23 October: Up at 6:45am, we were out early to take the airport bus to the airport. No worries about any taxi driver ripping us off. It was a sunny day, yet cold day (9 degrees celsius), the best of the days we were there. Too bad. We caught the 8am bus and 50 minutes later we were at the airport. The bus driver, after asking if we were at the correct terminal, told us it would be the next one. Well, he was wrong! We had to back track to the first terminal. A woman told us to go back outside and catch a small golf-cart shuttle. I didn’t see any outside and was worried we would have to lug our bags to the other terminal. A couple of people said to walk. Finally, a shuttle arrived and we hopped in. We had plenty of time at the airport, but it’s best to get to the airport about 1.5 hours before the flight, as the desks close 30 minutes prior. I like the idea of the extra time to find the correct counters and gates.
Another smooth flight (1 hour, 10 minutes) and we landed in Chengdu. We took the shuttle bus to the city and transferred to a taxi to our hotel, the Crowne Plaza. It seemed to be in a good location. Our room, #1217, faced the front street. I loved the large lobby and the flower arrangements. One, near the elevators, was of Anthuriums, a beautiful display. I joked with the bellhop asking if there was an arrangement in our room and he told us we could take one. Of course, we didn’t.
The service was wonderful at the hotel. Everyone was very friendly. Some waited at the doors, opening as you came and went. They also bowed slightly and gave their greetings. Our room was very nice with two beds, a safe, desk, nice bathroom, robes and a mini bar.
We spent the afternoon at the Wenshu monastery. By now we were starting to get our monastery and temples mixed up! The area was nice, as it was set in an area with old buildings and shops. Inside the monastery is a vegetarian restaurant. We enjoyed the mushroom dumplings and deep fried pumpkin with red bean paste in the center, which was coated with sesame seeds. Tea was also served. (34 RMB).
After walking around the area, we had a hard time catching a taxi. It was rush hour and people were heading home from work. It took an hour to crab a taxi. We kept walking thinking the next corner would be a better spot to hail one. As we walked into the hotel lobby, we met up with Fiona. We were about 20 minutes late but she accepted our apologies when I told her our struggle to get a taxi. I met Fiona on Trip Advisor. I had hired someone to guide us, but his price was outrageous. After several emails with Fiona, I asked her if she would be our guide and she agreed. I think she was one of the nicest that I hired on this trip.
For dinner, we just went to the back side of our hotel to a small alley way that was filled with small restaurants and some shops. We dined at one restaurant on the corner and had just a couple of dishes: an egg and tofu mixture, thick and almost soupy, and sliced pork with mixed vegetables with crispy rice at the bottom of the plate. A sauce was poured on top at the table. Fiona treated us to dinner saying as host, she should pay for the first meal.
After dinner we had fun with some of the cooks at a small restaurant. They had a food stall at the entrance and we took photos of a little boy. He was so cute sitting in his little chair. The parents tried to get him to say hello but he just stared at us. I showed the parents the photos I took and they smiled. We really enjoyed our encounters with the Chinese during our trip and they seemed to enjoy us too.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Xian and the Terra Cotta Warriors
22 October: Our main purpose for visiting Xian was to see the Terra Cotta Warriors (TCW). We woke up early to a much clearer (pollution-wise) day but it was colder and lightly raining. We figured our light jackets would be fine, but we were wrong! Standing on our balcony didn’t help us determine the temperature, which turned out to be in the high 40s/low 50s.
We took a taxi to the train station (9 RMB) after the first taxi wouldn’t take us. I learned it’s best to get inside the taxi and then show him the destination. We found the location of the buses, as we were told to take bus 306. There were four 306 buses, which were parked side-by-side. We got on board and it left within minutes. (7 RMB per person). Good timing!
It took about an hour to get to the site and by then the winds had kicked up and it was raining like crazy. By the time we got to the main entrance, our pants were soaked. The wind was blowing the rain sideways. I had a small umbrella that didn’t do much help to keep me dry. It wasn't fun and it was cold! However, seeing the TWC (90 RMB per person) certainly made up for it. We spent a few hours just staring them in awe. There is a museum, as well as three pits. This was an amazing find. Apparently the TWC were never written in the history records. How something so significant and so large could disappear for so long is astounding. In seeing the other two pits, I know it will be many, many years before they uncover it all. We saw two sets of chariots and horses behind glass, which apparently were pieced back together with over 3,500 pieces. The museum had many artifacts, including bows, arrows, harnesses, swords, etc. In one pit you could see the shape of the remains of the roof beams, now crushed by the weight of the ground that covered them.
I took too many photographs and wish I had a longer lens (kept the zoom lens at home to my regret).
On the way out, I picked up a box of terra cotta warriors for my Mom. I told her I had read they were not well made and by the time she got them they might be broken. I figure for $2, I would chance mailing them to her. Reenie picked up a warrior that stood about 8” tall. Heading back to the bus stop, we went through another gauntlet of vendors. They were selling boxes of the TCW for $1!
We met a couple on the way out and I told them about the local bus. They had arrived by taxi but were glad to save the money with the bus ride. We ended up on another bus (can’t remember the number) but the driver told us it goes back to the Xian train station/bus stop. While on the bus, the head of Reenie’s soldier fell onto the floor! We cracked up laughing! She bought it 15 minutes earlier and already it was falling apart! She said she would keep it on her mantel with the head next to the body, just as they were originally found. (Back at the hotel, I double wrapped Mom’s warriors and got them home safely and will triple wrap them for the package to Florida).
The couple was also staying at the Bell Tower hotel, so we shared a taxi back and made plans to meet up later for dinner.
I got on the computer at the hotel and quickly sent a few emails. The hotel charged 1 RMB per minute, so I typed quickly.
The four of us met up and we headed out to visit the Muslim quarter, which I had told them about while on the bus. We all did a little shopping and then had dinner at Jiasan Guantang Baozi on Bei Yuan Men 93. Coming from the beginning of the bazaar, it’s on the right hand side. Reenie and I had mutton dumplings, which were delicious and filled with broth, spicy lamb shanks, and a shredded potato dish that had vinegar dressing. I tried a couple of the dumplings that the other couple ordered (wish I could remember their names) but when I bit into one, I knew something wasn’t right. It had a bad, bitter taste. I later had a stomachache, but that was the only food item that hit me wrong while on this trip.
After dinner, we did more shopping and I got the hang of bargaining. It was quite fun! A third day in Xian would have been nice for more shopping and sight seeing. We were right in the Muslim quarter and I forgot to visit the Mosque!
We headed back to the hotel to pack for our next destination: Chengdu and the Pandas!
We took a taxi to the train station (9 RMB) after the first taxi wouldn’t take us. I learned it’s best to get inside the taxi and then show him the destination. We found the location of the buses, as we were told to take bus 306. There were four 306 buses, which were parked side-by-side. We got on board and it left within minutes. (7 RMB per person). Good timing!
It took about an hour to get to the site and by then the winds had kicked up and it was raining like crazy. By the time we got to the main entrance, our pants were soaked. The wind was blowing the rain sideways. I had a small umbrella that didn’t do much help to keep me dry. It wasn't fun and it was cold! However, seeing the TWC (90 RMB per person) certainly made up for it. We spent a few hours just staring them in awe. There is a museum, as well as three pits. This was an amazing find. Apparently the TWC were never written in the history records. How something so significant and so large could disappear for so long is astounding. In seeing the other two pits, I know it will be many, many years before they uncover it all. We saw two sets of chariots and horses behind glass, which apparently were pieced back together with over 3,500 pieces. The museum had many artifacts, including bows, arrows, harnesses, swords, etc. In one pit you could see the shape of the remains of the roof beams, now crushed by the weight of the ground that covered them.
I took too many photographs and wish I had a longer lens (kept the zoom lens at home to my regret).
On the way out, I picked up a box of terra cotta warriors for my Mom. I told her I had read they were not well made and by the time she got them they might be broken. I figure for $2, I would chance mailing them to her. Reenie picked up a warrior that stood about 8” tall. Heading back to the bus stop, we went through another gauntlet of vendors. They were selling boxes of the TCW for $1!
We met a couple on the way out and I told them about the local bus. They had arrived by taxi but were glad to save the money with the bus ride. We ended up on another bus (can’t remember the number) but the driver told us it goes back to the Xian train station/bus stop. While on the bus, the head of Reenie’s soldier fell onto the floor! We cracked up laughing! She bought it 15 minutes earlier and already it was falling apart! She said she would keep it on her mantel with the head next to the body, just as they were originally found. (Back at the hotel, I double wrapped Mom’s warriors and got them home safely and will triple wrap them for the package to Florida).
The couple was also staying at the Bell Tower hotel, so we shared a taxi back and made plans to meet up later for dinner.
I got on the computer at the hotel and quickly sent a few emails. The hotel charged 1 RMB per minute, so I typed quickly.
The four of us met up and we headed out to visit the Muslim quarter, which I had told them about while on the bus. We all did a little shopping and then had dinner at Jiasan Guantang Baozi on Bei Yuan Men 93. Coming from the beginning of the bazaar, it’s on the right hand side. Reenie and I had mutton dumplings, which were delicious and filled with broth, spicy lamb shanks, and a shredded potato dish that had vinegar dressing. I tried a couple of the dumplings that the other couple ordered (wish I could remember their names) but when I bit into one, I knew something wasn’t right. It had a bad, bitter taste. I later had a stomachache, but that was the only food item that hit me wrong while on this trip.
After dinner, we did more shopping and I got the hang of bargaining. It was quite fun! A third day in Xian would have been nice for more shopping and sight seeing. We were right in the Muslim quarter and I forgot to visit the Mosque!
We headed back to the hotel to pack for our next destination: Chengdu and the Pandas!
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Xian
21 October: We had a very early morning wake up call (5am) so that we could catch our flight to Xian. We were excited about visiting the panda research center. The streets were empty as we headed to the airport. Our taxi driver overcharged us and I even saw the meter skipping numbers. The ride came to 96 RMB. He ran off to get us a luggage cart and I was so temped to drive off with his car! LOL! I also hadn’t paid him yet and I wondered if he would have chased us down if we simply walked into the airport and got mixed into the crowds. He came back with the cart with all smiles on his face. I handed him the 100 RMB bill and he smiled to thank me. I smiled back and raised four fingers and then the palm of my hand. He kept smiling as if to thank me for the 100. He went to his door and I followed him with my hand still out. He continued to smile and this went on for a couple of minutes until he place a 1 RMB coin in my hand. I smiled and kept my hand out until he gave me the other three, one at a time. I thanked him for ripping us off and walked away.
We had a good 2-hour flight to Xian on an airbus plane. Upon landing, we were shocked to see such thick pollution in the air. We when landing, the pilot had practically no visibility and landed IFR (instruments versus visual). I didn’t see any ground until a few seconds before hitting the ground. Reenie and I just stared at the pollution. Unbelievable. I took a few photos from the window. I had read that Xian has some of the worse pollution in China, which is why I had changed the itinerary from 3 nights to 2 nights.
It was an easy ride to the city on the airport shuttle (27 RMB per person), which dropped people off at the Melody hotel. From there it was just a few minutes to walk to the Bell Tower Hotel. Our room (#441) was not ready, so we dropped off our luggage and explored our area. Both of us bought a crepe for lunch, which was filled with a chopped pickled hard boiled egg, cabbage, mushrooms, and hot sauce). It was filling, tasty and only 3 RMB.
Not too far from the hotel was a very small temple. I didn’t get the name of this temple. It was so peaceful and quiet, away from the traffic and congestion of people.
Reenie found a teashop where she bought a teapot. She didn’t want a whole set, just the pot. Up until then, I didn’t want to buy one, but hers was so pretty that I decided I wanted one too. The store didn’t have any other teapots, so I would start my search later.
On a small street corner, we picked up a bottle of wine. The old couple running the store enjoyed meeting us, as we tried to figure out which to buy. They hand gestured the prices, smiled, and seemed like they wanted to help us. As we walked away, we decided to turn back and get our picture taken with them. They laughed and seemed pleased. The man, at first, didn’t want his photo taken, but agreed after his wife harped on him. We showed them the photos and we got more smiles from. It would have been nice to go back another day to say hello to them.
Back to the hotel, we unpacked a few things. We had a great view of the Bell Tower from our room, which had a narrow balcony. The room was pretty basic. It had twin beds, desk/chair, large t.v., and a small bathroom. The carpeting was very old and dirty (thank goodness the hotel provided room slippers), including the carpeting in the hallways. The hotel really needs to replace all of it. The beds were slightly firm but comfortable.
