DAY FOUR: GREAT WALL

Our last full day in China was also the day of our departure back to Manila -well our flight back is 1:00AM the following day so it is, technically the same day right?

Well, at this point, we already had three action packed days so we were confident that we were making good use of our time so far.

So, on that chilly winter morning, we opted to REST and agreed that it will be a free and easy day.

We stayed in our hotel room until around 12:30 PM just lounging around as we have already packed the previous night.

We only checked out of our rooms when our Driver called declaring that he has arrived.

By the way, we again opted to hire a private van. This time around, we booked it privately with the same  company who brought us to the ski resort only this time, the Hotel did not have a "cut" anymore from the quoted package.  It saved us around 300-400 RMB.

We were thankful that although it is still cold outside, it was not snowing anymore and the wind is not that strong.

Our first stop is the OLYMPIC PARK

OC Confession:  Parang gusto kong gawing capital ang p sa word na Park

Remember that China played host to the 1988 Olympics right?

Well, the area where the games were held back then is still very much operational but it has become more of a Tourist spot than an actual sports venue.

Above picture shows the famous "Water Cube" Building where all the water sports were played. This building is indeed unique as the wall looks like "water filled".  It's made daw of a special fiberglass, ek ek and as usual, the Engineers in our group had a field day.

The structure at the far right is of course the "BIRD'S NEST".
It is not only famous because of the Olympics but also because the prices of steel way back in 2006-2008 skyrocketed to almost 300% of its original price because apparently, the supply in Asia was used in the construction of this building.
As per Jon, madami daw ang mga steel suppliers ang nalugi during that time.  Oh well.

After spending an hour or so in the complex, we visited a Silk factory.
Well, while we have the option not to go here, we spared a little time for the sake of our driver as he might be targetting a certain "quota" in bringing tourists there.

 In fairness, the quick trip there proved to be very "educational" if not fun and interesting.  We learned many things from the guide.

As expected, there were items for sale at the end of the talk but we knew all too well NOT to fall prey so we respectfully declined and headed outside.

Here's the little bub posing for a picture in front of the Silk factory

Then it was time to head for the Great Wall.

There is actually three areas of the Great Wall that are opened to Tourists.  Back in 2007, Jon and I went to the Badaling section where it was steeming with Tourists from all walks of life.

This time around, we asked that we be brought to the Mutianyu section of the Wall.

At the entrance

We were happily surprised that there weren't too much Tourists, in fact, we were the last group to come in.  We opted to ride the cable car going up and try the TOBOGGAN on the way down.
Unfortunately, the Toboggan ride was closed during the winter so we had to take the Cable Car both ways.

Ito yung itsura ng mga Cable Cars - Safe na safe....NOT!

I was holding the little boy very firmly kasi "open" ang cable car and pwede talaga mahulog. So scary. Tapos malamig pa kaya medyo hindi malakas ang grip mo not to mention the layers of cloth you have.

Eh mukha namang enjoy si Kulit dahil he shouts "snow" everytime he looks down on the snow capped mountain on the way up

Maya mayang kaunti, ayan na, nakikita na ang Wall from afar. Nakaka GOOSEBUMPS ito, I tell you!

We were up the Wall in no time and of course, we hurriedly took pictures kasi we wanted to savor the place.

Ito talaga ang target ko:  Na when the time comes that my boy studies about the different places we have been to, I will be able to show him a picture of that place with him in it bilang masyado pa siyang bata para maalala the experience.

Ayan na nga ba sinasabi ko oh, pakialam nya sa mga pader na yan.  He was happily playing with the snow and keber lang nya sa great wall na yan. Hehehe.

The Great Wall was all to ourselves, yipee!

A few more minutes and we were already being called to go down.  Apparently, they were already closing kasi it was almost 5PM na din.

And, of course, we were happy to go down na din kasi we were all looking forward to what else? SHOPPING!

"Baratan" portion muna pero in the end, we became good friends with the two Manongs who happily smiled for a souvenir picture.

After that we went back to the hotel na para ayusin sa mga luggages all the items we bought the whole day.  Not an easy feat ha considering ang dami na naman naming maliliit na supot na na-pick up here and there.

After that, we had dinner at the nearby New World Shopping Mall.
And because we still had time and some Yuans left, we went to the Supermarket at the basement and had a last hurrah on shopping.  Haha.

Then the airport shuttle we commissioned arrived and whisked us to the airport in no time.

The flight was smooth save for some little "turbulence" once in a while.

We arrived around 4am in Manila.

That ended our adventure in China!

