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Normally the train to Xi’an takes 12 hours and a flight takes 2 hours. But not in our case.
We woke up at 7:30 am, breakfasted at the Asset Hotel, and checked out by 8:45. The doorman walked us to the cab with an umbrella. Excellent service.
On the cab ride to the airport, it was raining and overcast. On the highway, we noticed the high winds. Uh-oh.
We arrived at China Eastern in terminal one of the Pudong airport at 9:30 for a 12 pm flight. Signage posted at the checkin says all flights are cancelled due to typhoon. We check the big board of flights and it’s cancelled. Ugh. We ask the attendants near the sign and they tell us to go to terminal 2.
We opt to go to the ticket desk and wait in line. No one lines up behind us, knowing foreigners are a handful. She tells us we can go on a flight tomorrow. We ask if there are any others today. She said Shanghai Airlines has a flight at 2pm that might still take off. If weather permits.
But we have to find and take the shuttle bus to terminal 2 to see if we can get on the Shanghai airlines flight. Lol.
We go there and get in line again. She says it may still take off or may be cancelled. We take our chances and get booked on it. Then we go sit by the big board and wait. From 10:15 onward.
We sit near railing with luggage surrounding OL. I tell him he’s in the bedroom and I’m in the living room. We find this hysterical.
Every hour or so one of us goes to ask about the flight. The big board isn’t updated.
There is no info on it being cancelled or delayed. At about 1, there is still no update on flight.
I get xiao long tang bao at the dumpling place and tea. The xiaojie gets nervous talking to me and keep putting her hand in front of her mouth which makes it impossible to hear her. The dumplings btw turn out to be a mistake because I will burp dumplings for the next 6 hours. At the airport.
While I eat, OL checks the board and asks airline checkin people about our flight. They try to speak english with OL. The guy rambles and key point OL gets is if lucky after 1hour wait.
The ramble also included random nouns and yeses. So that it sounds like this “red suitcase plastic bag if lucky check back horseshoe flight to Xian water bottle airline if lucky after 1 hour, yes. Yes, Sunglasses, yes?”
He reports this to me. I burst out laughing. Really appreciate that the flight attendants tried in English but the info was so hard to understand.
Unfortunately the board never updated. The checkin lines never posted the flight name, code, or anything to indicate it was checking in. Everything was word of mouth. And we didn’t have the Chinese to navigate a flight delay.
Over at another checkin counter, a massive crowd forms around an older man screaming and flailing his arms about at the checkin girl. That airline cancelled all flights for the day. He seems to be venting for the 75 people near him. Airport cops congregate around watching. Waiting to see what he does.
I can’t believe how long he keep berating the check in woman. It’s not her fault. And the violent swings of his arms. I think the cops are waiting for him to hit her. It continues for over an hour. Not sure how it ended actually.
OL and I alternated asking. At 1:30pm we relocated closer to the checkin counter and sat near a sign. For a while. At 2:45, I asked if flight checkin yet. They said no so OL heads to dumpling place to eat something. At 3:20 a guy runs up to his family next to us and rushes them out of there. Another flight is boarding.
While OL eats, I go check. Find out it’s our flight. I grab OL, pee quick(thank god for western toilets at Pudong Airport) and rush to check in with our luggage.
OL has his confirmation for flight. But when the checkin guy goes to check us in he says there’s a problem. Our confirmation code indicates we were not booked on this Shanghai airlines flight. No we were booked on another China Eastern flight which already took off.
OL and I look at each other like omfg no. Then we explain in English that we were booked on the 12pm flight. When it was cancelled China Eastern sent us over to Shanghai Airlines for their 2pm flight. This is the flight we are trying to get on that has been delayed for a while.
Guy becomes quiet. Gets on phone. Punches keys on computer finally looks up and says it’s okay. Prints our tickets and we see the boarding time is 3:30. We go through gate security and both get wanded. Like second base level wanding. Head to gate and see clock says 3:45. Rushing on people mover to get to gate.
But when we get there. No plane. No boarding. Attendant tells us flight is delayed and plane should arrive at 5pm. I announce, I need retail therapy. You sit here with the stuff. I go back to find snacks (pretzels, shortbread), water, and Haagen Dazs. 45 yuan for a scoop of green tea ice cream. 6.25$. Insane. But I need it.
5pm passes with no plane in sight. People start gathering at the gate as if they can summon the plane down by sheer willpower. Japanese girls with matching dresses annoy the shit out of me. Kids are perky after hours of flight delay. Grandpa naps in grandma’s stockings on seats across from us.
