# Tokyo-Beijing-Shanghai-Guangzhou-Saigon-SiemReap-Manila in 21 Days



## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

Mullion Building, housing Hankyu and Seibu department stores


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

Warped mirror image? Naah!





























The famous Yon-chome crossing











Wako Department Store


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

*GINZA… AT NIGHT*


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)




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## 7freedom7 (Jun 28, 2007)

excellent thread


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

*AKIHABARA… AT NIGHT*

The Akihabara electronics district surround the Akihabara station. Akihabara and electronics have been synonymous ever since. Brand name goods are available at discounted prices. Before, household appliances were the most popular products but nowadays the emphasis is on computers, cell phones and video games.




















Laox Is a famous source of tax-free goods for tourists (but only if you buy at least Y10,000)


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)




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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

*ROPPONGI... AT NIGHT*


Roppongi is the music and club center of Tokyo. You can find just about any music you want here. This is also the place for big name international restaurant chains.


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## KAZAN RESIDENT (May 6, 2009)

very interesting trip,can't wait for coninuing


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

^^ Thanks a lot!

*EAST SHINJUKU… AT NIGH*T

East Shinjuku is where Tokyo plays. The area has been a nightlife center from Edo times. Since Shinjuku station opened in the 1880s, entertainments have been targeted at commuters en route back to the suburbs. East Shinjuku also hosts to some of Tokyo’s best department stores and designer shops.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

Studio Alta is instantly recognizable by its huge TV screen. It stands opposite the crossing from Shinjuku station and is a favorite place for meeting up.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)




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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

Isetan Department Store


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)




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## HD (Sep 17, 2003)

a w e s o m e!


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

^^ Thanks!


*SENSO-JI TEMPLE, ASAKUSA, TOKYO*

Along with Ueno, Asakusa contain what remains of Tokyo’s old Shimacho (low city), where merchants and artisans thrive. Life in Asakusa still revolves around the bustling Senso-ji Temple, but modernity is very much evident.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

Popularly known as Asakusa Kannon, *Senso-ji Temple* is Tokyo’s most sacred and spectacular temple. The original temple was built in AD645 and grew through the years. The temple survived the 1923 earthquake but not World War II bombing. Its main buildings are therefore relatively new, but follow the Edo-era layout.

The Kaminarimon Gate (Thunder Gate) burned down in 1865 and was not rebuilt until 1960. The guardian statues of Fujin and Raijin have old heads and new bodies.




















The Nakamise-Dori is a treasure trove of traditional wares and crafts and modern souvenir items.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

The Hozo-mon Gate: Built in 1964 of reinforced concrete, this two-storey gate has a treasure house upstairs holding a number of 14th century Chinese sutras.





























The Nade Botokesan Buddha is a delicate statue and has been polished smooth by the hands of those hoping for good luck and help with ailments.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

One of the temple’s focal points is the incense burner, constantly surrounded by people wafting the smoke over them to keep them healthy.











The Main Hall built in 1958… totally covered. It’s under restoration at time of visit.











Inside the hall is a gold-plated main shrine which houses the original Kannon image. Worshippers come to pay their respects by throwing coins and lighting candles.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

The five-storey pagoda built in 1973 is a replica of the original.




















Beside the main hall is the Yougoudo hall which houses eight recent Budha statues.











Surrounding it is a stroll garden


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

The Awashima hall is dedicated to a deity who looks after women











Two of several exits from the temple grounds…




















… to some typical Tokyo side streets.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

*UENO PARK*

Ueno in northern Tokyo, was once the heart and soul of Edo culture, being the area where the old Shitamachi (low city) once existed. Today, it is a mixture of modern city living and cultural attractions and is dominated by its huge park, aptly called Ueno Park.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

Ueno Park is where the Kanei-ji temple and sub-temples were built in the 17thcentury to negate evil spirits that might threaten from the northeast. In 1873, the government designated Ueno a public park. A favorite since its earliest days, the park has figured in many popular woodblock prints and short stories.




















Saigo Takamori statue: The leader of the victorious Meiji forces, Saigo subsequently instigated the Satsuma rebellion against the emperor in 1877, but killed himself when it failed. He was posthumously pardoned, and this statue was erected in 1899.




















The park is a venue for several fund raising performances


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

The Kiyu-mizu Hall is part of the original Kanei-ji Temple dating from1631 and is dedicated to Senju Kannon.






































While walking, I noticed this handicapped pigeon…











It was winter already but it still feels like autumn


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

The bronze statue of Prince Komatsu No Miya Akihito











The Tosho-gu shrine is a complex of halls and is one of Tokyo’s few remaining Edo-era structures.















































The Flame of Hiroshima and Nagasaki


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

The Great Buddhist pagoda


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

The Gojo Shrine is reached through a series of red torii (gates). 




















Inside, red-bibbed Inari fox statues stand in an atmospheric grotto.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

Shinobazu Pond






































Benten Hall


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## ShawnOfTheDead (Jan 3, 2010)

What a marginal city, thanks for the photos


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

^^ You're welcome. A lot more to come...


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

*TOKYO NATIONAL MUSEUM*

The group of buildings that makes up the Tokyo National Museum is in a compound in the northeast corner of Ueno Park. The Honkan is the main building, which dates back to 1938 and combines Japanese and Western features. The rooms are themed, with stunning exhibits of sculpture, lacquerware, swords and Western-influenced modern art.


*The Honkan*



















Honkan lobby










The sculpture collection, some dates back to the 12th century


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

Lacquerware and ceramics











Samurais




















Japanese ancient prints











Buddhist art











Japanese art











Military attire











Noh and Kabuki kimono collection, some dates back to the 16th century


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

To the east of Honkan is the *Toyokan* (Asian Gallery), which opened in 1968. The Toyokan has an excellent and eclectic collection of non-Japanese Eastern art, many of the exhibits are from China and Korea. The museum was closed for renovation though at the time of visit.











The 1908 Beaux-Arts *Hyokeikan* is mainly used for special exhibitions. I was more impressed with the building than what’s on display inside.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

The *Heiseikan* opened in 1999 and was purpose-built to house major temporary exhibitions and a superb collection of Japanese archeological artifacts.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

2nd-1st century jar coffin




















Haniwa figures were popular adornments to monumental tombs in the 4th and 5th centuries.











6th century terracota monkey tomb figurine











7th century earthen coffin











7th century kite-shaped ridge-end ornament


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

Also at Ueno Park is the *National Museum of Western Art*





























Rodin’s massive Gate of Hell stands outside the museum .


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

The *National Science Museum* hosts exhibits on natural history, science and technology.











A steam engine and a life sized blue whale mark the entrance of the National Science Museum.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

*TOKYO TOWER*

The Tokyo Tower is located in Shiba. Getting off the subway’s Daimon station, the tower is not at all visible. 





























Walking further towards the westerly direction, a very prominent gate greets visitors to Shiba Park.











