After being in Guangzhou for nearly 4 months, I returned back to Shanghai from Guangzhou for a couple of short visits earlier last week. It felt like going to another country because everything is just so different in Shanghai compared to Guangzhou. Food, people, culture, weather, quality of life…and just about everything else (including language!). You can immediately feel the aroma of high life lingering everywhere around this fast paced metropolis. On the way from Hongqiao Airport to the Jumeirah Himalayas Shanghai hotel, which took around 40 minutes door-to-door, I passed 3 Ferraris, 2 Mesaratis, and countless number of Mercedes Benz luxury cars. Most of the drivers seemed to come across as being young professionals rather than your stereotypical mid-60s aged CEO of a multinational. Then there are the US$6 million villas dotted around the Jinqiao area of Shanghai, which is the kind of stuff that English footballers would love to have as their Asian holiday homes. If there is one city in the world that is defying the global economic crisis, and growing at a horrendously dizzying pace, then it is Shanghai. In a nutshell, Guangzhou and Shanghai are like oil and water.
Compared to its southern Guangdong friend, Shanghai’s culture and economy is forging ahead at an electrifying pace. Yes, the rooted Shangahinese culture and the history are there, but it just does not feel like China. There is too much affluence, too much arrogance, too much competition, and it’s just too damn fast. Talking of speed, things do generally get done quicker in Shanghai compared to other cities (even my former hometown Suzhou is slower paced!). So for example if you go to the bank to get a new bank account, or if you are waiting for a taxi, or even if you are waiting to have your freshly brewed coffee made for you, then in my experience it all tends to be quicker (and smoother without the language misunderstandings) in Shanghai. Then there is sheer glamour, which must promote Shanghai as China’s vanity capital. A recent example of this has been the arrival of the former Chelsea footballer, Didier Drogba. The African from Ivory Coast has joined Shanghai Shenhua, a club that is currently languishing in 13th place in the 16-club league, for a reported US$350,000 a week. This is in a country that has plenty of ambition to rise up the ranks of global football, but are struggling to do so. Such feasts of money can only be added to Shanghai’s history of creaming to attract the world’s attention. Last week, the club hosted Manchester United for a friendly in another vanity show (much as they strived to achieve their best in the heat and humidity, they lost 1-0 to the visitors). But among all this hustle and bustle, one thing sticks out clearly. Some observers have pointed out that Shanghai has already reached the accumulative elegance and affluent reputation enjoyed by Hong Kong. Chic fashion, money, glamour, and absolute snobbery are all the cultural ingredients that make up modern Shanghai. The Bund and Pudong areas are paved with gold. Perhaps a strong sign that the city which used to be known as the ‘Paris of the East’ during the pre-second world war years, may now enjoy the title of being dubbed the ‘New York of the East’. Indeed, Shanghai (and other 1st tier Chinese cities) are being exposed to a myriad of foreign brands, especially American goods and products due to inward investment as keenly encouraged by the Chinese government. In my viewpoint, China’s newly found middle-class and upper-class are indulging in tastes of western food and other shopping traits, more than what European people or Americans’ would indulge into. KFC, Pizza Hut, MacDonald’s, Dunkin Donuts, Papa John’s Pizza, Starbucks, Dairy Queen, Subway Sandwiches and others have outlets in every street corner of the major cities (even in 2nd tier cities). You name it- all the big American brands have established base in China, and business wise they are profiting at a higher rate than back in the USA because selling Western fast food to Chinese people is no longer a mission impossible. The downside of this could be that the younger generation of China may not appreciate their own way of culture and food in years to come. I don’t know. This is just my own personal viewpoint. A sheer example of speed being used to the max in Shanghai, and its dramatic connection to technology (literally) is the super high speed Maglev train. Balanced at around 20mm above the tracks, Shanghai’s Maglev Train breezes the 32kms between Longyang Road Station and Pudong International Airport in a remarkable 7 minutes 30 seconds. Winding up to the maximum commercial speed of 431 kph takes about three minutes. There are no seatbelts - at this speed it’s not worth worrying about the consequences (really). The front of the train displays battle scars - victories of scrapes with birds and bugs. The train banks into a slightly tilting angle, and produces a quick fire shotgun-like sound when it passes other trains at speed. This is as close as passengers will get to enjoy the feeling of what it may be like if a plane was speeding on the ground instead of at 37,000 feet. The adrenalin rush is felt from the moment the train begins its journey right the way through to the end. The feeling stays with you for a while after disembarking the train – almost like as if you have touched down on earth again. However, I found out last week that even the technological heights of the Maglev are a world away from reality of rural China. Because of a severe typhoon hitting Guangdong Province last week, I decided to take the plunge and embark on a 14-hour train journey from Shanghai to Wuhan, and then on from Wuhan to Guangzhou (costing a total of RMB 1000). If I had wanted a real adventure, then I could easily have taken the direct 15-hour night train from Shanghai to Guangzhou (costing only RMB230), however there were no sleeper beds available and only hard seats (not wooden seats as may imagine, but still uncomfortable for a 15-hour night journey). Now, without being stereotypically negative, from my experience I have found that while 1st tier Chinese cities such as Shanghai and Beijing may have world-class infrastructure and sheer affluence, however the culture and quality of life in the rest of the country still needs improving. With a thriving economy, the issue that stems out is that China is a large and complex country with many things on the government’s agenda that will take time to resolve. Because of the extreme cultural and social contrasts, China is a country that you either fall in love with, or you end up despairing. I adore the former concept because of the color and vibrancy of the place. The train journey itself showed a different side of the country as opposed to the ivory towers of Shanghai. Some of the odd and eccentric behavior I encountered on the train journey (and this was in the first class cabin) was: people carrying live chickens in their hands (read = dinner/lunch for those who have no fridge), loud snoring (with mouth open), playing mah-jong, non-stop chain smoking, a bunch of grannies talking non-stop, kids keep taking photos of me and then running to show their parents ('mum/dad, look a foreigner!!'- they would say), slurping loudly of noodles (!), loud slurping/sipping of tea cups, spitting with a loud 'Krrraaggg thoo', people drinking alcohol and barbecued meat at SIX in the morning at Wuhan station (!), people wearing pajamas during the daytime train, mothers breast-feeding their babies in front of everyone (!), strong stench of human waste coming in from the open train lavatory, cutting finger nails (non-stop), loud mobile phones (annoying music tunes to go with them), and just endless…noise. It was an experience.... I noticed someone took a photo of me, and as we came close to Wuhan station a young couple from Hunan approached me asked me if it was OK for them to take a photo with me (because I am a foreigner). It wasn’t a quiet journey, even if the cabin was meant to be a ‘quiet cabin’. People stared at me in curiosity. These days, in the bigger cities Chinese people would not even blink an eyelid if a foreigner walked passed them because they have got used to us. However, in rural areas and places such as a long haul train, it is still common for people to stare at foreigners. It’s just friendly curiosity. Even as I am sitting here in a café in Panyu (Guangzhou), people are randomly stopping by and curiously just standing and watching what I am doing. Because I can understand Mandarin, I can hear things like ‘Oh look, there is a Laowei (foreigner), what’s a Laowei doing here?’; ‘Oh look, there is a Laowei using the laptop, so many Laoweis’ in China these days!’; ‘I think he must be from Iran, yeah looks Middle Eastern. Shall we ask him?’. It goes without saying that questions like these may be common place for any human being to be asked at if they are in a non-international/non-multicultural environment. So, yes I may get those kind of questions and curiosity from the locals even if I go to, say for example, Africa, North Korea, or Burma. In all my years in mainland China, I have got used to these kind of comments (even though I personally don’t like it). However, I am sure that for any newcomer to China it may make them feel: either 1. Annoyed, 2. Feel like a superstar, or 3. Spoil them because people are treating them like a VIP. I wonder if North Korea would be the same one day (if they open up to the world as China has done). Yes, neon lit cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Suzhou give you the impression that China is as advanced as any other global city in the world. The infrastructure in China is one of the best in the developing world (and in some parts even better than the developed world). For example, I have not experienced a power failure in all the 9 years I have been in China (like India experienced earlier this week, where half of the country had a power shortage- that kind of thing can never happen in China because the infrastructure is much more advanced). The younger generation who live in the big Chinese cities have not been exposed to the difficult humble upbringings that their forefathers endured during hardships times in years gone by. This goes especially true for the 2nd generation who are born after the 1980s who are perhaps more used to having dinner at The Ritz-Carlton, or drinking their morning coffee everyday at Starbucks instead of tucking into traditional Chinese breakfast. However, it’s only once you enter the countryside and the 2nd tier cities you immediately realize how much improvement there needs to be made in order to get the rest of the country to where it should be. On the train journey I took there were a whole host of things that made me feel how damn lucky I was not to have taken the all-night hard seat train as that would have been a million times worse than the daytime experience. Below are some photos from my time in Shanghai (and some of the train journey as well). - Navjot Singh I fondly recall taking part in the dragon boat race this time last year in Shanghai, of which our super team was beaten into 2nd place by less than only 2 seconds! As captain, I was gifted with a superb team who excelled in all departments of organization, structure, and perfect motion of the oars with great timing. A fantastic team, along with perfect weather conditions helped us to become (almost) winners of the tournament. This year, though I will not be taking part in any dragon boat race, I will, however be watching a few races at the Zhujiang River (Pearl River) in Guangzhou. The Dragon Boat Festival is a lunar holiday, occurring on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month. The Chinese Dragon Boat Festival is a significant holiday celebrated in China, and the one with the longest history. The Dragon Boat Festival is celebrated by boat races in the shape of dragons. Competing teams row their boats forward to a drumbeat racing to reach the finish end first. The boat races during the Dragon Boat Festival are traditional customs to attempts to rescue the loyal Chinese poet Chu Yuan. Chu Yuan drowned on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month in 277 B.C. Chinese citizens now throw bamboo leaves filled with cooked rice into the water. Therefore the fish could eat the rice rather than the hero poet. This later on turned into the custom of eating tzungtzu, and rice dumplings (known as 'zhongzhi'). Chinese people normally have 3 days off work. So this year the 22nd, 23rd and 24th will be national holidays for all mainland Chinese people. In Guangzhou, a race was organized in the Lizhiwan area of the city. Lizhiwan looks rather like Guangzhou’s equivalent of Amsterdam with boats navigating through the 743 meter-long waterway from Shamian Island to Liwan Lake. With lush greenery, numerous shops selling all kinds of traditional Cantonese food and period style buildings there is no better way to spend your day off. The one thing that does catch ones eye is the sensational ancient buildings with colonial style architecture that lie right next to rather traditional Cantonese architectural styled buildings. There is the amazing Wen Tower, a hexagonal designed pagoda style tower that gives a glimpse of the old style buildings. While in contrast there is the Chen Lianbo Residence, a typical Canton building from the 1920s colonial era. Some people also pay a visit to their local temple to pay respects to Buddha or Guangyi. The celebration is a time for protection from evil and disease for the rest of the year. It is done so by different practices such as hanging healthy herbs on the front door, drinking nutritious concoctions, and displaying portraits of evil's nemesis, Chung Kuei. Now, supposedly, if one manages to stand an egg on its end at exactly 12:00 noon, the following year will be a lucky one. Maybe I will try to do that this year and see if the following year will bring me good luck. On the other hand, no matter what, everyday is blessing from god. Because China is such an enormous and complex country, therefore moving to a new city in China can be described as an experience similar to that of moving to a new country (even if those two cities are within the same province). This means when you relocate your life from one city to another city in China then you will most likely have to:
