Trip Report: 17 days through China
May 26th, 2009, 07:47 PM
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Trip Report: 17 days through China
We returned 3 days ago from a wonderful trip to China. Although the bodies are still slowly recovering from the fatigue of the journey, it is best to start penning down a trip report while things are fresh in the mind.
BACKGROUND: We are a couple from India, about 50'ish, avid travelers, who firmly dislike conducted tours or group travel. Our last two annual vacations had been in Europe, and we were looking for a different flavor this year; hence China. China has always awed us, intrigued us, and drawn us like a magnet, so we were really excited about this trip. Our basic planning was done using a Lonely Planet guidebook, supplemented with a lot of inputs from this forum as usual.
We heeded the advice on this forum, and largely avoided using services of any guides (with the exception of Yangshuo). There were certainly problems of communication at many places, and we were taken by surprise at how little English is understood in this country, but we got by. Our problems were somewhat compounded by the fact that we are vegetarians, i.e. no meat, no fish, no eggs. Communicating this was sometimes a problem, and we were frequently not sure if the listener had understood us right !
Our broad itinerary was as follows:
Shanghai : 4 nights (with daytrips to Suzhou & Hangzhou)
Xian : 2 nights
Beijing : 4 nights
Yangshuo : 3 nights
Hong Kong : 3 nights
The above are the typical touristy highlights of China, and we did not have time to venture off the beaten track. Maybe on a second visit we can explore the many regions that we did not manage to touch this time. I intend to post the Trip Report in 4-5 installments over the next few days. Here goes the first.
Day 1: Friday May 8th:
Our trip really started the previous evening, as we departed to Mumbai to catch a flight just after midnight to China. Our Jet Airways flight left on schedule at 12:30 am, and we were at Hong Kong airport by 9:15 am. Freshened up at the airport, and went to the Transfer Desk of Dragonair, as we had to board an 11 am flight to Shanghai. There was a very slow lady at the desk who took forever to service each passenger, and when our turn came, she told us that we have to run to make the flight !
The Dragonair flight to Shanghai was very nice; excellent crew and good service. Reached Pudong Airport ahead of schedule at 1:15 pm. The baggage retrieval was unusually fast (an aspect that we consistently noticed in all our flights in China). Pudong is a huge huge airport, really designed for the next century. We changed some Dollars to Yuan, and then boarded the famed Maglev train to town (reaching a speed of 431 km/hour !!), which took only 8 minutes for the journey. It is time-saving, cheap, and very convenient (remember to ask for a 20% discount by showing your same day air tickets). On reaching the Maglev terminus, we changed over to the metro line, which we rode to the West Nanjing Road stop. Our hotel, the Ruitai Jingan Hotel, was just around the corner from the metro station.
We liked the look of our hotel. The room was large and spacious. There was no instruction card on how to set the code on the safe, and when we asked reception, they repeatedly sent someone who was quite ignorant about how to operate it. Finally, things were set right, and we had our showers and relaxed a bit.
We left the hotel by about 4:45pm, and went first to a Travel Agent down the street, to book our flight tickets for Xian and Beijing for a few days hence. Based on inputs from Fodorites, we had deferred purchasing our internal flight tickets till we arrived, for you can get fares at less than 50% of the rack rates this way. We got good prices for Shanghai-Xian flight 4 days hence, and for Xian-Beijing flights two days next. Paid cash and picked up the tickets.
We also needed to book our train tickets for day trips from Shanghai to Suzhou and Hangzhou, and we were directed to a Train Ticket booking office slightly further down the road. The lady at the booking counter knew zero English, but she requested a well-heeled Chinese customer who had been serviced just before us, and he patiently offered to act as a translator for our bookings. We had wanted to go to Hangzhou on Sunday, and Suzhou on Monday. However, we learned that Hangzhou tickets were sold out for Sunday. So we switched the dates. The helpful man also explained that 1st class tickets were only 20% more expensive than 2nd class, and he would strongly recommend that we travel 1st class, given the rush on these trains. We agreed, and our bookings were finally done. All this took a good 15 minutes, and no one standing behind us in the queue showed any impatience, nor did the gentleman who helped us out.
We then went to the metro station at West Nanjing road, and rode the metro to Lujiazui in Pudong area. There were very helpful staff hovering around the ticket vending machines, helping first-time users navigate through the machine, which was nice. Anyway, we got off at the Lujiazui stop, and walked around the "modern" part of Shanghai : the Pearl Oriental TV Tower, Jinmao Tower etc. Must say that the Jinmao Tower's crystalline structure was very pretty. Walked to the riverfront and gazed at the Bund from the opposite bank. There was so much construction work in progress everywhere, that the beauty of most sites were marred by cranes and other construction equipments.
We boarded the Bund Sightseeing Tunnel ride for the return journey, and found it weird and expensive. Probably suited for kids. We then roamed around the Bund area. It was getting dark, and everything looked pretty, with the buildings getting lighted up, and the views of the Pudong lights. However, there is massive construction work going on at the Bund embankment. Hence most portions are closed for pedestrians, and the views from most areas are totally blocked presently. We had been looking forward to a long leisurely stroll on the Bund, but that was not to be.
We took the underpass to East Nanjing Road, and kept walking along it. The portion where it becomes a pedestrian mall was very nice. Went to the Yunhong Chopstick shop and bought a nice set of chopsticks as souvenir.
We went to the nearby branch of Ajisen Noodles for dinner. Had a nice vegetarian noodle hotpot, with fresh kiwi juice, followed by ice-creams. Helpful staff. However, the moment we ordered something, another lady would pop up with the bill (in advance). We kept shooing her away, thinking she had made a mistake. She would reluctantly go, and our orders were never stopped, but I later realized that we were expected to pay in advance for each dish ! After dinner, we bought some fruits outside at a large fruit-shop. Very helpful staff. Then boarded the metro back to the hotel and crashed out early.
