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Delirious Shanghai

Thoughts on China 2010-2013

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    12 Cities / 16 Days.

    Evan Chakroff
    Dec 5, '11 11:49 PM EST

    (note: this is cross-posted to evanchakroff.com)

    As mentioned earlier, most of my free time recently has been devoted to the planning of a two-week architecture tour along the east China coast (and up to Beijing). What started as a Facebook-status "wouldn't-it-be-nice" has turned into a full-fledged study-abroad program, with support and funding from the Ohio State University, and a staff of 6 pulling together building research, writing essays on urbanism, tweaking the schedule, and booking hotels, charter buses, and train tickets.

    We'll have a group of 27 people, including current students, faculty, and alumni, with ages ranging from 20 to 70. 

    What started as a plan to tour the East China Coast (Including all major "Treaty Ports" and the first batch of "Special Economic Zones" gradually got pared down to a more managable set of cities (Links to Blog Posts):

    Hong Kong 
    Macau
    Shenzhen
    Kaiping
    Guangzhou
    Jinhua
    Hangzhou
    Ningbo
    Suzhou
    Nanjing
    Shanghai
    Beijing

    ---

    And in case you need proof of our insanity.... here's the schedule breakdown... needless to say, this will not be a relaxing vacation.

    Stay tuned.... photos and essays, coming after the trip....

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    Day 01 - Fly to Hong Kong

    Day 02  -  Arrive Hong Kong (Most Flights @ 18:45)

    Day 03 - Th Hong Kong

    07:30 - 07:45 Walk to Wan Chai Old Town & Market (1.2 km, 15 min)
    07:45 - 08:30 Wan Chai Old Town & Market
    08:30 - 08:40 Walk to Wan Chai Metro Station
    08:40 - 08:50 Metro to Admiralty Station
    08:50 - 10:00 Walk to HSBC via Lippo Center, Bank of China, IFC Tower
    10:00 - 10:45 Visit HSBC
    10:45 - 11:15 Metro to Tin Shui Wai
    11:15 - 12:15 Guided walk of Ping Shan Heritage Trail
    12:15 - 12:30 To Kat Hing Wai Walled Village
    12:30 - 12:45 Visit Kat Hing Wai Walled Village
    12:45 - 13:30 Metro to Mong Kok
    13:30 - 14:30 LUNCH
    14:30 - 15:15 Walk to and visit Langham Place Mall
    15:15 - 16:30 Walk to and visit Tsim Sha Tsui / Golden Mile
    16:30 - 16:45 Metro to Central
    16:45 - 17:40 Walk to, wait for, and ride Peak Tram to Victoria Peak
    17:40 - 18:25 Enjoy sunset on Victoria Peak
    18:25 - 19:30 Tram, walk, and/or metro to Causeway Bay
    19:30 - 20:15 Visit Causeway Bay, take in neon signage
    20:15 - to hotel; dinner on your own
    Nightlife Suggestions: Lan Kwai Fong, So Ho. Avoid: Wan Chai’s bars.

    Day 04 Hong Kong - Macau - Hong Kong
    07:30 - 07:40 Walk to metro station
    07:40 - 08:10 Metro to Diamond Hill
    08:10 - 08:50 Visit Choi Hung Estate housing, surrounding neighborhood
    08:50 - 09:00 Walk to Chi Lin Nunnery
    09:00 - 09:45 Visit Chi Lin Nunnery, Garden & Lotus Pond
    09:45 - 10:00 Walk to metro station
    10:00 - 10:45 Metro to Central
    10:45 - 11:00 Walk through Sheung Wan Market - get snacks, but save room
    11:00 - 12:30 Ferry to Macau
    12:30 - 17:20 Macau historic center, plus LUNCH and Egg Tarts
    17:20 - 17:30 Bus to Venetian
    17:30 - 20:30 Admire casinos, win big, DINNER on your own
    20:30 - 20:40 Bus to ferry terminal
    20:40 - 21:50 Ferry to Hong Kong
    21:50 - Metro to Wan Chai, walk to hotel

