Amy, I was very fortunate to have my portrait done by a very talented artist in Beijing during 1989. A very dangerous time to be in Beijing. She was also my drawing teacher at The Academy of Chinese Painting, Beijing. She spent 45 minutes drawing my portrait in ink wash. She did not charge me. It was her gift to me. The most cherished gift I have from China. She captured my likeness and my soul and personality in this portrait.
If only CIA didn't attempt their regime change in 1989 that ended most of these cia shills fleeing to USA. The country would have been a lot more open to outside world and a lot quicker in progress.
I also met the half-brother of Pui, the Last Emperor of China. He is a very talented calligrapher. He was one of my teachers in Beijing 1989. I can still remember watching him making his strokes of ink.
No.3 is the best pick for 30 yuan, acceptable priced with a bit of fun. The english speaking guy was quite sneaky from the begining. There is old chinese saying "A mouse poop ruins a pot of porridge". That's why I"m always very skeptical with street traders in touristy spots, but unfortunately too many traps, hard to avoid sometimes.
Been to Yangshuo 10 years ago. Planned on taking a bike tour in the nearby villages. But my girlfriend and I had to go to the hospital... where we learned she was expecting twins. We decided to do the bike tour with our girls when we finally go back to Yangshuo, whenever that may be. So Yangshuo is forever in my heart.
@@BlondieinChina It really is! I love watching your videos, they bring back great memories of places, foods and people. And they give me loads of ideas for the next time we go. Keep up the great work!
Obviously none of the portraits do you justice, but I have to agree #3 comes the closest. You have a great attitude about the situation, and as a person who lives in an area dependent on tourists my heart breaks for those folks. Any idea on how long it will be before people come back to Yanshou?
This is really hard to estimate because currently, China is still conducting harsh rules regarding covid situations, so I'm going to say for at least one more year until the government realizes the economic disadvantages and decides to let go.
@@jackyhuang9273 Harsh? has it ever occurred to you this might be abit more sinister.... Its not like the whole country is under constant lockdown? only targeted areas!?.... i dont want to insinuate but obviously China being the most preventative yet also still suffering... from "outbreaks" says something...... I think its amazing China is the only country that dares does this or at least tries and strives for 0%..... its not like China is under constant lockdown...... cities and towns go into lockdown ONCE cases arise..... Have you ever thought what China would REALLY BE LIKE IF CHINA totally relaxed like the rest of the West!!!?? If me in the UK thought the very fabric and infrastructure and gov couldnt handle the UK population nurses now going on strike, etc IMAGINE 1.5BLN ALL OUT OF CONTROL! THATS GOING TO BE A REAL PANDEMIC! And you KNOW what the Western headlines will be!!!! ITs LOSE LOSE FROM THE WEST!!!!! China is damned when it does and China is damned when it doesnt!!!! The Chinese are very VERY EXTREMELY LUCKY TO HAVE A GOV FIGHTING TILL THE VERY END!! Yes it affects livelyhoods! BUT SO does an out of control not giving a toss attitude and pandemic! I know for sure!!!! 100% certainty if China just relaxed just a smidge!! the numbers would be asolutely fooooking mental! Thats what the West IMO want.... China knows this! EVERYTHING has been about SLOWING DOWN CHINA!!!!! IF PEOPLE HADNT NOTICED!??? IT BACKFIRED!!! EVERYTHING THE WEST IS DESPEATELY DOING IS BACKFIRING!! Ok i get it if people want to acknowedge that everything thats happened is a MASSIVE CHAIN OF EVENTS AND COINCIDENCE! Im absolutely ok with that..... Anyway im not here to argue or pick a fight..... im just layng facts out there...... harsh preventative measures come with harsh truths..... WE ARE CURRENTLY AT WAR! Western MSM might not say you are but come on! Again sorry to sully blondies comments with abit of my erm more.... dont even know if their political views??? just my POV of EVERYTHING... Im not slagging anyone or nation ive been... balanced god fuk my keyboard!!!! soz my shity keyboard is missing ke presses!! I conclusion im just in full support of China and the Chinese and its preventative measres and i understand the negtives that come with it! HANG IN THERE! CHINA CHINESE PEOPLE! Theres 1.5Bln of you guys and China is lower than say HK is effing miracle n itself!!!! At least you guy dont have energy worries and stupid pric rises!!!!!
@@antwango Honestly I don't even want to read your reply, maybe just try to live in China for three years and you'll understand the situation lol. Five days of in-home lockdown every time u go to a city, for example Shanghai just released a new rule that anyone who leaves Shanghai, even for an hour, should stay at home for five days when you go back. And just so know, I'm in Canada now and I have no intention of going back until everything is open to public.
You were very generous and gracious. Both of the non commissioned artwork were much more accurate. I'm glad to see that despite doing so much to showcase China in such a positive way, you don't act with any entitlement
Another wonderful video! It's all so fun until the scam! I hate those so much (not street artists/vendors but the scammers)--they totally ruin the street business there by giving it a bad name. But Amy you have been more than nice by buying all three copies even though you didn't ask for it in the first place (and thank god you negotiated on the prices!). I mean it's not a lot of money but it sucks being lied to.
Getting cheated is always a bad experience. I got cheated in China too for a shoe shine and still remember it to this day 20 years later. It wasnt big money but still leave a bad feeling. Lesson learnt. I got cheated in France too. So all countries have bad people.
I got cheated in NYC and I live here lol. Some "rap artists" will shove their crappy CD into your hands and ask for a lot of money even when you don't want it. It was better to pay than not because they carried guns. They had a shoot out with the police when they were told to disperse. You can find it on the news.
