Trip Report!! ABD Enchanted China 6/4-15/2017 Update 8/11/18! Day 10 - Shanghai à la Carte

[carpenta]

O.K. Now I'm going to repeat myself ... GREAT PICTURES and really enjoying your trip report....THANKS!!!!

 

[CAYrgem]

A few more questions to all the experienced ones out there.....

How strict were they on the luggage weight restrictions? I don't plan on packing a lot but wondered if bringing a luggage scale would be helpful.

Looks like we will get some rain when we are there. Any suggestions for light weight umbrellas and raincoats?

I don't see any guidelines on tipping the local guides. What is recommended?

We leave on Thursday so I may still have a few more questions.

Thanks!!
Leah

 

[sayhello]

O.K. Now I'm going to repeat myself ... GREAT PICTURES and really enjoying your trip report....THANKS!!!!

Aw, thanks! More really soon!!

A few more questions to all the experienced ones out there.....

How strict were they on the luggage weight restrictions? I don't plan on packing a lot but wondered if bringing a luggage scale would be helpful.

Are you talking about the internal flights or the flights to/from China? I found the flights to/from China, they were very strict on checked luggage, but no-one actually ever weighed my carryon or personal item. On the internal flights, except for leaving Hong Kong, all of the luggage was checked in by our Chinese Adventure Guide and "tinkerbell", so it's hard to know if there were issues or not. I didn't hear of any, but then, I'm always VERY careful about the weight of my checked bag. It really would not hurt to bring a luggage scale.

Looks like we will get some rain when we are there. Any suggestions for light weight umbrellas and raincoats?

I got a light-weight rain jacket from LL Bean, but forgot it the one day it might have been useful (Chengdu). I carried this umbrella, which worked very well, and fit in my travel purse.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BPEEIYY/ref=twister_B00FQAHD2C?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

I don't see any guidelines on tipping the local guides. What is recommended?

The local guides (ie, not the Adventure Guides) are tipped by ABD. So no tips are necessary. You can, of course, tip them if you want!

We leave on Thursday so I may still have a few more questions.

Thanks!!
Leah

Ask away!! You're going to LOVE this trip! I hope you have good weather!

Sayhello

 

[Cousin Orville]

[Peking duck] was OK, but really not my thing. After all the hype, I was expecting something absolutely luscious.

That might have been my fault It wasn't culinary gift from the gods? Kidding. In fairness it does vary in quality. I had it on my own at Huang Ting (the best), Made in China (ok) and at some lunch place on the way out of Beijing with ABD (not great). But Duck De Chine is pretty famous, so I suspect you got a pretty good example. Do you happen to remember if Country Kitchen had Peking Duck as well? I have to get duck at least twice when I'm back especially if Duck de Chine doesn't live up to my high hopes.

Was flying into Beijing from HK chaotic? I don't know if they consider that international or not. When we flew into Beijing from the US, getting on the airport train was a crowded, free-for-all, chaotic mess.

 

[sayhello]

That might have been my fault It wasn't culinary gift from the gods? Kidding. In fairness it does vary in quality. I had it on my own at Huang Ting (the best), Made in China (ok) and at some lunch place on the way out of Beijing with ABD (not great). But Duck De Chine is pretty famous, so I suspect you got a pretty good example. Do you happen to remember if Country Kitchen had Peking Duck as well? I have to get duck at least twice when I'm back especially if Duck de Chine doesn't live up to my high hopes.

Was flying into Beijing from HK chaotic? I don't know if they consider that international or not. When we flew into Beijing from the US, getting on the airport train was a crowded, free-for-all, chaotic mess.

Sorry, I don't recall if Country Kitchen had Peking Duck, but I suspect not, as it specializes in noodle dishes. Maybe someone else will remember. I think different places have different sauces, and that was the part I disliked the most. It really just might be me, as Duck de Chine is pretty famous for it's Peking Duck...

Flying into Beijing was very chaotic. Once we landed, we taxi'd and circled the terminal for quite a long time. I think they didn't have a place for us to dock. We actually ended up deplaning on the tarmac, and having to be bused a LONG way to get to the terminal where we were supposed to be. We didn't do the train; it was a bus, and a crowded, crowded crazy mass of people. Flying *out* of Beijing was pretty sucky, too. (I want to say we sat waiting our turn for like an hour and a half. Which apparently is typical at the Beijing airport.) They are building a newer, bigger airport, but I don't recall when it's supposed to open.

Sayhello

 

[Cousin Orville]

Sorry, I don't recall if Country Kitchen had Peking Duck, but I suspect not, as it specializes in noodle dishes. Maybe someone else will remember. I think different places have different sauces, and that was the part I disliked the most. It really just might be me, as Duck de Chine is pretty famous for it's Peking Duck...

