Reunion

My year-long wish to travel to Shanghai has, well, finally been realized on Sept 6. I had wanted to visit HF's parents, who reside in Shanghai, since I had been back for almost 2 months. HF had to be back in Shanghai for her late grandfather's funeral. As much as I would like to make it with her at the funeral, there just wasn't time to sort out all necessary travel documents as that weekend coincided with a long weekend National Day holiday.

The wait
As soon as I obtained Chinese visitor visa, I just couldn't wait to see HF, who I have not seen since July 10. It was a midnight flight (MH 386) and I couldn't sleep throughout. Again, I couldn't believe that I will be face-to-face with HF sooner than I thought, even though for just four days.

After getting off at Zhongshan Park Station (中山公园地铁站) I waited for HF at the steps just in front of KFC. Since she's been back 4 days earlier than me, I was certain that she would have had a haircut or went to the hair saloon and/or got a new dress. It was supposed to be a 10-minute wait but 40 minutes had passed. She was not fasionably late but apparently, as I later learnt, she waited in another KFC branch on the other side of the road. I was waiting with a pink heart-shape cushion in arms to give it to her when we meet.

United
"Is she coming? It's been 30 minutes! Has she lost her way? How could she be lost in her hometown?", I asked. My anxious wait was over when she appeared in her new sleeveless turtleneck skyblue top with her dad. And sure enough, a new haircut and saloon-treated hair.

Despite of what has happened to her family, it was so good to see her again. My baggages were lugged away by her father to a cab. We had dinner together at her home on the first night. We ate out on the second night. HF had snake on Saturday. I was glad we spent lots of quality time together while in Shanghai as I knew we only had limited time before she leaves for Leeds on the following Monday (Sept 10). What struck me as a surprise was that HF was quick to depart from her mourning state of mind. She was back to her bubbly and cheerful self, like a little girl. I was like "OOkaaaayy..........", so I just took her as she was.



About the video above
Overcame with joy when I first saw you again in Shanghai after we've been apart for two months. Felt as though I was in love again. They don't need to know why I have chosen you. You don't need to know why I have remained with you. I just want to be with you.

This video marks both Huang Fei and I when we were in Shanghai. I went over for a visit and it upsets me to see her torn into pieces when she had to go back to England and leave me behind.

My visa application has been hindering me from going back to be reunited with her sooner.

The song is by Jay Chou (周杰伦) called 枫叶 and I believe it's correct translation is "Maple leaf". Because we have been traveling together, I intend to show how my travel was not really complete without her. Often I felt left out, like the maple leaf at the end of the video, which was the only leaf that turned red perhaps still waiting before falling with the rest. Among other things, there should have been two tea cups, two everything. The song silenced prematurely for a conversation and resumed with the words "I just wanna be with you" in Mandarin.

A different perspective

An artist offers a different perspective of drawing. Some say it's perverted art, while others say it's very creative! I found it humorous.

Shanghai Maglev train

My long-time obsession with trains was finally realized upon arrival in Shanghai when I embarked on my first ever maglev train ride. I have only discovered few days before leaving for Shanghai that they have high-speed maglev train! Upon arrival, I was so determined to get on it for a ride, even though HF has planned a rendezvous route for me -- by bus!

Single-way ticket costs 60¥. If not mistaken, you can get a 20% discount off the ticket's price if you can proof you've just landed (boarding pass or air ticket). 80¥ for a return trip.



I rode it twice!! It was a mind-blowing experience for me not only because it was my first time on a maglev train, but also because it traveled at 431 km/h for 2-3 minutes. Everything outside the train passed by in split seconds, especially the other train on the other track. It like like... try saying "Foooom!!" as fast as you could! that was how it sounded like when both train passes each other.

However, I was told that the local people do not use the SMT much. They say it is not worth paying for such a service -- expensive and inconvenient. There's a bus service that goes right to the departure hall (check-in counters) of PVG airport for only 20¥. On the other hand, the SMT stops at quite a distant whereby one would have to walk another 10 minutes (with baggages) to the departure hall.

