Look at that view
2010 01 03
Sista templet! Både för dagen och för vår vistelse i Suzhou. Detta ställe var himla ballt just för att man fick klättra upp för alla hundra tusen trappor och titta på utsikten, till skillnad från Tiger hill. Minns tyvärr inte vad detta tempel hette. Sorri!
Hur som helst s[ fanns det en himla fin tr'dg[rd till detta tempel, som Björn kommer blogga om sen. Tyvärr hann vi inte ta så mycket bilder där eftersom kamerabatteriet dog. Nästa gång ska vi vara bättre förberedda och faktiskt ta med oss laddaren när vi åker iväg!
In English:
Last temple! Both for the day and for the trip. This place was extra fun as we could climb the 1000 stairs and enjoy the view, something we couldn't do at Tiger hill. Unfortunately though, I don't remember the name of this place..!
Buddha of happiness.
Buddha of war.
The most amazing part of this place is that it was open and that you could climb up the stairs all the way
to the top! Which is what we did, of course.
View from the second floor (I think).
The top was filled with tags and messages from all those who have climbed up.
Looking down from the top. It was a scary height and it was really windy.
Sista templet! Både för dagen och för vår vistelse i Suzhou. Detta ställe var himla ballt just för att man fick klättra upp för alla hundra tusen trappor och titta på utsikten, till skillnad från Tiger hill. Minns tyvärr inte vad detta tempel hette. Sorri!
Hur som helst s[ fanns det en himla fin tr'dg[rd till detta tempel, som Björn kommer blogga om sen. Tyvärr hann vi inte ta så mycket bilder där eftersom kamerabatteriet dog. Nästa gång ska vi vara bättre förberedda och faktiskt ta med oss laddaren när vi åker iväg!
In English:
Last temple! Both for the day and for the trip. This place was extra fun as we could climb the 1000 stairs and enjoy the view, something we couldn't do at Tiger hill. Unfortunately though, I don't remember the name of this place..!
Buddha of happiness.
Buddha of war.
The most amazing part of this place is that it was open and that you could climb up the stairs all the way
to the top! Which is what we did, of course.
View from the second floor (I think).
The top was filled with tags and messages from all those who have climbed up.
Looking down from the top. It was a scary height and it was really windy.
Click for a larger image.
Art history
2010 01 03
I found samples of Chinese art history in one of the houses in Lions grove. Beautiful and full of vivid colours! I was really inspired and I wanted to take more photos of the art than I actually did, but we had one more place to go and the camera battery was starting to indicate that it wouldn't live that much longer...
Lions grove, part 2
2010 01 03
Here are the rest of the pictures from Lions grove.
Inside the labyrinth.
On one of the mountains, looking at the view (pond).
Bjorn.
Climbing around wasn't always the easiest as thousands and thoustands of tourists have walked here, transforming the stone and making it smooth and slippery.
I find it hard to keep being serious for long periods of time.
I got hungry, and I had the usual cravings for corn. So I searched and found a small place inside the garden selling corn. Here's Bjorn with it. I stuffed his mouth with it when a couple of Chinese asked to take my picture.
I didn't want my pitcure taken eating corn. Eeryone knows of my addiction. No need to post pictures of it on the intawebs.
Here are the rest of the pictures from Lions grove.
Inside the labyrinth.
On one of the mountains, looking at the view (pond).
Bjorn.
Climbing around wasn't always the easiest as thousands and thoustands of tourists have walked here, transforming the stone and making it smooth and slippery.
I find it hard to keep being serious for long periods of time.
I got hungry, and I had the usual cravings for corn. So I searched and found a small place inside the garden selling corn. Here's Bjorn with it. I stuffed his mouth with it when a couple of Chinese asked to take my picture.
I didn't want my pitcure taken eating corn. Eeryone knows of my addiction. No need to post pictures of it on the intawebs.
Lions grove, part 1
2010 01 03
Lions grove, tempel nummer fyra i ordningen. Ingen aning om när det är byggt, för här anges inte sånt i årtal utan i dynastier... och det är inte något vi fick lära oss i skolan direkt.
