24 Night trip to China - Wow, what a great trip we had!
Nov 7th, 2008, 05:57 AM
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24 Night trip to China - Wow, what a great trip we had!
I am back from a fabulous trip to China! Got home on Monday (November 3rd) and still recovering from jetlag. I don�t return to work until next Monday, so I have time to go through my many, many photos, as well as post my trip report.
Hope you don�t mind, but I�ll put it all here, to include what I have written while I was in China and fill in the gaps. I�ll be adding my restaurant and hotel information as well.
As I said before I left, thanks to all the fodorites (and TA and VT people) who helped me plan this trip. It certainly helped me, especially for such a huge country as China.
10 October: My cousin Reenie and I arrived safely in Beijing. We flew on United Airlines from Dulles International. The flight was loooong but we managed well. We did have lots of turbulence over Canada. We saw lots of ice-covered land, especially over the Queen Elizabeth Islands and Siberia. And the mountains were beautiful with jagged edges. We crossed over Mongolia before heading south into Beijing.
Landing, going through customs, and getting a taxi was very easy. We both took money out of the ATM machine outside the exit area. There are two official taxi lines. As warned by fellow travelers, a man did walk up to us while still inside the terminal asking if we needed a taxi. I knew best and headed to the official stand. It took about 20 minutes to get to our hotel. The traffic was very light. I had read about the aggressive taxi drivers, but not ours. Our seatbelts didn't work but I actually felt comfortable with his driving. Along the highway into the city there were many potted planters with various flowers. We didn�t know if they were from the Olympics or if flowers are there for most of the year.
The taxi driver had to stop to ask for directions to our hotel, while I kept trying to tell him it was next to the Regent. He called the hotel and we were at the door the next minute. We paid 84RMB for the drive, which I knew was more expensive than the express train/subway, but after a long day in the air, we wanted no other mode of transportation. It was nice having door-to-door service.
Check in at the Park Plaza Wangfujing hotel was fast and we were upgraded to an executive room with the club benefits (breakfast, cocktails in the evening and use of the computer!) Our room, #1506, was quite nice with two double beds, desk, tv., decent sized bathroom; chair and coffee table; and amenities (slippers, robe, 2 bottles of water daily). The service was great at the Plaza. Every employee we encountered was friendly and always with a smile. The location of the hotel is great: a subways is located next to the hotel and the Wangfujing night market is only a 10 minute walk away. Breakfast was just �ok� � not enough of Chinese foods and they always put out American sausages. Got tired of that. Evenings they had wine and hard liquor, but we enjoyed the white wine. Most evenings we would have a drink or two while I got on the computer; followed by dinner out.
Our first day was beautiful. Blue skies, with a slight haze, but nothing compared to what I saw on t.v. before and during the Olympics. The weather report called for the same sunny days and temps in the low 70s.
For dinner, I asked at the concierge desk for a recommendation for a light dinner, as Reenie wasn't that hungry. We were given a restaurant business card and one of the employees walked us outside and pointed us in the right direction (out the back entrance and to the left, crossing over a main street and down 2 blocks or so, restaurant is on the left). I wasn't sure if we were going to find the place since only Chinese characters were on the card and it took a while for the employees to figure out the directions.
The restaurant was a dumpling place (Shun Yi Fu Dumpling restaurant, 36-3 Gan Yu Avenue Eastern District, Beijing, Beside South of the WgFuJing Church) and the place was packed. In fact, it was the only place that was full on this particular street. There were probably 5-6 other small restaurants. We didn't have to wait, as 2 people just left their table. Three young waitresses brought out plates of steamed and fried dumplings. Some of the diners had various types of soups, vegetables, and other dishes. It all looked great! We ordered a small plate of pickled vegetables (daikon, cabbage and carrots), which was slightly spicy (5 RMB) along with a plate of fried dumplings stuffed with cabbage and pork (15 dumplings for 25 RMB). The cabbage had the taste of spinach. They were delicious and filling. With 2 bottles of water our dinner was 35 RMB. What a delicious, yet inexpensive dinner for our first night in China.
We didn't get to the night market, as we walked in the wrong direction but we did see a lot of activity in the area. Many shops were open and we even checked out a tea shop. After picking up a couple of bottles of water for the room, we walked back.
My first impression of Beijing: Huge city! Alive, vibrant, fast-paced and wow, those drivers are all over the street. I can�t imagine riding bikes in the city in between the cars, but the Chinese do it so easily.
Tomorrow: The Forbidden City.
Monica
Hope you don�t mind, but I�ll put it all here, to include what I have written while I was in China and fill in the gaps. I�ll be adding my restaurant and hotel information as well.
As I said before I left, thanks to all the fodorites (and TA and VT people) who helped me plan this trip. It certainly helped me, especially for such a huge country as China.
10 October: My cousin Reenie and I arrived safely in Beijing. We flew on United Airlines from Dulles International. The flight was loooong but we managed well. We did have lots of turbulence over Canada. We saw lots of ice-covered land, especially over the Queen Elizabeth Islands and Siberia. And the mountains were beautiful with jagged edges. We crossed over Mongolia before heading south into Beijing.
Landing, going through customs, and getting a taxi was very easy. We both took money out of the ATM machine outside the exit area. There are two official taxi lines. As warned by fellow travelers, a man did walk up to us while still inside the terminal asking if we needed a taxi. I knew best and headed to the official stand. It took about 20 minutes to get to our hotel. The traffic was very light. I had read about the aggressive taxi drivers, but not ours. Our seatbelts didn't work but I actually felt comfortable with his driving. Along the highway into the city there were many potted planters with various flowers. We didn�t know if they were from the Olympics or if flowers are there for most of the year.
The taxi driver had to stop to ask for directions to our hotel, while I kept trying to tell him it was next to the Regent. He called the hotel and we were at the door the next minute. We paid 84RMB for the drive, which I knew was more expensive than the express train/subway, but after a long day in the air, we wanted no other mode of transportation. It was nice having door-to-door service.
Check in at the Park Plaza Wangfujing hotel was fast and we were upgraded to an executive room with the club benefits (breakfast, cocktails in the evening and use of the computer!) Our room, #1506, was quite nice with two double beds, desk, tv., decent sized bathroom; chair and coffee table; and amenities (slippers, robe, 2 bottles of water daily). The service was great at the Plaza. Every employee we encountered was friendly and always with a smile. The location of the hotel is great: a subways is located next to the hotel and the Wangfujing night market is only a 10 minute walk away. Breakfast was just �ok� � not enough of Chinese foods and they always put out American sausages. Got tired of that. Evenings they had wine and hard liquor, but we enjoyed the white wine. Most evenings we would have a drink or two while I got on the computer; followed by dinner out.
Our first day was beautiful. Blue skies, with a slight haze, but nothing compared to what I saw on t.v. before and during the Olympics. The weather report called for the same sunny days and temps in the low 70s.
For dinner, I asked at the concierge desk for a recommendation for a light dinner, as Reenie wasn't that hungry. We were given a restaurant business card and one of the employees walked us outside and pointed us in the right direction (out the back entrance and to the left, crossing over a main street and down 2 blocks or so, restaurant is on the left). I wasn't sure if we were going to find the place since only Chinese characters were on the card and it took a while for the employees to figure out the directions.
The restaurant was a dumpling place (Shun Yi Fu Dumpling restaurant, 36-3 Gan Yu Avenue Eastern District, Beijing, Beside South of the WgFuJing Church) and the place was packed. In fact, it was the only place that was full on this particular street. There were probably 5-6 other small restaurants. We didn't have to wait, as 2 people just left their table. Three young waitresses brought out plates of steamed and fried dumplings. Some of the diners had various types of soups, vegetables, and other dishes. It all looked great! We ordered a small plate of pickled vegetables (daikon, cabbage and carrots), which was slightly spicy (5 RMB) along with a plate of fried dumplings stuffed with cabbage and pork (15 dumplings for 25 RMB). The cabbage had the taste of spinach. They were delicious and filling. With 2 bottles of water our dinner was 35 RMB. What a delicious, yet inexpensive dinner for our first night in China.
