Dazzling Shanghai

The mere mention of China, dahlings, is enough to bring out the travel bug in me. China has always had an allure of mystery and decadence, arousing in moi a fear–and excitement–of the unknown. I’ve also heard fantastic stories from moi pals about China’s terrific shopping bargains and fabi ancient sites.

And so, dahlings, when that top-of-the-line agency and China specialist Uni-Orient and our very own Philippine Airlines rang moi up ask if I and the STAR’s third eye, Alex Van Hagen would be interested to see Shanghai and Beijing, we packed our bags pronto for a 10-day adventure.

Jet-setting Visayan Daily Star’s stellar lifestyle chronicler and gent of substance, Edouard Garcia was already at Terminal 2 when we checked in. PAL’s dashing product manager Reynaldo Garcia greeted us and helped us breeze in to the Mabuhay VIP Lounge where we indulged in the world’s tastiest rice congee (arroz caldo).

The lounge bustled with the arrival of moi dearest palangga, Manila Bulletin’s Lifestyle editor Ethel Timbol. Next came our mega group leader, that elegant lady with the know-how, Nancy Sih, no less, the GM and mega persona behind the in-demand Uni-Orient Travel, Inc. She came with always with a smile Febie Hontiveros, and Uni-Orient’s (Binondo Head Office) manager, Virginia Dee Go, top sales executive Joy Alexis Po and her energetic staff, Beth Tan, Ces Adarayan, Janel Laureen Lee and Joy David.

Not to be left behind were pals who have been dying to go to China for eons: top jeweler Linda Oledan and Rotary’s former mega president Maridel Villavicencio, who contacted Uni-Orient and paid for the same tour we were taking. They were so excited to take a trip they have been dreaming of for years.

Judging from the endless chatting in between our yummy congee, it was going to be one heck of a tour, palanggas. Time whizzed by and before we knew it, Mabuhay Lounge’s tres charmante director, Southern lady Babylou Diago Afzelius led us to our jet to make sure we got the seats we requested.

After three hours and 20 minutes of flying smoothly on PAL with a yummy lunch served by accommodating flight stewards on board, we landed at the colossal Pudong International Airport, an hour’s drive away from the city.

Ah, dahlings, Shanghai is definitely one of the world’s great cities! It has a colorful decadent past, a frenetic present and a future that will likely see it back on top as a major international financial and trading center. Actually, it has become a 21st century top-of-the-line financial, economic and commercial center in just–take note–12 short years, would you believe?

This bustling city, whose name literally means "on the sea," is located at the East China coast, lying south of the mouth of the Yangtze River. China’s largest city, Shanghai is where the China’s largest ports and largest industrial facilities are based. It has the best shops and restos and also the most good-looking, fashionable people with smooth, ivory-white complexion. It is called "The Dragon Head" of East China, being the leading economic force. It is also known as the "Paris of China."

Shanghai set aside its shining dancing shoes in 1949 during the Cultural Revolution. It has since reawakened and put on its dancing shoes. It is busy snapping the dust off its cummerbund.

The sun rises everyday in a city typifying the huge disparities of modern China. History has returned to haunt Shanghai and at the same time, to put it squarely back on the map! The new Shanghai everyone is raving about flabbergasted us all. It has transformed into an oasis, a miracle outshining even Hong Kong. It has found its heart and soul. We were ready to be conquered while living in style at the fabi, world-renowned Four Seasons Hotel. We shopped until we dropped while touring in between. Welcome to dazzling Shanghai, palanggas.

Meeting us upon our arrival at the world-class Four Seasons Hotel, Shanghai, was a reception line that made us feel like royalty. It was led by well-respected and popular GM Peter Weber, no less, charmant resident manager, Richard Cruttende, and the hotel’s secret weapon, brilliant Cristina Dolendo who immediately took charge of our groupie assisted by pretty PR manager Pia Chock.

Apres unpacking at our elegant suite on the 34th floor, we descended to the Coffee Shop Bar where we were treated by Four Seasons’ heavyweights for cocktails. We enjoyed an excellently prepared dinner at the hotel’s popular Steak House. This informal yet stylishly-decorated steak house serves the most delicious North American prime beef and the freshest seafood. Needless to say, most of our groupie sank their teeth on the mmm... so good steak. Moi opted for the superb grilled chicken breast, dahlings, all drowned with the best wine on the list chosen by Cristina Dolendo, no less. The open kitchen, a sumptuous salad bar and the greenhouse decor of the place definitely provided a dramatic setting.

To burn off our calories, we were brought on a quick inspection tour of the hotel rooms. We discovered that the hotel has the most rooms in Shanghai–79 gorgeous suites and 360 rooms. The huge and elegant suites and rooms boast of spacious marble bathrooms with separate bathtubs and shower stalls.

If you’ve never been to Shanghai, dahlings, you’re in for a surprise of your life. Pack an empty suitcase and bring tons of cash. Stores in Shanghai offer goods in an incredible jumble of styles. You will enjoy their fabi mile-long flea markets, postcard-pretty antique shops, and tons of fake name-brand watches.

Early next morning after a healthy, yummy breakfast at the hotel’s superb Café Studio on street level, we watched passers-by on the busy Weihai Road. Then we window-shopped and then bought many more in and around the renowned Yu Yuan Garden and Shopping Center, a must to go to on your first day in the city.

