We woke up early & around 5:30 a.m. made our way to the temple, offered the fruits, candies, biscuits, lit incense, said our prayers and burned the materials or paper for the alay.
We then had a quick breakfast at the hotel and then it was off to the pier for another boat ride across the sea to the main island. This is the scariest part of the tour. The weather was really bad that morning. To our dismay upon arriving at the pier, there were still a lot of passengers waiting because the boat that should’ve carried them across left without taking any passengers. The owner of the South Ocean Travel Agency was mad and franticly made arrangements for another boat to take us across. I thought that we were going to be transferred by batch. Aparently, that was the dilemma. There was a typhoon (or maybe a tropical depression) approaching the island rendering travel by sea dangerous. This is probably the reason why the previous boat left without taking anyone onboard. We waited for about 15-20 minutes and we boarded a boat.
To our surprise and horror, they crammed the boat with almost three batches of passengers. In short, the boat was definitely overloaded! We were standing in the aisles, clinging to each other for support. I didn’t realize how bad the weather was until we started our trip. Luckily the boat ran at a slower speed. The waves were really rocking the boat and somewhere in between the islands, it rocked so hard I thought we were going to tip over. Everyone I knew was praying. To add anxiety, an old Chinese woman who was sitting in front of Jackie and William suddenly rang a bell or clapped a small gong then started chanting or was it singing a prayer? Then the other Chinese women joined in the "chanting". It was really scary and they were doing it just as the boat was rocking hard in the middle of the ocean. The lady crew approached her and although I cannot understand Chinese, I'm pretty sure she asked the woman to keep quiet. That, I tell you, were the longest 15-20 minutes of my life. I was so tense. And, there were no life vests where they should’ve been! We managed to safely cross the sea to the other side. Thanks to God, all the other buddhas and the Goddess of Mercy whom we prayed to for guidance and safety. But, before we got off the boat, picture this: everyone trying to get off the boat as fast as they could and there was only one exit. It was mayhem! The people at the door were shouting at the people pushing and shoving them from behind. Elderly women pushed and shoved like crazy! Luckily, no one was injured. I tell you, we were all glad to have gotten out of the water and that boat.
Later, we learned that was the last trip out of the island. The typhoon came and there were people still stranded at the pier.
After that harrowing boat ride, we traveled by land via bus to Hangzhou. Hangzhou which was also T-O-N-Y’s hometown was another city and was said to be well-known for its beautiful natural scenery.
Before the trip, Tony reminded us to use the washroom since it would be a two and a half hour ride to Hangzhou. Now this is where I first got acquainted with bathrooms in China. Little did I know that majority of the bathrooms, public and those in restaurants did not have the standard toilet bowls. It was either the toilet seat was flat on the ground or there was a canal where the bowl should be. In otherwords, you squat sister! This was also where I realized I truly am not a cowboy. I couldn’t bring it upon myself to squat. Aside from the fact that I had a belt bag and didn’t have an extra pair of jeans with me, (I was pretty sure I’d need to change pants because my aim is poor) I didn’t have any extra shoes. So, I didn’t go. Luckily, I really didn’t need to pee.
I slept on the bus and after two hours we had a pitstop. Ugh, squat again so, no go sister… I had to reduce my fluid intake to ensure I’d make it to Hangzhou. I prayed that there’d be a bowl in the bathroom there. An hour afterwards and in a restaurant, bless their soul, they had one cubicle that had a toilet bowl. It was a cubicle for the disabled - right there and then I considered myself disabled. Whew!
So it's lunch first then we're off to the Soul Retreat Center which is 1,650 yrs. old.
...Hangzhou's population is roughly 1.5M making it a 'medium city'
Mar 31, 2005
China Chronicles Day 2 (Part II)
The Goddess of Mercy
Then, we climbed into the coaster again and we went to the Golden Buddha or so I call her. I think it is better known as the South Seas Guan Yin. This is one of my favorite spots during the tour. Correct me if I'm wrong, but she stands 100 feet tall and is made of pure gold. Jane told me the story of its inauguration/blessing - It has been said that on the day of its blessing, the weather was really bad. Really stormy; skies were dark. But during the blessing, the skies opened up and a ray of sunlight was cast upon the statue. There and only there.
The Goddess & the Wannabe
In her left hand she holds something that resembles the steering wheel of a boat or water vessel. It is said that she also protects those who travel. I've seen her before in pictures but it's so much more different when you're actually there gazing at it. I am awed by its sheer size and then you realize the huge effort that was put into creating the statue, building her shrine, assembling the statue and maintaining it. She's so beautiful. The entrance to her shrine virtually gives you a back door entrance. But as you come up the path leading to her shrine, you see her immediately because she is so tall...
Beautiful and awesome...
Afterwards, we went to another part of the park that had a bridge and a pagoda with a view of the sea. It was a bit foggy but if the skies were clearer, Ricky said that the outline of a mountain in the distance looks like a Buddha lying on his back.
We trooped back to the hotel, had dinner then went to the market at the back of the temple to buy fruits and materials for the offering early next morning. Some of them would be going to the temple at around 2:30 a.m. then another visit at 5:30 a.m., this time, all of us would be going there.
