Holiday in Shanghai 11th to 18 December 2014
One of my colleagues asked me if I was interested in going for a holiday to Shanghai/Hangzhou/Wuxi/Suzhou organised by Golden Century Travel and Tour Sdn Bhd, Ipoh which was reasonably priced at RM1788 . She and her husband had decided to go together. So I asked another colleague cum good friend, Molly whether she was interested to go with me as a tour partner. She was and so we made the necessary booking. The tour agency was able to get my visa ready within a week (for a price) as I needed my passport for an earlier trip to Hatyai.
We met at the agency at 6 pm on 10th December to board the bus to KLIA. There were 17 of us excluding Wilson Cheong, our Malaysian tour guide. Our flight MH386 took off at 0140 and landed at about 0640 in Putong Airport. The China tour guide was waiting for us. First we had our breakfast.
It was a very packed itinerary...........we were rushed from one place to another. I can't remember the names of some of the places we went to. Too many places and too many names to remember. The meals provided were very good for the price we pay for the tour. Every meal came with at least 8 to 9 dishes including fish, meat, vegetables and sometimes prawns. Drinks included tea, water, 2 bottles of local beer and Pepsi/ Sprite. We had buffet lunch two times and the vast varieties of dishes made it difficult for to choose.
The only grouse was we were taken to many places to listen to sales talk (and of course encouraged to buy) ------products made of silk, tea, pearl, jade etc. According to the tour guide, the tour would not be so cheap if not for the sales talk. Well, it is up to us whether we want to buy or not and the Chinese tour guide did not show her displeasure even if we didn't buy. She was very pleasant.
On the whole, it was a wonderful holiday with friends.
DAY 1
We rrived at Putong airport at 0640. First we had breakfast buffet style. There were porridge, steam buns, steamed sweet potato and pumpkin, herbal eggs and paus. Then we had a cruise along a canal and walked along the streets beside the canal which were lined with stalls selling various kinds of food and souvenirs. After lunch we had another cruise.......on the Westlake. After dinner we were treated to a live Hangzhou show.
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| My room-mate, Molly Lee |
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| My first breakfast in Shanghai, China |
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| On one of the streets in Shanghai |
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| A cruise along the canal |
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| One of the many bridges |
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| A scenic view of the canal |
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| Stalls selling titbits |
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| In one of those yesteryear's rich man's garden |
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| A plaque on Mao Zedong |
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| Food vouchers |
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| Lunch. |
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| With Molly, with one of the many lakes in the backround. |
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| Beautiful cabbage look alike plants. |
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| With Ang Koie Kee .......beautiful foliage even in winter |
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| A pic before our cruise on the Westlake |
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| Wrapped up against the cold wind |
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| With Molly |
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| Dinner |
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| A live show in Hangzhou. |
Day 2
We went to a tea plantation where many of us shared to buy green tea. Then we had buffet lunch at Golden Jaguar. There was a wide selection of food and drinks to choose from. Then we had a long journey and by the time we reached Yuwi, it was time for makan again. We were served a lot of vegetable dishes and also a plate of duck braised with ginger. After checking into the hotel, we were free at leisure. We are shown the way to the Pasar Malam and browse at the many things sold there.
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| Molly and I at the tea garden |
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| Tea plants |
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| The Golden Jaguar where we had buffet lunch |
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| First round |
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| A bowl of sut kap with bird nest |
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| At the drink section |
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| Dinner |
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| Flowers sold along the sidewalk |
DAY 3
First we went to the World Trade Outlet where different floors sold different items and in bulk. Then we went to Dongyang Wood Carvings Outlet . The place sells mainly things made of wood. I think none of us bought any of the items there as they were too bulky and expensive. After makan, we visited Chen Gelao's ancestral home. Chen was rumoured to be the father of Emperor Qian Long. We had dinner in one of the shops near Chen's home. After we checked into our hotel we took the opportunity to explore the place as the hotel was situated along a busy street.
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| A shopping complex which sells mainly woodcravings. |
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| My portion for lunch |
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A prostitution house during the previous centuries
Inside the Chen's home |
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| Bridges leading to the house of Chen |
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| Dinner...the black thing is steamed glutinuous rice |
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| Pasar malam China style. |
DAY 4
After breakfast we were taken to Haining China Leather City. However not only leather products were sold. There were scarfs, shoes, bags and fur clothes for sale too. We had our lunch in the same complex and then went to WuXi. At WuXi was located the famous City of the 3 Kingdoms. We enjoyed a boat cruise on Tai Hu Lake and also a live show of a battle during the period of the three kingdoms. Actors riding on horses displayed their skills amist the sounds of battle cries. After partaking dinner, we went to Lin Tai Canal Walk. The back of the shops lined both sides of the canal. The reflection of the building on the water was stunning.
