Tim Bass
Mon, 14 Jan 2008 04:37:01 +0000
If you don�t travel to China, you don�t realize howimportant reading your favorite blogs can be.** In my last post, I mentioned how they chargedus over 200 to 350% more than others nationals for a visa, but that was only the beginning of the Chinese shock-and-awe.
The Chinese government has blocked access to most all major blog sites, so while in China I could not read or access any blogs, includingthis one.
In addition, Wikipedia is blocked.** You don�t realize how much you depend on Wikipedia until it is blocked!
Also, you can exchange US Dollars for Chinese Yuan (RMB or CNY) easily, but it is*practicallyimpossible to change back Chinese Yuan back to US Dollars.** In fact, the General Manager of our hotel told me it was illegal, under Chinese law, for hotels (and most places exceptthe mostly closedBank of China)to change Chinese Yuan to Dollars, but they can, by law, change USD to CNY.* The Chinese system is designed to take yourmoney, so be careful!**
Making matters more bizarre, the exchange rate for USD to CNY was about 7.4 CNY to one USD; but in Bangkok, the banks only give around 3.5 Thai Baht for one Chinese Yuan, effectively giving you a greater than 20% haircut (should be around 4.5 Thai Baht per CNY as the current rate is about 33.2 Thai Baht per USD).
Needless*tosay, we*werequite happy to return toThailand, where foreigners are warmly welcomed, you can access the entire Internet andthe government does not have a system todisgorge you of your money in foreign exchange.
So the bottom line of this field report is that Chinacan bea quite a hostile place for foreigners.* Beware!