Mar 30, 2005
China Chronicles Day 2
Day 2 – Departure for Mt. Putuo
We were up early (that’s an understatement) for an early flight to Mt. Putuo. This is the essence of our tour, our pilgrimage. From Shanghai, we took a 40-minute flight out to Mt. Putuo. The ride was fine, imagine the shock I got when I learned that we would still need to ride a boat to get to the island!
Now, I really haven’t gotten seasick. I was apprehensive about riding a boat because the last I rode one was during an outing I had with my barkada in Batangas. To get to the other side that had a beautiful shoreline, we rode a banca and crossed the sea. In the middle, there was an upright rock which you really have to pass by to get to the other side. Unfortunately, the waves were so rough, it was one hell of a ride. Then, the front part of the banca went up in the air when it rode a really big wave and I was scared to death! That really did it for me and boat rides. But I couldn’t be left behind so I had to do it. I guess they saw the fear in my eyes and Jackie kept asking me if I was alright. I was (meaning I didn't feel like puking) but I must’ve been as white as a sheet. I chose a seat that didn’t give me any view of the sea. It was a very short ride, 10 mins. max. But I was really nervous, I was clutching Ricky’s arm, hanging on for dear life. Wala syang magawa kahit alam kong nasasaktan na sya kasi, I was white-knuckled so imagine the grip I had on his arm! Luckily I didn’t throw up or anything. I survived that. (Please look forward to the other boat ride the following day…)
As both my feet were firmly on land, I heaved a sigh of relief. To my surprise, mas hilo pa yata si Ricky kaysa sa akin but he was okay. Then the coaster brought us to the hotel where we would stay for the night. We unpacked our things then we were to meet in the lobby and the tour guide (a Bayani Agbayani look alike) was going to take us to Puji Temple. Tony was still with us but since this isn't his territory, he was like part of our group.
Visits to Chinese Temples are always something I look forward to. There is something about the burning of incense, saying your prayers on the kneelers and waving the incense sticks infront of you that intrigue me to no end. I have no idea about the religion and rituals but it fascinates me. This particular “compound” has several nooks where you do the ritual, if memory serves me right, we did it 7 times. (Jen, I missed you so much during this part.) I wanted so much to ask Ricky what do I do, what should I say? How do you know what to pray for? Does one altar represent something? Are you allowed to state personal intentions? My dearest husband couldn’t help me out because he couldn’t explain it to me. He just told me to do what they do and I was really frustrated. I am so sure the Buddha Gods were frowning upon me because I was so lost. It took about 2 altars for me to decide to just burn the incense sticks, pay my respects to the Buddha in front of me, give Thanks and say my own prayer. I feel that prayer and worship are universal even if whom we Worship and the Dogmas we follow are so diverse. I really hope the Gods forgive me. Hopefully next time I go there, I could ask someone to help me sort things out and make me understand how to pray and what can I pray for.
Another fact that really made me nervous was that I was the only person who wasn’t Chinese. I don’t look Chinese, I can’t speak Chinese. It made me so self-conscious I was half-expecting someone to come up to me, ask me what I was doing there and usher me out. Thankfully no one did.
It was a humbling experience to stick out like a sore thumb but in the face of our God or their God, you are humbled and I know deep down in my heart, they were all proud that I made the effort to take part in this pilgrimage.
there are about 100-150 monks lined up; the line leads into the main temple (in the background)
After this, we were off to another temple. If I'm not mistaken, it's the Purple Bamboo Grove Temple.
There weren't as many halls as in Puji but fascinating as well. Here, an added attraction was the "Wishing Well". I was told that you make a wish and toss a coin up into the pagoda. The higher the level your coin goes, the better chances of it being granted. On my second try, it went in the third level. Pretty Good eh?
be careful of what you wish for...
by the way, there are some photos in our webshots account, just click on the snapshots link on the right and view the Holy Week 2005 album
We were up early (that’s an understatement) for an early flight to Mt. Putuo. This is the essence of our tour, our pilgrimage. From Shanghai, we took a 40-minute flight out to Mt. Putuo. The ride was fine, imagine the shock I got when I learned that we would still need to ride a boat to get to the island!
Now, I really haven’t gotten seasick. I was apprehensive about riding a boat because the last I rode one was during an outing I had with my barkada in Batangas. To get to the other side that had a beautiful shoreline, we rode a banca and crossed the sea. In the middle, there was an upright rock which you really have to pass by to get to the other side. Unfortunately, the waves were so rough, it was one hell of a ride. Then, the front part of the banca went up in the air when it rode a really big wave and I was scared to death! That really did it for me and boat rides. But I couldn’t be left behind so I had to do it. I guess they saw the fear in my eyes and Jackie kept asking me if I was alright. I was (meaning I didn't feel like puking) but I must’ve been as white as a sheet. I chose a seat that didn’t give me any view of the sea. It was a very short ride, 10 mins. max. But I was really nervous, I was clutching Ricky’s arm, hanging on for dear life. Wala syang magawa kahit alam kong nasasaktan na sya kasi, I was white-knuckled so imagine the grip I had on his arm! Luckily I didn’t throw up or anything. I survived that. (Please look forward to the other boat ride the following day…)
As both my feet were firmly on land, I heaved a sigh of relief. To my surprise, mas hilo pa yata si Ricky kaysa sa akin but he was okay. Then the coaster brought us to the hotel where we would stay for the night. We unpacked our things then we were to meet in the lobby and the tour guide (a Bayani Agbayani look alike) was going to take us to Puji Temple. Tony was still with us but since this isn't his territory, he was like part of our group.