Flying into Beijing was very chaotic. Once we landed, we taxi'd and circled the terminal for quite a long time. I think they didn't have a place for us to dock. We actually ended up deplaning on the tarmac, and having to be bused a LONG way to get to the terminal where we were supposed to be. We didn't do the train; it was a bus, and a crowded, crowded crazy mass of people. Flying *out* of Beijing was pretty sucky, too. (I want to say we sat waiting our turn for like an hour and a half. Which apparently is typical at the Beijing airport.) They are building a newer, bigger airport, but I don't recall when it's supposed to open.

Sayhello

Yeah the sauce makes it or breaks it.

I think the new new airport opens next year, but it will be the biggest in the world. We didn't have to be bussed but inside the airport it was nuts.

 

[CAYrgem]

Aw, thanks! More really soon!!

Are you talking about the internal flights or the flights to/from China? I found the flights to/from China, they were very strict on checked luggage, but no-one actually ever weighed my carryon or personal item. On the internal flights, except for leaving Hong Kong, all of the luggage was checked in by our Chinese Adventure Guide and "tinkerbell", so it's hard to know if there were issues or not. I didn't hear of any, but then, I'm always VERY careful about the weight of my checked bag. It really would not hurt to bring a luggage scale.

I got a light-weight rain jacket from LL Bean, but forgot it the one day it might have been useful (Chengdu). I carried this umbrella, which worked very well, and fit in my travel purse.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BPEEIYY/ref=twister_B00FQAHD2C?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

The local guides (ie, not the Adventure Guides) are tipped by ABD. So no tips are necessary. You can, of course, tip them if you want!

Ask away!! You're going to LOVE this trip! I hope you have good weather!

Sayhello

Thanks

 

[CAYrgem]

Thank you, Sayhello!!

 

[christannj]

Dusty Atha,one of the ABD guides, posted on Facebook recently that the flights out of Beijing were canceled when the group was scheduled to leave and they had to spend an extra night at the Rosewood hotel and then needed to take a train the next morning to Shanghai. Apparently the ABD guides had to arrange alternative travel, my guess is that they couldn't get another flight in a timely manner. He has not posted anything since the plan was announced so not sure how that all went. The train was scheduled to take about 5 hours and was going to impact the time available in Shanghai.

Chris

 

[Cousin Orville]

Dusty Atha,one of the ABD guides, posted on Facebook recently that the flights out of Beijing were canceled when the group was scheduled to leave and they had to spend an extra night at the Rosewood hotel and then needed to take a train the next morning to Shanghai. Apparently the ABD guides had to arrange alternative travel, my guess is that they couldn't get another flight in a timely manner. He has not posted anything since the plan was announced so not sure how that all went. The train was scheduled to take about 5 hours and was going to impact the time available in Shanghai.

Chris

Ah, painful... Those poor guides.

 

[sayhello]

Dusty Atha,one of the ABD guides, posted on Facebook recently that the flights out of Beijing were canceled when the group was scheduled to leave and they had to spend an extra night at the Rosewood hotel and then needed to take a train the next morning to Shanghai. Apparently the ABD guides had to arrange alternative travel, my guess is that they couldn't get another flight in a timely manner. He has not posted anything since the plan was announced so not sure how that all went. The train was scheduled to take about 5 hours and was going to impact the time available in Shanghai.

Chris

This must have been the DVC special itinerary, which started July 6th, so probably would have been flying Beijing to Shanghai like on this past Saturday or Sunday. Shanghai is not the next destination on the regular trip, Chengdu is. The DVC trip is in Shanghai for like 5 days, so it's not as bad as on a regular China trip, but that's still got to be rough spending a day on the train that you were expecting to spend at Shanghai Disneyland. Hopefully this was just an aberration! But you know, this is why I travel ABD. If you were dealing with this on your own, you could end up in Beijing for an extra 3 days, paying who knows how much for the Rosewood, and who knows how much for your alternative transportation. ABD took care of this all.

And if they had to spend an extra night somewhere, the Rosewood is the place to do it. I hope they all got reservations for the Country Kitchen...

And I hope they were nice to their poor Adventure Guides!!

Sayhello

 

[RebelHawk]

Dusty Atha,one of the ABD guides, posted on Facebook recently that the flights out of Beijing were canceled when the group was scheduled to leave and they had to spend an extra night at the Rosewood hotel and then needed to take a train the next morning to Shanghai. Apparently the ABD guides had to arrange alternative travel, my guess is that they couldn't get another flight in a timely manner. He has not posted anything since the plan was announced so not sure how that all went. The train was scheduled to take about 5 hours and was going to impact the time available in Shanghai.

