Shanghai on foot: The Bund, Lujiazui, and Nanjing

The running club gathered for an invigorating run along the Bund our second morning in Shanghai. Like in Hong Kong, we passed a few groups practicing Tai Chi. Jogging along the promenade afforded us inspiring views of the Huangpu River, the Bund, and the Lujiazui skyscrapers to the east. The Huangpu arcs through the heart of Shanghai, separating the older European architecture, aka the Bund, from the sparkling new cityscape. Contrast the 1994 photo from the skyline of today.

The Bund:

The morning held more excitement in store: a care package awaited us at our cabin when we returned from our run. My little sis Molly mailed us a bundle of love across the ocean that included cards, magazines, her homemade coconut-maple granola, and little presents for the kids. We spread all the treasures out on the bed as the kids shrieked in delight. Talk about feeling so loved… Thanks again, Molls!

Since we’d seen so much on the jam-packed city orientation the day before, we didn’t have an ambitious itinerary for our second and third days in Shanghai. The ship was berthed conveniently near the Bund so we planned to explore on foot. After baking in the heat and humidity, and then cool rain in Hong Kong, we reveled in the balmy spring weather.

On the way to the Bund we noticed all the laundry hanging out from apartments. I remembered how our guide Ying had informed us that everyday is laundry day in Shanghai. They like to wash a few clothes at a time, then let them dry in the outside air.

Meandering along the promenade, we stopped in a museum at the base of the People’s Heroes Cenotaph. The three tall columns symbolize the three wars. Vivian (literally) got the whistle blown at her by a guard when she stood on top of a bench near the cenotaph. We noticed lots of police and security everywhere in Shanghai: museums, crosswalks, banks, street corners, and the promenade. It was a little intimidating at first. I didn’t dare attempt a photo of them!

It soon became evident what a novelty we were. Everyone stared. Blatantly. The kids especially drew attention- a few people touched their heads. And don’t think it’s because we were taking ridiculous amounts of photos. We saw more amateur photographers like ourselves in Hong Kong and Shanghai than we have in all the other countries combined. Shanghai seemed to have masses of tourists, but they were all Asian.

While eating our picnic on the promenade, a tourist group was video recording and taking photos. Then we noticed the videographer had turned the camera on us so we gave a friendly wave. In the next instant, about 20 Chinese women dashed over and gathered around us, mugging it up for the camera. William, already in a foul mood because he didn’t like his sandwich, shrunk up like a pill bug: head under hood, face buried in his lap. The ladies next to him kept tapping him on the shoulder, trying to convince him to lift his head, but they had no idea how stubborn he can be!

 The paparazzi moment ended as quickly as it began, but about 15 minutes later we had another one. This time a man snapped a few photographs of Vivian and me as we finished our lunch. We gave him a cheesy pose. Needless, to say, I probably deserved to have the tables turned after all the people I’ve photographed on this voyage!

To cross the river to Lujiazui from the Bund the only option is the underground “sightseeing tunnel.” There’s no sightseeing to be done, as it’s underground, but it’s clearly aimed at tourists from the price. We rode in a slow moving tram through a sci-fi light show and “meteor showers.”

Exiting the tunnel positioned us perfectly at the Oriental Pearl Tower, the second tallest building in all of Asia. Even taller than the Eiffel Tower! We bought tickets all the way to the top, which actually gave us three viewing opportunities. This metropolis of 20 million people became comprehensible from the Pearl Tower as the city unfurls for miles – as far as our eyes could see.

The open square at the top of the World Financial represents feng shui; our guide from yesterday, Ying, informed us that Shanghai residents were opposed to a circle since that represented Japan. We could see people (the size of ants) walking back and forth on top of the square. Next to it stands the Jin Mao Tower, which we walked to later on that afternoon.

At 259 meters the glass floor rocked our world –what a rush. Squeals of fright reverberated against the glass and those with acrophobia steered clear of the edge. It was quite the vantage point!

We soared up the elevator to the highest level at 350 meters – the “space capsule.”  The view wasn’t any more astonishing, but hey, we made it to the top. Can you spot the MV Explorer below us?

