Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland - One of the Most Magical Places on Earth!

So it has been way too long since I've updated this! I've had some amazing opportunities to do some serious traveling since my last post so I want to go back and write about as many of the more memorable places and experiences as I can.

Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland

The first of which will be from my favorite trip of 2018, Lauterbrunnen in Switzerland (pictured left). I had a business trip that was going to take me to Evian, France and so I took an opportunity to take a few days before to visit a few places in Switzerland.

Lauterbrunnen is a small beautiful village in the Swiss Alps that should definitely be on your bucket list. I remember seeing a video on Facebook of someone driving through the town during the winter and immediately knew I had to visit it.

My colleagues and I rented a car in Zurich and drove to Lauterbrunnen on our own. This was such an amazing experience as it was my first time visiting the Alps. This place is so amazing! Everything is green and the air smells amazing! We passed by numerous small villages and farms. It was so scenic!

One thing to note is be prepared to venture off the beaten path. We happened to be driving along the route designated by our GPS when we came to a road closure. The GPS had a hard time finding another route so we just started driving in a different direction until our GPS could find another way to get us there.

Panoramic View of Alps, Switzerland

I'm so glad that we had this happen to us as we ended up in a valley with amazing panoramic views
of the mountains on all sides! Off in the distance we could see a massive waterfall behind a small town. We were determined to get as close as we could for better photos and slowly made our way towards it. We found a small road that we weren't too sure if we were allowed to be on but after seeing a few cars coming from the other direction we figured we were ok.

Waterfall near Unterbach, Switzerland

Once we got close to the town we came across an active runway for a small local airport in the small town of Unterbach. The only way into the town was to drive through the airfield along a designated road that was open to public traffic. It was definitely the first and probably only time I've driven across an active runway! We drove around until we found a small parking lot and got out to take some pictures.  It was such a beautiful day and the air smelled so fresh! We could hear the roar of the waterfall in the distance and spent a good 15 or 20 minutes just taking in the scenery and getting tons of photos and videos.

After this we proceeded to make our way to the legendary Lauterbrunnen. This was definitely the most beautiful and amazing drive I've ever been on in my life. For the last 20 minutes of the drive we were winding through the mountains with a raging river off to the left. The water was this amazing greenish color and the water looked delicious. We could see people white water rafting through the river and if we had more time there we would have done that as well.

Gift Shops in Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland

As we finally made it into Lauterbrunnen it lived up to all of the hype I built up in my mind after seeing that video on Facebook. There were small shops and lodges on both sides of the road. Straight ahead of us we could see the beautiful waterfall at the edge of town that had hooked me from the video. There were loads of tourists and as a result it was quite difficult to find parking. Once we finally found a spot we started walking towards the waterfall at the end of the town. We stopped through a few gift shops and bought a few trinkets. One bit of advice is to bring some Swiss Francs with you if you plan on buying anything. Most of the shops did not take credit card so the only option is paying with Swiss Francs or Euro. The shop I was at accepted Euro but at a 1:1 rate with the Franc so everything ended up being more expensive than it would have if I had the local currency.

View from Lauterbrunnen from base of waterfall

Path through cave leading to the waterfall

Once we made it to the base of the mountain with the waterfall we found a path that allowed us to hike up mid way to the waterfall. At the base of the pathway we found a public water fountain that had fresh water that came from the waterfall. It was icy cold and was the most delicious water I've ever had in my life! I made my way up the trail, zig-zagging my way up to the waterfall. It was a steep climb and being out of shape it took me a good 30 minutes to get up to the waterfall. A little over half way through you will come across a tunnel that leads to a path through a cave. Once you make your way up you are treated to an amazing view of the valley as the waterfall is just ahead of you. A cool mist from the waterfall was definitely a great way to cool off after the hike up.  I was lucky enough to have the entire viewing area to myself as I happened to be in between 2 groups that were before and after me. It was such a serene experience and one that I will never forget.

View from waterfall in Lauterbrunnen

The sign hanging outside the only pub in town

After making my way back to the base of the path we started making our way back to the car to head off to Evian. Before leaving we stopped in a small pub to have a quick drink. It was such a charming little place with a super friendly staff. The pub serves food and drinks but we didn't have time to stay for food. If you happen to go when the weather is nice you can eat or drink at the tables outside and enjoy the view. I definitely recommend stopping here if you have time or plan to spend a few days in the village.