Chris

That certainly happens. On our Peru trip last year our in country return flight was canceled and before we even got to the airport that morning our guides already had everyone booked on a new flight. We were scattered around the plane but I suspect that couldn't be helped. This is one of the main reasons we are booking ABD for more exotic destinations. I would hate to have to deal with last minute travel arrangements on my own in more remote locations. Anywhere in the US or Europe would be a simple fix but not so much in some of areas.

 

[Cousin Orville]

This must have been the DVC special itinerary, which started July 6th, so probably would have been flying Beijing to Shanghai like on this past Saturday or Sunday. Shanghai is not the next destination on the regular trip, Chengdu is. The DVC trip is in Shanghai for like 5 days, so it's not as bad as on a regular China trip, but that's still got to be rough spending a day on the train that you were expecting to spend at Shanghai Disneyland. Hopefully this was just an aberration! But you know, this is why I travel ABD. If you were dealing with this on your own, you could end up in Beijing for an extra 3 days, paying who knows how much for the Rosewood, and who knows how much for your alternative transportation. ABD took care of this all.

And if they had to spend an extra night somewhere, the Rosewood is the place to do it. I hope they all got reservations for the Country Kitchen...

And I hope they were nice to their poor Adventure Guides!!

Sayhello

I didn't even think about the unusual Beijing -> Shanghai flight. That's the same itinerary as the DIS/Dreams ABD I'm going on in Oct. HK -> Beijing -> Shanghai. Hope that cancelled flight was a fluke.

 

[CAYrgem]

I've got one more luggage question.

I like to travel light (says the girl with a couple of luggage questions!) and was planning on only bringing one carry on size bag for each of us and one briefcase size bag for our electronics. Now I'm considering also checking a "carry on" size bag that would be empty except for maybe a backpack that we could use during the day. I want to bring this extra bag along in case we want to buy some things since our other bags will be very full since we are packing two weeks of clothes in carry on size bags.

For the internal flights would all the carry on size bags be considered "checked" luggage?

Thanks!
Leah

 

[sayhello]

I've got one more luggage question.

I like to travel light (says the girl with a couple of luggage questions!) and was planning on only bringing one carry on size bag for each of us and one briefcase size bag for our electronics. Now I'm considering also checking a "carry on" size bag that would be empty except for maybe a backpack that we could use during the day. I want to bring this extra bag along in case we want to buy some things since our other bags will be very full since we are packing two weeks of clothes in carry on size bags.

For the internal flights would all the carry on size bags be considered "checked" luggage?

Thanks!
Leah

For the internal flights, I carried on my normal carry-on sized bag (which is a smaller International sized carry-on) and my rather large personal item (which fits under the seat in front of me). I carried both of these onto all the planes (which was really only a pain when I had to carry them up/down tarmac staircases). I had a separate checked bag that I sent with Joe & tinkerbell. The day we had to have our bags out the night before (the Chengdu -> Xi'an -> Guilin day) I actually also carried on the duffle bag that ABD gives you. It was a pain to shlep it all, but the airlines did not complain.

I'm not sure if this answers your question. I guess what I'm trying to say is that everything was pretty much the same. Carry-on/personal item in cabin, checked bag in the hold.

If that didn't answer your question, please let me know, and I'll try again!

PS, I travel much lighter than I used to, but not enough to not have a checked bag!

Sayhello

 

[CAYrgem]

Sayhello,

Yes, that absolutely answers my question. Thank you SO much. I was starting to panic that I had to rethink my packing strategy but I think we are all good.

I want to try and squeeze a massage in during the trip. I'm sure that is just wishful thinking. Do you think I would be too exhausted to get a massage at the Rosewood Beijing after dinner on the second night there (the day of TS and Forbidden City)? I may be just a little too aggressive with my planning. My daughter and I travel a lot but this is the first "tour" type trip we have taken. I usually do all the planning myself and I'm able to build in some "mommy spa time" in the schedule.

Thank you again for all your help.

Leah

 

[sayhello]

Sayhello,

Yes, that absolutely answers my question. Thank you SO much. I was starting to panic that I had to rethink my packing strategy but I think we are all good.

I want to try and squeeze a massage in during the trip. I'm sure that is just wishful thinking. Do you think I would be too exhausted to get a massage at the Rosewood Beijing after dinner on the second night there (the day of TS and Forbidden City)? I may be just a little too aggressive with my planning. My daughter and I travel a lot but this is the first "tour" type trip we have taken. I usually do all the planning myself and I'm able to build in some "mommy spa time" in the schedule.

Thank you again for all your help.

Leah

That's hard to say. I was pretty exhausted that evening, and just got a light dinner & went up to my room. I felt much better/less exhausted the next night after the Great Wall. And I *think* we got back to the Rosewood earlier that day than the Forbidden City day (I'll double-check times when I get home). I did not manage any Spa appointments, but it sure would have been nice. I'd find out how late the Spa is open, and go from there. Dinner both nights at the Rosewood are on your own.

