Cultural learnings in Beijing...

Mcdonald’s brekkie in hand (don’t judge!) we finally managed to hop on a bullet train and head over to the capital for the weekend.   My second time going to this wonderful city, we had a packed schedule ahead of us to make sure we could see as much of Beijing as time allowed us.  Less than 6 months old, and with speeds of 312mph (that was the fastest our train went anyway) the journey on bullet train takes under 5 hours, so it is definitely a really easy way to travel between the two cities.

We arrived at lunch and whilst I had heard from people that the pollution in Beijing is worse than in Shanghai, I found the air not too bad. It was a brilliant day as the sky was clear and blue – perfect arrival weather!

We navigated ourselves around the station and finally found a taxi to take us to the hostel.  After some slight confusion as to where the hostel was we finally dropped our bags off and had our first taste of infamous Peking/Beijing duck! Note for anyone going to Beijing, Beijing drivers are not as western friendly as Shanghai drivers which we found out throughout our stay in the capital and whilst the magic words zhe ge (here/this one) and na ge (there/that one) work amazingly in Shanghai, I couldn’t imagine them being that useful here – we were so lucky that we had our friends Elle and Harriet who speak Mandarin the whole weekend!

As half of our group who couldn’t get the Friday off work were arriving later on in the evening, we decided that we would leave the touristy things for the next day and checked out the Silk Market.  Not quite a market full of silk, this packed building was full of fake clothes, bags, shoes – absolutely everything you could imagine and ten times more intense then the fake markets in Shanghai.  Here even looking at something seems to be a sign that you want to start bargaining for a price! 

 Cloake (fake Clarks) anyone?

After a few stressful hours in the art form that is haggling, we made our way back to our hostel to get ready for a quiet night of chilled drinks in a nearby bar, ready for our early rise and climb of the Great Wall in the morning.

Elle and Harriet suggested we go to the part of the wall called Mutianyu which is the less touristy area of the wall.  Luckily the hostel helped organise a minibus to take us there and an easy 1 hour drive later, we were greeted by the sight of the Wall.  We took a cable car up and walked along this world wonder for a few hours, joining the groups of tourists taking photos.  Again we managed to stir a lot of attention with the Chinese tourists with some even asking if we could have photos with their children!

 It was nice that it wasn’t that crowded, and again we were so lucky with the blue skies.  Another reason why Harriet and Elle suggested this part of the wall to us, was the less conventional mode of transport available for getting off the wall – an amazing steel toboggan run! It was so much fun but probably not what the Chinese envisaged when they started to build the Wall all those dynasties ago!

After grabbing some noodles and dumplings for lunch, we checked out the Olympic village before going back to the hostel to get ready for an amazing duck dinner with an old intern who used to be with us in Shanghai! Amazing is the only word that I can think of to describe what we ate.  Not only did we have duck, but hairy prawns, ribs and other sorts of exciting and tasty dishes.  As the restaurant we were in was near the student area, we decided to continue on this reunion with drinks before heading on to a Chinese club.  Like most clubs it was packed, hot and sweaty but the Beijing drink prices made it worth it.  Here 10rmb can get you a Vodka lemonade (about £1 pound) and 20rmb a cocktail (about £2) making us realised how expensive Shanghai actually is. 

Sunday was another day of being tourists as we wanted to try and fit Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City in before catching the bullet train home.  Both breath taking, particularly the Forbidden City, the only thing that disappointed me was the numerous flat screens that lined the square and were placed around parts of the Forbidden City for advertising.

The whole weekend went so quick, but we were all so glad that we managed to fit our trip to Beijing into our tight and hectic working schedules.  The one thing I would say is that I would have loved to have gone to the Summer Palace, and that if time allowed perhaps 5 days would have been a perfect amount of time to take in the whole of this cultural city!

Zai jian!

Marie xox

Just another Wednesday night in the city...

So last night was just a normal mid-week night right? Well, sort of. The thing that everyone must realise here is that in Shanghai, every night is the weekend as there are always several events going on all through out the week! And despite being slap bang in the middle of a working week, Wednesday nights are no exception!!!

Some of the interns showing us how its done...

