shop), they do all sorts of ice-creams and sundaes, it is a nice place to sit down and cool down if it’s hot. The prices here are not too expensive. This is in the same area as the Starbucks, the pizza restaurant, the western restaurant and the Golden Eagle.
As well as many western restaurants, there are plenty of restaurants with Chinese or other cuisines. One restaurant I would definitely recommend is the duck restaurant. The name is in Chinese, but if you ask any managers in Xuzhou they’ll take you to it. The duck is carved in front of you and doesn’t compare to the crispy duck you get in England. The prices here are fairly cheap also when the total cost is spread between all of you. It was approximately 50 Yuan for a whole duck, which works out to about a fiver, and that would easily fill a few of you with a couple of starters as well.
Some starters at the duck restaurant
There are also various barbeques that you will see. These are not like your typical English barbeque. You normally sit outside on tiny stools around a table with a black metal box that they fill with hot coals. You then order what food you want, normally different meats on a skewer or bread and you cook it yourself over the barbeque. They give you small dishes filled with spices also. It was at one of these barbeques that I had the opportunity to try the eye of a lamb. There was also a Taiwanese barbeque that we went to once that was quite similar but had very different food.
At the barbeque
Another type of food that you will probably eat more than once is hotpot. The hot pot restaurant that we visited the most had a free nail salon at the front that you could visit, if you were eating there. The only thing they did there was paint your nails but it was still nice. Hotpot is very popular in Xuzhou, you sit around a table and order various foods, such as meatballs, bread, noodles etc and you cook it in boiling water in a pot that is integrated into the table. They pour spices into the water if you want them to. We normally had one pot spicy and one pot mild. they also have a little sauce station in the restaurant where you they have several bowls filled with various things so you can make you own mixture to make your own dipping sauce. If you pretend that it is someone’s birthday (or unless it is in fact someone’s birthday) they’ll put on a little show for you if you ask for it.
At the hotpot restaurant
There are also some restaurants near the school office. There is one restaurant there that serves sweet and sour chicken (just like the English version) however, they don’t speak English here, so it is best to take someone Chinese who knows that they’re asking for. There is another restaurant on that road that we stumbled upon that has pictures on the wall. The owners can’t speak Chinese, but they understand you if you point to the pictures. The food in both of these restaurants is really quite cheap, averaging around 7-20 Yuan for a meal.
On this road there is also a couple of dumpling places. One of them is a restaurant where you can sit down and get your typical Chinese dumplings. They have many different types of dumplings in there, starting with the simple ones sucj as beef and pork, there are also more interesting ones such as dumplings with aubergine. This restaurant is really cheap and the dumplings are very filling. The other dumpling place is more of a takeaway. You’ll know which one it is as you’ll be able to see plenty of dumpling holders stacked up filled with dumplings being steamed. These dumplings are different to the ones in the restaurant and there is only one type of filling. They are equally amazing. They don’t speak English but if you use body language, i.e. pointing and using your hands to say how many holders-worth you want the, then you’ll cope perfectly fine. They were also very cheap.
Bars / nightclubs
There aren’t too many bars or nightclubs in Xuzhou. There are a couple of nightclubs and a couple of bars. The nightclubs to choose from are either 99 Bar, or Britain (England) Bar. They are definitely an experience. You pay to have a table (if you can get one) and you get drinks with that too. Depending on what you order the night can get expensive, but if you stick to beer then it’s not too bad pricewise. Both of the nightclubs are very similar in both music and price. You get your typical nightclub music mixed with English disco classics (including some favourites like ‘Happy Birthday’ and ‘The Music Man’). These are both fairly easy to get to being close to the Golden Eagle.
One of the bars that we went to most often would be Hill Bar; however, this one is slightly more difficult to get to. If you ask one of the Chinese teachers to txt you directions to show the taxi driver, or go with some of them, then you won’t have any problem. The walls are covered with American paraphernalia and the music will more than likely be music you know. The beers here are slightly more expensive, cheapest being around 10 Yuan, but the people there are amazing company (you will definitely make a lot of friends there) and they always have the air conditioning on. You will meet a lot of other foreign teachers here either doing a summer placement or doing a year placement. Every week they also have ‘Tequila Tuesday’, where shots of Tequila are very cheap.
