Samantha Brown’s Passport to China
Did anyone else catch this last night?
I have to say that I think she did an exceptional job of getting across what it’s like to travel in China.
She did three shows, one each on Beijing, Chengdu, and Xian.
At first I was disappointed that she went to Badaling for the Great Wall, I wanted to see her climb up instead of taking the cable car to the top. And, I wanted to see her experience the Wall without all of the crowds. But once she was at the top she started walking until there were no more crowds, so she got the effect of standing on the Great Wall by herself.
I also appreciated that she touched on so many of the small things that hit you when you are in China: the traffic, the people doing Tai Chi in so many of the little parks you walk by, how good it feels to eat a familiar meal without chopsticks after you’ve been there for a week eating every meal with chopsticks, how the food in China is nothing like Chinese food in America, the mix of ancient and modern, the awe of watching the shadow hand thing (I thought I was the only person that mesmerized by it), and the feeling of centuries of history weighing down upon you at times.
She didn’t treat unusual experiences as being bizarre, she treated them as an adventure. And she kept an open mind about things.
RK and I both laughed after her “foot massage” (which, for those who haven’t experienced one, massages a good part of the body, not just the feet). Her comment at the end was that this alone was worth the trip to China. For the record, RK and I both agree with her.
The Travel Channel has a lot of things planned for China in the coming week. I hope the rest of the programs are as well done as these were.
August 1st, 2008 at 1:04 pm
Saw it!!! called our inlaws and they watched as well!! I just love all the media focus on China…at least the good parts..and I thought her show was really really good!
LID 6/23/08
Waiting for LOA!
August 1st, 2008 at 1:17 pm
We’ve seen all of the episodes (except for last Sunday night - I forgot!!). They are great. I really like Samantha Brown’s shows more than the others.
August 1st, 2008 at 1:18 pm
My favorite was when she visited the pandas. And she got to hold one! I would love to do that.
August 1st, 2008 at 1:34 pm
We’ve missed the shows-maybe they will replay. Help a girl out here…What’s the ’shadow hand thing’?
August 1st, 2008 at 1:43 pm
They are being replayed on Saturday afternoon beginning at 12:00 pm CST.
August 1st, 2008 at 1:45 pm
I didn’t see it, but I hope it airs again.
I have to say though that the foot massage was excruciating for me. Maybe it is just in Changsha…but I go barefoot all the time and have tough feet and love when my husband gives me a foot massage, but the guy in China was killing me! Not my favorite thing in China….and I only got roped into it by my then 12yo who was dying for a massage and since it was so cheap we had agreed to let her have one…but another mom and I went the night before Gotcha as a special treat and I had thumbprint bruises all down my back and refused to go again. But I did not want my 12 yo alone in the room so I sat with her and they kept offering stuff so I thought the foot massage would be a safe bet…not for me.
August 1st, 2008 at 1:56 pm
I’m already planning my next trip to China and I still haven’t gone on my first. Next trip, I’m visiting Chengdu and Xian.
Sharon
DOR: 7-7-08 for MaryAlice
TA: 8-1-08
August 1st, 2008 at 2:20 pm
Sweet! Time to break in the DVR… I’m glad they are re-broadcasting it. I only got to see a few minutes of it the first time around.
August 1st, 2008 at 2:53 pm
The shows are really great, Sam Brown is just so accepting and matter of fact. She is in awe of most everything she sees, from the simple to the most elaborate. I loved how she was standing in the guard house on the wall trying to take in the age and history of it all, it is next to impossible and that came through. The Mongols, the soldiers walking, touching the walls, it was very good. I was thrilled to see the mask dancing. I loved the movie The Mask and it was great to get to see it in action, I didn’t get to see that when we were there and have been fascinated by it since seeing the movie. Get those DVR’s on line folks! Don’t miss this series if you can help it. I am just amazed at how emotional I get when I see China’s history right in front of me. I can barely believe I have two children that were actually born in that country, simply amazing!
August 1st, 2008 at 4:07 pm
I watched the first episode for the second time last night, but zonked on the couch when the next one started! We saw the Beijing one on demand about a week ago, I’ll have to check and see if the others are.
