My Solo China Trip: Tunxi/Hongcun "Part II"

After a quick 60 min domestic flight on Shanghai Airlines, I landed in the small soggy town of Tunxi.  Our jet was the only one on the tarmac, and as we disembarked, everyone seemed to be in a hurry to get somewhere…so I joined them, looking like I too needed to get somewhere.  My luggage was one of the first to be unloaded…zipper open and all!  After confirming nothing was missing, I made my way outside to where I was immediately approached by a guy waving me into a taxi cue.  When it was my turn to board, it was a bit unsettling to see the driver eager to take me…almost like I was that “white” whale he was waiting for to top off his quota for the day.  He showed me a 50 yuen, saying a bunch of stuff in Chinese.  I tried to tell him too much…20 I stated emphatically!  He kept saying 50 with a confident smile on his face, almost like he had me where he wanted.   I went up to 30.  Well…I think I was literally talking to myself because he had that look on his face as though he had no clue what I was saying, all while simultaneously grabbing my bags.   As my negotiating skills went onto def ears, the remaining cabs demanded me to hurry up as I was stalling the line…yeash.  I sat in the passenger seat…a bit pissed.  I looked in my homemade travel cheat sheet book and said ”ti gway la”!(to much)  He laughed.  Well at least he finally understood me.

My mode of transportation from Shanghai to Tunxi

I arrived at my destination…Parrion Hotel.  It felt empty.  I started to get that uneasy feeling in my stomach again that this may not be as easy as originally planned.  I reluctantly paid the driver 50 yuen shaking my head as I disembarked to check in.

The hotel itself had this very unassuming look to it, but the much trusted Tripadvisor told me it was one of the better hotels in the region which slightly reassured me.  It was located along the Xin'an River, opposite to the old town Tunxi region.  

The Parrion Hotel in Tunxi

Only a few seconds into check in, it dawned on me that the internationally travelled tourist hot bed of Shanghai was long behind me, and from here on, things would not come easy.  I handed over my translated confirmation form to the quintessential looking professionally dressed young women standing behind the marble desk.  She had this bewildered look on her face.  It was quite apparent that she was the only one who knew ANY english…but no more then 5% worth.  I tried to confirm my quoted price with no success.  There was a lot of unsuccessful back and forth…both struggling to grasp a break through in communication.  The remaining 20+ minutes or so it took to check in, resulted in them offering me a lower rate then the original quoted Agoda price I originally came in with, but the catch was I needed to cancel my current booking.  This was not possible as most reservation websites have a 24 hour no cancelation policy.  I trusted my original price would be honoured and sufficient, and eagerly took the room key as I retreated to my room.


The room was large and modern.  Once again, the bathroom had a lovely rainfall shower faucet, and oddly enough, a weigh scale under the sink…just like my last room in Shanghai.  I collapsed into the plush king bed, needing an hour to reboot before heading back out into the rain to explore the old town of Tunxi.  I flipped the TV on…50 channels…no english.  I watched a few cheesy game shows and military dramas in Manderin to tie me over before forcing myself up.  I bashfully approached the front desk and hand gestured for an umbrella (my acting skills are impeccable).  Wonderful!  Instant success!

Xin'an River

Early morning, laundry in the river.

I walked roughly 1 km along the river under my umbrella, and then another 1 km over the main bridge crossing Xin'an River.  The heavy traffic of scooters, peddle bikes, and cars all seemed to be very engrossed in my presence which imbedded an underlying uncomfortable feeling.  The bridge spit me out into a very underwhelming part of the city.  Big ugly 4 story concrete buildings, selling everything from prescriptions, grocery, to electronics.  I began to wonder what all the fuss was as I made my way through a couple of back roads.  I took this opportunity to look for a quick bite, but nothing appealed to me.

