Walking Along Suzhou Creek in Shanghai

I'm back in Shanghai in the spring and it's time for another morning walk.  Today, I decide to walk along Suzhou Creek (also called the Wusong River), from the Shanghai Railway Station to the Bund, where the creek flows under the historic Waibaidu Bridge into the Haungpu River.  The Shanghai Railway Station is northwest of People's Square, about a 45 minute walk (or 3 stops on Metro Line 1 if you're in more of a hurry).  On the way, I pass the new Natural History Museum and through the Jing'An Sculpture Park.

 Shanghai Railway Station

 The Shanghai Railway Station was renovated in 2010 for the Shanghai World Expo and serves locations to the north, south, and west of Shanghai, including the main Beijing-Shanghai trains.  On previous trips, I have caught the high-speed train from this station to Suzhou and Wuxi to visit factories in those cities.  Along with the renovation, the landscaping around the station was updated, providing a restful and attractive environment in contract with the busy station.

 Updated landscaping near the Shanghai Railway Station

 From the Railway Station, I walk several blocks over to Suzhou Creek and follow the path along the creek toward the Bund.

 Path along Suzhou Creek

 Even though we're in the middle of a very large city (Shanghai's estimated population is 24 million people), the path is peaceful and quiet, an calm oasis in the craziness that is large city life.

Gardens along the path

Partway down the river, I spot an interesting wall on the side of a building and cross the street to see what it might be.

 Continental Bank Warehouse

It turns out that the Continental Bank Warehouse was the site of a four-day battle with Japanese troops in 1937.  The building was recently renovated and the design of the west wall reflects the bullet holes from that battle, overlooking an outdoor memorial square.

A block or two closer to the Bund, I spot a ferris wheel peering over a building near the creek and take another slight detour from the path.  The new Joy City mall has installed a ferris wheel, called the Sky Ring, on top of the mall.  The Sky Ring is less than one-half the size of the London Eye, but is quite striking and offers great views of Shanghai.

Sky ring above the new Joy City mall

But, enough diversion, it's back to the path along the creek, where I'm approaching the Bund.  The historic buildings and bridges near the top of the Bund serve as backdrops for commercial and wedding photography.

 Photographers using the Former Union Church and Waibaidu Bridge as backdrops

And, after passing under the Waibaidu Bridge, Suzhou Creek flows into the Huangpu River and I round the corner onto the Bund, seeing the classic Shanghai sights on both sides of the river.

 On the Bund

That's enough wandering for this morning, it's time to go to work.

Al's Birthday

Our brother-in-law, Al, plays in several bands, including the Rubinoos, an American "power pop" band formed in 1970.  Best known for their singles "I Think We're Alone Now" and "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend", they're still playing and touring.  It's Al's birthday and one of his traditions is that he gives a concert on his birthday at the Kensington Circus Pub in Kensington, CA (in the East Bay, in the hills just above Berkeley).  This birthday, the Rubinoos join him under the name "Al Oha and the Royal Hawaiians."

Kensington Circus Pub

Tonight, Al Oha and the Royal Hawaiians

The Kensington Circus Pub has a great selection of British and Irish beers, local beers, and traditional English dishes as well as local food (fish and chips, bangers and mash, sheperds pie, fish tacos, burgers, sandwiches, ...).  We get a pitcher of Fullers ESB ("continuously voted England's best bitter") and fish and chips for me, chicken-pesto sandwich for Laura.

The pub is packed when we arrive early for the concert and everyone is watching the Warriers game.  Our server tells us most people will be leaving after the game, but they stay for the concert and the small venue is packed.

Al (and the Royal Hawaiians) play to an appreciative audience.  Several of them have brought in albums from the Rubinoos to get them signed by the band.  Our only regret is that they must end by 10 so the neighbors can sleep.

Al Oha and the Royal Hawaiians

We order another pitcher of beer and keep on enjoying ourselves.  What a great and diverse place we live in and people we know!

 Enjoying the concert

Winding up the Long Weekend in Paris

Spring in Paris -- bring an umbrella!  Spring rainstorms drift across the city through the day and, while the showers are not severe or long, the umbrella keep us dry through all of them.  Even if the day looks clear, we see people carrying an umbrella as they head out.  They know it could change any instant, and, sometimes, every hour or two.

Passing Parisian shower

The Champs-Élysées looks more gloomy in the rain, with the Grande Roue de Paris ferris wheel, located in Place de la Concorde, in the distance.

Champs-Élysées, rainy and clear

But, April showers bring May flowers, and they are coming out all over the city.  Here are a few of the delightful surprises we run across.