This week, the CRCC lot organised a karaoke evening for us at KTV – but this wasn’t just any old karaoke night in a bar or a pub with your friends. Oh no.  Here in China karaoke is seen as a sort of national pastime. No joke. I know that back home in England karaoke nights are slowly becoming the event of choice on a night out, but these guys in China have been doing this for a very long time.  They are veterans in this sport of singing drunkenly in front of a screen.  With several KTV’s around Shanghai alone, we were taken to one close to our hotel. Inside the room that was designated for us were snacks, mini kegs of beer and, of course, the karaoke machine with several microphones and even a tambourine! With the beer reducing our inhibitions we definitely got louder as the night progressed with wails to an eclectic mix of songs from Abba, Blink 182, Blue, Girls Aloud – even the “Circle of Life” from the Lion King! As we walked out we even noticed that some rooms have different light settings so that you can create a club atmosphere.  If anyone goes to China this is definitely something that has to be done just for the experience!!!

However, despite karaoke lasting several hours, the night was still young!  We all decided to make our way over to the Pudong side of Shanghai as we heard that it was ladies night at Shanghai’s highest bar (FYI, every night there is a ladies night somewhere in Shanghai! It’s amazing!). The bar, called 100 Century Avenue, is on the 92^nd floor and whilst we had just missed the drink offers due to us getting there after 10.30 we still had a great night.  Although pricey, the atmosphere was incredible – and there was an actual dance floor, which can be pretty hard to find in Shanghai!!! The view was also amazing, however in Shanghai the lights in Pudong are turned off at around 10.30/11pm, so if you are wanting to go for the city view, definitely make sure you go before then!

Right, I’d best be off as tomorrow I have an early start as I am off to the cultural city of Beijing with some of the other CRCC interns. See you after a weekend of cultural learning, peking duck and of course walking the Great Wall!

Zai jian!

Marie xox

Another weekend gone...

Wow. Time is going so quick here and I can’t believe I have already been here for more than 4 weeks! This was highlighted by the fact that it was time to say goodbye to some of the interns who were only here with us for 1 month L and welcome the new batch of November interns.  And what better way to do that than to welcome them with what Shanghai is renown for: its nightlife!  So after my last two hectic weekends away, this weekend was finally spent enjoying what the city had to offer from clubbing in M2 and The Shelter on the Friday night, to quiet and sophisticated cocktails with the girls on Saturday night at Glamour Bar, M on the Bund.  

Whilst the cocktails there were much steeper than what us interns have already become accustomed to whilst clubbing here in Shanghai (e.g. 100RMB –or £10- cover charge then all you free flow drinks), they were definitely worth the money! Oh how much we had missed and appreciated the skill that goes into cocktail making! For 88RMB a cocktail (or £8.80 which is pretty much London prices) I chose a refreshing Pear & Lychee Martini to start. I then treated myself to the wonderfully named cocktail “My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard…” which had freshly crushed strawberries, baileys and vodka.  I’m craving one just as I write this!  It was a shame that the weather had been so humid that evening as the fantastic view could just be made out amongst the dense mist surrounding us.  However, I know that at least one more trip will be made here before I go just so I can sip another of those expensive and alcoholic strawberry milkshakes!

Salma & I with our Pear & Lychee Martinis <3

Although Sunday is a day of rest for most, it wasn’t for me.  I was put in charge of organising SHEX’s regular Sunday Coffee Meeting which takes place from 1pm-3pm.  Here expats are encouraged to come along to not only socialise and make new friends, but to pass on their knowledge onto newcomers (like myself hehe).  It is such a nice relaxing change from all the other events that we put on, and the caffeine was definitely appreciated!!!

After that I decided to take a walk to an antiques market called Dongtai lu near to where the coffee meeting was.  Whilst many of the things at the market were obviously copies (I think here anything over 1 year old can be considered an antique!) it was still a nice change from the western shopping malls that I normally step into.  

Although be warned - bartering here is encouraged, in fact expected, so don’t ask a vendor for the price of something unless you really want to buy it, otherwise as you walk away you will be hearing chinese obscenities shouted at you as in their eyes you have wasted their time.  It’s all good fun though, and definitely have fun when attempting to chat with the vendors - I definitely will be returning here in the next few weeks to buy all my xmas pressies!

Zai jian!