Walking over the bridge in the rain

The rain subsided for a split second allowing me to put away the umbrella for a few seconds.  This was when I saw the old Chinese style archway leading into an older community.  I immediately knew this was what everyone referred to as the "old town Tunxi".  It looked exactly like the Yuyuen Garden region in Shanghai.  Old 2-3 story traditional Chinese buildings, all exhibiting elaborate roof tops, intricate wood trim, and cobbled walkways full of local tourists.  The half dozen or so narrow alleys within the old town had a common theme for shops … tea, paint brushes, spices, wood carvings, and restaurants, each spinning their own unique angle.  Other then the authentic feel this location had, nothing particularly appealed to me, and after 30 minutes or so in the rain (which resumed with more intensity), I decided to head back to the hotel for the night.  On my way out, one vendor caught my eye.  Half pineapples stuffed with rice sat in a steaming basket.  Each had a red pepper perched on top, making the treat that much more appealing for me to commit 20 yuen.  My first chop stick full immediately made me regret my decision….it was not that good.  To add to the disappointment, the pineapple was less hollow then first thought, and after only a few mouthfuls, my meal was done.  I was still hungry, but couldn't find any safe looking street vendor food or anything that didn't involve family dining, so I headed back to the hotel as my feet were beginning to get sore.

On the edge of old town Tunxi

One of the main squares in Tunxi

My disappointing pineapple stuffed rice

After a refreshing shower, I ended up going to bed hungry at 9pm.

Day 4

The day started early.  6:30, hunger propelled me out of bed to the free buffet that was included in my hotel stay. My energy and mind frame was rejuvenated as I sifted through the restaurant for a small table away from the onlooking locals.  The buffet pleasantly exceeded all expectations.  Western food and traditional Chinese food filled the several islands dotted throughout he room.  As usually, I went right for the local dishes, trying out a few of the "safe" sides which included a variety of dumplings, and the common lotus root.  I obviously couldn't turn away the fried eggs and bacon that were offered as well…that would be just inhuman;)

After overindulging on breakfast, I did a very quick sprint walk back into town to grab a few snacks which included bananas and Lays "lime" chips (why don't we have these in Canada..they are delicious!)  then headed back to the hotel to check-out, which was surprisingly painless.

I now needed to somehow portray to the lady I needed to get to the bus station.  It was not easy, but after a few attempts, I was able to get her to write in Chinese the name of the bus station.  Mentally, I thought the next step was to head outside in the rain to hail a cab.  This was not the case, as a guy proceeded to grab my luggage while talking to me in Chinese.  I obviously had no idea what he was saying, but he worked for the hotel, so I trustingly followed him as he loaded my bag onto a golf cart.  He drove me down the highway, all while I had NO idea what was going on.  He pulled into a KFC parking lot, unloaded my bag, said something in Chinese, and was off.  Ummmm, huh?

 I stood there in the rain, wondering what the heck just happened.  I watched a few locals hail cabs, and it dawned on me this was the spot to take a cab.  A smidgin of relief came over me.  I saw one, put my hand up, and the very first one pulled over for me…phew, that was easy.  The driver had the "deer in the headlights" look on his face and looked like he regretted his decision….maybe knowing this may not go as smooth as he was accustomed to.

We drove 10 minutes or so, no words exchanged between the two of us.  I watched the meter intently, happy to see the charge grow at a snail's pace.  We arrived at the station that I recognized from a picture I had printed out, but it was much bigger then originally thought.   I looked at the meter…it read 7 yuen.  Sweet!  I handed him over the change, but how could I be so naive to think it would be that simple.  He uttered a whole slew of Chinese phrases that obviously went right over my head.  He did not look impressed.  What was I doing wrong?  He then made on "X" sign with both of his fingers…again, no clue what he was trying to convey to me.  He continued to speak to me in Chinese, ignoring the blatantly obvious fact I was not comprehending anything.  I shrugged at him, trying to illustrate to him my confusion.  I decided to hand him a 20 yuen bill.  He seemed to get even more frustrated.  What was I doing wrong?  The driver began to get impatient, and when I tried to hand him the 7 yuen again, he finally grabbed it in disgust.   I think he just wanted me gone haha.