In English:
Lions grove was temple number four that we visited. I don't know when it was built, because that's always written in dynasties here. And of course we never studied Chinese history in school, so I have no clue to what dates the dynasties are connected.
Click for a larger image.
This is a panorama shot I took, showing a small piece of the garden. It looks much smaller in the panorama
picture than in reality. To create this I merged about 50 pictures together...
Lions grove, tempel nummer fyra i ordningen. Ingen aning om när det är byggt, för här anges inte sånt i årtal utan i dynastier... och det är inte något vi fick lära oss i skolan direkt.
In English:
Lions grove was temple number four that we visited. I don't know when it was built, because that's always written in dynasties here. And of course we never studied Chinese history in school, so I have no clue to what dates the dynasties are connected.
Fantastic rooftop decorations. That is the details in them are fantastic.
Antique furniture and home decorations on display.
Antique furniture and home decorations on display.
Outside the sun was shining bright and warm on last years leaves.
The doors were incredibly high! As were the doorsteps. All ancient Chinese buildings have these high doorsteps.
I asked Rachel as to why they were built that way. She said it was just the architectural fashion of the time.
The doors were incredibly high! As were the doorsteps. All ancient Chinese buildings have these high doorsteps.
I asked Rachel as to why they were built that way. She said it was just the architectural fashion of the time.
Look at those carvings! They were absolutely breathtaking.
Here's a close up so that you can se some of the details in the carving.
Here's a close up so that you can se some of the details in the carving.
Doorways come in all geometrical shapes. I love it!
This place was a man made maze of sandstone. There were tunnels and bridges and mountains and hills to climb and walk through. Inspiring! and it would have made the most awesome place to play hide and seek when I was a kid...
No garden is complete without a pond. Water, and running water, brings harmony and calm... I think it was.
I never really did study the art of Feng shui (pronounced föng schwei).
No garden is complete without a pond. Water, and running water, brings harmony and calm... I think it was.
I never really did study the art of Feng shui (pronounced föng schwei).
Click for a larger image.
This is a panorama shot I took, showing a small piece of the garden. It looks much smaller in the panorama
picture than in reality. To create this I merged about 50 pictures together...
More pictures of us
2010 01 02
Lovely surroundings. Truly, they were beautiful and I'd love to come back and see it in spring.
I just had to climb over there!
I have no idea why Bjorn wanted me to take this pic. But he did, and I obided.
Okay, so we finally escaped the tourist crowd, phew! Where do we go and what do we do now?
Well, since our parents asked for more pictures of us in the blog... we're over delivering.
Well, since our parents asked for more pictures of us in the blog... we're over delivering.
Lovely surroundings. Truly, they were beautiful and I'd love to come back and see it in spring.
I just had to climb over there!
I have no idea why Bjorn wanted me to take this pic. But he did, and I obided.
Being famous
2010 01 02
People wanted their picture taken with me. Bjorn stood behind me, laughed and took pictures of the crowd taking pictures of me.
Finally, I got to take a pic of Bjorn with (part) the crowd!
If you've ever wondered what it's like, being famous and hunted down by paparazzis and fans... well. I know the feeling now. Being fair skinned and having light har (or blue hair or a mohawk or a...) in China will let you know too.
Walking around and taking funny pictures in an otherwise empty park we suddenly stumbled into this crowd of tourists. And then we were stuck there for I guess 10 minutes or so, being photographed, before excusing ourselves.
Walking around and taking funny pictures in an otherwise empty park we suddenly stumbled into this crowd of tourists. And then we were stuck there for I guess 10 minutes or so, being photographed, before excusing ourselves.
People wanted their picture taken with me. Bjorn stood behind me, laughed and took pictures of the crowd taking pictures of me.
Finally, I got to take a pic of Bjorn with (part) the crowd!
Being a tourist.
2010 01 02
Såhär är vi turister i Kina:
This is how we roll. Tourist style:
Serious Björn is serious.
Quit fumbling and take a picture!