We didn't get to the night market, as we walked in the wrong direction but we did see a lot of activity in the area. Many shops were open and we even checked out a tea shop. After picking up a couple of bottles of water for the room, we walked back.
My first impression of Beijing: Huge city! Alive, vibrant, fast-paced and wow, those drivers are all over the street. I can�t imagine riding bikes in the city in between the cars, but the Chinese do it so easily.
Tomorrow: The Forbidden City.
Monica
Nov 7th, 2008, 06:45 AM
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Saturday October 11th: Early wake up call since we had a long day. We met up with Violet after breakfast, our guide for the next three days. Our morning started with a walk to the Forbidden City (FC), which took about 25 minutes. We arrived at the east gate and circled south to the main entrance. Instead of going directly in (a mistake, which I’ll explain later), we headed south to Tiananmen Square. Both Reenie and I were amazed at the size of the square. I had read it was the size of 90 football fields. I also read other sizes, but in any case, it was incredibly large. Decorations remained from the Olympics and we saw a group of school children touring the area.
Heading back to the FC we encountered crowds of people. While the National holiday had ended (on the 8th?) many people still remained in Beijing for the weekend. The crowds packed into FC. There must have been 10 lines of people squeezing into 2 final lines to get through the gate. I saw a few people panic because everyone was pushing. Had there been any problems I’m sure some would have been injured. I recommend that anyone visiting the FC to go there first thing in the morning and visit T. Square another day, as we would have avoided the crowds.
If I thought T. Square was large, I was even more amazed at the size of the FC. It seemed like we walked forever going through the various parts of the city grounds. We learned that the gold knobs on the red doors signified the lucky number 9, as most of the doors had 9 rows across and 9 rows top to bottom. Also, there are apparently 9,999 rooms in the FC.
We visited the small jewelry museum (lots of beautiful jade) and then headed out the north end of the City, probably spending 4 hours total.
By this time, we were hungry for lunch, so Violet took us to a place for a hot pot lunch. The card I have reads “Beijing Full Blessing Catering” 38 Dianmennei Street. Across the street, according to Violet, was another hot pot restaurant that busloads of tourists go to. Most tourists apparently missed the restaurant we dined in. Each table had a steaming hot pot with a spicy broth, depending on how spicy you like your food. We ordered lamb, beef, cabbage, straw-like mushrooms, and celery leaves. I like spicy food, but ordered mine mild. It was certainly mild but after several bites of food, the heat kicked in. Reenie and I enjoyed our lunch (226 RMB for 3 of us).
Reenie wanted to buy some bulk silk, so we took a taxi to the silk market. She shopped around, as there were many stalls and she wanted a particular color and thickness of material. She bargained and purchased some. She also bought a watch, but Violet said she paid too much. I agreed! I looked around but wasn’t in the mood for shopping. Too much to see in Beijing and I’m not a shopper anyway, except get me in an Italian ceramic shop and I go crazy!
After a short rest at our hotel, we walked to the Wangfujing night market. Wow! I loved seeing all the various foods and bugs. There were probably 30 food vendors, most selling the same items. Since we had a large lunch, I dined on some of the street food, to include some skewered meats (lamb) and a crepe that was filled with cabbage, vegetables, sliced meat and some hot sauce. Reenie wasn’t ready to try the foods but did have some fried ice cream.
Nearby on the pedestrian area of Wangfujing, we shopped a little before heading back to the hotel.
Sunday October 12th: We had nice weather again, although slightly more smoggy than the day before. Violet picked us up at 8:30am at the hotel and we took the subway to the Temple of Heaven (TH). Reenie and I both enjoyed this park-like setting. It seemed everyone was out enjoying the day with his or her loved ones. We enjoyed watching people dancing in the park, playing various games, doing their exercises, and groups of singers or musicians.
One man stopped me for a few minutes and I played a sort of 'table' tennis but it was with a large soft ball that we tossed to each other with a paddle. I had fun interacting with him. What I did learn is that the moves you make in order to toss and catch the ball are tai chi moves. He helped me with a few moves, but I could tell it's something that takes practice.
Violet told us about the sights at the TH. I was amazed at its size (I’m starting to sound like a broken record but hey, Beijing is large and it seems that the Chinese wanted to build everything large). At the TH many people were enjoying their Sunday. Some were dancing, some singing, some playing various games. One could tell that socializing is the thing to do on a weekend day. The TH was just about as large as the FC. We did lots of walking!
Next, we headed over to the pearl market and Reenie bought a hat, as she is fair-skinned and the sun can be too much for her. She bargained and ended up paying 20RMB, which Violet recommended. Reenie had bought a watch the previous day ($15 USD), which Violet said she paid "too much!" Me, I haven't bought anything yet. The stores with all the young sales women and the number of stores can be overwhelming.
For lunch Violet took us to a restaurant very close to the pearl market – Old Beijing Zhajiang Noodle King, 29 Chong Wai Street, Chong Wen District. We didn’t want a multi-course lunch since we had dinner reservations for Peking duck! We all enjoyed a bowl of Beijing noodles, which is served with a thick plum sauce. It was excellent. The restaurant is large (there I go again) and was completely filled, mostly with locals from what I could tell. People waited in line for a table. As we ordered we were asked to pay for our meal. They worked fast! Chairs were uncomfortable, as they were just small bench-like chairs, but that’s probably to get people in and out quickly. No lingering here.
The afternoon was spent at the Summer Palace (SM), where the emperors would enjoy their summers. It was about a 40-minute taxi ride. The SM was a zoo! It was just as crowed as the Forbidden City. We spent a couple of hours walking along the area, including along the long corridor, the longest in the world. It reminded me of the corridors at the Temple of Heaven.
We decided not to walk up the hill to the, I think it's called the temple of harmony, since we had plans to climb the great wall the next day, but instead, we walked over to the marble boat. I had seen photographs of the boat and appreciated seeing it in person. What a work of art!
For 10 RMB per person, we took a short boat ride along the lake to the 17 arch bridge. Here is where the number 9 comes into play. If you stand in the middle of the bridge you have 9 arches on either side of you to include the one that you are ‘standing’ on.
It was late, so we took a taxi ride to the nearest subway and went back to the hotel. One stretch of the subway was very crowded, especially at the interchange.
For dinner, we ate at Liqun Roast Duck Restaurant, which is located in a hutong (11 Beixiangfeng, Zhengyi Road, Qianmendong St, tel 67055578). Our taxi driver had a hard time finding it and had to call the restaurant. Once he stopped the car I was unsure if we were in the right location. The cars that drove on the streets kicked up the dust, which make the area look eerie, especially with the few lights on the street. Pointing in the correct direction, we set off. Right at the corner was a sign painted on a wall directing us to the tiny hutong restaurant. We knew this would be an experience. Even though Violet had called to make reservations for us, she told us we would have to wait "a little." That wait turned into 45 minutes. However, it was worth the wait! Every table is presented with their duck to see before it is taken away for carving. To eat duck, take one of the very thin crepes, a piece of duck that has been dipped into the sweet bean duck sauce, "paint" the sauce onto the crepe; add more duck (along with the skin), thinly sliced scallions and sliced cucumber. Wrap it like a burrito and enjoy! It was so good! Both of us were in heaven. We also enjoyed garlic snow peas, perfectly cooked and still crisp. I hate overcooked vegetables.
This hutong restaurant was very small and had about three rooms of diners. The middle, courtyard, was covered with a plastic roof. One could imagine how people lived before it was a restaurant. Tight quarters of families sharing the center courtyard. Many hutongs are being destroyed on a daily basis.
I hadn't thought about getting a taxi back to our hotel but one woman at the restaurant told us to walk back to the main street and someone would hail a cab for us. Sure enough, on the corner were several men, including two in security uniforms. It took about 10 minutes before one could be hailed down. It was a short ride back to the hotel.
I have to say that I never felt uncomfortable while in China. I felt very safe and never thought twice about walking in the streets at night, even in small dark alley ways.