Further on, the massive Daimon Gate marks the entrance to Zojo-ji Temple.











Shiba Park used to be the Tokugawa family’s graveyard. At its center is the Zojo-ji, the family temple of the Tokugawas. It was founded in 1393 and Ieyasu moved it here in 1598 to protect his new capital spiritually. The present day building dates from 1974.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

Tokyo Tower seems to serve as sentry to the temple. 











Behind the temple, is a cemetery or probably a memorial, to the unborn children. Eerie but worth seeing.


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## Scion (Apr 26, 2008)

Amazing photos, can't wait to see your BJ SH GZ ones!!


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

The Tokyo Tower was completed in 1958. At 333 meters (1,093 feet), it is the world’s tallest self-supporting steel tower, higher than the Eiffel Tower (320m), on which it is based.











Despite being taller than Eiffel, it weighs much lighter at 4,000 tons compared to Eiffel’s 7,000 tons, hence the impression that Eiffel Tower looks more massive and bigger than Tokyo Tower.











Near the tower’s entrance are these wolves(?) on guard.











At night, the tower is on fire.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

Tokyo Tower has two viewing decks, the main one at 150 meters and a higher one at 250 meters, with more spectacular view of the metropolis.











Moving farther away, the tower is still a sight to behold.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

Scion said:


> Amazing photos, can't wait to see your BJ SH GZ ones!!


Thanks a lot Scion. 
Maybe a couple more pages of Tokyo pics and Beijing's next


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## bonivison (Jan 17, 2007)

Tokyo is really amazingly modernized
Thank you a lot for sharing!


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

*METROPOLITAN TOKYO… VIEWED FROM 250 METERS ABOVE GROUND*


From Tokyo Tower’s observation deck at 250 meter high is a spectacular view of Tokyo’s metropolitan area. They say that on a clear day, Mount Fuji is visible. Unfortunately, it’s not on a show-off mood at the time of visit.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)




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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)




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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

At night, the city lights are amazing. Hail nuclear energy .


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)




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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)




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## oliver999 (Aug 4, 2006)

simple amazing tokyo


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

*TOKYO RAIL NETWORK*

The Tokyo metropolitan rail system is the most complex. Subway and above ground train lines is an intricate network that looking at a consolidated route map will give you a head ache at first instance.

The Shinjuku station is the world’s busiest train station with over 2 million people passing through each day. As well as being the major stop to both the JR and metropolitan subway systems, Shinjuku station is also the starting point for trains and buses into the suburbs.










Finding a particular line or exit during rush hour can be intimidating and exhausting for newcomers, especially with heavy baggage. Transferring from one line to another is also a long distance walk in a maze of hallways and corridors.




























Long corridors such as this is common to large stations, where exits can me a hundred kilometers or more from the platform.











The Shimbashi station











The Shimbashi station has this prominent stained glass display off the staircase.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

Some snap shots of the fairly new Yurikamome line


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

Yurikamome’s Odaiba station















































Impressive station design…


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

The Oedo line





























A typical JR line station











A typical subway train




















Roppongi station


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

Narita Express


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## hamasaki (Apr 22, 2008)

cool pix!!


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## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

Very nice updated photos from Tokyo


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

*RANDOM SHOTS*

An early morning garbage collector at Shinjuku











Starbucks… they speak little English but the service is excellent!











Vending machines are every where




















Food court at the Aqua City Mall in Odaiba











Green taxi


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

Restaurant at Ueno











The food on display are actually artificial... but they look real and dainty.











Loved this!











A hi-tech toilet control at the Tokyo National Museum toilet. As soon as you enter the cubicle, the seat cover automatically opens, in slow moton. Bidet control modes, such as this one pictured here, is common in Tokyo. There are temperature and pressure controls, and options as to which type of spray you want, the “straight to the point”, shower type or the one specially intended for feminine care. 











My dinner from 7-11. Surprisingly, it’s delicious.











Bus to Mt Fuji


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

Took off again…











Flying away from Busan… 











… but rewarded with some beautiful Korean aerials


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

Development is creeping to the mountains…















































Two dams up high


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

Can’t believe that these clusters of residential buildings are located in the middle of nowhere.



















There’s even a huge stadium











Urbanization of the countryside


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## TohrAlkimista (Dec 18, 2006)

Damn, Korea is so heavily urbanized!!

btw, your trip report is beyond the horizon of the awesomeness. 

Thank's for sharing...


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

Seoul’s Incheon International Airport and Korea's longest bridge.


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## bonivison (Jan 17, 2007)

There is not straight flight between tokyo and beijing?
why you transfer in busan?


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## poptartscrunch (Sep 29, 2007)

it's usually cheaper to get transfer flights than straight flights...plus, it's kind of nice if the transfer is in another country


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

TohrAlkimista said:


> Damn, Korea is so heavily urbanized!!
> 
> btw, your trip report is beyond the horizon of the awesomeness.
> 
> Thank's for sharing...


Thanks a lot for appreciating...




bonivison said:


> There is not straight flight between tokyo and beijing?
> why you transfer in busan?





poptartscrunch said:


> it's usually cheaper to get transfer flights than straight flights...plus, it's kind of nice if the transfer is in another country


You hit the point @poptart.
There are lots of direct flights from Tokyo to Beijing.
It's my preference to have a stop-over in Korea simply to have a glimpse of the country and of course it costs a few hundred bucks cheaper. It's only a couple of hours difference in travel time anyway.


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## kix111 (Jun 14, 2007)

Great, hope you have a nice time in China then


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

^^ It was great. Photos coming up soon...


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

*CHINA!*

The eastern seaboard of China along Bo Hai is your first glimpse of the country if you’re flying to Beijing from the east. 





























The flatlands of either Tianjin or Hebei province, where agriculture competes with urbanization.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)




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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

New railways and highways (like this long strip of viaduct) help propel the development of the countryside.




















No wonder China leads in the global manufacturing business.




















Residential blocks probably purposely built for the manufacturing workforce.











Some residential buildings look like container vans from above


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

Approaching Beijing…


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

Freeway less traveled…




















Millionaire’s enclave?


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

*BEIJING CAPITAL AIRPORT*

Beijing Capital Airport is 32 kilometers northeast of the city center. The expressway to the airport is well-maintained.





























Toll gate





























Approaching Terminal 3




















Departing passengers drop off area


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

The new Terminal 3 which opened in time for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.






































Terminal 3 has 3 buildings which are linked underground.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

Control tower




















Bridge to the aerobridge?











