It really took a lot of courage to purchase a new domain in trying to start off blog-writting again. It has been so long – and after so many failures with keeping with writing, I am going to work hard to push myself to update regularly. To me blogging gives me the opportunity to reflect on my days and the small things in life that I would miss otherwise – so for now I am not limiting myself on what topics to put on here! Anything that’s amusing or exciting will likely turn up on here.
I think my trip back to China from Aug 31 ~ Sep 20 is a good starting point for me. Shanghai was my first stop!
Backing up just a little bit – let’s start from the flight to Shanghai – for the first time ever, I brought a number of skincare products with me on the flight and had a skin revitalization session half way through the flight! Given the tightening of flight regulations over the recent years, I made do with skincare sample packs I always received when making cosmetic and skincare purchases at Shoppers Drug Mart and the Bay. I have a small box full of these sample bottles and packets at home but they are usually left forgotten and thrown out (what a waste!!). What better opportunity is there to use them than on a flight with strict carry-on rules w.r.t. liquids and gels! Didn’t get a chance to snap a picture (too dark anyway..), but I brought with me on the flight: Thermal Dynamic Hydrating Serum from Vichy, High-Potency night renewal cream from Origins, Energy-Boosting Moisturizer from Origins, Beauty Dairy Black Pearl Mask, and last but definitely not least, the Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair!
Waiting for the flight.. clear sky, lovely weather = no delay! 😀 Loose clothing is the best for long flights! Flight to Shanghai from Toronto was 14 hours! Yikes!
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After landing and unloading the rock-packs luggage (finally), I took the subway to Huangpi South Road to meet up with a friend whom I have not seen in 13 years! The strange thing with friendship – although we had our separate lives (on opposite ends of the earth), a part of us felt like we’ve never been apart… It was great seeing her, especially knowing the next time we meet might be another few years away! I can go on and on about how touched I was (and still am!)… But, food awaits!
The restaurant we went to was called 57℃湘 (57 degrees Xiang). 湘 (Xiang) is the official abbreviation for the Hunan province. For example, car plate numbers follow the format of 湘X-XXXXX. Food from Hunan, or Xiang cuisine, is famous for the use of chili peppers, shallots, and garlic. This restaurant combines Japanese teppanyaki with Xiang cuisine, creating an exciting fusion of the traditional Xiang cuisine with the freshness and and exhilarating experience of teppanyaki.
A nice walk around the area by the Huangpi South Road Station after dinner… One of the most prominent building in the area is the K11 skyscrapper, which is a dedicated art space, a.k.a. shopping mall with many artwork on display inside. K11 was formerly known as the Hong Kong New World Tower, and it currently ranks 7th on the list of tallest buildings in Shanghai (thank you Wikipedia!). Many luxury designer stores around the building – Cartier, Chanel, Max Mara, LV, Burberry, Chloe… you name it… All that purchasing power!
The K11 is a beautiful building. Pictures don’t do justice! It was already after 8PM by the time we got to K11, not many people in the building as we walked around admiring artworks purposely arranged in different corners of the building. I thought this was a really smart way of elevating visitors’ interest, at the same time promoting art to the general public.
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One thing I realize from my trip – it is always a pain to decide on what to eat, especially when you don’t have means of getting around! The next morning was on a Monday, which means the subway was not approachable between 8-9:30am. Seriously, don’t even consider it. We, myself and my parents and sister, lived right by a subway station, and it was quite a sight watching people swarming in to catch their train. So we decided to walk around the neighbourhood and find some food while waiting out the rush hour (mental note for next day: either sleep in or wake up extra early!). We were meaning to find some local food, you know, small foot cart and what not, but surprisingly could not find any! Over the years, cities in China are getting tougher on roadside food trolleys, which is really a good thing in terms of ensuring proper health inspections are done for businesses offering food services. We ended up in this nice coffee shop looking place which offered breakfast combos. Correct myself, it was not a coffee shop, but PizzaHut!! This was the first instance (of many) on my trip that the adaptation of western brands has amazed me. I ordered the Oatmeal combo, which came with a piece of ham, and egg, some fruits, and a drink (juice or pop).
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After taking care of our stomachs, the first official stop of our Shanghai trip was, of course, the Oriental Pearl Tower（东方明珠）! This is when I got super excited for bringing my Sony RX100M3. With the wide angle 24mm, taking a full shot of the tower was a piece of cake!
Photo below on the left was taken on the ferry crossing the Huangpu River（黄浦江）. The ferry operates throughout the day transferring passengers across the river. It made traveling from the Oriental Pearl Tower to the Bund（外滩）much simpler while saving a few bucks from taking taxi and enjoying the awesome view on the river! On the right is a shot of the old Shanghai buildings from the Bund.
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The areas around the City God Temple, or Chenghuang Miao（城隍庙）are known for the the different food and snack shops. There are many stores selling all kinds of crafts and specialty items. Definitely lots of fun walking through and browsing the shops – just be mindful of all the tourists!
