Random Touring China Beijing to HK...(c&c welcome)

[ightenhill]

March and April saw us complete a tour of China from Beijing to HK and its time to put the pics up...

The seven of us headed from Shanghai, to Suzhou and on to Beijing.. We then kept heading south until eventually we reached Guilin, our final destination before moving on to Hong Kong... It was an experience with many ups and downs and quite a few frustrations.. It would have been nice to have got good clear information from the guides we had from the Chinese Tourist offices (which are supposedly the best to use to avoid being scammed) but the reality was a lot of these were trying to scam us at every minute with visits to factorys (otherwise known as shops selling tat where your guide and driver get a backhander for bringing you) and the quality of the guides knowledge often left a lot to be desired.. Thank goodness for good guide books containing the truth! and doing our homework first.

http://ightenhill.smugmug.com/photos/508131917_3YmNp-XL.jpg

Pudong at night from the Bund, Shanghai.. Unfortunately the lovely Bund at the moment is undergoing rather a lot of redevelopment with many buildings totally covered in green mesh and Scaffolding.. The sewage leaking onto the road from the public toilets is a little off putting as well.. If one thing sums China up its this attitude of wanting to grow up and be western and ultra modern like Pudong on one side of the river whilst the other side is basically wading through "it" on the main road..

http://ightenhill.smugmug.com/photos/508126476_rBhgi-XL.jpg

We took the fast train from Shanghai to Suzhou to explore the canals and markets.. This was more like it..

http://ightenhill.smugmug.com/photos/508746592_HCd9X-XL.jpg

We seemed at times to be the only Western people around and you soon get used to being stared at constantly.. The other odd thing that happens a lot is you would often get grabbed and asked to have your photo taken as a souvenir.. No doubt people are chuckling over our Big Noses over a cup of green tea..

On to Beijing.. Its hard to explain but the Chinese authorities do have a rather odd atitude when it comes to restoration.. Everything looks new basically because if its felt necessary they will practically knock things down and rebuild them, this does however leave you at times feeling like your in EPCOT..

http://ightenhill.smugmug.com/photos/508851800_tCBzj-XL.jpg

Our lovely guide for the day tried to charge us in the region of £20pp to visit the Olympic park which is quite hilarious when you consider it was a short 40p return trip on the metro.. We took the metro..

http://ightenhill.smugmug.com/photos/509337867_RVcTS-XL.jpg

After the wall and the tourist stops of Xian for the Warriors it was nice to get somewhere with some scenery.. Of course the weather decided to get more muggy and misty... But the Li river was quite stunning..

http://ightenhill.smugmug.com/photos/507304545_7BefF-XL.jpg

Then a few days in HK to relax before returning home...

http://ightenhill.smugmug.com/photos/513716473_SVHUt-XL.jpg

Plenty more pics on the link below

http://ightenhill.smugmug.com/photos/509999273_vPaVW-XL.jpg

I hope to goodness this does not read too down, because it was a fantastic experience and one we will never forget. The People were absolutely lovely but I did get tired of being treated by the official guides I had employed as a wallet for extra money making opportunities.. My tip would be to stay firm and make sure you stay in charge of every decision..

[Zanotti]

Very nice shots. That is such a great part of the world, so different than the US or Europe. The government is clearly in charge, and they build everywhere - and if your house is in the way, too bad.

I went to your site as well, enjoyed all the trips - you guys are quite the travelers!

Great stuff,


Z




.

[Ed911]

I've seen a couple of your posts and all are extremely nice. Do you mind if I inquire as to what equipment you used to take the photos?

Thanks for sharing...looking forward to more.

[manbou]

My main piece of advice if going to China is as ightenhill says: never, ever, EVER go on a guided tour. They will stop the tour bus 3 or 4 times a day at crappy souvenir factories (jade, silk, cloisonne, etc.) and wait about an hour or so for your group to buy stuff... even if you don't want to. The tour guides get kickbacks from the souvenir factories to do this.

Hire your own personal guide, or be adventurous and explore on your own.

[ightenhill]

I've seen a couple of your posts and all are extremely nice. Do you mind if I inquire as to what equipment you used to take the photos?

Thanks for sharing...looking forward to more.


Sure.. For the China trip I packed in a Nikon D80 with a Sigma 10-20mm.. the kit but nice and light to carry Nikkor 18-55 VRII.. a cheap as it gets (though you do scream for more speed) Tamron 55-200 and the 50mm Nikkor 1.8 prime.. To be honest I really found the Sigma 10-20mm the lense of choice most of the time especially with so much architecture around.. The 50mm 1.8 hardly saw any use apart from indoors a few times as I do find its focal length a little restrictive, If only the 35mm was in stock just before we left :)..

Flash duties went to the SB600 and it all fitted nicely into a Crumpler New Delhi..

[Chile Chef]

Jaw dropping, Stunning photo's mate.

How did you like your trip?

[MadisonPhotography]

I learned in my couple of trips (we have adopted Chinese girls) that the "official guides" get a portion of sales from galleries and some shops they take people to. I prefer to wander and see what I want to see..in any city one museum a day is plenty, and then maybe one a week is enough...