This small town is definitely off the beaten path and isn't super convenient to get to. That being said, it is definitely worth all of the effort it takes to get there! I highly recommend just renting a car for yourself and drive through the alps on your own. This way you can stop off as much as you like and take in the beautiful Swiss air. There is so much to see and do out there that I wish we would have had a few days just to explore through the Alps. I definitely will be making my way back there sometime in the near future! Have you been to Lauterbrunnen before? Sound off in the comments and let me know if you've been there or if you plan to go! Scroll down for more photos from our visit.

Drinking from the fountain near the waterfall

Alps surrounding Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland

Church in Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland

Great Wall Of China - Mutianyu Section

This past weekend I took some friends that were visiting to the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall. We didn't have an incredible large amount of time to spend so Jinshanling and Simatai were out of the question, but I wanted to give them a more personal experience that can't be had at Badaling. One of my friends in Shanghai recommended that I take them to Mutianyu.

Mutianyu is a bit of a hybrid of the Badaling and Simatai sections.  It's still very well maintained and restored, but doesn't have the throngs of tourists that crowd up the wall at Badaling.  When you arrive at the entrance you have the option to take a cable car up (50 RMB one way, 80 RMB round trip) or you can hike up the mountain to the wall.  You will also need to pay a 45 RMB entrance fee to the wall as well.

Due to our time constraints my group decided to purchase the round trip cable car tickets. I wish we would have only purchased the single trip tickets however. As we were heading up the cable car we could see a toboggan (60 RMB per person) going down the mountain leading back to the entrance to the park. I wish this was advertised better as we would have liked to try that instead of taking the cable car back down.

Once you enter the wall you can head one of two directions. We ended up hiking up the direction that looked like it had less people.  I've been to the wall during the summer, the fall, and the winter. I can honestly say that the winter was my favorite season to visit.  It was pretty brutally cold, but the wall and everything around it was covered by a blanket of snow. It was one of the most beautiful sights I'd ever seen!

We ended up hiking for a couple of hours and it definitely felt like a good amount of time to be on the wall given how cold it was. We could have stayed longer, but we still wanted to visit the Summer Palace back in Beijing before it closed. Everything said, Mutianyu is an excellent part of the wall to visit and if you are on a time crunch I highly recommend it. If you have an entire day to spare, I would still recommend visiting the Simatai and Jinshanling sections instead.

How to get there:

The most convenient way to get there is to hire a private car. These can be found at the major tourist attractions in Beijing, and your hotel should be able to arrange one for you. The hostel we stayed at, The Happy Dragon Hostel, arranged a van for us for 800 RMB for the whole day.  I prefer this as the driver will wait for you at the wall and take you back when you are ready to return.

Many hostels, and hotels will also arrange daily trips that will take larger groups of tourists on a bus. These prices generally vary from 200-300 RMB per person (some include the price of admission to the wall).  Most of these tours will only strictly visit the Badaling section and take an entire day.

 You can also take the metro bus 867 (only available from March 15 - November 15) that departs from the Dongzhimen outer bus station. There are 2 buses that leave from this station (7:00 and 8:30 am) q=and costs 16 RMB each way.  The bus can be a bit difficult to find, and there will be a lot of private taxi's and buses that will try to tell you there is no bus that will take you directly to the wall. These people are lying to you to and will try to charge you high rates to take you to the wall themselves. If you are going to rent a car do it through your hotel or hostel since they are more trustworthy. There are a few other buses that will get you close to the wall, but if you do not know Chinese and are unfamiliar with the area, I wouldn't recommend those.

Cafe Russia (Luciya) - Harbin Restaurant Review

I was looking forward to returning to Harbin, not only to see the amazing Snow and Ice World, but to eat some delicious Russian food.  Harbin's unique history has left behind numerous Russian restaurants, some of which are still run by Russian families. I happened to find an amazing Russian restaurant last time I visited the city, and I sure wish that I would have grabbed a business card before I left.

Cafe Russia, Luciya 露西亚西餐厅 (located near the old Flood Control Monument off of Zhongyang Dajie), was the worst part of our recent trip to Harbin. I've grown accustomed to poor service in restaurants in China, but this place set a new record for poor service and incompetence, and I must be a glutton for punishment since I went two days in a row.

