Eating my way thru Shanghai

Food was definitely one of the purposes of my trip to Shanghai. I have heard a lot about the quality of food there and was excited to start trying them.

The skies cleared up when we got to Shanghai which afforded us the ability to walk through the streets without having to manauever through ice. (by this time, they already cleared the streets)

We were billeted at the Pacific Hotel - the design aspects of which deserve a separate blog in itself. It is located near THE BUND. This is a stretch of road on the westside of the Huangpu river. It is the most popular tourist destination in Shanghai (much like Champ Elysee in Paris) because of the beautiful Art Deco architecture. If you didn't know you were in Shanghai, you might think you were in London or some other European country.

First order of business was to try the hairy crab. It a small compared to the Alaskan king crab that I had tasted in Australia. But it was so flavorful. The crab roe was very sticky (not the dry and hard kind we would expect from other crabs)- It actually reminded me of peanut butter. The establishment we ate at was very popular because every table was full and we had to share a big table with two other couples (noticed most of the clientele was Japanese). The interior of the place was like one would see in a Chinese kung fu movie (It even had girls playing some chinese string instruments)

 the restaurant interiors... 

they are kept in the fridge (sleeping in the cold)

cooked and ready to be eaten

chinese music players

For a minimal fee (and because the crabs were so small it was hard to get to the meat) you can have the waitresses take the crab apart - they will serve it to you in a plate with just the meat. (how is that for service eh?) The crabs itself were pricey (because they were very seasonal) about 180-240 RMB (about $28) per pc depending on the size (of course we got the 180 rmb one). The other dishes we tried were forgettable. 

Earlier, we tried the big siao long pao at the YUAN GARDEN. It a big big dumpling where they fill it with frozen soup, crab roe and pork. They steam it until you get soup filled dumpling. You have to eat it very very carefully (bec they serve it piping hot)

yuan garden chinese pavillion

The lines around this place was unbelievable. it just went on and on (they had a take out counter near the entrance) But I found the skin of the dumpling a bit thick and didn't eat it.

 I found another place, near THE BUND which serves a tastier version. The skin is thinner (thus you can eat it) - it't tucked on the second floor of a chinese deli.

 very soupy!!!

you can watch them make it.... (this is before they steam them)

Aside from the regular restaurants, you still have to try the places you pass by on the street. If I see a line forming somewhere, you know the place has something good. Just follow the crowd to good things!

line forming on the street

its some kind of fried dumpling... of course we tried them.. yum! I burned myself in the soup (again!) it came out as I bit on the skin and quirted~ yes, squirted~ the juice 2 feet in front of me. Glad no one was walking in front!

 what is this? a line?

ooooooH.... egg tarts and some local pastry!

ate one before I remembered to take a picture. It's a cheesecake tart!

I was too tired to try the various other things I saw (but wanted to try) - maybe next trip!

Quirky Eats

Here are just some things I passed by when I was in Shaoshing

these are stewed eggs (left side) and some sticky rice wrapped in lotus leaves. These are sold on the corner Mom and Pop store at the side of the hotel.

these are assorted snacks. some are pigeon eggs, fish balls, beef balls, meat on skewers

here is a video of a lady making rice cakes by steaming. It looks very similar to something we have at home called PUTO BUMBONG. She also puts brown sugar in the middle of the cake. It's actually really good.

This is the end product. (see the purple hectagonal thing on the tray)

I still have some more pictures but I haven't gotten the time to arrange them yet. (noticed I took a lot of food pictures)
It would be nice to hear what you think about the food!

And then it SNOWED

and snowed and snowed..... and it didn't stop for 3 DAYS.

I am back after a almost a week spent in the freezing cold. You get what you wished for and I am guessing my husband was praying hard for snow. (he hasn't seen snow). The first thing he said to me as we were landing in Pudong International airport at was, "Is that snow??" and this was 10am when I was really only FAINTLY snowing (the flakes were sparse and not even visible. We deplaned and walked towards immigration and he looked out..

 "I think that's snow."

I craned my neck towards the wall to wall glass to see if is was really snow. To me, it was hard to tell.

Outside the airport at the long distance bus station, he was sticking his tongue out... "it's snow...." I had to laugh.

From shanghai, we had to take a bus (normally 3 hour ride) to the shaoshing city where I needed to work. It took 2 bus rides and 5 hours to get there. I think the weather was partly to blame.  When we finally arrived, the ground was covered with snow. When I had to change buses, I had to wait in the cold for a good 20 minutes. It was  VERY VERY long day to say the least.  (had to wake up 3am to catch the 6am plane to shanghai. Then the bus ride to the shaoshing province were we finally arrived 5pm or 14 hours later...)

this is at the 2nd bus station. You can see the snow starting to build.