1) get a new mobile phone number, 2) apply for a new bank account, 3) re-register with the local police as a foreigner, 4) get accustomed to the culture, and language of the new city 5) get used to the local food 6) get used to the business culture as well as the people’s culture From my first three weeks in Guangzhou, what I have come to realise is that generally in the south region there is no real sense of urgency in everything the local people do- and I mean EVERYTHING. The first impression of this is clearly visible as one arrives at the city’s airport. The ever-slow paced queue at the arrivals taxi stand seems to go on for as far as the eye can see. Other examples include the laid-back approach displayed by the staff at local banks, and even mobile phone shops, and waitresses at restaurants taking forever to deliver your dishes. Despite being in Guangzhou for such a short time, I have also happened to experience two separate cases of theft in such a short time. The first case involves identity theft. I relocated from Suzhou to Guangzhou, which is a journey of around two and a half hours by plane. When I left my apartment in Suzhou, I forgot to deactivate my internet account, and I forgot to deactivate my mobile phone account for Suzhou too. Once I got to Guangzhou, I called the service provider (China Mobile), and asked them to deactivate my Suzhou internet account. To my frustration, they told me that I have to physically go back to the branch outlet where I originally signed up for the internet account to be able to permanently deactivate the account. That meant that I would have had to take at least a day (make that two days just in case of flight delays, etc.) to go back to Suzhou just to close an internet and mobile phone accounts. Now, to make matters worse, the person who moved into my home in Suzhou started using the internet for free under my account because it was still open. He even started using mu mobile phone number (by claiming to be me!). The only solution for this dilemma was for me to change my password for both my internet account and also my mobile phone number, and until I returned to Suzhou I could not close both accounts down (and I have no idea when I'll return to Suzhou). The second case happened on the ground here in Guangzhou. This Cantonese city, in my experience, being a 2nd tier Chinese city, also comes across as a riskier place compared to the westernised cities such as Shanghai and Beijing. Good people and bad people reside everywhere; however, that risk of bumping into certain troubles tends to become more apparent in slightly deprived areas of any city in any part of the world. Guangzhou is no exception to this. What I experienced yesterday was nothing short of stuff compared to classic Hong Kong movies (without being stereotypically negative here). I was in a coffee shop in Panyu in the southeast part of Guangzhou. My intention was to have a nice cup of coffee and make my way to the local bank so I could open a new Guangzhou bank account. As I left my laptop bag on a chair, and made my way to the counter to pay for my coffee a young man calmly picked up my laptop bag and left the coffee shop. My immediate reaction on realising the theft of my bag was of shock and anger with myself of leaving it on the chair (even for less than a minute). I called 110 for the police, and at the same time questioned the shop staff on why they did not stop the man. Their response was that because the man left the shop so calmly, they thought he was my friend. The most worrying thing for me was not losing my laptop or passport as those could easily be replaced with new ones, but of losing my precious photos, and all the articles I had written (including the manuscript for the 2nd edition of my first book on China). Even my backup USB drive was in the bag. In the 5 hours of drama that followed, remarkably the thief called me back (he found my number on a document inside my bag), and asked for 200,000 yuan in ransom (approx. £20,200 GBP). To cut the story short, eventually I had agreed to go with at least 10 undercover police officers to a specified location on the outskirts of Guangzhou with 'fake money'. The plan was to hand over the ‘fake money’ to the culprit, and at that moment, the plain clothed police officers would jump in to arrest him by surprise. I did manage to tell the thief (through a translator who could speak Cantonese), not to erase any of the data from the laptop as that meant a lot to me. As we made our way to the undisclosed location in a disused industrial area of Guangzhou, we got news that the unarmed man had turned himself into a local police. Thankfully, all of my belongings were returned in one piece (including my passport, house keys, credit cards, and around 1,000 yuan of cash). It could easily have turned ugly. While being interrogated, the man claimed to be mentally ill (he showed the police a doctor’s note), and claimed he was not aware of what he was doing. With tears rolling down his face he apologised to me. It's perhaps a relief that I got everything in one piece but shockingly according to Chinese law, if someone is mentally ill then they cannot be charged for any crime no matter how serious the offense is. So effectively this man got away lightly. A journalist from the Guangzhou Yanchang Evening News accompanied me throughout the event to note it on record. He told me that only 3 weeks ago another mentally ill man beheaded his own uncle in Tian He District, but he could not be charged for the murder because he was proven to be mentally ill. Scary hey? So, thankfully it was a good conclusion, and it was nice to know so many good people were there to assist me at this difficult moment in my life. This included my colleagues, the police, and my friends who kept me company on the phone throughout the ordeal. I got my laptop back. However, most importantly I got my articles, manuscript, and precious photos back. You can bet your bottom dollar I’ll never let go of my bag next time I order a coffee (not even for a second…not in a place like Panyu). The award-winning Jumeirah Himalayas Hotel Shanghai is located inside the Himalayas Center right in the heart of the trading district of China’s most happening city. Easy to get to from both of Shanghai’s two airports’, with around 40 minutes by taxi from Hongqiao Airport, and around 30 minutes from Pudong International Airport, the hotel is also a stone throws away from Huamu Lu metro station at Line 7, which easily connects to Longyang Road metro station on line 2 from where guests can catch the futuristic Maglev train straight to Pudong International Airport. The cubic-shaped 23,000 sq meter Himalayas Centre is a landmark building that combines nature, humanism, and fine architecture. It takes on the form of a jade piece with heavenly inscriptions that breaks forth from the ground. The project consists of not just the Jumeirah Himalayas Hotel Shanghai, but also a fabulous shopping mall. In the 4th quarter of 2012, an art museum and a theatre would also be opened at the location. Jumeirah Group opened its first luxury hotel in China in 2011 and is now present in Dubai, London, Frankfurt, the Maldives, Shanghai, and in Abu Dhabi. The luxury hotel industry in China is growing at an alarming rate. A few things separate the Jumeirah Himalayas Hotel Shanghai from the others in this competitive industry within this part of Shanghai. Hence why the hotel has adopted the concept of ‘STAY DIFFERENT’ to everything they do. One of the things that sets the hotel apart from the others is its lavish lobby and its dramatic ceiling complete with a 260 sqm LED screen, the largest indoor screen in Shanghai which displays various multimedia animation to reflect the four seasons. Every successful hotel manager will tell you that the lobby is their favourite part of the hotel because this is where they can get a true feeling of how well their hotel is doing. Immediately as you enter the lobby, apart from the LED screen roof, the first thing that strikes the visitors eyes is the enormous amount of space in the 16-meter high lobby which contains exactly 1,000 Chinese characters on the pagoda style roof, and some of the finest pieces of art around the whole of Shanghai. When one observes any of these 42 delicate pieces of value, you realise that this hotel lobby is truly the envy for all other luxury hotels to gasp at. The 42 art pieces are a personal collection of the hotel’s owner, Mr. Dai Zhi Kang. The 47-year-old property tycoon, with a personal fortune net worth of $1.2bn is keen in his pursuit of contemporary art. Dai is a collector of modern Chinese art and has an established a museum in his Himalaya Centre to house the collection. Rising from his humble beginnings, firstly as a student at Remin University and later as a Banker, Dai changed course and invested in the booming Chinese property market to eventually become one of the most successful people in modern China. From our brief conversation I got to know that he is also an avid collector of rare ancient scrolls and sculptures. Guests are allowed to borrow a complimentary iPod nano at the lobby, pre-loaded with information in Mandarin and English, and they can listen to all the history and detail of each art piece. The complimentary Lobby Art Tour which is open to the public also explains the Feng Shui elements of the design of the hotel which contains a full sized antique pagoda in carved rosewood. Things such the mirror and the fountain (which bring energy of the feng shui element of water), and the dragon boat made of African Rosewood, are some of the things that are displayed to deliver the good wishes to all the guests for a smooth stay. There is that air of elegance which stays with the Chinese thought of pursing a higher achievement in life. The dragon boat certainly displays that. You are not just exposed to fine art, but effectively you can read a 5,000-year-old story with the ‘Thousand Character Essay’, which each character has a unique meaning, epitomising the ancient art of Chinese calligraphy. It’s a strong fusion of local Shanghainese culture, Arabic influence, and an essence of the pastoral life of the common people of this country that is brought out clearly by the design of the tasteful piece. After all, would you expect anything less from a world-class architect as Arata Isozaki, and interior designers KCA International (from Burj Al Arab fame)? Indeed Jumeirah is about affluence, as well as being different. The latter term is perfectly exemplified when you see a group of Chinese musicians dressed in traditional Arabic wear (burkas and all), and playing Arabic music. It may come across as being a bit odd and eccentric, however that’s the beauty of enjoying Arabic culture in China. Fond memories of my stay at the Jumeirah Emirates Towers came to mind as I presided towards my generously spacious room, which granted priceless views across to this modern part of Pudong district. Though the views may not be as extravagant as those offered by the riverside at the Bund (unless you like to admire the view of the massive yet blandly designed Shanghai exhibition centre, or some of the villas, each costing around US$6 million, located right opposite the hotel), the hotel does offer sheer tranquillity away from the hustle and bustle of the downtown Shanghai. There is an air of traditional Arabic elegance spiced up with Chinese affluence, and this all hides behind the aroma of the hotels furnishings. It may not be easy to see for the guest, however the ethos of the Jumeirah brand is to bring a little bit of the Middle East to wherever they are situated and in Shanghai, and it is no different. I suppose a replica model of the seven star Burj-Al-Arab hotel situated in the lobby blends in well with the surrounding art pieces. Want to feel like Chinese royalty? Each of the 339 rooms and 62 suites are lavishly furnished with jade piece, and Feng Shui elements, and state of the art facilities. The temptation to combine business with pleasure can be just too much when one is offered a contemporary Chinese scholar’s work table complete with all the internet connectively for all kinds of international electronic equipment. Creature comforts that will leave any other hotel drooling with envy include the easy one-step bedside master switch, 42-inch LCD television, and richly thick 600-thread cotton duvets and pillows. As for the bathroom amenities, the hotel has stuck with the unique brand concept of ‘STAY DIFFERENT’. So unlike other hotels where you may just get one of either luxury toiletry brands, at the Jumeirah you get both L’Occitane and Acuqa Di Parma toiletries- all along with a soaking bath, separate rain shower. To top it all up, you’ll be glad to know that the hotel boasts the fastest complimentary internet connection in Shanghai at 60 MB. After a long day in the hustle & bustle of the city of over 19 million, it really is an oasis to escape to where you can just hide yourself in sheer luxury away from the crowds. Its projects such a cosy feeling that it’s almost easy to forget that you are in China. Fans of the Jumeirah brand have not been let down when it comes to providing world-class cuisine. Three of the five dining venues at the hotel provide exquisite authentic cuisine from all around the world. Bringing in world class chefs who may even double as undercover artists because that’s how presentable their dishes are. Indulge your taste buds into ‘Shang High’, provides an authentic Shanghainese dining experience, while J MIX projects the finest Japanese dishes, and Grill Room is for those with a western penchant. The hotel does not fail to be different in this department because very few luxury hotels in Shanghai offer a true Shanghainese cuisine, instead opting to go for either Cantonese or Sichuanese dishes. It saves the guest time for drifting down the tedious and narrow lanes of Shanghai to find true authentic Shangahinese cuisine. The Jumeirah Himalaya Shanghai excels in providing the best of what people really want in Shanghai, and that is either Shanghainese or Japanese cuisine. The heights of glory don’t just rest there. This hotel is more than your average five-star lay over. There are snippets of the Jumeirah that make you feel that you have come to somewhere magical, and the ethos displays exactly that. It will keep you wondering if it’s real or just a fantasy. Shang-High RestaurantAfter months of talking about it, finally it has come time for me to relocate back to Guangzhou, the capital city of Guangdong Province in Southern China. Guangzhou has a special place in my heart because I lived there for a few years when I first came to China in 2003. I have enjoyed living and working in Suzhou for the past 11 months (excluding the 2 months in Shanghai).
