Kunming/Beijing/Shanghai China 8-24 Apr 2015
Seniors Opera show at the park Kumning China 9apr2015
A much needed cut Kunming China 11apr2015
Jiang Xiang Yuan_Crossing the bridge noodle, Kunming China 11apr2015
Misty and rainy. Lake Dianchi Kunming China 12apr2015
Fried lotus, eggplant and stuffed tofu. Kunming China 12apr2015
Facepear fruits, Kunming China 13apr2015
Golden Temple Kuming China 10apr2015
8apr2015 Wednesday_At Meridian suite we called a rs300taxi for a 2 mins away Nepal airport. Streets are impossible to walk and the airport is old and disorganized. Men line is 10x longer than the ladies at security check in. Monarchy tax aka airport tax is tossed out. So, we were left with unexpected money to spend. Got veg momo, drinks and chocolate. Flight Kunming is delayed an hour. Seems like a large number of local men leaving to seek work outside their country. Arrived
at Longteng Hotel at midnight. Due to miscommunication, airport bus dropped us at a different point and hailed a taxi to the hotel. The driver’s seat is gated.
9apr2015 Thursday_Internet is very iffy here. Gmail, facebook and those not deemed fit are heavily blocked by the government. Rode the metro to Kunming railway station. Security is tight. China is filled with people. Bought a few bananas and mango for ¥15. Dinnered near Hotel LongTeng on Beijing road. Pricey dinner, noodles, pig innards ¥74 came with a drunkard, he smashed his beer bottle and gave his partner a tight slap across her face.
10apr2015 Friday_ Rainy day. a comfy bus to Golden temple. We climbed the steps with hundreds of school kids. A lovely green park . We took our noodle and dumplings lunch at the park. Beside the temple, the museum, the tower bell are interesting.
11apr2015 Saturday _Chinese parks are fully utilized. We saw locals whipping the spinning tops, ballroom dancing, eating, listening to personal radios, exercising and etc. R needed a haircut, 20Yuan. His barber recommended the crossing bridge noodles at Jiang Hsiang Yuan, came with various small dishes, meat, egg and noodle and put into hot boiling soup. Escaping the rain and thunderstorm, we retreated into Papa coffee for tasty tea, coffee and chocolate bun. At Parkson supermarket to get some bananas, jackfruit and noodle.
12apr2015 Sunday_Rode metro then bus to Lake Dianchi. The mountain was shaped like a sleeping Buddha. There is a cable car to cross over the other side. Though the weather is hazy and cold, locals are out and about. Dinnered at restuarant near the hotel. The stuffed tofu, brinjal, lotus root with rice and tea for ¥54 were delish. A papaya costs 10Yuan.
Beijing 13-20 Apr 2015
Lama Temple Beijing China 19apr2015
Wangpi Hutong Beijing China 18apr2015
Ascending to General Tso Tower on the Great wall Beijing China 16apr2015
Chinese fast food, Beijing China 17apr2015
Temple of Heaven Beijing China 16apr2015
Temple of Heaven, connecting with the local Beijing China 17apr2015
Breakfast, Meishi jie Beijing China 16apr2015
4 hours’ hike on Great Wall Beijing China 16apr2015
Great Wall Beijing China 16apr2015
Meishi St Peking duck Beijing China 14apr2015
Forbidden city Beijing China 14apr2015
Tiananmen Square Beijing China 14apr2015
Cherry blossoms Beijing China 14apr2015
13apr2015 Monday_ At the hotel side street, the taxi drove us to the catch the airport bus ¥26 for two. Caught Beijing flight at 2pm. Flight delayed an hour, it was a turbulent ride. Quite tasty fish, pork and hot tea airline meal. Arrived evening at Beijing railway station by airport bus. It was a little hard looking for taxi to King Joy hotel. Guests gathered at lobby for wifi.
14apr2015 Tuesday_Along narrow busy humming Beijing street flanked by shops leading to wide walkway, we reached Tiananmen Square and Forbidden City in 20 mins by foot from the hotel. In China it is hard to escape crowd and security. So much history and relics to grasp. We shared a box of Chinese meal ¥30. Returning to the hotel we stopped to try the little fat Meishi St Peking duck and stir fry vegetable.
