I visited the Gate to the East, Suzhou Center, and Jinji Lake today... and I was genuinely blown away!!! It just exudes modern charm. What's amazing is that it's not just modern; there's a lake and a plaza right in the middle, with office buildings across the water... the whole area feels incredibly upscale. It actually impressed me more than the Bund (though maybe my expectations for the Bund were too high, haha). I really think the Industrial Park is designed with incredible style.

It really is beautiful! Too bad it was overcast today, and it got so cold I left before sunset.

In fast-food restaurants in a highly populous country like ours, if everyone cleared their own trays, owners would surely hire fewer staff. That's why we should definitely not clear them ourselves – let's leave these manageable and often overlooked jobs for those who genuinely need them.

Exactly, we don't dislike normal people.

What might have been even more disgusting was Guangzhou last year. It rained continuously from March all the way through May and June. My bedroom ceiling even started growing mold.

Let me tell you, my kid recently gave a travel talk in kindergarten, saying her favorite place was "Shangri-La," because there is a beautiful garden that she adores! I was stunned to hear it, as I always thought of the luxurious Shangri-La hotels, but my daughter has made it her dream destination!

• The “Shangri-La” my child mentioned refers to the Shangri-La hotel chain in Guangzhou, not the picturesque Shangri-La in Yunnan Province. What a misunderstanding!

• Why did we book this hotel? Being a member of the hotel group, we obtained a discount by booking in advance. Since Guangzhou is a big city, I believed that staying at a Shangri-La should be a good experience. However, it turned out differently:

  • The location almost feels like it’s in the countryside: look around and find nothing lively or commercial areas.
  • Many stores were closed during the Chinese Lunar New Year（Spring Festival）: During this period, all shops will take a break, making the streets less busy than usual.
  • It's so hard to get a taxi during the holiday: With drivers returning home to their families, the service became poor after getting off a train.
    • A note for foreign friends: If you plan to travel during Chinese Spring Festival, it’s better to arrange for transportation ahead of time and be prepared for possible shop closures or reduced service hours!
  • The facilities in the room were pretty old: feeling like stepping back into the last century.
  • The services were just average.

• We had planned to have our New Year’s Eve dinner with our family in the Chinese restaurant named “Summer Palace,” but the service from the waiters was terrible, making me feel like I was dining in a local street side restaurant!

  • Special Note: During peak holidays in China, even a highly-rated restaurant may suffer service due to the lack of workers or too many guests; it might be better to lower your expectations if you must dine out on important days or confirm meal details if possible.

• On the second day, thinking that there were no welcome fruits provided, I mentioned it to the front desk. The next morning, I received only a couple of small but sweet tangerines (satouju), which made me both laugh and cry! Also, the mineral water being provided by the supposedly high-end hotel isn’t even satisfying mom-in-laws who are usually not fussy – it’s just basic supermarket water.

• My first stay in Shangri-La was in Nanjing. Though the hotel looked aged, its services were fantastic! A fruit platter, delicious snacks, toys and bags for my kids, they’ve won total trust in me again.

  • Alas, my heart shattered when comparing it with the rest of the Shangri-Las that ever given me no longer that sense of enchantment.

• My determination was solidified that I wouldn't stay at this hotel again when coming to Guangzhou. But here comes my daughter's opinion towards the garden – she’s got eyes only for it!

  • The garden was tiny with some kids' slide and swing. Even during Chinese Lunar New Year (Spring Festival), it still charges extra for its lantern show!
  • But it’s just a kid’s world – she enjoys everything about it!

Then you clearly haven't been to Urumqi.

The area around Miyun Reservoir is actually quite beautiful.

Maybe just take a stroll around the Hubin (Lakeside) area.

As a Hangzhou local, I'm thrilled when people praise our city. But just a few days ago at Huagang Park, I had to stop a tourist (not from Hangzhou) from throwing orange peels into West Lake. She actually tried to argue it wasn't litter, saying she was 'feeding the mandarin ducks.' I told her you're not supposed to feed wild animals. She and her family then got all defensive and embarrassed, flipped the script, and accused me of bullying outsiders! They even started filming me, threatening to post it online. It made me furious! We really don't welcome tourists like that.