The station looked like a jumble of unorganized cues.  I had no idea where to start!  A lady came to me and asked me in broken english where I wanted to go.  I immediately assumed she was after something, but reluctantly told her Hongcun.  She smiled and said "Bus 9"… then proceeded to grab me and led me to the back where dozens of buses sat.  Things were happening so fast, and before I knew it, I was sitting on a small bus full of locals, not having yet paid for anything.  I sat there skeptical, all eyes fixed on me.  I began to get nervous that I said the town name wrong…what if my pronunciation meant something else?  The bus doors shut which confirmed my fait…I'm past the point of no return.  Where ever this bus was going, thats where I was headed.

My expression says it all

We stopped several times picking up local farmers.  The bus was so full that they started to set up stools in the aisle.  The ride was long and windy through the valley.  I tried to stay relaxed, but the lingering feeling that I may be going in the opposite direction weighed heavily on my mind.  After 1.5 hrs, we pulled into a smaller bus station.  Someone tapped me on the shoulder and said a word that eased my tensions…"Hongcun"!

I transferred onto the smaller commuter bus that had two other tourist from overseas already seated.  This abated my stress as it confirmed I was on the right track.  A short 15 minutes later, we pulled into another bus stop. The bus driver motioned to us that we just needed to walk down the street a few 100 meters.  After paying the entrance fee of 104 yuen, I had made it to the remote ancient town of Hongcun!

The rain stopped for a short period, allowing me to walk the extremely narrow alleyways at a relaxed pace.  The unorthodox method of hoping to stumble onto my accommodations was forced onto me as I zigzagged my way through the small town.  After 20 minutes or so, the "Hostels International" sign revealed itself, easing the ongoing tension that was slowly growing inside.  I just wanted to shut my brain off for the night, and take in the sites and tranquility Hongcun was so famous for.

Thank God I made it…not sure how

I checked in with the brains of the hostel operations…the owners young daughter.  She collected my money and assigned me the keys to my free upgraded room... I had assumed they needed my originally booked room for someone else.  The room had a tacky beach theme, and the bed…wow,never in my life have I ever felt something so hard…a rock would of been softer.  Again there was the familiar weigh scale under the sink I was so accustomed to seeing…what was this phenomenon that all Chinese needed to weigh themselves lol.

My tacky room

View from my room

I dropped off my damp luggage and backpack and went into the courtyard to see what was going on.  There was a big yellow lab dog in one corner, barking on and off, which by the end of my stay, got annoying.  On a small bench in the other corner was an adorable puppy, eager to stir up a fight with me, which I was game for.  The third dog, a french poodle style dog, stayed inside at the check-in counter, never leaving his perch on the stool.  

One of the 3 dogs…this one never left the stool

As I sat there sticking out like a sore thumb, a younger lady approached me with very broken english.  She was a very friendly volunteer from Mongolia working for the hostel. She was very curious on why the heck a single guy with no mandarin skills would travel to a place like this.  I shrugged, not really knowing the answer.  We exchanged common banter back and forth until our exhaustion set in from trying to understand one another.  I decided to take this down time to walk the town while the rain subsided into a light mist.  

Hongcun was a maze of old alleys and walkways.  Most were no wider then 5 feet, and exhibited an exposed trough with running water making its way down to one of the several ponds the town was build on.  Random gardens and ponds littered a few backroads, while others had small courtyards I could only assume were for some sort of gathering.  I knew that the flowing water would lead me to the lakes, so thats what I did, followed the water. When I reached the prominent spot where many local artists and tour groups made their base, I stopped to take in the amazing views.  The reflection on the water with the misty mountains in the background was well worth the effort.  The old worn out white buildings with the cobbled roof tops added to the mystic.  The famous bridge crossing the main pond was quite photogenic, and it was easy to see why this bridge was littered on google images.  Heres a quick "did you know"… this was the town where "Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon" was filmed.  Another interesting tid-bit …they have only recently started to allow foreigners to stay within the town overnight…now you know;)  

The many narrow alleys

The amazing reflection this pond gave me

A random garden squeezed into this community

a cherry blossom adding to the allure

The famous bridge in all its glory

Such a great feel

Once I had my fill for the evening, I headed back to the hostel, as I had earlier agreed to join the volunteers and owners for supper at 8pm.

