7 day adventure starting 27 Nov 2014- Mostly escorted tour with Friendly Planet Travel group of 27 included 3 nights in metropolitan Shanghai (wonderful weather in 50's and 60's) and then on to 4 nights in Beijing (cold 20's and 30's with wind BUT no pollution)
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Day #1 Shanghai arrival
Old and new in Shanghai
First stop at the French Concession area
Our hotel across the river (much nicer than it looks)
The newer part of Shanhai (Pudong) across the river
Not bad for late November
Nice hotel room
The Bund buildings at night
Walking the pedestrian area night #1
Hotel looks eerie at night
Day #2 Shanghai - Daytrip to Suzhou- about 100 miles from Shanghai
Breakfast with Jessica & Bea - fellow travelers
Day trip to Suzhou and took canal ride
Along the waterside
Chinese restrooms- squat style; don't forget your own tp
Visited silk factory- beginning with the worms
Watching the process with Tom our local guide
stretching the silk lesson
Shopping the expensive store
Lunch with our group- had many of these lazy susan style
Visiting gardens in Suzhou - locals having lunch of chicken feet
Beautiful gardens
Nice afternoon
Vanessa and Peter on their pedicab
Off we go!
We were the traffic that day
Stopped at local market- yumm
Day #3 On Own strolling Shanghai-
Hotel breakfast was very filling- tons of choices
Flower wall along river and The Bund
Interior of the Peace Hotel
Beautiful old hotel on the Bund
We have a 16 inch one of this exact "thing" at home
One of the many street foods available
Nanjing Road East - pedestrian shopping
5 story food hall had just about everything you wanted
I should have brought one of these home for Christmas dinner
Sushi revolving the countertop on a moving belt
More street food
When in China.....
Shanghai Museum
I guess this was the donor wall inside the museum
On our way to the Yuyuan Gardens
Yuyuan Garden complex- very busy
Day#4 Left Shanghai for flight to Beijing
As we were packing we found this oddity- a condom and flashlight in the nightstand table
Goofing around at the airport
Checking in at Beijing International Hotel
Once again we had a great room
In front of hotel- we had supermarket and shopping hall directly across the street
Went to a Peking Duck dinner that night with the group
Food, food, food
Vanessa was spoiling the Emperor
Kung Fu Show after dinner was fantastic!
Day #5 was daytrip to The Great Wall
The hotel breakfast buffet was HUGE
Interesting buildings in Beijing
Saw the Birds Nest Olympic Stadium from the bus
Stopped by a Jade shop
Obligatory shopping these tours take you on- but you never buy
All suited up to climb the wall- frigid!
Yup- we went up there....slowly
Our group photo prior to climbing
Hiding from the wind part of the way up
Done with the wall! Time to shop.
Even the camel was cold
Nighttime at the hotel
Day #6 in Beijing
View from hotel window
Hawkers were out with their hats and gloves
In Tiannamen Square
Mao's Mausoleum in background
Entering Forbidden City
All the monks were on cell phones or had IPads
9 football fields long this place is!
Huddling together to keep warm in the restroom lobby
Leaving Forbidden City
On to the Hutongs- took pedicab ride to local persons home for lunch
Lunch in woman's living room- very crowded!
Walked the malls and street markets that night
Fun night
Scorpions anyone?
Anything you want on the street
Bugs on a stick- should have been dipped in chocolate
Day #7 - Last day in Beijing
In front of Beijing Zoo
Visiting the pandas
Having fun outside
Aw, so cute
On to the Summer Palace in Beijing
Yes, there was ice on the lake at the Palace
Yes, cold again!
Palace Grounds
our last Chinese lazy susan lunch
Saying goodbye to the staff
Our last stop at the Temple of Heaven
As cold as it was, the locals were here playing games and doing Tai Chi in the park
Inside the Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
