China, Part 5: Happy Birthday to Tim and Sarah...in Shanghai!

Hong Kong was our favorite large city in China (what city isn't?) until we got to Shanghai.  We LOVED Shanghai!  It was international but not too international.  It was modern but had Old Town.  It was swanky but cheap.  We ate fabulous food, especially dumplings!  It was a wonderful place to celebrate Tim's 35th birthday on July 1 and my 32nd birthday on July 3!  We would love to go back to Shanghai someday.

Highlights of Shanghai...

• dumplings 

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

• Astor House Hotel, historic but cheap 

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

  
  

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

   

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

• dumplings 

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

• Tim's Birthday (first night)...dinner at El Toro 

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

• dumplings 

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

• exploring Old Town, great people watching 

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

   

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

   

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

   

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

   

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

• dumplings 

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

• tailored Chinese dress 

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

   

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

   

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

   

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

   

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

   

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

• dumplings 

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

• The Bund at night 

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

   

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

   

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

   

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

• dumplings 

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

• Sarah's Birthday...dinner at T8 

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

   

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

   

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

   

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

   

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

   

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

• dumplings 

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

• foot massage 

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

   

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

• dumplings 

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

• dim sum lunch for Sarah's Birthday 

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

   

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

• dumplings 

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

• self guided walking tour of the French Concession 

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

   

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

   

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

   

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

   
• dumplings 

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

• NOT the World Expo on the 4th of July!  Tim liked it a little.  I couldn't stand it, except for looking at the pavillions. 

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

   

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

   

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

   

  Ironic that North Korea wasn't open...

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

   

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

   

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

   

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

   

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

   

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

   

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

   

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

   

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

   

  This is how I felt after the first hour!

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

• dumplings 

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

• People's Square 

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

   

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

   

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

   

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

   

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

   

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

   

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

   

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

   

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

   

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

• dumplings 

• skyscrapers in Pudong (World Financial Center and Jinmao Tower) and Pudong at night  

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

   

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

   

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

   

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

   

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

   

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

   

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

   

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

   

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

   

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

   

  From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays From China Part 5 Shanghai and our 35th and 32nd bdays

• dumplings 

Did we mention we LOVED, LOVED, LOVED the dumplings?!

We would go back just to eat Shanghai dumplings!


Next stop...Xi'An!

more photos of Shanghai...

https://picasaweb.google.com/102394085223828852225/ChinaPart5ShanghaiAndOur35thAnd32ndBdays?authkey=Gv1sRgCKTD7PPNytKDrAE&feat=directlink

China, Part 4: Chongqing to Yichang on the Yangtze River Cruise

Train from Guilin to Chongqing

After my overnight train experience in Europe with People to People two years ago, I said I'd NEVER ride on one again.  I broke that promise and I wish I hadn't!  This was the longest 19 hours of my entire life.  I thought it would never end.  I purposely didn't drink or eat much so I wouldn't have to use the disgusting toilet on the train that consisted of a hole in the ground (which I'm quite used to) with a bucket of water to use to flush.  No, thank you!  Tim thought it was never going to end because he was probably so tired of my grumpy, anxious mood the entire time.  He made friends with our 2 bottom bunk roommates.  They couldn't speak English and we couldn't speak Chinese so they seriously drank warm beer, ate repulsive snacks (like real chicken fingers with fingernails!), and used the Chinese/English phrasebook to "talk" for 3 hours.  I put on my earphones and tried to get some sleep.  Didn't get much and was SO excited to arrive in Chongqing!  P.S. I'm NEVER riding an overnight train again...until we have to ride on the train from Pingyao to Xi'An!  UGH!