After unpacking, we visited the Bell Tower, which had an expensive entry fee, 40RMB, compared to the other sights we visited. There was a short performance in the main room: five or six people playing various musical instruments and bells and a dancer with extra, extra long sleeves. It was entertaining and helped offset the entry fee. Not much else to see since the views were hampered by the pollution.
The Muslim quarter was nearby, so we went to check it out. There were lots of food vendors and people shopping for souvenirs. I found a place that sold teapots and I bargained: less than what Reenie paid for hers! I’ve done this twice now underbidding her.
We met up with Jasmine, a young woman that I met on VT. She had given me suggestions on getting to the Terra Cotta Warriors (TCW) by local bus. She took us to a restaurant near our hotel (Du Du Family Cuisine), about a 10-minute walk. We ordered five dishes but should have ordered four, but we ate most of it: baked eggplant, squid with celery and bamboo shoots, beef with cucumber, vegetable rolls (my favorite!), and a plate of various mushrooms with green and red bell pepper. It was an excellent dinner! 83 RMB for the three of us.
Back at our hotel we said our goodbye’s to Jasmine.
We had a good 2-hour flight to Xian on an airbus plane. Upon landing, we were shocked to see such thick pollution in the air. We when landing, the pilot had practically no visibility and landed IFR (instruments versus visual). I didn’t see any ground until a few seconds before hitting the ground. Reenie and I just stared at the pollution. Unbelievable. I took a few photos from the window. I had read that Xian has some of the worse pollution in China, which is why I had changed the itinerary from 3 nights to 2 nights.
It was an easy ride to the city on the airport shuttle (27 RMB per person), which dropped people off at the Melody hotel. From there it was just a few minutes to walk to the Bell Tower Hotel. Our room (#441) was not ready, so we dropped off our luggage and explored our area. Both of us bought a crepe for lunch, which was filled with a chopped pickled hard boiled egg, cabbage, mushrooms, and hot sauce). It was filling, tasty and only 3 RMB.
Not too far from the hotel was a very small temple. I didn’t get the name of this temple. It was so peaceful and quiet, away from the traffic and congestion of people.
Reenie found a teashop where she bought a teapot. She didn’t want a whole set, just the pot. Up until then, I didn’t want to buy one, but hers was so pretty that I decided I wanted one too. The store didn’t have any other teapots, so I would start my search later.
On a small street corner, we picked up a bottle of wine. The old couple running the store enjoyed meeting us, as we tried to figure out which to buy. They hand gestured the prices, smiled, and seemed like they wanted to help us. As we walked away, we decided to turn back and get our picture taken with them. They laughed and seemed pleased. The man, at first, didn’t want his photo taken, but agreed after his wife harped on him. We showed them the photos and we got more smiles from. It would have been nice to go back another day to say hello to them.
Back to the hotel, we unpacked a few things. We had a great view of the Bell Tower from our room, which had a narrow balcony. The room was pretty basic. It had twin beds, desk/chair, large t.v., and a small bathroom. The carpeting was very old and dirty (thank goodness the hotel provided room slippers), including the carpeting in the hallways. The hotel really needs to replace all of it. The beds were slightly firm but comfortable.
After unpacking, we visited the Bell Tower, which had an expensive entry fee, 40RMB, compared to the other sights we visited. There was a short performance in the main room: five or six people playing various musical instruments and bells and a dancer with extra, extra long sleeves. It was entertaining and helped offset the entry fee. Not much else to see since the views were hampered by the pollution.
The Muslim quarter was nearby, so we went to check it out. There were lots of food vendors and people shopping for souvenirs. I found a place that sold teapots and I bargained: less than what Reenie paid for hers! I’ve done this twice now underbidding her.
We met up with Jasmine, a young woman that I met on VT. She had given me suggestions on getting to the Terra Cotta Warriors (TCW) by local bus. She took us to a restaurant near our hotel (Du Du Family Cuisine), about a 10-minute walk. We ordered five dishes but should have ordered four, but we ate most of it: baked eggplant, squid with celery and bamboo shoots, beef with cucumber, vegetable rolls (my favorite!), and a plate of various mushrooms with green and red bell pepper. It was an excellent dinner! 83 RMB for the three of us.
Back at our hotel we said our goodbye’s to Jasmine.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Hangzhou and the West Lake
20 October: Today we spent time around the West Lake area, which included a visit to the Lingyin temple. We had met in the morning and took the local bus (Y2), which cost 3 RMB per person. Tour groups were already filling the area. The temple grounds are large and we only saw a portion of it since we had other sights to see. We saw lots of buddhas carved into the walls and caves of the area (Feilai Feng, “Peak That Flew From Afar”), which I was glad to see since I had cancelled our trip to Luoyang (although I’m sure the ones at Luoyang are more impressive). These carvings are about 600 years old. Walking through the caves, one needs to be very careful, especially if the rocks are wet. Some of the ceilings are short, so that can be a problem too.
One hall contained 500 Arhats, which were made out of copper and apparently weigh a ton each. The hall’s floor plan was shaped like a swastika and there were swastika emblems on the walls and ceilings.
Moving on, we took the bus to the area of the Shangri-la hotel. We peeked inside for a few minutes (and even used their lobby bathroom), lovely place! The street in front of the hotel (main street around the lake) was busy with traffic. I don’t think I would like to stay there. We had lunch at a small place across the street, which was a little pricey, but we enjoyed the baked fish with a sweet vinegar sauce; beggar’s chicken (entire chicken served with head and feet); bokchoy with mushrooms, and cucumbers in garlic sauce (large chunks of garlic too!).
After our lunch we walked along West Lake and took a ride on a boat and visited two of the islands in the lake. It was the late afternoon and I enjoyed the scenery. Still, it was pretty hazy out. Both islands were lush with gardens, bridges, and pagodas. The sun was setting as we continued on to the northeast side of the lake. I think I got some good shots.
Running out of RMB, we found an ATM machine and filled our wallets. Took a bus back to our hotel where we picked up a bottle of wine to enjoy before dinner while Reenie iced down her ankle and foot. For dinner, we enjoyed Indian food at Haveli India Restaurant and Bar, located on Nanshan Road (#77) and within walking distance from our hotel. The restaurant was quite colorful with purple chairs, silk draperies of assorted colors, and a beautiful woman who danced every so often to Indian music. Having Indian food (Tiki Masala Chicken, chickpeas and lentils, raita, a mixed vegetable dish, and rice for 220 RMB for 3 people) was a nice change from all the Chinese food we had been eating.
After dinner, we headed back to Hefang Street to buy more Chinese cut-outs.
I have to say we only scratched the surface in Hangzhou. We spent a lot of our first day on Hefang Street, which we had fun, but could have done more. I think this city deserves at least a 3-night stay. We did enjoy the lake views from our hotel the first night and I took some night shots of the nearby pagoda (which was the only time I used my tripod – Nutella, you were right, it was a waste to bring it).
One hall contained 500 Arhats, which were made out of copper and apparently weigh a ton each. The hall’s floor plan was shaped like a swastika and there were swastika emblems on the walls and ceilings.
Moving on, we took the bus to the area of the Shangri-la hotel. We peeked inside for a few minutes (and even used their lobby bathroom), lovely place! The street in front of the hotel (main street around the lake) was busy with traffic. I don’t think I would like to stay there. We had lunch at a small place across the street, which was a little pricey, but we enjoyed the baked fish with a sweet vinegar sauce; beggar’s chicken (entire chicken served with head and feet); bokchoy with mushrooms, and cucumbers in garlic sauce (large chunks of garlic too!).
After our lunch we walked along West Lake and took a ride on a boat and visited two of the islands in the lake. It was the late afternoon and I enjoyed the scenery. Still, it was pretty hazy out. Both islands were lush with gardens, bridges, and pagodas. The sun was setting as we continued on to the northeast side of the lake. I think I got some good shots.
Running out of RMB, we found an ATM machine and filled our wallets. Took a bus back to our hotel where we picked up a bottle of wine to enjoy before dinner while Reenie iced down her ankle and foot. For dinner, we enjoyed Indian food at Haveli India Restaurant and Bar, located on Nanshan Road (#77) and within walking distance from our hotel. The restaurant was quite colorful with purple chairs, silk draperies of assorted colors, and a beautiful woman who danced every so often to Indian music. Having Indian food (Tiki Masala Chicken, chickpeas and lentils, raita, a mixed vegetable dish, and rice for 220 RMB for 3 people) was a nice change from all the Chinese food we had been eating.
After dinner, we headed back to Hefang Street to buy more Chinese cut-outs.
I have to say we only scratched the surface in Hangzhou. We spent a lot of our first day on Hefang Street, which we had fun, but could have done more. I think this city deserves at least a 3-night stay. We did enjoy the lake views from our hotel the first night and I took some night shots of the nearby pagoda (which was the only time I used my tripod – Nutella, you were right, it was a waste to bring it).
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Hangzhou and the West Lake
19 October: Reenie and I took a taxi to the train station, which the driver overcharged us. I tried to pay him ½ the bill, as we had taken a taxi the day before and knew the going rate. Also, I watched at how fast his meter was turning. Of course, I couldn’t stop him. Several men approached us and tried to help. The taxi driver argued with them but in the end we paid. I did take his license plate number down (actually took photos). One person said to call a particular number, but how could I? We needed to get on the train for our next destination. He was one of 2 drivers that “took us for a ride.”
Reenie and I couldn’t believe there was no elevator or escalator at the Hangzhou train station. Many people were traveling with their luggage and everyone had to use the stairs. Reenie had a hard time with her foot, so I had to lug all pieces down the stairs. After getting through to the main area, we met up with Rebecca, a young woman that would be with us for our two days in Hangzhou. She was recommended on Fodors wiselindag, a fellow fodorite, who used her services a few months ago.
It took quite a while to hail a cab, as many did not want to go the short distance to the hotel; but I was able to get one. Our hotel was located right on the West Lake on the southeast side. We stayed at the Liuyang Hotel, which is set in a garden area with bamboo and other trees, shrubs, and flowers. I had corresponded with a person at the hotel, who told me earlier this year the entire hotel was booked due to a conference. I was told to check back later, which I did. Still, no room. My last email to the woman was, “That’s alright, I’ll find another place but will stop by to say hello.” A couple of hours later I received an email saying the manger of the conference gave up one of the rooms for us. Talk about nice people! We were in room 2105, which is on the ground floor. No view to speak of. It was a small, basic room, probably equivalent to a 2-star hotel in Europe. The beds were very hard and the bathroom was small. Also, the bathroom had the ‘hose’ type hair dryer, which I hate. We paid 528RMB per night.
After check in and dropping off our bags in the room, we all headed out for the afternoon. We walked to Hefang Street, which is an ancient shopping street. Just before the start of the street there was a huge festival in progress. Many people were out and the street was crowded. There were many food vendors and people pushed and shoved to get their food. One food item I saw and should have bought was squid on a stick. It looked so good! And they were large squid too. We snacked on some food, including stinky tofu, although it wasn’t the authentic stinky tofu – just very tasty. We sat at a nearby park, which a police office walked by telling people to get off the grass. I asked Rebecca to tell him we needed to sit because of Reenie’s foot. He accepted our reason for sitting.
Hefang Street was a lot of fun. We bought a few items, including some Chinese paper cut-outs. There were all sorts of designs, including pandas, flowers, mountain scenery, etc.
Later, we took a taxi to a garden, but it had closed down for the season. Rebecca felt bad. We walked around the area, next to the West Lake, where we saw several bridal couples having their photos taken. All of the women were wearing cream-colored dresses and they wore jeans under their dresses. Out in the distance on the lake, we saw several boats. The views were quite hazy from the pollution. It was a shame to see the pollution in such a beautiful setting.
For dinner, we dined a Zhiweiguan, which is a well-known restaurant. We dined outside on the terrace. Fortunately there were no bugs or mosquitoes. We ate sautéed beans, whole fried shrimp, and a beef dish, which was similar to short ribs. They were the tastiest dish of the night.
Realizing it was too far to walk back to the hotel (we had walked about 20 minutes), we grabbed a taxi and planned to meet Rebecca at 9am the next day.
Reenie and I couldn’t believe there was no elevator or escalator at the Hangzhou train station. Many people were traveling with their luggage and everyone had to use the stairs. Reenie had a hard time with her foot, so I had to lug all pieces down the stairs. After getting through to the main area, we met up with Rebecca, a young woman that would be with us for our two days in Hangzhou. She was recommended on Fodors wiselindag, a fellow fodorite, who used her services a few months ago.