Noooo same here Years ago I went to China with my mom and a man came up to advertise his ‘shoe shine’. He cleaned our sneakers with his “product” and they worked really well. My mom bought 3 and payed 400 rmb for it!! And when we went back to try them they didn’t work 😭
Oh I forgot to mention that I was cheated in France too. I was trying to get from one airport terminal to another and these girls who had signs saying they are mute were begging for money and asked for people's email address as well. I gave them some money because I was in a hurry and just wanted them out of my way. But later on I read in the papers that these gypsy girls pretending to be mute were trying to scam people further by sending phishing and scam emails for more money.
@@sigerlion8608 that happened to a friend and I in Seattle once- didn't see a gun but they just shoved a CD in our hands and we were so awkward we just paid for it 😩 the music wasn't even good
@@father_mae_i Hell no, their music is awful. They don't pressure people with guns but they did threaten to beat up pedestrians that didn't want to pay. The guns came out only when the cops tried to confiscate their CDs and told them to leave. Happened in 2009, look up "Times Square Shooting: Peddler Sold CDs to Tourists While Carrying Loaded Machine Gun, Say Cops"
I can't believe I'm learning English from your videos, you're so good at words while at the same I could enjoy the food, that's perfect for a Chinese living abroad like me.
Watching your videos makes me so happy! Is it that I'm Chinese and that I'm proud that you are embracing and enjoying this beautiful country? Or is it because you have so much positive energy? I think it's both. I'm born and raised in the Netherlands and my dream is to go back to my roots in China. Now more than ever after watching your videos. Thank you en bless you💖. By the way, no.3 is most worth it. You are too kind, but that makes you even more beautiful!
This video gives me some mixed feelings. I went to Yangshuo back in March 2017, and seeing the city now almost empty makes me so sad... That place still is amazingly beautiful, the frames just lacked some of the hustle and bustle ❤️ keep up with the constant bubbly energy and good vibes! Aaah and loved the third portrait actually, it captured very well the dazzling sceneries
Yay! I loved Yangshuo. My family and I were there this summer when we went for a Chinese immersion course with Omeida Academy. I Loved beer fish and also the Yangshuo stuffed mushroom is amazing. You should try that too.
I was in Yangshuo in 2015 and I LOVED it. Out of all of the gorgeous destinations I've been in china, incl. Jiuzhaigou, Zhangjiajie, 德天waterfall, etc., I liked Yangshuo the most b/c of the karst mountains and Yulong river background. I even hired a cormorant fisherman so i could take photos at 5am of them "fishing." Karst mountain-view hotel was also $50/night. Great experience. Can't wait to see your other adventures in Yangshuo.
I thought the black and white ones are way better. I wouldn’t mind to tip them more too. The color one… well… the background was just trash and effortless but since it’s colored it’s fine. Luckily you negotiated to the end
I like #3, the most like you and the background is quite good. Don't worry, every tourist got similar experience everywhere in the world, haha. Will try the beer fish when I go there.
Haha this is funny, by far the best video as it is almost like a comedy, sorry you got scammed though! Thought being so long in China you would have known!! My daughter took a rickshaw ride in Beijing which supposedly should have costed RMB 3 but got scammed for 300 and she paid!!!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
I laughed so hard seeing the portraits, but I like no.3 the most. The guy in the middle is very glib though.. lots of flattering words..'your pronunciation is very good'.. omg 😲 😂😅
I was there for a month in 2019 and yes it is so empty now in comparison! That part of the street with the tables was all full of vendors. The spots near where you had the 啤酒鱼, the McDonald’s, and the Starbucks were absolutely packed at night. I’m so happy to see this video! It’s so nostalgic! I miss 阳朔 soo much! Thanks for sharing!
Portraits are subjective in price, while would not pay $200RMB for it, painted portraits can cost that much, you need to ask the price, and options, before any ink hits the canvas, so you do not get fleeced.
OMG I'm so sad to see the empty Yangshuo😭😭😭 me and my friend went to Yangshuo many years ago, and everywhere were people no matter Chinese or foreigners from morning to night, even hard to book a hotel, the pubs were so popular at night, and there were quite few pizza restaurants opened by foreigners, looks like all closed😭
Hi Amy, that's such a good and interesting video, as always! I'm sorry that you got scammed there, make sure you ask and negotiate the price before they do the work next time! Lesson learned, I don't think all the 3 pics do justice to how you look, the 100 one was terrible, maybe he charges more because he can speak English and is so good at complementing people, guess many people, especially foreigners were cheated there, I'm sorry for that situation, but it happens, especially in a touristy area like that.
Hi Amy🙋🏻♀️ Hahaha what a SCAM! Didn’t realized they actually charged you $200rmb?! Well, I guess the painting is good after all. I like painting number #3!😄🎨🖌… how about you? Glad you enjoyed that beer fish they looked delicious! Hope to see you soon on your next adventure!🎉👋🏻👋🏻
There are still some scammers here and there in less developed parts of China. I remember going to Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hangzhou and many more cities many years ago and there were scammers everywhere doing petty things like putting coins on the floor waiting for you to take or trying to take your bags and camera, or taking your bags when bus stops. Nothing like that now today.
I have been scammed many times in my travels - especially in North Africa where I've been four times. I always figured, if you want to cross the bridge you have to to pay the troll. The pictures were worth it, just for the great story. And those guys probably fed their families with the money. And you got your picture from the 20 Yuan note. Its all as it was meant to be.
I love how the scammer has a shirt from Omeida language school, he must have studied english there. I went to Yangshuo and studied chinese at Omeida, during my first trip to China. A lot of good memories and friends were made.
