See you tomorrow!

At least two of us are going to hunt for cheap street food for lunch. Meeting at Le Meridien at 11am. We'll try to meet up with the first class lunch (around 1:30 I guess?) since there was talk of some sort of additional local tour after.

If folks are interested, I will talk those who have time to Tianzifang for a walk, a lively Shanghai neighborhood with lots of galleries, studios, coffee shops, restaurants and interesting little shops in its narrow lanes after lunch on Sunday at Jean Georges(www.tianzifang.cn).

About 12 years ago, a few famous artists moved into the neighborhood and converted old factories into studios. Gradually this becomes a trendy place. For those who have visited Xingtiandi (who hasn't), Tianzifang is a more natural version of Xingtiandi (which is developed by a real estate developer), as there are still real people living there. Starting from 4, 5 years ago, we locals tend to meet up less frequent in Xingtiandi(which is overrun by tourists by now) and more in Tianzifang (starting to get more tourists now though).

BTW, it's a good place to take pictures. If anyone wants to join after lunch, just give me a call at +86 13641867888. James

Where are you guys going to in the AM.this message posted 7:40 AM Ray

My existing Sunday lunch plan got cancelled, so it looks like I may be able to join you all at Three on the Bund, at noon.

If you read the quoted message in your quoted message, you will see that it is referring to the Three on the Bund lunch plan.

Thought you all got to that on the Friday tour???

Anyway, if anyone is interested in hearing me play some Chinese traditional instruments you're welcome to look me up after lunch. :P I'm meeting bennos for the non-expensive option at 11... well, a little after 11, since I just got home to recharge my phone batteries in case anyone wants to get in touch with me. Phone number as posted on an earlier reply.

Sorry to have missed this, but a work committent came up on Thursday for my +1 so we had to stay in Nantong. Just moved into a new apartment there so internet was just connected this morning. I did take the bus to Shanghai on Sat to try to make the China Eastern tour, but there was very bad traffic and didn't make the hotel until 1PM. Sorry.

Think I missed bennos as I arrived back late at the Meridien :( taking a taxi back home now, someone keep me updated re post-lunch plans please :)

It was great! Thanks to TravellerOnline and spaceman for organizing. :)

Looking forward to 2012 China DO information. :);)

Beijing, guys; it really is better.

Guangzhou (Canton) or Hangzhou.

I would like to thank spaceman and TravellerOnline for their hard work in making this DO a success. My first visit to China, but hopefully not the last. :)

Thanks for a successful China Do
 

I would like to take this opportinunity to thank everyone that helped to make this first China Do a real success and fulfilled weekend of interesting sights and comradery. I was totally amazed at the number that travelled far and wide for an inaugural event-without you it would have been nothing.

That being said I believe we all must bow in appreciation to TravellerOnline (James) and Freepoint (Dale) for their fantastic efforts. If it were not for them and their personal sacrifices We would have been flopping like fish out of water.

Thanks again to all and looking forward to another Do in China

Mort

I would also like to thank spaceman, TravellerOnline and Freepoint (aka Mort, James and Dale) for organising such a successful and memorable DO! I can't wait for the second Shanghai DO.

I'm sorry to have missed Sunday's brunch but our day trip to Suzhou has turned put to be full of excitement. Somehow I managed to miss the train coming back and ended up in cattle class (standing room only) on a slow train back to Shanghai. Thank goodness I'll be in LH F tomorrow. ;)

Thanks for a great DO! Spaceman, TravelerOnline and Freepoint did a great job putting this all together!

I had a great time and look forward to the next China DO.

Thanks to spaceman for taking the initiative in making this event possible and keeping it going, even after other initial organizers had to drop out.

I was recently granted access to the discussion threads on flyertea.com, and I can tell you that James (TravellerOnline) and Dale (Freepoint) did an immense amount of work there. This event could not have been so enjoyable without their hard work.

Late lunch today
 

I am flying out very late tonight to LAX at 9:45 PM.

I am planning on sticking around the Nanjing East Rd area until the evening.

Anyone still around who may be interested in a late-lunch (12:30 / 1 PM)? Any recommendation from the locals on where to eat?

I will check back on this thread later to see if anyone is interested.

How did I miss this? I was in Shanghai 11/11/11! Darn.
 

Guess I gotta lurk around FT even more than I already do. My wife and I were in China from 11/4-11/11, and left on an evening flight so we had all day Saturday open. When I booked the trip I really didn't see the point to having Shanghai on the itin at all; boy did my mind change shortly after arrival. What an amazing city, with something different around every corner. And such friendly people. Maybe next time. But what a coincidence.

Regarding Tianzifang, I was surprised to see one of the posts here refer to it as a place locals hung out. Seemed quite upper-end touristy to me, but quite fascinating nevertheless. And, as always in China, amazing juxtapositions of high-end boutiques next to shops selling trinkets & trash (elsewhere it would be open-faced welding shops next to trendy eateries).

