Shanghai, nothing like it

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We do not meet Kelly until 9:30 and enjoy breakfast and the BBC world service on TV. Terrible news from Pakistan.We walk across Peoples square to visit the Shanghaii museum first off.Kelly leaves us to wander on our own and we enjoy the jade galleries as well as the porceline and some calligraphy.The museum is beautiful and modern with some stunningly beautiful things to see,
After the museum we are off by taxi to walk along the 'Bund', a mile long boardwalk running along the Huangpu river. The busy river on one side and a street of large ex financial neo classical 1930's New York style buildings. Kelly tells us of the city stories,history. From the Bund we are off to the French Concession.Apparently no french lived here mostly chinese and russians.The area is one of the oldest in Shanghai and we will need to have another look later on but we do wander around some small streets of shops and restaurants.We have a meal of noodles and beef and then went to visit a Pearl market.After the obligatory lesson on pearl producyion we are ushered into a large room of showcases and eager sales girls.There is a large couch on one wall for the husbands to wait in silent resignation and lots of beautiful pearls of all sizes and lustre's.A beautiful black pearl is purchased and we are off to have a quick look at a bar street as Kelly wants to be sure we are well prepared for the next few days alone.
We head back to the hotel and say bye and thanks to kelly.As the sun sets we are off again to the river front to take a boat cruise .The city is spectacular and at night even more so.It is amazing to realize that as late as 1990 most of whet we see was muddy fields of vegetables.To see it now and to feel the vibe everywhere in China it seems clear to me that no one will stop China now from doing whatever they wish to do. We share the boat with a bunch of Chinese tourists and one small woman keeps pointing me to photogtaphs she sees in the passing scenery.No language exchanged between us but she seems content and satisfied when I show her the digital results of her suggestions. The boat docks and we walk back along Nanjing Road stopping in a small restaurant to have a late supper then off to bed.Oh yes the laundry was done today by the hotel so we are pressed and buffed and fluffed and eady with clean clothes for our long trip home. Bye for now.

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