CHINA TRIP

The China Trip Series will be divided into 3 separate posts.
Mainly, Day1,2,3 then 4,5,6 then 7,8,9.

This post will be super long with 124 pictures to load!

So do be patient!

I’ll be posting practically every venue’s pictures as this blog posts will be like a compilation, or recollection of my China trip cause everywhere in China is freaking alike, so i need somethings to remind me of where i’ve been to!

I took a total of 800mb worth of pictures cum videos.

But of course i’ll filter out those pictures that are nicer :)

and Here it begins!


PART 1 [Day 1-3, Singapore-Shanghai-Suzhou-Wuzheng-Hangzhou(23th-25th)]

Singapore, Tuesday 23th Dec 2008

1.24PM - Arrival @ pretty Changi International Airport T3.

My flight = 1655 Shanghai MU568 Row 05.

As mentioned in my post before i departed Singapore, i was super suay la. Got cut straight when i haven even leave Singapore.

But maybe its a blessing in disguise.

You will see why in the end of my CHINA TRIP post.

!!!!

As i am typing this blogpost, my Windows Live Writer is lagging alot!

Cause there are like 124 pictures in this post!

Beware, it may take some time to load :)

Good stuffs are worth the wait, ya?

Bright blue sky of my beloved Singapore ❤

The boarding area of T3, first time in here.

Cute cubicle design for the guys to aim better. –_-

Spent my time doing this piece of “art” while waiting to board the plane.

Boarding time!

I was MSNing zhisheng halfway and the wireless connection got lost when i passed thru this gate :(

China Eastern airline in-flight meal, not bad eh!

Like the appetizer, quite a spread!

Shanghai, Tuesday 23th Dec 2008

10:46PM – Arrival @ Shanghai Pudong International Airport.

Was sent back to the hotel straight away.

Was damn hungry by then la, so me and my dad went out to look for the convenience store that the tour guide told us.

Then we saw this on a nearby street.

Its DOG MEAT!

Oh my god, its my first time seeing a shop selling dog meat.

Heard that its quite the norm in China.

Bought some dry instant noodles.

Yummylicious~

By the time we reach the hotel, it was already 1:20AM!

I was taught that during your stay in hotels, you are advised to put your shoe in alternate directions so that it will not attract spirits.

Another thing to note is to knock before you enter the hotel room.

Its always better to be safe than sorry :(

My sleeping attire for the 9 days in China.

Shanghai, Wednesday 24th Dec 2008

9.02AM – Arrived at my first tourist spot in Shanghai, 城隍庙，豫园.

Went to have the 小笼包汤包 recommended by our tour guide.

It was not bad. One of the best 小笼包 thru out my trip in China.

Very juicy and the soup base is very nice :)

The normal meat ones.

And the 蟹黄小笼汤包.

蛋花汤. Very normal.

I think even i can cook this myself.

LIVE performance of the chefs.

Its like they are in a fishtank making the dumplings la.

Lol.

The weird smile on my face was due to my dad’s poor photography skills.

He can take like 20secs to take a photo.

And my cousin always never fails to have a good laugh at that.

LOL.

鸳鸯 swimming in the icy cold water.

10:41AM - 上海新天地

Its like Hong Kong’s 兰桂坊(Lan Kwai Fong) or Singapore’s Boat Quay Clarke Quay.

Old Shanghai passage way.

The modern version of 福,禄,寿.

Can you spot them?

Sorry i cant differentiate them! ~_~

Some bridge that i dunno the name.

Suzhou, Wednesday 24th Dec 2008

2:23PM – Arrived in Suzhou.

苏州工业园 a.k.a 新加坡工业园.

The failed venture by Mr LKY.

The living environment for the people working there is not bad wor.

Oh did i mentioned that its damn cold in China?

Suzhou got colder la!

It was freezing in the morning, and i was wearing 4 layers of clothes, thermal wear, a long sleeve, jacket, then another thicker jacket.

The toilet aunty cleaning her mop at the nearby river.

Cute bulldog statue.

2:57PM – Arrived @ 耦园.

Forgot its historical story already ~_~.

But it was quite a nice and tranquil place.

Willow trees.

A mini well where the olden people get their drinking water.

Saw my reflection?

As the colour of the buildings was kinda dull, i switched my cannon powershot camera mode to SCN, Underwater effects.

Okay i guess this effect has nothing to do with water or whatever.

It just brings out the colour of the buildings.

Love the chinese wordings.

Pretty stuffs.

Some flowers.

Rare sight, cause most of the trees are balding already.

Local aunties singing some oldies.

Their life seems more relaxing as compared to us, city dwellers.

3:47PM – Sun begining to set.

It normally gets pitch dark at around 5PM + already.

The days are shorter and the nights longer in winter times.

Next up, 4:26PM - 寒山寺

Thats my cousin, 堂妹, kiat jia yi.

The Kiat people are rare breed k~

Whats those red ribbons on the trees?

Why are the tree barks painted white?

