This one time, in Shanghai…

Ok folks, don’t get too excited, no flutes were involved in the making of this post. I’ve just always wanted to start a story with ‘this one time, at band camp…’, and given that I’ve never been to band camp, nor am I likely to ever attend in the future (my unique sense of rhythm, tone deafness and utter lack of musical talent will ensure this), I decided to grab on to the opening and make it my own.*

*If you don’t get the reference, please go watch American Pie. Not sure how it holds up in adulthood, but my teenage self thought it was hilarious and strongly recommends you watch it!

So, anyway, this one time, in Shanghai..

I just got back from a 10 day trip to China, and am taking advantage of the jet lag to start writing at 4 in the morning. Work tomorrow should be fun..

My parents and I headed to China a couple of weeks ago to attend my brother’s second wedding. The bride is the same, and there was no quickie divorce in the middle or anything, but she is Chinese, and they wanted to do a traditional Canadian wedding here (which took place in January and was gorgeous), as well as a traditional Chinese wedding there. Very exciting!

I’ve been to China twice before. The first time, 7 years ago, when my brother was teaching there (incidentally, this is not where he met his wife, they actually met a couple years later while they were both at school in Halifax!). During that trip I met up with a couple friends from uni in Hong Kong for two nights, then took the train over to mainland China to see Zac (the aforementioned brother) where he was living/teaching in Guangzhou. We spent a couple days there, then headed to Xian to see the super cool terracotta warriors, and finished up our trip seeing all the amazing sights in Beijing. But this post isn’t about that trip, so I’ll try to sum it up in a few key points:

• Super fancy nightclub + lots of alcohol + unisex squat toilets = an incredibly disgusting slip and fall..
• Dumplings are awesome, but do wear thin after a while
• My brother was universally loved, I was not so much
• There is one hostel in Beijing that seems to attract a surprisingly large number of very attractive Swedish guys (don’t remember the name of it, sorry ladies and gents)
• My stomach never has adjusted to world travel, and after ten days of really trying to eat local, I eventually gave in and lived on McDonald’s for the rest of the trip..
• Beijing is an amazing city, and I could definitely spend a lot more time there

My second time in China was last year on route to Thailand. I stayed for almost exactly 24 hours, and aside from my brother’s hospitality, there was nothing to report.

This trip was vastly different from the previous two. First of all, I’m a great deal older, and no longer have the patience or inclination to stay in a hostel. Luckily, traveling with my parents has its perks! Aside from the fact that I actually like my parents, and we travel quite well together, which is always a plus. Thanks to the generosity of my parents and the bride’s family, I was quite spoiled this trip, and am incredibly thankful. Not to get too mushy or anything, but I know how lucky I am, and I hope those who spoil me know how much I appreciate it.

After a 14 hour flight from Toronto, we arrived in Shanghai to find my brother waiting for us with a van and driver. The van was necessary (8 big bags for the 3 of us), and the driver was a surprising treat that I grew quite used to during the trip. New life goal: have a driver.

We flew with Air Canada, and I actually think they’re getting better. The blankets and pillows are free again! It’s possible my standards aren’t very high.. regardless, 14 hours is a long time to be trapped in a tiny seat with recycled air, so we were quite happy to check in to the hotel for a well needed rest and refresh.

We stayed at the Kerry Hotel in Shanghai, and I LOVED it. Again, my standards may not have been up to the usual following the long flight, but really, the hotel was great. We upgraded at check in to the club rooms, which wasn’t too much extra but basically made my trip, if only for the free, unlimited access to diet Coke. Not that I’m addicted or anything. The rooms were gorgeous, the beds were comfortable, the staff was all so friendly and helpful, and, well, if I couldn’t quite figure out the shower, that one’s on me.

I think my favorite thing, aside from the diet Coke, was the club lounge breakfast (which, as it happens, was my primary source of diet Coke.. Probably a coincidence..). Delicious deep fried hash browns, flaky chocolate croissants, yogurt, granola, etc. Yum! Apparently they also do happy hour each evening, but I didn’t manage to get there. My mum said it was great though!

Shanghai is very much a world city, full of expats and businessmen (and women). It’s easy to get around if you only speak English, and you can find a variety of food and shopping to suit any tastes. This is where Zac and his wife currently live, and from what I hear, it’s a pretty awesome place to live. Unfortunately, as with so many other wonderful places to live, it’s not exactly a tourist hotspot. Which worked to our favour, as we only had a couple of days there.

The big thing to see in Shanghai is the Bund. Like the Thames, the Danube, or the Seine, the Bund is a waterfront area that separates two sides of a city with breathtaking views from either side. One side showcases the epitome of Chinese modernization with an abundance of skyscrapers, all lit up in beautiful colours.

The opposite side of the Bund reflects Shanghai’s past, lined with old European style buildings that once housed banks, trading houses and consulates. Today it continues to be mainly financial buildings, but you can spot a rooftop bar or two if you’re looking for one (I wasn’t, or I’d provide some details!).

Unfortunately, my camera skills were seriously lacking, so instead I’m attaching photos from the ever useful Google for your viewing pleasure.

The modern side of the Bund

The historic side of the Bund

On our only full day in Shanghai, Rinna (my sister in law), took us to the ‘touristy’ part of town. We had no idea what to expect, and were taken to the Yu Garden in the Old City of Shanghai. This place is now crowded with people, mostly Chinese tourists from out of town. It is overrun with souvenir shops, restaurants (both Chinese and fast food), and expensive clothing stores. If you can handle the crowds, it’s great.

Once you navigate through the crowds in the Old City, you find yourself at the Yu Garden. You have to buy tickets to get in, but it’s fairly cheap and well worth it. The whole place was once a private residence/garden. It was built in 1559 during the Ming Dynasty, and inside you can find an abundance of jade rock, old trees and koi. Basically it looks like a Chinese fairytale, what you would picture if you’d never been to China and were hearing about the old architecture style for the first time. Overall, it was lovely, and a nice reprieve from the hustle and bustle of the rest of the city. Aside from the crowds of tourists of course, but you notice them far less in the peace of the gardens.

These photos are actually mine, because I remembered to get my camera out!

Overall, I consider Shanghai to be a win, especially if you’re using it as a starting point for further travels in/around China. You only need a couple days to hit all the big ticket items, and the city is westernized enough that it limits culture shock somewhat 🙂