Artist students doing a fine job painting

The large family style dinner took place in an open aired courtyard that simultaneously also felt like it was indoors.  If it weren't for the sparrows above my plate making a nest, I would of assumed we were indoors.  For 40 yuen, our meal included everything from bean curds, to a pasty egg style cake, to a flambé'd fish and rice.  The meal was wonderful.  All the food was placed on a turn table in the middle for everyone to share.  All you had to do was be alert to catch the food while it was in front of you while others would spin it around.  The slurping from the 6-8 occupants around the table was deafening, but I had previously remembered that slurping was a sign in China that the food was being enjoyed…but I could not get myself to slurp to their degree.   

I bought some street side chicken before supper because I was VERY hungry! (hiding from the rain)

My meal at the hostel

The meal was enjoyed by all, and when all was said and done, I felt this overwhelming urge to help clean up after, but from previous experiences during my short stint in China, this was never the case.  Before I knew it, everyone had left, and I was left sitting there with an extremely dirty table.  Feeling a bit guilty, but reminding myself I did pay for the meal like a restaurant, I finished my 20 yuen beer, and reluctantly got up to stumble my way in the dark back to my room for another early night in bed (damn my jet lag).  

Day 5

I was awoken at 3am by a very zealous rooster trying to assert his territory.  The damn thing would not stop! Was no one else bothered by this bastard?  3am quickly turned to 6am, and before I knew it in my groggy state, I was packed and ready to hunt for my bus to Tangkou.

I walked to the entrance as the sun began to rise above the horizon, all while surrounded by roosters joining the awakening choir.  I crossed the river into the bordering town.  I remembered the bus stop was only a few blocks, but as I walked, nothing looked familiar.  I started to get frustrated.  I was sure I had this figured out, and couldn't decipher what I was doing wrong.  I walked back and forth as the sky got brighter and brighter, adding to my anxiety.  Several vans stopped beside me asking if I wanted a ride…"100 yuen" they yelled out. I repeatedly responded "no, too much, 17 yuen on bus"  I think the only word they understood was bus, which was enough for them to scoff and bolt off.  30 minutes past, and it was getting down to crunch time.  Then an older car stopped and asked the same thing I heard several times earlier…"100 yuen?" The only thing different this time was his english…it wasn't half bad.  I again said no while walking away from him, refusing to overpay on anything.  Desperately, he yelled out "ok ok, 50!"  Again, I yelled back, "Too much!  Bus is cheaper".  He thought for a second and in a disappointed tone yelled "ok, I will do 30".  This peaked my interest due to his english possibly being an asset for me in the not to far future.  I agreed and jumped into his car.  That's when the disclaimer was revealed.  He needed 20 minutes to find 3 other passengers to make up the missing 70 yuen.  Ugh!  I reminded myself that even with the added time, it was probably still faster then the bus.

My mode of transport for the next 50 min  to Tangkou

20 minutes later, my driver was content after finding 2 university girls looking for a ride, and before I knew it…we were off!  
Off to my next unpredictable adventure…Tangkou and Huangshan!

   

My Solo China Trip: Shanghai First "Part 1"

Wow, my first solo international trip at the age of 36.  Feels weird saying that, but I guess I've never really been single when traveling in the past…so here I am... in a pretty intimidating country, ready to see what ever this ever growing country will reveal to me.

Good start… so far.   

I was pleasantly surprised with my flight to Shanghai.  Delta did a wonderful job easing the unavoidable strain these long transpacific flights sometimes inflict on weary travelers.  13 hours over the Pacific was accompanied by endless movies, 4 meals, free alcohol, and thank goodness…a lovely seat neighbor that was very accommodating on well timed idle chit chat….just enough  for me to be enlightened  when needed, but not too much to be overbearing.  Also, my kudos to the serving crew…the entire 13 hours was served with a smile on their face, never revealing the overwhelmed look we Canadians are so accustomed to seeing.  BTW…my upgrade to economy plus…worth every penny…the 4 extra inches of leg room was much needed.

