Posts Tagged ‘shanghai’
Day 11 (26 Dec 2009): BOXIN’ DAY! [Shanghai - Guangzhou]
For your convenience, please refer to The Journey for the itinerary and the latest updates.
Weather: Sunny but cold
While checking out of the hostel, the helpful receptionist patiently answered all our queries regarding transportation. We would head to Yuyuan, located in the Chinese part of the city, by public bus.
To be honest, I was pretty impressed by the transport infrastructure of the Chinese cities that I’ve been to. Hangzhou especially because of the public bike rental system. Chinese cities also run their public bus system efficiently. The fleet is often very new and I couldn’t recall seeing anyone hanging by the bus doors (although they were often crowded). There are also televisions on the buses and trains (ahead of Singapore; there’s no more TV Mobile here anymore).
Old & New
Reaching there
Entrance to the shopping area - crowded as everywhere else
The main reason why we were here was to get plums. Apparently Alan’s mum visited Shanghai and liked them. Ever the filial son, Alan was going to bring 5kg back. Yup that’s right. 5kg. Nothing but packaged plums. He bought all the quantity available in the store and the next customer who came in couldn’t get any. Luckily for her, Alan was kind enough to let her have a 500g packet or else she would go home (wherever it is) disappointed.
Look at the crowd
Initially we were planning to meet our friend Michelle who was back in Shanghai during the holidays. However, she couldn’t make it last minute and both of us had the afternoon to while away. We were thinking of visiting Xintiandi or watching a movie. The cold weather and the movie trailers on the trains helped us to make the decision.
Watching movie in Shanghai is an expensive affair. A ticket cost 80 RMB (~16 SGD). No wonder everyone watches pirated movies instead.
The trailer which helped us to make our choice.
Before Bodyguards and Assassins began, we noticed a couple in the row in front of us.
They were eating bak kwa!
How interesting!
The movie was quite nice but you could drive a bus through the loopholes in the plot. This reminded me of a Hokkien saying: zou hee siao, kua hee gong. Literal translation will be actors are crazy and audience are silly. We have to be silly enough to appreciate the crazy performance.
We had an early dinner in the noodle place besides our hostel.
Spicy noodles
There was a direct bus to Hongqiao Airport (no. 806, 5 RMB) from our hostel and it took almost an hour. I was mad at the check-in staff who refused to acknowledge my existence and served another person who arrived later. The joy of traveling indeed.
Alan and I were both amazed by China’s productivity. I think the work maxim is: If the job can be done by one person, let at least two people do it. The lady at the boarding gate would scan our boarding pass and another man five meters away would tear the ticket and retain a portion. Somebody must have forgotten to tell them that the two tasks can be performed together. Alan said that it was necessary for creating employment.
Flight: China Southern CZ3504
Dep: SHA 19:45
Arr: CAN 22:05
Flight time: 2h20m
I was surprised to get a wide-body aircraft (757 I think) for a domestic flight. As both Shanghai and Guangzhou are first-tier cities, there should be quite a lot of demand for travel between them. Tickets weren’t too expensive (we paid 550 RMB one-way) and the load was probably around 50%. Alan and I could have rows for ourselves. We landed ahead of time again but nobody was complaining.
Returning back to Guangzhou, it was noticeably warmer than Shanghai. Alan showed me this incomprehensible sign at the shuttle bus waiting point.
It should be "Taxi Boarding Point"
Engrish FTW!
Day 10: Merry Christmas from Suzhou [Shanghai - Suzhou - Shanghai]
For your convenience, please refer to The Journey for the itinerary and the latest updates.
Weather: Cold and hazy
It was Christmas and we were heading to Suzhou on a train.
Train: CRH D5416
Depart: Shanghai Station 10:06
Arrive: Suzhou Station 10:42
Time taken: 36 min
Distance: 84km
Cost: 26 RMB
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We arrived on-time again but didn’t have any plan for the place.
Suzhou Station
Escaping the touts, we had our second breakfast at KFC (first was instant noodles at Shanghai Station) and planned our next move. Alan’s friend had recommended us to go to Shantang Street, a rather well-preserved historical street with canals running through it.
