China - The Internet Travel Guide (FAQ) (part 2/3)

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China - The Internet Travel Guide (FAQ) (part 2/3)
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Vietnam

It is possible to cross from Vietnam at Ping Xiang. The railway
doesn't run through, however, so you have to walk or take a short ride
on a motorcycle until you reach the train station at Ping Xiang.

From Kunming there is a train to Hekou where you can cross the bridge
(by foot) to Lao Cai. The train leaves at 14:45 and arrives the next
morning at 7:00 in Hekou. There you will have to wait until the
customs office opens at 8:00.

Another open border station is DongXing / Mong Cai. To enter Vietnam,
you will have an international vaccination book or pay a small
surcharge. You will have to get off the train, cross the border, and
get on again.


Myanmar (Burma)

The border from/to Myanmar is open for travellers, but you'll probably
still have to convince the officials to let you through.

Presumably it should be possible to enter Myanmar without having your
passport stamped by both the Chinese and the Burmese. Of course, this
means that you'll have to return to China again (and only need one
visa). Of course, this is completely illegal, and I'm not sure how the
officials might react.


Kasachstan

The border from /to Kasachstan is open for travellers.


Kirgistan

The border from /to Kirgistan is open for travellers.


Pakistan

It is possible to enter China by way of the Khunjerab Pass. Take a
local bus and be at the border before 6 pm.

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CLIMATE

http://www.pmgeiser.ch/china/general/climate.htm


China is a huge country with a big variety of local climates. There is
not really a 'best' time to visit.

The north is rather dry, and quite cold in the winter.

In the south, the summers are hot and humid. The rainy season is
between July and September. There are even occasionally typhoons.

For average temperatures and rainfall, see in the section for the
appropriate destinations. Temperature and rainfall charts are
available for the following cities:

Beijing
Chengde
Chengdu
Chongqing
Dali
Emei Shan
Guangzhou
Guilin
Hangzhou
Huang Shan
Kashgar
Kunming
Luoyang
Nanjing
Shanghai
Shenzhen
Suzhou
Urumqi
Wuhan
Xian
Yangshuo

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EMBASSIES

http://www.pmgeiser.ch/china/general/_embassy.htm


For technical reasons, this has not been converted into text format.


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EVENTS

http://www.pmgeiser.ch/china/general/events.htm


Below I have listed several events, some traditional and held since
thousands of years, and others that are quite new. The list of events
is by no means complete, but the most important ones are listed.
Although they are generally ordered according to their place in the
Western calendar, there may be some deviations from this rule since
many festivals follow the lunar Chinese calendar.


Guangzhou Flower Market
This colourful market is held each year during the last three days of
the Chinese year (i.e. three days before Chinese New Year).

Chinese New Year
The Chinese New Year (Spring Festival) occurs according to the old
Chinese calender which follows the lunar year. It usually is held at
the beginning of February. New Year is the most important of all
Chinese festivals and has a very old tradition. The origin date back
to at least the Xia-dynasty (21st to 16th centruy BC).
It officially lasts for three days, but many people take off the whole
week. Preparations to the festival include memorials for the ancestors
and displaying new-years-pictures and -scrolls. Main activities during
the New Year celebrations are frightening away the ghosts with as many
firecrackers as possible and visits of relatives and friends. Dragon
and lion dances and Yangge dances are performed and there are lantern
exhibitions. The traditional food are Jiaozi (Chinese Ravioli) and
moon cakes, together with New Year's wine.
Hotel rooms will get very scarce and expensive.
The next Chinese New Years will be:
 5 February 2000  Saturday   Dragon
24 January  2001  Wednesday  Snake
12 February 2002  Tuesday    Horse
 1 February 2003  Saturday   Sheep
22 January  2004  Thursday   Monkey
 9 February 2005  Wednesday  Cock
29 January  2006  Sunday     Dog
18 February 2007  Sunday     Pig
 7 February 2008  Thursday   Mouse
26 January  2009  Monday     Ox
14 February 2010  Sunday     Tiger


Lantern Festival
Held two weeks after New Year. Although not a public holiday, it is
celebrated all over China. It marks the end of the New Year's
celebrations. Since the time of the Song dynasty, Yuanxiao (cakes made
of sticky rice with sweet stuffing) are eaten.

Hainan Coconut Festival
Held in the first decade of April on Hainan. This festival was held
the first time in 1992 to promote Hainan's coconuts.

