China: Part 1

[valpo_buri]

So I guess I'll start with just going over the itinerary for the first few days (Feb. 28-Mar. 3).

Comments

[evilnel]

It sounds like an interesting trip! Can't wait to read more.

I heard somewhere, maybe from Cana or Tady that in China haggling is par for the course. You pretty much don't buy or do anything without first haggling the price down, so maybe that was what you saw at the karaoke place? Or do you think he was more vehement than regular haggling?

I would so love to go to China someday! It's on my list of places to visit before I die.

[valpo_buri]

Certainly, there was lots of haggling, and I did my share of it later in the trip. The thing was that there was a discounted price until 6pm, and we got there around 6:10 or so. But seeing as he was arguing until closer to 7, I think that might have been pushing it just a little. Wang Na said it wasn't usual to argue that much that long, but the Americans who had been to China before said it seemed relatively normal, just longer than usual.

It'd be great for you to go to China! It's just a little hard to find many places which still resemble "ancient China", unless you really like the Qing Dynasty (the last one).

[evilnel]

I'm actually more interested in modern Chinese history. I'm really fascinated by the Maoist 20th century, especially the big events like the Great Leap Forward and Cultural Revolution, as well as China's involvement in WWII, things like Tienanmen square... lol, I'm kind of all over because I don't know as much about Chinese history as Japanese history. With Japan I can be like... well, I like the area about 20 years pre-meiji to present day. That's pretty straight forward (although I like the more ancient history as well). So I guess seeing ancient sites in China wouldn't be my main concern. I'd be more interested to see what is and isn't there about Mao, communism, and China's involvement in certain armed conflicts.