Heading back down took a while due to the lines, and standing in line is not a cultural norm in China. They cut like crazy! We noticed it in the Hong Kong subways, McDonald’s, the coffee shop, and other places. We heard it may be a residual effect from the food rations in China back in the 1970’s. The hungry had to push their way to the front of the line or they wouldn’t get their provisions.

We spent the remainder of the afternoon walking around Lujiazui, and made it to the Jin Mao Tower, although we didn’t go to the top. At dinner we made a deal with the kids: they could eat at McDonald’s if they promised to be patient while Jason and I ate at a grown-up restaurant. This arrangement seemed to work out well for us in China! We were not expecting VIP treatment for dinner, but the servers catered to us like celebrities. Like I mentioned, I don’t think Shanghai sees many American tourists.

Our third day in Shanghai we split up for the first time. Jason and William spent half the day at the mammoth Shanghai Aquarium. I’m not sure how many of the 10,000 fish they saw, but William reported it was “awesome.”

Vivian and I walked down Nanjing Road with Katie, a college student who Vivian adores. Katie has volunteered quite a bit in the dependent kids’ program and I could sing her praises all day long.

 Nanjing, a popular shopping area for the locals, shoots westward off the Bund. While browsing in a store we found a down escalator wedged in the back. Down below a whole other world hummed. It was an underground market with rows of booths selling loads of name-brand purses, sunglasses, jeans, coats, etc. I think they were knock-offs but it all looked real, and all the vendors were ready to deal. It’s a good thing I’d only brought a small amount of cash, or we’d be paying to check another suitcase at the San Diego airport!

Shanghai dazzled at night like Hong Kong, and the lights glittered even more brilliantly, thanks to clear skies and the close proximity of the ship. The river boats were lit up like Christmas trees. Vivian and I love to hang out on deck 7 when the ship departs a port – there’s a real sense of camaraderie as everyone shares their adventures from that country.

As you can conclude from these posts, our time in China pleasantly surprised us on many levels. We sailed for two more days to Taiwan to complete our “speed Asia” tour. Stay tuned!

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Shanghai: Splendid Sights and Sounds

You may as well settle in or come back to this post – it’s gonna be a long one. Consider yourself forewarned!

Probably 80% of the shipboard community traveled overland in China to places like Beijing, Xi’an, and the Great Wall. None of those big trips were an option for our family, so we enjoyed a couple of mellow days sailing to Shanghai from Hong Kong.

Shanghai stands tall as the most developed and modern city in China behind Hong Kong. The population tops the chart at 20 million!! A Jetsons-like cityscape greeted us our first morning, and luckily our cabin faced starboard for a terrific view.

We decided to join the S.A.S. city orientation at the last minute since there were openings and we were able to score a free ticket. It ended up to be a lot of bang for our buck and a fabulous introduction to Shanghai, the most cutting edge metropolis in the People’s Republic of China.

Ying, our 20-something guide, informed us in an engaging and knowledgeable manner on many political and cultural aspects of the city. She joked how the unofficial city bird is the building crane, since construction and development has been nonstop for the past 20 years.

Before we disembarked at our first stop, Ying warned us about the “Hello People”, pesky vendors who swarm tourists, trying to hawk their goods (like watches and little toys) The term she taught us “Bu Yao” (which translates to “I don’t want; no thank you) came in handy – I probably uttered the phrase at least 20 times that first day!

Our first stop was the Old Town Bazaar and Yu Garden, a restored classical Chinese garden. The entire area was ruined during WWII, and rebuilt around 1950.  It’s one of the few places remaining in Shanghai with traditional Chinese architecture.

The mother of this adorable baby and I had a friendly interchange, without speaking the same language, about our children (she was fascinated by William!) Crawling with throngs of Chinese tourist groups, the only English we recognized was the Starbucks sign. Incidentally, we saw about six Starbucks throughout our short stays in Hong Kong and Shanghai!

Yu Garden wowed us with its mingling pavilions and corridors, strategically selected and placed rocks, lotus ponds, bridges, and winding paths. Even the irregular stone floor had a purpose: to massage your feet. It’s believed that a 20 minute foot massage a day keeps the doctor away. Hey, sign me up!

