Shanghai - Day 2 Xitang Ancient Water Town

The itinearary on the 2nd day of our trip was the Ancient Water Town near Shanghai.

In the morning, we took subway to HongQiao railway station. In the station, after we bought the ticket, we had our breakfast thinking that we had ample time. BUT we underestimate the distance for us to walk to the boarding gate, the station is HUGE! By the time we rushed to the gate, it was closed. We had to change the time to the next train by paying extra $$ and waited for 1 hour....urgh!

The driver who sneaked us in.



Bullet train.

Anyway, we reached Jiashan in 1/2 hour time by high speed train. We were being offered by some transport providers when we walked out of the station. Then we found ourselves in a very old and small van after some bargains. Mum told the driver to drop us at the side entrance so that we could avoid the 100rmb entrance fees (she found that out from someone's blog). The driver told her that all the side entrances are now closed. He then drove us to one of the side entrance to show us. Okay, fine, we saw that it was infact closed. He stopped the van, turned his head to us and said that by paying him half the price, he could bring us in or he would drive us to the main entrance where we had to pay the full price. Pa agreed. He drove us around and stopped somewhere. He told us to follow him quickly and quietly. We walked behind him into a very narrow alley and into a shop and then we were there, inside the ancient town. Wao...what an exciting experience!

We found ourselves in some kind of movie set. Real ancient and original !! The dark buildings, the narrow sunken walkway, the canal, the boat......everything is so old. Well, it's almost a thousand years old.

No, this is not movie set. This is REAL!  The platform along the river are paved with ancient stone slab. The wood is all black in color. Even the roof is black and some are already slanting. The surface of the wood pillars are so smooth. The weather was cold and it made the atmosphere seem serene.

We enjoyed our lunch on the second floor of  a tiny shop by the river very much.   

Hearty meal!

 After lunch, we continued to stroll around the place.

Amidst the promenade!

Tourist boats.

Mission Impossible 3 was filmed here!

When it started to drizzle, we walked out of the town and hailed a taxi to the railway station. When we were back to Shanghai, we went to Nanjing shopping road.

Pizza Hut in Nanjing Road, Shanghai.

 

Our dinner, Chinese McDonald!

Nanjing Road is a typical shopping area. The road is full of huge shopping malls. We had dinner at the McDonald. On the way back to our hotel, we had super at a small eatery. Mum liked the vege noodles very much. 

 

 

 

 

Shanghai (day 1)

YEOH~ ~ ~, finally I get myself to blog about our yearly family trip 2012, 3 months late.

AA flew direct to Hangzhou and not Shanghai when we booked the ticket. So we landed in Hangzhou international airport on 29 Oct 2012. After immigration checkpoint, we took a bus to the train station. From there, we bought tickets for Bullet train to Shanghai.



View from the train. Nice looking houses.

That was our very first bullet train experience. It brought us to Shanghai in 45mins time, average speed of 300km/hr. We couldn't actually feel the speed. From Shanghai Hongqiao train station, we took the subway to downtown Shanghai. The Manhattan Jinling hotel is just across the street. Finally, at about 4pm, we were able to put our luggage down and rest for a while.

My first impression of Shanghai was a super big train station (there are 4 railway stations and 2 international airports!!), super busy subway station (there are 7 lines all together!) and a lot of grand looking buildings! Phew....talk about cosmopolitan city!

Not to waste any more precious time (time is extremely precious when we were on holidays!), we walked to Yu Garden. Yes, we walked. And that's the reason why my mum chose this hotel, doesn't she smart?!

Glamorous Yu Garden!

 Only a short distance, we were in Yu Garden in no time. It was only...like.. 5.30pm, and it was already dark. It was not even winter yet! Anyway, Yu Garden is beautiful at night! The Chinese buildings are all lighted up and they glowed! Needless to mention, we were busying posing for cameras!  We then had our dinner at one of the eatery. Had famous Shanghai dumpling and Xiao Long Pau. Errr...taste soso only!

 When we had enough of the place, we walked further down to the Shanghai Bund!! Wow...it was really glamorous! Across the river, colourful buildings have their reflections on the Huangpu river making the surface of the water so attractive. There, the Oriental Pearl Tower stood proudly among the commercial buldings! There were a couple of tourist boats and they too were nicely lighted.   

