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Small Brained American’s trip begins in Beijing and continues by train to Yantai, where locals share drinks and food. He takes a seven-hour ferry to Dalian, visits a Russian-themed village and then explores Shenfu New Town, a large development with unfinished buildings and few people around. The video also covers baijiu, a $55 hotel room and the traveler’s reflections on the city’s emptiness.
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Train to Yantai and the ferry
Small Brained American begins in Beijing, where he buys Communist pins before boarding a bullet train to Yantai. He and his companions leave their luggage hidden in a bush, a risky choice that works out because local people are friendly. In Yantai, residents offer drinks, cigarettes and a meal, and a restaurant opens earlier than usual for them. The visitors spend time with their hosts and describe the warmth of the welcome.
They then take a seven-hour overnight ferry to Dalian. Their third-class cabin costs $40 and is noisy and smoky. The traveler drinks baijiu with other passengers and notes that cold drinks are not common in China because some people consider them unhealthy. In Dalian, they explore a Russian-themed village, then travel to Shenyang. A hotel room on the 23rd floor costs $55 and feels luxurious after the ferry.
Shenfu New Town
The final destination is Shenfu New Town, a large development described in the video as a $100 billion ghost city planned for a million people. The travelers walk past unfinished buildings and the Ring of Life structure and see few people in some areas. Locals tell them that millions of people live there, although the streets they visit feel empty. The host reflects on the economics of developments like this, including property investment and the availability of jobs.
His route contrasts social encounters in Yantai with the broad, quiet spaces of Shenfu. The video ends with his reaction to the scale and emptiness of the new town, which he presents as one view of China’s development rather than a complete account of the city.
FAQs (From the traveler's perspective)
- Q: Do many people live in Shenfu New Town?
- A: Local people tell the traveler that millions live there, although the parts he visits appear very quiet.
- Q: What was the Russian-themed village like?
- A: The traveler calls it a fake town after exploring the Russian-themed area in Dalian.
- Q: What did the first bullet train in Asia feel like?
- A: He compares the ride to being on an airplane.
- Q: Why were drinks not cold?
- A: The traveler says some people in China believe cold drinks are unhealthy.
- Q: How much did the water cost?
- A: It was free.
