Beijing, Xi'an and Chengdu via JAL and Korean First Class
Nov 12, 2017, 7:06 pm
#91
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: NYC/EWR
Programs: ShebaMiles
Posts: 117
When I visited Mutianyu there were very few people there, more hawkers than there were tourists in fact. But that was 8 years ago now; knowing China the number of visitors has probably increased by an order of magnitude.
Fantastic TR as always, the Xi'an Sofitel in particular blew me away.
Fantastic TR as always, the Xi'an Sofitel in particular blew me away.
Last edited by Parterre; Nov 13, 2017 at 9:28 am
Nov 13, 2017, 7:17 pm
#92
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: 6km East of EPAYE
Programs: UA Silver, AA Platinum, AS & DL GM Marriott TE, Hilton Gold
Posts: 9,582
And full meal service on the 90 minute flight. It was advertised as beef, but I'm not so sure. LOL. And the garlic bread was very good, with loads of garlic butter unlike the single dap that United tries to pass off as garlic bread on 10 hoiur international flights.
Nov 14, 2017, 6:22 pm
#93
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Denver, Colorado
Programs: IHG Spire, Hilton Honors Gold, Marriott Titanium, Mileage Plus Gold
Posts: 1,736
It seems Mrs SFO777 is getting less camera shy with each trip you guys take. I remember when you used to edit the photos before posting them! Great trip report as always! 
Nov 16, 2017, 1:04 pm
#94
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Denver • DEN-APA
Programs: AF Platinum, EK Gold, AA EXP, UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 21,602
Note: Sorry for the pic size change. Looks like the new FT format is going to take time getting used to.
Terracotta Warrior Day
At the advice of our guide, we headed out early at around 7:30am to avoid the crowds at the Terracotta Army Museum, about an hour drive from our hotel. We arrived at 8:30am just as the gates opened and well ahead of the usually massive crowds.
Our first stop was Pit 1.
Wow.
And worker bees continuing the restoration work of more warriors.
And Pit 3.
Where for all of 20 yuan, we can get up close and personal. LOL.
Meanwhile outside, it's still not that crowded.
OK, that's where the crowds are...
At the Bronze Chariot Exhibition Room...
Oh yeah, we made the right call to come early.
On the way out, yes there's a Starbucks pretty much everywhere.
Lots of other shops and vendors on the walk back to our van.
Meanwhile, an hour later back in Xian...
... we headed for the shops in the Muslim Quarter.
... and the Great Mosque.
Time for lunch. Can't remember the name of the place but it seemed popular with the locals.
And the food just kept coming and coming...
After lunch, back to the hotel where we relaxed for the rest of the afternoon. Then back down to La Dolce Vita for a "light" dinner.
After dinner, SFO777Jr and I headed out to explore the city at night.
The Bell Tower of Xi'an. Gorgeous at night.
Pretty funny McDonald's billboard...
About 30 minutes later we finally found Defu Lane aka Defu Bar Street, the club and bar strip. Thank you iPhone Maps.
Most of the bars on the street offered some form of live music. We picked one and stopped for a beer, or two.
Another 30 minutes later at around midnight, we finally found our way back to our hotel.
For many more pics of Terracotta Warriors and The Muslim Quarter and an HD version of this report, please visit SFO777.com and Terracotta Warriors and The Muslim Quarter.
Terracotta Warrior Day
At the advice of our guide, we headed out early at around 7:30am to avoid the crowds at the Terracotta Army Museum, about an hour drive from our hotel. We arrived at 8:30am just as the gates opened and well ahead of the usually massive crowds.
Our first stop was Pit 1.
Wow.
And worker bees continuing the restoration work of more warriors.
And Pit 3.
Where for all of 20 yuan, we can get up close and personal. LOL.
Meanwhile outside, it's still not that crowded.
OK, that's where the crowds are...
At the Bronze Chariot Exhibition Room...
Oh yeah, we made the right call to come early.
On the way out, yes there's a Starbucks pretty much everywhere.
Lots of other shops and vendors on the walk back to our van.
Meanwhile, an hour later back in Xian...
... we headed for the shops in the Muslim Quarter.
... and the Great Mosque.
Time for lunch. Can't remember the name of the place but it seemed popular with the locals.
And the food just kept coming and coming...
After lunch, back to the hotel where we relaxed for the rest of the afternoon. Then back down to La Dolce Vita for a "light" dinner.
After dinner, SFO777Jr and I headed out to explore the city at night.
The Bell Tower of Xi'an. Gorgeous at night.
Pretty funny McDonald's billboard...
