I am back from a long hiatus with lots of changes in my career which will hopefully lead to more travel especially to China.
Read this article in the link below on how bad the water is on Airplanes and I had to write something about it. This article is not new in content which I have heard similar stories for a long time now. The only time I got sick traveling was the last time I eat and or drank coffee/tea on an airplane to China. As soon as I landed in China, I was sick for 2 weeks, the back door was wide open. I do not eat at Western chains in China but I eat and drink locally, real locally and never have gotten sick in China. No matter what I used during my trip nothing helped and I was sick for 2 weeks when I was back in the USA. I did not know about Cipro at the time which requires a doctors prescription. Now anywhere I go I take Cipro, but in fact I had not needed the medication since I stopped with airplane food or drinks. Read this article and watch out. I usually eat before boarding the plane and bring my food and water (as much as I can) during the flight… Good to be back! Travel Smart and Safe FYI, Airplane Water Is Dirtier Than You Think https://www.yahoo.com/huffpost/airline-water-quality-205456325.html?soc_src=social-sh&soc_trk=ma
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Xitang, Ancient Town in China
Another example of Chinese Hospitality during our last visit in China which our friends took us on a trip to Xitang Ancient Town in China. This ancient town is a little south located between Shanghai and Suzo. Most travelers go to the major attractions and cities like Shanghai and Suzo. If your in the area and want a little different experience check this ancient town (it is worth a visit). You will find mostly Chinese tourist which again is a little different experience. Our friends told us they were taking us on an overnight trip to see a special place, we packaged our bags for 1 night and we drove 3 hours from Nanjing to Xitang. Upon arrival in the town area, all Chinese had to show their national ID cards, they did not want to see our foreign passports. When we entered the ancient town which charges a fee for foreigners we paid and they had to scan our passport and told me cannot stay overnight. Our friends paid for the rooms and all the food, it just amazes me the hospitality every time I am in China, this was my 19th trip back to China since 2004 and every time the people treat me great, that’s why I keep going back. There are many wonderful small museums in there and some good restaurants, but you will need to make reservations at night when it gets busy. Had wonderful/famous wontons in the morning. Checkout the photos. Again if you want a little different experience check this Xitang Ancient Town in China. Travel Tip – Foreigners cannot stay overnight in the Ancient Town hotel rooms (they are called homestay places rather than hotel rooms). The old residents are allowed to rent their rooms to Chinese only. I did not believe the owner telling us this and he was adamant. I still did not believe it until I looked at the homestays online and they do state NO foreigners are allow to stay overnight in the ancient town area. Travel Smart and Safe China is in a building boom and it is finally coming to my wife’s village. Most of her family members from near by villages have already had their village flattened to make way for new factories. Generally, what happens the government will give money for the square footage of the house and the number of family members per household. The parents will be given a new unfinished apartment and each child will be given an unfinished apartment as well. The money given is for the finishing of the apartment, but is usually spent on other items, for example, cars, iphones, and traveling. The government owns the land and can be taken away for the needs of development. The older generation is struggle with the new living accommodations but the younger generation likes it. Most of the new apartment are not ready yet for the relocated people so the government will provide annual rent money until the new apartments are ready. Some families will try to build fake and or new rooms or expanding their living places to increase amount of money received. If the government finds out then they will come with a team of workers and knot down the new structures. This happens when the government comes in and does an initial review the of the properties.
It was funny walking around my wife’s village during our last visit in October 2018 and you can easily see the new concert rooms. Travel Smart and Safe Just got back from the UK and had a wonderful time. Specifically went to see Liverpool Football Club at Anfield in Liverpool. Also spent time in Bath and London and will provide travel tips as well. Awesome time and the people were great, friendly and helpful. Thanks for all the wonderful people we met on the trains and all around to assist us. Drank lots of Cask Ale!
Cheers, we will be back soon! Purchased our flights NON-Refundable to England to specifically see Liverpool FC match.