That's exactly where I wanted to go ! I started learning December 26th 2019 and decided to go in March of 2020 but everything was closing down and had been for a while. I stopped studying 😭 for a year or so, so I'm still at hsk 3 level. I still want to go to Omeida though but there's a lot of tension between blacks and Asians now It's definitely one discouraging thing after the next
What a shame! And lessons learned - please negotiate and agree on the price beforehand. I know Amy you’re a very nice person, but I don’t want u to be taken advantage of becoz of ur kindness. Please don’t be kind to vendors like those guys anymore. Tbh I feel it helps create an impression to them that foreign tourists can be cheated easily, and induce them to target on foreigners - a bad thing for both the local and tourists.
I used to go to Yangshuo for rock climbing pre-covid. I wanted to go this year but they still have one week quarantine so I didn't want to, there used to be a group of foreign and local climbers there during autumn but not anymore, hopefully it comes back. I'll go next year if they get rid of quarantine. We used to go to the bamboo leaf for dinner with one of my local climbing friends, it's one of the best hotels in yangshuo and a perfect location just out of town :)
When the guy started the convo with decent English, I knew the gig alrdy. As any real artist would tell you, the biggest pet peeve is constant distractions. He is clearly a salesman, not an artist.
I believe there is a tourist complaint/report station where you can have the management solve such a problem. It is very common in the tourist places, especially for a famous one like Yangshuo.
@@Bruce_Li You go and ask Chinese people - most of them will tell you that you need to be careful; you also observe that there are so many fake products (like fake eggs, etc.) being manufactured in the country and sold to people (almost all over the world). Ask yourself, how much would you trust the quality of those things made in the country? If you look deeper in the culture, most of them are like that - not because they wanted to, but as said it is a "systemic" problem. If you don't follow and do like everyone else does, you becomes a loser in the country. Jumping a queue is another example.
Cops should do something, beeing fleeced shouldn't be the norm. The fact he didn't show the back of the card means a contract wasn't established... it would be interesting to see what Chinese courts would say.
Painting #3 actually looks really nice and definitely worth the 30 RMB. Not good that the first guy was dishonest but if it makes you feel better #3 makes up for #1!
Funny thing when I got to Li river and I was in the bamboo raft with maybe 2 or 4 other passengers and my dad said 'this exact place is the same as 20 rmb note' and I was just like 'meh' but everyone around me was like taking photo. I was a teen from different country trying to understand my dad's culture. I like seeing this video of yours because it kinda reminds me of my father. I still remember the river entrance, the walk to night market, the gate in front of the restaurant you ate drunken fish, the exact corridor you get drew on... Thanks btw
It's not easy for authorities or law enforcement in China to clamp down on some of these scammers because of China's massive overall population, particularly because these petty scams don't involve huge sums of money. Usually they have other more serious crimes to attend to. It is definitely more about the scammers' own conscience, and what can the local community do as a whole to prevent such stuff from happening.
Love the town and in 19 years we've been there 100+ times to practice with our Tai Chi master from Nanning. Great food and excitement. Last time there was 3 years ago and like your mother said wall to wall. Hard to see it so quite! Have fun!
The main attraction of Yangshuo was that people spoke decent English, a huge relief after weeks of just pointing and gesturing. Cycling was quite tricky for me, at some point I ended up at narrow sand banks separating rice fields and consequently very tricky to stop as feet could not reach the ground in the usual way.
Growing up in China I know one thing - it won't feel like a trip without getting scammed - insanely exy souvenirs, fake fortune teller saying you'll have bad luck if you don't donate etc., It also feels sad to see the streets are so empty because of covid restrictions, probably that's why people got greedier when they see a foreign tourist. Thank you for buying that t-shirt from that sole vendor by the way, very nice of you.
The scenery in Guilin or Yangshuo is nice, but I wouldn't travel to either place again because of the excessive commercialization, and the scamming of tourists, who pay three to five times the price of locals and have a very poor experience. But Liuzhou, the city next to Guilin, impressed me more, with the same beautiful scenery, more modern city construction, numerous to food, and warm and friendly to tourists. Especially the snail noodles, I would recommend a trip to Liuzhou even more.
honestly it makes me angry they scammed you like this. that's just not okay and that's why we have laws. it makes me feel better that you are able to talk the price down but still, they were not treating you nicely, talking to you in english even though they know you speak chinese fluently
Amy fell into a tourist trap. Gladly 160 RMB or 30 USD is enough to pay off the scammers. Please don't feel too bad. No. 3 does look like you. Plus $30 is really not a lot.
Euro Trav: $30 can feed a family of two for a solid week in the US and for two months in other countries. What may not seem like a lot to you may be life saving for others.
i feel sorry for being scammed, nxt time in touristy area, just let them confirm the price before you start, and tell them you been in china for many years & are a FAMOUS 网红 with heaps Chinese fans (make sure you speak mandarin and mention whatever you film will be watched by heaps ppl), show them you only have rmb 30 bank note before you start, no more money. having said that, most chinese wont do this in a super touristy area as its not worth the time and the money. but you tried, now you know it and you learnt from ur experience :)
The laughs it generated really made the scam a positive thing. Third one is the best but I now worry your parents will need a bigger mantle piece to proudly display all these portraits! :D
Those so-called artists should be regulated. I think you can dial the complaint line to prevent him over charging you. But most visitors don't wanna spend time and efforts to do it while they're having a happy trip. That's why these guys exist.
Oh Amy..... never do that again in China. Most of these kinds of things are just trying to scam you. I feel really sorry for you. But the one is ShenZhen was the worst anyway LOL haha cheers mate
We could encounter unethical practices and behaviour in our travels. The most recent one I encountered was in Auckland, NZ where I paid more than double the fare ($70 NZ dollars ) for a short taxi ride.
Empty tourist places is norm for now, since Covid-19 measures have surpressed tourism numbers. Also, you can comparison shop with the restaurant spots.
I always tell the kids to not speak English when we are out on vacation. Always a target for scams and overpriced goods 😓😓 that guy just sounded sketchy when he started talking to you in English.
