"if i mention beijing to her she will want to go immediately" - so what are you waiting for...

ET -- Aah, now I understand you were selecting busy seaports in the 3 european countries, I was feeling sad to have them compared to the mega city Shanghai.

Panda -- I met a couple who spent 10 days in Beijing and the neighboring areas in 2005, and returned in 2007 for another 10 days in Xian, Shanghai and the neighboring areas.

I am all for the Pandas seeing Beijing. But I also like the idea of hanging around the Shanghai area and seeing places on trips from there..he would get so much more of an in-depth look at the one region if he remained there.

I think it is a win-win kind of thing.

I really did like that train ride, though.

I suspect that I will enjoy anything we do. Pandas are simple creatures. Mrs. Panda is far more complex. I will keep you updated on our plans. Thank you everyone (with one notable exception) for your input. At least we can now make a more informed bad decision.

gpanda: wherever you decide to go, don't forget to bop! That's critical to your enjoyment!

Shanghainese: hope you're smiling again and not weeping any more! :)

Dry your eyes, S! Think of the fun we will have at your championship dinner! (S was the 350th poster on my ridiculously long trip report thread; there is a gala dinner planned)

Yeah, a great dinner. The invitations will go out and the dinner will be 369 days later in memory of the total time span of the report. There will be 368 courses, 147 of them cooked by the her ownself. Can't wait. New meaning to the word Gala.

By that time she will be a political prisoner in Myanmar at either the Savoy or the Governor's Residence.

Sounds like sour grapes to me! We are used to hangers-on denigrating our extravaganzas. Closer to the date I will let you know where the back entrance is so you can wait for leftovers.

Meanwhile, the Panda is trying to persuade Mrs. P of the wisdom of visiting Beijing. I got a neighbor to rave about it on the wekend. More to report, later.

Well, one thing is for certain. You will have to meet the infamous FabioWong in Beijing!

How much did you pay the neighbor?? (sorry....just kidding; I loved Beijing, and Shanghai!)

Gpanda, FYI:
Just saw a story in the paper with a picture of Tiananmen Square being torn up. Seems that's preparation big 60th anniversary doin's, said to rival the Beijing Olympics. Unclear whether things will be put back together again by September, but it may affect your planning one way or another.

i found the square the least interesting of the things in B

I'm yearning for the Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven. Reading up and marshalling my forces for the big push. Keep your many fingers crossed.

The Summer Palace is fantastic imho. Enjoyed that a lot more than Tianamen and the FC. The Great Wall is a must!

Aloha!

HT-they're on my list as well. If we go to B, I'll start a new thread. Technically, the sights of beijing don't really qualify as side trips from Shanghai.

the summer palace was our #1

much much different from the GP, more elegant, more grand, more royal

While keeping my very own many fingers crossed makes it hard to type, I want to be certain that the Pandas have been able to look in on the Oriental List moderated by Peter NH. There is some current discussion of Shanghai-area water towns. I found Peter's description of Anchang engaging.

By the way, I went off the ekscrunchy syllabus to read FRIED EGGS WITH CHOPSTICKS by Polly Evans, a pleasant enough account of her travels around China that opens memorably at Mao's mausoleum. It isn't a "must" though. Getting ready now to tuck into James Fallows' POSTCARDS FROM TOMORROW SQUARE. The twelve chapters in the book were written s essays from the field while Fallows and his wife were living in first Shanghai, then Beijing, between 2006 and 2008.

I just got "Six Walks in Shanghai". I'll look at it soon, but it's a very small book for $42.

Is there a URL for Oriental List? Thanks.

Look here:

http://members.shaw.ca/pnhpublic/China.html

I haven't read it yet, newly published "How to Cook a Dragon" by Linda Furiya received excellent reviews.

ET -- I'll smile more at our next xiaolongbao GTG since I can't count on EK's gala!