Sunday, September 26, 2010

Transportation from Wanchai to Shenzhen airport

This time, for money reasons, I departed from Shenzhen airport to go to Shanghai, instead of directly from Hong Kong airport. My company told me that there was a transportation directly from Wanchai to Shenzhen airport in only 1-2h, depending on the time taken at the China immigration, so I decided to try it.

For the route from Hong Kong to Shenzhen airport, because my departure was on a public holiday, I had to take the bus. But for the return, from Shenzhen airport to Hong Kong I took a limousine. I am going to write further about these two means below.

Bus
Because I departed on a public holiday, I couldn't go by limousine, I took the bus instead. The earliest bus is at 7.05am, my colleagues told me it will take around 2 hours and I should add 1 more hour for the immigration, since I cross by passport and not by Chinese ID Card. Adding it all together, I was thinking I would arrive at the airport around 10am, allowing me to get on the 11am flight (for domestic flight, 1h prior to departure is enough), so I bought the 11.20am flight to Shanghai.

I arrived around 6.40am in front of the China Travel Service (CTS) office in Wanchai (please see below for all the practical information). There were already some people waiting there and soon after 2 office ladies arrived. I showed them my ticket and they gave me a sticker, with "airport" written on it, you will understand the use in a moment. The bus departed on time and stopped at the second stop in Hong Kong Central, where you can directly buy the tickets at a counter. After that it was straight to the border.

It took about 1h to go to the border. The driver asked us to go down, without our luggage, to cross the Hong Kong border and we will meet him after it. Since I am holder of the Hong Kong ID card, it was pretty fast for me to cross it. Back on the bus and after 5 minutes, we arrived at the Chinese border. That was the end of our trip by bus, every passengers had to take its luggage and cross the border. This time I was using my passport and had to fill in the Arrival form. As it was still early, I crossed the border quickly too. I went out the immigration building and immediately was recognized by my sticker (use of it now) to go to the airport (some passengers were going to Guangzhou, Shenzhen city center, or other places in China). I was led to a minibus, not that comfortable, big enough for small luggage, but not for big ones ... Luckily the route took about 30 minutes only and we arrived at the airport.

All in all it took me 2 hours only to go from Wanchai to Shenzhen airport, including border time. It was beyond my 3 hours preparation. I arrived at 9am and had to wait for 2 hours for my 11.20am flight :P

Limousine
My flight landed at 6.45pm and because I only had hand-carried luggage and it was a domestic flight, I went out of the airport very fast. At the exit of the airport, there are many companies that will take you from the airport to several places in Hong Kong. I asked for the limousine company and was directed to their counter. They have a small office, where you can rest and go online. The ladies told me that the 7pm limousine was already fully booked, but that the passengers haven't gone out of the airplane yet. So if by 7pm, nobody showed up, I could board on it. Luckily for me, I had my place and bought the ticket directly at the counter. We were only 3 ladies on the limousine, for 5 places, so we were very comfortable.

The driver drives fast, but smoothly. We arrived at the border (China and Hong Kong at the same place) in about 45 minutes. There we had to wait for about 30 minutes, inside the car with aircon, to be our turn to cross the border. The driver will ask for your documents and check them before handing them to the border officer. Second queue for the Hong Kong border and we are off to Wanchai. This limousine had 2 stops, the first one in Kowloon side and the second one in Wanchai in front of the China Travel Service (CTS).

It took 2 hours from Shenzhen airport to Wanchai, but we had to wait about 45 minutes at the border, because of it being Sunday evening.

Summary
All in all, both transportation means took the same time for me, although the limousine is supposed to be faster. But I passed the China immigration the morning on my way in, there was not many people queuing up for the passport line. And we passed the immigration on the way back around 8pm on a Sunday, so I guessed most people were heading back to Hong Kong after a week end in China. So it all depends on the time you cross the border.

Both bus and limousine were comfortable enough for me. The limousine is more spacious (again we were only 3 for 5 seats), but the bus allows for more luggage.