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| A shopping complex selling winter clothes |
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| Lunch |
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| The Three Kingdom |
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| At the jetty of the 3 Kingdom |
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| A show of military might in ancient China |
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| A boat cruise of the Westlake |
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| Beautiful sunset over the horizon |
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| Dinner |
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| The river canals at night |
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The reflection on the river
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DAY 5
First we went to a Pearl Centre where the lady sliced an oyster to show us the pearls inside. She and her colleagues tried to sell pearl face cream, pearl powder and pearls to us. They were more successful in selling the face cream than other products. Then we went to a place selling tea-pots. Of course there will a few of us who are interested to buy the product for sale. Our next itinerary was a visit to Ling Shan Grand Buddha. On the way we stopped at a lake where concubine Tzu Si met her lover. Ling Shan was a huge area. The bus stopped outside the entrance and we had to take a bus inside. Actually we have to take a bus from one spot to another as it was too far to walk. Our first stop was Ling Shan Grand Buddha. All of us managed to walk up 108 steps to reach the top and then take a lift to the lotus level. There we touch the feet of the Buddha for blessings. Then we were taken to another place, a huge building which housed a lot of Buddhist artifacts. We were give cloth shoes to wear so as not to dirty the speckless floor. In another place, we took pictures with Maitreya Buddha and a big Buddha's hand. At 3pm we watched a stone lotus on top of a pillar in another spot opened to reveal a young Buddha inside. After turning 360 degree, it closed. After the show, we went for dinner. Then we went to see Suzhou LED Screen which was the longest in the world. Actually it was hard to watch the what was showing on the screen as it was above our head.
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| The lady opened the oyster to display the pearls inside |
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| On the way to Ling Shan we stopped at this lake |
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| A tea pot shop |
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| Lunch: mushroom, steamed shrimps and dumplings |
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| At the entrance of Ling Shan Grand Buddha |
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| Ling Shan Grand Buddha |
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| Managed to climb 108 steps to the top |
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| Touching Buddha's toes for blessings |
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| Not sure if it is a temple or a monastery |
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| The interior |
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| A goat with another goat |
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| The lotus opened to reveal a young Buddha inside |
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| Buddha's hand |
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| Maitreya Buddha |
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| Dinner |
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| On the way to see the world's biggest LED |
DAY 6
We went to Tong Pak Fu's house. His poems were carved on stone walls. The house of typical of houses in ancient China with its many pavilions and rooms. Then we went to a silk centre. The usual sales talk again and waiting for the others to buy. Then we went for lunch at the same complex. There was something extra for lunch for those who pre-ordered this dish.......Suzhou hairy crab costing RMB80 for one. One can chose a male, female or a pair. I didn't order but Molly shared hers with me. Thanks Molly. After that we headed towards Shanghai. We went to the old section of Shanghai where there were many shops selling the famous sui long paus and sui pau. A few of us shared to buy the sui long paus costing RMB22 for 16. Molly and I also tried the fruit candy coated with mak ngah tong. As the weather was so cold, the mak ngah tong remained brittle. After dinner we went for Shanghai River Tour. We could see the town from the boat and its reflection on the water. We checked into the Great Tang Hotel where we stayed 2 nights.
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| A poem by Tong Pak Fu |
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| In the garden |
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| A word coined by Tong Pak Fu |
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| The portion I took for lunch |
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| Molly's hairy crab costing RMB80 |
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| This place is famous for food esp dumplings |
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| A straw to suck the gravy |
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| 16 Dumplings for RMB22 |
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| Fruit candy |
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| Dinner |
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| River cruise to view the city of Shanghai by night |
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| A view of Shanghai from the boat |
DAY 7
We went to a Jewellery Centre and we shown jade and pearls of various grades. Many of us were tempted by the offer price of the pearl pendants at RMB100 for 3. Of course you cannot expect top quality for that kind of price. But what the heck....just for souvenir. Another interesting item was gold carved with zodiac animals on jade. It was to be worn as pendant. A jade beaded chain came with the pendant. Each cost RM1300. As we spent a lot of time there, we were rushed to the Oriental Pearl Tower for buffet lunch. It was a rush lunch after which we went up to the top to view the city of Shanghai. We could stand transparent platform to view down. Not for me, anyway. In the building was housed the Shanghai Cultural Museum, an exhibition of old Shanghai till today. We took a stroll along the Bund before dinner. After dinner we explore the streets of Shanghai......actually only one street as time was limited. We had to have an early night as the next morning we have to take our flight home.
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| My breakfast |
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| A tray of 12 gold zodiac animals on jade. |
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| Shanghai Oriental Pearl Tower |
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| Buffet at the tower. An array of delicious food |
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| A view of the city from the top |
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| Shanghai Museum |
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| Memories of yesteryears |
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| Pic of old Shanghai |
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| The Bund |
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| Dinner. |
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| A very old jewellery shop along the streets of Shanghai |
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| Dancing on the street |
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| Christmas deco in the lobby of the Great Tang Hotel |
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DAY 8
By 6.30am we had checked out of the hotel to go to Putong Airport for our flight back to Malaysia. We were disappointed when we were told our flight would be delayed by 5 hours. We were given food vouchers of RMB80. Molly and I decided on braised meat with rice and a bottled drink which cost RMB79. Our flight took off at 3pm and we landed in Malaysia at about 8 something. We stopped at Rawang to have a late night dinner/supper of Bah kut teh. By the time we reached Ipoh it was about 2 pm.
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| With Wilson Cheong, our Malaysian tour guide |
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| Food bought with the voucher |
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| MOB |
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| The food was almost all gone before I took the pic |
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| The location of the shop and its menu |