Visits to Chinese Temples are always something I look forward to. There is something about the burning of incense, saying your prayers on the kneelers and waving the incense sticks infront of you that intrigue me to no end. I have no idea about the religion and rituals but it fascinates me. This particular “compound” has several nooks where you do the ritual, if memory serves me right, we did it 7 times. (Jen, I missed you so much during this part.) I wanted so much to ask Ricky what do I do, what should I say? How do you know what to pray for? Does one altar represent something? Are you allowed to state personal intentions? My dearest husband couldn’t help me out because he couldn’t explain it to me. He just told me to do what they do and I was really frustrated. I am so sure the Buddha Gods were frowning upon me because I was so lost. It took about 2 altars for me to decide to just burn the incense sticks, pay my respects to the Buddha in front of me, give Thanks and say my own prayer. I feel that prayer and worship are universal even if whom we Worship and the Dogmas we follow are so diverse. I really hope the Gods forgive me. Hopefully next time I go there, I could ask someone to help me sort things out and make me understand how to pray and what can I pray for.
Another fact that really made me nervous was that I was the only person who wasn’t Chinese. I don’t look Chinese, I can’t speak Chinese. It made me so self-conscious I was half-expecting someone to come up to me, ask me what I was doing there and usher me out. Thankfully no one did.
It was a humbling experience to stick out like a sore thumb but in the face of our God or their God, you are humbled and I know deep down in my heart, they were all proud that I made the effort to take part in this pilgrimage.
there are about 100-150 monks lined up; the line leads into the main temple (in the background)
After this, we were off to another temple. If I'm not mistaken, it's the Purple Bamboo Grove Temple.
There weren't as many halls as in Puji but fascinating as well. Here, an added attraction was the "Wishing Well". I was told that you make a wish and toss a coin up into the pagoda. The higher the level your coin goes, the better chances of it being granted. On my second try, it went in the third level. Pretty Good eh?
be careful of what you wish for...
by the way, there are some photos in our webshots account, just click on the snapshots link on the right and view the Holy Week 2005 album
China Chronicles Day 1 (Part II)
We finally made it to Nanjing Road where our hotel, Park Hotel was located. We simply brought our luggage up, freshened up a bit and decided to go out and start walking. Since the afternoon was basically free for us, we had hoped to make some headway into our shopping. So, Jackie, Jane, Diane, Ricky and I went out.
Nanjing Road is a 5 KM thoroughfare that houses a lot of stores, malls, restaurants and other commercial and tourist attractions in Shanghai. Now, the cold is getting to me; it’s still 9 degrees maybe even colder than that. I was thinking about a steaming cup of Starbucks house blend or the Caramel Macchiato but then again, it would have to wait. By the way, there are several Starbucks outlets there….Ricky & I seem to have a homing device when it comes to Starbucks…
along nanjing road
We were looking for the tiangges but we couldn’t find that particular area they went to last year so we just decided to walk along Nanjing Rd. KFC and McDonalds are very popular here, Pizza Hut is considered fine dining and Haagen Dazs is THE ice cream parlor here. We were probably more than halfway when we turned around and walked back towards Park Hotel. On our way back we finally went inside a mall, the name of which I forget. Then, we went into Shanghai’s No. 1 Department Store (that’s the name of the store), which is very much like our SM here. We made our way to the Lower Ground Floor and saw a bakeshop very similar to Bread Talk - Surprise. We bought some bread, pastries and two mango crepes.
We decided to have a snack since we were very hungry and assumed that dinner wouldn’t be for another hour or so. We decided to check out Pizza Hut. The interiors looked nice and it wasn’t the usual look of Pizza Hut outlets in Manila. Their menu had more than one kind of salad, pasta and coffee. They expanded the menu to cater to the needs of locals. While waiting for our Seafood Pasta and coffee (odd combination don’t you think?) we ate the mango crepe we bought from Surprise. And Surprise! It was good! Masarap sya! The crepe was light and almost melted in your mouth, the cream filling delectable not heavy and the mango slices perfectly ripe for an over-all dessert delight! Mmmmmm… The pizza came and the coffee was served so, kanya-kanyang kain muna…
where's the pizza?
Afterwards, we showed up at the hotel, waited for T-O-N-Y and went off to dinner then the Acrobat Show. The weather like they said was unpredictable and by the time we were at the Hall for the Acrobat Show, it was raining making it so much colder than it was in the afternoon.
