I'll make you feel unpretty too

I really love Glee's last episode because it emphasizes one important thing that every individual should realize: self love.In our country where almost half of the population tried almost all the whitening products in the market just to have Snow White's complexion, booked an appointment with a surgeon to have a chiseled nose, troop to the salon every now and then to have their hair straightened, find ways to achieve Angelina Jolie's pouty lips, and would do everything to snag that body to die for (the so-called perfect 36-24-36 vital stat), this episode simply reminds us that we should accept ourselves fully. Be content with what the Creator has given you.

Easier said than done!

I won't be a hypocrite and proclaim to the world that I wholly love myself because I also have my own shares of I wish I look like this or I hope I have that moments.I really appreciate the episode because it made me realize that no other person should manipulate or control us. Do not grow your hair long just because you found out that your crush is attracted to girls with long mane. Dress according to your style and taste and not because your boyfriend thinks wearing skirts is more feminine.Scrap that diet because an envy officemate told you that you looked like a sausage in your uniform. Don't pretend to like world news just to impress your parents when in fact, you enjoy hollywood news more. We should do what we love and what we think will make US happy, productive, and better individuals. If you want to lose weight, do it for yourself and not for someone who can't appreciate your "big frame." If you decide to enroll in a cooking class, make sure that your goal is to learn and not to please your man's stomach. If you want to have a total makeover because you think you deserve it, go ahead and splurge on clothes, make-up, or whatever that you think will pamper and prettify you. Always keep in mind that the things that you should do should be according to your OWN will and not because someone asked you to do this or that. 

Make the "bullies" realize that they can't knock you down.

Ignore people who have nothing good to say about you.

Do not tolerate people who make fun of the clothes or the make-up that you're wearing.

Disregard side comments that you're fat and continue devouring chocolates, ice cream, and pizza!

We should shut them out in our lives because they will only harm our ego instead of boosting it. They will just make us feel we are garbage and will continue to hurt us. Unless we stop them.

Two words: self-acceptance and self-worth. 

I Told You Sooooo

While I was lying on my bed trying to take a nap in the middle of the scorching afternoon heat a while ago, I plugged the headset in my phone for some sound trippin' so that I could fall asleep faster. I admit that I haven't updated my song list in a very loooooong time. Would you believe that the last song I added was Dear John wahah So yeah, if you're reading this, feel free to suggest good songs. I will appreciate it, promise :-)

I always find myself listening to the same "most played songs" in my phone. These songs bring back memories and some people I met in the past. I have this habit of associating a song with a person kasi, that way, I can't forget them no matter how good or bad they were to me. Baet ko di ba?Hahaha!

Anyway, as I scanned my playlist, I was torn between playing Roselle Nava's Bakit Nga Ba Mahal Kita (yes, I have that in my playlist for my emo moments bwahaha) and Cheryl Cole's Fight For This Love which is a little bit groovy, if I may say. I ended up playing I Told You So by AI winner Carrie Underwood and Randy Travis for a couple of times. To be honest, I really have no idea who the guy was or that such song existed until a friend 's friend who later became my friend also introduced this song to me last 2009.

I downloaded the song as per his advice and immediately listened to it. After the song was finished, I texted him, I hate you. Ang sad ng song. It was. The lyrics of the song struck me!I thought it was the perfect song for the both of us since we can perfectly relate to it. Well, especially him.

How I wish I could sing that song loud and proud when the right time and the right person comes haha! For now, I'll just continue listening to it for my unexpected emo moments. By the way, I also checked the FB account of said friend and found out he's already in a relationship. Woooow, finally he has moved on!Honestly, I am happy for him because he can already sing Now I found somebody new and you would never break my heart in two again loud and proud. Way to goooo my potpot friend!

So anyway, I'll share with you the song and hopefully it won't depress you like it did to me hehe.

I told you so, oh I told you so

I told you someday you'll come crawling back and asking me to take you in

I told you so, but you had to go

Now I found somebody new and you would never break my heart in two again. 

Sit Back, Relax, and See a (3D) Movie

One of the brilliant creations of technology is the invention of 3D or three-dimensional movies. According to the ever reliable and most trusted Wikipedia:

A 3-D (three-dimensional) film or S3D (stereoscopic 3D) film^[1] is a motion picture that enhances the illusion of depth perception. Derived from stereoscopic photography, a regular motion picture camera system is used to record the images as seen from two perspectives (or computer-generated imagery generates the two perspectives in post-production), and special projection hardware and/or eyewear are used to provide the illusion of depth when viewing the film. 3-D films are not limited to feature film theatrical releases; television broadcasts and direct-to-video films have also incorporated similar methods, primarily for marketing purposes.