The garden was much larger than I expected. Besides the verdant shrubs and trees, “meeting rooms” housed ancient original furniture from the Ching (14^th-17^th century) and Ming (17^th-20^th century) dynasties.  Jason, Vivian and I are standing next to a 400 year old gingko tree. The kids enjoyed having Kaila and Alex to run around with on this field trip. This was the first time there’d been other young families on the same field trip as us.

Next stop: the Shanghai Museum. It’s the type of museum that requires days to explore, but we surveyed the paintings, jade, furniture, and masks in the allotted hour. Ironically, the museum itself is only 16 years old, but the jade crafts were as old as 4,000 B.C.!

Cruising around Shanghai, Ying pointed out neighborhoods where the communist government has forced residents to move so the apartments could be razed and make room for new development. The government gave the displaced locals new condos. They’re expected to live in their new digs for five years. If they sell it before the five years expire, they’re slapped with a tax. Ying said simply, “They are happier in their new place.”

Just like in Hong Kong, we glimpsed another Nice business!

We ate lunch and dinner at two restaurants that were similar in style (accommodating tourist groups), although the food at lunch tasted more delish. Or maybe it was the novelty of the presentation?  About 10 of us gathered around a table topped with an immense Lazy Susan. I likened this Chinese family style meal to a reverse buffet.

 A small salad plate, rice bowl, and teacup made up each place setting. Over the span of an hour, the servers placed at least 10 different dishes on the lazy susan (a circular tray that manually rotates.) Mandarin chicken, miso soup, steamed rice with egg, fried corn, fresh vegetables (tomatoes, cucumber, cabbage), spring rolls, barbecue pork, kung pao chicken…I better stop before I make you too hungry! At any given moment, someone at the table would spin the lazy susan to their spot and dish up whatever looked interesting. We all stuffed ourselves and there was still food leftover. What a fun and communal way to share a meal! I think I’ll be looking for a lazy susan at a kitchen shop when I get home…

We visited the Jade Buddha Temple, an active temple with approximately 70 resident monks. Buddhism is the main religion in China, followed by Taoism in the rural areas. Although Ying explained that most Shanghai residents in her generation are atheists: “We believe in the Internet,” she quipped.

The fruit you see on the altar is an offering to Buddha. Bright saffron walls framed the temple’s centerpiece: a 2 meter high jewel-encrusted Buddha carved from a single piece of jade. We weren’t allowed to photograph it, but as you can see I snapped just a few other pics!

After touring the temple, we were treated to a tea tasting, which even the kids enjoyed. Everyone sampled three or four teas and used the helpful guide that described the health benefits for each kind. My favorite tea promotes immunity and energy.

Throughout the eventful orientation we rode on the bus for at least five stints. During this time Ying educated us on contemporary China. Her generation are offspring of the only child law, and as a result of being raised as “little emperors”, they resist doing household chores and taking responsibility. Their parents did everything for these onlies growing up and now (especially in Shanghai) they delay getting married and starting a family. When they do, they live near their parents so they can get help. Nowadays if an only child marries another only child, the government permits them to have two children. But it’s not very common.

Ying also explained that boys are no longer the favored gender. Traditionally, families hoped for a boy for three reasons: 1) The son carried on the family name; 2) The son was obligated to take care of his parents; 3) Sons contributed physical help on the farm. This may still be the case in rural areas, but not in Shanghai and other urban centers. In fact, Ying espoused the benefits of a “Shanghai Husband”, a distinctive breed, uncommon in the rest of China. Shanghai wives expect their husbands to cater to their every need and want. “Not a good match if a Shanghai woman marries a Beijing man,” she chuckled.

Soon night had fallen and the time arrived for the highlight of the tour: the acrobatic performance. The Shanghai acrobats are renowned as the best in China. These talented performers get plucked from rural villages (with parents’ permission) at the age of 5 and come to Shanghai to train for years before jumping in the spotlight. For their first two performance years the acrobats turn over their salary to the company (to pay for their training) but then enjoy a lucrative career. By the age of 25 their worn-out bodies need to retire. What do you think of these spectacular stunts in the photos?

