I can feel the distance getting close

[kurozukin_a]

So, China. We went in one of those big tour groups. I'd never travelled in a tour group before, so it was an interesting experience. On one hand, you have to move at the group's pace (Carlo kept giving the tourguides gray hairs by lagging behind to take pictures of everything), and you have to stick to the itinerary -- if it says you're going to

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[irian]

Shanghai is more *cosmopolitan*. There was a time when it was competing with Manila for the title "Paris of the Orient".

People in China are even ruder than people in Hong Kong. Not to mention the hygiene issues...

[irian]

We-ell, it really does get worse the deeper you get into the interior. In the big cities like Shanghai and Beijing it won't be so bad because they have a lot of foreign nationals working there so they have to keep up appearances.

[irian]

Shanghai was gorgeous -- a CITY OF TOMORROW. The buildings were all new and futuristic-looking, and lit up at night. We went up the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, which is kind of like Tokyo Tower except taller, knobbier, shinier, and PINK. Pink with purple stripes. Or purple with pink stripes.

There are people who consider the Pearl Tower an eyesore. I prefer the Bund district myself, because it's one of the few areas in Shanghai that's not likely to fall prey to teh depredations of modernization. The old hutongs or courtyard houses are disappearing faster than you can say gesundheit. And that's the equivalent of tearing down,say, the bahay na batos in Vigan. The city planners should at least preserve some of the old alleyways for posterity.

Apparently Chairman Mao once said that you are not a Hero of China until you have climbed the Great Wall. That was what Anna told us was written in red letters on a big stone marker after the first small set of stairs; but for all I know, she could have been having us on, and it was a sign advising

[kurozukin_a]

I prefer the Bund district myself, because it's one of the few areas in Shanghai that's not likely to fall prey to teh depredations of modernization.

We went there too, right after the Pearl Eyesore. ^_^ That was the area with the European-looking buildings, right?

I'm assuming that you were taken to the Badaling section of the Great Wall, which is apparently just one big reconstructed tourist trap. Still, climbing up all those steps is fun.

That might explain why there was a little alcove down the side selling souveneirs and cold drinks... And "fun" was not exactly what I would have called it. X__x

Next to japan itself, nothing beats Hong Kong if you're shopping for anime and manga stuff and collectibles in general.

Tell me about it... I bought a ton of manga, and that was just at one store.

[irian]

Yep, that one. The place where all of the foreign embassies used to be.

Hehe. Climbing up the wall's great cardio exercise though.

I wanna go to Hong Kong again...

[gweenmeanie]

From the heading of the LJ-cut, I thought your anecdote on the Peking Ducks would have been some vegan-oriented story involving the slaughter of the ducks right in front of you and later having the same ducks served to you, and how you've forever lost your appetite for flesh because of it.

But I'm glad that wasn't the case!

In conclusion, I'm hungry :(

[kurozukin_a]

Nope, nothing like that. They just carved up the already-cooked ducks in front of us, which only made me hungrier.

[pere_chan]

Guess what! ^_^ In Paris, people do walk around with baguettes. Lots of them (people, not baguettes; or maybe both). They eat 'em on the street like popcorn. And you can see the Eiffel Tower everywhere. Also, in London, you can't turn a corner without nearly getting run down by a black cab or a red bus, and it does rain a lot. It's all true! *cheers for bicycles*

[kurozukin_a]

What?! You mean cartoons and cheesy movies haven't been lying to me all this time? O_O

[pere_chan]

No! Isn't that great? ^_^ I have more faith in the world now.

...however, please remember anime usually does lie. Yes it does. Japan is not full of giant robots and mystical battles centering on Tokyo Tower and hot boys whose single goal in life is to hook up with other hot boys.

.......or IS IT? *runs off to Japan*