Geoff Brock & Bruce Gamble
         
     

Day 9: Shanghai

 
 
 

Monday, 20th September 1999

Xi'an - Shanghai: 805 miles

   
 

We staggered, bleary eyed, to the hotel restaurant and then to the coach to leave at 6:30 for the airport. We passed more Emperors' mausolea which apparently also had (scaled down) terra cotta soldiers buried with them. I felt that we had barely scraped the surface of a fascinating city.

We arrived at the airport, to discover - joy of joys! - another spending opportunity at the airport shop. A girl was making some embroidery pictures. They were very beautiful, and we bought one of bamboo for Y140 and one of orchids for David for Y290. There was also a peacock, which we decided not to buy, but regretted the decision as soon as we got on the plane.

 
Bruce was profoundly disappointed by the plane: it was due to be Shanghai Air (bad name!) but was again a China North West Airbus. Nevertheless, we had a good flight, taking off at 8:20 and landing at 10:00.
 

The late nights and early starts were beginning to take their toll. Many of our fellow passengers caught up with sleep on the plane.

More disappointment for Bruce: the new airport for Shanghai, called Pudong, was opened yesterday, but we landed at the old one.

 

 
We were met at the airport by our guide, Zhou (pronounced Chow), who was not amused by our instinctive greeting of, "Ciao, Zhou!". On to the coach, where we had more language lessons: "Bei" means North" (as in Beijing - northern capital), "Dong" means "East", "Xi" is west (Xi'an - Western city), and Nan means South.
 

We drove straight to the Jade Bhudda Temple, a beautiful complex of buildings with a particularly lovely white jade Bhudda....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

... as well as some huge incense burners and a bronze bell, all dating back far into history at a time when the English were living in huts.

 
 
 
 

We went for lunch at a restaurant attached to the new library. They produced an unusual meal trying to cater to Western tastes, including tomato soup and chips! There was also a strange but tasty dish which comprised baked egg custard with scallops... We were intrigued by a man dressed up in red with a funny hat and carrying something that looked like a very long spouted watering can, covered in red velvet. He picked up a cup, and in a quick gesture, holding the handle of his watering can in one hand, lifted it high so that the length of the spout ran down his arm, behind his back, and the opening was by his other hand which held the cup. Hot tea flowed, and with a flick, he levelled the can. Not a drop was spilled, and we all applauded.

Back to the coach and to the Jiangui Hotel where we checked in. We were on the 14th floor, and had a wonderful view of Shanghai. It is a huge city - some 18 million people (London has 8 million) - with huge skyscrapers as far as the eye can see.

 
We went for a walk, and found a local department store - a bit like John Lewis. It was full of white goods and other quality products, all of which seemed to be selling well. It appears that most of the Chinese we have seen have quite a good standard of living. We bought a fan for my Mother for Y42. We didn't dare cross the road, so walked round the block. Found a food shop, where the amused staff offered samples of bits and pieces we didn't recognise.

Back to the hotel and changed. We left at 5:30 for dinner at the Park Hotel, but we were immediately stuck in a traffic jam: all the roads leading to our destination were closed. Later it transpired that President Jiang Zemin was in town. With some very skillful driving by our driver - going up some very narrow back roads - we finally arrived at the restaurant.

 
 
Dinner was a bit rushed, as we had to get to the Ritz Carlton complex on the Nanjing Road to see the Chinese acrobats. Stunning performances - but we had some qualms about the age of the children performing.
 
 
 
After the show, the coach driver was supposed to take us straight back to the hotel, but Liz bribed him to take us along the famous Bund. With the old Western style buildings on one side of the river, and the 21st century skyscrapers on the other, all lit up, it was spectacular. A special thank you to the driver when we got back to the hotel, where Bruce phoned his parents and I phoned my Mum to let them know how we were getting on.
   
 
 
©Geoff Brock and Bruce Gamble