* We have noticed that our videos are constantly taken without our consent, edited and posted on various Chinese social media platforms. We want to make it clear that many of those cut up versions are taking our experiences and commentary out of context and do not represent what we want to share. We try to create honest videos of how we live and experience the world. We do our best to share our perspectives in a balanced and fair way, whilst staying true to who we are and how we feel. We hope you enjoy our videos (only posted here on UA-cam for now at least) even if your experience of the world is different ❤
You don't understand a word of Chinese but want to seek the truest culture of China. This is inherently impossible. Also, rural areas in China have the right to develop. Remote rural areas have no industry. Only commercialization can lead to modernization. Rural people are also human beings. They have the right to a better life. Isn't this the "basic human right" that you in the West promote? Does one have to go hungry every day to be called real? 你一句中文也不懂，却想寻求最真实的中国文化。这在本质上是不可能的。此外，中国的农村地区有权发展。偏远农村地区没有工业。只有商业化才能带来现代化。农村人也是人。他们有权过上更好的生活。这不正是你们西方所倡导的“基本人权”吗？一个人必须每天挨饿才能被称为真实吗？
It seems u don't really know what it means to have a massive, like really massive population. In order to feed the population, plenty of jobs are needed. What u mentioned is just not enough. We need it all, including tourism.
Even though they didn't say it right out, what they meant is "Human Zoo". I am Chinese myself, just curious, would you like to go to a place where you see people sing and dance, but you can clearly see that there's not so much happiness in their faces? because they were told to do so to "invite "tourists to come to their village so they can make money? and you don't feel that you are seeing something artificial? They are expressing "that", OK? Yes, off course they can do whatever they want.
@@DNMD1224 thank you for your honesty and insight. I was in china 14 years ago and loved every minute of it. I know it is changing now, and I am glad to see that the rural population have the chance to earn some money in tourism now.
really enjoy your previous videos, but I noticed something I wanted to share. It seems, maybe without realizing it, there’s a bit of a Western-centered perspective in how you talk about these places. For example, when you say you don’t want these minority villages to become commercialized, I can’t help but wonder, what are they supposed to do, live in a way that fits your idea of their culture? If they want to improve their lives economically, like anyone else, why is it wrong for them to embrace opportunities that might bring changes? If their kids can work less but earn enough to build their dream homes or travel the world, like you might do, who are we to criticize them for not “preserving their culture” the way we think they should? And about using cars or technology-if that’s seen as “Westernizing” or losing their traditions, who gets to decide what direction their future should take? I’ve noticed many people from the West seem to subconsciously think technology and development are only for us. When we visit less developed countries, we want them to stay “authentic” for our own enjoyment. But when countries like China or others in the Global South embrace technology and development, they’re criticized for harming the environment or losing their culture. Some even go as far as saying they can’t handle technology and must have cheated or stolen it to get ahead. I lived in China for 10 years and returned to the status during pandemic. During that time, I really reflected on the double standards we often have in the West when it comes to things like the environment and human rights. I’ve seen how people in China and other developing countries are desperately looking for technology and growth that we have. That’s not something we, with our history of colonialism, have any right to judge. I hope your travels inspire you to think more about how locals see their world and their future, rather than viewing it through the lens of what we, as outsiders, imagine their lives should be.
Why do Chinese people lose their tradition when using cars? Why didn't Europeans abandon cars in order to preserve tradition? These two selfish Europeans.
6:00 to 8:00 Are you saying the village should stay “authentic”, in other words undeveloped and poor, so not to put a damper on your “travel in a village”experience? Such selfishness. From what I see, the village and its surrounding scenery are pretty well preserved for which it should be congratulated. I didn’t see any high rise hotels. After all, didn’t you have a lovely view outside your room? I really have issue with tourists who lamented that tourism changed the scenery and lives of the locals. One would be naive to expect otherwise. But with the revenue from tourism, the village may be able to afford better access to outside world, may be a hospital, schools and other welfare services. Guess how those nice roads and parking lots, for the convenience of the tourists I must say, come about? Pls get off your high horses. I stopped watching after that segment. I believe there is one ancient sage once said: Beware of your thoughts, they will come out as words
@pengchewoon1926 Yeah... just like the mainstream Western media. They just want to see a backward, underdeveloped, impoverished China. Then don't go to China. China is an advanced, high tech country, not for you (I mean them). 😄😃😀
Well, I don't think what they meint by "authentic" is simply "undeveloped and poor".It's only your opinion which in my eyes a little bit over-reacted. If you are truly caucious, you would see, how excited they have witnessed accidentally the gathering and dancing of the ethinic people Miao in the harvest festival. They just don't want to see the organised shows which just for the tourists, which I can totaly understand. Different people have different favorates.
No，I think they mean it was 'overdeveloped', it's too touristy. Imagine you enter a 'authentic' town with very traditional buildings then you found out all houses are actually either hotels or shops. These buildings only existed for tourists instead of people who actually live there. I think it's understandable for them to feel being 'cheated' by the surface of that town.
I don't understand why you should even feel conflicted. They need tourism for development, for the economy, like many cities all over the world. Do you not like the fancy room in the hotel in a village? Why? Do you need to see a squalor, a slum? Are you happy if it is a slum and an impoverished place? Then don't go to China. China is for the development of the people, be it in a village or a city or a small town. Also, we people watch not only in a village but everywhere, in the city, how people dress up, etc. Nothing wrong but only fantastic!
In addition, what you see is the most authentic rural area, which is the rural area in the poorest province in China. If you want to find a scene that fits the stereotype, please go to India.
actually China has so many people so there are lots of domestic travellers everywhere, you will find it is difficult to find a village without travellers. so what you saw is the real rural life in China, maybe it is not what you expected, but it is truly real.
Is funny they don't speak the language and wanting to go into places that is primitive and expect vegetarian food? I am lost. 🙄 It sounds like they are looking for troubles then complain about it. They could sleep on the road or the bushes outside if the place is too fancy for them. I guess they were looking for tribal people tie them up and put them on a cooking pot? 😂 Not trying to be rude but their research failed, now they have to enjoy the real fancy China. 😄
I don't think that they were disapointed because the place is more developed. They were disapointed because of the “over-commercialization", which I could understand, because if you watch their old videos, you would know, they live by themself just in a simple and natural way. So they share their opinions just based on their own conviction. What's wrong about it?! So please just take it easy and try to understand what they really think and try to say. ;-)
You understand these pretentious people well. My respects to you. They want the world according to their twisted viewpoints. They should walk around their own country and demand all to go back to living in caves. Progress is okay for them but not to others who should remain poor as if that would be "genuine"?
Wait so the West thinks China is a giant amusement park with people in costumes charging an entry fee!!!!??? OK!? Soooooo is the Queen ehem the King of England cosplaying and the soldiers with the funny hats also cosplaying in costume!??? Annnnnd they the rich charge people an entrance fee!!??? What about the British museum!? Anybody know about the British museum!?? no?
In fact, many villages in China are slowly becoming commercialized. There may not be many tourists, but these can improve rural life. Rural people also have the right to pursue a higher quality of life, and we cannot deprive them of these rights for other purposes.
China promotes the tourist economic; this is one of the actions to get people in the rural area out of poverty. I don't think there is anything wrong with it. actually, China built the world-class facility and infrastructure even in the rural area. that helps people to do the domestic travel from the big city to the rural area. if you want to experience the real village life, but you never think about you don't speak Chinese, you even can't find out any hotel or restaurant in the village as all farmers have own house and they cooked by themselves, as a foreigner how do you survive there?
There are many ordinary rural areas in China, even Shanghai is no exception. However, if you insist on finding beautiful scenery, cultural characteristics, and well-known rural areas like Fenghuang Ancient Town in China to find faults, it is already special, but you find it too commercial. It's like when we went to Spain to find an ordinary church, we went to the Holy Family Cathedral and said that this church is not really an ordinary church, it is too commercial. It is our own business for ethnic minority people to want to live a better life or commercialize. We Chinese people will not be ashamed to wear ethnic minority clothes at all. Again, it is emphasized that all Chinese people wearing ethnic minority clothes are not cultural misappropriation, and foreign friends who love Chinese culture are not cultural misappropriation. It is only malicious and biased foreigners who wear cultural misappropriation.
It is pretentious to diss progress and desire certain people and their villages stand still for your benefit. These villages are allowed to maintain their standards and cultures. If you really want them to stand still, please understand that your presence as a tourist is disruptive. You start to impose your viewpoints on "animal cruelty" and whatnot?! Really? Be true to your word. Leave them be.
At first I was also offended by the dancing or singing of the minorities, then I realized comparing to that little unhappniess I am more pleasant to see nummerous locals get jobs by doing this. they can stay in their villages and keep their traditions. In China it is called "poverty alleviation by tourism".
As a Chinese, I really hate the camping style of Westerners. They would go camping on the Great Wall, and then defecate there. When other tourists come to the Great Wall, they would say, "Oh my God, the Great Wall has a smell of poop." In the video, you mentioned going on a hike. You don't speak the same language, you're not familiar with the route, it's a mountainous area, it rains a lot and there are mudslides. What if something dangerous happens? Who will come to save you? How will you be rescued? In the past, children had to walk 1-2 hours on mountain roads to go to school. The government built roads to help the local people out of poverty, but in your eyes, it has affected your travel experience. To be honest, I don't think you can find the picture you imagine in China, as your media has never reported China accurately.
