Chongqing – Siminka's View

We left from Shenzen to Chongqing early in the morning. Since the metro wasn’t running yet, we booked Didi taxis through Alipay the night before, and they arrived right on time. They dropped us off at a massive, futuristic airport where the gate numbers were already three digits long. Everything was incredibly efficient. A sign near the check-in counter said the wait would be five minutes, and with a staff member at every station, they weren’t kidding. If Leo hadn’t once again packed a forbidden item (a lighter), we would have sailed right through. He managed to give us one last bit of stress, though. We had to take a train to our gate because it was so far away. We made a quick restroom stop, grabbed some water from a vending machine, and before we knew it, we were boarding. Everything went smoothly, and the plane took off exactly on time.

In Chongqing, we were met with another mega-airport and another train ride. We grabbed our bags and wandered around for a bit before finding the metro entrance. Unlike in Shenzhen, we couldn’t buy tickets at the machine because it wouldn’t accept Alipay—apparently, that happens sometimes. A young man who had been discreetly taking photos of us approached and offered to help. He said he likes to wait for foreigners to practice his English. Luckily, we could buy tickets at the counter with a card.

By the time we stepped off the metro, we were exhausted and disoriented. It was raining, gray, and miserable. Leo immediately started complaining that he hated it and wanted to go back to Bali. Johnny eventually identified our building, but we hit another wall once we got inside. The reception desk in the lobby had nothing to do with our rental. They told Johnny he had to find our specific “reception” on a different floor. He set off on a scouting mission with Arthur while the rest of us waited endlessly in the lobby. He came back several times, confused. On that floor, he’d found everything from a nursing home and a clothing store to a woman with a live rooster—but no reception desk. Luckily, Arthur has a sharp eye and spotted it just as Johnny was about to give up. No one was there, though. We moved the whole family and all the luggage up and waited while Johnny exchanged texts with someone. Since we hadn’t eaten since early morning and it was already lunchtime, he took the kids to find food while I stayed behind to guard the bags. Eventually, two young men arrived and, using a translator app, explained that we’d actually be staying in a different building.

The move was… interesting. First, we waited forever for an elevator. Only one went down to the level we needed, but it was constantly full. We finally gave up, took a different elevator to the ground floor, and dragged our suitcases through narrow, rainy, uneven alleys. The man then handed us off to two other men who led us into a gated residential area. After a few more hiccups, we finally reached our apartment. I’ll be honest: I had mixed feelings. The place was large and spacious, but the amenities were sparse. There was only one closet in the whole place. The kitchen had a stove but not a single pan, pot, or even a cup for boiling water. There was no hand soap in the bathroom, and while they provided towels, they were tiny—more like floor mats. The toilet paper rolls looked like travel-sized samples. To top it off, we were on the 23rd floor, and the windows had no safety locks and were made of the thinnest, most fragile glass imaginable. The kitchen didn’t even have a window—just a “hole” leading to a balcony with a ladder right next to it. A total nightmare with a climbing three-year-old. On the plus side, we had a stunning view of the Jialing River and the bridge where tourists gather every night to photograph the city lights. And once I hit the street, I had several shops to choose from for all the essentials we were missing.

Chongqing is a completely different world from Shenzhen. While Shenzhen looked polished and movie-like, the world’s largest city slapped us with raw reality. Gray skies, weathered buildings—the whole vibe was pretty somber. Unlike the quiet streets of Shenzhen where you only hear the hum of electric cars, Chongqing was a constant roar. There were people everywhere. Megaphones on every corner were blaring advertisements, and restaurant barkers were using all sorts of tricks to get attention. Loud music spilled out of businesses. In the apartment, we could hear the rumble of the metro, construction work (even at night), and late-night motorcycle racing. Then the neighbor above us started a renovation, using a jackhammer on the walls. I always came back from the street feeling overstimulated. It was just too much of everything. It’s truly incredible that humans can build something like this. Chongqing is mountainous, and to maximize space for the massive population, they’ve tunneled through the hills and built a multi-level city of high-rises. Buildings here have several basement levels and dozens of floors above ground. Meanwhile, back in Slovakia, we can’t even finish a highway from Bratislava to Košice. China is on a whole different level, tackling projects we wouldn’t even dream were possible.