While breakfasting today, OL and I are treated to a fashion show Chinese style. We’ve got the white cotton and lace frilly dress sweetness. She’s followed by the big city whore look, a shredded t shirt with beads Pocahontas style with platform American flag heels. And hot pants.
She however is pouting because she and her friend didn’t splurge and get the breakfast. Keeps saying oh we can’t eat in Chinese. The white frilly dress girl waves a 100 yuan bill at the xiaojie but she says no they aren’t on her list.
The other girls sit at their table of 3 and eat while their friends watch.
Hysterical.
After we finish our meal, we head to front desk to find closest post office. Turns out it’s a few blocks away. We walk there. Ofc I screw up the form and they won’t give me another one. Then after a few requests they give me a new one, and I screw that up. Ugh. So I send the package to myself as my mother.
Lol. Dumbass. It will arrive in a month. I never did get shanghai postcards. Never found seller of single cards always book of them. Maybe can get them at airport tomorrow.
Okay so back to today. We decided to go explore the LuXun park and Doulun cultural street. We road line 4 to line 8. On line 4, there is this gremlin child demonically howling. Made me laugh my ass off.
Got off on Hongkou stadium and walked to LuXun park. Pretty park.
Not touristy. Lots of Chinese gathered in groups to dance and sing. Adorable.
We wand to LuXun’s tomb which was worth seeing. Especially since it was built by Mao against LuXun’s wishes. In fact, he had LuXun dug up and moved 20+years after his first burial.
Then onto the Plum Grounds, a lovely section of the park dedicated to Korean-Chinese relations. Pretty rock walkways, pagoda, water and bridge.
We felt peckish and explored the lunch places outside the park. Stumbled on a tasty chain. No idea what the name was. But we ate this:
Headed to find the Duolun Cultural Street. We stumbled upon a group of Chinese dancing to Turkish music. They really enjoy their weekends.
We stumble on a Dairy Queen where we get the green tea blizzard. Except this time they come with tons of nuts. Ugh. So I have to explain I cannot eat it because eating nuts makes me sick. So they make me a new one. OL likes his with the nuts.
So we continue on and find Duolun Cultural Street. It’s not what the rough guide said. Really pretty uninteresting. The buildings are neat to look at but the stores are old and jewelry or painting. Nothing tempting for me.
We walked onward to catch the line 3 back to our hotel.
We did a quick snack shopping for tomorrow’s trip to Xian.
Returned to the room and watched Oliver Twist. Worst movie endured in China. So hard to follow and so boring.
Internet not working. Try to explain to front desk guy but he doesn’t seem to know how to restart the Internet.
We go to dinner early. Waitress refuses to wait on us. Ol smiles 3 times. She smiles back. I smile and she says its not her with a gesture. So nice girl comes over and checks our tea and then she sends other girl over. We order with her. The entire process confuses me. Everyday, it changes. Lol.
Eggplant and potato and Chicken dishes. I have Miranda soda again. Love my orange soda. OL has soda. I now order it cold for him.
Boy George guy sitting at table near us. Except he’s boy George today fat with eyeliner. OL finds him annoying just to look at.
Come back to room and schedule hotel. Get front desk xiaojie to fix Internet. Schedule taxi to airport for tomorrow.
Onto Xian.
Slept in until 10am. Around 10:45 hammering starts outside. Ugh. We motivate after watching Green Lantern cartoon on HBO only English channel here.
We head to McDonalds at Nanjing dong Lu for breakfast. Get there at 12:30. Huge line. OL goes to get table. I get in line to order. Nice mcd girl comes by with post its and writes my order in Chinese. I get up to the cashier and pay 15 yuan ($2.50) for entire double cheeseburger meal.
Seating is on main floor and upstairs. This angry Chinese mama surveys the area with hands on hips. I swear I expected her to say to me, “I expel you white devil from this seat in the name of Chairman Mao.”
Ofc she only is eating an ice cream cone, but that Ofc merits a seat and table. She stares down everyone that has started their meal willing them to eat faster.
We decide to take it easy and not do as much today. Push today’s plan to tomorrow and wander around the plazas at Nanjing dong Lu.
Cute malls.
Not any reasonably priced jade or scarves though. But plaza 853 has toilets but no toilet paper and soap dispensers but no paper towels. No the rolls of toilet paper you’d find in the stalls are mounted by the exit as paper towels.
The Chinese are big into replicating and imitating. They built a replica of an entire European town for God’s sake. Take a camera into a public restroom in the US and snap 5 pictures. Jesus.