There is another bar that I heard of called Blue Marlin, we never went there because apparently there aren’t as many interesting people there. But I was told you can get beer from the pump there as opposed to the bottle. You will have to ask how to get here.
Instead of us going to nightclubs or bars we tended to stay in restaurants ‘til really late or we went to KTV. There are hundreds of KTVs in Xuzhou, and I’m guessing all over China. KTV is rather glamorous with hundreds of lights and neon lights in the rooms that you hire. You pay a flat fee for the room and then you can buy snacks and drinks there. It’s not too expensive when there’s a few of you, and you basically spend the night singing karaoke. You have your own room so you don’t have to sing in front of strangers’ the microphone also works wonders with your voice, so even the worst of singers seem to sound half decent. They have plenty of English songs on there as well as Chinese, so you don’t have to worry about not knowing any of the music.
Outside a gogo KTV
Shopping / Markets
There are plenty of places to go if you want to shop in Xuzhou. I will begin with shopping centres. There is the Golden Eagle shopping centre which has few restaurants inside and plenty of clothes shops, shoe shops, and general accessory shops. Close to there, also, is an arcade with bumper cars.
Nearby there is also Carrefour which is a supermarket, where you can buy almost anything you‘ll need. I will point out, razors and deodorant are expensive and there isn’t much to choose from. There are more shops near here that sell things such as tea and jewellery, although these tend to be quite expensive. (I bought tea as a present from inside the supermarket itself). I would advise getting fruit and veg from street vendors though as they tend to be cheaper. You will also be able to buy a mobile from here for you to use in China (something I’d recommend you buying – you may be able to get it from somewhere else cheaper, but I bought one here for £20).
There is a market literally just outside of Carrefour called Woman’s street. The name is self-explanatory, if you are a man or shopping for one, you will struggle finding anything here. You have to go down some stairs to this market and it is full of hundreds of small shops selling mainly clothes. There are some shops that sell shoes and some that sell makeup and jewellery. The things here are fairly cheap and you can always bargain. One thing I will say about shoes is that if you’ve got size 7 or above you will struggle finding shoes that fit. If you are a size 6 you might be ok but 5 or under you should be ok. They use European sizes for shoes.
The market where you will find anything ranging from clothes to electronics is the Night Market. They have plenty of shops and stalls here and there are also things for guys. You shouldn’t have a problem bargaining here. We went here several times as they always have new things in.
There is a Jade market that you can get to by taxi that sells, funnily enough, a lot of jade. There are lot of other little things that could be gifts there also. At the Jade market there is a shop that sells lots of paintings, they are around a fiver each, but they are really nice quality and make perfect presents. There is also an animal market near the Jade market, and I won’t suggest you go there unless you’ve got a strong stomach as a lot of the animals are kept in very poor conditions. Bargaining here is common.
There is one other market that is about a 5-10 minute walk from the Jade market. This market is under a roof so it’s a bit cooler in there. The only things you will find there are plenty of shoes and plenty of clothes. You may also find a few fans (which make nice gifts) and some other little knickknack gifts there. You can bargain with people here like every other market.
Meeting other foreigners
The best place to meet others, as I mentioned before, was Hill Bar. However, you do sometimes meet others in the most normal of places, such in the street or in a restaurant. You will always say ‘hello’ as you both have something in common, you’re both foreign.
By Amelia Lane (worked in Xuzhou summer 2011)
Life in Wuhan
Living in Wuhan
A small guide to the city with lots of recommendations for you all to try out! Wuhan is a big city with a lot going on. There are 2 main districts (Wuchang and Hankou) with 2 others bordering them (Hangyang and Jiangxia). Wuchang is a very ‘studenty’ area with about 6 big universities. Hankou is the richer area in town, which is a lot more ‘local’ and has some really good shopping and markets. Hangyang and Jiangxia are both a bit smaller and seem a bit out the way, but both have a lot of foreigners living there and great transport links. The city is a good distance from all the main places of interest and travel making weekends away relatively easy. Time by train: Shanghai – 4hrs (fast train) 8hrs overnight sleeper ; Beijing- 10hrs ; Xi’an- 10 hrs ; Guilin- 10 hrs ; Shenzhen- (access to Hong Kong) 12hrs ; Yichang (3 Gorges Dam) 5hrs by bus.