Next: our visit to the Great Wall!
Monica
Heading back to the FC we encountered crowds of people. While the National holiday had ended (on the 8th?) many people still remained in Beijing for the weekend. The crowds packed into FC. There must have been 10 lines of people squeezing into 2 final lines to get through the gate. I saw a few people panic because everyone was pushing. Had there been any problems I’m sure some would have been injured. I recommend that anyone visiting the FC to go there first thing in the morning and visit T. Square another day, as we would have avoided the crowds.
If I thought T. Square was large, I was even more amazed at the size of the FC. It seemed like we walked forever going through the various parts of the city grounds. We learned that the gold knobs on the red doors signified the lucky number 9, as most of the doors had 9 rows across and 9 rows top to bottom. Also, there are apparently 9,999 rooms in the FC.
We visited the small jewelry museum (lots of beautiful jade) and then headed out the north end of the City, probably spending 4 hours total.
By this time, we were hungry for lunch, so Violet took us to a place for a hot pot lunch. The card I have reads “Beijing Full Blessing Catering” 38 Dianmennei Street. Across the street, according to Violet, was another hot pot restaurant that busloads of tourists go to. Most tourists apparently missed the restaurant we dined in. Each table had a steaming hot pot with a spicy broth, depending on how spicy you like your food. We ordered lamb, beef, cabbage, straw-like mushrooms, and celery leaves. I like spicy food, but ordered mine mild. It was certainly mild but after several bites of food, the heat kicked in. Reenie and I enjoyed our lunch (226 RMB for 3 of us).
Reenie wanted to buy some bulk silk, so we took a taxi to the silk market. She shopped around, as there were many stalls and she wanted a particular color and thickness of material. She bargained and purchased some. She also bought a watch, but Violet said she paid too much. I agreed! I looked around but wasn’t in the mood for shopping. Too much to see in Beijing and I’m not a shopper anyway, except get me in an Italian ceramic shop and I go crazy!
After a short rest at our hotel, we walked to the Wangfujing night market. Wow! I loved seeing all the various foods and bugs. There were probably 30 food vendors, most selling the same items. Since we had a large lunch, I dined on some of the street food, to include some skewered meats (lamb) and a crepe that was filled with cabbage, vegetables, sliced meat and some hot sauce. Reenie wasn’t ready to try the foods but did have some fried ice cream.
Nearby on the pedestrian area of Wangfujing, we shopped a little before heading back to the hotel.
Sunday October 12th: We had nice weather again, although slightly more smoggy than the day before. Violet picked us up at 8:30am at the hotel and we took the subway to the Temple of Heaven (TH). Reenie and I both enjoyed this park-like setting. It seemed everyone was out enjoying the day with his or her loved ones. We enjoyed watching people dancing in the park, playing various games, doing their exercises, and groups of singers or musicians.
One man stopped me for a few minutes and I played a sort of 'table' tennis but it was with a large soft ball that we tossed to each other with a paddle. I had fun interacting with him. What I did learn is that the moves you make in order to toss and catch the ball are tai chi moves. He helped me with a few moves, but I could tell it's something that takes practice.
Violet told us about the sights at the TH. I was amazed at its size (I’m starting to sound like a broken record but hey, Beijing is large and it seems that the Chinese wanted to build everything large). At the TH many people were enjoying their Sunday. Some were dancing, some singing, some playing various games. One could tell that socializing is the thing to do on a weekend day. The TH was just about as large as the FC. We did lots of walking!
Next, we headed over to the pearl market and Reenie bought a hat, as she is fair-skinned and the sun can be too much for her. She bargained and ended up paying 20RMB, which Violet recommended. Reenie had bought a watch the previous day ($15 USD), which Violet said she paid "too much!" Me, I haven't bought anything yet. The stores with all the young sales women and the number of stores can be overwhelming.
For lunch Violet took us to a restaurant very close to the pearl market – Old Beijing Zhajiang Noodle King, 29 Chong Wai Street, Chong Wen District. We didn’t want a multi-course lunch since we had dinner reservations for Peking duck! We all enjoyed a bowl of Beijing noodles, which is served with a thick plum sauce. It was excellent. The restaurant is large (there I go again) and was completely filled, mostly with locals from what I could tell. People waited in line for a table. As we ordered we were asked to pay for our meal. They worked fast! Chairs were uncomfortable, as they were just small bench-like chairs, but that’s probably to get people in and out quickly. No lingering here.
The afternoon was spent at the Summer Palace (SM), where the emperors would enjoy their summers. It was about a 40-minute taxi ride. The SM was a zoo! It was just as crowed as the Forbidden City. We spent a couple of hours walking along the area, including along the long corridor, the longest in the world. It reminded me of the corridors at the Temple of Heaven.
We decided not to walk up the hill to the, I think it's called the temple of harmony, since we had plans to climb the great wall the next day, but instead, we walked over to the marble boat. I had seen photographs of the boat and appreciated seeing it in person. What a work of art!
For 10 RMB per person, we took a short boat ride along the lake to the 17 arch bridge. Here is where the number 9 comes into play. If you stand in the middle of the bridge you have 9 arches on either side of you to include the one that you are ‘standing’ on.
It was late, so we took a taxi ride to the nearest subway and went back to the hotel. One stretch of the subway was very crowded, especially at the interchange.
For dinner, we ate at Liqun Roast Duck Restaurant, which is located in a hutong (11 Beixiangfeng, Zhengyi Road, Qianmendong St, tel 67055578). Our taxi driver had a hard time finding it and had to call the restaurant. Once he stopped the car I was unsure if we were in the right location. The cars that drove on the streets kicked up the dust, which make the area look eerie, especially with the few lights on the street. Pointing in the correct direction, we set off. Right at the corner was a sign painted on a wall directing us to the tiny hutong restaurant. We knew this would be an experience. Even though Violet had called to make reservations for us, she told us we would have to wait "a little." That wait turned into 45 minutes. However, it was worth the wait! Every table is presented with their duck to see before it is taken away for carving. To eat duck, take one of the very thin crepes, a piece of duck that has been dipped into the sweet bean duck sauce, "paint" the sauce onto the crepe; add more duck (along with the skin), thinly sliced scallions and sliced cucumber. Wrap it like a burrito and enjoy! It was so good! Both of us were in heaven. We also enjoyed garlic snow peas, perfectly cooked and still crisp. I hate overcooked vegetables.
This hutong restaurant was very small and had about three rooms of diners. The middle, courtyard, was covered with a plastic roof. One could imagine how people lived before it was a restaurant. Tight quarters of families sharing the center courtyard. Many hutongs are being destroyed on a daily basis.
I hadn't thought about getting a taxi back to our hotel but one woman at the restaurant told us to walk back to the main street and someone would hail a cab for us. Sure enough, on the corner were several men, including two in security uniforms. It took about 10 minutes before one could be hailed down. It was a short ride back to the hotel.
I have to say that I never felt uncomfortable while in China. I felt very safe and never thought twice about walking in the streets at night, even in small dark alley ways.
Next: our visit to the Great Wall!
Monica
Nov 7th, 2008, 07:00 AM
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Hi, Monica!
What a great report! Love going to all those familiar Beijing places with you and seeing them through fresh eyes.
Thanks so much for sharing! Please keep it coming!
Waiting impatiently for more!
What a great report! Love going to all those familiar Beijing places with you and seeing them through fresh eyes.
Thanks so much for sharing! Please keep it coming!
Waiting impatiently for more!
Nov 7th, 2008, 08:08 AM
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Thanks easytraveler! Glad I can paint a picture of my trip for you to see and hopefully 'experience.'
