Shanghai

In Shanghai we checked into the Regent, the fanciest of the hotels we are staying in on this trip. It is really luxurious, and I thought we were really high up here on the 40th floor, til we decided to go to the Hyattt and the rooms only START on the 54th floor! It's the highest building in the city, apparently.

Before that we spent the afternoon in the shopping area where Dad and Ian got custom suits made. Thsi place is so nice-you pick out the fabric, have three fittings and, since it is being shipped, the suits are being hand-carried, flown to the states and fed-exed there so save taxes and extra charges. Cool. Then we went to a tapas bar for happy hour and afterward went to the Hyatt like I explained before. The original plan was to go to the bar on the 87th floor but there was a drss code and Ian was in flip-flops, so we tried to go to the observation deck but the line was really long so we are going back tonight. I can't wait to see this city from above-it is so lit up and colorful at night it's almost like Vegas!

This morning I went with Jan and Janet (Mom is sick and Ian and Dad had a fitting) first to the Bund, a big street along a canal that runs through the city and really divides it into the new and the old parts of town. Then we went to China Town (Not kidding!) where we shopped around for all sorts of things-it's really just a huge tourist trap and the prices weren't even that great... then we went to a Buddhist Temple where the Jade Buddha is kept- a Buddha carved from a single piece of jade 2 meters high. There are no photos allowed but it was really beautiful, made from a light jade and decorated in gold and jewels. Really stunning. After that our tour guide, Maggie, promised to take us to a knock-off store she knew about. We walked down a street, then down an alley, through a garage and up three flights of stairs at the back of an apartment building where she had to knock on the door a few times and announce us before we were let it. Then we walked in and there was a room full of designer jakcets, from Burberry and Dior to North Face and Columbia. The next 3 rooms held wallets, purses, watches, umbrellas, sunglasses etc. of every top brand you can think of. Wow. Maggie had the hook up!

After lunch where we met Dad and Ian we headed down the famous walking street to the Bund, crossed under in this little tunnel that is hard to explain-kind of a car ride with all these lights and neon signs etc. then came back to the hotel to cool down and get ready for dinner and an acrobatics show.

The acrobatics show was held in an auditorium by the Ritz. There were two escalators and about a million American tourists herding into this room. We were a little late, as that evening was Jan's dinner and we were taking our time with the birthday cake and everything-you can't rush a celebration! But once we sat down we were totally engrossed by these performers. There were flips and jumps and leaps so high we were sure someone would walk out with a broken neck. There were contortionists and tricks in the air on ribbon (my favorite). Some of the performers looked to be about 9 years old, but the average was probably more like 15. Still, it's incredible what these little people can do with their bodies. We were really impressed-definitely a highlight.

Then after the show Dad and Ian and I we to the Hyatt-finally! We went to the first elevator which took us to the 54th floor, then the next took us to the 84th floor, and the third elevator let us off at "Cloud 9," the bar on the 87th floor. Talk about being up high! It was an amazing view. The decor is kind of industrial, so there are big exposed beams throughout covered in rivets looking very New York, actually, and then there are tables all around that look out over every inch of the city. We sat and had drinks-I tried a watermalon margarita...yum!- and then around 11 we headed back down to get home and to slee. Before we left I wanted to get a photo in front of the building, as I had seen other people doing, since it looks like the whole thing just fades into the sky and it's really cool. So Ian was there with the camera all ready, and was trying to get the pose jsut right, when I noticed something weird. He took the picture and I turned around-he had taken the picture at the exact moment that the hotel turned the outside lights off! So I had a picture and all that was behind me looked like black sky! What timing! Luckily Dad got a shot of the building, but seriously. What are the odds?

Anyway, Monday we got on a plane and arrived back home the next day, Monday again. It went by so fast but it was a really really great trip.