Suzhou is technically split into two parts- the historic Suzhou, and the Suzhou Singapore Industrial Park (SIP). The old Suzhou is still very much a tourist town with all the historic gardens and canals. Whereas Suzhou SIP is more of an expat haven that feels like being in an affluent part of the U.K. or the U.S.A.. In the SIP area there are famous International schools such as Dulwich College Suzhou, and there are MANY expat shops, restaurants, and bars selling imported European and American food. Suzhou SIP itself is perhaps the most beautiful, cleanest, and spacious city I have been in China. Prior to my arrival in Suzhou, my impression of this city was somewhat limited to one that most non-residents have, and that is of an ancient and historic Suzhou with period architecture and lush greenery blended in with canals (hence why it's known as the Venice of the East). I never imagined that one day I would be living the life of an expat in this city. It is quite a privilege to be able to witness the beauty of Suzhou as a 2nd tier city, and also how rapidly it’s growing, both economically, and geographically. I have really enjoyed living here, and I am going to miss it a lot. It really is a fantastic place to live in. In the SIP area, you can go to Jinji Lake, Times Square, and around Ling Long Wan to do shopping and eat delicious Korean and Japanese food. Suzhou has a large Japanese and Korean expat community. Then there is an assortment of Americans, British, French, Spanish and other European nationalities, Indians, and of course, Singaporeans. In fact Suzhou is not as expensive as, say for example, Shanghai, Shenzhen, or Beijing, but it is more expensive than most 2nd tier cities such as Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Ningbo, and Tianjin. For example, the house prices in Suzhou vary from around 1300RMB a month for a 45 Sqm 1 bedroom home (in downtown old Suzhou), to 35,000RMB a month for a 150 Sqm 4 bedroom home (Suzhou SIP area). I live in the SIP area, quite close to Kunshan and so the house prices in this area are competitive for the expat luxury market. It may be frustrating sometimes that the roads in Suzhou SIP are EMPTY 90% of the time, where the streets in downtown Suzhou are BUSY 90 of the time! That's the remarkable beauty of this amazing. There are also two railway stations- One in the SIP area (more modern but quiet and empty), and the main Suzhou station (Very BUSY). Overall, Suzhou SIP feels like a ghost town because the roads are all empty 24 hours a day (photos below)! Having lived and worked here, I also feel that the people of Suzhou are more oriented towards their career and are more serious on maintaining a long term job security than people, in say, Shenzhen (where most of the people are migrants). So, with a very heavy heart I say goodbye to Suzhou. On the other hand I am very much looking forward to relocating back to Guangzhou (I used to live in Panyu for over 2 years before coming to Suzhou and Shanghai). Here I have included some images of life in Suzhou. There is a good mix of the old and new Suzhou. Amidst the sad feeling of missing good friends, and my home for the past 11 months it's time to face the facts and move on in life. That's the way the stone rolls. The rock tumbles...the cookie crumbles. Ciao Ciao Suzhou. :-( Famed for being as the backdrop of many foreign and Chinese movies, including the Hollywood hit, ‘Mission Impossible 3’, Zhouzhuang is consistently considered to be the best and the most popular "water town" in China’s eastern region. Located around 35km southeast of the eastern Chinese city of Suzhou, and on the southern shores of the famed Lake Baixian, Zhouzhuang is remarkably tiny compared to other water towns around this part of China, such as Luzhi, Tongli, and Mudu. The town is well noted for its rich culture and the well preserved ancient residential dwellings, many of which still remain in a similar condition to what you may have found if you had come here, say 30 years ago. It is one of the few ancient water towns wehre over 60% of the buildings are the original structures from the Ming (CE 1368-1644), and Qing Dynasties (CE 1644-1911).
With a rich history spanning over 3,000 years, Zhouzhuang is a living example of how people used to live their lives in China well before any of the technologies of modern life that we take for granted these days came into effect. The best way to explore the town is by taking a trip abroad one of the gondolas (costs 100RMB for a 1 hour tour of all the canals). While rowing the gondolas through the narrow canals, the oarsman will be chanting folk Chinese songs which themselves contains stories about the life and culture of this ancient water town. The town originated as a village by the name of Zhenfengli during the period around the Period of the Eastern Zhou (BCE 770-221) Dynasty. It is claimed by historians that the town received its current name in CE 1086 during the Northern Song (CE 960-1127) Dynasty when the village was donated to Zhenfengli's Quanfu Temple by a devout Buddhist by the name of Zhou Digong, who owned this piece of land. Quanfu Temple is a marvel of a temple complete with some original artifacts on display, and it forms a signature part of a tour of Zhouzhuang. Until the early 1980s Zhouzhuang was perfectly hidden away from the world’s eyes. The town was only bought to the world’s attention when an American businessperson who owned an art gallery in New York, visited the town and realized its true gifted potential as a tourist town. The interest in watertown Zhouzhang has sparked interest in other watertowns across China, and in particular, the watertowns of the Suzhou area. Since the 12th century, Zhouzhuang has been connected to the Grand Canal, which extends from Hangzhou in the south to Beijing in the north. In terms of food, the town has plenty of offerings of fresh fish (from the water), house made rice wine (very sweet tasting), and pork meat (especially pork knuckles!). If you are going from Shanghai or from Suzhou then you need a full day set aside for exploring the whole of the town. The following places of interest are worth paying a visit at Zhouzhuang: Quanfu Temple Strikingly beautiful and located inside Nanhu Garden, Quanfu Temple is a Buddhist place of worship built on the shores of Lake Nanhu. The temple is so large that had to be divided into four parts, which related to the four seasons of the year. The enormous prayer halls of the temple are a delight to be in as it brings out the best of all the different personality faces of Buddha. Light a joss stick and make a wish! Milou Tower The distinctive looking Milou Tower is situated next to Zhenfeng Bridge on the islet in the southwestern part of Zhouzhuang. It is clearly visible as one makes their way to the entrance of the ancient town. Milou Tower was originally a place where actors and writers would gather around to perform or tell stories. Even to this day performances take place at the Milou Tower. Chengxu Taoist Temple Considered to be one of the largest and most famous Taoist temples in the region, Chengxu Taoist Temple is located on Zhongshi Street, just opposite Puqing Bridge. Originally built during the Song Dynasty (CE 960-1279), the temple contains fabulous halls including Sheng ("Sanctity") Hall and Doumu (Goddess Mother of the Great Wagon) Hall, while its pavilions include Yuhuang and Wenchang. Shen Mansion Situated discreetly in the narrow Nanshi Street, Shen Mansion is Zhouzhuang's largest residential building containing over 100 rooms covering an area of over 2,000 square meters. With its beautiful courtyards, each surrounded by living quarters, the mansion is the stuff made out of dreams for any emperor. Take note of the expensive period furniture still on display in the rooms. The Former Residence of Ye Chucang A native of Zhouzhuang, Ye Chucang (1887-1946) was a poet and statesman who made many efforts to reverse the destructive effects of opium abuse and gambling during that period. His residence is made up of five courtyards and three main architectural structures (Zuyin Hall, Ye's private residence; and the Main Hall). The lavish displays of rich furniture and the strong smell of mahogany and oak strongly flavor the air. It provides a glimpse of what life must have been like for the gifted Ye Chucang. How I got to Zhouzhuang I took the coach from Shanghai Railway Station. The journey takes approximately 1 and a half hours, and costs 25RMB one way. There are regular buses throughout the day from Shanghai or from Suzhou (if that’s where you are travelling from. The journey takes around an hour and costs less then 10RMB one way). Zhouzhuang is close to Tongli Village. This article was also published on TheTravelEditor.com Nanxiang is a small town located in Shanghai’s north-western Jiading District that has a fabulous history of over 1,400 years waiting to be soaked up. This old ancient town is the birthplace of the famous xiaolongbao steamed bun, which are well liked throughout the world. It’s definitely worth trying a few of these delicious buns. The town houses the oldest and original shop selling the famous xiaolong mantou, which was established in 1900.