    Day 05 Shenzhen-Kaiping
    07:30 - 07:40 Walk to metro station
    07:40 - 08:45 Metro to Lok Ma Chau
    08:45 - 09:35 Cross border at Lok Ma Chau, meet bus and load up
    09:35 - 10:45 BUS to Vanke Center (24.7 km, 45 min)
    10:45 - 11:15 Visit Vanke Center exterior, lobby, landscape
    11:15 - 11:50 BUS to Dafen Art Village (19.0 km, 23 min)
    11:50 - 13:00 Visit Dafen Art Village, Museum/plaza, eat LUNCH
    13:00 - 13:15 BUS to Jade Bamboo Plaza (9.5 km, 13 min)
    13:15 - 13:30 Visit Jade Bamboo Plaza
    13:30 - 13:45 BUS to Luohu Public Art Plaza (3.3 km, 9 min)
    13:50 - 14:00 Visit Luohu Public Art Plaza
    14:00 - 14:20 BUS to Cultural Center (8.0 km, 17 min)
    14:20 - 14:30 Visit Cultural Center
    14:30 - 14:40 BUS to Civic Center
    14:40 - 16:20 Visit Shenzhen Architecture Biennale, Stock Exchange
    16:20 - 16:45 BUS to Hua Art Museum (9.2 km, 15 min)
    16:45 - 17:20 VISIT Hua Art Museum
    17:20 - 20:30 BUS to Kaiping (196 km, 2 hrs 36 min)20:30+ GROUP DINNER at hotel

    Day 06 - Kaiping - Guangzhou
    07:45 - 08:15 BUS to Diaolou tower village area (19.1 km, 27 min)
    08:15 - 11:00 Visit Diaolou Tower Houses, buy lunch for later
    11:00 - 14:00 BUS to Guangdong Museum (153 km, 2 hrs 18 min)
    14:00 - 14:50 Visit Guangdong Museum
    14:50 - 15:00 Walk across plaza to Guangzhou Opera
    15:00 - 16:00 Visit Guangzhou Opera
    16:00 - 16:15 BUS to Pearl Tower (1.7 km, 5 min)
    16:15 - 16:30 Admire Pearl Tower
    16:30 - 16:50 BUS to Canton TV Tower (3.1 km, 9 min)
    16:50 - 17:50 Visit Canton TV Tower
    17:50 - BUS to hotel; dinner on your own (explore Shamian Island)

    Day 07 - Guangzhou Night Train
    07:00 - 09:45 Breakfast; explore Shamian Island on your own. Buy supplies: Dinner, plus Breakfast and Lunch for next day
    09:45 - 10:00 Load bus
    10:00 - 10:15 BUS to Liwan Shangxiajiu Pedestrian Street (2.5 km, 8 min)
    10:15 - 11:00 VISIT Liwan Shangxiajiu Pedestrian Street
    11:00 - 11:20 BUS to Temple of the Six Banyan Trees (3.5 km, 10 min)
    11:20 - 12:10 Visit Temple of the Six Banyan Trees
    12:10 - 12:45 BUS to New Urban Roundhouse (11.7 km, 23 min)
    12:45 - 13:15 VISIT New Urban Roundhouse
    13:15 - 17:00 LUNCH, additional Guangzhou sites, BUS to train station
    17:00 - 18:11 Wait for train, buy more supplies
    18:11 + NIGHT TRAIN TO JINHUA