Hmm, I just went for the experience! It was worth it! How else can I travel at 431 km/h on ground?! I can now proudly say that I have traveled on the Guinness World Record Magnetically Levitated train linking Shanghai's International Airport in Pudong to Shanghai's financial district in Longyang at the speed of 431 km/h!! On ground!

Arrived at Longyang SMT station

Can We Give Up Wheels?
Can we give up wheels? It is simply unimaginable for people who are used to the thinking of wheel-rail system. But someone had, indeed, a miraculous idea in his mind and made the idea a reality. In 1922, Mr. Hermann Kemper, a German scientist, boldy put forward an idea of electromagnetic levitation. After the whole plan was worked out, Mr. Kemper applied for a patent on maglev trains in 1934. A maglev train was born on Mr. Kemper's design draft.

Kemper's Idea
In fact, the principle of magnetic levitation is not abstruse at all. It uses the character that "two pieces of magnets [similar poles] repel each other and two different in nature (opposite poles) attract each other" to make the magnet produce a force to resist against earth's gravity. With mental perception, Mr. Kemper employed this into the railway transportation system to make trains suspend on the railway without relying on wheels.

This was only the first step made by Mr. Kemper. In his second step, Kemper spread out rotated synchronous motors, installed the rotating motors beneath the car and placed the stators and coils of motors on the whole line of track. Once the power is switched on, the train and the track ecame a complete linear electric motor.

Kempter's maglev train levitated on the track without the need of wheels. It means that Kemper's train ran lightly, cleverly avoiding the contradiction of wheel and rail.

Exhibition introducing and explaining how maglev principles and technology works.

A view from under the maglev track reveals the electromagnetic instruments that keeps the train floating. The vacumm distance between the train and the track is approximately 10mm.

Guinness World Record certificate pronouncing the record holding speed of 431 km/h. Japan will surpass this speed in near future but their maglev train systems are not yet in operation.

A closer view of the maglev train model.

The train model detailing the parts of the maglev train

The maglev track. It is friggin' expensive to build (a few million dollars per 100m).

Snake in a stomach

Fear eerily crept from the tips of my fingers and toes gradually reaching the center of my body; my mind froze temporarily at sight of a 3 foot-long live snake, bagged up in a white sac, which was presented to us as the Chef's best selection! I was stunned then I started getting goosebumps in my seat each time the waiter comes in to our [private] dining room (at the restaurant) to serve our other dishes. I was afraid it could be the snake! Actually, it was very much of a mixed feeling of fear, excitement, and anticipation by the fact that it will be my first time having went against my moral-instinct on food -- Eating SNAKES!! It was last Saturday, Sept 8 2007.

It is, however, still a delicacy in most part of China! Despite that, I was told that not many restaurant dishes out snake and even if they do, it is often NOT on the menu for ordering. It must be requested either in advanced or when you step in the restaurant. It costs around 160元 to 290元 depending on the size and the type of the reptile you wish to have.

I was afraid, yet each time somebody knocks on the door my camera was ready for the waiter to present the dish! It was our night's specialty. HF wanted to have snake meat... O for the love of God, as she misses it much! After waited 30 minutes, another knock on the door and in came the waiter... with a small bowl in his hand. It was, I was informed, the snake's gall bladder (蛇胆: shédän) immersed in rice wine. While I shivered briefly and felt as though cold breeze had just gushed through me at the sight of it, everybody else was trying to convince everyone else not to be afraid as the snake's gall bladder is, supposedly, very nutritious and good for our eyes (sight)!

I should, my thoughts start running wild, have at least a hundreds of those IF what-they-say-was-true and so that I don't need to live through the traumatic phase of having to consider LASIK surgery. I am short-sighted, by the way. But that would mean having to feast on a hundred snakes when I am still seated there waiting with mixed anticipation for them to dish out the specialty! I shuddered the thoughts out and try to focus NOT to gulp down that gall bladder. It is a gall bladder for God's sake! Mind you, it's from a snake! What makes me think I would down it? Ah! I will admit to you soon.