About 30 minutes later we finally found Defu Lane aka Defu Bar Street, the club and bar strip. Thank you iPhone Maps.
Most of the bars on the street offered some form of live music. We picked one and stopped for a beer, or two.
Another 30 minutes later at around midnight, we finally found our way back to our hotel.
For many more pics of Terracotta Warriors and The Muslim Quarter and an HD version of this report, please visit SFO777.com and Terracotta Warriors and The Muslim Quarter.
Last edited by SFO777; Nov 16, 2017 at 1:15 pm
Nov 16, 2017, 1:14 pm
#95
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Denver • DEN-APA
Programs: AF Platinum, EK Gold, AA EXP, UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 21,602
The next morning, we're off to the Big Wild Goose Pagoda.
Pretty ingenious cell tower disguised as a pine tree.
And yes, even Papa John's is in Xian.
Our next stop was the Shaanxi History Museum...
From the museum, we headed for lunch. No not KFC. LOL.
But at a huge multilevel shopping mall in Xian.
There are dozens of restaurants at this mall including a branch of the wildly popular Haidilao Hot Pot Cheng. This place is huge with generally long wait times, such that they have manicure stations while you wait.
Menus are on ipads with pictures so it was really easy to select and order.
Service and food were amazing. What a fun place.
Tossing tofu noodles, which were delicious!
Our wonderful server.
After lunch, we headed to one of the gates of the Xian city wall, which completely surrounds the old city.
Where we decided to try the 8.5 mile ride on the wall around the city.
8.5 miles is a long, long way. But we hung in with just a few stops and managed to make it around in an hour and 20 minutes.
What a long day with a major workout on the bike at the end. Still pretty full from lunch, we had drinks and hors d'ouvres in the 1953 Bar and called it a night.
For many more pics of Hot Pot Lunch and Biking around the Xian City Wall and an HD version of this report, please visit SFO777.com and Hot Pot Lunch and Biking around the Xian City Wall.
Pretty ingenious cell tower disguised as a pine tree.
And yes, even Papa John's is in Xian.
Our next stop was the Shaanxi History Museum...
From the museum, we headed for lunch. No not KFC. LOL.
But at a huge multilevel shopping mall in Xian.
There are dozens of restaurants at this mall including a branch of the wildly popular Haidilao Hot Pot Cheng. This place is huge with generally long wait times, such that they have manicure stations while you wait.
Menus are on ipads with pictures so it was really easy to select and order.
Service and food were amazing. What a fun place.
Tossing tofu noodles, which were delicious!
Our wonderful server.
After lunch, we headed to one of the gates of the Xian city wall, which completely surrounds the old city.
Where we decided to try the 8.5 mile ride on the wall around the city.
8.5 miles is a long, long way. But we hung in with just a few stops and managed to make it around in an hour and 20 minutes.
What a long day with a major workout on the bike at the end. Still pretty full from lunch, we had drinks and hors d'ouvres in the 1953 Bar and called it a night.
For many more pics of Hot Pot Lunch and Biking around the Xian City Wall and an HD version of this report, please visit SFO777.com and Hot Pot Lunch and Biking around the Xian City Wall.
Last edited by SFO777; Nov 17, 2017 at 8:58 pm
Nov 16, 2017, 2:14 pm
#96
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Denver • DEN-APA
Programs: AF Platinum, EK Gold, AA EXP, UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 21,602
When I visited Mutianyu there were very few people there, more hawkers than there were tourists in fact. But that was 8 years ago now; knowing China the number of visitors has probably increased by an order of magnitude.
Fantastic TR as always, the Xi'an Sofitel in particular blew me away.
Fantastic TR as always, the Xi'an Sofitel in particular blew me away.
Thanks very much seat38a. Yeah, maybe a little bit although she still gets veto power and I must run every pic by her for the OK. LOL.
Nov 16, 2017, 3:02 pm
#98
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Denver • DEN-APA
Programs: AF Platinum, EK Gold, AA EXP, UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 21,602
Nov 16, 2017, 5:19 pm
#99
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: En Route
Programs: Many
Posts: 6,798
Really hate this new format where it's one never ending page. Have some Q's about Xi'an, suppose I will PM if I pull the trigger on the ticket. Also, I think it was somewhere in this thread, where there was a debate re. stopovers on 1-way F awards on KE...they are allowed. I was able to book HKG-ICN-JFK in KE F with a 3 day stopover in ICN for the normal 80k miles.
Nov 17, 2017, 12:48 am
#100
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Aberdeen, Scotland
Programs: BA Bronze, Emirates Silver, Virgin Silver, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 1,403
Fantastic photos!
