Shanghai, China: Days 14, 15, 16

Day 14: Arrival, The Shed

I arrived midday by the overnight train. Shanghai's immaculate subway system led me easily to my hostel, where it let me out in the middle of a beautiful park (People's Park). This is the first time I'd actually seen public green space in China. I walked in the rain to my hostel, checked in, and left to wander for a couple of hours.

I stopped into a pharmacy, hoping they'd sell something for shin splints. They gave me a "Tiger Cream," which has a cooling affect similar to Icy Hot, but less intense. Let's hope it works.

Giving my legs a break, I briefly stopped at a shop on my alleyway for some stir fried beef rice before showering and taking a power nap. One of the Germans I'd met in Xi'an lives here, and we were meeting late for a drink, so I wanted to be rested.

Back on the subway around 9pm, I have to note two things:

1. Their underground systems are so much more advanced and clean than ours. Glass walls prevent you from falling or jumping onto the tracks, opening only at doorways when the train arrives. Everything has both Chinese and English and color coding, making navigating effortless. While in motion, advertisements outside the windows are clear as day with a long stretch of multiple screens projecting them. The tv screens on board these trains did not show a repeating loop of military, as was the case in Beijing. Not a single piece of garbage could be found on the floor or seats.

2. I never once felt unsafe either within the metro nor walking on the streets alone at night. And that's not just in Shanghai  - that's all of China.

So, sometime after 9pm I navigated my way from the underground to The Shed, an Australian run international sports bar and grill. Not meeting my friend until 10:30 or so, I wanted to arrive early to have a drink and relax outside the hostel. After a few quick drinks of beer, a jagger bomb appeared in front of me, thanks to three more Germans at the end of the bar. These ones middle aged and friendly, I  joined them to share stories and advice on travels, and of course two more jagger bombs.

My friend and his brother arrived some time later and we drank and played cards until closing time. Subways don't run all night here, so one crazy taxi ride home followed.

Day 15: Yu Garden, French Concession, Bao Luo, The Bund

Leisurely waking up and starting the day, I found myself back on the subway to Yu Garden mid morning. I ran into another American girl, visiting friends in Shanghai, but playing tourist without them for thrbday. We decided to check out the gardens together.

The gardens are very beautiful and not too expensive, only 40RMB each. Filled with temples of prayer and rest, it reminded me of a mini version of the Temples of Heaven. Somewhat of a maze, we kept back tracking to make sure we saw each passage. Overhearing a tour guide, there is a corridor where you can select to go right or left: left means you will be a male in your next life, right means female. We both stuck to what we know and took the hall on the right.

After the gardens, we continued through Old Shanghai, stopping to look at souvenirs, before taking the subway to the French Concession. You know you're in the French area when perfectly aligned trees flank both sides of the street. Expensive stores and boutiques also follow it's main streets.

My new NYC friend had a guide book recommending some local restaurants. We found the one that had the least amount of '$' next to it, Bao Luo. Expecting a whole in the wall restaurant, it surprised us to find a large room, similar to Hong Kong Lounge in San Francisco for my SF friends. Family style eating, we ordered three dishes: a pork and shallot dish, some sort of bean and watercress, and pork dumplings. The pork in shallots by far won my favorite, but all of it satisified. She even taught me the proper way to eat a dumpling: assist your chop sticks with the spoon provided, poke a hole in the side and suck a bit of the juices out of the dumpling, dip in the sauce provided, devour whole.

On our way back towards the metro, we stopped in a local fish market. Not your typical US market...

Parting ways, I headed towards The Bund while she continued shopping. A smile glued itself to my face when I saw the skyline of the Pudong district along yhe river. So distinct and breathtaking. I walked along, taking in the modern, opposite side against the stately, so the pillar side where I walked. I took the subway to the opposite side to walk around and see it closer, returning to wall the nights flicker on as the sun sank down. Little by lityle, certain buildings illuminated, but the Pearl Tower waited until 6pm, when it was sufficiently dark, to show its pink glow. Apparently, the time depends on the weather,  so you are never quite sure when the lights will turn on.

Per a French man's recommendation when on the Great Wall, I made a beeline for the Hyatt hotel and it's bar with a view. The Vue on the 32nd floor. Feeling underdressed, I paid the 100RMB cover charge and found a table with a million dollar view. One drink and a bowl of spicy mixed nuts included, you could take your time and leave, or do as I did, have a couple more drinks. One order of Sichuan Chicken later, you'd think you'd get bored on you're own. If I've learned anything about myself on this trip, it's I really enjoy my own company. I felt perfectly content in taking my glass of wine to the upper deck of the bar and slipping my feet into the rooftop hot tub, still absorbing the glowing lights.

Day 16: Happy Halloween! Airport to Hong Kong

Ate a great priced, tasty American breakfast with hot chocolate at the hostel, wrote this blog post, and now time to go to the metro to the airport. Cheers.