1. Shanghai Zoo

Despite being the typical animal zoo, the facility also features a Ferris wheel and other amusement activities. This is a very animal-friendly zoo, unlike some of the other ones located throughout Asia and China. They have spent a great deal of money to upgrade their facilities and ensure that the animals are in decent living enclosures as well.

Opening hours: open 7 days a week November-February 7am-4:30pm, March-October 7am-5pm, and April-September 6:30am-5pm

Admission: 30rmb, free for children under 1.2m (4 ft.)

2. Shanghai Ocean Aquarium

Great experience for children. Shanghai Ocean Aquarium features a walk-through glass tunnel where children can see fish and sharks swimming above them.

Opening hours: daily 9am-8:30pm

Admission: 110rmb adults, 65rmb seniors over 70, 70rmb children under 1.4m (55 in.), free for children under 80cm (32 in.)

3. The Shanghai Natural Wild Insect Kingdom

There are fish for your children to feed and snakes to grab there attention on the first floor. The lower level is filled with lizards and turtles as well as providing the children an opportunity to rent a net and catch goldfish.

Opening hours: daily 9am-5pm

Admission: 35rmb adults, 20rmb children, kids under 80cm (32in) free

4. Kidtown

Kidtown is a fabulous city constructed for kids only ages 6 months to 8 years. They can play while mom to socializes and has a cup of tea. Though it is a small space loaded with a lot of people, Kidtown features a variety of facilities such as:

* art room
* beauty parlor
* fire station
* hospital
* park
* police station
* school
* supermarket
* theater

It also features the following free classes:

* Arts/Crafts
* Bingo
* Cooking
* Kids Yoga
* Music/Movement
* Story Time

Opening Hours: Daily 9:30am-6:00pm

Admission: 120 per child (can come in and out all day)

5. Shanghai Science and Technology Museum

The Shanghai Science and Technology Museum  is one tremendous learning experience for your children that feature an interactive museum with a wide array of activities to entertain and keep their attention. There is actually a website online that you can visit to learn more about this facility.

Opening hours: daily 9am-5:30pm (last ticket sold at 3:30pm)

Admission: 60rmb adults, 45rmb high-school students, and 20rmb children under 1.2m (4 ft.)

6. Shanghai Railway Museum

This Shanghai Museum is dedicated to the history of the Shanghai Railway. Despite being a very small museum, this is great fun for your children and the real train addicts out there. The museum features a 1920’s era train on the outside with a simulated train ride from Shanghai to Suzhou inside the facility.

Opening hours: Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, 9am-11:30am, 1:45pm-4:30pm, Saturday: 9am-4pm

Admission: 10rmb

Hope that helps to make your family vacation, a memorable one!

Photo of small child in Shanghai, China originally posted by d’n'c’

Swedish symbols: According to a recent survey from the Swedish Travel and Tourism Board, if you’re planning a trip to Sweden you probably expect to meet hot blonds and elks.

More news from Sweden: Be careful of drunk Swedish symbols – elks, not blond girls – and read the story of a child attacked by a drunk elk in Kungälv, a small town 12 miles North of Göteborg.

Air travel anecdote: Last Saturday a charter plane was forced to make an emergency landing at Frankfurt Airport after two drunk women went on rampage.

Prague stag party nights: A public drinking ban has taken effect in Prague, one of Europe’s favorite destinations for stag weekends.

1. ‘Your hotel has closed down’

‘Your hotel has closed down’ says the Indian rickshaw driver. He will tell you that the hotel you want to go to has closed, or is fully booked, or is dirty and horrible, and suggests he’ll drive you to another, better one. Your hotel hasn’t closed down, but the driver will receive a commission from the other hotel when he drops you off. Or, he will take you not to your own hotel, but to another one that has a very similar name, and that pays him for cheating you.

What you can do: get your hotel to pick you up from the airport/train station.

2. ‘The temple is closed today’

‘The temple is closed today’ says the tuk-tuk driver in Bangkok. He’ll convince you that the temple or the museum you want to go to is closed today for ‘a special ceremony for Thai people only’. He suggests he could take you for a little sightseeing tour around Bangkok instead.

