Shanghai

Having just enjoyed my first decent nights's sleep, I was awoken by the alarm. Breakfast summoned and what a fabulous breakfast it was - Chinese, Japanese and European were available. 

The hotel is an outstanding  example of 1930s architecture. Originally it was named the Cathay, renamed the Peace Hotel in 1950s and only reopened in 2010 after extensive renovation. 

  

There is a constant stream of non residents  coming in to view the hotel so cleverly one can't use the elevators to the upper floors unless one is a guest with a key. 

All bedrooms are decorated in 1930s style and the suites have a view of the Bund, Clinton stayed her as did Charlie Chaplain to name but a few. 

We decided to take a stroll along the Bund.   

 It was a lovely morning, if smoggy.!! The weather was very pleasant as it was warm 16• and the sun was attempting to shine through the smog!!  Luckily, the architectural gems on the Bund survived the Cultural Revolution. Now the origin of each building is explained on a plaque outside each building. 

The Bund only rekindled its old grandeur in the last 15 years with a display of the remaining 22 heritage buildings. Among the most prominent are 

The Hongkong and Shanghai Bank  Building (1923), 

        

             The Custom House (1927), 

    Former  Palace Hotel (1909 ) now                                         Swatch Peace Hotel and Fairmont Peace     Hotel (1929)

As we walked, two Chinese young people asked us to take a photograph of them and  they  reciprocated. They said they were going to a Tea Ceremony so we joined them. It was most interesting- different teas required different pots- earthenware, china and glass. We were invited to smell each tea before it was brewed and then one had to drink it in three sips. It took half an hour. At the end, we were invited to buy tea at ¥300 (€43 per small packet) . We declined. Young men are warned not to be lured by women to drinking establishments where they will be required to pay the expensive bill.  I was wondering if this was a set up, though I don't think so as there was no problem when we declined to buy tea.

We left our 'friends' and returned to the hotel. After a brief rest we went shopping or intended to shop on Nanking  Road, 

adjacent to the hotel. 

All goods here are more expensive than in Europe.  One shopping centre exuded 7 floors of luxury. 

Every international brand was available and in the Food Hall - international brands of food. 

There are obviously high taxes on luxury, imported goods- a large jar of Nescafé cost ¥ 175 (€25) It is obviously a two tier society but with such a large population, a small percentage earning high salaries would sustain this economy. I was surprised to see so few Westerners here in Shanghai. Our hotel is mainly patronised by the Chinese and now I think I know why. It is more expensive than Japan and I thought Japan was expensive.   

Tonight we plan to eat in the French Quarter and tomorrow we must cross the river to Pudong (we're in Puxi). We intended to climb the Shanghai Tower, supposed to have been completed last year but, surprisingly for the Chinese, it is not yet complete.....

Guangzhou - Shanghai

Last night we took a cab across town to meet J at the traditional Chinese garden restaurant namely Panxi 

And sing ??? 

The Chinese celebrate New Year's Day with the same gusto that they celebrate New Year's Eve. Families were here eating together. The one child policy has ended (in the city family was encouraged to have one child but two were allowed in the countryside as the peasants needed the labour) I saw a family of six, which must be unusual here.  

We got a selection of Dim Sum for which Guangdong, the province of which Guangzhou is the capital,  is famous. They are small sort of pastry with different fillings - ours included shrimp, beef and duck and in addition a dessert type filled with sweet custard - sounds unpleasant but it was not. We had a bottle of Chinese wine / my first and last. I now know why the Chinese import huge quantities of Burgundy, leaving the rest of the world short! 

After the meal, we decided to take a taxi to the Canton Tower; once the highest in China but it has now been overtaken by Shanghai. However, much to our amazement, there was a shortage of taxis. A young couple seeing our confusion insisted that we share a car they had booked, to take us their hotel, where we would have a better chance of procuring a taxi. On be there taxis were available. They refused to accept our offer share of the car fare. The generosity of the people has really impressed. 

We arrived at the tower at 2130 after a taxi ride through very heavy traffic, only to find that we could not ascend the tower until 22.00 and it closed at 2230! As we had ascended numerous towers around the world, we decided to forego this one as we had an early train to catch to Shanghai the following morning. 

Another taxi and here, as they do the world over, given any opportunity, refused to turn on the metres and a bartering commenced. The first wanted to charge 5 times the standard. We refused. The second wanted double the fare so we agreed on that!! 

We arrived back at the hotel and packed. We had a 0600 wake up call! 

We're leaving Guangzhou tomorrow. We really enjoyed our stay even if, as the only Caucasians about, we were visible and a source of interest. As few speak, English, there was little verbal communication.

Guangdong province has an interesting history - it was originally where the Maritime Silk Road, a trade route to the West, began. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to arrive, followed by the Jesuits, the British and the East India Company called at Guandzhou. The British  introduced opium to gain control of trade. In 19th century, one of their own, Sun Yatsen, sowed the seeds of revolution culminating in his becoming first president of the of the Republic of China. In the 20th century it suffered during the Cultural  Revolution but in 1978 it was the first province to embrace capitalism. Today the Canton Fair held  annually in April / May attracts customers from all over the world.

