I will be spending a couple days in Hue in Jan/Feb 2012. My Wife daughter and I will be going over for a month, going north this time, have already been in S Vietnam.
I travel to Shenzhen and Hong Kong every month. Shenzhen is a real eye opener, if you like 125cc motorcycles you would be well pleased. You usually see a family of five traveling down the road on one with Dad being the biggest and heaviest at about 90 pounds. I haven't seen any old cars anywhere.
Steve, I've been to Chengdu many times, in fact I met my wife there. We will be going again in may. It has become westernized, big time, since my first visit. No matter what they said in previous notes, best food in China. There is a consulate there, might be your only chance to read an English paper, unless you can bribe, common, an American type hotel to give you a paper. It is a big city, but, because it is a Chinese city, it is not noted as such. They are building a big subway system there. Buses are cheap, run often. Taxis are also cheap, remember, NO Tipping. You and the driver can get arrested. I am sure there is an ex pat community there, but I do not know it. Last visit, a few English speakers had moved into her complex, but they weren't Americans. You cannot drive there, not that you would want to. Anything I can help you with, give me a call. 704-573-9491 Art
I think Mr. Chen lives there. Also his Cousin Chin. Kidding aside I might be over there this spring. Around May I think.
Thanks Art - haven't heard back yet as to whether I got it or not - not too sure on moving the family so may go it a lone for a bit if the money's good enough... Steve
Funny you should ask. I just got back from a weeklong vacation in Chengdu the other day. Chengdu's awesome. Home of the panda. There are so many foreigners there for a Chinese city. Of course not as many as in Shanghai but I saw more foreigners there than the two times I went to Beijing. There's even an English language magazine, CHENGDOO, you can pick up free at Western places. Few Chinese cities have English-language magazines. As many foreigners as there are in Suzhou not even they have one but I think that's because it's so close to Shanghai which does. Chengdu supposedly has more bars, nightclubs, and teahouses than any other city. It's known for it's really spicy food and beatiful women, some say more beautiful than Suzhou's. I know you have a family but I can't decide which has hotter girls. The people there are also known to be really laidback and after comparing what's around China I'd say that's true. It's really overcast there, so much so that they say dogs bark at the sun when it comes out. Snows a bit too I think. There's a large military presence there so they got cheap military surplus stores everywhere. I picked up a nice Indiana Jones-style shirt, green military uniform coat, and a badass China Army watch all cheap there. It's a large transportation hub with an airport, train station, bus station, and a brand new subway but there's only one metro line for now. There are many excursions to do outside the city too. It's really easy to visit Tibet from Chengdu as well as to fly to many international Asian cities (on the cheap like in the rest of China). I wouldn't mind living there. Let me know if you have more questions. Good luck. And Art - kudos for the Chengdu girl.
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