Ying led us into a spacious auditorium with ivory walls and scarlet red seats down to the 4^th row. For an hour and a half the acrobats thrilled the audience with gravity-defying feats of balance, strength, and unearthly limberness.

We were all enthralled; the kids kept asking, “How do they do that?!” and I couldn’t help gasping in amazement. It reminded me of a stripped down version of Cirque de Soleil, but with a purist focus on the stunts and no elaborate sets or makeup. Sitting so close allowed us to see the acrobats’ facial expressions and taut muscles. A variety of props, music, and comic relief kept up a swift tempo of the show. We were so entertained – when the 90 minutes came to a close it seemed as if it had just begun.

I just reread this post and that last line strikes close to home. Our voyage is drawing to a close, too, even though it feels like it just began in some ways. Stick with me a little longer – there’s more to come on Shanghai, Taiwan, and Hawaii!

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Hong Kong’s Feng Shui

Feng Shui is an ancient study of the way environment affects people’s well-being. It recognizes there are positive and negative kinds of energy. Throughout our brief stay in Hong Kong, we caught the positive, energetic vibe this lively city emanates.

As Day 2 dawned, the running club gathered at 6:30 a.m. to shake off sleep. We pounded the pavement for the first couple miles then found Kowloon Park. Groups of locals gracefully practiced Tai Chi; it looked like a peaceful way to welcome the day.

The Nice family decided to go for the Big Bus tour of Hong Kong Island, similar to the one we rode in Cape Town, South Africa. The beauty of these tours is three-fold: great views from the top level, freedom to hop and off at sights you’re interested in, and an informative audio guide with head set. It’s also ideal for kids, because they can rest between each stop.

We could have bought our tickets in Kowloon, near the port, and rode the star ferry across the harbor to catch the bus. But we decided to take the MRT (Mass Railway Transit, aka subway) instead since we planned to ride the star ferry back at night. I think we were feeling a bit over-confident after our success the day before. When we emerged to street level, we had no idea where we were. It took a good 30 minutes of following signs (thankfully in English and Cantonese),  reading the map, and asking for help before we figured it out. It probably would have been much simpler to take the star ferry, but where’s the fun if you don’t have to stumble around for your destination?

The weather bestowed heavy clouds and rain that we’re used to in the Northwest, so seeking shelter was another plus for riding the Big Bus. We enjoyed cruising through the heart of downtown and seeing highlights like the convention center(see photo with the big gold sculpture), where Hong Kong was ceremoniously handed over to China from Britain in 1997 (I am not making this term up – they refer to it as the hand over.)

Hordes of skyscrapers packed the urban core and chic business men and women hustled purposefully somewhere important. It reminded me of New York City.

Something I was curious about was large groups of mostly young women hanging out on sidewalks and in covered parking lots just sitting and visiting, eating, passing the time. At first I thought they may have been student tour groups, but that didn’t add up. I later learned they were maids! Just about everyone has a live-in maid in Hong Kong (even some maids employ a maid) and Sunday afternoon is their day off. What we saw is their weekly social outlet.

There was a lot of buzz about heading to Victoria Peak, aka “the peak” for spectacular cityscape views and a peek at some of  the most expensive real estate in Hong Kong. We climbed on the peak tram for a gradient climb steeper than many roller coasters. The bumpy track carved uphill between looming high rises, and the tram (which originated in 1888 – not that we rode on the original!) wobbled to the summit. We anticipated a capstone at the top. Unfortunately, it was anything but.

The Peak Tower was a 7 story anvil-shaped building containing loads of shops, restaurants and cafes. Basically, another mall! And the Peak Galleria flanked the rear with more of the same. I am not joking: Bubba Gump’s, Starbucks, Burger King and Haagen Daazs were among the glut of commercialization at the Peak.

We shouldn’t have been too surprised, as the Peak is Hong Kong’s most popular tourist destination, but we never expected a mall.

