Shanghai 2007 – Part 1
♥Oct 30th (Tues)♥
After all the late night ‘fights’ and ‘quarrels’ Daddy had with Krissflyer, finally we got our flights confirmed.
This time, only Daddy and I were flying, our very first trip away without the kids after Zara was born.
♥Oct 30th (Tues) ~ Nov 1st (Thurs)♥
With China colleagues’ as well as some other friend’s help, managed to find and book suitable accomodations for our trip.
Prepping Zara for our trip, telling her China is cold, not suitable for kids, I’m going for work together with Daddy so can’t take care of her etc etc. She got quite upset, but I guess what can she do to stop us from going?
♥Nov 2nd (Fri)♥
Daddy picked up MIL from her place. She’s been enlisted to help keep an eye on the maids while we’re away.
♥Nov 3rd (Sat)♥
Said good bye to the girls early morning and left for the airport. Zara’s eyes was a bit wet when I hugged her.
A long 5hrs transit in Changi, luckily, there is so much to do there.
Reached Shanghai at 10pm. By the time we got our luggage and checked into our hotel motel, it was already close to mid night.
Since kids are not with us, we chose cheap but clean accomodation, we stayed in Motel 168 Jingling Road (莫泰168金陵路). Everything is within walking distant, even the famous Nanjing shopping street (南京路步行街). For RMB358, we got a room with a computer. Ha! Room is clean and small, but it stank of cigerrette smoke (from other rooms)!
When I called the Motel and to reserve a non-smoking room before the trip, I was told, “All our rooms are non-smoking.” Non-smoking my a***! But for this amount we paid for, I can’t expect Datai’s service, can I?
♥Nov 4th (Sun)♥
Arranged to change to a room without a computer which cost RMB40 less.
After breakfast in the motel, with a map and my guidebook on hand, we started our journey.
The first few sights I took in after stepping out of the Motel
Our destination was Yu Yuan (豫园). Gosh, there were so many people there!! It’s packed! It’s a shopping area for tourists and out-of-town folks, and the prices were of course tourists’ price.
Around Yu Yuan Shopping Street (豫园):
♥Big red lanterns everywhere♥♥Multilevel Jeweler (do they have really so many different jewelry to sell?)♥
♥Famous Xiaolongbao Shop Nanxiang (南翔) : a 200m queue has formed for take away while we were there♥ ♥genuine juicy pao (so juicy you are given a straw to suck the juice)♥ ♥a man having his juicy pao♥
♥NingPo Rice Ball Shop, wasn’t able to squeeze pass people to enter the shop, don’t know what they were selling♥ ♥Having a black glutinous corn (which was rather coarse and tasteless)♥ ♥Good and Cheap Lunch at Xishi Beancurd Shop (西施豆腐)♥
Note : We are non-pork eaters, so we didn’t try the Nanxiang Xiaoloongbao or the street side juicy pao. 🙁
We visited the Yu Yuan Garden which is a 400yrs old clasical garden. I love the willow trees and the tranquility (just outside the wall, the crowds in the shopping street can be heard).
Yu Yuan Garden (豫å›) :
After that it was back to the Motel for a nap, and at 5:30pm (which got dark totally), we went to The Bund (外滩) for a walk. It was nice, and although extremely crowded, the breeze we got and the view made up for it.
Dinner was the famous ShaoXin Chicken (绍兴白切鸡). It’s just basic steam chicken but the sauce was just so delicious. Daddy didn’t like it, so I was the one who finished the plate of chicken with a bowl of porridge.
We almost stopped a cab to get us back to the Motel, but spotted our Motel just a few steps away!! Haha.
Daddy was so knackered he almost wanted to go on strike and stay in the Motel the following day.
Waaaaa… I really should go visit Shanghai too! Looks like a great place.. Any concubines around? Eunuchs? All at Beijing?
ZMM : For Eunuch, please proceed to JB (Cocka?); for concubines, still not enough huh you? So greedy! *knock Emperor’s head*
Seems like a bad experience with Krisflyer. What happened? Redemption is usually quite straightforward. Did u manage to eat hairy crabs? It is the season right now.
ZMM : Tug of war with Krisflyer, very long story, partly Daddy’s fault, for not confirming our trip earlier. Ate hairy crab, but I think Malaysia’s crab still the best!
Wah, you really can travel la. Nice place!
ZMM : Thank you!
i just saw the black jagung in vacuum pack somewhere recently…does it taste good
how relaxing it must be to go on holiday w/out the kids!
ZMM : It tasted blend and coarse. You see the bite I made, that’s all I ate. The rest I threw it away. It was cheap in China, RMB2.30. I saw the one in the supermarket, also from China, pricing close to RM10!.
i am so envious! i am also waiting for that trip alone with hubby…how did u do it? i mean, how were you willing to ‘let go’ and i’m curious how the girls cope in your absence. and as for bfg, how did u manage? sorry for all the questions…so eager to learn from u as it is hard for me to ‘let go’ now as much as i yearn for that time alone. 😀
kudos to you! eagerly waiting for part 2 now. 😉
ZMM : I just did it. In fact, it was more difficult for my hubby to let go. He was too worried if the maids can handle the girls.