China seems such a contrasting country - stuff that is centuries old right up against stuff extremely modern. There is something about China (and Japan too) that the cities seem to come so alive and different when its dark and they are all lit up.
China seems such a contrasting country - stuff that is centuries old right up against stuff extremely modern. There is something about China (and Japan too) that the cities seem to come so alive and different when its dark and they are all lit up.
Nov 17, 2017, 8:57 pm
#103
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Denver • DEN-APA
Programs: AF Platinum, EK Gold, AA EXP, UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 21,602
Sichuan Airlines Business Class to Chengdu
Getaway day, and one last breakfast at wonderful La Dolce Vita at the People's Grand Hotel.
First order of business after breakfast was a stop at a nearby eye glasses shop to repair Mrs. SFO777's sun glasses. LOL on the Helen Keller brand of glasses.
We bid adieu to the wonderful staff and headed out around 11:30am.
Yes, another beautiful day in paradise. Ha.
First stop was Hanyang Tomb.
And then to Xian International Airport.
Where China Southern handled check-in for Sichaun Airlines. So far, so good.
Security was interesting and completely different from Beijing. Today, all of our aerosols were confiscated as fire hazards. Yo guys, there are in carry-ons, not checked bags. Jeez.
With nearly 90 minutes to departure, we headed for the China Southern Lounge. This place was so crowded and uninspiring that we decided to just head to and wait at the gate.
So far so good, although I would soon learn that this was far from the truth.
OK, there's the first sign of trouble. Our 3:05pm flight is now showing Delayed.
Time to head to the gate, where absolutely no one spoke English. LOL. Hilarity ensured as I attempted to communicate with a friendly agent. Via mostly sign language, I got the message that our plane had just left... Xian. It was flying to Chengdu, then it will return to pick us up... about 4 hours later. Improvised signage at the gate...
With nearly 4 hours to wait, we decided that the China Southern Lounge didn't look too bad after all, especially now that there was some seating available.
Another translation challenged attempt. Yes, by all means, let's call our program the Simple Business Club. LOL.
When we arrived, we were in between meal time and the food pickings were very slim.
Meanwhile, on a Starbucks run, I saw an outpost of one of Mrs. SFO777's favorite Paris stores. Not surprisingly, she and Mrs. SFO777Jr high tailed it over to check it out.
With the help of EF and flightaware, I figured out where the inbound flight was and we headed to the still designated Gate H53. When a Sichaun Airlines plane pulled in to Gate H51, I wandered over to discover that indeed this would be our plane, as the H51 gate monitor confirmed.
... as did the more traditional "monitor". LOL.
Gate lice, Xian style.
Xian XIY to Chengdu CTU
Sichuan 3U 8552
737-800
3:05p-4:40p (sked)
7:45p-9:00p (actual)
October 19, 2017
We were able to bypass most of the crowd when I moved to the right of the podium and shouted the universal language "First Class". On board, a pleasant domestic three row First Class cabin.
Although not much of a bulkhead divider between First and Economy.
As bad as the ground service was, on board it was completely different. Outstanding service from a wonderful cabin crew and in particular our cute FA. Pre Departure beverage and peanuts.
Nice slippers and pillow.
Our delightful FA...
The Sichuan Airlines route map.
Three of us ordered beer and this is what I got. Apparently, there was only one can on board and our FA split it three ways. LOL.
I wasn't very hungry but took the meal for the photo opp.
Better late than never... four hours later we're in Chengdu.
For many more pics of Sichuan Airlines First Class to Chengdu and an HD version of this report, please visit SFO777.com and Sichuan Airlines First Class to Chengdu.
Getaway day, and one last breakfast at wonderful La Dolce Vita at the People's Grand Hotel.
First order of business after breakfast was a stop at a nearby eye glasses shop to repair Mrs. SFO777's sun glasses. LOL on the Helen Keller brand of glasses.
We bid adieu to the wonderful staff and headed out around 11:30am.
Yes, another beautiful day in paradise. Ha.
First stop was Hanyang Tomb.
And then to Xian International Airport.
Where China Southern handled check-in for Sichaun Airlines. So far, so good.
Security was interesting and completely different from Beijing. Today, all of our aerosols were confiscated as fire hazards. Yo guys, there are in carry-ons, not checked bags. Jeez.
With nearly 90 minutes to departure, we headed for the China Southern Lounge. This place was so crowded and uninspiring that we decided to just head to and wait at the gate.