Oh, you got that? Hahaha!
So funny, I can't stop laughing. Lololol.
Serious philosopher is serious.
Serious men meetup.
View.
Sorry, I don't remember the name of this place.
KAWAII DESU!
Spratteldockan och tjurgubben.
Happy girl and serious man.
WE'RE NOT THE ONLY ONES MAKING FUN OF THIS PLACE! LOOK! THE FRENCH ARE DOING IT TOO!
In the canals of Suzhou
2010 01 02
To the bat-tank!
Ok, so there was no bat-tank. There wasn't any tank at all! I felt so tricked.
The boat that waited for us was some kind of tourist hell. Look at my sad sad face! All alone in that boat.
The following images are the view we got of Suzhou from the canals.
To the bat-tank!
Ok, so there was no bat-tank. There wasn't any tank at all! I felt so tricked.
The boat that waited for us was some kind of tourist hell. Look at my sad sad face! All alone in that boat.
The following images are the view we got of Suzhou from the canals.
Arnaud sqished me when opening the window from his side. UGH!
Björn was so bored that he fell asleep. No wonder, our guide was talking chingrish and singing...
The boat finally stopped and let us off. 20 min, the guide said, is what you have to view this silk museum. Museum my ass, it was a silk factory with a smallish museum.
An "old" piece of silk embroidery.
Replica of some famous emperors golden suit. Embroidered with 9 dragons as the number 9 is the highest of all the single numbers. Dragons and gold, you do the math.
Preserved silkwoems. I don't orka upload those pictures.
Old silk fabric weaving stuff.
Silk fabrics are made from silk made by a single larvae. The silk used for isolation (in clothes and blnkets, etc.) is made from two silk larvae in the same cocoon, a male and a female.
The whole tour ended with a silk garment fashion show with the most bored girls ever.
This elder lady was very graceful though.
Tiger hill, part 1
2010 01 02
Just a quick visit to the hotel to check in and use the bathroom and we were off to our first temple. This is Tiger hill, looking like a fortress surrounded by a lovely garden. The weather was sunny and mild and perfect for some temple exploring!
Our guide to the left. Entrance to Tiger hill to the right.
Just after the entrance there was a small bridge (as Suzhou is like Venice with its many canals) where we
saw these boats. Very sweet!
I took a picture of one of the small monsters (lions? tigers? bears?) and Bjorn and Yohann decided to enter
the picture. And ofc we had Arnaud to take a picture of me taking a picture of Bjorn and Yohann.
My pic.
Arnaud decided being in the pic was better than taking pictures himself.
From the left: Arnaud, Yohann, Bjorn.
Then I saw ponies and ran away.
The teenieweenie tiniest ponies ever! They were smallish category B ponies, like a small Gotlandsruss or
big Shetland pony.
It's hard to give you a good size comparison, as I lost the rest of the company when I ran off to take these pics.
But I found the others, they had just started climbing Tiger hill without me. (ken lee!)
Not on the top top, but another top!
Me. Look at my blue blue hair. It's so blue!
Bjorn.
The final (actual) stairs to Tiger hill. Or, at leat that's what I thought. But there was one more. They were
all very short, though.
Bjorn. Monster.
Me. Talking.
Buddha.
Me n' ma homie.
THE thing. Yep, we don't really know what this was. A castle? Fortress? Temple? We had lost our guide,
the French guys and Rachel (the Chinese girl who made this trip happen) so we didn't have anyone to ask
and all the signs were in Chinese only.
Just a quick visit to the hotel to check in and use the bathroom and we were off to our first temple. This is Tiger hill, looking like a fortress surrounded by a lovely garden. The weather was sunny and mild and perfect for some temple exploring!
Our guide to the left. Entrance to Tiger hill to the right.
Just after the entrance there was a small bridge (as Suzhou is like Venice with its many canals) where we
saw these boats. Very sweet!
I took a picture of one of the small monsters (lions? tigers? bears?) and Bjorn and Yohann decided to enter
the picture. And ofc we had Arnaud to take a picture of me taking a picture of Bjorn and Yohann.
