Duration: 1 Day. Places visited: Shanghai Huashan Road Lilac Garden, People’s Square, The Bund, Oriental Pearl Tower, Huangpu River Cruise, Xintiandi. Published on May 9, 2004.
As another May Day Golden Week approaches, my husband and I planned to visit Shanghai and its surrounding areas, but our time was limited to just May 1st to May 4th. Initially, we noticed advertisements in the newspaper for self-guided and free individual travel packages offered by travel agencies. After a phone inquiry, we found that the flights were not fixed, meaning that during the May Day rush, you would be assigned to whatever flight had available seats, usually early morning or late evening flights. Although the prices were tempting, we decided against it due to the inconvenience. We opted for a truly self-reliant trip, thus embarking on an extensive online journey…
First, we booked a hotel on the Elong website, a Home Inn Express (Xujiahui Branch), which is well-located and three-star, hence slightly more expensive than other Home Inn branches, with a standard king room costing 238 per night. Our choice proved to be correct. Then, we booked round-trip tickets on Xicheng, departing at 12:00 and returning at 16:30, both convenient times. We booked 18 days in advance and received discounts of 20% and 25% respectively. (Xicheng provides clear discounts, not very low, but trustworthy.) This was our first time booking hotels and tickets online, and the overall experience was convenient and efficient, with good service and punctuality. It is also advisable to confirm the hotel reservation with a phone call after booking.
With everything settled, I began searching online for travel tips, such as recommended attractions, local cuisine, and important considerations, for which I am grateful to the patient answers from Xicheng users in their Q&A section. Almost forgot to mention, train tickets from Shanghai to its surroundings during the May Day period are very tight, with many temporary trains added. It’s best to secure them in advance to avoid wasting time at the train station. We had a classmate in Shanghai buy round-trip tickets for us to Suzhou on May 2nd, costing 30 per person, which saved us a lot of trouble.
On May 1st, we were all set to depart at 14:00 when our China Eastern flight 5010 landed at Shanghai Hongqiao Airport. We were supposed to take the 806 airport bus line, but since it didn’t arrive after a long wait, we boarded the 938 bus instead. We thought it wouldn’t be far from the stadium to the Xujiahui hotel, but Shanghai’s buses are very different from Beijing’s, with stops far apart and named after roads rather than specific attractions, which can be confusing for outsiders unfamiliar with Shanghai’s streets. We missed our stop and ended up at Wanping South Road, thinking the stadium must be nearby. We asked the driver, who informed us that the previous stop, Caoxi North Road, was the correct one. Fortunately, it wasn’t far, and we took a taxi to find our hotel at 400 Tianyaoqiao Road, Home Inn. We quickly checked in and entered our private space, feeling incredibly relaxed. As many users on Xicheng have said, the rooms are very clean with pink walls and yellow bathroom floors, which lift your spirits. There is also a water dispenser, but no shampoo or sleepwear, and the only chair is quite old. We decided to try another branch next time.
After briefly organizing our luggage, we set out lightly, first heading to Shanghai Jiaotong University to pick up the train tickets. It’s not far to walk from Xujiahui to the university, and along the way, we experienced the bustling commercial city and crowded residential buildings with clothes poles stretching out.
We then took a brief stroll around Jiaotong University, where my husband graduated from Xi’an Jiaotong University, which could be considered a journey to trace our roots. The inscription ‘Jiaotong University’ at the entrance of both universities was the same, giving us a sense of belonging to one family. Following Huashan Road, we visited ‘Soong Ching-ling’s Former Residence’ and then ‘Lilac Garden’ on Fuxing Road. Amidst the humid air of Shanghai, we strolled and took photos, exploring the traces of the old Western-style houses, contentedly enjoying the leisurely pace.
Unconsciously, as the city lights began to shine, our stomachs started to complain, for the airplane meal we had at noon had been sufficient until then. It was only then that we noticed buses passing by without any sign of a bus stop. We walked and walked until our feet ached, and finally, aAs we walked, we noticed the crowd growing, bustling with activity. We realized we had arrived at the Bund. Following the flow of people, we emerged from an underground passage to the banks of the Huangpu River. The Oriental Pearl Tower across the river was particularly eye-catching, with the illuminated Huangpu River cruise boats passing one after another. The Bund was crowded with tourists and vendors. Capturing a good photo amidst the crowd would truly test one’s photography skills.