Buses in waiting











Inside looking out




















Chinese carriers with nice liveries




















Across the taxiway is probably the presidential/state terminal











Terminal 2











Apparently Terminal 2 has a control tower as well, which is probably no longer used due to the new control tower of Terminal 3











Terminal 2 (foreground) and the smaller Terminal 1 behind.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

*INSIDE BEIJING CAPITAL AIRPORT’S TERMINAL 3*


Deserted area from the arrival gates to immigration… 











Impressive ceiling











Up close











Immigration











Welcome greetings in different languages




















Terminal 3 is so huge that you have to board a train to get to the baggage claim and main arrival hall


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

To baggage claim





























Main arrival hall


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

*BEIJING'S PUBLIC TRANSPORT*

Beijing subway system has been existent since 1971. In recent years, new lines have been built corresponding to Beijing's hosting of the 2008 Olympics. Currently, Beijing has 9 subways lines.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

Beijing also boasts of its electric buses that ply the city's major streets. They kinda look like trams but without the rails, and of course, they look like buses. Cool transport really.


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## bonivison (Jan 17, 2007)

What's the time you take the pic in the subway station
why there is so little people?


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

^^ I think it was mid-day of Saturday.
I'm actually surprised that Beijing's public places, streets and public transport are not crowded considering the city's huge population.
If you will notice, the pictures that I have been posting do not show any throng of people at all.


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## Scion (Apr 26, 2008)

^^ Lucky. This is the Xizhimen subway entrance during peak hour.....


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

^^ Wow... lucky me I did not experience that while in Beijing.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

*THE ROAD TO THE GREAT WALL*

There are several sites to view the Great Wall of China but the most popularr is at Badaling, 75 kilometers northwest from Beijing.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

Along the way, construction of Disneyland (?) is ongoing...




















And then the Great Wall started to appeared...


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

A bit more of driving...


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

The Great Wall.. closing in


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

*THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA*

The Badaling section of the Great Wall is likely the most popular and therefore the most touristy and developed. 

The entrance gate











You can hike up snaking sections of the wall, enter the watchtowers and see distant views.











And so the uphill hike begins...











A closer look at one of the watch towers


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

Window view











Different shades of the mountainside




















Outside, trickles of left over snow are everywhere











Some watch towers are isolated and detached from the wall


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

The steepest portion of the wall hike...




















Another watch tower


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

Climbing further...





























The basic structural component of the wall, a mere stone block, cut to precision...


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

Going back downhill is a different view


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)




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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

Looking back in amazement to one of the world's man-made wonders


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## Scion (Apr 26, 2008)

We went up the exact same path on the wall! I went there in Jan 09 and it was bone-biting cold too. Nice to see the Olympics sign is still up there.

here's me


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

^^ I think it was -15 deg C when I was there. I wasn't able to reach the highest watch tower... Can't stand the freezing gust.


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## Fox-Tale (Apr 15, 2007)

Thanks for your great Beijing & Great Wall photos!

I have never seen such blue-sky photos of Beijing and am very surprised...
(I was kind of expecting more smoggy sky)
The sky is very blue and it looks like Beijing is a very clean city. Did you feel so yourself?


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## Scion (Apr 26, 2008)

Fox-Tale said:


> Great photos!! Can't wait to see more photos took in Chinese cities!!
> (btw..is it allowed to take photos in China freely without permission?)





Fox-Tale said:


> I have never seen such blue-sky photos of Beijing and am very surprised...
> (I was kind of expecting more smoggy sky)
> The sky is very blue and it looks like Beijing is a very clean city. Did you feel so yourself?


Can I ask what percentage of Japanese people holds the same view? (sorry I don't intent to offend) Like ideas that China is scary and dirty and backwards and such.


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## poptartscrunch (Sep 29, 2007)

^^ even new york city would seem scary, dirty, and backwards compared to japan...so it's not really saying much

btw those photos of the altar of heaven (the entire complex) are great! i'm surprised you didn't take any of the inside though?


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

poptartscrunch said:


> ^^ even new york city would seem scary, dirty, and backwards compared to japan...so it's not really saying much
> 
> btw those photos of the altar of heaven (the entire complex) are great! i'm surprised you didn't take any of the inside though?


Thanks...

We can't get inside the Qinian Dian. The door is open but barricaded. People were crowding that bit of door opening to take photos of the interior and I do manage to take some. I actually have a similar shot (posted as well in the previous page) like yours but from slightly a different angle.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

*ON THE ROAD IN BEIJING*

Some shots of modern Beijing while in a cab...


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)




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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

Power plant smoke stacks stands side by side with the residential and office buildings. Seriously, the government should do something about this.


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## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

Very nice photos from this part/area of Beijing


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## oliver999 (Aug 4, 2006)

please continue.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

*AN EVENING STROLL ON THE STREETS OF BEIJING*


The Rega Hotel along Nan Heyan Dajie











Along Don Chang'an Jie, a few blocks away from Tian'an Men Square, are high end hotels standing side by side.




















The Grand Hotel 











Was not able to get the name of this hotel, but it sure looks nice.











The Raffles Hotel 











Beijing Hotel


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

Across the hotel row are government buildings... and a club.




















Further on the road...











Haven't been to any other commercial areas in Beijing, Wangfujing Dajie is the only street I saw where commercial activity thrive at night.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

The Oriental Plaza Mall is at the corner of Wangfujing Dajie and Don Chang'an Jie











Western fast food giants are here. I fought the temptation to go inside .




















Wangfujing Street's highlight is the night market, tucked in a narrow tributary street. The landmark to the night market's entrance is this elaborately decorated arch.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

Inside are endless stalls selling a wide variety of souvenir items and traditional Chinese snacks.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

Snacks include skewers of beef, and more exotic morsels such as scorpions, and bugs, crickets, starfishes and seahorses. I only tried beef.


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## poptartscrunch (Sep 29, 2007)

shyaman said:


> Inside are endless stalls selling a wide variety of souvenir items and traditional Chinese snacks.


i would hardly call the snacks "traditional" in any sense. wangfujing is specifically catered to tourists and profits off the ignorant notion most westerners have that "OMG i heard chinese ppl eat so much crazy shit, now i know it's true!!!" when the majority of the country has probably only sampled the items sold in the market a few times in their lives.


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## drunkenmunkey888 (Aug 13, 2005)

^^

Yeah a lot of times I get the feeling that these "reconstructed areas" and exotic snacks are as exotic to the locals as they are to tourists...


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

^^ That is exactly true. I saw some Chinese speaking ladies squirm when offered a skewer of scorpion from one of the stalls.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

*SHANGHAI'S PUDONG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT*

Approaching China's most populous city...




















Shanghai's Pudong International Airport


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

I thought that that long huge building is all there is of the terminal. As the taxiing plane turned 90 degrees, there's more of it. 




















Although not as big as Beijing's Capital Airport, Pudong is massive.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

Turning another 90 degrees, there's the setting sun providing a mesmerizing backdrop to the control tower.

































































Up next... Inside Pudong International.