The movie that started it all... in 2009 ;p credits here

The concept of 3D in the movie industry is not new. Sorry to say, Avatar is not the first movie to be shown in 3D although it's safe to say that it pioneered the concept of bringing "it" back to the movie houses once more. Since the release and international success of Avatar, more and more movie producers and directors thought of making 3D films since it smells and spells $$$$$$ for them. FYI: the first 3D film, Power of Love, debuted on Sept. 27, 1922 at the Ambassador Hotel Theatre in LA.  The story was about a young sea captain's adventure in LA sometime in the 1840s.

As I've been saying, more and more 3D movies are being released since 2010 like Up, Harry Potter, Alice in Wonderland, Megamind, Toy Story 3, and Tangled. I kinda understand the "need" why these films need to be shown in 3D but the likes of  Step Up 3 and Justin Bieber's Never Say Never docufilm is something I really really really don't understand. Why oh why does it have to be in 3D?

3D movies, televisions that offer 3D as their latest feature, and laptops that are 3D-capable. It seems like, since Avatar, everything is bound to become 3D! Oh, and may I just add the attempt of a local Sunday variety "party" show that attempted to bring and give the "3D experience" to its viewers. HAHAHAHA! Seriously, boast of a 3D experience and remind the viewers to make their improvised 3D glasses. HAHAHA!

Put those glasses on and let the film start rollin' (credits)

Personally, I prefer to watch a movie in full HD than spend additional hundred pesos for a 3D movie.Aside from it's cheaper, I really find no comfort wearing those red and blue glasses while watching. In addition, I only felt dizzy all throughout the movie and removed the glasses a couple of times.Argh! Talking about discomfort over "being in." Or maybe it's just me that's experiencing it. I dunno.maybe......

So why am I posting something about this, you may ask?

Again, I see the point of movie producers and directors who want to earn $$$$$$$ that's why they keep on making and releasing 3D movies BUT PLEASE PLEASE PLEAAAAASE! Not because any movie can be turned into 3D in a snap, producers and directors have a "license" to offer viewers of a "unique" 3D experience. Hello Piranha, Step Up3, and Never Say Never! Most,if not all, 3D movies are Hollywood films. But do you know that an Asian movie is now in 3D?

YES! AN ASIAN MOVIE WILL BE RELEASED IN 3D!HOW COOL IS THAT?!?

Only, the Asian 3D movie is *drum rolls* a porn film. Hahaha! No kidding it's the truth! Still doubting?here's the link. I really don't know how to react on this film, 3D Sex and Zen: Extreme Ecstasy, when I saw it in the newspaper just today. While a part of me says that it's cool since it's the first time that a porn movie will be shown in 3D, the other half of me raises an eyebrow and says, WTF is going on?watching people having sex or having a close encounter with a male member?Shit!I'm not being a hypocrite here, it's just that why would you want to see such thing in 3D?If you'll ask me, I'd better see it myself...in person!Bwahahaha!

Now it makes me wonder, after Avatar, Superman, Harry Potter, Tangled, Step Up 3, and 3D Sex and Zen: Extreme Ecstasy, what movies will follow the 3D trend?Stay tuned...

Too happy for the "new 3D movie" huh? (credits)

Puppy love or true love?

All of us have someone who is hidden in the bottom of the heart. When we think of him, we feel ummm always feel a little pain inside but we still want to keep him. Even though I don't know where he is today, what is he doing. But he is the one who makes me know this. A little thing called LOVE.

-excerpt from the Thai movie, First Love (Crazy Little Thing Called Love)

Puppy love or true love?
photo credits here

It was only yesterday that I was able to see the movie after a former officemate recommended it to me last Monday. Disclaimer: I won't make a summary or criticism of the movie. I'll just share my thoughts about it. I'm not much a sucker for love stories but I believe that this topic will always have a soft spot in every girl's heart.No, everybody's hearts. We like watching drama, action, comedy, and horror movies but it's undeniable that we stop once in a while to catch a feel good movie...that we usually find in love stories that offer happy endings. 

