August 2008

The Shanghai Museum was established in 1952. The museum is famous for a collection of Chinese art. The building has 2 floors underground and five floors above the ground.

The museum has 10 galleries which include bronze, ceramics, calligraphy, painting, sculpture, seal, jade, furniture, coins and minority nationalities art. There are 3 special galleries for donated ceramics, three exhibition halls to hold temporary exhibitions and a multimedia studio. The works of art shown in the galleries are mainly masterpieces of Chinese cultural heritage, spanning from the Neolithic Age through Ming and Qing dynasties until modern times. Exhibitions from museums and institutions of other Chinese provinces and cities as well as foreign countries, are held now and then in the 3 exhibition halls.

From our trip from Hohhot we had booked into Jinan Nanjiao Hotel. Because we left Hohhot early I had sent an email to the hotel to change our booking.

We caught a taxi from the airport because it was the only means of transportation. The taxi cost a cool Y160 ($26). When we arrived at the hotel we thought that perhaps we were at the wrong hotel because this hotel was magnificent especially after coming from The Anda Guesthouse in Hohhot.

We went to the check in counter and of course there was no booking for us. They told us we could have a room for the night but each room was Y632 ($105). Of course I disputed this because that was not what we had been quoted on the website. Eventually I got them to allow me to use the internet where I could show them the booking. Finally we agreed on Y400 ($66) for the night. This was Y2 more than quoted on the internet. Plus we had already paid a Y 39.80 on booking. At this stage it wasn't worth the argument and all I wanted was a shower.

The hotel was beautiful and I think I will stay there on my next trip to Jinan.

We scored well with our accommodation. As per normal I went on line and booked the accommodation. This time we didn't have a lot of choices and used hostelworld.com

We stayed at the Green Tree Hotel. It was so convenient. It was in a cobbled street off Zhongyang Dajie in Daoliqu. When we arrived we were greeted with English and the hotel told us they could give us a cheaper rate than what we got on the internet. So of course we accepted. Knowing this was going to be a challenge when we checked out because for some reason the Chinese do not understand the concept of a deposit.

Anyway even with the deposit and the rate quoted at the hotel it was still less than what we had accepted to pay so we just let it go.

Seven Tiered Buddhist Pagoda
This is the largest temple complex in Heilongjiang Province. It was built in 1924.

Tempe Of Bliss
There is an active Buddhist community in this temple and I think the first time I've seen nuns in China. The statue here is Milefo, who is the Buddha yet to come, whose arrival on earth will bring paradise on earth.

Barbara wasn't keen on visiting this park as she thought it would be cheesy and the animals would not be well cared for. She was surprised!

The mission of the park is to study, breed, release and ultimately save the tiger from extinction. Though recognized worldwide as an endangered species, the tigers situation remains perilous. Estimates put the the remaining number of Siberian Tigers living in the world at fewer than 400, with most in eastern Russia, North Korea and North Eastern China.

You drive safari like through the park that has fenced off fields. You get right up close to these animals. You can buy live chickens to throw to the tigers. It's amazing.

There are also lions and rare white tigers. Apparently there was a baby boom in 2006 with more than 80 tiger cubs born.

There was a Chinese man standing on a platform taking photos. Obviously this platform was where the Tigers were fed. A tiger kept jumping up. We left as we didn't want to see this man eaten by a tiger.

We caught a taxi there which cost Y40 and the entrance fee is Y65. Well worth the money and I think this might have been Barbara's highlight of our Harbin trip.