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## kix111 (Jun 14, 2007)

Great shots.. ahaha your plane taxid all the way from T1 runways to T2? How long did that take XD


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## Severiano (Jul 5, 2006)

That "nightmarket" in Wangfujing is a fake nightmarket. Its just there to give tourists a false sense of "authentic Beijing" Authentic Beijing food is KFC in a shopping mall.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

kix111 said:


> Great shots.. ahaha your plane taxid all the way from T1 runways to T2? How long did that take XD


It felt like it was taxiing forever. 
15 minutes maybe?


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## Fox-Tale (Apr 15, 2007)

Scion said:


> Can I ask what percentage of Japanese people holds the same view? (sorry I don't intent to offend) Like ideas that China is scary and dirty and backwards and such.


My comments are my own personal ideas/views and it has nothing to do with ideas of other Japanese. You should not take it as a representative comment of Japan. I have no idea how many percentage or whatsoever since I'm not even interested in other Japanese's views. (We are not a totalitarian country after all, everybody is supposed to have different views/ideas.) 

And I never said it was dirty or backwards or scary. I just asked him the questions that many foreign visitors will have.


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## Fox-Tale (Apr 15, 2007)

shyaman said:


> ^^ Beijing was cloudless and had blue skies during my entire stay there. I was also expecting reduced visibility due to smog but surprisingly it was not the case. Must be the weather...
> 
> Shanghai on the other hand is really smoggy. This will be very evident on my upcoming posts.


I see! I would like to visit Beijing in the future!
The Beijing Egg building photos are super beautiful like CG...

Waiting for your great Shanghai pics!


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## Severiano (Jul 5, 2006)

You are so lucky to have that weather in Beijing. I lived in Beijing in 2008 and early 2009, and I noticed a great improvement in the air quality after the olympics. Right now Shanghai is in the Expo building rush, they have 3 months left and a lot of work to do, so I doubt that there will be a clear day here until May. The rain and cold probably isn't helping either.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

^^ Lucky indeed. Thinking about the pictures I saw of Beijing before the olympics, I was actually expecting a similar scenario - a city engulfed in smog. But the city now, or at least at the time I was there (it may be a different story at other times of the year), is devoid of smog.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

*INSIDE SHANGHAI'S PUDONG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT*


Boarding area concourse


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

Airport terminal ceilings are always different... I think it defines the uniqueness of each modern airport terminal.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

Baggage claim hall




















Arrival hall




















Food court


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

The super-fast Maglev train, is a German-built "magnetically levitated" train that travels roughly 30 km from Pudong airport to Shanghai's eastern suburbs. From there, you can catch a subway to the city center.





























The train travels the 30 km distance at a maximum speed of 430 kph with considerable smoothness and limited noise.











A counter in each carriage tells you how fast you are actually going. At the time I took the ride, the train was only running at 300 kph. No one seems to be in a hurry


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## oliver999 (Aug 4, 2006)

i guess you take maglev,i am right.


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## bonivison (Jan 17, 2007)

maglev only 301km/h????????


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## Celebriton (Aug 5, 2009)

WOW! I never saw a photo of Shanghai Airport at night. It's extremely beautiful!


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

oliver999 said:


> i guess you take maglev,i am right.


That's right.




bonivison said:


> maglev only 301km/h????????


Yeah, for some reason it did not run its peak speed of 430 kph. 




Celebriton said:


> WOW! I never saw a photo of Shanghai Airport at night. It's extremely beautiful!


I actually like Shanghai's Pudong International more than the new Beijing Capital Airport.


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## Tiaren (Jan 29, 2006)

Scion said:


> Can I ask what percentage of Japanese people holds the same view? (sorry I don't intent to offend) Like ideas that China is scary and dirty and backwards and such.


Funny you mention this. A Japanese friend of mine was visiting me here in Germany and talking about other Asian countries than Japan or South Korea, she told me, that Japanese people find China backwards, dirty and smelly. And that they would wear masks covering their mouth and nose, while traveling there. She said it very earnestly and without any hatred towards China or something like that.
As a European who was never in Asia, I was suprised hearing something like that. I actually never thought that modern China and modern Japan would be so far apart...


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## deangels (Jun 12, 2006)

one of my japanese friend visted me in Dalian city China last year, then we were heading the way to beijing for a biz trip, he was also surprised and kept on asking me " why is Beijing so clean"? ,,,erh,,,,,(without any hatred towards china),he also told me that he would just take off his mask only exept for passing korean restaurant to aviod the smell of Kimchi ..........(also without any harted towards korea). i did not explain him though..as i do not know the reason either why beijing look clean or many japanese have the same point of view on other asian countries,


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## deangels (Jun 12, 2006)

shyaman said:


> I actually like Shanghai's Pudong International more than the new Beijing Capital Airport.


yes, the terminals in shanghai pudong airport are bright while beijing 's is a bit magniloquent.


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## ukiyo (Aug 5, 2008)

This thread is very wonderful! I want to see alot of Shanghai, I'm really interested in that city!


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## snow is red (May 7, 2007)

Why does it matter what the people in Japan think about China. The real concern that should be addressed is What do the people in China think about the very country that they are living in ?


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## bonivison (Jan 17, 2007)

shyaman said:


> That's right.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## carrot1 (Jan 26, 2009)

Tiaren said:


> Funny you mention this. A Japanese friend of mine was visiting me here in Germany and talking about other Asian countries than Japan or South Korea, she told me, that Japanese people find China backwards, dirty and smelly. And that they would wear masks covering their mouth and nose, while traveling there. She said it very earnestly and without any hatred towards China or something like that.
> As a European who was never in Asia, I was suprised hearing something like that. I actually never thought that modern China and modern Japan would be so far apart...



I've been told all my life the the Japanese have a great sense of crises, which is exactly why they are the only Asian country that didn't fall victim to European invasion and pillaging in the 19th century. But that's not the case judging by what you said, and it has occured to me that some Japanese may have got carried away by their past success and begun to rest on their laurels.

I don't know very well how large the number of Japanese holding this ignorant yet ridiculous point of view is in percentage terms. What I do know for sure however, is that Japan is a country whose economy has been in the doldrums since 1990. Few countries, if any, have performed so miserably during the same period as the Japanese did. With its aging population and its shrinking economy being overtaken by emerging powers like China, Japan's future looks grim and its international status could sink even futher, no matter how much better and cleaner they think they are than others.

We now live in a fast-changing world with intense competition. What you achieved in the past, no matter how spectacular it might be, is no guarantee for your future success. I wonder how someone whose country is in such deep trouble can have the face/nerve to criticise and look down upon others.


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## kix111 (Jun 14, 2007)

bonivison said:


> shyaman said:
> 
> 
> > That's right.
> ...


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

*WALKING THE STREETS OF SHANGHAI
PART 1*


Shanghai is known for its colonial buildings. Most are heavily concentrated at The Bund, but some of them are scattered at Huangpu District.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)




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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

Shandong Zhong Lu 











Along this street is Salvo Hotel, where I stayed





























In the evening, Shandong Zhong Lu is devoid of the hustle and bustle of big city life











In front of Salvo Hotel is a very good yet affordable Chinese restaurant.





























