Viking China (Part 2)

[juliesaddiction]

Got our packet today :)

We will be staying at

Pudong Shangri-la

Hilton Xian

Regent Beijing

 

any thoughts or tips?

[juliesaddiction]

one more question

the suggested tips for the ship crew, tour guide, local tour guide and driver is listed as US$....will we be tipping in US$ for those, no local currancy?

[caribill]

one more question

the suggested tips for the ship crew, tour guide, local tour guide and driver is listed as US$....will we be tipping in US$ for those, no local currancy?

 

You can use either US $ or the equivalent in Yuan.

 

If you have the Yuan, it means they do not have to convert $ to Yuan, but they will no doubt get tips in both currencies.

 

On the last evening we tipped our Viking guide with a mixture of $ and Yuan. This allowed us to use the Yuan we had not spent otherwise.

Edited August 21, 2013 by caribill

[caribill]

Got our packet today :)

We will be staying at

Pudong Shangri-la

Hilton Xian

Regent Beijing

 

any thoughts or tips?

 

Of these, we were at the Pudong Shangri-la.

 

If you are eating on your own, for example the first evening you arrive in Shanghai before the touring starts, eating at the hotel can be expensive.

 

There is a mall across the street from that hotel with a number of very reasonably priced restaurants. However, do not expect the waitstaff at the mall restaurants to speak much, if any, English.

 

At all the hotels, expect the breakfast buffet to have many choices from different cultures. You should have no problem finding food you will enjoy at breakfast.

 

By the way, China is basically a non-tipping society, so tips are not expected by hotel personnel.

 

Have a great trip.

[Turtles06]

one more question

the suggested tips for the ship crew, tour guide, local tour guide and driver is listed as US$....will we be tipping in US$ for those, no local currancy?

 

Those suggestions in dollars are so you can understand the amounts. And while you are free to tip in U.S. currency, our Viking escort expressly requested that we tip the local guides, bus drivers, etc. in RMB. They are dealing with smaller amounts of tips, earn less, and it's harder for them to exchange foreign currency (particularly in small towns along the river). We were happy to oblige. (Imagine giving a bus driver in Peoria several bucks worth of non-US currency.)

 

On the last night, when you tip the escort, you can give him/her any mix of currency you'd like, he or she will happily accept it. It's a good way to get rid of your remaining RMB (saving some of course for a cab to the airport and whatever incidentals before your departure you might want cash for).

[Peregrina651]

Got our packet today :)

We will be staying at

Pudong Shangri-la

Hilton Xian

Regent Beijing

 

any thoughts or tips?

 

Here are some words of wisdom about the buffet at the ShangriLa. It is where you will go for breakfast both mornings. It is huge!!! It is room after room of buffet stations and features breakfast foods, hot and cold, from all the cultures served by the hotel --American (including an omelet bar), English, European, Indian, Japanese, Indonesia, etc., etc. Check it out!

 

While it is a buffet restaurant for lunch and dinner, you can also order a la carte, which is exactly what we did for dinner on our arrival day. We knew that we weren't hungry enough to warrant paying for the buffet--and had no energy to go exploring outside the hotel. We had gone shopping for pearls upon our arrival and by the time we got back to the hotel, we were hungry and tired--with tired winning. We definitely over ordered when we chose both appetizers and entree. One or the other would have been plenty.

 

I am sure that you will find a similar situation at the buffets in the other hotels, multiple stations serving an enormous variety of foods. Some of the hotels are easy to see what is what because the stations are clustered in one area but ShangriLa in Shanghai gets a heads up because of its very stretched out lay out in multiple rooms of the restaurant.

 

The other cool thing about the hotels in Shanghai is the river view. The Huang Po river in Shanghai is busy 24 hours a day; it is a major commercial route. If your room doesn't have a river view, then head to the penthouse bar to check it out--especially after dark.

[swanny727]

I also have a bad knee and was worried about the Great Wall which I really wanted to do. Going down the slope sections hurt more than the stair section. I saw an elderly Asian lady using the handrail and going down the slope backwards. looked silly but I tried it and voila! less pain.

[molymoo]

Of these, we were at the Pudong Shangri-la.

 

If you are eating on your own, for example the first evening you arrive in Shanghai before the touring starts, eating at the hotel can be expensive.

 

There is a mall across the street from that hotel with a number of very reasonably priced restaurants. However, do not expect the waitstaff at the mall restaurants to speak much, if any, English.

 

At all the hotels, expect the breakfast buffet to have many choices from different cultures. You should have no problem finding food you will enjoy at breakfast.

 

By the way, China is basically a non-tipping society, so tips are not expected by hotel personnel.

 

Have a great trip.

 

We were at the Fairmont Peace Hotel but made a trip across the river to the Super Brand Mall (right next to the Shangri-La) to try the dumplings at Din Tai Fung which according to many sources have the best traditional Shanghai dumplings. We enjoyed our meal so much that we went back the next night (we were on our own for dinner as we took the pre-extension in Shanghai). They have English on the menu and when they saw us come in they sent the English speaking wait staff in our direction. It was a delicious and reasonably priced meal. It is on the 2nd or 3rd level to the right if you enter the mall on the river side.

