CHINA… or at least some things about CHINA

I just got home from CHINA and HONG KONG. My mom was performing at the Grand Opening of the Venetian Hotel and Casino in MACAU (an island off HONG KONG) and I took this as an opportunity to visit a part of the world I have never been (and may never get the chance to go again).

The trip was a bit too long and at times I wished I had stayed home. CHINA is so damn HOT and extremely dirty (I used hand sanitizer like it was going out of style and my skin truly may never be the same. I’m like a teenage boy going through puberty with my clogged pores and new zits). I think it might be pushing it to say that CHINA is FABULOUS, but I did indeed see, experience and taste some things that are definitely worthy of being called FABULOUS.

BEIJING: OUR FIRST STOP
Our first night in CHINA (after a grueling 15 hour flight), we settled in to our hotel and decided to go find a little excitement (and good deals on sweet designer knock offs). SILK MARKET, more properly known as Xiushui is a four-story flea market filled with some of the best counterfeit designer goods at ridiculously cheap prices. Though it’s hard to take at first, (everyone yells at you, grabs and pinches you to get you to shop at their stand) once we got the hang of the bargaining and the exchange rate, we found some great deals. I left tired and dirty, but with a new Chloe purse (for 200 Yuen = about $27) and lots of souvenirs and presents for my friends.

Also in BEIJING, we did some local HOT POT dining. There were neither Americans in sight nor English on menus, so we pointed at other people’s tables and at the fancy Chinese writing and hoped for the best. To the table came a bubbling, gurgling pot filled with broth and spices. With our chopsticks, we threw in raw meats, fish and noodles. (I stuck to the beef and noodles, but my brothers are wild and adventurous and ate fish belly, shark fin and jelly fish salad. NASTY!) A fun interactive and delicious meal (I do miss my usual salads for every meal, but definitely fun and yummy) and definitely FABULOUS!

The next morning, we got up early and headed out to the GREAT WALL OF CHINA (30 min drive). We opted for the open-air chair lift instead of the gondola to take us to the top of the wall. We climbed the never-ending staircases and walkways sweating like sweat shop workers. The wall was built for protection, but proved ineffective against the Mongols and the Manchus (It’s not particularly high, so I guess they learned the hard way). Only crumbling sections still remain, but what is left is breathtaking and beautiful. I have to say the highlight was the toboggan ride down (swooping and swerving through the lush, greenery of the land). This is a must see!!

I also visited a couple FABULOUS temples and imperial gardens, BEI HAI PARK being the most spectacular. The temple sits high on a man-made hill called Jade Island surrounded by lush greenery and a lake full of the biggest lily pads I have ever seen. You can rent boats and paddle around, but I opted for a Popsicle to cool me down and a leisurely stroll through the park and temple. LAMA TEMPLE was also beautiful. It’s the most famous Buddhist temple outside Tibet and is still fully operational with monks and locals praying and offering incense to the Gods. The golden happy Buddha in the first section brought a smile to my face with his tubby belly and huge grin. I also spun the prayer wheel a few times (ok… more than a few, BUT I have a lot of prayers and what better place to put them out there than at a temple in front of a smiling and happy Buddha). TEMPLE OF HEAVEN is also in a nice park. Surrounded by thick, green trees almost like a forest. I walked around the temple and saw the altars where sacrifices were made. I did NOT however enter the Hall Of Abstinence ;) Hehehe…

I also visited Forbidden City and Tian’ men square. Although both are important sightseeing locations, the heat, the dirt and the fact that Evan wouldn’t stop complaining made it less than enjoyable (and not particularly FABULOUS)!

SHANGHAI: PARTY LIKE A LOCAL
In SHANGHAI we stayed at the FABULOUS GRAND HYATT. The lobby is on the 54th floor of the Jinmao Tower which makes it the highest hotel above ground level (also in the Guinness Book of World Records for the highest bubble bath, the highest mini-bar, the highest swimming pool, etc) The views of the futuristic skyline are breathtaking from every room and even better from the viewing atrium on the 88th floor.

My friend Aymeric lives in SHANGHAI with his lovely wife Jacqueline. Seeing a foreign location with a local makes the experience so much more enjoyable. Our first night in SHANGHAI, we hit the town (local style). We started with a western meal. For the first time on the whole trip, I knew what it was that I was eating (Caesar Salad with Chicken). Then we headed to the Ice Bar, a super cool bar in what feels like a meat locker. They wrap you in a North Face Eskimo coats and serve you vodka shots of every flavor. I have never seen one of these in America, but it’s super cool (actually freezing cold).

After thawing out and having a couple drinks at the regular bar, we headed to the clubs. It was only 9pm when we arrived at BABY FACE (the young, hipster club) and it was packed. We danced in the huge room filled with pulsating beats and packed with dancing locals (Shanghai seems to have a mix of Chinese, European and Americans). After making some new friends and throwing back a couple more drinks, we headed to the more mature club, BAR ROUGE. I enjoyed sipping champagne on the outdoor patio. As my head started to spin from all the alcohol it was time to call it a night and we headed back to our super high hotel to pass out.

The next day we cruised THE BUND (the water front) and escaped the heat for a lunch at KFC (there seems to one of this fast food chain on every other corner across from McDonalds and 7-11). That night we went to an acrobatics show at the SHANGHAI GRAND THEATRE. Limber acrobats with amazing balance contorted themselves and threw each other high in the air while balancing on things. A FABULOUS show worth seeing!

Next blog the FABULOUS journey continues…