Saturday, March 30, 2013

March 22, 2013 Shanghai, China 7:00a - overland...

Ni hao rom China! (means hello and kind of rhymes with meow)
Up very early today. The 6 of us were excited to get off the ship and start our China Overland tour with China Highlights. www.chinahighlights.com/
Great sail in! We watched just tons of boat traffic streaming by us. Barges with logs, sand, containers and more. Obviously a very busy river. Since the channel is so shallow, the larger freighters unload their cargo on barges that bring their cargoes upstream. Interesting mix of grandiose stone buildings and ultra-modern buildings.


It was raining a bit, but by the time we left the ship it had stopped. The day was pretty cool/cold, but nice enough.
Yesterday we were supposed to get our passports from Princess to carry while we were in China, however when we showed up at the appointed time they said anyone going on an overland would get them at their tour meeting times tomorrow. We told them we were on an independent trip, not on a Princes tour and they didn’t know how to handle that. We checked back several times to see if they had figured it out yet, but to no avail. We were told to come back tomorrow morning. Then, they told us that once they figured out what to do they would type something up and deliver it to our cabins tonight. The letter appeared and we were to meet in a lounge at a specific time. We all were early in hopes of getting off the ship in a timely manner. However, Princess had other ideas since they arrived late and everyone else was already off the ship. We did finally get them and we were escorted off the ship to meet with immigration. That went smoothly, except for Princess trying to keep us at the back of the line. (boo, Princess….)
 
At last, we were off to meet our guide for the day. We were greeted by a young man who went by “Steven”. We had a driver and a guide for the day. We thought it was just foggy out, but it was smog. Pollution here is pretty heavy.
 
Just a bit on Shanghai:
 
“This fabled port on the Huangpu River has played a pivotal role in the history of modern China. One of seven treaty ports inflicted by the West on Imperial China, the city was famed for the Bund, an elegant section of riverbank lined with European mercantile houses and elegant mansions. Shanghai was also the cradle of the Chinese Communist Party, and it is here that the People's Republic created its vast commercial and industrial bastion. Shanghai is also one of the most fascinating cities on the face of the earth. Its streets are packed with individuals, cars and bicycles, weaving an extraordinary tapestry of humanity. Yet serenity and beauty are always present, be it a class practicing early morning tai chi or the serene repose of the city's jade Buddha.
 
Shanghai's attractions are legendary, from exquisite temples and superb museums to the Bund's elegant 19th-century European architecture. The city is also your gateway to the Grand Canal and the legendary city of Suzhou.”
 
We started the day with a trip to Yuyuan Garden. It was serene to walk around in amazement at the size and beauty of the gardens. It is one of the most lavish and finest Chinese gardens in Shanghai. Established in 1559, the gardens feature five acres of spellbinding cliffs, winding caves and gorges, ponds, and glorious pavilions and pagodas. AMAZING!
 
The market next to the gardens was fabulous as well. The guide said it was like what we call “China Town” in the states. Of course they don’t call it that. It had a section that was a food market. Many interesting things that probably made better photos than eating. Though, there were some yummy things there we could have eaten. Wait until you see the pictures! (don’t hold your breath, I may not get to those for quite a while). There were also lots of souvenir shops/stalls as well. Bargaining is expected here.
 
















































 Steven, our guide
 ran into Karen & Steve on their private tour










 
 

 

The drive was interesting and we soaked in “everything Chinese” Cherry trees were in bloom here, though I suspect only a few. We only saw one in Japan as it was a bit too soon for them, so it was a treat to see more here.
 
After we had finished our sightseeing and shopping here we were off to see the Bund. This 1.5-kilometer-long embankment runs along the western bank of Huangpu River. We had a nice stroll here taking in the sites.
 
 beautiful fresh flowers










 
 Steven






 Pacific Princess











 






 

Then it was time for a nice lunch at Home's Restaurant located near the Nanjing Road. It specializes in Shanghai cuisine using the best local ingredients. Steven recommended some great dishes that we shared. We invited Steven to eat with us and explain the food.
 
 Home's Restaurant











 there was an egg in the bottom

 

After lunch we had a visit to the Jade Buddha Temple. The main treasures are two statues of Buddha imported from Burma by sea. They were carved from rare single blocks of white jade adorned with precious stones. The temple is a hive of activities with monks, worshippers and visitors. The temple houses two rare cultural relics. Carved out of solid white jade, the Sitting Buddha measures over 6 feet tall and is adorned with semi-precious stones, the Recumbent Buddha measures 3 feet high.
Seeing the Monks and hearing them chant was quite a treat. We had time and stopped for a tea tasting in a lovely Tea House. The one that tasted like coconut was particularly yummy.
 






































 

After a full day of touring it was time to go to the airport for our flight to Beijing. We found a place in the airport to grab a couple of noodle bowls. Then, went to Hagen Daz for some ice cream. They did serve a nice meal on the plane as well. We got in early evening and checked into the Sunworld Hotel which was a very nice hotel. Our only issue was the heat in the room. It was so hot we felt like baked lobsters. We turned the heat completely off and even opened the window as far as it would allow. (it was pretty cold outside) The room was still pretty uncomfortable for sleeping, however we were exhausted and slept as much as possible before our early morning wake up.
 

 airport
 dinner




 
 

No comments:

Post a Comment