I will love to visit one day there!! Can't believe the #1 portrait ask for 200 !! 100 is expensive enough. I like #3 also, definitely look more like you and the details of the portrait is very nice.
I'll have to agree #2 and #3 were nicer portraits than #1. There are quite a lot of tourist scams in China (and also in some neighbouring countries like Vietnam), no doubt. And I say this as an overseas Chinese person myself :')) Westerners are not the only ones who will be targeted or tricked. You just have to be careful sometimes. 30 renminbi is actually quite a good price to be fair, particularly for the 3rd portrait.
#2 and #3 were good portraits. That you negotiated down helped, and avoid what could have been a very sticky situation tripled. They wanted about 28 US dollars (200 RMB) or 14 USD (100 RMB) so the exchange rate was about what I remembered from 15 years ago when I went to China (100 USD was about 700 RMB). So you showed grace and we bow to you:). Here’s hoping the rest of the trip’s better.
I wanted to go to Yangshuo when I had first started learning Chinese December 2019 The pandemic hit us hard the month I had planned on going. I wanted to go to Omeida Chinese academy for 30-120 days. Thanks for sharing this video.
The middle guy who gave you a colored portrait was the biggest scammer. The others were a bit more honest but still stitched you up a little bit. Atleast they did it half as much as the middle guy though. And their portrait was actually decent. It’s a shame because if they were honest the portrait would have had a much nicer memory attached to it.
Traveling in GuangXi, to be honest, can be tricky, especially for those who aren't local. The scenery is definitely one of the tops. But many Chinese tourists (not local) got scammed too. Not big issue, but those people always want to earn as much money as they can, of course.
Amy, I was very fortunate to have my portrait done by a very talented artist in Beijing during 1989. A very dangerous time to be in Beijing. She was also my drawing teacher at The Academy of Chinese Painting, Beijing. She spent 45 minutes drawing my portrait in ink wash. She did not charge me. It was her gift to me. The most cherished gift I have from China. She captured my likeness and my soul and personality in this portrait.
you met a real artist.
Wow 1989 Beijing is beautiful
If only CIA didn't attempt their regime change in 1989 that ended most of these cia shills fleeing to USA. The country would have been a lot more open to outside world and a lot quicker in progress.
how come 1989 beijing is dangerous😅
I also met the half-brother of Pui, the Last Emperor of China. He is a very talented calligrapher. He was one of my teachers in Beijing 1989. I can still remember watching him making his strokes of ink.
#3 looks the best! It looks more like you and the fact that he incorporated Yanshou most "famous" background in it was a great touch!
No.3 is the best pick for 30 yuan, acceptable priced with a bit of fun. The english speaking guy was quite sneaky from the begining. There is old chinese saying "A mouse poop ruins a pot of porridge". That's why I"m always very skeptical with street traders in touristy spots, but unfortunately too many traps, hard to avoid sometimes.
Been to Yangshuo 10 years ago. Planned on taking a bike tour in the nearby villages. But my girlfriend and I had to go to the hospital... where we learned she was expecting twins. We decided to do the bike tour with our girls when we finally go back to Yangshuo, whenever that may be. So Yangshuo is forever in my heart.
Omg!!! I can’t believe that experience! Sounds like a super meaningful place for you and your family ❤️❤️❤️
@@BlondieinChina It really is! I love watching your videos, they bring back great memories of places, foods and people. And they give me loads of ideas for the next time we go. Keep up the great work!
Obviously none of the portraits do you justice, but I have to agree #3 comes the closest. You have a great attitude about the situation, and as a person who lives in an area dependent on tourists my heart breaks for those folks. Any idea on how long it will be before people come back to Yanshou?
This is really hard to estimate because currently, China is still conducting harsh rules regarding covid situations, so I'm going to say for at least one more year until the government realizes the economic disadvantages and decides to let go.
@@jackyhuang9273 Sadly you have failed to get the point rmmore7 is trying to make.
@@jackyhuang9273 Harsh? has it ever occurred to you this might be abit more sinister.... Its not like the whole country is under constant lockdown? only targeted areas!?.... i dont want to insinuate but obviously China being the most preventative yet also still suffering... from "outbreaks" says something......
I think its amazing China is the only country that dares does this or at least tries and strives for 0%..... its not like China is under constant lockdown...... cities and towns go into lockdown ONCE cases arise.....
Have you ever thought what China would REALLY BE LIKE IF CHINA totally relaxed like the rest of the West!!!??
If me in the UK thought the very fabric and infrastructure and gov couldnt handle the UK population nurses now going on strike, etc IMAGINE 1.5BLN ALL OUT OF CONTROL!
THATS GOING TO BE A REAL PANDEMIC! And you KNOW what the Western headlines will be!!!! ITs LOSE LOSE FROM THE WEST!!!!!
China is damned when it does and China is damned when it doesnt!!!!
The Chinese are very VERY EXTREMELY LUCKY TO HAVE A GOV FIGHTING TILL THE VERY END!!
Yes it affects livelyhoods! BUT SO does an out of control not giving a toss attitude and pandemic!
I know for sure!!!! 100% certainty if China just relaxed just a smidge!! the numbers would be asolutely fooooking mental!
Thats what the West IMO want....
China knows this! EVERYTHING has been about SLOWING DOWN CHINA!!!!! IF PEOPLE HADNT NOTICED!??? IT BACKFIRED!!! EVERYTHING THE WEST IS DESPEATELY DOING IS BACKFIRING!!
Ok i get it if people want to acknowedge that everything thats happened is a MASSIVE CHAIN OF EVENTS AND COINCIDENCE! Im absolutely ok with that.....