Sayhello

 

[belle41379]

Loving the report so far! Is there anything you didn't pack that you wish you would have?

 

[sayhello]

Day 4 – Beijing Forbidden Magic

Today was our first full day in Beijing. As I was getting ready, I opened the blinds to see the city view that I had from my room. I was very surprised to see that at 7am, there really wasn’t that much traffic out there. We did encounter more as we drove around the city.



Breakfast at the Rosewood was a dizzying array of food, many of which I just couldn’t even look at that early in the morning (regular dinner-type food, it seemed). But don’t worry. I was always able to find something that appealed to me, like yogurt and cereal and various breads. And the fruit was always delicious, particularly the watermelon! Oh My Goodness, was the watermelon good! Juicy and sweet!

Our first stop of the day was at the Temple of Heaven. It sits in a lovely Park.

Joe pointing out where we’d be going, and what we’d be seeing. Because Joe was from Beijing, he served as our "local guide" there. He was excellent, and really did a wonderful job telling us about the history we were seeing, and letting us know what it was like growing up and living in Beijing. It was a really great thing!



As we walked through the park, you could see all sorts of folks, mostly seniors, working out in various ways (stretching, dancing) and playing games.



We walked through to one area, the Seven Meteorites, where the area behind it was, basically, a spouse marketplace. Parents would set up with a flyer describing the child they were trying to marry off, and others would walk around, and if the child sounded promising, they’d stop, share photos, maybe setup a meeting, etc. You weren’t supposed to take photos in there, but someone (not me!) did.



It was fascinating, although I obviously could not read any of the flyers!

Then we made it to what most people call the Temple of Heaven. It’s actually the “Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests”. Yes, if it looks familiar to you, this is the temple that inspired the China Pavilion at Epcot. But this is the real one. Really! It was used by the Emperor to worship the god of Heaven and perform a ceremony to pray for a good Harvest.

Me and CG’s family at the Temple of Heaven.



Inside the Hall of Prayer








Continued in next post.

 

[sayhello]

Joe & Ralph explained to us that you could tell how important a person was who worked in a place by the number of beast figures on the corner of their roofs. The more figures, the more important the occupant was. This person was fairly important. He has 5 beasts (you don’t count the dragon at the back, and the man riding a phoenix at the front). The maximum is 9 beasts, which would be for the emperor.





After a bunch of photo-taking, we made our way across a large courtyard to the exit of the park. There, I found out the hard way that not all big tourist spots would have Western toilets. The bathroom at the exit only had squat toilets, so I finally had to break down & use one. It wasn’t too horrible for a quick pee, but it did take me a while to figure it all out.

From the Temple of Heaven, we headed to lunch at a cute little place called Hua’s Restaurant, tucked back into the courtyard of a building off a covered alley.



As we were walking in, we saw that they were roasting sweet potatoes. I was really looking forward to that, as they are one of my favorite foods.



We had an area to ourselves in the back that was really quite pretty. The food was similar to what we’d had the night before; Peking duck and a humongous array of different Chinese dishes. Plus the roasted sweet potatoes. It was all quite good.



After a very pleasant lunch it was off to – Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City! You could definitely feel the sun, but it wasn’t too bad, and definitely not as humid. A lot of us had brought umbrellas today to keep the sun off, plus we’d gotten a pleasant surprise from Ralph & Joe – little battery-powered hand-held fans! I think they felt bad for how badly we’d broiled in Hong Kong, and the fans were much appreciated! We braved the very wide and busy street we had to cross to get to the Square. There was a lot of metal fencing, so they forced you to cross and enter the square at specific points. We then found ourselves in Tiananmen Square. The place is *massive*. Seriously massive. We listened to Joe as he told us about the history of the area & about some of the politics surrounding it. There are a few monuments strewn around the square and its perimeter, as well as Mao’s Mausoleum. There were also a few guards standing at attention, here and there across the square. It did not feel threatening, though.







Joe told us that the portrait of Chairman Mao that is hanging on the Tiananmen (“The Gate of Heavenly Peace” – yes, I looked that up) is replaced every year. They have a competition to decide who will get the honor of painting this year’s portrait. I have to admit, I’d never noticed a difference…

As we were making our way across the square towards the Tiananmen, the gateway that separates the Square from the Forbidden City (that and another *very* wide & busy street), music started to play, and fountains started to spray and dance. We weren’t sure why, or what they were celebrating, but it was very interesting to see!



We took a very long pedestrian tunnel under the road, and then crossed through the Tiananmen, into the Forbidden City.

We saw some very regimented young soldiers drilling on a lawn area off to the side as we headed in towards the buildings of the Forbidden City.



Continued in next post.