BACKGROUND: We are a couple from India, about 50'ish, avid travelers, who firmly dislike conducted tours or group travel. Our last two annual vacations had been in Europe, and we were looking for a different flavor this year; hence China. China has always awed us, intrigued us, and drawn us like a magnet, so we were really excited about this trip. Our basic planning was done using a Lonely Planet guidebook, supplemented with a lot of inputs from this forum as usual.
We heeded the advice on this forum, and largely avoided using services of any guides (with the exception of Yangshuo). There were certainly problems of communication at many places, and we were taken by surprise at how little English is understood in this country, but we got by. Our problems were somewhat compounded by the fact that we are vegetarians, i.e. no meat, no fish, no eggs. Communicating this was sometimes a problem, and we were frequently not sure if the listener had understood us right !
Our broad itinerary was as follows:
Shanghai : 4 nights (with daytrips to Suzhou & Hangzhou)
Xian : 2 nights
Beijing : 4 nights
Yangshuo : 3 nights
Hong Kong : 3 nights
The above are the typical touristy highlights of China, and we did not have time to venture off the beaten track. Maybe on a second visit we can explore the many regions that we did not manage to touch this time. I intend to post the Trip Report in 4-5 installments over the next few days. Here goes the first.
Day 1: Friday May 8th:
Our trip really started the previous evening, as we departed to Mumbai to catch a flight just after midnight to China. Our Jet Airways flight left on schedule at 12:30 am, and we were at Hong Kong airport by 9:15 am. Freshened up at the airport, and went to the Transfer Desk of Dragonair, as we had to board an 11 am flight to Shanghai. There was a very slow lady at the desk who took forever to service each passenger, and when our turn came, she told us that we have to run to make the flight !
The Dragonair flight to Shanghai was very nice; excellent crew and good service. Reached Pudong Airport ahead of schedule at 1:15 pm. The baggage retrieval was unusually fast (an aspect that we consistently noticed in all our flights in China). Pudong is a huge huge airport, really designed for the next century. We changed some Dollars to Yuan, and then boarded the famed Maglev train to town (reaching a speed of 431 km/hour !!), which took only 8 minutes for the journey. It is time-saving, cheap, and very convenient (remember to ask for a 20% discount by showing your same day air tickets). On reaching the Maglev terminus, we changed over to the metro line, which we rode to the West Nanjing Road stop. Our hotel, the Ruitai Jingan Hotel, was just around the corner from the metro station.
We liked the look of our hotel. The room was large and spacious. There was no instruction card on how to set the code on the safe, and when we asked reception, they repeatedly sent someone who was quite ignorant about how to operate it. Finally, things were set right, and we had our showers and relaxed a bit.
We left the hotel by about 4:45pm, and went first to a Travel Agent down the street, to book our flight tickets for Xian and Beijing for a few days hence. Based on inputs from Fodorites, we had deferred purchasing our internal flight tickets till we arrived, for you can get fares at less than 50% of the rack rates this way. We got good prices for Shanghai-Xian flight 4 days hence, and for Xian-Beijing flights two days next. Paid cash and picked up the tickets.
We also needed to book our train tickets for day trips from Shanghai to Suzhou and Hangzhou, and we were directed to a Train Ticket booking office slightly further down the road. The lady at the booking counter knew zero English, but she requested a well-heeled Chinese customer who had been serviced just before us, and he patiently offered to act as a translator for our bookings. We had wanted to go to Hangzhou on Sunday, and Suzhou on Monday. However, we learned that Hangzhou tickets were sold out for Sunday. So we switched the dates. The helpful man also explained that 1st class tickets were only 20% more expensive than 2nd class, and he would strongly recommend that we travel 1st class, given the rush on these trains. We agreed, and our bookings were finally done. All this took a good 15 minutes, and no one standing behind us in the queue showed any impatience, nor did the gentleman who helped us out.
We then went to the metro station at West Nanjing road, and rode the metro to Lujiazui in Pudong area. There were very helpful staff hovering around the ticket vending machines, helping first-time users navigate through the machine, which was nice. Anyway, we got off at the Lujiazui stop, and walked around the "modern" part of Shanghai : the Pearl Oriental TV Tower, Jinmao Tower etc. Must say that the Jinmao Tower's crystalline structure was very pretty. Walked to the riverfront and gazed at the Bund from the opposite bank. There was so much construction work in progress everywhere, that the beauty of most sites were marred by cranes and other construction equipments.
We boarded the Bund Sightseeing Tunnel ride for the return journey, and found it weird and expensive. Probably suited for kids. We then roamed around the Bund area. It was getting dark, and everything looked pretty, with the buildings getting lighted up, and the views of the Pudong lights. However, there is massive construction work going on at the Bund embankment. Hence most portions are closed for pedestrians, and the views from most areas are totally blocked presently. We had been looking forward to a long leisurely stroll on the Bund, but that was not to be.
We took the underpass to East Nanjing Road, and kept walking along it. The portion where it becomes a pedestrian mall was very nice. Went to the Yunhong Chopstick shop and bought a nice set of chopsticks as souvenir.
We went to the nearby branch of Ajisen Noodles for dinner. Had a nice vegetarian noodle hotpot, with fresh kiwi juice, followed by ice-creams. Helpful staff. However, the moment we ordered something, another lady would pop up with the bill (in advance). We kept shooing her away, thinking she had made a mistake. She would reluctantly go, and our orders were never stopped, but I later realized that we were expected to pay in advance for each dish ! After dinner, we bought some fruits outside at a large fruit-shop. Very helpful staff. Then boarded the metro back to the hotel and crashed out early.
May 26th, 2009, 08:31 PM
#2
How nice to see another TR from independent travelers to China! Glad that waiting to buy your tickets worked out, and pleased to hear that English-speaking locals are still so helpful! I remember enjoying your Portugal TR - looking forward to the rest of this.
May 27th, 2009, 01:31 AM
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It sounds like a wonderful trip.