We got into one of those unlicensed cabs (bad mistake) and the driver brought us to a ticket counter. In order to enter the historic area, we would need to pay 45 RMB. Being gullible, we just paid up and didn’t realize that we did not need any ticket to visit the main street at all.
Overpriced at 45 RMB
Got our money's worth by taking more photos
James Soong was here
Fellow visitors
Chinese painting
Partition
Tint
Spelling FAIL
Old street
Venice of the East
Boats for hire
Fire station
Fire brigade
Cobbled street
Walking towards the less gentrified part
The less gentrified part felt more real as the people there were actual residents. After our lunch, we continued exploring the area.
Bridge
Steep
Across the bridge lied the underbelly of Suzhou.
Dire need for upgrading
From far we could see the old city gate.
Gate
Buildings by the canal
Exiting the historic area, we entered the more modern part of Suzhou. I could hardly believe my eyes. There were so many pretty girls. Especially the one at McDonald’s (I’m sure that Alan will know who I was talking about). The myth that Suzhou produces beauties is no urban legend. Too bad I’m too coward to take their photos. Feeling tired from all the walking (not legs going soft from all the beauties), we went inside to Holiday Inn’s lobby to rest. Little did we know that we would return there again.
Kee Yeh, Alan’s army friend who was doing an internship there, would meet us in Suzhou’s equivalent of Orchard Rd after work. Christmas is not a public holiday in China and since we were early, we waited for him at KFC (our second visit for the day).
We were fortunate enough to have the shift manager to entertain us.
Shift Manager/Entertainer
Sorry for the poor quality picture but trust me; she was one of those typical Suzhou beauties whom we were seeing all day. Silky hair + big eyes + porcelain skin + slim figure.
What got our attention was that she had a routine inside the restaurant. It was me who noticed it first. She would stand at the counter and observe her crew and help out if necessary. Then she would disappear inside the kitchen for quite a while. Then she would walk and check herself in the mirror right beside the counter. Then she would walk round the premise and she would never fail to remind the cleaning lady to clear the tables. Then she would walk to the washroom/washbasin are and check herself in the mirror. I estimated that she checked herself in the mirror at least once every minute when not behind the counter. Observing her kept Alan and I amused and before long his friend arrived.
After dinner he brought us to another historic/touristy area with canals lighted up in the evening (I forgot the name) where we chilled out and shared stories.
Canal by night
A lil fuzzy
We also drank tea at a tea tavern which was ran by a Hongkonger. Apparently he used to work in theater and was hired to join a theater group in Suzhou. The place grew on him and he decided to start his business there. We couldn’t help but notice that the lady running the shop with him was gorgeous as well. Perhaps that was the real reason.
Kee Yeh and us parted and we had to return to the Holiday Inn. Alan had misplaced his cap and mobile phone in the hotel’s washroom and I had to wait inside the cab for him. The cab driver was getting impatient and kept asking us to hurry up. As if I would. I thought that I might want to tip him for waiting but changed my mind because of his attitude.
We caught train D5449 to Shanghai and took metro and cab back to our hostel. I ended up chatting with a Mauritian guy who studied architecture in NUS. He took a year off from his studies and was learning Chinese in Beijing. He was in Shanghai on a holiday with his friends in language school and it was cool talking to him. He impressed me with his language ability; apparently he could speak like five languages fluently. That’s WOW.
Day 9 (24 Dec 2009): Paris of the East [Hangzhou - Shanghai]
For your convenience, please refer to The Journey for the itinerary and the latest updates.
Weather: Hazy
We left the hostel early for our train to Paris of the East: Shanghai.
My humble breakfast at Hangzhou train station (6.5 RMB)
Train number: CRH D5658
Depart: Hangzhou 10:07
Arrive: Shanghai South 11:25 (Non-stop)
Time taken: 1h18m
Distance traveled: 173km
Cost: 54RMB (2nd Class)
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I love sitting on trains. The train that we took was a China Railway High-speed (CRH) one between Hangzhou and Shanghai. There was no stop between the two stations and it took only 78 minutes to cover the 173km between them.
