Shanghai Surprise

Last up on our trip was Shanghai after an overnight train ride from Xi'an.  We shared a sleeping compartment with 2 Chinamen who spoke less English then we spoke Chinese.  After one of them made us both speak to his little girl on his phone and sample his bai jiu a/k/a Chinese fire water we jumped up onto our bunks and slept the ride away.  Shanghai was truly magnificent.  Again old meets new but this time masterly crafted.  I would go back in an instant.

A city to be seen at night.  This view of Pudong from about 6 stories up
behind the front row of the Bund.

The view as seen from Vue on the 33rd floor of the Hyatt.  Pudong on the left, Huangpu River in the middle and the end of the Bund on the right.  

A city also to be seen during the daytime.  This picture hasn't done justice to the colors of the Pearl Tower or World Expo site both in middle of the view.  

The Bund - colonial Shanghai.  

After having a cocktail at the famous Long Bar, we took a moment to soak in the beauty of the Waldorf Astoria.  

Shanghai Museum of Contemporary Art.  Whatever that says is made of the ingredients
for a s'more.  It smelled delightful!  

Yuyuan Gardens circa 1559.

Our final Chinese supper happened at Sichuan Citizen in the French Concession.
That is lotus something or other.   It was scrumptous.  

Zaijian!!

Xi'an (SheYen or SheAhn?)

The day following Thanksgiving we hopped a flight to Xi'an which is where Paul's conference was being held.  Being one of the four ancient capitals of China, Xi'an is a history buff's dream.  Nothing about this city could not be called awe-inspiring - good and bad.   I'll let the photos do the explaining!  

Drummer boy 

This was one of our favorites - the Folk House in the Muslim Quarter.  Historic residence of a Qing bureaucrat.  

That is smog NOT fog.  yep 

Forest of Stelae Musuem

Dude from Qing Dynasty - 16th Century

If you want to stay fit, take a walk along the ancient city wall - grab a
stationary bike and work it out!  

Is that a hobbit?  

Xi'an is one of the few cities where the old city walls are still standing - circa 1370.  

Ruins from the Terracotta Calvary

The kneeling archer - the only warrior found completely intact.
According to our guide, the "lucky dog".    

Generals

Infantry

Army of Terracotta Warriors - built underground 2,000 years ago to guard Emporer Qin Shi Huang in the afterlife.  Discovered in 1974 by a local farmer digging a well just outside of Xi'an.  

A few more images from Hong Kong ...

We came to learn very quickly how ancient meets modern in China beginning in HK.  I can honestly say I did not recognize 80% of what I saw on the streets but it was still a city as cities go.  Big, fast and exciting!!  Easily manoeuvred by trains, buses, cable cars, ferries we did our best to see the sights in a couple of days not to mention Thanksgiving Peking Duck in Kowloon.  Xi'an and Shanghai to follow!!  

Aberdeen on the south side of Hong Kong Island

Hollywood Road Park 

From the balcony at Pawn in Wan Chai

Wan Chai

Thanksgiving dinner - Peking Duck and Tsingtao 

Butt cut in underground pass

   

bye!

Happy Holidays from Hong Kong!

Hong Kong skyline looking back from Kowloon side

We've returned from China to discover that summer has finally come in Auckland.  Our first day back was a beautiful, breezy 80 degree day.  Unfortunately the jet lag had both of us napping it much away.  Here are a few images from Hong Kong to ring in the season.

As a side note, we couldn't access our blog in People's Republic of China (hence the belated updates).  It looks like the Chinese government has blocked all blogspot.com web addresses- perhaps as part of their ongoing attempts at monitoring/suppressing free speech.

Google's take on the issue of Chinese government actively breaking in to human rights activist's email accounts.

Blue Christmas?

Holiday lights of Hong Kong Island

At The Peak on a foggy but beautiful night

Merry X-mas everyone!