The town is also the home to one of Shanghai’s five most important classical gardens, the Guyi Garden of Nanxiang which is designed in the typical style of a Jiangnan classical garden. The lush greenery and the sleepy willows may provide a respite for escaping from the hustle and bustle of the noisy narrow lanes of Nanxiang. Nevertheless, despite the garden’s external and internal features not making it appear it to be as outstanding as one would hope for, it’s the garden’s historical connection to the city that is more to be cherished. There are plenty of relics on display that have stayed untouched since the Ming Dynasty days, and that’s the part that really makes this place sell like hot cakes. To make the most of the visit to the garden, visitors can rent a small rowboat to take a ride along the bright green algae ridden lake inside for 20RMB (approx. $2.5USD). Just make sure you known how to ride the boat as no one will be there to teach you. The old street in Nanxiang (pronounced ‘Nanxiang lao jie’) is another wonderful sight to experience, and is somewhat similar to what you may come across in other water towns in Jiangsu province such as Mudu, Tongli, and Xitang. Narrow, crowded, the air filled with the rich smell of oily & spicy Chinese cuisine, and the much expected souvenir shops selling everything under the sun from Mao’s portraits to a matchstick box. The highlight of the town is the enormous yet remarkably beautiful Yun Xiang Temple (pronounced Yun Xiang Si). Allow at least half a day to fully experience the sights and smells of this beautiful historical town. The entrance fee for the garden is 12RMB (approx $2USD). How I got there? I took Metro Line 11 from Jiangsu Lu to Nanxiang directly (takes around 40 minutes). Then take a 15 minute walk along Huyi Gong Lu (沪宜公路) to reach Guyi Garden or you can carry on walking straight down Minzhu Jie (民主街) and the garden is located on the left hand of the road. The Nanxiang Yunxiang Temple and Old Street are also on Minzhu Jie around a 5-10 minute walking distance from Guyi Garden. In an energetic and modern city such as Shanghai, it is so easy to forget that only 30 odd years ago the whole place was essentially nothing but similar to any other current 2nd tier city in rural China. Apart from exploring the beehive tourist attractions in the heart of Shanghai, it worthwhile to go out to the suburbs and see what this fascinating city has to offer for those who yearn to set their eyes upon some of the older parts of Shanghai.
Qibao may be the answer that you are looking for. Situated around 11 kilometers on the outskirts of Shanghai city, Qibao is a diminutive historical town that boasts some of the finest street foods around in the country. The water town, covering an area of around 21.3 square kilometers, is also one of the two beautiful and perfectly preserved water towns in Shanghai (the other one being Nanxiang). The town was built in the era of the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1126) and grew into a flourishing commerce district during the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing Dynasties (1644-1911). These days Qibao is not a wealthy area of Shanghai, and has very little to offer in terms of growth. The majority of the residents depend on tourism, food and, various industrial goods. For a carnival of food head down to the celebrated Town Street with it’s electric atmosphere. If you are into exotic Chinese food then give the all popular chou doufu (stinky tofu) a try. The English name of this snack says it all. If this is something that you desire to tuck your taste buds into, then may god bless your heart because after all these years I still cannot get used to the distinguishable foul smell that drifts for at least half a mile away. I despair it (I really do). The worst part of it all is that it gets into your nose and stays there for a very long time. If this is not your appetite then you may like to try ‘pig’s intestine soup’, ‘smoked toads (Xunlanhamo), sugar coated haws on sticks (Tanghulu), or ’cricket meat’ (again, not for my handling). The other local specialty is hong shao rou, "Red Braised Pork" using a combination of ginger, garlic, aromatic spices, chilli peppers, sugar, light and dark soy and sometimes rice wine. Talking of crickets’, the town’s main attraction used to be (and still is to some extent among the elderly) the cricket insect fighting. It’s fairly interesting to witness crickets fighting each other. Some people may consider it a cruel sport, while others compare it to just like humans boxing each other (!).Due to its favorable geographic demographics, and the perfectly fertilized lands, the town residents provide the crickets with ideal living conditions. This enables the crickets to be prepared to provide exciting performances each day during the golden week holidays (May and October). Just behind the swamped lanes of Qibao, you are most likely to come across small neighborhoods where people live with the most basic of everyday amenities and in cramped conditions. While this may seem like to be the unfortunate side of Qibao, but in fact the people who live here do so in complete harmony and with happiness. It gives an idea of what life must have been like in most parts of Shanghai before all the sheer economic boom happened in Pudong and Puxi districts. So if you are living are living in your comfortable Ritz Carlton suite in the ivory towers of Pudong, try taking a tour of this part of town and then that will sure make you feel how lucky you are. Despite the dizzying pace at which the Chinese economy is growing at, there is still an enormous gap between the filthy rich and the unimaginable poor, and Shanghai is a city that clearly display this phenomena. If anything, then it’s definitely an eye opener. Qibao is located within a comfortable 5-minute walk from Shanghai’s Qibao metro station (Line 9). There are clear directions on how to get to the ancient town. If you get lost then ask anyone for ‘Qibao Lao Jie’ (pronounced ‘Chee Bao Lao Jie’). With a rich history of over 2,000 years, Guangfu is a tiny ancient water town lying 22 km west of the eastern Chinese city of Suzhou. The town falls on the shores of Taihu Lake, the 3rd largest natural lake in China. In the Datong period of the Southern Liang Dynasty, the powerful ruling Gu family abandoned their residence and built the Guangfu Temple. They then renamed the town "Guangfu" in their honour. Various ranges of luxuriant hills surround the town.
In Guangfu Town, tourists can visit the Guangfu Temple and the Guangfu Tower (known as the Guangfu Pagoda). The cost to visit the Guangfu Temple is 12RMB, and this gives the visitor entrance to the tower as well. The tower offers splendid views across to the town, and the lake. The rest of the view in the horizon is somewhat obscured by the hills. Dengwei hill is situated south of the town has been covered with plum trees since the Western Han Dynasty (206 B.C.-25). In late winter and early spring, plum blossoms end up transforming the slopes into a sea of flowers, which is the famous "sea of fragrant snow." Located around a 20 minute bus ride (take bus number 64 from Guangfu town just outside the temple) is the magnificent Qionglong Mountain (pronounced: Qionglong Shan). The mountain is excellent for hiking and has numerous trails which would quite easily allow you to explore around a whole day to explore. This mountain has a cultural significance because one of China’s most influential emperors, Qianlong, is said to have climbed the mountain on all six of his trips to this part of China. The story says that on one of his trips the emperor fell to his knees to worship the spirit of his father and from where his knees fell, two separate springs arose. That very spot is still there today known as the ‘Knees spring’. To get to the peak of the mountain takes around an hour and a half- though can be quicker if you can do it. There are two beautiful temples on the peaks. The one with the most significance is Shangzhen Temple, and it’s quite spectacular in size too. You may find a few surprises there, as I did on my trip. How to get to Guangfu, and Qionglongshan? From downtown Suzhou you can take bus number 2 to Mudu (or the metro line 1 to Mudu), and then take bus number 64 or 63 from Mudu to Guangfu (cost is around 3 or 4 RMB per person). The journey from downtown Suzhou to Mudu takes around an hour, and about a similar amount of time from Mudu to Guangfu. If you want to go to Qionglong Mountain, the it’s probably best to take bus number 64 as that bus stops right outside Qionglong Mountain, and then continues to Guangfu (and Mudu if you are going towards downtown Suzhou). You can also take a taxi from downtown Suzhou to Guangfu (costs around 100RMB), and to Qionglongshan (costs around 80RMB) . Mudu is a tiny ancient water town located on the shores of Taihu Lake to the southwest of the eastern Chinese city of Suzhou (Jiangsu Province). This water town differentiates itself from other water towns by being surrounded by hills and, beautiful natural scenery. Though the town of Mudu itself is a reminder of what China may have looked like, say 30 or 40 year ago, the actual ancient part of the town is the place to explore. Covering an area of around 35 square kilometres and with a rich history stretching more than 2,500 years, Mudu has witnessed the rise and fall of many Chinese emperors.