Since the Science and Technology Museum had been a hit in Shenzhen, we visited the one here too. Again, admission was free. Johnny left me alone with the kids after about two hours because he had a meeting. We stayed until closing. It was a Friday, so it was packed with school groups and families. It was a madhouse. I kept losing track of the kids because they were all interested in different things and wouldn’t stay together. At the end, we found a “play area” on the basement level. It had educational games, but also climbing frames, trampolines, and ball pits—but only for those who could pay with WeChat. Simeon could only watch sadly from the sidelines. I left that place mentally destroyed. The sheer amount of sensory input was overwhelming. By evening, I felt like I wanted to chop my own head off just to get some peace.

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We were making plans for family outings, but as usual, the kids were being wild. Arthur fell against a bed frame and cut his head open. So, Johnny got to experience Chinese healthcare firsthand. Arthur ended up with five stitches and had to go back every other day for eight days to have the wound cleaned and redressed. Johnny spent half of each day there, so another week was essentially written off. We actually visited the hospital twice as a whole family. The kids liked it—there was a cafeteria downstairs with cutely decorated cakes and snacks. Since it was a children’s hospital, there were plenty of other kids for them to interact with. The waiting room had a screen with cartoons, though not many kids were watching—most were already pacified by their own phones.

Smartphone addiction is a huge issue in China. Everyone is glued to their screens, playing games—even adults. You’ll see friends sitting together where the only interaction is showing each other something on a screen before going back to their own devices. I saw couples at dinner doing the same thing. If “digital dementia” is a real consequence of excessive smartphone use, they’re heading for a crisis reminiscent of the opium wars.

We also checked out some parks we found on the map, but they didn’t quite live up to our European expectations. They were mostly large paved areas surrounded by well-kept greenery—trees, shrubs, and flowers—but there wasn’t much to do. You’d see seniors exercising or sitting on small stools in the shade, meditating. The best one we visited was Eling Park. It was pleasant, but the real draw was the observation tower with a view of the entire city. Even Arthur was captivated by the view and called it “beautiful.”

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Right in our residential complex, on the first floor, there was an artificial park and a small playground. It was entirely covered since it was under the building, which is great for rain or heat, but it felt dark and depressing to me, so I didn’t want to spend much time there.

Next to the playground was a community room with a ping-pong table and two tables where groups were constantly playing cards. Cards are very popular with the older generation. You’ll see crowds on the street watching players who are clearly gambling.

Experiences

If you want a scenic tour of Chongqing, I recommend taking the green metro line to the ZOO. A large part of the route is on an elevated track, so you’re basically looking into the upper windows of high-rises as you watch the scenery go by. We discovered this on a sunny Saturday when we decided it was the perfect time for a zoo visit. Saturday + sun = massive crowds. You cannot imagine how many people were there. The main draw is the pandas, so we headed straight for their enclosures. We only saw one, and it had its back to us. After that story about a Chinese zoo where a human in a costume allegedly pretended to be a bear, I was half-convinced this was a similar case and felt a bit cheated. Everyone else was waiting patiently, some even with tripods, ready to capture the black-and-white bear. We moved on to see the other animals. The zoo met my expectations—it was nice and clean, but basically just a large park with the occasional animal. And like all the parks, it was mostly paved. We liked the monkeys the best. They were active, and there were popsicle stands nearby, so we could sit and cool off for a bit. It wasn’t as strict as with other animals; there was no rule against tapping on the glass for the monkeys. Plenty of people were doing it to get a photo. Johnny noticed a particularly curious monkey (a capped langur) watching a man in front of us who had put his bag near the glass. Johnny opened his own bag to show the monkey what was inside. I did the same with mine. A Chinese man nearby watched us, and as soon as we moved on, he did the exact same thing to lure the monkey over. Arthur and Matyas did a monkey-themed obstacle course. It was more for Arthur’s age, but Matyas was a good big brother and helped him through it. They also tried the go-karts with Leo, but those were also pretty slow and geared toward younger kids. There wasn’t much for Simeon until we found an outdoor play area with climbing frames and slides where he could play with supervision. Again, his big brother stepped up to watch him. Arthur made some friends and played until it was time to head home.

