Beijing or Hong Kong?

"Komin" wrote in message oups.com...
Beijing is a better stop, because Hong Kong is a European city .
Beijing is more Chinese , and Hong Kong is full of Americans, Brits,
Australians .

When were you there?
Are the Chinese taking Beijing lands, Komin?
J.

you must eat at the famous Peking Duck restaurant where you can see
photo-s of President Clinton, president Bush, the German Chancellor
Kohl,
the French president Pompidou, Madama M. Thatcher of the UK, and
Prince Sihanouk of Cambodia , Pierre Trudeau ,all eating the famous
ducks there,
all these leading people have eaten there, in the street
perpendicular south of the Tian An Men Square.

you must also visit the famous models parading club , next to the
NOVOTEL hotel,in Wanfujan street ,where there are lots of nice
looking women from different provinces parading in front of you for
your observation , and for your contacts
there are 2 different NOVOTEL hotels in Beijing.


J.Venning wrote:
wrote in message oups.com...
What did you and yr famliy do there? Do you speak Chinese? Or did you
get a guide?
This traveller hasnt even been to HK. Of the two I think HK is easier
and more interesting even if it doesnt have landmark atractions. If you
speak English you can experience a lot of the place.

We used a travel agent specialising on charter tours, and they have a load of outings we booked before flying out, so most of our time was taken up with these pre-arranged outings, which were well-planned and very enjoyable. Fortunately, I do speak Chinese, since I am Chinese, so during the times we were not on these outings, we would take a taxi and ask the driver to take us to places which my wife has chosen from her searches on the net (my wife is Caucasian American): just a visit to the "electronic village" in Beijing took a whole day because of the things we see and wanted to buy. Our daughters are grown up, and they are street-wise enough to manage on their own in the evenings to visit several night clubs that they themselves found on the net: one of these was called "The Red Capital Club", decorated with all the paraphernalia of the Cultural Revolution (very chic). We also know several former Chinese ambassadors who were fighting amongst themselves to take us out, and my acquaintance with a couple of ballet dancers from Beijing's Central Ballet also gave us unprecedented opportunity to visit places where the ordinary tourist would not know.

I did suggest on my first post in this thread that this traveller should consult his travel agent and see all the possibilities offered: it is most often the best thing to do, specially when one is very limited either in time or finance, or both. To give you an idea of what one Danish travel agent offers in the form of package tours to China, take a look at this link: http://www.kuoni.dk/Catalogue/Kina/R...ernes+Kina.htm .
J.

J.Venning wrote:
wrote in message oups.com...
What did you and yr famliy do there? Do you speak Chinese? Or did you
get a guide?
This traveller hasnt even been to HK. Of the two I think HK is easier
and more interesting even if it doesnt have landmark atractions. If you
speak English you can experience a lot of the place.

We used a travel agent specialising on charter tours, and they have a load of outings we booked before flying out, so most of our time was taken up with these pre-arranged outings, which were well-planned and very enjoyable. Fortunately, I do speak Chinese, since I am Chinese, so during the times we were not on these outings, we would take a taxi and ask the driver to take us to places which my wife has chosen from her searches on the net (my wife is Caucasian American): just a visit to the "electronic village" in Beijing took a whole day because of the things we see and wanted to buy. Our daughters are grown up, and they are street-wise enough to manage on their own in the evenings to visit several night clubs that they themselves found on the net: one of these was called "The Red Capital Club", decorated with all the paraphernalia of the Cultural Revolution (very chic). We also know several former Chinese ambassadors who were fighting amongst themselves to take us out, and my acquaintance with a couple of ballet dancers from Beijing's Central Ballet also gave us unprecedented opportunity to visit places where the ordinary tourist would not know.

Thats a different case then. When I go to countries where I know people
and speak the local language my experinece is different than it wld be
for someone just blowing into the airport and chking ionto a hotel. If
you hv spcl access then bejing has more depth than HK. Taking tours is
a good option. but HK also has elec`tronics for sale and nightclubs and
stuff.

But i wd suggest kirans cousin plan to come back & do china as a
spearate trip and take in Shanghai and prolly xian also. and maybe
guilin.

wrote in message ps.com...
Thats a different case then. When I go to countries where I know people
and speak the local language my experinece is different than it wld be
for someone just blowing into the airport and chking ionto a hotel. If
you hv spcl access then bejing has more depth than HK. Taking tours is
a good option. but HK also has elec`tronics for sale and nightclubs and
stuff.
But i wd suggest kirans cousin plan to come back & do china as a
spearate trip and take in Shanghai and prolly xian also. and maybe
guilin.