The movie is your ordinary teeny bopper film complete with these essential ingredients:

1. popular guy in school

2. an "ugly duckling" who is head-over-heels with this guy

3. mean girl in school

4.popular guy secretly likes "ugly duckling"

5. ugly duckling does everything to be noticed by popular guy

6. ugly duckling gets a makeover

7. ugly duckling turned into a beautiful swan. eventually, guys swoon over her but her heart remains loyal to popular guy

8.  popular guy's bestfriend likes beautiful swan

9. popular guy and bestfriend made a pact that they will stay away from each other's prospects

10. beautiful swan confessed her love finally to popular guy. popular guy, meanwhile, ignored her but deep inside he's happy yet hurt because he can't say his true feelings for her.

11. popular guy and beautiful swan will part ways

12...and met after a year or so.

13. the ending? 

Of course it's predictable! Almost 95 percent of love stories lead to happy endings right, so this one's a give-away. In addition, it's your usual TEENY BOPPER film, hello!If fairy tales capture every little girls' imagination that *sings like Snow White here* someday, my prince will come, teeny bopper films give hope to adolescent girls that they can experience or even find their true love once they hit their puberty stage. Agree or disagree?

Ugly ducklings of the school
credits here

I won't pretend that I didn't enjoy the movie because I actually did---from start to finish. The punchlines, the cute dance movements of the female protagonist (she really looks and acts like Kim Chiu!), everything including the songs! The plot is very simple and everybody can relate to it easily, except if you haven't experienced falling in love which is impossible. Almost all of us at some point in our lives did crazy stuffs for that one person to notice, accept, and eventually love us.Those  pasimpleng sulyap (stealing a glimpse of him or her everytime you get a chance), pasimpleng papansin (making a "scandalous scene" just so you could be noticed by that person like singing or laughing in a very loud and unusual tone), and pasimpleng stalker moves (giving him or her an anonymous love letter or tracking where will he or she go next after her 9:45 class) are the "intial steps" for him or her to notice you. And when all of them fail, we have the plan B or the desperate tactics :-) 

Labdublabdub: close encounter of P'shone and Nam ;p
credits here

Admit it, once in your life you did consider making love potions. Eh, still in denial?hahaha Once in your life, it did cross your mind to follow the different love rituals or superstitions that you watched on TV and claimed to be effective (I heard this once when I was young. To make your beloved fall in love with you, write his or her name on a paper, put it in a glass filled with water, and place it under your bed. During midnight, you will recite a chant and your beloved will fall in love with you.) Funny isn't it?Once in our lives we made fool of ourselves, gamble with destiny, and risk our dignity so that we would be loved back.And what do we get?

Just like many girls, I am guilty of exerting effort to look beautiful in front of that "one person" in hopes that that it would pay off. It did...only for a short time, though. And that's when I realized that I don't need him or his complements to feel that I am beautiful. I know I am beautiful. Although I'd be honest that I would, of course, love to hear his praises once in a while.

Nam's about to get her first kiss!
credits here

I am also guilty of being his online stalker checking his fb everytime I log in. I am guilty of making pacute once in a while when we're talking on the phone or see each other. I am guilty of all these things, even the love potion thingy, it did cross my mind. Worse, the pikot! Hahaha but of course, I wouldn't resort to those kind of things. I love him too much that I won't do such a thing that would ruin his future. I would tease him though that I'd love to have a child with him but I'll vanish and he will never ever see me and his child. He'd just laugh at my silly idea. I'll join him. I was 75 percent joking and 25 percent serious though haha!

Just like any movie under the same genre, the joys and pains of falling in love was also shown.And let me put emphasis on the pains of being in love since I can relate with it more, I guess haha!

Say it!Say it Nam!
credits here

It feels shit when you're being lied to. It feels shit when all the while, you thought that that person will keep his promised word, a pact that you both made with each other. It feels shit that after you've given your all, it's still not enough for him to love you just like you do. But you know what's the shit-est of them all?

It's when you're almost there...yes, the two of you...yet in the middle of everything, he chose to let go of your hand. WITHOUT TELLING YOU.

For the record, I am not that bitter about love, lovers, happy endings, and even him. In fact, even if things didn't work out as I expect it to be (ayan, assumera kasi haha), I am still thankful to him for everything---good or bad. I'm still thankful that I was given the chance to be happy, to experience love and maybe be loved in a very very short span of time. I was happy. I am still happy. And I know that someday, I will be happy.