My pic.
Arnaud decided being in the pic was better than taking pictures himself.
From the left: Arnaud, Yohann, Bjorn.
Then I saw ponies and ran away.
The teenieweenie tiniest ponies ever! They were smallish category B ponies, like a small Gotlandsruss or
big Shetland pony.
It's hard to give you a good size comparison, as I lost the rest of the company when I ran off to take these pics.
But I found the others, they had just started climbing Tiger hill without me. (ken lee!)
Not on the top top, but another top!
Me. Look at my blue blue hair. It's so blue!
Bjorn.
The final (actual) stairs to Tiger hill. Or, at leat that's what I thought. But there was one more. They were
all very short, though.
Bjorn. Monster.
Me. Talking.
Buddha.
Me n' ma homie.
THE thing. Yep, we don't really know what this was. A castle? Fortress? Temple? We had lost our guide,
the French guys and Rachel (the Chinese girl who made this trip happen) so we didn't have anyone to ask
and all the signs were in Chinese only.
Arriving in Suzhou
2010 01 02
As you can see, the camera didn't break! Yay! The built in flash doesn't work anymore, but who uses that anyway?
Shanghai train station is being rebuilt and renovated just like the rest of the city.
Me and Arnaud, soon to board the train!
Arthur and Rachel, who was kind enough to arrange this trip and be our guide.
Me and Bjorn. We spent the 40-minute trip playing video games. Very social!
In Suzhou, just outside the train station, there were a lot of tents where they sold tourist trips. That means
they sold entry tickets to sightings as well as transportation between them. We decided to have a go!
In the cab; let's have a group pic!
1..2..3... fail!
That's better! Though a little unsharp, everyone is is the picture ;)
First stop: checking in at the hotel Rachel booked for us.
The hotel was really nice! Lovely gardens and comfortable (though a little small) rooms.
As you can see, the camera didn't break! Yay! The built in flash doesn't work anymore, but who uses that anyway?
Shanghai train station is being rebuilt and renovated just like the rest of the city.
Me and Arnaud, soon to board the train!
Arthur and Rachel, who was kind enough to arrange this trip and be our guide.
Me and Bjorn. We spent the 40-minute trip playing video games. Very social!
In Suzhou, just outside the train station, there were a lot of tents where they sold tourist trips. That means
they sold entry tickets to sightings as well as transportation between them. We decided to have a go!
In the cab; let's have a group pic!
1..2..3... fail!
That's better! Though a little unsharp, everyone is is the picture ;)
First stop: checking in at the hotel Rachel booked for us.
The hotel was really nice! Lovely gardens and comfortable (though a little small) rooms.
Weekend trip!
2010 01 02
We were just going to the bathroom before meeting up with the French in the hotel lobby to go to Suzhou for the weekend... and we missed them! The french decided not to wait for us, so we hurried after them and got to the Shanghai train station almost at the same time. Well done us!
We sat down and waited for our train, as Rachel had told us the train left half an hour earlier than it actually did. A sneaky trick that always gets the job done.
As they called out that our train was boarding the following happened:
We were just going to the bathroom before meeting up with the French in the hotel lobby to go to Suzhou for the weekend... and we missed them! The french decided not to wait for us, so we hurried after them and got to the Shanghai train station almost at the same time. Well done us!
We sat down and waited for our train, as Rachel had told us the train left half an hour earlier than it actually did. A sneaky trick that always gets the job done.
As they called out that our train was boarding the following happened:
Yes, that is correct. Bjorn dropped our (almost) brand spanking newcamera on the floor.
Om ni undrar...
...varför det uppdateras så lite här är det för att både jag och Björn har jobbat som tokar de senaste veckorna. Och för att internettillgången på hotellet verkar strypt!
I helgen blir det inte heller någon uppdatering eftersom vi tar flyget till Xiamen (chao-män) imorgon kväll! Vi är tillbaka i Shanghai söndag kväll.
