About Dalian…

I want to give you an idea of what our current living area is like. I am taking this directly from the Fraser Suites packet, probably with minor editorial changes.

Dalian is located on the southern tip of Liaodong Peninsula, surrounded by the Bohai Sea and Yellow Sea. With its beaches, lush parks and hills, and balmy summers, Dalian is a popular resort destination with locals from surrounding provinces looking for a relaxing getaway. Billed as one of the most livable cities in China and the Hong Kong of the North, the second largest city in Liaoning Province has much to offer the visitor: swimming beaches, magnificent coastal views, and a cosmopolitan vibe that’s evident in the architecture, wide, tree-lined streets, and proliferation of international cuisines from sushi to borscht.

Compared to other Chinese cities, Dalian is a relatively young metropolis. It was occupied by Russia and Japan for many decades, and visitors are often pleasantly surprised to discover it is quite different from their expectations. With European-style buildings, elegant squares with sculptures and fountains, and green lawns, it could be a Western city.

The best times to visit are in summer and autumn, when the weather is perfect for long walks in scenic areas and beaches, and enjoying the theme parks. And should you wish to venture beyond, an excellent transportation network connects it to many other cities in China.

Just the facts, ma’am

Weather

My aside, not part of their description: Our latitude is 39 degrees north, which is approximately where we are at home in Pittsburgh. However, in Pittsburgh, we don’t have a sea or two moderating the climate.

Average temperatures range from -4 C (39.2 F) in winter to 24 C (75.2 F) in summer. Due to its warm continental climate, it neither gets too warm in summer (i disagree, we have seen temperatures above 94 F) nor too cold in winter. The East Asian monsoon brings rain in summer but winters tend to be windy and dry. [sic]

Currency

The unit of currency is Renminbi (RMB, also called Yuan), which comes in denominations of one, two, five, 10, 20, 50, and 100 in bills, and (I think) one, two, five and 10 in coins. To convert RMB to USD, move the decimal over one and add half. For example, we spent 36 RMB on dinner the other night. That is $3.60 + $1.80 or $5.40 for dinner. The other really neat thing about Chinese notes is all the denominations are different sizes, going downward in size with denomination. This makes it possible for blind people to handle money without any problems.