It took quite a while to hail a cab, as many did not want to go the short distance to the hotel; but I was able to get one. Our hotel was located right on the West Lake on the southeast side. We stayed at the Liuyang Hotel, which is set in a garden area with bamboo and other trees, shrubs, and flowers. I had corresponded with a person at the hotel, who told me earlier this year the entire hotel was booked due to a conference. I was told to check back later, which I did. Still, no room. My last email to the woman was, “That’s alright, I’ll find another place but will stop by to say hello.” A couple of hours later I received an email saying the manger of the conference gave up one of the rooms for us. Talk about nice people! We were in room 2105, which is on the ground floor. No view to speak of. It was a small, basic room, probably equivalent to a 2-star hotel in Europe. The beds were very hard and the bathroom was small. Also, the bathroom had the ‘hose’ type hair dryer, which I hate. We paid 528RMB per night.
After check in and dropping off our bags in the room, we all headed out for the afternoon. We walked to Hefang Street, which is an ancient shopping street. Just before the start of the street there was a huge festival in progress. Many people were out and the street was crowded. There were many food vendors and people pushed and shoved to get their food. One food item I saw and should have bought was squid on a stick. It looked so good! And they were large squid too. We snacked on some food, including stinky tofu, although it wasn’t the authentic stinky tofu – just very tasty. We sat at a nearby park, which a police office walked by telling people to get off the grass. I asked Rebecca to tell him we needed to sit because of Reenie’s foot. He accepted our reason for sitting.
Hefang Street was a lot of fun. We bought a few items, including some Chinese paper cut-outs. There were all sorts of designs, including pandas, flowers, mountain scenery, etc.
Later, we took a taxi to a garden, but it had closed down for the season. Rebecca felt bad. We walked around the area, next to the West Lake, where we saw several bridal couples having their photos taken. All of the women were wearing cream-colored dresses and they wore jeans under their dresses. Out in the distance on the lake, we saw several boats. The views were quite hazy from the pollution. It was a shame to see the pollution in such a beautiful setting.
For dinner, we dined a Zhiweiguan, which is a well-known restaurant. We dined outside on the terrace. Fortunately there were no bugs or mosquitoes. We ate sautéed beans, whole fried shrimp, and a beef dish, which was similar to short ribs. They were the tastiest dish of the night.
Realizing it was too far to walk back to the hotel (we had walked about 20 minutes), we grabbed a taxi and planned to meet Rebecca at 9am the next day.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Day trip to Xitang, a Lovely Watertown
18 October: Today we took a day trip to the watertown of Xitang, where the 3rd movie Mission Impossible was filmed. I should have asked William to buy our train tickets, as the station was packed with travelers. I was able to buy tickets to Xitang (actually to Jiashan with a change to a bus) but not for the ride home. I was told that there were plenty of buses for the return trip. The trip was 45 minutes. Upon arrival, I wanted to buy our bus tickets before heading into Xitang. A young woman, Stella, guided us to the bus station, which we would never have found. There were no signs in English and the buses were parked in the back and out of view. She helped us buy our bus tickets and then went with us to Xitang where she lives. She even walked us all the way to the entrance of Xitang. Both Reenie and I really appreciated her assistance.
We spent a few hours walking around Xitang, which is a popular tourist destination. It was a semi-clear day and quite enjoyable after the two big cities of Beijing and Shanghai. Lots of people were taking boat rides on the canal. Many of the residence have shops or food stalls. We picked up a deep fried vegetable fritter for a snack.
For lunch, I picked a place facing the canal, although the tables outside were filled. We had a simple lunch of sautéed sliced purple eggplant and rice. A bowl of edamame (soybeans) was also served. Only one person in the restaurant spoke English and it was very limited. We managed well though. Lunch was 24 RMB. I always enjoy finding delicious foods and meals at deliciously low prices.
We took a mini bus back to Jiashan, which dropped us off at the bus station. The bus ride was a lot longer, but it was nice to sit and relax. Back in Shanghai, I looked for a taxi. A person in uniform apparently saw me looking and said, “Taxi?” Yes! He walked to the street and hailed one for us and made sure we got in, as there were several other people waiting for a taxi. It was really nice of him! We found that the Chinese are very friendly and helpful, even if you don’t speak Chinese.
Reenie wanted to visit the Yu Yuan Gardens but it was too late. She was very disappointed but knew she had to give up some time in order for her foot to heal. We found a place near our hotel for dinner since she had her fill of walking. We enjoyed a braised fatty pork dish with chestnuts and red hot peppers, steamed cabbage with shitake mushrooms and rice. A large bottle of beer was 10 RMB and dinner total came to 60 RMB. The pork was tender and flavorful and the chestnuts were cooked until just soft. It was a great combination.
We spent a few hours walking around Xitang, which is a popular tourist destination. It was a semi-clear day and quite enjoyable after the two big cities of Beijing and Shanghai. Lots of people were taking boat rides on the canal. Many of the residence have shops or food stalls. We picked up a deep fried vegetable fritter for a snack.
For lunch, I picked a place facing the canal, although the tables outside were filled. We had a simple lunch of sautéed sliced purple eggplant and rice. A bowl of edamame (soybeans) was also served. Only one person in the restaurant spoke English and it was very limited. We managed well though. Lunch was 24 RMB. I always enjoy finding delicious foods and meals at deliciously low prices.
We took a mini bus back to Jiashan, which dropped us off at the bus station. The bus ride was a lot longer, but it was nice to sit and relax. Back in Shanghai, I looked for a taxi. A person in uniform apparently saw me looking and said, “Taxi?” Yes! He walked to the street and hailed one for us and made sure we got in, as there were several other people waiting for a taxi. It was really nice of him! We found that the Chinese are very friendly and helpful, even if you don’t speak Chinese.
Reenie wanted to visit the Yu Yuan Gardens but it was too late. She was very disappointed but knew she had to give up some time in order for her foot to heal. We found a place near our hotel for dinner since she had her fill of walking. We enjoyed a braised fatty pork dish with chestnuts and red hot peppers, steamed cabbage with shitake mushrooms and rice. A large bottle of beer was 10 RMB and dinner total came to 60 RMB. The pork was tender and flavorful and the chestnuts were cooked until just soft. It was a great combination.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Shanghai: Jade Buddha Temple and French Concession
17 October: Since Reenie’s foot was swollen and sore, I headed out for the day on my own. I took a taxi to see the Jade Buddha Temple, which was packed with people. Incense burned everywhere. The temple was quite a popular place to visit and very colorful as fodorite friend Stu said it would be. Of course all the smoke didn’t help my lungs. On the second floor of the Jade Buddha Chamber, I tried to discretely photograph a Monk, who was with (apparently) his mother. Just after snapping the photo, he looked over to me and smiled. It’s hard to point a camera towards someone that might be offended, so I smiled back.
Next I taxied over to the Yu Yuan Gardens, which was another colorful area with a large shopping bazaar. I bought my chop, my name in Chinese characters, as well as the meaning of my name: "Advisor." I paid 100RMB, or about $15. It came with a box and large container of red ink. The chop itself is larger than average, so I think I got a good price for it. I also bought a large paintbrush with a blue and white ceramic handle to hang in my house.
The Gardens were lovely and I spent some time just wandering and taking pictures. It was certainly night and day between the gardens and the bazaar area. I had a quick lunch of a steamed dumpling filled with pork and soup and served with a straw. It was so good!
I taxied back to the hotel where Reenie was ready to go out. She had iced up her foot a few times and the swelling seem to have gone down. We headed over to the French Concession and walked around before dinner at the Ruijin guesthouse with some fodorite friends. We checked out an old Russian Church that was being worked on, as well as another former residence of Soong (it was closed when we arrived). Reenie and I stopped at a bar and had a couple of watered down drinks before dinner. At least they were cheap.
For dinner, we met up with Jackie and her friend Tako, from Japan. Dinner was very good. Reenie and I shared some dumplings that were filled with vegetables and we all shared a bean curd dish with crabmeat; and fried chicken pieces with red chilies. The chicken pieces were pretty small and bony. We were all surprised the chicken wasn’t spicy hot with all the chilies in the dish. Service was a little slow but we enjoyed each other’s company.
Next I taxied over to the Yu Yuan Gardens, which was another colorful area with a large shopping bazaar. I bought my chop, my name in Chinese characters, as well as the meaning of my name: "Advisor." I paid 100RMB, or about $15. It came with a box and large container of red ink. The chop itself is larger than average, so I think I got a good price for it. I also bought a large paintbrush with a blue and white ceramic handle to hang in my house.
The Gardens were lovely and I spent some time just wandering and taking pictures. It was certainly night and day between the gardens and the bazaar area. I had a quick lunch of a steamed dumpling filled with pork and soup and served with a straw. It was so good!
I taxied back to the hotel where Reenie was ready to go out. She had iced up her foot a few times and the swelling seem to have gone down. We headed over to the French Concession and walked around before dinner at the Ruijin guesthouse with some fodorite friends. We checked out an old Russian Church that was being worked on, as well as another former residence of Soong (it was closed when we arrived). Reenie and I stopped at a bar and had a couple of watered down drinks before dinner. At least they were cheap.
For dinner, we met up with Jackie and her friend Tako, from Japan. Dinner was very good. Reenie and I shared some dumplings that were filled with vegetables and we all shared a bean curd dish with crabmeat; and fried chicken pieces with red chilies. The chicken pieces were pretty small and bony. We were all surprised the chicken wasn’t spicy hot with all the chilies in the dish. Service was a little slow but we enjoyed each other’s company.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Shanghai - Museum and Cheap Street Food for Dinner
16 October: Reenie’s foot had been hurting for a couple of days and we suspected it was because of too much walking and Great Wall hiking. I, on the other hand, started having breathing problems because of the pollution. I bought cough drops for my sore throat - something to consider bringing when traveling to China. It might have been better if I had renewed my inhaler prescription.
We took it easy this day. After breakfast at a French pastry shop near our hotel, we headed out to visit the Shanghai museum (no charge). On the way there, three young people stopped us. They welcomed us to China and spoke English quite well. We chatted for several minutes, as they told us they had recently graduated from college and were on vacation from Suzhou. The second one of them asked if we had ever been to a tea ceremony, I politely ended the conversation by saying I don’t like tea. They smiled and walked away.
We really enjoyed the museum and spent a couple of hours looking at the various artifacts, jade pieces, calligraphy, and other Chinese works of art. Reenie sat a lot to rest her foot.
We slowly headed north to a well fodorite-recommended place for lunch: Jia Jia Tang Bao. It was very easy to find, as we saw a long line of hungry diners. We waited in line for about 25 minutes, which went by very quickly. We had two sets of dumplings: one with chicken and pork and the other with chicken and crab (my favorite); along with some seaweed soup. These dumplings were so delicious I was in heaven! The dumplings were soft in texture and thin. The soup inside was piping hot, so one has to be careful when biting into them. It’s best to place the dumpling in the spoon and biting from the top. I sucked out the soup before eating the rest of it. Wish there was a place like that where I live!
Reenie had enough with her foot, so we took a taxi back to the hotel where she iced up her foot. I headed out for the remainder of the day walking around the area and seeing the Pudong skyline at sunset. Many people were on the Bundy promenade hanging out and watching the skyline scenery.
For dinner, which we had in our room with our wine, I picked up some street food. One small shop had two vats of boiling broth whereby each person takes a basket and fills it with whatever food they want to eat. There were skewers of various types of meat and seafood and assorted vegetables. There were also three or four types of noodles to select. I picked some pork meat, two types of mushrooms, cabbage and thin noodles. The cook finished off the soup with some hot sauce and other spices. I also picked up two crepes that were filled with leaks – a Chinese pancake that was typical of Shanghai. I think they were 1 RMB each. The soup was about 14 RMB. Cheap, cheap dinner for two.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Shanghai - Our First Day
15 October: Packed and ready to go, we flew to Shanghai at noon. I had bought our tickets a couple of days before, as well as our tickets from Guilin to Shenzhen (the direct flight to Hong Kong was booked). Our first inter-China flight was very smooth and just a short 2-hour ride. Lunch consisted of a pork noodle dish and cold vegetables.
We arrived at the smaller Hongqiao airport and took a taxi to our hotel, The Bund Hotel. The hotel isn’t as nice as the Park Plaza and the beds were horribly hard. Our room (#1607) had city views but on the backside. We could see the nearby freeway. The room had two double beds and a very nice large bathroom. The employees were not friendly at all with the exception of William at the concierge desk, who helped us obtain our train tickets for Hangzhou. The location was great, about a 15-minute walk to the Nanjing pedestrian street. The area around our street was quite colorful with street food vendors and small shops.
