China

Oh to actually understand what day it is?!? I think I’m actually writing this on May 25, but I can’t actually tell with the time difference here... It’s 5 a.m. and jet lag has me sleepy really early and this morning, up really early as well. It gave me a chance to see why it’s dark here in China at 7 p.m. in May! It’s 5 a.m. and it has been light for over 30 minutes!!! You’d need to be up and going at like 7 a.m. to get the maximum impact of the day. Just a muse, don’t think I could handle that. Thank God for 9 p.m. sunsets in London.

Ok, so having safely landed and entered Shanghai, I have entered an alternative universe where the driving is INSANE, the people are wonderful and the food has been American (is it bad that I’ve had Papa John’s on three different continents now?)

Seriously, I have never in so many near-miss car crashes as I have here in Shanghai! We have almost hit cabs, other vans, people on mopeds, people on bikes, we’ve even nearly maimed a few pedestrians, although it didn’t seem to phase them. I almost got hit by a cab while standing out in front of Querston’s apartments. And no I wasn’t in the middle of the street, I was in the entranceway! 

So far I’ve seen the Pearl TV Tower, but I didn’t take pictures as we were simply driving by it and I’ve seen the people. It isn’t quite the mass of people I was expecting, but there are a ton of people here for sure.

Today we are going to the Yu Yuan Garden and I am so excited. The guidebook said it would be fun and Rick suggested it too, so hopefully I will love it. Of course I will post pics as well.

I also went to the fabric market here in Puxi where Q lives. I got three suits made, a linen skirt and five dress shirts for 1540 RNB. That shakes out to $198.45. I’m hoping that they will all fit and not fall apart and that I like them, but if I really get all that for under $200, well I’m a happy camper. Going back on Monday to check out the results.

Also plan to go on a river cruise and see the Bund and hopefully the museum with the replica of Shanghai that Linda mentioned. Also plan to go for drinks at the tallest hotel in the world, Grand Hyatt. Will write all about it later!