Guanyin's Birthday
Moon based Buddhist festival, late March to late April.

Boat Meeting in Qintong
4 - 6 April, in Yangzhou in Jiangsu province. During the festival,
boats meet on Qinghu lake. People dress in traditional costumes. A
dragen boat race is held as well.

Water-Splashing Festival
Helad annually during 13 - 15 April, this Buddhist festival is held in
Jinghong, Xishuangbana, Yunnan. It is the new year celebration of the
Dai minority. According to the legend, a long time ago a fire demon
wanted to force seven Dai girls to be his wives. Being a fire demon,
everything he touched cought fire. So the seven girls extinguished the
fire with water, killing the demon.

Ching Ming
The Tomb Sweeping Day is held in April. Chinese families tend
the graves of their ancestors.

International Labour Day
1 May

Mazu's Birthday
Moon based Buddhist festival, May or June

Dragon Boat Festival
Observed primarily in the south-west of China, the Dragon Boat
Festvals are staged usually at the 5th day of the 5th lunar month
(June). Particularly colourful is the one in Hong Kong.

Anniversary of the Communist Party
1 July

Anniversary of the Chinese People's Liberation Army
1 August

Ghost Month
Buddhist festival held around late August to late September.

Birthday of Confucius
28 September. In Qufu, the birth place of Confucius, there is a large
Confucius festival held from 26 September to 10 October. The great
philisopher and pedagoge was born in 551 B.C. and has made an impact
that lasts until today.

National Day
1 October. The People's Republic of China was founded in 1949.

Mid-Autumn Moon Festival
Buddhist festival held in October

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FOOD

http://www.pmgeiser.ch/china/general/food.htm


China has a variety of different local cuisines. It can be categorized
into the following main areas: Beijing, Shanghai, Sichuan and
Cantonese. Shanghaiese and Cantonese are dominated by sea food,
whereas the northern Beijing style is leaning more towards
noodles. Sichuan is very spicy.


Huo Guo
The Mongolian Firepot is available in Sichuan and in the north. It is
really hot (spicy), and certainly worth the experience.

Yoghurt
China has some of the best yoghurt I ever had. They are sold on the
street in glasses and you drink (!) them with a straw. Make sure to
return the glass.

Don't drink tap water. Even in the smallest guest houses in the
remotest villages there are thermos bottles with boiled water. It is
used to drink tea. Instead drink tea, mineral water, or soft drinks.
Apart from the well known American products like Coca Cola, Pepsi
Cola, etc. there are many local versions of sweet lemonade. They are
much cheaper and cause no health problems.

Beer
There are numerous local brands available, the most famous being
Tsingdao. They are not only cheaper than the foreign ones, but most of
the time even better. Some brands I liked most: Yanqing, Nanqing,
Emei. Avoid 'Pacific Ocean'; personally, I would prefer the real thing
(i.e. the Pacific Ocean water).


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GEOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

http://www.pmgeiser.ch/china/general/geography.htm


Area          9'596'960 km²
Capital       Beijing
Borders       Afghanistan (76 km), Bhutan (470 km), Hong Kong (30 km),
              India (3380 km), Kazakhstan (1533 km), North Korea
              (1416 km), Kyrgyzstan (858 km), Laos (423 km), Macao
              (0.34 km), Mongolia (4673 km), Myanmar (2185 km), Nepal
              (1236 km), Pakistan (523 km), Russia (northeast)
              (3605 km), Russia (northwest) (40 km), Tadshikistan
              (414 km), Vietnam (1281 km)
              coastline 14500 km
Islands       over 5000, the largest Hainan in the south.
Highest point Zhumulamafeng (Mt. Everest), 8848 m
Rivers        over 1500, Changjiang 6300 km, Huanghe 5464 km

Time          GMT plus eight hours

Measures      Metric
Electricity   220 V, 50 Hz

In the Web-version of the Internet Travel Guide at
http://www.pmgeiser.ch there would be a map right here.

There is another map of China, much larger (1062 x 1054, 323 kB)
and in colours.


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CHINA - Peter M. Geiser's Hotel and Travel Guide

Copyright (c) 1995 - 2004, Peter M. Geiser

http://www.pmgeiser.ch
http://www.pmgeiser.com
http://www.mineralwaters.org
http://www.dussy.ch

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