The New York Times, Travel Dispatch: Easy China, 3 Ways

May 5, 2012 Travel Dispatch

Easy China, 3 Ways By DAN LEVIN, KEITH BRADSHER and DAVID BARBOZA Insiders cut through the chaos to offer easy-to-use cheat sheets for spending a week in Beijing, Hong Kong or Shanghai. A Great View of Seoul, if You Follow the Rules By CHOE SANG-HUN A well-guarded mountain trek open for the past several years offers a picturesque panorama of the president's compound and a sprawling city.  Amid Mountains Outside Beijing, Ruins With Romance  Touring Hong Kong's Waterways A Tourist in My Son's New Home By DOMINIQUE BROWNING It is a wise mother who remembers the lessons that once came out of her mouth about how to be a good houseguest. 36 Hours in Barcelona, Spain By INGRID K. WILLIAMS In the Catalan capital, tuna belly is painted with jamón fat, new galleries surface in the shadow of Gaudí and children play around the Magic Fountain.   Slide Show: Barcelona FOOTSTEPS Where Victor Hugo Found Freedom By ANN MAH In exile on Guernsey, off the coast of France, Hugo poured himself into "Les Misérables" and his home's decoration. More than 150 years later, the writer's Guernsey is still present.   Slide Show: Victor Hugo's Guernsey HEADS UP Seattle, 50 Years After the Fair By CHRISTOPHER HALL To remember its 1962 World's Fair, Seattle is giving the Space Needle a fresh look and hosting a six-month celebration. FRUGAL TRAVELER BLOG Fiji for the Rest of Us By SETH KUGEL Many Fiji resorts have a secret of sorts: a two-tier system with private cabanas for well-heeled travelers but also shared dorm rooms for those on a budget. CHECK IN, CHECK OUT Hotel Review: The Shelborne South Beach By SARAH STODOLA The Shelborne features show-stopping common areas and a location to match. But glitches could rub the sheen off the glitz. PRACTICAL TRAVELER Getting Refunds if the Price Drops By MICHELLE HIGGINS A number of travel sites will help you get money back if the price of a room or flight drops after you reserve. So which one is right for you? Here's a guide to three of the sites. Q&A Taking a Trip to Lend a Hand By KENAN CHRISTIANSEN Six years ago, Ken Budd "saw the impact of small gestures" in Louisiana. Since then, he's traveled the world as a volunteer. In an interview, he offers advice for budding "voluntourists." Letters to the Travel Editor Readers respond to an article about travel agents. Multimedia SLIDE SHOW: Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai Dine in the clouds, visit one of the most surveilled spots in the world and have some tea in this tour of China's gateways.  Related Article SLIDE SHOW: A Ticket to Barcelona's Show Culinary wizardry, architectural marvels and more await in the Catalan city by the sea.  Related Article SLIDE SHOW: Victor Hugo's Guernsey See where the writer lived and worked during the most productive period of his life.  Related Article SLIDE SHOW: NoPa, San Francisco Here, you can learn to stretch your own cheese while sporting a t-shirt from a shop called San Franpsycho. SLIDE SHOW: Why We Travel "With its year-round green landscape and hills and strong folklore, it was the perfect destination to show my American husband the south of Chile, my native country."  Submit Your Photo Get up-to-the-minute reports on travel news and deals. On the road with an eye on affordable hotels, cheap eats and other budget-friendly tips.