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The Bar (ON-TOPIC) / Re: Is "Legalities" Best Place to Ask Legal Questions Everyone Should Know?
« Last post by AMonk on August 21, 2024, 10:39:46 AM »
Thank you
Recent Posts
Thank you
22
The Bar (ON-TOPIC) / Re: Is "Legalities" Best Place to Ask Legal Questions Everyone Should Know?
« Last post by Ivyman on August 21, 2024, 12:35:42 AM »Hi Everyone,
1. Edgar Choi did authorize me to show the link:
https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/ChPjPlzJEGOe7H4t1AFP8w
1. Edgar Choi did authorize me to show the link:
https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/ChPjPlzJEGOe7H4t1AFP8w
23
The Bar (ON-TOPIC) / Re: Start Traveling in China: Where and How?
« Last post by Escaped Lunatic on August 20, 2024, 03:50:27 PM »There's plenty of Great Wall left. Go to one end and walk to the other.
There has been no "special foreigner acceptance certificate" or star requirement for hotels for over 20 years, but various conflicting versions of these restrictions are believed to be 100% true by hotel staff as well as some local authorities. This has let to more and more problems for foreign visitors, so the government issued public statements to make it plain that that foreigners need to be registered the exact same way as Chinese hotel guests.
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202405/1312991.shtml[/u]]https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202405/1312991.shtml
A hotel can refuse you because they don't like you. What they cannot do is refuse you because you are foreign. If they do, go full Karen on them. Ask to speak to the manager/owner. Ask the local police to come by and clarify the rules. If the local police claim there is a special rule for foreigners, ask them to show you the regulation (if they do, get a photo of that ancient artifact) and then call 12345. Worst case, go elsewhere, but file a formal complaint with the China Hotel Association as well as the Ministry of Commerce.
Another note: If you have confirmed reservations and a hotel decides they can't accomodate you for any reason, the hotel is responsible for finding alternative accommodations and compensating you if the alternative costs more.
The only problem with top 10 cities sites is that most top 10 lists have only partial overlap. Still, consult a few and see if any of the attractions sound interesting to you.
There has been no "special foreigner acceptance certificate" or star requirement for hotels for over 20 years, but various conflicting versions of these restrictions are believed to be 100% true by hotel staff as well as some local authorities. This has let to more and more problems for foreign visitors, so the government issued public statements to make it plain that that foreigners need to be registered the exact same way as Chinese hotel guests.
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202405/1312991.shtml[/u]]https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202405/1312991.shtml
A hotel can refuse you because they don't like you. What they cannot do is refuse you because you are foreign. If they do, go full Karen on them. Ask to speak to the manager/owner. Ask the local police to come by and clarify the rules. If the local police claim there is a special rule for foreigners, ask them to show you the regulation (if they do, get a photo of that ancient artifact) and then call 12345. Worst case, go elsewhere, but file a formal complaint with the China Hotel Association as well as the Ministry of Commerce.
Another note: If you have confirmed reservations and a hotel decides they can't accomodate you for any reason, the hotel is responsible for finding alternative accommodations and compensating you if the alternative costs more.
The only problem with top 10 cities sites is that most top 10 lists have only partial overlap. Still, consult a few and see if any of the attractions sound interesting to you.
24
The Champagne Cabana / Re: Movie/film thread: resurrected
« Last post by Escaped Lunatic on August 19, 2024, 11:01:11 PM »Alien Romulus (2024)
They put some massive effort into this and it paid off. It would have been nice if the characters had been a bit more likable, but maybe it was better not being too attached to most of them.
For maximum fun, I recommed watching the first 2 Alien flicks again just before seeing this. It's hard to believe that it's been almost 45 years since the first one came out.
They put some massive effort into this and it paid off. It would have been nice if the characters had been a bit more likable, but maybe it was better not being too attached to most of them.
For maximum fun, I recommed watching the first 2 Alien flicks again just before seeing this. It's hard to believe that it's been almost 45 years since the first one came out.