[juliesaddiction]

We were at the Fairmont Peace Hotel but made a trip across the river to the Super Brand Mall (right next to the Shangri-La) to try the dumplings at Din Tai Fung which according to many sources have the best traditional Shanghai dumplings. We enjoyed our meal so much that we went back the next night (we were on our own for dinner as we took the pre-extension in Shanghai). They have English on the menu and when they saw us come in they sent the English speaking wait staff in our direction. It was a delicious and reasonably priced meal. It is on the 2nd or 3rd level to the right if you enter the mall on the river side.

 

Thanks so much for the info :)

[Queen of DaNile]

Just got confirmation back on reservations for four of us for Black Sesame Kitchen for next month. Can't wait.:D

[molymoo]

Just got confirmation back on reservations for four of us for Black Sesame Kitchen for next month. Can't wait.:D

 

Oh you will so enjoy the experience!!! We were there last month and had such a nice dinner with a great group of "new friends"! It was a highlight of our trip! Have fun! :)

[79ti]

Queen of DaNile' I have emailed a reservation request to the BLack Sesame Restaurant but no reply as yet. How long did it take them to reply to your request.

Lori

[Peregrina651]

Queen of DaNile' I have emailed a reservation request to the BLack Sesame Restaurant but no reply as yet. How long did it take them to reply to your request.

Lori

 

Check you spam folder; even good mail sometimes get misdirected. Also, go back a few pages in this thread; there has been some recent discussion about getting e-mails from BSK.

[rahrah50]

My reply was in less than 24 hours. I have emailed again just to confirm etc and again a reply in less than 24 hours.

[79ti]

Just got confirmation back on reservations for four of us for Black Sesame Kitchen for next month. Can't wait.:D

 

Have emailed again, will see what happens. Thanks though!!

[79ti]

You should get a reply from them. Have you checked to see if it ended up in your spam/junk file?

 

Did I read somewhere that this restaurant has a Peking Duck dinner? I am trying to reserve for our 2nd night. Thanks

[Turtles06]

Did I read somewhere that this restaurant has a Peking Duck dinner? I am trying to reserve for our 2nd night. Thanks

 

I assume from your prior posts you are referring to Black Sesame Kitchen, which is not a restaurant but a cooking school during the day that has reserved dining (Wine N Dine) a couple of nights a week. It's a phenomenal experience -- ten course meal (they set the menu) cooked right in front of you in their little place in the hutongs. But it is NOT a Peking Duck restaurant, and if you want Peking Duck, you'll need to go elsewhere. (Plenty of recommendations on this thread.) I would go to BSK if you can get in.

 

Read more about BSK on their web site

 

http://www.blacksesamekitchen.com/

[id4elizabeth]

It took us a long time to get a response from them (Black Sesame Kitchen) for requested reservations for Oct 13, 15, or 16. When we did hear back, they said they had no other reservations requests for that night, and since it's only the two of us, they would not open just for us. They asked us to check back later. I've been in contact with them twice, and both times it took about 2 weeks for a response, and both times was a similar "check back later." So will check back in another couple of weeks. Keeping my fingers crossed based on the reviews here and on TripAdvisor. Anybody else want to go on any of those dates?? Then they would open for 4 people.

[Kohola]

Can anyone provide information regarding how dificult physically the Great Wall will be? Our group is in pretty good shape but a few bad knees, etc. They are concerned it may be too physically challenging.

Thanks

 

A few more details in addition to those of Caribill...going to the left or south section there are seven accessible towers, the hike is a total of about 3/4 of a mile each way. Going to the right or north section there are nine accessible towers and the hike can be up to 1.5 miles each way, but most people stop at the Eighth Tower which decreases the hike to about a mile each way. Most people on the VRC tours do not hike the entire accessible section in either direction based upon the number of westerners we saw hiking during our times on the wall in 2009 and again in 2012.

 

Which direction and why? First compare the distance to the Fourth Towers in both directions since that is the extent where the majority of hiking occurs. 4th Tower to the left(south) is about 2250 feet away with an elevation gain of around 420 feet which correlates to elevation gain of nearly 1000 feet/mile. 4th Tower to the right(north) is over 2500 feet away with an elevation gain of nearly 510 feet...again this correlates to almost 1100 feet/mile.

 

The highest point of the hike is the 8th Tower going to the right...given that the numbers point to the right as being more difficult overall why do the majority of people go to the right???

 

The tour provided to westerners only encompasses the hike along the Great Wall, but in reality the Great Wall at Badaling is a lot more than just the Great Wall. There is a sky tram to the 8th Tower to the north, a toboggan ride, a museum, and a wildlife center in addition to the Wall, but these are all associated with hiking to the right. In addition, there is purported to be a stone monument with the saying "He who has never been to the Great Wall is not a true man." at the 8th Tower to the right which is a coveted photo for the Chinese tourists. We couldn't find it in the mass of humanity. The typical Chinese tourist packs a lunch and spends the entire day at the Wall while we spend about two hours.