Also disappointing was the thick fog and drizzle which shrouded the view. Jason and I sort of chuckled about it, sipped a hot cup of java while the kids gobbled some sweets from the candy store. We crowded back into the tram which clipped back down the peak backwards! Talk about a weird sensation.

It may have been more gratifying to ride one of the cheap, slow, city trams, which resemble the Portland streetcars. I wasn’t familiar enough with the routes to go for it. The tram system began in 1904, and despite the advent of the MRT system in the 1970’s, the trams survive as a viable mode of transportation in a city where only 13% of residents own cars.

Our Big Bus slowed to a stop for several minutes. We soon learned the traffic jam was due to a protest and we glimpsed the police trying to keep order as we lumbered past.

 We drove past St. Mary’s, an Anglican church with traditional Chinese architecture (sorry – that photo seems to have vanished). Hong Kong’s constitution protects the residents’ freedom to worship, unlike communist mainland China. The primary religion is Buddhism, then Islam, Christianity, and Atheism. At the end of the day, I observed this woman exercising her right to free speech, also protected under Hong Kong’s constitution.

Next stop: the world’s longest escalator!

 Built in 1993, this 135 meter long “travelator” slices through SoHo (South of Hollywood Boulevard), a trendy neighborhood of international restaurants  and boutique shops perched along the hill. We met a friendly local who struck up a conversation, offered to take a family photo of us, and then wanted a photo of Jason and the kids with him on his camera. So naturally I asked if he would reciprocate for our camera! He was just one example of the welcoming and helpful people we encountered in Hong Kong.

Once at the top we trekked back down on foot and I longingly glanced at all the cozy-looking eateries that lined the route. Most of them weren’t kid-friendly and edged out of our price range. But it was still fun to window shop!

 On the food note, I regret not finding a place to eat dim sum, which Hong Kong is famous for. If only we’d had some inside information and a bit more time…And too bad we couldn’t have stopped at our family restaurant – the bus blew by this place early on in the tour!

At last it was time to ride the star ferry back to Kowloon. The star ferry’s an integral part of Hong Kong’s transportation heritage that carries about 70,000 people each day. The night ride across Victoria Harbor showcased the bright lights of Hong Island’s skyline.  

We unknowingly timed the evening just right; before we headed up the gangway, we met several SAS people waiting to watch Hong Kong’s nightly 8:00 p.m. light show. What a perfect way to cap off our time in this striking city.

 For 15 electrifying minutes, buildings flashed lights around their outlines and colored lasers splintered the inky sky. My camera’s not advanced enough to quite capture the magic – just take my word for it!

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Hong Kong: “Asia’s World City”

I have to be honest with you, my faithful readers.  I wasn’t excited for Hong Kong. The two days between Vietnam and Hong Kong tossed us the roughest seas, thanks to a forcible storm, of the entire voyage. The kids and I didn’t leave our cabin for 36 hours. I’ll spare you the unpleasant details, but the ship sounded (and felt) like it was crashing over giant boulders. Jason escaped the scourge of seasickness and he reported back that the decks were ghostily quiet. It seemed the majority of the passengers holed up in their cabins, trying to survive. So….not only did I feel wrung out, I hadn’t had the time or ability to prepare for our time in Hong Kong.

Fortunately, Hong Kong opened its friendly and glamorous arms for our two days there and made it easy to love. The ship berthed in Victoria Harbor and the gangway literally led us into a fancy, gigantic mall. It took us over an hour to figure out how to exit.

 We walked through so many malls in two days; just about every subway stop sports a mall. Like Singapore, Hong Kong’s malls are chock-full of lavish stores. I’ve never seen so many fashionistas in my life. According to the Lonely Planet guidebook and the Big Bus tour audio, Hong Kong residents are very concerned with worldly success, and the ability to shop, buy, and wear a prestigious wardrobe is a measure of that success. Yep, I can confirm that: everyone struts their stylish self in Hong Kong.

And…drumroll, please….we found a Starbucks. Man, it felt so comforting to walk in there and inhale that boldly familiar coffee! My caramel macchiato tasted like home on a rainy winter day.