    Day 08 Jinhua - Hangzhou
    06:55 NIGHT TRAIN ARRIVES JINHUA WEST STATION
    06:55 - 07:20 Meet BUS and load luggage
    07:20 - 07:40 BUS to Jinhua Architecture Park (6.3 km, 15 min)
    07:40 - 09:30 Visit Jinhua Architecture Park and Yiwu Gardens
    09:30 - 13:15 BUS to Hangzhou Art Academy (176 km, 2 hrs 45 min)
    13:15 - 14:30 Visit Hangzhou Art Academy New Campus, Phases 1 & 2
    15:00 - 16:00 BUS to Liangzhu Culture Museum (35 km, 34 min)
    16:00 - 16:45 Visit Liangzhu Culture Museum
    16:45 - 17:30 BUS to Xihutiandi (30 km, 45 min)
    17:30 - 18:10 Visit Xihutiandi
    18:10 - 18:30 BUS to pedestrian area (3 km, 12 min)
    18:30 - 18:40 Walk to hostel
    19:00 - GROUP DINNERSuggestions: Zhongshan and Qing Hefang pedestrian streets. Walk along West Lake, contemplate the moon’s reflection. Restaurants along Gaoyin Jie. Expensive bars and restaurants back at Xihutiandi.

     

    Day 09 Hangzhou FREE DAY
    Buy food for breakfast on Thursday!Suggestions: West Lake. See pedestrian streets if you missed them last night. Leifeng Pagoda (plus escalators). Lingyin Temple - Buddhist rock carvings. Rent a bike and ride around. Tai chi. Chai tea.

    Day 10 Ningbo - Suzhou
    06:00 - 06:15 Walk to bus pickup point
    06:15 - 06:30 Load bus
    06:00 - 08:30 BUS to Ningbo Historic Museum (153 km, 2 hrs 45 min) (Sleep some more, eat packed breakfast on bus)
    08:30 - 10:00 Visit Ningbo Historic Museum and Five Scattered Houses
    10:00 - 10:15 BUS to Liangsheng Plaza (1.2 km, 10 min)
    10:15 - 10:30 Visit Liansheng Plaza
    10:30 - 11:00 BUS to LaoWaiTan (Old Bund) (7 km, 20 min)
    11:00 - 11:45 Explore Old Bund and find LUNCH
    11:45 - 12:15 Exteriors and Lobbies of Art Museum, Urban Museum
    12:15 - 12:25 BUS to Tianyi Square (2 km, 10 min)
    12:25 - 12:45 Visit Tianyi Square
    12:45 - 15:40 BUS to Xitang Canal Town (166 km, 2 hrs 18 min)
    15:40 - 17:30 Visit Xitang Canal Town
    17:30 - 19:30 BUS to Suzhou Dinner on your ownSuggestions for Suzhou by night: Wander along Pingjiang Canal Street and/or Shantang. Enjoy Western bars on Shiquan Jie.

    Day 11 Suzhou - Tongli - Nanjing
    07:15 - 07:30 BUS to Great Wave Pavilion/CangLangTing (2.8 km, 10 min)
    07:30 - 08:00 Visit Great Wave Pavilion
    08:00 - 08:15 Walk to Master of Nets, via Suquan Yuan (1.2 km, 15 min)
    08:15 - 08:45 Visit Master of Nets Garden
    08:45 - 09:00 BUS to Couple’s Retreat
    09:00 - 09:30 Visit Couple’s Retreat Garden
    09:30 - 09:45 Walk to Lion’s Grove via Pingjiang Canal Street
    09:45 - 10:15 Visit Lion’s Grove Garden
    10:15 - 10:20 Walk to Suzhou Museum (300 m, 4 min)
    10:20 - 11:05 Visit Suzhou Museum11:05 - 12:00 LUNCH
    12:00 - 13:45 Visit Humble Administrator’s Garden
    13:45 - 14:00 BUS to Lingering Garden (5.7 km, 9 min)
    14:00 - 15:00 Visit Lingering Garden
    15:00 - 16:00 BUS to Tongli Canal Town (32 km, 44 min)
    16:00 - 17:15 Visit Tongli: Gentle Tan, Pearl Pagoda, Tuisi Garden
    17:15 - 18:00 GROUP DINNER
    18:00 - 21:30 BUS to Nanjing (240 km, 2 hrs 50 min)

