Mooching around Moganshan

Moganshan is a mountain retreat about a 2-3 hour drive from Shanghai.  It was developed in the 19th century by Shanghai's elite looking for an escape from the sweltering heat of the lowlands.  These rich

Europeans built fine stone villas among the lush bamboo forests, perched on top of the cool misty mountains.  During the Cultural Revolution, they, like so many things, fell to ruin but in the last fifteen or so years the area has seem something of a revival.  Like everywhere else in China there is tons of construction going on as villas are renovated or rebuilt.  It had been on our list to visit since arriving in Shanghai and along with the Mistry's and the Harland's we finally got around to organising a trip at the end of June.  

Over the last five years some luxury hotels and retreats have sprung up in the area and tempting though they looked the exorbitant prices put us off!  After much research we found a hostel in the area which was much more reasonably priced and looked as if it would cope well with eight children under seven.

 Rather than risk using our cars and drivers on unknown roads (Shanghai is enough of a struggle itself) we decided to take the train and hire a minibus to pick us all up.  We were certainly quite an attraction on the train with eight children including two sets of twins! 

       

Despite some bad experiences with pick ups in the past at Hangzhou Station everything went smoothly and we were soon packed in to a mini bus and on the way to our hostel.  After a rather bumpy journey and some near misses where no one wanted to give way, we arrived.  As we entered the courtyard we were greeted by three snarling dogs who luckily turned very friendly once they realised we were staying there.  The hostel was perfect.  It was a series of old farm buildings which circled and totally enclosed large, green courtyard.  All of our rooms opened on to the courtyard and there was a barn at one end for dining.  

       

       

Within an hour of our arrival we were unpacked and sitting down to a freshly cooked feast.  The food was full on Chinese, which a few years ago would have been tricky with children but now none of them would bat an eyelid if their food was still swimming on arrival!

                                   

       

After lunch we lazed about the courtyard while the children all played and discovered the local wildlife. 

       

       

       

 We then went for a walk around the hostel to get our bearings.  We truly were in the middle of nowhere.  

      

       

Following another delicious meal all of the children played in the courtyard and then went to bed with no protests when asked!  It must have been the fresh air! We all then spent a pleasant evening enjoying the cool air, peace and quiet and some cheap (60p a pint), very weak beer while deciding to hike up the mountain the next day.

       

At breakfast we all carb loaded on noodles ready for the day ahead.  Although it was cooler than Shanghai it was still pretty warm so we loaded rucksacks with water and snacks.  This, in hindsight, was an excellent plan as the one and a half hour stroll up a mountain quickly became a three hour, steep, strenuous hike!  

       

The whole time we were walking through a lush bamboo forest with no signs of civilisation.  In fact, remarkably for China, we did not see another person until we reached the top.  The only sign of life was a ramshackle hut guarded by a very ferocious dog.  So ferocious that Mark drove it back with a bamboo stick while we got the children safely past, who were convinced it was actually a bear!

                                

       

Gradually, as the mountain began to even off we started spotting signs of a past civilisation.  Our footpath of bamboo leaves turned in to a laid stone path, steps were in place of a slope and we saw the remains of buildings.  

                                  

       

       

Without warning we emerged on to a building site and we were among the old villas.  

                                   

                        

After a bit more of a climb we ran in to a tour group who were more interested in taking our photos than the scenery.  

                         

Their guide directed us to a restaurant he felt sure would cater to our Western needs.  However, when we arrived and saw the menu and the hanging meat we weren't so sure!

       

                                 

Everyone flopped at the table and we ordered loads of food which was eaten as it arrived!  Although the hiking was hard, everyone was pleased to have done it.  The children were particularly impressive. Among the older ones there was no moaning and they walked well and the younger ones, all three years old,  did it with very little carrying just lots of encouragement.  

       

The restaurant ordered us mein bao che's, literally 'loaf of bread shaped vehicle', to take us back to our hostel.  On our arrival we discovered that it wasn't quite as peaceful as before as a huge party had arrived and literally filled the dining area!  I was amused to see the division lines.

        

We had a BBQ and again the children, summoning energy from somewhere, played in the courtyard. 

        

 Getting them to bed was a little harder as the other party were drinking and playing hard!  Much to our amusement the beer had more of a effect on them and after lots of shouting and a fight between a husband and wife, where she wrapped him round a wooden pillar, they were all in bed by 9:30pm!  After an hour of us sitting chatting the roles were reversed and some of them came out to ask us to keep the noise down.  

On our last morning we were up and off pretty quickly, stopping at a panda reserve on our way back to the station.