My husband and I are planning our first trip to China in September. This is the first trip we'll be taking a trip without the comfort of a rented car to load with purchases along the way. I wnated to ask how you managed with luggage. Did you have any problems taking suitcases on the trin? It was very smart to stay in every place
My husband and I are planning our first trip to China in September. This is the first trip we'll be taking a trip without the comfort of a rented car to load with purchases along the way. I wnated to ask how you managed with luggage. Did you have any problems taking suitcases on the trin? It was very smart to stay in every place
May 27th, 2009, 04:07 PM
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So nice of you to begin your TR while still getting over your fatigue, sounds like a very good start and you found a nice hotel and enjoyable vegetarian food. Happy to hear people are helpful, Shanghai is hosting the World Expo next year, that's why you see so much construction, and there is a politeness campaign being rolled out.
May 27th, 2009, 05:19 PM
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Very interesting, please continue. I am more of a Japan travel person. I'd like to go to China but I'm worried about the air quality - how do you fare with that?
I stayed at the Hostal Acapulco when I went to Madrid in February after reading your Spain trip report, thanks.
I stayed at the Hostal Acapulco when I went to Madrid in February after reading your Spain trip report, thanks.
May 27th, 2009, 06:06 PM
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thursdaysd, glad to know someone still remembers the Portugal TR ! Thanks.
miki, we did not travel on trains with our luggage in China, except the Maglev train ride into and out of Shanghai. So I cannot comment on that. We used trains only for making day trips to Hangzhou and Suzhou. Had we been traveling with luggage on those trains, I would imagine it would have been a big problem, as train stations are quite crowded in China.
dgunbug, Shanghainese, thanks for the encouragement. I need it to keep going !
Mara, nice to hear someone else having benefited from our Spain TR ! And you remembered it too ! As for air quality, we had heard so many bad things about pollution in China, that we were completely surprised. The air quality was excellent wherever we went. Perhaps it has to do with the time of the year. May is supposed to be a good time in China wrt pollution.
miki, we did not travel on trains with our luggage in China, except the Maglev train ride into and out of Shanghai. So I cannot comment on that. We used trains only for making day trips to Hangzhou and Suzhou. Had we been traveling with luggage on those trains, I would imagine it would have been a big problem, as train stations are quite crowded in China.
dgunbug, Shanghainese, thanks for the encouragement. I need it to keep going !
Mara, nice to hear someone else having benefited from our Spain TR ! And you remembered it too ! As for air quality, we had heard so many bad things about pollution in China, that we were completely surprised. The air quality was excellent wherever we went. Perhaps it has to do with the time of the year. May is supposed to be a good time in China wrt pollution.
May 27th, 2009, 06:49 PM
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TRIP REPORT (Continued):
Day 2: Saturday, May 9th: SHANGHAI
We got up very late today, shaking off the fatigue of the journey to China. Had a late breakfast at the hotel (which was free with our room) at about 9:30 am. Breakfast was so-so.
Rode the metro one stop to People's Square. Walked through People's Park, which was attractive and free. It was a Saturday, and there were lots of locals there. In one corner of the park there was a lively "matchmaking" market in full swing. Everyone was holding signs about the vital statistics of their son or daughter (such as height, income level etc !!)and lots of brokers were milling around. Not surprisingly, we were completely ignored by everyone ! Very interesting.
Kept walking through the park, and we reached People's Square, which we found very pretty. People flying very colorful kites, lots of children chasing pigeons on the grass; a nice place to sit and watch the people.
Here we were approached by three young girls who spoke very good English. They talked very sweetly, and slowly brought up the subject of joining them for a tea ceremony ! We had been warned enough on this forum about these scamsters, so we quickly left.
We then went to the Shanghai Museum located nearby. Surprised to note that there was no entry fee. Just rented an audio guide, and toured all the 4 floors of the museum. A very well laid out museum, with a bronze gallery, sculpture gallery, pottery gallery, calligraphy, seals, paintings, furniture, coins etc. Definitely worthwhile to visit here.
By the time we exited the museum, it was 1:30pm, and time to hunt for lunch. We walked towards the French Concession area, in particular towards Xintiandi. We were searching a particular veg restaurant called "Vegetarian Lifestyle" of which we had read great reviews. We found it easily (located on 77 Songshan Road), and had a most wonderful meal. Good juice combos, radish soup, dumplings, eggplant hotpot, fried mushrooms. Really enjoyed our meal in an excellent ambiance, and vowed to return to this restaurant.
Walked another 5 minutes to reach Xintiandi, and immediately fell in love with the place. The architecture was so wonderful, and it seemed as if suddenly we were in a different country. Full of trendy restaurants, bars, shops, and lots of expats.
After strolling through Xintiandi to our heart's content, we took a taxi to the Old Town area, near Yuyuan Gardens. We were now in a totally different world, and closer to the "real" China that we were looking for ! All the buildings in traditional Chinese architecture, all humming with activity and full of people (notwithstanding the jarring sight of a Starbucks or a KFC). We sat down at the Huxingting Tea House, grabbing a good window seat. This is a famous tea house opposite the Yuyuan Gardens, and a great place to people watch. Just remember that the pricing on the upper floor is twice that of the ground floor ! We sat on the ground floor window table, and had a pot each of Jasmine tea. Loved the atmosphere of the place.
We then strolled around the numerous shops in the surrounding area. Full of very interesting shops, and worth buying. We decided not to buy much today, but just practice our bargaining skills ! You have to get a "feel" of where you should start your counter-offer !
By 6:30 pm or so we hopped on to a taxi and went to the Lyceum Theater (not far from Xintiandi), where we bought tickets for the 7:30pm Acrobatic show. Thankfully we had checked out the timings at our hotel front desk in the morning. Tickets were 150 Rmb each, and the hall was nice. The show was spectacular, and far far exceeded our expectations.