You think this is not the real Chinese countryside, you are wrong, this is the real countryside, the development of tourism in these backward areas is one of the main poverty alleviation programs of the Chinese government, roads, water, electricity and Internet are planned and built by the government, you can know the beautiful scenery from the Internet, Chinese people must have already known, you should not expect them to be mysterious.
Perhaps you should do some more research first before you travel because the whole judgmental behavior is kind of annoying especially when you keep shouting the whole time that you don’t know what you are doing. There are many rural areas in China where you will not find another tourist. Btw many of those hotels are owned and run by local people so small time entrepreneurs who trying to put food on the table. So be respectful. You wanted the real rural experience and raising animals for food is part of it. Having a vegan diet in China is certainly possible but it requires communication and therefore some upfront research. I don’t think you are people with bad intentions but you have to realize that you are abroad so keep an open mind.
There are many primitive rural areas in China, but they are not equipped to receive tourists. Those rural areas are very remote, and you cannot stay overnight. They have no ornamental value. There are only big mountains, and you must charter a car to go there. If an attraction is visited by 100,000 tourists every year, it will definitely be commercialized. Everything is commercialized to serve tourists. Guizhou has many natural attractions that are worth visiting. In particular, Huangguoshu Waterfall is very spectacular and must be visited. I don’t know if there are still waterfalls in winter, and whether the water flow will decrease in winter. You should check first. Have you been to Zhangjiajie? The locations where the Avatar movie was filmed are purely natural landscapes and are very beautiful.
There’s many dogs hovering around on the street. I don’t think someone who’d like to eat dog. They sell it as pets. If dogs are killed as food. You can’t see dogs on the street. At least I hadn’t saw any. So my thinking is that
Some people like to eat dog meat, but there are only a few of them. For example, I don’t like it. And in order to satisfy the taste of this small group of people, there are dogs specially bred for food, instead of pet dogs or dogs raised by ordinary people at home. Just as he pigs raised the same, so please don't worry. It’s just that the Western media likes to report on the fact that Chinese people eat dogs, so they create the image that most Chinese people love to eat dog meat and abuse their pets. This is actually not true hahaha😂😂
@@左家垅扛把 I am confused. If I am a minority, we have the tradition of eating dog meat. If someone forbids eating dog meat, is it "cultural genocide" against us?
Please please please stop whining about the lack of vegan food.....get over yourselves....you went to China willingly, knowing their customs etc. And they are just the same as Spain for tourism. If you want to be on your own, then stay at home. Such mean behaviour. Travelling is expensive wherever you go. Accept it, and get on with it.
2 người này lúc nào cũng cố ra vẻ là những khách du lịch cởi mở nhưng trong lòng của họ đầy định kiến, luôn muốn dạy bảo người khác phải sống như thế nào, có lẽ việc cho rằng họ ăn thuần chay, yêu động vật và bảo vệ môi trường sẽ khiến họ thanh cao hơn những người dân phải bận rộn chật vật mưu sinh kiếm sống hàng ngày. Ở châu Á việc những tu sĩ hoặc các tín đồ Phật giáo ăn thuần chay không phải là hiếm nhưng họ sẽ cố không đem vấn đề ăn uống của mình ra để khoe khoang hoặc khiến nó trở thành gánh nặng cho người khác.
I thoroughly agree with your comments. People need to be more accepti g of cultures that are different to theirs. Nobody is better than others. Lessons need to be learned🎉@@nguyenbaokhanh2005
Many liberals in the west see corners in the world that are untouched by modernity as Eden rediscovered. The reality is, those areas are often some of the poorest regions on earth, people have no access to electricity, no running water, the food they grow can barely feed them, and if any natural disaster strikes, they are mostly likely left starving, kids there have no access to education, if they get sick, they have little access to modern medicine, most people die pretty early, and most children won't survive to adulthood, China was like that, in 1945, our grandfather generation, the average life expectancy was just 35-40 years old, Unlike people that are from west, Chinese people have memory of what it is like to be living in poverty, many still remember, or have been told by elder just one generation up how it is like being starved. That is exactly why they are very offended by your message, In the west, living off-grid is a lifestyle choice, if they got sick of it, they could move back to modernity, however, in many of developing worlds, that is the condition they are born into that they have little to no chance of escaping.
我给你另外一个视角，中国作为第一工业制造国，如果想实现农业自动化，根本没有很大的难度（而且中国又不是所谓的民主社会，做决策就是几天的事情，都没有国会动辄数月数年的讨论）。但是这几亿农民就得被赶到城市里，可是中国哪能提供那么多就业岗位，那样中国的城市就会和巴西、印度一样，出现成片成片的贫民窟。问题是中国人相比二三十年前已经算是体会过现代化生活了，所以只能搞各种农村旅游开发，就像你说的去哪里都要收取门票，也是为了给当地农民提供收入。欧洲人社会启蒙得早，工业化历程也早，确实会关注是否过度开发，人与环境是否和谐等话题，但对于拉美非洲和亚洲的绝大国家和地区，现在首要的问题是让人先吃饱穿暖，当然中国目前确实是消灭了极端贫困，但大多数农民的生活只能说确保了下限而已。Here's another perspective: China, as the world's leading manufacturing nation, would face no significant difficulty in implementing agricultural automation (and since China isn't a so-called democratic society, decision-making can be done in just a few days without the prolonged discussions typical in parliaments that can last for months or years). However, this would push hundreds of millions of farmers into the cities, but where would China find enough jobs for all of them? This would lead to Chinese cities resembling those in Brazil and India, with vast slums. The problem is, compared to thirty or forty years ago, Chinese people have experienced modern life, so the only option is to develop various forms of rural tourism, as you mentioned, charging entry fees everywhere to provide income for local farmers. Europeans, having undergone social enlightenment earlier and with industrialization having started earlier, do indeed focus on issues like overdevelopment and the harmony between humans and the environment. However, for most countries and regions in Latin America, Africa, and Asia, the primary concern is ensuring people have enough to eat and wear. China has indeed eradicated extreme poverty, but for most farmers, their lives are just above the bare minimum.
1 RMB for 1 EUR-the child may not realize she’s getting the better deal, but you do. Yet, you’re still willing to give her this joy. You’re truly kind.
People tend to think that "sure China is rich, but only their main big cities and I bet their villages are all poor and traditional, kept as it is". But that's not the case at all because of all the Poverty Alleviation Programs that the central gov has done; basically each main rural parts have had help with their infrastructure and communication, and they have found a way to sustain their local economy, be it by local manufacturing products, farming, or good ol' showing their customs as a part of tourism. You can stay calm about this last part, because regional and ethnic identities are taken strongly with pride, and everyone wants to preserve and show off their root, without mentioning that there's actual actions for all these cultural matter (you know, chinese people are most proud of their history and food over anything else).
What's the problem with commercialization? People in some remote areas of China are very poor. They need to improve their lives through commercialization so that they can live like you. You are not willing to live the way you lived hundreds of years ago. ? Westerners are really selfish and always only look at problems from their own perspective. Why don't they consider the urgent needs of the poor mountain people to improve their lives? They change so that they can live a better life, not so that you can see how they live a primitive life and remain poor.
Words of advice. If you are a whiner, don't travel. Your country, Spain, is pathetic, but you are comfortable being there since you are based in Spain. So stay there.
In today's world, there are fewer and fewer channels with independent temperament. You are lucky to have found your own unique way of shooting, slow and telling, a slowly heated and non-violent way to show the adventure of an unknown world. Although it is slow, I believe it will attract more and more subscribers. In China, there is no need to deliberately look for differences. This civilization is too old, as long as you understand it deeply. Every village has its own stories and traditions from thousands of years ago.
China is not a zoo. Asia is not Europe's playground. Rural areas in China is not hard to find. And they are beautiful too. But if you are looking for poor places you will be disappointed.
those once the poorest villages in China decided open their gates to tourists , trading for better life , and government promoted and championed for them, that is why you guys got the half-authentic feeling, that is quite normal in the rural areas in Guizhou. Adapt and enjoy, we the local guys are all happy those rural people can live better life rather than staying in the poorest authentic
I show you guys some methods. When you find some interesting mushrooms in the market. But you guys don’t have a kitchen. You can buy the mushrooms. And take it to nearby restaurants to ask shoppers to cook for you. You only just pay for cooking price
To be honest it really stand out you guy are riding green slow train, when every vlogger want to show high speed train! It kind of nostalgia for someone last in China in 1984, we took slow train from Guangzhou, Hangzhou, suzhou, Nanjing to Beijing! Those were the days😊😊😊
When I saw the market hall… filled up with veggies and mushrooms - I want to go there, too… only to get vegetables and then go hiking in the forests around the villages and towns 😊 I love your videos!!!!❤
Thanks for sharing a different way of travelling, more interesting and authentic. I wish this world would be a better place both for humans and animals! Thanks again for standing up for all sentient beings✨🙏
I am conflicted with your travels. I believe you travel with a pure heart to want to be engulfed in culture. Keep the emotion out of it, which may be perceived as “judgy” of the Chinese culture. Your food choices should have been well researched before embarking on this holiday. Embrace the variety of food choices or shop at a local market and make your own food. This is very doable.
You should know that China is still a developing country, so what's wrong with commercializing these places to boost local economic development and improve the employment rate of the people?Is it true that in your eyes, the farmers in China are still the image with their backs to the sun and face to the loess? Unfortunately, that was many years ago. Don't be so arrogant.
