A guided package tour to Beijing and Shanghai

[Takeovers]

My wife and I had that the other day, and even just having come from Bangkok and being used to sapicey food, it fucked us right up!

It was hot, yes, but not excessively. I have eaten way hotter than this in restaurants and food stalls in Germany.

Nice to know it's that warm down south, as the family and I will be heading south for a trip soon (currently up near the Korean border - it's farkin freezing!)

According to our guides the temperatures are jumping up and down. First a strong wind from Siberia bringing the cold and then a gradual warming until the next gush of cold wind. The same pattern in Beijing and Shanghai, but generally warmer in Shanghai because it is much more to the South than Beijing. At least Shanghai usually doesn't get below zero.

[kwai73]

I have eaten way hotter than this in restaurants and food stalls in Germany.

Interesting. Turkish food? German Indigenous nosh wouldn't be that hot would it? (just heavy on the sausage and pickle).

[kwai73]

At least Shanghai usually doesn't get below zero.

Where I'm at it sunk to -15 (-27 apparently with the windchill factored in) recently. I figured that after sweating my plums off all day, every day in BKK I'd try somewhere CRAZY cold.

And now that I have I wo't be hanging about longer than is necessary!

[Takeovers]

I have eaten way hotter than this in restaurants and food stalls in Germany.

Interesting. Turkish food? German Indigenous nosh wouldn't be that hot would it? (just heavy on the sausage and pickle).

It was Serbian, called Yugoslav at the time. Guess I provoked the waiter. It stated "hot" on the menu and I asked him "Is it really hot or do you just write it on the menu?". He probably told the cook.

And a mexican Chili-Soup. Food for fire spitting dragons!

There is no hot german food that I know of.

Where I'm at it sunk to -15 (-27 apparently with the windchill factored in) recently.

The Beijing Temperatures I stated were without windchill factor. But there was definitely quite a lot of windchill.

[Takeovers]

After visiting the Forbidden City we had lunch. Good to warm up a bit.

The Guide told us not to miss the restroom of that restaurant. Going there I found this




But after lunch it was out into the cold again.

We visited the Temple of Heaven and the park that's part of it. Now a place popular with old folk.


Old folk visit to dance, play music or play cards.


But the taking photos was not onesided. This guy of our group was quite popular with the chinese ladies. He has been asked frequently to pose with them and their husbands would take the photos. Probably the beard makes him attractive. Here he was posing for a father and daughter.


The Hall of prayer for a good harvest. This building is entirely made of wood and assembled without using nails.


The inside, the Imperial Vault of Heaven


Recycling and Waste bins everywhere


Some glazed tiles at the Altar of Heaven


The Altar of Heaven. The material is white marble. According to our Guide the Center Stone is supposed to be the Center of the world but I didn't find a reference to that.


The Altar of Heaven and Earth. The Heaven is round and up. The earth is square, as you can see in this photo.


This concludes our first full day of sightseeing in Beijing.

[Takeovers]

The main item on the list of the second day in Beijing was a visit to the Great Wall. It almost didn't happen because the Winter-Diesel Fuel sold in Beijing is made for -10°C only and the night had been much colder. The bus just barely started this morning.
Of course the Wall is a few hundred meters up in the mountains so it got a little cooler up there.

On our way the Tour Operator had scheduled a "commercial break". So we visited a government run store for freshwater pearls.


Pearls for sale


First view on the Great Wall


Along the trail and some Chinese posing as well


The olympics ever present


This is not one of the steepest parts of the wall but still steep


Looking up but I didn't go all the way up, the wind was really strong there.


That's all for day two.

[kwai73]

Going there I found this

Classy!

[Raffles]

That looks like ChonQing style chicken from Szechuan, which would scare many a southern Chinese away because it is traditionally fiery hot.

Great stuff.

I had that dish about two weeks ago in a famous Sichuan restaurant - lots more Chili and a lot less chicken in ours though - my mouth was numb

Great thread BTW

[mancon]

Thank you for the lovely pictures and the nice trip report!

[Takeovers]

Hi
It's time to continue my trip report now that the holiday season is over.

On the day we left Beijing for Shanghai I made a quick tour through the Hotel.

Actually I was glad to leave Beijing. The icy wind had stopped and immediately the infamous Beijing smog built up. I think I coundn't live with that air for long. I would rather breathe the air in Bangkok or Manila.

First a view from the top floor. Next to the Hotel there is a University. That's probably why there is "Science Park" in the address.

This is a small part of the student dormitories for the Uni.

By the way, making the browser window small in height and scanning this photo up and down
made me almost dizzy with the perspective shift. An effect like a TV-camera making a swift shift.


