Le Tour Traveler's Rest Youth Hostel

Hyuan Action Billiards

by rabbit06

This is not the Shanghai masters!......lol but a world wide pastime, shooting pool over a few beers and having a great time, Rabbit's coming back to this place! The sevice is fantastic, the tables are set up for your next game before you know it and happy hour seems to be on all the time, after nine games, forgotten how many beers the total spend was only 90rmb.........well that is just great value..!!!! and Rabbit won seven out of nine....lmao

Shanghai - Beijing direct train

by crewrower

Starting a few years ago, China introduced the Z-class train between Beijing and Shanghai (Z stands for "zhi da", or direct in Chinese). I have used this route a few times, most recently in July 2005, when I went to Beijing with my mother who was visiting China for 4 weeks. She has since said that the train ride to Beijing was one of her most (positively) memorable experiences in China. The actual compartments are very comfortable with clean bed linens and even have toothbrushes, and the ticket price include a warm box dinner (rice and chicken) served in your compartment (this was actually the first time I had been served dinner for free on the train).

NOTE The total journey is scheduled for just under 12 hours. There are several trains but they all depart in clusters between approximately 7-8pm

Bathrooms - they start of clean but can get a little messy by morning (but not necessarily). There are less people in the sleeper compartment carriage and therefore less demand on the bathrooms. However, all train bathrooms are squat style, and probably do not have tissue/toilet paper (I can't quite remember if the soft sleeper carriage had toilet paper, but as a general rule assume that such facilities do not supply paper).

Baggage Security - your bags go through an x-ray machine upon entry at the train station. That should be it.

Personel Security - the SH-BJ route is very safe, especially on a direct train where no one is getting on or off along the route. That said, I usually keep my wallet and mobile near or under my pillow when I'm sleeping.

If you wake up early, make sure to spend some time taking in the view of the small towns and shanties as you approach Beijing. Seeing this had a big impact on my mom, whose view of China was otherwise limited to the skyscrapers of Shanghai and tourist circuit in Beijing.

High Tea in a beautiful Garden

by gaolei

Behind the Heng Shan Moller Hotel, there is a beautiful garden that features High Tea every afternoon. Sitting in the garden, you forget that you are just a few meters from the Yan' Nan Central Expressway. The tea, consisting of tea, of course, and a cookies and fruit buffet, is served by the La Vie En Rose Cafe in the hotel.

The price of the tea is nearly 100 RMB. Not cheap! Instead, get a glass of wine or a Mango ice drink, sit under a tree and dream of times past.

Food stalls

by K.Knight

I must say that the one thing that I never saw anywhere in all my time in China was a food inspector from the health department!

Food stalls are everywhere in China, and as was the case in Xian, Shanghai is no exception. Anne and I frequented these stalls on a regular basis to stock up on bottles of water and, Anne’s favorite, peach juice.

Although some of the street food looked very nice, and the prices were even nicer, I kept thinking of those adverts on television about the traveler holed up in a dingy hospital somewhere with food poisoning. (And the thought of Anne’s voice ringing in my ears for years to come, “I TOLD YOU SO!”)

You see, when I was in Zimbabwe I got salmonella poisoning, when I was in Uganda I got food poisoning, when I was in……the list could go on…just ask Anne LOL:))

FOOD, GLORIOUS FOOD! SHANGHAI 4

by xuessium

DISH:

CHINESE BRAISED BEEF NOODLES

A very common dish, found in eateries throughout the city. Beef (or beef parts) braised till tender in a Chinese styled soysauce and 5-spices broth, served with rice noodles and pieces of vegetables.

DISH:

PIG EAR'S SALAD WITH CHILLI, PEANUT AND CILANTRO

Braised pig's ears sliced and served as an appetiser with roasted peanuts, chilli and fresh cilantro.

DISH:

BOILED YAM BALLS

Served as a cold appetiser, yam is mashed and balled before serving in a light sweet glaze.

DISH:

CENTURY EGG SALAD

Century eggs are preserved duck eggs. Also known as "Thousand Years Old Egg". Remembered it being featured as a challenge on "Fear Factor" once with all contestants puking out their guts because they need to eat this item. WIMPS!

DISH:

CHINESE BRAISED PORK BELLY

Pork belly braised with soy sauce and 5-spices till tender that each piece melts in your mouth. Evilly sinful fat-wise but so sinfully evil to eat!

DISH:

BAMBOO STEAMED FROG-LEGS

Bull frog legs, steamed with chilli and garlic in bamboo.

DISH:

STEAMED FLATTENED FISH HEAD WITH GREEN CHILLI

River fish head, dissected and flattened and then steamed with green chilli and soysauce.