From the Bund, we descended to Shaanxi Road. By the time we took a taxi back to our hotel, it was already past 11 o’clock. Unexpectedly, the afternoon had been quite fulfilling. In fact, during our trip, our daily schedules were packed. No wonder we almost forgot what happened the day before or thought it was a distant memory.
On May 2nd, we caught a 9 AM train on the subway Line 1 from Xujiahui to the train station. We bought a map of Suzhou at the station to plan our itinerary on the train. With a 9 PM train back, we had a full day in Suzhou. We planned to focus on visiting Tongli and returning to Suzhou for dinner and a stroll.
The express train took only 45 minutes. Our first impression of Suzhou was not great. It was dirty and chaotic, as is common with small city train stations. We found a relatively clean small restaurant across from the train station for a quick meal. It was small in portion but tasty.
We then hurried to the North Bus Station not far west of the train station to buy a ticket to Tongli. The bus station was even more chaotic, with taxis, rickshaws, and buses jumbled together, making it difficult to move. Coupled with the usual inaccurate weather forecast, we were dressed in long pants and shirts, while the scorching sun was taunting us, ruining our mood.
The ticket my husband managed to buy was for 1:30 PM. With over two hours to spare, we figured that by the time we returned from Tongli, the gardens in Suzhou would be closed. We decided to take a quick look around since we weren’t too interested anyway.
On the map, the Humble Administrator’s Garden was not far from the bus station. We asked a rickshaw driver who refused to take us, suggesting we take a taxi instead. We weren’t sure if he thought it was too far or too close. A taxi arrived, and many people rushed to get it, so we decided against it. Instead, we walked to find Bus Route 1 and took a few stops to reach our destination.
Outside the Humble Administrator’s Garden, there was another crowd, probably the first stop for most tourist groups. The entrance fee was 40. With our limited time, we couldn’t savor the unique charm of the Jiangnan gardens. We opted for a cheaper and quicker visit, so we wouldn’t regret coming to Suzhou. Thus, we resolutely turned to the Lion Grove Garden, which was a short walk away with an entrance fee of 15. Let’s seize the time!
These Jiangnan gardens are indeed small, with compact landscapes and changes within a tiny space. In about an hour, our camera didn’t stop clicking. Coincidentally, the clothes I wore that day had a Jiangnan flavor, and everyone praised the photos taken there when we returned. Hehe～
After that, we took a taxi to the bus station, waited for a while. Fortunately, our bus was on time. The bus to Zhouzhuang in front of us was delayed by half an hour.
We boarded a 30-seat coach, with our seats located at the very back, which turned out to be the most jarring and exhilarating ride I’ve ever experienced. The coach was so bumpy that my head nearly touched the ceiling. Despite the thrilling journey, I dared not sleep and surprisingly, I did not get carsick (I usually suffer from motion sickness severely).
After 45 minutes, we arrived in Tongli, a small town in the southeast of Suzhou, within the jurisdiction of Wujiang City. We purchased tickets for 20 yuan per person, which included access to three attractions. We opted out of the one that included ‘Tuisi Hall’ for 50 yuan, and to the end, we were unsure of where ‘Tuisi Hall’ was located.
Right at the entrance stood the ‘Three Bridges’—a large stone arch bridge, beneath which many wooden boats were moored for tourists to ride. The boatmen and women, dressed in local attire with their tanned skin, were a sight to behold. We initially planned to wait for six people to join us for a boat tour but gave up when no suitable companions arrived.