The square table in the room is for playing Mahjong, a tile-based game for 4 persons, very popular in Southern China as well as in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Southeast Asia and the USA, however it is common that people gamble for money while playing Mahjong…that is why it says no gambling is allowed in the room.😅
I see many critisism in comments which I concern them as over-reaction. As a chinese I don't think that Wale&me wanted to see undeveloped or poor rural place in china or in anywhere. They just want to see people living in their natrual life without or with less commercial purpose, which I totally understand and also would like to see during my travel. Just as they showed their appreciation and excitement by seeing the gathering and dancing of Miao-People with beautiful and astonishing dresses on the harvest festival. They just share their views based on their life philosophy, on which they also live with. I admire that. So, please be open minded and just try to understand other people or each other. This world would be much nicer! :-)
Glad you decided to post this. I get tired of watching the same destinations over and over. I'll never travel to China so seeing it through your travels, good and bad, is what I enjoy so thank you ❤️.
Hello, I am watching your video since you came to China, and I really admire your peaceful and humble attitude about China. But as many comments said, I have to say in many cases it is much better to have a HIGHER VIEW about the SO CALLED CULTURE protection in western medias ideas. Western media like to show many original lives in African, Asia, Latin America..., but at that time these medias forgot the "Human right" they mentioned all the time, you KNOW that it is not healthy to eat raw animal meat, to naked in the open area, to live in a tent that is fragile to wind, snow or heavy rains, but why suddenly you think these are their "CULTURE" to be reserved? If it was, 2000 years ago that was every human being's culture including you US&EU people, now you are living in a stone, wood or cement made house while you think they, or we have to keep the so called "culture"? Isn't that the fixed ARROGANCE from your westerners deep mind? Like the Tibetans now have their cement house, many westerns says that is "Culture genocide", while Chinese including Tibetan themselves think wtf of this? If you have SAFE WARM STABLE house, WHO IS WILLING TO GO ON THE TENT LIFE? WE DON“T HAVE OUR HUMAN RIGHT TO HAVE A BETTER LIFE？ Any way, keeping in mind the good ideas of HUMAN RIGHT from your precious western ideas, and understand culture is valuable thing BUT IT WILL FINALLY ONLY EXIST IN MUSEUMS LIKE EU BECAUSE IN MANY CASES PEOPLE WANT TO ABANDON THEM AND TURN TO CIVILIZATION FOR BETTER LIFE, WHICH IS ALSO PART OF CULTURE. For the real rural life you are looking for all the time, I have a UA-camr suggested to you, who is @kats_journey_east, she is a US lady who really lived in China countryside for a long time, maybe she can give you some suggestions how to find a real country life in China. Finally thanks again for showing the real life in China, and hoping you have a soul review about what I said, which is most Chinese people's idea about these hypocrisy from western media.
don't overthink. It is what it is. Tourism servicing is now part of their livelihood, so that's their current culture. Towns like this is part tourism , part normal village life. Not everyone is entertaining guests there. Anyways great content, going off the beaten path.
I am SO glad you did not scrap this video - you two are authentic and it is an absolute privilege to watch your travels in China (very heart sore & disturbing regarding the meat 😩). I have never desired to travel in China but your perspective makes me want to experience it😮 Sending you wishes for continued experiences and authentic adventures from SA💚💚💚
I love your channel and please just film what you want. ❤It's never boring to take part of your life. Don't compare yourself to other channels, yours is yours and unique. I have travelled the same way you have and I completely understand what you are searching for. It's boring to be in tourist areas and you can connect so much more with people elsewhere and that is so fun and lovely. Thanks for letting us in in your life! ❤❤❤
I am a Chinese. Any restaurant can provide vegetarian food, but you have not done any research and just judge based on your own ideas. Have you ever thought that you are always confining your thoughts in your own circle of thought?
I'm so glad that you decided to holiday the way you are. I totally agree with you and there is nothing worse than feeling like you are being performed for all of the time, it sort of defeats the purpose completely. I'm not sure how you managed to hold it together with the animal markets, it couldn't have been easy. It really looks like such an amazing place, I just love the banter from the locals who are not used to meeting Europeans, very friendly and interested. I am really happy that you have made the right decisions and followed your instincts. Such a wonderful interesting video. ❤
你可以在任何菜馆告诉店主你吃“素”，他就不会放肉的。也可以直接找素菜馆。中国佛教常年吃素。吃素在中国真的没有这么难。中国千年的佛教历史演化出了非常棒的素食。品种多到你无法想象。你只是没找对地方。 vegan in china is actually not that difficult. you can just tell every restaurant 素菜 which means vegan or go to all vegan restaurant，you can find them easily near buddish temple. Buddison religious are not allow to eat meat， which has develop a rich vegan food cultures for thousands of years. the varieties of vegan food is not what you can imagine. u just haven't found it yet.
If u prefer to eat veggies, it's so easy to find vegetables in vegetables markets in every city and town, just pay a little money to buy a small electric pot to take it with u. U can cook everywhere.
Clicked like for the coin exchange with curious kid. When I was young, I loved to look at foreign coins and stamps, which I got from my big sister who was studying overseas.
Such a wonderful feeling! Watching your videos makes me feel relaxed and happy. Maybe it’s because I love your slow-paced travels and unique perspective? It feels so genuine, more like friends sharing their journey with me.
Escape from the hustle and bustle of the city, and you’ll return to what’s real. I truly enjoy your videos-calm, relaxed, unknown yet full of surprises. A peaceful and simple life, filled with contentment and a love for living, is truly fulfilling. Wishing you safe travels and an enjoyable journey!
I get your conflicted feelings. On the one hand they’re losing their authentic way of traditional living but on the other hand they’re probably living better lives and rising above previous poverty. In the end it’s up to what they want and it seems they’re choosing giving up some of their old ways for better living conditions?
For sure! We totally believe everyone should have the choice (and hope they have a choice) to live a good life, however it is achieved. As with everything, there are things we enjoy that others will not, and vice versa. A lot of tourists clearly love these types of experiences. We have other preferences. And as what we knew prior to going there didn’t match what we expected, we share our own perspective for any future possible visitors to make up their own mind. We try to share our experiences and feelings fairly, but they are our experiences and feelings after all, whether others agree or not 🙂
@@WaleandMeI like the way you guys share your real thoughts and understand this mixed feeling. Keep up sharing your trips in China! They are very enjoyable!
Please don't go looking for what you are looking for with Western selfishness and prejudice. Traveling is to observe the life of people and the beautiful scenery of another place. Instead of judging other people's lives with their own speculation and subjectivity, it is very selfish and even unreasonable! Westerners always like to tell other people how to live!
@@Joe-ns9dg This is typical of some people. They have a superiority complex thinking all is right with their way of life. How do they preserve certain cultures? Look at what they have done to the "Indians". The cowboys put them out of the way in reservations so that they can maintain their culture.
Comentarios de los internautas chinos sobre ustedes La construcción comercial no está hecha para los extranjeros, sino para satisfacer las necesidades turísticas de los chinos. Nuestra población es decenas o incluso cientos de veces mayor que la de su país. Durante los días festivos, con miles de coches viajando, ¿cómo podemos recibir a los turistas sin alojamientos, hoteles, restaurantes, tiendas, etc.? Tienen un prejuicio fijo hacia el campo. Incluso si no es la industria turística, algunas zonas rurales también están muy desarrolladas, lo que contradice su impresión de una vida primitiva. Llevar una nota para que el personal del hotel nos ayude a escribir que comemos comida vegetariana y qué no comemos es algo que se puede resolver fácilmente. Parecen pensar que en toda China no hay lugares para comer. Están muy decepcionados, China no es como imaginaban, no es tan pobre como pensaban. Lo que en realidad quieren es esa sensación de pobreza tradicional, como si estuviéramos en una sociedad primitiva. Teóricamente, deberían haber ido a lugares de África como Egipto, no sé si les gustaría o no. He visto mucho de turismo barato, no pasa nada, incluso en India hay gente que lo hace solo para buscar fallos. Pero aquí, parece que quieren ocultarlo todo, siempre repitiendo que está demasiado comercializado. ¿Acaso esperan ver un pueblo de una minoría étnica en China en ruinas y en la miseria? Pues los decepcionará… El desarrollo del turismo rural es para mejorar la vida de los habitantes locales. No es como lo describen los medios extranjeros. Tal vez se sientan un poco decepcionados, pero esta es la China real. De todas maneras, les damos la bienvenida a China para que viajen. ¡Les deseamos un buen viaje! Estos dos siempre se quejan de la comercialización del campo, quieren que todos volvamos a la sociedad primitiva. Son conocidos como "la pareja que se queja". Están muy decepcionados, el material cada vez es menos, ¿cómo puedo criticar desde lo alto sin destruir? Siempre exigen de los demás. ¿Por qué en Europa no se visten con ropa de la época romana? En lugares como este, ¿cómo se puede desarrollar el turismo y permitir que los campesinos se beneficien más? Los extranjeros no entienden nada. Estos dos no tienen nada de actitud positiva. Cuando viajan, siempre están muy pendientes de prepararse bien. En China, la comida vegetariana está por todas partes. Si supieran decir algunas palabras clave, no estarían tan desorientados. ¡Todavía tienen mucho que aprender! Quieren ir a las zonas turísticas y luego se quejan del desarrollo. Si no lo desarrollaran, ¿dónde se quedarían? ¿Qué comerían? Si quieren ver lo original, vengan a nuestro pueblo. [Bostezo] Los extranjeros realmente solo quieren disfrutar de la sociedad civilizada. ¿No han visto la pobreza y se decepcionan, verdad?
