tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14752203173266029072024-03-16T09:10:15.625+08:00Guitar 123 Singapore Food and Travel Blog! A blog about food and travel, with many pictures and videos.
(iluvcruisingsingapore@gmail.com) (Twitter @iluvcruising2)Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger428125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1475220317326602907.post-65998571598908298742021-12-31T23:10:00.005+08:002021-12-31T23:10:53.640+08:00Singapore Airlines Business Class to Seoul and Vietnam Airlines Business Class Seoul to Singapore in 2019The year was 2019. (Pre-COVID). We took a family holiday to Seoul, South Korea! Here are links to the flight videos.
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<b>[Flight Review] Singapore Airlines SQ 602 Boeing 787-10 Business Class SG to Seoul Excellent Flight</b>
<br />We fly Singapore Airlines on their Regional Business Class, Boeing 787-10 for the first time this November! Very exciting. Singapore Airlines was first to fly the Boeing 787-10 and had been progressively taking delivery of these new birds, and retiring their older Boeing 777-200 fleet.
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The new regional business class is a huge improvement over the previous. They now offer a 1-2-1 configuration, fully lie-flat bed, compared to the previous 2-2-2 regional business class product with an angled bed. The design and feel is very similar to the long-haul business class product, except that the seat isn't as wide. However, one advantage of the regional seat is that the seat can turn into a fully flat and straight bed at the touch of the console button. The long-haul aircraft require you to manually convert the seat to a bed, which can be a bit awkward and tiresome if you didn't know how to do it.
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We received excellent service on board. I figured that the lovely Singapore Girl serving my aisle was a Korean lady, due to her accent. She was in a green kebaya, representing her seniority. Of course, she spoke excellent english too. This flight, SQ 602, departed Singapore at 1445hrs and was scheduled to land in Seoul at 2200hrs. Given this mid afternoon departure, we were wondering what meal would be served on board. Turned out that lunch would be served, but they started the meal service at 1630hrs instead of immediately after takeoff. They must have done this to make the meal closer to dinner time, given that it is pretty obvious passengers would have taken their lunch before boarding the aircraft at 1445hrs. Which then made me wonder, why call this meal lunch instead of dinner?
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Anyway, it didn't matter. I had a very enjoyable meal on board (minus the satay, which was not served on this flight). Upon boarding, I took the welcome drink of champagne. Shortly after takeoff, the post take off drink was served - I had opted for the Singapore Sling, which I always do on SQ. A small bowl of nuts was also given. I enjoyed them while watching some movie.
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Lunch service was leisurely and unhurried. The first course was some type of prawn. Then I got my Lobster Thermidor (which I had used the Book the Cook Service). Oh, for this flight I had just discovered that you could see the onboard lunch menu some days before the actual flight and even make your selection before the actual flight. I find this very useful because I had always wanted to know in advance what was the onboard catering before I decided whether to use Book the Cook. So this time round, I didn't really care for any of the 4 choices for the onboard catering, so I 'Booked the Cook"!
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Prior to the flight, we spent some time at the SilverKris Lounge Business Class section at Changi Airport.
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Coming back from Seoul, we flew on Vietnam Airlines in Business Class. This flight was in 2 legs. But before that, we spent some time in the airport lounge at Incheon.
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Once inside the restricted area, we made our way to the KAL Lounge, as the CHeck-in counter lady had told us. The lounge is BEFORE the train ride to the Concourse, where our aircraft was (Gate 111), so you have to use the lounge and factor enough time to get to the plane because you still need to take a train to get there.
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I read from the internet that this KAL lounge (located besides the Starbucks) was new, opened in June 2019. The signages were not great and we couldn't find it at first, until we asked a member of staff who told us in a deep Korean accent that it was 'besides Starbooks'.
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<b>KAL Lounge Incheon Terminal 1 SkyTeam Lounge Vietnam Airlines</b><br />
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<b>VN 409 Boeing 787-10 Vietnam Airlines Dreamliner Business Class Flight Review Seoul to Ho Chi Minh</b>
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We were in Seoul for a holiday, and today we begin our trip back to Singapore on Vietnam Airlines, from Seoul to Ho Chi Minh and then onward to Singapore. We arrived at Incheon Airport, Seoul, in good time early in the morning. We wanted to get our tax refund, and after that, check-in was smooth though even at this time (around 0745hrs) the line to clear security was quite long.
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After clearing security and immigration, we reached the restricted area of Incheon Airport, which was large and rather crowded. Signages weren't good and we couldn't find the KAL Lounge (which we were told by the check in lady that it was before the train ride to the Concourse), so we asked a member of staff and was told it was beside 'Starbooks'. Here is the review of the KAL Lounge, which was newly opened in June 2019. After getting some breakfast, we made our way to the concourse (had to ride a train) and got to Gate 111 in good time. Boarding hadn't started yet when we got there, so we waited for bit.
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Once boarded started, we got on board quickly and found out seats. I had a window seat today. The aircraft used was a rather new Vietnam Airlines Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner. Business class was in a reverse herringbone, 1-2-1 configuration.
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Overall, service onboard was very good. Even though the flight was not very long (flight time under 5 hours), it felt like a long-haul flight with a nice amenity kit, pillow and blanket. Welcome drink, I chose champagne. After take off, meal service began.
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It started with Amuse Boche, and again I chose champagne for my drink.
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For the main meal, they had run out of the Western style appetizer, so I had no choice but to take the Korean-style appetizer, which was fine with me as it was interesting to look at and the taste was good. For the main, I chose the Asian style Beef rib with rice. The beef came in slices, which suited me fine. The taste was good, and the beef was tender enough.
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After the main, there was dessert (ice-cream) and also cheese. The stewardess also came around with a tray of sliced fruit, which I chose a few. Overall, it was a wonderful meal, and I enjoyed it while watching a movie on the entertainment system.
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Post-meal, I converted the seat into a lie-flat bed, and managed to get about 2 hours of sleep before it was time to land. <br /><br />
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<b>Lotus Lounge Ho Chi Minh Saigon Vietnam Airlines Business Class</b>
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Vietnam Airlines, Lotus Lounge, Saigon. We fly on Vietnam Airlines Business class, from Seoul to SGN, en-route to Singapore. We landed in SGN in the early afternoon, and our flight to Singapore would depart at 1615hrs. So we had a couple of hours in the Lotus Lounge.
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The food offerings were pretty good. Plenty of hot food choices, including local Vietnamese dishes, noodle soup plus porridge. Also plenty of cut fruits, and some desserts. I didn't try the Vietnamese coffee though. We weren't that hungry, since we had a good meal onboard Vietnam Airlines Business Class (Seoul to SGN leg), but we still managed to eat some light food and desserts.
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<br /><b>[Flight Review] Vietnam Airlines Airbus A350 Business Class SGN Ho Chi Minh to Singapore</b>
<br />We fly on Vietnam Airlines! This was the second leg of our flight, from SGN Ho Chi Minh back to Singapore. Earlier in the day, we flew from Seoul to Ho Chi Minh.
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This leg was short, only about 1.5 hr flight time. The experience was good. We flew on a long-haul aircraft, the Airbus A350-900. This aircraft is used for VN’s long-haul routes, including Vietnam to Paris. Business class was in a 1-2-1 configuration, reverse herringbone, fully flat bed.
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A substantial meal was served even though the flight was short. The entire meal came in one tray, which was fine given such a short flight. I chose the fish with rice. You can see from the video that the meal was very nice. The main dish was accompanied by a bowl of crunchy salad and a large chunks of fresh fruit. They even had a bread basket, where I chose the garlic bread. The meal was great with a glass of white wine.
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I enjoyed my meal at a leisurely pace and was never rushed. After I finished my meal, there wasn’t much time left on the flight and the plane landed smoothly at Singapore Changi Airport. Vietnam Airlines uses Terminal 4.<br /><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1475220317326602907.post-52405366774292207882021-12-31T20:24:00.005+08:002021-12-31T20:32:14.883+08:00Nanning China, Visit in 2019 - Marriot Nanning and moreWe visited Nanning, China in 2019. We took GX Airlines (a Chinese Low Cost Airline owned by Hainan Airlines) to and from China.
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<b>Singapore to Nanning GX Airlines</b>
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<b>Nanning to Singapore GX Airlines</b>
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Here are some videos from our visit in Nanning.
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<br /><b>China Marriott Hotel Junior Suite Awesome Stay 南宁万豪酒店</b>
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Marriott Nanning China! 🇨🇳 We were in Nanning, Guangxi, China! 南宁万豪酒店
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Escaped to Nanning, China, for a short break from Singapore. Took GX Airlines (our first time on GX!)
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Booked our stay through the Marriott Bonvoy app. They were running a promotion, book an Executive Room and get a free upgrade to a Junior Suite - we did just that! The suite was about 60 sqm in size. It was very comfortable for the two of us and we enjoyed our stay. It even had 2 toilets.
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We also enjoyed the Executive Lounge very much, Happy Hour was 5:30pm to 7:30pm every day. Check out my other video for the food selection during Happy Hour.
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The location of the hotel was fantastic - directly connected to a very large mall next door, called Han Yang Mall. Also, the subway was nearby (Convention and Exhibition Station on Line 1).
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<br /> <b>Marriott Nanning Executive Lounge Dinner Hor Fun Soup</b><br /><br />
Marriott, Nanning, Guangxi China. We stay at the Marriott hotel in Nanning. Booked an Executive Room and got free upgrade to Junior Suite. Super nice.
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We had our dinners in the Executive Lounge. Happy Hour was 5:30pm to 7:30pm every day. We were there from 5:30pm, and had a very good dinner every time we went there.
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There was a decent selection of hot dishes, as well as cold dishes, and a decent selection of beers and house wine. It was a very enjoyable stay.
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<b>Marriott Nanning Breakfast 5 Star Hotel in China 2019</b>
<br />Breakfast! We were in Nanning, and we stayed at the Nanning Marriott for a few nights. Nanning was indeed an up and coming Chinese city. Subway lines were being built at a rapid speed. We came here to take a look at their rapid development.
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<br /><b>Yi Ling Caves 伊岭岩 Nanning Guangxi Neon Lights were Fantastic using iPhone 11 Pro Max 南宁</b>
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We were in Nanning, Guangxi! Decided to pay a visit to the Yi Ling Caves. The taxi ride took about 45 minutes to Nanning. We got a taxi from our hotel lobby, and the driver said he would wait for us at the attraction. He charged by meter, with no waiting fee, so that was fine with us.
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The attraction didn't look busy at all. But we headed here because the reviews on trip advisor were pretty good. We were not disappointed. The part outside was rather tacky, as they were trying to re-create scenes from the Zhuang people (some indigenous folks). Not very interesting. The highlight was to enter the caves itself. Now, be careful, there were many steps to climb, going down and going up. Some parts of the cave were wet, so walk carefully, but overall the path was very safe and half of our group were elderly locals.
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The views inside were fantastic. Even though the neon lights made it tacky, it still made for a good show. The guide, dressed in traditional garb, spoke in Mandarin only. So, if you don't understand the language, then all her explanations would mean nothing. Just enjoy the lights!
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Stay with the group as the guide will turn on the lights of each cavern, as we moved from point to point. It was a one way street. She repeatedly warned that if you strayed too far behind, the lights would go off, and I guess you would be lost. I don't think she was very interested to ensure that all of us came out, since we were all supposed to take care of ourselves!
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Check out the cavern, the neon lights. Video was taken with my iPhone 11 Pro Max.
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<br /><b>Green Tea Restaurant Nanning China 南宁绿茶 2019</b>
<br />We were in Nanning, China, for a long weekend. We flew to Nanning on GX Airlines and stayed at the Marriott Nanning. 南宁万豪酒店. There was a mall Han Yang Mall and Subway station (Convention and Exhibition Center) right next to the hotel.
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Level 4,5,6 of the Mall had many restaurants. We ate at this chain restaurant called Green Tea. The place was decorated in a Chinese river theme at night. Rather dark place with spotlights on your table.
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There were only 2 of us. So we ordered 3 dishes - signature fried rice, grilled chicken and fresh prawns. The food was a lot! Thankfully I was hungry, so I ate most of the food. Yummy and delicious!
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<br /><b>MIXC Nanning Mall China plus McDonald’s Angus Burger with pineapple 南宁 2019</b>
<br />Nanning, Guangxi, China. We were at this mall called the MIXC mall, which was the newest mall in Nanning, China. It is also located next to a metro station. We were in Nanning, China. Flew here from Singapore on GX Airlines (low cost). Stayed at the 5 star Marriott Nanning for 3 nights. It was a quick getaway from Singapore. Awesome!
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<br /><b>Scenes from Nanning Subway</b>
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We were in Nanning, China! The metro system was quite new and still expanding. We took the metro around. Very cool and modern. China is expanding and growing very fast. The year is 2019.
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<br /><b>Singapore Merlion Totem Pole in China! Nanning, Guangxi Mt Qingxiu [Unexpected Find]</b>
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Check out the Singapore Merlion Totem pole in Nanning China! An unexpected find. We were in Nanning, China. Today, we headed to the Qing Xiu mountain, which frankly isn't a mountain but more like a cluster of small hills.
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The Qingxiu Mountain (or Qing Mountain, Taiqin Peak), is situated on the bank of the Yongjiang River and about 9 kilometers away from the southeast of Nanning City, provincial capital of Guangxi. It stretches more than 4.07 square kilometers with an altitude of about 82 meters to 189 meters above sea level and consists of 18 peaks including Qingshan Peak and Phenix Peak. Although not particular high, the Qingxiu Mountain developed as a famous summer resort and scenic spot in this area for centuries. Proclaimed as 'Giant Lung” of Nanning city, it is renowned for its pleasant climate, culture charm and marvelous green scenery for all four seasons. A pagoda was built on the peak in Ming Dynasty and defined as the avatar of Qingxiu Mountain. Surrounded by thick and bosky trees and precipitous rocks, two artificial pools - Tianchi(天池, Heaven Pool ) and Yaochi(瑶池, Jade Pool) afford more enchanting sights than you imagine when walking on the way to peak. More than 1,200,000 visitors flock to the Qingxiu Mountain of Nanning City each year, it becomes one of the most popular tourist destinations in Guangxi.
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We spent a few hours here, riding around on an electric bus system (we bought an unlimited one-day ticket). In this video, we chance upon some ASEAN-China garden, and the ASEAN countries were depicted with different totem poles. The Merlion Totem pole represented Singapore.
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<br /><b>2019 - Seafood and beef dinner.</b>
<br />The dishes we had included:
<br />1. Lobster Bee Hoon (Bee Hoon was full of wok hei!)
<br />2. Crabs, cooked in 3 ways - pumpkin sauce, chilli crab, salted egg yolk, plus man tou
<br />3. Coffee infused spare ribs (tender and fatty!)
<br />4. Fried squid
<br />5. Wagyu Beef slices
<br />6. Roast Chicken
<br />7. Yam Ring
<br />8. Tofu and Veggies (2 types)
<br />9. Dessert was Pudding with Ice cream in Fresh young coconut.
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<br /><b>2021 - we started to eat their set lunches.</b>
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<br /><b>2021 - Silver Seafood Hor Fun</b>
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<br /><b>2021 - Pork with Rice</b>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1475220317326602907.post-27609501335672771892021-12-30T17:03:00.001+08:002021-12-30T17:03:28.080+08:00Premier Inn UK December 2021 Holiday Video ClipsWe stayed most at the UK hotel chain called Premier Inn for our Dec 2021 trip to the UK. On this page, I'll put up the Youtube videos of the Premier Inns that we stayed at.
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<br /><b>Bristol City Centre (King Street) Premier Inn</b>
<br />On the day of arrival, we picked up a rental car and drove 100+ miles to Bristol. We stayed at the Premier Inn Bristol King's Street for one night. This video shows you the room and the breakfast. This hotel is next to Bristol Harbourside with stunning views of the river. The restaurant was next door.
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<br /> This Premier Inn had no on-site parking, so I had to park at a nearby Bristol Queen Charlotte Street NCP Carpark.
