Shanghai Surprise and Hong Kong Hospitality: A July 2018 China Family Trip Report - VIDEO ADDED p. 3

[BecBennett]

Your video is really great.

 

[ILDisneyfan]

Great report with all the pictures and the video. Thanks for posting!

 

[BecBennett]

Were you happy with just the transfer to the great wall? Or do you think you would have benefitted from a guide? Same question for your other site seeing locations too I guess.

 

[CaptainCook]

Were you happy with just the transfer to the great wall? Or do you think you would have benefitted from a guide? Same question for your other site seeing locations too I guess.

Whoops, I missed this earlier, sorry! Yes, we were happy with the transfer only options we chose. We don't like to be bound by someone else's idea of a timeline. I know if you hire a private guide, you can ask them to speed up or slow down as needed. I prefer reading up on what I'm going to see ahead of time, and then wandering around at my own leisure once we get to where we're going.

 

[bfaber]

Thursday, July 12 - Beijing

We only have a limited time in Beijing. What did you like more? Temple of Heaven or Forbidden City? Our schedule right now only has us on the grounds of Temple of Heaven as we will arrive after the buildings are closed. Should we be spending more time there than Forbidden City so we can arrive earlier and get in the buildings?

We slept well at the hotel. We had a room right off the main dining room and lounge area, and had expected it to be noisy. Instead, we woke up wondering if we were the only guests in the hotel, a question that was reinforced when we were the only ones to show up for the 7:30 am breakfast seating. The meal was actually served closer to 8, and we had two Western breakfasts, one meat dumplings and one vegetable dumplings between the 4 of us, and shared them all. I only had the dumplings, and they were delicious.

We packed up our bags and left them with the hotel while we went out for the day. Thankfully, it was overcast (or perhaps just smoggy) and dry outside. We began by taking the subway to Tiantandongmen, and purchased tickets to enter the Temple of Heaven park. There are two price points for tickets here, and you need the more expensive ticket to access some of the sites, including the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests.

We started off by going to the area in the park where Beijingers congregate to exercise.



We thought we might be on the late side for this, arriving around 9:30 am, but there were plenty of people there. We started out by watching a group of men playing something like hackey sack with an oversized shuttlecock, and it took no time at all for them to invite us to join them.



That went on for quite a while and was good fun. Eventually they did of course try to sell us a shuttlecock of our own, and for 10 yuan/$2 CDN we did buy it.



(This guy insisted I take his picture with Liam!)

From there, we moved on to a guy who invited us to play something like badminton, but with paddles instead of racquets. He was impressed by Liam's skill (he plays on the school badminton team) and kept saying "Wonderful! Wonderful!" We also bought a badminton set from him for 30 yuan/$6 CDN.

All around us, there was exercise equipment, and people doing chin ups and pull ups and swinging around on monkey bars and stretching. Most of them were elderly, and they looked like a very fit bunch. They were playing traditional music on portable radios, a group of women were chanting and playing a clapping game, a couple were doing tai chi, and overall it looked like a very fun and relaxing way to spend their day.



We moved on through the park, through the Long Corridor, which was beautiful, and on to the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests. This was pretty spectacular to see in person, and definitely checked an item off the bucket list. We exited from a different direction than where we came in from, and wandered through a bit more of the park and the gift shop before deciding to head out.



We took the subway back to our home station, Tiananmen East, and headed to the Forbidden City. It was around noon when we arrived. The kiosk for foreigners to buy tickets is surprisingly far inside the complex; we were sure we'd missed it. Finally we purchased our tickets, and headed into the 'real' Forbidden City.



(The kids getting asked to pose for pictures again!)

It too was pretty spectacular, though we were content to wander through the complex without going into all of the buildings themselves. It wasn't unbearably crowded, but it certainly was busy.

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We came out the north end of the Forbidden City, and crossed the road to enter Jingshan Park. This only cost 2 yuan/40 cents per person to climb up the hill to the pavilion at the top that offers a spectacular view out over the golden rooftops of the Forbidden City and reminds you of how large the complex really is. The climb looks imposing, but is not too bad. It took us around 15 minutes, and the staircase goes through a cool and shaded bamboo forest.



Done now with the Forbidden City, we headed back to our hotel, which was only a short walk away. We took a brief break there before heading across the street to Siji Minfu, also known as "Mass Foodie's Roast Duck" on the big red neon sign.



