Merde Actually

Allow me to use the this title. Unlike the author of the books ' A year in Merde' and ' Merde Actually', the author Paul XXX lived in Paris for years and shared his Parisian life exeperience from a foreigner perspective. I quoted this in line with my flying experience with Air France.
I always complained about the indifferent service provided by KLM but I must confess AF is worst than KLM. At least the long haul business class I traveled with KLM was a very special and personal one. The return trip with AF, it was as if I a at the economy deluxe, with a slightly spacious seat and slightly better food, but the service is Merde actually. They don't care a merde at all. The sound system (which claimed to be noise free) was creating enormous noise, despite of the complain, and an attempt to reset, they just pretend they never know about the problem at all. I ended up reading my holiday noble - 'Merde Acutally'. Anyway, pardon my word, but I just want to express how I feel about the whole not pleasing journey that I have with flying blue.
P/S: Merde is a French word which means 'shit' in English. To me AF - never again!

The Bund 上海滩

Last night we finally at the Bund (literally at Puxi bund area instead of Pudong). I brought Johannes to Bund 18 - Lounge Rouge.
10 years ago, when I first stood at the Bund and admiring the night view of Bund and Pudong, I told myself, one day I will vist Shanghai Bund again with my love one.
Today, this desire of my heart is fulfilled. The bund night scene is ever enchanting and Johannes presence made it complete.
Thank you Jesus.

The memior of Shanghai 时光倒流

I remembered reading a book about Shanghai, this is still about Nanjing Dong Lu, except I looked at it now from the 1930's perspective. Back then, this is already a very famous street for the upper class. The departmental stores such as 永安百货 and 先施百货 both originated from Shanghai.
This afternoon, there happened to have an sax performance at the balcony of Wing On, I remembered from the book, that was the glamerous things to happen at Nanjing Road, where rich ladies and gentlemen in their most expensive outfits would enjoy the performance at the mind afternoon, perhaps sipping the English tea or coffee...

A journey to Nanjing Dong Lu 南京路步行街

This is one of the famous shopping district i Shaghai. I personally hardly come here because I am no longer a tourist in Shanghai. However, everytime I see the photo of Nanjing Road or happened to drop by, I enjoyed the neon lights sign boards, the extremely crowded pedestrian and good bargain. The area has changed a lot since I last visited years ago, certainly with more and more shopping malls. The good thing is, the old (I mean really old shops) remains only today despite of the competition.
Left: I favorite silk store - I got two silk blouse here this time. Right: The bustling commercial and shop sign-boards.

An afternoon stroll at People's Square (人民广场)

Yesterday, we went to People's Square just so that Johannes visited the 'must visit' place in Shanghai.
It was about 4pm when we set off by taxi to one corner of People's Square. It has been a very long time that I do this. The last time I was here was to watch 'The Phantom of the Opera' performance in Shanghai Grand Theatre. Now Lion King is showing but Johannes has no interest in watching it at all.
It was a very hot and humid afternoon, however, the quick visit worth it all.
Picutres...
Major Road sign at the side of People's Square
上海大剧院 - Shanghai grnad theatre where Lion King is showing
上海博物管 - Shanghai museum and the high rise buildings as background

La Villa Rouge 小红楼

Tonight, we met up with Iwan and Stanly for dinner. 1221 is fully booked and so we have to find our food at a different restaurant. I recalled Melinge from my time in Shanghai and we walked into a not so impressive restaurant. However, the food turned out to be excellent. According to Johannes, food here is even much better than 1221.
After dinner, I suggested La Villa Rounge, it is a mansion stood in one of the park at HengSahn Lu and Xujiahui Lu.
I like the house, very big but romantic. The interior design is rather western but that created an East meets West ambience. Most importantly the singers have good voice and sing beautiful songs.....
Cheers La Villa Rouge

[Photo: Left - Enjoying music and chatt with Iwan & Stanly, Right - the Jazz singer]

The real neighbourhood of Shanghai

Today, I showed Johannes the true colour of Shanghai! True in the way it is real, not a face for tourist, but the real Shanghainese lifestyle. Although most of the Shanghainese have moved away from places like this, but think of the population of Shanghai, there are indeed still a lot of people live in what I would called 上海老街 . I am pretty sure places like these will be demolished very soon due to new development. Any photo I captured now will witness the historical of changes of Shanghai.
It was interesting to walkthrough this passage, seen the things that any tourist will never seen or talk about Shanghai. A side track in an hot afternoon - that is what I could call it.