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<br /><b>Ebbw Vale, Premier Inn</b>
<br />The next Premier Inn we stayed at was in Wales, at Ebbw Vale, for 2 nights. There was free on-site parking for this Premier Inn. In fact, from the parking lot, the surrounding views were excellent. We were in some sort of Valley, as you will be able to see. With a rental car, this Premier Inn was quite convenient as there were supermarkets and fast food chains nearby (within 1 to 2 miles).
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<br />For our dinners, we opted to get takeaways from a nearby Chinese Takeaway called Smiling Valley. For the first night, we walked there! Check out my video.
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<br />to be continued...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1475220317326602907.post-2176086561151205502021-12-30T14:36:00.007+08:002021-12-30T14:39:05.817+08:00Crave Nasi Lemak over the years Singapore This blog page is to showcase all the videos I've made on<b> Crave Nasi Lemak</b> over the years. I just realised that I have made a total of 9 videos so far! Let me start with the oldest to the newest.
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<br /><b>2016 Crave Nasi Lemak @ Orchard ION </b>
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<br /><b>2018 Crave Nasi Lemak from Orchard ION (again!)</b>
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<br /><b>2018 Crave NASI LEMAK stall at NUH Kent Ridge Wing</b>
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<br /><b>2020- Nasi Lemak from Crave plus Chee Cheong Fun from Qiji 29 Feb 2020</b>
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<br /><b>2020- Day 31 of Circuit Breaker Star Vista Mall CRAVE Nasi Lemak and Long Queue at Phoon Huat!</b>
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<br /><b>2020- Day 41 of Circuit Breaker Crave Nasi Lemak Nene Korean Chicken and Heavy Rain in Singapore</b>
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<br /><b>2020- Chicken Cutlet Nasi Lemak Crave Nasi Lemak Singapore</b>
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<br /><b>2021- Crave Nasi Lemak Curry Chicken! 2 for $10 Offer in Dec 2021</b>
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<br /><b>2021 -Crave Nasi Lemak Chicken Cutlet</b>
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<br />ENJOY!
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1475220317326602907.post-89594059762062458192021-12-28T09:22:00.006+08:002021-12-28T09:34:13.299+08:00Difference in Flying COVID versus Pre-COVID - Singapore Airlines Airbus A380 Experience 6 years apart! We fly to London during COVID! December 2021. Ever wondered about the difference between flying in COVID and pre-COVID? I highlight the differences in the 2 SQ317 Airbus A380 flights we took, comparing the 2015 flight versus the 2021 flight. Wow, 6 years apart! Watch this to find out more!
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Alright here is the full flight review of these 2 flights.
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First, the more recent one - <b>SQ 317 London Heathrow to Singapore in December 2021.</b> We had the chance to do some travelling during COVID to the UK. This was our flight home. Enjoy the flight!
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And, the flight from 2015 on the SG50 Airbus A380. A blast from the past!!
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<br /><b>Part 1</b>
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<br /><b>Part 2</b>
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Boarding the Singapore Airlines SG50 Airbus A380 Aircraft!
<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe class="BLOG_video_class" allowfullscreen="" youtube-src-id="IWiQizCyqhI" width="400" height="322" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IWiQizCyqhI"></iframe></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1475220317326602907.post-35025149823895328252019-09-01T13:56:00.003+08:002019-09-01T14:04:32.128+08:00Hong Kong Protests 2019 Video CompilationHong Kong in 2019. This year will forever be remembered, for the year that HK exploded into protests, week after week after week. Stay tuned to this blog page for more videos, from the ground!<br />
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I must say whether you agree or disagree with the HK protestors, they started out very peacefully and showed great discipline in the early stages. In June 2019, protestors turned out in force, in a most disciplined manner.
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But unfortunately, the situation quickly got out of hand. Public opinion started to turn against the protestors when they decided to shut down Hong Kong International Airport, without warning, in early August. Hundreds of flights were cancelled, and in this poignant video below, a Caucasian woman was begging the protestors to let her through to her aircraft gates.<br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nNxqyUmykzk" width="560"></iframe><br />
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This video shows you the scale of the protests at the Airport. The protestors were very organized indeed.<br />
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And, as if disrupting Airport operations weren't sufficient, they also disrupted the Subway system, as seen in this video. They wanted to choke the economy perhaps?<br />
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<br />Normal day to day living was getting disrupted. In this case, protestors surrounded a black car and started to bash it.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YE_bidBjO8M" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1475220317326602907.post-75482502737360958952019-08-12T11:47:00.003+08:002019-08-12T11:47:48.873+08:00Majulah Singapura by Ramli Sarip National Day 2019National Day 2019 will now be forever remembered for the incredibly emotional and moving rendition of Majulah Singapura by Mr Ramli Sarip, widely known as the Papa of Malay Rock.<br />
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Watch, and watch again. Majulah Singapura!<br />
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Here are other National Day 2019 Videos.<br />
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<b><u>Mobile column, featuring Leopard 2SG Main Battle Tanks and much more!</u></b><br />
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<b><u>Chinook Helicopter National Day Parade Singapore Flag Flypast and F15SG Vertical Climb!</u></b><br />
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<b><u>Red Lions Landing</u></b><br />
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<b><u>Majulah Singapura Finale and Fireworks!</u></b><br />
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<b><u>NDP2019 Fun Pack Unveiling</u></b><br />
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Happy National Day Singapore!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1475220317326602907.post-86620683220058460512019-06-15T21:29:00.002+08:002019-06-15T21:29:42.459+08:00Arriving in Guangzhou - Shamian Island, Baiyun Mountain, Up Down 9 Street and MoreThis trip was back in late 2017. A short trip to Guangzhou, China. We flew on SQ and stayed at the China Hotel (A Marriott Hotel). It was a free and easy trip, with the objective to rest and relax. Though we didn't see very much, it was still fun.<br />
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<u><b>All Fours Movement</b></u><br />
The first video here is something odd I witnessed at a park. Check out this new 'All Fours Movement' (coined by me). Elderly crawling up hill on all fours? This was at Yue Xiu Park, Guangzhou. Quite bizarre, but they seem to know what they were doing.<br />
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We flew to Guangzhou on Singapore Airlines. We arrived in Guangzhou in good time. When we were researching on where to stay, we decided that since this was a short getaway, and prices in China were still relatively inexpensive (compared to hotel prices in Singapore), we decided on a nice hotel chain, and landed on the Marriott - A China Hotel.<br />
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This was a 5-star Marriott hotel, but it was one of the earliest (if not the earliest) 5-star hotel in Guangzhou. Hence the property was a bit old. Booking online, the rates for a Club Room was reasonable (about $210 SGD), so we decided to go with that.
Further research revealed that we could take the Guangzhou Metro from the airport, all the way to the hotel. It looked very simple, and it turned out to be very easy indeed.<br />
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Of course, if you have large luggage to lug around, then it would be harder. But since this was a short trip, our luggage was light and easy to push around. So after landing, we got a China SIM card near the baggage carousel, and then made our way to our hotel via the Metro.
The video below shows you this experience, from collecting our luggage, to buying the SIM card, walking to the Metro station, buying a 3-day METRO ticket, and riding the Metro proper. It really was very easy indeed.<br />
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<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0-yzBRNxw7E" width="560"></iframe><br />
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When we arrived at the Yue Xiu Park metro station, (where the Hotel was located), we decided to go grab a bite at the nearby McDonalds first. We were hungry. Here is the video of the snack we had at McDonalds. We shared a Spicy Chicken Fillet Burger.<br />
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<b><u>Guangzhou Metro Map</u></b><br />
Here is the Guangzhou Metro map. You can easily find this online. The airport station is on Line 3, at the North of the map, called Airport South. (or was it Airport North, either way one of the airport stations isn't opened yet).
Taking Line 3 southwards, we changed trains at JianHeWangGang to get onto the Blue Line, towards Yue Xiu Park, for our hotel.<br />
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<span style="background-color: #fbfbfb; color: #282828; font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 14px;">On our first day, after arriving and getting to the hotel, we set out using the MRT to get to Shamian Island. To get there, we took the Metro to HuangSha station, which is on the western side of the map. At the Huang Sha station, exit via Exit F, walk via an overpass to get to the island. Here are two video clips on our experience.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #282828; font-family: "tahoma";"><span style="background-color: #fbfbfb; font-size: 14px;">Part 1 - Guangzhou China, Metro, Walk to Shamian Island</span></span><br />
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Part 2- Walking around Shamian Island, in Guangzhou.<br />
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Notice from the videos that the visitors were all locals. Plenty of local folks out for a walk today. We also spotted people taking wedding photographs on the island. </div>
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About Shamian Island (<a class="bbc_url" href="https://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/guangdong/guangzhou/shamian-island.htm" rel="nofollow noopener noreferer" style="color: #0f72da;" target="_blank" title="External link">https://www.travelch...mian-island.htm</a>)</div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Shamian Island, previous known as Zhongliusha or Shicuizhou, is an elliptic sandbar in the Liwan District of Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province. The island's name literally means "sandy surface" in Chinese. Surrounded by water, it is just like a giant ship mooring alongside the wharf. Get further and one will find that the island is carefully planned. Three east-west avenues, Shamian Avenue, Shamian North Avenue and the South Avenue, and five north-south streets, Shamian Street 1 to the Street 5 divide the whole area into 12 parts, with various buildings, namely White Swan Hotel, Shamian Hotel, and Poland Consulate in Guangzhou, scattered around.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;">After roaming the island a bit, we headed off (using Bai Du maps) to walk around. I think we made it all the way to the up-down 9 street - </span>ShangXiaJiu street or <span style="font-family: sans-serif;">上下九步行街. </span></div>
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<b><u>Next Morning - Bai Yun Mountain</u></b><br />
Next morning, where we had a full day, we decided that we should do the Bai Yun mountain as early as we could. Bai Yun (White Cloud) mountain is actually just a hill. Highest point is 382M. After doing our research, we decided to try taking the public bus #24 from Yue Xiu Garden (which is near where we stayed) to the foot of the mountain. It took a while for us to find the correct bus stop, but we found it. While waiting for the bus to arrive, I spotted this vehicle going past. Was it cleaning the road? I wasn't sure. The video was taken at the bus stop where we were waiting for #24. In the distance, you can see the Marriott Hotel.<br />
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<b><u>Taking the public bus</u></b><br />
First bus was too full. We managed to get on the second bus #24 that came along. Fare was 2RM per person and the driver doesn't give change. Since I didn't have small notes, I used 10RM for the both of us. It was a fairly tight squeeze along the way, but the bus was air-conditioned and it was a fairly comfortable ride, even though we were standing. When we reached the terminus station, we got off, followed the crowds to cross a road, and walked up to the ticketing area. This video shows you snippets of the journey. The ride from Yue Xiu Garden to the bus terminus was about 20 minutes.<br />
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Once we reached the cable car station, we got to the ticket line for cable car tickets. Pleasantly surprised that the line wasn't too long. After all, this was the Golden Week in China. We had done our travel research and decided that we should take the cable car up, and then look for the electric cart to take us up to the summit. Buying the tickets was very straightforward. I asked about the return ticket, and the counter staff said that return ticket could only be purchased up the mountain. Ok, then. We go up first. The next video shows the cable car ride upwards. As there was already a small crowd, they squeezed 8 pax to a car. The ride was fairly long.<br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OfKjBklhHUA" width="560"></iframe>
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<b>Electric Cart</b><br />
After we alighted from the cable car, we walked around a bit (this wasn't the summit yet) and found our way to the electric cart station. You could walk to the summit from here, but it would be an uphill 2km walk. I highly recommend taking the electric cart, at 10rmb per person. You will see from the video that there were many people walking up, so the walk is do-able but I think quite tiring.<br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nQb3L76zigE" width="560"></iframe>
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Even after we reach the Moxing Summit station (where we get off the electric cart), it was still a good 5 minutes uphill climb to the summit proper. Therefore, unless you feel like walking many steps uphill, I would strongly recommend taking the cable car followed by the electric cart.<br />
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Finally, we were on the brink of reaching the summit. </div>
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To recap, first we took the public bus #24 (2rmb) from Yue Xiu garden to the mountain bus interchange. Next, we bought the cable car tickets (25rmb) which brought us up to a large, busy area. Then we found the electric cart station, and took the electric cart (10rmb) to the Moxing Summit. The final leg, we have to walk. But first, another 4rmb entrance fees. And we are finally here! (Prices correct as at Oct 2017)</div>
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This is probably the fastest way to get up. I realised that while many locals took the cable car up, they didn't take the electric cart. You could do that too, but check out my earlier video to get a sense of how far you would need to walk (uphill). I think the 10rmb was well worth the money. </div>
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<b><u>Walking back to Cable Car Station</u></b><br />
<span style="background-color: #fbfbfb; color: #282828; font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 14px;">We spent around 30 minutes at the Mo Xing summit. It was rather warm. Soon, it was time to make our way back down. Recall we took the electric cart here. This time round, we decided to take a walk back to the cable car station. Walking downslope wasn't difficult. On the way, we saw many people walking up, including young and old. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fbfbfb; color: #282828; font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 14px;">We had to buy tickets to do down via cable car, which we did. The whole place was getting more crowded as we approached mid-day, with more and more local tourists coming up. But we were done with the visit and on the way down. The next video shows you the cable car ride down. Check out the crowds at the base station! </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fbfbfb; color: #282828; font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 14px;"><b><u>Taking Public Bus Back to Hotel</u></b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fbfbfb; color: #282828; font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 14px;">We decided to take the same public bus #24 to head back to where we started. Here is the walk from the cable car station back to the bus station, and some snippets of the bus ride. </span><br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bIbnMFFjXzM" width="560"></iframe>
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The rest of the time in Guangzhou, we were exploring, either on foot or via the metro. Here are some more video footage. Somehow, we found ourselves walking through some backstreet alleys of Guangzhou. We had veered off the main road. However, we were not lost, simply following Baidu maps.<br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/f7ro6cCa22I" width="560"></iframe><br />
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<b><u>QingPing Market</u></b><br />
Also walked through a bit of Qingping market. Famous place for all types of medicines and dried goods.