At 9pm we exited the theater, and went for dinner across the street from the theater, at a place called "Dishuidong" which had been highly recommended on the Lonely Planet guidebook. It is a very popular Hunan restaurant. It was not a veg restaurant, but we had no problem getting veg dishes here. The staff knew almost no English, but were quite helpful in trying to understand us. Had a fairly decent meal of shredded potatoes, mushrooms and flowering cabbages, with fried rice and beer.
From here it was a 10 minute walk back to our hotel, where we rested after a fairly exhausting day.
Day 2: Saturday, May 9th: SHANGHAI
We got up very late today, shaking off the fatigue of the journey to China. Had a late breakfast at the hotel (which was free with our room) at about 9:30 am. Breakfast was so-so.
Rode the metro one stop to People's Square. Walked through People's Park, which was attractive and free. It was a Saturday, and there were lots of locals there. In one corner of the park there was a lively "matchmaking" market in full swing. Everyone was holding signs about the vital statistics of their son or daughter (such as height, income level etc !!)and lots of brokers were milling around. Not surprisingly, we were completely ignored by everyone ! Very interesting.
Kept walking through the park, and we reached People's Square, which we found very pretty. People flying very colorful kites, lots of children chasing pigeons on the grass; a nice place to sit and watch the people.
Here we were approached by three young girls who spoke very good English. They talked very sweetly, and slowly brought up the subject of joining them for a tea ceremony ! We had been warned enough on this forum about these scamsters, so we quickly left.
We then went to the Shanghai Museum located nearby. Surprised to note that there was no entry fee. Just rented an audio guide, and toured all the 4 floors of the museum. A very well laid out museum, with a bronze gallery, sculpture gallery, pottery gallery, calligraphy, seals, paintings, furniture, coins etc. Definitely worthwhile to visit here.
By the time we exited the museum, it was 1:30pm, and time to hunt for lunch. We walked towards the French Concession area, in particular towards Xintiandi. We were searching a particular veg restaurant called "Vegetarian Lifestyle" of which we had read great reviews. We found it easily (located on 77 Songshan Road), and had a most wonderful meal. Good juice combos, radish soup, dumplings, eggplant hotpot, fried mushrooms. Really enjoyed our meal in an excellent ambiance, and vowed to return to this restaurant.
Walked another 5 minutes to reach Xintiandi, and immediately fell in love with the place. The architecture was so wonderful, and it seemed as if suddenly we were in a different country. Full of trendy restaurants, bars, shops, and lots of expats.
After strolling through Xintiandi to our heart's content, we took a taxi to the Old Town area, near Yuyuan Gardens. We were now in a totally different world, and closer to the "real" China that we were looking for ! All the buildings in traditional Chinese architecture, all humming with activity and full of people (notwithstanding the jarring sight of a Starbucks or a KFC). We sat down at the Huxingting Tea House, grabbing a good window seat. This is a famous tea house opposite the Yuyuan Gardens, and a great place to people watch. Just remember that the pricing on the upper floor is twice that of the ground floor ! We sat on the ground floor window table, and had a pot each of Jasmine tea. Loved the atmosphere of the place.
We then strolled around the numerous shops in the surrounding area. Full of very interesting shops, and worth buying. We decided not to buy much today, but just practice our bargaining skills ! You have to get a "feel" of where you should start your counter-offer !
By 6:30 pm or so we hopped on to a taxi and went to the Lyceum Theater (not far from Xintiandi), where we bought tickets for the 7:30pm Acrobatic show. Thankfully we had checked out the timings at our hotel front desk in the morning. Tickets were 150 Rmb each, and the hall was nice. The show was spectacular, and far far exceeded our expectations.
At 9pm we exited the theater, and went for dinner across the street from the theater, at a place called "Dishuidong" which had been highly recommended on the Lonely Planet guidebook. It is a very popular Hunan restaurant. It was not a veg restaurant, but we had no problem getting veg dishes here. The staff knew almost no English, but were quite helpful in trying to understand us. Had a fairly decent meal of shredded potatoes, mushrooms and flowering cabbages, with fried rice and beer.
From here it was a 10 minute walk back to our hotel, where we rested after a fairly exhausting day.
May 27th, 2009, 07:55 PM
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TRIP REPORT (Continued):
Day 3 : Sunday, May 10th: SUZHOU
We woke up early by about 5am, had breakfast at the hotel, and left by 7am via metro to the Shanghai Train Station. We had a 7:50am train to board for Suzhou.
We were initially quite confused on arriving at the train station. There were huge boards outside; we could see our train listed there, along with a Departure Lounge number. We had no clue what a "departure lounge" at a train station meant. And there were numerous lines to enter the train station, and we were not sure which line we ought to be in.
Finally met a young educated man who spoke good English, who told us to get into any line to enter the train station, then to go to our departure lounge, and wait. On entering the departure lounge (which was common to about 6-7 departing trains at that hour), we saw rows and rows of chairs, and a sea of humanity inside. It was very noisy and intimidating inside, as we had not been prepared for all this. We had to stand around, as there were no vacant seats anywhere. About 15 minutes prior to our train departure, they opened the gates to go to the platform to board the train. There was a huge surge of people who got up from the departure lounge and queued up for the exit gate leading to the platform. However, despite the crowds, I must say that there was no jostling or pushing, nor any sign of panic by anyone. Everything moved smoothly, and we managed to comfortably board our train with enough time to spare, without any inconvenience. Once you go through it, it seems easy and disciplined; first time can be initially a scare.
The 1st class coach on which we were booked was very comfortable. The train reached Suzhou at 8:30am (40 minute ride). There was no Tourist Office anywhere near the Train Station (what a pity !). The pedicabs were asking for too much money. Finally, we took a taxi to the Humble Administrator's Garden, which cost only 10 Rmb. Caution: do not get into a taxi unless you have your destination written somewhere in Chinese characters, as the drivers speak zero English.