Once upon a time - Soong's family

Once upon a time, this big red mansion belonged Soong's family. After the cultural revolution, this is now converted into a western restaurant. For those of you know the history well... Soong's was once a very influencial family. The family members lived around a few houses in the city of Shanghai.
After the church service, Johannes and me chilled out in this big mansion for drinks and small bites. It was a rather hot evening but despite of the heat and humidity, we enjoyed our quick drinks at terrace.

What a small world!!!

After the service, just as we adjourning and walking slowly out of the church building, we saw Iwan and his girlfriend. That was nice and unexpected! We chatted briefly and briefly exchange phone number and making plans to meet again for dinner sometime.
It was excited to meet our brothers and sisters in Christ in another land. Especially in Shanghai.

Sunday Service

Today, we made a point to go to the church service. I managed to came back after my shopping.
The service still take place at the same location, and still packed with foreigners.
The order of service has definately changed. Shanghai Community Church now has 2 services 2pm and 4pm.
The sermon is tailored to chinese flavor in a way that is focused on the 'self contentment' instead of preaching the gospel to the end of the world.
However, the worship is soothing to my soul and spirit. It is always good to be in a Christians community where Christ is the centre of the worship.
God bless Shanghai

The architecture of Shanghai 1930

Today, despite of 35C temperature, we walked around one edge of French concession's area. The atmosphere along XingGuo Road is surprising nice and quiet, the houses are nice.
The big (but old) mansions along HuaiHai Xi Road are rather interesting to me. I did the 'in search of Shanghai 1930s' about 10 years ago during my posting here. Now, doing it again in the summer and with my honey is rather different. The buildings remain the same, some old houses have been demolished, a few new highraise city skypers raising and over looking the old houses.
This is the city with new and old mixing together, it is hard to separate the new and the old building in Puxi.

Pudong

This is a famous location to enjoy the magnificient view of the Shanghai bund. I was here a few days ago and I enjoyed it very much. Tonight Dennis brought us to the same place again. However, I enjoyed even more as Johannes is with me. I also dreamed of one day I can walked the Shanghai bund with my honey and this dream came true. It was hot summer humid night, but his presence made the light of the bund even more wonderful.

Off the beaten track - Zhujiajiao( 朱家角)

Tonight my good old Shanghainese friend Dennis took us to a water village nearby Shanghai. Zhujiajiao (朱家角) is about 45 mins away from Shanghai city. The town was built in probably end Ming or Qing Dynasty, around 500 years old.
The architechture is rather unique, not quite typical Chinese, at least is different from Zhouzuang but we
We have a quick orientation of one part of the village which was connected by 7 famous bridges. However, we only been to two bridges as it was too late for sightseeing. Instead Dennis brought us to a local restaurant for dinner.
Today is Johannes first day to Shanghai, I guessed the water village is a bit of extreme to his Shanghai impression and the food definately not up to his expectation.
As for me, it is a nice experience of water village.

shopping experience

Shanghai Municipal Council has just shutdown the famous/infamous 'Xiang Yang Market', a favorite shopping paradise for locals and foreigners. The market was closed under the international campaign against pirated goods.
Ever since my arrival on Sunday 6th Aug, I have been searching for the new address but even Shanghainese couldn't tell me where.
Finally a friend of mine told me the stall that sells my favorite scrafts is now moved to a new place.
And here are one of my acquisition.