I have watched your videos since your first trip to China and I enjoyed your free spirit, no planning perspective of it. You and the comments (ppl) do have their "valid" points. There was a very wealthy woman, I believed in 2000, where she spend all her fortunes (sold her houses) saving 'dogs" every year during the "Dog eating season", less than 5% Chinese ppl eat dogs. Fact 1: China has the largest "animals shelter" in the world. Fact 2: China is #2 in pet ownership, #1 belongs to U.S. Happy Exploring!
oh ali im with you on the meat markets even as a child i could never go into butchers of any kind. i would love to be vegetarian, but i know that will never happy as i have an intolerance to most vegetables, except onion, potato so long as its not fried and corn so my food intake is very poor. i have tried a few times i had to go back to eating chicken and bacon or starve. so it pains me to eat meat. like the 2 of you im a massive animal lover, so i think what you a walner eat always looks so nice and think the pair of you are awesome in every way. our approach to being as little of a tourist as possible is amazing as some places are just too commercialised. when we did hols it was always self catering so theres no time pressures to be somewhere at a pacific time schedule making the hols more enjoyable and going to out of the way places that are quieter and less commercialized. hols are to relax, take in the suroundings and culture and thats what the 2 of you have shown in these vlogs from your holiday in china. thank you for being you and showing us the good sides. whishing you both a very merry christmas and a happy new year for 2025. take care and stay safe xxx from rie and the girls xxx
I think some people forget that china is an ancient civilization of COMMERCE and BUSINESS. China is the birth place of world’s earliest Paper money Money and business is part of china’s authentic lifestyle
Thanks for sharing your experience and love! But honestly, the mountainous areas in developing countries really need more development. To those who complain about too much tourism development in scenic spots, maybe take a step back and think about it from the locals’ perspective. Only when their hometowns have opportunities to grow will they be more likely to stay and build their lives there. This doesn’t just boost the local economy and improve living standards， it also helps reduce the number of left-behind families. You mentioned there isn’t much English info about this place online. Even for overdeveloped tourist spots info is hard to find. So, for areas that aren’t developed, how would you even know they exist or get the chance to visit? Isn’t that a classic example of “survivorship bias”? If you could speak Chinese or use Chinese apps, you’d easily avoid the food you don’t want to eat, and there’d be tons of untouched villages to explore and enjoy.
I love this content because of the non touristy stuf. I completely get it, i live near the" Keukenhof" wich is super famous, but i will never go there.
I think the local villagers should not maintain a primitive life to satisfy the curiosity of Westerners, so why don't Europeans maintain the life they had hundreds of years ago. Not only Europeans have the right to develop and yearn for a better life, Chinese villagers also need to change and live a better life.
@@yulao5299 very well said. I can't get over the arrogance of these people, wanting to see poverty and misery. The people of China deserve to make a living from tourism the same as europe does.
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You don't understand a word of Chinese but want to seek the truest culture of China. This is inherently impossible. Also, rural areas in China have the right to develop. Remote rural areas have no industry. Only commercialization can lead to modernization. Rural people are also human beings. They have the right to a better life. Isn't this the "basic human right" that you in the West promote? Does one have to go hungry every day to be called real?
你一句中文也不懂，却想寻求最真实的中国文化。这在本质上是不可能的。此外，中国的农村地区有权发展。偏远农村地区没有工业。只有商业化才能带来现代化。农村人也是人。他们有权过上更好的生活。这不正是你们西方所倡导的“基本人权”吗？一个人必须每天挨饿才能被称为真实吗？
There are small-scale manufacturing and mining activities in rural areas.
Plenty of infrastructure projects on the pipelines
It seems u don't really know what it means to have a massive, like
really massive population.
In order to feed the population, plenty of jobs are needed. What u mentioned is just not enough. We need it all, including tourism.
Even though they didn't say it right out, what they meant is "Human Zoo". I am Chinese myself, just curious, would you like to go to a place where you see people sing and dance, but you can clearly see that there's not so much happiness in their faces? because they were told to do so to "invite "tourists to come to their village so they can make money? and you don't feel that you are seeing something artificial? They are expressing "that", OK? Yes, off course they can do whatever they want.
@@DNMD1224 thank you for your honesty and insight. I was in china 14 years ago and loved every minute of it. I know it is changing now, and I am glad to see that the rural population have the chance to earn some money in tourism now.
@@handaxia1251你每天上班的时候，能开心吗？百分之九十的人，实际上并不喜欢自己的工作。但是每天照样要工作。
really enjoy your previous videos, but I noticed something I wanted to share. It seems, maybe without realizing it, there’s a bit of a Western-centered perspective in how you talk about these places. For example, when you say you don’t want these minority villages to become commercialized, I can’t help but wonder, what are they supposed to do, live in a way that fits your idea of their culture? If they want to improve their lives economically, like anyone else, why is it wrong for them to embrace opportunities that might bring changes? If their kids can work less but earn enough to build their dream homes or travel the world, like you might do, who are we to criticize them for not “preserving their culture” the way we think they should?
And about using cars or technology-if that’s seen as “Westernizing” or losing their traditions, who gets to decide what direction their future should take? I’ve noticed many people from the West seem to subconsciously think technology and development are only for us. When we visit less developed countries, we want them to stay “authentic” for our own enjoyment. But when countries like China or others in the Global South embrace technology and development, they’re criticized for harming the environment or losing their culture. Some even go as far as saying they can’t handle technology and must have cheated or stolen it to get ahead.
I lived in China for 10 years and returned to the status during pandemic. During that time, I really reflected on the double standards we often have in the West when it comes to things like the environment and human rights. I’ve seen how people in China and other developing countries are desperately looking for technology and growth that we have. That’s not something we, with our history of colonialism, have any right to judge. I hope your travels inspire you to think more about how locals see their world and their future, rather than viewing it through the lens of what we, as outsiders, imagine their lives should be.
well said.
兄弟，你是真的没有白旅游这个世界，你没有白来一趟，真的是彻底心态放开了
Well said. It took myself, a Chinese to realize this as well.
Why do Chinese people lose their tradition when using cars? Why didn't Europeans abandon cars in order to preserve tradition? These two selfish Europeans.
6:00 to 8:00 Are you saying the village should stay “authentic”, in other words undeveloped and poor, so not to put a damper on your “travel in a village”experience? Such selfishness.
From what I see, the village and its surrounding scenery are pretty well preserved for which it should be congratulated. I didn’t see any high rise hotels. After all, didn’t you have a lovely view outside your room?
I really have issue with tourists who lamented that tourism changed the scenery and lives of the locals. One would be naive to expect otherwise. But with the revenue from tourism, the village may be able to afford better access to outside world, may be a hospital, schools and other welfare services. Guess how those nice roads and parking lots, for the convenience of the tourists I must say, come about? Pls get off your high horses.
I stopped watching after that segment.
I believe there is one ancient sage once said:
Beware of your thoughts, they will come out as words
@pengchewoon1926 Yeah... just like the mainstream Western media. They just want to see a backward, underdeveloped, impoverished China. Then don't go to China. China is an advanced, high tech country, not for you (I mean them). 😄😃😀
相同的睇法👍帶著偏見，往往旅行變得不滿意，這個頻道是我最後一次睇了！
这些傲慢的老外，总是期待着看到旧中国，破旧不堪，人民食不果腹，最好还在街上乞讨，汉人这样他们不会说什么，如果发现少数民族这样，马上一个虐待少数民族的大帽子就得扣过来，无语
Well, I don't think what they meint by "authentic" is simply "undeveloped and poor".It's only your opinion which in my eyes a little bit over-reacted. If you are truly caucious, you would see, how excited they have witnessed accidentally the gathering and dancing of the ethinic people Miao in the harvest festival. They just don't want to see the organised shows which just for the tourists, which I can totaly understand. Different people have different favorates.
No，I think they mean it was 'overdeveloped', it's too touristy. Imagine you enter a 'authentic' town with very traditional buildings then you found out all houses are actually either hotels or shops. These buildings only existed for tourists instead of people who actually live there. I think it's understandable for them to feel being 'cheated' by the surface of that town.
I don't understand why you should even feel conflicted. They need tourism for development, for the economy, like many cities all over the world. Do you not like the fancy room in the hotel in a village? Why? Do you need to see a squalor, a slum? Are you happy if it is a slum and an impoverished place? Then don't go to China. China is for the development of the people, be it in a village or a city or a small town. Also, we people watch not only in a village but everywhere, in the city, how people dress up, etc. Nothing wrong but only fantastic!
typical westerners who think they are so well versed in culture but actually live in their uneducated little idelaized bubble.
In addition, what you see is the most authentic rural area, which is the rural area in the poorest province in China. If you want to find a scene that fits the stereotype, please go to India.
actually China has so many people so there are lots of domestic travellers everywhere, you will find it is difficult to find a village without travellers. so what you saw is the real rural life in China, maybe it is not what you expected, but it is truly real.
You are disappointed because the place is more developed than you had thought. OMG! You even complain of the aircon, AC. Can't believe it.
Is funny they don't speak the language and wanting to go into places that is primitive and expect vegetarian food?