The Humble Administrator's Garden in among the largest gardens of Suzhou, spread over 5 hectares. Overall, very well maintained, and quite beautiful in parts. It took quite a while to stroll through the entire garden, but we did it and quite enjoyed it. Each nook and cranny has a very fancy name (e.g. "With Whom Shall I Sit" pavilion). Enjoyed their bonzai garden the most, which had a fantastic collection.
After spending 3 hours inside the garden, we found that getting out was tricky. We kept going around in circles, before we finally found the exit route. It was about 12:30pm, and there is a very nice line of shops outside the entry gate, which we strolled through. Lots of boat-men approached us, offering to take us on a canal cruise. We decided to shelve all that for later in the day. In China, we noticed that all "attractions" with an entry fee seem to close by 4pm or 5pm; so you have to do your main sightseeing before that, and keep evenings for loitering about or shopping.
We took another taxi to the Master of Nets Garden on Shiquan Lie. Strange that such a famous garden has to be entered through side alleys. But the garden itself was very very pretty. Small, compact, and beautiful. The central portion of the garden, around the pond, was really excellent, with views changing totally as you move around from one point to another. Chinese landscaping at its best. A "must-see" in Suzhou.
Almost opposite the entry point of the garden on Shiquan Lie, is a restaurant called "Yangyang Shuijiaoguan" restaurant, highly recommended on Lonely Planet. Known to have a good collection of veg dishes too. We wend there for lunch, and had a nice meal. The helpings were really huge, and prices ridiculously low. We were served a very very large soup of coriander & tofu, excellent dumplings (a dozen for 5 Rmb), eggplant, fried rice, beer etc. Good food and very good prices.
Outside the restaurant we stopped for a cool drink of Litchi with Green tea ! We were looking for a taxi or a bus to take us to Tiger Hill. Here is where we faced our first major communication breakdown. Despite waiting for 30-45 minutes, could not find a vacant taxi. We obviously needed to be referred to a better place to catch a taxi, but no one could do that. We knew the number of the bus that we had to take, but no one could refer us to the nearest bus stop ! We must have tried asking a dozen different people, showed them maps, tried sign-language, but nothing worked. Everyone just shrugged their shoulders and claimed they knew no English. It was peak afternoon, hot and humid. We were getting exasperated, and wished that we had a guide with us, just for sorting out these small logistical problems.
With great difficulty, we managed to figure out where the bus stop was. The stop was marked with just a small tin-sign on the side of the street. Boarded the Tourist Bus No. 2. It was an old and rickety bus, that stalled at every bus stop ! Cost only 1 Rmb each for the ride, all the way to Tiger Hill. Took a pedicab from the bus stop to the entry of Tiger Hill. Somewhat expensive entry tickets (60 Rmb each), plus another 20 Rmb/each to take a ride to the top till the tilting Pagoda. From the Pagoda we slowly walked down towards the entry gate, and rested ourselves for a while at a cafe. Had wonderful "Passion Fruit Snow". Then slowly walked back to the bus station, and boarded the Tourist Bus # 2 to the Humble Administrator's Garden. It was too late to enter the "Garden to Linger In", which we had also marked out at Suzhou, as it was past 5pm. Hence we decided to return to our morning spot, and catch a cruise on the canals of Suzhou.
There was a very prolonged bargaining session before we could board the boat. Eventually settled for 30 Rmb per person, provided we shared the boat with a young Chinese couple who were paying a similar amount. When you talk to these boat people, or any shop owner, there seems to be no communication problem. Of course they know zero English, but they make an effort, and with sign language you manage to communicate easily. Not so on the streets when you are seeking directions, unless you happen to bump into someone who knows English.
It was a nice one-hour boat ride through the canals of Suzhou, which we enjoyed. The boatman sang lovely Chinese songs as he rowed the boat. We all tried our hand at the unusual oars. Good fun.
After the boat ride, we again took the Bus # 2 to the Train station, and boarded our 7:20pm train back to Shanghai, reaching at 8pm. We took a metro to Xintiandi. Almost had my camera stolen while buying the metro ticket - our only unpleasant experience in this entire trip. While I was pushing the buttons at the ticket vending machine at the metro station, there was a guy standing next to me almost pushing me. I commented to DW that this guy is almost pushing me, but I just thought he was in a hurry to use the vending machine after me. It is only when I had finished and was moving away, did I notice his hand on my camera case (which was strapped to my belt), and that he had almost succeeded in removing the camera from the case. When I shouted out, he quickly departed and melted away in the crowd.
Xintiandi was full of life on this Sunday night. Very lively and very crowded. Sat down at an outdoor table at the "Kabb" restaurant. Had margheritas, burritos and quesadillas. Fabulous views and good food. Then took the metro back to our hotel and crashed into bed.
Day 3 : Sunday, May 10th: SUZHOU
We woke up early by about 5am, had breakfast at the hotel, and left by 7am via metro to the Shanghai Train Station. We had a 7:50am train to board for Suzhou.
We were initially quite confused on arriving at the train station. There were huge boards outside; we could see our train listed there, along with a Departure Lounge number. We had no clue what a "departure lounge" at a train station meant. And there were numerous lines to enter the train station, and we were not sure which line we ought to be in.
Finally met a young educated man who spoke good English, who told us to get into any line to enter the train station, then to go to our departure lounge, and wait. On entering the departure lounge (which was common to about 6-7 departing trains at that hour), we saw rows and rows of chairs, and a sea of humanity inside. It was very noisy and intimidating inside, as we had not been prepared for all this. We had to stand around, as there were no vacant seats anywhere. About 15 minutes prior to our train departure, they opened the gates to go to the platform to board the train. There was a huge surge of people who got up from the departure lounge and queued up for the exit gate leading to the platform. However, despite the crowds, I must say that there was no jostling or pushing, nor any sign of panic by anyone. Everything moved smoothly, and we managed to comfortably board our train with enough time to spare, without any inconvenience. Once you go through it, it seems easy and disciplined; first time can be initially a scare.
