Could you recommend some hotels?

Check out Shuangta Market. It's a uniquely renovated traditional market with lots of food stalls and a creative/cultural bazaar. I recommend the Taihu Huadiao Drunken Shrimp, Laokeman Egg Pancakes, and the taro paste 'nuo ji ji' (a chewy, glutinous treat).

Just look at this year's list of banned drivers. As of July, out of 32 drivers banned in Suzhou this year, only one was a local. Yet, those who don't understand the situation in Suzhou are quick to accuse us of being 'xenophobic' or 'discriminatory'.

Makes sense.

Suzhou is a city where non-locals make up a significant portion of the population. This influx brings both talented individuals building the city and, unfortunately, some less desirable elements from elsewhere. I'm not trying to be discriminatory or look down on anyone, but it's a fact that some opportunistic individuals from outside the city have negatively impacted Suzhou's tourism – like touts for day trips near the train station, Shantang Street, Pingjiang Road, and the Humble Administrator's Garden, aggressive rickshaw drivers, and sellers of fake local delicacies. There are quite a few traps. So, when locals see posts on Xiaohongshu saying 'Avoid Suzhou' or 'Never coming back,' their frustration is understandable. Ultimately, Suzhou welcomes all tourists. If you have a bad experience, please try to understand the context and direct your complaints fairly.

Taxi fares skyrocketing happened over 20 years ago. Back when the economy was at its best, taxis almost felt like an everyday mode of transport. Then, prices suddenly shot up to what they are now. These days, unless there's a special reason, taking a cab even once really stings your wallet.

I've been twice this year, and each time I encountered someone like that (though it wasn't blatant, and I'm not entirely sure if it was discrimination. But their attitude was definitely off, especially after they saw my passport).

Sure, I understand the essence and emotions of your original text. Here is a translation that maintains those aspects while ensuring ease of understanding for English-speaking readers:

Well, what an amusing experience sounds like! I'm here to help you rewrite this "adventure", so your overseas friends can also empathize with the story and pick up its core messages.

On my last night in Taipei, I headed to a mall with the intention of shopping for some small garments or souvenirs to take back home.

• Since it was raining around the famous Taipei landmark, 101 Tower, I casually entered a mall nearby that I could no longer remember, just to wander leisurely.
• As I approached a small cosmetic store without much to catch the eye, a nice-sounding salesgirl called me over.
  • "Madam, your outfit looks splendid, where did you buy it?" she asked.
  • At that moment, I couldn’t help but laugh to myself, thinking how it was nothing more than an ordinary T-shirt hastily thrown on before leaving the house. However, out of politeness, I thanked her all the same, chuckling.
• At this point, another slightly older salesgirl in the store also commented on my clothing, then took a heap sand-like substance onto my hands and claimed it as a skincare ingredient-containing hand cleanser. She said I could give it a try.
  • By nature, I am rather introverted ('I person'), so I truly struggled to decline others. The salesgirl was half-pushing, half-leading me into the store to listen to their product pitches.
• I merely had the initial thought that if it came at a reasonable price, I would just purchase one to avoid awkwardness. However, when she quoted the price:
  • That exfoliation paste was priced at 990 New Taiwan Dollars (approximately US$30)! For such a mundane exfoliation paste, that was just too expensive!
• Then she continued, claiming that the hand cleanser would cause dry skin, thus it's best to use it in conjunction with their skincare soap.
  • Despite my hesitation, I enquired about the cost of this soap. The salesgirl exclaimed excitedly, "This is really cheap at just 2990 New Taiwan Dollars!" Could a bar of soap cost US$100?!
• After stating this price, she gleefully pulled me towards the payment counter, causing me to hastily reject her idea multiple times before deciding to make an exit.
  • Her face fell dramatically, turning from elation to disappointment.
• The sweet-talking friend previously complimenting my outfit immediately grabbed hold of me, saying: "Why not check out our selection of other beauty products?"
  • The lady with brightened expression then began enthusiastically selling me again.
• During this resale pitch, she recommended a moisturizer set and mysteriously referred to Taiwanese pop star Jaycee Chan's ex-boyfriends as frequent users of this product. "This set may be a bit more expensive at 98,000 New Taiwan Dollars," her sentence caused me to question the actual worth of the item, which translates into US$3,000!
  • Before I could walk away, she offered a bargain, saying "We have exclusive internal rates for you at 58,000 New Taiwan Dollars only – don't dare tell anyone!"
  • I declined once again, stating I was a student only capable of paying for things that are reasonably affordable.
  • She persisted, inquiring about 38,000 New Taiwan Dollars and even suggesting that loans were always an option… (Indeed, I didn’t misread, she suggested I borrow money just for the sake of purchasing these beauty products!)