It was really a good break away, we thought about it for a long time already. Next year I’ll be down with 1 maid, if I don’t go this round without the girls, I’ll never get to, for a long long time.
Zaria was coping very well, I think she’s used to us leaving her behind when we bring Zara out to the market or for class. Zara on the other hand was really missing me, but on 3rd day onwards, she had her own way to defend herself. Will blog about it later.
Sometimes the missus considers getting a job in Shanghai. But not until the kids are in college at least.
Has to be tough leaving the kids. But it is nice to have time with your mister. Spending a day on strike could be nice too. *wink wink*
ZMM : Spending a day on strike means sleeping.. I don’t know why, must be the lack of oxygen. We spent so much time sleeping and still feel tired. 🙁
i used to travel with hubs so often before i had shern. nowadays ar, can only dream of taggin along. once, i went to sg with hubs for a day, i just cannot help thinkin about shern at home, though i know he’s in good hands.
you sure did missed you ‘pies’ a lot, eh?
ZMM : I miss them, but then I enjoyed the sudden ‘freedom’ too. E.g. I can sleep and wake up when I want to, eat what I want to (with Zara tagging along, normally I try to order food she likes, and share with her if they don’t come in small portion), take my time to berak (nobody banging on the door, or cry when they can’t see me etc etc). Do you know what I mean?
wah nice nice .. just the two of you … no disturbance hehehe
1st time i see glutinous corn … hmm don’t think they have it here .. 🙂
ZMM : You can find them in Cold Storage, and very expensive. Not nice ler.. so don’t waste your money.
*I am wondering when is my turn travel alone with hubby..:( *
the black jagung nice or not?
ZMM : Black jagung not nice.. You have capable MIL, I think if you want to, you know your girls are in good hands. For me, lots of planning and coordination.
Wow, so nice can go honeymoon with hubby. Enjoys and wish you have a “make in shanghai” !!! hahaha! wink!
ZMM : Haha.. nothing Make in Shanghai… so smokey, how to make?
How come you guys don’t eat pork??Coz it’s dirty?? Sounds like you guys are having a blast!!What about shopping?? I’m sure you stocked up on stuff for the girls??
ZMM : The no pork eating part started 13yrs ago when I was dating Daddy… we actually don’t take mammals, amphibians and reptiles. Almost wanted to go vegetarian, but still eating poultry and sea food though.
Things for the girls, quite expensive actually. Didn’t buy much.
NICE!
All those hearts….. romance eh…?! *wink wink*
ZMM : haha.. you don’t mention, I also don’t realise. I actually wanted to use star, or triagle, or something else, but I don’t know how to type those symbols. Hearts I just copy. 😛
great trip. At least get to feel the real life there.This is the advantage of bag pack traveling. 😛
Here is a tag for you.
http://everydayhealy.blogspot.com/2007/11/i-want-to-be-dolphin.html
ZMM : It’s not really back pack ler, our suitcases at least are not back packs (they are 2 big hard cases). We can’t really go too budget, as we are quite fussy with cleanliness. 😛
You guys are really good at DIY holiday… really salute you 😀 Can’t wait for your part 2.
ZMM : With Internet, and better guide books, I think it’s quite easy to DIY nowadays. But lots of planning involved.
first of all, Zaria is so so adorable…and you did great for letting her try on a variety of high nutrients superfood. and for the love of Zara, i like the girlie girl she is becoming…the dress… the flower…the pink… ahhhh, so pretty.
i can see that it has indeed been an action pack months for you lately. it’s good. creating wonderful memories are the best thing we can give ourselves…..something for us to look back with a smile when we are old.
ZMM : Thanks.. 🙂
Yeah.. last 3 months, we’d been travelling once a month. Now, it’s all over.. time to lay back and enjoy the rest of the year.
oh i see lots of loves flying around!!
ZMM : Got meh? Got meh?
omg look at the way they hang their baju!
ZMM : Even shoes, and undies!
and the cat? u want to bring it back issit? 😛
ZMM : They cat cute ler.. just sat there stared at all the cameras that were aiming at it.. like a model. 😛
Bad experience with Krisflyer, eh? Not surprisedlah. SIA has done quite a few f**k-ups with us too. Bah!
Sounds like you guys had fun. I don’t know when is it possible for us to leave Irfan behind and go holidaying just the two of us. I don’t think I can sleep at night! No teddy-bear to hug! LOL!
ZMM : It’s tough.. but we just had to take this opportunity to do it, or else, we’ll never get to. 😛
Arghh.. you willing to leave the kids! how i wish i can too!!!
ZMM : If got good help, can ler. We have been waiting for this for a long time already, always thinking Zara cannot cope, we cannot cope.. finally did it.
wow….u really love to travel huh?? How I wish I would be able to leave my gal and do that again…
ZMM : Your nanny quite good right? I think you can if leave her there if you want to.