We were there a year ago in Aug/Sept and last night my kids (13 and 11) were commenting how fun and amazing it was to watch because we had been the almost all the exact same places. The thing that really got me was when Samantha Brown walked through the tunnel/entrance into the Forbidden City and her eyes got big and she gasped at the sheer magnitude of what was in front of her. I did EXACTLY the same thing…it completely amazed me and nearly stopped me in my tracks.
We also had Peking Duck at the restaurant she was at, saw the acrobats at the same place, although we didn’t stay in the hotel she was at! Wow. Anyone know where that one is andhow much it is? If it really were reasonable I sure wouldn’t mind staying there if we ever do go back!!
I am loving all the shows about China that seem to be on right now and can’t wait for the Olympics to begin!
August 1st, 2008 at 4:30 pm
I just ran upstairs to set the TIVO…they are re-running all 3 episodes tomorrow afternoon (back to back starting at 1pm). I am so excited to watch this!! Thanks RQ!!
August 1st, 2008 at 6:37 pm
I missed the Samantha Brown program so hopefully its On Demand.
On the BBC America News last night they did an item on the orphans from the earthquake. They interviewed a boy about age 12 who had been orphaned by the earthquakes. The lady in charge of the childrens home stated that some of the children were not taken to live with relatives because they may have had other issues. It said that the home was in Zidong, but I may have that wrong. Does anyone else know what happens in these cases?
August 1st, 2008 at 7:06 pm
You can download all the episodes for $4.99 from iTunes.
August 1st, 2008 at 7:47 pm
Sounds great - wish it was on here!
Ooo thanks soon2b3 - I’ll have a look at that!
August 1st, 2008 at 9:03 pm
We have watched some of the episodes. We just watched the episode on Xian. We knew about the Terracotta Army and are looking forward to seeing them when we go to get our son, but we didn’t know about a lot of the other things in Xian.
The show gave us some more ideas on what to see and do. The big water fountain display looks like fun.
Kevin
August 1st, 2008 at 9:36 pm
I have seen a few of them, and really enjoyed them. I am especially appreciative that SB didn’t make the food out to be weird. Anthony Bourdain has been doing a series on China this week too– anyone seen those? If you aren’t familiar w/ his show, he seeks out the real nitty gritty, off the beaten track sort of food and experiences. He was eating a hot pot in Sichuan that was so hot I got heartburn just looking at it!!
August 1st, 2008 at 10:04 pm
soon2b3….thanks….just purchased my season pass for $4.99…can’t wait to start watching…..I didn’t even know you could get tv shows from i-tunes……WOW!…..thanks RQ for spreading the word…..mew
August 1st, 2008 at 10:21 pm
I have also been amazed at the accurate interpretation of the Samantha Brown series. I love her show. In Beijing she stayed at the Ascott Hotel. It is a suite like hotel with several room choices. Check out their website and look at what they offer. I believe a huge two bedroom suite with two bathrooms, kitchen, living area and dining can be had for between $150 - $200 a night. The rooms appear to be ultra modern with all the bells and whistles. I would stay there in a second. Someone however mentioned that the beds are still a “little firm”. Know what I mean?
August 1st, 2008 at 11:36 pm
Watched it! Loved it! I, too, laughed at her “Foot Massage” BTDT!
Mendy
August 2nd, 2008 at 1:06 pm
On ‘On Demand’ , go to News and World tab, Travel Channel, International Destinations. The shows are listed by city, and there is one on Beijing (the underground fallout shelter city that Mao had built during cold war), Shanghai (weird seafood) and Great Wall (an off the beaten path part of the Great Wall). Each is only 5 mins. or so, but v. interesting.
check them out!
August 3rd, 2008 at 9:27 pm
Loved the one on Xian, as we are heading there hopefully sooner than later for our girl. Hubby especially loved the tip about the dumpling house in Xian. It was great to be able to see sites with our kids from the province where our daughter waits for us, and be able to at least share that part with our kids. They can’t travel with us, but were really excited to see where we will be heading. All the Travel and Discovery channel focuses have been good, informative and have just kept me captivated these last weeks!