We spent the afternoon unpacking and then heading out to tour the pedestrian area of Nanjing road. Shanghai was a great city to visit – such pulse it has! We saw lots of fabulous tall buildings. It seems that when a building is built it tries to outdo the others. Nanjing road reminded me of Times Square in NYC with all the tall buildings and neon signs. I loved the shops on this road, with its many varieties of food. I wish I had an interpreter to tell us about the many packaged foods. I did buy some dried plum seeds, which I grew up on when living in Hawaii. Many people asked if we wanted to buy fake watches, bags, etc. No thanks.
We found a small place for dinner, just about a block north of Nanjing road. An older Chinese woman stared at us through the window for quite some time. I guess we were an oddity. Dinner included kung pao chicken, thinly sliced broccoli spears in a white garlic sauce, rice and beer (93 RMB). We just loved those fresh vegetables. The chicken was very good but too many peanuts for my taste.
Back at the hotel, Reenie went to the room while I headed out to find a bottle of wine for the room. About a block away is a nice sized grocery store. Wine was very inexpensive, about 32 RMB. The streets were quite lively with food vendors. It did look good, although it seemed rougher than in Beijing. I couldn’t tell what some of the food was but it did look fresh. Maybe we would try some another night.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
The Back Lakes, Hutong, and a Fabulous Dinner
14th October – On our own. This day we took the subway to the Back Lakes. The subway is very easy to navigate, as many signs are in English. And it’s very inexpensive! We spent most of the day wandering the Back Lakes and the area of the hutong. It’s a lovely area with shaded trees, peaceful gardens, and hutong. Reenie and I really enjoyed seeing another part of Beijing life. Many of the hutong are in ruins with small alleyways. Life continues in the hutongs with people going about their business, exercising in their small parks, and sitting around with neighbors. We met a beautiful old white-haired woman, who was sitting outside enjoying the day. She could have been the twin of my 99-year old grandmother. I showed her my camera and she smiled with a nod. I snapped a few photos while she sat regally.
We saw people swimming in one of the lakes, which I would never have done. Most had large bottles filled with fresh water to wash them once they got out. There was even a sign posted telling people NOT to swim in the polluted water.
Reenie and I visited the Soong Chingling former residence and museum. She was the honorary Chairman of the People's Republic of China, established in 1949, and wife of Dr. Sun Yat-sen. The residence/museum remains as when she lived there, with the residence set in a beautiful garden with corridors and pavilions. On display were photographs that showed her life, to include her political activities. There were other exhibits, including a Children’s Hall. It was quite an interesting museum.
In the area, we saw many people on rickshaws. They seemed like a fun ride, but we enjoyed our walking, as we got to see more of the area. For lunch we had Thai food. As soon as we settled in our chairs, the owner changed the music from Chinese to American! We listened to several eras of music. Lunch consisted of spring rolls, beef with basil and rice. We found many of the restaurants served large portions of food. Sometimes we could have done with just one or two dishes.
In the late afternoon we visited the Jinshan Park for a bird’s eye view of the Forbidden City. It was very hazy out but I was glad to see the city from this point of view. Many people were hanging out waiting for the sun to set. The air had a yellowish glow. It would have been wonderful to see the city and its red rooftops with clear skies. As our days progressed, we encountered more pollution.
Reenie wanted to catch the lowering of the flags at T. Square, so we tried to grab a taxi. There was no way with the evening traffic, especially in the area of the Forbidden City. We hired a motorized “rickshaw” which an old man was driving. We zipped through the traffic passing the crowded streets. It was exhilarating but also scary, especially since we knew how people drive in Beijing. The man dropped us off but we still had to cross over the square (via underground walkway) and just didn’t get there in time. We headed back to the hotel on the subway.
For dinner, we met up with Lisa and taxied over to the Noodle Loft, a restaurant I had seen on the Anthony Bourdain show (No. 20 Dawang Road, Chaoyang District, tel: 8610-677 49950). The center of the room has an open kitchen where four or five chefs will cook fresh made noodles. It was quite entertaining to watch them perform. They would toss the various types of noodles into the large pots of boiling water. Some looked like the Italian gnocchi while others were extremely long noodles.
Dinner was fabulous (although we actually didn’t order any noodles): fried lotus root, a fatty pork dish with vegetables (thinly sliced green vegetable of some sort that was crunchy), a whole duck with pancakes and plum sauce, and a plate of ear mushrooms with cilantro. Reenie and I agreed the duck was more succulent than at Liqun duck restaurant, as well as getting more for our money (although we certainly enjoyed our dinner in the hutong). It was probably one of the best meals we had on this trip. Dinner for the three of us: 206RMB (or about $10 per person).
We saw people swimming in one of the lakes, which I would never have done. Most had large bottles filled with fresh water to wash them once they got out. There was even a sign posted telling people NOT to swim in the polluted water.
Reenie and I visited the Soong Chingling former residence and museum. She was the honorary Chairman of the People's Republic of China, established in 1949, and wife of Dr. Sun Yat-sen. The residence/museum remains as when she lived there, with the residence set in a beautiful garden with corridors and pavilions. On display were photographs that showed her life, to include her political activities. There were other exhibits, including a Children’s Hall. It was quite an interesting museum.
In the area, we saw many people on rickshaws. They seemed like a fun ride, but we enjoyed our walking, as we got to see more of the area. For lunch we had Thai food. As soon as we settled in our chairs, the owner changed the music from Chinese to American! We listened to several eras of music. Lunch consisted of spring rolls, beef with basil and rice. We found many of the restaurants served large portions of food. Sometimes we could have done with just one or two dishes.
In the late afternoon we visited the Jinshan Park for a bird’s eye view of the Forbidden City. It was very hazy out but I was glad to see the city from this point of view. Many people were hanging out waiting for the sun to set. The air had a yellowish glow. It would have been wonderful to see the city and its red rooftops with clear skies. As our days progressed, we encountered more pollution.
Reenie wanted to catch the lowering of the flags at T. Square, so we tried to grab a taxi. There was no way with the evening traffic, especially in the area of the Forbidden City. We hired a motorized “rickshaw” which an old man was driving. We zipped through the traffic passing the crowded streets. It was exhilarating but also scary, especially since we knew how people drive in Beijing. The man dropped us off but we still had to cross over the square (via underground walkway) and just didn’t get there in time. We headed back to the hotel on the subway.
For dinner, we met up with Lisa and taxied over to the Noodle Loft, a restaurant I had seen on the Anthony Bourdain show (No. 20 Dawang Road, Chaoyang District, tel: 8610-677 49950). The center of the room has an open kitchen where four or five chefs will cook fresh made noodles. It was quite entertaining to watch them perform. They would toss the various types of noodles into the large pots of boiling water. Some looked like the Italian gnocchi while others were extremely long noodles.
Dinner was fabulous (although we actually didn’t order any noodles): fried lotus root, a fatty pork dish with vegetables (thinly sliced green vegetable of some sort that was crunchy), a whole duck with pancakes and plum sauce, and a plate of ear mushrooms with cilantro. Reenie and I agreed the duck was more succulent than at Liqun duck restaurant, as well as getting more for our money (although we certainly enjoyed our dinner in the hutong). It was probably one of the best meals we had on this trip. Dinner for the three of us: 206RMB (or about $10 per person).
Monday, October 13, 2008
A Day on the Great Wall
13 October, Monday: Yesterday Violet sprung some “news” by saying, “Sorry, I can’t take you to the Great Wall tomorrow.” Apparently she had to take a test to get her driver’s license but didn’t tell us till the day before our outing. I was angry to say the least, but just told her to resolve the problem, which she did. She arranged for a driver to pick us up at our designate 7am time and would charge us the same 500RMB price that I had negotiated with Violet. In the end she did us a favor, as we didn’t have to pay her 350RMB/day fee. I did have two backup plans in case any guide fell through. In fact, I had hired a driver the year before and even though we corresponded quite often and up until about 2 weeks before I left for China, he too backed out. Must have gotten other customers where he could make more money.
The driver met us at the hotel and we were off to the Wall at Mutianyu. It was an overcast day, unlike our first 2 days in Beijing. As we neared the wall, I could see parts of it in the distance. I was getting excited! Reenie had told me this is the one thing she wanted to see while in China – her trip of a lifetime. We arrived about 8:30am or so and there were already a few buses. However, I had read this part of the wall was less crowded than at Badaling. The driver escorted us to the ticket office, where we purchased our entry fee, the cable car fee and toboggan fee (all for 120RMB per person).
The cable car ride was short but we enjoyed the views despite the haze in the air. The wall winds its way through the peaks of mountains and wooded hillsides. We headed towards the left first. Up and down the stairs we went, some were narrow and some were wide. It was great to be on such a historical site and to wonder how it was built on such high mountain peaks. The number of people it took to build must have been in the thousands. We walked through several towers, which varied in size and height. I would stop now and then and just look out into the distance where I saw the wall disappear. I wish we had all day to hike the wall, but it wasn’t possible.
Heading back in the opposite direction, we passed the cable car station and headed to the other end. We had even better views! The air cleared up somewhat and we saw blue skies above us. It seemed at times we had the wall to ourselves. I noticed some small groups of people walking a very short distance and then turning back to leave. What a shame. The wall deserves a few hours at least! We were on the wall for about 3 hours, and I would say 4 would even be better. We felt a little rushed getting back to the car and the length of the wall to the right was longer than I thought it would be.
Our trip down the mountain was fun! We took the toboggan down where one sits in an individual seat for the ride down. Each controls the speed and breaks, with a toggle in the middle. A worker tells us to lean as we hit a curve. I knew Reenie would be going down slowly, so I started first. And wow, did I go fast! It was so much fun!! It probably took 5 minutes to get down, but I was ready to go back up for another ride. I woo-hooed all the way down! This is definitely a "must do" for any visitor to the wall. After, we walked through the gauntlet of vendors selling cheap t-shirts. I should have bought one, but didn't. They were dirt cheap, two for $1. Oh well. We have the memories of our wall hike. And our many photos.
The driver was waiting for us in his car, taking a nap. We headed next to the town of HuaiRou for lunch. Recommended by fellow fodorites, we certainly enjoyed lunch: Eggplant sautéed in a brown sauce with bits of chopped meat; fried dumplings (which had a crispy topping, almost like flat layer of almost-burnt cheese); and a mixture of sautéed mushrooms. Reenie said they were canned mushrooms, but the dish was still tasty. We shared a bottle of beer while the driver waited for us in his car. I did ask him to join us, but he declined. (74RMB for the two of us).
Continuing on, we headed back to Beijing and stopped at the Lama Temple for an hour or so. It was such a colorful temple filled with people praying with their incense sticks. It was quite smoky and I imagined the many temples in Beijing played a part in the pollution. There were several courtyards with individual temples. Buddha’s, large and small were inside. No photography is allowed. The last temple contains the largest in the group.
For dinner (after our usual glass of wine), we met up with fellow fodorites Lisa, Charna and Manny and Evelyn and Manny. We met in the lobby of our hotel and not knowing where to go, I suggested the small dumpling restaurant from our first night. They all loved it! We ordered a variety of dumplings, as well as a delicious pickled, garlic cucumber salad. Some had sodas, while Reenie and I shared a beer. Dinner per person came to 15 RMB, or about $2.20, to which the group was amazed. Eating in places like this makes me a happy woman!
Lisa joined Reenie and me and we walked to the night market. However, not realizing the time, we arrived just as it was shutting down (10pm). Lisa did get the jist of it and I hope she had the opportunity to go there another night. Quite frankly, we should have returned directly to our hotel after dinner, as our feet and legs were sore from the hike on the wall.
All in all, this was a great day. The Great Wall was certainly a highlight of our trip!!
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Sunday in Beijing: Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace, and Delicious Peking Duck!
Sunday October 12th: We had nice weather again, although slightly more smoggy than the day before. Violet picked us up at 8:30am at the hotel and we took the subway to the Temple of Heaven (TH). Reenie and I both enjoyed this park-like setting. It seemed everyone was out enjoying the day with his or her loved ones. We enjoyed watching people dancing in the park, playing various games, doing their exercises, and groups of singers or musicians.
One man stopped me for a few minutes and I played a sort of 'table' tennis but it was with a large soft ball that we tossed to each other with a paddle. I had fun interacting with him. What I did learn is that the moves you make in order to toss and catch the ball are tai chi moves. He helped me with a few moves, but I could tell it's something that takes practice.
