At the ripe age of 26, I took a trip of a lifetime through China. I had spent the past several years traveling to Hong Kong for my job and on one particular trip, I decided to take an extra week for vacation to tour several cities in mainland China.
In the Spring of 1991, my childhood friend, Cheryl met me in Hong Kong, where she spent the last of my three week business trip with me, and from there, we began our China adventure to the cities of Shanghai, Beijing and the ancient capital, Xian. I kept a very detailed journal from start to finish of my awesome journey, nearly twenty-five years ago, and decided this would make a great travel series for Travelin' Cousins. Over the course of the next two months, I will post chronological segments of my journal on my respective Throwback Thursdays. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have enjoyed re-living my trip! - Elisa
In the Spring of 1991, my childhood friend, Cheryl met me in Hong Kong, where she spent the last of my three week business trip with me, and from there, we began our China adventure to the cities of Shanghai, Beijing and the ancient capital, Xian. I kept a very detailed journal from start to finish of my awesome journey, nearly twenty-five years ago, and decided this would make a great travel series for Travelin' Cousins. Over the course of the next two months, I will post chronological segments of my journal on my respective Throwback Thursdays. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have enjoyed re-living my trip! - Elisa
Welcome to Part 2 of my China Adventure!
Friday May 17, 1991
So last we left off, Cheryl and I had landed in Shanghai on Friday May 17, 1991 and were waiting in the airport for our China Discovery tour guide to meet us and begin our tour. A man with a red pin on his wrinkled white shirt approaches us and asks if we are on a tour. We say, "Yes." and he says "Come with me." We look at each other before we moved , as if to say, "Is this guy for real?"
Friday May 17, 1991
So last we left off, Cheryl and I had landed in Shanghai on Friday May 17, 1991 and were waiting in the airport for our China Discovery tour guide to meet us and begin our tour. A man with a red pin on his wrinkled white shirt approaches us and asks if we are on a tour. We say, "Yes." and he says "Come with me." We look at each other before we moved , as if to say, "Is this guy for real?"
ME, DONG & CHERYL AT SHANGHAI AIRPORT
So, we put him to a little test. We asked a few general type questions as we got our stuff together. Stuff like "where are we staying?" "How many people are on the tour?" These were questions that we knew the answers to. Anyway, he introduces himself as our guide, and happens to be wearing the name pin that is upside down. This incompetent looking man happens to be our tour guide. "The Donger " as in Long Duck Dong from the popular '80's movie, Sixteen Candles. Needless to say, Cheryl and I had many laughs while on tour with Dong. Actually, he knew a great deal, but he was just rather the Nervous Nelly type.
VIEW OF SHANGHAI FROM OUR HOTEL ROOM AT THE PORTMAN
At this point, Dong went to check the bus as me and Cheryl continued to look through my bag. Twenty minutes later, he came back without my passport. Now I was completely anxious and a full-fledge panic had set in. Cheryl decided that we should go to van and take a look ourselves. I was sort of in a state, and Cheryl was thinking more clearly. She immediately checked between the seat and the arm rest where I had been sitting, only to find my passport. Dong was embarrassed but shrugged it off. Point of story: Dong is most incompetent but we love him dearly and will always have fond memories of our first Chinese tour guide on this great journey!
We were taken to The Portman Shangri-La Hotel It's a gorgeous hotel. When I got to the front desk, I was asked for my passport. As I went to get it from my bag, I realized I didn't have it! I lost it somewhere between immigration and the hotel. Panic began to set in. Then I remembered that I did have it on the bus as I was looking at the stamp from immigration. But, none the less, I was freaking out. Before we went to the US Embassy, which is where I immediately told Cheryl we had to go.
Okay, so back to my narrative of The Portman Hotel. Located within an enclosed plaza with a delightful breeze, it truly beautiful. Inside, there are two spiral staircases from the lobby leading up all the way through the hotel. Lovely glass walls with waterfall illusions line the interior wall. Up the spiral staircase, on the second floor is a bar with a piano player and a violinist playing Chinese music that can be heard throughout the lobby. It is truly enchanting.
Our room is on the 26th floor and is stunning, decorated in art deco style. Two single beds with dark wood headboards line the wall and the color palette is beige, mauve and brown. A picturesque view of the city and the harbor can be seen from our window. We took pictures out the window, but unfortunately the background of the Shanghai was not that visible. By the way, there are no window locks, screens or bars. So different from the safety features in the United States.
We joined two other people on our tour in the lobby for our first night's dinner in Shanghai. Janice and Andrew, both 34, live in Hong Kong but are originally from London. We all headed up to Nan Jing Road to the Friendship Store Plaza where we had dinner on the 5th Floor. It was a typical Chinese dinner - fish, duck, vegetables, dumplings, and pork with peanuts. Not much for me to eat, as a vegetarian, but as always, I made the best of it.
We joined two other people on our tour in the lobby for our first night's dinner in Shanghai. Janice and Andrew, both 34, live in Hong Kong but are originally from London. We all headed up to Nan Jing Road to the Friendship Store Plaza where we had dinner on the 5th Floor. It was a typical Chinese dinner - fish, duck, vegetables, dumplings, and pork with peanuts. Not much for me to eat, as a vegetarian, but as always, I made the best of it.
LOBBY OF THE PORTMAN HOTEL
Shopping was always top of mind for me and Cheryl and after dinner, we visited the Friendship store to take a gander. Just an observation - I find the people more friendly here in Shanghai than in Hong Kong.
HAVING DINNER OUR FIRST NIGHT IN SHANGHAI
I liked the silk embroidered table cloths, but didn't have time to buy them tonight as Dong was rushing us. By the way, he had an accent that sounded like Father Guido Sarducci from Saturday Night Live and although his English wasn't great, he used a lot of slang expressions.
NAN JING ROAD, SHANGHAI Janice and Andrew went to a club near The Peace Hotel, a well-known Shanghai hotel, near The Bund (The Waterfront), a short distance from The Portman, to hear the a jazz band that was playing. Shanghai was so gorgeous at night. All lit up and sparkling. In general, the city is clean and the weather is warm and dry. Alot like New York this time of year. However, it is very dusty and sooty outside with a distinct smell of earth or soil.
As we were pretty beat, Cheryl and I decided to just go back to the hotel, with a quick stop at Watson's (a H.K. drug store), which was in the hotel plaza and bought some candy and a notebook to keep our trip journal. And so ended our first night here in Shanghai.
Nighty night.
As we were pretty beat, Cheryl and I decided to just go back to the hotel, with a quick stop at Watson's (a H.K. drug store), which was in the hotel plaza and bought some candy and a notebook to keep our trip journal. And so ended our first night here in Shanghai.
Nighty night.
Stay tuned for my China Trip Throwback Part 3: The Bund, Yu Yang Gardens, Jade Buddha & the Ultimate Bike Shot in Shanghai in two weeks!
- Elisa
- Elisa