GETAWAYS
Centuries old
China is a country seeing much change as it reaches out to the world,
particularly tourists. And there is not a better time to visit this exotic,
ancient country where Americans are very welcome in these turbulent and troubled
times we travel in. Recently I went to China and spent 7 fascinating days,
3 each in the burgeoning metropolis of Shanghai, China’s largest city
which is separated by the Huangpu River where the old and new worlds seem to
peacefully coexist. -- and to Hangzhou - - one of the country’s
interior, ancient, charming cities with pagodas, tea houses and its magnificent
West Lake, a huge body of water that gives Hangzhou a special fairy tale and
mystical quality. Shanghai,
aka “The Paris of the Orient” -- is a marvelous place to visit
and shop. It has 2 to 5 star
tourist and business hotels. I stayed at the Art Deco 1930s Park Hotel (rack
rate starts at $90), a stately old dame located across from The Peoples Park. I
can also recommend the
classy and old world European styled
Peace Hotel in The Bund section of the city where I enjoyed a Havana
cigar and brandy while listening to jazz in the hotel’s famous bar. Another
attraction is the Yuyuan Garden where I
feasted on dim sum in an ancient teahouse and found so many shopping
bargains like a $1 suitcase at a flea market (I filled it with all stuff I
bought) and top quality replica Mont Blanc pens for $2 each.
Shanghai is a city that has just about every kind of food you would want,
including even Indian, Vietnamese and Italian. The Xin Tian Di shopping mall
reminded me of Santa Monica’s 3rd Street Promenade with its classy
cafes, shops and, yes, even a Starbucks. The
Chinese drink green tea served in a huge cup with a lid on top to keep it warm.
Don’t miss this treat with your Chinese meal of maybe Dongpo Pork or if you
are adventurous, Octopus/Chorizo/Red Pepper Salad or Sichuan Seared King Prawns.
For another completely different side of China go to Hangzhou and treat yourself to a room at the classy and stately Shangri-La Hotel on the banks of the West Lake. The city reminded me of the movie Lost Horizon where some travelers stumble upon an ancient mystical Chinese city and are overwhelmed with its beauty. If you need a business hotel, check out The Red Dragon, which rivals any Marriott or Hyatt. You will want to visit the city’s silk marketplace where vendors offer silk ties and scarves (including many designer inspired items) at prices you cannot afford to pass up. And to sample Hangzhou’s food try dishes like Beggars Chicken (it has a taste of aromatic lotus leaves), West Lake Vinegar Fish or maybe Dragon Well Shrimp Ball. Chinese food in China tastes nothing like its American counterparts, so be adventurous to truly experience your trip. At about 8 Yuan to the dollar, our American money goes far there. For more information on planning a trip to China, visit the Chinese National Tourist Office web site at www.cnto.org, or call the CTNO in Los Angeles at 818-545-7507
Charlie Barrett
Charlie Barrett hosts the weekly radio show
Travel Tuesdays
heard world wide on The Cable Radi