My first visit to the restaurant was the better of the two trips. The staff seemed friendly enough and they took our order as soon as we got in. The restaurant didn't seem too busy at the time we got there but it took over 90 minutes to get all of our food.  The dishes we ordered came out one at a time (not unusual in China as Chinese people typically share every dish family style) but one of the people I was with didn't get her food until the end.

None of the dishes we ordered were anything to write home about, but at least they were warm.  Our second visit, however, was absolutely terrible. The only reason we stopped there again was that half of our group was heading back to the airport to catch a flight back to Shanghai, and the restaurant was right next to where we happened to be.

We told the staff that we wanted the food for our friends that were going to be heading to the airport, and to bring the other half of the group's last.  They did the opposite. Our food also took much, much longer to come.  One of my friends ordered a pasta dish, and after about an hour and a half, they told us that thy didn't have the ingredients to make it.  She then had to order a soup instead, which took another 45 minutes to show up. 45 minutes!!! For soup!!! There were loads of people that came in after us, got their food, and left. Maybe this place doesn't like foreigners.

Regarding the food, I figured I'd share a few of the dishes that we ordered, and what we actually got:

What we ordered                                                                                       What we received
Russian Black Bread                                                                                 Regular wheat bread
"Traditional Caesar Salad"                                               Plate with shrimp, sliced bread, and coleslaw
Vegetable Salad                                                                                         Coleslaw 

When we complained to the manager at the end he said they were too busy and the best he could do was offer us a 5% discount. Do yourself a favor and avoid this place at all costs!! Sorry there aren't any pictures to accompany this post. Was too upset to think about it.

Rating:

Price: $$

Value: 1/5
Taste: 1/5

Service: 0.5/5

Selection: 1/5

Qianling Mountain Park - Guiyang, China

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When I first started looking into things to do in Guiyang I kept hearing that the most important attraction to visit was Qianling Mountain Park.  I decided to do a little research and after about five seconds I was sold.  What sold me on going to the park you might ask?  Monkeys; lots and lots of wild monkeys.

Qianling Mountain Park is home to hundreds of wild monkeys that roam freely throughout the park.  They have slowly grown accustomed to their human visitors and are no longer afraid to approach tourists in the hopes of getting some treats.  I simply could not pass up an opportunity to hike some beautiful, historically significant mountains and play with monkeys while doing it!

Qianling Mountain Park is a massive complex consisting of several mountains, loads of hiking trails, the Hong Fu Buddhist temple, a zoo, and a lake.  I definitely recommend setting aside an entire day for this place.

Walking through the main entrance gate you can either head up one of the paths leading up the mountains or take a cable car up the tallest mountain (on the North Eastern part of the park).  If you take the cable car it will drop you off about half way up the mountain not very far from the Hong Fu temple.

During my first visit to the park we chose to head up the path leading up the main mountain. It only took about 3 minutes after we embarked on our journey until we saw our first monkeys. It was so awesome.  I’ve never been in a place where wild monkeys just roam around in between people so carelessly.  The tourists that brought snacks immediately attracted them whether or not they intended on sharing said snacks with the monkeys.

 

Be careful about brandishing snacks or bottled drinks in the park. If a monkey spots it, you will lose it.  I only saw monkeys turn aggressive towards people if they refused to give up their food/drinks or if a tourist tried approaching a baby monkey or a mother carrying a baby monkey.  So if you do bring along drinks and snacks make sure not to take them out of your bag until you are in an area away from the monkeys.

It is a pretty amazing experience being able to interact with nature they way you can at Qianling Mountain Park.  When we visited the zoo was closed for renovations but I doubt it would be any more exciting than playing around with monkeys throughout the rest of the park.  I definitely would recommend visiting the beautiful Hong Fu temple. It’s a serene and highly active temple with a long rich history (more on that in a future post).

Later in the afternoon/evening large groups of people gather around the ground level of the park to play games, practice Tai Chi, dance, and sing patriotic songs.  This place is a blast and definitely worth the low admission fee.

How to get there:

Catch a cab and tell the driver you want to go to Qianling Gong Yuan.