Much to the surprise to visitors, the entrance to the ancient town of Mudu is adorned with a myriad of KTV bars and restaurants selling local fanfare. As one walks through the piles of fruit skins that have been carelessly thrown by local vendors on the same paths on which previous Chinese emperors have walked on, you realise that Mudu is most definitely different from all the other water towns that you may have come across. Among the things to see of interest to the world traveller would be The Hongyin Mountain Villa. It’s is a famous private garden dating back to the reign of Qianlong in the Qing Dynasty. The beauty of its rockeries, brooks, and the splendours of its nature (trees, plants etc), pavilions, and pond for surpass other gardens. The key point to mention is that the Emperor Qianlong had been to the Hongyin Mountain Villa six times during his six visits to the south of the Yangtze river. At this spot he landed from the boat, toured the garden and saw the performance of the plays. An escort of Qing officials including Liu Yong stayed at the Hongyin Mountain Villa twice, leaving numerous storeys behind. The villa is made up of two Ming gardens: The garden of beautiful wilderness, and the Small hermit garden. By the end of the Qing Dynasty part of the small hermit garden became the residence of the embroidery queen Shen Shou. Then there is the splendid Yanjia Garden which was originally the residence of the famous scholar Shen Deqian in Suzhou during the reign of Emperor Qianlong in Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). It has been reconstructed many times to make sure that it retains its beauty. The town is popular with young people who want to dress up in costume and pay homage to emperor Qing (and his empresses!). Apart from the ancient town of Mudu itself, there is a beautiful hill that one can climb to take in aspiring views of the town and beyond from the peak. The 182 meters high Lingyan Mountain (Spirit Rock Mountain) is situated in the suburban area of Mudu. The journey to the peak, where there beautiful Lingyan Temple is located, takes around an hour. The small path up to the top of the peak is constructed with rocks. Located just behind the temple is a magnificent Duobao pagoda (which was closed at the time of my visit). The path to the top of the hill is made up of numerous bamboo trees (planted, and not natural). The path can be somewhat steep at times so it’s best to wear a strong yet comfortable footwear (business shoes and suit would not suffice as I saw some locals wearing). Leave the Armani gear at home, if you are coming to hike. At the feet of the mountain you’ll be welcomed by a very colourful scene composed of numerous street food vendors selling everything under the sun from freshly cut pineapple slices to stinky tofu (I honestly can’t stand that stuff after all these years in China). Prepare around two hours to see Mudu ancient town, and around three hours to explore the Lingyan Mountain at gentle pace. How did I get to Mudu? I took bus number 2 from downtown Suzhou (just near XinJia Hua Yuan on Xian Dai Dao). The bus stops right outside of Mudu ancient town, at the footsteps of Lingyan Mountain. The journey took around an hour one way from downtown Suzhou to Mudu. Visitors can also comfortably take line 1 metro to the last stop of Mudu, from where a 5-minute taxi would be suffice. Neatly hidden away in tranquil surroundings around 25 kilometres to the east of the Chinese city of Suzhou is the picturesque ancient water town of Luzhi. The town almost falls under the city of Kunshan’s jurisdiction. The small town posses’ absolute beauty on it’s pristine land that will leave you gobsmacked. There are plenty of colours in the air to mesmerize your senses. These include beautiful water canals, elegant stone bridges, and some real edible treats that will take you into a fascinating world away from the hustle and bustle from the big cities such as Shanghai. A massive imperial style gate adorns the entrance of the ancient water town. From here onwards, you are effectively walking on the same tiles on which emperors strolled 1400 years ago. It takes around a 5-minute walk to the narrow lanes of the town. As you begin to absorb the sights and smells of the water town, it becomes evident that this is not going to be any ordinary water town. There is an abundance of action packed activities that will keep you busy. Try riding a boat in the canals, or eating one of the many delicacies. Apart from the beautiful canals, the food, and the narrow lanes, Luzhi is also renowned for housing the ‘Statue of Arahats’ in the Baosheng Temple that was build in 503BC. The temple originally had 18 statues of arahats (Buddhists saints), however in 1928, 9 statues were ruined when the main hall collapsed. The surviving nine statues are well preserved and posses an outstanding artistic value. The wall behind them is carved in the shape of rocky islands. The forms are steep, severe, and the arahats sit upright placed asymmetrically among this backdrop as if part of a 3D landscape painting. The sculptor has adopted the techniques of exaggeration and contrast to create a unity of appearance expression and thought for each figure. The result is highly appealing and testifies to the superb sculpture skill of the tang dynasty sculptor Yang Huizhi. Then there is also the fabulous Shenzhai Residence. This is the former residence of Mr. Shen Baihun, a member of the Chinese Revolutionary League, and an educationalist from Luzhi. The residence features original furniture and his original office for doing business. The total area covers more than 3500 square meters, and the reconstructed part that has been open to the public covers an area of around 1000 square meters. Shen came from an affluent family who owned a lot of real estate at the end of the Qing dynasty. The residence is composed of gateway, ceremony hall, main hall, study, wing rooms, and other rooms/halls featuring elegant structure, simple decoration, and delicate carvings. It was a typical Suzhou style architecture of the Qing dynasty. Many movies and plays have found their place here. Film production companies regularly use the setting as a backdrop for period movies and television serials. In 1998, Luzhi township people’s government reconstructed part of the residence and put the ‘Village Women Garment Show; It is a scenic spot full of characteristics south of the Yangtze River. In between the canals and narrow lanes lies memorial hall to the great writer Wang Tao. Born into a family of scholars in Luzhi Town, Wang Tao was a famous Chinese thinker and poet. Invited by a British preacher, he went to Shanghai Muohi Press in 1849, where he was engaged in translation and edit for about 13 years. Later he became a criminal who was wanted by the Qing Government because he was writing letters to the Taiping Army. In 1862 he escaped from Shanghai to commence what would become a 23 year old exile. During those exile years, he helped a few influential people with translation of four books and five classics into English from Chinese, like for example the president of the Yinghua Press in Hong Kong. Between 1867 and 1869 he travelled to Europe and it was the first time that a Chinese intellectual had ever surveyed Europe in sheer detail. After arriving back to Hong Kong, in 1874 he became the editor in chief of the ‘Circulation Daily’, where he reformed for a better understanding of the western culture and encouraged his readers to open up their mindset towards Europe. In 1884, after being approved by Li Hong Zhang, Wang Tao was allowed to finally return back to Shanghai. In the years ahead in Shanghai, Wang Tao actively supported the revolutionary activities of Sun Zhongshan and Kang Youwei. He died peacefully in his Shanghai home in 1897. His body was buried in Luzhi, his birthplace and hometown. In recognition of his patriotic contributions, the Luzhi People’s Government established a memorial hall built in his memory. Covering an area of around 800 square meters this wonderful Qing Dynasty architecture building consists of Taoyuan Garden, Wang Tao’s Memorial hall and various beautiful gardens. The memorial hall was designed by the famous Chinese artist, Qian Juntao. You really need around half a day to follow absorb the complete atmosphere of Luzhi. Lying in a corner of the town is the original site of the famous Wansheng Rice Firm. Built in the 1910s, Wansheng Rice Firm is located at Nanshishao of Luzhi Township. It was run by two rich businessmen called Shen and Fan respectively. Being a large scale firm, it had about 100 warehouses for storing rice and finally ended up becoming a rice distribution centre for Luzhi and 10 other towns around Luzhi. Ye Shengtao, a famous author and educationalist taught in Luzhou for about 5 years since 1917. His inspiration for many of his works, including ‘Over Collecting 3-5 Dou’, came from the Wansheng Rice Firm. The firm became very well known throughout China, especially as the Wansheng Rice Firm was mentioned in his school textbooks. The town's most distinguished features are its many old-fashioned stone bridges, which were built in the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties. Owing to that, Luzhi deserves its reputation as a 'Museum of Chinese Ancient Bridges.' At one time, there were 72 bridges in the tiny town; 41 still exist and are well preserved 9they are safe to walk on!). How I got to Luzhi I took a regular bus from Suzhou north coach station (next to Suzhou Railway Station). The one hour journey costs 9 RMB one way. Visitors can also take a local bus no. 518 that goes from Suzhou railway station and takes around one hour. Route 518 is great if you want to also go to visit the other sites in Suzhou as the bus goes right through the middle of downtown and then onwards towards Suzhou SIP (Singapore Industrial Park) before heading to Luzhi. There are a lot of beautiful water towns located on the shores of the beautiful Taihu Lake around 18 kilometres from downtown Suzhou, which itself is known as the 'Venice of the East'. One of the oldest and perhaps the most beautiful water towns, Tongli ancient water town covers an area of around 24 square miles, and has a population of just under 34 thousand people. The majority of the residents earn their living from the tourism industry.
Originally named Fushi, Tongli is a preserved ancient water town with a history of over 1000 years. The town is surrounded by water, and has the following lakes inside its area: Tongli Lake, Jiuli Lake, Yeze Lake, Nanxing Lake, and Pengshan Lake. Tongli town is juxtapositioned next to a small island, Luoxing Zhou that hosts a beautiful temple hosing various Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism artefacts. Its scenery is very beautiful. During the Spring Festival, people will go to there to strike the bell to pray. A ferry on request can be taken from the main Tongli pier to the Luoxing Zhou. The trip only takes around 5 minutes. The most beautiful feature of the town are its bridges - all 55 of them in fact. Out of these, the most famous are the three bridges of Taiping, Jili, and the Changqing Bridge. They all represent a certain amount of blessing for human life. Chinese people believe that it’s best to go and take a small walk on the bridges when getting married, the birth of a child, celebrating a birthday. This rather simple yet powerful ritual offers people the chance to pray for a good health, and they believe that it gives them happiness. Tongli was also the birthplace and home of the famous Chinese poet, Chen Qubin. His former home is located on Shanyuan Street. Chen Qubin's greatest literacy achievements are embedded in his poems. His home was listed in the Focus Cultural Relic Unit under State Protection for many years. It is a national scenic spot that includes Haoge Hall, Baichi Tower, and Blue Emerald and Green Jade Hall, among other structures. His bedroom and many other features that made up this great man’s daily life are neatly preserved and on display for all to see. As you walk along the narrow lanes of the water town you'll come across an abundance of small shops selling all kinds of local delicious food items. The most famous dishes are (please excuse the direct translation to English from Chinese): "Pork chops served with spices"; Shell fish, Freshwater shrimp in cakes (bright red and boiled shrimps); Roasted horse chestnuts, Three-sliced spring rolls; braised and minced Eel; and the classical dish of all time, Watertown bouillabaisse (this dish is made of a combination of whitefish, weaver fish, mandarin fish and turtle meat). There are plenty of antiques to be bought as well, including ancient Chinese coins, stamps, and various posters related to the Chinese communist party. The beauty of a town like Tongli is that despite the super rich living in the big Chinese cities, it is amazing that here we have a small ancient town where people in the same way that their ancestors lived many hundreds and thousands of years ago. The only slight