Had dinner here for two nights


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## oliver999 (Aug 4, 2006)

nice to see your trip continue!!!


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

^^ Thanks Oliver... been busy lately.


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## HKG (Aug 2, 2006)

You are left hand


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## poptartscrunch (Sep 29, 2007)

shanghai looks so empty during the winter! i was there last summer and the sidewalks were so packed to the point where we had to walk on the street half the time :crazy:


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

^^ I noticed that too. There were not so many people in China's most populous city when I was there.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

*THE BUND*

Some places are forever associated with a single landmark and in the case of Shanghai it is surely the Bund. Also known as Zhongshan Lu, the Bund was the heart of colonial Shanghai, flanked on one side by the Huangpu River and on the other by the hotels, banks, offices, and clubs that were the grandoise symbols of western commercial power. Most of the old buildings are still in place and a walk along here can easily absorb a couple of pleasant hours.




















Unfortunately, at my time of visit, the Bund is undergoing a major facelift in preparation for Shanghai's hosting of World Expo 2010. There was massive construction/upgrade of pavements and landscaping in front of the colonial buildings, blocking the front view of the entire stretch of the Bund.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

*THE BUND*

Due to construction works, I was limited to taking steeply angled and close range photos most of the time.

The Bund houses 52 buildings of various architectural styles as Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, Neo-Classical, Beaux-Arts and Art Deco. The following are just few of these preserved buildings.


Asia Building, originally the McBain Building, was built in 1916. Today it houses the Shanghai offices of Royal Dutch Shell and Asiatic Petroleum Company.











Completed in 1916, The Union Building, houses a number of insurance companies. The six-storey buidling was the first work in Shanghai of P&T Architects & Surveyors (Palmer & Turner), and was the first building in Shanghai to use a steel structure. The building is in Neo-Renaissance style with a symmetrical facade but with some Baroque style details. 






































The Russel & Co. Building, now houses a Dolce & Gabana shop and China Shipping Merchant Company.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

*THE BUND*

The Great Northern Telegraph Corporation Building. This is the site of the first telephone switch in Shanghai in 1882.





























The China Merchants Bank Building, built in 1907, housed the first Chinese-owned bank in China.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

*THE BUND*

The Hong Kong & Shanghai Bank building, built in 1921 and completed in 1923, is a six-storey Neo-Classical building. It now used by Shanghai Pudong Development Bank. It was once the Shanghai headquarters of HSBC, hence the name.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

*THE BUND*

The Customs House was built in 1927 and still remains as the customs house today. The clock and bell was built in England and an imitation of Big Ben.






































The St. Petersburg Russo-Asiatic Bank Building is now the Shanghai Foreign Exchange. It was designed by German architects and built between 1901-1905 of brick and concrete composite structure. It is the earliest building equipped with tile facing, lifts and sanitary facilities in Shanghai


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

*THE BUND*

The Bank of Taiwan Buidling is now the China Merchants Bank.





























The North China Daily News Building is a historical Neo-Renaissance style office building and housed the most influential English-language newspaper in Shanghai at the time. At the time of its opening in 1924, it was the tallest building in Shanghai. Today it houses American International Assurance and is thus often called the AIA Building.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

*THE BUND*

The Chartered Bank Building housed the Shanghai headquarters of Standard Chartered Bank.





























The former Palace Hotel was built in 1906 and was for a long time one of the best hotels in Shanghai until it became part of the Peace Hotel in 1949. The hotel is currently closed (since 2007) for a complete renovation. it will reopen this year (2010) under the name Fairmont Peace Hotel Shanghai.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

*THE BUND*

The Sassoon House was built by Sir Victor Sassoon in 1926 and completed in 1929. The top floor originally housed Sassoon's private apartment. It was, and it still is today, famous for its jazz band in its cafe. Today it forms the other part of th Peace Hotel and Citbank.











The Bank of China building, blending 1920s American and traditional Chinese styles. The building's construction was topped out in 1937.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

*THE BUND*

The Yokohama Specie Bank building, now Shanghai Textile Holding Corporation is a seven-storey building built by P&T Architects in the 1920s.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

*THE BUND*

Yangtze Insurance Association Building today houses the Shanghai branch of Agricultural Bank of China.





























Jardine Matheson Buidling housed the then-powerful Jardine Matheson company.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

*THE BUND*

Banque de I'Indochine Building housed the French bank. 






































The former Consulate-General of the United Kingdom building is one of the oldest and largest building in The Bund. Built in the Renaissance Revival style in 1873, it once housed the Consulate-General of the United Kingdom, hence the name. The building has been renovated and is now the Peninsula Hotel.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

*WALKING THE STREETS OF SHANGHAI - PART 2*


Walking off the northern end of the Bund is the Monument to the People's Heroes











In the background are some of Shanghai's new skyscrapers











The Waibadu Bridge with the Broadway Mansions behind


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

Amazing Huangpu River view











Across the river, mid-day smog engulfs the highrises of Pudong District











The Broadway Mansions Hotel, built in 1934











The Astor House Hotel was established in 1846.











Ready... set... go!


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

More skyscrapers are rising






































By mid afternoon, smog has began to subside...


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

Three of Shanghai icons - the 457m high Orient Pearl TV Tower, the 88-storey 421m pagoda-like formed Jin Mao Tower, and newer 492m high giant bottle-opener Shanghai World Financial Center.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

At dusk, smog has subsided and Pudong District was more visible. The Huangpu River promenade along The Bund was under rehabilitation in preparation for Shanghai's hosting of World Expo 2010. Tourists were deprived of an unobstructed view of the riverfront skyline.


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## ASTANA-2020 (Feb 16, 2010)

Tokyo is the best city in Asia!


----------



## The Cebuano Exultor (Aug 1, 2005)

*@ ASTANA-2020*

In what way is Tokyo the best city in Asia? :?

'Cause if you're talking about urban lay-out,I would beg to disagree.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

*PEOPLE'S PARK & SQUARE*


What used to be racecourse is now occupied by the landscaped People's Park in the northern half, and People's Square and Shanghai Museum in the southern section. 






































One of World Expo 2010 markers in the park











Retro phone booth


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

A pedestrian underpass


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

The People's Park subway station





























Subway train


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

The Shanghai Museum displays some of the best cultural relics from China's neolithic period to the Qing Dynasty. The museum was established in 1952, and the current building opened in 1995 with a design that recalls some of the exhibits and symbolizes "a round heaven and a square earth."




















Across the street from Shanghai Museum is the Concert Hall.