Admission Fee: 5 RMB per person (cable car not included)

Hours: Daily until 5pm (entrance to the park is free after 5pm but the attractions inside close at 5.

Ming Xiaoling Tomb - Nanjing

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Ming Xiaoling Tomb - Nanjing, China

 The Ming Xiaoling tomb (named one of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites in 2000) in the Purple Mountain park provides an amazing opportunity to see and understand an important aspect of Chinese history.  This Ming tomb is the final resting place for the emperor HongWu, who founded the Ming Dynasty in 1368, the only Ming emperor to be buried outside of Beijing (the remainder of the Ming Dynasty emperors were buried in Beijing after HongWu’s son moved the capital from Nanjing to Beijing).

The "Sacred Way"

The entrance to the Ming Xiaoling park commands a steep entrance fee (70 RMB per ticket), which would not be worth it if it were not for the beautiful park and other attractions within the compound.  Be prepared to spend a good 3-4 hours here as there is a lot of ground to cover. Starting at the main entrance is the “Sacred Way” which leads up to the tomb of the emperor. The path is lined with massive stone statues of various pairs of animals (elephants, camels, lions, qilin, etc) and pairs of stone guards and scholars) leading up to the base of the mountain. 

The path is absolutely stunning and the natural surroundings provide a peaceful and serene atmosphere. If you are lucky enough to visit in the fall you will be treated with the changing of the leaves on the trees that adorn the path and fill the park (consequently tourism traffic during this time of year is insane).

Ming Xiaoling - Nanjing, China

Once you arrive at the end of the sacred way you will cross a bridge that leads to the main building of the mausoleum.  The design of the building follows the traditional Ming architectural style.  I could not believe how massive it was while standing at the bottom entrance.  Hiking up a staircase tunneled through the middle of the building you can walk around the top platform of the building for a nice view of the Nanjing skyline.

On the backside of the main building is a path that leads up to the peak of the mountain.  When you arrive at the top you are treated to an amazing view of the entire Purple Mountain park area and the entire city of Nanjing.  You can either hike back down to the park area or take a cable car down to the entrance of the Purple Mountain Park.

Since this will take you out of the Ming Xiaoling area (and remember, you paid 70 RMB for your ticket) I would either recommend that you head back down the path and explore the rest of the beautiful Ming Xiaoling park or explore it before you visit the Ming tomb.

A beautiful pond in the Ming Xiaoling Park

The area near the “Sacred Way” contains a recently renovated park that provides some beautiful scenery as well as some other historical attractions.  There is a massive green park area that is an excellent place to have a picnic or just enjoy the afternoon.  Near the animal statue part of the path is a neat little compound that celebrates another great emperor in China’s history, Sun Quan. Sun Quan ruled during the famous Three Kingdoms period of China (he died in 252 AD) and there is some cool historical information about him provided here as well as a massive statue of him.

Statue of Emperor Sun Quan

The rest of the park is a collection of beautiful ponds, pavilions, and paths.  There is even a recently constructed outdoor theater (I wasn’t able to find any information about any performances however) that would be an excellent way to pass the evening.

A visit to this Ming tomb is a must for any visitors to Nanjing not only because of the historical significance of the site, but because it is located in an extremely beautiful mountain park. It is even worth a visit if you have been to the Ming Tomb’s in Beijing. I absolutely loved this park, and its close proximity to other attractions and historical sites makes it a perfect way to spend the day.  After visiting the tomb check out Sun Yatsen’s mausoleum, Xuanwu lake, or the Nanjing Botanical Garden.

How to get there:

From Sun Yatsen’s Mausoleum – take the tourist trolley located at the base of the mausoleum for 5 RMB

From the city center – take a cab and ask to go to 明孝陵 (Ming Xiaoling)

Bus – Take Tourism Bus no. 3 or city buses no. 315 or 20 and get off at Ming Xiaoling

Hours of Operation:

Daily until 6:30pm

Entrance Fee: 70 RMB (Free entrance to the park after 6:30pm but the tomb and other attractions are closed)

On the "Sacred Way"

The Coffee Shop - Zhouzhuang Restaurant Review

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Food choices in Zhouzhuang are quite limited in their diversity, and unless you are looking for seafood and local cuisine, there really isn’t much you can do.  Fortunately for Westerners who are weary to eat at restaurants that don’t tend to place a high priority on sanitation, there is the Coffee Shop.