Anyway im not here to argue or pick a fight..... im just layng facts out there...... harsh preventative measures come with harsh truths..... WE ARE CURRENTLY AT WAR!
Western MSM might not say you are but come on!
Again sorry to sully blondies comments with abit of my erm more.... dont even know if their political views??? just my POV of EVERYTHING...
Im not slagging anyone or nation ive been... balanced god fuk my keyboard!!!! soz my shity keyboard is missing ke presses!!
I conclusion im just in full support of China and the Chinese and its preventative measres and i understand the negtives that come with it!
HANG IN THERE! CHINA CHINESE PEOPLE! Theres 1.5Bln of you guys and China is lower than say HK is effing miracle n itself!!!! At least you guy dont have energy worries and stupid pric rises!!!!!
I think Covid is just an excuse for the lockdown. China is preparing for war.
@@antwango Honestly I don't even want to read your reply, maybe just try to live in China for three years and you'll understand the situation lol. Five days of in-home lockdown every time u go to a city, for example Shanghai just released a new rule that anyone who leaves Shanghai, even for an hour, should stay at home for five days when you go back. And just so know, I'm in Canada now and I have no intention of going back until everything is open to public.
You were very generous and gracious. Both of the non commissioned artwork were much more accurate. I'm glad to see that despite doing so much to showcase China in such a positive way, you don't act with any entitlement
Great video. As a portrait artist myself, it is disappointing to see "art" being hustled, but you handled it well.
Another wonderful video! It's all so fun until the scam! I hate those so much (not street artists/vendors but the scammers)--they totally ruin the street business there by giving it a bad name. But Amy you have been more than nice by buying all three copies even though you didn't ask for it in the first place (and thank god you negotiated on the prices!). I mean it's not a lot of money but it sucks being lied to.
yeah, it ruins. Yet Amy's great attitude towards it totally saved it😂
I would have just walk or run away. Those guys didn't look like they would chase anyone, hahaha
Getting cheated is always a bad experience. I got cheated in China too for a shoe shine and still remember it to this day 20 years later. It wasnt big money but still leave a bad feeling. Lesson learnt.
I got cheated in France too. So all countries have bad people.
I got cheated in NYC and I live here lol. Some "rap artists" will shove their crappy CD into your hands and ask for a lot of money even when you don't want it. It was better to pay than not because they carried guns. They had a shoot out with the police when they were told to disperse. You can find it on the news.
Noooo same here
Years ago I went to China with my mom and a man came up to advertise his ‘shoe shine’. He cleaned our sneakers with his “product” and they worked really well. My mom bought 3 and payed 400 rmb for it!! And when we went back to try them they didn’t work 😭
Oh I forgot to mention that I was cheated in France too. I was trying to get from one airport terminal to another and these girls who had signs saying they are mute were begging for money and asked for people's email address as well. I gave them some money because I was in a hurry and just wanted them out of my way. But later on I read in the papers that these gypsy girls pretending to be mute were trying to scam people further by sending phishing and scam emails for more money.
@@sigerlion8608 that happened to a friend and I in Seattle once- didn't see a gun but they just shoved a CD in our hands and we were so awkward we just paid for it 😩 the music wasn't even good
@@father_mae_i Hell no, their music is awful. They don't pressure people with guns but they did threaten to beat up pedestrians that didn't want to pay. The guns came out only when the cops tried to confiscate their CDs and told them to leave. Happened in 2009, look up "Times Square Shooting: Peddler Sold CDs to Tourists While Carrying Loaded Machine Gun, Say Cops"
You handled the scam situation so well! I am so glad you have gotten some laughs out of it!
Johnny Jiang, are you from Syd to CA?
I can't believe I'm learning English from your videos, you're so good at words while at the same I could enjoy the food, that's perfect for a Chinese living abroad like me.
Be aware of sweet talker when travelling! Strangers who are too friendly always ring a bell.
Watching your videos makes me so happy! Is it that I'm Chinese and that I'm proud that you are embracing and enjoying this beautiful country? Or is it because you have so much positive energy? I think it's both. I'm born and raised in the Netherlands and my dream is to go back to my roots in China. Now more than ever after watching your videos. Thank you en bless you💖. By the way, no.3 is most worth it. You are too kind, but that makes you even more beautiful!
You're proud that she got scammed in lied to? What a very odd source of national pride
Amy you're literally the nicest person
This video gives me some mixed feelings. I went to Yangshuo back in March 2017, and seeing the city now almost empty makes me so sad... That place still is amazingly beautiful, the frames just lacked some of the hustle and bustle ❤️ keep up with the constant bubbly energy and good vibes!
Aaah and loved the third portrait actually, it captured very well the dazzling sceneries
I was in Yangsho in 2007 pre Mc Donald's and Starbucks but you could feel that the essence of this beautiful place was draining away.
Omnicron is still a thing.
14:19 The BEST portrait sketch goes to Nr3, the drawer on the LEFT!🤩
Yay! I loved Yangshuo. My family and I were there this summer when we went for a Chinese immersion course with Omeida Academy. I Loved beer fish and also the Yangshuo stuffed mushroom is amazing. You should try that too.
I was in Yangshuo in 2015 and I LOVED it. Out of all of the gorgeous destinations I've been in china, incl. Jiuzhaigou, Zhangjiajie, 德天waterfall, etc., I liked Yangshuo the most b/c of the karst mountains and Yulong river background. I even hired a cormorant fisherman so i could take photos at 5am of them "fishing." Karst mountain-view hotel was also $50/night. Great experience. Can't wait to see your other adventures in Yangshuo.
Thanks!