I like your site..designed for you or by you..

Nick


March and April saw us complete a tour of China from Beijing to HK and its time to put the pics up...

The seven of us headed from Shanghai, to Suzhou and on to Beijing.. We then kept heading south until eventually we reached Guilin, our final destination before moving on to Hong Kong... It was an experience with many ups and downs and quite a few frustrations.. It would have been nice to have got good clear information from the guides we had from the Chinese Tourist offices (which are supposedly the best to use to avoid being scammed) but the reality was a lot of these were trying to scam us at every minute with visits to factorys (otherwise known as shops selling tat where your guide and driver get a backhander for bringing you) and the quality of the guides knowledge often left a lot to be desired.. Thank goodness for good guide books containing the truth! and doing our homework first.

http://ightenhill.smugmug.com/photos/508131917_3YmNp-XL.jpg

Pudong at night from the Bund, Shanghai.. Unfortunately the lovely Bund at the moment is undergoing rather a lot of redevelopment with many buildings totally covered in green mesh and Scaffolding.. The sewage leaking onto the road from the public toilets is a little off putting as well.. If one thing sums China up its this attitude of wanting to grow up and be western and ultra modern like Pudong on one side of the river whilst the other side is basically wading through "it" on the main road..

http://ightenhill.smugmug.com/photos/508126476_rBhgi-XL.jpg

We took the fast train from Shanghai to Suzhou to explore the canals and markets.. This was more like it..

http://ightenhill.smugmug.com/photos/508746592_HCd9X-XL.jpg

We seemed at times to be the only Western people around and you soon get used to being stared at constantly.. The other odd thing that happens a lot is you would often get grabbed and asked to have your photo taken as a souvenir.. No doubt people are chuckling over our Big Noses over a cup of green tea..

On to Beijing.. Its hard to explain but the Chinese authorities do have a rather odd atitude when it comes to restoration.. Everything looks new basically because if its felt necessary they will practically knock things down and rebuild them, this does however leave you at times feeling like your in EPCOT..

http://ightenhill.smugmug.com/photos/508851800_tCBzj-XL.jpg

Our lovely guide for the day tried to charge us in the region of £20pp to visit the Olympic park which is quite hilarious when you consider it was a short 40p return trip on the metro.. We took the metro..

http://ightenhill.smugmug.com/photos/509337867_RVcTS-XL.jpg

After the wall and the tourist stops of Xian for the Warriors it was nice to get somewhere with some scenery.. Of course the weather decided to get more muggy and misty... But the Li river was quite stunning..

http://ightenhill.smugmug.com/photos/507304545_7BefF-XL.jpg

Then a few days in HK to relax before returning home...

http://ightenhill.smugmug.com/photos/513716473_SVHUt-XL.jpg

Plenty more pics on the link below

http://ightenhill.smugmug.com/photos/509999273_vPaVW-XL.jpg

I hope to goodness this does not read too down, because it was a fantastic experience and one we will never forget. The People were absolutely lovely but I did get tired of being treated by the official guides I had employed as a wallet for extra money making opportunities.. My tip would be to stay firm and make sure you stay in charge of every decision..

[tjstrider]

I love these photos. My sister recently went to those places and her pictures didn't turn out as well at all! These are great.

[IntrepidBerkeleyExplorer]

I was told to visit China 25 years ago, before it's destroyed by modernization. Your wonderful pictures illustrate how China is continuously changing since my trips there in 1988 (stills) and 1996 (video + stills).

In Shanghai I stood at the Bund and saw the new China in daytime, looking dull. Pudong is far more attractive lit up after dark.

China's equivalent of Japan's Shinkansen (bullet train) did not exist in 1996. Old trains and the Grand Canal took tourists to Suzhou and Hangzhou, also losing our luggage in 1988. The Grand Canal was made for video.

Staring at westerners was a shock to me twenty years ago, one reason I chose to return with a video camera and stare back. It's a surprise that you noticed staring, which already seemed to have vanished on my return trip in 1996.

In Beijing not being overwhelmed by the Forbidden City is a challenge. My photography was better the second time. The Temple of Heaven is a scene stealer from any angle. I went with close-ups, and have provided an example.

No Birdsnest from the Olympics when I was last in Beijing. The metro must have greatly improved as well.

Guilin and the Li River Cruise will never change, always gorgeous unless fog interferes. A scenic highlight of our planet.

In Hong Kong I decided that its amazingly varied transportation system was great for stills and video, especially the historic Star Ferry, but also colorful, double-deck streetcars, the metro, and high speed ferries. The tram up to Victoria Peak offered the best views, both day and night. Twice I went to an Indian restaurant as an alternative to Chinese food.

[ightenhill]

I learned in my couple of trips (we have adopted Chinese girls) that the "official guides" get a portion of sales from galleries and some shops they take people to. I prefer to wander and see what I want to see..in any city one museum a day is plenty, and then maybe one a week is enough...

I like your site..designed for you or by you..

Nick

By me with the great help of these forums...