I am lost. 🙄
It sounds like they are looking for troubles then complain about it. They could sleep on the road or the bushes outside if the place is too fancy for them. I guess they were looking for tribal people tie them up and put them on a cooking pot? 😂 Not trying to be rude but their research failed, now they have to enjoy the real fancy China. 😄
I don't think that they were disapointed because the place is more developed. They were disapointed because of the “over-commercialization", which I could understand, because if you watch their old videos, you would know, they live by themself just in a simple and natural way. So they share their opinions just based on their own conviction. What's wrong about it?! So please just take it easy and try to understand what they really think and try to say. ;-)
经济基础决定上层建筑，欧美人看待这个世界的眼光真像外星人。一边悲天悯人，一边对当地的发展抱有偏见
自己國家可以蓋房可以建設， 但不准中國及其他發展中國家，希望他們永遠保持落後，我看他們新蓋的房子為何不蓋成18世紀前的建築，卻要中國的永遠保持以前的樣子 ，然後看看北京的胡同竟被他們說是貧民窟
You understand these pretentious people well. My respects to you. They want the world according to their twisted viewpoints. They should walk around their own country and demand all to go back to living in caves. Progress is okay for them but not to others who should remain poor as if that would be "genuine"?
对，这就是白左的病态，一群被阉割的自由主义者，他们希望看到的原生态纯自然，说白了就是不通水不通电的贫穷，你让他们自己过这种生活，他们绝对不能接受，这其中的贫穷和苦难他们是看不到的，他们就是来“体验”的，然后说几句不痛不痒的漂亮话就走了
那什么东西决定经济基础呢？😂
@@laofan2528 海盗基因
Vegetarian restaurants in China tend to be clustered around Buddhist temples, so if you find a temple, it's not far from a vegetarian restaurant.
Your desires for India and Africa can be met, the Chinese government's claim that 800 million people have been lifted out of poverty is not bluff
so confident, the vendors on street didn't seem to live a rich life
@@fredmoo6643中国人除了马云就是吃不起饭的？你先搞清楚什么叫贫困。
Wait so the West thinks China is a giant amusement park with people in costumes charging an entry fee!!!!??? OK!? Soooooo is the Queen ehem the King of England cosplaying and the soldiers with the funny hats also cosplaying in costume!??? Annnnnd they the rich charge people an entrance fee!!???
What about the British museum!? Anybody know about the British museum!?? no?
In fact, many villages in China are slowly becoming commercialized. There may not be many tourists, but these can improve rural life. Rural people also have the right to pursue a higher quality of life, and we cannot deprive them of these rights for other purposes.
China promotes the tourist economic; this is one of the actions to get people in the rural area out of poverty. I don't think there is anything wrong with it. actually, China built the world-class facility and infrastructure even in the rural area. that helps people to do the domestic travel from the big city to the rural area.
if you want to experience the real village life, but you never think about you don't speak Chinese, you even can't find out any hotel or restaurant in the village as all farmers have own house and they cooked by themselves, as a foreigner how do you survive there?
There are many ordinary rural areas in China, even Shanghai is no exception. However, if you insist on finding beautiful scenery, cultural characteristics, and well-known rural areas like Fenghuang Ancient Town in China to find faults, it is already special, but you find it too commercial. It's like when we went to Spain to find an ordinary church, we went to the Holy Family Cathedral and said that this church is not really an ordinary church, it is too commercial. It is our own business for ethnic minority people to want to live a better life or commercialize. We Chinese people will not be ashamed to wear ethnic minority clothes at all. Again, it is emphasized that all Chinese people wearing ethnic minority clothes are not cultural misappropriation, and foreign friends who love Chinese culture are not cultural misappropriation. It is only malicious and biased foreigners who wear cultural misappropriation.
開放旅遊，令他們生活過得更好，有旅遊自然有收入，生活有了保障！世上很難十全十美！如果他們不喜歡，是沒有人強迫到，不應說有點噁心，這是很不尊重！
中国到处都是普普通通的农村，为什么一边追求特色景观、民俗的同时一边又抱怨商业化过重呢？山区人均耕地面积那么少，一年忙下来依靠务农赚到的钱一个月才一两千人民币。那里的村民给游客服务、表演赚到的钱改善了他们的生活，这难道不是双赢吗。
好听点：既要又要
不好听：又当又立
It is pretentious to diss progress and desire certain people and their villages stand still for your benefit. These villages are allowed to maintain their standards and cultures. If you really want them to stand still, please understand that your presence as a tourist is disruptive. You start to impose your viewpoints on "animal cruelty" and whatnot?! Really? Be true to your word. Leave them be.
要学会倾听抱怨，我们中国人听不得抱怨，觉得抱怨就是跟你为敌，跟你过不去，和你找茬
因为以美国人看来农村原本就是安静和自然的地方，当然听说美国的农民有一大块私人的田地，农作物收购价也高（或许食物那么贵的原因在这），靠农田就已经够了
@@JeremiahYeager-xo2vu Exactly, these people... 💩 💩 💩
在中国想吃素食太容易了 你到的任何一个城市 都有一个或几个菜市场 有几百上千种素食选着 远多于欧洲 买来自己在青旅加工多好 不要将自己的选着变成别人的负担
At first I was also offended by the dancing or singing of the minorities, then I realized comparing to that little unhappniess I am more pleasant to see nummerous locals get jobs by doing this. they can stay in their villages and keep their traditions. In China it is called "poverty alleviation by tourism".
As a Chinese, I really hate the camping style of Westerners. They would go camping on the Great Wall, and then defecate there. When other tourists come to the Great Wall, they would say, "Oh my God, the Great Wall has a smell of poop." In the video, you mentioned going on a hike. You don't speak the same language, you're not familiar with the route, it's a mountainous area, it rains a lot and there are mudslides. What if something dangerous happens? Who will come to save you? How will you be rescued?
In the past, children had to walk 1-2 hours on mountain roads to go to school. The government built roads to help the local people out of poverty, but in your eyes, it has affected your travel experience. To be honest, I don't think you can find the picture you imagine in China, as your media has never reported China accurately.
You think this is not the real Chinese countryside, you are wrong, this is the real countryside, the development of tourism in these backward areas is one of the main poverty alleviation programs of the Chinese government, roads, water, electricity and Internet are planned and built by the government, you can know the beautiful scenery from the Internet, Chinese people must have already known, you should not expect them to be mysterious.
Perhaps you should do some more research first before you travel because the whole judgmental behavior is kind of annoying especially when you keep shouting the whole time that you don’t know what you are doing. There are many rural areas in China where you will not find another tourist. Btw many of those hotels are owned and run by local people so small time entrepreneurs who trying to put food on the table. So be respectful. You wanted the real rural experience and raising animals for food is part of it. Having a vegan diet in China is certainly possible but it requires communication and therefore some upfront research. I don’t think you are people with bad intentions but you have to realize that you are abroad so keep an open mind.
There are many primitive rural areas in China, but they are not equipped to receive tourists. Those rural areas are very remote, and you cannot stay overnight. They have no ornamental value. There are only big mountains, and you must charter a car to go there. If an attraction is visited by 100,000 tourists every year, it will definitely be commercialized. Everything is commercialized to serve tourists. Guizhou has many natural attractions that are worth visiting. In particular, Huangguoshu Waterfall is very spectacular and must be visited. I don’t know if there are still waterfalls in winter, and whether the water flow will decrease in winter. You should check first. Have you been to Zhangjiajie? The locations where the Avatar movie was filmed are purely natural landscapes and are very beautiful.
贵州最壮观的反而不是黄果树瀑布! 而是马岭河瀑布群！！！ 去过一次永生难忘，想象一下沿河铺开的瀑布群，已经不是壮观可以形容了！
我真的很讨厌白人的露营文化，他们跑到长城上露营，所以当你去爬长城的时候，你会闻到屎味和尿味，现在他们还想带着这些文化跑到中国的偏远农村去，可他们连中国的蹲坑厕所都用接受不了
这一队是穷游，他们一直在找不收门票的景点，张家界他们路过不会去的，他们只去了凤凰。在中国想找不收费的景点还是比较难的。哈哈！
@@FrankZhang-pj9nn 原生态的农村根本没有能力接待老外，太偏僻。只要有人的地方就有江湖，就会被商业化。穷游太省了。
你别说了，他们想象的原始农村肯定是印度那种的，中国最原始的农村也已经通水通电了，而且设施齐全也很干净，很多家都有小车方便拉货，这都是政府这些年大量投入组织建设的，但村子规模很小，也没什么旅游特色，都是农作物，也几乎没有供游客使用的房间，而且农村大部分是旱厕，现在好多城里人都适应不了，更何况这些白人
There’s many dogs hovering around on the street. I don’t think someone who’d like to eat dog. They sell it as pets. If dogs are killed as food. You can’t see dogs on the street. At least I hadn’t saw any. So my thinking is that
Again they assumed certain traits to people without facts. Typical.
I'm curious, are all animal protectors in Europe as abnormal as they are? Calling the act of slaughtering and selling meat on-site "animal abuse"?
Some people like to eat dog meat, but there are only a few of them. For example, I don’t like it. And in order to satisfy the taste of this small group of people, there are dogs specially bred for food, instead of pet dogs or dogs raised by ordinary people at home. Just as he pigs raised the same, so please don't worry. It’s just that the Western media likes to report on the fact that Chinese people eat dogs, so they create the image that most Chinese people love to eat dog meat and abuse their pets. This is actually not true hahaha😂😂
@@左家垅扛把 I am confused. If I am a minority, we have the tradition of eating dog meat. If someone forbids eating dog meat, is it "cultural genocide" against us?