We get on subway to Shanghai #1 Department Store. Browse for jade and scarves. OL finds a piece he likes. It’s a big fat Buddha. Priced at 980 yuan. She goes to 780 yuan. I talk Chinese with her. Translate as best I can for OL. He ends up purchasing the piece.
I saw some nice snakes but decide will wait for Xian or Beijing. We go upstairs to silks scarves. Very hard to find. Get to them. They are 600-1000 yuan. Ouch. Sales girl tries them on me. They have cute ties to make them into a top etc. But thats pricey for something I don’t love.
Besides this ugly old Chinese lady starts trying on each one I take off. So annoying. Copying me. As a general rule, whatever a foreigner looks at merits groups of Chinese watching and trying on. Group gathers to watch me. Makes me nervous.
I walk away. Go to men’s floor to think about it. I stumble on Mexican clothing line. With polo shirt logo of man sitting in sombrero. That’s hysterical. So I buy one. For 160 yuan.
After I go look at jade. I really like snake color but the carvings aren’t good. Snake heads look like fish. Hate it. The one I like has chip on jade. Once I see it I cannot not see it. She offers it for 770 from 980 but the chip. I can’t. Then this kid starts shoving at me thigh and I realize tons of Chinese have gathered to watch me make a purchase. Intense. I decide to leave. No purchase made.
Go to raffles city and get Mochi.
Return to hotel. Eat mochi (Japanese rice flour wrapped ice cream treat) while watching White Men Can Jump and Bourne movie.
Chill. Do laundry. And by do laundry I mean hand wash 5 pairs of pants in the sink and hanging them to dry in the shower. The thing I’ve learned is that it isn’t about the soaking time, but the number of times you push the soapy water through the fabric. I shoot for 75-100 times per pair of pants. Definitely building up my arm muscle.
Pack stuff for postoffice tomorrow. OL takes the bulk of it in his backpack.
Today was a hot one. Horribly humid. We woke up early enough for Bfast at the hotel. Red bean paste buns, fried rice in wonton wrapper and eggs. OL had watermelon and pb and j sandwich.
We headed over to Jing An temple. Despite being squashed amongst the skyscrapers, it was a lovely temple.
Cabbed it over to Yufu temple. Worth the cab ride. Gorgeous jade buddhas. Quieter temple. We couldn’t find the entrance and wandered in by the back door. Didn’t have to pay for entrance. Felt guilty so bought gorgeous overpriced hand paintings of landscapes done by an artist using just his fingers and hand as a brush.
Lots of nice stuff in giftshop but overpriced and felt wrong to haggle with monastery.
Nice guy gave us a short tour of place, but we’d already seen some of the room, but he kinda insisted we see them again. Lol.
Afterwards, we grabbed cab to the alleged friendship store. Except it turned out to be the Peninsula hotel. We went inside and asked and the front desk explained it was the friendship store but it closed. So did the one on Jinjiang. The only one open is out in Hong qiao. He went on to say now that China more open friendships stores are gone.
Ofc, one guidebook mentioned it, and I also found the Beijing Lu address online. This is a mega frustration about Shanghai. Guidebooks seem to be outdated the minute they are printed. And the Internet is woefully out of date and useless.
I explained we wanted to pick up a nice piece of jade for 800 yuan. He smiles, you can buy jade anywhere. I said yes, but no idea if real. He says go to jewelry stores but it’s much more expensive than my price.
Crazy since I paid $50 13 years ago for my piece. Look I’ll believe prices have doubled or tripled but the going rates we’ve seen in stores is 10s of thousands of yuan. That’s just absurd.
So we hit Subway for sandwiches. Then 18 on the bund for toilets. As we start to head out the grey skies split open to torrential downpours, lightning and thunder claps. We linger inside for half an hour until rain slows down. We browse in every store that is completely beyond our budgets and resort to taking pictures of this crazy bunny statue.
We walk toward subway. I’m not feeling well, so we head back to hotel and I nap for 3 hours. OL slips into sleep too.
Then we go to dinner at restaurant.
I woke up a crabbyy apple. OL was all Mr. sunshine too. Chipper and happy because we slept in.
Every muscle in my body ached down to my toes. Only my hands felt normal. Ew. This did not improve my mood. We had a lighter day planned, but still had to go get breakfast.
We subwayed to the McDonalds near Saruman’s tower.
Arrived around noon to hectic place. Loud electronic music, barely any seats and a big line.