Purchased all our hotels NON-Refundable. Purchased all our Train ticket NON-Refundable Tried to purchased our tickets to Liverpool FC- Sold OUT Tried to purchased through Hospitality liverpool FC - Sold OUT Email Liverpool FC - Sorry Sold OUT email Hospitality Liverpool FC - Sorry Sold OUT No one could help me... So I am checking every day on Liverpool FC website to see if tickets open up. Cannot get into Anfield what can we do, I do not care about any seat types. Back in Boston I used to get tickets behind the columns at the old Boston Garden, I do not care I was there. What can we do...I just want to experience Anfield and Liverpool FC. It just maybe a pub in Liverpool watching a game that I cannot get tickets. My wife is going to hate me and keep telling why we purchased tickets to England for a Liverpool Match and we cannot see it live... I will keep trying... It is part of traveling. Travel Smart and Safe.... We just got back from China last week, it was my 19th trip to China since 2004. So much as change and China is booming everywhere. Many stories to tell from family, friends, boom town, QR codes payment system, ancient Chinese town visited and wonderful new toilets everywhere. I gained 7lbs and my wife gained 8 lbs... Another great time in China! Much more to come!
Preparing is part of travel and just as fun!
I love to prepare for my travels and it is an important part of the journey. For me it is the start of the trip and we are several weeks out from our holiday to China. We spent that last several months buying gifts for family and friends. This evening we started to pack our bags and we have a lot of stuff to bring. We will be in China for 2 weeks and our schedule is already fully planned with all our friends and family. We will be several small trips on the high speed train to Hangzhou and another trip to local Chinese places, it is a surprise to us from our friends. For us in China it is all about family and friends which we will be celebrating every day. With my new iphone I will taking lots of photos and short videos to post on this website to show what locals eat and drink. Almost forgot foot massage every day! Travel Safe and Smart Nanjing Duck...The link below describes the famous Nanjing Duck, it is a lot different from Beijing Duck but it is a specialty in Nanjing. When we are in Nanjing this duck is usually at our big banquet dinners. It is different to westerners taste because the skin is not crispy and the duck is served room temperature. Again if your in China, Nanjing is a great city to visit off the beaten path of Shanghai and Beijing.
Travel Smart and Safe http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20180905-nanjings-salted-duck-a-dish-fit-for-royalty China Baijiu - White Alcohol
China’s alcohol beverage of choice is called rice wine, rice whiskey, or white alcohol or rocket fuel. It is strong alcohol drink only consumed with food because it is strong. It is usually always at Chinese dinner party for any type of celebration. It is an acquired taste at first many people do not like it but you must keep trying it and if the alcohol content is too high it is like rocket fuel, try around 42-45%. The attached link below is an article on Baijiu. http://en.people.cn/n3/2018/0706/c90000-9478375.html Give me Chinese Street food anytime over McDonalds in USA or China!
Travelers always worry about eating street food in foreign countries and they think if they go to McDonalds or any other western brands that is it safer. Just read the article below McDonalds are stop servicing salads because it is making people sick in the USA. It is not the country that makes the food safer it is the people. We go to street vendor in China who take pride in their food, why because it is fresh and busy with locals (the best indicator). Also street vendors and small eatery will only prepare what they are able to make and sell that day, many times they will sell out, then your question why don’t they have more or a larger cart if street food, because it would not be fresh if they did not sell out that day. The good places rather sell out all the food and make it fresh everyday rather than carry it over to the next day. Thats why they are busy and the locals know... For example, my new favorite street vendor for breakfast, makes the best fresh eggs wrap. Cooks the raw dough to create the light wrap/crepe, add a fresh egg, cook fresh bacon, adds lettuce but cooks the lettuce (very important), add the hot sauce and then rolls it up and it is so wonderful and all for $3 USD. When she sells out thats it, she saves one for her daughter and when we went to her as she closed the cart and make the last one for us because she was so happy a foreigner (me) liked her cooking and said her daughter could eat rice porridge. https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/mcdonald-apos-salads-making-people-183927372.html |
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September 2019
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