Farewell China

Thursday, 22 May, 2014

Fairmont Peace Hotel, Shanghai

"I do"

The Bund

Someone

A memorial to something

How every well bred dog is coiffured

A lot of bull

The Bund

Final selfie

Maglev "track"

Maximum speed this trip

As we had an 8.00 pm flight, we were lucky to have most of the day free.  After consulting with the concierge regarding taxis, we set out for the market/bazaar near the Yu Gardens, having decided to return for a spot of last minute souvenir shopping.  We managed to find our way around this maze of laneways and shops; I even returned to a pearl shop we had been taken to by our guide when we were here a couple of days earlier – and bought the pearls I had been looking at for a much cheaper price!  Our sense of direction was working well and we found our way back to the main street just as an empty taxi stopped in front of us because of a red traffic light.  The taxis we used in China were very cheap compared to Australia, with a fifteen minute ride costing about $4, including a tip.  The worst thing about the taxis would be the lack of seat belts, considering the traffic and speed.

We were fortunate to have a late checkout of 2.00 pm, so had plenty of time to visit the Fairmont’s coffee shop for a western style lunch before packing our bags.  Although we were well within our weight limit, we were a little worried that one suitcase may have been over the individual bag limit, so once again the concierge was consulted.  We were directed to a small shop (and I mean, small) just around the corner, where there was a large selection of inexpensive bags.  We decided on a sturdy looking, “genuine” Nike sports bag, negotiated a price that we were all happy with, returned to the hotel, packed the bag and then one of the zips fell off!!!  Luckily, it was a double ended zip, so we were able to close the bag and use a cable tie to secure the end of the zip to a ring on the bag.  Plenty of duct tape also made sure the bag stayed closed.

As we still had a couple of hours before our escort arrived, after checking out we took the opportunity to finally have a long walk along the Bund.  With some sunshine and a nearly blue sky, many other people also decided on a walk along the Bund.  We also saw three different wedding groups having photos taken either alongside the river or with the beautiful flower walls as background.  There were a number of statues along the way, from a very friendly bull, to a mayor of Shanghai, what was obviously a statue to a revolutionary and a large memorial to something.  There were three large walls with Chinese characters surrounding this structure, but no English signage.

There were five of us travelling to the airport at the same time and a guide (with some degree of English but little deodorant) turned up at the appointed time to escort us to the Maglev train and then to our check-in points at Pudong Airport.  Much luggage was loaded somehow into the small eight seater van, with Ian and Joscelyn still unable to comprehend that the van would meet us at the airport with our luggage.  We were dropped at the Maglev station, given our individual tickets and taken to the platform to await the arrival of this special train.  Maglev is an abbreviation for magnetic levitation – this train operates on a concrete track, without rails, and does not have a driver.  The 33 kms to the airport takes 7 ½ minutes, reaching a speed of 301 km/h.  During peak hours, the train reaches a speed of 437 km/h.  After arriving at the airport, we had to go through explosives security to enter the terminal building, walk back out the other side and wait for our luggage to arrive, then back through explosives security to get back into the building to check in.  At this stage, we all went our separate ways, as we were travelling on different airlines.  Check in was a breeze, then it was through a bag x-ray before immigration, then it was a full security check, with our final pat-down in China.

Security in China has been very tight, especially at all airports and there has always been a very visible police presence.  Because of the conference in Shanghai, security around and in our hotel was exceptionally strong.

Our Qantas flight to Sydney was an hour late leaving and we were than given a choice of two Chinese dishes for dinner and a Chinese breakfast was served before landing.  We both managed about six hours of sleep on the plane, so felt quite good when we landed in Sydney.  With a few hours to spare before our flight to Melbourne, I tried my computer and discovered that everything was normal once again, so no need for IT support or a new computer.

When we arrived in Hobart, Shan and the boys were waiting for us and Jack managed to contain himself until we arrived home before asking if we had bought him a toy!  Shan had been very thoughtful and made a light dinner of chicken, salad and chips – very much appreciated.

Our thoughts and memories of China: a country which is very quickly developing with much construction happening, very good highways, clean roads and main streets, beautiful gardens and hedges along the roads, especially in the cities, so many, many people, , no graffiti, the constant smog, lots of men smoking but no women, very young children with split pants and bare bottoms, the vendors at all the tourist spots (we could easily have filled our suitcases with postcards!), squat toilets, always carrying toilet paper in one’s pocket, the beautiful hotels we stayed in and the excellent service, and last but definitely not least – the friendliness of everyone.

Unfortunately, Cat was unable to make contact with his mother or extended family …

 

We now have three weeks at home to prepare for our annual migration to Cairns and some warm weather.  We depart on the 16th June and the blog will recommence then.

The Venice of China

Wednesday, 21 May 2014

Unravelling cocoons

Stretching big cocoons

Helping to make a doona/duvet

Never one to pass up an opportunity

 

Today is the final, full day of our tour and after an early start from the hotel to beat the traffic, the tour guide received a telephone call from the hotel to say that one of the party was waiting in the lobby.  We then did an optional ten minute tour of Shanghai and returned to the hotel to recover the latecomer.  Back into the traffic, which was much thicker by this, (fortunately Mr Putin hadn’t decided to leave his hotel yet) and we headed for our first stop of the day – the silk outlet warehouse, government owned of course.  We had the life cycle of the silk worm explained and we then shown how the silk was extracted from the cocoons and twisted into thread ready for weaving.  However, some silkworms like to spin cocoons with a friend and these cocoons are not suitable for spinning, so the pupae are removed and the silk is stretched over frames and eventually becomes silk doonas.  We did actually purchase one, but declined the doona covers and pillowslips.  We were then let loose in the fashion store, however, the style and fit of the garments was more Asian than Australian so most people opted for silk scarves.