What you can do: check opening times and other details yourself.

3. ‘Free ride’

‘Free ride’ that turns out to be a long tour of all the souvenir shops that pay commission to the driver for bringing you to their doorstep.

What you can do: There is no such thing as a free ride. Just pay up.

4. ‘The meter is not working’

The taxi driver in Kathmandu, the tuk-tuk driver in Bangkok and the rickshaw driver in India all want you to believe that their meter is not working. But it is, and they should use it.

What you can do: If the driver won’t use the meter, find another driver who will.

5. ‘I don’t have change’

‘I don’t have change’ from a large note, says the driver who thinks that if he won’t give you change, he can keep the money and get a huge involuntary tip.

What you can do: always keep small change with you to pay for taxis. They NEVER have change.

Picture of Hong Kong taxi originally posted by Liuchoi

Beijing Aquarium

The Beijing Haiyangguan (Aquarium) is the largest inland aquarium in the world. The aquarium opened in 1999 and has some beautiful fish for your kids to admire. There are daily dolphin shows and the Beijing Zoo is just a 15-minute walk away. The entertainment value of the Beijing Zoo has raised many eyebrows but the Panda House has seen recent improvements and is sure to be a fun and learnful experience for your children.

Liu Ren Papercut House

Paper-cutting artist Liu Ren set up a museum in her Beijing home. She promotes the traditional folk art of jianzhi - paper cutting – and offers workshops at her home.

Milu Park

Milu Park is located in the Southern Marshes where Chinese Emperors used to hunt deer. It is an ecological center where animals can be visited. The main attractions are the Milu – or Père David’s Deer – a species of deer today only known in captivity. The vast marshlands of Milu Park also hold other endangered species of animals. Definitely worth a visit.

Where to stay

The following Beijing hotels on Venere.com all offer babysitting services and then some…
The 4-star Beijing Courtel Hotel offers babysitting services, an outdoor play area and 24-hour room service.
The hotel is housed in a traditional Chinese building and boasts state-of-the-art amenities. The food served at the hotel is a fusion between the Mediterranean cuisine and Chinese traditional food.

The 5-star luxury Kempinski Hotel offers babysitting services, a children’s swimming pool and indoor as well as outdoor playing areas.
The hotel is located in the Beijing Business District and features 7 restaurants, an outdoor tennis court, a squash court and table tennis facilities.
The hotel’s guest rooms overlook either the Liangma River or the Beijing skyline.

Picture of the Beijing Aquarium by Cygnus78

Shopping in Rome. Good news for shopaholics traveling to Rome this weekend: summer sales will officially start on Saturday, July 5th.

World Beer Tour. Forbes.com invites you to take a world brewery tour. Amongst the 18 craft breweries mentioned in the article are the Brooklin Brewery in New York City, Guiness in Dublin, and Buller Pub & Brewery in Buenos Aires.

Beijing Olympics risks. Washingtonpost.com posts an article on dog bites, one of the problems that travelers could experience while attending the next summer Olympic Games in China.

Backpacking Travel. Travelblogs.com publishes an interview with Phil Goldman. Author of Taste the Tuna Fish Ice Cream! blog, Phil has traveled extensively in Asia from Thailand to Japan.

Traveling on a weak dollar in Europe : Msnbc reports that Harry’s Bar offers a 20 % discount to all the ‘poor American tourists’ on holiday in Venice, Italy.

Gastronomical conflict between France and Switzerland : On Gadling read about the controversy over the sparkling wine produced in Champagne, a small Swiss town about 25 miles from Lausanne.

Sexually Transmitted Disease prevention in China hotels : According to Vagabondish, the Chinese government wants hotel managers to be trained to promote condom use.

On Blog On Travel find out 10 things that annoy travelers while booking a vacation online. Fortunately, making a hotel reservation through venere.com is much more simple. Don’t you think?

Despite the many similarities and comforts that life in a big city can bring, there are a few key differences. Being prepared for these will make your trip to Shanghai even more enjoyable. With that in mind, below is a list of 5 Must-Have Items for exploring the city.