Violet told us about the sights at the TH. I was amazed at its size (I’m starting to sound like a broken record but hey, Beijing is large and it seems that the Chinese wanted to build everything large). At the TH many people were enjoying their Sunday. Some were dancing, some singing, some playing various games. One could tell that socializing is the thing to do on a weekend day. The TH was just about as large as the FC. We did lots of walking!
Next, we headed over to the pearl market and Reenie bought a hat, as she is fair-skinned and the sun can be too much for her. She bargained and ended up paying 20RMB, which Violet recommended. Reenie had bought a watch the previous day ($15 USD), which Violet said she paid "too much!" Me, I haven't bought anything yet. The stores with all the young sales women and the number of stores can be overwhelming.
For lunch Violet took us to a restaurant very close to the pearl market – Old Beijing Zhajiang Noodle King, 29 Chong Wai Street, Chong Wen District. We didn’t want a multi-course lunch since we had dinner reservations for Peking duck! We all enjoyed a bowl of Beijing noodles, which is served with a thick plum sauce. It was excellent. The restaurant is large (there I go again) and was completely filled, mostly with locals from what I could tell. People waited in line for a table. As we ordered we were asked to pay for our meal. They worked fast! Chairs were uncomfortable, as they were just small bench-like chairs, but that’s probably to get people in and out quickly. No lingering here.
The afternoon was spent at the Summer Palace (SM), where the emperors would enjoy their summers. It was about a 40-minute taxi ride. The SM was a zoo! It was just as crowed as the Forbidden City. We spent a couple of hours walking along the area, including along the long corridor, the longest in the world. It reminded me of the corridors at the Temple of Heaven.
We decided not to walk up the hill to the, I think it's called the temple of harmony, since we had plans to climb the great wall the next day, but instead, we walked over to the marble boat. I had seen photographs of the boat and appreciated seeing it in person. What a work of art!
For 10 RMB per person, we took a short boat ride along the lake to the 17 arch bridge. Here is where the number 9 comes into play. If you stand in the middle of the bridge you have 9 arches on either side of you to include the one that you are ‘standing’ on.
It was late, so we took a taxi ride to the nearest subway and went back to the hotel. One stretch of the subway was very crowded, especially at the interchange.
For dinner, we ate at Liqun Roast Duck Restaurant, which is located in a hutong (11 Beixiangfeng, Zhengyi Road, Qianmendong St, tel 67055578). Our taxi driver had a hard time finding it and had to call the restaurant. Once he stopped the car I was unsure if we were in the right location. The cars that drove on the streets kicked up the dust, which make the area look eerie, especially with the few lights on the street. Pointing in the correct direction, we set off. Right at the corner was a sign painted on a wall directing us to the tiny hutong restaurant. We knew this would be an experience. Even though Violet had called to make reservations for us, she told us we would have to wait "a little." That wait turned into 45 minutes. However, it was worth the wait! Every table is presented with their duck to see before it is taken away for carving. To eat duck, take one of the very thin crepes, a piece of duck that has been dipped into the sweet bean duck sauce, "paint" the sauce onto the crepe; add more duck (along with the skin), thinly sliced scallions and sliced cucumber. Wrap it like a burrito and enjoy! It was so good! Both of us were in heaven. We also enjoyed garlic snow peas, perfectly cooked and still crisp. I hate overcooked vegetables.
This hutong restaurant was very small and had about three rooms of diners. The middle, courtyard, was covered with a plastic roof. One could imagine how people lived before it was a restaurant. Tight quarters of families sharing the center courtyard. Many hutong are being destroyed on a daily basis.
I hadn't thought about getting a taxi back to our hotel but one woman at the restaurant told us to walk back to the main street and someone would hail a cab for us. Sure enough, on the corner were several men, including two in security uniforms. It took about 10 minutes before one could be hailed down. It was a short ride back to the hotel.
I have to say that I never felt uncomfortable while in China. I felt very safe and never thought twice about walking in the streets at night, even in small dark alleyways.
Next: our visit to the Great Wall!
One man stopped me for a few minutes and I played a sort of 'table' tennis but it was with a large soft ball that we tossed to each other with a paddle. I had fun interacting with him. What I did learn is that the moves you make in order to toss and catch the ball are tai chi moves. He helped me with a few moves, but I could tell it's something that takes practice.
Violet told us about the sights at the TH. I was amazed at its size (I’m starting to sound like a broken record but hey, Beijing is large and it seems that the Chinese wanted to build everything large). At the TH many people were enjoying their Sunday. Some were dancing, some singing, some playing various games. One could tell that socializing is the thing to do on a weekend day. The TH was just about as large as the FC. We did lots of walking!
Next, we headed over to the pearl market and Reenie bought a hat, as she is fair-skinned and the sun can be too much for her. She bargained and ended up paying 20RMB, which Violet recommended. Reenie had bought a watch the previous day ($15 USD), which Violet said she paid "too much!" Me, I haven't bought anything yet. The stores with all the young sales women and the number of stores can be overwhelming.
For lunch Violet took us to a restaurant very close to the pearl market – Old Beijing Zhajiang Noodle King, 29 Chong Wai Street, Chong Wen District. We didn’t want a multi-course lunch since we had dinner reservations for Peking duck! We all enjoyed a bowl of Beijing noodles, which is served with a thick plum sauce. It was excellent. The restaurant is large (there I go again) and was completely filled, mostly with locals from what I could tell. People waited in line for a table. As we ordered we were asked to pay for our meal. They worked fast! Chairs were uncomfortable, as they were just small bench-like chairs, but that’s probably to get people in and out quickly. No lingering here.
The afternoon was spent at the Summer Palace (SM), where the emperors would enjoy their summers. It was about a 40-minute taxi ride. The SM was a zoo! It was just as crowed as the Forbidden City. We spent a couple of hours walking along the area, including along the long corridor, the longest in the world. It reminded me of the corridors at the Temple of Heaven.
We decided not to walk up the hill to the, I think it's called the temple of harmony, since we had plans to climb the great wall the next day, but instead, we walked over to the marble boat. I had seen photographs of the boat and appreciated seeing it in person. What a work of art!
For 10 RMB per person, we took a short boat ride along the lake to the 17 arch bridge. Here is where the number 9 comes into play. If you stand in the middle of the bridge you have 9 arches on either side of you to include the one that you are ‘standing’ on.
It was late, so we took a taxi ride to the nearest subway and went back to the hotel. One stretch of the subway was very crowded, especially at the interchange.
For dinner, we ate at Liqun Roast Duck Restaurant, which is located in a hutong (11 Beixiangfeng, Zhengyi Road, Qianmendong St, tel 67055578). Our taxi driver had a hard time finding it and had to call the restaurant. Once he stopped the car I was unsure if we were in the right location. The cars that drove on the streets kicked up the dust, which make the area look eerie, especially with the few lights on the street. Pointing in the correct direction, we set off. Right at the corner was a sign painted on a wall directing us to the tiny hutong restaurant. We knew this would be an experience. Even though Violet had called to make reservations for us, she told us we would have to wait "a little." That wait turned into 45 minutes. However, it was worth the wait! Every table is presented with their duck to see before it is taken away for carving. To eat duck, take one of the very thin crepes, a piece of duck that has been dipped into the sweet bean duck sauce, "paint" the sauce onto the crepe; add more duck (along with the skin), thinly sliced scallions and sliced cucumber. Wrap it like a burrito and enjoy! It was so good! Both of us were in heaven. We also enjoyed garlic snow peas, perfectly cooked and still crisp. I hate overcooked vegetables.
This hutong restaurant was very small and had about three rooms of diners. The middle, courtyard, was covered with a plastic roof. One could imagine how people lived before it was a restaurant. Tight quarters of families sharing the center courtyard. Many hutong are being destroyed on a daily basis.
I hadn't thought about getting a taxi back to our hotel but one woman at the restaurant told us to walk back to the main street and someone would hail a cab for us. Sure enough, on the corner were several men, including two in security uniforms. It took about 10 minutes before one could be hailed down. It was a short ride back to the hotel.
I have to say that I never felt uncomfortable while in China. I felt very safe and never thought twice about walking in the streets at night, even in small dark alleyways.
Next: our visit to the Great Wall!
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Beijing Saturday
Saturday October 11th: Early wake up call since we had a long day. We met up with Violet after breakfast, our guide for the next three days. Our morning started with a walk to the Forbidden City (FC), which took about 25 minutes. We arrived at the east gate and circled south to the main entrance. Instead of going directly in (a mistake, which I’ll explain later), we headed south to Tiananmen Square. Both Reenie and I were amazed at the size of the square. I had read it was the size of 90 football fields. I also read other sizes, but in any case, it was incredibly large. Decorations remained from the Olympics and we saw a group of school children touring the area.
Heading back to the FC we encountered crowds of people. While the National holiday had ended (on the 8th?) many people still remained in Beijing for the weekend. The crowds packed into FC. There must have been 10 lines of people squeezing into 2 final lines to get through the gate. I saw a few people panic because everyone was pushing. Had there been any problems I’m sure some would have been injured. I recommend that anyone visiting the FC to go there first thing in the morning and visit T. Square another day, as we would have avoided the crowds.
If I thought T. Square was large, I was even more amazed at the size of the FC. It seemed like we walked forever going through the various parts of the city grounds. We learned that the gold knobs on the red doors signified the lucky number 9, as most of the doors had 9 rows across and 9 rows top to bottom. Also, there are apparently 9,999 rooms in the FC.
We visited the small jewelry museum (lots of beautiful jade) and then headed out the north end of the City, probably spending 4 hours total.
By this time, we were hungry for lunch, so Violet took us to a place for a hot pot lunch. The card I have reads “Beijing Full Blessing Catering” 38 Dianmennei Street. Across the street, according to Violet, was another hot pot restaurant that busloads of tourists go to. Most tourists apparently missed the restaurant we dined in. Each table had a steaming hot pot with a spicy broth, depending on how spicy you like your food. We ordered lamb, beef, cabbage, straw-like mushrooms, and celery leaves. I like spicy food, but ordered mine mild. It was certainly mild but after several bites of food, the heat kicked in. Reenie and I enjoyed our lunch (226 RMB for 3 of us).
Reenie wanted to buy some bulk silk, so we took a taxi to the silk market. She shopped around, as there were many stalls and she wanted a particular color and thickness of material. She bargained and purchased some. She also bought a watch, but Violet said she paid too much. I agreed! I looked around but wasn’t in the mood for shopping. Too much to see in Beijing and I’m not a shopper anyway, except get me in an Italian ceramic shop and I go crazy!
After a short rest at our hotel, we walked to the Wangfujing night market. Wow! I loved seeing all the various foods and bugs. There were probably 30 food vendors, most selling the same items. Since we had a large lunch, I dined on some of the street food, to include some skewered meats (lamb) and a crepe that was filled with cabbage, vegetables, sliced meat and some hot sauce. Reenie wasn’t ready to try the foods but did have some fried ice cream.
Nearby on the pedestrian area of Wangfujing, we shopped a little before heading back to the hotel.
Heading back to the FC we encountered crowds of people. While the National holiday had ended (on the 8th?) many people still remained in Beijing for the weekend. The crowds packed into FC. There must have been 10 lines of people squeezing into 2 final lines to get through the gate. I saw a few people panic because everyone was pushing. Had there been any problems I’m sure some would have been injured. I recommend that anyone visiting the FC to go there first thing in the morning and visit T. Square another day, as we would have avoided the crowds.
If I thought T. Square was large, I was even more amazed at the size of the FC. It seemed like we walked forever going through the various parts of the city grounds. We learned that the gold knobs on the red doors signified the lucky number 9, as most of the doors had 9 rows across and 9 rows top to bottom. Also, there are apparently 9,999 rooms in the FC.
We visited the small jewelry museum (lots of beautiful jade) and then headed out the north end of the City, probably spending 4 hours total.
By this time, we were hungry for lunch, so Violet took us to a place for a hot pot lunch. The card I have reads “Beijing Full Blessing Catering” 38 Dianmennei Street. Across the street, according to Violet, was another hot pot restaurant that busloads of tourists go to. Most tourists apparently missed the restaurant we dined in. Each table had a steaming hot pot with a spicy broth, depending on how spicy you like your food. We ordered lamb, beef, cabbage, straw-like mushrooms, and celery leaves. I like spicy food, but ordered mine mild. It was certainly mild but after several bites of food, the heat kicked in. Reenie and I enjoyed our lunch (226 RMB for 3 of us).