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## kix111 (Jun 14, 2007)

Great photos! Did you have time to just walk around those shopping malls around people's square? Btw shanghai museum is definitely one of the most boring museum i have ever been to..

ps. what time did you visit? there are way too less people in the metro for peoples square station


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## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

Great, very nice photos from Shanghai


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

kix111 said:


> Great photos! Did you have time to just walk around those shopping malls around people's square? Btw shanghai museum is definitely one of the most boring museum i have ever been to..
> 
> ps. what time did you visit? there are way too less people in the metro for peoples square station


It was mid-day, around 1PM.
It's not rush hour, hence there were not so many people.




christos-greece said:


> Great, very nice photos from Shanghai


As always, thanks mate.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

*AROUND SHANGHAI'S PEOPLE'S PARK*

While retaining the old buildings and structures of colonial Shanghai, People's Park is likewise surrounded by modernity - impressive infrastructure and gleaming glass and steel skyscrapers.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

*AROUND SHANGHAI'S PEOPLE'S PARK*


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

*AROUND SHANGHAI'S PEOPLE'S PARK*


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

*AROUND SHANGHAI'S PEOPLE'S PARK*


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

*AROUND SHANGHAI'S PEOPLE'S PARK*

Quite literally overshadowed by the gleaming new glass and steel skyscrapers that surround it, Mu'en Tang, the Merciful Baptism Church, lies on the eastern side of People's Square. It was built in 1929 as the American Baptist Church.











An inter-denominational survivor of China's many revolutions, it is open to all, although the services are in Chinese only.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

*AROUND SHANGHAI'S PEOPLE'S PARK*

The old and the futuristic...







































Nanjing Dong Lu is Shanghai's traditional "shopper's paradise". Before 1949, all the major stores were located here. ONe of them, the Sun Department Store, now renamed as Shanghai No. 1 Department Store, continues to attract 100,000 customers every day.


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## kix111 (Jun 14, 2007)

Eastern nanjing road is now more of an attraction place for foreign visitors. There are far too many people from other cities there. For me i only shop:

Mainly at the raffles city, a lot of us local shanghainese go there:









And the shimao mall 









Other than that i like to go to huai hai road for shopping, a lot of more luxury and fashion brands.

Here is a photo taken inside the raffles city in case you didnt go in there


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

^^ You're right.
I did not go inside any of the shopping malls in Shanghai. 
Thanks for the pics of the mall interior.


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## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

^^ Thanks for the comment (reply) and for those new photos of Shanghai


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

*SHANGHAI ART MUSEUM & KATHLEEN'S 5*


At the northwest corner of People's Park is the Shanghai Art Museum. The museum occupies the lower floors of the elegant old racecourse clubhouse.















































Aside from art collections on display, the lavish marble interiors of the 1930s neo-classical building are also of interest.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

On the top floor, and accessed by the main clocktower entrance, is an excellent bar restaurant, Kathleen's 5.





































I had a snapper in seafood risotto for lunch 











The restaurant's terrace


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

Kathleen's 5 boasts of marvelous views over the park from its roof terrace.

































































The top of Jin Mao Tower and Shanghai World Financial Center are visible from here.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

Mu'en Tang, the Merciful Baptism Church.











The old buildings along Nanjing Lu, traditionally Shanghai's foremost shopping street.





























































The Park Hotel


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## oliver999 (Aug 4, 2006)

is the shanghai art museum restaurant very expensive?


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

^^ The price is on the high side.


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## kix111 (Jun 14, 2007)

Are you still having your trip or have you finished already?


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

^^ The trip was in Dec 2009.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

*SKYSCRAPERS & OTHER NOTABLE BUILDINGS AROUND PEOPLE'S PARK*


The Shanghai Grand Theater is a strikingly new edifice, made almost entirely of glass and topped by a spectacular convex roof.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

Shanghai City Hall is right beside the Grand Theater.






























On the northeast side of the square is a building with four inverted tents for a roof - the Urban Planning Exhibition Center.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

Not to be outpaced by other emerging Chinese mega-cities, Shanghai's race for the skies is very evident around People's Park. Steel and glass skyscrapers of unusual shapes and designs are awesome.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)




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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)




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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)




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## bonivison (Jan 17, 2007)

Wow, the restaurant is so good a platform to observe the square, I will go there next time
HeHe


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## kix111 (Jun 14, 2007)

Great photos are there any shots taken at huai hai road? XD


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

*SHANGHAI... THE MASTER PLAN*

The third floor of Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center is called the Hall of Master Plan. The centerpiece of the hall is a scale model of Shanghai's urban landscape up to 2020. With an area of 600 square meters, it is the biggest scale model of urban planning in the world.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

Can't help but look in awe at the massive yet intricate detailing of the buildings.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

2010 World Expo site


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)




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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)




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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

People's Park










Pudong Disctrict


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## kix111 (Jun 14, 2007)

Wow looks like you bought the VIP ticket to go upstairs, it must got an awesome view of the whole model.


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## aquablue (Mar 18, 2006)

Which city did you like the best?

If you had to choose 1 in which to live and work, which one would you pick?

Thanks


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

*YU GARDENS BAZAAR*

The Yu Gardens and Bazaar located at the Old City district of Shanghai is a very popular destination for local and foreign tourists. The entrance gateway is very imposing.




















After passing through the entrance, shops are lined up on both sides of the streets, aiming to get the attention of shoppers before they hit the main shopping bazaar a few meters away. Jin Mao Tower and Shanghai World Financial Center are visible from here.











The old style buildings of the Yu Gardens bazaar are not really old, but the fanciful roofs are nevertheless appealing.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

Getting inside the bazaar leads to a square and a maze of alleys.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

The shops here peddle everything from tourist souvenirs to traditional medicines and, despite inflated prices, the area is incredibly popular.




















Street foods are a hit!


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

*YU GARDENS*

Tucked inside and hidden behind the bazaar buildings is the beautiful and relatively peaceful Ming-dysnasty Yu Gardens (Yu Yuan).

From the bazaar, the Huxinting Teahouse stands in the middle of the pond. A bridgeway connects the teahouse from the bazaar side to the gardens side. At time of visit, however, the teahouse was under renovation and completely fenced off, hence only the bridgeways are open for public access across the pond. 

A statue adorns a portion of the pond...











A dragon head juts out of the pond perimeter wall.











The entrance to the gardens











Walls divide the gardens into six scenic areas, which makes it feel like a maze and seem larger than it really is. This is one of the many entrances...











... to a scenic area 











Pavement designs vary and are very detailed.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

Another scenic area...


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

In an out of wall openings lead to another scenic area...















































The roofs are simply amazing...


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

More amazing are the sculptures on top of roofs. Every sculpture is different!


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## oliver999 (Aug 4, 2006)

keep on your posting!


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## Aan (Nov 5, 2007)

can you please write names of food on photo? balls on the right look safest


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

^^ I actually don't know what they're called or how they taste. 
I think the leftmost one is deep-fried new-born duck.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

*PUDONG FINANCIAL DISTRICT*

The Shanghainese inevitably look east from the Bund across Huangpu River to the gleaming towers of Pudong, a brand new mini-Manhattan, where three Shanghai icons stand - the imposing Orient Pearl TV Tower, the soaring 88-storey Jinmao Tower and the 101-storey Shanghai World Financial Center just a few meters away.

