3/31/2010

James isn’t going to be happy with me…


So it’s like this… I was supposed to be going the Bund tonight, which is like some sort of cultural and shopping district in Shanghai? I don’t know… it’s where all the tourists go. Tony (the guy from Microsoft who took us to the Yu Yuan Garden) had mentioned taking us tonight, but I got the impression that he might not be all that up for going out again tonight (he’s a family guy and he seemed a bit wore out from yesterday). Then, early on in the day, Chuck and Craig announced they both were exhausted and felt no desire to see the Bund or any other the part of Shanghai tonight and, instead, would rather make an early night of it in preparation for tomorrow’s departure for Bangalore.

Now you must understand, I don’t think they are particularly lacking in fun now that I know them, it’s just that Shanghai is far far away from where we are… I mean it’s practically a galaxy we are orbiting from a distance and there is much by way of traffic, obstacles and tribulations to overcome between here and there if’n you want to reach those shores, pilgrim. It tires you out just thinking about it… especially after working all day.

James, however, gave me the speech about how I would never be back again and I should see what I could while I was out here… be daring! Bite the bullet! Grrr! And he’s right… like I’ll ever be out here again, right? But then I thought of what it would entail:

• A taxi to the nearest metro station with a taxi driver who, of course, spoke no English

• Navigating the metro line to the Bund… which is far far far away …. Haven’t I covered this already?

• Once I got there, what would I do exactly? The Bund is huge from what I understand and I still don’t know exactly WHAT there is to DO there…

• The sacrifice of a small chicken on a pedestal on the 3rd Thursday after a Full Moon with a silver knife… on wait, wrong requirements… never mind that part… =)

And I’m still so tired from the time change… OK! I’m a big whiney baby! I know it! Usually that’s so not the case, right? I LOVE to travel! Shanghai has just had a strange effect on me, I suppose. It’s odd, every city is different. Europe makes me crazy with the urge to get out and DO and SEE things. South Africa terrified me and made me want to hide in my hotel room (something I never thought would happen). China puts me in a sense of awe, really. I suppose that’s the closest word I can bring to describe it.

So what did I do? Well, Craig had to go buy a new suitcase because the airline destroyed his on the way here. Thus, he found a mall on-line and decided to head there tonight. Wanting to do SOMETHING tonight, I went with him. It was on this side of Shanghai (whereas the Bund was way way on the other side), so it wouldn’t take as long to get to (still took forever, but not near the eon it would have taken). The mall was HUGE. We’re talking some 8 or 9 stories, maybe? I don’t know, I stopped counting and we stopped climbing after awhile. It was cleverly organized so that like stores were on each floor (men’s stores or one floor, women’s stores on another, etc). At first, I was all excited… I could buy clothes that fit me!!! Woot!! However, shopping in China is a nightmare! The lines for the fitting rooms and the checkout are simply not worth the wait. I got tired of waiting and just gave up. Sad, really, as I could have finally bought clothes that fit me that weren’t in the children’s section… sigh… I did buy some undershirts, though, as I was tired of freezing and thought they might help, but even those were a trial in patience having to stand in line for an eternity to purchase them. Oh the convenience of America!

I also bought some commemorative coins and a magnet of a blue, gumby-like dude celebrating the 2010 World Expo that’s coming to Shanghai. Of course, I won’t be here for the expo, but certainly, I feel like he’ll symbolize my trip here quite well. First off, he’s EVERYWHERE! On posters, free standing statues, carved into bushes, tapestries… he has whole kiosks and stores dedicated to him. He is the official 2010 World Expo Mascot and China LOVES him. Everywhere you go, there he is. More than that, Shanghai is doing a total make over to prepare for the Expo. Construction is everywhere! They are going all out for this thing. Buildings are getting facelifts everywhere. They are shipping in trees and plants to line the streets and tearing down trashy buildings you can see from major highways… all because of the expo! Big stuff! So, I thought I had to get the little gumby guy as he’s a pretty big deal for this year.

On the way back from the mall, however, I wished fervently that I could have gotten the taxi to stop several times so that I could have taken pictures. Tonight was eerily beautiful and I was in awe of Shanghai all the way back to the hotel. It was like Gotham city, perhaps… or some futuristic city out of some movie like the ‘5th Element’. The smog made the sky surreal, and the buildings here, all with different shapes and strange little alcoves and facades, light up at night thanks to neon that they put on top of the buildings, the occasional Chinese lettering lit up in lights, and LED billboards that light up the skyline here and there. The effect is somehow lonely, disquieting, and unnerving… again, hard to explain. Nonetheless, Shanghai becomes beautiful at night. Were the car not moving, I would definitely have taken time to photograph it as best I could.


Ah well. Now I am back at the hotel… doing laundry and getting ready for bed. Tomorrow we leave for Bangalore and I’ve been told there isn’t too much to do there from Craig, who has been there many times. I hope I feel differently than he does about Bangalore… we’ll be there over a weekend, after all, a time I plan to make the most of.