Understanding China

The best way to visit Tibet is by train. You can fly fromShanghai or Beijing to Chengdu, the capital city of Sichuan province first.
Then you can get on the train from Chengdu to Tibet along thefamous Chuan-Tibet railroad which just opened several years ago.
There are several benefits by doing so: 1. you have time toappreciate the change of scenery from southwest China to west China.
2. you can take time to adapt to the high altitude slowly 3.you have an opportunity to observe local people at every stop along theway.
The train even stops at several observing points such that youcan take great pictures as you enter Tibet.
Though I am not Tibetan and I don’t necessarily agree with someof their practice, somehow this religion is sacred in my mind.
I am not alone. Many of my friends have gone to Tibet andreceived special blessing from monks there.
It is difficult for me to link peaceful images associated withTibet with any violence.

For avid travelers such as myself, China is such a wonderful place to explore. Its 2000+ years of history has left so much heritage. Every province has unique people, dialect, food, culture,history. The difference between provinces is much bigger than between US states. If you want to be more adventurous in China, I encourage that you visit a few provinces in addition to Beijing and Shanghai. Sichuan province was the Shu Kingdom 2000+ years ago. It still has some historic sites preserved well. Hunan province was the birth place of Mao Zedong – the late Chinese leader. ShanXi province is the home of Terracotta army and the capital city of many dynasties. However, be prepare to get in long lines when you visit famous sites. Sometimes you even need to wait in line (or not!) to take a picture.

China has five most famous mountains scattered in five different provinces. My dream to conquer all of them has not been fulfilled… Climbing mountains, as Chinese often translate it literally, is really hiking on well-paved trails. It is a popular recreational activity. The experience is quite different from the US hiking – there are small food vendors along the trail of any famous mountain. They sell water, food, snacks, cigarettes, souvenirs and any other things you might need along the way. There are also people who can carry you up or down the trail in case you are too tired. For long trails, there are also hotels along the way. Just bring your money, you are all set : )