Shanghai – Hong Kong – Beijing in 7 Days

Last September 2024, my office assigned me to attend several events in Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Beijing. Although these three cities are part of China, Hong Kong has a separate administration and immigration system from mainland China. As a result, I had to apply for a double-entry China visa since traveling from Shanghai to Hong Kong is considered leaving China, and I needed a new visa entry when entering Beijing from Hong Kong. After successfully obtaining the double-entry visa in Jakarta, I departed for Shanghai on the evening of September 10 and arrived on the morning of September 11.

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During my free time before work activities, I took the chance to explore Shanghai in the morning, starting with The Bund—a riverside area along the Huangpu River famous for its classic colonial French buildings. The Bund is actually more popular at night because of the beautifully arranged lights illuminating the buildings along the river. I planned to return there in the evening.

 

I then continued my exploration to Shanghai’s old town, known as the Nanshi area, which dates back to the 11th century. During the Ming Dynasty in the 16th century, a 10-meter-high wall stretched 10 kilometers around the old city. Remnants of this wall can still be found in some corners of Nanshi, particularly near the Dajing Ge Pavilion. The main landmarks in the old town are the City God Temple, Yuyuan Garden with its large central pond, and the Huxinting Teahouse.

 

Huxinting Teahouse is a culinary favorite in Shanghai. This restaurant, housed in an antique wooden building, holds a five-star rating from the Michelin guide, and photos on the walls show visits from heads of state, actors, and world-famous celebrities. This is the place to see and be seen in Shanghai. The food here is delicious, though it’s premium-priced, fitting for the taste and experience.

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After lunch, I moved on to my scheduled work activities in Shanghai. That night, I returned to The Bund, which looked entirely different from the morning view. The skyscrapers across the Huangpu River appeared stunning, bathed in light. One of the most beautiful and majestic buildings is the Oriental Pearl Tower, a TV and radio transmission tower that has been a landmark of Shanghai since 1995.

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Across the river, you can see a row of French-style buildings from the French colonial government era in the 1800s-1900s. The French Quarter looks grand and beautiful at night, with artistic lighting highlighting the building facades. The lighting along Zhongshan Road is coordinated by the Shanghai city government, creating a harmonious look from end to end. The lights on these colonial buildings are only on until 11 p.m.; afterward, only street lights and interior lighting remain.

 

On the morning of September 12, I had office assignments throughout the day. In the evening, I was invited by a Chinese bank to dinner and a night cruise along the Huangpu River, which divides Shanghai. This evening cruise is always popular, with two options: a dinner buffet or simply enjoying the scenery. Since I was already treated to a famous crab noodle restaurant for dinner, I joined the cruise without the dinner package. The cruise route follows the Huangpu River to The Bund area. Unlike the previous night when I admired The Bund and the Oriental Pearl Tower from Zhongshan Road, this time, I viewed them from the middle of the river from the ship’s elevated deck.

 

On the morning of September 13, I left Shanghai for Hong Kong. That afternoon, I had a meeting with a bank and attended a seminar featuring Manny Pacquiao, a former world boxing champion from the Philippines. He is the only boxer to hold world titles in eight different weight classes. Hearing Manny’s story and motivation was fascinating, especially about how he was initially turned down for the Philippine amateur boxing team due to a lack of formal training. Manny then decided to go professional at the young age of 16 and became one of the greatest boxers of all time.

 

I stayed only one night in Hong Kong because, on September 14, I had to be in Beijing. Not wanting to miss a chance for culinary exploration, that evening, I visited Under Bridge Seafood, a restaurant famous for its spicy crab. Located in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong Island, we enjoyed their special spicy crab, oysters, and mantis shrimp. Under Bridge’s signature menu is consistently delicious across various dishes.

 

On Thursday, September 14, I departed from Hong Kong to Beijing. Arriving around noon, I headed straight to the China National Convention Center to attend several work meetings. Afterward, I stopped by the Beijing City Gate, one of the remaining gates from the ancient city walls that once encircled Beijing. In the Qing Dynasty around the 13th century, Beijing was protected by a 24-kilometer-long wall with 11 gates. As the city expanded, much of the wall was torn down between the early 1900s and 1960s. Today, only two gates are preserved as cultural heritage sites: Zhengyangmen, located on the south side of Tiananmen Square, and Deshengmen Gate. That evening, I visited Zhengyangmen.