I helgen blir det inte heller någon uppdatering eftersom vi tar flyget till Xiamen (chao-män) imorgon kväll! Vi är tillbaka i Shanghai söndag kväll.
Happy New Year from Shanghai!
2009 12 31
With five minutes to go, we hurried outside to celebrate the new year. We expected a lot of fireworks as in Sweden. We didn't get any. What we got was a sky lit up by lanterns!
It was like magic, wonderful and pretty and calm. There was a live band palying music and lots of people lighting up lanterns and making a wish as they took off. That's the tradition in China. And I must say, it was a lot better than fireworks! No noise, no smoke, and much more beautiful! Also it was fun without risking to blow up anyones face or fingers. We met up with Bjorns colleagues and on our way to find a taxi they bought a few lanterns to light up.
A street full of people with a live band at the end of the street.
People lighting up their lanterns.
Some were caught by the breeze and got stuck in the trees.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
We tried to take pictures of the sky, but none of the pictures do justice to this experience.
On the other side of the street festival there were these building, which contrasted a lot to the warmth and happiness. I think they looked very doomsday futuristic!
Yohann trying to loght up his lantern.
Big boss Arthur helps.
After you've managed to light it up you have to wait for a few minutes for the air inside to heat up enough...
...to take off! First it headed toward the ground, and Yohann said we had to make a better wish. So Arnaud wished that Lilian (his flatmate) never becomes president of China. And then the lantern soared!
On the streets were remnants of glitter confetti from the countdown to midnight. We tried to take pictures of the glitter in the air, but it was impossible to catch it.
A woman selling light...stuff. She looked funny as she walked along with all those lit up things.
Second lantern to take off! This time however we had moved to the river to let it fly freely, not taking any risks with trees etc. But I was so cold by this time that I hid inside Starbucks with Lilian.
After lighting that second lantern we tried to find a cab to take us back from Pudong to Puxi (pronounced pu-shi). But it was impossible! We walked around for nearly two hours, when we finally headed towards a hotel to party insted. When we got there the party had apparently ended, but they had buses driving people back to Puxi. And! we were allowed to go with one of them. The bus dropped us off at
Peoples Square. I was too cold to want to party by this time so me and Bjorn tried to find a taxi back to the hotel while the rest tried to find a club to go to. Finding a taxi was not easier than in Pudong, so we started to walk back to the hotel along Huai Hai Zhong Lu. When we came to a cross road we saw manymanymany empty taxis waiting for green light, so we ran there and actually got a cab. Back at the hotel we turned the heater to maximum and went to bed.
With five minutes to go, we hurried outside to celebrate the new year. We expected a lot of fireworks as in Sweden. We didn't get any. What we got was a sky lit up by lanterns!
It was like magic, wonderful and pretty and calm. There was a live band palying music and lots of people lighting up lanterns and making a wish as they took off. That's the tradition in China. And I must say, it was a lot better than fireworks! No noise, no smoke, and much more beautiful! Also it was fun without risking to blow up anyones face or fingers. We met up with Bjorns colleagues and on our way to find a taxi they bought a few lanterns to light up.
A street full of people with a live band at the end of the street.
People lighting up their lanterns.
Some were caught by the breeze and got stuck in the trees.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
We tried to take pictures of the sky, but none of the pictures do justice to this experience.
On the other side of the street festival there were these building, which contrasted a lot to the warmth and happiness. I think they looked very doomsday futuristic!
Yohann trying to loght up his lantern.
Big boss Arthur helps.
After you've managed to light it up you have to wait for a few minutes for the air inside to heat up enough...
...to take off! First it headed toward the ground, and Yohann said we had to make a better wish. So Arnaud wished that Lilian (his flatmate) never becomes president of China. And then the lantern soared!
On the streets were remnants of glitter confetti from the countdown to midnight. We tried to take pictures of the glitter in the air, but it was impossible to catch it.
A woman selling light...stuff. She looked funny as she walked along with all those lit up things.
Second lantern to take off! This time however we had moved to the river to let it fly freely, not taking any risks with trees etc. But I was so cold by this time that I hid inside Starbucks with Lilian.