Bars
The bars in Wuhan are generally very safe. They all have free of charge cloak rooms and are always a mix of foreigners and Chinese people. If you are musically inclined both Prison and The Toucan love live acts and are always interested in new acts – just talk to the bar staff. All the bars have a basic level of English.
Helens – Helens is a great bar to start the night. They do great western food (I really recommend the pizzas and salads) for about £2.50 a meal. They have deals on every night with free beer from 8pm on a Friday (until it runs out). Wuchang District, Zhuo Dao Quan Road.
Dancing in Helens.
Vox – Vox is one of busiest bars in Wuchang. It has live music nearly every night from around 8pm (both Chinese and Western) and then DJ’s from around 10/11pm. It is a great place to meet other foreigners. The drinks are cheap and the music is okay for Chinese standards. They have an Irish DJ who is regular on a Friday and a lot of fun with his music choice. It also serves a small selection of bar snacks. Wuchang District, Lumo Road.
VOX.
Prison – Prison is just round the corner from Vox and is a favourite of many of the teachers in Wuhan. Cheap drinks and a great atmosphere. It has recently expanded and now has live music every now and then and DJs most nights. Wuchang District, just off Lumo Road.
Sawa – Sawa is new and located opposite prison. It is a sheesha bar with cheap drinks and really good food. The staff are really nice and often have foreigners working there. Wuchang District, just off Lumo Road.
Soho / Song Song / Muse – All these bars are quite similar. They are mainly full of Chinese people, with less known music that Vox or Prison. They are in Hankou and a bit more expensive than the Wuchang bars. However, in these bars they have tables which have been hired out by the Chinese and they are always wanted to be-friend you (even if they can’t speak English) and will more often than not invite you to drink at their tables! It’s a lot of fun, and you can learn the dice drinking game – an essential in China. Hakou District, Yanjiang dadao.
Burtons- Burtons is very similar to Helens. It has good western food, and lots of deals. (And buckets (literally) of alcohol.)
The Toucan – The Toucan is the local Irish bar. The managers are really nice; we got very close with them throughout my year there. The staff all have perfect English. It is the place to go for football and good pub food. Although it is very expensive, if you go on a Sunday around 4pm they have a free of charge BBQ in the beer garden (yes, it’s as good as it sounds). They have a lot of English beer and St. Paddy’s day here is fun. They also do a full on Christmas dinner if you don’t want noodles on Christmas day. Hanyang District, Wu Sheng Road.
St Patricks Day in The Toucan
Queens – Queens is very similar to Soho / Muse / Song Song, however, it has a bouncing dance floor. Enough Said. Wuchang District, Luoshi Beilu.
Sugar’s – This is nice place for pre drinking before Soho, Muse or Song Song. The owner ‘Sugar’ is really nice and will welcome you with open arms. His bar does great beer, and amazing cocktails. You can sit outside, and it is opposite one of Wuhan’s bigger parks. He also has outdoor screen for big football matches and Wimbledon tennis. Also, if there is a cocktail you fancy which is not on the menu, ask – he will let you go behind the bar and make it!! Hakou District, Yanjiang dadao.
Shopping and Markets
Wuhan has a lot of being shopping malls and areas. They tend to translate shopping mall as ‘walking street’.
In Wuchang area there is a big mall (walking street) called Guang Gu. This has a lot of shops – everything you may need! It also has a cinema which will always have an English film on. It is at the end of Lumo Lu in Wuchang. Don’t be afraid to haggle in the smaller shops – if the boss is around these often can be treated like a market stall. This shopping centre has also just built a ‘Spain Style Street’ which has a lot of good small Chinese restaurants to try out.
The local supermarkets have nearly everything you need. However, Wuhan does have western supermarkets you can use. Carrefore, Metro, Walmart and Theatre all stock almost everything you need.
