China visit

[Tim M]

Hi All,
I'm taking a school trip to Chengdu in a couple of weeks. A week in Chengdu and three days in Beijing and Shanghai. Anyone worth visiting in Chengdu? Also any general advice on being there with a bunch of school kids would be great fully received.
Tim

[Michael]

I assume you're talking about anyone to visit who is into martial arts? A week?

Have you looked at wiki travel type web sites for things to see?

You can spend a lot of time on reddit.com/r/China for travel tips as well. There are a lot of people who come to China for a week who've already asked. You'll get answers like always carry tissue for the toilet and how to say viagra in Mandarin.

Maybe tell us your age, your traveling arrangement, I know a school trip, but will you be looking to go off on your own, stuff like that? Need more info. to give more suggestions.

Advice: only use proper, metered taxis from the airport cue. Don't smile.

Get a VPN for your phone that you think will work in China or arrange data roaming because almost everything you want and need from the internet that makes traveling easier is blocked, especially Google and its mapping programs. People have written lists on reddit of apps that are useful for China, including non-Google mapping apps that aren't blocked.

[Tim M]

Hi Michael

I'm in Chengdu for a week and should be free most nights as the pupils are staying with host families. I'm in my 40s, a few years of Hsingi and Yang tai chi in my past but have just started Wing chun (mid life crisis!). Never been to China before, but hoped that I may be able to do a bit of training in any of those styles, or internals.

All the best

Tim

[vadaga]

don't agree to participate with any 'friendly martial arts exchanges' with random strangers in the park
don't agree to any 'tea tasting'
and especially
don't plan on being anywhere important the night after having a spicy sichuan meal

[.Q.]

What's the reason for not smiling?

[gerard]

don't agree to any 'tea tasting

Why not?

I learnt gong fu tea drinking that way, accidentally by a guy from HK. I would have never discovered the joy of brewing and drinking puerh, Taiwan high mountain oolongs, dancong and Wuji Rock teas if that accidentally incident (hey come and enjoy some tea with me) didn't happen.

Look at this American guy, he probably learnt that way too:

https://www.worldoftea.org/global-tea-hut/

Chinese tea = ancient wisdom in a cup.

[windwalker]

Don't know if this will work the maps might not be detailed enough.
You might try downloading google maps for offline use, no internet needed.

https://support.google.com/maps/answer/ ... roid&hl=en

It might help in just getting around..

Sometimes just wondering around one may find something that they were looking for,
but maybe not looking in the right places.

have a good visit

[san5324]

I dont have martial arts related suggestions, but I do have other suggestions, mainly what you should NOT do.

Seriously, in Shanghai and Beijing.... Dont agree to go to :
1. Traditional tea ceremony.
2. Art gallery
3. When random Chinese ask you to make their picture (Thats how often number 11 starts, but there are variations now). You will notice that they will not ask Chinese people. Only laowai.
4. Dont go with people for a massage. Its a scam, they will charge you for room fees, which will end up in the 1000+ USD　price.

Maybe check online for a VPN. for one month its like 9USD. It is worth it if you want to use google maps.

[san5324]

don't agree to any 'tea tasting

Why not?

I learnt gong fu tea drinking that way, accidentally by a guy from HK. I would have never discovered the joy of brewing and drinking puerh, Taiwan high mountain oolongs, dancong and Wuji Rock teas if that accidentally incident (hey come and enjoy some tea with me) didn't happen.

Look at this American guy, he probably learnt that way too:

https://www.worldoftea.org/global-tea-hut/

Chinese tea = ancient wisdom in a cup.

Famous tea scam in Shanghai and Beijin. thats why he mentioned not to go with them.

[MaartenSFS]

Ten years in China and I've been in Shanghai for a day and Beijing for half a day. No regrets... Never heard of a tea scam.

Unless you go to visit someone specifically, just go to the local parks and wander around, preferably just after dawn. I've never had problems accepting or issuing challenges. Just make sure the rules are clear beforehand. The again, I almost never did even that much and nothing bad ever happened...

Wherever the foreigners go... head elsewhere..

[Michael]

Almost forgot. If you do encounter some Chinese MA in the park, whatever you do, for the love of god, do not break someone's spear. And if that happens, just pretend it was already broken before you got there.

[Michael]

What's the reason for not smiling?

It's an invitation for infantilization by Chinese who treat white foreigners like they're space aliens with advanced albino technology, but who can't use chopsticks.

[MaartenSFS]

Haha. If they want to take a group photo with you before you learn anything, run!

[Michael]

Haha. If they want to take a group photo with you before you learn anything, run!

It's like all those English training centers with their pictures of foreign teachers, none of whom have been seen in that school for ages, if ever. But we got the photo!

[san5324]

Ten years in China and I've been in Shanghai for a day and Beijing for half a day. No regrets... Never heard of a tea scam.

Unless you go to visit someone specifically, just go to the local parks and wander around, preferably just after dawn. I've never had problems accepting or issuing challenges. Just make sure the rules are clear beforehand. The again, I almost never did even that much and nothing bad ever happened...

Wherever the foreigners go... head elsewhere..

Its actually quite famous, you can check many of them on youtube. Back in 2010 those girls were like really really hot.. by now they have ran out of hotties and are fat dudes and village people (nothing against village people, quite often they lack basic standards in my opinion)