To continue:
13 October, Monday: Yesterday Violet sprung some “news” by saying, “Sorry, I can’t take you to the Great Wall tomorrow.” Apparently she had to take a test to get her driver’s license but didn’t tell us till the day before our outing. I was angry to say the least, but just told her to resolve the problem, which she did. She arranged for a driver to pick us up at our designate 7am time and would charge us the same 500RMB price that I had negotiated with Violet. In the end she did us a favor, as we didn’t have to pay her 350RMB/day fee. I did have two backup plans in case any guide fell through. In fact, I had hired a driver the year before and even though we corresponded quite often and up until about 2 weeks before I left for China, he too backed out. Must have gotten other customers where he could make more money.
The driver met us at the hotel and we were off to the Wall at Mutianyu. It was an overcast day, unlike our first 2 days in Beijing. As we neared the wall, I could see parts of it in the distance. I was getting excited! Reenie had told me this is the one thing she wanted to see while in China – her trip of a lifetime. We arrived about 8:30am or so and there were already a few buses. However, I had read this part of the wall was less crowded than at Badaling. The driver escorted us to the ticket office, where we purchased our entry fee, the cable car fee and toboggan fee (all for 120RMB per person).
The cable car ride was short but we enjoyed the views despite the haze in the air. The wall winds its way through the peaks of mountains and wooded hillsides. We headed towards the left first. Up and down the stairs we went, some were narrow and some were wide. It was great to be on such a historical site and to wonder how it was built on such high mountain peaks. The number of people it took to build must have been in the thousands. We walked through several towers, which varied in size and height. I would stop now and then and just look out into the distance where I saw the wall disappear. I wish we had all day to hike the wall, but it wasn’t possible.
Heading back in the opposite direction, we passed the cable car station and headed to the other end. We had even better views! The air cleared up somewhat and we saw blue skies above us. It seemed at times we had the wall to ourselves. I noticed some small groups of people walking a very short distance and then turning back to leave. What a shame. The wall deserves a few hours at least! We were on the wall for about 3 hours, and I would say 4 would even be better. We felt a little rushed getting back to the car and the length of the wall to the right was longer than I thought it would be.
Our trip down the mountain was fun! We took the toboggan down where one sits in an individual seat for the ride down. Each controls the speed and breaks, with a toggle in the middle. A worker tells us to lean as we hit a curve. I knew Reenie would be going down slowly, so I started first. And wow, did I go fast! It was so much fun!! It probably took 5 minutes to get down, but I was ready to go back up for another ride. I woo-hooed all the way down! This is definitely a "must do" for any visitor to the wall.
After, we walked through the gauntlet of vendors selling cheap t-shirts. I should have bought one, but didn't. They were dirt cheap, two for $1. Oh well. We have the memories of our wall hike. And our many photos.
The driver was waiting for us in his car, taking a nap. We headed next to the town of HuaiRou for lunch. Recommended by fellow fodorites, we certainly enjoyed lunch: Eggplant sautéed in a brown sauce with bits of chopped meat; fried dumplings (which had a crispy topping, almost like flat layer of almost-burnt cheese); and a mixture of sautéed mushrooms. Reenie said they were canned mushrooms, but the dish was still tasty. We shared a bottle of beer while the driver waited for us in his car. I did ask him to join us, but he declined. (74RMB for the two of us).
Continuing on, we headed back to Beijing and stopped at the Lama Temple for an hour or so. It was such a colorful temple filled with people praying with their incense sticks. It was quite smoky and I imagined the many temples in Beijing played a part in the pollution. There were several courtyards with individual temples. Buddha’s, large and small were inside. No photography is allowed. The last temple contains the largest in the group.
For dinner (after our usual glass of wine), we met up with fellow fodorites Lisa, Charna and Manny and Evelyn and Manny. We met in the lobby of our hotel and not knowing where to go, I suggested the small dumpling restaurant from our first night. They all loved it! We ordered a variety of dumplings, as well as a delicious pickled, garlic cucumber salad. Some had sodas, while Reenie and I shared a beer. Dinner per person came to 15 RMB, or about $2.20, to which the group was amazed. Eating in places like this makes me a happy woman!
Lisa joined Reenie and me and we walked to the night market. However, not realizing the time, we arrived just as it was shutting down (10pm). Lisa did get the jist of it and I hope she had the opportunity to go there another night. Quite frankly, we should have returned directly to our hotel after dinner, as our feet and legs were sore from the hike on the wall.
All in all, this was a great day. The Great Wall was certainly a highlight of our trip!!
I'll continue tomorrow with our visit to the backlakes and hutongs.
Monica
To continue:
13 October, Monday: Yesterday Violet sprung some “news” by saying, “Sorry, I can’t take you to the Great Wall tomorrow.” Apparently she had to take a test to get her driver’s license but didn’t tell us till the day before our outing. I was angry to say the least, but just told her to resolve the problem, which she did. She arranged for a driver to pick us up at our designate 7am time and would charge us the same 500RMB price that I had negotiated with Violet. In the end she did us a favor, as we didn’t have to pay her 350RMB/day fee. I did have two backup plans in case any guide fell through. In fact, I had hired a driver the year before and even though we corresponded quite often and up until about 2 weeks before I left for China, he too backed out. Must have gotten other customers where he could make more money.
The driver met us at the hotel and we were off to the Wall at Mutianyu. It was an overcast day, unlike our first 2 days in Beijing. As we neared the wall, I could see parts of it in the distance. I was getting excited! Reenie had told me this is the one thing she wanted to see while in China – her trip of a lifetime. We arrived about 8:30am or so and there were already a few buses. However, I had read this part of the wall was less crowded than at Badaling. The driver escorted us to the ticket office, where we purchased our entry fee, the cable car fee and toboggan fee (all for 120RMB per person).
The cable car ride was short but we enjoyed the views despite the haze in the air. The wall winds its way through the peaks of mountains and wooded hillsides. We headed towards the left first. Up and down the stairs we went, some were narrow and some were wide. It was great to be on such a historical site and to wonder how it was built on such high mountain peaks. The number of people it took to build must have been in the thousands. We walked through several towers, which varied in size and height. I would stop now and then and just look out into the distance where I saw the wall disappear. I wish we had all day to hike the wall, but it wasn’t possible.
Heading back in the opposite direction, we passed the cable car station and headed to the other end. We had even better views! The air cleared up somewhat and we saw blue skies above us. It seemed at times we had the wall to ourselves. I noticed some small groups of people walking a very short distance and then turning back to leave. What a shame. The wall deserves a few hours at least! We were on the wall for about 3 hours, and I would say 4 would even be better. We felt a little rushed getting back to the car and the length of the wall to the right was longer than I thought it would be.
Our trip down the mountain was fun! We took the toboggan down where one sits in an individual seat for the ride down. Each controls the speed and breaks, with a toggle in the middle. A worker tells us to lean as we hit a curve. I knew Reenie would be going down slowly, so I started first. And wow, did I go fast! It was so much fun!! It probably took 5 minutes to get down, but I was ready to go back up for another ride. I woo-hooed all the way down! This is definitely a "must do" for any visitor to the wall.
After, we walked through the gauntlet of vendors selling cheap t-shirts. I should have bought one, but didn't. They were dirt cheap, two for $1. Oh well. We have the memories of our wall hike. And our many photos.
The driver was waiting for us in his car, taking a nap. We headed next to the town of HuaiRou for lunch. Recommended by fellow fodorites, we certainly enjoyed lunch: Eggplant sautéed in a brown sauce with bits of chopped meat; fried dumplings (which had a crispy topping, almost like flat layer of almost-burnt cheese); and a mixture of sautéed mushrooms. Reenie said they were canned mushrooms, but the dish was still tasty. We shared a bottle of beer while the driver waited for us in his car. I did ask him to join us, but he declined. (74RMB for the two of us).
Continuing on, we headed back to Beijing and stopped at the Lama Temple for an hour or so. It was such a colorful temple filled with people praying with their incense sticks. It was quite smoky and I imagined the many temples in Beijing played a part in the pollution. There were several courtyards with individual temples. Buddha’s, large and small were inside. No photography is allowed. The last temple contains the largest in the group.
