SHANGHAI, CHINA

SHANGHAI
On leaving Hong Kong the ocean began to get a little choppy as we sailed through the Taiwan Strait and the winds and waves continued to increase until they reached very rough proportions -- 46 knot winds across the deck and 12 to 18 foot waves!! Those wrist bands really work (although I put mine on a little too late!). I missed the formal evening and chocolate extravaganza that evening …

SHANGHAI -- another great city! What a skyline! There’s quite a rivalry with Hong Kong for the most creative, unique architectural designs and highest buildings, resulting in a very interesting skyline. Many buildings in China have openings in them to “let the evil spirits” pass through them -- one of the tallest is nicknamed the “Bottle Opener” building because of its profile.

The city is really crowded, with lots of people, smog, construction and dug up streets (it felt like all 20 million inhabitants were out just to see us) -- and the traffic jams are incredible! I think they drive with their horns because everyone honked at everyone else, almost knocking over the motorbikes and any unlucky pedestrians who happened to be crossing the road! We were often gridlocked for 5 or 10 minutes at a time. I was amused by all the laundry hanging out wherever there was an empty space, from outside balcony railings, to telephone wires and construction fences at street level. They used a long pole with a hook on it to get the hangers in position. The clothes must have been much dirtier after being exposed to the dust, exhaust and soot from the street than they were when they were hung out to dry!

Our visit to the Children’s Palace was delightful. It happened to be a Sunday morning, and the children came to their various classes to learn painting, martial arts, ballet and dance, musical instruments, games etc. Parents pay for this extra education which is also available after school hours, and the children we saw perform ranged in age from 4 to 14 years.

Our favorite place was the Yu Yuan Gardens. This wonderful, peaceful garden with beautiful natural stone sculptures, paths, ponds filled with koi, bridges, trees and flowering shrubs contains several buildings that were used by wealthy families as their residences. Open areas provided a place for discussions, as well as a small stage for operas and other musical entertainment and a temple for worship. It is entirely enclosed by a high wall which is topped by a dragon. China has many superstitions, and their main symbol is the dragon which denotes power. It is a mythical creature made up of five animals i.e. the head of an ox (or horse), the claws of an eagle, the scales of a fish, the body of a snake and the horns of a deer. Parts of the protective wall undulate like a snake’s body, and the eaves of the buildings all turn toward heaven for happiness. We spent quite some time exploring and enjoying the beauty and tranquility of this lovely spot.

Other superstitions include the power of numbers: three is for life; nine is for eternity; eight is for prosperity but four is for death! Thus the Olympics were opened on 08/08/08 for good luck and prosperity for China! Food symbols are long strands of noodles for longevity; sea moss for prosperity; peach juice is a life-giving elixir and garlic and ginger protect against evil.

Located at the mouth of the third longest river in the world, the Yangtze, a perfect location for trade with the West, it has evolved from a fishing village to one of the biggest and busiest ports in the world. China produces more than 30% of the world’s ships. The harbor at night is magical, with brightly lit sight-seeing river boats cruising along the shore, showing off the city lights that rival Las Vegas!

Shanghai is the largest commercial city in the Far East and is also one of the largest financial centers. Shopping is excellent, ranging from upscale designer label shops and boutiques along Nanjing Road and Huai Hai Road to the tiny Old Town craft and souvenir shops. The standard of living is generally higher than in other cities in China and the people are very friendly, and the young people in particular are eager to practice their English.

We enjoyed seeing Shanghai again, even while being accosted by the street vendors selling kites, postcards for “One Dollar” (special price for you!) and Rolex and Gucci copy watches -- we noticed that those prices, too, are higher than they were 18 months ago, but bargaining is still in fashion! The smells wafting through the air from the delicacies being cooked by the street vendors were enticing, but we forced ourselves to forego sampling it (worms, beetles, snakes and ??)…

We now have many more experiences and sights to add to our memory book as we prepare for our next port of call, Nha Trang, Vietnam.