Must be a nice break for both of you. aiyo reaading all your recent holiday posts is making me really itching for a holiday.
ZMM : It was really a nice break.. Although Daddy thought it wasn’t really a break.. so much activities. 😛
Wow..another holiday, how nice. When will be my turn ar?
ZMM : Christmas coming, quick.. go organise one.
eh that xiao long bau place has something non pork la! i remembered i ate there!
ZMM : 200m queue? Give me free non-pork item also i don’t want la. I heard at least much queue 30mins.
How nice and you kept this trip from us all…hrmm.
ZMM : Actually, I try not to pre-announce a trip in my blog.. you know the reason. 😛 So happened I didn’t talk to you on MSN about it. 🙁
haha wah ur hubby is not that backpacker style eh LOL…
wah the siu loong pau looks yummy.should try lahh
ZMM : My hubby very fussy.. I think all his business travel spoils him.
Haha.. put in the mouth to ‘taste’ it, then spit it out? 😛
I’m so envy you are having a trip away with hubby leh….
ZMM : You can too if you want.. especially you have very good PILs.
Wow..!! honeymoon again..!! cool..!! and really awesome.. but i know for sure.. i cannot leave Chloe with Grammie.. ! i would miss her too much..! i love shanghai.. but for accommodation, I swear.. i cannot stay in a budget hotel.. coz’ they can get nasty.
ZMM : We did our research first, it wasn’t budget budget. It’s just the type of no-frills hotel, give you a clean room, you just don’t ask for any service type of hotel. I think I can’t go real budget too, there are RBM100 hotels too, but I dare not book those. 😛
Quite good eh…for you to be able to go on a hol with you hub without the kids. I’m actually surprised cos always under the impression that you’re very attached to the girls. I know I can’t do this even though I seem otherwise. Possibly the reason for not being keen on anywhere now.
ZMM : I’m quite attached to them.. that’s why it took us 3yrs to make the 1st trip. It was really tough for Zara, as for Zaria, she’s used to us leaving her at home when we go to the market with Zara or bring her for her class.
I miss the girls too.. suddenly it actually felt very weird to have my hubby sleeping so close to me instead of having the girls next to me. It was a good trip though.. let me enjoy a bit of freedom (see my coments to Shern’s mum). And I know if we didn’t do it this year, it’ll just get more difficult with only 1maid.
wahhh!! why this post never appear in my google reader?! luckily i mah smart came to check. i just thought why u haven’t updated in a while and thought of dropping by to say hi and hope everything’s alright and i’m greeted with this awesome post!! 😀 😀
sounds like good fun! hehehe.
ZMM : Your google reader acting up huh? How was exams?
wahhh .. nice place .. if i have the chance i will go there one day 🙂
ZMM : It’s nearer for you from where you are.. Haha.. Btw, I think a lot of people from Hong Kong visits Shanghai over the weekends, because on weekends, we can suddenly hear all the Cantonese spoken.
That’s truly an experience. I would love to go there without my kids too but I have so many worries. Hubby says I would never be able to go if I don’t leave my worries behind.
ZMM : If the kids are in good hands, you can then go.. Do you have good helper or in-laws or own parents to depend on?
waaa, what did I miss? a trip to Shanghai? woot! looks like a lovely time! I’ve not tried black glutinous corn before, but since it’s rather tasteless,I’ll skip that… 😉
ZMM : Smart, skip that. Unless Australia is growing it too.. Somehow, vege and fruits from Australia taste nicer than the ones you find in China.
ShaoXin Chicken, i heard my friend said it is a famous dish in shanghai.
There’s actually an Enterprise Group running this.
kudos!!!…you’ve done yr holidaying without the kids…all worries & missing episode has now became the past, there u left good holidaying memories behind…..
looks like u r more adventurous than yr hub?
never try shanghai siu loong pao when u r in shanghai….what a miss!
i had bought the black glutinous corn from Isetan, KLCC out of curiosity but was so dissapointed with the taste….like u said tasteless! so no more……
ZMM : I’m really more adventurous.. but back in home ground, he can be more adventurous. 😛
Yah, the glutinous corn is so tasteless right?
Waaaa – quiet quiet go only. Never tell oso? But I lurve Shanghai and the shopping! Did you manage to eat hairy crabs? It’s in season now.
ZMM : I did have hairy crab, but really, nothing to shout about woh.
I find shopping so-so only, but I love to see those eateries that sell all kinds of food!
ZMM : For you should be quite easy, you have such a capable mum!
wow! what a trip yea! hmmm…..no.3 in the making?
ZMM : No no.. no no. 3.
Waah! Your mouth on the black jagung looks damn sexy and suggestive leh. Hahahaha!!
Envy envy… can go ‘pat toh’ without the kids. Am sure you miss them lots…
Wah.. the black corn.. wah wah wah…never saw them when I was there.
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