 

A visit to Beijing wouldn’t be complete without seeing the Great Wall. Although I had been to the Great Wall before, I returned to accompany a colleague who had never been to Beijing. On Saturday, September 16, after finishing all work tasks, we had a free day before returning to Jakarta. We chose to visit Badaling, one of the most popular sections of the Great Wall, with excellent facilities, located about 80 km from Beijing, reachable in around 1 hour and 15 minutes by car. At Badaling, we climbed up to post 3 to enjoy the view of the Great Wall and the surrounding mountains from a higher vantage point. Climbing hundreds of steps to reach post 3 was quite a workout.

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Satisfied with our tour of the Great Wall at Badaling, I stopped by the Summer Palace, a summer residence complex located in Beijing’s Haidian district. The palace was built during the Jin Dynasty in the 12th century. During the reign of China’s last emperor, Puyi, it was briefly private property. However, in 1924, Beijing’s city government took over the palace and opened it as a public park. Since 1998, the Summer Palace has been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

 

On the afternoon of Sunday, September 17, we were scheduled to return to Jakarta. Before heading to the airport, I took the opportunity to visit Tiananmen Square, for which we had made online reservations two days prior. Since 2020, visitors can no longer enter Tiananmen Square without an online reservation, and daily visitor numbers are limited. Entry involves thorough checks of personal belongings, passport/ID, and the QR code obtained during online registration. Without this QR code, access is not allowed, and visitors typically need to register 2-3 days in advance to secure access.

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  1. Anabolic Steroids: Uses, Side Effects, And Alternatives

    Health Conditions

    Anabolic steroids are prescribed to individuals
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    – Severe muscle wasting due to chronic illness
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    Side Effects for Women

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    If you have specific questions or concerns about anabolic steroids, please consult a
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  2. Since I started using Gorilla Mode years ago for its power increase and fast recovery, I’ve been hooked.
    After intensive research with colleagues at Complete Form and shopper trials,
    I’ve compiled a information to one of the best pre-workout supplements with creatine primarily based on years
    of experience. In truth, sure supplement blends, like pre- or
    intra-workouts, mix BCAAs and creatine alongside other parts.

    Nonetheless, the amount of creatine that could probably be
    consumed by way of food just isn’t adequate enough
    to increase muscle creatine concentrations sufficient to see the
    advantages which have been illustrated in studies. Supplementing with creatine increases the
    shops of creatine throughout the muscular tissues which may
    help to regenerate ATP, and in flip can improve the capability for high-intensity movements.
    When it comes to exercise, the muscular tissues have a
    small quantity of ATP within them and this is used for explosive actions,
    similar to sprinting, weight-lifting and other high depth bouts of
    train. Timing is every thing, particularly in relation to maximizing your workout.

    It also does not upset their stomach or make them run to the bathroom.
    The tingle is sustained comfortably throughout a session and keeps
    fatigue at bay. When looking for BCAA and pre-workout dietary supplements,
    it is important to assume about the components rigorously.

    These potential advantages make taking BCAA and pre-workout collectively an attractive choice for these trying to optimize their exercises and enhance their total health.
    Customers find that the protein powder blends well with water, oat milk,
    and different liquids. They say it would not cause bloating,
    provides a easy texture in shakes and smoothies, and mixes effortlessly without needing a blender.

    Nevertheless, reserve pre-workout supplements for train days to keep away from pointless stimulant intake.
    For optimum results, take creatine consistently every day,
    both before or after exercises. Take pre-workout supplements minutes before train to permit for
    absorption and effectiveness. This combination can enhance exercise performance by boosting power,
    strength, and endurance. Earlier Than starting any new supplement, particularly if combining pre-workout and creatine, seek
    recommendation from an expert to tailor the routine to your specific wants and health goals.

    Regular use enhances muscle well being and endurance, something I’ve witnessed
    firsthand. The difficult half is identifying high quality pre-workout supplements
    with creatine content. Creatine and BCAAs can enhance muscle building and efficiency associated goals, however sleep, diet and training are elementary.

    It additionally makes use of Creatine HCL, which is a more
    easily absorbed form of Creatine that builds muscle and will increase power.
    Huge Supplements delivers large doses of all of its elements which might be an excellent or
    a nasty factor relying on how you look at it. They also use
    nootropic elements like Huperzine A, Rhodiola, and Ginseng, that are linked to raised
    focus, concentration, and energy. Components embody
    AlphaSize, L-Citrulline Malate, and CarnoSyn Beta Alanine to
    boost nitric oxide and muscular endurance. Pre by Swolverine
    is considered one of the best stim-free pre-workouts you will get that is also all-natural.