comfort to them is that they have some basic essentials of modern life such as electricity, gas, internet, mobile phones, and satellite television that allows them to keep in touch with the world. Allow a good 4 to 5 hours to absorb and see experience the whole town. A good advice would be to wear good quality, and comfortable pair of shoes as you'll be doing plenty of walking. How I got there: There are frequent buses from Suzhou Railway Station (or Suzhou North Bus Station) that go to Tongli everyday (at least 7 buses everyday each way). The cost of the 1 hour ride is 9RMB. Visitors can buy a ticket for 80RMB that includes a one-way ticket to the town. When coming back you just pay for the return journey (again 9 RMB). When you get to the Tongli station, you will have to walk for around 10 minutes to the main entrance of the town. When is the best time to visit Tongli: Tongli town is open for tourism purposes all throughout the year, but perhaps the most suitable time to visit is in the spring, autumn and, summer. The winters in Suzhou tend to present bitterly cold weather with a high humidity (i.e. the chilly weather gets into your bones- it can be unpleasant). A few days ago I wrote an article about the lack of public transportation in 2nd tier Chinese cities such as Suzhou. So how do most of the residents in Suzhou travel if they can't get a taxi or bus in time? Well, the majority of residents use an E-bike (Electric bike), or they rent a 'Pay As You Go' bike (explained below), or they have their own car (for which most Chinese people take a loan out from the bank to buy). The former two forms of transportation are becoming increasing popular in China. The country that used to be known as the ‘Cycle Country’ may as well stick to using that title again as these 2 wheeled mechanical beings are favoured by the far majority of the population in order to beat the congested traffic. You may recall my blog article on the demise of the cycle HERE. Well, it appears that the bicycle is making a comeback. Here is some information about the two major forms of pedal transportation: What's an E-bike? Essentially, if I am to put it into non-technical language then an E-bike may be looked at to be nothing but a plastic version of your typical Italian style Vespa scooter. With it’s parts all screwed in, it can easily be dismantled into pieces in case there is a probably. The E-bikes run on 1 or 2 batteries placed underneath the main seat of the bike. On a full battery, an E-bike can run for a maximum speed of around 40kph and for around 15 miles before the battery starts to drain again! Because it takes around 8 to 9 hours to fully charge the batteries so it’s best to have them charged at night-time. Pros of having an E-bike: 1. Flexible to use whenever you want and wherever you want to go (especially in a city like Suzhou where public transportation is lacking). 2. Cheap, no need to pay for fuel! 3. Looks somewhat cool 4. Light, and easy to operate. 5. Can be charged up at prime spots around any city (1RMB to charge an E-bike gives about 20 minutes of charging time). Cons of having an E-bike: 1. Batteries can EASILY be stolen if not chained properly (thieves are more than likely to take your batteries and not your bike!) 2. Wheel locks can EASILY be broken (the smartest of thieves know how to break them!). 3. It’s made of plastic (or cheap steel) so easy to damage and break 4. DANGEROUS: E-bikes are known as the ‘Silent Killers’ because they do not warn pedestrians in advance (seldom use the horn), and at night time they don’t use headlamps (to save battery), and people drive the opposite way. Somehow people also tend to have a strong passive aggressiveness towards others (read = road rage) when they ride E-bikes. 5. Putting in and taking out the batteries every time you charge them is troublesome. 6. In the winter it can be tough to ride an E-bike because the chilling wind will bite into your hands and body (gloves are hopeless) 7. It’s so easy to crash them because of the ‘road rage ’mentality of other riders. 8. The occasional bumps/holes in the roads are the perfect recipe for disaster. 9. You’ll probably end up paying more for things like flat tyres, lights, and other things that will make this plastic bike break up easily. 10. Cannot hire an E-bike, can only buy one! Generally, E-bikes can cost anything from 1,500 RMB to around 3,500RMB. What's a 'Pay As You Go' bicycle? Located at prime spots around the city, these are pedal bikes installed by the local governments to encourage people to use bicycles instead of public transport. Customers have to present their ID card (or passport) at the nearest police station or the government office (contact details can be found displayed on a notice board at every bicycle stand). With a deposit of around 100RMB or 200RMB (depending on the rules of the city), and an initial charge of around 100RMB, customers can hire the bikes for as long as they want. After finishing their ride, customers have to park the bicycle at the nearest available stand (i.e. they cannot take the bike home!). All the bicycles are atomically tracked using a GPS system so they cannot be stolen. These bicycles are safe, flexible, and cheap to use The choice is YOURS! According to many observers and analysts China's infrastructure is seen to be at least 30 years ahead of developing economies such as India, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Brazil, and most countries on the African Continent. Even though this fact may stand, and even though China's economy is booming at a dizzying pace, nevertheless it is still possible to come across areas where pockets of Chinese towns and cities have slums such as the one pictured in the eastern city of Suzhou. The one thing that one may notice immediately is that the slums in most parts of China look rather like rundown European style homes that have huge piles of rubbish thrown on the doorstep (as opposed to a slum that one may see in the shanty towns of India, Africa and other 3rd world nations complete with metal corrugated iron roofs). Most of the slum dwellers are construction workers who first build these temporary slums before they start construction on building sky scrapers. Most slums have electricity, proper sanitation (every home in China has a toilet- either a Chinese style or a Western style one), gas, and water (perhaps not clean water but it does the job). The Chinese government has made great efforts to eliminate these slums from the map of the country forever, and has been successful in doing so. A perfect example of this was demonstrated during the Beijing 2008 Olympics when the Chinese government demolished thousands of slums around the city, replacing them with new flats and homes. In return the slum dwellers were provided with complimentary homes or large sums of cash. One thing is for sure is that when you see how strong these slums are (in terms of the fragile infrastructure that withstands all kinds of weather), then you tend to admire human ingenuity much more. Thankfully for China, slums are becoming hard to find, and are in fact a dying breed. Let’s hope that it's only a matter of time when we shall start to see a similar trend in other developing nations so that one day poverty can for sure be turned into history. Utterly shocking as it may seem, but yes, this restaurant in Suzhou sells donkey and horse sandwiches/burgers. While horsemeat is not available in most parts of China, the Chinese people generally accept it (and no, much to the stereotypes about Chinese culture around the world, it's not popular in this country!).
Nevertheless, China is officially the world's largest producer of horse/donkey meat with around 241,000 tonnes of the meat produced every year. Most of this produced meat is exported to Europe, or Central Asia. Apart from Suzhou, other parts of China where horse meat may be a delicacy includes Guangdong Province, Beijing, Hejian, Guilin, Baoding, and the city of Jinan (provincial capital of Shandong Province, China. The people of the wonderful nation of Kazakhstan are the largest consumers of horse meat (even the much loved Borat adorns it!) as it's part of their daily diet. In Europe, major consumers include the Italians, French, and the people of Belgium. I have never tried this meat (I don't have the stomach for such 'exotic' offerings), however, the restaurant owner told me that the meat tastes similar to a tough yet sweetened beef. So, next time when you are taking a stroll down the street in China, or enjoying a meal where you let your Chinese friends do the ordering, you may want to double-check that what you are eating is, in fact, what you think it is. Maybe. A few days ago I had to be in Shanghai for an early morning meeting (9.30am is considered early when you are commuting in from 2nd tier cities such as Suzhou.). For a trip that should have taken less than around one hour door-to-door from my home in Suzhou Tianyu to the meeting room near Shanghai’s People's Square, it turned out to become a 3 hour frustrating slog because of the ever great Suzhou taxi which never arrived. In Suzhou (especially in the Suzhou Industrial Park (S.I.P.), expat area where I live), it is difficult to get taxis anytime of the day, and customers have to dial 67776777 to order a taxi. My frustration commenced at 6.30am and went on until 7.20am during which time I constantly kept on dialing the hotline number only for it to be 'busy' (read= nobody in the call operation room!). In the end I was left with no choice but to take a local bus to the train station (which also arrived late). The beauty of it all was that the bus not only cost a meagre 1RMB (as opposed to the 60RMB that would have cost in the taxi), but it also took only around 25 minutes to get to Suzhou Railway Station (taxi somehow does take longer even if I had taken one!). Suzhou is split into 3 major districts: Suzhou Industrial Park (S.I.P.), Suzhou New District (S.N.D.), and downtown Suzhou (which is busy, historically and culturally rich, and feels more like the real China.). In this article I am referring to Suzhou SIP (and perhaps even SND) where the roads are new and just deserted for most of the time. When it comes to poor provision of public transport in 2nd tier Chinese cities, then Suzhou's SIP area is no exception. Some other Chinese cities where residents suffer similar situations include Hangzhou, Dalian, Tianjin, Ningbo, and Nanjing. The vast majority of Suzhou's residents either ride E-bikes, or they are rich enough to own cars (the former outnumbers the latter). It would be fair to say that the SIP area looks nothing short of being a ghost town for the majority of the day (and night!) with empty roads that have the occasional tractor or a person on an E-bike. The roads are wide and empty enough to land a small plane should you wish to do so, and there is hardly a whisker in sight! The opening of the city's first metro line in the summer should make life easier for Suzhou's residents. However even when that is in operation it would be tricky because the metro line (there will only be one line to begin with) won't connect most of the focal points of the city including the city’s famous landmarks. For those connections, people would still have to dial the hotline number and hope that someone picks up the phone on the other side! Note that the operators only speak Chinese, so if you have not picked up enough Chinese yet, then learn how to order a taxi at least because it will become very useful should you start to live in a 2nd tier Chinese city. I have had a few people asking me the question: How do pilots and ATC communicate over Chinese airspace? The answer is: In aviation English (which I will give an example of at the end of this blog article). It is nothing new that most pilots operating on Chinese airlines cannot (with all due respect), speak good enough English (or none whatsoever in some cases). It would be true that the current and the future generation of Chinese pilots that are trained in Australia or the U.S.A. can converse in English, but those who are trained in China may not be able to converse in English (especially veteran pilots). The same goes for airline and military pilots from Japan, Korea, Russia, and other countries where English may not be widely used even as a second language. Having spoken to a few airline pilots from various international airlines such as Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airways, British Airways, and Emirates, the problems come about when pilots whose first language is English are trying to work out what is going on when they listen to the Air Traffic Controllers (ATC) transmissions over the airwaves. It certainly does not help if the local ATC and local pilots are communicating in Chinese rather than the international aviation language (i.e. English). Captain Bill Johnson, who flies the Boeing 777-300ER says though the problem is a global one, it can be more problematic over Chinese airspace because of the seriousness of the language issues. 