After a silky smooth landing, the gauntlet of getting through the airport was quite painless.  A short line at customs to review my visa, a short wait for luggage, and before I knew it…exhausted and red eyed to boot…I was officially in Shanghai. 

Fastest train in the world!

I headed straight to the Maglev train …a particular goal of mine, as it is known for being one of the worlds fastest trains…. a max speed of 430km/hr!  As I made my way to the train entrance, I was approached twice by 2 men claiming they worked for my hotel and had a ride waiting for me.  Good thing I’m not that gullible.  $10 later, I boarded the relatively empty train (maybe 50% full), eager to experience the high-speed magnetic levitating joyride…but to my disappointment, this never came to fruition.  We maxed out at 310km/hr.  Maybe it was due to the unenviable darkness, or some other unforeseen reason I can not comprehend, but all I know is, seeing I was not able to ride the advertised speed, I think I would of saved myself $6 and taken the subway.

After the 8-minute ride, the next step was to disembark the Maglev, and transfer over to subway line #2, which would take me within 3 blocks of my accommodations near Nanjing Road, the Grand Central Hotel.  The train was packed…shoulder-to-shoulder, full of commuters glaring at me without any worry of me catching their stare.  My suitcase and backpack added to my glaring personal anguish, but overall, the trip was painless, and before I knew it…I had reached my destination.  Luckily in my jet lag state, I took the right exit (choice of 4), and was surprised to find myself still oriented in the proper direction as I walked directly to my hotel….a nice added bonus to my start.

French press in my hotel room was much appreciated

Nice little ceiling feature in my room

I checked in.  I was fully aware the price quoted to me did not include the 15% service charge…I just was not ready on how much it would equate too lol.  Still a bit sticker shocked on the final price, I stumbled to my room on the 12^th floor, passing out at 8pm local time.

Day 2

I was wide-awake at 4am.  This gave me the chance to type up some quick notes, take a much needed shower (a lovely rain fall shower faucet I might add), and to confirm the internet issues I hoped would be avoided…no Google or Facebook…oh the humanity!   My deluxe King room was quite refreshing with a zen like feel to it.  Included was a beautiful ceiling feature, a well appointed office area, and a large bathroom, fully trimmed with as much gold fixtures you could imagine lol.  The bed was large and firm, just the way I liked it.  I had 4 pillows with different firmness to choose from…all of which were still too firm.  I enjoyed a makeshift french press coffee at 5am which helped propel myself out of my room to experience my first day in Shanghai.

Subway at 6am

Today was going to be a walking day.  6am, I embarked onto subway line #2, and from there, transferred to line #1, and began my French concession assault.  Starting this early was wonderful as I was able to learn the subway ins and outs at a leisurely pace.  Most places were still closed, but I didn't mind, I wasn't here to shop (though I was a bit disappointed the foot massage store I planned to visit was still closed for several more hours).  The quiet streets and walkways added to the tranquil pristine feel one would usually not find in a city with over 24 million inhabitants!

 

I immediately got lost by going in the opposite direction that I had previously planned, but it led me past a quaint little egg wrap vendor in an alley that cost me 7 yuen…that’s 1.50 CAD!  I quite enjoyed it as I got myself back on track.  I passed many “Plane Tree” lined streets with very affluent communities exhibiting a unique French feel…European buildings blended with the assumed Chinese culture feel.  It wasn't mind blowing by any means…just enough of a carefree vibe which was thoroughly enjoyed.  I passed several small parks full of older men and women executing the full rendition of tai chi, with a hint of badminton mixed within.  One path was littered full of hanging birdcages, all chirping in a barrage of tones.  I guess folks would hang these cages each morning to create some sort of soothing atmosphere?  I will later research this in more detail, as it seemed a bit odd. 