I planned to sleep through the show but the first part were the contortionists so, I was pretty much glued to seat, wide-eyed, mouth open and awed at how the girls (they seemed so young) could get their bodies to do those seemingly impossible positions! Wow! There were 5 of them, all equally flexible hehehe. I could just imagine how they train everyday just to be able to do those poses. Other parts were the young lads juggling hats, cloth balancing, seat balancing, acrobatic roller-skating, plate balancing and the finale, the iron ball. That was one of my favorite parts. Onstage there’s this huge iron ball. Then a motorcycle comes on stage, goes into the ball and just goes around, up and down the ball. Then, another motor joins him and so on and so forth until there are 5 of them inside the iron ball! It’s amazing how they could all fit in, run around the ball, sometimes in the same direction and sometimes not and manage to keep a safe distance from one another? No motorcycles stalled or died they were all up and running! Ang galing! May konting stunts pa nga!
wheels in the ball
After the show it was back to the hotel to pack again for a two-day stay on an island. During my stay in Shanghai, the cold weather made it impossible for me to take a bath in the morning so I take a bath at night and just take a shower in the morning. I thank God for water heaters….
Morning call for Wednesday: 4:00 a.m. *sigh*
Nanjing Road is a 5 KM thoroughfare that houses a lot of stores, malls, restaurants and other commercial and tourist attractions in Shanghai. Now, the cold is getting to me; it’s still 9 degrees maybe even colder than that. I was thinking about a steaming cup of Starbucks house blend or the Caramel Macchiato but then again, it would have to wait. By the way, there are several Starbucks outlets there….Ricky & I seem to have a homing device when it comes to Starbucks…
along nanjing road
We were looking for the tiangges but we couldn’t find that particular area they went to last year so we just decided to walk along Nanjing Rd. KFC and McDonalds are very popular here, Pizza Hut is considered fine dining and Haagen Dazs is THE ice cream parlor here. We were probably more than halfway when we turned around and walked back towards Park Hotel. On our way back we finally went inside a mall, the name of which I forget. Then, we went into Shanghai’s No. 1 Department Store (that’s the name of the store), which is very much like our SM here. We made our way to the Lower Ground Floor and saw a bakeshop very similar to Bread Talk - Surprise. We bought some bread, pastries and two mango crepes.
We decided to have a snack since we were very hungry and assumed that dinner wouldn’t be for another hour or so. We decided to check out Pizza Hut. The interiors looked nice and it wasn’t the usual look of Pizza Hut outlets in Manila. Their menu had more than one kind of salad, pasta and coffee. They expanded the menu to cater to the needs of locals. While waiting for our Seafood Pasta and coffee (odd combination don’t you think?) we ate the mango crepe we bought from Surprise. And Surprise! It was good! Masarap sya! The crepe was light and almost melted in your mouth, the cream filling delectable not heavy and the mango slices perfectly ripe for an over-all dessert delight! Mmmmmm… The pizza came and the coffee was served so, kanya-kanyang kain muna…
where's the pizza?
Afterwards, we showed up at the hotel, waited for T-O-N-Y and went off to dinner then the Acrobat Show. The weather like they said was unpredictable and by the time we were at the Hall for the Acrobat Show, it was raining making it so much colder than it was in the afternoon.
I planned to sleep through the show but the first part were the contortionists so, I was pretty much glued to seat, wide-eyed, mouth open and awed at how the girls (they seemed so young) could get their bodies to do those seemingly impossible positions! Wow! There were 5 of them, all equally flexible hehehe. I could just imagine how they train everyday just to be able to do those poses. Other parts were the young lads juggling hats, cloth balancing, seat balancing, acrobatic roller-skating, plate balancing and the finale, the iron ball. That was one of my favorite parts. Onstage there’s this huge iron ball. Then a motorcycle comes on stage, goes into the ball and just goes around, up and down the ball. Then, another motor joins him and so on and so forth until there are 5 of them inside the iron ball! It’s amazing how they could all fit in, run around the ball, sometimes in the same direction and sometimes not and manage to keep a safe distance from one another? No motorcycles stalled or died they were all up and running! Ang galing! May konting stunts pa nga!
wheels in the ball
After the show it was back to the hotel to pack again for a two-day stay on an island. During my stay in Shanghai, the cold weather made it impossible for me to take a bath in the morning so I take a bath at night and just take a shower in the morning. I thank God for water heaters….
Morning call for Wednesday: 4:00 a.m. *sigh*
China Chronicles Day 1
Tuesday, March 22, 2005
Day 1 – Departure from Manila
(Colored and italicized parts were actual notes i scribbled in my palm pilot...)
We left Gotcha early Monday night and slept over at my SIL’s house since we would be leaving for the airport very early on Tuesday, March 22. We were up and about at 2:30 a.m.. Ricky & I had to take turns using the bathroom and I made some last minute packing. By 4:30 a.m., the four of us -Jackie (my SIL), William (Jackie’s husband), Ricky and I were on our way to the airport.
When we got there, the lines were a bit long and for our flight, PR 338, there were only two or three counters open for the baggage check-in. Jane (Jackie’s SIL) and Diane (Jane’s SIL) caught up with us there. We went thru immigration and waited a bit before boarding. The plane left Manila skies at 7:40 a.m. The trip was about 2 hours and 45 minutes.
