Crazy Saturday

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This Saturday we had a bit of a crazy day. After getting in from Bon Bon at 5am we decided to not waste the day as we usually do - so we didnt bother going to sleep.

First we went to visit the temple next to our flat - dont think it was meant to be open but we went in anyway. It was very weird to have such a quiet tranquil place in this noisy, busy city.

The we wandered the streets, had some strange street food - it was like a pancake with a fried egg, spicy sauce, chilis and corriander.

We caught a cab to Dongtai Lu Antique market - this area of Shanghai is like real china - no sky scrapers, people doing their washing in the street, old guys playing majhong, people selling puppies and rabbits in cages - song birds in cages hanging out of windows. People chucking rubbish out of their upstairs windows into the street. Lots of bikes.

The actual antique market was unbelievable - a real Aladdins cave. It was a mass of litle alley ways, dark booths, crowded stalls - all selling buddhas, swords, mao memrobelia lots of very interesting stuff. I got a little red book for 2 pounds - checked and it is an authentic one - from 1967. I cant wait to go back and buy loads more stuff - they have original opium pipes from the opium dens - very cool. You do have to check the stuff is genuine though - they try to rip you off but if you read up before hand youre usually ok. One guy tried to sell me a red book that he said was 90 years old - funny that, mao would have been a child!

After the market we went to the building where they held the first congress of the chinese communist party. Full of rubbish propoganda - lots of stuff about mao that simply wasnt true. We werent allowed to take any photos but i sneaked one of the red flag.

After this I went home and collapsed - a very weird day but certainly not a wasted one!

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Photos

Mad Saturday
Me and Dom at 5.00am we were trying to get pizza - when it didnt arrive we went on our little trip round town

Mad Saturday
Our trip to the temple - it wasnt open but we sneaked in anyway

Mad Saturday
Our trip to the temple - it wasnt open but we sneaked in anyway

Mad Saturday
At the antique market - very dark, dingy place - felt like stepping back in time

Mad Saturday
The red flag at the first congress of the communist party of china