• A small umbrella or a rain jacket

Even if it appears to be a sunny day when you leave your hotel early in the morning, making sure you have a small umbrella or rain jacket with you is a very smart move – as sudden rain showers can quickly ruin a leisurely walk around the city. Whether summer, spring, autumn (or even winter), making sure you have an umbrella will help keep you comfortable and prepared for whatever the day might bring.

• Your address written in Chinese characters

While many of Shanghai’s main streets are very easy to follow and logically laid out, venturing off into the side streets (which are often the most interesting streets to find) may get you a bit turned around. If you become confused, tired, or hopelessly lost in an unfamiliar part of town, having a business card or piece of paper with the address of your hotel written in Chinese will make hailing a cab and getting back to your hotel hassle-free.

• Tissues

Packets of tissues are essential while visiting Shanghai for many reasons, but most importantly, because visitors quickly discover that toilet paper is not a commonly found item in most restrooms. Having tissues with you before you realize you need them will obviously make your trip more pleasant. They also come in handy in restaurants, as napkins are also a scarce commodity.

• A map

Just as mentioned above, while most streets are easy to navigate, if you should find yourself side-tracked while sightseeing in Shanghai, having a map will prove crucial, as asking for help from people on the street is quite difficult if you don’t speak Chinese. With most street signs written in both English and Chinese, a map should help you to find a main street or landmark and get you pointed in the right direction again. If you don’t bring one with you, small maps can be found in most major hotels or western-style bars and restaurants, often inside one of the monthly expat magazines.

• Patience

Having patience is key while walking around a city centered on a different culture and way of doing things. The cultural norms in Shanghai are much different than you will find in cities like New York, London or Rome. Personal space is not something that is valued here, so you will have people standing very close to you, pushing you on the subway and/or skipping in front of you in line. In addition, bikes, scooters and sometimes even cars use the sidewalks just as much as people do, so be sure to pay attention for a quick moving scooter as you walk. Having the patience to understand and accept these differences will help you enjoy your time in this exciting city even more.

Photo of Shanghainese umbrella seller originally posted by hafka4prez

President Abraham Lincoln’s Cottage has reopened to the public after a full restoration. The cottage sits on a hill overlooking downtown Washinton DC, at 3 miles from the city center. Read the story on CNN.

Gadling launches a poll to find out what is travelers’ favorite seat position while they fly across the US. What’s yours?

Vagabondish reports that, since Macau is expected to overtake Las Vegas and become the world’s top gambling destination, in 2012 gamblers traveling between China and the US could have the chance to play on board of Airbus flying casinos.

Delta Airlines has a new in-flight safety video. Watch it on Youtube! What do you think?

Real life The Terminal tragedy at London Gatwick Airport where a homeless ex-restaurant chef set up camp after losing his job, reports The Guardian.

China is a fast growing top destination for international and domestic leisure and business travelers, and with the Beijing Olympics coming up in August 2008, you will be sure to find the best hotels in Beijing and other top destinations in China on venere.com.

The DerbySoft-venere.com partnership, has already resulted in the first 244 hotels going online…. and counting!
Check out this small selection of hotels in top destinations:

Beijing – China People’s Palace

Ideal for business travellers, the 4-star China People’s Palace Hotel is located in the bustling commercial and business district of Beijing, on West Changan Avenue. The hotels boasts 450 rooms in a 26-storey tower and offers a wide range of business facilities and services. The hotel’s 4 restaurants serve Yangzhou, Shanghai, Cantonese and western cuisine. The hotel also offers advanced meeting facilities and equipment.

Guangzhou – Oriental Resort

Located along an off-the-beaten-path country road in Guangzhou – also known as Canton, the luxury 5-star Guangzhou Oriental Resort offers 265 elegantly appointed rooms and suites. The hotel has accommodated heads of state and celebrities and lies in a 3 million square feet green park. The hotel offers golf, tennis courts, swimming pools, a cinema and countless other luxurious amenities.

