Milan & Shanghai

Jan 25-30
UA46 IAH-FRA, LH252 FRA-MXP, CX234 MXP-HKG, CX360 HKG-PVG, UA87 PVG-EWR, UA341 EWR-IAH

I always like to get good value from my frequent flyer miles, and for a long time aspired to check out Cathay Pacific first class. Asia to a Europe is generally very good value, and the route from Milan to Hong Kong had lots of availability. Once I found that routing, I added a jump to Shanghai to complete the trip. As we'd been to Milan before, we decided to check out Lake Como, which made good use of our limited time in Italy. In Shanghai, we ended up arriving on Chinese New Year and found out that much of China had the same idea. It was very busy, but cool to see the end of the celebrations and remaining decorations. Our flight back on United wasn’t quite as luxurious as the Cathay Flight over, but was nice to fly back to Newark together before parting ways to Houston and Toronto.

Jan 26

As soon as we arrived in Milan, we made our way to Lake Como and started driving north up the lake along the western shore.  We only had a relatively short afternoon of daylight, but managed to get a good sense of the area, and enjoyed that with the winter weather, we had the area mostly to ourselves. 

Looking across the lake from Carate Urio

Docks at Carate Urio

Monument at Laglio

The winding coastal road cuts through the houses of Laglio

One of the few boats out on the lake

Laglio cathedral

Looking across the lake to Careno

Careno, like most of the towns on lake Como hugs the hillside

Our last stop at the cathedral in Brienno

Graves cut into the church exterior walls

Last look at the lake from Brienno as dusk sets in

Jan 27

Our First Class flight left Milan for Hong Kong around noon, so we had a quiet morning before heading to the airport to start our long journey to Shanghai.  As Cathay Pacific doesn't have a big presence in Milan, there was no reason to get to the airport really early, but we did have a long layover in Hong Kong to enjoy the First Class lounge before our flight to Shanghai Sunday afternoon.

Tom enjoying his pre-departure champagne

Caviar with a little more champagne for the first course

Modeling the pajamas and very comfortable bedding

Shrimp quesadilla before landing

Looking back on our plane early morning from Hong Kong

Enjoying the restaurant in the Hong Kong first class lounge

Slightly lighter lunch on our flight to Shanghai

Jan 29

Although when we first arrived the pollution was horrible, the next morning the skies were actually blue and we got early to make the most of it.  The Chinese New Year crowds were still in full force, but it also meant there were decorations for the season.  We had the morning on the Shanghai side of the River, and moved to the Pudong side in the afternoon where we stayed that night at the Grand Hyatt in JInmao Tower.  Unfortunately the clear skies didn't last all day, but thankfully never quite as bad as our arrival.

Amazing view from our hotel

Nanjing road before the crowds

Early morning in People's Park

One of the many interesting sculptures in Jing'an sculpture park

Impressive interior of the new Shanghai Natural History Museum

Saber tooth taxidermy

Part of the large dinosaur collection

More of the collection

Penguin collection

Recreation of what a dinosaur with feathers might have looked like

More of the sculpture park outside the museum

Giant fox statue with the museum in the background

Dog statues theme continue

Tea time

Expo 2010 site now a convention centre

Expo 2010 museum opening delayed until after our visit

Sculpture outside the convention center

Expo 2010 China pavilion now housing art museum

Nanjing Road with the midday crowds

Looking across to Pudong and our hotel for the night (third tower from the left)

We made it to the hotel just before dark and had a quiet evening at the hotel. 

Jan 30

For our last day in Shanghai, we went our to explore the city.  We started outside our hotel in the Pudong area where most of the new modern towers are located.  It is remarkable how much more complete this area is since our first trip in 2008, when the area around the Grand Hyatt was a giant construction site.  The skies were a bit variable, but the temperature was quiet pleasant for January. However, the New Year crowds were still a bit crazy.

The three tallest buildings in Shanghai.  All distinctive in their own way

Iconic Shanghai Tower

Back in Shanghai looking back from the Bund along the river

Guchen Park just off the river

Yuyuan Old Street decorated for the new year

Moving with the New Year crowds

The Year of the Rooster

Xintiandi neighbourhood

Playful art in the area

One last look up at our hotel before checkout

High speed train back to the airport and then a full day of flying back to North America.