'When we are flying over Chinese airspace, more times than one we have to repeat everything to make sure that the Chinese ATC and other aircraft in the immediate airspace can understand what we are saying,' said Captain Johnson who has over 20 years flying experience. ‘The main difference between flying over China or Russia, and other parts of the world is that the measurements used by Chinese and Russian ATC and pilots are in meters. The metric altitudes translate into feet, and most airlines give pilots a conversion table. The metric altitudes translate into feet, and most airlines give pilots a conversion table,’ said Captain Johnson. Captain Syed Abdul Aziz A. Rahman who flies the Airbus A340, told me that the Chinese and Russians have devised their own meters to feet conversion tables, which can be problematic if you have never flown into Russia or China. "Basically they have assumed that 300 meters = 1000 feet. Airlines have to then change it to their own specific standard operating procedure. The First Officer (or the Pilot not flying is most cases) reads the metric equivalent in feet which is then inputted into the FMS and altitude window by the Captain (or the Pilot who is flying) who also checks the ECAM ( Electronic Centralized Aircraft Monitor) screen for agreement on both sides. The procedure, which takes around 5 minutes, finishes by both pilots agreeing visually and verbally," said Captain Rahman, a veteran with over 22 years flying experience. The checking procedure at the end is so important because otherwise pilots can have problems when flying over international airspace. I fondly recall sitting in the jumpseat of a China Southern Airlines Boeing 757 from Guangzhou to Sanya where the captain hardly spoke a single word of English. He spoke some aviation language such as 'Standby', 'Affirmative', 'OK, China Southern 6748 climb to flight level 350'. But to my surprise some of the most important instructions were in Chinese, such as 'Cleared for take-off', 'Cleared to land', 'V1.....V2...Rotate' were all in Chinese! His English, with all due respect, was so limited that instead of telling me to wait he shouted aviation terms 'standby....standby!'. On that particular occasion even the First Officer could not communicate in normal English. Captain Sheetal Rajan, a senior training Captain on the Boeing 747-400 with the Boeing company and CEO of 'Air Safety Equipment', says that even though the minimum required international standard for English is IACO Level 4 (which is equivalent to Level B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR)), he is still surprised that some pilots in places such as China and Russia tend to have a lower level of English than the international required standard. ‘I suppose they may just rely on using aviation English,’ says Captain Rajan. Because of the amount of traffic in the skies and the quick turnaround time needed at airports for take-offs and landings, the vast majority of ATC around the world speak quickly (a crude example is the ATC at London Heathrow where a plane lands or take-offs EVERY 50 seconds or so!). In busy airspaces such as India and China it is no exception. Even a one minute delay in the aviation industry can end up costing hundreds of dollars, so ATC are always under pressure to make sure that planes get from A to B as safely and quickly as possible. With this in mind most of the ATCs whose first language is not English (i.e. Indians, Chinese, Thai, Russians etc.) tend to speak quickly to the pilots. However to eliminate confusion they have to repeat it twice over so that the pilots can understand what they are going on about. Unless, of course, there is not that much traffic around so then ATC can speak as clearly and slowly as possible (which is rare around busy airports such as Shanghai Pudong, Beijing etc.). The skies over China can get ridiculously busy, and with the aviation industry seeing a fast growth in the country, it would only be time when Chinese pilots will need to start speaking fluent English. Examples of aviation language: Standby = please wait Retard = Its an autothrottle callout during flare to retard the thrust levers (normally you hear the FMS say this 3 times….’Retard, retard, retard’) Affirmative = OK,I understand Flight Level 350 = 35,000 feet (similarly Flight Level 360 = 36,000 feet and so on) Cleared for take-off/Cleared to land (easy to understand!) Climb Up/Descend (easy to understand!) Turn right heading 180 degrees/Turn left heading 180 degrees etc. Speed back to 170knots (or 180 knots etc.) The alphabet from A-Z is standard as with the police/fire/ambulance services (A= Alpha, B = Bravo, C= Charlie, D= Delta, E= Echo, F= Foxtrot, G= Golf, H= Hotel, I= India, J= Juliet, K= Kilo, L= Lima, M= Mike, N= November, O= Oscar, P= Papa, Q= Quebec, R= Romeo, S=Sierra, T=Tango, U=Uniform, V=Victor, W=Whiskey, X=X-ray, Y= Yankee, Z=Zulu !!) In the past three days, people here in China had the luxury of enjoying a national public holiday. These three days in China were known as the ‘Qing Ming Festival’. With a distinguished history of over 2,500 years, the focus of this 3-day festival is for Chinese people to pay respects to their ancestors by going to their places of burial. Pronounced ‘Ching Ming’ festival, the occasion is not much of a celebration but rather a time to reflect on the life of the ancestors. Traditionally, people place a whole rooster at the tombstone, or a bouquet of flowers to show respect. The rooster symbolizes prosperity and life. However, in these modern times people prefer to place various kinds of items such as fresh fruit for example, and even place the items on the tombs that would represent something associated with their loved one (it can be anything). The festival is formally known as the ‘Sweeping Tomb’ festival because people use the occasion to ‘sweep clean’ the tombs of their loved ones, and then they may place some burning incense sticks as well.
Today (4th April 2012) was the last day of the public holiday period, and people used the occasion to go for family picnics, fly some kites (very popular in China!), or just take a rest from the hectic Chinese workstyle. As with any major holiday in China, all the parks, shopping malls, roads, and places of interest were jam packed for these 3 days because everyone only has this golden period to take a break away from work (in China most companies only offer a maximum of 10 working days annual leave so it’s a very limited opportunity for the locals to take a well deserved break). Though still slightly chilly, the weather here in Suzhou is getting warmer (albeit slowly). Suzhou residents must be glad to know that thankfully the horrible bone chilling Siberian cold weather has disappeared from China's eastern region. With that in mind, it’s the perfect weather to ride my e-bike along the empty streets of Suzhou SIP. Meanwhile on the other side of the world (in the U.K., U.S.A., and all other Christian countries), it's Easter. One holiday in this country gives way to another holiday in other countries. Just like Christmas and the Western New Year, Easter is not celebrated as a public holiday in China. However, that said I am sure I'll enjoy a few chocolate eggs available in the expat shops and think of home, sweet home :-) While I thought that perhaps the weather would start getting warm as spring is nearly here, however to my dissappointment Suzhou is still lurking in cold winter style conditions. I paid a short visit to Hangzhou (around 1.5 hours train journey from Suzhou) last week, and the coastal city happened to be much warmer despite being at the same longitude as Suzhou. Perhaps something to do with its close proximity to the sea. For the time being I can only hope that it starts to get warmer soon. This would enable me to ride my E-bike again, which has been locked away during the vast majority of the winter days. I am also busy putting the finishing touches to the 2nd edition of my first travel guide to China, the 'Newcomers Handbook to China'. It's been a while since the first edition was published (before the Beijing 2008 Olympics), and so much has changed in China since the Olympics that the book requires updating. The 2nd edition should be completed and published sometime towards the autumn or winter of 2012. Watch this space!
Located within the beautiful grounds of the Banyan Tree Hangzhou resort in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou is the superb Bai Yun restaurant. Compact yet exceedingly romantic, this refined and sophisticated restaurant offers a combination of dishes from Guangzhou (Cantonese), and Hangzhou. High chair and rich mahogany make up the interior décor with an ambiance that projects elegance and romance throughout.
The kitchen is headed by the veteran and prolific Master Chef Simon Chen who brings along many years of experience in providing innovative Chinese dishes to his guests. He did not fail to surprise and impress us with his culinary magic during our dining experience. Perhaps one of the most inspiring dish I tried was the ‘five cold platters’, a combination of seafood (prawns), chicken, vegetables and pork all decorated in the shapes of either plants or animals. It was the first time I had come across a prawn being served in two where the head was sticking upwards while the edible body was sitting next to it (perhaps not a good sight for vegetarians but still good nevertheless). Then there were other luxurious offerings such as the ‘braised chicken and abalone with perilla’ and the ‘boiled mandarin fish with celery’. Beautifully cooked abalone with chicken breast provides for a fabulous addition to any romantic meal; while mandarin fish is a local delicacy taken from the waters of the West Lake or from the lakes around the Xixi Wetland Park. Both of these luxurious dishes are not easy to get in any other restaurant around Hangzhou, or if they are then the style in which they are cooked is for sure not easy to define as it has been by Chef Chen. He puts his whole mind and heart into every single creation, and invests a lot of time working along with the kitchen chefs to make sure that the quality of the final product is of utmost excellence. In terms of drinks, most diners are recommended to try the local Hangzhou rice wine in small quantities. The rice wine is sweeter than say, most Chinese rice wines, hence why it should be taken in small quantities. The sugar is added to the somewhat damp tasteless original wine, but the strong sweet flavour of the wine makes it a sheer delight to have with mandarin fish, and abalone. Another dish worth awing at is ‘wok-fried leek and bamboo shoots with egg’ which looks rather like a Spanish omelette but tastes completely Chinese with its salts and local spices. A different kind of smoothness occupies the dish all throughout with a touch of the leek lingering behind your tongue. Candle lit dinners can also be arranged for those wishing to surprise their loved one with the perfect moment for romance. It’s easy to say it or write about it but when that special moment in your life comes to mind then its perhaps the most beautiful that can happen to anyone, and dining at the Banyan Tree Hangzhou will just make things magical during that special moment in your life. Come the summer, Bai Yun would be the perfect setting for romantic or family gatherings in the gardens within the immediate exterior of the restaurant. With room for 20 diners in the outdoor seating area, there is a chance to enjoy first class food in the tranquil and beautiful surroundings of the resort with the occasional sound of birds tweeting in the background. Just lovely. Have you ever wanted to know what it feels like to live in a Chinese Imperial palace? Then why not try the fabulous Banyan Tree Hangzhou. Situated in the tranquil surroundings of Hangzhou’s beautiful Xixi National Wetlands Park, the luxury resort, which was designed by Architecture Design and Planning, features 36 water terraces and 36 villas that are one of the most spacious in the whole of Hangzhou. Easily accessible within a 50-minute drive from Hangzhou’s Xiaoshan International Airport, and only around a 15-minute drive from downtown Hangzhou and the famed West Lake, the resort can be treated like your very own imperial palace for the duration of your stay. When you hear the echoes of your own footsteps bounce of the stone walls of the courtyard then you may be easily forgiven for thinking for a moment that you are inside an imperial courtyard rather than being inside this Jiang Nan style resort in the 21st century. Though I ended up going on a day when it was raining, I still felt warmly welcomed by the tentative staff at the resort. While it may be difficult to locate (so it should be as it’s a luxury resort, not your standard hotel), you can be rest assured that a Banyan Tree staff member will whisk you in a stylish buggy to the check in desk. The first impressions give you the feeling of ‘Wow!’, and it actually looks more beautiful in the rain. It gives that feeling of being in the old China.