Pudong is a three-dimensional advertisement for Shanghai's booming economy, designed to increase the confidence of foreign investors.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

Jinmao Tower











Jinmao Tower and Shanghai World Financial Center


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

*ER-SHA ISLAND, GUANGZHOU*

With only a few hours to spare in exploring Guangzhou, I decided to go to a place where I can have a good view of the city skyline. Looking at a map bought from a convenience store near the hotel, what caught my attention is an island in the river at the center of the city. The map has no English translation, so I was hoping that the island will be a worthwhile location to get a glimpse of the city. 

And right I was. It's called Er-sha Island (or Ji Sa Island) located in the middle of Guangzhou's Pearl River. The island offers a breath of fresh air amidst the concrete jungle.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

Xinghai Concert Hall


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

Guangdong Museum of Art











Sculptures abound outside the museum


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

Some notable buildings in the island...


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

*PEARL RIVER SKYLINE, GUANGZHOU - THE NORTH BANK*

Viewed from Er-sha Island in the middle of Pearl River, Guangzhou's skyline is impressive. Without the smog, the view could have been more spectacular.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

The north side bank of the river provides a view of a mixture of residential and iconic new office buildings.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)




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## going-higher (Nov 3, 2008)

very nice pictures. keep up the good work shyaman


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## sheidy (Oct 13, 2009)

Thanks for sharing your photos.
By the way,could you tell me your digital camera's brand/model please?


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## dgdf (Mar 13, 2010)

thankssssssss best web www.waymoney.tk


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

going-higher said:


> very nice pictures. keep up the good work shyaman


Thanks!



sheidy said:


> Thanks for sharing your photos.
> By the way,could you tell me your digital camera's brand/model please?


Nikon D80.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

*GUANGZHOU TV TOWER*

The Guangzhou TV and Sightseeing Tower is a hyperboloid structure expected to be completed this year in time for the city's hosting of the 2010 Asian Games.

Upon completion , the tower will become one of the world's tallest buildings - soaring 610 meters high.




















It has become a favorite backdrop for newly-wed pictorials.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

A blimp steals the show...






































Fisherman's torch...











Elongated...


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

Closer...






































For locals and tourists alike, the tower is a beacon.


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## sbarn (Mar 19, 2004)

Just went through all 22 pages of the thread... completely fascinating. Keep them coming. :cheers:


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

^^ Hey thanks! That's a lot of effort just to go through the previous pages.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

*HONGCHENG PARK*

Hongcheng Park is a compact well-landscaped park within Er-sha Island. This is one great place to get a good view of Guangzhou's modern skyscrapers by the north bank of Pearl River and Guangzhou TV Tower to the south.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)




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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

Inside the park is a good restaurant. 




























Had lunch here...


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## toddhubert (Jan 6, 2008)

i love ur lunch!


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)




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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)




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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

*IN MEMORY OF THE KILLING FIELDS*

Somewhere in the town premises is a memorial for the innocent people who died in the hands of the savage Pol Pot regime in 1974-79.











Bones collected from a nearby killing field are now in a stupa.






































Nearby is a temple




















A surviving victim of a landmine perhaps...


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

*ANGKOR NATIONAL MUSEUM*

I did not bother to check out what's inside the museum. According to the cab driver, I'm going to see the real thing up close anyway (i.e. the temples), and with limited time in Siem Reap, it will be a waste of precious time. I'd rather go and see as many temples as I can. 





























Adjacent to the museum is a museum mall


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

*BOAT CRUISE TO TONLE SAP LAKE*

Some 15 kilometers from Siem Reap's town center is a boat jetty for a river cruise to Southeast Asia's largest lake, Tonle Sap. The river only appears on dry season because the entire low-lying adjacent area becomes the Tonle Sap floodplain during the rainy season.

The jetty area...


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

Off we go... just me and the captain cum tour guide.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

Traffic signs? 















































Lifeguard tower?


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## nguyenthanhtung (Dec 16, 2009)

shyaman said:


> *CAMBODIA!*
> 
> Cambodia's flag carrier - Angkor Air


I like it


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

Tourist boats


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

Boat in the making…











Adaptability...


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

After a 45-minute cruise on the river, the Tonle Sap shows up... It's such a huge lake that you can't see land on the horizon.











Floating restaurants are making good business with tourists...


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## Bruno BHZ (Nov 15, 2002)

That´s the most amazing thread I've ever seen in SSC! A complete trip through many contries!


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## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

Really interesting and very nice photos those above are


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## maldini (Jul 5, 2003)

shyaman said:


> ^^ Huai Hai Road does not ring a bell, so I guess I have not been there .


You should have gone to XuJaihuai. Lots of big modern malls and buildings.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

*LIFE AT THE RIVERBANK*

The river to Tonle Sap is full of mesmerizing sights along its banks. It's amazing that despite the hostile behavior of the lake during the monsoon season, some people still choose to stay and make a living along the banks of the river.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)




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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)




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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

*THE VIETNAMESE FLOATING VILLAGE*

At a section of the river near its mouth to Tonle Sap, is a floating Vietnamese village. My boatman tour guide said that for some reason, the Vietnamese who managed to sneak into Cambodia some decades ago converged in this area and has since then flourished into a self-contained floating community. 

During the monsoon season when Tonle Sap overflows to a level that will submerge even the vegetation, all the floating structures are towed inland towards the nearest bank.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)




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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

*THE BOAT PEOPLE*

Cambodians and Vietnamese alike, living in or along the banks of the tributary river of Tonle Sap requires a floating mode of transport.. Here are some astonishing revelations of how they move through the river to go about their day to day activities.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)




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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

Within the temple is a maze of corridors and alleys, and stone carvings everywhere you look.















































Tourists can take photos with these young girls in traditional costumes... for a fee of course.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

*ANGKOR THOM: BAPHUON*

Believed to be one of Angkor's temples, Baphuon was built by King Udayadityavarman II in the 11th century. The temple is approached via a 200-meter long raised causeway. 





























A Hindu temple, Baphuon's pyramidical mountain form represents Mount Meru, the mythical home of the gods. It has four gateways. Each is decorated with elegant bas-reliefs, with scenes from Hindu epics. A central tower with four entrances once stood at its summit, but has long since collapsed. Badly damaged, the temple is now undergoing restoration and access is restricted.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

In front of the temple are stone block pieces... perhaps an indication that construction of the temple was halted for some reason and abandoned thereafter.




















Adjacent to Baphuon is the temple-palace of Phimeanakas. They are separated by a wall with an imposing access gateway.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

*ANGKOR THOM: PHIMEANAKAS*

The east gate of Phimeanakas is elaborate and an attraction on its own.






