OL found us two seats and I ordered. We scarfed down our food and headed back onto the subway to Yu gardens.
The tour book warned about it being a tourist trap. It can be. Very pushy people approach you the second you step off the subway waving colored photos of watches and handbags. They don’t take no for an answer unless you yell or give a dirty look.
Everyone came at us like fresh meat as we stopped to orientate selves with map. We had to keep walking.
The entrance to the yu gardens is inside the yuyuan bazaar, forcing us to navigate the sellers to get to the peace of the park.
The buildings of the bazaar are a definite nod to the China of the past that westerners eagerly anticipate a glimpse of.
OL finds a name chop maker and bargains him down from several hundred to 65 for a name chop. The chop maker carves the chop by hand. Neat to watch.
We keep going and head to park for a break from the intense shopping extravaganza, where shop owners open with amounts 10 times higher than they want.
The Yu gardens are worth it. The peace of the Chinese garden was only interrupted by tour guides with megaphones inside.
Tons of lovely photo ops and the forgetting about yuyuan bazaar. Wandered for a hour or so.
My mood was still not so good, but we decided to brave the souvenirs. After I got a t shirt in the garden for yuan 50 instead of yuan 120.
We realize we have to decide what we want to pay and pay it. Refuse to go up.
I decided 5$ is all I want to pay for tshirts and we do that for a few. The most important thing is not falling in love with anything and looking indifferent. We walked away so many time to get called back and finally get the price we wanted. It’s a lot of work, but we felt like we really spent our money well.
I even found a guy selling Mao watches so there mean xiao jie who refused to sell me stuff at the CCP meeting house gift shop.
We also got silk wall scrolls. Each time we got something, we adjusted our pricing.
Got a couple scarves. It’s so important to feign disgust and indifference.
But that made it hard to know when I really liked something. We ended up with a cornucopia of souvenirs. Spent hours at the market. Both of us bargained and used to other.
As night crept toward us, flush with success, we decided to take advantage of the nice clear skies and hit the bund for evening photos.
This is another not to be missed thing. The bund transforms at night and the Shanghai skyline truly sparkles to life. We walked beside it for a while coming up from the southern end. There was a lovely breeze off the water and it was a cooler night for once.
Afterwards, we walked to Nanjing Dong Lu for night pictures of the garish store signs in the pedestrian walkway. Worth a peek. There is a shop with an auction-like owner whose microphone voice spills into the sidewalk and across the street.
We jumped on the Nanjing Dong Lu. Subwayed back to Dong An Lu. Took pics of all our souvenirs
and had dinner at our restaurant. I had the mushu pork and OL had his hot and sour pork. I had a Miranda orange soda and OL had a coke. No ice but cold.
We came home and interneted before bed. I got slap happy and realized migraine aura. Took a migraine pill and had another bad nights’ sleep.
Today I leapt out of bed at 9:00. OL barely stirred. But by 9:30 sleepy guy and I were downstairs at breakfast. Where he nearly spilled my coffee.
I had a red bean paste bun. Same as yesterday on the rest.
Decided to do the French Concession today. Started from Chang Shu Lu station. Went to the Russian Orthodox Mission church that the communists turned into a laundry mat. Gotta love atheism.
Onto the Hengshan Moller Villa Hotel, which resembles a castle cake.
Stunning architecture. Purportedly designed by the owner’s 12 year old daughter. Lovely grounds too. Koi pond.
We saw the Okura Garden Hotel which has Palladio inspired gardens and original building. The monolithic hotel added on later is a stark contrast in soullessness.
The Jinjiang hotel contains the former Grosvenor House which was the swankiest pre WWII residence. It’s totally gatsby-esque.
And Ofc, I fell up the stairs there. The hotel attendant turned and left the room.I seem to have that affect on people.the I’m done after this girl syndrome.
We lunched at a Cheng Cheng’s Art Salon which has delish food and is a renovated colonial building.
Had sautéed eggplant, braised beef in soy sauce and sweet and sour pork.
With rose petal tea. Omg so good! Best lunch yet on trip.
On the street outside a man struts by in his silk boxers and wife beater. What a sight.
Table cloth and embroidered napkin setting the tone at the table. I sat in a ginormous chair.
Listened to women talk about their family lineage. And how it was 38 centigrade yesterday so they couldn’t do anything here. They all professed to want to do stuff but have no idea where to tell the taxi to go. Try trip advisor dumbass.
Next we explored Sun Yat-sen’s former residence and museum.