The magnificent Oriantal Pearl Tower (in globe shape).

  On the other hand, historical buildings (in early 1900s, they were the banks, trading houses, clubs etc) are all illuminated in Golden Yellow on this side of the river. The luxury Peace Hotel is also here. The stretch of the road here looked majestic!

Majestic old buildings along the Bund!

The night scene of the bund is really nice! Unfortunately, a short while after we arrived, it started to drizzle. The temperature dropped and it was COLDDD....Nevertheless, we had a lot of fun here. Mama tried very hard to capture the view with mini tripod. When all of us were starring at the camera on tripod, people were looking at us. Some walked by carrying the umbrella with their heads turned to look at us. I then imitated their action and their look and everyone ended up laughing like crazy people!!  

When the drizzling got heavy, we had no choice but to walk back to our hotel.

Our first day in Shanghai, not bad at all.




 

Chinese New Year 2013

CNY nails!

Year of SNAKE, water snake. *dramatic organ* haha. Hey guys, sorry for the late thingy, Chinese New Year was here, the year of the snake *dramatic organ* er.... right.... My family and I went back to Enggor, Kuala Kangsar, Perak, my father's hometown. It's a small kampung, but I like it. That's where we celebrate our CNY every year.

We left home at 5.00 IN THE MORNING -.- and it was so long, so heavy, so freaking annoying..... the jam. *dramatic organ* yeah.... we reached Ipoh at about 9 in the morning? 4 hours... it normally take us less than 2 hours to reach there, because of the STUPID JAM. ugh no hatred, no hatred. We checked in to our hotel, Ipoh Boutique Hotel, it's a really nice and cozy hotel, it may be small, but it's new, clean.

5.30am North South Highway just before Sungai Buloh.

We drove to K.Kangsar after our second breakfast of Wantan Mee which was terrible and we had to pay doubled the normal price. (Earlier we had McDonalds in the car when we started our journey. ) It was a 1 hour drive, no big deal.

Taiping temple.

When we arrived at my grandfather's house, we helped around with the worship of our ancestors in the house. After lunch at home, as usual we proceeded to the Temple in Taiping where my grandma rest :3 I never get to see her, she was long gone before I was born.  My dad said that her cooking was awesome, it's a pity that i will not have the chance to taste them. After simple worshipping, Pa drove to Taiping old pasar for some snacks which was not very nice. Then he drove to Taiping lake for me to take a look. Wow...it's beautiful!

Picturesque Taiping Lake.

We were then back to Enggor. And I played... with my iPad...for a while. Before the preparation of the reunion dinner started, my dad took me on a motorcycle ride. I have never been on a motorcycle ride before.. except that one time.  Pa told me that I was on a motorcycle ride when I was ....6, and I got really scared. This time I was a little scared, but I enjoyed the wind blowing at my face. Pa rode the motorcycle to the Victoria bridge just behind my grandfather's house. The bridge was a railway bridge and it lays across the Perak River. My dad said that it was built back in the WWII but it's not in used anymore. It is long and on one side of the bridge, there is a path built for motorcycles for the villages from the village across the river. I managed to step and stand in the middle of the track. It was scary because there were gaps between the sleepers on the tracks and when I looked down I could see the river. My dad took a few pics. We went back after we walked to and fro on the bridge.


A view with Perak river on the bridge. 

Almighty Victoria bridge!!

 The relatives decided to have the reunion dinner at home after 2 consecutive years of bad experience in the restaurants. So we were back to homecook style this year, well, potluck!  Pa cooked butter prawns and fried meehoon/rice. The rest of dishes were from the uncles and aunties. After the dinner, we played with the firecrackers grandpa bought while the men drank liqour and ate dried meat and the women chit chat. At about 11pm, we called it a night and went back to the hotel.



Fire works grandpa bought.

The feast!

The next day we had dimsum for breakfast in Ipoh. Then backed to grandpa's house. Grand auntie came with her family. We exchanged news and some catching ups. After lunch, we went for visiting to cousin's house and had our dinner at granduncle's house. At granduncle's house again Pa took me on a motorcycle ride and we also witnessed some lion dance performance.