The 1st class coach on which we were booked was very comfortable. The train reached Suzhou at 8:30am (40 minute ride). There was no Tourist Office anywhere near the Train Station (what a pity !). The pedicabs were asking for too much money. Finally, we took a taxi to the Humble Administrator's Garden, which cost only 10 Rmb. Caution: do not get into a taxi unless you have your destination written somewhere in Chinese characters, as the drivers speak zero English.
The Humble Administrator's Garden in among the largest gardens of Suzhou, spread over 5 hectares. Overall, very well maintained, and quite beautiful in parts. It took quite a while to stroll through the entire garden, but we did it and quite enjoyed it. Each nook and cranny has a very fancy name (e.g. "With Whom Shall I Sit" pavilion). Enjoyed their bonzai garden the most, which had a fantastic collection.
After spending 3 hours inside the garden, we found that getting out was tricky. We kept going around in circles, before we finally found the exit route. It was about 12:30pm, and there is a very nice line of shops outside the entry gate, which we strolled through. Lots of boat-men approached us, offering to take us on a canal cruise. We decided to shelve all that for later in the day. In China, we noticed that all "attractions" with an entry fee seem to close by 4pm or 5pm; so you have to do your main sightseeing before that, and keep evenings for loitering about or shopping.
We took another taxi to the Master of Nets Garden on Shiquan Lie. Strange that such a famous garden has to be entered through side alleys. But the garden itself was very very pretty. Small, compact, and beautiful. The central portion of the garden, around the pond, was really excellent, with views changing totally as you move around from one point to another. Chinese landscaping at its best. A "must-see" in Suzhou.
Almost opposite the entry point of the garden on Shiquan Lie, is a restaurant called "Yangyang Shuijiaoguan" restaurant, highly recommended on Lonely Planet. Known to have a good collection of veg dishes too. We wend there for lunch, and had a nice meal. The helpings were really huge, and prices ridiculously low. We were served a very very large soup of coriander & tofu, excellent dumplings (a dozen for 5 Rmb), eggplant, fried rice, beer etc. Good food and very good prices.
Outside the restaurant we stopped for a cool drink of Litchi with Green tea ! We were looking for a taxi or a bus to take us to Tiger Hill. Here is where we faced our first major communication breakdown. Despite waiting for 30-45 minutes, could not find a vacant taxi. We obviously needed to be referred to a better place to catch a taxi, but no one could do that. We knew the number of the bus that we had to take, but no one could refer us to the nearest bus stop ! We must have tried asking a dozen different people, showed them maps, tried sign-language, but nothing worked. Everyone just shrugged their shoulders and claimed they knew no English. It was peak afternoon, hot and humid. We were getting exasperated, and wished that we had a guide with us, just for sorting out these small logistical problems.
With great difficulty, we managed to figure out where the bus stop was. The stop was marked with just a small tin-sign on the side of the street. Boarded the Tourist Bus No. 2. It was an old and rickety bus, that stalled at every bus stop ! Cost only 1 Rmb each for the ride, all the way to Tiger Hill. Took a pedicab from the bus stop to the entry of Tiger Hill. Somewhat expensive entry tickets (60 Rmb each), plus another 20 Rmb/each to take a ride to the top till the tilting Pagoda. From the Pagoda we slowly walked down towards the entry gate, and rested ourselves for a while at a cafe. Had wonderful "Passion Fruit Snow". Then slowly walked back to the bus station, and boarded the Tourist Bus # 2 to the Humble Administrator's Garden. It was too late to enter the "Garden to Linger In", which we had also marked out at Suzhou, as it was past 5pm. Hence we decided to return to our morning spot, and catch a cruise on the canals of Suzhou.
There was a very prolonged bargaining session before we could board the boat. Eventually settled for 30 Rmb per person, provided we shared the boat with a young Chinese couple who were paying a similar amount. When you talk to these boat people, or any shop owner, there seems to be no communication problem. Of course they know zero English, but they make an effort, and with sign language you manage to communicate easily. Not so on the streets when you are seeking directions, unless you happen to bump into someone who knows English.
It was a nice one-hour boat ride through the canals of Suzhou, which we enjoyed. The boatman sang lovely Chinese songs as he rowed the boat. We all tried our hand at the unusual oars. Good fun.
After the boat ride, we again took the Bus # 2 to the Train station, and boarded our 7:20pm train back to Shanghai, reaching at 8pm. We took a metro to Xintiandi. Almost had my camera stolen while buying the metro ticket - our only unpleasant experience in this entire trip. While I was pushing the buttons at the ticket vending machine at the metro station, there was a guy standing next to me almost pushing me. I commented to DW that this guy is almost pushing me, but I just thought he was in a hurry to use the vending machine after me. It is only when I had finished and was moving away, did I notice his hand on my camera case (which was strapped to my belt), and that he had almost succeeded in removing the camera from the case. When I shouted out, he quickly departed and melted away in the crowd.
Xintiandi was full of life on this Sunday night. Very lively and very crowded. Sat down at an outdoor table at the "Kabb" restaurant. Had margheritas, burritos and quesadillas. Fabulous views and good food. Then took the metro back to our hotel and crashed into bed.
May 28th, 2009, 06:29 AM
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You are right thursdayd. The number of KFC, McDonalds and Starbucks in China is mind boggling. I saw a map of Beijing, where all McDonalds outlets were marked on the map ! Must have been over a 100 outlets in Beijing alone.
Chinese have a very lean and thin frame, partly because they eat right; their cuisine is very wholesome and non-fattening. With Big Mac spoiling them big time, I think a new generation of obese Chinese is now growing up !
Chinese have a very lean and thin frame, partly because they eat right; their cuisine is very wholesome and non-fattening. With Big Mac spoiling them big time, I think a new generation of obese Chinese is now growing up !
May 28th, 2009, 07:15 AM
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This is a great report, even though I know absolutely nothing about China.
Well, after reading this I know a whole lot more...