DAY THREE: SNOWY BEIJING

Our Hainan Airlines flight to Beijing the previous night was smooth and on time.

Plus, it was delight to ride on a really  big and luxurious plane again after years of patronizing budget airlines.

I think the aircraft was previously owned by Cathay Pacific as the remote controls still bear its logo.

Getting into the City was a breeze as well, since I booked for a two way airport shuttle.

Novotel Hotel Xin Quiao (where we stayed the last time we were there too) did not disappoint too.

We got rooms at their Premium Lounge and we had cocktails round the clock. Kewl!

Anyhow, we woke up the next morning with a pleasant surprise: SNOW!

It rarely snows in Beijing kaya I know that the Lord is really ensuring that R and Yaya Lyn get to experience a day or two of Winter with the works!

Yes, it was this thick.

Our initial plan was to go to Nanshan Ski Resort on our own.  I have already researched about it and it seems very doable.

But, with this kind of weather, I had to think of Plan B.  There is no way I am exposing my boy with this kind of weather.

I had no other choice but to get a service from the hotel.  And yes, the price they quoted was so hefty.

                                   

                                      

                                        The road to the Ski Resort looked so gloomy.

Just looking at this picture makes my fingers go numb again.

  

We got to the resort in over an hour and there, the snow was even thicker.
Buti na lang we were ready with winter clothes from the head down to our toes. :)

Wag kang masanay Anak, you are not to wear that often, hehe.

At dahil "sadista" kami, we rode the double chair lifts right up to the peak of the mountains.
I regretted the whole experience and wanted it to end the instant we commenced.
My extremities hurt like hell and it went numb for hours.
Mainit na tubig na ang binabaran ko and yet i could not feel a thing.
I do not remember feeling that in New York some few years back when we went to a Ski Resort too kaya it was a weird feeling for me.

After the ride, we were all shouting "HOT NOODLES!" which we easily got in one of the stores inside the resort.  Oh, what a relief it was I tell you.

Then it was time to bid adieu to the Ski Resort.

We passed by the Tiananmen Square as this was a sight not to be missed.

When we got back to the hotel, I booked for the Kung Fu Show later that night.
R, Ate Lyn and I had to beg off  because of the extreme weather outside plus I got to watch that show before too. Sayang din the money.

I just went out on my own around Wangfujing area which was within the vicinity of our hotel.  I had loads of fun shopping! Weeeeee.

Here are some of the pictures they took in the Kung Fu Show:

The Red Theatre where Kung Fu shows are held nightly

The Azarcons with the Cast on their background

Hop on over to my next post:  our Great Wall of China experience

DAY TWO: XIAN OF MY DREAMS

I peeped out of the window and my heart jumped with excitement.

We were already in Xian and I am just moments away from the Terracota Warriors.

But boy, going out of the railway station is not easy, huh.
You have to compete with thousands of people for space and you literally need not make an effort to move as you will be swept off by throngs of people making their way out.

We met our guide for the day Brian  (whose name and contact number I got from Trip Advisor).

Once outside, I noticed that it was "hazy" and I thought it was because of the -3 degree celcius temperature we were having.  

Imagine my shock and disappointment when Brian said that it was because of Pollution.  He said that there are two huge coal companies in Xian and this "haze" is experienced all winterlong.

I asked them why this is being allowed by the government and he said matter of factly "this coal companies bring us a lot of money".  Holy smokes!  I wanted to go home right then and there for fear of my boy inhaling those substances.

Anyhoo,  we ate a quick lunch at Dico's (a Taiwanese local joint) and off we went to the Terracota Warriors.

The ticket booth near the entrance.  You have to take a short golf cart ride to the Pits

We paid for our tickets and rode on a golf cart to get to the actual sites.

The history of the Terracotta Warriors is so fascinating (at least for me and the million other people who visits the site the whole year round) because they were archaeological treasures that speak of the glorious past.

It was actually a whole batallion of clay figures buried thousands of years ago alongside the tomb of the Emperor so that he would have an army when he dies (astig sa trip di ba?)

Tapos, in 1974, a group of farmers who were digging a well accidentally unearthed it.
What's even more fascinating is that they were not taken away from the actual site where they were dug.  They just built concrete structures over it.

This is Pit 1 - the most number of warriors found

In 1979, the site was opened to the public.

I made Jon take a picture of R with the warriors in the background so that when he is older, we can show this to him.

I was "hyperventilating" all those times that we were there because I am a sucker for history.  Dati, nakikita ko lang sila sa TV at sa books pero now, I am face to face with them.  Ang saya lang talaga!

The Chariots- imagine the details they put into the figures eh wala pang machine noon. These were crafted using their bare hands.