From China Part 4 Chongqing to Yichang on Yangtze River Cruise...train to Chongqing

From China Part 4 Chongqing to Yichang on Yangtze River Cruise...train to Chongqing

From China Part 4 Chongqing to Yichang on Yangtze River Cruise...train to Chongqing

pictures from the train ride...

http://picasaweb.google.com/srhendricks78/ChinaPart4ChongqingToYichangOnYangtzeRiverCruiseTrainToChongqing?feat=directlink

Chongqing

I was beyond excited to be OFF of that train!  So was Tim.  We arrived at 8:30am and couldn't board our cruise until 5pm.  That meant an entire day of doing nothing but lugging around our bags in the hazy, hot, and humid weather!  After visiting with a cute baby and eating at a fast food restaurant, we headed to the city square of Chongqing.  I think the train may have been more pleasant!  We were surrounded by gawkers and hawkers.  If one more person came by saying, "Lady, you need a map?" I probably would have slapped them.  I really don't mind people staring because it happens all of the time in Japan.  However, I do mind people invading my personal space and that is what happened.  After getting no sleep, being in the same clothes for 2 days, and being in an unfamiliar place, neither of us wanted anything to do with people staring at us like we were aliens and seriously checking us out up close and personal.  It felt like I won the lottery when 5:00 came along!

From China Part 4 Chongqing to Yichang on Yangtze River Cruise...Chongqing

From China Part 4 Chongqing to Yichang on Yangtze River Cruise...Chongqing

pictures from Chongqing...

http://picasaweb.google.com/srhendricks78/ChinaPart4ChongqingToYichangOnYangtzeRiverCruiseChongqing?feat=directlink

Yangtze River Cruise

We had a hard time finding the right boat but somehow we found the one person in the city who could speak English and she helped us.  We paid a porter to get our luggage to the boat because it was quite a ways down.  I'm not usually a fan of sleeping on boats but I've never been happier to get on board in my life!  The first room they showed us was nice, but the second room was an upgrade and had a balcony.  Tim said, "Yes, we'll take it!" with no hesitations.  He said I deserved it after the train ride and the day from hell.  He's a keeper!


The cruise was definitely one of the highlights of China.  The scenery was amazing!  We also enjoyed experiencing something different.  Neither of us had ever been through ship locks and Engineer Tim really found it fascinating (as did I).  The dam was massive!  Quite incredible trip down the river.


Highlights from our cruise down the Yangtze (Tim may or may not elaborate on some of these.):

• rest/relaxation/food
• excursion to Ghost City Fengdu (Well known resting place for the spirit of the dead...new Fengdu County is built across the river because of the 3 Gorges Dam Project.  Part of the ghost city is now underwater.)

  From China Part 4 Chongqing to Yichang on Yangtze River Cruise

• excursion to Shibaozhai Pagoda 

  From China Part 4 Chongqing to Yichang on Yangtze River Cruise

• scenery of the 3 Gorges 

  From China Part 4 Chongqing to Yichang on Yangtze River Cruise

• excursion with boatmen on the stream 

  From China Part 4 Chongqing to Yichang on Yangtze River Cruise

• ship locks 

  From China Part 4 Chongqing to Yichang on Yangtze River Cruise

• excursion to the Three Gorges Dam 

  From China Part 4 Chongqing to Yichang on Yangtze River Cruise

• celebrating Tim's 35th birthday on the last day

  From China Part 4 Chongqing to Yichang on Yangtze River Cruise

more pictures from Yangtze River Cruise...     

https://picasaweb.google.com/102394085223828852225/ChinaPart4ChongqingToYichangOnYangtzeRiverCruise?authkey=Gv1sRgCKfg8fD21L_yIw&feat=directlink               

  

Yichang

Our new friends, Valerie and David, asked their Yichang tour guide if we could tag along to the airport.  We killed some time by going to a silk embroidery museum.  It was amazing!  The embroidery pieces look like paintings.  I kept coming back to one and it was too expensive even after bargaining.  Tim surprised me and bought it for my birthday.  It's hanging in our bedroom now and I love looking at it every morning when I wake up!  It's gorgeous!

From China Part 4 Chongqing to Yichang on Yangtze River Cruise...Yichang

From China Part 4 Chongqing to Yichang on Yangtze River Cruise...Yichang

pictures from Yichang...

http://picasaweb.google.com/srhendricks78/ChinaPart4ChongqingToYichangOnYangtzeRiverCruiseYichang?feat=directlink

Next stop...Shanghai!

China, Part 3: Guilin

After spending 4 wonderful nights in Hong Kong, we flew to mainland China to Guilin for 3 nights.  Mainland China is nothing like Hong Kong.  It is what you think of when you think of China.  We went to Guilin to see the Li River and the karst formations.  