Hangzhou Train Station platform 1
To my amazement there were actually standing passengers for the train. Apparently you could just turn up at the station and buy standing tickets (no discount though).
Modern interior
Top speed reached was 160kph
I was kinda excited to take train in China. It would be the seventh country where I had traveled by rail (after Malaysia, Thailand, India, Turkey, Bulgaria and Britain). We reached Shanghai South station on time and soon were on our way to Blue Mountain Youth Hostel.
Shanghai was definitely more urbane and bustling. At the metro stations, everyone was pushing everybody else away to get to the ticket machines. Before passengers could alight from the train other passengers were rushing in. It’s the survival of the fittest in this urban jungle.
Metro ride between Shanghai South Station and Lu Ban Rd Station (where our hostel is located)
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On arrival we had some difficulties locating the hostel but we managed to sort that out. We were given 6 bed dorm instead of the 4 bed one which we booked; there weren’t any other vacancies and we had to make do with that. Turned out that two of our roommates were snorers and we were in for two long nights.
Alan had arranged to visit his friend Kee Yeh who was doing a job attachment in Suzhou the next day so we went to Shanghai station (different from the Shanghai South Station where we arrived from Hangzhou) to get our train tickets.
Shanghai Station - Full of people like everywhere else in China
During our long leisurely lunch and dessert, we took a train to People’s Square . We would walk from down Shanghai’s premier shopping street Nanjing East Road and then onwards to the Bund along Huangpu river.
People's Square Metro Station - Full of people again
Big rocket and small rocket
Church
People's Park
We decided to escape the cold by venturing inside Shanghai’s Raffles City. It is one of the top end malls in Shanghai and the prices attest to that. I realize that malls all over the world are identical; I might as well be at Singapore’s Raffles City:(.
However, we weren’t really disappointed as there were performances for the shoppers.
Trying to raise temperature in the cold weather
African drummer
Back outside…
Classic and modern style co-exist
..onto Nanjing East Road.
Nanjing East Rd
Pedestrianized Shopping Street
A piece of Taksim in Shanghai
Colonial Style Buildings
Kua simi?
Plaque at the eastern end of the street
Judas
We knew that we were reaching the Bund when we saw Peace Hotel (still under construction).
Peace Hotel - One of Shanghai's landmark
Visibility was BAD
The Bund was closed for renovation and it was difficult walking on the potholed pavement. It certainly wasn’t the best time to visit as there were many constructions going on in anticipation for the World Expo 2010.
The Bund closed (construction for World Expo 2010)
Customs House
European Lion
Then we decided to walk back to Nanjing Lu and take the metro to Lujiazui (in Pudong, the other side of Huangpu River).
Nanjing Lu by night
Once at Lujiazui, we tried to take the river cruise but it won’t be operating until 2010. Neither did we go up the Oriental Pearl Tower due to poor visibility.
Oriental Pearl Tower
View of Bund from Pudong
After failing in our numerous attempts to take good photos, we decided to have a good meal for Christmas Eve at a fancy shopping mall in Lujiazui . Most of the restaurants are packed and the one that we chose was quite crowded as well. We had to wait a while before being served and the staff actually ushered a couple who arrived after us to a table first. I wasn’t too pleased and told the staff about it. She could only offer a weak sorry and I was really thinking of taking my business elsewhere. Besides the incompetent staff, the couple who took the table was very rude. They knew that we were ahead of them but decided to treat us as invisible instead.
Over dinner Alan and I were ranting over what had happened. I didn’t want to bash China for sake of bashing it but everything in Shanghai culminated in our frustration. Most people were rude; it is a free-for-all in almost everything and no one is willing to concede any space. The huge population in China creates an intense amount of competition for everything; it isn’t surprising that everyone care only for themselves and to hell with the rest. The Chinese nationals in Singapore are also products of the same system and therefore behave accordingly.
It was cold on Christmas’ eve and we headed back to the hostel after dinner. Sadly our Christmas’ Eve was spent trying to sleep under loud snores of our roommates.
