De Golden Week van China

Bij het plannen van je reis door China is het belangrijk om rekening te houden met feestdagen en vakanties in China. Chinezen reizen namelijk graag in eigen land en wat ons betreft doet een reis door China in deze periode echt afbreuk aan je beleving van het land.

Wij raden je daarom aan om de eerste week van mei en deeerste week van oktober te vermijden. Als je hier omheen kunt plannen, doe dit dan. Lukt dit minder goed of zit je aan bepaalde periodes vast, zorg dan dat je niet in de grote steden vana China bent. Anders krijg je taferelen zoals je hiernaast op de foto ziet…

Google maar eens op Golden Week China en je ziet hoe fijn het wandelen over de Chinese Muur is in deze week. Maar wat betekent de Golden Week nou echt? Ik heb de lokale agent (onze Chinese collega’s) gevraagd ons hier wat meer over te vertellen:

What does the Golden Week mean?

“We just spent a nice long holiday from 1 Oct to 7 Oct, the Golden Week. It’s National Day in China. On 1 Oct 1949, our great Chairman Mao announced that the People’s Republic of China was founded. Every ten years, there is the big military review in front of Tian An Men. And all of my families sit around the TV to watch the grand ceremony. That’s a big big day! We feel very proud of our country at this moment, even we just see the flag ceremony on the TV. It means a lot for the generation of my parents, because they went through very tough times when they were young. Tears run down their faces and memories are awakened when they see the fluttering flag. They are very grateful for Communist party who bring us prosperity. But for us – the young generation – we also love our country but it’s not same feeling like them. We are not so grateful because we also see clearly the ugly part of our country, and at the same time find how hard for us to make it better and better”.

Holiday?

“No matter what different views we have, the National Day also means a total rest for both of us. Because we don’t have other long holidays like this according to our official holiday rules and it’s hard to have other chances having this long holiday for the job families. A lot of people have a well-off life now and some become very wealthy.

Many of us will choose going outside traveling the famous spots during the long holidays. But too many people travelled during the golden week that the spots were crowded of people. Then it’s not to enjoy the holiday but to suffer the fatigue, such as you need to line up about more than 30 minutes just for the toilet”.

What did colleague Nelly do during the last Golden Week?

“Many smart guys choose to stay at home to have a good rest, sleeping till noon time, accompanying children or just going to the suburbs for a short journey. For me, I didn’t go to the famous spots but a quiet beach for three days. Because it was cold and less people went to the beach in autumn. I saw the golden waves under the sunset, the rainbow hanging over the eastern sky, the stars twinkling in the dark night. It was amazing! I cannot touch the nature so close when I’m in the city. Then I met old friends for one day and we felt happy to stay together, chatting, singing, watching sunset, or just trancing. I went for an outing with my family, cycling, barbecuing, enjoying their laughs and the small flowers and autumn grasses along the road. Then the rest of my holiday when I was alone, I went to library for the whole day. Compared to the crowded spots, it was quiet in the library and I also travelled a far place from the books.”

Wel of niet reizen in de Golden Week?

Voor de Chinezen zelf dus een hele bijzondere en belangrijke week. Voor ons, als reizigers, ietwat minder. Prijzen zijn hoger en hotels, treinreizen en vluchten zijn vaak ver van tevoren volgeboekt. Daarnaast zijn alle Chinezen vrij en vaak op pad waardoor het, bij de toeristische attracties, erg druk is. Zoals je ook terugziet op de bovenste foto van dit bericht.

Niet de beste reistijd dus. Mocht je dit wel eens willen ervaren of het juist wel leuk vinden, dan kunnen we je dit natuurlijk gewoon aanbieden. Ga dan in ieder geval wel met de juiste verwachtingen naar China.

Heb je vragen? Neem dan gerust contact met ons op.

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