25
The Champagne Cabana / Re: What's Making Me Happy!
« Last post by Escaped Lunatic on August 19, 2024, 10:55:59 PM »Glad you're back. I may want to consult you on how to most effectively embarass myself on videos. 
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The Champagne Cabana / Re: Movie/film thread: resurrected
« Last post by kitano on August 19, 2024, 08:46:43 AM »Haven’t gotten to watch Napoleon yet but really looking forward to it. The Chapo Trap House podcast did an interview about it that I enjoyed: https://www.reddit.com/r/BlackWolfFeed/comments/1898vyb/786_able_i_was_ere_i_saw_ridley_feat_everett/
I just watched Napoleon last week. It was a proper mess. It did have it's moments but a very silly film. There are these really long bits where nothing happens, but then they do the battles really quickly.
A film that I highly recommend is Mars Express. It's a French animation from 2023, it's very cyberpunk, like plot has bits of BladeRunner, Total Recall, Minority Report, all of that stuff, it's very much it's own film though. Very beautifully drawn and directed, I'm a nerd for that stuff so subjective, but it never gets boring because like with all of the best scifi there are all of these great little inventions, they don't make a thing out of it, but there are just cool ideas everywhere. 8/10
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The Champagne Cabana / Re: What's Making Me Happy!
« Last post by kitano on August 19, 2024, 08:23:52 AM »Hello everyone. Sorry I don't check in more, it would be nice to revive the forum, maybe a WeChat or WhatsApp group would be better than a forum? Maybe there is one and I'm not cool enough 
Anyway, what's making me happy right now?
I have two.
1. I moved back last year and was in university accommodation where MeiTuan was this hassle where the guards complained and the delivery guys didn't like me so I didn't use it. Now I live in a private apartment so it's not problem. I know that this is one of those things that was cool for most people about 15 years ago, but it's a novelty for me.
2. A bit of self promotion but hopefully fun. My hobby has always been electronic music and in Covid I got into making videos. Last couple of weeks I got pretty much all of them uploaded to Bili. It's quite niche, but I'll post it on here
https://space.bilibili.com/3546702720011103
Anyway, what's making me happy right now?
I have two.
1. I moved back last year and was in university accommodation where MeiTuan was this hassle where the guards complained and the delivery guys didn't like me so I didn't use it. Now I live in a private apartment so it's not problem. I know that this is one of those things that was cool for most people about 15 years ago, but it's a novelty for me.
2. A bit of self promotion but hopefully fun. My hobby has always been electronic music and in Covid I got into making videos. Last couple of weeks I got pretty much all of them uploaded to Bili. It's quite niche, but I'll post it on here
https://space.bilibili.com/3546702720011103
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The Bar (ON-TOPIC) / Re: Start Traveling in China: Where and How?
« Last post by Ivyman on August 17, 2024, 07:17:15 AM »Thanks for the advice.
1. I will look into hotels more. My Beijing wife still believes that all non-Chinese, Greencard, Resident, or tourist, need special foreigner hotel.
I will ask her to research.
Obviously, I am fine with a 2 star hotel, with a clean bed and bathroom, when I need a hotel room for a night. I have no desire, and no money, to pay foreign prices.
2. I am not sure where to start in China. I have seen the Great Wall, twice. I live in Beijing.
You mention some other good sites.
3. Maybe I should just pick "top ten cities" in China, and do what something like Lonely Planet tells me.
For example: Chengdu. Hence, tea houses and pandas.
Guangzhou...
1. I will look into hotels more. My Beijing wife still believes that all non-Chinese, Greencard, Resident, or tourist, need special foreigner hotel.
I will ask her to research.
Obviously, I am fine with a 2 star hotel, with a clean bed and bathroom, when I need a hotel room for a night. I have no desire, and no money, to pay foreign prices.