The funny thing is, I asked my supplier if it normally snowed there. He said it doesn't snow every year and if it does, it only snows for one day and then that will be it. Freakish weather that we are having lately, it is the most snow they have had EVER! It was hard to work, where everything is open air (no heat) I couldn't feel my fingers let alone feel the textile I was buying. My head was aching from the cold (I was wearing a bonnet and a hood) , my two thermal socks were of no help either. The snow melted as we walked through the streets (turning it into slush- much like a milkshake) and soaked right into the shoes I was wearing. My toes felt like frozen fish sticks. 

this is where I look like the eskimo from the previous blog

somebody made a snowman outside a restaurant we passed. the eyes and mouth are bell peppers (I think)

I was fine with the 4 shirts and thick jacket- the problem was, my toes and fingers were not properly covered and that made the walking around for 5 hours quite a chore.

I think God didn't want me to work too much, because by the time we were to set off back to Shanghai for the sightseeing part of the trip, it STOPPED snowing and the weather cleared up. (I was wondering how I could sightsee with snow on the ground).

Notes on China:
1. no access to facebook
2. no access to youtube
3. provinces only accept the local credit card (unionpay) so better bring cash (it is only in shanghai that they accept mastercard)
4. be ready to dodge locals who spit EVERYWHERE (its not uncommon to hear... hoourch.... potooo... every few feet)
5. look left, look right when crossing the street. Pedestrians DONT have the right of way here.

next blog, will tell you about Shanghai.

Once upon a time in China

It's been 14 years since I last set foot in China.
My motto for my trip was... expect the worst, hope for the best.

My previous experience in touring the sights was great. The problem was, the toilets were horrible. The time I was there, they had pay toilets but these had no doors! We had to use umbrellas to shield the door part. (although we are all women, we did have our modestly).  Some of the the toilets could not even be considered toilets as they were just HOLES on the ground. Peering over them, you could see the depths of the abyss and who knows what lying there. YUKK...

So, 14 years later.... I am back.

My flight was Manila-hk-hangzhou. My luck was with me when I got upgraded to business class on the first leg of the flight. I really love business class... the wider seats, the better food. (you get linens and real spoons and forks- not like plastic utensils in economy) Plus!!, they address you by name- "You need anything Ms. Acidera?"- That is what you call service!

 If only I could afford going business class every trip! We had breakfast on the plane and I loved the stone-like salt and pepper shakers that I was tempted to pocket them! (the white one is salt, the black one is pepper)

Alas, my HK to hangzhou was economy style. oh well.

We were met by our contacts at the airport. Hangzhou is considered rural not like Shanghai or Beijing so it was a pretty small city. It was a 30 minute drive to shaoshing. The industrial city were we are going to do most of out sourcing.

Things I noticed:

There are a lot of nice cars but they all looked liked they needed a good car wash.  Notice the RANGE ROVER and VOLVO.
I was thinking I could make money if I open a 24hr car wash in China... hahaha

The Chinese here drive like madmen. They don't even warn you when they are coming and you really have to be vigilant or you'll get run over. Even the people who walk or roll the carts don't shout a "excuse me". I had myself bumped a few times while walking.

They have tricycles that they use for public transport. It's pretty cheap and if you are tired from walking, a nice way to get back to your hotel. The only thing is, you get scared when they cross from the bike lane to the main road because it seems they don't look at the oncoming cars before they merge into traffic.
I kept on thinking "OH my Gosh! I need more insurance!!!!"

The hotel was nice enough by China standards. I don't know what kind of people check in there though as they have a vibra-condom stand in the bathroom. (I assume the condom vibrates) and when you look in the drawers, behind the laundry list is a pamphet with instructions on how to put on a condom and AIDS info (it was all in Chinese and I guessed thru the pictures).

One time, we had to ride a taxi and it had stainless steel bars between the passenger and driver.. What the????

I thought my friend said China was relatively safe like Singapore.... why the bars???
He said it was because sometimes, drunks get a little rowdy late at night.

My eyebrows were raised in doubt....

taxi bars!

Toilets. What can I say about toilets in China.... hmmmm...

You better go in the hotel before you do any walking because even though China has grown leaps and bounds, the quality of the toilet is very far from standard. I did not take any pictures because, well.. you might lose you appetite.

One advise, better take a VERY deep breath before entering because you might barf at the smell. You literally cannot breathe from the fumes.

They already put tiles on the toilet but it was not the "stand up" kind. You had to squat. Some had ceramic "bowls" but it was ground level. Some toilets had two rows of tiles with a indentation in the middle where the would put a flow of water, much like a men's urinal of old, but here, its in the ladies room and you do #1 and #2 in the same place... ENOUGH said.

The Chinese smoke like chimneys. Almost everywhere people are puffing away, even closed restaurants and indoors.  I even had the experience of walking into a store and instead of being offered water or tea, I was offered sticks of cigarettes. (go figure).

Glad I am home.