I have always been a bit hesitant eating in Zhouzhuang after my first encounter with food there back in 2009. After wandering around scoping out the various restaurants my friends and I picked the one that we felt might be the safest to eat at (I couldn’t have been more wrong). After getting some pretty nasty food poisoning (which ruined my last day of vacation in Shanghai) I vowed never to eat in Zhouzhuang again, opting to bring snacks with me for every subsequent day trip to the village.

On my last visit however, I decided to stay overnight for the first time. I’ve heard so many wonderful things about Zhouzhuang at night which is impossible to experience unless you have your own car (or hire one) as the tourist buses all head back for Shanghai in the late afternoon. This being the case, I decided to give Zhouzhuang’s culinary offering one more try.

After checking in at our hostel, the Longxing Inn, we walked around the main commercial street to check out some restaurants.  Not far from the hostel we found the Coffee Shop which had advertisements for pizza and other western foods.  The outside of the hostel is beautifully decorated and inviting (the little window sill is pretty awesome).  After walking inside the main entrance I immediately fell in love with the place.

The lobby is very reminiscent of the trendy hostels I’ve managed to find all over the country.  Next to the entrance is a notice board with leaflets and fliers from other awesome hostels in other parts of the country (definitely worth looking into if you’ll be traveling around and are looking for cool places to stay on a budget). The restaurant and bar are open, comfortable, and tastefully decorated.  This is an awesome place to hang out!  The most coveted place in the restaurant is a table with 2 very comfortable couches and is situated at a large window looking into their small, yet beautiful, courtyard.

The menus, which are black construction paper, folded accordion style, with neon and white crayon writing (a perfect fit for the trendy atmosphere) are pretty cool as well.  They don’t have an incredibly large selection though, just a few sandwiches, pizzas, pastas, breakfast choices, and a few Chinese dishes.  I opted to try one of their pizzas (which ran about 35 RMB) and my wife tried the grilled ham and cheese sandwich (about 25 RMB).

The pizza, which was your standard 9 inches, size wasn’t that bad. It wasn’t the best pizza I’ve had, but given the location, definitely worth the money.  I ordered the Hawaiian pizza which had your standard ham and pineapple on it, but also had corn on it too.  It took a little getting used to, but once I got over it, it was actually quite good. The cheese and the sauce were a tad disappointing however.  The cheese wasn’t the best quality and was quite rubbery and bland, but what am I supposed to expect for 35 RMB?

The sandwich was pretty disappointing though. The sandwich should have been called “warmed up ham on bread with a slice of cheese and salad dressing on it.”  We were expecting a traditional grilled cheese sandwich with ham inside for added deliciousness.  The salad dressing definitely didn’t help the situation either.  Definitely avoid this sandwich!

What I loved about this place was just how "at home" I felt while there. The service is well above your typical Chinese restaurant. The staff is all very friendly and if you can speak the language, are always happy to chat with.  The hostel also has 2 very friendly dogs that live on the premises and will roam around the hostel and restaurant adding to that homely feel.

The restaurant also has a full bar and offers a variety of mixed beverages, local beer, juices, and sodas.  The restaurant can get quite busy during the peak lunch period (between 11:00 am and 1:30pm) but was almost empty in the evening.  This is the perfect place to wind down and throw back a cold one after a long day of exploring the village.  Highly recommended!

Rating:

Price: $

Value: 3.5/5
Taste: 3/5

Service: 4/5

Selection: 2.5/5

How to get there:

I can’t seem to find an address for the restaurant so starting from the Longxing Inn Hostel which is at 80 Beishi Jie, walk north along Beishi Jie (stay on the same side as the hostel) until you come across the Coffee Shop. It should be about 50 meters or so away from Longxing Inn.

**The Coffee Shop is actually a hostel as well, and this review is simply for the restaurant contained inside as I have not personally stayed overnight in one of their rooms.

Sun Yatsen's Mausoleum - Nanjing

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Statue of Dr. Sun Yatsen

Regarded as the father of modern China, Sun Yatsen holds a special place in the hearts of Chinese the world over.  When he died in March of 1925 he was buried in a beautifully elaborate mausoleum in Nanjing.  He was a key figure in the 1911 Revolution that marked the end of dynastic rule and the beginning of the Republic of China. He is revered both in mainland China and in Taiwan.