7 yuen wrap at 6:30am

One of the many parks within the French Concession

French Concession District

Birds in cages hung throughout the park

I then turned down another quiet street and saw a line up of locals waiting to purchase steamed pastry meet buns.  I joined the line, feeling a bit like a fish out of the water.   I wanted to try as many popular local cuisines as possible.  I watched as the customers in front of me asked for quantities anywhere in the range of 5-10 buns…but I only wanted a snack….so I asked for 2.  I apparently had many choices but I didn't know how I could convey this, so I left it for him to choose.  I was handed these big raw looking steamed dough buns.   They were each 1 yuen!!  That’s 20 cents each.  I’ll tell you one thing…if I don’t start eating fruit here soon, your going to have to roll me out of this country, because man, the food here is addictive, and probably not the healthiest, and all quite tasty!

steamed meat bun

I walked a few more kilometers, grabbing a Starbucks coffee along the way (which will be my last one btw as it was 25 yuen….basically twice the cost of  Canada).   After stopping myself from buying several more pastry options, I was about to enter the subway #10 line when something caught my eye that resembled fruit.  On the back of some guys bike, was a large glass case containing many different fruit shish kabobs.  The caramelized sugar Strawberries on a stick were too tempting to pass up, so I bought one.  The guy took a long time to hand gesture me the price, but when all was said and done, I paid 8 yuen; a bit more then expected…ah well…still a nice snack under $2.  It was tasty, but more in a candy kind of way.  Now if I can only force myself to eat healthier in this country lol.  Tomorrow morning I will hit up a fruit stand.

Sugared strawberries…quite good

I was able to finish the 15+km walk before 10am, which allowed to me to take a quick dip in the hotel pool before starting my afternoon Bund walk.

Only a block away from my hotel was the ever-famous Nanjing road.  For me, it had that Las Vegas atmosphere full of high priced retail stores.  It was noon, and the crowds were just beginning to build.  I had no interest in shopping, so I bee-lined it towards the Bund.  I was approached approximately 10 times by men trying to sell me fake watches, and twice by local women asking me if I could help them take a picture.  I had read that this was one of the many scams drawing you in, only to be asked if you want a lady massage.  I didn't bite.

Nanjing Road…of course Apple has the premium spot

An efficient 10 minutes later, I arrived at the Bund.  For me, this was what I had envisioned Shanghai to look like.  I personally have a fascination in skyscrapers, so Shanghai did not disappoint.  The smog was a slight issue (very common), but I was still happy I was able to witness the towering infernos free from any clouds obstructing my views.

I headed south on the sprawling walkway lining the Huangpu River, taking in the extensive views.  To the right of me were impressively grand old 1940’s banks and Hotels…once owned by the British settlement.   To the left were the massive towers Shanghai was so well known for…. including 3 of the top 20 tallest towers in the world, which notably includes the second largest in the world, just completed this year.  The smog diminished a bit of their grandiose feel, but all in all, it was still enjoyed.

I took a right off the Bund once the crowds subsided, and meandered through the small Gucheng Park.  The goal was simple… walk directly to the Yuyuan Gardens to experience the tea ceremony.  Lets just say I took the non-conventional multi-circular route through the Huaihai Rd/Fuxing Park region.   How can I describe this region…old world Chinese architecture amidst very narrow alleys, jammed packed full of Chinese tourists.  Stores upon stores selling everything from a variety of green tees, to jade stones, to paintings.  It felt like an ongoing maze.  My navigation would go like the following…make a right, then a left, thinking I was close to the tea house, when to my surprise, would arrive back to where I started.  This lasted for at least an hour, which built up a hunger, so I decided to look for some food.

I tend to eat where the locals eat, so when I saw a mall like food court lined with locals, I thought this would be a great way to sample some local cuisine.  The portions looked large, but everyone was loading up, so like they say, do as the Romans do.  I loaded up 3 interesting bowls and sat down unsure on how I would eat all this food.  The total came to 61 yuen…a bit more then I hoped for.  Everyone stared at me, which made me feel a bit uncomfortable, but I tried to ignore them.  Much to my surprise, all those full trays everyone loaded up…were for full families lol.  I felt a bit like a gluten sitting there with all that food in front of me.  I was only able to eat half, and got the heck out of there before I felt any sillier. 