We stashed our thick jackets in one bag and checked it in since it was hot in Manila & on board the plane. Unfortunately, there wasn’t any connecting hallway (is that what they call it?) from the plane to the terminal so we alighted from the plane, walked a short distance and rode the service bus from the tarmac to the terminal. Poor Ricky, he only had a short-sleeved shirt on so once we claimed our baggage, everyone took out their jackets. Wow! The cold weather was a welcome change from the stifling heat in Manila, or so I thought…wait until the next few hours …
It’s 10:47 a.m .- we’ve finally collected our bags and we’re waiting for our tour guide. The weather is 9 degrees and boy, it’s been quite some time since I’ve been in weather as nippy as this!
It was past 11 a.m. when we finally located our tour guide T-O-N-Y. We left Pu Dong Int’l Airport, rode a bus and began our journey towards Shanghai.
The first thing I noticed was that China is really big, huge, vast and did I say Big? On the bus T-O-N-Y shifted into tour guide mode and was explaining what was on our right or on our left while giving us facts about Shanghai. Across Pu Dong Int’l airport, he said that they were building a 2nd terminal. All I could say was wow! The 2nd terminal would probably be another huge terminal; maybe 2 or 3 NAIAs in it. Yup, that big.
Looking back, I realize that I should’ve whipped out my camera to take a pic of the place. Anyway…I was completely lost on the names; Tony sort of loses the l’s in words so sometimes, he spells it out hence T-O-N-Y - that’s how he introduced himself. “my name is Tony, T-O-N-Y…” when I ask ricky where the tour guide is, I always say, “nasan si T-O-N-Y?” babaw ko, but I was amused.
The highway (see? Can’t remember the highway’s name…) we were moving along was 7 lanes wide with no bumps, no sudden potholes and no MMDA vehicles feigning road repair. The ride was smooth and I noticed that there were signs everywhere. It wouldn’t be difficult to get around because there was always a sign to tell you where to get off or where you’re headed.
While we were on the road, here are some things T-O-N-Y shared with us:
* Magnolias are the flower of shanghai
* Land of about 100 sq. m. = 1.5 M Yen
* Our Driver was Mr. Wu
He was going on and on but I slowly zoned out and began seeing the surroundings on my own. Cars on the road: I saw mazdas, accords, Hyundai models and a lot of VW’s the models of which I don’t see in manila. There are a lot of VWs, the taxis are VW sedans – Santana and a couple of buicks. The latter you would see a lot of because China produces about 250,000 Buicks a year.
Upon arriving in Shanghai (city proper), I immediately noticed that the outermost lane is dedicated for bikes, scooters, motorcycles and anything that has 2 wheels. Amazing… you see women, men, teenagers riding bikes, scooters in suits, skirts, boots, heels, sneakers and vehicle drivers respect that bike lane… here, you rarely see bikes or motorcycles running along edsa. Another thing I noticed is the transportation system. It amazes me no end. There are the highways, the roads, the bike lane, the elevated rings, the bridges, the subway, the train; I mean, they have developed a transport system that works. They have buses, taxis and even cable buses. No rusty or depleted buses running along the highways. The bus itself is clean; the seat covers aren’t tattered or covered with graffiti. The islands are well kept, manicured like the front lawns of the rich and famous if I may say so…a mixture of trees, bushes, flowers adorn the islands of the roads in Shanghai.
Also, there are also barricades or short fences that somehow serve as a demarcation line for buses plying on a certain route. And drivers respect these things on the road they don’t knock them down just because they’re in the way. So unlike the Pinoy drivers who think the road should follow their driving. It’s like driving through Subic or Clark. In the whole of Shanghai not just one part.
Oh well so much for that, going back to my notes…
Now we’re crossing Lupu Bridge the newest bridge built in Shanghai and we’re on our way to Old Shanghai. Below the bridge is the HuangPu River, considered the Mother River in China. They call Old Shanghai, a building forest because there are so many buildings.
Day 1 – Departure from Manila
(Colored and italicized parts were actual notes i scribbled in my palm pilot...)
We left Gotcha early Monday night and slept over at my SIL’s house since we would be leaving for the airport very early on Tuesday, March 22. We were up and about at 2:30 a.m.. Ricky & I had to take turns using the bathroom and I made some last minute packing. By 4:30 a.m., the four of us -Jackie (my SIL), William (Jackie’s husband), Ricky and I were on our way to the airport.
When we got there, the lines were a bit long and for our flight, PR 338, there were only two or three counters open for the baggage check-in. Jane (Jackie’s SIL) and Diane (Jane’s SIL) caught up with us there. We went thru immigration and waited a bit before boarding. The plane left Manila skies at 7:40 a.m. The trip was about 2 hours and 45 minutes.
We stashed our thick jackets in one bag and checked it in since it was hot in Manila & on board the plane. Unfortunately, there wasn’t any connecting hallway (is that what they call it?) from the plane to the terminal so we alighted from the plane, walked a short distance and rode the service bus from the tarmac to the terminal. Poor Ricky, he only had a short-sleeved shirt on so once we claimed our baggage, everyone took out their jackets. Wow! The cold weather was a welcome change from the stifling heat in Manila, or so I thought…wait until the next few hours …
It’s 10:47 a.m .- we’ve finally collected our bags and we’re waiting for our tour guide. The weather is 9 degrees and boy, it’s been quite some time since I’ve been in weather as nippy as this!