 The following day, there were cousins came visiting and again "huha-ings" and hellos and finally goodbyes! After that we were backed to KL. Though it was short, I enjoyed a break away from school and away from all the usual stuff...... till next year!!

Les Miserables

Les Miserables is a musical adaptation from one of the greatest novels by Victor Hugo. This 19th century French novel was published in 1862. It was made into musical in 1980 and all the songs and lyrics are originally composed in French. The English version was only made and showed in London West End theatre in 1985. Subsequently 1987 in New York Broadway theatre.

I watched the movie last week and it was literally a crying marathon for me and my mum. I knew it was a very sad movie. Nevertheless was not prepared for how sad it was!

Jean Valjean was imprisoned for 19 years just because he stole a loaf of bread for the starving sister's child. 5 years for stealing and 14 years for numerous attempts of escape! What kind of a world was that? It was so dreadful just the thought of it!

Poor Fantine was forced to leave the job when they found out that she had a illegitimate child with the wrong man she fell in love with.

She sang :   There was a time when men were kind....When their voices were soft...I dreamed that love would never die....I had a dream my life would be....So different from this hell I'm living....

Her child Cosette was placed with an ungrateful couple and she was made to do all the chores. How very cruel was that! Luckily Jean managed to save her from her hell.

Cosette sang :   There is a castle on a cloud, I like to go there in my sleep, There is a lady all in white, Holds me and sings a lullaby, She's nice to see and she's soft to touch, She says "Cosette, I love you very much."

Then there were the young students. They were trying to fight for their rights to have a better life! M

They sang :   Do you hear the people sing, Singing the song of angry men, It is the music of a people Who will not be slaves again, When the beating of your heart, Echoes the beating of the drums, There is a life about to start, When tomorrow comes............

But sadly they were all but one perished under the fires of the army.

Marius  survived because Jean saved him for the sake of Cosette who was in love with. Jean was afraid that when he was gone Cosette would be alone. So touched by this gesture of him.
Jean died because of his age and Cossette and Marius married and live happily ever after.... 

The movie starring Hugh Jackman as Jean, Russell Crowe as Javert, Anne Hathaway as Fantine and Amanda Seyfried as Cosette. Didn't know they can sing except Amanda Seyfried whom I watched singing in Mama Mia! Hugh Jackman played it quite well. Like his facial expression, so depressed!

Cosette and Marius.

Anne Hathaway as Fantine.

Javert and Eponine.

All the melodies are very nicely composed and the lyrics really brought tears to my eyes!

There really were times when the world was like a living hell and living means life long suffering and miseries! It was a long time ago and the world is now peaceful for most of us and that we are the lucky lots! So we have to live a life which is fulfilling and meaningful!

Personally, my favorite song is Look Down by Jean and the slaves and On My Own by Eponine.

BIRTHDAY 2012~

HELLO PEEPS! 26 of December is my birthday! And it had just past! >< Well, my birthdays were really awesome since when I was born, even though I can't remember the birthdays I had when I was a baby :/ BUT most of them were really awesome. As you all know, 25th December is Christmas *cue Jingle Bells song* and the day after Christmas which is also Boxing Day is my birthday!

This year, my dad told me the day before Christmas that we were going to Melaka for a holiday. Well, of course that's what they said, I was thinking, Melaka for my birthday?? NICE. Okay, you can stop the music now -.-


Me, my dad and my mum reached Melaka at 12noon. My parents told me that my godmum a.k.a. mama, will not be going D; she was with me for almost every birthdays I had... (if I am not mistaken) so without her, it'll will be very different BUT I still looked forward to the trip. My mum, the planner, said that there was a very famous Nyonya restaurant called Makko's Nyonya Food. It was packed inside! There was a family waiting outside, it seems that we need to write down our name and wait until it was our turn. But we didn't! We didn't know, we just went in, found an empty table and ordered our food! XDD We ordered their famous dishes. 

After 2 hours of sitting in the car, we needed to release ourselves :) when we came back from the toilet, the food were already served! Wow, that was really fast. After our lunch, the lunch? Oh, it was just okay, turns out that the food was already prepared. -.- We went to our hotel, Hotel Puri, the road infront of the Hotel was really narrow, Jonker Street was just right behind our hotel, so we can walk there :) The 3 stories hotel was really unique, the deco was all Nyonya Style. But unfortunately, our room will only be ready by 3 so we went to Jonker Street. 

