Shanghai nights...number 2...

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Another night in Shanghai has passed and there is not much to report. Last night we met some guys in the hostel cafe and we ended up talking with them for a better part of the night on the hostel deck. There were two guys from Sweeden (one Chinese...), a french chinese guy (who's muslim???) and a brit who has spent the last two months taking trains from the uk to China....I thought that we were having a UN meeting. It was interesting hearing from other travellers and what they've been up to. As well, one of the guys from Sweeden invited me to his + his girlfriends place in Stolkholm if I'm ever there (NOTE: Jade...when do you want to go to sweeden and overstay our welcome???).

This morning we got up around 10am since we were up pretty late last night. We hopped on the subway and went off to the Shanghai Railway Station. One of the Swedes we met last night told up that there was a eye glasses market underneath the railway station. After, you guessed it...getting lost again (kinda) we found the glasses mart. Every type of glasses you could imagine. Hanmu and I both bought a pair of frames and hanmu got a pair of prescription sunglasses. Neither of us got our prescriptions put in the glasses though since the place was not exactly legit. Together, we got two cool frames for 200rmb (originally 340rmb). After hanging around another shopping "no hassle castle" (jen - that one's for you), we headed back on the subway (getting lost again, and going through the wrong gates ...).

We arrived at Shanghai Museum around 2pm today. It is a really beutiful building in the middle of Renmin Park (The People's Park) and adjacent from an imposing government building as well as the Shanghai Centre for the Performing Arts (currently showing Mamma Mia). We ended up getting the student rate (only 5rmb) as well as a guided audio tour (40rmb). I used to think that the guided tours were really cheesy, but since I don't really know anything about Chinese history, it was actually really valuable. There was lots to see: pottery, coinage, clothing, cultural minority arts, guildings etc etc. The chinese have such a rich and diverse history - it was really a great museum. Hanmu and I both really enjoyed ourselves and wished we could have spent more time there. Unfortunately, it closed at 5 so we had to head out. Anyone who plans on coming to Shanghai should definately hit up the museum for at least 4-5hrs.

As we left the museum we were approached by a moab of english speaking chinese "students" who offered to take us to tea if they could practice their english with us. Sounded legit...NOT. After evading their scheme we headed towards "Nanjing Dong lu", which is kind of disney like with lots of lights etc. It is apparently one of China's most famous shopping streets as it is a pedestrian haven (fyi - that does not mean that cars + motorbikes don't drive on it...). We walked around for quite a bit awing at the cosmopolitan appeal of the city. We were offered to buy a "Woowex" (rolex???) and shoes a bunch of times by creepers on the street - and we started to repeat back to them in Chinese what they said to us in english. They didn't see the humour in it as one women followed up and was pretty mad...but it was funny.

We're in our hostel now for the night (that does not mean plans won't change...) and look forward to another day of Shanghai excitement!

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Comments

[jade]

SWEDEN?!?
Let's hit that up and overstay our welcome! hahaha, I like the description of the "UN meeting"...I hope you're having a great time!!!