Shanghai – Guhua Garden Hotel

The 5-star Guhua Garden Hotel is housed in a classical garden architecture building in the little town of Nanqiao, at 30 km (18.6 miles) from downtown Shanghai. The hotel features standard rooms and suites and is ideal for both leisure guests – it offers a beauty & massage salon, tennis courts, squash and a bowling alley – and business travelers alike. Business facilities include meeting rooms of various sizes with advanced audio-visual systems.

Photo of the Chinese Great Wall originall posted by nlnnet

Taxis

Taxis are abundant in Shanghai, and as long as you have a business card or piece of paper with the directions written in Chinese, they will get you where you need to go. The average taxi ride will cost between 15RMB and 30RMB, with a base rate of 11RMB during the day and 14RMB after 10pm. In addition to making sure that you have the address written in Chinese, there are a few other tricks of the trade.

• Getting a ride. Flagging a taxi in Shanghai is a little different than in other cities. Stick your arm straight out in front of you and wave your hand up and down. Unlike the New York style flag, with arm and hand straight up, the Chinese have a more understated mode.
• Pick the best taxi – go for the turquoise and avoid the dark red. There are a number of taxi companies operating in the city, and some are known for being honest and trustworthy, while others have a slightly worse reputation. Go for the Turquoise Taxi (officially known as Dazhong) first, followed by Gold/Yellow (Qiansheng) and White (Bashi). Avoid the dark red cabs, as they generally have the worst service and may be more likely to take the long way to your destination. (Only a taxi company with more than 1,000 taxis in service can select and brand a color, as such the turquoise, gold/yellow, and white taxis. The dark red color is used for all other smaller taxi companies).
• Seeing stars? In addition, some drivers have illuminated stars on the back of their rear view mirror – if you see a cab with one of these, go after it. It means that they are recognized as one of the best drivers and they may be able to speak a bit of English.
• Where to? If you get in the cab and realize that you either do not have the address in Chinese or your cabbie looks at you and says ‘Shenme Lu?’ (What Street?), you have a few options available, as long as you have a cell phone. You can text Guanxi – an expat ‘help-line’ of sorts at 9588-2929 with the name of your destination, and they will text the address back to you. If you need it in Chinese, just reply back with a ‘c,’ and they’ll send it back to you in Chinese, which you can then show the driver. Or you can call the Shanghai Help Center at 962288 and ask one of the operators to speak to the cab driver for you. Both of these services are provided fee of charge, absent the cell phone usage, of course,

The Shanghai Metro

The Shanghai Metro system is quite extensive and can for the most part get you to any of the main destinations in the city. The city just completed work on three additional lines in December 2007, bringing the total number of lines to 9. The city has a goal of having 14 lines operational in time for the 2010 World Expo. Some tips:

• You need a ticket. If you plan to use the subway for more than a few days, the most convenient option is to buy a re-chargeable card, so you don’t have to buy a new ticket each time you take the subway. The cards, which cost 30RMB, can be loaded with whatever amount of cash you desire, and are easily swiped on the top of the turnstiles as you walk through. (The average subway ride will cost you 3-6RMB). You can also use your subway card to pay for taxi rides or the bus. Otherwise, you will need to buy a ticket before boarding the train. Tickets can be bought from the ticket booths or from one of the automated machines.
• Which train? All Metro stations have signs and maps in both Chinese and English, making finding your way quite easy. Just look for your destination, and find the line heading in that direction. Each station will clearly state the next, upcoming station and the last station that was passed, making finding the right train even easier.
• Stand strong. Be ready to push your way in and out, especially during rush hour. While many people will try to let people out the subway train before pushing their way in, sometimes the urge to rush in takes over, so be prepared to work your way through the crowd.
• Hold on! If standing, be sure to brace yourself against a wall or grab on to one of the rails – the drivers tend to be quite liberal when stopping and starting up, and sometimes throw in a few extra stops and starts when reaching a station.

