Wed, 4/11. Gorgeous day.  After the traditional “Don’t Drink The Water, etc.” briefing, we went by bus to the Summer Palace.  The city is much lower to the ground than Shanghai.  Not nearly as pretty.  But the much feared smog was non-existant.  The Summer Palace is on the side of a very large man-made lake.  Max depth: 2 meters.  Many beautiful buildings, statues, and rocks.  Though old, it’s more recent history is more noteworthy.  By recent, I mean within two hundred years from now.  Seems a dowager empress insisted on a beautification project of the Palace grounds (after European powers had burned it down) rather than updating the country’s navy, which was soon after soundly beaten by Japan’s navy.

Lunch was fine.  Prettily dressed servers with odd hats.  After returning to the hotel we were cut lose for the afternoon.  I went wandering towards a lama buddhist temple we’d driven past, mostly to see the shops along the road.  But I discovered down a side street the Temple of Confucius and Imperial College Museum.  Wonderful!  Really should be on the tour.  Virtually all the signage was also in English.  Lots of history, including the development of China’s famous qualifications process to become a public official.  Not too crowded, rather peaceful.  I was there until they closed.

Our official greetings dinner was at a table for 14 with a massive lazy susan.  For me, the noise level with 13 others in a circle made conversation impossible.  Wanted to leave so badly, but stuck around until the coffee.

Tues, 4/10.  I’m using a VPN service to get around Chinese censures.  I just had a strange event which I can’t explain.  This is my second post; my first post got eaten.  Fortunately I’m having a swell time.  China is fun with admirable leadership.  (Several times Jacky has looked around before making a (generally favorable) comment about his country.  Habit, I guess.

We walked around the Chinese equivalent of Fifth Avenue.  Nice shops.  Very large Apple store that was just like every other Apple Store.  Even got an offer for assistance in English.  Less normal was a six story building only for food, “First Food Hall”.  They had the delicious sweet beef jerky I like so much.  Many Japanese outlets, thought the sushi looked old.

Took the experimental/demonstration Magnetic Levitation Train (Maglev) to the airport.  (The bus followed with our bags.)  180 MPH.  Very fast, but a money losing proposition.  They’ve got the science down, but not the costs.

Shanghai is a bustling town, but we’re all ready for some real China.  The flight to Beijing was normal. Beijing was much clearer than we expected, I guess because of high winds.  Hotel is on the historic grounds of a former princess’s home.  Quiet.  Saw a Harley-Davidson!  Nothing in Shanghai but scooters.

 

 

Mon, 4/9.  Took high speed train to Suzhou.  I clocked it at 173MPH.  Suzhou is a small city of only 4 million.  Took in another canal boat ride of limited interest.  Fortunately it was a beautiful day, which helped an otherwise boring cruise become worth it.  The oarsman sang.

Visited a rather pedestrian temple.  It had a long history, including an extended period when it was underutilized.  Ho-hum.  Jacky said everyone can practice the religion of their choice, but they can’t do it together.  Individual observance.

After another standard lunch we had a [quick] tour of a silk factory which ended in [slow] walk through the obligatory store.  I finally learned how silk originates.  Didn’t want to buy anything.

Lastly we walked through a traditional garden which made the entire day for me.  There were very few flowers, but the rocks, trees and buildings were laid out very nicely.  I could certainly imagine a day just sitting and contemplating great poetry.  Of course, the absence of numerous tourists, some with extremely loud guides, would help.  One guide handed out receivers and spoke into a mic.  Loudly.  We had a short demonstration of music.  I’m sorry to say that traditional Chinese song leaves me cringing.

I walked alone back to the hotel from the train station, trusting my offline map.  Walked through some of the less toured areas.  Everything was still clean[ish].  Passed several scooter repair shops.  Scooters are everywhere, many electric.  All are quiet.  Hardly anyone wears a helmet.  I think investing in a Chinese helmet manufacturer would be a wise idea.  Someday the government will require them.  1.4 billion potential helmet sales.

Tomorrow we fly to Beijing.  I just read that it’s got the 2nd busiest airport in the world.  Shanghai’s is only the 9th.

Sun, 4/8.  After a slow 90 minute bus ride through heavy traffic we visited Fengjing village, an small version of Venice with a canal and boats.  It’s main claim to fame is the oldest existing bridge in China.  Lots of little traditional shops selling a variety of food and souvenirs, plus one new street with more modern shops (yes, a Starbucks).  It’s clearly a popular place; massive number of school outings.  Fun lunch.  Excellent kung pao chicken.  Since I came here with few expectations I can’t say I’m surprised by much, but I have noticed that the Chinese food here unexpectedly similar to Chinese food in the USA.  I don’t expect that to continue.  Bought a small bottle of what Jacky insists is rice wine, but it’s alcohol % is 42.  I have to do some research.