The movie gave me an obvious lesson about love and life. There's hope that true love really exist! That someone is really meant for you. That no matter how long you've been away from each other, no matter how many relationships you had with other people, if you are really meant for each other, the world will conspire for you to be together again. Such a cliche, I know haha But love stories are supposedly cliche by nature right?Bleh;p

This is one of the cheesiest entries I made hahaha! And I blame the movie for that haha. Though once in a while, it feels good to be cheesy because I get acquainted with my romantic side. Lol

Happy endings: for real or reel?
credits here

ShangHIGH Trip Day 2: The Conclusion

 I can't believe that it's our last day in this beautiful city :'-(

View from the top

We started our day at eight in the morning since our day will not be that hectic since we only have two more destinations left. After fixing ourselves, we went down to have our breakfast.

The experience became worse! The food was either hard to chew, cold, or totally gone!Although it's our fault to take our "late" breakfast, still the staff should refill the food because there are many guests in the hotel. Agree?

 Besides, the food wasn't that good. Their sausages were hard as rock (no kidding) and they served spring roll with a filling similar to that of buchi's. Their bacon looks raw.I know I'm complaining too much but hello, we paid for the
 food!Or maybe authentic Chinese food is really not for me?Hmmm....

Lastly, I was totally surprised that they stopped serving coffee at 9:30 am!What the heck!

Empty tables and chairs

THE GRAND buffet

Entrance to the resto

Don't get me wrong, I love the place because of its nice interiors and elegant look. The moment we arrived in the hotel,  the revolving door impressed me right away hehe. The lounge area looks classy. The giant painting at the lobby is a beauty. The rooms and bathrooms are also nice.It's just that the food and staff need MAJOR improvements!Anyway, after our breakfast we decided to take photo ops at the hotel since we don't have our souvenir pics yet.

The giant mural at the lobby

Lounge area

One of the beautiful spots in the hotel

Art piece

Lobby of the 5th floor

Room 515

Our room

Mommy at the lobby

FCD shot: Grand Mercure Baolong Hotel, Shanghai

Joyce arrived minutes after we have checked out. After putting our luggage on the vehicle, off we go to the
Shanghai Art Exhibition Center. There's nothing really to see in this place except jade hehe

Inside the Art Exhibition Center

Jade Happy Buddha

FCD shot: Art Exhibition Center

Left the place at around 1 pm to have our lunch in a resto we didn't know haha. Anyway, the food was just right, however there's one dish that's alien to us. It's still yummy though.

FCD shot of the resto

Pork, beef, or chicken? we're clueless

Whoa!chicken head is also included

Going healthy? try this fishy

Our last stop was the Yuyuan Garden. I thought it was just an ordinary garden with different kinds of flowers and maybe a butterfly house too but the trip exceeded my expectations!The place was huge, beautiful, and very relaxing.In addition, it's  a mixture of traditional and modern Shanghai with the presence of the structures that were built 400 years go, toy store, Starbucks, and Dairy Queen. Hehe. Souvenir shops are also everywhere.

A quick information on this garden:


Yuyuan Garden is a famous classical garden located in Anren Jie, Shanghai. The garden was finished in 1577 by a government officer of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) named Pan Yunduan. Yu in Chinese means pleasing and satisfying, and this garden was specially built for Pan's parents as a place for them to enjoy a tranquil and happy time in their old age.

Serene place

Mi familia @ the Yuyuan Garden v.1

Mi familia @ the Yuyuan Garden v.1

At the Dragon Wall

 It was 5:30 pm when we decided to call this whole trip off.Yes, we'll be leaving Shanghai...this city I fell in love with immediately. I wish I could spend more time here. Oh well, maybe some other time. I just hope that we'll be able to book a cheap flight going there again.


We arrived at the airport before 7pm and had our pictures taken with Joyce before we parted ways.She was nice and hopefully, we'll meet her again...oops, problem is, she's moving to Beijing and will start a new career. I just hope that she will offer us a free tour if ever the trip will push through haha!

Ready to go home

Joy and Joyce ;p

Pudong International Airport

Last min. photo op @ the airport

We arrived in Manila at around 4am and was lucky that we got our luggage immediately. Hay, a much needed vacation :)

ShangHIGH Trip Day 1

At past seven, I was awakened by a phonecall and immediately, I know it's my mother at the other line. I guess she didn't sleep well last night since her two children are two rooms away from her, paranoid again haha. Anyway, I jumped from my bed and checked the weather. Outside it was all gloomy and the locals are wearing their thick jackets. Suddenly the thought  of getting exposed on a six degree temperature send shivers since I'm not accustomed to such kind of weather Add to that, my "winter clothes" is not that durable enough to withstand such coldness. Bahala na nga, I said and prepared myself.