@@Laobiao666 kind of haha
Please please please stop whining about the lack of vegan food.....get over yourselves....you went to China willingly, knowing their customs etc. And they are just the same as Spain for tourism. If you want to be on your own, then stay at home. Such mean behaviour. Travelling is expensive wherever you go. Accept it, and get on with it.
2 người này lúc nào cũng cố ra vẻ là những khách du lịch cởi mở nhưng trong lòng của họ đầy định kiến, luôn muốn dạy bảo người khác phải sống như thế nào, có lẽ việc cho rằng họ ăn thuần chay, yêu động vật và bảo vệ môi trường sẽ khiến họ thanh cao hơn những người dân phải bận rộn chật vật mưu sinh kiếm sống hàng ngày. Ở châu Á việc những tu sĩ hoặc các tín đồ Phật giáo ăn thuần chay không phải là hiếm nhưng họ sẽ cố không đem vấn đề ăn uống của mình ra để khoe khoang hoặc khiến nó trở thành gánh nặng cho người khác.
I thoroughly agree with your comments. People need to be more accepti g of cultures that are different to theirs. Nobody is better than others. Lessons need to be learned🎉@@nguyenbaokhanh2005
I honestly don't know how you can live your life without enjoying cheese!
确实很有趣，这大概是某些基督徒传教本性的正常发挥吧
You are right
Many liberals in the west see corners in the world that are untouched by modernity as Eden rediscovered. The reality is, those areas are often some of the poorest regions on earth, people have no access to electricity, no running water, the food they grow can barely feed them, and if any natural disaster strikes, they are mostly likely left starving, kids there have no access to education, if they get sick, they have little access to modern medicine, most people die pretty early, and most children won't survive to adulthood, China was like that, in 1945, our grandfather generation, the average life expectancy was just 35-40 years old, Unlike people that are from west, Chinese people have memory of what it is like to be living in poverty, many still remember, or have been told by elder just one generation up how it is like being starved. That is exactly why they are very offended by your message, In the west, living off-grid is a lifestyle choice, if they got sick of it, they could move back to modernity, however, in many of developing worlds, that is the condition they are born into that they have little to no chance of escaping.
你可以有你的观点，但你的观点里不应该要求别人怎么做，要保留原始还是要旅游开发，应该取决于居民意愿。没有人不想大富大贵，而旅游开发，恰恰是对原始景观的保护，否则，你参观的村落可能会变成工厂，为了赚钱。旅游开发让赚钱和保护得到了平衡，没有人会守着穷村子过一辈子。但你却为了你的旅游体验，要求村民穷一辈子，从而满足你的心理需求。
我给你另外一个视角，中国作为第一工业制造国，如果想实现农业自动化，根本没有很大的难度（而且中国又不是所谓的民主社会，做决策就是几天的事情，都没有国会动辄数月数年的讨论）。但是这几亿农民就得被赶到城市里，可是中国哪能提供那么多就业岗位，那样中国的城市就会和巴西、印度一样，出现成片成片的贫民窟。问题是中国人相比二三十年前已经算是体会过现代化生活了，所以只能搞各种农村旅游开发，就像你说的去哪里都要收取门票，也是为了给当地农民提供收入。欧洲人社会启蒙得早，工业化历程也早，确实会关注是否过度开发，人与环境是否和谐等话题，但对于拉美非洲和亚洲的绝大国家和地区，现在首要的问题是让人先吃饱穿暖，当然中国目前确实是消灭了极端贫困，但大多数农民的生活只能说确保了下限而已。Here's another perspective: China, as the world's leading manufacturing nation, would face no significant difficulty in implementing agricultural automation (and since China isn't a so-called democratic society, decision-making can be done in just a few days without the prolonged discussions typical in parliaments that can last for months or years). However, this would push hundreds of millions of farmers into the cities, but where would China find enough jobs for all of them? This would lead to Chinese cities resembling those in Brazil and India, with vast slums. The problem is, compared to thirty or forty years ago, Chinese people have experienced modern life, so the only option is to develop various forms of rural tourism, as you mentioned, charging entry fees everywhere to provide income for local farmers. Europeans, having undergone social enlightenment earlier and with industrialization having started earlier, do indeed focus on issues like overdevelopment and the harmony between humans and the environment. However, for most countries and regions in Latin America, Africa, and Asia, the primary concern is ensuring people have enough to eat and wear. China has indeed eradicated extreme poverty, but for most farmers, their lives are just above the bare minimum.
1 RMB for 1 EUR-the child may not realize she’s getting the better deal, but you do. Yet, you’re still willing to give her this joy. You’re truly kind.
the innocent is the same😝
People tend to think that "sure China is rich, but only their main big cities and I bet their villages are all poor and traditional, kept as it is".
But that's not the case at all because of all the Poverty Alleviation Programs that the central gov has done; basically each main rural parts have had help with their infrastructure and communication, and they have found a way to sustain their local economy, be it by local manufacturing products, farming, or good ol' showing their customs as a part of tourism.
You can stay calm about this last part, because regional and ethnic identities are taken strongly with pride, and everyone wants to preserve and show off their root, without mentioning that there's actual actions for all these cultural matter (you know, chinese people are most proud of their history and food over anything else).
What's the problem with commercialization? People in some remote areas of China are very poor. They need to improve their lives through commercialization so that they can live like you. You are not willing to live the way you lived hundreds of years ago. ? Westerners are really selfish and always only look at problems from their own perspective. Why don't they consider the urgent needs of the poor mountain people to improve their lives? They change so that they can live a better life, not so that you can see how they live a primitive life and remain poor.
白左之所以被人厌恶就是象这两位，太虚，太自我，又喜欢指手划脚。
因为他们从未经历过长期贫穷的生活，只把别人贫穷的苦难当成他们游玩过程中的“调味剂”，对普通人渴望过上更好生活的努力缺少敬畏心。
活在肥皂泡里的人，让他过几年穷日子就明白了
@@fargr5926已经开始了，眼见他起高楼，眼见他宴宾客，眼见他楼塌了😂
欧洲不是已经开始衰落了吗？美国不也在走下神坛了吗？
我觉得未来可见的时代，就是昂撒人的末日😂
这两位看上去自身生活条件也不太好
Words of advice. If you are a whiner, don't travel. Your country, Spain, is pathetic, but you are comfortable being there since you are based in Spain. So stay there.
同意你的观点！😀
@@PomegranateChocolate Spain is pathetic? Are you an uneducated troll?
植物也有生命😢，他们也由细胞组成，我是植物保护者，人们对待植物非常残忍，好像他们没有生命一样。说到这里我的眼泪都要流下来了。我不吃任何蔬菜和肉，我平常靠喝乙醇活着。
哈哈哈兄弟你是懂阴阳的😂
一想到动物变成餐桌上的肉，我不争气的泪水从嘴角流下来。🤤When I thought about animals becoming meat on the table, tears started to flow from the corners of my mouth.
旅游业只会让当地人变得收入更多，如果你们只是想看原始部落，那对不起，因为中国的没有那样的地方
落後的地方還是有的。最大的問題是他們語言不通又挑食，真的去了就有夠他們受的。
In today's world, there are fewer and fewer channels with independent temperament. You are lucky to have found your own unique way of shooting, slow and telling, a slowly heated and non-violent way to show the adventure of an unknown world. Although it is slow, I believe it will attract more and more subscribers. In China, there is no need to deliberately look for differences. This civilization is too old, as long as you understand it deeply. Every village has its own stories and traditions from thousands of years ago.
This an example of European elitists virtual signaling!
It is first time I seen a tourist with mindset " Dang , it is not awful enough for our experience " I hope you still enjoy your tour in China though.
China is not a zoo. Asia is not Europe's playground.
Rural areas in China is not hard to find. And they are beautiful too.
But if you are looking for poor places you will be disappointed.
those once the poorest villages in China decided open their gates to tourists , trading for better life , and government promoted and championed for them, that is why you guys got the half-authentic feeling, that is quite normal in the rural areas in Guizhou. Adapt and enjoy, we the local guys are all happy those rural people can live better life rather than staying in the poorest authentic
I show you guys some methods. When you find some interesting mushrooms in the market. But you guys don’t have a kitchen. You can buy the mushrooms. And take it to nearby restaurants to ask shoppers to cook for you. You only just pay for cooking price
没有一家有经验的餐馆会为来历不明的蘑菇进行带料加工的
I feel peace, calm and happiness in your Chinese village videos.
THANKS! village is so amazing...
To be honest it really stand out you guy are riding green slow train, when every vlogger want to show high speed train! It kind of nostalgia for someone last in China in 1984, we took slow train from Guangzhou, Hangzhou, suzhou, Nanjing to Beijing! Those were the days😊😊😊
We love the green trains, they’re amazing! 🥰
Great adventure. I admit your home renovation videos are my favorite. But I enjoyed the beautiful countryside of the places you visited.