The mausoleum’s design was the result of a contest held shortly after his death in which Chinese designers around the world submitted plans as a part of a competition held by the government.

It is a beautiful design that is reminiscent of the old imperial style tombs and seems to mark the end of traditional China, ushering in a new era for the country.  The tomb is located in the Purple Mountain park in Central Nanjing and can be easily accessed from anywhere in the city center.

Lion Statue in front of Sun's famous saying, "天下为公“

If you take a cab or bus you will arrive at the parking lot near the south gate and can either hike your way up to the main entrance or pay for a ride on one of the trolleys that will take you up a scenic route to the gate which will set you back 5 RMB per person.

Once you enter the main gates you will work your way through a small shopping district that has various trinkets and souvenirs as well as a few eateries and snack carts.  Pushing your way through the small commercial area you will come to the beginning of the long hike up to the tomb.  I really loved the beautiful natural scenery that surrounded the different structures and buildings that make up the mausoleum. It is easy to see how highly the Chinese regard Sun Yatsen from the great care for the facilities and the reverence people show towards him.

The main hall at the mausoleum

As you make your way up the steps you can see tons of beautifully ornate flower pots and lion statues. One of the gates has Dr. Sun's famous saying "天下为公“ which means "Everything under Heaven belongs to Everyone." At the top of the compound is a structure that houses a giant statue of Dr. Sun. You can purchase flowers to be placed in front of his tomb and make your way through the building to pay your respects. It was interesting to watch people as they made their way through the room. It is almost as if they were praying to him and due to the seemingly sacred nature of the venue, pictures inside while inside the hall are prohibited. 

A lion statue on the stairway to Dr. Sun's tomb

The hike all the way up to the top is rewarded with a breathtaking view of the mausoleum area, the park, and a beautiful view of Nanjing’s skyline (providing you attend on a clear, smog-free day).  I must have spent a good 45 minutes just sitting on one of the many benches on the upper platform just looking out over the park and the city.  I really enjoyed this place!

Make sure you plan an entire day here as after you finish visiting Dr. Sun’s mausoleum you can visit one of the many other historical sites and attractions in the Purple Mountain Park.  At the base of the compound (near the entrance gates) you can take a trolley to the Ming Xiaoling mausoleum (the only Ming emperor to be buried outside of Beijing) and then hit up the Nanjing Botanical Garden or Xuanwu Lake.

How to get there:

Cab – Once in a cab ask to go to中山陵 (Zhong shanling).

Bus – either take Bus no. 9 or Nanjing’s Tourist Bus No. 1 and get off at the Mausoleum stop.

Entrance Fee:

Entrance to the mausoleum is free

Hours of Operation:

Daily from 8:30 – 5:00 (except for November 12, Dr. Sun’s birthday, which is 10:00 – 5:00).

Please note that the Sacrificial Hall and the Burial room are closed on Mondays for maintenance. 

The Great Wall of China - Jinshanling and Simatai

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One of the main highlights of any vacation in China is undoubtedly the Great Wall of China.  The wall, which became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987 and one of the 7 Ancient Wonders of the World, attracts millions of visitors each year.  The wall was originally thought to be 5,500 miles long and after a recent effort to confirm its length the number has actually more than doubled to 13,171 miles long.

In an effort to preserve the wall and attract more tourists the government has approved various sections of the wall to undergo restoration projects.  These restored parts of the wall offer a glimpse into what the wall might have looked like when it was being actively used to keep Mongolian raiders outside of the country.

The most famous of these sections is Badaling which also happens to be the most visited portion of the wall. While this is certainly a great experience, I feel that the experiences at some of the more remote and less commercialized are much more valuable.  Badaling is packed with tourists and you will constantly be surrounded by people unless you hike well out of the way.  By contrast a visit to Jinshanling and Simatai will be a much more personal experience (although this may not be the case in a few years as more and more people are choosing to visit this section each year).

When I first visited back in November of 2008 the group of friends I was traveling with were the only visitors on the wall that we say for the vast majority of the day.  My most recent trip in October of last year was still very much a personal experience but there were noticeably more tourists here than my first visit.