After almost an hour, we went down to take our breakfast at the hotel. Half of the people who were taking their breakfast are in their formal suits so I assume they are there on a convention. We chose the table near the window and waited for my brother and father to get their food first.After a few minutes, they went back to our table and we took it as a cue (me and mommy) to get our food. To my surprise, there's a "scarcity of resources" in their buffet lol Anyhow, we just contented ourselves with whatever food that was left. Bawi na lang sa lunch, mommy said as a consolation.

Our tour guide Joyce arrived before 9:30 and so we're good to go for our tour that day. The moment we stepped out of the hotel, it was really really really cold that we all hurriedly boarded the van.

 Gloomy Sunday morning

Quite unhappy with the breakfast hihi

 And so Shanghai Day 1 officially begins. First destination: Shanghai Oriental Pearl TV Tower.

The TV Tower during daytime

It was love at first sight for me although I was really intimidated with this gigantic structure. Towering at 468 meters, it is considered as the third tallest tv and radio tower in the world and the second tallest in China.  We were then brought to the 75th floor or the revolving tea house and what can  I say? The tower simply offers a breath-taking view of the city. After taking some snapshots that would document the trip, we headed down to the sightseeing platform wherein guests can take more pictures of the scenery or themselves while standing  on glass floor.The scenario made me reminisce the skywalk adventure I had back in Cebu some two years ago. Despite my experience walking on the 40th floor of  Cebu Regency Hotel with only a harness, I was still a chicken to walk on that glass floor because I'm afraid that any moment it will shatter into pieces because  it can no longer hold the many people walking on it. Paranoid much haha. Joyce told us that the true beauty of the tower can be best appreciated during nighttime when the tower changes its colors ---more than a hundred times WHOAAAAA!--- and recommended to take a HuangPu river cruise. Anyway, here's additional info about the tower:

Going up,up,up: waiting for the "ride"

 The tower includes 15 spheres of different sizes at different levels creating an artistic conception of "large and small pearls dropping onto a jade plate". It has become a symbolic piece of architecture and a favorite sight for tourists in Shanghai.There is a revolving teahouse and a sightseeing platform, which can accommodate 1600 people in the largest ball. Here visitor can get a panoramic view of the Bund and Pudong New area.There are 6 elevators within the tower. Five are installed in the three columns and one runs between the height of 250 meters and 341 meters. One of the five elevators is double-decked. Two medium-sized elevators, accommodating 30 persons each and running at a speed of 7 meters per second, cover the distance from the bottom of the tower to the highest sphere in 40 seconds. (http://www.chinahighlights.com/shanghai/attraction/oriental-pearl-tv-tower.htm)

Here are some top view shots:

Shanghai's Wall Street aka The Bund

View from the revolving tea house

People or ants?

Shanghai's TOWERing prides

Going round in circle

Enjoying the view

Giant bottle opener and Empire State Building in Shanghai?

By the way, the building that resembles a giant bottle opener is the Shanghai World Financial Center while the Empire State look-a-like building is the Jin Mao Tower, both one of the tallest buildings in the city. After our eyes feasted on the picturesque view of the city, we all went down to the lower ground floor for the Shangahai History Museum. I didn't thought that the museum's that huge! It took us more or less two hours before we toured the whole place. I am no big fan of museums although I love every bit of information that I get everytime I go to one. By far,I think this is my most enjoyable museum trip ever. EVER. Luckily, we can take pictures inside the museum despite the presence of wax figures there (although wax museums now allow photo-taking inside).

Travel back in time: Shanghai History Museum marker

Morning at the Museum: Cricket playing

Morning at the Museum: Opium House

Morning at the Museum: Turning Chinese

Morning at the Museum:

Morning at the Museum: Parlor scene hehe

Museum tour

Wedding sedan chair

Scale model of The Bund at night

 After getting acquainted with Shanghai's culture, we left TV Tower past 12.

Authentic Shanghai silk

It is said that silk was first discovered by the Chinese. "For more than two thousand years the Chinese kept the secret of silk altogether to themselves. It was the most zealously guarded secret in history" (credits here). The quality of Chinese silk can be considered, if not the best, one of the best in the world. So for our next destination: Tian Hou Silk Company. Again, I enjoyed staying there even for a long time because : 1. I've been wondering looooong ago how a single thread or a fabric can be made and 2. the guide was an eye-candy ♥ ♥ ♥ After that, we took our hearty lunch at the nearby Tian Hou Tea House. 

It was already almost two in the afternoon when we stepped out from the said tea house and OMG it was freakin' cold! No change in temperature yet huh?We were really freezing and hurriedly went to the van.