It was past 11 a.m. when we finally located our tour guide T-O-N-Y. We left Pu Dong Int’l Airport, rode a bus and began our journey towards Shanghai.
The first thing I noticed was that China is really big, huge, vast and did I say Big? On the bus T-O-N-Y shifted into tour guide mode and was explaining what was on our right or on our left while giving us facts about Shanghai. Across Pu Dong Int’l airport, he said that they were building a 2nd terminal. All I could say was wow! The 2nd terminal would probably be another huge terminal; maybe 2 or 3 NAIAs in it. Yup, that big.
Looking back, I realize that I should’ve whipped out my camera to take a pic of the place. Anyway…I was completely lost on the names; Tony sort of loses the l’s in words so sometimes, he spells it out hence T-O-N-Y - that’s how he introduced himself. “my name is Tony, T-O-N-Y…” when I ask ricky where the tour guide is, I always say, “nasan si T-O-N-Y?” babaw ko, but I was amused.
The highway (see? Can’t remember the highway’s name…) we were moving along was 7 lanes wide with no bumps, no sudden potholes and no MMDA vehicles feigning road repair. The ride was smooth and I noticed that there were signs everywhere. It wouldn’t be difficult to get around because there was always a sign to tell you where to get off or where you’re headed.
While we were on the road, here are some things T-O-N-Y shared with us:
* Magnolias are the flower of shanghai
* Land of about 100 sq. m. = 1.5 M Yen
* Our Driver was Mr. Wu
He was going on and on but I slowly zoned out and began seeing the surroundings on my own. Cars on the road: I saw mazdas, accords, Hyundai models and a lot of VW’s the models of which I don’t see in manila. There are a lot of VWs, the taxis are VW sedans – Santana and a couple of buicks. The latter you would see a lot of because China produces about 250,000 Buicks a year.
Upon arriving in Shanghai (city proper), I immediately noticed that the outermost lane is dedicated for bikes, scooters, motorcycles and anything that has 2 wheels. Amazing… you see women, men, teenagers riding bikes, scooters in suits, skirts, boots, heels, sneakers and vehicle drivers respect that bike lane… here, you rarely see bikes or motorcycles running along edsa. Another thing I noticed is the transportation system. It amazes me no end. There are the highways, the roads, the bike lane, the elevated rings, the bridges, the subway, the train; I mean, they have developed a transport system that works. They have buses, taxis and even cable buses. No rusty or depleted buses running along the highways. The bus itself is clean; the seat covers aren’t tattered or covered with graffiti. The islands are well kept, manicured like the front lawns of the rich and famous if I may say so…a mixture of trees, bushes, flowers adorn the islands of the roads in Shanghai.
Also, there are also barricades or short fences that somehow serve as a demarcation line for buses plying on a certain route. And drivers respect these things on the road they don’t knock them down just because they’re in the way. So unlike the Pinoy drivers who think the road should follow their driving. It’s like driving through Subic or Clark. In the whole of Shanghai not just one part.
Oh well so much for that, going back to my notes…
Now we’re crossing Lupu Bridge the newest bridge built in Shanghai and we’re on our way to Old Shanghai. Below the bridge is the HuangPu River, considered the Mother River in China. They call Old Shanghai, a building forest because there are so many buildings.
Mar 28, 2005
i'm back!!!!!
hello everyone! belated happy easter! 
how was your holy week?
well, i'm back from the holy week holiday as everyone is and i'm back from china! yup, you read it right china. i spent holy week there with ricky, my SIL jackie and her husband william and jane (william's sister) and diane, jane's SIL. the six of us were part of a group of 14; we joined a group tour.
well, it was very, very exciting as i've never been to china and all i can say is it's BIG! Big, big, big... before my trip there, i knew it was big, a country having the world's largest population of over a billion people couldn't be a small country but once i was there, man oh man, i knew it was huge.
i'll be blogging about our stay there but please forgive me because i need to attend to gotcha first and of course the pictures need to be developed and/or uploaded...i promise, there's a lot for me to share with you...
how was your holy week?well, i'm back from the holy week holiday as everyone is and i'm back from china! yup, you read it right china. i spent holy week there with ricky, my SIL jackie and her husband william and jane (william's sister) and diane, jane's SIL. the six of us were part of a group of 14; we joined a group tour.
well, it was very, very exciting as i've never been to china and all i can say is it's BIG! Big, big, big... before my trip there, i knew it was big, a country having the world's largest population of over a billion people couldn't be a small country but once i was there, man oh man, i knew it was huge.
i'll be blogging about our stay there but please forgive me because i need to attend to gotcha first and of course the pictures need to be developed and/or uploaded...i promise, there's a lot for me to share with you...
Mar 12, 2005
i do too!
the brides (in our younger years...)
february 28 is an important date in the family because it's mommy's birthday! but starting this year, it's doubly important because ate lou and dan (bayaw!!!) got married on the 28th.
unfortunately, ricky and i weren't there during the civil ceremony. we really wish we were...
ate lou and dan, we wish you all the best, stay in love, be happy and be together, forever. congratulations! (when are our nieces & nephews coming?)
