By Hong Liang (China Daily)
Updated: 2008-03-18 07:25

Shanghai does not need a Disneyland. All it needs are Disneyland-style management expertise and marketing savvy.

As we bid adieu to the abnormally harsh winter days, we were eager to explore the many scenic water towns and historic sites near the city. And so a group of us young and not-so-young reporters and photo enthusiasts ventured one warm Sunday to Xitang, an ancient township through which flows a thousand-year-old canal crossed by several quaint stone bridges with their half-moon arches reflected in the rippled surface of the murky water.

When we were making preparations for the trip, we could not help but wonder why anyone would want to visit replicas of some far away places with which he or she has no cultural or ethnic affiliation while the real attractions dear to every Chinese heart are so close to home. Xitang is one of the many places that have retained a subtle old-world charm that is so well expressed in Chinese brush paintings.

To be sure, Disneyland has much to offer in terms of sheer entertainment. But money could be better spent on developing the many unique scenic spots in Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces with Shanghai as the regional tourism center. Our experience has shown that there is still a long way to go in realizing that goal.

We were told that the easiest way to Xitang was to take a train to Jiashan. The 45-minute ride was pleasant enough and the taxi ride from Jiashan to Xitang was short and cost no more than 30 yuan.

Xitang was everything it was supposed to be. Other than the rather steep admission fee of 100 yuan ($14) per person, everything else seemed cheap compared to Shanghai. Of course, there were no thrilling rides or marching bands to stir the senses. But walking down the narrow alleyways with shops selling a vast variety of local handicraft and delicacies, and groups of children playing hide-and-seek can be soothing to the mind.

A stroll along the shores of the canal is a must for any visitor to this once sleepy water town made famous by the movie Mission Impossible III, part of which was shot on location here. I have not seen the movie, but find it difficult to imagine what sort of violent plot could have been weaved into such a peaceful backdrop.

When I was walking along the canal, all that came to my mind's eye were scenes of subtle romance in a typical story of forbidden love between a lowly young scholar and the daughter of a high official.

The time we spent in Xitang was indeed pleasant until we decided to depart. We should have expected some problems when we learned in Shanghai before we left that return tickets were not available for sale. When we arrived at Jiashan, we were told at the train station that tickets for evening trains to Shanghai would only be sold after 5 pm.

We could only get tickets for a slow train when we returned to the Jiashan station at a little past five. Our group was separated in different carriages. On boarding the train at about 8 pm we were greeted by the incredibly foul smell of the stuffy carriage packed with people and their luggage. There was no easy way to get to our assigned seats because the aisle was completely blocked by standing passengers and piles and piles of luggage. We got off the train before departure and hired a taxi to take us back to Shanghai.

The problems we experienced on the return trip was not bad enough to completely ruin the day for us. But unless you are driving, you had better plan the return trip before going there. The fun stops long before you get home.

E-mail: jamesleung@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 03/18/2008 page9)