What makes the Great Wall such a great experience is that there is no perfect season to visit it. Each season offers a unique experience and beauty which changes as the year progresses. If you are able to visit Simatai and Jinshanling make sure you dedicate an entire day to it. The hike is long but worth it as you make your way up and down the mountainous terrain passing from watchtower to watchtower.

If I had one complaint about this section is that as more and more tourists have visited some of the local farmers have taken to selling souvenirs and t-shirts (With “I climbed the Great Wall” written across the chest). It wouldn’t be so annoying if they didn’t follow you along the hike for what seems like an eternity. They are relentless, and it doesn’t get any better if you buy something from one of them. If you buy something from one, all of the others will think they will be able to sell you something as well and will NEVER leave you alone.

Although you can buy snacks and bottled water at the little touristy village at the start of Jinshanling (at much higher prices than if you buy them in Beijing before you head out), I recommend that you bring plenty of bottled water and some snacks with you as it is easy to get dehydrated out there.  I did notice that some farmers have posted up in a few of the watchtowers along the way and will sell you drinks at exponentially higher prices (but if you are looking for a cold beer in the middle of nowhere, where else are you going to go, right?).

When choosing how to get to the wall I would take some time to ask the travel agency a few questions.  For my first visit I went with a small language school that I was taking classes from (The Hutong School).  This was wonderful because we arranged our own transportation and operated on our own schedule. We were out there as long as we wanted and were in no pressure to hurry our way along the wall. 

For my second visit I went with a travel group from one of the famous hostels located on Nanluoguxiang. The other people we were with were friendly enough (made friends with some pretty cool guys from Poland) but the tour guide was rushing us the entire way. It was much harder to really enjoy some of the beautiful panoramic sights that are to be had from the tallest watchtowers.  Just make sure you ask the travel agency how long you will have to be on the wall and if there is a set time that you have to meet at the pickup point.

Visiting the Great Wall has been a childhood dream of mine and I can wholeheartedly say that it lived up to and exceeded all of my expectations.  I cannot describe how incredible the feeling is standing on such an impressive wall that stretches out as far as you can see in both directions. It is a really humbling experience, one that I will never forget. As I sat on top of the tallest tower in the Jinshangling section I reflected on just how impressive this wall really is. 

Most travel groups will arrange the entrance tickets (for the wall) as a part of the package fee you are paying them, but make sure that entrance tickets to both Simatai and Jinshanling are included if you plan to visit both sections.  When you are just about to cross over to the Simatai section there will be some workers that check for tickets before letting you pass. 

I highly recommend that you hike Simatai as well so you can cross this really awesome bridge (stunning view of the valley and a small river) as well as some pretty impressive watch towers with some more amazing views. Make sure to bring some good hiking shoes as this hike has some steep climbs in which the wall isn’t it the greatest condition. 

The beautiful natural surroundings, the more personal experience, and the less commercialized feel of Simatai and Jinshanling definitely make this one of my favorite places I’ve ever been too.  An absolute must-see!!

How to get there:

There are multiple ways to get to Jinshanling and Simatai. I recommend visiting The Beijinger’s website and have a look at the classified ads as tour groups are always organizing and advertising trips to these and other sections of the Great Wall.  Some groups can even arrange overnight trips for you.

You can also head to the Forbidden City to arrange a day trip.  There are tons of people that stand around in and around the ticketing area and will approach you asking if you want to take any number of pre-planned tour packages. They will also work with you to create your own individual tour or just simply hire a car for the day. Just make sure you agree to the price before you agree to use their services.  I prefer using The Beijinger as the people organizing the trips there are usually language schools and they have a better reputation and are easier to deal with.

Your hotel might also offer planned excursions to the Great Wall as well.  Contact the hotel concierge to see if they have any Great Wall packages.

Zhouzhuang – “The Venice of the East”

Zhouzhuang at night

Most tourists that visit Shanghai have probably never heard of a small water-village located just less than 80 km away from the city called Zhouzhuang.  This small city is famously known as the “Venice of the East” and any tourists planning a trip to Shanghai should definitely try to schedule at least one day to visit this ancient village.