I also know what a slog it is to write - but I bet it's just pouring out of you. It's a great way to process your trip, eh?
You are really feeding some great information back into the board. Bravo guys - keep writing!
Well, after reading this I know a whole lot more...
I also know what a slog it is to write - but I bet it's just pouring out of you. It's a great way to process your trip, eh?
You are really feeding some great information back into the board. Bravo guys - keep writing!
May 28th, 2009, 07:29 AM
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TRIP REPORT (Continued):
Day 4: Monday, May 11th: HANGZOU:
Woke up early again, at 5:30am, and reached Shanghai Railway station just in time to catch our 8am train to Hangzhou. This time we were confident of ourselves at the station ! Reached Hangzhou at 9:45am.
Located the Tourist Office just outside the Train Station. Did pick up a free English map, but the person manning the counter knew zero English. By now we were quite used to this.
Thanks to our research prior to this trip, we knew which bus to board from where, which came in handy. We boarded the K7 bus from the train station to West Lake. As we alighted, we were totally captivated by the beauty of the Lake. Could understand why Marco Polo had called this place as Paradise on Earth. So calm, peaceful and so well maintained. Sat for a while at the lakefront, soaking it in. Then we took a boat trip to the island in the middle of the lake.
The walk around the island was very pleasant indeed. Exquisite beauty everywhere; fabulous views wherever you look. The "Three Mirrors Reflecting the Moon" was a bit of a let-down, but walking around the causeways and paths of the small island was a treat. Numerous photo ops. Had some roadside snacks of black sticky rice. After we had our fill of the scenery, we took a boat back. A very playful Chinese toddler took a fancy for me on the return journey, gleefully came into my arms, and jumped with joy to the amazement of his parents !
We were looking for an Indian restaurant called "Haveli" on Nanshan Road (which goes all around the lake). Turned out to be a long walk as it was located on the other end of the road. But walking along the West Lake is very nice, so no complaints. We finally found it, and had a sumptuous lunch of Kulchas, Parathas, Chhole and Dal. Decent Indian food.
At about 2:30pm, we caught the Y2 bus from outside the restaurant for the Lingyin Temple; a longish ride of about 30 minutes. For the Lingyin Temple, you have to pay the entry ticket twice : 35 Rmb to enter the "Lingyin Temple Area", and another 30 Rmb to enter the actual temple. However, the entire visit to the Lingyin Temple was most rewarding, and is a MUST-SEE on any Hangzhou visit. From the entry gate, we walked alongside the hillside to see all the stone carvings, including the largest carving in the world of the Laughing Buddha. The main temple complex was also fantastic, with exquisite halls and the jaw-dropping 20 mtr high statue of Buddha. Loved the side hall, full of almost 1000 sculptures of disciples. Wish we had more time at the Lingyin Temple. Would have liked to stay a little longer.
Reluctantly, we came back down, and took the Y1 bus, which dropped us near the Qinhefang Old Street, where we wanted to go next. This is a very interesting pedestrian street, with shops selling all kinds of knick-knacks. There was the famous teahouse, where the waiter pours the tea dramatically from a kettle having a very very long spout ! Did some stray shopping, and enjoyed walking on that street.
Tried getting directions on how to reach the train station. Once again the same communication problem. The tourist office was no help either. Showed them a Hangzhou map which had the train station clearly marked (with a picture of a train), but still could not communicate. Exasperating. Finally boarded a taxi, and showed him the words "Train Station" written in Chinese characters, and he took us there immediately. We were able to comfortably board our 6:25pm train back to Shanghai, reaching at 7:40pm (to the South Train Station this time).
At Shanghai, we took the metro to the French Concession area, and had a repeat meal at "Vegetarian Lifestyle" on Songshan Road, which we had enjoyed a few days earlier. Had a nice meal once again of juice combos, dumplings, fiery soup and rice noodles. The soup could have easily fed 6 people ! We were back at our hotel by 9:45pm. Checked our e-mails, packed for our departure the next morning, and slept.
We realized that we had not done justice to Hangzhou in a day trip. It certainly requires 2-3 days, and is perhaps preferable to Shanghai. Very pretty city. Could barely scratch its surface in a day trip. Anyway, I am glad we went, for it is certainly worth visiting.
Some stray observations as we were concluding the first leg of our journey:
1. Language does seem to be a problem at many places. Getting directions on the street can be difficult, unless you have the destination clearly written in Chinese characters. It is not that people do not want to help; I think the way we pronounce various things, and the way the Chinese pronounce it is so different, that they simply cannot fathom what we are saying. For some strange reason, even sign-language does not seem to work here. Miming out something, enacting it out, nothing seems to work. You just have to keep all destinations and key words in Chinese characters with you.
2. We had expected the weather to be pleasant in May. We had been blessed with excellent weather the past 4 days, but the afternoons were really hot and very humid, atleast in Shanghai and the neighborhoods.
3. People in China love posing for pictures, and strike very bizarre poses ! Their favorite seems to be holding up a "V" sign with their fingers, or otherwise keeping their arms spread out like an eagle (a Chinese told us that they were imitating the "Titanic" pose !).
4. The calculator is a major instrument of communication. Whenever you want to know any price, the same is typed on a calculator and shown to you. You are supposed to write your counter-offer on the same calculator and show it back ! If a calculator is not available, a cell phone is used in much the same way. I know that a cell phone is a genuine communication device, but perhaps not in this form !
5. It is impossible to walk 10 meters in China without being offered a Rolex watch for 100-200 Rmb. The brand ambassadors of Rolex (Roger Federer etc) must shiver at this phenomenon !
6. People in China seem to love fake brands. Carrying a fake Gucci bag, or a Burberry or a D&G seems to be socially very acceptable.
Day 4: Monday, May 11th: HANGZOU:
Woke up early again, at 5:30am, and reached Shanghai Railway station just in time to catch our 8am train to Hangzhou. This time we were confident of ourselves at the station ! Reached Hangzhou at 9:45am.