Important Travel Tips & Guide to Avoid Falling Into Scams

This event served as a reminder for me. While traveling, especially for those of us with thin skin who find it difficult to reject others:

• The first skill to develop should be the art of saying 'NO'.
  • If they were to aggressively peddle their goods, be confident, firm and resolute in your rejection, and then leave. Don't be afraid of embarrassment; the embarrassment belongs to them.
• Alert, but not too anxious:
  • Especially in tourist spots, where unexpected and excessive enthusiasm may lead to sales traps, stay on guard;
  • Their sales techniques may be formidable, using tactics like "star-endorsed" items and "exclusive discounts." Listen, but maintain a healthy skepticism and protect your wallet.
• Shop prices before shopping:
  • Make sure to inquire about the prices of anything that catches your interest, especially those without marked price tags. Leave immediately if the price seem unreasonable, there’s no need to hesitate.

Even now, whenever I recall this event with friends, I still find it comical. Nevertheless, it’s become part of my memorable travel experience, deeply ingrained in my heart as an unforgettable adventure.

I'm arriving tomorrow evening. I wonder if it's hotter than Shanghai – a bit worried about that!

Sure, here’s my translation of the article from Chinese into English:

Experiences with Accessibility Facilities in Guangzhou

Guangzhou

To be frank, if one relies on a wheelchair or encounters difficulty moving about, visiting some places in Guangzhou could prove challenging. I am sharing some experiences of my visit with the hope they will help you as well as other foreign visitors to come:

• Peasant Movement Institute

  • This is a historic site and quite famous.
  • Caution: This place has no wheelchair access! When I asked for help, the security staff were not very encouraging.

• Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall

  • Slightly better in this landmark building.
  • Upon your request, the staff will guide you through a side door from where you can explore the ground-floor exhibitions.
  • However: wheelchair users cannot go up to the second or third floors.

• Transportation

  • We mostly opted for taxis throughout our trip.
  • Only once did we use MTR . This was to get us from Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall to Yuexiu Park. MTR proved to be a convenient option for this trip.
  • Take note: For station entry, we had to locate an entrance that offered elevators or ramps for wheelchair users - a procedure that took us over half an hour!
  • But I must give a big thumbs-up to the staff of MTR. They were really helpful, and I am thankful for their service.

• Yuexiu Park & Five Rams Sculpture

  • The Five Rams Sculpture is quite the icon of Guangzhou, recommended on many travel apps (e.g., Xiaohongshu, a social media platform where Chinese people share travel info).
  • Many travelers say that taking the west-southern gate of the park is the most convenient way to the sculpture. There is a flat road that leads straight to the viewing platform. From there, it's still a steep climb of roughly 100 steps to the actual sculpture but there are reportedly elevators 🛓 available. So, I decided to take a look.
  • When I came out of the park, I also took the southern-western exit, which is indeed much safer for someone in a wheelchair.
  • But when going in, I used entrance A of the metro station( because I failed to find the southwest gate). Before entering, I particularly made sure the elevator next to the sculpture worked, and they said "yes".
  • Sadly, I ended up walking in a huge circle following entrance A with all uphills on the way, just to find myself at the viewing platform with no elevator there!
  • Heartbreak: the elevator was under maintenance and inoperable!
    • P.S. I later found out this elevator had been closed since end of November last year (November 2023), yet the park staff did not mention a single word of it! (I genuinely recommend that announcements should be posted near the park entrance!)

Hope these stories could help fellow travellers just like me!

Foshan doesn't have much to offer either.

Why is everyone saying you got ripped off? My place in Panyu is 1300, and there's a stinky sewage ditch right outside my door too. When I was apartment hunting, I couldn't find any one-bedroom places for 1200; they were all 1300-1400.

I have flat feet. After power-walking around Universal Studios for two days, last night my feet hurt just touching the ground. I bought a basin and soaked them for an hour. Feeling a bit better today, so I'm back to power-walking at the Forbidden City.

Following this.

Wow, this shot is absolutely fantastic!

Check my other post, I shared the location there.

Transportation costs.

This angle is pretty great! Too bad my flight is in the evening, so I'll miss the night view.

If you guys have any other questions, feel free to leave them in the comments section. The blogger (or I, if it's the blogger speaking) will reply to each one after seeing them.

The eastern section.