I finished teaching last night, so today I moved from the Jiang Jang Inn in Pudong to the Hilton in downtown Shanghai near the Jian'an Temple.
Originally I got in a cab of a female cabby (the first I have seen) but she did not know Hilton. The next taxi driver said, Oh I know.. and then after he loaded my bags he pointed and laughed at her. His gestures and such said.. "ha ha, you don't know the Hilton… this will be a large fare and I will get good fares there. " he kept motioning big money.
I was supposed to meet Min at 10:30 but ended up sending a good 30 minutes in traffic on the bridge.
When we arrived at the hotel, I began to check in and its like the whole world changed. They immediately, said, Welcome Mrs. Cullen, you are in an executive room, you will register in the Executive lounge.
We were wisked up to the 38th floor executive lounge – where they asked us to have seat, and prepared our room for us early. They offered us drinks and both of us were a little offset by it. They kept apologizing our room was not ready yet (remember, we were there 4 hours before check in!)
They took us to our room on the 23rd floor which has amazing views of Jian'an Temple. It has a window couch that allows you sit and watch out the window. Its also like a honeymoon suite, it has a soaker tub, and a window that you can open so you can see the views from the tub. It also has a shower in the corner that just drains over the floor. Its all very modern (but the shower is kind of messy to me.) They brought us welcome fruits as well – lychees and bananas.
Our room has buttons all over it, that let us hit them to call for service either from the cleaning lady or suited staff. Did I mention this room was $143 usd – 175 with tax… Our room also includes breakfast, afternoon tea, evening drinks and small hot snacks.. The lounger also has free internet. The spa is included and they will press a dress for me. Swanky swanky swanky..
So Min and I chatted and enjoyed our room and then decided we should go do some things. We first went over the Jian'an Temple as it was near the mall and the Metro that we wanted to take.
Iian'an Temple does not look like much from the inside but when you walk inside it takes your breath away.. There are people burning incense in large bundles. They pray by kind of bowing with the burning sage in their folded hands. There is a very large silver Buddha at the top of the stairs. Min said this is a really new temple but that the silver Buddha is quite rare. People are throwing coins for luck and money – I threw one for Mom.. and it hit.. and then I threw 4 for me, and none of them held… so I guess Mom is going to the casino alone.
After that we went to the mall next store and took the lift to the top floor where there was a Shanghaiese restaurant. (I had not thought I had had specifically Shanghaiese food).. Min ordered and we had Jelly Fish, Cabbage Sallad, Yellow Fin Fish, Pigeon, Vegetables in Broth (including a dichon like radish – I really like those) .. The pigeon at South Beauty was much better – but we did get the head again.. Min left it for me, so it went uneaten. The fish was very tender and good, but I had too hard of a time eating it with the bones. My chopstick skills are improving but not that well to avoid the bones. The jellyfish.. was definitely worth trying – but I did not like the texture. Its hard to describe it.. but its jelly with a lot of crunch.. Maybe like tendon in meat.. Flavor was really nothing but texture (and more importantly crunch) was offsetting.
We then took the Metro to go to the Sex and Culture Museum near the Pearl Tower. We were very lost.. We called ahead, but then had trouble finding it.
As we walked back and forth we bought a few souvenirs from street vendors. Then there was a double decker bus that was doing a 30 minute tour, so we decided to do it.. It was fun.. All in Chinese and they served us "Coffee" more like watery milk tea. They basically drove around the block a few times, showing the Pearl Tower, the Bund, the Convention Center, and the World Financial Center. The bus returned and we saw where the museum we were supposed to be looking for.. Its near the Bund Sightseeing tunnel.
Well, when we got there, we found out that museum closed. How disappointing. But the Bund Sightseeing tunnel was there and we thought why not.. we are tourists today.. IT was soooo cheesy, it was a clear glass car that traveled through a laser light show.. and it announced throughout the museum. For example it said, jelly fish.. and there were arms that lit up.. it was campy and funny..
We went over to the bund but the whole thing is tore up, and you would have to walk on the street in the traffic – so we decided to not walk around.
We went back the other way on the tube.. Then we came up and I was tired so we decided to venture back to the hotel. We went to the metro and it was rush hour.. so it tight in the car.. Min gave me the opportunity to bail out and take a cab, but now I can say I took the metro in rush hour.. I let Min take the lead and pushed in…
We got off at Jian'an Temple and my feet were very tired.. I wanted to take a cab back to the hotel, but it was proving too hard to do.. Once we walked, I realized how close it was, I would have been embarrassed to take a cab.
We returned to the room and relaxed. We then went up and had free drinks at the executive lounge. You are supposed to be dressed up, but everyone was in jeans, so we were okay. I sat and talked with a businessman from Chicago named Sean.. he was fun.. Min joined me a few minutes later and we enjoyed talking to him. We also spoke with an Austrian and his girlfriend. He is living about a half hour from here and comes into the city on the weekends to see her. We enjoyed talking about how in the Hilton Lounge I could see Facebook.. (but I still can't see my blog) It seems their vpn allows for better access. We had a few free drinks and then we decided to go to People 7 a restaurant recommended by students.
This restaurant is puzzle – and you have to solve it to get in and use the bathroom etc.. We forgot to check out the bathroom – which now I regret. It was walking distance from our hotel on a old one way street – about a 10 minute walk.
We arrived and there is a wall in front of you.. You have to knock on the door and a false door opens and then finally the real door opens. Its very dark with circular lights in the ceiling lighting each table. It was hard to see around and I was a little drunk.
For dinner, I ordered for the table. To start, we had old style tofu with shrimp flavor flakes. For dinner we had spicy chicken in a stone bowl, 3 presentations of rice, asparagus with almond cream, olives. I ended up getting kind of sick from the Chicken. Min only tasted it but I really liked it.. but at about 2 am.. My stomach was on fire.. Luckily I had packed all kinds of medicines and I was able to take some pepto.. by 9am .. I felt much better.. (but I was worried it was St. Louis or Fort Worth all over) ..
Overall a great night.. I fell asleep watching the skyline.. Min enjoyed a luxurious bath in soaking tub (her house does not have a tub) .. It was a good night.
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