Tuesday 23 August 2011

We survived Shanghai: Day 2

We started our day with a breakfast at a fast food near FX Hotel.

Stewed Beef + Rice
It was a gloomy day. In fact, there was news that a typhoon will be hitting Shanghai. So we decided to go to the Urban Planning Museum, which is at the People’s Square.

near People's Square Exit
We happened to pass by Renmin Park. This is beside the Urban Planning Museum.

Top: Pull and Bear | Shorts: Thrifted

Saw Pixar Museum but the entrance fee was expensive - it was 100 CNY (about 600 pesos. Well, its expensive for us) so we just ignored it and continued walking along.


Lotus Garden at the Park…




As we walked along, I saw these labels…


Does it look familiar to you? This place seems really familiar to me until I remembered the show at TLC a year ago where they featured a place in Shanghai where parents of singles arrange for their partners. Every weekend at the park, parents (with or without their children’s consent) arrange meetings, dates and potential matches for their children. And yes, this is where the selections happen.

I was amazed at the number of parents there, with pictures and I think biodata on their hands chatting to other parents. Wow, it is true-to-life! Hehe.
This is also the place where scammers roam about, looking for tourists to swindle. Beware. Jori and I were taking shots when someone asked Jori if he could take a photo of them. He agreed. Then they introduced themselves. They told us that they were students from Beijing studying English language and they were in Shanghai as tourists as well. They befriended us, which we thought was normal because they were just honing their English. After a few minutes of schmoozing, they invited us to a ceremonial tea with them since the museum we planned on going to might be filled up with students. Jori seemed interested in joining, he was thinking of adding some new friends, and they might help us someday if we go to Beijing. I on the other hand am having doubts because I really want to tour the city and we might have not enough time if we went with them. So we declined. Luckily, they did not persuade us further.

And you know what? After that day, when we were at our hotel and I was browsing the Shanghai book when I read this:

Shanghai Scam: Hello, can you help us take a photo?  Beware at the People’s Square station near Shanghai Museum, , The Bund, and East Nanjing Road where there are youths posing as students who will engage tourists in conversation. Once the converstation begins, it will inevitably end with an invitation to a traditional tea ceremony. Intrigued? Don't be. You'll  wind up with a 100 USD bill and a private escort to the closest ATM. 

Whoah. I was shocked. All of the keywords matched: At People’s Square, youth, students, invitation to a ceremonial tea! We were fortunate we didn’t join them. So beware of this scam!

Anyway, after touring around the park, we proceeded to Urban Planning Museum. It wasn’t crowded as opposed to what those scammers told us.

Urban Planning Museum

Here, we were amazed not only with the development of Shanghai,
Progressive Photos of the Bund

But also as how they foresaw its future.
Shanghai City Plan

Closer View
Hmmm...I wonder if the Philippines have this plan.

Had lunch at Raffles City! Oh yeah, the owner of this mall is the same owner of Raffles City mall in Singapore!



Jori met some suppliers in the afternoon. Afterwards, we again passed by the Bund.
The Bund
See the dark clouds? It was just like that all day long.



The Bund Bull made for the Bund Financial Square

Then we went at Xintiandi and Huai Hai Road. I wanted to buy something from H&M so we walked along Huai Hai Middle Road where we found so many shops…





But still no H&M... so we decided to have our dinner at Pankoo, a Korean restaurant.

Cod Fish Rice Bowl

Hot Pot Noodles - (I think it's 68 CNY)
yummy soup + big serving = sulit
Free gum! Wala nito sa Singapore! Haha
After dinner, we continued our search until we finally reached H&M...

And that’s it. I became so busy browsing their items that I didn’t realize that they were already closing up for the day. Time for us to head back to the hotel.












Saturday 20 August 2011

I Heart Shanghai

@ Changi Airport Terminal 2
Skirt: Bugis|Shawl: Ruby | Bag: Charles and Keith

When Jori said that he was planning to go to China, particularly Shanghai, I wasn't that excited. For one, I have no idea what's in Shanghai. I was even thinking that it would be nicer if we go to Beijing instead so we can visit the Great Wall. 
But this changed after reading this introduction from Lonely Planet's Shanghai Encounter.
"There's no place in China quite like Shanghai. There are no summer palaces, fog-enmeshed temples or transcendent cliff-side Buddhas here. Remnants of alluring past remain, but to dwell there would be to miss the point entirely. Shanghai has never been about what has already happened; it is about what is going to happen.
Often portrayed as a blend of East and West, Shanghai, with its voracious appetite for new 
styles and trends, is above all cosmopolitan and cutting edge. It's a place to taste a future 
that's just around the bend, to hang on the roller-coaster ride of change, to hunt down the 
ghosts of old alleyways, the vanishing remains of debauched glory days and creations of the 
next generation. For deal makers, fashion freaks, in-the-know foodies, and those who just 
want to crest of China's emerging wave - this is Shanghai."