Is it a truck or a tractor?

Already married, so no need to hire a photo costume

Gondolas

Enjoying the ride

High-heeled gondolier

Note the concrete boat!

Laundry day

Anyone want a goose egg?

Or perhaps some sunny fish?

The village blacksmith working hard

 

Back onto the bus with all our purchases and we headed into the countryside, through the thick smog, with views of rice paddies and strawberry fields between high rise developments.  After a good hour, we arrived at Jingxu, which was a village built around canals.  It wasn’t quite what we had been expecting, but we did enjoy the gondola ride through the canals and some earnest singing by the female gondoliers.  The walk back through the village was interesting, with the guide pointing out the local delicacies on offer for sale – dead fish in the bottom of water tanks, raw shrimps (which a lady tried to get us to taste!!!), oysters and snails.  We kept our fingers crossed that lunch would not be in one of the village restaurants.

 

Unfortunately, the lunch restaurant was related to the village, with a very powerful and unpleasant smell in our Spartan dining room.  The food; well, what can one say?  A couple of spoonfuls of rice and some watermelon sufficed.

During our return to Shanghai, our bus was pulled over at a roadblock, complete with many police and soldiers with big guns.  The bus went very quiet as a very stern policeman can on board and the local guide explained that we were Australian tourists.  The policeman walked to the end of the bus, looking at everyone, and then the driver had to open the luggage compartments underneath before we were allowed to leave.  A bit scary …

Shopping selfie

We arrived back at the Fairmont with a few hours free time, so headed to the local shopping mall in the hope of finding a toy shop (to fill a request from grandson number 2).  After battling the crowds – and the traffic – we eventually found a children’s department store.  Seven floors were devoted entirely to children, with the toys on the seventh floor.  We had great fun!

Still unable to access the internet, in fact, my computer has virtually stop working.

This being our final evening meal together as a group, it was a rather formal occasion with one large table set up for us in a banquet hall.  The table was beautifully set, with white linen, silverware and beautiful flower arrangements down the centre of the large table.  Quite early in the tour, our director had asked us whether we wished to have beef or fish as the main course for the farewell dinner and we both selected the fish. 
Surprise, surprise – the fish turned out to be Tasmanian Atlantic salmon!  Apart from the breakfast buffets, this was the only western meal we were served during the entire trip – and I think everyone was rather pleased as we were all rather Chinesed out by this stage.

After the dinner, farewells were said as many of the group were leaving early the next morning.

A Day in Shanghai

Tuesday, 20 May 2014

Shopping bazaar

Alan and stone

Self explanatory sign

At last, a really comfortable bed!  When we arrived at breakfast this morning, there was a bit of a queue and wait, so the dining room manager (I assume that is who he was) asked the six of us who were waiting if we would like to breakfast in the executive dining room on the next floor.  Well, we did have to help the hotel …  We had a lovely window table to look at the mist and smog and the service was excellent.

 

Our tour this morning was to the Yu Garden and most interestingly, we had to walk through a shopping bazaar to reach the garden, which was such a tranquil place surrounded by pandemonium.  The garden, which was something to do with an emperor, was really beautiful, with water, rocks, trees, pavilions and fish.  We spent some time wandering around and taking photos, and being early, we managed to avoid much of the crowd.  However, we did discover on our way out that the gardens would be closed at 11.30 am as the Chairman’s (big boss) wife would be visiting during the late afternoon.

 

We were then led into the depths of the bazaar, taken to a pearl shop (commission for the guide perhaps?) and then left to our own devices and navigational skills for the next forty minutes.  Definitely a place to return to on Thursday before we leave Shanghai. 

Where is everyone?

An advertisement for Australia

Missing - one toddler

 

Bamboo scaffolding

We then travelled to the beautiful, and quiet, French Quarter and again had time to wander the streets and lanes of this leafy part of the city, famous for its many restaurants.  A quiet sit in Haagen Hazs with an ice cream was a welcome break before being taken to lunch.  The lunch restaurant was in the English Quarter and was a most beautiful old building and all the old décor had been retained – the old tiles on the floor were fantastic.  Another Chinese meal – which by now really all seem to be the same.

 

After lunch, the bus returned to the hotel to drop some of the party who wished to have some free time, and then took the remainder of us to a cashmere wholesaler in the suburbs.  Unfortunately, none of us thought the designs were particularly stylish, but there were some very nice and reasonably priced pashminas on sale!

 

This evening we are being treated to an acrobatic show.  And what an amazing show it was!  Our local guide earned his full complement of Brownie points by getting us a seating upgrade to the VIP section – apparently we were a delegation from the Australian Embassy!  With the conference happening in town, all official foreigners are given privileged treatment.  The acrobatics and juggling were wonderful, especially the boys on the outside of the large “bicycle” wheel and the couple flying on the two long streamers.  The performance concluded with eight motorbikes inside a small “globe of death.”

Our bus was not able to access the streets near our hotel on our return and we had to walk a short distance on our return.  All the streets were blocked off, with a large police presence.  We discovered that Mr Putin, from Russia, is staying in the Peninsula Hotel, which is next to the Fairmont, and his deputy is actually staying in the Fairmont with us.  This probably accounts for the increased restrictions in the internet, with no outwards emails allowed and a severe restriction on websites.