+1 to everybody that had a hand in planning the China DO! This was an amazing trip from the China Eastern Simulator time to the various dinners. I can't wait to RSVP for China DO 2 :)

We're back in ORD, waiting for the flight to MCI. The AC has showers, which feel amazing after a 12 hour flight in Economy ;)

A big Thank You
 

Spaceman, TravellerOnline (James) and Freepoint (Dale), sincere appreciation from me & the wife. We have a very good time.

" Happy trail to you all until we meet again" (to the whole group)

NewbieRunner - I'm sorry to hear you missed the train yesterday. You certainly deserve LH F today! :)

I can not wait to hear the whole story. :)

glad you back home smooth and save.
fly out China on Sunday and just back to China (Zhuhai) again. Hope to see you guys again soon.

Let me also thank spaceman, TravellerOnline, and Freepoint for organizing such a terrific introduction to Shanghai -- and great weather, too! I'll be interested to see where next year's (HINT, HINT) China Do will occur.

My thanks as well to spaceman, TravellerOnline, and Freepoint... should the FlyerTea folks decide on a US DO, make sure to let us know! Great to meet so many new folks...

We had 160mph tailwinds on the way back and got into DTW 2 hours early. I bolted across the terminal (after pausing for my complementary TSA grope :rolleyes:) for an earlier connection and managed to get home 4 hours early.

I'll echo everyone else's thanks to the organisers here - great to see everyone and to meet friends old and new :D

I'm almost home - although I left China on Sunday I've been in transit pretty much the whole time since. I did have a night at Hyatt Place Kansas City... but didn't get to sleep there as was trying to plan my re-route if things went wrong on my AA flights. Fortunately they didn't (in fact, quite the opposite - thanks for the op-ups, AA!) and am now sitting in SYD for a few hours catching up on work before finally getting home at about 0200hrs on Thursday :eek:

Had a fantastic time and am looking forward to China DO 2! Perhaps we can time it with the Auckland -> Macau 747 charter I'm helping a friend plan next November ;)

I also want to thank spaceman, TravellerOnline, and Freepoint for putting the weekend together. The Friday tour was fantastic, the meals good and the company great.

I really liked Shanghai and look forward to returning to China. If there is a China DO in 2012, and I hope there is, it would be nice to make it a few weeks earlier so our visas are still good :)

wow,i just know u had this plan~and......it's so pity, if I knew that earlier,I would tell u many tips in shanghai

Had the same with our flight back to ORD. Scheduled to land at 5:30pm. Instead, we landed at 3:37! :D

And there was no Nude-O-Scope in the priority AAcess line at ORD.. No grope :)

Great meeting you!

a nice Do,many thanks
 

many thanks to organizers,it's a wonderful Do ,let us meet many interesting people ,and wish many activities like this would be take place~many thanks!

Perhaps you could stay a little longer next time! :D

Thanks, Kerry. The next time I am in Shanghai, I will have to take you up on your offer.

Good, I will let you honcho this one :D

You should have come to the UA priority access lines - many of us got the full Nude-O-Scope and then the "custom massage" from a very polite TSA person :( as he offered to send you into outer space :o

Nice try! You're a man of leisure and I'm still a working stiff.

Thank You! :)
 

A big belated Thank You to spaceman, TravellerOnline and Dale for everything! However may I humbly request cheaper choices of restaurants next time? I'm afraid I cannot afford to spend on such a level so often, and it's not possible to blatantly sit in without ordering anything... :( Also, will anyone be collating a contact list for those who might want to stay in contact for the future yet forgot to get the relevant information?

wrxmom, looking forward to seeing you in a few days -- let me know where/how to meet up! :)

BTW if anyone is interested in some restaurant reviews for Shanghai (and lots of other travel pages too), here's a link to my VirtualTourist Shanghai Restaurants travel page: http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/1d57/5be/2/

For those on the trip to Zhujiajiao, one of life's mysteries solved courtesy of ellyse's Virtual Tourist page.

Goldfish sellers at the Fangsheng bridge.

"Fangsheng" means "to set free", the traditional Buddhist custom of setting free small animals such as turtles, fish and such so as to accrue good karma. Here there're aunties with plastic bags of small fish which they try to sell to visitors and other passers-by for this "good" purpose.

Read more: http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/p/m/1f6ecf/#ixzz1dtbr9Td1"

ellyse's detailed explanation of where to locate the express bus to Zhujiajiao would have saved NewbieRunner a scouting tour around People's Square, but we all thank Newbie for keeping us from getting lost on more than one occasion.

-sigh- Too bad I didn't see anything about the Zhujiajiao trip till too late, or else I would've posted that Zhujiajiao travel page before and not only now!

Sent you a PM :)