Reenie wanted to buy some bulk silk, so we took a taxi to the silk market. She shopped around, as there were many stalls and she wanted a particular color and thickness of material. She bargained and purchased some. She also bought a watch, but Violet said she paid too much. I agreed! I looked around but wasn’t in the mood for shopping. Too much to see in Beijing and I’m not a shopper anyway, except get me in an Italian ceramic shop and I go crazy!
After a short rest at our hotel, we walked to the Wangfujing night market. Wow! I loved seeing all the various foods and bugs. There were probably 30 food vendors, most selling the same items. Since we had a large lunch, I dined on some of the street food, to include some skewered meats (lamb) and a crepe that was filled with cabbage, vegetables, sliced meat and some hot sauce. Reenie wasn’t ready to try the foods but did have some fried ice cream.
Nearby on the pedestrian area of Wangfujing, we shopped a little before heading back to the hotel.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Beijing - Arrived safe and sound
My cousin Reenie and I arrived safely in Beijing. We flew on United Airlines from Dulles International. The flight was loooong but we managed well. We did have lots of turbulence over Canada. We saw lots of ice-covered land, especially over the Queen Elizabeth Islands and Siberia. And the mountains were beautiful with jagged edges. We crossed over Mongolia before heading south into Beijing.
Landing, going through customs, and getting a taxi was very easy. We both took money out of the ATM machine outside the exit area. There are two official taxi lines. As warned by fellow travelers, a man did walk up to us while still inside the terminal asking if we needed a taxi. I knew best and headed to the official stand. It took about 20 minutes to get to our hotel. The traffic was very light. I had read about the aggressive taxi drivers, but not ours. Our seatbelts didn't work but I actually felt comfortable with his driving. Along the highway into the city there were many potted planters with various flowers. We didn’t know if they were from the Olympics or if flowers are there for most of the year.
The taxi driver had to stop to ask for directions to our hotel, while I kept trying to tell him it was next to the Regent. He called the hotel and we were at the door the next minute. We paid 84RMB for the drive, which I knew was more expensive than the express train/subway, but after a long day in the air, we wanted no other mode of transportation. It was nice having door-to-door service.
Check in at the Park Plaza Wangfujing hotel was fast and we were upgraded to an executive room with the club benefits (breakfast, cocktails in the evening and use of the computer!) Our room, #1506, was quite nice with two double beds, desk, tv., decent sized bathroom; chair and coffee table; and amenities (slippers, robe, 2 bottles of water daily). The service was great at the Plaza. Every employee we encountered was friendly and always with a smile. The location of the hotel is great: a subway is located next to the hotel and the Wangfujing night market is only a 10-minute walk away. Breakfast was just “ok” – not enough of Chinese foods and they always put out American sausages. Got tired of that. Evenings they had wine and hard liquor, but we enjoyed the white wine. Most evenings we would have a drink or two while I got on the computer; followed by dinner out.
Our first day was beautiful. Blue skies, with a slight haze, but nothing compared to what I saw on t.v. before and during the Olympics. The weather report called for the same sunny days and temps in the low 70s.
For dinner, I asked at the concierge desk for a recommendation for a light dinner, as Reenie wasn't that hungry. We were given a restaurant business card and one of the employees walked us outside and pointed us in the right direction (out the back entrance and to the left, crossing over a main street and down 2 blocks or so, restaurant is on the left). I wasn't sure if we were going to find the place since only Chinese characters were on the card and it took a while for the employees to figure out the directions.
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The restaurant was a dumpling place (Shun Yi Fu Dumpling restaurant, 36-3 Gan Yu Avenue Eastern District, Beijing, Beside South of the WgFuJing Church) and the place was packed. In fact, it was the only place that was full on this particular street. There were probably 5-6 other small restaurants. We didn't have to wait, as 2 people just left their table. Three young waitresses brought out plates of steamed and fried dumplings. Some of the diners had various types of soups, vegetables, and other dishes. It all looked great! We ordered a small plate of pickled vegetables (daikon, cabbage and carrots), which was slightly spicy (5 RMB) along with a plate of fried dumplings stuffed with cabbage and pork (15 dumplings for 25 RMB). The cabbage had the taste of spinach. They were delicious and filling. With 2 bottles of water our dinner was 35 RMB. What a delicious, yet inexpensive dinner for our first night in China.
We didn't get to the night market, as we walked in the wrong direction but we did see a lot of activity in the area. Many shops were open and we even checked out a teashop. After picking up a couple of bottles of water for the room, we walked back.
My first impression of Beijing: Alive, vibrant, fast-paced and wow, those drivers are all over the street. I can’t imagine riding bikes in the city in between the cars, but the Chinese do it so easily.
Landing, going through customs, and getting a taxi was very easy. We both took money out of the ATM machine outside the exit area. There are two official taxi lines. As warned by fellow travelers, a man did walk up to us while still inside the terminal asking if we needed a taxi. I knew best and headed to the official stand. It took about 20 minutes to get to our hotel. The traffic was very light. I had read about the aggressive taxi drivers, but not ours. Our seatbelts didn't work but I actually felt comfortable with his driving. Along the highway into the city there were many potted planters with various flowers. We didn’t know if they were from the Olympics or if flowers are there for most of the year.
The taxi driver had to stop to ask for directions to our hotel, while I kept trying to tell him it was next to the Regent. He called the hotel and we were at the door the next minute. We paid 84RMB for the drive, which I knew was more expensive than the express train/subway, but after a long day in the air, we wanted no other mode of transportation. It was nice having door-to-door service.
Check in at the Park Plaza Wangfujing hotel was fast and we were upgraded to an executive room with the club benefits (breakfast, cocktails in the evening and use of the computer!) Our room, #1506, was quite nice with two double beds, desk, tv., decent sized bathroom; chair and coffee table; and amenities (slippers, robe, 2 bottles of water daily). The service was great at the Plaza. Every employee we encountered was friendly and always with a smile. The location of the hotel is great: a subway is located next to the hotel and the Wangfujing night market is only a 10-minute walk away. Breakfast was just “ok” – not enough of Chinese foods and they always put out American sausages. Got tired of that. Evenings they had wine and hard liquor, but we enjoyed the white wine. Most evenings we would have a drink or two while I got on the computer; followed by dinner out.
Our first day was beautiful. Blue skies, with a slight haze, but nothing compared to what I saw on t.v. before and during the Olympics. The weather report called for the same sunny days and temps in the low 70s.
For dinner, I asked at the concierge desk for a recommendation for a light dinner, as Reenie wasn't that hungry. We were given a restaurant business card and one of the employees walked us outside and pointed us in the right direction (out the back entrance and to the left, crossing over a main street and down 2 blocks or so, restaurant is on the left). I wasn't sure if we were going to find the place since only Chinese characters were on the card and it took a while for the employees to figure out the directions.
.JPG)
The restaurant was a dumpling place (Shun Yi Fu Dumpling restaurant, 36-3 Gan Yu Avenue Eastern District, Beijing, Beside South of the WgFuJing Church) and the place was packed. In fact, it was the only place that was full on this particular street. There were probably 5-6 other small restaurants. We didn't have to wait, as 2 people just left their table. Three young waitresses brought out plates of steamed and fried dumplings. Some of the diners had various types of soups, vegetables, and other dishes. It all looked great! We ordered a small plate of pickled vegetables (daikon, cabbage and carrots), which was slightly spicy (5 RMB) along with a plate of fried dumplings stuffed with cabbage and pork (15 dumplings for 25 RMB). The cabbage had the taste of spinach. They were delicious and filling. With 2 bottles of water our dinner was 35 RMB. What a delicious, yet inexpensive dinner for our first night in China.We didn't get to the night market, as we walked in the wrong direction but we did see a lot of activity in the area. Many shops were open and we even checked out a teashop. After picking up a couple of bottles of water for the room, we walked back.
My first impression of Beijing: Alive, vibrant, fast-paced and wow, those drivers are all over the street. I can’t imagine riding bikes in the city in between the cars, but the Chinese do it so easily.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Heading to China soon!
My cousin Reenie and I will be flying to China on October 9th. We're both pretty excited, as this trip has been in the works for over a year.
This is our itinerary:
Beijing - 10 - 15 October
Shanghai - 15 - 19 October
Hangzhou - 19-21 October
Xian - 21-23 October
Chengdu - 23-26 October
Yangshuo - 26 - 30 October
Hong Kong - 30 October - 3 November
I have our hotels booked, got my visa, and the only thing I have left to do is buy one inter-China flight ticket and the flight to Hong Kong. I'll do this when I get to Beijing.
I have a few guides that I have hired along the way but overall, we'll be on our own!
I hope to be blogging during our trip, so stay tuned!
I have lots of memory cards for my Nikon D80, so I'm sure I'll come home with tons of photos to share! You'll be able to see them on my photography page.
Monica
This is our itinerary:
Beijing - 10 - 15 October
Shanghai - 15 - 19 October
Hangzhou - 19-21 October
Xian - 21-23 October
Chengdu - 23-26 October
Yangshuo - 26 - 30 October
Hong Kong - 30 October - 3 November
I have our hotels booked, got my visa, and the only thing I have left to do is buy one inter-China flight ticket and the flight to Hong Kong. I'll do this when I get to Beijing.
I have a few guides that I have hired along the way but overall, we'll be on our own!
I hope to be blogging during our trip, so stay tuned!
I have lots of memory cards for my Nikon D80, so I'm sure I'll come home with tons of photos to share! You'll be able to see them on my photography page.
Monica
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Fall Grapes
Today Tony and I took a drive near Leesburg, VA. Near the Tarara vineyards were these rows of full-grown grapes. You can see the rest on my photo site.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Old Town Alexandria VA Arts Festival
Louisa, Beth and I met up in Old Town Alexandria, VA, for the annual Arts Festival. Here are a few photos of the festival and area around the town. There were many artists from around the USA, including TN, FL, and AL. Lots of interesting photos, pottery, jewelery, and other types of crafts. The festival is free and there was lots to to see.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Deerfield, MA (June 2008)
Tony and I spent a few nights in Deerfield, MA, where my 99-year-old grandmother still lives alone. She's quite amazing! Mom was there too visiting from Florida and other MA relatives joined in for a small family reunion.These are a few photos from the trip. You can see the rest on my photography web site (click on "Family" gallery). http://www.pileggiphotography.com/.
Monica
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Escape to New York City: A 3-Night Trip.
A short trip to New York City was quickly planned when I found out that Tony got four days off in a row that included weekend days. We haven’t been to NYC since January 2003 and we both felt we were overdue a trip to the Big Apple. Friends Kim and Steve, who moved to Vermont over a year ago from Maryland, would join Tony and me on Sunday morning for two nights, so I knew this would be a fun long weekend.
I quickly researched hotels and restaurants and bought the AAA Spiral guide to NYC. I checked on the various Marriott hotels, as I have a few friends that could provide their “friends and family” discount. I settled on the Courtyard Marriott on East 53rd and 3rd Avenue based on the price and recommendations by fellow Fodorites. Rooms started around $380 plus taxes and with the discount, we paid $239 plus taxes. This was still over my normal budget for hotels, but knowing New York, this was a good price for this hotel category.
I also checked for theatre tickets. I registered with http://www.broadwaybox.com/ and bought tickets for Spamalot!
Saturday, 10 May 2008: Our drive took about five hours from Maryland, which wasn’t too bad despite the 30-minute delay at one point on the highway. I was hoping to get to NYC by about 12:30pm, but we arrived around 2:45pm. Starving for lunch, we quickly checked in, unpacked our clothing, and headed out to Stage Deli for a good meal (Stage Deli, 834 7th Ave, New York 10019 between 53rd & 54th St Phone: 212-245-7850, http://www.stagedeli.com/).
We shared one of their huge triple-decker sandwiches, the “Cindy Adams” - Corned beef, pastrami and swiss cheese. OMG, it was so delicious and quite filling! But we both wish we had ordered just a pastrami sandwich, like we did at Katz’ back in 2003. Tony saw a sign with a photo of a sandwich, which stated, “Be sure to lift with your knees.”
Once stuffed, we headed out to wander around Broadway and
Times Square. We stopped along the way so I could take some photos and stepped inside the M&M store. It’s unbelievable this store (and Hershey’s) does so well with the mass crowds of people buying souvenirs and chocolate. Almost every color imaginable of M&M’s were on display. We walked along 44th street to see where the Shubert theatre was located. Next door two actors from Mama Mia were signing autographs. The area was crowded with tourists holding their pocket cameras up to the flashing neon signs. What a sight even in broad daylight.