For dinner (after our usual glass of wine), we met up with fellow fodorites Lisa, Charna and Manny and Evelyn and Manny. We met in the lobby of our hotel and not knowing where to go, I suggested the small dumpling restaurant from our first night. They all loved it! We ordered a variety of dumplings, as well as a delicious pickled, garlic cucumber salad. Some had sodas, while Reenie and I shared a beer. Dinner per person came to 15 RMB, or about $2.20, to which the group was amazed. Eating in places like this makes me a happy woman!
Lisa joined Reenie and me and we walked to the night market. However, not realizing the time, we arrived just as it was shutting down (10pm). Lisa did get the jist of it and I hope she had the opportunity to go there another night. Quite frankly, we should have returned directly to our hotel after dinner, as our feet and legs were sore from the hike on the wall.
All in all, this was a great day. The Great Wall was certainly a highlight of our trip!!
I'll continue tomorrow with our visit to the backlakes and hutongs.
Monica
Nov 7th, 2008, 02:28 PM
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Glad to relive our trip through you & that you arrived home safely.Just to share that we also loved walking the Great Wall. After returning to the hotel, we decided to go to the Butterfly for a massage for the bargain price of $20 an hour per person.Little did we realize that the 6 of us would become submitted to such deep muscle torture while being worked on by the masseuses,as couples,in synch,within 3 thinly walled rooms that allowed the shouts of pain to penetrate.After changing back into our clothing,we all walked out bent over in pain & laughed in disbelief at the experience. Will share other memorable moments in my report soon.
Nov 8th, 2008, 04:38 AM
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Thanks everyone. It was a great trip!
14th October – On our own. This day we took the subway to the Back Lakes. The subway is very easy to navigate, as many signs are in English. And it’s very inexpensive! We spent most of the day wandering the Back Lakes and the area of the hutong. It’s a lovely area with shaded trees, peaceful gardens, and hutong. Reenie and I really enjoyed seeing another part of Beijing life. Many of the hutong are in ruins with small alleyways. Life continues in the hutongs with people going about their business, exercising in their small parks, and sitting around with neighbors. We met a beautiful old white-haired woman, who was sitting outside enjoying the day. She could have been the twin of my 99-year old grandmother. I showed her my camera and she smiled with a nod. I snapped a few photos while she sat regally.
We saw people swimming in one of the lakes, which I would never have done. Most had large bottles filled with fresh water to wash them once they got out. There was even a sign posted telling people NOT to swim in the polluted water.
Reenie and I visited the Soong Chingling former residence and museum. She was the honorary Chairman of the People's Republic of China, established in 1949, and wife of Dr. Sun Yat-sen. The residence/museum remains as when she lived there, with the residence set in a beautiful garden with corridors and pavilions. On display were photographs that showed her life, to include her political activities. There were other exhibits, including a Children’s Hall. It was quite an interesting museum.
In the area, we saw many people on rickshaws. They seemed like a fun ride, but we enjoyed our walking, as we got to see more of the area. For lunch we had Thai food. As soon as we settled in our chairs, the owner changed the music from Chinese to American! We listened to several eras of music. Lunch consisted of spring rolls, beef with basil and rice. We found many of the restaurants served large portions of food. Sometimes we could have done with just one or two dishes.
In the late afternoon we visited the Jinshan Park for a bird’s eye view of the Forbidden City. It was very hazy out but I was glad to see the city from this point of view. Many people were hanging out waiting for the sun to set. The air had a yellowish glow. It would have been wonderful to see the city and its red rooftops with clear skies. As our days progressed, we encountered more pollution.
Reenie wanted to catch the lowering of the flags at T. Square, so we tried to grab a taxi. There was no way with the evening traffic, especially in the area of the Forbidden City. We hired a motorized “rickshaw” which an old man was driving. We zipped through the traffic passing the crowded streets. It was exhilarating but also scary, especially since we knew how people drive in Beijing. The man dropped us off but we still had to cross over the square (via underground walkway) and just didn’t get there in time. We headed back to the hotel on the subway.
For dinner, we met up with Lisa and taxied over to the Noodle Loft, a restaurant I had seen on the Anthony Bourdain show (No. 20 Dawang Road, Chaoyang District, tel: 8610-677 49950). The center of the room has an open kitchen where four or five chefs will cook fresh made noodles. It was quite entertaining to watch them perform. They would toss the various types of noodles into the large pots of boiling water. Some looked like the Italian gnocchi while others were extremely long noodles. Dinner was fabulous (although we actually didn’t order any noodles): fried lotus root, a fatty pork dish with vegetables (thinly sliced green vegetable of some sort that was crunchy), a whole duck with pancakes and plum sauce, and a plate of ear mushrooms with cilantro. Reenie and I agreed the duck was more succulent than at Liqun duck restaurant, as well as getting more for our money (although we certainly enjoyed our dinner in the hutong). It was probably one of the best meals we had on this trip. Dinner for the three of us: 206RMB (or about $10 per person).
Monica
14th October – On our own. This day we took the subway to the Back Lakes. The subway is very easy to navigate, as many signs are in English. And it’s very inexpensive! We spent most of the day wandering the Back Lakes and the area of the hutong. It’s a lovely area with shaded trees, peaceful gardens, and hutong. Reenie and I really enjoyed seeing another part of Beijing life. Many of the hutong are in ruins with small alleyways. Life continues in the hutongs with people going about their business, exercising in their small parks, and sitting around with neighbors. We met a beautiful old white-haired woman, who was sitting outside enjoying the day. She could have been the twin of my 99-year old grandmother. I showed her my camera and she smiled with a nod. I snapped a few photos while she sat regally.
We saw people swimming in one of the lakes, which I would never have done. Most had large bottles filled with fresh water to wash them once they got out. There was even a sign posted telling people NOT to swim in the polluted water.
Reenie and I visited the Soong Chingling former residence and museum. She was the honorary Chairman of the People's Republic of China, established in 1949, and wife of Dr. Sun Yat-sen. The residence/museum remains as when she lived there, with the residence set in a beautiful garden with corridors and pavilions. On display were photographs that showed her life, to include her political activities. There were other exhibits, including a Children’s Hall. It was quite an interesting museum.
In the area, we saw many people on rickshaws. They seemed like a fun ride, but we enjoyed our walking, as we got to see more of the area. For lunch we had Thai food. As soon as we settled in our chairs, the owner changed the music from Chinese to American! We listened to several eras of music. Lunch consisted of spring rolls, beef with basil and rice. We found many of the restaurants served large portions of food. Sometimes we could have done with just one or two dishes.
In the late afternoon we visited the Jinshan Park for a bird’s eye view of the Forbidden City. It was very hazy out but I was glad to see the city from this point of view. Many people were hanging out waiting for the sun to set. The air had a yellowish glow. It would have been wonderful to see the city and its red rooftops with clear skies. As our days progressed, we encountered more pollution.
Reenie wanted to catch the lowering of the flags at T. Square, so we tried to grab a taxi. There was no way with the evening traffic, especially in the area of the Forbidden City. We hired a motorized “rickshaw” which an old man was driving. We zipped through the traffic passing the crowded streets. It was exhilarating but also scary, especially since we knew how people drive in Beijing. The man dropped us off but we still had to cross over the square (via underground walkway) and just didn’t get there in time. We headed back to the hotel on the subway.
For dinner, we met up with Lisa and taxied over to the Noodle Loft, a restaurant I had seen on the Anthony Bourdain show (No. 20 Dawang Road, Chaoyang District, tel: 8610-677 49950). The center of the room has an open kitchen where four or five chefs will cook fresh made noodles. It was quite entertaining to watch them perform. They would toss the various types of noodles into the large pots of boiling water. Some looked like the Italian gnocchi while others were extremely long noodles. Dinner was fabulous (although we actually didn’t order any noodles): fried lotus root, a fatty pork dish with vegetables (thinly sliced green vegetable of some sort that was crunchy), a whole duck with pancakes and plum sauce, and a plate of ear mushrooms with cilantro. Reenie and I agreed the duck was more succulent than at Liqun duck restaurant, as well as getting more for our money (although we certainly enjoyed our dinner in the hutong). It was probably one of the best meals we had on this trip. Dinner for the three of us: 206RMB (or about $10 per person).