I became so excited especially after it mentioned fashion and food! :) And just as I was charmed by the above statement, that's the same way I felt about Shanghai.

MagLev Train, one of Shanghai's high speed trains. This has top commercial operational speed of 431 km/h.
Max speed we experienced was 301 km/h.
We arrived in Shanghai at around 6:30am. Singapore is 5 1/2 hours away from Shanghai by plane. We checked out, picked up our baggage, and went ahead to MagLev train station which is at the 2nd floor of Pudong International Airport. It was easy for us to locate the station since there are English direction labels in the airport.

Round trip tickets are 80 CNY. It travels from Pudong International Airport to Longyang Road Station. First trip starts at 7:02am, and runs every 15 minutes until 9:40pm.

Longyang Road Station
We stayed at FX Hotel in East Nanjing Road, six stops from Longyang Road Station via subway train. 


FX Hotel Room Rate starts from 238 CNY (around 1,586 PHP)
FX Hotel is a budget hotel so don't expect something fancy. At least the bed is comfortable and toilet is clean plus it is conveniently situated in the Bund area. 


Executive King Bed

One station away from the hotel is the People's Square, the city's busiest subway junction. 
In People's Square are Shanghai Museum, Art Museum, Urban Planning Exhibition Hall, Renmin Park, Madame Tussauds, and a lot of shopping stalls. Unfortunately, there are some scammers here - details in the next post.




Shanghai Art Museum

Shanghai Grand Theater
At People's Square



Top: Mango; Shorts: Zara TRF; Sandals: Steve Madden

Bracelets: From Bali; Ring: F21

Also in People's Square is the famous Yang Fry's Dumpling. This is one of the must-try food stalls when you visit Shanghai.
Long queue lah!

Food preparation area

Ready to serve!
Four big pork dumplings for 5CNY. And warning, the dumplings are really hot! They have a tasty soup inside the dough. The dumplings are perfect with sweet vinegar sauce. :)

After recharging, we continued walking until we reached East Nanjing Road. We actually didn't feel that is was a long walk because of the views around. You'll be seeing a number of finely designed buildings, hotels, and shops with a lot of lights!

Where is Jori?
There are a lot of international brands. I saw this big "RED SALE" sign in Zara so we decided to take a look. I found a pair of cute hot pink sandals and decided to try it when alas, my black sandals' buckle was worn out! Perfect timing? I guess so but I was not able to buy those hot pink sandals (grrr. Ask my manager!). Instead I got myself a new pair of yellow sandals! :)

My new sandals which were bought unplanned

Then few more steps away from Zara is the Bund, Mainland China's most iconic concession-era backdrop.


The Peace Hotel

Customs House Building

Peace Hotel


One of the many boats available for cruise
Overlooking the Bund are Jinmao Tower, Oriental TV Tower and other scenic buildings around Pudong Area.


Orient Pearl TV Tower


Yes, I love SH!
One alternative in going to the Pudong Area is through the Bund Tunnel. It costs 40 CNY for a one-way trip and 50 CNY for a round trip.
Entrance going to the Bund Sightseeing Tunnel


We ended the day with a dinner at Yoshinoya.

They offer yummy sidings on their combo meal

Wednesday 17 August 2011

Bali: Last Day

It's our last day in Bali, a day to wake up late! Yay!! Finally!
We savored our last day at the hotel - slowly ate our breakfast then took a dip in the pool.

At noon, we had lunch at Discovery Mall.
Hat: Promod | Earrings: Accessorize | Dress: from Bugis

Then we walked around Kuta area for the last time.
saw another temple!
And at around 5pm, we were at the airport waiting for our flight back to SG.
At the window of the departure gate
Good bye Bali, and good bye to my Starbucks paper bag as well. :( I lost it at the airport. I don't remember if I left it at the x-ray machine, or at the boarding area bench, or at the store when I bought a lollipop. Inside the bag was a souvenir mug from Bali to be given to my office mate, and my beloved brown cardigan which I last wore at Kunyit Bali Restaurant (our Day 3 dinner).

To the things that are inside the bag: I hope you're making someone else happy. :))