We had scoped this out as one of the city's popular spots for an excellent Peking duck dinner; outside the restaurant they have posted a number of awards that they have won. We arrived after 2 pm, hoping that a mid-afternoon meal would mean good seating availability, and were shocked to be told there was a 2 hour wait. We put our names in, but were a bit dejected as we headed back across the street to the hotel. We had Mr. Orange picking us up at 5 pm to head to the train station, and we were not at all sure that we'd have time to eat before leaving.

Back at the hotel, Chad used a translation app to let a member of the hotel staff know about our conundrum, and asked for a recommendation for another nearby Peking duck restaurant. The staff member did not speak English, but seemed to indicate that he could help us, and indicated to follow him. We went back across the street to the restaurant, past the hordes of people waiting out front, through the dining room, up the stairs to another dining room, and directly to a table! He spoke a few words to a waitress and left us to enjoy our meal.



We ordered a full duck and (after much confusion) the condiments and pancakes to accompany it; it wasn't clear to us whether these would be included or not. We also ordered some drinks and a bowl of plain rice for Mallory, who is a picky eater. The waitress brought out a huge bowl of grapes on ice as a starter. We were not expecting that, but they were nice, especially since we hadn't ordered any sides with our meal, not knowing exactly how much food it would entail. After the grapes, the duck came out, and was presented to us at the table before it was taken to a nearby counter for carving.



(Initially I felt a bit silly about wanting to watch the carving, but other tables filled with locals were doing the same.) It came back to our table in a beautiful presentation with the condiments and pancakes on the side (good thing we had ordered these).



The duck was delicious, and even Mallory had some and liked it. This meal was a fabulous experience and well worth the cost at 300 yuan/$60 CDN including our drinks.



By now it was about 4:30 pm, and it was time to go back to the hotel to collect our bags and catch our ride to the train station for our 6:50 pm train. Our driver came a few minutes early and we set off for the Beijing West train station. Because we had already printed all of our tickets, it was quick and easy to enter the station through security, and locate our waiting room on the second floor. We picked up a few snacks for the trip from the shops in the train station, and boarded the train. This was a T class train, and not nearly as nice as the first overnight train we rode. We still had soft sleeper tickets, but the train was much older. There were no electrical outlets at each berth, just one out in the hall for the whole car to share. There was a lot of noise from the train itself, and a whole lot of smoking happening, despite the no smoking signs. I also witnessed an argument that stopped just short of a brawl between a passenger and an attendant who was managing the snack cart. It looked like it might be a long night.

I love pekin duck was it enough for a proper meal?

Whoops, I missed this earlier, sorry! Yes, we were happy with the transfer only options we chose. We don't like to be bound by someone else's idea of a timeline. I know if you hire a private guide, you can ask them to speed up or slow down as needed. I prefer reading up on what I'm going to see ahead of time, and then wandering around at my own leisure once we get to where we're going.

 

[CaptainCook]

We only have a limited time in Beijing. What did you like more? Temple of Heaven or Forbidden City? Our schedule right now only has us on the grounds of Temple of Heaven as we will arrive after the buildings are closed. Should we be spending more time there than Forbidden City so we can arrive earlier and get in the buildings?

If I had to pick one, for me, it would be Temple of Heaven. It had more variety of things to see and do with it being located in a park setting with lots of Beijingers hanging around, socializing and exercising, an addition to the beautiful ancient architecture.

I am not positive, but I think if you are there after hours, you will not be able to get into the part of the complex to see the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, even from the outside. I don't think you have to go into the buildings to enjoy them (we only peeked inside) but you'll at least want to be able to access the buildings from the outside.

@bfaber (not sure why it's not letting me quote you directly!)

 

[bfaber]

We only have a limited time in Beijing. What did you like more? Temple of Heaven or Forbidden City? Our schedule right now only has us on the grounds of Temple of Heaven as we will arrive after the buildings are closed. Should we be spending more time there than Forbidden City so we can arrive earlier and get in the buildings?

If I had to pick one, for me, it would be Temple of Heaven. It had more variety of things to see and do with it being located in a park setting with lots of Beijingers hanging around, socializing and exercising, an addition to the beautiful ancient architecture.

I am not positive, but I think if you are there after hours, you will not be able to get into the part of the complex to see the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, even from the outside. I don't think you have to go into the buildings to enjoy them (we only peeked inside) but you'll at least want to be able to access the buildings from the outside.