Pudong Airport is genuinely massive. The longest it ever took me to get from deplaning to the exit was an hour and a half.

True. On weekends, we usually drive ourselves or take the high-speed train to nearby provinces and cities.

Planning to sell some Hong Kong and US [currency/assets]. If anyone in mainland China needs them, I can help with the transaction process.

Hey, recently I wandered around Shanghai! The reason is pretty simple: I'd never been there before and a friend of mine was interning in Shanghai, so we secured free accommodation, ha-ha.

Before the visit, Shanghai was like a vague yet fluid shadow floating around in my mind.

• In school, it was always a significant point in history and geography textbooks (the kind that appears on exams!).
• Then, there were various renowned landmarks as well as the romantic elegance of old Shanghai described by many writers (what we refer to as "haipai literature", specifically the blend of Eastern and Western cultural styles that is unique to Shanghai).
• To be honest, however, these representations didn't bring me much sense of reality; I felt distanced from Shanghai.

Once I arrived, I explored places with my friend, stopping here, there, and clicking pictures everywhere. Also, on my own, I spent hours wandering through museums.

• Shanghai is immense, too immense for anyone's footprint.
• Yet, it shrinks down to be small enough for me, my friend, and even a cat to all fit into one tiny room.
• Budget Traveler Alert: Probably because I'm still a college student who lacks money, I could only roam around and expand my horizons. The “paper-soaked-in-gold” (indicating extravagantly luxurious) Shanghai dream shattered into pieces with a mere glimpse of those pricy tags.
• Shanghai is magnificent, to the extent that I almost felt lost in awe.

One day, I took the subway to the Lujiazui area – the economic center of Shanghai teeming with skyscrapers along the Huangpu River, surely present in many photos you've seen!

• As we neared our station, a gentleman next to me dressed in a suit suddenly heaved a deep sigh.
• I followed him out into the sky bridge above Lujiazui, seeing the setting sun sliced into diamond-like lights by glassy buildings. Elevators turned continuously, while neon lights glittered endlessly in the shopping malls.
• Although everything about the city looked impeccable and precise as if programmed, seemingly lost within the city's noise were those who had written its very "codes."

I also ascended the Oriental Pearl – that iconic TV Tower!

• The scene from above the Huangpu River (the lifeline of Shanghai dividing the city into Puxi and Pudong) was resplendent. It truly symbolized an ever-lighted “Night Shanghai.”
• From the doorstep of Jing'anshi Temple near the city center, I stood there watching its golden roof shimmering against the light reflected off the modern skyscrapers behind it; those contrasting new and old were especially prominent.
• From a height of over 300 meters, the neon lights on the Huangpu River appeared melted, as though the entire city was gradually changing its skin.

Maybe, once all the "electronic eyes" (security cameras) break down temporarily among the mold spots left by the "Huai Mei Rain Season" (a season of excessive moisture and rain in spring and summer causing mildew growth), life “threads” (analogous to sprouting mushrooms) unique to a new generation would emerge.

#Wandering Around the City #Travel Experience in Shanghai #City Walk #New Urban Corners #Shanghai Travel Guide #Traversing Through Expansive Shanghai #Urban Explorer #An Entering World #Shanghai #Travel

Haha, playing 'Honor of Kings' in bed at home is way more comfortable.

@miiiinhooooo @Lib. @Joe_shieng [Awkward moment]

Next time for sure. Lesson learned the hard way.

That's a bit far for me. I've barely ever been to Binjiang. Are there any more suitable spots in the western part of the city?

But honestly, buses get stuck in traffic too and take longer than you'd think. When you're in a rush, it's frustrating. I'd rather hop off and bike part of the way, especially when it's super crowded with people.

Doesn't Putuo district now have that massively hyped 'it' spot?