Shanghai Part I (Shanghai)

So the fam and I took a little trip down south to Shanghai and some neighboring cities over the last week. It was real hectic, because we moved around alot, but the plus side is that I got to see a whole bunch of stuff rather than just one area, which is nice sometimes. Also got to experience trains, buses, and taxis of all forms. Ok, just a few forms.

It was real mother-loving COLD when we left Dalian. Imagine our excitement when it was a balmy 65 in Shanghai.

That was at two in the afternoon.
This is important, class.
Remember this fact.

We got to take a Mag-Lev train! It was sweet.
You can't really see the track at all, but you know you're moving really fast, so it sort of feels like you're hovering over the ground and flying really fast. Its max speed is 431km/hr, which is about 250 mph. I pity the bugs that got in the way.


So once we found our hotel, etc, we went a-wandering.
By seven pm it was COLD.
Then it started to rain.
It was wet. Cold and wet.

But made for some awesome scenery down East Nanjing Road, which is one of the main famous shopping areas. Pop got harassed by a lady selling glowy half roller skate things for nearly twenty minutes.




Sleep happened.
The next day we went to the old town area, which involved walking by lots of construction.
All my pictures of the crazy stuff they're building are really boring, so I won't put them here.

But we went through little alleys and side streets crammed with folks selling all sorts of stuff.


Silk tassels of all colors.


Made it to the Yuyuan Gardens, which were built for somebody important's parents.
I think.
Anyway, they were lovely.
Chinese gardens are always really nice.
There's a neat zig-zag bridge at the beginning.


Crazy doorways upon doorways.
I was sort of expecting it to rain glitter at this point and a Chinese David Bowie a la Labyrinth to appear. Alas, no such luck.
*sigh*


Less of the expecting Jarreth the Goblin King here.
(for the love of Mike, go youtube Labyrinth if you haven't seen it)


Here's my feet.
again.
note the neat cobbling.
expect more of these.


Detail on a railing.


Koi fishies.
Maybe they're called something else in China.
I dunno.


I hate this picture. I think its awful.
But it shows the neat dragon dude on top of the wall.
The wall all around and inside the garden was wavy and scaly on top.
With this guy eyeballing everyone.
You'd better quit eyeballin' me, boy.
Yeah, that's right. Look away.


Bet this is real purty in the spring/summer.


We did some more ambling around after we left there, including having a lovely tea service/meal at a historic tea house. By the time we left the tea house, it was getting dark.
Man, the sky was weird.


Its dark here at about 4.30 (like it is everywhere in winter, Rae, duh)
so we had some time to head across the river to Pudong, where all the big sexy buildings are.

Here's a giraffe posing near the Oriental Pearl TV tower.
He was lovely, very polite.
He's from LA and this was his third visit to Shanghai.
Business, of course.


Oh hel-lo ladies.
How you doin'?
Jin Mao tower (SOM, 1998) and the new Shanghai World Financial Center, finished last year.


Oh, you are sexy.


My poor dad was perhaps a bit perplexed by my desire to go to the (more expensive) observatory in the SWFC, rather than the cheaper one in the JinMao tower next door (also shorter), since that's where everyone else was.
While I'm sure they're all lovely people, I made sure to tell him that they were all simply less awesome than we were and preferred to go to the less awesome tower. (no offence, JinMao)

Here's the elevator. Still going up!


the Padres in the blueish futuristic-y elevator.
ears popping.


Haro, Shanghai!


Pity its a bit hazy.


This is the remote control for the toilet on the 97th floor.
It's a Japanese toilet.
The seat is heated.
It washes...you....if you want.
I don't know if I'm a little freaked out or impressed.


On that note, END OF THAT DAY.

We spent about half of the next day in Shanghai as well, and then, unfortunately, we had to move on. I thought it was an awesome city- very vibrant and full of life, buzzing around on so many levels. I've heard all sorts of things about the city, good and bad- but I'm choosing to ignore the people who call it capitalist and soul-less. Maybe it is for some, but I guess were all entitled to our opinions. That's what blogging is for, eh?

We managed without much difficulty to catch a train to nearby Suzhou in the afternoon. It was really comfortable, heated with squishy seats (key!). By the second day the weather was pretty much super cold at all times and I spent a lot of the day not feeling my toes. (this theme may come up again).

I haven't got time to put up the stuff about Suzhou, Tongli, and Hangzhou, so you'll have to be content with this photo of the Suzhou train station. I'll be blogging up a storm in about two weeks, but not before that, because I am off to Japan tomorrow! Whoo! Adventure! Excitement! Sushi! Uncertain hotel reservations!

See you all in two weeks. much love.