We snagged the obligatory map from the visitor’s center and headed out along the Tsim Sha Tsui promenade. It features the “Avenue of the Stars”, aka Hong Kong’s answer to the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The cooler, overcast weather felt downright refreshing after all the tropical heat and humidity we’ve trudged around in. The lower temps definitely made the kids happier campers, especially William. Can you tell whose hand print Vivian and I are posing with?

Now I need to see the new Karate Kid movie!!

 We ended up at a playground soon enough to scrutinize our map while the kids ran around.

We soon figured out that Hong Kong is divided into four main areas: Hong Kong Island, Kowloon Peninsula, the New Territories, and outlying islands. The ship was docked in Kowloon and we had a direct view to the eminent skyline of Hong Kong Island. The rest of day one we devoted to Kowloon, beginning with the space museum.

Naturally, we compared the Hong Kong Space Museum to the showy Evergreen Space Museum in our hometown of McMinnville, Oregon. They’re very different, beginning with the admission price. It cost our whole family less than $10. The exhibits were smaller, interactive, and more accessible. Plus it made me feel better as the kids’ “ship school” teacher to accomplish their science lesson for the day. Oh, wait a minute – make that their first science lesson since the voyage began!

We hopped on the subway and zoomed to Nathan Road to explore handmade jewelry at the jade market. William loved it so much (not) we rewarded him with dinner at McDonald’s.  Vivian joined him, and we made a deal with the kids to accompany us to a Chinese restaurant. We tried following our noses, but most of the places we tried didn’t list anything in English on their signs. This neighborhood seemed a little crustier and less touristy than the harbor area.

Finally we walked inside one restaurant and simply asked if they had an English menu. Bingo! The hostess nodded and led us upstairs to a booth with a small flat screen TV playing a rugby game. That was a little strange, but William liked it. The servers didn’t speak much English, and the food wasn’t fantastic, however the atmosphere felt authentic, and Jason appreciated the brand of beer they served (Oops, my pic of him holdin up his “Happy” beer turned out to be a video that WordPress won’t let me upload.) It seemed like an average place where average people in the neighborhood like to come eat dinner.

Finally the sun had set and the time had arrived for the Temple Street Night Market. Pulsating with activity, (but no crushing crowds or badgering vendors), we perused the wares at each booth and found a few good deals. Vivian was disappointed that she couldn’t find a ring to fit her petite fingers, but a kind store merchant calligraphied her name in Chinese the next day and that made up for it.

We strolled down Nathan Road, Hong Kong’s version of Times Square, for about a half mile before ducking down to the subway.We were feeling quite confident in our urban-ness using the subway by now! Then we realized we’d walked the opposite direction we’d meant to. No biggie – just a couple extra stops.

 Nathan Road was quite the spectacle of glitzy neon lights. Double decker buses shrieked past on the street and the aroma of fried noodles, chicken, and garlic permeated the night air. A multisensory night walk in the city – I loved it!

Ready for a quick run-down on Hong Kong’s history? I thought you were! Great Britain (who else?) became interested in Hong Kong for trading purposes in the 18^th century when they could bring opium to China, despite bans by the Chinese emperor. In the late 1830’s a commissioner destroyed a half ton of opium. This gave the British the excuse to take military action against China, and they demanded that Hong Kong be ceded “in perpetuity” to the Brits. Hong Kong formally became a British possession in 1842. About 20 years later, they acquired Kowloon and control of Victoria Harbor. And at the end of the 19^th century, China agreed to lease the much larger New Territories to Great Britain for 99 years.

Britain officially handed over greater Hong Kong back to China on June 30, 1997. Mindful of what an economic powerhouse Hong Kong is, the Chinese government allowed a timelime of 50 years(!) before Hong Kong has to assimilate into China. Somehow the “two systems, one country” arrangement works. Hong Kong enjoys its own currency and government, as well as business opportunities and culture. People from mainland China cannot easily become residents there. I can’t really picture how Hong Kong could possibly become part of mainland China in 36 years, but after our 5 days in Hong Kong and Shanghai, I believe China will be a force to be reckoned with. Anything’s possible with these dynamic cities fearlessly blazing the trail.

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