I think each of us has an individual aim regarding what we want to experience when we pay good money to travel to certain places. Admittedly, I can mingle and speak Chinese without being singled out as a foreigner in Beijing, but the other tourists travelling with us from Denmark couldn't, and yet they had a great time going on those package tours tailored specially for the Danish taste. The history of Beijing alone is enough to make any visitor gape at all the things that are available to be enjoyed.

One of my greatest joy was to be invited to the Beijing Central Conservatory of Music to hold master classes for the students there. My discovery of their eagerness to learn and their openness for new ideas just ran tingles down my spine. This is why I get upset when I read posts by people who have never set foot on China but write condemning hatred statements against what they have never seen nor experienced.
J.

J.Venning wrote:


One of my greatest joy was to be invited to the Beijing Central Conservatory of Music to hold master classes for the students there. My discovery of their eagerness to learn and their openness for new ideas just ran tingles down my spine. This is why I get upset when I read posts by people who have never set foot on China but write condemning hatred statements against what they have never seen nor experienced.
J.

Have set several feet in china and dont hate it at all but
realistically it is not very accessible unless you go with a tour or
you speak chinese or are with people who do. Hve been there on bizness
and holiday and found people helpful and places interesting. But HK is
a lot easier for a few days stay and i think someone who is travling
there for the 1st time would get more from the visit becoz the access
is better. Wd be happhy to go back but if I go to china again wd want
to go with someone who knows the plavce and the language so i can do
more than the toursit track.

wrote in message ups.com...
Have set several feet in china and dont hate it at all but
realistically it is not very accessible unless you go with a tour or
you speak chinese or are with people who do. Hve been there on bizness
and holiday and found people helpful and places interesting. But HK is
a lot easier for a few days stay and i think someone who is travling
there for the 1st time would get more from the visit becoz the access
is better. Wd be happhy to go back but if I go to china again wd want
to go with someone who knows the plavce and the language so i can do
more than the toursit track.

I agree absolutely. That is why I pointed out right from the very beginning that a down-to-Earth talk with the travel agency would produce the optimum results. I can only relate my own experiences as an Overseas Chinese with some connections in Beijing. There are two cities in the world which my wife and I would gladly spend money and time to visit again and again - Beijing and New York. These two cities offer us enjoyment and experiences we treasure for the rest of our lives.
J.

Kirans Cousin wrote:

As I explain in another post, I may have to choose between taking a
stop in Beijing or doing so in Hong Kong, although I had hoped to do
both. No flames please, but I would appreciate opinions on which would
make a better stop for 3-5 days?

Too short - choose one, there is more to see in Beijing

Komin wrote:

Beijing is a better stop, because Hong Kong is a European city .

Beijing is more Chinese , and Hong Kong is full of Americans, Brits,
Australians .

ROFL, a leasurely stroll through bustling Mong Kok for a whole day you will
be lucky to see a single European face.

Your comment appies only to the Central Business District of HK Island

bob
brit.
Hong kong



Kirans Cousin wrote:
As I explain in another post, I may have to choose between taking a
stop in Beijing or doing so in Hong Kong, although I had hoped to do
both. No flames please, but I would appreciate opinions on which would
make a better stop for 3-5 days?

On 28 Aug 2006 00:58:02 -0500, the renowned bob young
wrote:



Komin wrote:

Beijing is a better stop, because Hong Kong is a European city .

Beijing is more Chinese , and Hong Kong is full of Americans, Brits,
Australians .

ROFL, a leasurely stroll through bustling Mong Kok for a whole day you will
be lucky to see a single European face.

Your comment appies only to the Central Business District of HK Island

bob
brit.
Hong kong

You don't think TST is loaded with Kweilos?


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Spehro Pefhany
--
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Spehro Pefhany wrote:
On 28 Aug 2006 00:58:02 -0500, the renowned bob young
wrote:



Komin wrote:

Beijing is a better stop, because Hong Kong is a European city .

Beijing is more Chinese , and Hong Kong is full of Americans, Brits,
Australians .

ROFL, a leasurely stroll through bustling Mong Kok for a whole day you will
be lucky to see a single European face.

Your comment appies only to the Central Business District of HK Island

bob
brit.
Hong kong

You don't think TST is loaded with Kweilos?

Hong Kong is maybe 5% Western. While that is much higher than in other
Asian cities (Tokyo for example is about 1%), outside of Central and
TST and a few of the major tourist sights you will see almost no
Westerners.