When I saw the market hall… filled up with veggies and mushrooms - I want to go there, too… only to get vegetables and then go hiking in the forests around the villages and towns 😊
I love your videos!!!!❤
我的家乡 柳州，很漂亮的一座城市❤😊柳江的水质是全国第一（就是城市中那一条） 夏天炎热的时候，大家都喜欢下江去游泳😂
Thanks for sharing a different way of travelling, more interesting and authentic. I wish this world would be a better place both for humans and animals! Thanks again for standing up for all sentient beings✨🙏
I am conflicted with your travels. I believe you travel with a pure heart to want to be engulfed in culture. Keep the emotion out of it, which may be perceived as “judgy” of the Chinese culture.
Your food choices should have been well researched before embarking on this holiday. Embrace the variety of food choices or shop at a local market and make your own food. This is very doable.
enjoy the local food and variety of choices is the true organic way
I enjoyed your travel vlog. The villages were beautiful and the festivals were nice quite interesting.
You should know that China is still a developing country, so what's wrong with commercializing these places to boost local economic development and improve the employment rate of the people?Is it true that in your eyes, the farmers in China are still the image with their backs to the sun and face to the loess? Unfortunately, that was many years ago. Don't be so arrogant.
大家告诉他们我们真实想法和指出他们不妥之处的评论他们是一条都没点赞呀😅
我也发现了😂 😂😂其实就是你说了他就不接受嘛。不过也没什么大不了的，毕竟各种各样的人都有嘛
他们不适合来中国旅游，建议到非洲部落去！
27:42 如果你们吃素食。豆腐是个不错的选择。在中国黄豆可以加工成几十种素食，豆腐是其中之一，相信你们会喜欢其豆制品。
他们的问题是他们真的没怎么做功课，如果自己有特殊饮食需求好歹查一下中国的素食情况。中国不会有专门的素食者套餐，因为几乎每间饭店都有几个家常素菜可以点，对我们来说吃素菜不是问题，但是如果不懂中文，也不提前查几个常见素菜那只能说会变得很困难。但如果是我，我第二天就会把我是素食者，请问你有纯素菜吗这句话的中文给存下来……都已经是第三个城市了还一点准备不做，只能说他们自己在给自己增加难度，然后抱怨。
I'm sorry I didn't show you the ghetto countryside, but it's not our fault, farmers have the right to a better life
I enjoyed the videos of China very much is like am traveling with you , have a lot of fun guys ,God bless you!
Glad you like them and thanks for traveling with us. ❤
The square table in the room is for playing Mahjong, a tile-based game for 4 persons, very popular in Southern China as well as in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Southeast Asia and the USA, however it is common that people gamble for money while playing Mahjong…that is why it says no gambling is allowed in the room.😅
I see many critisism in comments which I concern them as over-reaction. As a chinese I don't think that Wale&me wanted to see undeveloped or poor rural place in china or in anywhere. They just want to see people living in their natrual life without or with less commercial purpose, which I totally understand and also would like to see during my travel. Just as they showed their appreciation and excitement by seeing the gathering and dancing of Miao-People with beautiful and astonishing dresses on the harvest festival. They just share their views based on their life philosophy, on which they also live with. I admire that. So, please be open minded and just try to understand other people or each other. This world would be much nicer! :-)
Glad you decided to post this. I get tired of watching the same destinations over and over. I'll never travel to China so seeing it through your travels, good and bad, is what I enjoy so thank you ❤️.
Thank you! This is exactly what we hope to achieve ♥️
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Hello, I am watching your video since you came to China, and I really admire your peaceful and humble attitude about China.
But as many comments said, I have to say in many cases it is much better to have a HIGHER VIEW about the SO CALLED CULTURE protection in western medias ideas. Western media like to show many original lives in African, Asia, Latin America..., but at that time these medias forgot the "Human right" they mentioned all the time, you KNOW that it is not healthy to eat raw animal meat, to naked in the open area, to live in a tent that is fragile to wind, snow or heavy rains, but why suddenly you think these are their "CULTURE" to be reserved? If it was, 2000 years ago that was every human being's culture including you US&EU people, now you are living in a stone, wood or cement made house while you think they, or we have to keep the so called "culture"? Isn't that the fixed ARROGANCE from your westerners deep mind? Like the Tibetans now have their cement house, many westerns says that is "Culture genocide", while Chinese including Tibetan themselves think wtf of this? If you have SAFE WARM STABLE house, WHO IS WILLING TO GO ON THE TENT LIFE? WE DON“T HAVE OUR HUMAN RIGHT TO HAVE A BETTER LIFE？
Any way, keeping in mind the good ideas of HUMAN RIGHT from your precious western ideas, and understand culture is valuable thing BUT IT WILL FINALLY ONLY EXIST IN MUSEUMS LIKE EU BECAUSE IN MANY CASES PEOPLE WANT TO ABANDON THEM AND TURN TO CIVILIZATION FOR BETTER LIFE, WHICH IS ALSO PART OF CULTURE.
For the real rural life you are looking for all the time, I have a UA-camr suggested to you, who is @kats_journey_east, she is a US lady who really lived in China countryside for a long time, maybe she can give you some suggestions how to find a real country life in China.
Finally thanks again for showing the real life in China, and hoping you have a soul review about what I said, which is most Chinese people's idea about these hypocrisy from western media.
don't overthink. It is what it is. Tourism servicing is now part of their livelihood, so that's their current culture. Towns like this is part tourism , part normal village life. Not everyone is entertaining guests there. Anyways great content, going off the beaten path.
I am SO glad you did not scrap this video - you two are authentic and it is an absolute privilege to watch your travels in China (very heart sore & disturbing regarding the meat 😩). I have never desired to travel in China but your perspective makes me want to experience it😮
Sending you wishes for continued experiences and authentic adventures from SA💚💚💚
♥️♥️♥️
I love your channel and please just film what you want. ❤It's never boring to take part of your life. Don't compare yourself to other channels, yours is yours and unique. I have travelled the same way you have and I completely understand what you are searching for. It's boring to be in tourist areas and you can connect so much more with people elsewhere and that is so fun and lovely. Thanks for letting us in in your life! ❤❤❤
我们可不是海盗国家，中国农民想靠自己双手过上好日子何罪之有？
I am a Chinese. Any restaurant can provide vegetarian food, but you have not done any research and just judge based on your own ideas. Have you ever thought that you are always confining your thoughts in your own circle of thought?
budget travelers try to be
phi·los·o·phers ? A strange mix
I'm so glad that you decided to holiday the way you are. I totally agree with you and there is nothing worse than feeling like you are being performed for all of the time, it sort of defeats the purpose completely. I'm not sure how you managed to hold it together with the animal markets, it couldn't have been easy. It really looks like such an amazing place, I just love the banter from the locals who are not used to meeting Europeans, very friendly and interested. I am really happy that you have made the right decisions and followed your instincts. Such a wonderful interesting video. ❤
Too much grumbling here. What do you expect. Tourism minus development? Ai ya ya!!
你可以在任何菜馆告诉店主你吃“素”，他就不会放肉的。也可以直接找素菜馆。中国佛教常年吃素。吃素在中国真的没有这么难。中国千年的佛教历史演化出了非常棒的素食。品种多到你无法想象。你只是没找对地方。 vegan in china is actually not that difficult. you can just tell every restaurant 素菜 which means vegan or go to all vegan restaurant，you can find them easily near buddish temple. Buddison religious are not allow to eat meat， which has develop a rich vegan food cultures for thousands of years. the varieties of vegan food is not what you can imagine. u just haven't found it yet.
If u prefer to eat veggies, it's so easy to find vegetables in vegetables markets in every city and town, just pay a little money to buy a small electric pot to take it with u. U can cook everywhere.
Rural China is very interesting. I know an American girl who has been living in rural China for a long time
Clicked like for the coin exchange with curious kid. When I was young, I loved to look at foreign coins and stamps, which I got from my big sister who was studying overseas.
Such a wonderful feeling! Watching your videos makes me feel relaxed and happy. Maybe it’s because I love your slow-paced travels and unique perspective? It feels so genuine, more like friends sharing their journey with me.
Very interesting. As you pointed out, life is interesting enough without choreography.
Exactly! ♥️
I enjoy your travel, thank you for showing us ❤
i enjoy your narrative very much in every China vlog, very different from other travler vlog. very truely narrative.
Escape from the hustle and bustle of the city, and you’ll return to what’s real. I truly enjoy your videos-calm, relaxed, unknown yet full of surprises. A peaceful and simple life, filled with contentment and a love for living, is truly fulfilling. Wishing you safe travels and an enjoyable journey!
What an amazing adventure you’re on! To do this all on your own, just the two of you……. Wow!!!
Love your expression of living an alternative life by traveling. Hope you enjoy yourselves in the South West of China!
Really enjoying your travels - such a fascinating place.
Vegetarians can opt for MaLaTang(麻辣烫) and then choose only vegetables, a snack that is very popular in China
I get your conflicted feelings. On the one hand they’re losing their authentic way of traditional living but on the other hand they’re probably living better lives and rising above previous poverty.
In the end it’s up to what they want and it seems they’re choosing giving up some of their old ways for better living conditions?
i totally agreed with you, i thought bout this too and i would choose better life
For sure! We totally believe everyone should have the choice (and hope they have a choice) to live a good life, however it is achieved. As with everything, there are things we enjoy that others will not, and vice versa. A lot of tourists clearly love these types of experiences. We have other preferences. And as what we knew prior to going there didn’t match what we expected, we share our own perspective for any future possible visitors to make up their own mind. We try to share our experiences and feelings fairly, but they are our experiences and feelings after all, whether others agree or not 🙂
@@WaleandMeI like the way you guys share your real thoughts and understand this mixed feeling. Keep up sharing your trips in China! They are very enjoyable!
