Shanghai
Trip Start
Apr 03, 2008
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6
26
Trip End
Jul 02, 2008
Shanghai,
China
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
So since our last entry we took a walk around a Victoria peak that had all but entirly been engulfed by a hughe cloude of what i hope was mist rather than the citys infamous smog, thus meaning the best view we got was a few of the very neerest buildings and one or two solitary lights even come nighttime!
The walk around Victoria peake can be a leisurly strole around the hill, along with what seams like half the population of HK island (if you go on a Sunday) who's idea of a sunday walk includes having music blaring out of thier phones!Howeaver if you take the more adventures path down to the Resavior you may, like us find the amount of extreamly steep steeps isn't realy worth seeing the rather industrial resovir and half way down turn back.
One of the highlights of the vairous walks is going to see the roads of HK's most expensive houses, the crowing glorie of witch is the 'born in the 80's' style 900 milion Hk Dollor house at the edge of the peak. We enjoyed snooping around the fortress like buildings with walls bigger than most modist castles.
monday
We caught the train from HK, it was a fair scrum to get there so we advise arriving on time.Hard sleeper does exactyl what it says on the tin, but was cleen. The compartments have six beds and you would have to be fairly athletic to make it to the top bed, god knows what it is like when its full (there were only 4 in our compartment) going on a weekday was a good idea. Met some nice people.
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One very scary slightly mad lady who looked like she was the matriarck of some tribe somewhere and one HK l;ady who was enjoying praticing her Enlgish.Tuesday
We left HK at 3.15 and arived in Sahanghi 11.15 after 20 hours on the train (very puntual).It was xtreamly easy to get into the country (don't belive the scaremongering) but were acostied by people offering hotels and taxies we made the most of the situation by making one tell us where the nerest cash point was (bank of China over the cross roads to the left for all you travlers). We got the metro to find our Hostel. It is easy to use except for two imortant issues. Firstly, so industrious are the Shanghinees that already the Lony Plannet is out of date- 4 extra lines have been built and some of the stations are diffrent so head to the tourist info in the square at the bottom of Nanjing rd. for an upto date map. Second, and i don't know if this was just one place but at East Nanjig station the North South axis is fliped, resulting in us walking exactly the wronge way and being helped by a couple of friendly passers by!
Once we found our way all things were grate, Hostle very easy to find grate location grate rooms, crummy weateher! We went out for dinner at a good place across the street (grate except a bit of wierd staring), and then went to the bar at the top of the hostle, in the shape of a junk! And with one of the best views in Shanghi! Met some other travlers also just come to Shanghi and loveing it!
Wednesday
So we went exploring the streets of Shanghi with the guys we met at the Hostel, first going to Shanghi museam.
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This is free, but you will need to get a ticket from the front desk withc you will need to give to the ticket colecter three steps later! We only did half of it before lunch because there was so much fasinating things. Lunch at a 'vegertarian' resturant, which being a French influenced city served quite alot of meet, (also for French influence see the toilets and the trafic system!) but was grate value and very tasty we also had ordering down this time...a meat dish, veg and and something a bit lighter is the way to do it. After lunch we did alot of wandering around the French consetion, witch is the way to see it - niping down back allys finding hidden gems, like exibition center and the jingan temple and eventualy the bar we stoped at for drinks and dinner, called Blis bar. From the outside this place dostent look like much in amongst the rambling ranshackel French concession but inside is a glossy 60's influenced interior with tasty food and a cheep (by UK standerds) Happy few hours.Walked back to the hostle through the rest of the French consettion, past more cloths shopes than i have ever seen in my life, and past the Bund. Pudong certainly looked grate at night although The Bund wasn't particularly well lit. We went back to the Hostle where the sandman caught up with Kate and I went fro drinks (or drink as that was all i could afford) with our new trevling friendsI Went to House of blues and jazz, right across the road from the Hostle. It was extreamly posh so we hovered by the door, only to be warmly welcomed by a southen states bluse singer who shock our hands and braught us in. The owner was also particularly friendly. A clasy Shanghi man who told us he moved the bar from it perivous location (as stated in the lonley plannet) but could not get a live music permit yet. He was also a comnedian who had just performed at an Austrailen festival with an ack involving Peking Opra! - he also told me they made a very nice PimsI
Comments
Hallo from Corsley
He Kate and Alison So interesting to hear about the journey HK to Shanghai and your walks around the city. It all sounds so different from when we were there. Hope you enjoy the rest of your time there and have fun - you sound as if you are having a great time. G&G xxxx
hoo
So glad to read your travelling blog.
Have a good time in Shanghai.
Re: hoo
by Kenny