Monica
Nov 8th, 2008, 05:21 AM
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15 October: Packed and ready to go, we flew to Shanghai at noon. I had bought our tickets a couple of days before, as well as our tickets from Guilin to Shenzhen (the direct flight to Hong Kong was booked). Our first inter-China flight was very smooth and just a short 2-hour ride. Lunch consisted of a pork noodle dish and cold vegetables.
We arrived at the smaller Hongqiao airport and took a taxi to our hotel, The Bund Hotel. The hotel isn’t as nice as the Park Plaza and the beds were horribly hard. Our room (#1607) had city views but on the backside. We could see the nearby freeway. The room had two double beds and a very nice large bathroom. The employees were not friendly at all with the exception of William at the concierge desk, who helped us obtain our train tickets for Hangzhou. The location was great, about a 15-minute walk to the Nanjing pedestrian street. The area around our street was quite colorful with street food vendors and small shops.
We spent the afternoon unpacking and then heading out to tour the pedestrian area of Nanjing road. Shanghai was a great city to visit – such pulse it has! We saw lots of fabulous tall buildings. It seems that when a building is built it tries to outdo the others. Nanjing road reminded me of Times Square in NYC with all the tall buildings and neon signs. I loved the shops on this road, with its many varieties of food. I wish I had an interpreter to tell us about the many packaged foods. I did buy some dried plum seeds, which I grew up on when living in Hawaii. Many people asked if we wanted to buy fake watches, bags, etc. No thanks.
We found a small place for dinner, just about a block north of Nanjing road. An older Chinese woman stared at us through the window for quite some time. I guess we were an oddity. Dinner included kung pao chicken, thinly sliced broccoli spears in a white garlic sauce, rice and beer (93 RMB). We just loved those fresh vegetables. The chicken was very good but too many peanuts for my taste.
Back at the hotel, Reenie went to the room while I headed out to find a bottle of wine for the room. About a block away is a nice sized grocery store. Wine was very inexpensive, about 32 RMB. The streets were quite lively with food vendors. It did look good, although it seemed rougher than in Beijing. I couldn’t tell what some of the food was but it did look fresh. Maybe we would try some another night.
Monica
We arrived at the smaller Hongqiao airport and took a taxi to our hotel, The Bund Hotel. The hotel isn’t as nice as the Park Plaza and the beds were horribly hard. Our room (#1607) had city views but on the backside. We could see the nearby freeway. The room had two double beds and a very nice large bathroom. The employees were not friendly at all with the exception of William at the concierge desk, who helped us obtain our train tickets for Hangzhou. The location was great, about a 15-minute walk to the Nanjing pedestrian street. The area around our street was quite colorful with street food vendors and small shops.
We spent the afternoon unpacking and then heading out to tour the pedestrian area of Nanjing road. Shanghai was a great city to visit – such pulse it has! We saw lots of fabulous tall buildings. It seems that when a building is built it tries to outdo the others. Nanjing road reminded me of Times Square in NYC with all the tall buildings and neon signs. I loved the shops on this road, with its many varieties of food. I wish I had an interpreter to tell us about the many packaged foods. I did buy some dried plum seeds, which I grew up on when living in Hawaii. Many people asked if we wanted to buy fake watches, bags, etc. No thanks.
We found a small place for dinner, just about a block north of Nanjing road. An older Chinese woman stared at us through the window for quite some time. I guess we were an oddity. Dinner included kung pao chicken, thinly sliced broccoli spears in a white garlic sauce, rice and beer (93 RMB). We just loved those fresh vegetables. The chicken was very good but too many peanuts for my taste.
Back at the hotel, Reenie went to the room while I headed out to find a bottle of wine for the room. About a block away is a nice sized grocery store. Wine was very inexpensive, about 32 RMB. The streets were quite lively with food vendors. It did look good, although it seemed rougher than in Beijing. I couldn’t tell what some of the food was but it did look fresh. Maybe we would try some another night.
Monica
Nov 8th, 2008, 05:56 AM
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More on Shanghai:
16 October: Reenie’s foot had been hurting for a couple of days and we suspected it was because of too much walking and Great Wall hiking. I, on the other hand, started having breathing problems because of the pollution. I bought cough drops for my sore throat - something to consider bringing when traveling to China. It might have been better if I had renewed my inhaler prescription.
We took it easy this day. After breakfast at a French pastry shop near our hotel, we headed out to visit the Shanghai museum (no charge). On the way there, three young people stopped us. They welcomed us to China and spoke English quite well. We chatted for several minutes, as they told us they had recently graduated from college and were on vacation from Suzhou. The second one of them asked if we had ever been to a tea ceremony, I politely ended the conversation by saying I don’t like tea. They smiled and walked away.
We really enjoyed the museum and spent a couple of hours looking at the various artifacts, jade pieces, calligraphy, and other Chinese works of art. Reenie sat a lot to rest her foot.
We slowly headed north to a well fodorite-recommended place for lunch: Jia Jia Tang Bao. It was very easy to find, as we saw a long line of hungry diners. We waited in line for about 25 minutes, which went by very quickly. We had two sets of dumplings: one with chicken and pork and the other with chicken and crab (my favorite); along with some seaweed soup. These dumplings were so delicious I was in heaven! The dumplings were soft in texture and thin. The soup inside was piping hot, so one has to be careful when biting into them. It’s best to place the dumpling in the spoon and biting from the top. I sucked out the soup before eating the rest of it. Wish there was a place like that where I live!
Reenie had enough with her foot, so we took a taxi back to the hotel where she iced up her foot. I headed out for the remainder of the day walking around the area and seeing the Pudong skyline at sunset. Many people were on the Bundy promenade hanging out and watching the skyline scenery.
For dinner, which we had in our room with our wine, I picked up some street food. One small shop had two vats of boiling broth whereby each person takes a basket and fills it with whatever food they want to eat. There were skewers of various types of meat and seafood and assorted vegetables. There were also three or four types of noodles to select. I picked some pork meat, two types of mushrooms, cabbage and thin noodles. The cook finished off the soup with some hot sauce and other spices. I also picked up two crepes that were filled with leaks – a Chinese pancake that was typical of Shanghai. I think they were 1 RMB each. The soup was about 14 RMB. Cheap, cheap (and delicious) dinner for two.
Monica
16 October: Reenie’s foot had been hurting for a couple of days and we suspected it was because of too much walking and Great Wall hiking. I, on the other hand, started having breathing problems because of the pollution. I bought cough drops for my sore throat - something to consider bringing when traveling to China. It might have been better if I had renewed my inhaler prescription.
We took it easy this day. After breakfast at a French pastry shop near our hotel, we headed out to visit the Shanghai museum (no charge). On the way there, three young people stopped us. They welcomed us to China and spoke English quite well. We chatted for several minutes, as they told us they had recently graduated from college and were on vacation from Suzhou. The second one of them asked if we had ever been to a tea ceremony, I politely ended the conversation by saying I don’t like tea. They smiled and walked away.
We really enjoyed the museum and spent a couple of hours looking at the various artifacts, jade pieces, calligraphy, and other Chinese works of art. Reenie sat a lot to rest her foot.
We slowly headed north to a well fodorite-recommended place for lunch: Jia Jia Tang Bao. It was very easy to find, as we saw a long line of hungry diners. We waited in line for about 25 minutes, which went by very quickly. We had two sets of dumplings: one with chicken and pork and the other with chicken and crab (my favorite); along with some seaweed soup. These dumplings were so delicious I was in heaven! The dumplings were soft in texture and thin. The soup inside was piping hot, so one has to be careful when biting into them. It’s best to place the dumpling in the spoon and biting from the top. I sucked out the soup before eating the rest of it. Wish there was a place like that where I live!
Reenie had enough with her foot, so we took a taxi back to the hotel where she iced up her foot. I headed out for the remainder of the day walking around the area and seeing the Pudong skyline at sunset. Many people were on the Bundy promenade hanging out and watching the skyline scenery.