Answer : Wishings written on the ribbon!

Guess this family dont have any son, cause theres no 望子成龙.

Haha.

This must be a very lucky tree!

Everybody wants to tie their ribons on it.

Haven say why the barks are painted white.

Answer : Its some chinese medicines for the tree! To prevent bugs or disease from plaguing the tree which are generally weaker during winter times.
You can see this white painted trees almost everywhere in China.

A wishing pot?

You have to throw a coin into the pentagon shape thingy.

Got it in only at the 3rd try. Hmmph!

Nice pictures.

Super loves :)

A nearby town.

6:31PM - 观前街

Bought a lot of “酥” from here.

花生酥，蜜瓜酥，草莓酥，红枣饼，杏仁饼.

One of the nicer christmas tree i saw in China.

China english.

Mushroom bamboo shoots bullfrog?

Where the bullfrog come from!?

Slippery meal?

Shredded in fish meal!?

Oh my god!

Suzhou, Hangzhou, Thursday 25th Dec 2008

8:24AM - 蚕丝工厂 Silk Factory.

From the small piece of silk on the extreme right hand corner, stacked together, the silk can enlarge to the size of a blanket!

But they use a lot of layers to make one blanket la.

In the end, after alot of promoting by the staffs and the tour guide, my mum bought 4 silk pillows and 1 set of mattress, total damage around 400bucks SGD.

Omg.

11:04AM - 乌镇，水乡古镇. (China’s Venice)

This place is really quite pretty!

They really still have people living in the area!!

And this place is a tourism spot with tickets sold at the counter.

I wonder why people are living in a tourism spot!

Its feels weird for me when i start taking picture of people doing their normal chores in their house, having their lunch, washing clothes.

I love the effects that the balded branches gives :)

The feeling of autumn /winter.

The local guide told us that quite a few chinese action movies was shot here.

Beautiful blue fabrics~

Veins–like roots covering the wall.

Nonono! Its not what you are thinking.

The doggies are just chasing each other and not “mating”.

I was there at the scene la. The shot was taken just at “that” moment.

A very very long and narrow alley.

:) my favourite shot.

Traditional prints which is a must have on Chinese New Years.

Cute doggy!!

I think this doggy is feeling cold or what cause he keeps burying himself into the branches.

We went on a boat tour!

You get to see a clearer view of the city that way.

Love the colours~

The bridge and the boat.

Arrived at 杭州 Hangzhou

3:18PM - 万松书院

The place where 梁山伯 and 祝英台 studied.

Pretty boring place :(

All pictures are taken and edited by me k~

Isn’t it simply awesome..

:)

3:37PM : 西湖, a beautiful lake with nice gardens along the lake.

Nice backdrop!

Look at the super calm water.

Its like a whole piece of mirror lor.

One word, pretty!

The 834267450 numbers of Koi fish in the pond.

A family feeding the white pigeons.

One word again, Blissful.

Maple Tree!

NOT Maple Story okayyyy!

Took one of the leaf back for souvenir.

Colourful flowers where you can see in many parts of China.

They look like cauliflowers lor.

4:45PM –

A meteorite? A shooting stars?

Make A Wish!!!

Nope nope nope, the exhaust gas from a jet plane :(

4:37PM – Sun-setting.

4:44PM

4:53PM

7:11PM - 西湖之夜, performance which includes acrobats, musicals and traditional dance.

Clappers ready!

I took a lot of pictures through out.

But i can only choose the best 14 pictures out ~_~.

“战争舞”

“儿童杂技”

“梁山伯与祝英台”

梁山伯祝英台 evolved into butterflies, flying in the air!

“采茶舞”

“观音菩萨”+ the water effects.

“千手观音”　Thousand-hand Buddha

Power~ human formation!

Take a bow, its the end!

*Claps**Claps*

9:45PM – Street opposite my hotel @ Hangzhou.

Its a bustling eatery street la.

The tour guide told us that during winter time, the shops in china will usually close at 9pm+ 10pm+.

But this street is different la, so lively, and many many food!

But i didnt dare to try too exotic food as the tour guide already warned us about the hygience concerns.

And also our stomach is the Singapore stomach and we should not take the risk of getting ourselves sick during our tour.

But i did try this 锅贴, cause the queue was one of the longest and they looked yummy!

Its different from the 锅贴 or gyoza that i normally see which is in the shape of a wanton.

Very cheap! I think its less than 1buck SGD for 6 of these.

We tabao-ed back to the hotel and eat, appetizing right!?

Its so juicy in the inside that the juice flowed out immediately when i give the gyoza a bite.

The meat is tender and well-marinated and the skin is crispy and the thickness of the skin is just nice.

Perfect!! Super-value for money also!

That marks the end of my first 3 days, 23th,24th,25th(didnt know i spent my christmas doing all this) at Singapore-Shanghai,-Suzhou-Wuzheng-Hangzhou.

Wow this is a super long post.

I gonna start uploading the pictures now! I guess it will take ages …