Trip Planning And Trip Report: Shanghai, Beijing, Macau, Hong Kong, Istanbul

[chuchem]

Well finally i was able to get my act together and book. I used miles for it and was able to ticket the following:

Sunday Zrh-Shanghai Swiss First
Monday night Shanghai-Peking Air China business
Thursday noontime Peking-Honk Kong Air China Business
Sunday night Hong Kong-Istanbul Turkish first
Monday afternoon Istanbul-Zuerich Swiss business

I think I used the 8 days quite well. Monday morning I will arrive in Shanghai and plan on touring it till the evening. I will then continue to Beijing. In Beijing I have the whole Tuesday, wednesday and thursday morning. I will use that time for the wall, forbidden city, tianem square and the silk market. Thursday I will be arriving in Honk Kong at 16-00 and want to continue to Macau till friday morning (might drop this part if to tired) Friday afternoon till sunday night I have time in Hong Kong. I didnt see any major attraction besides Victoria peak, thats a must do. I will travel back through Sunday night and have 8 hours time in Istanbul to see the city. What are the must do there if I have 7 hours time?

Hotels: Beijing- the hyatt looks very nice, can get it cheap with free nights
          Macau-Venetian
          Hong Kong- depending on which side I will spend shabbes. The grand hyatt looks amazing

So thats the plan. Please feel free to give me any advice or input. I hope I have enough time in Hong Kong, thats my only worry. Food seems is no problem. Beijing has a restaurant (no breakfast! ideas?) Hong Kong has enough places. I think Macau has nothing. Is there a kosher restaurant in istanbul? With a good hechsher?

Thanks to all

[SuperFlyer]

No good hechsher in Turkey.

In Asia be very careful even with drinks of brands.

I bought a minute maid orange, and it contained fish (!)

Jews from HKG will tell you that they only buy food from Australia.

I hope you have a visa for china.

[chuchem]

I will apply for a visa for china, that will not take so long hopefully. Coke in Asia a problem?

[SuperFlyer]

I don't know.

Visas to china shouldn't pose a problem, however if you would consider flying to Lhasa (Tibet) you might want to consider buying paracetamol in bulk....

Get a decent travel insurance, that covers all medical aspects (Im having china i mind; not that there is higher chance of getting ill there, but even simple illnesses can turn nasty if not dealt with, so you want someone to ship you over in the passenger compartment...).

[chuchem]

I have a good cover from my amex platinum ;-) I would have wanted to go to Lhasa, but takes to much time

[damaxer91]

A couple of points:

1. Coke & Diet Coke (coke light or zero as well) are fine in all of Asia. I would avoid any other soft drinks unless you are given a specific psak. A quick email to the local Chabad Rabbi will give you the answer

2. If you have some time and the weather is nice, I'd tell you to try and see the Summer Palace in Beijing. Its really beautiful. Also, if you have SPG Platinum then I'd highly recommend the St. Regis. I got a St. Regis suite both times that I was there. The indoor Olympic size pool and bowling alley make it a destination in it of itself.

3. If you like retail therapy then Hong Kong is great, but if you want to buy fakes, Shenzehn is the best. Make sure to get a double or triple entry visa and its just a short train ride away. Makes for a good Motzei Shabbos outing. Macau is good for Motzei Shabbos as well just nake sure to check the weather before you go. The ferries and airport close when there is a typhoon warning and you can be stuck there for a day or two

4. Even if you've confirmed 10 times, I'd recommend picking up some food for your flight home. TK tends to "forget" your Kosher meal. The Corned Beef sandwiches at the JCC are excellent!

If you have any more questions feel free to PM me

[SuperFlyer]

even when TK doesnt forget, when they serve their own stuff, its not a very good hechsher.

Lhasa doesnt take too much time, coming 1 day and leaving the next early morning gives you enough time to see everything.

About HKG's prizes I was quite disappointed frankly, but then again the locals (jewish/goyim) might have misguided me...

[chuchem]

Thanks everybody.

Lhasa does not take that much time, you are right, but the 8 days i have is not enough. Turkish leaving from HKG should not have their own stuff, they would take it from HKG local.
St Regis looks nice, but they Hyatt is also tempting. I dont have SPG Plat. so that is not good. I heard the JCC is  very good and sunday nights they have a bbq

[damaxer91]

even when TK doesnt forget, when they serve their own stuff, its not a very good hechsher.

