This last night in Shanghai has been
memorable! It’s like I was 18 again, as
I was drinking terrible shots with 18-year olds! (Also a bunch of thirty-somethings, and a
couple in their forties, so maybe not exactly like I was 18…). We painted the
town red at Bar Rouge, enjoying stunning views of the night skyline of the Bund
again.
(Blurry, but you get the idea)
We proceeded to a local (not touristy)
restaurant for dinner and had….I’m not sure.
Even Vincy, who speaks and reads Chinese, wasn’t sure, and she
ordered! It wasn’t very good, but it did
taste better than it smelled… An adventure on the subway delivered nine drunk
Canadians back to the hotel with minimal incident (I did accidentally head-but
some poor guy walking by me as I threw my head forward in the midst of
laughter…which caused Charles and me to laugh even more…), then I proceeded to
pack for – sigh – another early morning departure to Xi’an.
The day started with a trip to “the Venice
of Shanghai”, which is one of the few remaining towns reflecting a lifestyle
that hasn’t changed since the great canals were built several hundred years
ago. It really is like Venice! We even
started with a “gondola” ride down to the grand canal.
Oh, sorry, that actually is Venice… ;)
This scaffolding is made of bamboo, tied
together with twine. Not exactly as
sturdy as what we’re accustomed to…
Ok, so this was really cool! As is my tendency on this trip, I stumbled
into a residential area where tourists don’t normally go. I finally got to a dead end where a severe
looking woman scolded me and gestured for me to turn around, but not before coming
upon the kind of scene I don’t see every day:
a woman preparing dinner…with a dead, plucked, raw chicken, still with
head and feet, lying on a table in the alleyway beside the bowl into which she
was cutting potatoes. Very cool, but I’m
glad I wasn’t invited to dinner!
The endless maze of shops could have entertained
me for hours, but traveling with a group means stricter timelines (as for my
earlier comment…apparently those girls didn’t get the memo!). We made our way back to the bus and back to
the hotel for a quick change before heading downtown for the afternoon.
Charles, Vincy and I hitched a ride with
the group heading to an optional activity (lunch, shopping, and a show), and
then ventured on our own to the streets of Shanghai. The Bund is awesome! I wasn’t the only one walking around with my
head craned back, looking at the stunning skyscrapers all around us. Like Chicago without the history! Being on
the opposite bank also afforded new views of the old waterfront across the
river.
Given that water levels were over 5m higher
than current levels during a relatively recent flood, I’m not sure that the
modern Bund will last like it’s counterpart across the river.
Oh, randomness!
So picturesque, with the grassy water
plants in the foreground, the river, and the elegant buildings. The shame of it is that the water is the
colour of untreated sewage, and has a thick sheen of oil floating on top. This is an active commercial waterway in a
crowded, polluted city. Sigh… They are working on it.
Win a trip to Canada? What are the chances?
As with dinner, Vincy was instrumental in
our lunch selection. Namely, she recommended we go to:
Yep, we ate at Shanghai Hooters. I’m not entirely sure why, but it was fun…for
Charles and me. Vincy seemed less
excited that Charles did glance at the waitresses once or twice, and that – in
her mind at least – our waitress was interested in Charles. Vincy clearly had nothing to worry about,
though. Our server didn’t exactly fit
the Chinese stereotype:
Server: Where are you from?
Us: Canada
Server: But you look
Chinese?
Vincy: That’s because I am Chinese. I was
born in Hong Kong.
Server: But you’re
Canadian…?
After lunch and some wandering, we found
the sightseeing tunnel. Yes,
“sightseeing tunnel”. Under the river. Anyone else a little curious about that?
The sightseeing shuttles passengers back under the river to the old side
and…..they’ve made the trip interesting. Blinking lights, flashing images, even
a couple of inflatable clowns...and a voice announcing the theme of each
section as you enter: “Space exploration”….”Time travel”… Worth $8 for the novelty, I suppose.
Last afternoon in Shanghai, and I wanted to
walk Nanjing Road. It’s a high-end
pedestrian shopping street…picture Sparks Street in Ottawa meets Fifth Avenue
in NYC, except with one hundred times as many people! Major crowds everywhere, and endless flashing
neon lights for all the stores. (Picture Sparks Street, Fifth Av, and Times
Square at its busiest, and you’re getting the idea.)
We were constantly being approached by
people asking if we wanted knock-off watches, purses, electronics….it quickly
got to the point that I would glance and decline without paying attention. Which is how I found myself confused when I
noticed one guy didn’t have the requisite flyer in hand showcasing the
knock-offs. “Sorry?” I said. “What did
you say?” “Hashish? Marijuana?” was his
reply. Um…..yeah…….I’m REALLY not
interested in getting involved in illicit drugs in Shanghai. I don’t want to go to any prison, but I
especially don’t want to see the inside of a Chinese prison! I’m getting so cavalier about Shanghai’s
tourist traps, I didn’t even blink an eye when the prostitutes tried to get
some business out of me and Charles (at this point Vincy was ahead with some of
our tour-mates). I didn’t blink, but I
did decline….just for the record.
Last day in Shanghai. I will definitely be back. Maybe incorporate it into a trip to Hong Kong
and Macau?
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