Mar 10, 2005
the 34th in review
wow, i'm still a bit sick but i owe you guys a lot of posts so let's get it rolling! here's that survey i was talking about. (thank you very much pazette!)
1. What did you do in 2004 that you'd never done? opened a business and got married!
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions and will you make more for next year? i cannot remember if i made any resolutions. actually i don't think i have in a long time. i'll try to come up with some this year
3. Did anyone close to you give birth? nope. unfortunately the exact opposite happened, our good friend giselle lost her baby.
4. Did anyone close to you die? someone close to the family did, our nana maria...
5. What countries did you visit? hmmm haven't been "out" for a loooonnnngggg time. i hope things will change this year
6. What would you like to have in 2005 (35th year) that you lacked in 2004 (34th year)? patience (tons of it), good health & spiritual guidance
7. What date/s from 2004 will remain etched upon your memory? december 30 - when ricky and i got married
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? i'd have to say opening the store and preparing for our wedding simultaneously. whew! i even shed a few pounds because of that.
9. What was your biggest failure? failure...let me see...that would probably be quitting my job in the early part of 2004. i really don't know what went wrong. i guess i just wasn't cut out for that job. what makes it even more painful is that a lot of people actually thought i was well-suited for the position and that in a couple of months or years i'd be a top honcho.
10. Did you suffer an illness or injury? thank god nothing serious but i haven't gotten rid of my colds, rashes (allergies) and asthma...
11. What was the best thing you bought? i can't think of anything...
12. Where did most of your money go? i have absolutely no idea!
13. What did you get really, really excited about? opening the store and our wedding
14. What song will always remind you of 2004? i'd have to say minsan lang kitang iibigin (ariel rivera) which was my bridal march
15. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. Happier or sadder? happier definitely!
ii. thinner or fatter? thinner but gaining it all back since i have been eating a lot
iii. Richer or poorer? hmmm i'd like to think richer, but not in the monetary sense
16. What do you wish you'd done more? i wish i blogged, danced, wrote and helped others more
17. What do you wish you'd done less of? procrastinating and worrying
18. How did you spend Christmas? i was with ricky's family for noche buena, alone at the apt after midnight then christmas day was at the store.
19. Did you fall in love in 2004? hell yeah! i got married!
20. How many one-night stands? none...
21. What was your favorite TV program? i got hooked on the amazing race especially when they came here. of course there are, my all-time faves, will & grace and oprah. i didn't have access to cable then; but now that i do, hopefully if i come across this survey again, i'll have more answers next year
22. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? hmmm, nope
23. What was the best book you read this year? oh gosh not one but, i'd have to say the dan brown novels
24. What was your greatest musical discovery? musical? to tell you the truth, nothing. if i may tweak the question a bit, my greatest "online" discovery was BLOGGING (it's so darn addictive!)
25. What do you want to get in 2005? unlike #6, i'm turning this into my mini wishlist (tangibles): 1.) a laptop 2.) i'm in dire need of either a hair straightening/rebonding session or hair color. i've too many "white hair" 3.) a new cellphone 4.) it wouldn't hurt to wish for a car (i must admit, this is impossible, nevertheless...) alright? well, i'll update this list as the days pass
26. What was your favorite film of this year? can i say filmS? Kill Bill 1, The Incredibles, Finding Nemo (forgive me but were all of these shown in '04?)
27. What did you do on your birthday and how old were you? nothing special, was here at the store and just had dinner with ricky... i turned 35...
28. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? let me think about this one and see if i can tell you....
29. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2004? everything and anything casual, jeans, shirts, sandals, tennis shoes...
30. Who/what kept you sane? ricky, he always does
31. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? angelina jolie, the F.R.I.E.N.D.S trio (jennifer, courtney and lisa) and locally, kris aquino (not really fancy, but i am intrigued by this woman's life!)
32. What political issue stirred you the most? fortunately, i'm apolitical but maybe the pork barrel? or maybe fpj's decision to run? or the fact that we've been named one of the most corrupt nations in the world (or is it the asia-pacific region?)?
33. Who do you miss? my family (we are scattered around the world...) and tess, who migrated to canada
34. Who was the best new person you met? best NEW person? it's difficult to choose but, i must say that this year i've appreciated my friends more. we're about 6 (just us girls, 9 if you count the hubbies too) in our clique and we went through a lot last year. our wedding, one of us migrating to canada, one of us losing a baby, one of us getting an out-of-the-country assignment (then upon returning to the phils., an out-of-town assignment) and a lot more. but our friendship has grown STRONGER and we all treasure each other a lot...
35. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2004: in the quest for our own happiness, we may hurt others; these people could even be those who are closest to your heart. never lose sight of what you feel so strongly about and wish to attain, we have only one life and it should be lived the way you see fit.
1. What did you do in 2004 that you'd never done? opened a business and got married!
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions and will you make more for next year? i cannot remember if i made any resolutions. actually i don't think i have in a long time. i'll try to come up with some this year
3. Did anyone close to you give birth? nope. unfortunately the exact opposite happened, our good friend giselle lost her baby.