Food court

61 yuen…way too much food for me

With a full belly, I decided to follow the crowd; maybe everyone else knew where they were going.  Sure enough, they led me to the pond I was so desperately trying to find.  I squeezed my way along the crooked walkway (built this way based on the premises that evil spirits could only travel in a straight line…a bit odd don’t you think?)  I entered the temple in the middle of all the chaos.  I felt a bit nervous as the majority of customers were white Caucasians…but seeing I needed the break to slow my pace down, I took a seat upstairs and ordered a flowering tea for 60 yuen.  When it arrived, 3 quail eggs and 2 gummy candies accompanied it.   I pealed a bit of the shell back on the first egg only to see grey veins running through it…that was enough for me to push the other two away.   I sat back and sipped on my tea, relieved I could finally force myself to slow down and take it in.   It was nice to relax in a quiet atmosphere while surrounded by the chaotic hustle and bustle outside. 

Yuyuan Gardens…the crooked walkway

my flower tea

after a minute or so, the heat blooms the flower

After 25 minutes or so, I was done physically, and exhaustion (or jet lag) began to set in.  I decided to forgo the subway and walked to People’s Square before heading back to the hotel for a nap.   When I got there, I was VERY underwhelmed.  I stayed for maybe 5 minutes, looking for anything that would offer a reason for coming here.   I found none, so I headed back to the hotel where I immediately passed out.

Turn down service woke me up at 5pm.  She gave me 2 chocolates and disappeared.  My blood shot eyes and bags under my eyes probably expedited her flight.  I jumped into the shower for a quick wake up…there was no way I was going to miss the chance to sit on a roof top terrace on the Bund with a beer in my hand…unfortunately this would later be the case.

The sun was setting, and now was the time the skyscrapers shinned…literally.   Elaborate light features on every tower danced in the night sky.   My camera naturally couldn't capture the full extent of the lights, but it was good enough I guess.   I hunted for a lounge to take in the views, but was extremely disappointed when it was brought to my attention that ALL terraces were closed for another 3 weeks.  Noo!

dusk on the Bund

Shanghai's famous downtown skyline

 I decided to hit a brewery for a quick beer.  If I could at least stay up past 9pm, I would be beating my jet lag.  I ordered a pint and a bowl of mushroom something something lol.  Again the bowl came out in a family sized portion (a trend I would be all to familiar with).   I ate half of it and did the international sign for check…or so I thought.  The waitress was confused when I pretended to scribble on my hand.  A few moments passed when she finally decided it meant I wanted to write something on my hand.  She handed me a pen eager to see what I was about to do.  It dawned on me what just happened as I chuckled…then said “pay bill”.  We both laughed as I paid and left for my hotel for the night. 

I barely made it to 9pm before passing out again for the night.

Day 3

I was again wide-awake at 4am.  I took this chance to check the hockey scores and attempted to send emails with no avail.  It was early, and I was way to alert to wait for everything to open, so I decided to take the subway downtown.  This ended up being a great decision.  There was no one out at all.  I had the entire downtown catwalk to take pictures of all the world-class towers to myself.  The sun had just risen, and I started to get a hankering for a coffee.  I went to McD’s…the only place open before 8am.  I relaxed for 30+ minutes before heading back to my hotel region to hunt for that elusive banana I needed before my next flight to Tunxi.  After I found one (2 yuen), I skimmed through the alleys for another egg based panini style sandwich, and after I found one, headed back to my hotel to pack up for the subway for the 45 minute journey to Hongquia Airport.  Check out was easy, and before I knew it, I was looking at Shanghai in the rear view mirror.  

Shanghai was a breeze.  Onward to Tunxi and Hongcun.  This would be the beginning of the real test (Part 2)

Far right tower is currently the second largest in the world.