You have know Idea how much your video bring me joys ❤
🌹🌹🌹free hongkong
I thought the black and white ones are way better. I wouldn’t mind to tip them more too. The color one… well… the background was just trash and effortless but since it’s colored it’s fine. Luckily you negotiated to the end
Those paintings will be great meme quality! Especially that beautiful scenery in the 100 RMB one 😄🤣
🌹free hongkong
I like #3, the most like you and the background is quite good. Don't worry, every tourist got similar experience everywhere in the world, haha. Will try the beer fish when I go there.
Haha this is funny, by far the best video as it is almost like a comedy, sorry you got scammed though! Thought being so long in China you would have known!! My daughter took a rickshaw ride in Beijing which supposedly should have costed RMB 3 but got scammed for 300 and she paid!!!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
i am sorry to hear that .😅
"a rickshaw ride in Beijing which supposedly should have costed RMB 3" simply doesn't exist.
I laughed so hard seeing the portraits, but I like no.3 the most. The guy in the middle is very glib though.. lots of flattering words..'your pronunciation is very good'.. omg 😲 😂😅
I was there for a month in 2019 and yes it is so empty now in comparison! That part of the street with the tables was all full of vendors. The spots near where you had the 啤酒鱼, the McDonald’s, and the Starbucks were absolutely packed at night. I’m so happy to see this video! It’s so nostalgic! I miss 阳朔 soo much! Thanks for sharing!
Portraits are subjective in price, while would not pay $200RMB for it, painted portraits can cost that much, you need to ask the price, and options, before any ink hits the canvas, so you do not get fleeced.
OMG I'm so sad to see the empty Yangshuo😭😭😭 me and my friend went to Yangshuo many years ago, and everywhere were people no matter Chinese or foreigners from morning to night, even hard to book a hotel, the pubs were so popular at night, and there were quite few pizza restaurants opened by foreigners, looks like all closed😭
Hi Amy, that's such a good and interesting video, as always! I'm sorry that you got scammed there, make sure you ask and negotiate the price before they do the work next time! Lesson learned, I don't think all the 3 pics do justice to how you look, the 100 one was terrible, maybe he charges more because he can speak English and is so good at complementing people, guess many people, especially foreigners were cheated there, I'm sorry for that situation, but it happens, especially in a touristy area like that.
Yangshuo seem to have a lot to offer, thanks a lot for this great coverage (even the scam was great) :-)
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@@pingpong7810 時代垃圾
Hi Amy🙋🏻♀️
Hahaha what a SCAM! Didn’t realized they actually charged you $200rmb?! Well, I guess the painting is good after all. I like painting number #3!😄🎨🖌… how about you? Glad you enjoyed that beer fish they looked delicious! Hope to see you soon on your next adventure!🎉👋🏻👋🏻
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200¥
Scamming could be a serious issue, but the portrait of you, drew by the portrait artist, looks beautiful.
There are still some scammers here and there in less developed parts of China. I remember going to Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hangzhou and many more cities many years ago and there were scammers everywhere doing petty things like putting coins on the floor waiting for you to take or trying to take your bags and camera, or taking your bags when bus stops. Nothing like that now today.
I have been scammed many times in my travels - especially in North Africa where I've been four times. I always figured, if you want to cross the bridge you have to to pay the troll.
The pictures were worth it, just for the great story. And those guys probably fed their families with the money. And you got your picture from the 20 Yuan note. Its all as it was meant to be.
or they bought drugs with the money or supported their gangs.
@@angelsis2222 China doesn't have a drug problem, beers would make more sense
Number 3.
Thanks for entertaining your audience - that’s absolutely priceless 😊
I love how the scammer has a shirt from Omeida language school, he must have studied english there. I went to Yangshuo and studied chinese at Omeida, during my first trip to China. A lot of good memories and friends were made.
That's exactly where I wanted to go ! I started learning December 26th 2019 and decided to go in March of 2020 but everything was closing down and had been for a while.
I stopped studying 😭 for a year or so, so I'm still at hsk 3 level. I still want to go to Omeida though but there's a lot of tension between blacks and Asians now
It's definitely one discouraging thing after the next
What a shame! And lessons learned - please negotiate and agree on the price beforehand. I know Amy you’re a very nice person, but I don’t want u to be taken advantage of becoz of ur kindness. Please don’t be kind to vendors like those guys anymore. Tbh I feel it helps create an impression to them that foreign tourists can be cheated easily, and induce them to target on foreigners - a bad thing for both the local and tourists.
I used to go to Yangshuo for rock climbing pre-covid. I wanted to go this year but they still have one week quarantine so I didn't want to, there used to be a group of foreign and local climbers there during autumn but not anymore, hopefully it comes back. I'll go next year if they get rid of quarantine. We used to go to the bamboo leaf for dinner with one of my local climbing friends, it's one of the best hotels in yangshuo and a perfect location just out of town :)
I couldn’t stop laughing. The painting episode is so hilarious! No 3 is my vote😂
When the guy started the convo with decent English, I knew the gig alrdy. As any real artist would tell you, the biggest pet peeve is constant distractions. He is clearly a salesman, not an artist.
Amy, I completely agree with you. You got scammed. The picture from @14:37 looks more like a painting. The other 2 were from grade school level.
I believe there is a tourist complaint/report station where you can have the management solve such a problem. It is very common in the tourist places, especially for a famous one like Yangshuo.
Do you know that the scamming / corruption in this country is systemic? 🙂 Lodgment of complaints do not bring you anywhere.
@@gppgle Have you ever been to this country, or you are just saying whatever you believe?
@@Bruce_Li I have been to this country more than yourself mate. I lived there before.
@@gppgle OK, as long as your opinion is based on your own experience, I respect it.
@@Bruce_Li You go and ask Chinese people - most of them will tell you that you need to be careful; you also observe that there are so many fake products (like fake eggs, etc.) being manufactured in the country and sold to people (almost all over the world). Ask yourself, how much would you trust the quality of those things made in the country? If you look deeper in the culture, most of them are like that - not because they wanted to, but as said it is a "systemic" problem. If you don't follow and do like everyone else does, you becomes a loser in the country. Jumping a queue is another example.
