The megacity of Chongqing may not be tops on most itineraries, but this economic hotspot—millions have poured in from the countryside in recent years to get in on the boom times—is well worth the visit if you want to see what the "real China" is up to in the 21st century. With well over 30 million inhabitants, Chongqing, one of China's four provincial-level municipalities (Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin are the others) is all about building the prosperous and modern nation that generations of Chinese have aspired to. It can be a dirty, raucous affair—construction dust and noise are primary features of today's Chongqing landscape—but the hope and energy in the air can be almost as palpable as the strong smell of Chongqing's dominant spicy Sichuanese cuisine and diesel exhaust. The "Mountain City" lies at the intersection of the Ya... more >>