We then headed to the Jade Buddha Temple. By the way, Joyce told us that April 3-5 is declared a holiday in Shanghai since they are celebrating the Tomb Sweeping Day, the counterpart of the All Souls' Day celebration. She explained that during these days, the locals go back to their hometowns and pay homage to their departed loves ones by sweeping their tombs, thus the name of the celebration. Anyway, when we got inside the temple, many people are indeed, praying and holding their rituals. I also saw some group of monks but wasn't able to take pictures of them as a sign of respect. Mind you, these monks have porcelain-like skin and have rosy cheeks too haha! I did a research on the temple:

Giving their respects to the dead

 In 1882, an old temple was built to keep two jade Buddha statues which had been brought from Burma by a monk named Huigen. The temple was destroyed during the revolution that overthrew the Qing Dynasty. Fortunately the jade Buddha statues were saved and a new temple was built on the present site in 1928.The two precious jade Buddhist statues are not only rare cultural relics but also porcelain artworks. Both the Sitting Buddha and the Recumbent Buddha are carved with whole white jade. The sparkling and crystal-clear white jade gives the Buddhas the beauty of sanctity and make them more vivid. The Sitting Buddha is 190 centimeters high and encrusted by the agate and the emerald, portraying the Buddha at the moment of his meditation and enlightenment. The Recumbent Buddha is 96 centimeters long, lying on the right side with the right hand supporting the head and the left hand placing on the left leg, this shape is called the 'lucky repose'. The sedate face shows the peaceful mood of Sakyamuni when he left this world. In the temple there is also another Recumbent Buddha which is four meters long and was brought from Singapore by the tenth abbot of the temple in 1989. Furthermore there are many other ancient paintings and Buddhist scriptures distributed in the different halls of the temple.

We were able to see both the sitting and reclining buddha. Between the two,  the sitting buddha is more beautiful. Pictures were not allowed this time, well it's understandable. Aside from the sitting and reclining buddhas, the temple also houses the happy buddha. The happy buddha is popular among us Filipinos: the smiling buddha that has I think 12 children around him. According to Joyce, the said buddha is considered as a lucky buddha also.  

Buddha  bless us :one of the buddhas in the temple

Replica of the reclining buddha

Next in our list was the Nanjing Road or Shanghai's shopping haven. Measuring 3.4 mile long, you can find designer clothing shops such as Zara, Mont Blanc and Tiffany, fastfoods chains like Yoshinoya, KFC, and Mc Donald's, and shopping malls where local products are sold.  Before leaving us, Joyce reminded us that local products are la lot cheaper than designer clothes---of course, that's a give-away tip hehe.We ended up buying thick jackets  since it's the most practical thing to buy that time. Nanjing Road is far from the  "shopping mecca" in Hongkong and Bangkok. While I can compare HK and BKK bazaars to our very own 168 mall and divi, Nanjing Road is similar to that of Greenhills and Market! Market! Anyway,we didn't explore the whole road since it's cold (how many times did I mention cold in this entry alone?haha) and besides Joyce's not with us so we decided to just sit on one of the benches to rest. As agreed upon, Joyce met us at 5:30 for the grand finale.

Lovers in Nanjing Road

In the middle of Nanjing Road

Shops

Shops...

For the last leg of our tour that day, we availed of the Huang Pu River Cruise which is a must for visitors. Huang Pu is said to be Shanghai's mother river and separates East Shanghai and West Shanghai. Anyway, It was almost dusk time when we arrived at the port and managed to get good seats since there's only few people inside the ship. After five minutes, guests started flocking in. We decided to stay on the covered area of the ship since it's too windy outside. Few more minutes and the ship started sailing. The cruise lasted for 45 minutes, I think following this route: Ships depart from the Bund (Zhongshan Road), sail to Huangpu Bridge in the south, turn and head north towards Wusongkou, and return to the Bund.

The girl with a bangs at The Bund ;p

 As the ship sailed smoothly, I can't help but be more amazed with Shanghai's beauty at night. The Bund, the skyline, the calm river, it's perfect! Too bad, dinner is only served among locals BOOO haha. After some time, mommy and I decided to go to the deck to have our pictures taken there hehe. We arrived back to the port before 7pm and was shocked of the long queue of passengers waiting outside. Whew!Good thing we're a little bit early. After the cruise, the driver drove us back to the hotel.
It was such a tiring yet memorable day for us.

Night shot of The Bund

Shanghai skyline

 

Shanghai at night

Beauty isn't it?

Family picture is a must!haha