Lhasa doesnt take too much time, coming 1 day and leaving the next early morning gives you enough time to see everything.

About HKG's prizes I was quite disappointed frankly, but then again the locals (jewish/goyim) might have misguided me...

I haven't made it to Lhasa, what is worth seeing there? Seems like a lot of Avoda Zara

Also, as per "prizes" there is not much to be found in Hong Kong at good prices. Best go to Shenzehn, which I found to be incredibly cheap with very high quality fakes

[SuperFlyer]

High quality fakes, now you are talking   ;-)

There is not so much to see, thats why one one day is enough.

However you have some interesting things, such as what is probably the highest lake (commercially used) [not the Titicaca as a lot of people think], which lies at an altitude of some 6200m (about 20340 feet).

The whole way of life is interesting there. Women there have several husbands, you have pilgrims that have journey where they walk during about 2.5 years and never go off the road (they even sleep on the street), and so on.

Give a cab driver $40-$50 and he is yours the whole day. (driving up to this lake alone would cost you much more on fuel).  

[chuchem]

Well maybe next time I go. Its our first time, so we will do the basics first. I found the st. regis in Beijing for 200 USD a night. I think thats worth it?

[moish]

c+p is usually a better option

[chuchem]

http://www.vosizneias.com/49218/2010/02/12/beijing-cholov-yisroel-milk-available-for-the-first-time-in-china

At least i dont have to shlep milk! ;-)

[chuchem]

Well, well
I am leaving very soon for my big trip.
I booked the st regis in Beijing (confirmed upgrade to suite)
In Macau I got the venetian ( 250 USD for a 1800 squarefoot suite )
In Hong Kong the Intercontinental grand stanford (confirmed upgrade to harborview suite) Shabbes meals by Kehilat Zion

I will hopefully report a long tripreport here and want to thank everyone, that gave me advice. I am really excited. If anyone has any last minute inputs (Istanbul to do's for example) I would appreciate it. I am still looking into getting some kosher food in macau, but i am giving up on this. Chabad in Kowloon is a 10-15 min walk from my hotel. Should I eat one meal there as well or stick to Kehilat Zion?

Regards all

[steve2]

Well, well
I am leaving very soon for my big trip.
I booked the st regis in Beijing (confirmed upgrade to suite)
In Macau I got the venetian ( 250 USD for a 1800 squarefoot suite )
In Hong Kong the Intercontinental grand stanford (confirmed upgrade to harborview suite) Shabbes meals by Kehilat Zion

I will hopefully report a long tripreport here and want to thank everyone, that gave me advice. I am really excited. If anyone has any last minute inputs (Istanbul to do's for example) I would appreciate it. I am still looking into getting some kosher food in macau, but i am giving up on this. Chabad in Kowloon is a 10-15 min walk from my hotel. Should I eat one meal there as well or stick to Kehilat Zion?

Regards all

 KZ and Chabad are about the same distance from the IC. They both are on the same street, which if memory serves me correct is cut by a 3 lane road in each direction.

 KZ although Sefradi is a reg minyan and usually full of Shomer Shabbos people, Chabad is alot harder to find its 2 flights in a small building and if you arent wearing a yamaka or look Religious no one will point it out to You,(Yep even with the address we still couldnt find it till I caught up and when a local saw my yamaka showed us the way). Minyan well sometimes yes and other times no. If you want a Purim sudar its the place to go, I think Chabad on HKI is a more tradional place. Here in Kowloon where there arent Jews living they generally get whomever is passing thru.

 same with KZ but they have a # of brouchrim from Israel learning there everyday, and most Biz people end up at the ShangriLa Hotel next door and daven & eat at KZ

 Not telling you what to do only trying to inform you what I ran into last yr so that you can make your decission, after experiencing Chabad Fri night I went to KZ and felt at home, while the other 2 stayed with Chabad. I felt Chabad was just not what I was looking for in davening nor a meal. In Venice, Chabad was  more of a reg op and a reg minyan and GamGam although I didnt care for it at least it wasnt a Purim atmosphere like Kowloon was.