Some gondolas in Zhouzhuang

Located just 30 km outside of Suzhou, Zhouzhuang can easily be accessed via Suzhou or Shanghai.  There are many water towns that surround the area but Zhouzhuang is the oldest and the most famous. Zhouzhuang is a popular tourist destination for Chinese tourists and is rapidly becoming more popular for foreigners.  When I first visited the city back in early 2009 my 2 friends and I were the only foreigners around.  On subsequent visits late last year and just this past month I have seen a lot more foreign tourists while visiting the town.

Beautiful Zhouzhuang

This is not necessarily a bad thing as many hostels and budget hotels have popped up inside the ancient village (by renovating old buildings) that has most of the amenities those of us in the West are accustomed to.  This makes an overnight trip to the city a must if you can afford the extra day. If you do plan on staying overnight I recommend staying at Longxing Inn because it’s in a great location (right on the main commercial street), the owners are friendly and accommodating, and the rooms are incredible cheap!

There are loads of attractions and places to visit within and around Zhouzhuang making it impossible to thoroughly enjoy them all during a day visit. If you purchase a roundtrip ticket from Shanghai you will arrive around 10:30 or 11:00 depending on traffic and your departure time. The bus then departs from Zhouzhuang between 4:30 and 5:00pm. If you do decide to stay overnight you can arrange with your bus driver to allow you to take his bus on the following day (you will need to pay an additional 30-40 RMB per person, which you will pay when you board the bust the following day).

One of the many bridges that can be found in Zhouzhuang

When you arrive the bus will drop you off at the second stop in the loading zone near the new development area (unless you are a part of a tour group you, which is the first stop).  The new development area (which was new when I first visited in 2009) is desolate and not very well maintained.  There isn’t much to see here, but before you head into the old village (which will require a 100 RMB entrance ticket; included in the roundtrip fare purchased in Shanghai) I recommend making a quick trip to Shen Wansen’s mansion.

Shen Wansen was a famous silk merchant who is largely credited with turning Suzhou and Zhouzhuang into a bustling merchant-based economy due to their convenient waterways.  His old mansion compound has been well maintained and restored throughout its long history and the price of admission is included in the price of the ticket to the ancient village.  His mansion serves as an excellent example of how the traditional Ming aristocracy lived.

Shen Wansen's Mansion

After popping in for a brief visit you can head on over to the old village to spend the rest of the afternoon. The village contains tons of narrow streets littered with souvenir shops, restaurants, and residences of famous residents of the past.  If you want to do some shopping please keep in mind that most of the products there are not hand-made like the shop owners would like you to believe.  Most of them are mass produced and can be found at multiple shops around the village.  A lot of shops will even have a half-painted picture sitting out in plain view near the entrance of the shop to give the illusion that their products are hand made by either the shop owner or someone who works there. At some point during the day I recommend a visit to the Quanfu Temple and the Confucian temple (if you have to choose one, make it Quanfu).

One of the entrances to the historic village

One of the downsides to the recent commercialization of Zhouzhuang is that the prices of everything are much higher than they used to be (the entrance tickets to the village used to be only 60 RMB). This doesn’t mean that you can’t get a good deal though.  After spending quite some time doing some serious haggling I was able to get a framed painting (large one at that too) for around 100 RMB.  If it’s later in the evening after most of the tourists are gone you can get even lower prices. Always be willing to walk away if you feel the price is too high.

I usually like to listen to what the Chinese tourists are offering for the souvenirs and paintings. Most shop owners assume that if you are a foreigner you can’t speak Chinese so ifZ you do, use this to your advantage.  If you are friendly to the shop owner and stand your ground, you can get quite a deal of anything in Zhouzhuang.

A pedestrian bridge near Quanfu Temple

If you do stay the night make sure to attend one of the several night performances that can be seen around the village. The different performances try to recreate some of the cultural activities and celebrations that have long been a part of Zhouzhuang’s cultural history.  There is even an evening performance in which tons of beautifully lit gondolas make their way along the canals of the village.

Overall I absolutely love the charm and culture of Zhouzhuang.  The close proximity of all the main attractions, the shopping, and cultural performances are what keep bringing me back again and again.  A lot of people will complain that the village has become too commercial and will opt to visit other water cities (which are lovely to visit as well, look for more posts on this in the future).  Whether you are looking for a quick day trip or an overnight trip Zhouzhuang is sure to please.