In 1982, we first visited this area on a day trip from Hong Kong. My abiding memory on arrival was a multitude of men and women using pick axes to break stone at the side of a cliff and a donkey and cart transporting away the rubble. We also saw the peasant home where Sun Yatsen was born. The area has come along way In less than 35 years with its ultra modern airports, motorways, high speed trains, metros and feverish commerce. 

This morning we got a taxi to take us to Guandzhou South station c 40 minutes from the hotel - off peak. We departed at 0630 for our 0800 train. The taxi driver either to increase the fare or because he couldn't find the entrance (probably the latter) wasted at least 10 minutes until he eventually landed us in the parking lot, which  luckily was near the departure area. As he had no Englush, we could only voice our frustration in English and he in Mandarin!! 

We arrived at the departure gate c.15 minutes prior to departure. One has to put one's bags through security as in an airport. We crossed the city in the early morning, I would advise taking the Metro  at any other time as it is difficult to estimate ETA what with traffic and a taxi driver who is not familiar with the station. 

The train departed precisely at 0800 hrs. We had first class seats and were served with a choice of nonalcoholic drinks but not western tea or coffee - they're a luxury! We took the G train; one of the fast trains which travels  at speeds in excess of 300km per hour. I didn't notice the 6.50 hour journey as I watched the landscape evolve before me - the countryside and cities, we have never heard of, with multiple millions of inhabitants- China after all has 1.4 billion of a population!! Did I tell you previously that the journey would take 3 hours- I wonder who told me that??

The countryside appeared prosperous with every inch of ground under cultivation. 

The cities appeared soulless with the original houses being bull dozed in favour of multi story apartment blocks. 

On arrival at Hingqiao Railway Station, we took the half hour metro ride to Nanjing station  which left us adjacent to our hotel - the famous Fairmont Peace Hotel on the Bund/ Nanjing Road.  

We checked in and were taken to our room. It is really spectacular with every comfort while still preserving the ambience of a 1930s hotel.  

Prior to dinner, we had an aperitif at the famous Peace Hotel Old Jazz Bar, which has been in existence since the opening of the hotel in 1930. 

We had dinner at a local Chinese, jam packed with families eating together. Later we took a walk on the Bund.- a promenade along the river Huangpu. It was thronged with police directing people on and off the promenade. After all 12 million people live in Shanghai! From this side of the river one has s great view across the river st the Pudong area with its famous Shanghai Tower; the tallest in China and second tallest in the world. 121 storeys / 632 metre tall designed by Gensker with a lift designed by Mitsubishi which travels st 40 mph - the world's tallest single lift elevator!! However it is not yet complete and one has to make do with the Oriental Pearl Tower.  

All the way down Nanjing Road were placed policemen and soldiers at 30 metre intervals, who were controlling the pedestrian crossings - no jay walking and they had pedestrians walking from the Bund on one side of the street and those walking towards the Bund on the otherside. 

With so many policemen and soldiers about, I thought there must be a scare as one had been hearing of one in  Bejing over Xmas. However, the hotel told us it was a holiday weekend. The crowds were so great, that it was in everyone's interest that some sort of order be maintained.!! It is said the 600 people die on Chinese roads every week! 

Guangzhou

Last night we met at the appropriately named bar The Pilot. 

We had a drink there. We then repaired up the street to eat. The menu was western but our main aim was to find a restaurant with off street dining as the smog here is at a very high level, though today it was regarded as moderate.  

I think the air pollution is the only concern J has but it appears it is far worse in Bejing!!

We taxied back to the hotel. 

I slept quite well but with a 2 hour break and I awoke refreshed at 1100hours. 

We set off by Metro to Guandzhou South Station to collect our tickets for the train to Shanghai on the 2nd and Xian on the 5th. The Metro is priced depending on the Kms you travel We purchased a 24 hour ticket for 20 ¥ ( c. 7¥ =€1) or 50¥ for 72 hours. It simpler  to purchase one of the passes. 

We arrived at Guandzhou South. What a station !! I think it might be larger than Osaka, Japan, if not, it would definitely rival it! There were exits numbered A- L and each exit had numbered doors!

We decided to search out our tickets at Departures. It was the correct location and having waited in line for c.20 minutes, both sets of tickets were issued.   There was a small fee of ¥5 per ticket for the Xian tickets as we were not collecting  them at the departure station. I would advise to get tickets issued previously, the day before, if possible, and check location of the 'waiting area' as one wouldn't want to be arriving too close to departure time without having 'sussed the joint'. We asked where the departing platform was? The operator didn't understand and called another with better English. Initially, she did not understand. I was going to leave it and check at the hotel but she was anxious that I understood and finally I did. One goes to a 'waiting area'and then to the platform which number is written on the ticket and when the glass doors open, one boards the train. I have to say that the Chinese make every effort to answer any query one might have. 