Marie xox

This is the life - Hangzhou parte deux…

No, that wasn’t a typo, and no you guys haven’t read that wrong… I did indeed go back to Hangzhou just only a week after my first trip! But this time it was something special to say the least…

An old school friend from Hong Kong invited me to help review a luxury boutique hotel resort with her for one night for her December issue of her magazine Aeris. With Hangzhou being only 40 minutes away from Shanghai by train I just couldn’t say no! The resort we went to is known as Amanfuyan, part of the prestigious chain of Aman resorts and situated in a tiny village just outside Hangzhou (it is so secluded that you wouldn’t even know that the hotel existed!).  A small resort, with only 42 rooms the service is very personal, friendly and attentive.  All the rooms are based on a simple village design with furniture made from bamboo and rosewood, and all amenities provided for (even a hairdryer, mosquito repellent, a torch and an umbrella!).

The entrance to our room...

As we were taken on a tour of the resort, it was easy to see why people fall in love with the ‘Aman’ experience, and base their holidays on where the resorts are located.  Attention to detail is evident, with something new in your room every time that you leave (slippers, fruit, chocolates, silk handkerchiefs etc).  The food that we had was also second to none with choices ranging from restaurants that specialised in steamed food, to vegetarian food to even Hangzhou specialities.  After eating in so many nice places and experiencing the vast range of food that China has to offer, I already feel that when I go back home to the UK, a local Chinese takeaway just wont cut it… Numerous cups of tea were also drunk throughout our trip (I was so oblivious to the range of tea that extended past jasmine and green tea!!!) as not only is Hangzhou renown for its chá (particularly longjing tea), but the resort itself has its own tea plantation!

We spent the rest of the evening exploring the library and chilling – such a change from the hustle and bustle of the life I am already so used to in Shanghai and we had an early night (well early compared to the night’s I’d been having recently!) ready for our early morning breakfast the next day.

The library

Our morning started early as we had chosen to have our Chinese breakfast on a traditional boat on West Lake – and what a great choice we had made! It was absolutely beautiful and so SO surreal as in some parts we were the only ones in the water and the lake was so still.  Breakfast comprised of congee (explanation), yoghurt, fresh fruits, a selection of biscuits, watermelon seeds, tea and juice, and with the breath taking scenery we couldn’t think of anywhere else we’d have rather been. 

Preparing the boat...

Breakfast :)

I’m sure this post isn’t expressing how amazing this resort it, but if you ever get the chance to go and try out the ‘Aman’ experience for yourself anywhere around the world don’t hesitate, don’t ask questions…just bring yourself! 

Zai jian!

Marie xox

Trick or Treat...

Yet again it’s been a non-stop whirlwind week in the office and it hasn’t helped that I’ve been ill with what one of my co-workers mentioned as “Shanghainese flu” (lol) – don’t think the amount of pollution in the Chinese air has helped. So whilst I took a couple days of bed rest, work carried on with event planning left right and centre. 

In addition to that we were moving offices on Friday (no more town house!) as well as our designer Sunny leaving us L.  As a result, we had a mini-leaving party in honour of not only Sunny, but the office that SHEX have occupied for nearly 11 years! It was an end of era for them as our resident ayi/chu-shi would no longer have the facilities at our new place to cook us lunch everyday (noooooooo!!!!!).

Me and the SHEX crew infront of the town house...

Bye bye Sunny!

Friday night was also SHEX’S Halloween Party, where ghosts, ghouls, beer and go-karts mixed resulting in a crazy & random night!  Here drinking and driving was encouraged (for one night only though!!!) with prizes for the best driver and best costume.

Me and my supervisor Flora

Since the event ended early at 1.30am Matt and I decided to have our own after party with the few remaining people that we had met there – the end result was hilarious! We ended up going to a Chinese club and playing a Chinese drinking game (called Liar dice in English and Shai Zi in Mandarin) which involves dice, tumblers, whiskey and green tea.  The game is very similar to bullshit where each player has a tumbler with 5 dice in it.  You shake the tumbler and see what dice you have.  You then have to guess how many of each dice you and your opponent(s) have.  For example you would say “two fours”.  Your opponent then has to up the ante with a bigger set (“three fours”) or a bigger number (“three fives”).  Something that must be taken into account is that ones can be wild, and therefore any number.  At any time you can call their bluff and the dice have to be counted.  If there are less dice than the person has claimed, that person has to “gan bei” (down their drinks), if there is the exact number, or more then the person who has tried to call their bluff drinks! Simples!

4 hours later (yep… 5.30am) we emerged out of the club, blurry eyed and knackered.  Note to self, whiskey, green tea, dice and Chinese opponents make a lethal combination to say the least…

Zai jian!

Marie xox