Not long after there was another knock. THE SNAKE is served! At this time, I was like "oh my god! Oh my God! OH-MY-GAAAWD!! I can't believe I am here!"



The snake was... delicious!! There were no bones like you'd find having any fishes. At the end of it, I found myself 'playing' with the vertebrae of the snake!! It was hilarious yet seriously silly! The vertebrae of the snake was very strong and was not easy to be detached like that of fishes. Considering it was my first time eating snake, it was nonetheless quite delicious frankly speaking.

Now, when everyone's done with their fillets, I was next tempted to go for the bowl (the gall bladder) where nobody had the guts to take. I was only tempted because of this. Not because the gall bladder appeals to my appetite!! NO! It does not appeal to my appetite! I was there purely and only for the experience of it all and just because no one is having it, I don't think I'm going to let them influence me to forgo my experience that I can only have here in China. So, I gathered up my guts and balls to grab the bowl that everyone is giving the "Eeeeyeeeewww!!" look. Ironically, they are the ones who seemed to know best of how to, ahem, consume it!

"Just drink it! Just gulp it down! Pinch your nose and swallow it! Don't chew it... or you will spit everything out! It's very bitter!"

"Why don't you have it?", I offered.

"No, no! No thank you! You should try it", a shuddering response.

I did not even know what this (蛇胆) was then (because none were able to translate it into English). All I knew about this was that it was good for the eyes! In the video below, I was told it was the liver!! It was like telling a little boy that the worms in front of him is peanut-butter! When I had the bowl (gall bladder in it) in my hands and ready to down it just like the way everybody has been telling me so, I didn't even remember the name of it! To be perfectly honest, it was only because of the enticing aroma of the rice wine that made me tilt the bowl up at my lips and took everything in it down. It was such a thirst quencher!

And, NO, there was not a problem with me at all the next morning.



Below are photos of other dishes we had for the evening. They are not as special as the "main dish" of the evening, however, it does at the very least that there still remains some sanity in Chinese people when comes to culinary delights!

Seafood. This is between a lobster and a giant tiger prawn. No, it's not a mutant... I just don't know its name.

Some glutinous rice with pork steamed in bamboo. Absolutely delicious!

The variety of dishes for the evening. The aloe vera (front left) was very appetising!

The deep fried snake fillets. Trust me, they are delicious!

The skin of the snake! This stuff should be on every appetiser's menu of every restaurant! Good stuff! Chewy and tasty!.

HF and myself with our finished snake fillet. Look! I'm smiling!

To conclude this posting, it was a rather satisfying experience for all that I have been through that evening!! "Will I ever have snake again?" would probably be the biggest question at the moment. My answer to this question is definitely a resounding "YES!" ... but in the next 3 years or so. ;)

Cheng Huang Temple (城隍苗) and Yuyuan (豫园)

Finally I can blog again by direct email to blogger from China! A backdoor access to blogger.com since China has cut off access to the site since January 2003. If you are living in China and wants to blog on blogger.com, you first need to have an account. Get someone to do that for you first. After that, you can start blogging by sending email to [username]@blogger.com and it will be published within 5-10 minutes.

Anyway, back to my travelogue.

Revisiting the scenic Chenghuang Temple was truly an amazing experience as i began to uncover its mysteries I may have missed on my first visit! More time was spent wondering around the beautifully crafted buildings and landscapes of the area. There is actually a place for worship for the Buddists called the Chenghuang Temple, which is adjacent to the Chenghuang Temple's premise. I did people-watching for a bit just observing the behaviors and reactions of tourists who have been there for their first time. I can't help to realize that the expressions on my face were not so different from any one of them from my first visit -- taken aback by the splendid architectures and the way it was landscaped!

I walked the zig-zagged bridge to a place called Huxin Ting (湖心亭) and sat down to have Xihu Longjing (西湖龙井) tea. The green tea was absolutely and fabulously good! Moreover, the interior decorations of the Huxin Ting was that of ancient Chinese style, mostly wooden. I was fully rested with the tea and the surrounding ambiance made it even better! Did I forget to mention that Huxin Ting the pavilion that is in the middle of a lake linked by the zig-zagged bridge?