    Day 12 Nanjing - Shanghai
    07:30 - 07:45 Load bus
    07:45 - 08:00 BUS to City Wall Museum (4.6 km, 8 min)
    08:00 - 08:40 Visit City Wall
    08:40 - 08:50 BUS to Greenland Tower
    08:50 - 09:00 Admire Greenland Tower exterior and lobby
    09:00 - 09:30 BUS to Nanjing Massacre Museum (7.8 km, 22 min)
    09:30 - 10:30 Visit Nanjing Massacre Museum
    10:30 - 10:45 BUS to 1912 District
    10:45 - 11:30 1912 District and LUNCH
    11:30 - 12:10 BUS to CIPEA (25.8 km, 37 mins)
    12:10 - 13:10 Explore CIPEA exteriors (Sifang Museum, houses, etc.)
    13:10 - 14:30 BUS to Nanjing University (32.4 km, 54 min)
    14:30 - 15:10 Visit Performing Arts Center
    15:10 - 19:00 BUS to Shanghai (305 km, 3 hrs 17 min)
    19:00 - 19:30 Check into hotel19:30+ GROUP DINNER
    Nightlife Suggestions: Nanjing Road pedestrian Street, Bund at night. Expensive cocktails at View Bar (Hyatt on the Bund), or at New Heights, or in Xintiandi (also nightclubs). Bar streets: Yongfu Lu at Fuxing Lu, or Hengshan Lu. Live music at MAO Livehouse or Yuyin Tang. Belgian bar Kaiba on Dinxu Lu. Bars and nightclubs on Fumin Lu @ Julu Lu.

    Day 13 Shanghai
    07:45 - 09:30 Walking tour of E. Nanjing Road and The Bund
    09:30 - 10:00 Admire and/or visit Rockbund Museum
    10:40 - 10:55 Admire Broadway Mansions, Suzhou Creek, Pudong view
    10:55 - 11:15 BUS to 1933 Abattoir (1.9 km, 10 min)
    11:15 - 11:45 Visit 1933 Abattoir
    11:45 - 12:15 LUNCH - get noodles
    12:15 - 13:45 BUS to Qingpu New Town (45.2 km, 1 hr 2 min)
    13:45 - 15:15 Visit Qingpu New Town & Thumb Island
    15:15 - 15:45 BUS to ZhuJiaJiao Canal Town (9.0 km, 17 min)
    15:45 - 16:15 Visit ZhuJiaJiao Canal Town
    16:15 - 17:45 BUS to Thames Town (24.8 km, 41 min)
    17:45 - 18:15 Visit Thames Town
    18:15 - 19:30 BUS to M50 (44.8 km, 49 min)
    19:30 - 20:00 Visit M50
    20:00 - 20:25 BUS to hotel (6.1 km, 15 min)

    Day 14 Shanghai
    07:30 - 07:45 Load Bus
    07:45 - 08:00 BUS to Yuyuan (2.3 km, 8 min)
    08:00 - 08:40 Visit Yuyuan
    08:40 - 09:45 Walking tour of Old Town sights (Bazaar, Waterhouse, docks)
    09:45 - 10:10 BUS to Jianye Li (5.5 km, 10 min)
    10:10 - 12:00 Walking tour of shikumen areas, redevelopments, Tianzifang
    12:00 - 12:30 LUNCH at Tianzifang
    12:30 - 14:10 Walking tour of more redevelopments, Sinan, Xiantiandi
    14:10 - 14:40 BUS to Pujiang New Town (15.6 km, 30 min)
    14:40 - 15:20 Visit Pujiang New Town
    15:20 - 16:15 BUS to Pudong
    16:15 - 18:20 Walking tour of Pudong sights (Apple, IFC, Jin Mao, WFC, Oriental Pearl)
    18:20 - 19:15 BUS to train station
    19:15 - 20:13 Wait for train. Buy food and drink for train dinner, breakfast, and next day’s lunch
    20:13+ NIGHT TRAIN TO BEIJING