Worth the 20 yuan to see what a home from the past century looked like. Loved their gratuitous little giftshop where I bought a tshirt for 50 yuan and fan for 45 yuan.
We saw Zhou Enlai’s residence next for free. It was cool to see but nothing spectacular.
Poor OL. I went to go pee, but the door wouldn’t shut. So I had to ask him to come watch the door. But it creaked open so OL had to hold the door shut in the toilet while I peed. No sink to wash hands btw.
Then we searched for Tianzifang, a shikumen house converted into shops, galleries, restaurants, and coffee houses.
Tshirts go for 168yuan. Too expensive for my tastes. Silk scarves are 2000 yuan.
Then a thunderstorm rips the sky open. Torrents of rain. Gunpowder thunderclaps. Lights flicker. We huddle under covered sections. Intense stormage.
Store owners refuse to bargain here. Unless cheap shop. But so overpriced. We get exhausted from standing to wait out the rain and start walking in it.
Not much we’re interested in buying so walk to dapuqiao subway and come back to hotel.
OL watches Flight Plan while I do laundry in the sink and import pics to iPad and type blog up.
Next we headed to the nearby restaurant for dinner. I had pork in soy sauce with thin pancakes, and delicious chicken soup that was octopus.
OL had green pepper and potatoes and eggplant stir fried together. Came to 67yuan which is ten bucks. For dinner. For two. Nice.
A man walks in in pajama pants and shirt to order takeout. Sits while it is being made. Hysterical.
Wifi not working. Grrr. No idea what is wrong.
Awaken at 8:30 unrefreshed. Terrible nightmares all night. Woke up screaming and moaning over and over again. Can’t quite recall dream but for a few things. The number 3000 and bad bad things happening here. No way to verify it. But I’m guessing some residual energy remained from the events and I picked up on it.
Kept OL up all night. He lost count of the episodes. Worst of the trip he said. Over and over kept happening.
Went to breakfast buffet at the Asset Hotel. Very comprehensive. Scrambled eggs, pasta, squash. Cereal. Toast, pb and j. Coffee, tea, milk, juice. Congee, egg drop soup. Croissants and watermelon. Something for everyone. Best Bfast ever.
OL spilled OJ on table. Monzard is so disorientated without sleep.
I sunscreen up and we head to the subway. Today, we are doing the Bund tour courtesy of my Rough Guide to Shanghai. We decide to start from the Tiantong Lu station across Suzhou Creek.
Walk past the main post office. Turn on Wusong Lu to Suzhou Bei Lu beside the Suzhou Creek. We see the Orwellian Broadway Mansions, the Pujian Hotel and the Russian consulate before heading over Waibaidu bridge toward the Bund.
Did I mention it’s in the 90s and even the monzard is hot? Shanghai sun is baking me under my UV coated parasol.
After visiting the stark Heroes of the People monument, we seek shade in Huangpu park where sailor moon boy is beating trees with branches and breaking bamboo for the fun of it. Makes me hate little boys.
We head back above ground to take more pictures of Pudong’s skyline
and the Bund buildings across the street. Surreal to see all these western architectural marvels in Shanghai.
I’m a huge history buff when it comes to buildings in China. The Peace Hotel is stunning inside. Worth a gander.
Once in the a/c, we realize we are hungry and head to Subway on the Bund.
18 on the Bund is a super ritzy shops inside a gorgeous old building, we wander in and I find the rest rooms. Super clean.
We moved on to the Customs House and former HSBC building and rubbed the paws of the lions in front for luck. Saw the Waldorf Astoria in building #2. And the former signal tower.
Finished with the bund tour by 2 pm, we figure we’ll take the Bund Tourist Tunnel to Pudong to see the sex museum.
The tunnel is very cool lightshow and we enjoy it thoroughly.
However, looking forward to time in the museum out of the heat. Pudong becomes a monumental fuckout for us.
We get out of the tunnel and cannot find the China Sex Culture Exhibition. Go where the map indicates, but it’s not there. We circle around. End up walking along Binjiang dadao (riverside promenade) but cannot find it.
Stop at a tea house for some rest and they don’t know where it is. Wander back toward Oriental Pearl Tower in search of it.
Ask a few people but I don’t understand their directions. Then go to Oriental hotel and ask in English. They say it is closed. Grrrr.
We just wasted 2 hours trying to find this stupid museum that we really wanted to see.
We decide to check out the Hyatt lobby on the 54th fl of the Jinmao tower. This is an epic fail. We cannot figure out how to get to it. We get to the IFC mall but there is nowhere and I mean nowhere to sit. We try for JinMao again and end up back at IFC.