Located the Tourist Office just outside the Train Station. Did pick up a free English map, but the person manning the counter knew zero English. By now we were quite used to this.
Thanks to our research prior to this trip, we knew which bus to board from where, which came in handy. We boarded the K7 bus from the train station to West Lake. As we alighted, we were totally captivated by the beauty of the Lake. Could understand why Marco Polo had called this place as Paradise on Earth. So calm, peaceful and so well maintained. Sat for a while at the lakefront, soaking it in. Then we took a boat trip to the island in the middle of the lake.
The walk around the island was very pleasant indeed. Exquisite beauty everywhere; fabulous views wherever you look. The "Three Mirrors Reflecting the Moon" was a bit of a let-down, but walking around the causeways and paths of the small island was a treat. Numerous photo ops. Had some roadside snacks of black sticky rice. After we had our fill of the scenery, we took a boat back. A very playful Chinese toddler took a fancy for me on the return journey, gleefully came into my arms, and jumped with joy to the amazement of his parents !
We were looking for an Indian restaurant called "Haveli" on Nanshan Road (which goes all around the lake). Turned out to be a long walk as it was located on the other end of the road. But walking along the West Lake is very nice, so no complaints. We finally found it, and had a sumptuous lunch of Kulchas, Parathas, Chhole and Dal. Decent Indian food.
At about 2:30pm, we caught the Y2 bus from outside the restaurant for the Lingyin Temple; a longish ride of about 30 minutes. For the Lingyin Temple, you have to pay the entry ticket twice : 35 Rmb to enter the "Lingyin Temple Area", and another 30 Rmb to enter the actual temple. However, the entire visit to the Lingyin Temple was most rewarding, and is a MUST-SEE on any Hangzhou visit. From the entry gate, we walked alongside the hillside to see all the stone carvings, including the largest carving in the world of the Laughing Buddha. The main temple complex was also fantastic, with exquisite halls and the jaw-dropping 20 mtr high statue of Buddha. Loved the side hall, full of almost 1000 sculptures of disciples. Wish we had more time at the Lingyin Temple. Would have liked to stay a little longer.
Reluctantly, we came back down, and took the Y1 bus, which dropped us near the Qinhefang Old Street, where we wanted to go next. This is a very interesting pedestrian street, with shops selling all kinds of knick-knacks. There was the famous teahouse, where the waiter pours the tea dramatically from a kettle having a very very long spout ! Did some stray shopping, and enjoyed walking on that street.
Tried getting directions on how to reach the train station. Once again the same communication problem. The tourist office was no help either. Showed them a Hangzhou map which had the train station clearly marked (with a picture of a train), but still could not communicate. Exasperating. Finally boarded a taxi, and showed him the words "Train Station" written in Chinese characters, and he took us there immediately. We were able to comfortably board our 6:25pm train back to Shanghai, reaching at 7:40pm (to the South Train Station this time).
At Shanghai, we took the metro to the French Concession area, and had a repeat meal at "Vegetarian Lifestyle" on Songshan Road, which we had enjoyed a few days earlier. Had a nice meal once again of juice combos, dumplings, fiery soup and rice noodles. The soup could have easily fed 6 people ! We were back at our hotel by 9:45pm. Checked our e-mails, packed for our departure the next morning, and slept.
We realized that we had not done justice to Hangzhou in a day trip. It certainly requires 2-3 days, and is perhaps preferable to Shanghai. Very pretty city. Could barely scratch its surface in a day trip. Anyway, I am glad we went, for it is certainly worth visiting.
Some stray observations as we were concluding the first leg of our journey:
1. Language does seem to be a problem at many places. Getting directions on the street can be difficult, unless you have the destination clearly written in Chinese characters. It is not that people do not want to help; I think the way we pronounce various things, and the way the Chinese pronounce it is so different, that they simply cannot fathom what we are saying. For some strange reason, even sign-language does not seem to work here. Miming out something, enacting it out, nothing seems to work. You just have to keep all destinations and key words in Chinese characters with you.
2. We had expected the weather to be pleasant in May. We had been blessed with excellent weather the past 4 days, but the afternoons were really hot and very humid, atleast in Shanghai and the neighborhoods.
3. People in China love posing for pictures, and strike very bizarre poses ! Their favorite seems to be holding up a "V" sign with their fingers, or otherwise keeping their arms spread out like an eagle (a Chinese told us that they were imitating the "Titanic" pose !).
4. The calculator is a major instrument of communication. Whenever you want to know any price, the same is typed on a calculator and shown to you. You are supposed to write your counter-offer on the same calculator and show it back ! If a calculator is not available, a cell phone is used in much the same way. I know that a cell phone is a genuine communication device, but perhaps not in this form !
5. It is impossible to walk 10 meters in China without being offered a Rolex watch for 100-200 Rmb. The brand ambassadors of Rolex (Roger Federer etc) must shiver at this phenomenon !
6. People in China seem to love fake brands. Carrying a fake Gucci bag, or a Burberry or a D&G seems to be socially very acceptable.
May 28th, 2009, 12:03 PM
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This is great. We're going to China in Septemeber and your report will help a lot. Especially the part about air and train tickets. Clearly a very timely report, no penalty. In fact, a bonus. A special invitation to the Boston GTG on October 10.
May 28th, 2009, 05:15 PM
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Jaya, being vegetarian in China is really not that difficult, if you carry a listing of veg restaurants with you (which we did). We only had a problem on one day in Xian (coming up in the Trip Report).
As for language issues, it was exasperating on some occasions, but mostly a lot of fun and adventure. This is part of the joy of independent travel to unfamiliar destinations. After all, one should not strive to "feel at home" when traveling abroad !
As for language issues, it was exasperating on some occasions, but mostly a lot of fun and adventure. This is part of the joy of independent travel to unfamiliar destinations. After all, one should not strive to "feel at home" when traveling abroad !