时代是变化的，传统生活也是，如果坚持保留，那当地就应该是几千年前的传统。当一些传统已经不适应现代的思想发展之后，就应该被大众淘汰，以博物馆等特定的形式保存，而不是继续留在人民生活中。比如，在中国女人裹脚是传统，如今已经不被接受了，你却要在农村寻找这些，单纯的有病。
@@WaleandMe Not as expected? What were your expectations?Poor? Primitive?
Please we love all you're video's. Thank so so much
Please don't go looking for what you are looking for with Western selfishness and prejudice. Traveling is to observe the life of people and the beautiful scenery of another place. Instead of judging other people's lives with their own speculation and subjectivity, it is very selfish and even unreasonable! Westerners always like to tell other people how to live!
你们欧美人生活富裕了，才会思考人与自然的关系，才会产生素食主义者，这些属于上层建筑的东西。中国尤其是农村地区，经济基础还很落后，发展是第一要务，要让农民也过上幸福的生活。在中国上海等发达地区，也有女权主义，环境保护，动物保护，LGBT等思潮。不同发展阶段的目标是不同的。
As a Chinese,I never been this place before,nice trip❤,best wishes to you
希望你有点自尊，不是每个老外都去谄媚，真恶心！
@@Joe-ns9dg 你有毛病吧
@@Joe-ns9dg This is typical of some people. They have a superiority complex thinking all is right with their way of life. How do they preserve certain cultures? Look at what they have done to the "Indians". The cowboys put them out of the way in reservations so that they can maintain their culture.
Comentarios de los internautas chinos sobre ustedes
La construcción comercial no está hecha para los extranjeros, sino para satisfacer las necesidades turísticas de los chinos. Nuestra población es decenas o incluso cientos de veces mayor que la de su país. Durante los días festivos, con miles de coches viajando, ¿cómo podemos recibir a los turistas sin alojamientos, hoteles, restaurantes, tiendas, etc.?
Tienen un prejuicio fijo hacia el campo. Incluso si no es la industria turística, algunas zonas rurales también están muy desarrolladas, lo que contradice su impresión de una vida primitiva.
Llevar una nota para que el personal del hotel nos ayude a escribir que comemos comida vegetariana y qué no comemos es algo que se puede resolver fácilmente. Parecen pensar que en toda China no hay lugares para comer.
Están muy decepcionados, China no es como imaginaban, no es tan pobre como pensaban.
Lo que en realidad quieren es esa sensación de pobreza tradicional, como si estuviéramos en una sociedad primitiva. Teóricamente, deberían haber ido a lugares de África como Egipto, no sé si les gustaría o no. He visto mucho de turismo barato, no pasa nada, incluso en India hay gente que lo hace solo para buscar fallos. Pero aquí, parece que quieren ocultarlo todo, siempre repitiendo que está demasiado comercializado.
¿Acaso esperan ver un pueblo de una minoría étnica en China en ruinas y en la miseria? Pues los decepcionará… El desarrollo del turismo rural es para mejorar la vida de los habitantes locales. No es como lo describen los medios extranjeros. Tal vez se sientan un poco decepcionados, pero esta es la China real. De todas maneras, les damos la bienvenida a China para que viajen. ¡Les deseamos un buen viaje!
Estos dos siempre se quejan de la comercialización del campo, quieren que todos volvamos a la sociedad primitiva. Son conocidos como "la pareja que se queja".
Están muy decepcionados, el material cada vez es menos, ¿cómo puedo criticar desde lo alto sin destruir?
Siempre exigen de los demás. ¿Por qué en Europa no se visten con ropa de la época romana?
En lugares como este, ¿cómo se puede desarrollar el turismo y permitir que los campesinos se beneficien más? Los extranjeros no entienden nada.
Estos dos no tienen nada de actitud positiva.
Cuando viajan, siempre están muy pendientes de prepararse bien. En China, la comida vegetariana está por todas partes. Si supieran decir algunas palabras clave, no estarían tan desorientados. ¡Todavía tienen mucho que aprender!
Quieren ir a las zonas turísticas y luego se quejan del desarrollo. Si no lo desarrollaran, ¿dónde se quedarían? ¿Qué comerían? Si quieren ver lo original, vengan a nuestro pueblo. [Bostezo] Los extranjeros realmente solo quieren disfrutar de la sociedad civilizada.
¿No han visto la pobreza y se decepcionan, verdad?
The Chinese churro is strongly recommended to have it with soymilk! Every one who have Chinese churro do this
他们这对是穷游，所以大多数情况他们一分钱也要想想，看他们吃的东西就懂了....都是比便宜更便宜的🙁🙁🙁🙁
韩国人在中国旅游花的钱比欧洲人确实多多了😅
@@jie-n8j东亚三国，消费能力最强。这是有数据的，而且是国外的数据，不是中国一言堂
I have watched your videos since your first trip to China and I enjoyed your free spirit, no planning perspective of it. You and the comments (ppl) do have their "valid" points.
There was a very wealthy woman, I believed in 2000, where she spend all her fortunes (sold her houses) saving 'dogs" every year during the "Dog eating season", less than 5% Chinese ppl eat dogs. Fact 1: China has the largest "animals shelter" in the world. Fact 2: China is #2 in pet ownership, #1 belongs to U.S. Happy Exploring!
Less than 1%
@@viperkaiyu6384
oh ali im with you on the meat markets even as a child i could never go into butchers of any kind. i would love to be vegetarian, but i know that will never happy as i have an intolerance to most vegetables, except onion, potato so long as its not fried and corn so my food intake is very poor. i have tried a few times i had to go back to eating chicken and bacon or starve. so it pains me to eat meat. like the 2 of you im a massive animal lover, so i think what you a walner eat always looks so nice and think the pair of you are awesome in every way. our approach to being as little of a tourist as possible is amazing as some places are just too commercialised. when we did hols it was always self catering so theres no time pressures to be somewhere at a pacific time schedule making the hols more enjoyable and going to out of the way places that are quieter and less commercialized. hols are to relax, take in the suroundings and culture and thats what the 2 of you have shown in these vlogs from your holiday in china. thank you for being you and showing us the good sides. whishing you both a very merry christmas and a happy new year for 2025. take care and stay safe xxx from rie and the girls xxx
the lady in uniform is the captain of this train. she is trying to decribe the beauty of guizhou
I think some people forget that china is an ancient civilization of COMMERCE and BUSINESS. China is the birth place of world’s earliest Paper money
Money and business is part of china’s authentic lifestyle
Thanks for sharing your experience and love! But honestly, the mountainous areas in developing countries really need more development. To those who complain about too much tourism development in scenic spots, maybe take a step back and think about it from the locals’ perspective. Only when their hometowns have opportunities to grow will they be more likely to stay and build their lives there. This doesn’t just boost the local economy and improve living standards， it also helps reduce the number of left-behind families.
You mentioned there isn’t much English info about this place online. Even for overdeveloped tourist spots info is hard to find. So, for areas that aren’t developed, how would you even know they exist or get the chance to visit? Isn’t that a classic example of “survivorship bias”?
If you could speak Chinese or use Chinese apps, you’d easily avoid the food you don’t want to eat, and there’d be tons of untouched villages to explore and enjoy.
Thank you for sharing your experiences with us. I am excited to see the rest of your travels.
Have a wonderful festive season xxx
Great example of Western execptionalism right here.
I love this content because of the non touristy stuf.
I completely get it, i live near the" Keukenhof" wich is super famous, but i will never go there.
在中国，如果是把景区圈起来收费才能进的村庄，你们是体验不到本土风情的... 还不如去一些普通的村庄更有意义，当然你们可能也很难找到，我也特别讨厌过渡开发的景区...但在中国能保持原始又不商业化，这种已经越来越少了！ 但凡你们能查到有名的地方，一定商业化😂。很多景区同质化 确实也是个问题。 吃素其实还好解决的，主要还是因为语言问题吧，沟通确实是个大问题。你们可以去下云南大理、丽江、我觉得你们会喜欢，四川省川西也不错，哪里更接近大自然。祝你们旅途愉快！
您可以在中国找别的没有旅游资源的乡村。我看到您对这个地方好像有些抱怨，认为这不是想象中的中国农村。这是中国因地制宜改造乡村的一种方式，在旅游业发展之前，因为地理山区，每年是没有多少产物，而旅游业拯救了当地村民，跟种地相比，村民和当地政府收入增加，是大家乐意看到的，他们更愿意这样，与种不出多少农作物产量相比，他们也宁愿像一位评论所说的“被表演”。旅游业盘活当地本不发达的经济，让村民生活水平提高，在中国很多乡村施行。中国很多农村恨不得自己也有旅游资源呢。
I don’t think there’s still some people choose dog meat nowadays. I think maybe they sell it as pets
There are many other countries that eat dogs. Go to Korea. Surprise?
I think the local villagers should not maintain a primitive life to satisfy the curiosity of Westerners, so why don't Europeans maintain the life they had hundreds of years ago. Not only Europeans have the right to develop and yearn for a better life, Chinese villagers also need to change and live a better life.
@@yulao5299 very well said. I can't get over the arrogance of these people, wanting to see poverty and misery. The people of China deserve to make a living from tourism the same as europe does.
贵州的确是相对冷门的旅游地方，你去镇远县我就非常不可思议，镇远这个名字就听起来很远😂