Speaking Chinese greatly helps, but most of the signs and documents are translated in English and besides the time and the cost, there is not much to be aware of.

Practical information
Wanchai China Travel Service (CTS) office : G/F, Southorn Centre, 138 Hennessy Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong (exit B2 of Wanchai MTR station)
Tel : 2832 3888
Opening hours : Mon-Fri 9.00 ~ 19.00, Sat 9.00 ~ 18.00, Sun & Holidays 9.30 ~ 18.00
website : http://www.ctshk.com/english/index.htm

Shenzhen airport counter : at the exit of the airport (just after picking up the luggage, where there is the pick up area), go left and there is a small office there.

Fare : HKD100 for the bus and HKD180 for the limousine (same in RMB)

Timetable :
- from Wanchai to Shenzhen airport :
- from Shenzhen airport to Wanchai :

Note: there is another bus company that stops at the Kowloon Airport Station and allows us to check-in and thus reducing the time needed at the airport. Please see link (in Chinese).
Note 2: a China visa is necessary for passport holders.

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Mid-Autumn Festival 中秋節

The Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as Moon Festival, is a popular harvest festival celebrated by Chinese and Vietnamese people. It is also sometimes referred to as the Lantern Festival or Mooncake Festival.


Definition
The Mid-Autumn Festival is held on the 15th day of the eighth month in the Chinese calendar, which is usually around late September or early October in the Gregorian calendar. It is a date that parallels the autumnal equinox of the solar calendar, when the moon is supposedly at its fullest and roundest. The traditional food of this festival is the mooncake, of which there are many different varieties.

Farmers celebrate the end of the summer harvesting season on this date. Traditionally on this day, Chinese family members and friends will gather to admire the bright mid-autumn harvest moon, and eat moon cakes and pomelos under the moon together.

Together with the celebration there appear some special customs in different parts of the country, such as burning incense, planting Mid-Autumn trees, lighting lanterns on towers and fire dragon dances.

Moon cakes
The round moon cakes, measuring about three inches in diameter and one and a half inches in thickness, resembled Western fruitcakes in taste and consistency. These cakes were made with melon seeds, lotus seeds, almonds, minced meats, bean paste, orange peels and lard. A golden yolk from a salted duck egg was placed at the center of each cake, and the golden brown crust was decorated with symbols of the festival. Traditionally, thirteen moon cakes were piled in a pyramid to symbolize the thirteen moons of a "complete year," that is, twelve moons plus one intercalary moon.

Here is this story about the moon-cake. during the Yuan dynasty (A.D. 1280-1368) China was ruled by the Mongolian people. Leaders from the preceding Sung dynasty (A.D. 960-1280) were unhappy at submitting to the foreign rule, and set how to coordinate the rebellion without being discovered. The leaders of the rebellion, knowing that the Moon Festival was drawing near, ordered the making of special cakes. Backed into each moon caked was a message with the outline of the attack. On the night of the Moon Festival, the rebels successfully attached and overthrew the government. Today, moon cakes are eaten to commemorate this legend and was called the Moon Cake.

Legends
A long, long time ago, a terrible drought plagued the earth. Ten suns burned fiercely in the sky like smoldering volcanoes. The trees and grass were scorched. The land was cracked and parched, and rivers ran dry. Many people died of hunger and thirst. The King of Heaven sent Hou Yi down to the earth to help. When Hou Yi arrived, he took out his red bow and white arrows and shot down nine suns one after another. The weather immediately turned cooler. Heavy rains filled the rivers with fresh water and the grass and trees turned green. Life had been restored and humanity was saved.

One day, a charming young woman, Chang'e makes her way home from a stream, holding a bamboo contaiver, A young man comes forward, asking for a drink. When she sees the red bow and white arrows hanging from his belt, Chang'e tealizes that he is their savior, Hou Yi. Inviting him to drink, Chang'e plucks a beautiful flower and gives it to him as a token of respect. Hou Yi, in turn, selects a beautiful silver fox fur as his gift for her. This meeting kindles the spark of their love. And soon after that, they get married.

