TOPBUZZ

Guizhou province usually gets passed over by most tourists as one can not see everything in China in just a few weeks.  A client wanted to go there to see a specific village years ago so I went to check out the province to see if it was ready for tourism with good hotels and sites worth visiting.  I found very few tourists which was nice and many wonderful small villages one that you see here nestled in a hillside and valley.  Zeniel Village has both Shui and Miao ethic nationalities living there near DuJiang Town.   The largest waterfall in China is also located at Huang Guo Shu on the way to Anshun is a wonderful visit and there is one of the most beautiful Bonsai parks I have seen in all China of which there are many.  In Anshun you can visit Dragon Palace Cave park and take a boat ride on the near by lake.  There is 700 year old Tunpa Han Village nearby where 22 generations of people live who had been warriors.  T...

If you are doing research on China, one of the best books I have found is "Encountering the Chinese" a Guide for Americans.  It is difficult to find so I went right to the publisher and ordered 100 books to have on hand for my customers.   It is just $24.95 post paid if you would like a copy.  It gives an over all picture of meeting and interacting with the Chinese people besides giving you valuable insights into their culture.    It is a must read for anyone who will be interacting directly with the Chinese people whether it is in Business, cultural exchange delegations or as a Tourist who is interested  in understanding and dealing with the culture more in depth.  You can send your check or money order for $24.95  post paid  to  Interlake China Tours, Inc.  P.O. Box 33652  Seattle, WA.  98133

China is a very large and diverse country with many cultures within a culture.  Most people have 2 to 3 weeks  to see such a large country.  In order to see the most important sites that you may be interested in you need to do a lot of research.  Start with a travel book just on China.  You will find them in your favorite travel or book store.  Next look up some of the sites and areas of China that you are interested in on the internet.  Reading Blogs on China such as mine here are very helpful and there are many.   Next determine the time of year you want to travel and your budget.  This all takes a great deal of time but a well planned tour is valuable for your  enjoyment.   As a Tour Operator just to China who does mostly Private Customized tours to the customers interests, I send inquiries a Profile Sheet to fill out with their specific interests and needs.    I then outline these areas fo...

I have traveled China and Tibet for over 25 years watching the changes and the growth.  It has been like watching the U.S. from 1900 to 2014 in the span of just those 25 years.  It is what keeps me going back time and time again to see and watch the changes going on in China.  As a tour operator I work all over China so I see all those changes first hand from year to year.  My first visit to Lhasa was in 1994 when the population was only 250,000 people.  Few hotels on the par of the west but there was an old Holiday Inn at the time which is now under another name.  The others were two and three star hotels and a variety of hostels.  Mostly Chinese and Tibetan food with something similar to western food.  Buildings were only two stories tall and many dirt or gravel streets and roads.  Chinese lived on one side of the town and Tibetans on the other side.  That was 1994 but today when I have been there I can see the difference in ...

I was reading in ITN magazine a report from a couple who were disappointed in their train trip from Beijing to Lhasa.  It wasn't what they had expected thinking it was a super modern train perhaps like the new Fast Trains in China.  Pictured here is the Lhasa train which is not unlike most trains in China other than the new Fast Trains.  The cars are equipped with oxygen somewhat like an airplane.  They even have extra oxygen tubes in each car.  Otherwise they are like  most of the trains in China. The photo here is the First Class compartments that have two upper and two lower berths.  During the day the  people in the upper berths can sit with the people on the lower berths.  Sheets and blankets are provided.  There is plenty of room to store luggage.  The trains of course travel at night as well as during the day so the scenery is only during the day part of the trip.  I myself have ridden from Lhasa/near Xian down to Chengd...

As a tour operator I can never quite explain to clients how much food there is in China, especially breakfasts.  Breakfasts are always in the hotels as most have Western and Asian food to select from.  You see here in this photo a typical buffet breakfast in a 4 or 5 star hotel.  3 star hotels it may be a bit less but still large by our standards.  Click on the photo for a full screen view!   Eggs are cooked in front of you the way you request.  You will never go hungry in China.  Breakfasts are usually included in the cost of the hotel room but not always.  For group or private tours arranged by a tour operator such as myself, the breakfasts are always included.  If you book your hotel on line, be sure to check to see if the breakfasts are included or extra.  Breakfasts can range from $10 to $25 per person depending on the hotel level.  There is an automatic 15% service charge also on your hotel bill that may or may not b...

I have written on the subject of money in the past and I go back and update all my blog entries often.  Chinese money is called  Yuan.  As of Dec. 2014 the exchange rate is 6.13 yuan = $1.00 U.S.  I will try to update this often but the rate has been steady around 6.10 this past year.  Pictured here is the Yuan in different denominations.   The largest bill is 100 yuan or roughly $16.00.  There are cash machines located in many larger cities; but you can also exchange cash in your hotels with a small charge.  It is a service to guests.  You can also exchange money  at some banks but not all especially in the countryside or remote areas.  So be sure to change money before going to those areas.  Cash is King in China and credit cards are generally not accepted except in large department stores, hotels and some limited restaurants.  Debit cards are limited as well.   You will ...