@bfaber (not sure why it's not letting me quote you directly!)

Thanks!!

 

[CaptainCook]

A week or so ago, someone read this thread and sent me some messages about it. Now that I have time after the busy holiday season to reply, I can't find those messages (my Alerts history is clear and I have no Conversations). If that person was you, can you please contact me again - I'd be happy to answer your questions!

 

[SWofDisorder]

Hi there
It was me. I did find a lot of information that I was missing when I read your pre-trip report. I was asking about Mr. Orange which is now sorted also about the trains within China, overnight vs. Highspeed. If you have time, I will recreate my list of questions. Thank you for posting again about not getting my PM.

I have posted about my issues, mostly being Lhasa and getting out. Also what order to put my trip in. It is very similar to yours, take out beautiful mountain village on the river, insert Everest and it very close. We are doing all the tourist things because...we are tourists. I do want to know how to find that beautiful cotton candy? More questions but let me make the list.

Chengdu: Where path did you follow to get to the nursery so fast and ahead of everyone at the Panda Research center?

 

[CaptainCook]

I sent you an email with some details, but neglected to answer the cotton candy question! We had seen the cotton candy in a Youtube video before we left home too, and were determined to find it. We knew it was in the Muslim Street market, but we didn't know exactly where. The market is not just on Muslim Street, but extends several blocks into the surrounding area. Do not venture into these areas if you're looking for the cotton candy - it's right on Muslim Street, and there were a couple of different vendors selling it. Our mistake was to venture into the smaller alleys right off the bat, when we should have stuck to the main drag to find it faster.

 

[cynditech]

Thank you so much for sharing all the details for your China trip. We are going this June 2019 and finalizing our plans. Alot of your information really helped us in making decisions. We liked the idea of taking an overnight train on one leg of our trip

 

[HawaiianMom521]

Hi Carrie- I'm Norma (NNE from YouTube) I can't PM you. I think I gotta "earn my ears" ;-) the option to "start a conversation" does not appear when I click on your name/profile. In Disboards, I'm HawaiianMom 521.

 

[MommaBerd]

Just read through your fantastic trip report! My family of five did two weeks in Hangzhou/Shanghai last year at the end of March/beginning of April. We were limited to those places as my DH was also conducting business. We just loved being there, and reading your trip report just makes me want to go back and see more of China, especially your last destination. It’s tough, though, managing accommodations with a family of four or more, right?!? I am going to bookmark this TR, in case we are able to go back in a few years! You all did lots of fun things that I’d like to try too! Thanks for taking the time to write such a detailed TR.

 

[CaptainCook]

Hi Carrie- I'm Norma (NNE from YouTube) I can't PM you. I think I gotta "earn my ears" ;-) the option to "start a conversation" does not appear when I click on your name/profile. In Disboards, I'm HawaiianMom 521.

Ah, OK. Well, if you have any questions, feel free to ask in this thread - I'll check back and reply.

 

[CaptainCook]

Just read through your fantastic trip report! My family of five did two weeks in Hangzhou/Shanghai last year at the end of March/beginning of April. We were limited to those places as my DH was also conducting business. We just loved being there, and reading your trip report just makes me want to go back and see more of China, especially your last destination. It’s tough, though, managing accommodations with a family of four or more, right?!? I am going to bookmark this TR, in case we are able to go back in a few years! You all did lots of fun things that I’d like to try too! Thanks for taking the time to write such a detailed TR.

Glad you enjoyed it! Yes, there are certainly some places where you see the holdover from the one child policy and guest rooms meant for no more than 3 people. We only skimmed the surface of China and loved what we saw. Our visas are good for another 9 years - perhaps one day we'll go back!

 

[sweetpee_1993]

I just totally drank in your entire trip and absolutely enjoyed the read! If I wasn’t already excited about our future prospects, I surely am now. While it’s not 100% just yet, signs are pointing towards my hubby to be sent to Nantong, China (an hour or so outside Shanghai) for work sometime perhaps as early as this summer. He will be there for anywhere from 18 months to 3 years on a 10/2 week rotation. His brother who works for the same company will also be assigned there at the same time (he spent 18 months over there a couple years ago). They’ll each have a furnished apartment, drivers, etc. with all living expenses paid. My sister-in-law and I are close to the same age. Our children are all grown and/or in college. We can come & go as we wish. Me being the primary Disney-Phile in the family, I’m absolutely pouring over all things Shanghai & Hong Kong Disney. Plus, of course, just general getting around things like buses, trains, shopping, destinations, communication, culture, etc. I’m quite sure we will have some of our Disney friends and maybe even some family come to visit as well. So much excitement! I cannot thank you enough for all the thought and detail you put into your trip report here! Fabulous read!