There are five types of villas and suites available: Water Terrace, Premier Water Terrace, Water View Villa, Spa Jetpool Villa, and the two-bedroom Jetpool Villa. All of the villas and suites themselves are something to marvel at. You would be reassured that nothing else would touch your skin and feet except dark polish wood floors, antique carvings, and silk brocades. The rain shower and the bathtub adds that extra bit of luxury that you would deserve after a long day of sightseeing around this historically beautiful city. Then there are the high chairs made out of mahogany that add the extra ethos of being in a royal palace. The depiction of oriental chic and contemporary comforts is shown in style at any one of the Premier Water Terraces. The bedroom is complete with an indoor bath tub- perfect for those romantic getaways. After a long blissful soak, retreat into your own private spa treatment room for a relaxing massage which can be booked from the report’s spa. At the touch of a button guests can enjoy a myriad of DVD movies or a selection of songs available from the resort’s library. Other useful amenities include complimentary wireless internet in all the rooms, complimentary drinking water bottles (tap water is safe, but be cautious), in-room massage service, complimentary buggy service, and a late checkout time should you wish to require it. Then there is the spacious mini-bar that provides generous offerings of various alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. But the part of every villa to really aspire at is the emphasis paid to providing a highly spacious yet luxurious room with a high ceiling, and a bed that is almost as distinguishable as a four-poster bed complete with a luxurious 6-thread cotton duvet and pillows to match. With the addition of rose petals generously scattered all around the bed and the room, it would be safe to point out that the Banyan Tree Hangzhou would be perfect for honeymooners or those who want to treat their loved one to a romantic getaway. Loyal guests have been known to stay for over a period of a few months at the resort. Considering the impeccable facilities that make it is an oasis of tranquillity are a clear signal of why this has been the case. There are four options in terms of dining venues starting with the signature Chinese restaurant Bai Yun offering the finest of local cuisine from Hangzhou (don’t forget to try the fish fresh from the lake!). The other options include: the Waterlight Court, where one can enjoy a rich breakfast, or treat themselves to Western and Asian delights, or dine at any other time of the day until 10.30pm; the magnificent yet compact Jiu Xian (lobby lounge) which is of a similar quality to what you may call a ‘Club Lounge’ at other 5-star hotels; and finally you have the choice of dining in the privacy of your own villa at any time of the day. With the challenges of trying to distinguish itself from the other hotels within its vicinity, the Banyan Tree Hangzhou also offers guests the option of a new concept of ‘Destination Dining’’. This is where guests can dine in their own privacy under a draped tent and surround themselves by fresh flowers and candles complete with a private chef who can cook whatever you want and in whichever style. Though there is a 24 hour notice required for this, it is worthwhile to dine in style provided the horrible Hangzhou rain does not ruin your stay! Most people when they reside at hotels don’t have enough time to enjoy all the excellent facilities that are on offer, however, should you have time then it is highly recommended that you take a dip in the beautiful swimming pool, or have a go at one of the many spa treatments to wind down the stress of the day. The treatments are uniquely to the Banyan Tree brand and make it extra special to have a treatment under the stars in the evening (especially in the summer), or even in the privacy of your villa. It is for sure a delight for all the senses where you have the chance to calm the body and quiet the mind for a period of short time. Highly recommended is to try the Qi stimulating Gui Shi Hot Stone massage which features an invigorating rubdown with heated river stones (smooth!), and aromatic essential oils. Nothing beats the feeling of having a spa massage in quiet surroundings while the sun is setting in the backdrop- at Banyan Tree Hangzhou you can enjoy this experience during the summer months. It’s magical! On the whole the key that makes the Banyan Tree Hangzhou different from the others is that it offers the best quality of service, best quality of comfort and in the most romantic and peaceful surroundings in the magical city of Hangzhou. So next time you are here, why not mix business with pleasure and enjoy the fruits of your labour by spoiling yourself at the Banyan Tree Hangzhou? The trip to London was so short and snappy that it almost felt like a dream. Thankfully on the day of the flight from Heathrow we were gifted with a clear blue sky, and slight easterly winds, which allowed an excellent opportunity to take beautiful photos of London and beyond as the plane took off from runway 09R (heading towards Clacton-on-Sea, and then onwards towards Germany). I flew with Qatar Airways, so both the first flight (LHR-DOH, QR008), and the second flight (DOH-PVG, QR888) provided great opportunities to take some superb photos of the skyline of not just London but also Doha, Northern Thailand, Guiyang, Wuhan, Wuxi, Kunshan, and Suzhou (my home!!). And not to mention the magical sunrise that we were treated to somewhere over the Pakistan/India border.
I landed in London on the 23rd of January (a week after my birthday!). Last year I managed to fly back to London from China on four occasions, though I could easily have stayed in China to do more travelling. This time I was planning to stay back in Suzhou for the Chinese New Year festivities, however at the last minute I decided to go to London for personal reasons (via 1 night in Shanghai, and then 4 days in Beijing). It's great to be back though! It actually made up for the time I missed being with my parents during Christmas and the New Year festivities last year. The great thing about working in China is that you get to enjoy national holidays (and annual leave) while the rest of the world is working. It’s a lovely feeling because it’s not so busy in the UK. as it would be during the festive season like Christmas or the New Year. It’s also nice landing into Heathrow Airport, especially if you have westerly winds because then you get to fly right over Central London. The views are just magical as the majority of London’s famous landmarks were visible. As the photos below illustrate, I also got beautiful glimpses of some cities from the sky (Doha, Kuwait as examples shown). It was also nice to be invited by the team at Resonance FM 104.4 on the 31st of January to give a talk about China Culture and how my books are assisting expats in adjusting to life in China. The presenter was the evergreen veteran Journalist Rakesh K. Mathur who managed to present the programme despite being heavily jet-lagged and also suffering from a cold. Click HERE to listen to the recording. They also played music by Sayaka, a Japanese jazz musician and pieces from the modern and traditional Chinese opera. _ Though China is going green, it is still very hazy around the big cities such as Beijing. The capital city was smothered in thick smog for weeks until a day before the start of the Chinese New Year celebrations (23rd January). If you were to fly over big cities such as Guangzhou, Beijing and Shanghai, say five years ago, you’d never see the ground due to the smog and haze. On my stay last week during the Chinese New Year, the fireworks did not really help to make the situation any better. Beijing authorities started to release hourly account of PM2.5 levels just as year of dragon celebration began, and it just got worse as predicted. PM2.5** are tiny particulates released by car exhausts and factory chimneys that raise the risks of lung diseases, heart problems and dementia.
On the whole, since the Beijing 2008 Olympics, there has been some improvement. However judging from the recent PM figures, it will take a LONG time before we get to see a blue sky on a regular basis. The good news is that at the start of 2010, around 8.6% of total energy consumption in China was from renewable sources, (it’ll be around 20% within 10-12 years*). The country is also on course to reduce its power consumption by 20% in the five years to the end of 2015. Their initiatives include building high-tech, comparatively cleaner, coal-fired power stations, as well as introducing other alternative technologies such as wind power (and even Nuclear Energy). The latter is on course to be on target for the year 2025 with at least a six-fold increase in increase in electricity from wind power. Until that happens, I think it’s best to wear a face mask as I had to do with during my 4 day stay in the capital (there is no shortage of these). * Source: China Daily/Xinhuanet ** Source: The UK Guardian After a gap of 9 months, I had the chance to go back to The Ritz-Carlton Shanghai, Pudong. Every time I visit The Ritz-Carlton Shanghai, Pudong, my jaw just drops like an apple falling due to the forces of gravity. Why? Simply because of the stunning architecture of the hotel’s spacious interior and the warm surroundings that make a sheer comforting place to be at. Though most of the other 5-star hotels in Shanghai are of a very good quality as well, the key aspect that distinguishes The Ritz-Carlton Shanghai, Pudong from the rest is the aroma of being surrounded in a cosy outfit by the nearby beautiful buildings, such as the futuristic Pearl Tower, and the Jinmao tower. Almost every room has a beautiful view of one of the ‘pearls’ of the Pearl Tower.
This time I got to try the very best of Cantonese cuisine offered by the spacious Jin Xuan restaurant located on the 53rd floor of the hotel. Again there is that sense of warmth offered, blended in with the spectacular décor with superlative affectionate service. Total seating for main dining area is 52 seats, six private dining rooms of 64 seats, and two VIP private dining rooms of 40 seats. The dishes created by the Chinese Executive Chef, Ooi Soon Lok, are just out of this world. It has become a trademark of his to churn out the best of the east and the west in all of his dishes. Take for example dishes such as the ‘wok-fried Australian beef tenderloin, black pepper sauce’ or the ‘signature steamed assorted vegetables with brown sauce’. The former dish was the one where my first reaction was to think ‘Australian beef is wok fried?’, but the Malaysian born Chef Lok has managed it in such a neat way that one can enjoy the sweet tenderness of the beef that is western styled itself, but made using a very authentic Chinese way. It just melts as you take each bite. Lovely chunks of the beef dance in well with the green, yellow, and red peppers. Fabulous. The latter dish is just nothing short of a miracle in the plate created by Chef Lok. From a distance, one may be greatly mistaken in thinking that this dish is all made up of meat products, but in fact, it’s all vegetables! The carrots, the mushrooms, the cabbage, the lettuce, and even the tomatoes all provide a wonderful combination to please the eye and the tongue. It’s the kind of dish that would bring along a smile on your face no matter you are a vegetarian or not. Chef Lok, who has over 20 years global experience in luxury cooking, has the charm to delight diners with his on the spot creations of culinary extreme. He recalls picking this skill of cooking quickly on the spot while he was working at the Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong, and later at The Ritz-Carlton, Guangzhou (Lai Heen Restaurant). It was in South China where he learnt that chefs needed to work extra fast as compared to other places he had worked at before, such as Singapore, because the diners in places like South China don’t have much time to eat lunch or dinner because of their hectic lifestyles. He fondly recalled creating this ‘steamed assorted vegetables with brown sauce’ dish in Hong Kong, and it has been a firm favourite for many of his regular diners since then. Having tasted this particular dish myself, I must say that even I may become a member of his fan club. The food he creates has a smooth flair to it, and it goes without saying that all those that try and taste his delightful dishes at Jin Xuan would be let completely gobsmacked. |
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