The place is busy and I mean, really busy! It has all kinds of shops selling Chinese-made clothes and what have yous, to boutiques, restos, sidewalk cafés, and even–would you believe–crickets! Yes, crickets, that chirp endlessly cooped up in little bamboo cages which can be hung anywhere around the house or verandas. On our first day alone, most of our pack had bought colorful bags, blouses, T-shirts.

At the center of this bustling area is the beautiful Shanghai Cheng Huang City Temple, a large-scale tourist venue popular among shoppers. This once-upon-a-time palace of the very rich houses tons of antiques and old furniture.

Rooms open up into halls and more rooms that lead to a beautifully-landscaped garden. The palace which is now a temple. Staying for an hour around the place was too short but we just had to have coffee at Starbucks.

A drive through the city brought us to the busy yet quaint French concession area where one can find beautifully-designed old French-style homes. A block away is the huge open market selling sunglasses, suitcases, accessories, and clothes, you simply won’t know where to begin!

Ah, the awesome Shanghai Museum. This eye-catching modern structure is one of the pride of dazzling new Shanghai. It is a must to visit, even if you are one of those who hates museums. Its architectural style is stunning and the four floors of exhibits are breathtaking. At the top floor, we were amazed by the superb gallery exclusively devoted to ethnic silk clothes. There is also the ancient Chinese Jade Gallery and the fascinating Chinese Ming and Qing Furniture Gallery. The other floors below have galleries of varied interests. But it was the Ancient Chinese Ceramics, the Chinese Painting and Calligraphy Gallery, which caught my interest completely.

There was this whole gallery with gorgeous Chinese scrolls and paintings all donated by Ching Baulee, a prominent industrialist of Chinese descent who lived in the Philippines all his life. He was such a connoisseur that he spared no effort in seeking and collecting art by masters. He collected such a large collection from all over the world that he had to house the art works in his Liangjuxuan Studio. His dream was to return all of them to the land of his origin. His children Mralfredo Ching and Rita Tan and their siblings donated the entire collection to the Shanghai Museum in the name of Ching Banlee Cultural Foundation. The donation was hailed by the Chinese government as "an unprecedented glorious act."

We then hied off to visit the tres popular Dong Tailu Antique market. If you go to Shanghai for only one shopping experience, it has got to be for buying antiques at this market. The prices are so low after you bargain like mad, they will blow your socks off! Moi could have bought out all the quaint stalls on the outdoor-ish type of market on two streets that cross each other, forming a "T." One thing I regretted was not buying a gorgeous Fu Dog for a song. I consoled myself by picking up porcelain figures of the "Three Wise Men" in blue and white.

We had to rush back to our chic-ky 37-story Four Seasons Hotel, just a short five-minute walk to Nanjing Road, the busiest shopping street in China.

The hotel’s grandioso lobby will impress you immediately. You can sit, dine, drink or have cocktails under the three-story high atrium in a cool garden-style setting while listening to the relaxing strains of a jazz trio.

Apres dinner that night, we headed to the newest night spot in town, the Jazz 37. On the hotel’s 37th floor, it offers a magnificent view of Shanghai, Pudong, the Huangpu River and the French Quarter from the ceiling-to-floor bay windows all around the club.

Seeing a mob of expats and the city’s chi-chi set dressed to the hilt, Linda O. marveled, "Is this a communist country? I’d swear I was in New York."

At the club’s center is an elegant lounge with a 15-meter-long bar serving a vast choice of martinis and cocktails. You can revel in soulful jazz songs by British-Jamaican recording artist, Alexia Gardner. In the opposite side is a cozy cigar lounge where you can enjoy imported Cuban cigars, among others.

The next day, apres a great buffet breakfast at Café Studio which offers a blend of Italian and Asian cuisine, workasonic Cristina D. toured us around the hotel’s six unbeatable dining, refreshment and relaxation venues (aside from the ones mentioned), among them Shintaro, a popular Japanese resto and the Si Ji Xuan resto, where you can feast on Cantonese and Shanghai cuisine, and Chinese specialties and fresh seafood. Naturellement, the hotel has 24-hour in-room dining offering alternative cuisine and healthy vegetarian dining, moi type of food, dahlings.

Once our hotel tour was over, we were off for more shopping. You couldn’t help but watch Mindanao’s Daily Mirror’s energetic columnist Manuel Ruiz lugging two suitcases to our bus. Not far behind was his mentor guardian angel, vivacious Horizon Edsa Hotel’s mega GM Marijo Arafiles who kept Manuel R.’s shopping under control.

We must not forget the must-go-to Pearl Factory with all its beautifully-designed pearl jewelry. The most popular buys for the ladies in our group were pearls for the face–pearl powder, pearl astringent, pearl moisturizer, even pearl soap, plus, plus–which our guide said are the reasons why most Shanghainese women and men have gorgeous, smooth, pearl-white complexion." Maridel V. bought enough to last a year.

We also dropped by the tres interesting Silk Factory where one can observe how silk is made. A fashion show is held several times a day featuring silk outfits. A huge store next to the fashion hall sells tons of everything in silk.

That night, Uni-Orient Travel, Inc.’s top lady Nancy Sih and the agency’s efficient sales executive, Joy Alexis Po, as our guide, took us to sail down the Huangpu River. We were amazed and thrilled by the beautiful shoreline of Shanghai’s buildings, all beautifully lit up like a fantasy city.

After Ethel Timbol, Nancy Sih, and our handsome guardian angel Reynaldo Garcia jetted back to Manille on PAL, our gang stayed another day more, before heading to exotic Beijing. But not before Cristina D. personally waved us "goodbye and safe trip" and asked us to promise to return. We certainly did, palanggas.