On ‘Ming and Qing Dynasties Street’, the buildings were ancient while the shops operated with modern commerceAfter exploring sufficiently, we hurried back to catch the last bus to Suzhou at 5:30 PM. It was a passing bus with no assigned seats and very crowded. The elderly and children were all jostling for space. As we squeezed onto the bus, it started to rain outside. We were relieved to have made it back to Suzhou but regretted not seeing Tongli in the rain. The bus dropped us off in the suburbs of Suzhou around 6 PM. We took a taxi to Guanqian Street for dinner. Feeling a bit dizzy from the bus ride, I had little appetite and craved something spicy. We ended up at ‘XX Lobster’ at the eastern end of Guanqian Street for boiled fish. It was not very spicy, perhaps because people in this region of Jiangnan do not favor spicy food. Speaking of food, I had planned to try unique Shanghai dishes like pan-fried buns and crab roe soup dumplings, but they were too sweet for me. However, the spicy dishes here were more suitable for me. Hehe, KFC and McDonald’s are ubiquitous, serving as snacks, but their ice cream tastes strange. Lastly, I recommend Jingchu duck necks. I ordered many, and both the five-spice and mildly spicy ones were good. I bought two packs before leaving and almost finished them by the time I reached the waiting room. When I had to dispose of the bones, two foreigners next to me stared at me for a long time.
May 3: Tour of Shanghai. Today there is no need to rush for a vehicle. We can sleep in and then stroll outside to have something to eat. Xujiahui where we are located has no shortage of food. There are grilled mutton skewers, squid skewers, egg tarts, chicken legs, and garden soup. Whenever we see something delicious, we stop. The weather is also good. We took the subway and then transferred to the light rail and arrived at ‘Hongkou Stadium’. The target is ‘Duolun Road Cultural Celebrity Street’. But when we got there, it was far from what I had imagined. The traces of artificial restoration are too heavy. There are also many celebrity sculptures. It gives a very new feeling. I don’t like it. At that time, the weather was very hot. We were busy looking for a clothing store to buy a vest. Unexpectedly, when we arrived in Pudong in the afternoon, it was drizzling. LG took pictures of the exterior of Jinmao Tower. I held an umbrella for him. After having a meal on the fifth floor of Zhengda Department Store around 5 o’clock, we boarded the observation deck on the 88th floor of Jinmao Tower. There were not many people and tickets were easy to buy. We stayed until night to take pictures of the night view of the Bund opposite and then went down. Regrettably, the visibility that day was very poor and the photos were just passable. After coming down from Jinmao Tower and getting off at South Shaanxi Road by subway, it was Parkson. We had some late-night snacks. The rain was still falling. We were exhausted and our feet were so painful that we couldn’t walk anymore. So we took a taxi back to the hotel. I praise Shanghai’s taxis. They are all Santana 2000. They are very new and clean.
May 4: Today we are leaving. I am really reluctant to leave. The air in Shanghai is very beneficial to girls’ skin. At 9 o’clock in the morning, we checked out and settled the bill including the telephone charges. Then we took the subway and went straight to South Huangpi Road. The ‘Xintiandi’ there has always been what I am longing for. After coming out of the subway, we entered ‘Pacific Department Store’ to buy some things. Then we walked south along South Huangpi Road and arrived at ‘Xintiandi’. Xintiandi during the day is very quiet. The Party member in our family strongly requested to take a photo at the site of the First National Congress. That day was May 4. A group of students were here to receive patriotic education. Walking deep into ‘Xintiandi’, on both sides of the street are bars with different styles one after another.
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**A Leisurely Stroll and a Speedy Ride**
*Outside each store, the tables and chairs are always bustling with activity. It’s rare to find a few people sitting alone. I found my spot among the crowd. LG was busy playing with the telephoto lens, capturing moments. Hehe.*
After bidding farewell to the vibrant streets of Xintiandi, we embarked on a leisurely walk to the People’s Square, a short distance away, for lunch. The afternoon unfolded with a journey to Longyang Road Station, where we caught Metro Line 2. From there, it was an exciting step onto the Maglev train headed for Pudong Airport.
*The Maglev tickets were a breeze to purchase, and boarding was swift with a one-way fare of 40 yuan per person, provided you have an air ticket in hand. The train was surprisingly uncrowded, and it reached an impressive maximum speed of 430 km/h. It’s said that the trip to the airport takes only 7 to 8 minutes, but I didn’t check my watch; the journey felt like the blink of an eye. I hadn’t even had enough time to settle into my seat comfortably.*
*This is a brief reflection of our experiences over the past few days—a mix of a self-guided tour and a leisure vacation. The details in the latter part may not be very specific; I tend to start strong and finish weakly. I’ll post any additional information provided by my husband later for everyone’s reference, :)*
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