We pre booked our tickets in Ireland through Iris Wang Travel Advisor- email iris@chinahighlights.me. On payment, she issued a confirmation, excellent instructions and the collection was faultless. One has to give one's passport number to book and bring one's passport to collect. Tabs are kept on your whereabouts!!

We retraced our steps by metro but when we arrived back at Tiy Xiu such was the crowd that we were not allowed to exit Exit E. We exited D but could we find E on the street- not a hope.? We could not re-enter the station either, there were so many people in the system that entrances were not to re-open again until 21.00 hrs - it was now 1830! A walk of 10 minutes became an hour as we tried to locate the hotel - and of course not a taxi to be found! 

We were advised not to go to Canton Tower as it will be very crowded but worse still - it would be impossible to get a taxi between 20.00 and 04.00hours so we're going to the Terrace Bar here in the hotel to ring in the New Year and hopefully see the fireworks display? Though staff speak some English, it is quite basic.  

We went out to get some Chinese food. We found a Chinese / Mongolian restaurant and had an excellent meal. We returned to the hotel to ring in the New Year. 

Today, I could taste the coal as I breathed!! So much for the Paris summit!!! 

Amsterdam

So how, you might well, ask was the Red Light District?? I will neither confirm nor deny that I was there....... You'll have to come and see for yourself ! 

We walked to a famous Brown pub. They are very small not unlike the Dawson lounge on said street in Dublin. It was Monday night but the street was buzzing as was Cafe Belgique. I was wondering if the Dutch partied every night but of course I remembered it was still Yuletide. 

We proceeded to Dam Square, where off the Square was restaurant no. 41 Ness Street. The Guardian had given it excellent reviews. It had a very simple ambience, no menu as the waitress recites the menu - a choice of 4 starters, 6 mains and 3 desserts. Prices recited as starters €4-6, mains €14-22 and dessert €4 if one wanted the precise cost of a dish one had to ask! The cuisine was excellent and a snip at the price! The meal commenced with a date and blue cheese melee and chicken pate, followed by an excellent beef fillet with a intense red wine reduction and a moist duck, a Dutch apple cake, loaded with cloves, completed an excellent meal.

As we retraced our steps towards Centraal Station and our hotel, we encountered another pub - the building was old - 1618 but the pub is of recent origin. This was explained to us by a local with whom I fell into conversation. We subsequently  discussed the Irish and Dutch economic collapse, the poor architectural standards in both countries and the disintegration of the inner city! And I mislead you, according to my friend the Amsterdam cyclists appear  to be as law breaking as their Irish counterparts!!!

Having finished our drink, we bid our friend good night. 

We retired

Amsterdam

                    ITINERARY

Dublin - Amsterdam - Guangzhou - Shanghai - Xian - Guangzhou - Amsterdam- The Hague- Dublin

I haven't been in the Netherlands for a while.......Flying over the Netherlands, one could appreciate the saying: God made the world but the Dutch made Holland! The symmetry of the polders was awe inspiring as were the wind turbines (similar to ours but) perfectly located to reflect as a piece of sculpture might. 

One can travel from the airport to any part of Netherlands by train. A16 minute train took us to Amsterdam Central 

(12km with trains running every 10 minutes) where on exiting the main door of the railway station our hotel, Hotel Victoria, on Prins Hendrikkade, lay before us - a couple of minutes walk across the canal. The area was alive with trams, cyclists and walkers. Bikes everywhere - proper bicycle lanes and cyclists observed the traffic signals, without exception in my brief survey!! 

As our room wasn't ready, a voucher for two drinks was immediately proffered. We repaired  to the Brasserie for lunch. 

We're sitting here at 1545 (we're an hour ahead), having flown from Dublin to Amsterdam, checked in for our flight to Guangzhou tomorrow lunchtime, taken the train to the Amsterdam Central, lunched and now settled on our room 

After a short respite, we left the hotel and walked down Damrak; the main shopping thoroughfare. 

It was alive with what appeared to be the population of Amsterdam bargain hunting at the sales, which are in full swing. We entered de Bijenkorf emporium. It was not dissimilar to BTs Dublin, no surprise as it is also owned by Galen Weston.

It is larger than the latter and had a wider range of goods, particularly of the more upmarket brands. After a stroll about, we engaged in some retail therapy but Ryan Air's baggage allowance curtailed excess!! Indeed on departure a bag weighing 16.3 kilos as opposed to the 15k allowance - I wonder does any authority check airline scales?- had to have something removed to accord with the allowance.  The old Ryan Air hasn't gone away you know!!' Ladies, I would recommend a weekend shopping trip to Amsterdam to lift the spirit! 

We're off to sample the infamous Red Light district - in the interests of blog research, you understand dear reader. More tomorrow........