Yangshuo to Shanghai, China Part V

Tuesday, March 26, 2019    Guilin, China to Shanghai

After a very quick breakfast, we loaded the van to head to the airport…an hour drive in a rainy, smoggy, foggy day.

Airports in China are incredibly modern, clean, and user friendly. Everyone lined up to check in and get our tickets. A red light went off to indicate that Willie had a problem with his luggage…. A red light went off to indicate that there was a problem with Farida’s luggage….A red  light went off to indicate that there was a problem with Larry’s luggage, a red light went off to indicate there was a problem with Irene’s luggage, a red light went off to indicate there was a problem with  Carol’s luggage. 

Each time this happened they had to go back into a little room and show them what they suspected to be an issue. For Larry it was an Ipod that was turned off…the China airport security had to see it to believe it. Then that bag was sent back through the scanner for one final check. Everything was fine with everyone’s luggage but we all had a little anxiety over what the heck the problem was going to be.

That was step one….Then we went through the real National Security check with our carry-on luggage. After showing our passports again…everything had to be laid out in a tub….computers, electronics, coats, hats, and passports…yes passports all ran through a scanning machine. We walked through an electronic detector and then we each had to be wanded on the front and the back. Then we had to show Larry’s small regulation size canister of shaving cream that was packed within all the other cosmetic things. What a process! Whew!

The flight was an awful, AWFUL bumpy ride! We really got our money’s worth of turbulence…. But we finally made it to the Pudong Airport, one hour outside of Shanghai.

We traveled for about an hour through the city before....

reaching our hotel.

After checking into our hotel, we all gathered at 4:00pm . Howard led us to the city bus stop where we took a half an hour ride into the Bund. 

We walked across the Garden Bridge....Larry has nick named this bridge the Love Bridge because every time we have crossed it, we see a bride and groom. 

                                       Today  was no different...several brides appeared.

Spring has sprung in Shanghai!

We walked down the Bund and then crossed the street to walk up Nan Jing Street…the shopping district for downtown Shanghai. 

                                       It was fascinating to watch the city lights blink on. 

                                             A huge thermometer showed the outside temps

We meandered through many shops till we got to the People’s Square. Larry and I peeled off from the group deciding to eat a light dinner. We found the metro and worked our way back to the hotel. Amazingly, it was pretty simple. I feel like we have conquered this city. It is great to feel that familiar with a foreign city….especially in China.

Wednesday, March 27, 2019     Shanghai, China

Eight members of our group took off on our own today, taking the bus to the Bund. It was a beautiful day of warm temps and sunshine.

                                                       We walked through the Gucheng Park.

Lots of grandparents were there with their grandchildren.

Then did some haggling in the Chinese Moslem Market down in Old Shanghai Town. 

                           Spring in Shanghai....Cherry blossoms were in full bloom!

            Willie really had the store owners up in arms….he really knew how to get a bargain.

                                                             What a contrast of old and new!

                           

We saw lots of local items in the little shops and smelled a lot of arousing aromas….both good and not so good.

After shopping all morning we passed through the financial area. Our group decided visit the  Pudong area while Larry and continued down the Bund.

                                We enjoyed the tulips that were not here several weeks ago.
Larry and I headed for some lunch and sightseeing, then rode the local bus back to the hotel when the rain set in.

 During the evening we had a farewell dinner of shrimp, spicy beef, pork fritters, tofu, eggs, eggplant, yams and asparagus. We ate in an attic restaurant that had a blue tarp ceiling to keep the rain from coming in….not much atmosphere for a farewell dinner. However, we had all become like family over the last 2 weeks traveling together.