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By Amiel Aguilar Cabanlig
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A rainbow
of experiences
awaits you. The electrifying
Shanghai skyline at night |
Towering skyscrapers that reach high into the
clouds. Breathtaking architecture inspired by a beautiful mix of
ancient Chinese, turn of the century European and forward-thinking
New Age style.
Nearly 20 million people living in a bustling
jungle of concrete, steel and dazzling lights—All these and more
make up the spectacle which is China’s metropolis of Shanghai!
A gracious sabbatical
The beauty of visiting Shanghai lies not so much
in scurrying from attraction to attraction, but in less obvious
pleasures: strolling the Bund, exploring the pockets of colonial
architecture in the old French Concession, sampling the exploding
restaurant and nightlife scene, or wandering the shopping streets
and absorbing the rebirth of one of the world’s great cities.
For the novice traveler, the inherent wonders of
Shanghai may seem obvious, but in this largest city of China with
one of the “List of metropolitan areas by population” largest
urban areas in the world, the city’s hidden secrets and subtle
spectacles are difficult to find given the restraints of a weekend
sabbatical.
Luckily, for those Filipinos wishing to discover
the grandness and intricate attractions that Shanghai has to offer,
sisters Tessie Tio and Nellie Chan have refined such travel
experience too a tee. Proprietors of Mulan Travel Service Greenhills
(723-7357), these well-traveled siblings have helped open the eyes
of countless vacationers with their meticulous service and
affordable travel packages.
Experiencing the city
Originally a fishing and textiles town, Shanghai
is an emerging “Tourism” tourist destination renowned for its
historical landmarks such as “The Bund” and Xintiandi, its
modern and ever-expanding Pudong skyline including the Oriental
Pearl Tower, and its new reputation as a “Cosmopolitan” center
of culture and design.
These sites are all customary destinations
visited along Mulan’s specially planned day tours. Complete with
English-speaking tour guides, the city’s rich history is iterated
in great detail for tourists who wish to learn in-depth about where
they’ve been.
It is apparent through our experience that great
attention is taken in each of Mulan’s travel packages. While on
our sabbatical in Shanghai, no detail was overlooked. From
transfers, transportation, 5-star accommodations and meals truly
representative of Chinese culture and the city’s exquisite tastes,
our tour was worry-free and chock-full of excitement.
Good Times abound
Our excellent sabbatical in Shanghai organized
by Mulan was also featured in the Studio23 Good Times TV Show yet
only a fraction of our weekend tour could be squeezed into the 30
minute-travel/lifestyle program.
On our first day in Shanghai, we settled
ourselves in the posh Howard Johnson Huahai before having dinner at
Quan Jade restaurant overlooking the Hunagpu River. After a
sumptuous dinner, we leisurely strolled the boardwalk and then
watched a spectacular theatrical show of Chinese acrobats before
then retiring for the night.
The next day, our day tour took us around the
city with our guide elaborating on the different sights about
Shanghai. We visited People’s Square where the National Museum and
World Expo is located. Our group also visited the former residence
of Dr. Sun Yat Sen before breaking for lunch.
Next on the itinerary was the Bund where we
marveled at the East-meets-West architecture before crossing the
Yellow River in the underground tunnel tour complete with a laser
light show. We ended up in Shanghai’s new financial district and
proceeded to the TV Oriental Tower’s viewdeck to get a bird’s
eye view of modern Shanghai and its impressive nightscape before
savoring a delectable supper of Peking duck and Siao Long Pao.
The following day was a mix of sightseeing and
shopping along Nanjing Road before having lunch in Shanghai’s
ancient district. We strolled around the venerable YuYuan Gardens
before setting off to the New World district for some dinner and
dancing. Capping off the night was a romantic cruise along the
Yellow River.
More of Mullan
While the above chronicle is more detailed than
our televized tour, there are yet many details to our tour
experience that have to be experienced to be truly appreciated. Much
thanks to Mulan for this one of a kind experience.
Mulan Travel Service specializes in customized
luxury tour packages anywhere in the world such as China, Korea,
Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, New Zealand, Australia, US,
Canada and Europe.
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