We continued on towards Macy’s on 34th street, got a peek of the Empire State building and took a break at Herald Square for half an hour. Tony’s knees are shot and he’ll be having knee replacement (both knees!) this fall, so the break was timely for him. We stopped at a Pax wholesome foods store for a drink and then headed north. We enjoyed watching a group of men playing bocce ball while sitting at Bryant Park before heading back to the hotel, stopping along the way to pick up a bottle of wine for the room.
Speaking of the room: We were given a corner room, #2201, which had a wonderful view of the top portion of the Chrysler building. Our room consisted of two queen beds, a sitting area with a pull-out sofa and table, a dresser and desk with a large t.v. Lots of floor space. The bathroom was quite nice too with ample counter top space. As usual for most hotels, the lighting in the bathroom could have been brighter.
Since we had a huge lunch, we went to a pub for snacks: Pig N’ Whistle, 922 Third Avenue NY, NY 10022, Phone: 212-688-4646, http://www.pignwhistlets.com/. I had an order of buffalo wings, but they were drenched in so much BBQ sauce that I had to scrape off. I liked them but they were not authentic buffalo wings. Tony on the other hand had to turn his soup away, as he almost swallowed a long stringy piece of brillo. His appetite died right that second. With apologies from the manager, we paid for just our drinks.
Sunday 11 May 2008: The phone rang at 7:45am. We were expecting Kim and Steve to arrive around 8:30am, but being a Sunday and carrying only carry-on luggage, they were able to grab a taxi and get to the hotel within ½ hour of arrival.
We were all hungry for breakfast, so we walked on over to Carnegi Deli (http://www.carnegiedeli.com/) 854 7th Ave, 212-757-9889. It was about a 15 minute walk to 7th Avenue. Kim and I both ordered the nova lox and bagels, while the guys ordered eggs for breakfast. The portions are huge and I would have been fine with half of my breakfast. It was to see what the other diners ordered, as most waiters came out with huge sandwiches. Looking at the pastrami sandwiches, Tony and I knew we would be returning for another lunch!
I had a coupon to use at the Adorama (photography) store, so we took the subway to 18th street. I purchased a spare battery for my Nikon D80, a camera bag, and a camera strap that has a nice padding for the shoulder. Next time I plan to visit B&H Photo. We continued on to Washington Square and sat for about 20 minutes or so. Many people with out with their children. Most of the park has been torn up and is being refurbished.
The rest of the day was spent visiting the various galleries and shops in and around SoHo. There were lots of people with their art work out on the sidewalks. After a walk along canal street (what a zoo) and up Mulberry street to Spring Street, we had pizza for lunch at Lombardi’s (http://www.firstpizza.com/, 32 Spring St, New York - (212) 941-7994) – a large thin crust
pizza with sausage, pancetta and olives. It was very good! Oh, when we walked the restaurant and I gave my name to the host, he stated it would be a 10-minute wait. Fine, so we walked to the bar to get a drink and not even a minute passed by that we were told our table was ready. The host could see the surprise on our faces, to which he stated, “It’s a New York 10-minutes.”
Eight tired feet, so we took the Spring station subway the back to our hotel to rest before the theatre.
At the corner from out hotel is a subway stop, so we met at 6pm in the lobby and caught the E train to 42nd Street and within a couple of blocks we were at the Shubert theatre. The temperature had dropped, so I was glad I brought a second, heavier jacket for the evenings. After a round of expensive drinks at the bar, the show started promptly at 7pm. Our seats were just fine: orchestra, left side, row N, seats 11-17. Any further to the left and we would have missed part of the scenes. Spamalot was a hoot! We laughed our heads off. Now I need to go out and buy the movie, as it’s been many years since I’ve seen it.
The show ended about 9:10pm, so we headed west on 44th to our restaurant, Etcetera, Etcetera (http://www.etcrestaurant.com/, 352 W 44th St, 212-399-4141). The restaurant is decorated in a contemporary design in blues, greys, and orange colors, with recessed lights, which, surprisingly I liked. As you enter the restaurant, the bar catches your eye, as all of the liquor bottles are backlit along one wall on several shelves. Along that same wall are tables, which are set close together…a little too close in my opinion. In fact, when I returned from the restroom and squeezed by to get to my chair, I actually pulled the tablecloth from the next table and a couple of the dishes and utensils crashed to the floor. The tables along the wall seats about 30 people, while the other tables in the middle of the room seats about 20. When we arrived, we were immediately seated. The restaurant was only 1/3rd full. In reading reviews of this restaurant, several others stated the place could be very noisy. Being only 1/3rd full, it wasn’t noisy at all. The waiters were attentive and kept our wine glasses filled. We ended up ordering 3 bottles of wine. After taking our order, we were given fresh-baked foccacia and semolina bread, along with a delicious olive tapenade. We even asked for a second serving of the tapenade. I started with the grilled baby octopus (5) served with fennel, bell peppers, green asparagus and citrus. The flavors of the citrus dressing went well with the octopus and vegetables. For my entrée, I had the pappardelle w/rabbit ragout. The dish was not overly rich, but I couldn’t finish it. The pasta was perfectly cooked and the rabbit quite tender. Tony had the selection of sliced
Italian cured meats (almost a meal in itself) followed by the excellent grilled skirt steak with sautéed spinach in garlic and olive oil. He also ordered a side dish of eggplant parmesan, which he said was the best he had in a restaurant. Other dishes that were served: Parma prosciutto over melon w/grilled dates wrapped in pancetta; a puff pastry purse with vegetables; Veal, raisin and amaretto filled ravioli; a roasted chicken with a combination of broccoli-rabe and spinach sautéed in garlic and olive oil. Three of us ordered desserts and we were served a small plate of various cookies. The desserts were small but the right size after an excellent meal. Our total bill came to about $325; however, $120 was spent on three bottles of wine. At first I thought the wine was very expensive; however, a glass of wine (and house wine for that matter) in NYC can range from $9 to $15, so dividing the $120, we averaged $8 per glass (five 5-ounce glasses to a bottle); and about $50 per person for the food. All in all, it was a wonderful evening in a great restaurant. I would recommend this place to those that want to dine post-theatre (only a 5 minute walk from the Shubert theatre) or anytime – just be sure to make reservations. I used this http://opentable.com/ web site for my reservations.
I quickly researched hotels and restaurants and bought the AAA Spiral guide to NYC. I checked on the various Marriott hotels, as I have a few friends that could provide their “friends and family” discount. I settled on the Courtyard Marriott on East 53rd and 3rd Avenue based on the price and recommendations by fellow Fodorites. Rooms started around $380 plus taxes and with the discount, we paid $239 plus taxes. This was still over my normal budget for hotels, but knowing New York, this was a good price for this hotel category.
I also checked for theatre tickets. I registered with http://www.broadwaybox.com/ and bought tickets for Spamalot!
Saturday, 10 May 2008: Our drive took about five hours from Maryland, which wasn’t too bad despite the 30-minute delay at one point on the highway. I was hoping to get to NYC by about 12:30pm, but we arrived around 2:45pm. Starving for lunch, we quickly checked in, unpacked our clothing, and headed out to Stage Deli for a good meal (Stage Deli, 834 7th Ave, New York 10019 between 53rd & 54th St Phone: 212-245-7850, http://www.stagedeli.com/).
We shared one of their huge triple-decker sandwiches, the “Cindy Adams” - Corned beef, pastrami and swiss cheese. OMG, it was so delicious and quite filling! But we both wish we had ordered just a pastrami sandwich, like we did at Katz’ back in 2003. Tony saw a sign with a photo of a sandwich, which stated, “Be sure to lift with your knees.”Once stuffed, we headed out to wander around Broadway and
Times Square. We stopped along the way so I could take some photos and stepped inside the M&M store. It’s unbelievable this store (and Hershey’s) does so well with the mass crowds of people buying souvenirs and chocolate. Almost every color imaginable of M&M’s were on display. We walked along 44th street to see where the Shubert theatre was located. Next door two actors from Mama Mia were signing autographs. The area was crowded with tourists holding their pocket cameras up to the flashing neon signs. What a sight even in broad daylight.We continued on towards Macy’s on 34th street, got a peek of the Empire State building and took a break at Herald Square for half an hour. Tony’s knees are shot and he’ll be having knee replacement (both knees!) this fall, so the break was timely for him. We stopped at a Pax wholesome foods store for a drink and then headed north. We enjoyed watching a group of men playing bocce ball while sitting at Bryant Park before heading back to the hotel, stopping along the way to pick up a bottle of wine for the room.
Speaking of the room: We were given a corner room, #2201, which had a wonderful view of the top portion of the Chrysler building. Our room consisted of two queen beds, a sitting area with a pull-out sofa and table, a dresser and desk with a large t.v. Lots of floor space. The bathroom was quite nice too with ample counter top space. As usual for most hotels, the lighting in the bathroom could have been brighter.Since we had a huge lunch, we went to a pub for snacks: Pig N’ Whistle, 922 Third Avenue NY, NY 10022, Phone: 212-688-4646, http://www.pignwhistlets.com/. I had an order of buffalo wings, but they were drenched in so much BBQ sauce that I had to scrape off. I liked them but they were not authentic buffalo wings. Tony on the other hand had to turn his soup away, as he almost swallowed a long stringy piece of brillo. His appetite died right that second. With apologies from the manager, we paid for just our drinks.
Sunday 11 May 2008: The phone rang at 7:45am. We were expecting Kim and Steve to arrive around 8:30am, but being a Sunday and carrying only carry-on luggage, they were able to grab a taxi and get to the hotel within ½ hour of arrival.
We were all hungry for breakfast, so we walked on over to Carnegi Deli (http://www.carnegiedeli.com/) 854 7th Ave, 212-757-9889. It was about a 15 minute walk to 7th Avenue. Kim and I both ordered the nova lox and bagels, while the guys ordered eggs for breakfast. The portions are huge and I would have been fine with half of my breakfast. It was to see what the other diners ordered, as most waiters came out with huge sandwiches. Looking at the pastrami sandwiches, Tony and I knew we would be returning for another lunch!
I had a coupon to use at the Adorama (photography) store, so we took the subway to 18th street. I purchased a spare battery for my Nikon D80, a camera bag, and a camera strap that has a nice padding for the shoulder. Next time I plan to visit B&H Photo. We continued on to Washington Square and sat for about 20 minutes or so. Many people with out with their children. Most of the park has been torn up and is being refurbished.
The rest of the day was spent visiting the various galleries and shops in and around SoHo. There were lots of people with their art work out on the sidewalks. After a walk along canal street (what a zoo) and up Mulberry street to Spring Street, we had pizza for lunch at Lombardi’s (http://www.firstpizza.com/, 32 Spring St, New York - (212) 941-7994) – a large thin crust
pizza with sausage, pancetta and olives. It was very good! Oh, when we walked the restaurant and I gave my name to the host, he stated it would be a 10-minute wait. Fine, so we walked to the bar to get a drink and not even a minute passed by that we were told our table was ready. The host could see the surprise on our faces, to which he stated, “It’s a New York 10-minutes.”Eight tired feet, so we took the Spring station subway the back to our hotel to rest before the theatre.
At the corner from out hotel is a subway stop, so we met at 6pm in the lobby and caught the E train to 42nd Street and within a couple of blocks we were at the Shubert theatre. The temperature had dropped, so I was glad I brought a second, heavier jacket for the evenings. After a round of expensive drinks at the bar, the show started promptly at 7pm. Our seats were just fine: orchestra, left side, row N, seats 11-17. Any further to the left and we would have missed part of the scenes. Spamalot was a hoot! We laughed our heads off. Now I need to go out and buy the movie, as it’s been many years since I’ve seen it.
