Lost In Shanghia (part3 0f 3)

This view of a hutong that is now a maze of stores each about the size of your bathroom.

Now I was staying with my Gracious cousin Nancy who was working so I went to this shopping area . Her driver dropped me off and we set up a return time at the same location. I looked around and ventured into this crazy labyrinth of shops. Every few shops was an alley with more shops. Guess what after an 1 1/2 hours you no longer know how to get out, no one speaks English so you spend the next half hour walking to different exit areas thinking "OK, don't know where the driver dropped you off, don't speak the language, don't know the drivers number. don't even have a phone--but I do have Nancy's business card in mandarin(the one smart thing I did) just a panic starts to set in a glimmer of hope and I find the pick up spot. No I didn't recognize it it all looks alike, I just ran out of options! I immediately stayed put at a restaurant nearby and awaited the drivers return.

Shanghia is one of China's nicer cities. At night it is lit up like Vegas-only until 10 pm-they are being green. I went to The Bund which to be honest was like walking in Boston- old bank buildings... well to each his own. Got yelled at "No photo, No photo" when I tried to take a picture of the ornate ceiling in one bank. Go figure you can walk through historical 2-5000 year old buildings and take picture but the 1890's bank is a no photo area.

Last some NQR's the first was posted in the hutong hotel in beijing. It gets you a bit nervous!

The second is a sign in a museum. In order to get your head hit by the escalator you need to bend over the rail on your left about 2 feet and really lean out to crack your head.

Someone must have really smacked there noggin to warrant this sign on all four levels of the escalator.

Thanks for the time. Next trip Yangtse river cruise-Tibet Lhasa.

Summer Palace,Forbidden City or People Palace (part 2 of 3)

Nihoo

The colors in China are bright. They must paint over the red(s) a lot to keep down the oxidization, but it is an eyeful for us visitors. After taking a slow boat in china as opposed to a slow boat to china--We found the local canal run up to the summer palace. It was hot, tiny seats with 4 people in a row for 2 people, change of boats, windows don't open. no air conditioning, and three (locals)pick-up locations we made it to the summer palace. It was actually a good way to go as we ended up at the far end and saw an area that we would never have found going in with the tourist north entrance. Oh yeah (NQR)they just let us off and pointed -no map but we could see the palace on the other side of the lake luckily we guessed the correct direction.

Above is the Temple of Heaven and a bit of Forbidden Palace(they now call it People's palace the don't like the negative image of Forbidden Palace).

The marble pathway was only for the Emperor to be carried over, no else could walk on it. Does this mean the all had to jump over it to go from one side of palace to the other? and if so how did they do that with the gowns they all wore?

We took over 400 photos-No you won't see them all. Beijing, Tianjin are busy busy cities - Oh I forgot- they closed Tianamen square while we were their for a parade practice- the 60th years of communism celebration- the whole area was closed off.It looks like a big concrete area. I guess the history is the best part of seeing it.

China (part 1)

China

(Part 1)

I finally made it to China! It is just to much to tell in one sitting!

The biggest thing about China-the people, there are soooo many people. They are friendly and helpful. You ask they really try to help. Really try being the key phrase because language is an issue!

Tianjin was my first stop. It is a small city of about 10-12 million. Paul worked, I went out on my own. It is very safe. My first venture by myself- I found "Hearty Coffee" great it is in English! Its 2:00pm and I go in for an iced coffee. The place is busy and I sit at the coffee bar. I get the English menu and the staff is clearly confused as to why a blond "mei gou ren" green eye lady has showed up in there restaurant. I order the Icy Icy Coffee and a honey cake. THIS SEEMED LIKE A SAFE EASY ORDER-- I get a mint alcohol iced coffee and a large round waffle with honey on the side. Now I am so embarrassed that I laugh and eat a few bites of waffle and drink my Icy Icy, pay and leave.

Trains, Planes and Taxi's- all are very clean. Taxi's and ALL drivers are crazy! The red light is treated as a "suggestion" rather than a stop now. The Tianjin/Beijing bullet train is better than any train in the USA. The seating is assigned the efficiency is amazing- 200mph and you get to Beijing in 27 minutes. Similar is San Diego to LA in distance. The airports are all new and even have some regular toilets.

What I could live without----the spitting and air pollution. Although we had some clear weather most days started white grey and ended white grey.

Ancient Cultural Street which is actually "newly" built. [Side note: This is an example of NQR(not quite right) many example of this can be found in China. The literal translation of things from Chinese to English will make you laugh.] This is the cleaner safer version of " tourist shopping in Tijuana", lots of dickering. I bought some old coins the price started at 3800 rmb. I purchased them for 100 rmb. OK so it is not quite Tijuana, no one speaks English, spanglish or Spanish but bartering is bartering. The barter battle was on!

People stare and say "Hello" which is the only english word they know but hey they are trying.

You begin to feel like "the bear in the mall" people find you interesting but wonder if you are dangerous and also what the heck is that "bear" doing in the mall.

write your comments on your odd experiences below.

See you next post-China (part II) Shanghai-following China part III -Beijing