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<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LwglyeSr1KQ" width="560"></iframe><br />
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<b><u>QR Code Bus Station</u></b><br />
<span style="background-color: #fbfbfb; color: #282828; font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 14px;">Walked past a bus station. First time I saw such large QR codes printed on the wall. Later, I realised that their people were buying bus tickets to various destinations using their </span><a class="bbc_url sgcarstorelinks" href="http://www.mycarforum.com/index.php?app=sgcarstore&req=listprod&cat=8&si=Product+Type&sti=Mobile+Phone" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener" style="background-color: #fbfbfb; color: black; font-family: tahoma; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">mobile phone</a><span style="background-color: #fbfbfb; color: #282828; font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 14px;">.</span><br />
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<b><u>Li Wang Plaza Guangzhou</u></b><br />
<span style="background-color: #fbfbfb; color: #282828; font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 14px;">We found our way to Li Wan Plaza Guangzhou, which was a wholesale center. This place was huge! All the shops were opened, but we hardly saw any customers. Later on I figured that they were all wholesalers and traders, taking much of their orders over the phone, or internet. </span><br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YcDirUNpljc" width="560"></iframe><br />
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<u><b>Dian Du De</b></u><br />
<span style="background-color: #fbfbfb; color: #282828; font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 14px;">And we had some food at this place called Dian Du De. This place was super crowded! We had read about it online and came to check it out. Full of locals. We ordered, and had way too much to eat! The portions were extremely huge (we didn't know). </span><br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cyY-Zi2mTRY" width="560"></iframe>
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Thanks very much for following my blog!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1475220317326602907.post-67959635610871369372019-06-14T21:59:00.002+08:002019-06-15T08:38:27.973+08:00Terracotta Warriors in Cling Wrap - I Kid you Not! - Taking Public Bus to see the Terracotta ArmyWe were in Xi'An, China! Today, we visited the Terracotta Warriors Museum. This was on our 'bucket list' coming to Xi'An, so we were definitely excited. After all, this is arguably the most important reason why tourists visit Xi'An in the first place!<br />
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Feeling adventurous, we decided to take the public bus. After researching on the Internet, we realised that it wasn't difficult. You just need to find your way to Xi'An Main railway station (not to be confused with Xi'An North High Speed Rail station). Unfortunately, there wasn't any metro stop near the main railway station, so we took a taxi from our hotel (Sheraton Xi'An North). The ride didn't take too long, about 15 minutes.<br />
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After alighting at the taxi stand, it was a short walk across a public square to a bus bay, where there were many tourist buses waiting. There were several companies, but they bring you to the same destination, i.e. Terracotta Army Museum, albeit some have slightly different stops. The bus fare was 7RMB or 8RMB per adult each way (7 or 8 depending on the company you take). You can pay the bus conductor in cash.<br />
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The ride took about an hour. Once you get off at the bus terminus, it was quite easy to find your way to the visitor entrance (just follow the signs). Buy your tickets and get yourself in!<br />
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The video below shows you from the time we arrived at Xi'An Main railway station. We got on a bus (it was blue in colour) and made our way to the Terracotta Army museum. En-route, we did stop at another tourist site, but that's for another blog post.<br />
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The Terracotta Museum itself was huge. Apparently, the crowds can get overwhelming (just look at the size of the entrance, and the barricades). Fortunately, it wasn't that crowded when we were there. We got our tickets easily (very short queue) and made our way in.<br />
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Pit 1 is the most famous pit. Take all your pictures there!<br />
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<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/y1x9YOryFTE" width="560"></iframe><br />
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Some photographs to follow. After buying our tickets, this was the main entrance. Quite intimidating isn't it!<br />
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A photo of my ticket. We paid in cash.<br />
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From the main entrance, you still had to walk about 1KM to get to the main museum proper. There was some electric cart buggy you could ride (for a fee of course), but I think the ride wasn't worth it. The ground was very flat and it was an easy walk. The vast majority walked.<br />
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Inside the main Terracotta museum grounds, there are essentially 3 pits that you must visit. You can find all the detailed descriptions of these pits when you google, so I won't repeat them here.<br />
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As many of the reviewers have noted, Pit 1 is the most awesome and most famous. This is what it looks like. The scale is mind-boggling. Terracotta Army Pit 1 is an east-west rectangular pit, measuring 230 meters (252 yards) long, 62 meters (68 yards) wide and 4.5 to 6.5 meters (15 to 21 feet) deep. It is said to contain 6,000 warriors and horses.<br />
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Another view of Pit 1.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFb-POlrMVRDpoZGCCEHyF2uqHR0zK9XxWFYGq-kehk1acb2wjJnhNwo31bZZjWnDgEVQOirc9SskkK7pkeWjYB_gWMeHOdV018_Ud-xYuPdneIcFd-zqGipRVya3CQKIKWJrO7nVtHFjm/s1600/WhatsApp+Image+2019-06-14+at+9.41.55+PM+%25281%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFb-POlrMVRDpoZGCCEHyF2uqHR0zK9XxWFYGq-kehk1acb2wjJnhNwo31bZZjWnDgEVQOirc9SskkK7pkeWjYB_gWMeHOdV018_Ud-xYuPdneIcFd-zqGipRVya3CQKIKWJrO7nVtHFjm/s640/WhatsApp+Image+2019-06-14+at+9.41.55+PM+%25281%2529.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Yet another angle. <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">You can see the soldiers all lined up. Obviously, when they uncovered this gigantic pit in 1976, it wasn't so neat. Hey, after being buried for 2,000 years, it ain't going to be so neat.</span><br />
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Take all your photos here, because Pit 2 and Pit 3 have far fewer warriors. Here is Pit 2 - also very large, but they are still excavating.<br />
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And pit 3 - which is supposedly a command pit. Pit 3 is the smallest, by far. <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;">Built in the shape of the Chinese character “凹”, the Terracotta Army Pit 3 measures 17.6 meters (19.2 yards) long from east to west, 21.4 meters (23.4 yards) wide from north to south and 4.8 meters (15.7 feet) deep. It can be divided into three parts: chariot and horse chamber, northern wing room, and southern wing room. It is thought that the northern wing room was used to pray for victory and the southern one for collecting military tactics. A total of 68 lifelike terracotta warriors were excavated from this pit, 42 from the southern wing room and 22 from the northern one. Sadly, many of them are missing their heads. The archaeologists also found a lot of well-preserved bronze weaponry, as well as gold, stone and bronze decorations, inside Pit 3. A distinctive chariot equipped with four horses was discovered inside the chamber of the pit.</span><br />
<a href="https://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/shaanxi/xian/terra_cotta_army/pit_3.htm">https://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/shaanxi/xian/terra_cotta_army/pit_3.htm</a><br />
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It doesn't really take that long to do the Terracotta Warriors museum. If you want to speed things up a bit, you could hire a driver, or get a taxi, instead of the public bus. Obviously that would cost you more.<br />
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Thanks for reading my blog!<br />
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Other Xi'An Links:<br />
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1) <a href="https://guitar123foodandtravel.blogspot.com/2019/06/mount-hua-hua-shan-west-peak-and-south.html" target="_blank">Mt Hua Shan - Up the West Peak</a><br />
2) <a href="https://guitar123foodandtravel.blogspot.com/2019/06/longmen-grottos-from-xian-to-luoyang.html" target="_blank">Longmen Grottos - from Xi'An to Luoyang Longmen</a><br />
3) <a href="https://guitar123foodandtravel.blogspot.com/2019/05/sheraton-xian-north-hotel-marriott.html" target="_blank">Sheraton Xi'An North Hotel - Club Room and Executive Lounge</a><br />
4) <a href="https://guitar123foodandtravel.blogspot.com/2019/05/china-eastern-airlines-business-class.html" target="_blank">China Eastern Airlines Business Class Singapore to Shanghai to Xi'An Adventure!</a><br />
5) <a href="https://guitar123foodandtravel.blogspot.com/2019/06/china-eastern-airlines-business-class.html" target="_blank">China Eastern Airlines Business Class Shanghai to Singapore Flight Review</a><br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1475220317326602907.post-1507172390260490862019-06-10T23:00:00.004+08:002019-06-15T12:16:05.451+08:00Mount Hua, Hua Shan, West Peak and South Peak from Xi'AnWe were in Xi'An, China! Today, we decided to make a day trip to visit Mount Hua, or the famous HuaShan.
Mount Hua (simplified Chinese: 华山) is a mountain located about 120 kilometres (75 mi) east of Xi'an. It is the western mountain of the Five Great Mountains of China, and has a long history of religious significance. The mountain is classified as five main peaks, of which the highest is the South Peak at 2,154.9 metres (7,070 ft).<br />
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Before this trip, we read a lot (and I mean a lot) about Hua Shan, from various bloggers and I tried to watch all the youtube videos on Hua Shan that I could find. We were supposed to be a on a leisurely trip so we were looking for the least effort way to get up the mountain. From our research, it was evident that there were numerous approaches. The hardest way is to hike up the mountain (takes 5 hours if you are fit). Apparently this was a common route up by many locals, and even some overseas visitors (and bloggers). I have no doubt that the sense of achievement would be greater if you hiked up the mountain, but we weren't up for such a strenuous activity.
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This Trail Map of Mt Huashan gives you a good idea of the timings required to get from peak to peak. Take note the following:<br />
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1. Famous plank walk (or plank road) is between South and East Peak. We didn't go there, but many people do. (many Youtube Videos too)<br />
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2. There are 2 cable cars - to the North Peak and to the West Peak. For both cable cars, you will need to take an internal shuttle after you enter the park at the Tourist Service Center (or Visitor Center).<br />
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3. All reviews say that the walk from North Peak, to Middle Peak, is extremely strenuous as you are going uphill. Think of it as a 1-hour uphill climb. From what I have read, the steps are well cut, so safety shouldn't be too much of an issue. You just need to be physically fit.<br />
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<b><i><u>Our Final Route</u></i></b><br />
4. For us, the least physical effort route would be to go up and down West Peak cable car. Once we reached the West Peak cable car station at the mountain top, we first walked to the West Peak summit (it was still a 20 minute climb as you can see in my video and pictures below).<br />
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5. And then from the West peak summit, we headed to the South Peak summit. Take note, West to South is uphill. As the infographic correctly highlighted, it takes about half hour. Steps were well cut, so you don't have to worry about falling off the mountain.<br />
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6. After we viewed the South Peak, we headed back to the West Peak (downhill), and then took the cable car back down. We then had to take the internal blue shuttle bus back to the visitor center, and then a taxi to the HuaShan High Speed Rail (30RMB), and finally HS rail back to Xi'An North.<br />
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<b><u>Our Trip Begins! Public Transport to Mt Hua</u></b><br />
We went by ourselves, by public transport. It was an interesting journey, with many transfers. Sequence as follows:<br />
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1. Take the Xi'An Metro from our Hotel (Sheraton Xi'An North) to Xi'An North High Speed Rail Station<br />
2. Buy High Speed Rail ticket, take the High Speed Train to HuaShan north Station (120km)<br />
3. From station, took a taxi to visitor center. Along the way, taxi driver brought us to a tour agent to buy our tickets, as the price was the same, and we would be able to skip the queues at the visitor center.<br />
4. Arrive at visitor center, entered the gates, take the blue bus to West Peak Cable Car base station.<br />
5. Arrive at West Peak base station - it was a very long uphill walk (many stairs) to the cable car proper! We took the chair lift to go up.<br />
6. Then we finally get onto the West Peak Cable Car, which brings us to the West Peak.<br />
7. From here, it is on foot - we only visited West and South peaks. We only spent about 2 hours on the mountain top.<br />
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West to South peak was an uphill walk. So walking back from South to West was downhill. We headed back to the cable car station and went down to the West Peak base station. Then you need to take the blue bus back to the visitor center. From there, we took a taxi to the Hua Shan north High Speed Rail, got our tickets, and took the High Speed rail back to Xi'An North, and then the Xi'An metro back to our hotel! Mission accomplished!<br />
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<u><b>High Speed Rail to Hua Shan North</b></u><br />
I made four videos to give you a snippet of the entire experience. In this first video, we take the High Speed Rail from Xi'An North, to Hua Shan north. Then, we take a taxi to buy tickets and then the blue bus to the West Peak Base station. (#1 to #4 in the list above)<br />
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<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gKhuIG2PaTE" width="560"></iframe>
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<u><b>Chair Lift (and roller coaster ride back down)</b></u><br />
In this second video, it shows you the chair lift. It was 30RMB per person, each way. A bit steep for such a short ride but it was well worth it because we didn't want to tire ourselves out even before we got to the mountain top! In the video, you can see how many steps you need to climb.<br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Q1SUexuQxrc" width="560"></iframe><br />
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<u><b>Cable Car Ride up to the West Peak</b></u><br />
In this third video, it shows you the cable car ride (almost the full ride) up to the West Peak station. It was scary! But the views were breathtaking. Check out the hole in the mountain as the cable car approached the West Peak. Yes, they had to blow a hole in the mountain in order to build this cable car station.<br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5dsy5xgeay0" width="560"></iframe>
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<b><u>Our Destination - Hua Shan West and South Peaks!</u></b><br />
In this fourth and final video, I show you the West Peak and South Peaks. Gives you a good idea of the walking (and stair climbing) that you would need to do, when you go up the mountain. It was crowded, but some told us that the day we were there was already considered not crowded at all! We believed them because we didn't have wait much at all for the cable car. On some days, people wait up to 2 hours to get on the cable car. Scary.<br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RWQJLusutB4" width="560"></iframe>
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Thanks for watching my videos! Below are some pictures too.<br />
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After arriving at Hua Shan north, we took a taxi, to a travel agent to buy our tickets and then to the visitor center. The journey by taxi took about 15 minutes. I think it is worth it to take the taxi (even though there is supposedly a free tourist bus from the Hua Shan North High Speed Rail), as it would easily save you 30 minutes of commute. The fare wasn't expensive, 20 RMB. If you buy tickets from the travel agent (that the taxi driver will bring you to, if you wish, but it helps to speak the local language), he earns a commission and will only charge you 10RMB. The tickets from the travel agent are genuine - they work. The price is the same as you would get at the visitor center.<br />
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Large scale, this place. Walk towards the mountain! The highest peak is the West Peak, though I cannot tell which peaks were in front of us.<br />
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We entered via the 'Tour Group' entrance, as we bought our tickets from a tour agent. No problems at all. After that, we took the blue bus, which brought us to this place.<br />
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You would think that you had reached the cable car station. Not yet! There were many more steps to climb. We were greeted by this beautiful archway. Look beyond, at all the steps leading upwards!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFhy7hr4eB7qguUoLFgj4PunWjgAGLqRrSJwuXjaieUHae1jnm3ZA49KUSbQe1aICZFWfrm_TF7xPLApRMhp93nMRI7BkorNsz2LPZkWXKsmThaUPk8OMw8xDaqLOHYc0YBWw75j-Jqc9J/s1600/WhatsApp+Image+2019-06-10+at+9.12.12+PM.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFhy7hr4eB7qguUoLFgj4PunWjgAGLqRrSJwuXjaieUHae1jnm3ZA49KUSbQe1aICZFWfrm_TF7xPLApRMhp93nMRI7BkorNsz2LPZkWXKsmThaUPk8OMw8xDaqLOHYc0YBWw75j-Jqc9J/s640/WhatsApp+Image+2019-06-10+at+9.12.12+PM.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
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So, we decided to take the chair lift to save us some walking. Very few people took <a href="https://youtu.be/Q1SUexuQxrc" target="_blank">this chairlift</a>, because it wasn't cheap. 30RMB per person, one way.<br />
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Now, even after the chairlift, you had to walk up this steep flight of stairs, in order to finally reach the West Peak cable car station!<br />
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Fortunately for us, the line for the cable car was very short. We hardly had to wait. The cable car ride was rather long (20 minutes) and the views were <a href="https://youtu.be/5dsy5xgeay0" target="_blank">simply spectacular</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTvipsn5DzqXC5qlkD2AW-4Bf2OnKVg_U8vvWQFXkZvFF6l8FgBFvnJ_I2qTHZOG-2rfel5PEEIShUglHVjDUGaII8zKIZEOrr23_FUB8LoinAExTy10CqZi3RcCHyl2Uj_xYbX_6_bAUk/s1600/WhatsApp+Image+2019-06-10+at+9.12.13+PM+%25281%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTvipsn5DzqXC5qlkD2AW-4Bf2OnKVg_U8vvWQFXkZvFF6l8FgBFvnJ_I2qTHZOG-2rfel5PEEIShUglHVjDUGaII8zKIZEOrr23_FUB8LoinAExTy10CqZi3RcCHyl2Uj_xYbX_6_bAUk/s640/WhatsApp+Image+2019-06-10+at+9.12.13+PM+%25281%2529.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
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We reached the station, which was literally carved out of the side of the mountain. Look at the barricades, to cope with the crowds.<br />
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We were at the West Peak! You can't get lost up here. Many people. Well sign-posted.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeUQZhq2b8fe_hxzIDdB7RSuu7d9jhYlVoUKWi95LG2fUtR2sTdyJn-4LSPQr3ohXcx8rX9gPjl-KGTPikisZnD9y6-1xLhRgLxD3bs7OoV2ufcjFBLhGtSytUcUmZNHAjS1iddQRUYtEi/s1600/WhatsApp+Image+2019-06-10+at+9.12.14+PM+%25281%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeUQZhq2b8fe_hxzIDdB7RSuu7d9jhYlVoUKWi95LG2fUtR2sTdyJn-4LSPQr3ohXcx8rX9gPjl-KGTPikisZnD9y6-1xLhRgLxD3bs7OoV2ufcjFBLhGtSytUcUmZNHAjS1iddQRUYtEi/s640/WhatsApp+Image+2019-06-10+at+9.12.14+PM+%25281%2529.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
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People buy locks and ribbons. Quite a sight.<br />
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To get up the West Peak summit, this was the most challenging part. Ladder-like steps cut into the road. You need to use your hands to pull yourself up the chains.<br />
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From West Peak, we headed to the South Peak. It was uphill. South Peak was the highest peak.</div>
