Day 14, Time To Go Home

Thank You China, We had a blast! Heading Home Today.

Karleigh and I had to get food for the 14 hour ride back home….

 I know it's dark chocolate, but why put a picture of England on the cover? What does that signify ?!

 
 

 

Day 13, Pots, Paints, and a Ton More of Harassment by Vendors

Our last whole day in China began with a visit to the Shanghai Museum.

 The architecture of the museum is very significant in that it has a round top and a square bottom. This is because ancient China believed that heaven was round and a circle while the Earth was a square. Of course, it wasn't but the world did not have such a deep intellectual thinking mind yet, there were only scientific theories. 

  A school group of elementary kids visiting, all in suits and dresses

 Next, we went to Xin Tian Di, or New Earth and  Heaven. This village was newly renovated to bring more tourists and the young people to preserve their culture. Now, there are restaurant, bars, and shops within the corridors. There are still people living in this neighborhood today. We decided to make a pit stop at Haagen Daz. Their Haagen Daz is a full out, five star restaurant-type of setting. When people come in, they get seated and served water with lemon. A whole scoop and a half. I think that would be around six USD. Do you know how much Haagen Daz we can buy with $6 at home ?! A pint! (I only know that because we checked the prices back at home). But the nice thing at this place was that they gave a full menu of all the ice cream flavors AND the different types of sundaes they serve made by professional chefs from all over the world !

A real Apple Store! Ironically, Apple products are assembled in China, but they sell it to the Chinese people for an extra $100-150, depending on the product. They have to ship it back to America and yet it charge more for it in the country that assembled the products….. That makes total sense. 

I wonder who comes up with Chinese brand names ?

We decided to explore more of the hotel on our last night. We found the gym, and this is what we did. 

Tomorrow, we wake up in Shanghai, and head back home. It was fun while it lasted.

Day 12 ONLY THE BEST DAY EVER IN SHANGHAI, Endless Shopping, the Night Light, and Wondering Around With Some Cats

 The Jinmao Dasha, the building where we rode to the 88th floor and had a bird's eye view of downtown Shanghai. 

 At the top! Still amazing to see Shanghai with all its pollution. 

 All those times we were in the bus and passing by the apartment buildings and thinking how tall they were. Now, from the 88th floor, they look tiny. We met Wall-E. He was kind of quite and shy.

 Looking down the hotel from the 88th floor, this is looking down...

 The Oriental Pearl towerOur visit to the Bund, the riverside of the HuangPu River

 Had to get a Starbucks pick-me up again. 

 Yu Garden, where all bargainers' dreams come true.Getting ready for Chinese New Year !

 For lunch, we decided to get hot pot, where you wait for the food to be cooked right in front of you. We had some lamb, lettuce, blood…. It was really good.The awesome space themed restaurant we ate at. 

 Another famous restaurant in Ya Garden. Apperently, the Queen had lunch here once.All the fish!

  The actual garden portion of the garden.

Our group! With some random strangers

 

 

 

 As we exited out of the garden, it was time to shop (again). A lot of the salespeople were pretty hard to bargain with. They constantly harassed us to buy their things! I was always called "lady", so they would get my attention. I did a pretty good job of hold my ground. Eventually they give up in the end. 

the Bund

 

 For dinner, we had a meal on a boat ride overlooking the Bund and Nanjing Road. It was the prettiest night ever (:
 
 
 

Nanjing Road!

 

 

AGAIN, the kids went out again while the adults stayed in. We went to a book store and I saw this. One Direction has taken over the world.

Also, walking home, we saw some more markets on Nanjing Road. This one, you could also bargain at. I saw this watch that I liked. I was hoping it was like maybe at least 20 or 30 yuan. The saleswomen told me it was for 120 yuan. 120 YUAN! I could get a lower price back at home! She asked me how much I wanted it for. I said 20 yuan, and she was like "20 yuan ?" in a way as if I spoken in French or something. I was like "yes, 20 yuan" in a very straightforward way. We walked away, because I knew she'd never go for it. Funny thing is, she never stopped staring at us as we walked away. Hah, in her face.

Also another kid in our group had bought a pair of roller skates that a lot of vendors were selling. Once he bought some (only because he gave in to the pressure that every vendor were coming up to us, CONSTANTLY). Right after he bought a pair, every other vendor would come right up to us, LITERALLY EVERYONE, asking him if he wanted some. He would be like "I already bought a pair, you just saw me buy them, why would I want another pair ?!?!" We love Shanghai anyhow.