We slept in and then went to breakfast on the executive level. It was quite nice…. They would even make you omelets.
Min went home to get her swimming suit so I relaxed in the room and enjoyed a long hot bubble bath in the soaking tub.. We decided that we should use all the luxury that this booking provides.
Min came back and we dilly dallied around and did not leave the hotel til just after 1.. We took a taxi to Longhua Temple. http://www.sacred-destinations.com/china/shanghai-longhua-temple We first stopped at a this amazing tree that when you approached it, you found it did not have leaves, but instead was tied with the wishes of those that bought ribbons to tie on it. Each ribbon had a different meaning. I used luck for my Mom, I used promotion for me and tenure, I used love for Kent and I and I used long life for me as well. I tied them to the tree and I really enjoyed it.
Min wanted to go this particular temple because it had a good vegetarian restaurant but it was not open. So we went to another restaurant that looked good.
We had a vegetarian feast. We had these amazing fried mushrooms and these pumpkin rolls (which were like those fried rolls in the us but with custard like filling). We also had seaweed salad and then hot pot that had all kinds of tofu meats. I really enjoyed that because each tofu meat tasted like the real meat.. I would not know the difference.
Next we went to the temple. We got a few incense sticks to burn.. I wished for safe travels and good relationship for Kent and I. There were many different Buddhas in this temple. In fact, some of them looked downright mad. We also were able to see a monk prayer session. It was nice we only caught the end, and just as they were leaving one got a call on an iphone and had to leave. I found that humorous.
Next we took a taxi to the Antiques market. It was really just cheap booths that sold souvenirs. We were there just as they were closing. It was great.. Limited pressure and we got a few things. We got better at dealing as we walked down the lane.
Next, we walked through real Shanghai to a grocery store. This area was a little hard for me because I had a lot of Shanghaiese come up to me and say some form of pong, pong, pong (Fat.. ) but we were not in a Western area where people are more aware of westerners. One woman kept on staring and wanted to know my weight but she was wearing her pajamas (full like brady bunch pajamas and slippers).. So Min humored me and responded with Nice Pajamas and I Put my thumbs up and smiled . I was getting pretty tired of it .. so I felt better at that moment. Min had told me earlier that part of the preparation for expo Is that the government has asked people not to wear their pajamas in public anymore and it has reduced it quite greatly.
I was surprised by real Shanghai. First there is laundry hanging everywhere, including in the public park. I asked her about it, and she said its not a park to them, it's a public street. But no one was even watching it .. it surprised me.. Also there is big piles of ginger all over the sidewalks and people just throw it out to dry out.. but there is nothing marking whose it is or anything..She also showed me where the eel was hanging to dry – which was interesting to see.
We went to e-mart which is like a Super Target to get a few more souvenirs and everything was done. We took a cab back to the hotel. Min is swimming in the gorgeous pool and I am up enjoying a free drink and updating my technology.
We plan on walking to fast food noodles tonight. I leave at 2pm tomorrow (6 pm is the flight) .. its been a good trip but is winding down.. Tonight is to figure out luggage and plan to go to the airport tomorrow. I am not looking forward to the long flight but have enjoyed the trip overall.
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