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It was like a party, climbing up to the South Peak. It was crowded, it was noisy. Some even turned up in party clothes. Check out my video to see the crowds, which were supposedly quite thin on the day we went up!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK1dXDje9IspSGAtkhPfp6l-3GMXdIiyRvwZmZEvbe7RGbiji8m6niccCsGTLS3YoaU2tm5NSazqrQZfcyZDL9BV4oTk40bRlVclCpMvWQ0j0iJ60l3Dl9pAkc6Ss7eu_ukKSOgVVQABG9/s1600/WhatsApp+Image+2019-06-10+at+9.12.16+PM+%25281%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK1dXDje9IspSGAtkhPfp6l-3GMXdIiyRvwZmZEvbe7RGbiji8m6niccCsGTLS3YoaU2tm5NSazqrQZfcyZDL9BV4oTk40bRlVclCpMvWQ0j0iJ60l3Dl9pAkc6Ss7eu_ukKSOgVVQABG9/s640/WhatsApp+Image+2019-06-10+at+9.12.16+PM+%25281%2529.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The South peak was even more crowded than the West Peak. There were even Chinese tourists <a href="https://youtu.be/hP6JlG9S2Jo" target="_blank">having a huge quarrel. </a> Thankfully they didn't start finding. Only raised their voices (very loud). </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKRkjwb1L9ieAVrTm3V0Zp-6OyTdDLZ9VeDA8iJV51tIkbJYV_xYv6TIM71rcmpy_z7RhGvbcG9VramPUiia_TBLeuDkVYkliS2YtdJfONZiMFCDzj8wL6PIUgL-ZuPSnDZj2_fdoD_NVs/s1600/WhatsApp+Image+2019-06-10+at+9.12.17+PM.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKRkjwb1L9ieAVrTm3V0Zp-6OyTdDLZ9VeDA8iJV51tIkbJYV_xYv6TIM71rcmpy_z7RhGvbcG9VramPUiia_TBLeuDkVYkliS2YtdJfONZiMFCDzj8wL6PIUgL-ZuPSnDZj2_fdoD_NVs/s640/WhatsApp+Image+2019-06-10+at+9.12.17+PM.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The din aside, the views were gorgeous. Here is a view of the West Peak, from the South Peak. </div>
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After we reached the South Peak, we headed back to the cable car station. Essentially you back-track, downhill - the cable car station is very near the West Peak. Another view of the West Peak Cable Car Station. Cool stuff. There is a photo booth there and they take a professional photograph of your group. You can choose to purchase the photo when you arrive at the bottom. We decided to buy our photo, as it looked pretty good. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkAPdk40mwED0Y_5RxEJlNdO8sWFtsRPUeO0xfu3k0M_pfErHVpDGDq8emwRnTIZsIPK85vTWuDISm8mN05cyljxsSgaiwuSJWe3KeI8wK-ZidKlrfPXgmU1T7yO4x59IZDplgovDSemKW/s1600/WhatsApp+Image+2019-06-10+at+9.12.18+PM+%25281%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkAPdk40mwED0Y_5RxEJlNdO8sWFtsRPUeO0xfu3k0M_pfErHVpDGDq8emwRnTIZsIPK85vTWuDISm8mN05cyljxsSgaiwuSJWe3KeI8wK-ZidKlrfPXgmU1T7yO4x59IZDplgovDSemKW/s640/WhatsApp+Image+2019-06-10+at+9.12.18+PM+%25281%2529.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Thanks for reading!!<br />
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Other Xi'An Links Below<br />
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1) <a href="https://guitar123foodandtravel.blogspot.com/2019/06/mount-hua-hua-shan-west-peak-and-south.html" target="_blank">Mt Hua Shan - Up the West Peak</a><br />
2) <a href="https://guitar123foodandtravel.blogspot.com/2019/06/longmen-grottos-from-xian-to-luoyang.html" target="_blank">Longmen Grottos - from Xi'An to Luoyang Longmen</a><br />
3) <a href="https://guitar123foodandtravel.blogspot.com/2019/05/sheraton-xian-north-hotel-marriott.html" target="_blank">Sheraton Xi'An North Hotel - Club Room and Executive Lounge</a><br />
4) <a href="https://guitar123foodandtravel.blogspot.com/2019/05/china-eastern-airlines-business-class.html" target="_blank">China Eastern Airlines Business Class Singapore to Shanghai to Xi'An Adventure!</a><br />
5) <a href="https://guitar123foodandtravel.blogspot.com/2019/06/china-eastern-airlines-business-class.html" target="_blank">China Eastern Airlines Business Class Shanghai to Singapore Flight Review</a><br />
6) <a href="https://guitar123foodandtravel.blogspot.com/2019/06/terracotta-warriors-in-cling-wrap-i-kid.html" target="_blank">Terracotta Warrior Museum - Go by Public Transport!</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1475220317326602907.post-19538644473588955112019-06-09T21:51:00.002+08:002019-06-09T22:03:41.564+08:00Longmen Grottos - From Xi'An to Luoyang Longmen to see the Buddhas Carved into Rock - UNESCO World Heritage SiteWe were in Xi'An, China! We stayed at the <a href="https://guitar123foodandtravel.blogspot.com/2019/05/sheraton-xian-north-hotel-marriott.html" target="_blank">Sheraton Xi'An North hotel </a>- a wonderful stay. Today, we would be visiting the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longmen_Grottoes" target="_blank">Longmen Grottoes</a>. Longmen what? The Chinese name is <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">龙门石窟 </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><span lang="zh-Latn-pinyin">Lóngmén Shíkū</span></i><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> </span>, or literally Dragon Gate Caves, or Grottos. (So nothing to do with Longman Jeans)<br />
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In 2000 the site was inscribed upon the UNESCO World Heritage List as “an outstanding manifestation of human artistic creativity,” for its perfection of an art form, and for its encapsulation of the cultural sophistication of Tang China<br />
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Now, getting to this UNESCO World Heritage site would be interesting. It was located near the city of Luoyang. The distance between Xi'An and Luoyang was 380km (236 miles). This distance was farther than Singapore to Kuala Lumpur (which is about 350km).<br />
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How to get there? High Speed Rail of course! The journey time would take us about 1.5 hours. To achieve this, the train would have to achieve an average speed of 253km/h. Not bad at all! This would be our first time on board a China High Speed Rail train. Excited!<br />
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I made 2 videos to remember this experience. Here they are, followed by some pictures.<br />
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<b>In this first video, </b>we make our way from Sheraton Xi'An North, via Xi'An Metro, to the Xi'An High Speed Rail station. After getting our tickets, we got into this huge station (the largest in Northwest China). As we had a bit of time, and also because our train ride was 1.5 hours long, we decided to get some food to eat on the train. I got a KFC burger - easy to eat! The train ride was very smooth and punctual. In the video, I also show you the toilet in the train. It was clean.<br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NLDnXRbvHC4" width="560"></iframe>
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<b>In this second video</b>, I immediately show you the highlight (the most famous cave) of Longmen Grottoes - this huge rock carving of a giant Buddha and many other figures. You can find a full description of what this place is about on this <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longmen_Grottoes" target="_blank">Wikipedia entry</a>. We don't believe in Buddha, but we were here to admire the rock carvings! Overall, it was quite a sight Pity, however, this place has been badly destroyed and mutilated over the years. We were told during the Cultural Revolution, the damage was super extensive. So we saw many empty caves, headless statues etc. We didn't spend too long here, but managed to see the most famous cave which is at the start of my video below.<br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QemBdJd-4GY" width="560"></iframe>
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<b><u>Pictures</u></b><br />
As promised, some pictures. Xi'An North High Speed Rail Station was huge, the largest station in Northwest China.<br />
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2nd class cabin, it is in a 2-3 configuration. Comfortable, and trains were punctual. The seats weren't very wide, but the incline was very good! Can easily take a nap.<br />
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Toilets were clean. This one was a squat toilet. My video shows you more of the train toilet. (yes, I went to do a toilet inspection.)<br />
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We brought our own food and water to eat and drink on board. Doing so allowed us to head to the tourist site immediately once the train arrived at Luoyang Longmen. Didn't want to waste any time finding food.<br />
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From the High Speed Rail station, we took a taxi to the Visitor Center. At the Visitor Center, we bought our tickets to enter the site. There was an optional electric cart. Having read earlier reviews, we took the cart as well. It wasn't expensive, and the ride was rather long. Saved us plenty of walking. You can see snippets of this ride in the second video.<br />
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After we reached the main site, there was naturally plenty of walking and stair climbing to do. Didn't want to tire ourselves so early! These are the steps with the wooden/golden handrails that would bring us to the most famous cave. This is featured in my second video.<br />
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Unfortunately, the Longmen Grottos haven't been well preserved. Plenty of damage. Oh well.<br />
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This angle shows you the steps to climb up, to see the various 'holes'. Frankly, more holes than statues now.<br />
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This shows you the interior of one the larger caves. I'm sure when it was first carved, it would been quite splendid as a piece of art. But, the wear and tear is really quite bad. Still, you can make out the statues.<br />
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Overall, it was an interesting visit, and only made possible by the very impressive and reliable China High Speed Rail system. So the lesson for me, for this field trip, was not so much this UNESCO world heritage site, but more of just how well connected Chinese cities are now with their High Speed Rail system!<br />
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Thanks for reading my blog.<br />
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<a href="https://guitar123foodandtravel.blogspot.com/2019/06/china-eastern-airlines-business-class.html" target="_blank">China Eastern Airlines Business Class Xi'An to Shanghai to Singapore Review </a><br />
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<a href="https://guitar123foodandtravel.blogspot.com/2019/05/china-eastern-airlines-business-class.html" target="_blank">China Eastern Airlines Business Class Singapore to Xi'An Adventure! </a><br />
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<a href="https://guitar123foodandtravel.blogspot.com/2019/05/sheraton-xian-north-hotel-marriott.html" target="_blank">Sheraton Xi'An North Club Room and Club Lounge!</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1475220317326602907.post-75259307707803814182019-06-02T18:34:00.002+08:002019-06-02T18:34:42.531+08:00China Eastern Airlines Business Class Xi'An to Shanghai to Singapore Flight ReviewWe fly China Eastern Airlines Business class, back to Singapore from Xi'An, after a wonderful holiday in Xi'An! <br />
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Our fight plan was as follows:<br />
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MU 5010 - dep Xian 0850, arr Shanghai 1125<br />
MU 565 - dep Shanghai 1435, arr Shanghai 2010<br />
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As our flight departed Xian somewhat early that morning, we decided to stay at the Regal Airport Hotel for one night, so that our departure could be smooth and easy. Our flight home would be much smoother than<a href="https://guitar123foodandtravel.blogspot.com/2019/05/china-eastern-airlines-business-class.html" target="_blank"> our exciting adventure some days earlier on getting to Xian!</a><br />
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Xian Xianyang Airport Terminal 3 had a dedicated check-in area for China Eastern, which was very near the security clearance. After checking in (our luggage would be checked through to Singapore), clearing security was quite quick (there were priority lines for Premium Pax) and we quickly found our way to the China Eastern Lounge. Just follow the signs, not difficult. The entrance to the lounge looked like this. I read online that China Eastern operated another lounge at the other end of the concourse. But this lounge was very near our gates, so made a lot more sense to wait here, at the V1 lounge.<br />
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<u><b>Busy Lounge</b></u><br />
Inside the lounge, we found it quite busy indeed. I made a video of the lounge, and you can see the crowds at the dining area. There was a decent selection of food, and China Eastern served their signature beef noodles in this lounge too. Indeed, the Chinese love their noodles, no doubt about that.<br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/x_GUQllOuHg" width="560"></iframe>
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<b><u>Nice Blue Seats</u></b><br />
Here are some photos of the lounge. Nice blue seats. They looked traditional, but they were pretty comfortable. You could actually snooze on them (we did for a while) by lounging forward. The seats gave good support to the next! There were charging points on the floor, in between the seats, making it convenient to charge our devices. Of course, I had to use my universal plug. You can watch my video at 5:54 to see the charging points.<br />
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<b><u>Rather Sunny!</u></b><br />
At times, it felt rather warm, because the morning sun was pouring in. Yes, this lounge gets the morning sun.<br />
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<u><b>First Class Ticket?</b></u><br />
Was a bit tickled when I saw my boarding passes (Red) which stated First Class. No, we didn't buy First class tickets, ours was Business class fare. However, it seems that within China, they seem to mix Business and First. Maybe the concept is like in the USA, where they call domestic business as First Class. Anyway, it didn't matter, as long as we got our seats!<br />
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Our flight was delayed by almost an hour, due to late arrival of aircraft from Moscow. Apparently MU5010 is a service from Shanghai to Moscow, via Xi'An. So the plane came in from Moscow. Didn't bother us too much since we had sufficient layover time at Shanghai as buffer, and waiting in the lounge was comfortable (we found a spot which didn't have the morning sun). We could wait until the boarding announcements were made before heading to the gate.<br />
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<u><b>MU 5010 Xi'an to Shanghai</b></u><br />
Again, we had to take a bus from our gate to the airplane. Truly, a bus airline! We got up the mini-bus for Premium Pax, and the ride was about 5 minutes to the aircraft. I made this video of our flight experience from Xi'An to Shanghai, on board the China Eastern Airbus A330-300 series aircraft.<br />
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This Airbus was also retrofitted with their latest cabin product, which looked very similar to the Boeing 787 Dreamliner that we flew on from Singapore to Shanghai. Some pictures of the cabin (in a 1-2-1 configuration) below.<br />
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Notice the slightly staggered layout of the window seats - alternate between true window seat and nearer the aisle seat.<br />
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A 1-2-1 formation. Very spacious, private feel. Overall, a very solid hard product.<br />
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The IFE screens were fairly big. Good enough for me to watch a movie.<br />
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When we flew from Shanghai to Xi'An a few days back on a late flight (dep 2130hrs), the catering was extremely underwhelming - <a href="https://youtu.be/onBB3f8IuWE" target="_blank">2 tarts and 5 slices of fruit</a>! So, I was curious, this time what would we get for a morning flight? A slice of bread and a drink perhaps? LOL!<br />
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<u><b>Asian or Western style breakfast?</b></u><br />
Fortunately, China Eastern did better than that. We had a choice of Asian or Western style breakfast. I chose Asian, not knowing what it entailed. But at least we were decent a decent breakfast (local Xi'An style), which I quite enjoyed. Bear in mind this is a 1hr 50min flight, so my expectations weren't sky high. Here is breakfast I enjoyed. Do watch my video if you want more details of the food, as I examine the food tray more closely.<br />
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The flight path from Xi'An to Shanghai wasn't straight. Wonder why. Maybe to avoid weather, or traffic congestion, or military airspace. Well, as long as our pilot got us to our destination safely, I can't complain.<br />
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Weather was bright and sunny as we approached Shanghai Pudong. Managed to get a very nice view of Shanghai Hongqiao Airport from the air. There was an aircraft landing on the runway too. Cool!<br />
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<u><b>Arrival into Shanghai Pudong</b></u><br />
Landing was smooth. Recall, when we arrived in Shanghai en-route to Xi'An, we had assumed that our onward flight was on track. This time round, I immediately turned on my flight app which could show me the arrivals/departures at the airport. Yes, our onward flight was on schedule. Of course, don't just trust the app, check the departure boards in the airport itself. It looked ok. Phew!<br />
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So we made our way past security and immigration, to the departure area for international flights at Shanghai Pudong, and took the escalator up to the China Eastern Lounge. This was supposedly China Eastern's flagship lounge. It was rather crowded when we got there, as it was lunch hour, but we could still find a nice table for the two of us on the first level.<br />
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Food - I had 2 servings of this Nasi Goreng style rice with fish, and I couldn't resist trying that bun.<br />
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The second floor of the lounge was a lot more quiet, with many seats and very few passengers. Head up here if you want a quite place to nap or chill. Of course, don't forget to set your alarm for your boarding time!<br />
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Another angle of the second floor. Yes, the boarding announcements were made, but they weren't that loud. You could miss them if you are not careful.<br />
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<u><b>Boarding Time</b></u><br />
It was time for us to board the aircraft (we waited till the boarding announcement), and we headed off to our gate. Our aircraft was boarding from Gate 212, which was a bus boarding gate. When we reached the gate, they had already started general boarding. It didn't look like there was a line for priority passengers!<br />
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Well, we just followed the other business class passengers who went to the front of the line, showed the staff our tickets, and they let us through. We headed to the mini-van for premium passengers and enjoyed our final ride on this same type of mini-bus. We have had so many bus rides on this trip that I've lost count!<br />
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The aircraft that would be flying us to Singapore was a rather new Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Every passenger, premium or not, had to use the same staircase up to the airplane. I took this photo to show my parents. The steps were steep. Given their age, I had advised them not to take China Eastern. Not sure if my mother can make her way up and down such steps.<br />
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Another look at the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Pretty neat! We weren't in any rush to board, so we let the other passengers board first. The weather was great, and I took many photos of the plane. See the front gear - serial number of this plane was B-209N. She was delivered to Shanghai Pudong on 31st March 2019. Very new!<br />
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<u><b>Flight Review - Shanghai to Singapore on the China Eastern Dreamliner in Business Class</b></u><br />
Here is the flight review video on this Shanghai to Singapore leg.<br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/x0IscsvQeMw" width="560"></iframe><br />
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The cabin was beautiful. Very classy. For this flight, I was seated in 8L, which was a window seat. (as in right next to the window)<br />
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The welcome drink was champagne, orange juice, or water. I chose the champagne. This time round, the menus were placed at our seats. I took a glance through, and from the applicable menu for our flight. China Eastern has the habit of printing a single menu that can last them for many, many months. If you watch 3:30 of my video you will see that the menu is colour coded - Red for Odd month 1st to 15th, Orange for Odd month 16th to 31st, Blue for Even month 1st to 15th and Green for even month 16th to 31st.<br />
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I guess this system saves them printing costs.