A mortal's life is limited, of course. So in order to enjoy his happy life with Chang'e forever, Hou Yi decides to look for an elixir of life.He goes to the Kunlun Mountains where the Western Queen Mother lives. Out of respect for the good deeds the has done, the Western Queen Mother rewards Hou Yi with elixir, a fine powder made from kernels of fruit which grows on the tree of eternity. At the same time, she tells him:If you and your wife share the elixir, you will both enjoy eternal life. But if only one of you takes it,that one will ascend to Heaven and become immortal.
Hou Yi returns home and tells his wife all that has happened and they decide to drink the elixir together on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month when the moon is full and bright.

A wicked and merciless man named Feng Meng secretly hears about their plan.He wishes chang eHou Yi an early death so that he can drink the elixir himself and become immortal.His opportunity finally arrives. One day,when the full moon is rising, Hou Yi is on his way home from hunting. Feng Meng kills him. The murderer then runs to Hou Yi's home and forces Chang'e to give him the elixir, Without hesitating, Chang'e picks up the elixir and drinks it all. Overcome with grief, Chang'e rushes to her dead husband's side, weeping bitterly.Soon the elixir begins to have its effect and Chang'e feels herself being lifted towards Heaven.

Chang'e decides to live on the moon because it is nearest to the earth. There she lives a simple and contented life. Even though she is in Heaven, her heart remains in the world of mortals. Never does she forget the deep love she has for Hou Yi and the love she feels for the people who have shared their sadness and happiness.

Saturday, September 18, 2010

Chinese Ren Min Bi

The Renminbi (RMB, sign: ¥; code: CNY; also CN¥, 元 and CN元) is the official currency of the People's Republic of China (PRC). Renminbi is legal tender in mainland China, but not in Hong Kong or Macau. It is issued by the People's Bank of China, the monetary authority of the PRC. Its name (人民幣) means "people's currency".

History
As the Communist Party of China took control of ever larger territories in the latter part of the Chinese Civil War, its People's Bank of China began in 1948 to issue a unified currency for use in Communist-controlled territories. Also denominated in yuan, this currency was identified by different names, including "People's Bank of China banknotes" (中國人民銀行鈔票; from November 1948), "New Currency" (新幣; from December 1948), "People's Bank of China notes" (中國人民銀行券; from January 1949), "People's Notes" (人民券, as an abbreviation of the last name), and finally "People's Currency", or "renminbi", from June 1949.

Coins
Frequently used : ¥0.1, ¥0.5, ¥1
Rarely used : ¥0.01, ¥0.02, ¥0.05

- ¥0.1 : Obverse = bank title, value, year of minting
Reverse = orchid
-¥0.5 : Obverse = bank title, value, year of minting
Reverse = lotus
- ¥1 : Obverse = bank title, value, year of minting
Reverse = chrysanthemum



Banknotes
Frequently used : ¥1, ¥5, ¥10, ¥20, ¥50, ¥100
Rarely used : ¥0.1, ¥0.2, ¥0.5, ¥2

- ¥1 : Obverse = Mao Zedong and orchid
Reverse = three Pools Mirroring the Moon at West Lake
Watermark = orchid
- ¥5 : Obverse = Mao Zedong and narcissus
Reverse = Mount Tai
Watermark = narcissus
- ¥10 : Obverse = Mao Zedong and rose
Reverse = Three Gorges of the Yangtze River
Watermark = rose
- ¥20 : Obverse = Mao Zedong and lotus
Reverse = Scenery of Guilin
Watermark = lotus
- ¥50 : Obverse = Mao Zedong and chrysanthemum
Reverse = Potala Palace
Watermark = Mao Zedong
- ¥100 : Obverse = Mao Zedong and prunus mume
Reverse = Great Hall of the People
Watermark = Mao Zedong




Chinese plug

Chinese plugs are of 2 types : 3 long-shaped holes put in a triangular manner or 2 long-shaped holes put side to side.



Voltage : 220 Volt
Frequency : 50 Herz