The pollution levels are incredible in the summer and worse in the winter, when it's common to burn coal for heat. It's unimaginable for Americans. There hasn't been anything like it, even in NY and LA, in decades.
I like China but man, you don't want to breathe there.
Went to China (Shanghai and Hangzhou) two years ago Â
It was the only vacation that I ever went on where I lost weight instead of gain. I don't have any recommendations.
A couple of tidbits:
-If you ever wondered where the piece of chicken wing that you never eat ends up....they all go to China. Can’t figure out how they eat them...especially with just chop sticks.
- If you are going at the end of August, you must go to the Seafood Expo in Shanghai. It is mainly for importers/exporters, so just tell them that you are an importer from the US and they will believe you and let you in free.
https://www.worldseafoodshanghai.com/en/
I am assuming you are joining a tour, they will arrange meals Â
for you. There are lots of western restaurants in all those major cities, but you just have to stick with the local cuisines when venturing out on your own. Cantonese seafood, roast meats at Hong Kong, peking duck and imperial cuisine in Beijing, Muslim/noodles in Xian, and dumplings in Shanghai.
We did a Yangtze cruise too but that was kinda boring.
Make sure to walk the city walls in Xian. And don’t buy the terracotta warrior figurines for more than a dollar at the site. Vendors will follow you around starting at 10 dollars a box.
Hong Kong, if you go to seafood markets down by the water, you can pick out what you want from the tanks and then have it cooked and served. Highly recommended.
Hong Kong is easy to navigate because the language barrier isn't an issue. Unfortunately, most of the restaurants I used to eat at are steakhouses unless we went out in Lan kwai fong. Some excellent choices there -
Fang Fang and Tokio Joe are both great choices for Asian food.
Also, there is a place called Nepal serving, you guessed it, Nepalese food. Amazing.
RE: Went to China (Shanghai and Hangzhou) two years ago Â
It was the only vacation that I ever went on where I lost weight instead of gain. I don't have any recommendations.
A couple of tidbits:
-If you ever wondered where the piece of chicken wing that you never eat ends up....they all go to China. Can’t figure out how they eat them...especially with just chop sticks.
- If you are going at the end of August, you must go to the Seafood Expo in Shanghai. It is mainly for importers/exporters, so just tell them that you are an importer from the US and they will believe you and let you in free.
https://www.worldseafoodshanghai.com/en/
You did Hangzhou wrong. Some of the best restaurants in Asia.
Gutter Oil. - ( New Window )
I like China but man, you don't want to breathe there.
A couple of tidbits:
-If you ever wondered where the piece of chicken wing that you never eat ends up....they all go to China. Can’t figure out how they eat them...especially with just chop sticks.
- If you are going at the end of August, you must go to the Seafood Expo in Shanghai. It is mainly for importers/exporters, so just tell them that you are an importer from the US and they will believe you and let you in free.
https://www.worldseafoodshanghai.com/en/
We did a Yangtze cruise too but that was kinda boring.
Make sure to walk the city walls in Xian. And don’t buy the terracotta warrior figurines for more than a dollar at the site. Vendors will follow you around starting at 10 dollars a box.
Hong Kong is easy to navigate because the language barrier isn't an issue. Unfortunately, most of the restaurants I used to eat at are steakhouses unless we went out in Lan kwai fong. Some excellent choices there -
Fang Fang and Tokio Joe are both great choices for Asian food.
Also, there is a place called Nepal serving, you guessed it, Nepalese food. Amazing.
A couple of tidbits:
-If you ever wondered where the piece of chicken wing that you never eat ends up....they all go to China. Can’t figure out how they eat them...especially with just chop sticks.
- If you are going at the end of August, you must go to the Seafood Expo in Shanghai. It is mainly for importers/exporters, so just tell them that you are an importer from the US and they will believe you and let you in free.
https://www.worldseafoodshanghai.com/en/
You did Hangzhou wrong. Some of the best restaurants in Asia.