Day 144 – Shanghai

We were up at 4:30 and met the taxi man at 5:30.  The flight to Shanghai was delayed at the airport for about 45 minutes because of think fog.  At first they delayed loading us for about 15 minutes and then we had to sit on the airplane for about 30 and finally we were cleared for takeoff.  The bus driver drove us to the hotel and we hurried to drop off our suitcases in our rooms and then Marvin led us to a Chinese restaurant for lunch. 

Our first place to visit in Shanghai was the Bund Promenade area along the Huang Pu riverfront.  It was rather high pollution today and we had a hard time seeing the buildings clearly.  We walked up and then back and met the others.  It was pretty cold today and we were not prepared for how cold it was.  We all expected a little bit warmer than it was. 

I thought it was funny - the wifi on the phone booth.

The wall of flowers on the Bund Promenade.

Famous building in Shanghai across the Huang Pu River

In the Old Town, decorated for Chinese New Year.

Scenes on the water.

Year of the horse!

More on the water scenes.  There was even one of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

From the Bund Promenade, we were driven to the heart of the Old City.  Marvin had to show us where the most famous dumplings place in Shanghai was and then we had a chance to explore the area.  It is mostly restaurants and shops, but it is all decorated for the Chinese New Year.  David and I followed a path across a water area where there were lots of colorful scenes, but it was so crowded!  When we got to the end, we discovered that we were in the area of the Yu Yuan Gardens, a classical Chinese Garden area.  It costs 30 Yuan to get in, but we really weren’t interested in the shops or restaurants, so we decided to go in.  Several of my students had done reports on Chinese classical gardens, so I wanted to see it and well, gardens and water and such really interest David, and so we went in. 

It was beautiful, even in this wintertime of the year and we wandered happily for the next 40 minutes.  There were several areas that we kept thinking it would be so fun to be here with the grandchildren and let them climb on the rocks and through all the little tunnels and such.  It was well worth the money we spent to go see it!

 

In the Yu Yuan Garden.

One of the many entryways.   Cool!

Love the water and the buildings!

Wood carving was wonderful!

We loved this furniture!

Just so unique!

Just beautiful!

We all met back together at 4 p.m. and drive back to the hotel.  We were on our own for dinner, so several of us got together and went out to find a restaurant.  There was a shopping mall close by, so we went in and finally found a noodle restaurant.  Dinner was good and we enjoyed the company.  s