Jonker Street, where cheap things and yummy food roam *not really* we went in to many shops *not really* we bought many stuffs! *not really* We did buy something, we bought 2 wall stickers :D 3 funny luggage tags, a shirt for me :) and... i think that was it. ANYWAYS we continued our way and went to this shop which was famous for their ice coffee. My dad ordered an ice coffee and lemon honey. Turned out that the ice coffee was in a small bottle and the lemon honey sucks. Well, the ice coffee was nice. We went back to the hotel because there was nothing else to look at. The room was already ready and we climbed up to the 2nd floor...

I love opening hotel doors :D So I had the honor to do it :) the room is a 4 person room because my mum said that the 3 person room was already fully booked. It was 3.15 when we settled in our hotel room. We took a bath and rested. Shortly after, we went out for dinner at the Portuguese Settlement. We ate seafood * Portuguese style* by the beach *not literally BY the beach*. 

We ordered Egg plant, Fried Squid and fish. And again... it was okay. :/ Except the Fried Squid, it was nice. We took pictures and went back to the hotel because we were tired. My mum was playing word search on her phone and I was playing my iPad, my dad went out to find his friends. My mum received calls from mama several times, I thought there was a problem that mama had, so I didn't bother. I was getting sleepy by 11.30 and decided to call it a night when my mum said that she can't find the word and I played with her and ended up on YouTube watching funny commercials. My dad came back and told me that one of his friends want to see me. I was thinking, which friend? what? I wore my brand new shirt and went down the stairs, when we reached the end of the stairs, my dad said that I need to cover my eyes, my dad covered them with his hands and led me. 


I couldn't see anything, then we stopped, I smelt candle. And I can see light the gap of my dad's hand, I guessed it was a cake because of the candles, it had to be! IT WAS. I saw the cake and mama was there holding her camera, I yelled out :O MAMA. And I made a wish and blew out the candles. Mama bought the cake in KL and went there all the way to Melaka :) We took a lot of pictures and went up to our room to eat my cake :D It was pandan with coconut :D It was really awesome, thank god it was already 12 when we ate the cake which means we ate the cake on my birthday :D We switched off the lights and went to bed, mama asked me to take her phone which was in her bag, I felt a box all wrapped up (my bday present??) I pretended I didn't know when mama said that her phone was on the table, then my mum asked me did I touch my present, I give my best "no" face. But sadly, I only get to open my present the next day :) AND we slept :)


I woke up by the sound of tv and my mum slapping my butt. IT WAS MY BIRTHDAYYYYY~~ I woke up and brush my teeth and yadayadayada and I sat down on the face and gave my mum a big smile :D And she smiled back saying HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! HEHE:) I wore my brand new shirt and headed down for breakfast. It was a small buffet, really nice with French Toasts, Omelet, Nasi Lemak, Sausage and fruits. We went up and it was present opening time^^ I opened the first layer and found out that there was a fun quiz XD i did it and open the second layer, white, I opened the third layer and there, in my hands, a box with bird nest written on it XDD HAHA but there was a card inside it... I ripped the box open *not really* and the present was so small :3 so cute. It was rectangle and heavy, last stage, i opened at realized it was a Samsung Note 2 box, I was speechless. 

I opened the box and say a shiny phone looking at me, I did not cry. >< not that much... I can guess that it was a phone because previously, my mum made it a little obvious... :/ but I never expected a note 2! How unexpected?! *THE HOBBIT* Excuse me while I fangirl. I was really speechless, I switched it on and explored it. :3

The rest of the day went pretty well, we went through Jonker Street, mummy and mama got new shirts, we went to the Stadthuys and ate Chicken Rice Ball. We left the hotel and headed out to Mahkota Plaza *mall* and eat their yummy cakes at Nadaje Cafe, the cakes were really special and unique, we ordered, cheese, banana chocolate and cafe mocha, the cakes were layered by layered and it was really soft ^^ we went back to KL.

Mu birthday ended like that, pretty. :) I need to thank my mum and dad for the super expensive present, and mama for the cover :) I am truly a lucky girl. I can't say anything else, I am speechless :/ Alright, that's a wrap!