    Pump doesn’t use artificial flavors or colors and has no preservatives,
    only the nice things.
    Once More, it’s not going to hurt you, and it might assist, particularly when you fall beneath one of the exceptional instances above.

    While BCAAs had been promoted by sports activities researchers prior to
    now, new studies have proven that EAAs are a better possibility between the two.
    Whereas there could also be some benefit to BCAAs, the newest analysis
    seems to recommend that if you’ll go the amino acid route, your best guess is to snag
    some EAAS. So, in brief, creatine one hundred pc works and it’s one of the
    few supplements we really feel assured sufficient to recommend for nearly
    all of lifters to buy it. And there’s no want to worry about what happens
    when you cease taking creatine, as it’s extremely doubtless
    that if you proceed training your onerous, your positive aspects will remain.
    Customers have completely different views on the taste of the dietary
    complement.
    Each Creatine and caffeine (a widespread ingredient in pre-workout formulas) necessitate sufficient water consumption to successfully
    facilitate their advantages. Creatine aids in pulling water
    into your muscle tissue, which suggests you would end up dehydrated with out sufficient water.
    Ensure you’re sipping on that H2O throughout
    your exercise and the day. Altius by Jacked Manufacturing
    Unit is our high choose for an artificial sweetener-free pre-workout that still provides an enormous
    dose of caffeine. L-citrulline malate will give you the aesthetic swell you’re on the
    lookout for while additionally increasing blood
    circulate, bettering your exercise, and reducing fatigue.

    Thus, if you want to construct muscle, you need to ensure that the speed of muscle protein synthesis is bigger than muscle protein catabolism over a long
    time frame. In fact, it’s inspired if your objective is to increase
    your muscle mass as a result of consuming an adequate
    amount of protein is crucial for muscle progress to occur.
    In conclusion, the follow of blending creatine with BCAAs
    and glutamine can supply a range of potential benefits, particularly for individuals in search of to maximise muscle development and restoration. The world of
    sports activities nutrition presents a wide array of dietary
    supplements, every with its unique benefits and purposes.
    Relying on your objectives and particular person preferences, you would possibly consider including other dietary supplements to
    the mix. Creatine is often taken pre-workout for quick vitality, BCAAs during the workout
    for muscle assist, and glutamine post-workout for restoration. BCAAs are sometimes used to help
    muscle restoration and reduce muscle soreness after train.
    Before we are able to even begin speaking about the
    whole BCSS vs Pre-workout dilemma, we’ll break
    down what these compounds truly are. What makes
    this much more complicated is that BCAAs and Pre-Workout
    are two of the preferred dietary supplements available on the market, so there are lots
    of choices. That’s why we wrote this text to make issues straightforward,
    as they should be. For best results, use room temperature (or warmer)
    liquid to help the dietary supplements dissolve easily.

    They can assess your dietary habits, health objectives, and potential deficiencies to suggest
    probably the most appropriate dietary supplements and dosages.
    Beta-alanine is understood for its ability to extend muscle
    carnosine ranges, which can help delay muscle fatigue during high-intensity actions.
    Pay attention to how your body responds to the mixture of creatine,
    BCAAs, and glutamine.
    Kaged Muscle’s pre-workout goes massive with a 32.3 g scoop per serving,
    providing sustained power, as confirmed by our testers.

    The Stimulatory Matrix, primarily caffeine and theacrine (a caffeine-like compound), totals 222 mg.
    However, we did spot synthetic flavors and added sugars in its mix, which may be a priority for those in a slicing section. 5g of L-glutamine could
    be added to a shake or water, and it can be taken before, during or after train, and
    could be added to BCAAs and creatine. However, adding creatine to your protein shake can help
    to assist your efforts within the health club and your recovery.

    Be conscious of different supplements that you are taking
    that may already embrace a mix of nutrients (e.g.
    pre-workout, intra-workout, or restoration blends) and allow you to devour more creatine or BCAAs than needed.
    Creatine and BCAAs can improve muscle constructing and performance related-goals, however sleep,
    diet, and coaching are fundamental. Customers have mixed opinions about the nutritional supplement’s style.

    Some discover it refreshing and never overly candy, like
    the strawberry kiwi and mandarin orange flavors. In this
    case, it’s more cost-effective to purchase protein powder and creatine separately.