Xin Tian Di 新天地 by night

I remembered looked down from my office in ShuiOn Plaza, the area where Xingtiandi stands now was still a typical Shanghainese quarters (石库房) Just when I was about to relocate to Hong Kong, this area was torned down except the structural architecture.
A few years later, when I stepped into Shanghai again, the quarters disappeared and Xingtiandi is born.
Today, despites of the over priced and less delicious food, it is still a (in)famous place for expatriates and a must visit place for locals.
Xintiandi by night is kinda sexy, although it can never compete with the era of 1930s. Tonight, as I stand here, surrounded by the restaurants, cafes and people, somehow, I still find something is missing in this whole setting, not sure what is that, perhaps it is the allure of 1930s that has long gone with time and will never come back.

Good old Shanghai bund

Finally amazing Shanghai!
My friend brought me to Pudong to show me the beautiful bund from Pudong. The park that I used to go in the past only has a Starbuck, but now flooded with many dessert stores and restaurants. Frankly speaking, I still preferred the park 3 years ago where it was less commercialised.
Anyway, it is really good to be back to Shanghai. Despite of the hot and humid weather, I still find my sense of belonging to this place.
Well, I found myself in Shanghai!

P/S: Beautiful Shanghai bund by Night (view from Pudong)

Hua Shan Lu

The road is located in the French Consession area. I don't know why I picked this title, perhaps my hotel is just by HuaShan Road or perhaps the view of my hotel room is at the junction of HuaShan and XingGuo Roads. I never cherised the French consession area when I first arrived in 1997. However, as I read on books about Shanghai 1930's, I began to get interested in this subject matter. Anything about Shanghai at 1930's is appealling to me. From that on, I always followed the books in search of the old Shanghai and pondering on the different people that once upon a time stayed in some of the big mansion along this area.
I don't know why I choose this topic, it doesn't look very french, very chic now, but if I could follow those books and imagine about the time in 1930's, it really seems very enchanting and memorable to me.
Photo 1: The quiet road of HuaShan Road
Photo 2: The junction of HuaShan and Xinguo, view from my room

Heavenly Massage

Tonight, after the drinks and dinner, I suggested to go for body massage to recover from the tiring long haul flights and jet lag.
I brought my colleagues to my usual massage salon (thanked God the place still exists). I had a wonderful 2 hours body massage.

Radisson Xing Guo Hotel

Well how to I described the hotel ...it is situated at the French Conssession area (which in fact is my favorite area to explore by foot in search of 1930s Shanghai. The hotel comes with some famous history and is built within a park where apart from the Hotel tower, there are a couples more bungalows and President Mao has stayed in one of them before.
For some reasons, I was given the executive suites which sounds really promissing when I first entered the door. A massive bed(photo 1), a proper working table (photo 2) and also a really big dressing room (photo 3), let alone the marble both room and the reading and TV area.
For the moment, I count it a blessing although I kept doubting despites of the 'grand' design, the room wasn't built for practicality.

Shanghai Actually

Finally after 11 hours, I have arrived Shanghai safely. As soon as I stepped out of the airport, I was overwhelmed by the heat (34C) and the humidity must be about 95 %. The client arranged transfer pick up from the airport and brough me to Radisson Xing Guo in style. The photo was taken from the limo during my journey from Pudong Airport to Hotel. I was given a executive suites.

Op weg naar Shanghai

Today I finally departed for Shanghai... after much uncertainties and many months of waiting... finally the client still decided that I should go.
I know the Lord is granting the desire of my heart too. This is a special trip because it is also the first time that I am flying business (in the sense buying a business class ticket) long haul to Shanghai.
The photo taken at the Schiphol immigration gates, look how excited about the departure...
Shanghai here I come

Happy Birthday Johannes, my beloved husband

On this special day I wish you the very best from our Lord Jesus. I hope our very dream will come through soon. May God bless you and keep you.