Metro is in between Wuchang and Hankou, bus 709 takes you there from the Wuchang area.
Carrefore’s are all over the city. Guang Gu (above) has one and there are 2 big ones in Hankou district.
Walmart is on a busy shopping street in Hankou, (Zhongshan Dadao). Which can be reached by the 608 bus from the Wuchang area.
Theatre (in my opinion) has the best and biggest selection of western produce. There is one in Hankou at the K11 Walking Street and one in Wuchang about a 20minute walk from the Guang Gu centre.
Markets are a more local and cheaper way to shop. Most universities will have a fruit and veg market on campus and if you’re not on a campus your teachers will direct you to the nearest one.
Hankou has a great night market on Zhongshan Dadao which is open from around 5 – 10pm and is full of shoes, clothes, housewares, and snacks.
Restaurants
The food in Wuhan is one of my favourite things about living in China. It has a lot to offer and endless local delicacies.
I really recommend above anything else HU BU XIANG. This is a walking street of local snacks and foods, there is a lot on offer and I think is the best street in the city.
Hu Bu Xiang Vendors.
Western Restaurants are easy to find and luckily you aren’t limited to McDonalds and Pizza hut.
Helens- (as above in the bars section)
Burtons- (as above in the bars section)
Grandmas Kitchen – This is predominantly Mexican food but has good burgers and pizzas too. Located in the Chicony Mall on Luoyo Road. This place has the best milkshakes in China.
Ajisen Ramen – This is a chain of Japanese restaurants which are really cheap, clean and tasty. Located all over the city.
Show Coffee and Tea – All kinds of western food (mainly steaks and burgers) but also lots of Chinese options. Located mainly in Wuchang, one in Guang Gu and one on Luoyo Road.
Cafe Eurasia – This place specialises in Eastern European food and is the only place I found where you can order a Kebab.! This is close to Wuhan University, and in a street off of Luoyo Road.
Cafe Eurasia.
Mr Mai’s- A coffee shop with amazing brownies and cakes.
http://www.mrmai.com/ (you will often find the Chinese come here to practise their English, it is a great place to make friends and meet people).
Giano’s – THE BEST PIZZA IN WUHAN! Jane, the owner of Giano’s lived in New York for a number of years and has learnt the trick of New York style pizza and it’s amazing (but pricey). http://www.gianos.cn/ They also deliver to the Wuchang area.
Wuhan also has its fair share of chains, McDonalds, Pizza Hut, KFC and Subway are all over the city. For amazing Chinese food, I recommend the smallest, dirtiest alleyway with a lot of people in it. Try everything and be adventurous, I often found myself eating dishes without a clue what was in them – they’re usually the best ones.
Being Vegetarian
Being a vegetarian in China can seem daunting at first when you don’t really know what is what and how to ask for things. You will quite often find that dishes that are marked as tofu often come with bits of pork in aswell. I would recommend getting a Chinese friend to right “I don’t eat meat” in characters for you to show restaurant staff.
However, there are a lot of options for you, it will just take time to adjust. Learnt the characters for meat and avoid them on menus All western places have veggie options.
There are 2 main temples in Wuhan, in the Wuchang district both on Wuluo Lu. One is Red, the other yellow (you can’t miss them). Each of these temples has a vegetarian restaurant attached to it. Both of which are Chinese dishes with picture menus (easier for us!).
Vegetarian restaurant at the Red Temple.
Also, JJ’s Fusion Cafe on Guangba Lu has good vegetarian dishes.
Meeting other foreigners
There is a large number of foreigners in Wuhan and finding them isn’t hard. Vox and Prison are basically western bars and on the weekends you can meet people very easily. The Toucan also has this vibe but is never as busy.
I met 2 of the best friends I made during my time in China in the line at the hospital (for the first check up) don’t be worried about talking to anyone. We’re all in the same boat and most people appreciate you making the first move, as let’s face it, everyone can be a bit shy when first meeting people.
Grandma’s kitchen will often have other foreigners in it as it is very close to the 6 main universities. I have often seen other teachers who have taken marking or planning in here.
By Emma Toll (worked in Wuhan 2010-2011)