Because no one trusts the government-printed newspapers, reports of the world outside are in high demand. People will treat you as an object in some places, but although you look unusual to them their fascination is more for the world you represent than for your personal peculiarity. Japanese atrocities in the 1930s left indelible memories. Today, shortages and an enormous population require the pooling of the best resources in order to house, transport and feed foreign guests comfortably, and, considering past injuries, the Chinese are noble hosts. Most live in overcrowded quarters, whole families to a room, without indoor plumbing, and for everyone south of the Yangzi River, without indoor heating.
Winter brings a harsh chill to Shanghai, Hangzhou and other southern cities.
The discomforts of visitors, such as inefficient service, limited hot water, and difficulties in transport, are minimal compared to the limitations on the local quality of life. The tendency among foreigners, however, is to blame the Chinese for these inconveniences. People stare openly at foreigners, sometimes gathering in small crowds to observe while rash youths follow you around, trying to practise English and get a foreign address. You can quickly become overwhelmed by a language you do not properly comprehend and by customs, hemispheres removed from your own. But beyond all this, there's no denying the grandeur of China's natural scenery, its position on the world scale and the influence it exerts over the rest of Asia.