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We had a fantastic cultural experience at the 1949 theater, watching the show of the same name. It was truly grand and amazing. The theater was built specifically for this one production. It depicts the Civil War between the Nationalists and the Communists. Of course, the Communists win, but at a great cost, and the show is a tribute to those who fell. Regardless of the theme, it was phenomenal—perfect visual and sound effects. I felt like I was in the middle of a battle movie. I highly recommend it!

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Pros

One thing we could really learn from is the abundance of public restrooms—everywhere, and all free. Or the drinking water fountains in parks and the zoo, where you can get both cold and hot water for free.

Another thing that pleasantly surprised us was that when we wanted to buy something, the sellers would often offer a cheaper alternative without us even asking. We’ve never experienced that anywhere else in the world.

Down on the ground floor of our complex, there was a vending machine for clean bed linens. I think that’s a brilliant idea for a tourist area. We didn’t use it, but it was comforting to know I could just run down and buy a fresh set through an app if needed. If they added basic toiletries and towels, it would be perfect.

I was also impressed by the reading rooms at some metro stations. They weren’t everywhere, but it’s a lovely idea—a place to sit and “borrow” a book from a machine.

Cons

On the other hand, I was disappointed by the prices of actual street food—the tiny stalls that open after the food courts in the metro and malls close. In Vietnam, those were the cheapest options. Here, the portions were tiny and more expensive than a full meal at the metro food court, which became our go-to spot since it was so close.

We also tried an evening walk through the city center. Only for the brave! It was terrible. I felt just like I did after the museum—completely overwhelmed. Too many people, too much pushing, and a cacophony of loud noises. Add to that my kids constantly running in different directions, and I was mentally exhausted. I never wanted to do it again.

Oddities

At the entrance to People’s Park, there were vendors selling animals. There were chickens, pigeons, and rabbits in cages, but also puppies and kittens. I wasn’t entirely sure if they were meant to be pets or dinner.

I appreciated the Chinese preparedness for emergencies. In the metro, underpasses, and buildings, there were locked glass boxes containing water, megaphones, and first aid kits. The metro even had fire-fighting gear ready. It was a bit strange to see police gear—batons, helmets, and shields—just sitting there at stations. It looked like anyone could grab them, but of course, no one would dare.

One thing that personally bothered me—though we only experienced it in Chongqing—was the constant throat-clearing, spitting, and farting in enclosed spaces, like a crowded elevator. The fascination with our two youngest was half-sweet and half-annoying. Some people were just genuinely happy to see them, but others would grab them and try to force a photo. Our kids didn’t mind posing for other children, but they weren’t as keen on the older adults. Arthur actually got worried that all the photos were making him shrink! Simeon, on the other hand, got used to it and started living his “celebrity” life. Matyas had to deal with people constantly offering him girls’ dresses, braids, or photos as a “young Chinese princess.”

One thing I truly didn’t understand was small children wearing pants with a hole in the seat. I mean, it would make sense if the mom carried a potty, but when a kid just goes right on the hospital floor while the mom looks the other way?

It was also funny and unusual to see shops (groceries, boutiques, etc.) and various services on random floors of high-rise apartment buildings.

In Raffles City, a mega-mall in the center of Chongqing, they created a kids’ area called Safari. Inside were the standard arcade games, but since the name was Safari, there were artificial statues of elephants and giraffes that made noise. These were supplemented by taxidermied birds and small mammals. And to make it “authentic,” they even had some live animals, like a llama whose head had been dyed pink and yellow—presumably to make it more interesting for overstimulated kids. The whole thing made me feel physically ill.

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Conclusion

To me, Chongqing is a wonder of the world. Not because it’s beautiful—aesthetically, it didn’t do much for me—but because of its sheer monstrosity. I’d definitely recommend visiting because you won’t experience anything this megalomaniacal anywhere else in the world. It’s indescribable; you have to see it for yourself.

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