Number 2 is very cute, And Number 3 has the best scenery to look at .
I like number 2 the most!
Just make a complaint to the local tourism bureau about the overcharge.
Beer fish looks divine and their own beer wow
Getting fleeced at tourist areas is kind of a rite of passage. Lesson learned, but also kind of funny.
Cops should do something, beeing fleeced shouldn't be the norm. The fact he didn't show the back of the card means a contract wasn't established... it would be interesting to see what Chinese courts would say.
@@coolspot18 you need to agree on the price before the work begins, it's common sense in China.
Painting #3 actually looks really nice and definitely worth the 30 RMB. Not good that the first guy was dishonest but if it makes you feel better #3 makes up for #1!
Funny thing when I got to Li river and I was in the bamboo raft with maybe 2 or 4 other passengers and my dad said 'this exact place is the same as 20 rmb note' and I was just like 'meh' but everyone around me was like taking photo. I was a teen from different country trying to understand my dad's culture.
I like seeing this video of yours because it kinda reminds me of my father. I still remember the river entrance, the walk to night market, the gate in front of the restaurant you ate drunken fish, the exact corridor you get drew on...
Thanks btw
It’s shame to see this happened. Hope the local law enforcement can trace to these people and gives them the proper warning.
It's not easy for authorities or law enforcement in China to clamp down on some of these scammers because of China's massive overall population, particularly because these petty scams don't involve huge sums of money. Usually they have other more serious crimes to attend to. It is definitely more about the scammers' own conscience, and what can the local community do as a whole to prevent such stuff from happening.
The authority should fine them. They are giving the area a bad name
you will always get scammed in china it is well known ffor it
No, they are family believe me, it happens years, local government know that exactly
@Penny Ian : and why should we believe you?
Amy, definitely number 3 portrait. I loved YangShuo too. It has been 4o years since I have been there. Thank you for bring Yangshuo to the world.
I went YS December 2019, just b4 pandemic. It was terribly packed for a low season.
I love that despite being scammed you smiled and laughed the whole time!
Very cool! Portrait #3 is actually pretty cute 😄
It happens in every tourist area. I was asked to pay £240 at a Paris strip club for 2 cokes. Eventually paid $30 and left.
Ur paying for the strippers too
@@hccvun3280 would have been a lot more
Love the town and in 19 years we've been there 100+ times to practice with our Tai Chi master from Nanning. Great food and excitement.
Last time there was 3 years ago and like your mother said wall to wall.
Hard to see it so quite!
Have fun!
11:27 I laughed out loud!! Bet a new meme is coming out soon!
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Oh my…this is the most hilarious episode so far…thx for sharing 😂
The main attraction of Yangshuo was that people spoke decent English, a huge relief after weeks of just pointing and gesturing. Cycling was quite tricky for me, at some point I ended up at narrow sand banks separating rice fields and consequently very tricky to stop as feet could not reach the ground in the usual way.
I am sorry that happened to you. And I am very suprise to that guy's English. It's much better than what he drawed.
Growing up in China I know one thing - it won't feel like a trip without getting scammed - insanely exy souvenirs, fake fortune teller saying you'll have bad luck if you don't donate etc., It also feels sad to see the streets are so empty because of covid restrictions, probably that's why people got greedier when they see a foreign tourist. Thank you for buying that t-shirt from that sole vendor by the way, very nice of you.
Don't worry, I have been scammed in Vancouver as well. It's actually quite common around the world.
I think that's a rather common thing among tourist site across the world...
你就是纯扯淡，骗子和严格防疫政策有毛线的关系，不要什么事都扯上防疫，就事论事不好吗？
It is very common pretty much for all tourist sites across the world.
@@yongzhu8454 他说的是游客太少，那些人生意太少。这不好不容易来一个老外，肯定比以前宰得更狠😂
The scenery in Guilin or Yangshuo is nice, but I wouldn't travel to either place again because of the excessive commercialization, and the scamming of tourists, who pay three to five times the price of locals and have a very poor experience. But Liuzhou, the city next to Guilin, impressed me more, with the same beautiful scenery, more modern city construction, numerous to food, and warm and friendly to tourists. Especially the snail noodles, I would recommend a trip to Liuzhou even more.
honestly it makes me angry they scammed you like this. that's just not okay and that's why we have laws. it makes me feel better that you are able to talk the price down but still, they were not treating you nicely, talking to you in english even though they know you speak chinese fluently
Great video. Amy. Looking forward for your next episode.
Amy fell into a tourist trap. Gladly 160 RMB or 30 USD is enough to pay off the scammers. Please don't feel too bad. No. 3 does look like you. Plus $30 is really not a lot.
Euro Trav: $30 can feed a family of two for a solid week in the US and for two months in other countries. What may not seem like a lot to you may be life saving for others.
It's $30 more than you should pay for lying trash
30RMB... unfortunate she got scammed.
Dear Amy . Enjoy your journey in China ! Thanks for sharing ! Take care ! Tschuess !
i feel sorry for being scammed, nxt time in touristy area, just let them confirm the price before you start, and tell them you been in china for many years & are a FAMOUS 网红 with heaps Chinese fans (make sure you speak mandarin and mention whatever you film will be watched by heaps ppl), show them you only have rmb 30 bank note before you start, no more money. having said that, most chinese wont do this in a super touristy area as its not worth the time and the money. but you tried, now you know it and you learnt from ur experience :)
I'd love to go to Yangshuo, I keep hearing great things about the Omeida Chinese Academy there. Can't wait for the border to open again.
he did not sell you a product, he sold you a performance
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@@pingpong7810 oh look he knows English - so impressive...
haha。 you got it .