2. I am not sure where to start in China. I have seen the Great Wall, twice. I live in Beijing.
You mention some other good sites.
3. Maybe I should just pick "top ten cities" in China, and do what something like Lonely Planet tells me.
For example: Chengdu. Hence, tea houses and pandas.
Guangzhou...
29
The Bar (ON-TOPIC) / Re: Start Traveling in China: Where and How?
« Last post by Escaped Lunatic on August 14, 2024, 04:24:05 PM »Once you have the GC, wandering across the border is simpler. Make sure to register for echannel (usually somewhere just after China checks your passport heading in). Once you do that, your next trip in or out should be far simpler.
Make sure you are inside of China for at least 3 months each year. There's a way to get a special exemption if you have a pressing need to be out longer, but reports on how easy that is to get are mixed.
1. Beijing recently made it VERY clear that there are NO "foreigner" hotels, despite persistant beliefs in rules that ended over 20 years ago. ALL licensed hotels can accept foreigners (limited exceptions for areas where foreigners are forbidden to enter or require special permits). Note that this may not apply to AirBnB equivalents. If you encounter a hotel claiming it can't accept forigners, contact the police and also the National Immigration Association. In some cases, you may be forced to give up, but always DARE them to try to scan your green card into the hotel registration machine.
2. Depends. Does a bamboo raft on a river work for you? If so, Guangxi has multiple candidates. Do you prefer mountains, deserts, grasslands, forests, or something else?
3. Pick a province and use your favorite search engines to look for "Best tourist places in _____".
4. Xizhang is one area where you'll need the same special permits as other foreigners.
For a start: Great Wall (anywhere along it), Southern Wall (in FengHuang), Moutai town
, Xishuangbanna, Yangshou (take a raft to see the back of the 20 rmb bill).
Make sure you are inside of China for at least 3 months each year. There's a way to get a special exemption if you have a pressing need to be out longer, but reports on how easy that is to get are mixed.
1. Beijing recently made it VERY clear that there are NO "foreigner" hotels, despite persistant beliefs in rules that ended over 20 years ago. ALL licensed hotels can accept foreigners (limited exceptions for areas where foreigners are forbidden to enter or require special permits). Note that this may not apply to AirBnB equivalents. If you encounter a hotel claiming it can't accept forigners, contact the police and also the National Immigration Association. In some cases, you may be forced to give up, but always DARE them to try to scan your green card into the hotel registration machine.
2. Depends. Does a bamboo raft on a river work for you? If so, Guangxi has multiple candidates. Do you prefer mountains, deserts, grasslands, forests, or something else?
3. Pick a province and use your favorite search engines to look for "Best tourist places in _____".
4. Xizhang is one area where you'll need the same special permits as other foreigners.
For a start: Great Wall (anywhere along it), Southern Wall (in FengHuang), Moutai town
, Xishuangbanna, Yangshou (take a raft to see the back of the 20 rmb bill).30
The Bar (ON-TOPIC) / Start Traveling in China: Where and How?
« Last post by Ivyman on August 14, 2024, 08:37:41 AM »Hi Everyone,
My Chinese wife made me a deal. When I get the Chinese green card in about 1.5 years, she said I could travel in and out of China.
1. With the Greencard, I can use all the hotels, not just foreigner hotels.
2. I just need to know, where to go to have fun, see beauty, etc.?
3. I admit, I am still naive to China. I only know the big cities.
4. Can you guys give me a list of top places to see?
For example, Dongbei during these months.
Xizhang during the Summer, etc.?
My Chinese wife made me a deal. When I get the Chinese green card in about 1.5 years, she said I could travel in and out of China.
1. With the Greencard, I can use all the hotels, not just foreigner hotels.
2. I just need to know, where to go to have fun, see beauty, etc.?
3. I admit, I am still naive to China. I only know the big cities.
4. Can you guys give me a list of top places to see?
For example, Dongbei during these months.
Xizhang during the Summer, etc.?