Their means of transportation, a huge stand for bikes




The Hotel Lobby



Their Christmas Decoration


While waiting for our transfer to the airport I discovered there were preparations for a
Wedding Reception. The Family were quite happy to offer us to take more photos from inside.


They arrive, of course in a Stretch Limousine.


Bride and Groom with the parents.

[Takeovers]

Our first destination in Shanghai was the Jade Buddha Temple. It's a large complex of buildings and it is still a very well visited temple, not just a Tourist attraction.
Our tour guide told us the Abbot of the Temple has not only studied Buddhism but has finished University grades in Business as well. He runs the Temple like a business and the Temple is quite rich. Since there are no religious taxes every devotee has to pay an entrance fee for every visit.



Lots of green, especially Bonsai on the Temple Grounds. On the question if Bonsai is Japanese or Chinese our tour guide said, on many things the Japanese claim it is theirs and the Chinese claim its theirs ---- but China is older.


Our guide didn't know how a banana tree looks like and was a bit surprised when someone pointed at the banana.


A worshipper


The burning incense is then put into one of these containers to burn out.



A courtyard


Some roof ornament


A copy of the Jade Buddha, made of marble. The original must not be photographed.


Two of many other Buddha statues

[Thaiguy]

made the same trip last year, minus shanghai
will post the pics in new year if i ever learn how to

I know what you mean - I'm trying divine intervention at the moment.

[Thaiguy]

Oh Man- great post and good pics - loved it - makes me want to try it myself.-Top marks.

[Takeovers]

Next day in Shanghai

We visited the Yuyuan garden built in 1559 by an old high ranking official of the chinese emperor and rebuilt to its present appearance in the 1950ies.

A chinese garden is something very artificial, a piece of landscaping with rocks and ponds and Pavillons and there are also a few plants.

On the way to the entrance we passed a few buildings recently erected to show old style Shanghai houses.


Lots of chinese tourists here.





Now we come to the Yuyuan Garden


The garden entrance


Even the plants look almost artificial, Bonsai style



Some wood carving in a Pavillon


A look out of the door to a pond


Guardian lions
There are countless Lion statues guarding entrances. There is always a male lion on the right and a female lion with bowed head on the left.


Our guide with the male


The Chinese Dragon


At the end of this part I couldnt miss this

[phuketbound]

^

-
Your pics are wonderful, and so clear. What type of camera are you using?

I really like the great wall pics. Did you go to the part of the great wall near Beijing? How far a drive was it?

I'll be doing a similiar tour myself, later this year.

How long was the tour, and how much did it cost you?

[Takeovers]

Your pics are wonderful, and so clear.

Thank you.

What type of camera are you using?

It is a Dynax 5D DSLR with set lens 18 to 70 zoom. I like the camera and its handling.

That's my first digital camera and I have no comparison to others. Actually I am very much disappointed and consider to have the lens checked because of the poor performance. Even though this set lens is not known for quality I believe it is under par. The sharpness comes mainly from postprocessing and of course from selecting the best of over 1300 photos.

How long was the tour, and how much did it cost you?

It was three days four nights in Beijing and three nights two full days in Shanghai. The program was relly very intense and exhausting but very exciting. The same program and two or three days more would be a more relaxed experience.

We paid 1150 Euro per person with flight from Germany including the tours and flight Beijing-Shanghai and one meal during the tours plus breakfast in the hotel.

[Takeovers]

This is the last installment on this China tour. It has become rather lengthy.

These are some miscellaneous impressions on the side from Shanghai and the watervillage Shouzouang.

This village is genuinely old but now it has become a tourist spot.

The entrance to the Village - Lions Mane


A boat ride Venice style complete with the singing


The young chinese Lady was our Tour Guide for the day. Not a beauty but looking at her face made me want to laugh, so I like her.


Two views of the canals





That's it from the Water Village

[Takeovers]

Miscellaneous Shanghai pics

The Skyline


A detail


High Street.


A group of Police marching


Then waiting for the green light


Just off High Street



Preparing street food. When I showed her the photo, she laughed!


Early morning gymnastics with swords
Photo taken from the bus


Laundry Shanghai style

[Takeovers]

After a few beautiful but exhausting days it is now time to go home.

On the way to the airport we used the Maglev-Transrapid Monorail. Developed in Germany but built and used only in Shanghai. It is more of a prestige project than something really useful in my opinion. But to my knowledge it is the fastest ground based transportation mode available in the world.

And I can claim I have traveled with it.



The Train


Need for Speed?



Thats it. No more pics for this thread.

[Hardy99]

Hey nice pictures. I think i'll try it out ones too.. Now after the olympics are over it hopefully has less foreigners and possibility to see whats real happen there..