#1 for the LOLs and stories you get to tell with it.
The laughs it generated really made the scam a positive thing. Third one is the best but I now worry your parents will need a bigger mantle piece to proudly display all these portraits! :D
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@@pingpong7810 Really? The paintings are free in Hong Kong?
@@pingpong7810 stupid comments... Go England if u wan free. Y didn't u make noise when HK was under England but now.
Dont involve politics here !!
@@nncc8376 freedom of speech
Thanks for the info. Sorry for the fact that you have been scammed!😱😱😥😥.
There are always scammers in tourist spots, they need to be reported to the authority
that sneaky one is "famous" thanks to Amy's video 😄
I also took Lijiang from Guilin to Yangshuo. The scenery on both sides of the strait is extremely beautiful.
#3 is a legit portrait and well worth the 30 yuan. #1 was comically bad.
Those so-called artists should be regulated. I think you can dial the complaint line to prevent him over charging you. But most visitors don't wanna spend time and efforts to do it while they're having a happy trip. That's why these guys exist.
Not the same as beer batter fish and chips in 🇦🇺 pubs. #3 portrait is surprisingly good.
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@@pingpong7810 Love HK. Booked my flights for CNY. Can't wait.
@@pingpong7810 free your brain mate !
Lounged around naked for 2 full days in that exact same room!
Oh Amy..... never do that again in China. Most of these kinds of things are just trying to scam you. I feel really sorry for you. But the one is ShenZhen was the worst anyway LOL haha cheers mate
Number one 🤭. At least the girl in the picture is beautiful. The artist is also very funny 🤣🤣🤣
We could encounter unethical practices and behaviour in our travels. The most recent one I encountered was in Auckland, NZ where I paid more than double the fare ($70 NZ dollars ) for a short taxi ride.
Empty tourist places is norm for now, since Covid-19 measures have surpressed tourism numbers. Also, you can comparison shop with the restaurant spots.
I like the no 3, and I would pay ¥100 for it!
Sorry for your experience
Sad to see what they did to you but hope you still have fun 😊
I always tell the kids to not speak English when we are out on vacation. Always a target for scams and overpriced goods 😓😓 that guy just sounded sketchy when he started talking to you in English.
I will love to visit one day there!! Can't believe the #1 portrait ask for 200 !! 100 is expensive enough. I like #3 also, definitely look more like you and the details of the portrait is very nice.
200RMB just for pure entertainment purpose.... good buy
Great Video Amy. Of course #3 is the best .
The look on the face of the other artists was a dead giveaway of the end result 🤦🏻♀️
That look says ‘another victim’😂
@@yblmisc I just meant that the other guy even thought the drawing was bad. The other two did a much better job.
Take good care, we are stuck in our apartment like 25 days in Guangzhou, i wish i could visit Yangshuo soon.
200 RMB is not too outrageous tbh. 😊
Are you apart of their scam troupe? LOL
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@@pingpong7810 stop spamming
Welp 200 RMB is indeed cheap for a painting but the way it is handled by the 3 artists feels very much like a scam, lol
@@skyloft1111 it's not even a painting? it's pastel lol.
Nice of u to pay them even though u r not satisfied with these portraits. I applaud your generosity.
I'll have to agree #2 and #3 were nicer portraits than #1. There are quite a lot of tourist scams in China (and also in some neighbouring countries like Vietnam), no doubt. And I say this as an overseas Chinese person myself :')) Westerners are not the only ones who will be targeted or tricked. You just have to be careful sometimes. 30 renminbi is actually quite a good price to be fair, particularly for the 3rd portrait.
#2 and #3 were good portraits. That you negotiated down helped, and avoid what could have been a very sticky situation tripled. They wanted about 28 US dollars (200 RMB) or 14 USD (100 RMB) so the exchange rate was about what I remembered from 15 years ago when I went to China (100 USD was about 700 RMB). So you showed grace and we bow to you:). Here’s hoping the rest of the trip’s better.
Wrong. Tourist scams are everywhere anywhere all over the world. My worst experience was in Rome near the most famous fountain. Good luck travelers!
I wanted to go to Yangshuo when I had first started learning Chinese December 2019
The pandemic hit us hard the month I had planned on going. I wanted to go to Omeida Chinese academy for 30-120 days.
Thanks for sharing this video.
100RMB is ridiculously overpriced as well. No way I would've paid him that amount of money. Insane!
如果畫得好、畫得像100元不貴，重點是什麼手藝啦！分明是出來讓人尷尬的，還不實價目表坐地起價，這種破壞景氣形象、風氣的人，當地政府應該出面整頓 ！
Congrats on getting to 300k subscribers 🎉
The middle guy who gave you a colored portrait was the biggest scammer. The others were a bit more honest but still stitched you up a little bit. Atleast they did it half as much as the middle guy though. And their portrait was actually decent. It’s a shame because if they were honest the portrait would have had a much nicer memory attached to it.
I think you should go back to yangshuo in summer or spring. Its more beautiful then. This time yangshuo looks not as green as summer
恭喜Amy又一次被坑了🤭（開玩笑），不过這次百元一張画还画那麼差真的太过份了，但是你也把片發上网了，看过你視頻的都不敢找他画了也算是報仇了吧，那大叔还以為自己很聰明騙到錢，就不知道最不该騙的是拍視頻的人。┐( ˘_˘)┌
Traveling in GuangXi, to be honest, can be tricky, especially for those who aren't local. The scenery is definitely one of the tops. But many Chinese tourists (not local) got scammed too. Not big issue, but those people always want to earn as much money as they can, of course.
I feel like people are more desperate post-Covid. Be careful, especially female travellers.
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There always have been scammers in china dude...