    Different products talked about in this article
    have different added elements to supply benefits like enhancing recovery,
    providing immune help, or improving digestion. Alongside creatine, Physique Fortress has 1.5g of glutamine and 1.5g of taurine added, to boost muscle recovery.

    When creatine monohydrate sits in your gut and isn’t taken up, water gets drawn into the intestines.
    When you’ve water drawn into the intestines, that gives you diarrhea.
    If you have accomplished considered one of my workouts, you
    understand on the finish you’re utterly wasted.

    You’ve destroyed each muscle fiber that you simply’re
    concentrating on in that muscle group.
    This permits for increased workout volume—a crucial consider long-term muscle features.

    Momentary weight acquire (the most typical side
    effect) from water retention sometimes begins inside 24 to seventy two hours of beginning
    creatine supplementation and stabilizes after 5 to seven days.
    This represents a optimistic physiological response as water drawn into muscle
    cells create an anabolic environment. Improved
    cognitive function typically emerges after four to six weeks of supplementation, with
    research showing enhanced short-term reminiscence, intelligence,
    and reasoning skills. These brain perform enhancements end result from increased phosphocreatine shops, which give extra power for mentally demanding duties.

    Of the 20 amino acids, there are nine that you have to get from your food plan since your body cannot produce them.

    These 9 are called essential amino acids, and of these nine, three
    are BCAAs — leucine, isoleucine, and valine. Of these, leucine is believed to be the one that “triggers”
    the muscle-building process. The synergistic results of these dietary supplements can enhance performance,
    scale back muscle soreness, and promote sooner recovery.

    Beta-alanine and creatine, two of the energetic elements within the pre-workout complement (MusclePharm Assault™)
    have both been shown to enhance anaerobic capacity [8,21].
    In the present research, no vital differences had been seen in anaerobic running
    capability and intermittent crucial velocity with the one-time ingestion of the pre-workout
    complement. Creatine and beta-alanine both require loading periods of several weeks to positively affect train performance.
    As a end result, the only active components more doubtless to influence efficiency on this
    investigation had been caffeine and B-vitamins.
    Results showed no vital different between the SUP and the PL for crucial velocity.
    However, it was reported that the SUP considerably increased anaerobic running capacity in comparability with the PL.
    In the present examine, no significant differences were seen in anaerobic running
    capability or intermittent critical velocity with the ingestion of the pre-workout supplement.

    Logically, it is sensible that the two supplements would feed off one another; creatine enhances
    work capacity, while the BCAAs provide the substrate needed to
    reinforce progress and repair. It’s the ideal pre-workout for any sport diet routine that features creatine.
    Pre Lab Pro works in tandem with creatine, serving to to boost athletic efficiency and ultimate features via separate — but
    complementary — pathways.
    Customers find the dietary supplement simple to combine with water and blends nicely without clumps.
    They point out it is a good supply of BCAAs and can be simply stacked with
    different electrolytes. They say it tastes nice, the grape flavor is
    yummy, and the pink lemonade is scrumptious.

    She also appreciates that every thing is listed immediately on the label.
    “100% clear components imply no proprietary blends, so you realize exactly what you’re placing into your body,” says Werner.

    For those looking to maximize performance and optimize strength, output, focus and recovery, this pre-workout might be worth a try, based on Werner.
    She explains that it incorporates naturally-derived ingredients and is NSF Certified for Sport, that means that
    it’s been tested to guarantee that it’s freed
    from banned substances for athletes. Werner also highlights that it accommodates Peak ATP, an artificial form of ATP, which is used for vitality manufacturing within the body.

    BCAAs are additionally typically used as a post-workout restoration assist, as they
    might help to stimulate muscle protein synthesis and promote the restore and
    progress of muscle tissue. While most research recommend that BCAAs are unlikely to enhance exercise performance or muscle development,
    they have been shown to decrease muscle soreness when taken before or after a exercise.

    Nevertheless, the draw back to utilizing water as a mix is that it does little to disguise the style of creatine.
    The current research suggests that creatine monohydrate produces
    the best results for muscle achieve, energy, energy, and cognitive perform.
    Another essential rule when taking creatine is to limit your alcohol consumption, especially around the
    time that you simply take your creatine complement as a result
    of alcohol and creatine have opposing results.

