Our first full day in Shanghai

Mon, July 20

Mike

Weather: scattered clouds with temp probably 37 (maybe 38).

We got a slow start, with a long breakfast with some Finnish Swedes visiting Shanghai to see the eclipse. We took a bus (910) to Old Town, where Curtis negotiated for and bought a silk sports jacket, to be delivered on 7 Aug. We walked slowly through Old Town, along streets with food and markets. We bought buns and a fried rice (?) bread, along with lots to drink. Went into Temple of the Town City, where there are numerous Buddhist shrines. I bought a green bean ice cream bar.

Still, by 1 PM, we were close to collapse, because of the oppressive heat. We went into a movie theater and determined that Harry Potter movie was running at 1 PM, and then several times later, including 3:45 PM. So we headed over to the Shanghai Museum. After long wait to get into the museum, which was free, we toured the fourth, third and second floors: coins, ceramics, calligraphy, painting, furniture, jade, etc. spanning 8000 years. There was even a room with Silk Road coins that would have made any Persian museum proud.

We headed back to the movie theater, where we saw the brand new Harry Potter movie. The admission was pretty steep (80 Y), but the drinks outside the theater were cheaper than could be had on the street. Curtis got a large Coke (he was really tired of the green tea drinks) and I got a coconut drink (really tasty).

We were out at 6 PM. We had seen a 123 bus at the hotel and there was a 123 bus here, so we walked down the street trying to find the bus stop. After walking close to 1/2 km, we passed a 168 Motel (where my Silk Road friends Ile and Mirco are supposed to be staying), only to determine that there are maybe 8 168 Motels in Shanghai. Caught a crush loaded 123 bus, only to determine that the stop was at least 1/2 km north of the hotel.

Back to our hotel room. Accosted by the same woman who had bothered us last night (beer?... tea?... massage?) They are super aggressive here.

Back out for dinner. Two streets over is a restaurant row. We saw a Hunan restaurant and a Chogqing restaurant (is that different from Szechuan?) only to settle on a Uighur restaurant (8 sticks of lamb kebab, a potato in vinegar sauce place, a naan bread, and two large Xinjiang beers, all for 63Y).

It is now 9 PM, and we are at a really crowded internet cafe around the corner.

We did a wash last night of everything we had worn, and it looks like the same again tonight. The temperature last night was 93 (feels like 108) at 8 PM. Tonight it was 95 (feels like 107) at 9 PM. Rain is predicted for tomorrow night (1/2 inch expected) with 90% chance of rain on Wed (eclipse day).

Curtis

Well, I got signed in after all...

In a different wangbao (Internet Cafe) tonight, but very smokey and full of kids playing games, keyboards in better shape but too dark to see letters against the black. Good thing I can mostly speed type, except when I am thinking too hard about it.

I went to a tailor who specializes in silk this AM and ordered a new raw silk jacket. Interesting how hard it is to find. Lots of regular silk, but raw silk is uncommon. I'll pick it up on our return leg. Then we walked some back streets with open markets and noshed a few snacks on way to the Shanghai Museum. Nice exhibits, especially coins and porcelain. Then after the museum we went to a cinema and saw the current Harry Potter movie with Chinese subtitles. They don't show previews and they cut off the credits before the composer came up (guess I can go on imdb.com to find out). The theater was really, really cold, but I could not complain. They sold cokes in plastic bottle, no ice, but the price was right (3.2 Yuan). But the movie was 80 Y (about $12?).

Then we took a bus back to the hotel. Weather was clear and HOT. I wore my safari hat, which Mike thought looked ridiculous, but it keeps the sun off, and that's fine with me. Some of the locals wear anything to keep the sun off, but the most common protective gear is the parasol. It is interesting to be the only foreigners riding the buses. We get stared at by interested folk who don't commonly see Westerners on the public transportation. But the buses are air conditioned and only cost 2 Y (about 30 cents).

We got dinner at a Uighur restaurant, lamb kebob with nan bread and a potato dish in a red bell pepper vinegar sauce, soft shoe string style, hence easy to eat with chopsticks. It was yummy.

I hit a key that put me on Chinese letters。Oops。Anyhow, I am hoping to get a swim tomorrow if I can