4. Did anyone close to you die? someone close to the family did, our nana maria...
5. What countries did you visit? hmmm haven't been "out" for a loooonnnngggg time. i hope things will change this year
6. What would you like to have in 2005 (35th year) that you lacked in 2004 (34th year)? patience (tons of it), good health & spiritual guidance
7. What date/s from 2004 will remain etched upon your memory? december 30 - when ricky and i got married
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? i'd have to say opening the store and preparing for our wedding simultaneously. whew! i even shed a few pounds because of that.
9. What was your biggest failure? failure...let me see...that would probably be quitting my job in the early part of 2004. i really don't know what went wrong. i guess i just wasn't cut out for that job. what makes it even more painful is that a lot of people actually thought i was well-suited for the position and that in a couple of months or years i'd be a top honcho.
10. Did you suffer an illness or injury? thank god nothing serious but i haven't gotten rid of my colds, rashes (allergies) and asthma...
11. What was the best thing you bought? i can't think of anything...
12. Where did most of your money go? i have absolutely no idea!
13. What did you get really, really excited about? opening the store and our wedding
14. What song will always remind you of 2004? i'd have to say minsan lang kitang iibigin (ariel rivera) which was my bridal march
15. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. Happier or sadder? happier definitely!
ii. thinner or fatter? thinner but gaining it all back since i have been eating a lot
iii. Richer or poorer? hmmm i'd like to think richer, but not in the monetary sense
16. What do you wish you'd done more? i wish i blogged, danced, wrote and helped others more
17. What do you wish you'd done less of? procrastinating and worrying
18. How did you spend Christmas? i was with ricky's family for noche buena, alone at the apt after midnight then christmas day was at the store.
19. Did you fall in love in 2004? hell yeah! i got married!
20. How many one-night stands? none...
21. What was your favorite TV program? i got hooked on the amazing race especially when they came here. of course there are, my all-time faves, will & grace and oprah. i didn't have access to cable then; but now that i do, hopefully if i come across this survey again, i'll have more answers next year
22. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? hmmm, nope
23. What was the best book you read this year? oh gosh not one but, i'd have to say the dan brown novels
24. What was your greatest musical discovery? musical? to tell you the truth, nothing. if i may tweak the question a bit, my greatest "online" discovery was BLOGGING (it's so darn addictive!)
25. What do you want to get in 2005? unlike #6, i'm turning this into my mini wishlist (tangibles): 1.) a laptop 2.) i'm in dire need of either a hair straightening/rebonding session or hair color. i've too many "white hair" 3.) a new cellphone 4.) it wouldn't hurt to wish for a car (i must admit, this is impossible, nevertheless...) alright? well, i'll update this list as the days pass
26. What was your favorite film of this year? can i say filmS? Kill Bill 1, The Incredibles, Finding Nemo (forgive me but were all of these shown in '04?)
27. What did you do on your birthday and how old were you? nothing special, was here at the store and just had dinner with ricky... i turned 35...
28. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? let me think about this one and see if i can tell you....
29. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2004? everything and anything casual, jeans, shirts, sandals, tennis shoes...
30. Who/what kept you sane? ricky, he always does
31. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? angelina jolie, the F.R.I.E.N.D.S trio (jennifer, courtney and lisa) and locally, kris aquino (not really fancy, but i am intrigued by this woman's life!)
32. What political issue stirred you the most? fortunately, i'm apolitical but maybe the pork barrel? or maybe fpj's decision to run? or the fact that we've been named one of the most corrupt nations in the world (or is it the asia-pacific region?)?
33. Who do you miss? my family (we are scattered around the world...) and tess, who migrated to canada
34. Who was the best new person you met? best NEW person? it's difficult to choose but, i must say that this year i've appreciated my friends more. we're about 6 (just us girls, 9 if you count the hubbies too) in our clique and we went through a lot last year. our wedding, one of us migrating to canada, one of us losing a baby, one of us getting an out-of-the-country assignment (then upon returning to the phils., an out-of-town assignment) and a lot more. but our friendship has grown STRONGER and we all treasure each other a lot...
35. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2004: in the quest for our own happiness, we may hurt others; these people could even be those who are closest to your heart. never lose sight of what you feel so strongly about and wish to attain, we have only one life and it should be lived the way you see fit.
Mar 3, 2005
ahhhhh-choo!!!
hello everyone 
damn! i've been sick since monday, got a nasty cold, slight fever (monday & tuesday) and coughing fits so my posts have been put off. but, i was able to add a ticker that counts down to the 1st Babuy Anniversary! so much has happened since my birthday and i've got a couple of drafts to publish so bear with me for a couple more days and you'll be able to view more than just my lovely pose (don't i look cute? 
aw c'mon...)
damn! i've been sick since monday, got a nasty cold, slight fever (monday & tuesday) and coughing fits so my posts have been put off. but, i was able to add a ticker that counts down to the 1st Babuy Anniversary! so much has happened since my birthday and i've got a couple of drafts to publish so bear with me for a couple more days and you'll be able to view more than just my lovely pose (don't i look cute? aw c'mon...)
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