For my dinner, I chose the 3 cup chicken with rice. The cabin crew asked whether I would like dinner to be served immediately upon takeoff, or later. As our takeoff time was about 2:30pm (i.e. too early for dinner), I asked to be served later. The crew said the service would be at 5:30pm, as landing was slightly past 7pm. I said ok.
After the flight took off, cabin lights were dimmed, and most passengers were watching movies or took an afternoon map. The crew came around with drinks service, and I got some white wine to go with the mixed nuts that they gave out. It was good.
The seat could be converted into a flat bed easily (push button) and I took a short nap. For some reason, I woke up automatically, just before dinner time. Perhaps I was getting hungry! Dinner was served. It wasn't like gourmet food, but the taste suited me just fine.<br />
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My tray table was ready for dinner service. They gave me the red wine first.<br />
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My 3-cup chicken with rice meal. The taste wasn't bad at all!<br />
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Well, that pretty much wraps up my Trip Report, Xi'An to Shanghai to Singapore on China Eastern Business class. This was our first time on China Eastern, and putting aside the slight trauma we had with delays and cancelled flights on Singapore to Xi'An leg, it was a great experience for the price we had paid! <br />
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Would we fly with China Eastern again? Yes! But we would also know that their flights may be delayed/cancelled etc, so we would be mentally prepared for it all. <br />
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Thanks for reading and watching my videos!<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1475220317326602907.post-61100020672190664262019-05-27T22:06:00.001+08:002019-05-27T22:06:21.198+08:00Sheraton Xi'An North Hotel Marriott Bonvoy Group Club Room Walkthrough and Club Lounge Awesome!We stayed for 5 nights at the Sheraton Xi'An North Hotel, part of the Marriott Bonvoy Group, in a Club Room. We had an awesome stay!<br />
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The hotel is centrally located, right next to a subway station on Line 2. Just 3 stops south and you will get to Bell Tower/Drum Tower.<br />
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Taxi ride from the Airport cost around 120RM to 140RM, and took about 30 minutes.<br />
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Opposite the hotel, there were 2 large shopping centers, with plenty of eateries and supermarket.<br />
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<b>Here is a walkthrough of our Club Room</b>, on the 21st Floor.<br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ytYOQ9QW8XI" width="560"></iframe><br />
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We had an amazing experience in the Club Lounge. We had breakfast there everyday, and also Happy Hour (5pm to 8pm) every day! They served up a full dinner during Happy Hour, and it was awesome!<br />
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<b><u>Breakfast in the Club Lounge</u></b><br />
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<u><b>Happy Hour (Dinner) in the Club Lounge</b></u><br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/k0_V6YGB_ZQ" width="560"></iframe><br />
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While this isn't the newest hotel in Xi'An, it is still a luxury hotel, and the price point was very good. We booked our room through the Marriott Bonvoy app and paid a very reasonable price for our 5 night stay in a Club Room. <br />
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Recommended!<br />
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Enjoy!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1475220317326602907.post-34242580878346870602019-05-26T22:18:00.001+08:002019-05-26T22:48:14.496+08:00China Eastern Airlines Business Class Adventure Singapore to Shanghai to Xian - Flight delays and Cancellations!Welcome to our China Eastern Airlines Business Class adventure! We fly on their Business class from Singapore to Shanghai, onward to Xi'An. Our original flight schedule was as follows:<br />
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1. 17 May MU 566 - dep Singapore 2310, arr Shanghai 0440<br />
2. 18 May MU 2335 - dep Shanghai 0645, arr Xi'An 0930<br />
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<b><u>Baggage Checked through to Xi'An</u></b><br />
Our baggage would be checked through. We were looking forward to arriving in Xi'An on 18th May morning, and still have sufficient time to spend the afternoon and evening doing some touring. We had planned for this holiday for a while now, so it was very exciting and it would be a trip of many firsts.<br />
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<u><b>MU 566 Re-timed to 0800hrs the Next Morning</b></u><br />
We arrived at Changi Airport Terminal 3 before 9PM on 17 May (Friday). We headed straight to the SKY Priority queue, but was only to be greeted with this sight. (see video). There was a long line for the normal check-in, and it wasn't moving, which was strange. It didn't take us long to realise that the flight was re-timed to 0800hrs next morning. After speaking to one of the check-in staff (who also didn't really know what was going on), I left my mobile number and we decided to go home, even though we were told that the Airline would arrange for passengers to stay over in a hotel that night. We decided against that since we would be more comfortable sleeping at home.<br />
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<b><u>2 Flights were Re-timed</u></b><br />
Note that both China Eastern flights to Shanghai MU 566 and MU 544 had been re-timed. Apparently, there was some weather over Guangzhou/Hong Kong area, and the Shanghai aviation authorities had decided that our flights would be re-timed. Oh well.....<br />
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<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KPivaqdugMM" width="560"></iframe>
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<b><u>Next morning - Check In at Terminal 3 </u></b><br />
We got to the airport in good time next morning. As we would have missed our connecting flight (MU 2335), the China Eastern ground staff re-booked us on MU 2162 departing 1730hrs. We were quite glad that we managed to get seats on a later flight! With the revised MU 566 timing, we would only get to Shanghai around 1330hrs. So a 1730hrs onward flight would still be ok.<br />
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Also, we could claim the taxi fare (from Airport to home and back to Airport) at the counter (so remember to keep your receipts), and we got that in cash.<br />
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<b><u>SATS Premier Lounge Terminal 3</u></b><br />
With our baggage checked through, and boarding passes in our hand (for both MU 566 and MU 2162), we got through immigration and headed to the SATS Premier Lounge at Terminal 3. China Eastern Airlines uses this contract lounge. It was super busy that morning, and it got a bit unsightly because the staff couldn't clear the used plates quickly enough. Anyway, we managed to find a seat, and I got some breakfast. The food wasn't too bad - got some laksa, noodles, porridge and even otah-otah. I didn't eat too much as I expected more food on the plane.<br />
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<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fJ4zUeSEnP8" width="560"></iframe>
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<b><u>Departure from Changi Airport Terminal 3</u></b><br />
We got to our departure gate at Changi Airport in good time. But when we got there, I noticed that the cabin crew was still seated near the gate! Not a good sign.<br />
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<b><u>Missing Plane?</u></b><br />
Where was the plane? It was just being towed in! So what happened was that the plan was likely parked at some remote stand overnight, and now it was being towed to the gate in preparation for departure. The video below shows you the plane being towed in, and some footage of takeoff.<br />
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<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3cBJzHmMzAw" width="560"></iframe>
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<u><b>Travel Insurance Documentation</b></u><br />
Oh yes, before I forget, we had bought travel insurance for our trips and in this case, I believe we could claim some money due to trip delay. However, as with all insurance claims, you need the proper documentation. For trip delays, you definitely need a letter from the Airline to prove that the plane was delayed. We were told by the check-in staff to get these letters at the boarding gate. We got 2 copies. They looked like this. You need one letter for every passenger, so we got two of such letters.<br />
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<b><u>Retimed MU 566 - Singapore to Shanghai, departing 0800hrs 18 May</u></b><br />
A short while later, we boarded the aircraft. Finally, we were on our way! This was our first ever flight on China Eastern. This Boeing 787-900 Dreamliner was almost brand new [Serial Number B-209N]. The business cabin was gorgeous, it was in a 1-2-1 staggered formation. My wife sat in front of Seat 7L, while I was in seat 8L (picture below). Take note that the window seats were alternate, that means some of the window seats (like 8L) were truly window seats, but others were slightly away from the window (like 7L and 9L). Reason was that they needed sufficient space to allow the seat to be deployed into a flat bed. If you watch the video below from the 1 minute mark, you can see the staggered formation - 6L, 7L, 8L. The Business class starts with row 6. In front of row 6 is called Row 1, and that was the First class seating. I didn't see anybody seated in 'First class' though.<br />
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<b><u>Seat 8L</u></b><br />
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<u><b>Flight Review Video - Singapore to Shanghai on China Eastern Boeing 787 Dreamliner</b></u><br />
Here is my flight review video for the Singapore to Shanghai leg. We enjoyed the service.<br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Jjd1ITAj1Hs" width="560"></iframe>
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<u><b>Smooth Flight on New Aircraft</b></u><br />
The flight was very smooth, the experience was wonderful. We were served a pre-departure drink (champagne included) as well as a hot towel. Before take off, the stewardess came around to take our meal orders. There wasn't a menu though placed at the seat, though the stewardess carried one with her. I chose the assorted Dim Sum. She also asked whether we wanted my meal to be served immediately upon take-off, or just before landing. I said to be served straight after take-off. She also asked for permission to wake me up for the meal service if I fell asleep! Interesting.<br />
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<u><b>Entire Breakfast on Single Tray</b></u><br />
The meal was served on a single tray - efficient. This was what my Assorted Dim sum meal looked like. The bowl was sweet potato porridge, which was rather flavourful (i.e. not plain). I ate it all. Later on, the stewardess also came around with warm bread/croissant. Meal service was quick and efficient, which I didn't mind.<br />
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After my meal, I converted my seat into a bed (push button, very easy) and I took a nap for about an hour or so. Well, since I had a seat with a flat bed, might as well! Landing into Shanghai was smooth and overall, it was a very good flight, the delay notwithstanding.<br />
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<b><u>Part 2 of Adventure - Flight Cancellation! </u></b><br />
At Shanghai Pudong, the aircraft was parked at an aero-bridge and we got off the plane very quickly. This was the first time that we were flying through Shanghai (international to domestic) and we didn't really know where to go. So we asked around and realised that we had to clear Immigration. That was quite simple and straightforward - the lines weren't long. After clearing Immigration, we were told to go through the baggage collection area, clear Customs, enter the Arrival Hall and then proceed upstairs to the main public departure hall and enter the restricted area for Domestic flights again. We didn't need to collect our luggage as they had been checked through.<br />
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<b><u>Shock!</u></b><br />
It was quite easy to navigate and then we got a shock. As my wife tried to clear security to enter the restricted area for Domestic flights, the security officer who checked her boarding pass informed her that our flight MU 2162 dep 1730 for Xi'An had been cancelled! What??? We were just booked on that flight that very morning, at around 6AM while still at Singapore Changi!! It was now past 1PM, and the flight was cancelled. We were told to go to the China Eastern reservation counters to get ourselves rebooked!<br />
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Goodness, this was getting crazy. We were originally supposed to arrive in Xi'An before 10AM on 18 May. But now, we weren't even sure that we would be able to make it to Xi'An on that day! Thankfully, my wife spoke very fluent mandarin. We had to go speak at several different China Eastern counters (because they said different departments took charge of different things!). In summary, we had to<br />
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1. See whether we can get rebooked on another flight to Xi'An on that same day, otherwise the Airline has to put us up in a hotel for the night.<br />
2. Get another letter to prove our onward connection was cancelled<br />
3. Retrieve our luggage (they were supposed to be checked through... where were they now??)<br />
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<b><u>Rebooking to a later flight</u></b><br />
Fortunately, the counter reservation staff said that he could book us on the last flight going to Xi'An, which was MU 522 departing 2110. We needed 2 seats in Business class, and there were 2 available.<br />
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<b><u>Letter</u></b><br />
We also had to find the Duty Domestic Manager (different from reservations) to get another cancellation letter for the missed flight. This time, it looked like this.<br />
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For good measure, my wife took a photo of the departure board - MU 2162 to Xi'An, dep 1730hrs, was <u>cancelled</u>. Why the sudden cancellation? Frankly I have no idea. No reasons were given to us either. Well, cancellations were not uncommon, so the ground staff we spoke to didn't seem surprised.<br />
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<b><u>Retrieving our Luggage, returning back to Baggage Claim area </u></b><br />
What about our luggage? The duty manager told us to go back to the Arrivals Hall, and find the entrance back into the restricted area. The guard there asked us (in mandarin of course) why we wanted to go back in. We had to explain to him that our flight was now cancelled (showed him our boarding pass for the flight that was cancelled) and we had to go back to the luggage area to collect our luggage. He let us in without any problems.<br />
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Once inside, we headed to the China Eastern office, and there was a short queue to see the staff. One staff told us to go back to the baggage claim carousel for MU 566 to check if our bags were there first, before coming back to see him if we couldn't find our bags. So I went to the luggage claim area and thankfully, both our bags were still there. So it appears that the Airline would send the bags out to the luggage claim area, even though they were checked all the way through originally, because the Airline could tell that the flight had been cancelled.<br />
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<b><u>Check whether your onward flight is cancelled when you arrive</u></b><br />
In retrospect, what we should always do next time (if we fly through Shanghai) is to check whether our onward flight was still running, before we leave the luggage area. If indeed our onward flight had been cancelled, then we would need to collect our bags from the luggage carousel anyway.<br />
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<b><u>No meal vouchers?</u></b><br />
We had also earlier asked whether the Airline would provide meal vouchers to cover the time in between. One staff at reservations counter in the public area said we had to get them from the baggage claim area! But when we checked with the staff at the baggage claim area, they said that there was no need to provide vouchers for us because we could gain access to the Business class lounge. But we explained that the staff earlier said that we could only check in 3 hours before departure! The supervisor at the baggage claim area looked at us incredulously and said there was no such rule. Anyway, he got his staff to make a call somewhere, and confirmed with us that we could check in and use the lounge. The time was about 1500hrs and our flight MU 522 wasn't departing till 2110hrs.<br />
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<b><u>Checking in for MU 522 dep 2110 to Xi'An</u></b><br />
And after we got our luggage, we had to bring everything back to Departure area, and look for the check-in counters. China Eastern has a separate area for premium customers at the far end of the terminal for Domestic check-in, near the domestic check-in security counters. When we got there, there were no queues. The counter staff looked a bit stressed though. He had to call his supervisor to verify that he could check us in for the MU 522 flight (without imposing any additional charges on us). We had to explain to him (and showed him all our boarding passes) that it was not our fault that we were in this predicament. Surely, the Airline had to send us to our final destination! He was rather apologetic and explained that this issue straddled several departments, so he had to check. Finally, he was given the green light to check us in for the MU 522 flight, departing 2110 for Xi'An. Well, the good news was that it now looked like we would be able to get to Xi'An after all!<br />