    My site; anabolic steroids for muscle building (Della)

  3. Ideally, you’ll be at a low body fats stage before using Anavar to get pleasure from its maximum physique enhancement effects. However there is no getting round the fact that Anavar continues to be a steroid. No steroid can really be thought of a mild substance when used at doses for bodybuilding; it’s just that Anavar is considered “pretty mild” compared to the actually heavy stuff. Anavar has many advantages, and it’s a compound that worked well for me prior to now.
    Oral exercise is further supported by the 17α-methyl substitution, which protects the compound from breakdown within the liver. Usually, Oxandrolone (Anavar) is only given over the course of a interval of a few weeks. You ought to always take your medicine as prescribed by your doctor. You ought to never take this medicine in longer or smaller amounts for an extended period of time than really helpful by your physician. This medicine may be habit-forming, which is certainly one of the biggest causes you should solely take this prescription as prescribed by your doctor.
    Consequently, the person could not be succesful of end their exercise as a result of extreme discomfort. Nevertheless, it isn’t merely energy and endurance athletes that may profit from Anavar, with some sprinters, swimmers, and boxers also utilizing Anavar to achieve a aggressive edge. Beginner bodybuilders in search of to add a modest amount of muscle regularly use it as a end result of its less poisonous nature. Alternatively, they could determine to stack the above steroids at the aspect of Anavar.
    This is as a end result of anabolic steroids additionally affect a woman’s hormones, with their endogenous testosterone levels declining. In distinction to anabolic steroids, a woman’s dose of clenbuterol is typically much like a man’s. Muscle positive aspects and fat loss sluggish; the results of the steroid used for 6-7 weeks lessens if the dose just isn’t increased or breaks usually are not taken. The ways to increase these effects and not experience this lack of positive aspects is to increase the dose of the said steroid(s), take a well-earned break as the body grows in spurts, or introduce one other steroid.
    Consulting with a healthcare professional or experienced health advisor is essential to discover out the appropriate dosage, cycle length, and monitoring protocols based on personal objectives and general health. This medicine helps to regain weight loss after scientific surgery, severe damage, or persistent illness. It is also used to cease muscle atrophy in individuals with osteoporosis and cut back bone weak spot. Subsequently, Buy Anavar 10mg, manufactured by Evolve Biolabs, is a highly efficient anabolic steroid designed to advertise muscle tissue strengthening and enhance bodily performance.
    Steroidsstores provides high-quality Anavar Oxandrolone 10mg tablets at one of the best costs. Anavar is a popular anabolic steroid known for its capability to enhance muscle progress, fat loss, and strength with minimal side effects. Anavar is likely one of the greatest steroids for individuals who need to enhance their stamina, that’s why Anavar could be very popular amongst most athletes. When stamina is elevated, the efficiency of an individual can be elevated. By increasing red blood cell depend in the blood, Anavar carries extra oxygen all through the body with out making a clump of a muscle mass.
    For this purpose, Post Cycle Therapy is recommended to help restore regular testosterone levels after use. Anavar is primarily taken orally, a key distinction from many injectable anabolic steroids. Its C17α-alkylation permits effective systemic absorption through oral tablets, usually available in 2.5 mg, 5 mg, or 10 mg doses for exact changes. Due to its quick half-life, customers usually cut up daily doses to take care of steady blood levels. It is a synthetic type of testosterone, the male hormone liable for muscle growth and different masculine traits.
    In one examine, males with HIV obtained 20 mg of Anavar per day for 12 weeks. Some Anavar customers report large pumps, normally in the lower again, which could be uncomfortable or painful. This can typically really feel like a locking, cramping sensation contained in the muscle that may last for a number of minutes or hours.
    (6) Schroeder, E. T., Zheng, L., Ong, M. D., Martinez, C., Flores, C., Stewart, Y., Azen, C., & Sattler, F. R. Results of androgen therapy on adipose tissue and metabolism in older men. The Journal of medical endocrinology and metabolism, 89(10), 4863–4872. (4) Schroeder, E. T., Zheng, L., Ong, M. D., Martinez, C., Flores, C., Stewart, Y., Azen, C., & Sattler, F. R. Furthermore, if a person has skilled gynecomastia, this is a sign that the substance is Dianabol (42).
    This product could contain inactive ingredients, which might trigger allergic reactions or different issues. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your physician or pharmacist. Dosage is based in your medical situation and response to therapy. Oxandrolone is a drug of abuse and you ought to be aware if anybody is using your medication improperly or without a prescription. Oxandrolone may cause bone overgrowth in youngsters, particularly younger youngsters. Bone growth might have to be checked with x-rays each 6 months throughout therapy.

    References:

    what do anabolic steroids do when taken as medication – https://getshired.com/employer/before-and-after-anavar/,

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