![Chinese Pagota in Yunnan [photo / pic]](http://www.jazzviolin.com/china/pictures/pagota_china_t2_photography_san_francisco_490px.jpg)
Another shot, shot on a backup camera (Nikon D200) while in China. This is Chuxiong’s pagoda, which is about 8-9 stories high and allows one to view a 360° panoramic view of the city, nestled in the mountains of Yunnan.
Archive for the 'China' Category
Just got back from China to visit the parents. I noticed a lot of newly paved roads and shiny crosswalks. My brother Tom came along this time and brought his Nikon.
Here is a sunrise shot we took at a secret location in Yunnan.
Also, look for a very special follow-up video soon.
Today, after waiting 3.5 hours in line at the San Francisco Chinese Consulate, I thought for sure I’d get my brother a VISA for our upcoming trip.
I brought his passport, a photo, a copy of his flight reservation, and the VISA application.Apparently, China tightened down on the rules. That’s an understatement.
I was told (in Chinese, btw) that I needed his birth certificate, the hotel he is staying at, and a written letter explaining his relationship to every that he will encounter in China. Allow me to focus on one part of that. We own two houses in China, so when I told them that there is no need for a hotel, she said, “Lemme see your house deed.”
ME: “Can I fax it?”
HER: “No.”
ME: “Can I call a hotel now and make a reser–”
HER: “No. Step aside, too many people!”
So. Just thought I’d write a little “what to expect” at the Consulate. Not to mention that this is my seventh time going to China, and all other times I barely filled out the form with no questions asked. Oh, and the fee for a VISA is now $160 USD (used to be $40 a few years ago.)
In short — everything on the VISA form will be scrutinized, so make sure it is all accurate and bring more information than you think you need.
Update: Complete Chinese Etiquette Guide just added (or look to the navigation on the top right).
China is going through rapid change. Having said that, I have about 13 books on Chinese language and culture, and guess what? Most of them give dated advice. For example, one book mentions that “if you want to go camping in China, you’ll be on your own as there are no camping supply stores.” This couldn’t be further from the truth.
So, in the next few weeks I’m going to be posting a Chinese travel and etiquette guide. It will address much more than what you can read in any Fodor’s travel book and will be, to say the least, current.
There are a lot of expatriates and foreigners who blog about little pieces of the culture here and there, documenting their experiences and pointing out the differences. It is definitely helpful, but I thought it would be good to have all the information (with pictures) in one place.
If you are about to come to China, have a friend or relative who just arrived in China, or you are going to the Olympics next year and you want to get the current inside scoop, check back soon.
How much does a one-year visa extension cost? As of July 2007, the price of a visa extension in China nearly doubled to 760 RMB. The price for a half-year extension and a one-year extension is the same (760 RMB). I checked at the Kunming visa center and at my city’s local visa center, and they both confirmed this.
Also, if you are going to extend your visa, you are now required to get a health check, or “ti jian”. Don’t worry, the health check is nothing more than a blood test to see if you have any diseases (HIV, hepatitis, etc). The health check costs anywhere from 0 to 100 RMB and you can go to a local hospital and they’ll give you the results back the same day. They will give your certificate with the doctor’s signature on it, along with your results and your blood type. Then take that back to the visa office and fill out the visa form (don’t forget your picture!)
If you own a house in China and you have the deed to your house (which can take over a year to get after you purchase it), you can apply for a three-year residence card. However, they require that you apply for the one-year visa first, to “show them that you don’t cause any trouble.”
From what I’ve learned, a marriage certificate is not is not enough to apply for a residence card, you must have a house deed with your name on it.
If you would like me to write up an entry on this painstakingly long task (of getting a green card and moving back to the US), let me know.
We finally got our exit interview in Guangzhou and will be back in the US in November.
In other China news:
- Wikipedia is blocked again (at this point though, who cares, really).
- It’s been raining for the last 7 weeks.
- Here in Chuxiong, the amount of tourists went from zero to about 100 per day in the last year, pretty amazing. (Mainly domestic travel, but a few foreigners here and there).
- They are expanding Yi Ren Gu Zhen to seven sections now (we were the first, then they added the second, now they are adding five more. Each section represents about 200 high-end houses and storefronts).
- They are going to reroute the train track that cuts through the development.
- They are displacing the farmers without any compensation, even when they protest. Don’t you love capitalism?
- (When I say they, I mean the developers and the government.)
Are slow. 103 down, 396 up. It is funny that I can upload faster than I can download.
via Speakeasy.