We stayed in a great, cheap hotel.  I haven't mentioned how cheap China was.  Most people know this already but we certainly loved how cheap most of China was.  We stayed in great hotels, all under $100/night.  We ate fantastic meals for SO cheap!  Somehow, we still managed to spend a lot of money...


The people watching in China was UNBELIEVABLE!  It is the best I've seen in the world so far!  I loved seeing all of the precious babies and older folks as well.

From China Part 3 Guilin

From China Part 3 Guilin

We spent the first night in Guilin exploring by foot.  The city center is lit up at night so we walked around the lake, grabbed dinner, watched some World Cup soccer, and wandered around looking at the junk at the night market.

From China Part 3 Guilin

The next day was spent on the Li River Cruise.  The scene on the 10 yuan bill has a picture of the karsts from the Li River.  We loved the scenery and the countryside on the tour!  We opted for the two part tour consisting of the big river boat ride and then a smaller bamboo raft ride to see a tiny village and bridge that were in The Painted Veil.  Great movie, by the way!  The bamboo ride was so relaxing and lots of fun when we went over a small waterfall/dam.

From China Part 3 Guilin

From China Part 3 Guilin

Some things we saw on our rides down the river...beautiful karst formations, small boats that hooked onto the cruise boats to sell crap (There is no shortage of junk in China!), gorgeous countryside, dead pigs floating in the river (no joke!), people rowing bamboo rafts, ducks, children and adults in their tiny villages, people bathing and doing their laundry in the river, waterfalls, water buffalo, and cormorants.  The countryside was so quiet and pretty!

From China Part 3 Guilin

From China Part 3 Guilin

From China Part 3 Guilin

From China Part 3 Guilin

Once back in Guilin, we walked to a nearby restaurant, sat outside, and met a few regulars at the restaurant.  After dinner, we went on a night cruise on the lake.  Though the pictures aren't great, it was pretty cool!

From China Part 3 Guilin

Next stop...Chongqing to Yichang on the Yangtze River!

More pictures of Guilin and the Li River...

http://picasaweb.google.com/srhendricks78/ChinaPart3Guilin?authkey=Gv1sRgCPbwvuv49YvNDA&feat=directlink

China, Part 2: Hong Kong

After a lovely overnight stay in Beijing, we hopped on an airplane to fly south to Hong Kong where we officially began our journey through China.  Hong Kong did not feel anything like China was "supposed" to feel.  It was a very international city.  Most people spoke English.  It was like an Asian New York City.  Hong Kong was a very energetic city and we had a great time exploring, shopping (well, not Tim), and eating lots.  Other than the humid, rainy weather, we had a fun time!


We spent time...strolling along both sides of the harbor during the day and at night, bargaining at the Temple Street Night Market, shopping for diamonds (anniversary gift!), window shopping in the financial district, riding the Tram up to Victoria Peak (We timed it just right for a great view before the clouds and rain came again!), eating roast goose and suckling pig at Yung Kee Restaurant, watching USA win a World Cup game at a local bar, eating Dim Sum at Lin Heung, shopping at a huge daytime market, shopping for jade at the Yau Ma Tei Jade Bazaar, swimming, eating Indian and Thai (and lots more!), and participating in a Tai Chi class.


Off to mainland China next! 

From China Part 2 Hong Kong

From China Part 2 Hong Kong

From China Part 2 Hong Kong

From China Part 2 Hong Kong

From China Part 2 Hong Kong

More photos of Hong Kong...

http://picasaweb.google.com/srhendricks78/ChinaPart2HongKong?authkey=Gv1sRgCPvov-qjuuuv3AE&feat=directlink

Yes, We're Still Alive! China, Part 1...of many!

It's us again after MANY months!  Nice to see you again!  We've had computer issues and been just plain lazy also.


Since it's been so long, I'll cover China in mostly photos.


Let's go back to muggy, humid, disgusting June!  After school adjourned for the summer, we packed our bags and flew to Dalian and then Beijing for an overnight stay before starting our China journey in Hong Kong.  It was really cool to be in mainland China but since we were just near the airport it didn't feel like China yet.


Here's the link to our travel photos from June 19, 2010...
http://picasaweb.google.com/srhendricks78/ChinaPart1TravelAndBeijing?authkey=Gv1sRgCPG6s-3znb7foQE&feat=directlink