So far so good, although I would soon learn that this was far from the truth.
OK, there's the first sign of trouble. Our 3:05pm flight is now showing Delayed.
Time to head to the gate, where absolutely no one spoke English. LOL. Hilarity ensured as I attempted to communicate with a friendly agent. Via mostly sign language, I got the message that our plane had just left... Xian. It was flying to Chengdu, then it will return to pick us up... about 4 hours later. Improvised signage at the gate...
With nearly 4 hours to wait, we decided that the China Southern Lounge didn't look too bad after all, especially now that there was some seating available.
Another translation challenged attempt. Yes, by all means, let's call our program the Simple Business Club. LOL.
When we arrived, we were in between meal time and the food pickings were very slim.
Meanwhile, on a Starbucks run, I saw an outpost of one of Mrs. SFO777's favorite Paris stores. Not surprisingly, she and Mrs. SFO777Jr high tailed it over to check it out.
With the help of EF and flightaware, I figured out where the inbound flight was and we headed to the still designated Gate H53. When a Sichaun Airlines plane pulled in to Gate H51, I wandered over to discover that indeed this would be our plane, as the H51 gate monitor confirmed.
... as did the more traditional "monitor". LOL.
Gate lice, Xian style.
Xian XIY to Chengdu CTU
Sichuan 3U 8552
737-800
3:05p-4:40p (sked)
7:45p-9:00p (actual)
October 19, 2017
We were able to bypass most of the crowd when I moved to the right of the podium and shouted the universal language "First Class". On board, a pleasant domestic three row First Class cabin.
Although not much of a bulkhead divider between First and Economy.
As bad as the ground service was, on board it was completely different. Outstanding service from a wonderful cabin crew and in particular our cute FA. Pre Departure beverage and peanuts.
Nice slippers and pillow.
Our delightful FA...
The Sichuan Airlines route map.
Three of us ordered beer and this is what I got. Apparently, there was only one can on board and our FA split it three ways. LOL.
I wasn't very hungry but took the meal for the photo opp.
Better late than never... four hours later we're in Chengdu.
For many more pics of Sichuan Airlines First Class to Chengdu and an HD version of this report, please visit SFO777.com and Sichuan Airlines First Class to Chengdu.
Last edited by SFO777; Nov 17, 2017 at 9:04 pm
Nov 17, 2017, 9:03 pm
#104
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Denver • DEN-APA
Programs: AF Platinum, EK Gold, AA EXP, UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 21,602
The Temple House Chengdu
After the wonderful Four Seasons and People's Grand Hotel in Beijing and Xian, it was hard to imagine how The Temple House could top it. But incredibly, this was probably our favorite hotel of the trip. A beautiful blend of old and new world, with a historic entrance and lobby to state of the art modern suites and one of our favorite restaurants of the trip.
Our suite...
Since we arrived much later than we had anticipiate, we had a couple of drinks and pupus in the wonderful outdoor bar and then to bed. In the morning, breakfast at The Temple Café, a French Bistro style resto.
Meanwhile, back in our room before heading out for our first day of touring.
For many more pics of Temple House Hotel Chengdu and an HD version of this report, please visit SFO777.com and Temple House Hotel Chengdu.
After the wonderful Four Seasons and People's Grand Hotel in Beijing and Xian, it was hard to imagine how The Temple House could top it. But incredibly, this was probably our favorite hotel of the trip. A beautiful blend of old and new world, with a historic entrance and lobby to state of the art modern suites and one of our favorite restaurants of the trip.
Our suite...
Since we arrived much later than we had anticipiate, we had a couple of drinks and pupus in the wonderful outdoor bar and then to bed. In the morning, breakfast at The Temple Café, a French Bistro style resto.
Meanwhile, back in our room before heading out for our first day of touring.
For many more pics of Temple House Hotel Chengdu and an HD version of this report, please visit SFO777.com and Temple House Hotel Chengdu.
Last edited by SFO777; Nov 18, 2017 at 5:05 pm
Nov 17, 2017, 9:13 pm
#105
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Denver • DEN-APA
Programs: AF Platinum, EK Gold, AA EXP, UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 21,602
Really hate this new format where it's one never ending page. Have some Q's about Xi'an, suppose I will PM if I pull the trigger on the ticket. Also, I think it was somewhere in this thread, where there was a debate re. stopovers on 1-way F awards on KE...they are allowed. I was able to book HKG-ICN-JFK in KE F with a 3 day stopover in ICN for the normal 80k miles.
LOL. Thanks DetailsIM and kosy91. Every now and then, lightning does strike.
