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Tags: Obama-Around-The-World / Presidential Travel / Barack Obama / China Travel / Shanghai Travel / Beijing Travel / → All Tags
Visit To China Brings Out The Business Traveler In Obama
Whereas Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie might be our Super World Travelers, there's no doubt that President Obama is our Super Business Traveler. After wrapping up a summer of whirlwind around-the-world meetings and appearances with his family in tow, autumn is marked by his huge solo visit this week to China.
Over the weekend, Obama landed in Shanghai after a quick visit to Japan and Singapore. Already in China, he has hosted a town hall-style meeting with Chinese students to discuss freedom of information—with a small nod to Twitter, saying: "Well, first of all, let me say that I have never used Twitter...my thumbs are too clumsy to type in things on the phone." This came in response to China's past ban on Twitter, although access to the website was re-opened at university campuses for this special event.
Tags: Disney / Theme Park Travel / Amusement Parks / China Travel / Shanghai Travel / → All Tags
Disneyland Shanghai Coming in 2015; Get Your 'Made In China' Mickey Ears Out!
Here's to unholy matrimony: Disney announced yesterday that China has allowed them to move forward with construction of a new park in Shanghai, its first new resort since 2005's Hong Kong Disneyland and its third in Asia. You thought the fight over EuroDisney was good? Wait till you see the Chinese version of "It's A Small World."
According to the New York Times, the park has been in the works since the 1990s when a mayor of Shanghai visited Disneyland in Anaheim and could take up to 6 years to build. At 1,700 acres, the planned park, in the city's Pudong district, will be slightly bigger than Original Flavor Disneyland but resemble the Magic Kingdom of Walt Disney World.
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The Top Five Counterfeit Shopping Districts In The World
While tourists who are free with their credit cards are a dream for cities, any metropolis with a thriving upscale shopping district will also have a black market equivalent doing just as well, if not better. Both buying and selling counterfeit goods is illegal in many countries, with recent court cases (Louis Vuitton vs. Canal Street merchants) backing up trademarks and revealing how the sale of counterfeit goods funds other illegal operations, like the New Jersey money laundering scandal of late.
We'll even admit to purchasing a fake for $15 in Rome's Piazza Navona, right out in the open, back in 2004. We haven't worn it yet, and we probably never will, seeing as how both brands and police have spent the last couple years reshuffling their legal and street teams in order to crack down on the vendors and buyers. And we want to keep you safe. If you're in a dangerous mood, then you might want to shop in these places, but after the jump, we've listed the World's Top Five Counterfeit Districts from which you should stay away.
Tags: Theme Parks / Amusement Parks / Roller Coasters / Shanghai Travel / China Travel / → All Tags
How Do You Say 'Giant Wooden Roller Coaster' In Chinese?
What are you doing on August 8? Since it won't be 08-08-08 like last year, we're going to assume that you're not either getting married or attending a wedding, so why not hop to the opening of China's largest theme park? The Happy Valley park, just outside of Shanghai in Sheshan, the 900,000 square-meter (that's 9,687,520 square feet!) park will have discounted admission through mid-September, so it's alright if you don't rush on opening day.
For adrenaline junkies, the Happy Valley park will have a mine coaster, a diving coaster, and China's first wooden coaster—they're still making these things?— called the "Fireball," which we'd hope never ends up as an actual fireball. That's it there in the picture above.
Tags: iPhone / Shanghai Travel / Technology / Tech Travel / China Travel / Apple / → All Tags
Apple Finally Doing The Paperwork To Sell iPhones In China
Everyone knows that the iPhone is made in China, but how about the fact that they actually available for sale in the country of their birth and won't be for a while yet. The glut of iPhones available elsewhere however, has created a black market back in China where sales of pricey knockoffs flourish and mules import the real deal for premium cash.
Yesterday, according to Shanghaiist, it looked like there was hope on the horizon for iPhones in China as a major phone company announced a preliminary agreement with Apple for exclusive rights to the iPhone in China for three years, at a cost of $439 each handset.
Meanwhile, the iClones with such names as "Hi-Phone" and "Ai Feng"—which means "crazy love"—continue to fly off the shelves in shady shops. When last we were in China, we sought some out and can report that they are very good replicas, but a the feel and performance of an Ai Feng still lacks the quiet panache of the real deal. We'd recommend not giving into the temptation of adding one to your souvenir pile.
Related Stories:
· Another false start for the arrival of the iPhone to China [Shanghaiist]
· China's red-hot iPhone black market [Gizmodo]
· Five Must-See Apple Stores In The World [Jaunted]
· iPhone Coverage [Jaunted]
[Photo: markm49uk]
Tags: Eclipses / Eclipse Viewing / Shanghai Travel / → All Tags
So Asia, How Did That Total Solar Eclipse Go?
Last night, or at 8:53am in China, a total solar eclipse covered much of Southeast Asia in daytime darkness for just over 6 minutes. Specifically affecting eastern China, Nepal and India, the eclipse was the longest of the 21st century thus far and made for some great photographer meet-ups.
In Shanghai, a group gathered for a unique brunch on the roof of the famous M On The Bund Restaurant to capture the spectacle; ChinaTravel.net then points out their amazing photos—of the eclipse itself and then of the resulting, eerie darkness.
Tags: What Recession / Shanghai Travel / Luxury Travel / → All Tags
Shanghai Wants to Keep Luxury Travel Alive
Some cities look at this economic downturn and see the collapse of their tourism industries; Shanghai sees dollar and yen signs. China's biggest city is aiming to take over the luxury business market while it's on sale, even as next year's World Expo looms large.
Just as its fellow countrymen in Beijing did a general tidy in advance of last year's Olympics, Shanghai hotels and outfitters are cranking up their luxury offerings even in a time when there may not be anyone to enjoy them. The centenarian Peace Hotel is getting a major facelift, and a brand new all-glass cruise terminal opened in November to pull in shore excursions from far and wide.
Tags: Travel Deals / Continental / Shanghai Travel / → All Tags
Enjoy a Shanghai Noon With Continental
Always planned to go to China? This could be your year: Our relatives at Concierge.com spotted a great Newark-Shanghai fare in honor of Continental's newest Far East destination.
$315 one-way may not seem like such great shakes, but it's way below what other carriers have asked for the same route. Pick among 9 cities (including hub Houston, New Orleans and Washington D.C.) to the largest city in China. Just don't forget your stretches: It's a 14-and-a-half hour nonstop from Newark.
Related Stories:
· $700 Roundtrips to Shanghai on Continental [Concierge.com]
· Shanghai's Airports Are Totally Going to Hook Up [Jaunted]
· Great Deals to Shanghai [Continental.com]
[Photo: marcusuke]
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Over the Top Luxury Still in Fashion at Shanghai's 3 On the Bund
When planning a trip to cultural hotspot Shanghai, you will invariably encounter the the simple yet enigmatic name of the city's most luxurious shopping and dining destination, 3 On the Bund. Occupying the stately Union Building on Shanghai's Bund, a thoroughfare running alongside the Huangpu River, No. 3 began welcoming the moneyed locals and well-heeled tourists back in 2004.
At first, No. 3 was a revolutionary repurposing of one of the Bund buildings, the strip of which had fallen from grace over the years and were rapidly descending into disrepair and vacant space. After the introduction of upscale dining with M on the Bund and the Shanghai Gallery of Art, the Michael Graves-designed spaces filled up with 5-star tenant after 5-star tenant.