From the gate, it's a long walk to the temple.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

The royal temple-palace of Phimeanakas was built during the 10th century by King Rajendravarman II and added to later by Jayavarman VII. Dedicated to Hinduism, it is also known as the Celestial Palace, and is associated with the legend of a golden tower that once stood there, and where a nine-headed serpent resided.











The pyramid-shaped palace is rectangular at the base, and surrounded by a 5-meter high wall of laterite enclosing an area of around 15 hectares. There are elephant figures at each of the four corners of the pyramid.




















It has 5 entrance ways, and the stairs, which are flanked by guardian lions, rise up on all four sides. The stairs are so steep and the treads so narrow that climbing up or down is a struggle.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

Near the temple are two huge ponds. Notice the stepped stone border... probably they're ancient bathing pools.





























Next to the pool is the north gate.


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## Juan Pilgrim (Apr 3, 2008)

Very interesting travelogue Bong! 
Can't wait for the next set of photos!
_Padayon!_



:horse:


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

^^ Thanks JP.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

*ANGKOR THOM: TERRACE OF ELEPHANTS*

Built by King Jayavarman VII, the Terrace of the Elephants is over 300 meters long, stretching from the Baphuon to the connecting Terrace of the Leper King. It has three main platforms and two smaller ones. The terrace was primarily used for royal reviews of military and other parades.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

The entire terrace is elaborately decorated with almost life size images of sandstone elephants in a procession and accompanied by mahouts. There are many images of tigers, lions, serpents, sacred geese, and Garuda, the eagle mount of Vishnu.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)




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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

*ANGKOR THOM: TERRACE OF THE LEPER KING*

The small platform that is the Terrace of the Leper King dates back from the late 12th century. The exact function of this terrace, which appears to be an extension of the Terrace of the Elephants, is not clear. It was probably used either for royalreceptions or cremations.






































The terrace is marked by two walls, both beautifully decorated with exquisite bas-reliefs. Of the two, the inner one is more remarkable, and is covered with figures of the underworld deities, kings, celestial females, gods, warriors and strange marine creatures.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

However, the other wall is more popular because it is exposed to public view from outside, hence it is more pictuesque.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

Opposite the Terrace of the Elephants and Terrace of the Leper King is the Prasat Suor Prat. These are twelve nearly identical laterite and sandstone towers. The towers do not display the classic Bayon-style characteristics. It has been argued that they may be post-Bayon or perhaps much earlier, as early as 11th century.
























































A few meters to the east of Prasat Suor Prat is the Victory Gate, one of the Angkor Thom's access way.


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## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

Beautiful, very nice photos as well


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

*TA PROHM TEMPLE
Set 1*

Perhaps the most evocative and mysterious of all the temple structures at Angkor, Ta Prohm, which means Ancestor of Brahma, was originally a Buddhist monastery, built during King jayavarman VII's reign. At its peak, it owned more than 3,000 villages, and was maintained by 80,000 attendants, including 18 high priests and over 600 temple dancers.

Unlike Angkor Thom where several temples are confined in a massive complex, Ta Prohm is a walled temple on its own, The entrance gate, however, is not in good condition, but its stone engravings are still a sight visually amazing..






































The temple is a short walk from the gate.










Along the way is a small structure that is heavily damaged.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

The temple sits on the peak of a hill and has a complex of stone buildings, surrounded by a rectangular laterite wall. The main entrance is decaying yet magnificent, and filled with images of the Buddha that were recovered from the ruins.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

After passing through the main entrance is a sight like no other.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

The French started their archeological restoration during the colonial period, and a deliberate attempt was made to preserve Ta Prohm in its existing condition, limiting restoration, and cutting down as little of the dense jungle. As a result, the temple buildings remain smothered with the roots of giant banyan trees, preserving the atmosphere that 19th century explorers must have experienced.



































































TO BE CONTINUED... IN SET 2


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

Terminal 2 is the terminal exclusively used by Philippine Airlines, both for domestic and international flights.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

The bigger Terminal 3, which is still not fully operational is currently being used by low-cost carriers.


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## diz (Nov 1, 2005)

cool! Manila


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

*METRO MANILA AERIALS*

Metro Manila is composed of 16 cities and a municipality with a total approximate population of 12 million cramped into an area of 636 square kilometers.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)




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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)




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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

South of Metro Manila is Cavite City, a city constricted within the coasts of a narrow peninsula jutting out of Manila Bay.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

*A GLIMPSE OF METRO MANILA*

Makati is the financial capital of the Philippines. The following photos shows a portion of the central business district with some of Metro Manila's cities in the background.


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)




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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

The Fort Bonifacio Global City 





























Sundown


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

Makati City at night


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

On the road...





























The 35-km long, mostly 10-laned Epifanio delos Santos Avenue (EDSA) is Metro Manila's major thoroughfare. The circumferential road traverses 5 cities in Metro Manila. A portion of it was the site of the famous People Power revolution in 1986 which ousted former Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos and put to power the country's first female president, Corazon Aquino.




















EDSA is a billboard strip


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## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

Cool, very nice photos as well


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## maxxam80 (Apr 6, 2003)

wow your trip is amazing - Manila looks crazy - bet the city is more fun than north east asian cities?


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## alheaine (Jan 11, 2009)

^^

you bet.Ö :banana: :cheers: :lol:


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## Juan Pilgrim (Apr 3, 2008)

Nice pictures! I hope there is more. I particularly enjoyed Siem Reap and Tokyo!

But Bong I've got to say, Manila really looks like the place to be for fun and entertainment! 


:horse:
*WIN OR LOSE!*


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## travelworld123 (Sep 24, 2008)

wow, i love your trips, I went through every single page and it feels like your there

how did you manage to see that many places in just 21 days!?! Was it enough??
how was angkor?


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

^^ If you are a solo traveller, you can go to as many places as you want, at your own pace, at your own time. I guess I just had a bit of planning to maximize the time I had in every city.

Angkor is amazing... the best part of this tour.


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## travelworld123 (Sep 24, 2008)

i see! 

nice... i really want to visit angkor one day...

I think i was in Beijing/Shanghai aroudn the same time you were, I was there 5th - 24th Dec


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## shyaman (Oct 12, 2006)

^^ You could be right... I was in Saigon on Christmas Day and was in Beijing & Shanghai before that.


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## Falubaz (Nov 20, 2004)

How did yu like Mainila? Did yu see some provinces?
In my opinion Manila is a crap! Worst city i was in! If one wants to see real Philippines and have fun there - need to go out of horrible Manila! Its traffic is a hell, pulution is horrrible -not existing public transport (except of 3 metro lines). 
The provinces are really beautiful and amazing, real paradise-beaches, lots of interesting places to see and things to do!
Plus the ppl! Pinoys love to sing! Everywhere and always! Real cool.


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