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<u><b>China Eastern Shanghai Pudong Domestic Business Class Lounge</b></u><br />
Clearing security was smooth (hardly any line) and we headed straight to the Domestic terminal lounge. Here is the video of the lounge experience. This lounge is not to be confused with the Business Class lounge for international departures. This was the business class lounge in the Domestic section of Terminal 1 at Shanghai Pudong.<br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ugxFwf72RFI" width="560"></iframe>
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<b><u>Thankful that all issues were sorted</u></b><br />
Thankfully we sorted out all the issues with our onward flight, and since the departure to Xi'An was now 2110hrs, we had plenty of time. I recall when we got to the lounge it was only around 1630hrs. Never mind, it was time to rest and get some food! I went straight for the noodles, which was very comforting. Also had a glass of white wine, which wasn't too bad. Took a nap, and then woke up to eat dinner. They started dinner service at about 1730hrs and there was rice, with some meat and veggies. I must say that the food was all very local, and not international oriented. But it worked for us since our Singaporean tastebuds were somewhat similar to the local Shanghai cuisine that was being served. (or put in another way, we weren't fussy eaters!)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbBT_xZaG7GJ-t_1-bJPnrlex8Q0dz97Q4kYswPhP7LCfC5x4voPS88nbZ1PVh4fEJRaijn2zPm_M8OWkwJ7ZemIhIaqGv_L4FS-VgLXEqsqAWnB_8aME9m0O05fGiNSnh4Z5CBWuU35XB/s1600/WhatsApp+Image+2019-05-26+at+8.26.10+PM.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbBT_xZaG7GJ-t_1-bJPnrlex8Q0dz97Q4kYswPhP7LCfC5x4voPS88nbZ1PVh4fEJRaijn2zPm_M8OWkwJ7ZemIhIaqGv_L4FS-VgLXEqsqAWnB_8aME9m0O05fGiNSnh4Z5CBWuU35XB/s640/WhatsApp+Image+2019-05-26+at+8.26.10+PM.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><u>Boarding Announcements were made</u></b><br />
There were boarding announcements and indeed, we waited till our flight was announced to be ready for boarding, then we left for the departure gates. Upon reaching the gate, we realised that we had to be bussed to the airplane. This was our first bus experience in Shanghai (when we arrived, it was an aerobridge).<br />
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Premium passengers get to board a separate mini-bus. When we got to the boarding gate, general boarding had already begun. So what you do is to go right to the front of the line (yes, cutting queue!), show your boarding passes and they will let you through first. Of course, other passengers in line may give you stares, but so be it!<br />
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When you get to the bus bay, board the small bus (enough seats for all) and not the big one. Since we all had seats, the bus ride to the plane would be comfortable.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjERtJLo6cXxFgzMRnyaP09eo91se0-AL5ZkPqjrkc45K5X9CAdBqQL5_yARsv_oRhyRAA3azAu94doZjoGDG5YxernrA3bC-QuGb94h4EMb2N-Z9ZIHrFS8D1AsHtZUcUB6PHan6WXi9_q/s1600/WhatsApp+Image+2019-05-26+at+8.28.07+PM.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjERtJLo6cXxFgzMRnyaP09eo91se0-AL5ZkPqjrkc45K5X9CAdBqQL5_yARsv_oRhyRAA3azAu94doZjoGDG5YxernrA3bC-QuGb94h4EMb2N-Z9ZIHrFS8D1AsHtZUcUB6PHan6WXi9_q/s640/WhatsApp+Image+2019-05-26+at+8.28.07+PM.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<u><b>Arrival at Remote Stand</b></u><br />
When the bus arrived at the remote stand, other passengers were already boarding (Economy passengers who had arrived via an earlier bus). No hurry to board. The weather was good that evening, however, if it was raining, I think most of us would get wet!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjgEi1bLxEFGK1con0Gdin9Wfj1b5aJI9Cc2jYKpDynKZGitEQ1nx7M19CgBlXnTzdirDOkOuz1fvWlojignB-NGx_BuHC9VYZccrIxdhr-DmzifEM92VtPHB3gkHpEYrddGzUazXWa0TT/s1600/WhatsApp+Image+2019-05-26+at+8.28.41+PM.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjgEi1bLxEFGK1con0Gdin9Wfj1b5aJI9Cc2jYKpDynKZGitEQ1nx7M19CgBlXnTzdirDOkOuz1fvWlojignB-NGx_BuHC9VYZccrIxdhr-DmzifEM92VtPHB3gkHpEYrddGzUazXWa0TT/s640/WhatsApp+Image+2019-05-26+at+8.28.41+PM.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Once boarded, we quickly settled into our seats on this cosy Airbus A321. There were only 3 rows of Business class seats in a 2 by 2 configuration. Thank God there was space for us!<br />
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<u><b>Flight MU 522 Shanghai to Xi'An Flight Review</b></u><br />
Check out my flight review video of this 1hr 50min flight below. I titled this video 2 Tarts and 5 Fruit Slices because we were literally served this light snack of 2 tarts and 5 fruit slices on this flight! Wow. Granted that this was only a 1hr and 50 minute flight, one would still have reasonably expected some type of supper.<br />
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Well, you have been warned... eat your dinner before you get on-board! Thankfully, I had my fill in the lounge. We arrived in Xi'An slightly ahead of schedule, but we had to take a bus from the airplane to the terminal. That took a bit of time, but by this time, we were just going with the flow. At least we made it to Xi'An!<br />
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<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/onBB3f8IuWE" width="560"></iframe>
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<b><i>Conclusion</i></b><br />
Well, this wraps up our exciting China Eastern Airlines Business Class adventure, from Singapore to Shanghai, onward to Xi'An.<br />
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This was our first time onboard China Eastern Airlines in any class. Overall, the actual Business class product was very decent given what we had paid. However, what wasn't so fun was all the delays and hiccups. First, out of Singapore (9 hour delay), and then the onward flight getting cancelled only when we arrived in Shanghai, and the fact that we were pretty much on our own in terms of trying to sort out the luggage and re-booking. We were literally running from department to department within the same airport, from restricted baggage area (level 1) out to public check in area (level 3), back to restricted baggage area to retrieve bags and again to domestic check-in area. Felt like we knew the airport very well after this experience!<br />
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Thank God my wife spoke excellent Mandarin and she could navigate her way through the China Eastern system.<br />
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We got to our destination safe and sound, so can't complain. Yes, we were supposed to have landed in Xi'An at 0930hrs on 18 May and we ended up arriving only at 2350hrs, i.e. 14+ hours behind schedule. We lost a day of sight-seeing, but hey, at least we made it. We went on to have a very fun holiday in Xi'An, and would fly back to Singapore some days later.<br />
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We are in the process of claiming travel insurance. Will update again when I get news on whether the claim is successful!<br />
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Thanks for reading and watching my videos!<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1475220317326602907.post-31302522147566056062019-05-25T19:13:00.001+08:002019-05-25T19:13:05.173+08:00Mount Hua Shan Tourists Quarrelling at Famous South Peak Mount Hua Lun Jian 华山论剑 吵架 Plus Cable Car up West PeakWe finally arrived at the famous South peak (highest peak) of Mount Hua! There was a beautiful stone here Hua Shan Lun Jian - the place where Kung fu masters gathered to display their sword prowess. We were patiently in line to take our photos with the stone tablet and a huge argument started erupt between the two tour groups. What a din!!<br />
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<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hP6JlG9S2Jo" width="560"></iframe>
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At one stage, one group decided to block the entire stone, holding up everybody else. It was quite chaotic for a bit and I wondered if they would start fighting. Watch the action in this video! It may well be the first ever video on YouTube Of Chinese domestic tourists quarrelling at the peak of the famous Mount Hua Shan. Chill people!! You were wasting everybody's time!<br />
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<b><u>Roller Coaster on Hua Shan 华山?</u></b><br />
What else did I see at Hua Shan? Well, there was the unexpected Chair Lift upwards cum Roller Coaster downwards ride too! Look at how much fun we had!<br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Q1SUexuQxrc" width="560"></iframe><br />
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<b><u>[Spectacular!!] Cable Car Ride up to West Peak</u></b><br />
The most spectacular (and scary) cable car ride I've had in my life so far.....<br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5dsy5xgeay0" width="560"></iframe>
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Full ride! West peak cable car up to the famous Mount Huashan Of China, near the city of Xi’An. Getting up the mountain required so many transfers and it was rather expensive by Chinese standards. But the views were awesome. This must be the most scenic and exhilarating cable car ride in my life, so far.
Not to be confused with the North Peak cable car, the West Peak cable car is relatively new, which started operations on 1 April 2013. The cost is 140 RMB (approx 20 USD) each way.<br />
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We decided to take the cable car up the West peak as it would be the easiest way to go to the South peak (which is the highest).
Getting to the West Peak base station itself was a long ride! We took a High Speed rail in the morning from Xi'An North station to Hua Shan North station. From there, we took a taxi to the Hua Shan Visitor center. After entering, the visitor center, we still had to take a Tourism bus to the base station for West Peak, and that bus ride alone was 40 minutes.
Enjoy the beautiful scenery as we go up Hua Shan.
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1475220317326602907.post-26289245600083254772019-03-02T23:10:00.000+08:002019-03-15T21:38:59.413+08:00Breadtalk Breads Compilation<b>Matcha Red Bean Breadtalk Singapore. </b><br />
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The description for this bread was very alluring - "the delightful swirls of macha-infused dough paired with red beans from Taiwan are a matcha made in heaven!". Rather corny, whoever wrote this.
One piece cost $2. I don't usually buy bread or buns from Breadtalk, but this piece was too irresistable, as I do like matcha and red bean, and I agree that putting them together is often delightful<br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ABy4RQ-yoPU" width="560"></iframe><br />
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<b>Got the Green Tea bread from Breadtalk </b><br />
$1.50. Made of Green Tea dough, butter cream, custard cream, crushed crepes. Breadtalk sells designer bread, or I think they do. Anyway, the breads were nice to look at. And I like Green Tea. So, it was good. I enjoyed this bread. It wasn't too heavy. Enjoy!<br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lC_FC5RYkc0" width="560"></iframe><br />
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<b>Strawberry Bread and Sausage Boat Bread</b><br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OGjwsJEsPPs" width="560"></iframe>
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<b>Snow White Yam Bread</b><br />
Got some bread from BreadTalk. As usual, BreadTalk is always innovating and coming up with new bread concoctions. Today, I try the Snow White Yam. The description was as follows: "the snow white bun features tasty homemade yam paste and Taiwanese yam wrapped in a moist and chewy white dough."
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0No6hlU22u4" width="560"></iframe><br />
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<b>Cornbread from Breadtalk</b><br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nV957gH0HVU" width="560"></iframe><br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1475220317326602907.post-74540487909972139122019-03-02T21:54:00.000+08:002019-03-02T21:54:18.592+08:00Summer Palace One Michelin Star Chef Liu Tasting Menu for LunchHad a gorgeous lunch at Summer Palace restaurant located in Regent's Hotel. This is a one Michelin Star establishment, serving awesome cantonese cuisine. Below is a video of the food I had. This was the menu, which changed weekly. This visit was in early 2019.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #0a0a0a; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">1. Dim Sum Selection
2. Braised Baby Abalone Eight Treasures Soup in Stone Pot
3. Braised Bean Gluten and Crab Meat and Garden Green
4. Sauteed Fresh Prawn with Ginger, Onion and Fried FIsh Noodles with Shredded Chicken
5. Dessert Platter</span><br />
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<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/X_vi8LOcG0g" width="560"></iframe><br />
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The food was good! Very enjoyable. At $48++/pax , it was a very reasonable price for what we got.<br />
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We also had a similar lunch back in 2017. Food was Awesome! We had lunch at the Summer Palace restaurant, Regent Hotel singapore. We had the Chef Liu tasting menu and the food was awesome! Started with a Dim Sum Trio, followed by a hot & sour soup with fish fillets, and then beef tenderloin with veggies, lobster and vermicelli plus a dessert which was also a trio. Very good! Video below.<br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ivl9HdHbM04" width="560"></iframe>
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Thanks for watching!!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1475220317326602907.post-75456081245596818162018-08-12T14:21:00.000+08:002018-08-12T14:35:46.690+08:00NDP National Day 2018 Big Yawn & Other Fun Stuff A funny moment caught on National TV. See the video below.<br />
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<iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qs5F6DN2JyY" width="560"></iframe><br />
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Of course, who can forget the heartwarming moment.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1475220317326602907.post-1289312819304531262018-08-09T13:27:00.000+08:002018-08-09T13:27:27.257+08:00Goals! Home United Football Club beats Ceres Negros (Philippines) to win AFC ASEAN Championship!Goal! Home United Football Club (HUFC), a Singapore S-League Team beats Ceres Negros 2-0 at the Jalan Besar Stadium to be crowned the AFC ASEAN Champions! This was the 2nd leg of the Finals, with the 1st leg held in the Philippines a week ago, where the teams drew 1-1.<br />
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Playing with an away goal advantage, and also on the eve of Singapore's 53rd National Day, the Home United Football Team knew that they had every reason to go for a win. In fact, last year, they lost to the same team in the Finals, so it was also time for revenge!<br />
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Here is a video of the 2 teams doing their warmups, before kick-off, which was 7:30pm.<br />
<iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iTUZJR_ilPc" width="560"></iframe>
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The first half was a bit dicey for Home United, as Ceres Negro looked to be the more confident side, creating multiple chances. Thankfully for Home United, they couldn't convert. Second half was far more exciting, with Home United going all out to get the first goal. After some chances, but still no goals, the 3,000+ strong crowd was chanting "we want goal, we want goal" and we finally got it!<br />
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HUFC Shakir Hamzah scored with a beautiful header in the 62nd minute. The ball was floated in perfectly from a corner kick. A delight to watch and the entire stadium erupted.<br />
<iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/M-VXDVjbw-E" width="560"></iframe>
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The second goal came just 12 minutes later, again a header, this time by Song Ui-Young in the 72nd minute. With 2 goals up and 18 minutes to go, the game looked to be settled, though Ceres Negros did have a couple of decent chances.<br />
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The match was over and Home United celebrate as AFC ASEAN champions! The entire stadium broke out in singing National Day Song 'HOME'. Brilliant.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1475220317326602907.post-41948598466288652982018-07-21T12:57:00.001+08:002018-07-21T13:09:26.126+08:00New Sony RX 100 VI (Mark 6) Videos and Pictures Bought a brand new Sony RX 100 VI. This compact camera is a very well known camera, for its quality and compactness. I owned a Sony RX 100 II and used it for many years. But in recent times, I used other cameras, until the RX 100 VI came out and I decided to jump back in!<br />
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I will put some of the videos and photos I have taken on this blog page, to give readers a sense of the capability of this camera. Bear in mind, it is after all a compact camera (albeit an expensive one), so you can't expect it to perform wonders. But I like it precisely because it is compact.<br />
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This video, taken in the Buona Vista area, shows you the zoom capability. The RX 100 VI comes with 70mm to 200mm zoom, which is about 8.3X optical zoom.<br />
<iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/acl5OP_xNLQ" width="560"></iframe>
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<b><u>NO ZOOM, 70mm</u></b><br />
Here are some photos to show you the extent of the zoom.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRu5HYPrt_1NYWbDCbNu1IMllWHN0BthWRJv2ZdkS_iWZFF1BLWBe7-lbYmaKS5H4U_6Q3AilQTCNtOQ5gThBY5s8_QEkVC2kcwCVHDctNxTzw8A6mrT77giDfR4WtWeQIYru6yoL22O_L/s1600/DSC00047.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRu5HYPrt_1NYWbDCbNu1IMllWHN0BthWRJv2ZdkS_iWZFF1BLWBe7-lbYmaKS5H4U_6Q3AilQTCNtOQ5gThBY5s8_QEkVC2kcwCVHDctNxTzw8A6mrT77giDfR4WtWeQIYru6yoL22O_L/s640/DSC00047.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><u>FULL ZOOM</u></b><br />
Zoom fully deployed at 200mm. Pretty cool isn't it?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuauoMVVhAT18VI23fyY0tTX9yT4pOzEIKQEThgoCp-kZMmCcZM8vllN9x10mCJnL0EXAkOLs1Pb7zjTxlk4NSYNqweIQwIf0ATJBQDxDcVytOECvwZ9Zhtk6JmWu50AePL57OnQvWb7-Y/s1600/DSC00048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuauoMVVhAT18VI23fyY0tTX9yT4pOzEIKQEThgoCp-kZMmCcZM8vllN9x10mCJnL0EXAkOLs1Pb7zjTxlk4NSYNqweIQwIf0ATJBQDxDcVytOECvwZ9Zhtk6JmWu50AePL57OnQvWb7-Y/s640/DSC00048.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<u><b>NO ZOOM</b></u><br />
Another test of the zoom. NTU club in the distance<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK1N9xW3IffLyAi2stn2SfUNJRTQQ9YRkpMKSlgVdz1gy2Z0elms1RDt-avcrXhunuSbvZbk8Agu4EEnN12UHZw1Gg_S6ujuwSHsoDXMra8MxfpqzHpcI2pVQ9JPRRh6eZ9wrNyfG7wKNP/s1600/DSC00049.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK1N9xW3IffLyAi2stn2SfUNJRTQQ9YRkpMKSlgVdz1gy2Z0elms1RDt-avcrXhunuSbvZbk8Agu4EEnN12UHZw1Gg_S6ujuwSHsoDXMra8MxfpqzHpcI2pVQ9JPRRh6eZ9wrNyfG7wKNP/s640/DSC00049.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><u>FULL ZOOM</u></b><br />
Zoom fully deployed 200mm. You can clearly see the NTU Alumni Club signage.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW2nZjIYbiA8RpsuXVw5_ijqzRXJ3zG_xnOXTaqcFjEJRRTjQD9GNRgaiGFXYXUcG_OKlexEPZG6pnkkeikpDQl4-Z6ZnkWVVRdYE64DRHhTYGDrVJCAVH_AynNlY9ZDxIRHByPsLuV6ei/s1600/DSC00050.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW2nZjIYbiA8RpsuXVw5_ijqzRXJ3zG_xnOXTaqcFjEJRRTjQD9GNRgaiGFXYXUcG_OKlexEPZG6pnkkeikpDQl4-Z6ZnkWVVRdYE64DRHhTYGDrVJCAVH_AynNlY9ZDxIRHByPsLuV6ei/s640/DSC00050.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><u>Ghim Moh Market Zoom Zoom</u></b><br />
National Day was around the corner, check out the any Singapore flags!<br />
<iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Kg0Pa-GvJfU" width="560"></iframe>
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<b><u>Singapore Flyer and Marina Mandarin.</u></b><br />
Here are more videos of the zoom capability.<br />
<iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9gmdQLKsOp4" width="560"></iframe>
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<b>SONY RX 100 VI in low light.</b><br />
<iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Dg-iu_rP1-E" width="560"></iframe><br />
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<b>Unboxing the Sony RX 100 VI</b><br />
<iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NKiRW-JfilI" width="560"></iframe><br />
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Thanks for watching!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1475220317326602907.post-3355703084317454662018-07-14T20:26:00.001+08:002018-07-14T20:26:36.037+08:00Durian and more Durian! Let us FEAST on the King of FruitLet us feast on the King of Fruit! Durian season is here again. In 2018, there is a bumper crop from Malaysia. Plentiful durian supply, and hence the price has come down. At this store in Clementi Town Centre, the Mao Shan Wang durians were selling for $12/kg.<br />
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Here are 2 videos taken on consecutive weekends. Business was brisk. There were many onlookers too. Watch the guys expertly opening the durian. Onlookers were salivating.<br />
<iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/e87OPxD2QfM" width="560"></iframe><br />
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Another video of the same store in Clementi.<br />
<iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/abVkY19aOQY" width="560"></iframe><br />
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Do I eat durians? Well, yes, but I don't buy them. I just eat them when my fellowship group decides to do a durian party.<br />
<iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1IZG7qNMUuo" width="560"></iframe>
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Yet another Durian party, this time from 2015. How time flies, we have durian parties every year! (Since durian season comes every year.)<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1475220317326602907.post-35381833636633381882018-06-30T23:15:00.001+08:002018-10-21T17:18:17.292+08:00Day 4 - Transfer to Shanghai Marriott City Center, and the Bund!<a href="http://guitar123foodandtravel.blogspot.com/2018/06/flying-scootbiz-flyscoot-from-singapore.html" target="_blank">Day 0 - Depart Singapore to Hangzhou (Scoot Airlines), Arr. Hangzhou 2135hrs</a><br />
<a href="http://guitar123foodandtravel.blogspot.com/2018/06/day-1-hangzhou-sights-china-holiday.html" target="_blank">Day 1 - Hangzhou, got a driver, tour the city, including West Lake and Ling Yin Temple</a><br />
<a href="http://guitar123foodandtravel.blogspot.com/2018/06/day-2-wu-zhen-water-town-and-courtyard.html" target="_blank">Day 2 - Depart from Hangzhou to Wu Zhen (water town), and then transfer to Shanghai Courtyard Marriot near Disneyland</a><br />
<a href="http://guitar123foodandtravel.blogspot.com/2018/06/day-3-shanghai-disneyland-happiest.html" target="_blank">Day 3 - Shanghai Disneyland! (One full day)</a><br />
Day 4 - Transfer to Shanghai Marriott City Center, the Bund and Hai Di Lao Dinner!<br />
Day 5 - Private day tour to SuZhou<br />
Day 6 - Shanghai Free & Easy<br />
Day 7 - Home sweet Home - Shanghai to Singapore on Singapore Airlines (Business Class)<br />
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Day 4 of our 2018 China trip. After a fun day at Disneyland, and a good stay at the <a href="https://youtu.be/EU8rN5qEOEQ" target="_blank">Shanghai Courtyard International Tourism and Resorts Zone</a>, it was time to head to central Shanghai for the last segment of our holiday.<br />
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We hailed a taxi using the Didi app, to take us from Courtyard Shanghai International Tourism and Resorts Zone to Marriott Shanghai City Center. The distance was about 30km and it took us about 45 minutes to get there. Fortunately, the highways were quite clear, though there was minor congestion closer to the City center.<br />
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<b><u>Multiple Mobile Phone Array</u></b><br />
A highlight of the journey was the taxi driver's array of mobile phones. He had 4 facing him, plus an additional phone in this pocket! He told me that in the past, he had 8. Why so many? To access all the various ride hailing apps, to snatch for business as fast as he could. He also told me that the Apple iOS phones were a tad faster than the Android ones. His apple phones got the notification about 1 second earlier than Andriod phones, so he used old Apple phones to snatch business. Fascinating. In the video below, you will hear me trying to converse with the driver in my poor Mandarin. At least he understood most of what I said, and could tell us long stories about Shanghai.<br />
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The video also shows you some of the scenes from our ride into Shanghai City Center.<br />
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Here is a picture of the driver looking at one of his phones. This being China, the taxi drivers won't speak English. You need know some Mandarin to be able to communicate with them. We went by the metered fare, and the total fare came up to around 150RMB, or 23USD for a 30km ride. Already, taxi fares in Shanghai are considered the most expensive in all of China. For those of us who are used to taxi fares in Western countries, such a fare is still very reasonable for the distance travelled.<br />
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<b><u>Shanghai Marriott Hotel City Center</u></b><br />
We chose this hotel because of its location, near Nanjing Road. Also, the reviews were excellent. While not exactly the cheapest, the hotel offered a Family Suite, and we could add an additional pull-away bed so that all of us had proper bedding. And we certainly had no regrets! The Family Suite was awesome, as shown in the video below. The suite had a separate living and bedroom area. The living area could take 2 super singles, and still have room to walk around.<br />
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More pictures below of the lobby area. It was a grand lobby. It was also a bustling lobby. Very busy at times, especially during the peak check-in hours.<br />
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They had 5-6 general counters opened. The line could get long, but things moved along fine. Efficient service.<br />
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Internal water feature, next to the bar area, which served drinks and food. Welcome to Marriott Shanghai City Center!<br />
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<u><b>Walk to Huang He Road 黄河路 for Lunch</b></u><br />
After putting our bags and washing up, we decided to take a short walk to Huang He Lu (黄河路), literal translation is Yellow River Road. It was about a 5 minutes walk (500M) and there was plenty of local food on this street. We headed to a famous chain called Yang’s Dumplings 小杨生煎<br />
(http://www.xysjg.com/), as we had read a lot of about it.<br />
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<b><u>Pan-fried pork buns (生煎包)</u></b><br />
The patrons were largely local. Most were eating the Pan-fried pork buns (生煎包) Tasty, moist pork wrapped with half-soft, half-crispy dough, Shanghai pan-fried pork buns, traditionally served as breakfast, make a great party food. <br />
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Some food pictures.<br />
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<b><u>57 RMB for Our Lunch (4 pax)</u></b><br />
Here was the bill. The total was 57RMB (or 9 USD) for 2 servings of Pan-fried pork buns (生煎包), 2 bowls of soup noodles, one bowl of soup and one Pepsi Cola. That's quite a lot of food for under USD 10. Each serving of 生煎包 came with 4 pieces and only cost 8RMB.<br />
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<b><u>Dessert at McDonald's</u></b></div>
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It was a good lunch. After that, we took a walk back to the hotel, and beside the hotel there was a McDonald's! Time for some dessert. We had two Sundaes which came with Fried Dough Sticks, a layered cake, and some coffee. The fried dough sticks looked like Churros. Well, maybe they were! Certainly they were fried, and made of dough. Dip it into the ice-cream, and the dessert became very filling! </div>
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<b>Nanjing Road Shanghai 南京路</b><br />
It was time to do some walking! It turned out that Nanjing Road was just a stone's throw away, 3 minute walk max. Wow. This shows you how centrally located this hotel was. We would try to walk all the way to the Bund. It was a very pleasant walk, and the street wasn't very crowded during this time of the day. Very nice.<br />
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<b>Shanghai Bund</b><br />
It didn't take us very long to get to the Bund. The viewing area was awesome! Check it out! There was a couple taking wedding photos. Happy marriage!For a century, the Bund has been one of the most recognizable symbols and the pride of Shanghai. The architecture along the Bund is a living museum of the colonial history of the 1800s. You've never been to Shanghai if you haven’t seen the Bund.<br />
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We took the touristy tram back, on a one-way ride, along Nanjing Road. The cost was 5RMB per person. Saved us a lot of walking! Let's go!<br />
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Later that evening, we had dinner at Hai Di Lao. I spotted the restaurant by chance as we were heading back to the hotel from the Bund. This was my first time at Hai Di Lao. This chain has also expanded to Singapore. Thanks for following along!<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1475220317326602907.post-7176746358726364752018-06-23T10:06:00.002+08:002018-06-23T10:06:36.878+08:00St Regis Formal Dinner Exquisite Occasions John Jacob BallroomHad a couple of nice dinners at St Regis Hotel (yes, this is where Chairman Kim of North Korea stayed), in the John Jacob Ballroom. This is a 6 star hotel. It is not a very large property, but the finishings are all very nice indeed.<br />
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<b><u>Awesome dinner banquet</u></b> at St Regis Hotel, Singapore. Exquisite Occasions!<br />
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The menu served:<br />
1. Trio of appetizers (Fried Prawn, Crispy Pork, Drunken Chicken)<br />
2. Double-Boiled Superior Soup with Fish Maw, American Top Shell, Dried Scallop, Bamboo Pith and Cordycep Flower<br />
3. Braised Baby Abalone with Flower Mushroom and Broccoli<br />
4. Oven-Baked Cod Fillet with Japanese Miso Sauce<br />
5. Oven-Bake Kurobuta Pork with Black Pepper Sauce<br />
6. Stir-Fried Mee Sua with Seafood in XO Sauce<br />
7. Chilled Lemongrass Jelly with Aloe Vera and Yuzu Sherbet<br />
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<b><u>Taste Of St Regis Formal Dinner 2018 Three Treasures Combination</u></b><br />
Had a wonderful dinner at the St Regis Ballroom (called the John Jacob Ballroom). Good food! This was the menu:<br />
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1. Three Treasures Combination: a) Pan-seared Hokkaido Scallop with Green Mango, Pan-fried Foie Gras, Chilled Lobster Salad<br />
2. Doubled-boiled Superior Broth, Fish Maw, Conpoy, Bamboo Pith with Chinese Ham<br />
3. Braised Six Head Abalone, Sea Cucumber with Flower Mushroom and Seasonal Greens<br />
4. Oven-baked Cod Fillet with Japanese Miso Sauce<br />
5. Herbal Chicken with Red Dates<br />
6. Braised Mee Pok with Assorted Seafood in X.O. Sauce<br />
7. Chilled Bird's Nest Soup with Rock Sugar in Thai Young Coconut<br />
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Good food, even better company! Enjoy.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1475220317326602907.post-1102492842977914412018-06-17T18:56:00.000+08:002018-10-21T17:19:12.114+08:00Day 3 - Shanghai Disneyland! The Happiest Place in China <a href="http://guitar123foodandtravel.blogspot.com/2018/06/flying-scootbiz-flyscoot-from-singapore.html" target="_blank">Day 0 - Depart Singapore to Hangzhou (Scoot Airlines), Arr. Hangzhou 2135hrs</a><br />
<a href="http://guitar123foodandtravel.blogspot.com/2018/06/day-1-hangzhou-sights-china-holiday.html" target="_blank">Day 1 - Hangzhou, got a driver, tour the city, including West Lake and Ling Yin Temple</a><br />
<a href="http://guitar123foodandtravel.blogspot.com/2018/06/day-2-wu-zhen-water-town-and-courtyard.html" target="_blank">Day 2 - Depart from Hangzhou to Wu Zhen (water town), and then transfer to Shanghai Courtyard Marriot near Disneyland</a><br />
<a href="http://guitar123foodandtravel.blogspot.com/2018/06/day-3-shanghai-disneyland-happiest.html" target="_blank">Day 3 - Shanghai Disneyland! (One full day)</a><br />
<a href="https://guitar123foodandtravel.blogspot.com/2018/06/day-4-transfer-to-shanghai-marriott.html" target="_blank">Day 4 - Transfer to Shanghai Marriott City Center</a> and the Bund<br />
Day 5 - Private day tour to SuZhou<br />
Day 6 - Shanghai Free & Easy<br />
Day 7 - Home sweet Home - Shanghai to Singapore on Singapore Airlines (Business Class)<br />
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<b>Day 3 - Today is Shanghai Disneyland! </b><br />
We woke up late. Ha. All very tried. But, that's fine. We were on holiday, and the whole idea was not meant to rush. Once up, we made our way to DisneyTown for breakfast. Our room rate didn't come with breakfast, so we figured it would be more cost effective to head straight to DisneyTown and have breakfast there, before entering the park. <a href="https://www.shanghaidisneyresort.com/en/dining/disneytown/bread-talk/" target="_blank">BreadTalk and ToastBox opened at 0800hrs</a>.<br />
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<b><u>ENTERING THE PARK</u></b><br />
By the time we entered the park, it was close to 1000hrs. (Ok, as I said, we woke up late). The video below shows you the barricades, and we entered the park!<br />
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<b><u>Download the DISNEY APP and buy your tickets before you arrive.</u></b><br />
In case you missed it in the video above, this is what the ticketing booth looked like at close to 1000hrs a park day. COMPLETELY CLOSED. It wasn't just a reduced ticketing system, it was closed. I was taken aback. It looked like that was NO WAY to buy a ticket from the ticketing counters, and I didn't see any self-service machines either!<br />
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<b><u>Bought Our Tickets Months Before</u></b><br />
Just how did we get our tickets? My dear wife (have read all the reviews) had alerted me some months ago that we needed to get our tickets sorted out. So I downloaded the app and bought our tickets. I was also reminded that I will need my phone to be fully powered for the entire day, which meant I needed to bring batteries to charge my phone. I brought two.<br />
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<b><u>You Need Data</u></b><br />
Wait a second, for the app to work, you need WiFi or data connection. Does Shanghai Disney provide? Not that I was aware. There was no free WIFI. So, another cruicial tip - make sure you got a good reliable data connection! I was using data roaming with my Singapore SIM Card, so no issues on that front for me. Remember, no data, the app won't work either!<br />