For dinner, which we had in our room with our wine, I picked up some street food. One small shop had two vats of boiling broth whereby each person takes a basket and fills it with whatever food they want to eat. There were skewers of various types of meat and seafood and assorted vegetables. There were also three or four types of noodles to select. I picked some pork meat, two types of mushrooms, cabbage and thin noodles. The cook finished off the soup with some hot sauce and other spices. I also picked up two crepes that were filled with leaks – a Chinese pancake that was typical of Shanghai. I think they were 1 RMB each. The soup was about 14 RMB. Cheap, cheap (and delicious) dinner for two.
Monica
Nov 8th, 2008, 06:26 AM
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rhkkmk,
For my airline tickets, most were purchased before heading to China using Ctrip. For the Beijing-Shanghai and Guilin-Shenzhen flights, I used a travel agency at the Novotel hotel in Beijing. The price of the ticket for Bei-Sha actually had gone up, so I could have purchsed them before I went. Ctrip sends an email with the confirmation number. I was a little worried that that was all I got, but upon check-in for each flight they took the confirmation number and that was that. Very easy.
More on Shanghai:
17 October: Since Reenie’s foot was swollen and sore, I headed out for the day on my own. I took a taxi to see the Jade Buddha Temple, which was packed with people. Incense burned everywhere. The temple was quite a popular place to visit and very colorful as fodorite friend Stu said it would be. Of course all the smoke didn’t help my lungs. On the second floor of the Jade Buddha Chamber, I tried to discretely photograph a Monk, who was with (apparently) his mother. Just after snapping the photo, he looked over to me and smiled. It’s hard to point a camera towards someone that might be offended, so I smiled back.
Next I taxied over to the Yu Yuan Gardens, which was another colorful area with a large shopping bazaar. I bought my chop, my name in Chinese characters, as well as the meaning of my name: "Advisor." I paid 100RMB, or about $15. It came with a box and large container of red ink. The chop itself is larger than average, so I think I got a good price for it. I also bought a large paintbrush with a blue and white ceramic handle to hang in my house.
The Gardens were lovely and I spent some time just wandering and taking pictures. It was certainly night and day between the gardens and the bazaar area. I had a quick lunch of a steamed dumpling filled with pork and soup and served with a straw. It was so good!
I taxied back to the hotel where Reenie was ready to go out. She had iced up her foot a few times and the swelling seem to have gone down. We headed over to the French Concession and walked around before dinner at the Ruijin guesthouse with some fodorite friends. We checked out an old Russian Church that was being worked on, as well as another former residence of Soong (it was closed when we arrived). Reenie and I stopped at a bar and had a couple of watered down drinks before dinner. At least they were cheap.
For dinner, we met up with Jackie and her friend Tako, from Japan. Dinner was very good. Reenie and I shared some dumplings that were filled with vegetables and we all shared a bean curd dish with crabmeat; and fried chicken pieces with red chilies. The chicken pieces were pretty small and bony. We were all surprised the chicken wasn’t spicy hot with all the chilies in the dish. Service was a little slow but we enjoyed each other’s company.
Monica
For my airline tickets, most were purchased before heading to China using Ctrip. For the Beijing-Shanghai and Guilin-Shenzhen flights, I used a travel agency at the Novotel hotel in Beijing. The price of the ticket for Bei-Sha actually had gone up, so I could have purchsed them before I went. Ctrip sends an email with the confirmation number. I was a little worried that that was all I got, but upon check-in for each flight they took the confirmation number and that was that. Very easy.
More on Shanghai:
17 October: Since Reenie’s foot was swollen and sore, I headed out for the day on my own. I took a taxi to see the Jade Buddha Temple, which was packed with people. Incense burned everywhere. The temple was quite a popular place to visit and very colorful as fodorite friend Stu said it would be. Of course all the smoke didn’t help my lungs. On the second floor of the Jade Buddha Chamber, I tried to discretely photograph a Monk, who was with (apparently) his mother. Just after snapping the photo, he looked over to me and smiled. It’s hard to point a camera towards someone that might be offended, so I smiled back.
Next I taxied over to the Yu Yuan Gardens, which was another colorful area with a large shopping bazaar. I bought my chop, my name in Chinese characters, as well as the meaning of my name: "Advisor." I paid 100RMB, or about $15. It came with a box and large container of red ink. The chop itself is larger than average, so I think I got a good price for it. I also bought a large paintbrush with a blue and white ceramic handle to hang in my house.
The Gardens were lovely and I spent some time just wandering and taking pictures. It was certainly night and day between the gardens and the bazaar area. I had a quick lunch of a steamed dumpling filled with pork and soup and served with a straw. It was so good!
I taxied back to the hotel where Reenie was ready to go out. She had iced up her foot a few times and the swelling seem to have gone down. We headed over to the French Concession and walked around before dinner at the Ruijin guesthouse with some fodorite friends. We checked out an old Russian Church that was being worked on, as well as another former residence of Soong (it was closed when we arrived). Reenie and I stopped at a bar and had a couple of watered down drinks before dinner. At least they were cheap.
For dinner, we met up with Jackie and her friend Tako, from Japan. Dinner was very good. Reenie and I shared some dumplings that were filled with vegetables and we all shared a bean curd dish with crabmeat; and fried chicken pieces with red chilies. The chicken pieces were pretty small and bony. We were all surprised the chicken wasn’t spicy hot with all the chilies in the dish. Service was a little slow but we enjoyed each other’s company.
Monica
Nov 8th, 2008, 06:28 AM
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PS: I had asked at my hotel (Park Plaza) about buying airline tickets and they were the ones that sent me to the Novotel hotel, which is located near the PP hotel.
I didn't see any travel agencies in the area ...until AFTER I bought the tickets. But I'm sure they would have charged about the same.
Monica
I didn't see any travel agencies in the area ...until AFTER I bought the tickets. But I'm sure they would have charged about the same.
Monica
Nov 8th, 2008, 07:03 AM
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18 October: Today we took a day trip to the watertown of Xitang, where the 3rd movie Mission Impossible was filmed. I should have asked William to buy our train tickets, as the station was packed with travelers. I was able to buy tickets to Xitang (actually to Jiashan with a change to a bus) but not for the ride home. I was told that there were plenty of buses for the return trip. The trip was 45 minutes. Upon arrival, I wanted to buy our bus tickets before heading into Xitang. A young woman, Stella, guided us to the bus station, which we would never have found. There were no signs in English and the buses were parked in the back and out of view. She helped us buy our bus tickets and then went with us to Xitang where she lives. She even walked us all the way to the entrance of Xitang. Both Reenie and I really appreciated her assistance.
We spent a few hours walking around Xitang, which is a popular tourist destination. It was a semi-clear day and quite enjoyable after the two big cities of Beijing and Shanghai. Lots of people were taking boat rides on the canal. Many of the residence have shops or food stalls. We picked up a deep fried vegetable fritter for a snack.
For lunch, I picked a place facing the canal, although the tables outside were filled. We had a simple lunch of sautéed sliced purple eggplant and rice. A bowl of edamame (soybeans) was also served. Only one person in the restaurant spoke English and it was very limited. We managed well though. Lunch was 24 RMB. I always enjoy finding delicious foods and meals at deliciously low prices.
We took a mini bus back to Jiashan, which dropped us off at the bus station. The bus ride was a lot longer, but it was nice to sit and relax. Back in Shanghai, I looked for a taxi. A person in uniform apparently saw me looking and said, “Taxi?” Yes! He walked to the street and hailed one for us and made sure we got in, as there were several other people waiting for a taxi. It was really nice of him! We found that the Chinese are very friendly and helpful, even if you don’t speak Chinese.
Reenie wanted to visit the Yu Yuan Gardens but it was too late. She was very disappointed but knew she had to give up some time in order for her foot to heal. We found a place near our hotel for dinner since she had her fill of walking. We enjoyed a braised fatty pork dish with chestnuts and red hot peppers, steamed cabbage with shitake mushrooms and rice. A large bottle of beer was 10 RMB and dinner total came to 60 RMB. The pork was tender and flavorful and the chestnuts were cooked until just soft. It was a great combination.
