A Trip to China

My trip to China was one of the best trips I’ve ever taken.

We all know China is the most populous country in the world, which is why more people speak Chinese than any other language!

After Russia, China is considered the largest country in the world.

On my trip I discovered that you can find every kind of climate there, and in that respect it’s a lot like Iran.

Sea, forest, rivers, desert, snow and ski resorts, luxurious industrial cities with sky-high towers, beautiful villages, rice paddies, and more.

My first experience of China began with a trip to Shanghai, and then on to the biggest electronics manufacturing city: Shenzhen (the locals pronounce it with a sound somewhere between a “z” and a “j”).

Shenzhen is incredibly beautiful and full of attractions and things to do.

All the major electronics factories are in or around Shenzhen.

The city sits beside a very beautiful river, and the whole city is covered in greenery. Unbelievably, even all of its big bridges are covered in climbing plants.

The middle of every highway and the side of every street is planted with flowers and trees, and it’s completely green.

In short, there is green as far as the eye can see in this city.

Unlike most people in the world, the Chinese, especially the women, have no interest in sunbathing. The moment the sun comes out they put up an umbrella so their skin won’t get darker! Their belief is that dark, sunburnt skin belongs to laborers and servants.

As for what the Chinese eat, you’ve surely heard the stories! Yes, you heard right.

The saying that they eat everything in the air except airplanes, and everything in the water, is true!

Just as we have sheep’s head and trotters, they had crocodile head and feet (I’ve posted the photo). Eating frogs, snakes, eels and so on is completely normal there.

They have restaurants that look more like aquariums: there are tanks full of sea creatures that you can choose from, and they’re served to you right there, cooked or half-cooked.

That said, China is full of very good restaurants. I had some of the best meals of my life in China (at a Japanese and a Mexican restaurant).

The world’s biggest laser show is performed every day in Shenzhen. Don’t miss it, it’s amazing.

They also have a place called Of The World, where they’ve built all the countries of the world in miniature! Everything from the Eiffel Tower to Naqsh-e Jahan Square in Isfahan! Be sure to go and enjoy it.

Shenzhen has plenty of malls for buying electronics, and you can find absolutely anything under the sun in them. Anything you can think of at a very low price, though also low quality!

Clothing is expensive in China, especially the Chinese brands, some of which you really can’t go near.

To be fair, though, their clothing quality really is much higher than in other countries.

After Shenzhen I went to Guangzhou for the big Guangzhou trade fair. It took a full week just to see the electronics and computer halls. It was enormous.

Guangzhou is also on a river. It isn’t as beautiful as Shenzhen, but it has plenty of places to explore.

There’s lots of nightlife and good restaurants in Guangzhou, but overall, bear in mind that it’s not a very clean city. Personally, I liked Shenzhen more.

The city is full of computer and electronics companies, and that’s what it’s known for.

In China, apart from megacities like Beijing and Shanghai, every city is known for one thing, and most of its residents work in that field.

My next trip was to Shanghai, which is considered the capital of China.

China actually has two capitals, Beijing and Shanghai.

On my trip to Shanghai I realized that China’s capital is a modern megacity with luxurious neighborhoods and sky-high towers. I’d say not only is it no less than Dubai, it’s even a step more advanced and more luxurious.

The cost of living in Shanghai is very high, including food, accommodation, and getting around.

On my trip, a few things on the streets of Shanghai, the capital of China, caught my attention:

1. Schools take children out from a young age to pick up litter along the river with special tongs, so they learn that trash doesn’t belong on the street. (I wish we did this too. It really is a simple thing.)
2. Getting a driver’s license in China is very hard, and they don’t hand one out easily. Even once you have your license, you can’t have a car with capital-city plates at all, and if you buy a car with plates from another city, you’re subject to a set of rules. (For example, you’re not allowed on the bridges after 4 p.m., so you have to get home before then or you’ll be stuck in unbelievable traffic.)
3. Leaving aside the rules on having children, no one is allowed to drive their child to and from school. (They have to go by school bus or public transport.)
4. Every lane is marked to show whether it goes straight or can turn right or left. Even one mistake (as small as turning without signaling, or moving from lane 3 to lane 1) carries a heavy fine, and your license can easily be revoked, never mind running a red light or entering a no-entry street (then you’ll never drive again).
5. There were vehicles that collected stray dogs from the streets, a kind of protection for homeless dogs. When I asked why, I learned that if they aren’t rescued, people kill and eat them!

A river runs through the middle of Shanghai and divides the city in two. The two sides are a bit different: one is considered more luxurious and upscale than the other.

Shanghai has very beautiful neighborhoods that look a lot like French streets. When you walk through them you see so many glittering shops that it feels like you’re strolling down the Champs-Élysées.

It has several very tall towers that you can buy a ticket for and go up. One of them resembles Milad Tower and is the face of Shanghai, and another resembles the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, with a similar height.

Taxis are very expensive in China, especially in Shanghai, so try to use the metro. Also, the Chinese aren’t very fair, and they’ll charge tourists as much extra as they can.

The Chinese are known for being shrewd. If you plan to do business with them, never take a leap of faith and trust them completely, because the risk is high.

If you’re planning a trip to China, I recommend you definitely put Shenzhen on your itinerary.