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See this short video clip below of how the app looks like. When you buy tickets, you have to give a document number (in our case it would be our passport). At the entrance gate, the staff asked to see the original document (so you have to bring your passports along). Once she verified the document against my electronic ticket (on the App), she proceeded to issue 4 <b><u>paper</u></b> tickets. After that, I had to scan the <b>paper</b> tickets issued using the app, to group them together so that you can get FastPasses via the App! We had to keep the paper tickets because that is what they used to scan at the entry and exit gates when we left the park (to DisneyTown to get food) and entered again. Sounds confusing? Yeah, it was slightly so.<br />
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<b><u>FASTPASS Selection</u></b><br />
What about Fastpasses? Get them through the app too. Once you are in the park and tickets are linked, you can see which Fast Passes are available. See the screenshot below. At 1011AM, the first First Pass I could get was for TRON Lightcycle Power Run, to enter between 2:10PM - 3:10PM. I could only make another FastPass selection at 12:11PM.<br />
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<b><u>Pirates of the Caribbean</u></b><br />
Anyway, once in, we consulted the App for wait times, and decided to head towards Pirates of the Caribbean! Guests can be any height, and the ride was suitable for all ages. It was a very impressive ride indeed, with great effects, as you ride a boat around.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqzMU8Rm1woA6Bc_A2vX_8VILH_TBb2TSKtz9KISe70Cag4CS2QmVQmK0jnygxAS58U2XeezpsEqmLFUpPcMskIgz4m2yCq8gxL_0fxaHGFX6Du7I1ELV18Bz5ZGFir2ujsyTqab6ofnLS/s1600/IMG_2637.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqzMU8Rm1woA6Bc_A2vX_8VILH_TBb2TSKtz9KISe70Cag4CS2QmVQmK0jnygxAS58U2XeezpsEqmLFUpPcMskIgz4m2yCq8gxL_0fxaHGFX6Du7I1ELV18Bz5ZGFir2ujsyTqab6ofnLS/s640/IMG_2637.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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A picture of the line. The queues were orderly and there was palpable excitement in the air. This was Disneyland, after all.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtfPCx1MWeQ7ZxWZVSSGQ5WMIJdzDc1hE0zSdVXin1g3NUDgcm82D6B-R4do7dXrcyegjfss1xqfR6r4xzqA4SSsptc8_ejYbwYRp7RRTdZtL9OPxuqRNVEQpeE7zyaAmXk6oZxyjwIas_/s1600/IMG_2646.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtfPCx1MWeQ7ZxWZVSSGQ5WMIJdzDc1hE0zSdVXin1g3NUDgcm82D6B-R4do7dXrcyegjfss1xqfR6r4xzqA4SSsptc8_ejYbwYRp7RRTdZtL9OPxuqRNVEQpeE7zyaAmXk6oZxyjwIas_/s640/IMG_2646.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Even though the app said the wait was 40 minutes, it certainly didn't felt that long. We probably waited around 20 minutes. I left my iPhone 8 Plus running as I enjoyed the ride. Unfortunately, this phone isn't great in such low light conditions, so the video is very dark. The ride was beautifully done. Amazing use of technology. But you get an idea. This ride is definitely worth it.<br />
<iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cjbNRDdzsPk" width="560"></iframe>
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<b><u>Seven Dwarfs Mine Train (Roller Coaster of sorts)</u></b><br />
From pirates, we head to dwarves - the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train in Fantasyland. It is supposedly a roller-coaster. Guests must be 97 cm or taller, so we figured it couldn't be too hard on the stomach. The waiting time was long, but we decided to try the Single Rider method. We had read about it. See the sign below, which made clear that you will be seated separately from travelling companions/friends.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEips9-unmV0H6aQFDSn_z05Ek5uAoSbkttil_cMkHnAkGrL_IajnM1wCzLOAj6ndptBBLMk5SfPOsADUrzOYc-_Fzud_c3AmOxHUitGdWRUocXTc57NtpzsP1N-mqw-iRr3Wgk2FiuJg12m/s1600/IMG_2655.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEips9-unmV0H6aQFDSn_z05Ek5uAoSbkttil_cMkHnAkGrL_IajnM1wCzLOAj6ndptBBLMk5SfPOsADUrzOYc-_Fzud_c3AmOxHUitGdWRUocXTc57NtpzsP1N-mqw-iRr3Wgk2FiuJg12m/s640/IMG_2655.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><u>SINGLE RIDER LINE - Only Waited 20 Minutes</u></b><br />
We ended up waiting only 20 minutes for our turn to ride. Indeed, we rode separately. I went the last, and for some strange reason, I had a cart to myself. (It is 2 person per car). I was in the very last car. Here is the ENTIRE RIDE filmed with my GoPro. Thank God I didn't drop the camera.<br />
<iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VRb8c9XTYf0" width="560"></iframe><br />
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<b><u>Disney Castle</u></b><br />
After that, we were headed to another ride in the direction of Tron. Here is a video of us walking towards the castle.<br />
<iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GGUvzk0jYoU" width="560"></iframe>
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<b><u>Once Upon a Time Adventure</u></b><br />
At the base of the castle, we saw this attraction called 'Once Upon a Time Adventure'. Since the waiting time wasn't that long, we decided to check it out. According to the website, we are to step through the Magic Mirror portal and enter an enchanted dimension of wonder: Snow White’s fairy-tale world.<br />
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<b><u>Asian Cinderella Singing in Mandarin</u></b><br />
It ended up being a walk-through of the Cinderella story, completely in mandarin of course. Didn't take very long. What struck me was an Asian (Yellow-Skinned, Chinese) Cinderella singing to a well in Mandarin. That was cool. What was she singing? Based on my limited mandarin, she was asking to meet her Prince Charming.<br />
<iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NakgJ5qPmD4" width="560"></iframe>
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<b><u>BUZZ LIGHTYEAR! </u></b><br />
Next, we headed to the Buzz Lightyear Planet Rescue Arcade Ride. Blast away at Emperor Zurg’s abominable bot army in an all-out battle to save Planet Pepperonia! Go from zero to Space Ranger hero—join Buzz on an interactive galactic adventure to stop Star Command’s most wanted!
Ready to wreak cosmic chaos, evil Emperor Zurg has returned to demolish the Space Aliens’ planet with a crystal-powered Superblaster. It’s up to you to infiltrate Zurg’s secret lair, neutralize his army of underlings and eliminate the weapon of “mass alien destruction” before it’s too late! [<a href="https://www.shanghaidisneyresort.com/en/attractions/buzz-lightyear-planet-rescue/" target="_blank">Source</a>]<br />
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Guests can be <b>any height and all ages (I saw babies).</b> According reviews, this was the best Buzzlight Year ride on the planet, and it certainly didn't disappoint! The waiting time was very short, hardly anybody, as you can see in the video below.<br />
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<iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/B9eBrue2yoQ" width="560"></iframe>
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Why was it so empty? It was close to noon, and all the crowds were lined up along the streets of Disney, waiting for the noon parade!<br />
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<b><u>TRON LIGHTCYCLE RIDE</u></b><br />
Immediately after Buzz Lightyear, and given our realisation that 99% of the people in the park were happily watching the parade, we decided to try TRON, since it was just next door to Buzz LightYear. Take note, there was only one parade a day at noon. Yes, we missed the parade. In life, we have to make choices.<br />
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Got this from the Shanghai Disneyland website:<br />
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Sync the pedal to moto-metal while twisting, turning and riding for your life in the cyber-fi world of TRON!
The Ultimate Competition
Experience high-speed thrills and chills as the Grid comes alive in a heart-pounding race for survival. Created as a friendly way for “Programs” and “Users” to interact, the Power Run pits team against team in the quintessential quest to capture 8 Energy Gates and triumph over opponents.
Prepare for digitization after entering the portal—this is your access into the energy, lights and excitement of TRON’s high-tech universe. As you leave the real world behind, you’ll proceed to the games as a member of Team Blue, ready to compete against some of the Grid’s most menacing Programs. Guest must be 122 cm or taller.<br />
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I was not a roller coaster type of person, but I read that this ride was very good, and more importantly, we didn't go upside down. So, we decided to go for it, <u style="font-weight: bold;">before lunch! </u> True enough, the lines were very short, and we were in line no more than 10 minutes. Beautiful dark/twilight waiting areas inside. The video below shows some of the waiting, but I didn't take any footage of the actual ride.<br />
<iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mKo3EbuZ5qI" width="560"></iframe>
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<b><u>BAG DEPOSIT</u></b><br />
They had bag deposit machines outside the ride, but we observed many people entering the ride with backpacks, which we did. Take note, we had to deposit our backpacks in a large bin just before we got on the ride, and retrieved our bag when the ride was completed again. I was a bit worried because there was no guarantee that our bagpacks would still be there when we returned, or more likely another park visitor could take our bagpack, even if not deliberately, it could be by mistake. Thank God all our bags were as we left them.<br />
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I found this TRON Coaster Ride-Through, which gives you an awesome view of what the ride looks like. The ride was rather short, thankfully. I'm not that amenable to such rides. Felt a bit woozy after that.<br />
<iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/taeucixxrdM" width="560"></iframe><br />
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<b><u>LUNCH TIME! </u></b><br />
So, it was 12 something, we just took TRON, and it was time for some lunch! We decided to head to the restaurants at DisneyTown for a proper lunch. There was a side entrance/exit into DisneyTown too (we had observed that when we were walking around DisneyTown the night before), so that certainly helped. It took no more than 10 minutes to walk from the TRON ride to the restaurant at DisneyTown. They had 2 manned security gates (including X-ray machine). You needed to use your <b><u>paper tickets</u></b> to get in and out.<br />
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We ended up eating both our lunch and dinner at this Chinese restaurant called Nan Xiao Dian. At this restaurant, you had to order and pay up before they served you food. They do have paper menus, but it was quicker to order and pay online! See the screeshots below of the bill. Very advanced, China. Our meal cost RMB 202, or 32USD. Pretty reasonable to fill 4 stomachs.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEJA0t_sFFAIDWjqPyox2btsxJYTvHL6OBF7KfNRejO7c7e7s22S702UIo2BxfAUc3Z9_2x99Vpjf3f_6mRDFNATOtkiJPOhfDtUZ8icKtZnUzAQejqFiDbnriTi7_wJ26uIRp6YzSKA3H/s1600/IMG_2756.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEJA0t_sFFAIDWjqPyox2btsxJYTvHL6OBF7KfNRejO7c7e7s22S702UIo2BxfAUc3Z9_2x99Vpjf3f_6mRDFNATOtkiJPOhfDtUZ8icKtZnUzAQejqFiDbnriTi7_wJ26uIRp6YzSKA3H/s640/IMG_2756.PNG" width="360" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOaVTdjU8zWuy3ratHMqr1zwqg9MtrinZVp_FO7-QVamO3Gn-Px7NAe6EjcLNNa_mUrVwxj0YWlKIBbdL7iR8KL6atPQVfRMmRxSaxKsj-PFB86PRJ06b-s8aLrcEs-Li_7H_9en4Iur-u/s1600/IMG_2755.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOaVTdjU8zWuy3ratHMqr1zwqg9MtrinZVp_FO7-QVamO3Gn-Px7NAe6EjcLNNa_mUrVwxj0YWlKIBbdL7iR8KL6atPQVfRMmRxSaxKsj-PFB86PRJ06b-s8aLrcEs-Li_7H_9en4Iur-u/s640/IMG_2755.PNG" width="360" /></a></div>
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Here is the video of the food! I even a Tsingtao Beer, for 18RMB. Good food! Very tasty.<br />
<iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bbcee_k8Npk" width="560"></iframe>
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<b>VOYAGE TO THE CRYSTAL GROTTO</b><br />
After lunch, and after consulting wait times, we decided to go for the Crystal Grotto Ride. Journey deep into a cavern where favorite Disney tales come alive in a dazzling display of music, light and wonder! What about the Fastpass for TRON? We gave that up too, since we already had done TRON. And there were no more FastPasses available too (based on the app).<br />
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This time, the lines were rather long, but orderly. In total, we probably waited 30-40 minutes for this ride. It got a bit warm. Pity the parents who had to carry their kids. It probably felt very claustrophic if you were short. No fun.<br />
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It is a typical boat ride. Suitable for all ages. Video below shows you the line and the entire boat ride. The ride itself was about 8 minutes. Enjoy!<br />
<iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TDpPh0xbqGk" width="560"></iframe><br />
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<u><b>TARZAN SHOW</b></u><br />
Next, we wanted to catch a show at the Pirates Cove but we were too late, and they had already closed the gates. So we had to wait a bit to catch the final Tarzan show of the day. The theatre was very large. The queue lines were opened 1/2 hour before the show, and already long queues had formed by the time we got to the queue, about 30 minutes before.<br />
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<b><u>TARZAN SHOW</u></b><br />
In the video clip below, you will see the final minutes of the show. We weren't seated that near the stage, but we were in the best block for viewing. Video is a bit dark, but you will be able to make out the acrobatics etc.<br />
<iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UqLWG9HI4Uo" width="560"></iframe>
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After the Tarzan show, we had wanted to go for another famous ride, but the wait times were just too long. So we adjourned to the Starbucks instead. Starbucks was located in DisneyTown. We wanted to get some coffee. We were all getting a tad tired. See the video.<br />
<iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/obGI3ihTdSk" width="560"></iframe>
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The queue length for Soaring over the Horizon never dropped below 120 minutes. So, we decided to give it a miss. We didn't feel like queueing for 2 hours. Instead, we went back to the same place we had lunch, to have dinner! Yes, we liked it so much. And then, we made our way to watch the fireworks display at around 7:20pm. We thought we were early, but by the time we made it to the area to watch the fireworks display, it was <b><u>completely full!</u></b><br />
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So, we didn't have much of a choice, and had to choose another vantage point which was slightly blocked, and rather far from the castle. Here it is.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivc_oyICNJfzj6ehzb7nsfuXDoKQsuDSyPI9Wl_nrELL-0sDMIZgP79-HlZDZHGFo7iy50k7ATw-1Zn4EuIlVuar4DqZFMbKe37GhKiKeZVG8T0GDtDGi7dascs4nO4JHRIf8p5p3ZIVJb/s1600/IMG_2926.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivc_oyICNJfzj6ehzb7nsfuXDoKQsuDSyPI9Wl_nrELL-0sDMIZgP79-HlZDZHGFo7iy50k7ATw-1Zn4EuIlVuar4DqZFMbKe37GhKiKeZVG8T0GDtDGi7dascs4nO4JHRIf8p5p3ZIVJb/s640/IMG_2926.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Just 5 minutes before 8pm, there was an announcement to say that there would be NO FIREWORKS tonight, due to the air quality. ARGH! What a mega disappointment. You could almost hear the collective grown. Anyway, since nobody was going to get any refunds, we decided to stay on to see the light show. Well, to be fair, the light show was still pretty impressive. Here is the entire show that I managed to record using my iPhone on a Gimbal. My hand felt a bit sore after that.<br />
<iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sa5dgY4-va0" width="560"></iframe><br />
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The light show took a good 20 minutes. It was that long. I'm sure it would have been much, much better with fireworks. It was soon over, and time to leave!<br />
Hordes of park go-ers would make their way out of the park at the same time, and it was certainly a sight to watch. See from 3:08 of the video below.<br />
<iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Hs_JcVc7jXw" width="560"></iframe>
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People and more people. This is China.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Mn6DyN2ve5YuYbVmfeZgV8fgwCf3sqkvTEV6qvPbnbD3KHkNaCzP7_IJ3vwT3LlJSP4pTTtB0Fmd6MZRk46NbbG-TtF38huMBUKE1F3-u_gSa6IlaOL4ZEv0kHKrTJU46zSH72OyM0Qg/s1600/IMG_2932.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Mn6DyN2ve5YuYbVmfeZgV8fgwCf3sqkvTEV6qvPbnbD3KHkNaCzP7_IJ3vwT3LlJSP4pTTtB0Fmd6MZRk46NbbG-TtF38huMBUKE1F3-u_gSa6IlaOL4ZEv0kHKrTJU46zSH72OyM0Qg/s640/IMG_2932.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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We let the crowds go past, as we wanted to get some Breadtalk bread for our breakfast tomorrow. The sales at Breadtalk after the light show had ended were very good. There were lines to get bread. We headed to the taxi stand, expecting to see a long queue, but it turned out that there were very few people at the taxi stand. I concluded that most park-goers didn't take taxis. Buses perhaps? Anyway, we took a taxi back to our hotel, costing us around 20RMB.<br />
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And that concludes our day in Shanghai Disneyland. Tomorrow, we take a taxi to central Shanghai, where we will be staying at the Marriott Shanghai City Center. Stay tuned!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4