day 7: we've been shanghai'ed
Woke up to another home cooked meal. Feasted on several different vegetable dishes, some taro root, some spinach like stuff, and something that was like green onions but not as strong flavored. Today we were headed out to Dong Jia Du where there is a huge fashion and fabric market. We were going to get fitted for some suits and shirts. Very cheap for tailored suits, only about $100 for (what they claim is) cashmere fabric. I got fitted for two suits and two button up shirts. Jason got one suit, two pairs of corduroy pants, and one short-sleeve cop-like button-up shirt. He came a bit more prepared in terms of what he wanted, apparently. We walked around the market for a bit, then headed to a nearby xiao long bao place. My uncle loves them too, and goes to this place a lot. My aunt said people from all over know about this place, cause it’s so good and SUPER cheap. We got two different kinds, one basket of pork and one of chicken. You get 15 dumplings per basket and each one was no more than US$1 each!!!! So good, I could eat that stuff all the time, and survive forever with prices like that. More and more am I convinced to move to this city for awhile.
After the delicious late lunch, we head out to my uncle and aunt’s new condo they purchased. We take a ferry across the river. Again, it’s astounding how cheap everything is here. The ride costs only 6¢ US for a one way trip. We head up to the condo, and are amazed by it’s design and space and view. It has everything. The view looks up the Huangpu, and there’s a strong breeze that cuts right down the river right into the apartment. Several balconies, dark hardwood floor, huge rooms, a large bar. It was once owned by an artist so the design was pretty interesting. My aunt doesn’t particularly like though, so she’s gonna tear out a lot of I think. Oh well, still an amazing place. They’re gonna try to rent it out for US$8,000!!!! A bummer, cause I would’ve loved to move in. Now all we I have to do is find at least 7 other people to help me split the rent. The crazy thing is, a place like that could probably fit that many people pretty well.
We leave the condo and head for Pudong, the business district and newest part of Shanghai. We take a taxi and stop at a large shopping mall (another 12 story one of course) and look for an electronic translator for me. Lord knows I’ll need the help if I meet anyone I want to talk to someone. Found one, bought it, headed out. Take another taxi to the Hyatt in the Jin Mao Tower, the tallest building in Shanghai at the moment. I went there last time with my cousin, and we found this great jazz lounge in the middle of the hotel. They also actually have a great view from the men’s bathroom next to the last urinal in this lounge. I highly recommend it. No idea if the women have the same view. Sorry ladies.
After having a drink and some cheese and crackers, and catching some of the Chinese jazz band replete with traditional Chinese guitar and violin, we leave the Jin Mao tower and walk towards the other largest landmark in Shanghai, the Pearl Tower. It was a bit too pricey just to walk at the base of it, so we opted to just walk around it from the street. Took some lovely pics of the skyscrapers as we headed to another ferry to take us back to my uncle and aunt’s place. Fairly effortless, except I tried to pay the fare with the 1¢ paper money instead of the $1 paper money. Whoops. But in my defense, who the hell has paper money for 1¢?? I mean, really?!?!! C’mon!
Stopped at a 7-11 and bought some Reeb, a type of beer. I’d like to think it was the first beer in China, and as they read from right to left, they still think it says Beer. Right? Right.
Returned home to the apartment, took a nice break, cleaned up and headed out to karaoke. Twas a fun night, drinking and signing. We also played some dice drinking games, which really got us fairly inebriated. The video and pics I got of Jason’s return home are quite priceless. Made it home by cab, and crash. In the bed. Not in the taxi.
After the delicious late lunch, we head out to my uncle and aunt’s new condo they purchased. We take a ferry across the river. Again, it’s astounding how cheap everything is here. The ride costs only 6¢ US for a one way trip. We head up to the condo, and are amazed by it’s design and space and view. It has everything. The view looks up the Huangpu, and there’s a strong breeze that cuts right down the river right into the apartment. Several balconies, dark hardwood floor, huge rooms, a large bar. It was once owned by an artist so the design was pretty interesting. My aunt doesn’t particularly like though, so she’s gonna tear out a lot of I think. Oh well, still an amazing place. They’re gonna try to rent it out for US$8,000!!!! A bummer, cause I would’ve loved to move in. Now all we I have to do is find at least 7 other people to help me split the rent. The crazy thing is, a place like that could probably fit that many people pretty well.
We leave the condo and head for Pudong, the business district and newest part of Shanghai. We take a taxi and stop at a large shopping mall (another 12 story one of course) and look for an electronic translator for me. Lord knows I’ll need the help if I meet anyone I want to talk to someone. Found one, bought it, headed out. Take another taxi to the Hyatt in the Jin Mao Tower, the tallest building in Shanghai at the moment. I went there last time with my cousin, and we found this great jazz lounge in the middle of the hotel. They also actually have a great view from the men’s bathroom next to the last urinal in this lounge. I highly recommend it. No idea if the women have the same view. Sorry ladies.
After having a drink and some cheese and crackers, and catching some of the Chinese jazz band replete with traditional Chinese guitar and violin, we leave the Jin Mao tower and walk towards the other largest landmark in Shanghai, the Pearl Tower. It was a bit too pricey just to walk at the base of it, so we opted to just walk around it from the street. Took some lovely pics of the skyscrapers as we headed to another ferry to take us back to my uncle and aunt’s place. Fairly effortless, except I tried to pay the fare with the 1¢ paper money instead of the $1 paper money. Whoops. But in my defense, who the hell has paper money for 1¢?? I mean, really?!?!! C’mon!
Stopped at a 7-11 and bought some Reeb, a type of beer. I’d like to think it was the first beer in China, and as they read from right to left, they still think it says Beer. Right? Right.
Returned home to the apartment, took a nice break, cleaned up and headed out to karaoke. Twas a fun night, drinking and signing. We also played some dice drinking games, which really got us fairly inebriated. The video and pics I got of Jason’s return home are quite priceless. Made it home by cab, and crash. In the bed. Not in the taxi.