The show ended about 9:10pm, so we headed west on 44th to our restaurant, Etcetera, Etcetera (http://www.etcrestaurant.com/, 352 W 44th St, 212-399-4141). The restaurant is decorated in a contemporary design in blues, greys, and orange colors, with recessed lights, which, surprisingly I liked. As you enter the restaurant, the bar catches your eye, as all of the liquor bottles are backlit along one wall on several shelves. Along that same wall are tables, which are set close together…a little too close in my opinion. In fact, when I returned from the restroom and squeezed by to get to my chair, I actually pulled the tablecloth from the next table and a couple of the dishes and utensils crashed to the floor. The tables along the wall seats about 30 people, while the other tables in the middle of the room seats about 20. When we arrived, we were immediately seated. The restaurant was only 1/3rd full. In reading reviews of this restaurant, several others stated the place could be very noisy. Being only 1/3rd full, it wasn’t noisy at all. The waiters were attentive and kept our wine glasses filled. We ended up ordering 3 bottles of wine. After taking our order, we were given fresh-baked foccacia and semolina bread, along with a delicious olive tapenade. We even asked for a second serving of the tapenade. I started with the grilled baby octopus (5) served with fennel, bell peppers, green asparagus and citrus. The flavors of the citrus dressing went well with the octopus and vegetables. For my entrée, I had the pappardelle w/rabbit ragout. The dish was not overly rich, but I couldn’t finish it. The pasta was perfectly cooked and the rabbit quite tender. Tony had the selection of sliced
Italian cured meats (almost a meal in itself) followed by the excellent grilled skirt steak with sautéed spinach in garlic and olive oil. He also ordered a side dish of eggplant parmesan, which he said was the best he had in a restaurant. Other dishes that were served: Parma prosciutto over melon w/grilled dates wrapped in pancetta; a puff pastry purse with vegetables; Veal, raisin and amaretto filled ravioli; a roasted chicken with a combination of broccoli-rabe and spinach sautéed in garlic and olive oil. Three of us ordered desserts and we were served a small plate of various cookies. The desserts were small but the right size after an excellent meal. Our total bill came to about $325; however, $120 was spent on three bottles of wine. At first I thought the wine was very expensive; however, a glass of wine (and house wine for that matter) in NYC can range from $9 to $15, so dividing the $120, we averaged $8 per glass (five 5-ounce glasses to a bottle); and about $50 per person for the food. All in all, it was a wonderful evening in a great restaurant. I would recommend this place to those that want to dine post-theatre (only a 5 minute walk from the Shubert theatre) or anytime – just be sure to make reservations. I used this http://opentable.com/ web site for my reservations. 
After dinner and some night photography on Broadway, we grabbed a cab back to our hotel for the night. The taxi ride was slightly less expensive than our tickets on the subway (you can buy four for $7, rather than the $2 single tickets).
Monday, 12 May 2008: Rainy, cold, windy. What a miserable morning! We knew we would encounter not-so-perfect weather, so we decided to hit a couple of museums. After breakfast at Madison Restaurant (965 1st Ave, corner of E. 53rd, 212-421-0948, http://madison1.com/), which was recommended by the concierge at our hotel (good choice!), we took the subway up to 77th street and walked over to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Monday, 12 May 2008: Rainy, cold, windy. What a miserable morning! We knew we would encounter not-so-perfect weather, so we decided to hit a couple of museums. After breakfast at Madison Restaurant (965 1st Ave, corner of E. 53rd, 212-421-0948, http://madison1.com/), which was recommended by the concierge at our hotel (good choice!), we took the subway up to 77th street and walked over to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Upon arrival, we saw at least two dozen people standing outside the doorway. The museum was closed! None of us thought that any of the museums would be closed. It never crossed our minds to check the guidebook. The museums in D.C. are open every day. So, I pulled out my guidebook to see what was open. We selected the natural history museum, across central park. It was a 10-minute walk across the park. Kids were in their rain gear enjoying their day. Not us. It was cold! I also had one soaking wet sock. I found a small crack at the bottom of my shoe that allowed water to get in. I bought these shoes just a few months ago!
I think we all agreed we chose the wrong museum. There were screaming kids everywhere! And the layout of the museum just didn’t flow smoothly. I think we were getting tired of being cold and wet and disappointed in not getting into the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which we would have preferred. We did enjoy the planetarium – Tony said he fell asleep for a few minutes and Steve was ready for another go-around in the theatre so he could take a nap.
Deciding we had enough, we grabbed a cab back to the hotel. Kim was having foot problems and wanted to take a break. She did want to go to the Museum of Modern Art and Steve wanted to see the Dakota building, but we all agreed it was time for a break.
I had called fodorite friend ekscrunchy to join us for drinks and dinner, so Tony and I headed out to get another bottle of wine. It had stopped raining, so we took a long walk up 3rd avenue, over to 5th avenue, and down again, circling around the area back to the wine store on 54th. I loved seeing the window displays, including the Louis Vuitton store, and of course Tiffany’s. We noticed that the Trump name was removed above the door of the trump tower (not the bigger name above it) – has it been sold? We stopped by a fast-food soup place, which I enjoyed a small bowl of split pea soup and Tony had a vegetable/pasta soup. It was quite appropriate for this cold day.
Ekscrunchy arrived at our hotel at 5:30pm, as she lives near the hotel. Kim and Steve arrived shortly thereafter. We enjoyed the wine and conversation. Ekscrunchy didn’t want to join us for dinner, but we promised each other we would keep in touch via phone or email. She knows I’m going to China in October and has given good trip advice.
The four of us took a taxi down to 32nd street and walked over to Korea town for dinner. The taxi driver was driving as if he were in a Steve McQueen movie! What a ride! I had called Kum Gang San restaurant, which is a 24-hour establishment (49 West 32nd Street, 212-967-0909, http://www.kumgangsan.net/) while at breakfast to make reservations. We were seated upstairs. It was on the warm side due to the table grills and being on the upper level of the restaurant. There’s a large grotto along one wall with a white grand piano sitting on top. Strange.
The food was excellent. We started with a couple of appetizers, sushi and dumplings, along with the customary plates of Korean picked and marinated vegetables: mild and hot kimchee (the hot was tasted mild to Tony and me), bean sprouts, spinach, tofu, etc. The waitress grilled our bulgogi and kal bi beef, which we really enjoyed wrapping in lettuce leaves and sauce. For dessert, we were given a plate of watermelon and slices of oranges, which was quite refreshing.
Outside, it felt warmer than our wet and cold morning. We walked all the way up Broadway for dessert at Stage Deli – cheesecake!!! The four of us split one strawberry cheesecake. The menu states each slice serves 2-3 people but it was the right size for the four of us.
A short and fast! taxi ride, probably the brother of the previous driver, and we were back at the hotel in minutes. Tony and Steve had been taking turns paying so Steve took care of this one. Well, apparently he got ripped off and argued with the driver but the driver didn’t budget and Steve just decided the hell with it. Too bad, as I hate to see people get ripped off. (In Naples Italy last year, my friend Mike got ripped off but I dragged him back and demanded his money back, which I got).
One last drink in our room and it was time to say our goodbyes. Kim and Steve had a 9am flight to Vermont, so they were ready for bed.
Tuesday, 13 May 2008: I actually slept in a little this morning. I think I needed it after all of our walking. I opened the curtains to see a perfect blue-sky day! Too bad! I wish we had such a day on Monday. After getting ready and packing our bags, we headed to the lobby to check out and get our car. Valet parking was $45/day. I did find a garage a couple of blocks away but when we arrived on Saturday Tony decided to just have the hotel take care of the car.
Tony and I were hungry for a pastrami sandwich, so we drove over to 7th avenue after a few turns with the one-way streets. Right in front of the restaurant was an empty parking space, so I jumped out and did a take-out order. Back in the car in less than 5 minutes, we were on our way home. Once on the NJ turnpike, we stopped at a service/rest center and had our fabulous pastrami sandwich. The cooks certainly know how to pile on the meat. And they should for $13.95! We were also given two types of pickles. Yum! Great lunch and great ending to our trip to NYC.
Back at home (4pm), we got our dog Lucy from our neighbors. She was happy to see us, but we knew our neighbors took good care of her.
I’m looking forward to returning to NYC soon! I enjoyed the vibrancy of the city and even the honking noise of the drivers. With the exception of the surly waiters at Carnige Deli, I felt the people of NYC were quite welcoming. All of us enjoyed our meals, sightseeing and the theater. It was great spending time with Kim and Steve and I think they enjoyed our company too.
Well, that’s it! I’ll be getting my photos online tonight or tomorrow, so stay tuned!
Monica
PS: Photos are now online. Click Here.
I think we all agreed we chose the wrong museum. There were screaming kids everywhere! And the layout of the museum just didn’t flow smoothly. I think we were getting tired of being cold and wet and disappointed in not getting into the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which we would have preferred. We did enjoy the planetarium – Tony said he fell asleep for a few minutes and Steve was ready for another go-around in the theatre so he could take a nap.
Deciding we had enough, we grabbed a cab back to the hotel. Kim was having foot problems and wanted to take a break. She did want to go to the Museum of Modern Art and Steve wanted to see the Dakota building, but we all agreed it was time for a break.
I had called fodorite friend ekscrunchy to join us for drinks and dinner, so Tony and I headed out to get another bottle of wine. It had stopped raining, so we took a long walk up 3rd avenue, over to 5th avenue, and down again, circling around the area back to the wine store on 54th. I loved seeing the window displays, including the Louis Vuitton store, and of course Tiffany’s. We noticed that the Trump name was removed above the door of the trump tower (not the bigger name above it) – has it been sold? We stopped by a fast-food soup place, which I enjoyed a small bowl of split pea soup and Tony had a vegetable/pasta soup. It was quite appropriate for this cold day.
Ekscrunchy arrived at our hotel at 5:30pm, as she lives near the hotel. Kim and Steve arrived shortly thereafter. We enjoyed the wine and conversation. Ekscrunchy didn’t want to join us for dinner, but we promised each other we would keep in touch via phone or email. She knows I’m going to China in October and has given good trip advice.
The four of us took a taxi down to 32nd street and walked over to Korea town for dinner. The taxi driver was driving as if he were in a Steve McQueen movie! What a ride! I had called Kum Gang San restaurant, which is a 24-hour establishment (49 West 32nd Street, 212-967-0909, http://www.kumgangsan.net/) while at breakfast to make reservations. We were seated upstairs. It was on the warm side due to the table grills and being on the upper level of the restaurant. There’s a large grotto along one wall with a white grand piano sitting on top. Strange.
The food was excellent. We started with a couple of appetizers, sushi and dumplings, along with the customary plates of Korean picked and marinated vegetables: mild and hot kimchee (the hot was tasted mild to Tony and me), bean sprouts, spinach, tofu, etc. The waitress grilled our bulgogi and kal bi beef, which we really enjoyed wrapping in lettuce leaves and sauce. For dessert, we were given a plate of watermelon and slices of oranges, which was quite refreshing.
Outside, it felt warmer than our wet and cold morning. We walked all the way up Broadway for dessert at Stage Deli – cheesecake!!! The four of us split one strawberry cheesecake. The menu states each slice serves 2-3 people but it was the right size for the four of us.
A short and fast! taxi ride, probably the brother of the previous driver, and we were back at the hotel in minutes. Tony and Steve had been taking turns paying so Steve took care of this one. Well, apparently he got ripped off and argued with the driver but the driver didn’t budget and Steve just decided the hell with it. Too bad, as I hate to see people get ripped off. (In Naples Italy last year, my friend Mike got ripped off but I dragged him back and demanded his money back, which I got).
One last drink in our room and it was time to say our goodbyes. Kim and Steve had a 9am flight to Vermont, so they were ready for bed.
Tuesday, 13 May 2008: I actually slept in a little this morning. I think I needed it after all of our walking. I opened the curtains to see a perfect blue-sky day! Too bad! I wish we had such a day on Monday. After getting ready and packing our bags, we headed to the lobby to check out and get our car. Valet parking was $45/day. I did find a garage a couple of blocks away but when we arrived on Saturday Tony decided to just have the hotel take care of the car.
Tony and I were hungry for a pastrami sandwich, so we drove over to 7th avenue after a few turns with the one-way streets. Right in front of the restaurant was an empty parking space, so I jumped out and did a take-out order. Back in the car in less than 5 minutes, we were on our way home. Once on the NJ turnpike, we stopped at a service/rest center and had our fabulous pastrami sandwich. The cooks certainly know how to pile on the meat. And they should for $13.95! We were also given two types of pickles. Yum! Great lunch and great ending to our trip to NYC.
Back at home (4pm), we got our dog Lucy from our neighbors. She was happy to see us, but we knew our neighbors took good care of her.
I’m looking forward to returning to NYC soon! I enjoyed the vibrancy of the city and even the honking noise of the drivers. With the exception of the surly waiters at Carnige Deli, I felt the people of NYC were quite welcoming. All of us enjoyed our meals, sightseeing and the theater. It was great spending time with Kim and Steve and I think they enjoyed our company too.
Well, that’s it! I’ll be getting my photos online tonight or tomorrow, so stay tuned!
Monica
PS: Photos are now online. Click Here.
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