Next: Off to Hangzhou
Monica
We spent a few hours walking around Xitang, which is a popular tourist destination. It was a semi-clear day and quite enjoyable after the two big cities of Beijing and Shanghai. Lots of people were taking boat rides on the canal. Many of the residence have shops or food stalls. We picked up a deep fried vegetable fritter for a snack.
For lunch, I picked a place facing the canal, although the tables outside were filled. We had a simple lunch of sautéed sliced purple eggplant and rice. A bowl of edamame (soybeans) was also served. Only one person in the restaurant spoke English and it was very limited. We managed well though. Lunch was 24 RMB. I always enjoy finding delicious foods and meals at deliciously low prices.
We took a mini bus back to Jiashan, which dropped us off at the bus station. The bus ride was a lot longer, but it was nice to sit and relax. Back in Shanghai, I looked for a taxi. A person in uniform apparently saw me looking and said, “Taxi?” Yes! He walked to the street and hailed one for us and made sure we got in, as there were several other people waiting for a taxi. It was really nice of him! We found that the Chinese are very friendly and helpful, even if you don’t speak Chinese.
Reenie wanted to visit the Yu Yuan Gardens but it was too late. She was very disappointed but knew she had to give up some time in order for her foot to heal. We found a place near our hotel for dinner since she had her fill of walking. We enjoyed a braised fatty pork dish with chestnuts and red hot peppers, steamed cabbage with shitake mushrooms and rice. A large bottle of beer was 10 RMB and dinner total came to 60 RMB. The pork was tender and flavorful and the chestnuts were cooked until just soft. It was a great combination.
Next: Off to Hangzhou
Monica
Nov 8th, 2008, 08:09 AM
#19
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19 October: Reenie and I took a taxi to the train station, which the driver overcharged us. I tried to pay him ½ the bill, as we had taken a taxi the day before and knew the going rate. Also, I watched at how fast his meter was turning. Of course, I couldn’t stop him. Several men approached us and tried to help. The taxi driver argued with them but in the end we paid. I did take his license plate number down (actually took photos). One person said to call a particular number, but how could I? We needed to get on the train for our next destination. He was one of 2 drivers that “took us for a ride.”
Reenie and I couldn’t believe there was no elevator or escalator at the Hangzhou train station. Many people were traveling with their luggage and everyone had to use the stairs. Reenie had a hard time with her foot, so I had to lug all pieces down the stairs. After getting through to the main area, we met up with Rebecca, a young woman that would be with us for our two days in Hangzhou. She was recommended on Fodors wiselindag, a fellow fodorite, who used her services a few months ago.
It took quite a while to hail a cab, as many did not want to go the short distance to the hotel; but I was able to get one. Our hotel was located right on the West Lake on the southeast side. We stayed at the Liuyang Hotel, which is set in a garden area with bamboo and other trees, shrubs, and flowers. I had corresponded with a person at the hotel, who told me earlier this year the entire hotel was booked due to a conference. I was told to check back later, which I did. Still, no room. My last email to the woman was, “That’s alright, I’ll find another place but will stop by to say hello.” A couple of hours later I received an email saying the manger of the conference gave up one of the rooms for us. Talk about nice people! We were in room 2105, which is on the ground floor. No view to speak of. It was a small, basic room, probably equivalent to a 2-star hotel in Europe. The beds were very hard and the bathroom was small. Also, the bathroom had the ‘hose’ type hair dryer, which I hate. We paid 528RMB per night.
After check in and dropping off our bags in the room, we all headed out for the afternoon. We walked to Hefang Street, which is an ancient shopping street. Just before the start of the street there was a huge festival in progress. Many people were out and the street was crowded. There were many food vendors and people pushed and shoved to get their food. One food item I saw and should have bought was squid on a stick. It looked so good! And they were large squid too. We snacked on some food, including stinky tofu, although it wasn’t the authentic stinky tofu – just very tasty. We sat at a nearby park, which a police office walked by telling people to get off the grass. I asked Rebecca to tell him we needed to sit because of Reenie’s foot. He accepted our reason for sitting.
Hefang Street was a lot of fun. We bought a few items, including some Chinese paper cut-outs. There were all sorts of designs, including pandas, flowers, mountain scenery, etc.
Later, we took a taxi to a garden, but it had closed down for the season. Rebecca felt bad. We walked around the area, next to the West Lake, where we saw several bridal couples having their photos taken. All of the women were wearing cream-colored dresses and they wore jeans under their dresses. Out in the distance on the lake, we saw several boats. The views were quite hazy from the pollution. It was a shame to see the pollution in such a beautiful setting.
For dinner, we dined a Zhiweiguan, which is a well-known restaurant. We dined outside on the terrace. Fortunately there were no bugs or mosquitoes. We ate sautéed beans, whole fried shrimp, and a beef dish, which was similar to short ribs. They were the tastiest dish of the night.
Realizing it was too far to walk back to the hotel (we had walked about 20 minutes), we grabbed a taxi and planned to meet Rebecca at 9am the next day.
Reenie and I couldn’t believe there was no elevator or escalator at the Hangzhou train station. Many people were traveling with their luggage and everyone had to use the stairs. Reenie had a hard time with her foot, so I had to lug all pieces down the stairs. After getting through to the main area, we met up with Rebecca, a young woman that would be with us for our two days in Hangzhou. She was recommended on Fodors wiselindag, a fellow fodorite, who used her services a few months ago.
It took quite a while to hail a cab, as many did not want to go the short distance to the hotel; but I was able to get one. Our hotel was located right on the West Lake on the southeast side. We stayed at the Liuyang Hotel, which is set in a garden area with bamboo and other trees, shrubs, and flowers. I had corresponded with a person at the hotel, who told me earlier this year the entire hotel was booked due to a conference. I was told to check back later, which I did. Still, no room. My last email to the woman was, “That’s alright, I’ll find another place but will stop by to say hello.” A couple of hours later I received an email saying the manger of the conference gave up one of the rooms for us. Talk about nice people! We were in room 2105, which is on the ground floor. No view to speak of. It was a small, basic room, probably equivalent to a 2-star hotel in Europe. The beds were very hard and the bathroom was small. Also, the bathroom had the ‘hose’ type hair dryer, which I hate. We paid 528RMB per night.
After check in and dropping off our bags in the room, we all headed out for the afternoon. We walked to Hefang Street, which is an ancient shopping street. Just before the start of the street there was a huge festival in progress. Many people were out and the street was crowded. There were many food vendors and people pushed and shoved to get their food. One food item I saw and should have bought was squid on a stick. It looked so good! And they were large squid too. We snacked on some food, including stinky tofu, although it wasn’t the authentic stinky tofu – just very tasty. We sat at a nearby park, which a police office walked by telling people to get off the grass. I asked Rebecca to tell him we needed to sit because of Reenie’s foot. He accepted our reason for sitting.
Hefang Street was a lot of fun. We bought a few items, including some Chinese paper cut-outs. There were all sorts of designs, including pandas, flowers, mountain scenery, etc.
Later, we took a taxi to a garden, but it had closed down for the season. Rebecca felt bad. We walked around the area, next to the West Lake, where we saw several bridal couples having their photos taken. All of the women were wearing cream-colored dresses and they wore jeans under their dresses. Out in the distance on the lake, we saw several boats. The views were quite hazy from the pollution. It was a shame to see the pollution in such a beautiful setting.
For dinner, we dined a Zhiweiguan, which is a well-known restaurant. We dined outside on the terrace. Fortunately there were no bugs or mosquitoes. We ate sautéed beans, whole fried shrimp, and a beef dish, which was similar to short ribs. They were the tastiest dish of the night.
Realizing it was too far to walk back to the hotel (we had walked about 20 minutes), we grabbed a taxi and planned to meet Rebecca at 9am the next day.