15apr2015 Wednesday_ Quick walk through the very busy Wangfujing street filled with tourists. Row and row of food stalls including fried scorpions are sold. Tried not tasty dumplings and soy milk for ¥25 /usd6 and chatted with a Hebei restuarant worker who lamented how costly Beijing is. This evening a sandstorm swept through the city. We have to cover our faces and some shops close early.
16apr2015 Thursday_ Early subway to Liangmaqiao to meet the Great Wall hikers. After picking the Lido hotel group we were on our way. A jam and rest stop took us two hours to reach more remote site near Badaling. The three hours’ hike was met with steep walls, loose stones and very strong wind. We were the only people hiking this part of the wall at that time. At the end of the hike, we had a local village styled dinner.
17apr2015 Friday_Locals filled Temple of Heaven. Entry fee ¥35 each with ballroom dancing, singing, exercising and all sorts of activities. R had fun tossing neck rings witht a local in the park. Quick Chinese pork and zhacai, rice and yellow spicy fast food for ¥18 each. Hanged along Qianmen road. Chinese filled cookies for desserts next to hotel.
18apr2015 Saturday_MDonald on Qianmen Road provides wifi. Experiecing the local living on Wangpi Hutong 王 皮 胡 同 and had Lanzhou Hand Pulled Noodles with Pork and mushroom 兰州牛肉拉面 while R had pork entrails.
R returned with roasted duck ¥50 rice and cucumber for dinner.
19apr2015 Sunday_ Rode Subway to Lama Temple Beijing (Yonghegong) of the Yellow Hat Sect of Lamaism,NE Beijing city. The temple was busy and jossticks burning around. Interesting history on Lamism in China. Tried halal Chinese Muslim Restuarant near Dashilar shopping street. Mutton soup, Beijing noodle, spring onion pancakes for ¥50. Surprised to find Halal restuarants in the heart of Beijing.
Shanghai 20-24 April 2015
Yuyuan Shanghai China 21apr2015
The Bund Shanghai China 21apr2015
The Bund Shanghai China 21apr2015
Superbrand mall Shanghai China 21apr2015
People Park Shanghai China 21apr2015
Shanghai Museum China 22apr2015
Chichen Boutique hotel Shanghai China 21apr2015
20apr2015 Monday_ Secured a taxi to take us to Capital Beijing airport for 12pm Shanghai flight. It costs ¥200 for the cab ride. Two hours later we arrived at Shanghai. Boarded a taxi to take us to Chichen hotel at Qiaojia jie near Huangpu river. At the end of the busy night market near the hotel. hawker sell kebab. The meat is tough,big pieces and need a little more seasonings.
21apr2015 Tuesday_Visited the traditonal looking Yuyuan filled with eating places, selling all sort of stuff. Subway to The Bund along the Huangpu river. Standing on the mile-long bund looking at the sparkling high rise is quite impressive with the back on the old style. At the People’s square, it is indeed a utilized people square. R had ¥15 coffee at hotel lobby to absorb the adventures. We went a corner restuarant for dinner, the meal came with clipped clothes pin for tracking.
22apr2015 Wednesday_Riding convenient subway to Shanghai museum. Well documented, laid out and free. Small bites at a small stall, fried cake, soft tofu, tea egg and wheat congee for ¥17. Onigiri dinner.
23apr2015 Thursday_Early morning walk before the city stir to catch Shanghai ferry to Pudong for ¥4. Long walk along the Huangpu river looking over the Bund. Stopped at Super Grand mall, ate noodle, siao long bao, was surprised by laksa noodle. Singaporean Toast Box for coffee and tea. A corner shop sold ¥290 pants that needed shortening. The seller took us all the way to get them shortened. While waiting, the stall inspectors yelling and screaming at the hawkers for stretching too far out onto the road.
24apr2015 Friday_ Got a few looks sitting inside the British styled taxi ¥154 to Pudong airport at 5:30am. Going to Daegu South Korea at 8:45am. Expected arrival 10:10am (Korean time)
Yuan100=usd16.13
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