Shanghai--the Metropolitan China

I found my Chinese home!  While Zhengzhou is calm, growing, and regionally-reputable, I discovered the Chinese city for me in Shanghai.  I have yet to experience Nanjing, Guangzhou/Shenzhen, and Xi'an, but like the metropolis that is New York and Frankfurt, as is Shanghai.

 

I met a friend, Clare, in Shanghai during the students' testing period.  Poor students are taking 4 days of mid-term exams and I'm drinking Starbucks in Shanghai.  Clare and I both came to China through the same company--EMW China.

We weren't dead-set on seeing the sights, but strolled around the city and eventually came across "the Bund", a heavily commercial area known for it's skyline and evening views over the river.  Note the internationally-recognizable Pearl Tower sticking out behind Rick's head.

Not being sightseers, we went shopping.  Clare insisted that with her impeccable style (as seen here) she could save me from mine.

All day Thursday we spent shopping along NanJing road.  The street features a pedestrian shopping road and many western amenities, including Marks & Spencer.  I had no idea what it was, it being a United Kingdom store, but Clare was ecstatic to find "brown sauce".  That just doesn't sound appetizing to me.  Yet, I now like Marks & Spencer since they sold ground coffee!  My first real, home-brewed coffee.  Thank you, Marks & Spencer.

Shanghai being a metropolitan city, we also came to experience the night life!  This is where the most stories always originate, including the "thrill" that is waiting for women to get ready.  Once everyone's finally ready, the night brings adventures like multi-story lounges, taste-testing a wine (saying to the server that it's not good and getting the response, "Too bad.  It's already open."  What restaurant does that?) and eventually throwing away a 3/4 full bottle--the Chinese just cannot make a good wine, running into Germans between bars and getting directions in German, and dining at KFC to finish the night.

From such nights result the above carnage.  (Note that it's basically a woman's stuff everywhere?  Make-up, shoes, purses, and the slew of outfits tried on before deciding what to eventually wear.)

 

All in all, Shanghai is a beautiful and exciting city.  There's no shortage of shops, parks, culture, and Starbucks. Like Frankfurt and New York, it's an international city--certainly worth a return trip!