no fish heads....?? EK would be disappointed...
sounds like you are in the swing of things...have fun

robert is already e mailing me about the hunan rest. and italian???

Sounds like a good day - except for the cigar. RS only 5 games behind are facing last place KC while the Yanks face the forever troublesome Angels. The big showdown is this weekend - I'll be at the Cathedral-in-the-Bronx on Saturday thinking of you, lost in China...

thank god beth is with him or he would still be roaming around in the airport---newark....

Craig, come, come, surely you've heard of kway teow fiorentino! I do grasp the incongruence of "running" whilst on holiday and smoking a cigar.....is this an attempt to achieve balance?

The key question is have you restored the balance of fair trade? We'll look forward to hearing about that i...I mean when you return.

BC

BC---don't give him any subjects to talk about....he is an "expert" on everything...

keep him to simple things like cambridge and how they are going to solve the plague there...

Makes me want to visit China sooner than later.

I forgot to mention that on the first full day, we ate lunch at a place on Maeming Lu about one block north of the hotel. No English name, but it was crowded and we were starved. We applied Ekscrunchy's calculus and figured it was good. Of course, there was no English on the menu, so we had to order by pointing to dishes on other tables. We had noodles with fried onions and bread soup dumplings, larger than xlb's. The dumplings had a sesame seed bottom and were very good as were the noodles.

Also, apparently bicycles and scooters and motorcycles pay no attention to traffic signals or directions. They routinely run red lights and go the wrong way down a one way street. There were a few times when I almost stepped into their path. Beth was worried I would get hurt and I was worried I would crush them.

Here in Beijing with an hysterical anecdote. I'm going to continue chronologically, but trust me it will be well worth the wait.

Andy how was the Rui Jin? Was the room big or small? Faded or fresh? Is it a good location? Did you take pictures? Did you see any rooms in the old part?

Awaitinng Beijing...

I don't believe you had Chinese food and need to see photographic proof as Karen has hinted.

when are you starting your trip report??

Probably as soon as EKS has finished her Myanmar TR.

Don't forget to do the famous N_H walk and report back on it Andy.

WHERE IS THE NEXT REPORT!!!!

Hi Gpanda, I am enjoying your report. Sounds like you have plenty of friends and relatives following your every move! I will be going to China in a few months so I am following you as well. I hope you don't mind if I ask a few questions every now and then.

Only one day in Shanghai? Was it enough? How do you feel about staying in the French Concession considering you spent your time elsewhere? How much was the cab fare from the airport? Thanks so much. Looking forward to Beijing through your eyes.

sdtravels-we spent two full days in Shanghai, see below for second day report. Also, we're returning for five days after Beijing. Shanghai was the city that drew us to China. Lots more to do there.

We are not big on photographs. There are a few, but not comprehensive. Too bad, you're going to have to Trust me on this. The check is in the mail.

Nope, still not ready for the funny part. However, Bob should get his giggle machine warmed up.

The next day it was raining, so we decided not to go on a walk through the French Concession. We went to the Shanghai Arts and Crafts Museum on 79 Fenyang Lu off of Fuxing Lu. This is definitely worth a visit. The building is a lovely old mansion, and the museum houses some working artisans. There are three floors with areas showing embroidery, knitting, painting, papercutting, theatrical costuming and dough dolls, lacquerware and inlay, plus some exhibits showing excellent examples of carvings in jade, inkstone, ivory, wood, bamboo. Some only for museum display, others for sale, some at huge prices. Also is a warren of gift shops in basement level for the various crafts plus jewelry, with reasonable prices. Place largely empty, which was nice. After that, we rested and enjoyed a tea ceremony at Gu Yuan Tea House located at 1315 Fuxing Zhong Rd. very near to Fenyang Rd. No one there either. Ordered overpriced pu-er tea from a mountain area, just to see if we could appreciate it, but the Chinese teas taste watery to us without distinction. This was at the recommendation of the YJ (Seth), who insisted we try thius tea.The ceremony was done by a gawky young man, who fumbled the placement of tea in pot and messily delivered the outcome, but all fine with us. When he went to open the box of tea, he turned it upside down and some fell to the floor. When he tried to transfer tea from the box to the glass tea pot, some would escape the wooden spoon and fall to the wooden box. It may have been his first time. This was in stark contrast to a report we read in which the ceremony was performed by a 53 year old gentleman. We rested and ate some veg buns and tasty cold soybeans. The best part was that Beth suggested that we get reservations. We did not. Of course, we were the only customers at the Tea House.

Then still raining, so off to the Feining Massage Center of Blind Persons, 597 A8 Fuxing Zhong Rd. No atmosphere except dim and cool, with soft chairs for foot massage and several tables in one large room for (clothed) body massage. We took both at 90 yuan together for the 2 hours. 60 minutes of foot massage and 60 minutes of body massage. They were good massages, but nothing extraordinary.

Back to the ranch for a rest and then out to dinner at Charmant, on Huahia Lu. This was recommended by Shanghainese and we were looking forward to it. We were not disappointed. Shredded chicken, cabbage salad, wontons in chili sauce and noodles with pork. All very good. The wontons were incredibly light. No, for desert we ordered the Charmant Special. This was a nine inch tower of crushed ice surrounded by a conglomeration of red beans, green beans, tapioca and some other indescribable substance. It was actually quite tasty, even if it looked like something from the conclusion of “Close Encounters of the Third Kind.” This was concluded with Beth accidentally toppling the tower with about ½ the material still on. It was fine, we could not possibly finish it. The raucous laughter was super.

On the cab ride back to the Rui Jin, the cabbie got confused with the one way streets and I had to speak loudly to get him to let us out, so we would not have to circle the second time.

the poor cab driver....being yelled at yet again by an arrogant american tourist....he was just trying to do a good job...

so your rating for shanghai thus far is....?

Haha. I'm probably the only one who wouldn't eat Chinese food in China.