After lighting that second lantern we tried to find a cab to take us back from Pudong to Puxi (pronounced pu-shi). But it was impossible! We walked around for nearly two hours, when we finally headed towards a hotel to party insted. When we got there the party had apparently ended, but they had buses driving people back to Puxi. And! we were allowed to go with one of them. The bus dropped us off at
Peoples Square. I was too cold to want to party by this time so me and Bjorn tried to find a taxi back to the hotel while the rest tried to find a club to go to. Finding a taxi was not easier than in Pudong, so we started to walk back to the hotel along Huai Hai Zhong Lu. When we came to a cross road we saw manymanymany empty taxis waiting for green light, so we ran there and actually got a cab. Back at the hotel we turned the heater to maximum and went to bed.
En julklapp till Per och Åsa
2009 12 31
Det här är en julklapp till Björns föräldrar, som önskade sig fler bilder på oss... Björn tog saken i egna händer efter många intensiva uppmaningar från mig. Hoppas ni blir nöjda!
In English:
This is a christmas present to Björns parents, who wished for more pictures of us. After nagging him about it Björn actually shot a few pics of himself. I hope his parents are happy with the result!
Det här är en julklapp till Björns föräldrar, som önskade sig fler bilder på oss... Björn tog saken i egna händer efter många intensiva uppmaningar från mig. Hoppas ni blir nöjda!
In English:
This is a christmas present to Björns parents, who wished for more pictures of us. After nagging him about it Björn actually shot a few pics of himself. I hope his parents are happy with the result!
New years eve in Shanghai
2009 12 31
Såhär firar man nyårsafton i Shanghai! Vi kulle ta tunnelbanan till Pudong, så det första vi gjorde var att gå till Metro City och försöka klämma oss ner till rätt tunnelbanelinje. Lättare sagt än gjort när Metro City och torget där (som jag inte minns vad det heter) såg ut såhär! Helt galet mycket folk, jag tyckte det var som 23:e december på Drottninggatan i vanliga fall, men nu märktes det att alla 18+ miljoner invånare i Shanghai var på gatorna.
Längre ner i inlägget har ni också lite bilder från när vi kom fram till Pudong på de balla byggnaderna som finns där och på vårt sällskap som gärna tramsade frmaför kameran. Det var en majestätisk syn, som ni får se på sista bilden!
In English:
This is how you celebrate New years eve in Shanghai! Squeezing in all the public places with the rest of the 18+ million living here. Our first stop was Metro City, where we took the metro to Pudong. But it wasn't all that easy to get to the metro as you can see! There were so much people in the streets, and there was a cene and concerts in the square.
Eventually we got to Pudong, and before we show you the delicious food we ate or the actual celebration you get to see some cool buildings and our company (yes, the French guys) who's always more than happy to stand in front of the camera!
Såhär firar man nyårsafton i Shanghai! Vi kulle ta tunnelbanan till Pudong, så det första vi gjorde var att gå till Metro City och försöka klämma oss ner till rätt tunnelbanelinje. Lättare sagt än gjort när Metro City och torget där (som jag inte minns vad det heter) såg ut såhär! Helt galet mycket folk, jag tyckte det var som 23:e december på Drottninggatan i vanliga fall, men nu märktes det att alla 18+ miljoner invånare i Shanghai var på gatorna.
Längre ner i inlägget har ni också lite bilder från när vi kom fram till Pudong på de balla byggnaderna som finns där och på vårt sällskap som gärna tramsade frmaför kameran. Det var en majestätisk syn, som ni får se på sista bilden!
In English:
This is how you celebrate New years eve in Shanghai! Squeezing in all the public places with the rest of the 18+ million living here. Our first stop was Metro City, where we took the metro to Pudong. But it wasn't all that easy to get to the metro as you can see! There were so much people in the streets, and there was a cene and concerts in the square.
Eventually we got to Pudong, and before we show you the delicious food we ate or the actual celebration you get to see some cool buildings and our company (yes, the French guys) who's always more than happy to stand in front of the camera!
