The more time I spend trekking this city, the more I love it! The people are very friendly and kind. They smile when I say, “Ni hao” for hello or “Xie xie” for thank you which is all I know for now. But soon I will need to master, “How much is this?” I’m saving all my shopping for the latter part of the trip.
I’m very proud of myself because this morning I did tasks that any local would do. I found a pharmacy, pointed at my head and frowned, and got me some ibuprofen – I slept so well, but woke up with a little headache. Then I walked several blocks until I found a bank and an ATM to withdraw a hefty amount of yuan. I don’t think I’ll ever get to the metro during this trip. Taking cabs for $2 is so easy and convenient. All I have to do is point at the Chinese characters for the place I want to go in my travel book or show them the hotel business card. It’s so simple, I feel spoiled.
My first big attraction was the four-story Shanghai Museum. It kinda reminds me of Nordstrom’s at the San Francisco center the way that it’s completely open with escalators going up and down for each floor. My travel book and several people told me the museum was a must-see. I’m sorry, but it wasn’t that great – more like mediocre. I expected something similar to the Hong Kong Museum which has mind-blowing, thought-provoking art. I left extremely disappointed, but later on Marc and I strolled for several hours through the Moganshan neighborhood with all the art galleries and we saw some good stuff, including an epic art installation that I discreetly took pictures of.
We had a late lunch at 3 on the Bund at Jean Georges who apparently is a famous French chef with restaurants in New York. I know nothing about the guy, but it was a lovely fixed price meal with a to-die-for foie gras. We took pictures of every dish.
Marc went into the office while I continued to walk along the Bund which reminds me of Michigan Avenue. Hells yeah, I used to live in Chicago. I’ve had so much fun exploring and the day is not yet finished. The plan calls for a fun lounge apres dinner tonight!