 

Here are some photos to give a little more meaning to what I've said.

 

Entrance to Badaling ChangCheng (八达岭 长城)...I like the translation Bada and Ling: Octopus and Ridge...Octopus Ridge. Chang Cheng...long wall together translates as The Great Wall. After passing this entrance the choice left or right is made or just stop at the first tower and enjoy the view and head to the Freedom Store.

This photo was taken just before the 4th Tower going to the left...just us and the wall by now. But looking across to the right, the highest point of wall visible is the 8th Tower.

I zoomed to show the wall to the right continues down the ridge line beyond the 8th Tower allowing visitors to reach the 12th Tower...the signs beyond the 8th Tower are no longer in English which was a clue to us not to continue.

The extent of the accessible portion of the wall going to the left...just us and the "No Visitor" sign. At this point the only option is the way you came...as you can see it would be pretty obvious if other people on our tour were hiking beyond the first couple of towers. There are signs indicating a sky tram at the 4th Tower, but we couldn't see any indication it actually existed.

The beginning of the section going to the right. Caribill's photo shows how much vegetation there is and how quickly it grows in. These photos were taken in the March/April time frames when the walkway down the mountain to the museum is clearly visible.

[Kohola]

Since the number of photos in a post is limited I divided it up.

Above the 4th Tower to the right is the toboggan run to go back down the mountain. For the Chinese tourists they have a multitude of options on how to handle the wall. Sky tram to the top and walk down, walk up then sky tram or toboggan down or walk down the trails adjacent to the wall. So in my opinion this is why the Chinese tourists choose to go right.

The views at the top on the right side are pretty amazing. I purposefully cut off the sky tram to the right in the photo, but part of a pylon is visible

The 8th Tower to the right and a mass of humanity that ebbed and flowed, but we couldn't locate the saying. Just like any amusement park...they take your photo and you can buy it down below;)

Who climbs the wall...anyone from 3 to 93 that has the desire.

The cultural experience on the wall is amazing...the temperature was around 70, but there was a brisk wind. I tried to explain what happens when you take a photo directly into the sun, but the translation was lacking.

 

Go left for a quicker hike and better photos of the wall itself without fighting all the amusement attractions. Go right to experience the Chinese culture and have lunch with the tourists.

[id4elizabeth]

Thanks Kohola! Your pictures and explanation give us a much better idea of what to expect. I think we'll go left.

 

Anybody have any idea of what Mutianyu is like? We have an extra couple of days before the tour and heard that part of the wall was less visited.

[Turtles06]

Thanks Kohola! Your pictures and explanation give us a much better idea of what to expect. I think we'll go left.

 

Anybody have any idea of what Mutianyu is like? We have an extra couple of days before the tour and heard that part of the wall was less visited.

 

We flew into Beijing several days early, and we spent a good chunk of one of those days visiting Mutianyu. It's wonderful, it is typically less visited than Badaling (this was two years ago), and I would highly recommend it. You access the wall via a cable car, so it's a very different experience than Badaling. Also, since you won't be with the Viking group, you can stay for as long as you want. Badaling was great, but it was an added plus to have a Great Wall experience without the time pressure of a tour group. It also helped that we lucked out and had a stunningly beautiful blue sky day. :)

 

In the event this may be helpful to you in planning your extra days in Beijing, here's a link to my summary of how we spent our extra days there before the Viking tour started:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=29264391&postcount=4680

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Mutianyu photos by turtles06)

Edited August 28, 2013 by Turtles06

[79ti]

It took us a long time to get a response from them (Black Sesame Kitchen) for requested reservations for Oct 13, 15, or 16. When we did hear back, they said they had no other reservations requests for that night, and since it's only the two of us, they would not open just for us. They asked us to check back later. I've been in contact with them twice, and both times it took about 2 weeks for a response, and both times was a similar "check back later." So will check back in another couple of weeks. Keeping my fingers crossed based on the reviews here and on TripAdvisor. Anybody else want to go on any of those dates?? Then they would open for 4 people.

 

We received an email confirming our reservation at the BSK. Now to check out threads for the Peking Duck!! Yum!!

[Peregrina651]

There are a couple of places mention on this thread. One is 'Made in China' (?)and I can't remember the other name. Someone even posted a picture taken at Made in China.

[Turtles06]

There are a couple of places mention on this thread. One is 'Made in China' (?)and I can't remember the other name. Someone even posted a picture taken at Made in China.

 

That "someone" was me, and you know I'll put up a pic at the drop of a hat. :)

 

Here's our duck being sliced up table side at Made in China. YUM!!!!!!!

 

Some others on our trip went to Da Dong for Peking Duck and loved it as well.

 

 

 

(photo by turtles06)