    Day 15 Beijing
    07:52 NIGHT TRAIN ARRIVES BEIJING MAIN STATION
    07:52 - 08:15 Meet BUS and load luggage
    08:15 - 08:45 BUS to Temple of Heaven (3.3 km, 15 min)
    08:45 - 09:30 Visit Temple of Heaven
    09:30 - 10:30 Walk through hutong areas to Tian’anmen Square, eat snacks
    10:30 - 10:50 Walk arcross Tian’anmen Square to Forbidden City
    10:50 - 12:50 Visit Forbidden City
    12:50 - 13:30 LUNCH
    13:30 - 14:10 BUS to National Theater (2.2 km, 9 min)
    14:10 - 14:45 Visit National Theater
    14:45 - 15:25 BUS to Galaxy SOHO (5.4 km, 10 min)
    15:25 - 15:35 Admire Galaxy SOHO (under construction)
    15:35 - 16:00 BUS to CCTV (3.3 km, 10 min)
    16:00 - 16:30 Admire CCTV Exterior
    16:30 - 16:45 BUS to Sanlitun SOHO (2.7 km, 15 min)
    16:45 - 17:30 Visit Sanlitun SOHO; buy breakfast and lunch for next day.
    17:30 - 17:50 BUS to Linked Hybrid (7.4 km, 9 min)
    17:50 - 19:00 Visit Linked Hybrid
    19:00 - 19:20 BUS to hotel (4.0 km, 11 min)
    Nightlife Suggestions: Sanlitun Bar Street, old streets and bar area around Houhai Lake (southwest of hotel), Wangfujing snack street/night market

    Day 16 Beijing
    06:30 - 08:30 To Mutianyu (76.0 km, 1 hr 24 min)
    08:30 - 11:00 Visit Great Wall at Mutianyu
    11:00 - 12:30 BUS to Ming Tombs (42.0 km, 1 hr 12 min)
    12:30 - 13:40 Explore Dingling Ming Tomb
    13:40 - 13:50 BUS to Ming Tombs Sacred Road (4.8 km, 10 min)
    13:50 - 14:05 Admire Ming Tombs Sacred Road
    14:05 - 15:15 BUS to Summer Palace (38.9 km, 41 min)
    15:15 - 17:00 VISIT Summer Palace
    17:00 - 17:30 BUS to Fragrant Hills Hotel (9.3 km, 22 min)
    17:30 - 17:50 Admire Fragrant Hills Hotel exterior and lobby
    17:50 - 19:30 BUS to hotel (30.7 km, 45 min), check in
    19:30+ GROUP DINNER

    Day 17 Beijing Flying home!
    07:30 - 07:45 Load Bus
    07:45 - 08:30 BUS to Olympic Grounds (7.3 km, 17 min)
    08:30 - 10:45 Visit Bird’s Nest, Water Cube, Digital Beijing
    10:45 - 11:15 BUS to 798 Arts District (12.3 km, 16 min)
    11:15 - 11:45 Visit 798 Arts District, admiring old factory buildings
    11:45 - 12:15 BUS to Caochangdi (5.3 km, 12 min)
    12:15 - 14:15 LUNCH and explore Caochangdi (Ai Weiwei galleries)
    14:15 - 14:45 BUS to airport (15.0 km, 16 min)

    ----

     

    If this sounds crazy - it is. I think the best way to sum up this trip, is with the attached video - 4000+ photos from my last two years in China... crammed into a 3 minute video....

     


    China. Two Years in 3 Minutes.

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    • 1 Comment

    • Raskol44

      Quantity, not quality.  That is appropriate considering where you will be travelling.

      Dec 6, 11 9:48 pm  · 
       · 

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