Shanghai buses

An option for the more adventurous traveler, the bus is very affordable option, but requires a bit of homework (and perseverance), as routes can be difficult to determine and the buses almost always seem to be filled to capacity. Here are some tips:

• Getting on and off. While the ‘rule’ is to enter the front door and exit the rear, no one really abides by that. So, enter and exit whichever door you are nearer to. There will then be a conductor who will make their way through the bus to collect fares from those who just boarded – usually a 2RMB flat fare. You can also pay with your subway card, which the conductor will also take from you to swipe on the box and then return to you. After that, all you need to do is hold on and enjoy the ride, and try not to miss your stop!
• Where am I going? Buses are plentiful and have routes that run across every part of Shanghai. While some bus stops have signs detailing their routes, they are usually written in Chinese, making understanding where the bus goes a bit of a challenge. In addition, most of the websites that give information about the routes are also in Chinese. Consequently, unless you can read Chinese, you need to find other ways of figuring out where the buses go. Taking notes on the bus numbers you see frequently is a good way to determine which buses run near your home or hotel, so if you’re out sightseeing and see one of those numbers, hop on and see if it takes you home. Or, if you’re feeling adventurous, hop on a bus that is going the direction you want to go and see where you end up!

In addition to these options, don’t forget about hitting the town on your own two feet. Taking the time to explore a neighborhood on foot can often lead to some unexpected surprises, so don’t be afraid to see where the sidewalk takes you. And, if you lose your way, you can try out your taxi-flagging skills, in Shanghai a cab is never far away.

Photo of Shanghai traffic chaos originally posted by Poagao

Hong Kong is the least ‘eastern’ place in the east. Walking around the streets you just feel like you are walking in an alternative London. The street names match, the people match but the atmosphere and the buildings feel apocalyptic. However, many of us will have to stay there for up to 12 hours.

To those of you who may feel unimportant and undervalued when walking around gigantic buildings, I would suggest to stay at the airport, as Hong Kong International Airport might just give you a panic attack and doubts about the meaning of your existence (details of what to do at the airport will come shortly). However, if you are thrilled by feeling like a tiny ant in the hands of the towers of Babylon and you are in desperate need of buying a cheap watch from a few hundred different dodgy pushy sellers, here is a step by step guide to what you can do.

Take a train to Kowloon station

After passing passport control, you enter a huge lounge. In the center you will see a desk which sells tickets for the train. I suggest you get a return ticket to Kowloon, which is the second stop. The train is just down the corridor. Spend the train journey admiring big grey tall buildings. You like that, don’t you?

When you get to Kowloon you can get on a free shuttle bus to all the important hotels. Try to go towards any hotel on or around Nathan Road and the Peninsula. The shuttle back should leave every 30 minutes or so, but you can always check at the hotel. At the hotel you can also get a map of the city, and a card with the hotel’s address (most taxi drivers don’t speak English and showing them a card of the hotel is the safest way to get there in one piece).

Nathan Road is the shopping center of Hong Kong. You can buy watches. Wander around, buy yourself something nice and don’t forget to get something nice for your son. Yes, it’s not nice for a young boy to be a forgotten shadow of his parents, while his siblings get presents.

Take a ferry to Hong Kong Island

You can walk to the Star Ferry and take it to Hong Kong Island. The journey is very cheap and can show you all you need to see. Like a piece of gherkin between two blocks of cheese, bread, bacon, tomatoes and whatnot, you can have the amazing experience of feeling like a tiny little insignificant object sandwiched between two sides of huge buildings, neon lights and smog. In Hong Kong Island I guess you can just wander around. Get a feel of the city and all the other tourists who are there. Try not to have them get a feel of you, though.

I wish I could recommend a restaurant for you, but unfortunately I have only bad experience from all the restaurants there. So your guess is as good as mine.

Get back to Hong Kong International Airport

Make sure you get back to the airport in plenty of time as the terminal is huge and can take up to an hour to get to your gate.

For those of you who I managed to convince not to leave the airport and want the alternative, if you go to the Plaza Lounge (check it on the map at the airport) you can buy access to a private area where you get free food, free drinks, shower facilities, gym, Internet access and a 15-minute massage or a 2-hour nap. It’s the perfect place to relax before your next 13-hour flight.

Photo originally posted by thovie333