In one of the Pits, you would get to meet one of the farmers who discovered the Warriors.
Kaso lang, you cannot have your picture taken with him kung di ka bibili nung book.

I thought I could resist the temptation, pero I was wrong. We bought the book, he signed it and let us take a picture of him with R.  Ayos ang "raket" ni Manong Farmer!

I hope someday we get to use this Anak in one of your school projects para sulit bayad. 

After spending a lot of time there, Brian announced that it was time to go as there are more sites we need to see in Xian.  We obliged kasi nakaka "umay" na din talaga the warriors at that time. Hehehe

Our next stop was the Xian Gate, which was, to me, just like the Walls of Intramuros.

Honestly, I could have skipped that had I known better.  Sayang the 40 yuan we paid for each person.

Tapos, we specifically requested Brian to bring us to the famous Muslim Quarter in Xian.  Not because of the history but because I have read that there is where we could buy cheap souvenirs, haha!

Achieve na achieve naman ang purpose namin as we were able to buy a lot of souvenirs there and even got to sample some local delicacies.  I savor this time kasi we left the kids under the care of Ate Lyn inside the van and the four of us (Glenn, Anna, Jon and I) ventured into the market.  It was like having a late afternoon double date. FUN!

A structure inside the Muslim Quarter

After that, we had to rush to the airport for our Xian to Beijing flight.

DAY ONE: SHANGHAI IN A DAY

Una muna, ito ang sabi ni Pareng Wikipedia:

Shanghai is the largest city by population in the People's Republic of  China and the largest city proper by population in the world.

It is a global city with influence in commerce, culture, finance, media, fashion, technology and trransport.

It is a major financial center and the busiest container port in the world.

Sa akin naman, I liken it to the Big Apple as it is, like New York, the fashion capital of China.

People are so trendy and most brands hold their flagship store there.

I checked my mobile the moment the alarm sounded off and found out that the weather for that day would be mostly on the "negative" side.  I worry for my boy who is not so thrilled about layering at all.

We started the day filling our stomachs with the hotel's generous breakfast buffet.

Checked out soon after and left our bags in the concierge.

Off we went to see what was store for us in Shanghai!

At dahil "fresh" pa kami, we were brave enough to try their subway system.

Good thing the subway station is "super" lapit lang sa front door ng hotel.  As in 50 steps or so lang.

Kaya lang, we realized that it will definitely not going to be a "walk in the park" for us as we had a big stroller in tow at may "interchange" pa somewhere.

And di ba nga, most populous nga daw siya sa China kaya "kalurky"  lang ang daming ng  tao everywhere!

Pero "naitawid" naman namin with a little help from the Shanhai Railways System App we installed on our phones.

Isa lang naman ang destination namin:  THE BUND   

This is, afterall, the most photographed site in Shanghai.  

Ang "sarap" here to just people watch especially nung umaraw ng kaunti.

We then crossed the sea via the sightseeing tunnel (which was too overpriced IMO).

We ate a late lunch cum early dinner at a local fastfood which we did not really enjoyed pero di naman sobrang sama ng lasa. It was just enough to address our "nagsusumigaw" na stomachs.

After that we spent some time near the Oriental Pearl Tower (another icon in Shanghai) and bought souvenirs before going back to the Bund.

We took a taxi going back to the hotel and was happy that we did not have a hard time at all despite the thousand or so people in the area.

I was praying all along kasi we had to be at the railway station in an hour's time.

As expected, He did not disappoint.  Taxis were there the moment we needed it. Galing mo Lord!

After getting our bags from the Concierge, we begun walking towards the railway station which was, luckily, just nearby.  

It was literally a hop and a skip away.

Yun lang, pagdating namin doon, we were greeted by a multitude of thousands. As in.

Of all the days, do you really have to go to where we are going TODAY? Hehehe

We would know later via our Xian guide that it was "School Opening" the next day. Sheeesh.

We were boarding at exactly 6:30pm and wasted no time in making our cabin "homey" enough to catch some shut eye.

R did not have a hard time calling the train his "home" for the next 15 hours.  He would later sleep like a log for the whole duration of the trip. Pwede nang mag "backpack" trip ito soon. Yipee!

As for me,  I was so excited to spend the night inside an overnight train just like in India, Laos and in Bicol.

I could stare at the scenic view outside until it becomes pitch dark.  I do not know what is it about trains that I find too romantic.

Do stand by for Day Two will you?

It is the most exciting part of the trip as it is the day that I would get face to face with the TERRACOTA WARRIORS.