The part that really struck me was the people asking for pics with your family! I had mentioned this to my husband just a few days ago! Hubby and I are redheaded and freckled! Our adult sons are both also redheaded and freckled! Brother-in-law & sis-in-law are an interracial couple. I had wondered at any likelihood of us being a novelty. It’s not unheard of for us to get noticed here at home in the US. More than once I’ve been told “Mostly redheads are ugly but you aren’t ugly.” Uh, thanks? ROFL! I remember a couple years ago when hubby was in Seoul he said he got many looks when he was on buses and trains. On an uncrowded bus once a group of shy younger girls asked for his picture with them and were absolutely squealing when he showed them pics of our family. He said in general the freckled part he thought was mostly considered unattractive which doesn’t at all offend me. Wouldn’t be the first time I’ve heard it (or derogatory slurs about our ginger status). I guess I’m kinda excited at the prospect that I was correct in assuming we may be seen as a bit of a novelty! I’m happy to play along!

And, color me crazy, but I’m also not put-off at the prospect of having to at some point utilize a squat potty. I suppose I’ll look up more info on that. My mother-in-law and sister-in-law are both pretty adamantly against it. Eh, having spent my teen years living in the country between hunting and bonfires out in the woods miles from any buildings it certainly wouldn’t be the first time I’ve squatted. LOL!

Again, so very excited at everything you wrote and the pictures. The little mountain place on the river sounded fabulous! Thanks again for such an amazing review/report!

 

[KEK1]

Fabulous TR I thoroughly enjoyed reading! Thanks!

 

[sweetpee_1993]

BTW, did they say what breed of cats those were in the cage cafe you visited? The curled ears are characteristic of American Curls. I don’t think that’s a characteristic of any other breed but I’m no expert either. LOL!

 

[lilmc]

having to at some point utilize a squat potty

I’ve never understood the aversion to using them. I’d much rather squat low than try to hover over some nasty toilet seats anywhere! (As long as I’ve brought my own tp and remember to roll pant legs if you’re wearing them!)

 

[LovesTimone]

Thank you so much for the really well done TR...The video sealed the deal for me...

The first thought is your family is just adorable, Honestly just so cute!!!! I will say the look on your daughters face when watching the acrobats is a priceless moment you could just see the wonder and magic in her eyes...As well I love your park shirt.... just so you know I am so stealing this... I hope you won't mind... we to are on the path to do all six parks... we have 3 right now, WDW, Disneyland California, and Disneyland Paris under our belts... so looking at the other 3..

We are looking at late April, early May of 2020... Not really sure... This is a good time of year for DH with his job as well our anniversary is at the beginning of May, and we are empty-nester's so it would be just the 2 of us... We too like the idea of at our own pace... I will be checking out Mr. Oranges car service. * Did you book the driver for all day? and if you don't mind what was the cost?

Did you like the Disney resorts that you stayed? American King Beds?

As well in the other hotels is getting a American King Bed possible? this is something that DH and I need, he is almost 6'5" and I am 5'9" so we are both tall.. and we both have some back and neck issues...

What papers do you need to travel to China, A guy that used to work with my DH... He and his family went... he told DH that you need so much paperwork to travel over there and moving around is a nightmare going through check point after check point... I thought that I read somewhere that you need a Passport, and Travel/ Tourist Visa... I really just started looking and grazing around the information pools on this so I'm really in the dark about where to start and what is needed... any advice would be much appreciated...

My husband is tall, and I am blonde... the guy that worked with my DH said that we would get alot of attention because of this.. DH and I are go with the flow type of people... It seemed that they wanted pictures with your kids... or did you and your DH get asked for pictures as well?

DH has always wanted to do the sleeper train thing... So I was thinking that this might be a good choice... Is there different type or levels of sleep compartments on the trains?...
Can you give me the name or info where to find the info about the train...

Did you learn any Chinese before you left?