Returning to Shanghai, we spent several hours in the city’s Museum, one of the four best in China.  Overwhelming detail in very specific fields.  Coins, furniture, pottery, calligraphy, block signatures, etc.  Two hours were not enough or exhaustingly too much.  Lots of English translations.

I had told Jacky days ago that I wanted to visited the Jin Mao Tower’s 87th floor bar, called Cloud 9.  My seven companions latched onto this idea, so in the evening we piled into two cabs and made our way under the river and through the skyscrapers to the third tallest building in Shanghai and reputedly highest bar in the world.  Great views as expected.  Poor service as reported.  We did this outing without Jacky.  Our return was hampered by taxis insisting on going off the meter and charging triple prices.  We refused.  A valet offered to call an Uber(!) and I reimbursed him.  Only paid double.

 

Sat, 4/7.  Clear day.  A little jet lag, but not bad.  Breakfast had no eggs.  Met rest of the group.  First stop was the “Bund”, the old European waterfront, across from the modern city.  Clearly, there was no grand plan in the new cityscape.  Excellent walkway along the river which was incredibly busy, though strangely mostly in one direction.  Sail up in the morning, down in the evening?  A wall of living flowers. The old buildings looked out of place when compared with both the new and old Shanghai.  The tour leader (Ricky) made it clear that Shanghai is to China as Las Vegas is to the USA.  Well, after Hong Kong.

Visited an old area of communal apartments.  Each section had a shared kitchen and baths.  In spite of the squalid situation, the alleys were clean and filled with flowers.  Overhead was laundry drying.  “China’s National Flag”, Ricky said.  We happened on an intersection where the locals were more than happy to talk.  The apartments were targeted for demolition, but most were happy to leave.  Each family would get a house outside the city.  One man was very irate though.  The suburbs have limited transportation options and few local amenities.  He was pushing to get two homes, one to rent.

Lunch was at a modern mall.  Lazy susan, various dishes, nothing surprising except for breaded whole shrimp. Happily, everyone drinks.  Then we toured a fascinating gallery of silk string art.  Incredible detail.  If I’d had $6,000 of spare cash, I might have done something silly.

Walked through 450 year-old Yu Gardens, one of the more famous gardens in Shanghai.  Besides being interesting on its own merits, it gave Jacky an opportunity to discuss various Chinese traditions.  People hovered unapologetically around us as Jacky talked. There wasn’t much signage to explain things.  It was crowded, but not overwhelmingly so.

After a basic dinner we went to see the new city at night.  Very pretty.  The buildings have permission and encouragement to “light up” between 7 and 10 each night, after which they go dark.  Lots of tourist boats on the river.

 

Fri 4/6.  Apparently I have connectivity.  Hurray!

Hong Kong’s new airport is really nice.  Really big too.  I don’t know if I’ve ever walked so far between connections.  15 hour flight was what you’d expect.  Excellent seat.  Lots of movies.

Shanghai’s airport is huge for airplanes.  Our plane made seven 90 degree turns to get to the gate.  Customs was a non-event.  There is a fairly strict 80KPH speed limit on the highways.  “Cameras are everywhere” the driver said.  Dense mist surrounded the city.  View was very disappointing.  He said the sun should come out tomorrow.

The hotel has seen better days, but the amenities are still in sight.  True decadence is when there’s a phone next to the toilet.  Separate shower and bath.  Mini bar.  Gas mask in the closet.  I stay here four nights.  Plenty of time to try out the mask.

No pictures yet.  Need to stretch in honor of my Personal Trainer Kelsey, then go on a walkabout.  I haven’t met anyone else in the tour group yet.  Dinner is on my own tonight.

I welcome comments.  I think it works now.  

Wed, 4/4.  Tonight I board a plane.  After 30 minutes of Thursday, the plane takes off.  Temporal discontinuity occurs (It’s a Scify thing).  On Friday it lands.

It’s a complication that I spend the day watching the news in case a new level of international “dumbness” impedes the trip.  (Restricting visas is a potential retaliatory action in trade wars.)  It’s a source of frustration and embarrassment that my country’s leader is causing it.  I got a call from our Team Leader “Jacky” last night, which worried me momentarily, but he was just checking if I had any questions.  Whew.

I’m still not 100% sure that I’ll be able to update this blog in China.  I’m using a VPN service, which masks my location.  If there’s no update on Saturday it’ll mean bad news. Set an alarm for April 27th.