We give up on Pudong where nothing has gone well and jump on the subway back to the hotel. My knees start acting up. Everything hurts. I don’t want to walk anymore. Can’t think straight. Want to cry. Ofc, we are walking in wrong direction. Double back. Each step and I want to be struck dead. It’s hot and I’m at the end of my tenuous hold on myself.
OL asks if I want to rest. I say no I really want you to gut me like a fish.
Feeling a complete melting of my entire personality. Thank god the room has a/c. And they fixed the vent in the bathroom. Our room no longer reeks of cigarette smoke. I snack on some steak flavored cheetos and water.
Watched Out Of Africa, which made zero sense to both of us.
I ask OL if he wants dinner at food court or nearby restaurant. His hand is thrown over his brow and he says I don’t know.
So we went to Chinese restaurant near hotel again. I ordered everything in Chinese. Ofc, the waitress acted like I didn’t say tea correctly. She loves to correct my Chinese.
Had mu shu pork and OL had beef with potatoes. Delicious.
Came back to hotel for Internet and found out the fucking sex museum was moved to the canal town of Tongli that we plan to visit later this week. Are you kidding me?!
We hit rush hour traffic and I pass out.OL wakes me as I arrive at the hotel at 8:30. We check into our room which is clean but reeks of stale cigarette smoke. Ew. Biggest pet peeve on the mainland is their cigarette addiction.
Pass out for 4 hours. Around 12:30pm we wake up in need of food. Plan to hit food court in Raffles mall. Ask front desk for lunch place and they suggest a 20-30$ per person place nearby, Yuan yuan.
We go with plan b and head to the subway. Signs are in English and Chinese which helps. We decide to buy the add value card. But it doesn’t have a specific name and you cant buy it at the ticket machine.
So I’m forced to pull out my old Chinese and try to communicate. This is interesting. I can speak but my understanding of the reply is problematic. After a few fits and starts, we finally manage to buy the card. Then you have to put your stuff through a metal detector to get on subway. Wow.
We get on subway marveling at how similar they are to HK. Wonder who copied who.
Arrive at People’s square stop. Exit 15 is for Raffles City which is the name for Raffles Mall in Chinese. We explore the mall. Food court looks good. We go to Ajisen Ramen. Not as good as HK. They also give you bill before food arrives.
Wander through mall. Then head outside. Go to renmin park which is gorgeous. Lotus flower pond and shade. Picturesque pathways.Have latte at famous Barbarossa. Arabian nights designed lounge. Stumble on falls.
Wander to look for Tomorrow’s Square. Missed it on first go. Finally find it. Thanks to guidebook saying it looks like Saruman’s tower. Go to 38th fl/ JW Marriott lobby for great views of Shanghai. Snap some pictures.
Wander around more and find People’s Square. Sit beside fountain. Watch grandma clapping hands and stomping feet walking in sorta circle. Over and over again. She definitely marched to the beat of her own drummer. But she got her blood pumping. End up in underground malls that were once bomb shelters. DMall and Hong Kong Shopping center. Walk back to food court but too overwhelmed by shear crowds of people to eat. Leave and take taxi to hotel.
Venture out at 8:30 to eat. Very few restaurants near hotel. One too smoky. Cross street and double back. All restaurants now on other side of 4 lane impossible to cross road. We get across finally. All weird stuff like bullfrogs. Ew. Finally find place and get dumplings and veggies for OL.
They don’t speak any English so again out comes my Chinese. Rusty as hell. But I try. Waitress correct me a few times. Lol. Then rice arrives with yellow speckles in it. I have to ask what it is and confirm not eggs for OL. Manage to do this.
Dinner cost 41 yuan. $6 for two people. At one point stopped at convenience store for cheetos and bun. So afraid not find restaurants.
We come back to wired Internet at hotel, which means using lobby terminals that take forever. Think 1996 dial up experience. 20 minutes to reply to two emails and delete 15. Ugh. Are you kidding me?
I decide I cannot do internet like this. It’s de-evolution. Mind you there are a ton of f-bombs flying from my mouth. To make matters worse,the computer terminal is stand up so you pace while you wait.Or I do anyways.
On way to room, we spy a small open courtyard, people on laptops. Decide they may have wireless and check it out.turns out they do. And it’s fast. Just in that courtyard. So I reply to emails and feel relatively sane again.
return to room which still reeks of smoke. Though no one is smoking in here. Grrr.
Blog and prepare for bed.