ENROUTE TO SHANGHAI

Our flight is not until  8pm on a Friday.  Something that I purposely chose so that J and I could still work on that day.

We left our house around 4pm, drove by the in laws' house to say goodbye and met the Azarcons (our travel companions) at Terminal 3.  They would be taking a Zest Air flight which was supposed to leave 15 minutes earlier than us.

Check in was smooth.

So smooth that we were done in a jiffy.  It gave us some  "extra" time to go up the food court and eat a relaxed dinner.

But our experience at the Immigration was a totally different story - the queue was terrible not to mention the fact that it was very hot in there. They should seriously look into this matter.

I mean, the long lines are acceptable, but the least they could do is to ensure that the passengers are comfortable.

At the final boarding area, we were informed of our flight's delay (t'was just 20 or so minutes kaya carry lang!) and good thing, our friends' Zest Air flight was delayed too.

Buti na lang din, I remembered to bring one of R's Christmas presents kaya he never cried while we were waiting to board the plane.

Thank you Ninang Emma and Ninong Arnel for this!

We were already boarding before we knew it.

But the Zest Air flight (we would know later)  took off an hour and a half later pa.  We thought they were also getting ready to board too.

I am still in the process of accepting that my boy is no longer an infant and he already has his own seat on the plane. 

Anyways, the flight was uneventful (thank the good Lord!).

Jon slept the entire flight while Ate Lyn and I chatted (she was very excited to see snow finally) the whole three and a half hours we were airborne.

When we arrived, we were expecting to see the Azarcons arriving too.  But after waiting for half an hour, we decided to ask one of the airport officers about the Zest Air flight.

We were shocked to know that they aren't expecting any flight from Manila that night.

At that time, the driver of the airport shuttle I prebooked at Asiatravel was there and he was already getting impatient.

Buti na lang I remembered that I have a copy of the Azarcons' flight details (I was the one who booked it online afterall), and to my surprise, they are scheduled to arrive at Terminal One ( we were in Terminal Two).

After calming down and mumbling a little prayer, I learned that the Terminal One is just adjacent to where we are.  If it happened here in our country, it is going to be a disaster for sure what with the distances in between our terminals. And, oh, did I mention, the clock already 1:50 AM.

Jon hurriedly ran towards Terminal One (mahaba habang lakad yun ha) only to find out that the said flight will not arrive anytime soon as it was delayed for over an hour.

Long story short, we were reunited at around 3am and off we traveled to the city.

The ride to our hotel was long and boresome maybe because we were already sleepy and tired.

But alas, we came and was able to check in in no time.

We agreed to start the day at 9:30 AM (yes, you read it right) as we only had one day to see all of Shanghai.

Jon, Ate Lyn and Rocco were instantly off to lalaland while I, on the other hand, had to mind our luggages and "ready" the outfits for the next day.

Stand by for the next post!

BACK FROM CHINA

We just came from our China Trip yesterday and I thought this would be a good time for me to start (yet again) a travel blog that would hopefully document all the memories we had during the journey.

Well, this really isn't our first time on this part of the globe as J and I already went here in 2007.  

But what made me decide to come here again?

Well, for one, all the photos and videos we took on that trip got deleted when my old (read: ancient) laptop crashed a few years back.  

Also, it was just the two of us back then.  Going back with the little bub would be a fantastic idea.

Add to that, our travel buddies Glenn and Anna (with their only son Giro) also wanted to go there for the first time.

But the most important reason (sige, aaminin ko na nga) is because I wanted to see the TERRACOTTA WARRIORS in Xian which we failed to see the last time.

This time around, I made sure we would go to Xian (no matter how far it is from either Shanghai or Beijing).

Join me as I relive our adventures in China via a series of posts starting from take off to touchdown.

This is the route we took:  Manila to Shanghai  (Cebu Pacific, 5J678)

                                        Shanghai to Xian      (on board the overnight "Z" train)

                                        Xian to Beijing         (Hainan Airlines, HU7338)

                                        Beijing to Manila      (Cebu Pacific, 5J673)

We were a group of 5 adults and 2 children.  

It is worth mentioning that once again, I opted to bring Yaya along as I am not sure Jon and I could handle the little bub alone what with an overnight train ride included in our travel plan.

We scored the our tickets back in October when Cebu Pacific had a seat sale.

For this trip, I opted to stay in Accor Member hotels (Grand Mercure and Novotel) as I was not up to our usual "backpacker style" of traveling.

Save that on the next trips.

At least just for this time, I want all our hotels to be a bit on the "luxurious" side.

O sya, simulan na ang kuwentuhan!