China, the most ancient empire on the Earth

For visitors China offers a great variety of choices. Whether you are interested in -Chinesehistory, Chinese culture or Chinese scenery, your trip will be very interesting.


A country with the largest population on planet Earth (1.2 billion followed by India with 1 billion), which had been closed for several decades; nowadays China is becoming one of the most interesting tourist destinations in Asia.

"China is one of the oldest states in the world and the only, surviving till today." I have read this claim often, however, am a little doubtful. The Communists across the globe make it clear that one should not confound them with their evil doing predecessors. In how far this Communism-induced breach with the past still constitutes continuity of the state seems a little doubtful. Also between 1279 - 1368 China was ruled by a hostile neighbor (Mongolia). When the own government no longer exists and one is ruled by foreigners, it seems unusual to consider this time period as a period of national sovereignty.

For visitors China offers a great variety of choices. Whether you are interested in Chinese history, Chinese culture or Chinese scenery, your trip will be very interesting (as long as you choose the adjective Chinese before your favorite interest).

Of course, those who like to know China should visit its Capital – Beijing. Beijing is a capital city for over 800 years now, made into a capital by these bastardly Mongoloian occupiers. Thirty-four emperors have lived and ruled the nation in Beijing and it has been an important trading city from its earliest days. Now Beijing is a modern metropolis, but you still can see the traces of the Chinese glorious story - Forbidden City - the largest and best-preserved imperial palace complex, a section of the Great Wall and the largest sacrificial complex in the world - the Temple of Heaven. In the old part of Beijing people still leave in small houses, that don’t differ from those their ancestors lived in. This part of the city looks like they missed at least 100 last years. However there is another Beijing – modern, with skyscrapers and prestigious hotels, with restaurants and bars. The world-biggest central square, ruefully famous Tian'anmen Square attracts a lot of tourists. In 2008 Beijing has hosted the Olympic Games, however, do not expect that Beijing will improve its air quality similarly as it did in 2008, when it shutdown all industrial production for a couple of months in a radius of 200 km around Beijing.



Shanghai with its population of about 18 millions is the biggest city in China. Originally Shanghai was a seaside fishing village, but today it has become a multi-cultural metropolis with both modern and traditional Chinese features. Known as "the Oriental Paris", Shanghai is the top shopping destination in China. It also can be called the most Western Chinese city. As a port city Shanghai survived a considerable foreign influence.

A very special place in China is Hong Kong. It became a part of China only in 1999 and still had strong links with the West, particularly with the Great Britain. Today Hong Kong is a great international trading post, a powerful manufacturing base and one of the world's largest financial centres. Hong Kong is also famous for its cinema. If you go by subway to the north of Hong Kong (direction ShenZhen, which is the sleepy border town on the mainland China side), you can still admire the border protection against the evil decadent Western influences (barbed wires, dogs, border patrol, endless corridors and paper work); it is all still there, fully intact and functioning, otherwise these pesky villagers would simply sneak into glitzy HongKong.

Another interesting experience in China could become a cruise along Yangtze, the greatest Chinese river. Usually they last from 5 to 22 days. You will visit Chongqing, Fengdu, Sandouping.

Amazing world of the mysterious Tibetan civilization is without any doubt worth visiting but it’s a subject of a separate trip that will take about 2 weeks, and visas, and trouble and ....

My attempt to make expectations a little more realistic and a little less salesy
are done with a heavy heart. I love living and working in China, I discover many things of beauty, people who leave me in awe, views that make me wonder etc. ; however, it is very different, from what you typically read, even though it offers the same mystery and beauty your travel agent babbles about.

Hello world (of blogging)

Technology seems like a jungle. All the passwords to remember, login URLs, options that change on a daily basis, interfaces that confuse and mislead ...

But I made it. 

I am currently teaching in China and loving it. 

The US job market is a disaster and China has money and challenges for people like me. 

So after I successfully created my first entry, I log off and will be back, once I have something to tell you.