The Island Explorer

Shanghai is one of my favorite cities in the world. It is probably one of the most cosmopolitan cities in Asia, along with Hong Kong and Singapore. But Shanghai has that old world charm blending with such a futuristic backdrop. It's something hard to describe without seeing for yourself.

After Mongolia, I had a short visit in Shanghai, which excited me more than the nomad country. It's been 4 years since I visited Shanghai, so this trip I knew must be memorable. And even though it was a 4 day trip only, I decided to change accommodations every night! My first hotel was one of my most anticipated ones, considering it was a member of the Design Hotels group . Also, it was owned by Singapore's famous hotelier, Loh Lik Peng , who conceived New Majestic. Recipient of a T+L Design Award and landing in the Conde Naste Hot List, this hotel is surely making waves. The Waterhouse at South Bund looks nothing like any hotel you've been to. Upon seeing the building's facade, you'll know you're in for a treat. My luggage as left behind in Seoul as I dashed to my connection there. Hence, I arrived in the hotel with only my hand carry. The hotel noticed my lone bag, and intuitively asked if I had lost my luggage. I explained what happened and th

It is not difficult to tell if you are near the Forbidden City. Buses are lined up the streets, and a wall seemed to stretch the entire length of an avenue. And it doesn't end. You won't see much from outside, but once you step in, you enter an ancient world.

It was winter, and it was getting colder as the day progresses. After a satisfying lunch, we made a stopover at one of Beiing's top spots, its 2008 Summer Olympics village.

The next day was our tour of the city, and our first stop was the Summer Palace. As the rest house of the emperor of China, I knew we were in for another sort of magnificence.

I cannot express how much I love China. Coming from a previous unforgettable trip across the Chinese Southwest, I was left yearning for more adventure. So, 2 years after, I made my way back to China, but now to its heartland, the capital Beijing.

To end my entries on my Southwest China trek, here are some postcards I sent while I was still there. All captured using my Panasonic Lumix LX3. I didn't bring any SLR, which I regret now.

I have ended my trek in China, and I badly wanted to extend. But I had another upcoming trip to Vietnam and Cambodia in 4 days, so I had to force myself to get on a plane back to Shenzen where I would travel to HK for my flight back to Manila. But before that, I had one more day in Lijiang. So, I decided to spend the entire day relaxing and seeing more of Lijiang. I asked for tips from the receptionist at the International Youth Hostel Lijiang where I was staying. She told me to visit the Shuhe Old Town, which was around 15 minutes from Lijiang Old Town. So, I took a public bus and then a minibus to Shuhe. Shuhe didn't impress me at first, as I entered its gates. I didn't pay an entrance fee, because the Chinese guys didn't know how to ask it from me. I acted ignorant. Shuhe Old Town was very different from Lijiang Old Town. It was breezy, more spacious and had bigger alleys. It was more like a garden town. I was walking around, and saw nothing impressive. I soon realized t

I arrived in Shangrila 8PM, after a two hour bus ride from Qiaotou. I was asleep in the bus and woke up seeing white everywhere. Yes, it was snowing. It was surreal because, 2 hours ago, I was in lush fields. Now, all I could see was a spectacular view of mountains and valleys blanketed with fresh snow. I got off the bus and tried calling my hotel. Unfortunately, there was no answer. The Israeli guy I was with suddenly vanished, so I was standing outside by the road somewhere in town, with an umbrella on hand to shield the falling snow. I was worried, since everyone was hailing taxis and there were a few. My hotel didn't answer. My alternative was to go to the Old Town and find a hostel there. Suddenly, the Israeli guy showed up, looking sick. He told me he vomited, probably from something he ate. He looked really sick, and so we decided to catch a taxi and headed straight for Old Town. Our taxi dropped us off at the entrance of Old Town. Fortunately, we immediately saw the sign, H