Outside the Yuyuan (豫园)Garden, showing the Huxin Ting (湖心亭) where I stopped over for Xihu Longjing (西湖龙井)green tea. Photo by: Airunp

Next, I checked out the The Garden of Yuyuan (豫园), a historic site and truly a marvelous place to be! I could have gone in without a ticket by sticking myself closely among an Asian (Korean) tour group while the entrance guard counts the number of tickets given to him by the tour's guide with the number of heads that passes through the gate. I bought a ticket anyway. After I passed through the gate without a ticket, I kinda felt bad for the last person, whom eventually would not have found a ticket for him. It's only 40元 for an adult ticket.

In my opinion, the best times to go to the Yuyuan Garden is between July and September, and around 2PM or 3PM. Make sure you stay till sunsets to catch the beautiful colors of the setting sun and skies against the Garden. It's like an extremely picturesque paradise that can only exists in one's mind. Initially, I didn't think I would stay for long, but the Garden kept me inside for a good 4 over hours! There are a total of six part to the garden and each on of them is strikingly amazing! The son of a high-ranking government official built the garden all by himself to please his father. It was all built on private land and he spent nearly 20 years to create this garden, which is now considered as one of the four finest Chinese Gardens in the world.

The Magnolia trees as old as over 300 years old can be found in the garden. Gardens furnished with ancient Chinese furnitures from Ming Dynasty and decoratives are to be marveled at. It was even mind-blowing that a large part of the garden is surrounded by a dragon wall, with its head at the entrance to that part of the garden. Miniature bridges, lakes and ponds positioned in such perfect harmony with everything else (floras & decoratives), I was beyond impressed and taken aback and convinced by the fact that the mind behind this creative creation of the garden was truly a genius; and it is still a wonder today!

If you're visiting the garden on your own (not part of a tour group), chances are you may be approached by private tour guides specializing in the tour of the garden. They will introduce and tell you the history of the place for a fee of 100元. Look for Mr. Bao, an elderly retired man.

The ticket was definitely worth paying for! The garden was undeniably captivating!

Photos (click on photo to enlarge)

Enchanted!

Marveled and excited!

Yu Garden and Chenghuang Temple overlooking the pavilion at the centre of the lake.

A sight to behold, in my opinion.

Lo and Behold thy beauty of Yu Garden

Against Huxin Ting (湖心亭) where I rested and had tea.

The entrance of Yu Garden

One of the many wooden wall sculptures (??)

Panoramic view: The hall facing the entrance of Yu Garden.

Panoramic view: Another impressive hall named "The Yi Fang Boat" (亦舫)
It looks like a boat floating not on the water but on the land. You may feel that you are really on a boat moving along the shore.
The fences perimetering the hall features delicate patterns and the one the stood out is that of wave. I was taken by surprise at the creator's creativity.

The perimetering fence of The Yi Fang Boat, featuring wave patterns at the bottom hem of the fence (closest to the floor).

HDR Image: A path entrance west of The Yi Fang Boat leading to another hall.

HDR Image: Probably one of the most outstanding miniature lake and river. The 400 over years old Magnolia trees stand on the right side of the river bank.

Really impressive!

Panoramic shot: Captivated!
My body, mind, and soul were at peace. I just could not overstate enough about how harmonious this place is.
It is favorite place to be. This gobsmacking lake is located near the exit of the garden. I don't know what it's called probably because I did not hire a personal tour guide.

This part of the garden is walled-in by the entire length of a dragon -- from it's head to its tail. In other words, a master-crafted and/or sculpted wall detailing the scales of the dragon's body, it's head, and it's tail.

Harmony. I love this photo!

HDR Image: After visiting Yu Garden, I head off to Pudong to catch a nightshot of the Shanghai's Radio and TV Tower, near Lujiazui (陆家嘴) or Pudong area.