 Spring flowers emerging everywhere!

And, in the park, the ponies are out for rides, but with few takers on a cold, rainy, spring weekday.

Ponies in the park

We'll share a few street pictures.,

 Modern street on the right bank

 Cobblestone alleyway on the left bank

And one more museum, with lines extending outside in the rain.  We watch one father instruct his daughter, as they come out the Metro station, how to keep an eye out for puddles and walk around them.  They then get in line at Musée Jacquemart-André for the exhibition L'atelier en plein air - Les impressionnistes en Normandy (The open air studio - impressionists in Normandy) with 50 or so paintings, from private collections and museums in Europe and America, of the stunning and diverse landscapes of Normandy painted by Monet, Degas, Renoir, Pissarro, Boudin, Morisot, Caillebotte, Gonzales, Gauguin, and others.

Line at Musée Jacquemart-André

 Entrance from inner courtyard at Musée Jacquemart-André

We have not been to this museum previously, although we walked past many times, but this time we buy tickets and enter.  The museum is in a 19th century mansion, with rooms furnished in the style of that period.  Now owned by the Institute of France, it has a fabulous collection of collection of paintings, sculptures, tapestries, objets d’art and rare furnishings, in addition to serving as a host for other exhibitions such as this impressionist collection.

One of our last stops in Paris is Ladurée, a luxury bakery and sweets house dating from 1862.  Ladurée is one of the world's best-known premier sources of macaroons, selling more than 15,000 each day.  We stop in at their  store on the Champs-Élysées and load up to treat our friends when we get home.

Ladurée entrance and macaroon counter

Buying perishables definitely marks the coming end to another great adventure.  The next day, we wheel our suitcases the 2-3 blocks over to the Arc de Triumph and catch the Air France bus, renamed Le Bus Direct on May 12, 2016 and now run by Paris Aéroport, back to Charles de Gaulle airport and head home.  In prior trips, we've traveled to/from the airport by rental car, taxi, RoissyBus operated by Paris RATP to Place de l'Opéra, RER regional train, and the Air France bus.  If our hotel is near the Air France bus stop (which it has been these last few trips), the bus is the way to go.  Le Bus Direct runs ever 30 minutes, take 45-60 minutes to get into the city, and we can buy our tickets over the Internet before we leave home.

Air France bus, now Le Bus Direct

At Charles de Gaulle, we check in, head through security, and settle into our seats for the trip home.  Tourism is currently down in Paris and that means that we get an empty middle seat between us and can spread out and enjoy the flight more.

Other Food Experiences in Paris

The French passion for food is evident everywhere.  Even the Galleries Lafayette department store cafeteria is great (and popular) for lunch.  Cold plates, cheese plates, salad bar, grilled food - they have it all.  I have a roast beef plate, Laura has a salad and a cheese plate.  Along with 1/2 bottle of red wine.  That'll keep us going a few more hours.

Lunch at Galleries Lafayette

And afterwards, an espresso (with sugar and chocolate)

Another day, we stop by Pizza Vesuvio on the Avenue de Champs-Elysées.  Sharing a Pizza Regina (tomato, moazarella, ham, and mushrooms), along with a carafe of wine, is a great lunch.  And, we get to watch all the people go by on the Champs-Élysées.

Lunch at Pizza Vesuvio

Sitting right on the Champs-Elysées

The next day, we stop by Pizza Vesuvio for a glass of wine on our way to dinner at Léon de Bruxelles and they recognize us from the previous day, stop to chat and offer to take our picture.  As we leave, the hostess tells Laura to wear her purse in front just to be safe.  Friendly, helpful, knowledgeable, and professional - that's almost always our impression of the local people we meet in Paris.

 A glass of wine at Pizza Vesuvio

There is also good food right on the street.  This crepe cart in Place de la Concorde is doing a lively business.

Crepe cart

One stop we always make is at E.Dehillerin, the great cookware shop on rue Coquilliere, near the Louvre and the Les Halles shopping mall/transit hub (formerly the Paris central fresh food market), in business since 1820.  The narrow aisles are always packed and we all squeeze by each other as we admire the equipment and make a small purchase or two.

 E.Dehillerin

 Narrow aisles, lots of great stuff!

But, enough cookware, let's visit some local neighborhood markets.  Our first day, we wander through a market near our hotel.  Several days later, we find one a few blocks from the Louvre as we are walking to E.Dehillerin.  We stop and admire the fresh meat, fish, bread, cheese, and produce.

 

 Neighborhood market

We wish we lived here and could purchase some of these great ingredients and take them up to our kitchen.  Maybe someday, even if only for a short stay.